#wed be cold AND wet out there. and at least we still have hot water and a bed and stuff in here.

[horce-divorce]

we have had such an exhausting night. first of all, the heater has been out of oil for days, so it's just been the wood stove to heat the house during this storm and it's been miserably cold, its probably in the 50s in our room if I had to guess. we had a space heater in here for most of the winter, but it died a few days ago.

then today around, idk 6 or 7, I came back from the 2nd floor bathroom and noticed this godawful stench. I asked the others if they noticed it and they did as soon as I pointed it out. it was coming from the basement, it was sooo bad and thick down there we actually saw a haze like smoke and we could barely be down there to investigate, it was nauseating. It got so bad so fast that we called the non emergency dept and they sent the fire dept, who brought easily a dozen guys (including volunteers who had specialties in electric, carpentry and a bunch of different areas). three firetrucks, a cop and an ambulance just in case.

they tested the whole house with some kind of gas spectrometer, heat mapped the walls, checked everything outside and around the house, nothing else amiss. everyone could smell it, but nobody could quite place it. we all described something slightly different, but we agreed that it was chemically and burn-y. Bel said he smelled eggs or something rotten. For me it was more like burnt cotton at first, from the upper floors, and then once we got closer, it was distinctly chemical. it lingered on my breath and my clothes the way paint thinner does if you don't wear ppe.

the only way I could describe it was like... idk... I know both how formaldehyde and turpentine smell intensely, id know them anywhere. they're different and very distinct. it was neither of those things, but it reminded me of them strongly. it really, really reminded me of school for some reason.

ultimately they told us that because they couldn't positively identify any gases or fire hazards, we were good to go back inside and just call 911 if anything else goes amiss.

about an hour after that one of the CO detectors in the basement started going off frantically and erratically, but when Thorin went to check it out, it was hanging off the wires all weird. Putting it back securely made it stop chirping, and it was still on, and hasn't gone off again. the smell has also started to dissipate upstairs since we had the windows open for a bit.

it was bizarre though. almost 2 dozen people assessed this shit and nobody could find a source. this family has lived here for 25+ years and never had this particular smell.

We did get to sit in the firetruck while they assessed things bc it was cold outside lol that was pretty cool.

But now I wanna go to bed and it's just so fucking cold in here I can't even get cozy fffff :(

[k2padfoot]

Start Over

Draco x Y/n

Summary: Draco couldn’t love you in your marriage until he almost loses you.

Warnings: angst, angsty, angst. some fluff. TW: some self-harm imagery pls be careful reading!

The two of you had been married for one year now. You knew it wasn’t a marriage that he wanted, no it was more like one he was forced in to. On the other hand you, well you weren’t really surprised you had been wed to a Malfoy being a pureblooded Slytherin and all. The only thing you didn’t expect was for him to still not want you..

When Draco and yourself got married you were expecting him to be slightly reluctant at first, but you figured you’d win him with your charm over time. Unfortunately that never happened. You inevitably fell for the blonde haired beauty, but he just didn’t reciprocate those feelings even after a year. You’d fight with one another often, mostly over him not being loyal and the way he treated you. But he didn’t care, he just kept breaking your heart a little more each day. Tonight you were expecting just another drunk Draco to stumble through the door to your home.

It was around 11 o’clock now and you were sitting on the sofa with the fire crackling next to you illuminating the pages to your muggle book. You knew Draco was done with work around 7 pm and you knew he was definitely out getting wasted and falling over women that were not you like usual. Every friday night he shows up late, smelling like someone else, and his lips swollen red. He never let any other girls leave noticeable marks on him, thinking you still didn’t know what he was truly up to. Your eyes were drawn away from your book when your front door came swinging open, and an intoxicated Draco Malfoy stumbled in. You rolled your eyes at his appearance, he was noticeably wasted and you could already smell the alcohol coming off of him.

“What are you rolling your eyes about?” Draco said while slurring his words and stumbling to hang up his coat.

You slammed your book shut and rose to your feet, “Merlin Draco, do you think i’m that daft? Your such an ass!” You yelled to him as you tried to make your way past him, but he quickly grabbed your shoulder.

“Y/n, what the hell is your problem now? You are so damn needy and annoying!” he yelled back in to your face and you grimaced at the alcohol stench coming from his breath.

Your eyes were filling with tears but you didn’t want him to see how much his words really did hurt you, “Piss off! You’re drunk Draco, go to bed.” you said while you turned around and headed to the study.

You walked into your study and plopped down at the desk in the middle of the room. You just wanted to be alone right now. You could hear Draco slamming around outside of the door, but you didn’t care. You were so tired, so tired of his harsh words, his lack of decency, his disgusting actions, and just everything at this point. He had no idea just how much he hurt you everyday, and now it’s been a whole year of this and you were just so unbelievably tired.

Draco never understood why you got so upset with him. He assumed you disliked him just as much by the way you acted a lot. He figured you didn’t want to marry him either, he thought you’d never be able to love him, he knew he would break your heart so he made sure you wouldn’t fall for him. But he didn’t know how much he was breaking you already, he had no idea just how in love with him you were.

You had been reading in the study for at least an hour now trying not to consume yourself with bad thoughts. Your head was pounding, and you could feel yourself becoming more and more anxious by the minute. You quickly got up from the desk and made your way to the bathroom. You quietly tip toed past Draco’s sleeping form in your bed, you knew he’d be passed out with how much he drank so he wouldn’t come in. You had a routine for nights like this, nights where you just couldn’t handle everything.

Your bare feet came in contact with the cold tiled floor in your shared bathroom. You flipped on one of the many lights and walked over to your bathroom sink. You pulled open the cabinet under the sink and reached in for the bottle of wine you hid in there. You took it out and popped the seal while you let the large bathtub in the center of the room fill up. You never drank really and Draco knew that was because of how badly your father drank... But sometimes you just needed something to take the edge off. You slipped out of your clothing and into the warm water letting it soothe your skin. Your head was leaning against the edge of the tub and you took a deep breath before you brought the bottle to your lips and began to down some. Waiting for the pain to slowly fade away as you closed your eyes and let your body relax in the warm water.

You opened up your eyes and realized how quickly you had gotten tipsy from the wine, must’ve been because of your empty stomach. Your head was buzzing and your vision was blurred a bit, you only ever drank half a glass at most to take the edge off. But this time the large double bottle you had gotten out was half empty. This was a different type of drunk, and you didn’t like it. You didn’t like how it made your head hurt even more with bad thoughts. You didn’t like how it made your blood burn, how it made your bones numb, and your cheeks stained with hot tears. You hadn’t realized you were quietly sobbing in the tub now, eyes becoming too heavy to keep open anymore. So you let yourself slip down and become submerged in the hot water.

Draco had woken to the sound of your cries and busted into the bathroom to see you almost lifeless inside the tub. He grabbed underneath your arms and pulled you out of the water. His eyes had gazed over the almost empty bottle of wine sitting by the bathtub. His arms were wrapped around your torso as he sat the both of you down against the wall and pointed at your chest with his wand while speaking the reviving spell. Draco was now sitting behind you sobbing as he held your wet body close to his own. Your eyes shot open quickly after and you gasped loudly.

“Y/n!!! Y/n, what the hell were you doing?!! Please look at me!” Draco said as he turned your head to look into his perfect blue eyes.

You felt embarrassed but you knew you owed him an answer, “Draco, this wasn’t meant to happen. I-I just.. Sometimes I can’t handle the pain you know?” you said while stray tears slid down your cheeks.

Draco started to wrap a soft green towel around you,“Love, please tell me what’s going on?” he asked with soft eyes.

You tried to get up but you were too dizzy to stand, “Draco please don’t call me that!” you cried while hitting your fist lightly against his chest. “You don’t mean it! You don’t love me, i’m nothing to you!!” you yelled as he grabbed your arm and you fell into his chest crying.

He looked down at you with silent tears rolling down his own cheeks and softly kissed the top of your wet hair, “Y/n I- I am so fucking sorry. I never wanted to hurt you like this! Merlin I am so stupid!!!” he yelled and you flinched a bit at his tone. “Oh.. no.. no Y/n I- i’d never hurt you like that, and I never meant to hurt you like this.. I thought you’d be better off not loving me, I thought i’d hurt you if I let myself love you and I couldn’t do that.. I’ve wanted you for so long y/n but I thought it was just selfish of me. I figured if I couldn’t let myself love you i’d just live with you but I had no idea it was effecting you like this.” he said as he tilted your chin to look in his eyes again.

“Then why did you do it? Why did you let other women touch you like I should’ve been? Why did you say such harsh things to me?” you said while tears glistened your y/e/c eyes.

Draco looked down at you before answering, “I don’t know. I have no good explanation for you y/n and I know that’s not what you want to here but I just want you to know I’m sorry darling. You are worth so much more, you deserve so much more and I am so sorry I haven’t been giving you that. Your absolutely beautiful inside and out and I couldn’t apologize more for not realizing that in time. You deserve someone so much better y/n.” he said while he pushed a few stray hairs behind your ear.

You shifted in his arms to be completely facing him now, “But that’s the thing.. I don’t want anyone else, even after the things you’ve done I still don’t want someone else. Maybe we haven’t been able to truly love one another the right way but I don’t know Draco.. That doesn’t mean I just want to let you go.” you said to him as you nervously bit your bottom lip.

He reached down to cup your cheeks, “I don’t want to let you go either, honestly I never want to.. But I hurt you when I thought I was doing the complete opposite, I don’t want ever do that again. I don’t want you to feel like the things I did are ok. I want you to know just how important you are.” Draco said.

A stray tear slid down your left cheek, “I don’t want you to either... But I- I’d rather try than regret never knowing what this could really be.” you said while reaching up with your right arm to grab his own.

Within a couple of seconds Draco had smashed his lips on your own, and you felt it. The rush, and the pure infatuation. Draco felt the exact same way.

“Then could we start now?” he said as he pulled away from the kiss.

You gave him a confused look, “What do you mean?” you asked.

He gently placed your hands in his and pulled you to your feet, “Well for starters I am going to get rid of this,” he said while he dumped the rest of the wine bottle down the sink. “Next we’re going to give you a proper bath and then i’ll help you into some of my favorite sweats, & we can lay in each other’s arms for the rest of the night?” he asked you with a loving look on his face.

“I think that’s a perfect way to start.” you said as you smiled back.

“Then take this off and get back in love.” Draco said while he pulled at your towel. You giggled at his gesture and pressed your lips to his soft ones.

He pulled away and caressed your cheek, “I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you darling.”

You smiled in response and hoped for a new life with the beautiful boy in front of you.

[helliontherapscallion]

Privileges (Adrenaline Junkie Part 11)

Part 1     Part 2     Part 3     Part 4     Part 5     Part 6     Part 7     Part 8     Part 9     Part 10     Part 12     Part 13     Part 14     Part 15     Part 16     Part 17

Spotify Playlist (collaborative)

Warnings: slight description of death/injury/illness, small description of homelessness, slight panic attack

Word count: 2,845

You and Arthur sat at the top of the cliff for a while sitting in silence. Glancing at the sun’s position, you guessed that it’s been a couple of hours. You continued to wait patiently for him to gather his courage that you knew he had. He looked conflicted. 

The wild herds of livestock grazed peacefully below you, filling the silence with various moos and oinks. Various flowers colorfully dotted the green grass with multiple shades of vibrant blues, yellows, whites, and reds. The few clouds that littered the baby blue sky rolled endlessly above you, giving you a sense of peace and entertainment when you tried to make out mobs from the abstract shapes. The breeze lightly blew against your skin making you shiver every now and then from the feeling of it working its way through your feathers and hair. It was a perfect day for flying.

While you were waiting, you took out the snacks and water and handed them to Arthur. He originally didn’t want them, but you insisted he at least drink something today. He needed hydration if he was going to sit under the hot sun for hours. Every time he would take a deep breath (which was often), you would perk up and look at him ready to fully divert your attention towards him, only to look elsewhere when he would sigh. You were starting to lose your patience, but you knew you had to hold out for Arthur. That poor kid looks like he’s been through a lot in such a short amount of time. 

You mindlessly munched on a granola bar. The chocolate and grain danced on your tastebuds in perfect harmony like an old married couple gleefully waltzing at their grandchild's wedding. Washing down the taste with water, you feel the cool liquid slither it’s way down your throat, relieving parts with it’s refreshing properties. You let your mind wander to your brothers.

Technoblade, ever the individualistic, nonconforming anarchist, lived a couple of hours outside the outskirts of the Dream SMP lands. You visited his house once and it was nice, but you really didn’t like the cold. Your metal prosthetic froze to your amputated wing and it took several painful hours of waiting by the fireplace for it to unstick to your feathers. Techno appeared indifferent of the situation, but you knew he cared deep down. He always was a softie for his family members. 

Wilbur was in his element in L’manberg. Leadership came naturally for him, and you were immensely grateful for that. Without him, L’manberg would’ve gone down in history with dishonor. L’manberg was thriving under his just rule. Infrastructure was slowly starting to spread throughout the entirety of the small nation, making it easier to travel. You always flew everywhere, much to the disapproval of Wilbur (“(y/n), can’t you just use the roads I just built?”), so the infrastructure never really affected your daily life. You appreciated that he was working so hard to build his symphony up from measure one to the end. He was truly the heart and soul of his great nation.

Tommy was… well for lack of a better description, Tommy. You were incredibly proud of him, giving up his prized music discs was a gigantic sacrifice for him. It really showed how much he grew up from being the toddler you met a little over a decade ago. Your little brother wreaked havoc in L’manberg, but a good kind of havoc. Tommy and his partner in crime Tubbo were the ones that eased tension during the War. Even after the War, they always actively searched for adventure. They made people smile as they would run past, they knew they were in for a show later on in the day. Tommy and Tubbo gave the nation life outside of its physical growth, they were the morale of the nation. 

You supposed that you were somewhat important to L’manberg, but not as important as your brothers. Sure, they used your inventions to help fight Dream and his goons, but they would’ve been able to do that without your creations. Though, it was satisfying to see the looks on their faces when the L’manbergians whipped out the portable TNT launchers and automatic crossbows to absolutely decimate them. You didn’t really supply L’manberg with physical or morale growth, you were just… there. In your cramped workshop. Tinkering endlessly with inventions that you hoped would make people’s lives easier. 

“(Y/n), I’m ready.”

You jumped a little, turning to him and giving him what you hoped was an encouraging smile. He took a deep breath, looking anywhere but at you.

“It started when I was seven. Mama and Papa were sick. We didn’t have enough money to pay for a doctor, so me and my brother Hugh were trying our best to take care of them. We weren’t good enough though, they died after a couple weeks. 

“People came to take us away from Mama and Papa, but Hugh told me to run away as far as I could. He told me that he’d be right behind me. So, we ran to the woods. He said that he knew a few people that lived there that’d be able to help. We lived with them for three years, they were nice people. 

“One day, they needed supplies so me and Hugh went to go find a cave. The cave we found was really pretty, it had tons of redstone and iron. We went deeper and deeper til we found a huger cave. It had tons of feathers there and some red brown stuff on the walls.” You felt a shiver run down your spine as you realized that those were probably yours. You wondered if they were still down there.

His voice started to get strained and wobbly. “A-and we saw it. Hugh told me to hide and not make any noise so I did and… and it killed him.”

Tears steadily dribbled down Arthur’s freckled cheeks as his lip wobbled and his nose turned as red as his hair. He was starting to hyperventilate. You reached over and pulled Arthur into a tight winged hug. You gently rubbed his back and whispered reassurances into his ear.

“It’s alright Arthur, please breathe with me. In,” you took a deep breath, “and out.” You let out the breath. Even though his breath was steady a few minutes later, you still kept him in a tight hug. It absolutely devastated you that he went through so much in his short life. He started sobbing again.

“(Y/n), it took his soul! Hugh’s still down there with it!” He blubbered out.Your hand froze on his shoulder. 

What. It can’t take souls, could it? That’s not possible, right? …Right? You were going to have to ask Philza about it, but Arthur is your first and only priority right now. His loud sobs were slightly muffled by your shoulder as you felt your shirt get slightly wet with his tears. You did your best to comfort him, but you weren’t used to comforting a child that just lost his only family. 

“I’ll never let that happen to you again. I promise.”

You sat with Arthur protectively wrapped in your arms until you saw that the sun was going to set in the next few minutes. Not good, not good at all. You looked down at Arthur, his eyes were closed in a deep sleep, taking deep shuddering breaths in and out. Good, you needed to get him out of there and you didn’t want to traumatize him anymore than he already is by showing him how mobs react when you’re near them. 

You hastily packed up your stuff before taking off as quickly as you could without waking the sleeping boy. You flew as fast as you could through the air, keeping a tight grip on Arthur as you cut through the darkening sky. You could see zombies, skeletons, spiders, and the occasional enderman below you. Luckily, they didn’t notice you as you flew overhead. 

Just as the lit up house entered your line of sight, you felt something whiz past you accompanied by a strong gust of wind. Looking down, you realized that it was a skeleton. It shooting an arrow garnered the attention of the surrounding mobs as they turned their heads to look directly at you. Shit.

You pushed yourself to fly faster and twisted your body so that if an arrow were to land, it would hit you and not Arthur. You felt the air around you shift as a myriad of arrows were shot at you. Dodging the best you could, you glanced down at Arthur. Still asleep. Good, he didn’t need to see this.

Getting closer to the house, you lowered yourself to the ground fully and pushed your feet against the grass, running for dear life as you heard a fwoosh of air right next to your ear. FInally, you reached the doorknob and swung the door open. Flinging yourself and Arthur inside, you slammed the door behind you, hearing the banging of arrows hitting the wood. 

You leaned against the door panting and closed your eyes, clutching Arthur closer to you in relief. You opened your eyes and peered down at his face. Still asleep? How much of a deep sleeper was this kid? Maybe he was just extremely emotionally tired from earlier. That’s probably how he impossibly slept through all that. 

You pushed yourself off the door and headed up to Wilbur’s, well Arthur’s room so you could put him to bed. You peeled the covers back and placed him gently on the mattress. You covered his body with the heavy comforter and tucked him in. His face visibly relaxed and a slight smile quirked onto his lips. You took a deep breath and stood there watching him. That was certainly a close one. Way too close for your tastes. You almost got him killed because you lost track of time. 

You swept the bangs out of his eyes and left the room, gently closing the door behind you. You tiredly drug yourself down the stairs to the kitchen so you could at least grab a small snack before passing out in the comfort of your bed. Today was just not your day. At least you’d get a decent night’s sleep tonight. 

Walking into the kitchen, you saw Philza sitting at the table looking at you with… was that relief or anger? Or a mix? He stood up and quickly walked over to you. You tensed up, fully expecting to get yelled at, only to feel him hug you. You melted into his touch and felt small tears prick at the corner of your eyes. You really needed a hug after today.

“Don’t ever do that again. I don’t care that you’re an adult, do you know how worried I was? I thought you and Arthur got hurt. He’s just a child and you’re on your last life (y/n). You need to be more careful.”

You didn’t say anything. You just buried your face into his shoulder and let out a silent sob. “I was so scared Arthur was gonna get hurt, I didn’t know what to do.”

The emotion you were holding in all day from sleep deprivation and lack of nutrients completely spilled out. You felt pathetic, crying in your dad’s arms like you were a kid again. He rubbed soothing circles on your back and led you to the couch where you both sat in each other’s arms. Once you calmed down, you pulled away and wiped at your eyes, facing away from him so he didn’t see your weakness. 

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t sleep at all last night and everything just… came out.”

“Hey,” he chided gently, making you look at him, “don’t apologize for feeling emotions. You were bottling it all up weren’t you?”

You nodded shamefully. “...And what did I tell you and your brothers about holding it in?”

“Not to do it.” Your croaky voice cracked out. 

He smiled at you. “That’s my kid. Did you talk to Arthur?”

“Yeah. He’s actually alone, Dad. He doesn’t have anyone out there for him. And he… he said that they saw my feathers and blood down there on the walls and floor. Saw his brother get killed right in front of him… mentioned something about The Warden stealing his brother’s soul? It can’t do that right?”

You were met with silence. “...Right? Dad, you’re scaring me.”

“Yes, The Warden takes the souls of it’s dead. It’s how they live so long, they trap the souls in their chests and feast on the lifespans in rations until the soul is completely integrated into it’s very being.”

So that’s what the screaming white wisps that haunted your nightmares were. They were the souls of the dead. They were screaming in agony when The Warden killed you, so you thought they still held onto their humanity. You remembered hearing thousands of screams echoing off from the stony walls of the dark cave. Shuttering, you remembered how some of the souls stared at you in desperation and despair. 

“...So the souls are trapped with it forever?”

He nodded, not looking at you. The Warden killed you in your first life, why were you still… still you? It doesn’t make sense. 

You swallowed thickly. “Then why didn’t it take mine?”

“I don’t know hun, I wish I could tell you why. I thought you died for good before you respawned. I thought it took your soul.” His voice cracked slightly at the end.

You pulled him into a hug. “It didn’t and I’m still here. That’s the important part, Dad. I’m still here.”

Continuing to give him comfort, you trailed off as you remembered your first death. What could’ve prevented it from taking your soul like the rest? You blanched thinking about what it would’ve been like to be stuck with The Warden indefinitely. Trapped and suffering until it was fully integrated into it’s monstrous body for the rest of eternity. It sounded like hell on Earth. Before today, you thought death was the absolute worst outcome, but you were mistaken. You were given the mercy, no the privilege, of death that day. 

Was it because of the stone platform you landed on? That must’ve been it, there’s no other way you could’ve respawned if you landed anywhere else; the stone platform was the only space you could’ve landed that was far enough above the ground to bleed out. You remembered how your shattered ribs would grind together as you endlessly sobbed and the hot blood dripping off from your forehead and wing warming up your rapidly cooling form. Dying like that was a privilege compared to what the lost souls of the miners endured. You didn’t know how long they’ve been in there, but you still would rather die like that a thousand times over than have to be trapped inside that thing for all of eternity. 

Your thought process was interrupted as Philza pulled away and wiped the tears from his eyes. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was slightly blotchy, it’s been a while since you’ve seen him like that. He’s always been strong for you and your brothers. 

“...Why don’t we grab some dinner before we go to bed, I assume you didn’t eat…?”

His sheepish look gave you all the answers you needed. “There’s some leftover mushroom soup we could eat.”

You stood up and gave him a bright smile. “Let’s dig in then, I’m starving!”

He laughed as you pulled him off the couch and into the kitchen. “Did you eat anything after breakfast?”

You paused slightly then continued to pour the soup into two bowls. “...That’s not important.”

He pursed his lips. “(Y/n).”

“I had like a quarter of a granola bar if that counts.”

“(Y/n) you went through the day with only half your breakfast and a few cups of coffee in your system?”

“I know, I know, not healthy. But that still doesn’t take away from the fact that you didn’t eat dinner either.” You slid the bowl over to him across the table. 

His eyes narrowed in thought before he sighed in defeat. “Touché.”

You snorted and started to eat your soup. You hummed as the earthy flavor shimmied around in your mouth comforting you after today’s events. You automatically felt better after eating. You always found comfort in food. Before you knew it, both you and Philza were done with your dinners and were leaning back in your chairs. You felt your eyes start to droop against your will.

“Why don’t you go to bed and I can clean up. You look like you’re gonna pass out.” He snickered. You hummed in agreement, too tired to argue and murmured out a quiet “thanks. G’night, love ya.” You drug your feet up the stairs and plop down on your bed, passing out instantly as soon as your head hit the pillow.

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[itisannak]

Parenthood Rehearsal (Ashton Irwin Fluff)

Summary: Ashton and (Y/N) babysit her baby nephew. Based on Love Prompts: #14: “Let’s have a baby.” & #35: “This is why I fell in love with you.” (Words: 2.3k) (Request)

"Make sure the milk is not too hot." My sister says, peeking inside the stroller for one more look at her son, who is suckling on his pacifier. "You already told me that." I remind her, sighing as I try to remain patient with her. "And when you put him to bed, make sure you don't tuck him in too tight. He moves a lot and it is not safe." She states, holding up his little blanket. "Honey, can we go? We are going to be late." My brother-in-law points out, tapping at his watch. It is my sister's first time leaving her son and going out for the night, and it is even worse since the wedding they are attending is too far away for them to return tonight and pick Benny up. I can partially understand her, even though this talk by the door really gets on my very last nerve. "We have got this." I assure her. Ashton smiles and nods, rolling the stroller further into the house. This is the only way to get them to leave already. "If anything happens..." She begins and I groan. "If anything happens, we will let you know. Now leave. Or you are going to make it to the wedding after the couple leaves for their honeymoon." I hold the door for her and she scoffs, rolling her eyes. "You will see him at lunch. You look gorgeous, have fun." I try to sweeten the goodbye, but I can tell she is having a hard time. My brother-in-law mouths a thank you as his hand rests on her lower back and he guides her out of the house. "Call me before his bedtime." Is the last thing my sister says before I close the door to her face.

I make my way to the living room, where Ashton has already set up the portable playpen for my nephew. "Alright. How is my favorite guy?" I cheer at the baby, picking him out of his stroller and holding him to my chest, bouncing him to make him giggle. "I am alright. Just a little sore from setting this up." Ashton replies, even though he knows I am talking to the baby. "Bold of you to assume you are my favorite guy." I tease my husband, making him fake-gasp and touch his chest in pretend offense. "Ouch. 7 months old and he already stole my spot..." He shakes his head, walking closer to me. He leans down, planting a kiss on my forehead before he takes a seat on the couch. "One of us will have to take care of dinner." I state, joining him on the couch. I bounce the baby as Ashton hands me one of multi-textured toys. "Or we can order in." He suggests as I hold the toy out for the baby boy to grasp. "I am a horrible housewife." I sigh, earning a chuckle from Ash. "Your aunt is being funny." He says to the baby, tapping his nose. The little boy finds his hand more interesting than the toy I am holding, reaching to grasp my husband's fingers. "You are not a housewife. And takeout does not mean you are horrible." He replies, letting the baby play with his hand. "I could really go for Tex-Mex tonight." I mumble and he hums. "I could really go for it too. What time should he eat?" Ash asks, picking up Ben so he can hold him and let the kid play with his fingers. "In about 2 hours. But we will have to bathe him first." I reply and he hums. "That means we get to play with the little dude for at least an hour..." He says cheerfully. "You know, I kinda get my sister... I would have a hard time letting go of that dude too. I will probably have a hard time letting him go tomorrow." I sigh, stroking my hand over the soft hair on top of the baby's head. "A bit dramatic, don't you think?" He asks and I shrug. "He is just so cute..." I pout, taking Ben's little hand in mine. "That he is. Come on, let's give him some tummy-time." Ash suggests, pressing his lips on my forehead. Ashton lets Ben on the crawling mattress he has laid on the floor of our living room, laying aside him on his tummy as well. Ben quickly finds his way to the playpen, crawling the short distance without any problems. "Good job, buddy." Ashton cheers, scooting towards him.

I test the water's temperature with the little toy duck thermometer, seeing if the water is too hot for the little guy. "It will take us a fortnight to gather all his stuff..." Ashton sighs, undressing the baby for his bath. "She swore she would bring only the essential..." I mumble, picking the lavender wash out the toiletries bag. "She does realize he will only spend a night at our place, right?" He asks, slowly lowering the baby into his baby tub. "For her feels like a century. Come on, be lenient... It is her first time leaving him." I giggle, kneeling to wash him. "Should I go make a bottle?" He asks, standing aside to let me move with ease. "I think it is too soon. We will have to dress him up before we feed him, and by then the milk will be cold." I reply, wetting the baby's head. "I will go lay his clothes on our bed." He offers and I nod. "Thank you. But make sure you are here to help me pick him out of the tub." I flinch just at the thought of picking him up and him slipping from my hands. "I will only be gone for a minute." He assures me, walking out of our bathroom. Ben flails his hands in the water, splashing around as I use the soft-bristle brush to wash his hair. The whole bathroom smells like lavender soap and that makes me feel soft and mellow. I sigh, thinking of how it will be when Ashton and I decide to have a baby. When we got married two years ago, we decided to just take time to enjoy one another, see the world and submerge ourselves in new experiences, so having children was not a conversation we truly ever had. At least not seriously, not taking into consideration the logistics behind it. But ever since my sister announced her pregnancy, this need of becoming a mother myself was stirred up. And it got worse since Ben was born since I got to hold my nephew in my arms. It does not help that Ashton is so good with him. Fatherhood looks natural on him, and the sight of him holding the baby makes my heart race. I cannot help it, picturing him with our own baby, imagining how good he will be as a parent. But I also know he is such a good parent because he practically raised his siblings. And then he became the father of the group, the older mentor for his friends. It is more than certain that he needs a break from that role, and I understand that. Sighing, I grab the rinsing cup and wash the shampoo off Ben's head. I lather his washcloth with the cleanser and softly cleanse his skin, making sure I don't scrub too harshly on his sensitive skin. "Everything ok in here?" Ashton asks, resting against the doorframe. "Yes, we are done in a minute." I smile at my husband who picks up the baby's towel and preps it in his arms to carry him to our bedroom. I rinse the baby off and move over so Ashton can pick him out. "Oh, you smell so good, bud." Ashton kisses the top of his head as I rinse and drain his tub. "Can you handle dressing him up so I can prep the milk?" Ashton asks as we walk towards our bed. "Can you handle making his bottle?" I ask and he chuckles. "Piece of cake." He assures me, laying the baby on the changing mat. "I think I can do dress up." I reply, picking up the lavender lotion.

I finish putting on his onesie when Ashton returns with the bottle. "You are still struggling with dressing him up?" He asks with a soft giggle. "If you knew all the steps in his nighttime routine, you wouldn't be that surprised..." I state, picking up the baby and sitting on the ottoman to feed him. "Can I do it? Can I feed him?" He asks, sitting next to me. "Are you sure?" I ask and he nods. "Yeah, yeah. I'll feed him, you go take a shower and then you put him to sleep and I take a shower." He replies, motioning for me to give him the baby. "Ok, I'll make sure to be quick." I hand him Ben carefully, watching him as he starts feeding him. "Go, I have done this in the past, multiple times." Ashton says playfully. I raise my hands in defeat, walking away from the two boys.

I did as fast as I could in the shower, and despite the short length, it was exactly what I needed. I walk out of the bathroom, already clad in my pajamas and ready for Ben's sleeping ritual. Ashton is humming a tune as he walks around the room with Ben in his arms, rubbing his back softly. "I thought I was supposed to be putting him to sleep." I whisper, not wanting to disturb the little guy. "I got carried away. Can you order food?" He asks, in the same hushed tone. "Still TexMex?" I ask, taking my phone from the nightstand where it was charging. "Yes. Get the usual, I think you have the order saved on the app. Ask for door delivery and pay with my credit card, so they don't ring the bell and wake the baby up. Ask for a text upon delivery." He whispers and I shake my head. "So bossy..." I mumble, and he shoots me a look. "I have no problem with your nephew crying all night if you don't have too..." He states, looking at Ben to see if he is asleep. "Ok, ok... A crying baby is the last thing on my checklist for tonight." I reply, writing the instructions for delivery in the special field.

"I think in a minute or two, he will be ready for bed." Ashton announces, bouncing the baby to lull him to sleep. "I will stay with him, you go shower." I reply, laying his bedding on my side of the bed. Thankfully, the bed is big enough for me to sleep comfortably along with Ashton on his side of the bed. "Once he is off, we can't get out of the room. We have to watch him so he doesn't roll over." I remind him and he nods. "So, we will eat in bed. And we will read that book you bought the other day until we are off too." He states, letting Ben on his mat. The baby continues sleeping, sucking on his pacifier rhythmically. "This is why I fell in love with you. You always find solutions." I say happily, making him turn his head and plant a soft peck on my lips. "I'll be right back." He whispers, walking towards the bathroom.

I watch as my nephew sleeps, pouting over how angelic he looks, how peaceful he is. I want a baby, and I want it now. I want to have a baby with Ashton, I want to raise a child with the love of my life, I just want it. It hurts me physically being in need of becoming a mother. "(Y/N)... (Y/N)? Do I flip the page?" Ashton nudges me, making me come out of my thoughts. "Hm?" "We have been on this page for a while? Did you read it? Should I change it?" He asks. "I am sorry, give me a minute." I start scanning the page, but Ashton shuts the book and leaves it on the bedside table. "You seem a bit off. Are you tired? Do you want to go to bed?" He asks me, kissing my temple. I shake my head, taking a breath. "I want a baby." I admit, moving so I can look him in the eye. "Now?" He asks, knitting his eyebrows together. "Don't make fun of me. I want us to have a baby. I know you practically raised your siblings, and then you raised the boys, and I know you needed a break from fatherhood when we got married, but I want to have a baby. I want us to grow this family. I want a baby because..." I go on and on, but Ashton just chuckles and reaches to cup my face. "(Y/N)... Let's have a baby." He says as if it is the simplest, most natural thing in the world. "You are serious?" I ask and he nods. "Very. And if we didn't have our nephew here tonight, I would show you how serious I am about having a baby with you." He winks at me, making my eyes go wide and earning a light slap on the shoulder. "Ashton..." I gasp and he shrugs. "What? You asked for a baby... I am just saying, we can start trying." He replies, pulling me in for a kiss. "You are going to be an amazing dad." I mumble against his lips before I rest my forehead on his. "Only because you are going to make an amazing mum." He kisses the tip of my nose while stroking his thumbs over my cheeks.

My Masterlist

[instasiswetrust]

Steve's not quite drunk but there's a pleasant buzz under his skin that leaves him feeling pliant and loose, enough to keep any unsavory thoughts at bay for the time being.

The scent of chlorine and bleach that envelops him once he opens the pool doors, familiar comforts by now, help clear some of the haze of alcohol that has befallen him from his last drink taken at the Auris that night. Or morning. He's not entirely sure.

It brings back the memories that he had been trying so hard to forget. A lavender envelope had been in his mail that day, inside of it an invitation trimmed with delicate filigree. For Nancy's and Jonathan's wedding.

A fall wedding.

The type which he and Nancy had joked about back when they were together, not long before Jonathan had joined them.

He had gone through his work with the kind of detachment that usually meant nothing was truly registering. Adam might have noticed at one point, too attuned already to the tells under the porcelain of Steve's mask, but the memory is fuzzy and he can't remember if he ever gave a proper answer to his manager's concerned query.

As soon as work was done, he had made his way to the Auris in search of something to get his mind off the pain that clutched the shards of his heart like a vice. Or rather, someone. It had been his favorite dancer's day off or something though, leaving him to spend the rest of his night watching the dancers on stage and sipping on the ocassional drink.

Something had made him want to climb the stairs to the gym's pool, though. And that's why he was here now.

"Are you drunk?" The voice that speaks has become familiar in the same way the scent and sounds of the pool has and when he looks up to meet the eyes of its owner, he finds them startled if slightly amused.

"Only a little bit." He shrugs, plopping down by the edge of the pool with his legs crossed under him. The bleach might leave stains on his Levi's but he can't really muster enough energy to give a fuck right now. "'s not that bad."

"You kind of reek of cigarette smoke and whiskey."

Yep. Definitely amused.

"Spilled some scotch on my shirt. The smoke is probably from the cab driver." Another shrug but this time he levels Billy with apologetic doe eyes. "I can leave if it bothers you."

"You're fine, I was just curious." The blonde swims closer, crossing his arms over the edge next to where Steve sits once he's close enough. "First time I've seen you up here wearing something other than your ridiculous pajamas."

"They are not ridiculous!" Steve protests at once, pouting. "And you have seen me in swimwear too!"

"Last week you were wearing bright red shorts that said Bite Me across the ass, and a t-shirt that said Friends don't lie in big bold letters with a heart-shaped waffle at the center." Billy deadpans, raising a single eyebrow. "The shirt was at least two sizes too big for you."

"They were gifts." Brown eyes narrow into a glare but the petulant pout kind of offsets the vibe.

"I thought models were supposed to have taste in clothes."

"We're supposed to look pretty while others dress us. It's not in the job description to have taste."

"So you admit you have no taste then." Billy was giving him that smirk, the one Steve called insufferable but discretly considered hot as fuck. How dare he be so sinfully handsome.

"I said no such thing!" Steve crosses his arms over his chest, tipping his chin up in the perfect picture of snotty petulance. He could already feel the laughs bubbling in his chest, wanting to break the mock facade.

It takes only a second or two of Billy giving him an skeptical look before they are both laughing.

He had missed this kind of easy-going banter. Most of his friends he only saw around the holidays, and the environment at work was more prone to talks about weight loss and botox than anything else.

New York never slept but that only made it all the more lonely.

His sullen mood must've reflected on his face because he feels something poke at his thigh, meeting Billy's eyes when he turns to look at him.

"You didn't just come here so I could make fun of your taste in clothes, did you?"

"I-"

It's only then that Steve realizes Billy is right.

The reason his alcohol fogged brain has preferred to come up here rather than crash into his bed wasn't just some way of punishing himself even further. Not entirely at least. He had come here because it was a place of comfort for him.

And because he had a friend here, too.

"No. Not just that." Steve sighs, letting his eyes focus on the slow movement of the pool water instead of Billy's face.

"Do you..." A moment of hesitation, as if he's not sure about his words. "want to talk about it?"

Brown eyes close, keeping his focus on the in and out of air through his lungs for a few moments until he feels less like he's going to burst out crying the moment he sets these awful thoughts into words.

Makes them all the more real.

"My... exes. They are getting married. To each other." He doesn't open his eyes, doesn't do anything more than try to keep his voice steady even as the aching pain of heartbreak weighs down on his chest. "I received the invitation this morning."

There's a low whistle. It sounds like sympathy. It sounds real.

"That bites," Billy says, and his voice has a dulled edge to it. Commiseration with flavor, or something like that, but it's three am and there's nothing but cold tile and the soft wake of lit water. "Is this ... like a sudden spur of the moment thing?"

When Steve turns doe eyes to him, Billy raises up his hands, only moderately pruned, in an easing gesture.

"You don't have to answer. Just..." A pause. A beat as the swimmer looks for the right string of words. "Just trying to gauge how much of a dick move this is."

There's a laugh, dull and mirthless. A sad little sound.

“We have been friends since high school. All three of us dated for a bit longer after that. We went through some hard stuff together back in Indiana.” He shrugs, keeping his eyes closed. Tears at bay. “Was supposed to be the kind of friendship that lasted even after we broke up.”

It’s all my fault. He doesn't say.

My stupid heart and I. We ruined it all.

It takes a split second of contemplation, because, after all, they're total strangers. But once upon a time, someone gave Billy this sideways kindness and it helped. Maybe Steve and his overly fancy hair won't mind it too much.

So Billy acts on the impulse.

It's a tiny splash. Really very minuscule. Aimed and precise for the minimum impact upon the sitting duck target. But water is water. Nobody can tell tears from pool water.

"You were thinking too hard." He places the excuse on the table, sinking lower into the water, comfortable in this strange company. Even if the guy seems to be at the end of his rope. There's something about him. Like a dream you don't want to forget. "I could see the smoke. Had to cool you down."

The water is warm and yet is still enough of a shock to force Steve's eyes to open.

His first instinct is to protest, say something about the action being rude and uncalled for. Stand up and leave, most likely.

But what he sees in Billy's face — hears in his voice — is enough to give him a moment's pause. To truly appreciate the action for the small kindness it is.

This time when the tears dribble down his cheeks in quiet drops, he has something to hide them behind.

“You really think you're funny, huh?”

And if his voice is a little too wet to be considered normal, they don't have to talk about it.

"I'm hilarious," Billy says as he sinks a little lower into the water, mostly to hide his smug grin, but in part to hide away. "The girl gang that lets me tag along sometimes says so."

“Of course you are.” Steve rolls his eyes, using his fingers to brush back his mostly dry hair. He should probably wash the chlorine out of his hair before going to bed or it would be stiff come morning.

“Is that why you're trying to become a prune? For maximum fun effect?”

“Nah,” Billy waves off the prune comment. He’s hardly started his routine. Pool time ain’t over until everything has that post-workout burn and his stomach begs for food. Makes time easier to keep that way. “I just like to swim.”

Just like Tony Hawk likes to skateboard, he supposes, but understating his profession like this is one of the best parts of the job. Gotta get your kicks when you find them.

“Why? Got something against prunes?” He laughs, “They just want to help you. Healthy stomach, and all.”

“Not particularly, but they do remind me of my Nonna. She likes her prunes.” Another shrug, this time easier. Easy banter is much better than worrying about that little envelope sitting on his coffee table.

The tears have stopped too, the contacts itching slightly against his eyes. Probably from the mix of salt and chlorine. Thankfully, his cardigan is mostly dry and he takes it off to use it as a makeshift towel.

“Is that why you're always here at weird hours? You some sort of pool cryptid or something?”

“That’s only step one of my master plan.”

Billy likes the sound of pool cryptid. Sounds a lot more mysterious and fun than what he’s actually doing, which is training until he drops so the nightmares won’t kick up.

A snort, loud and sudden leaves Steve at that, straining a little in his throat. Mom would say it's undignified. Dad would say it's ugly. He doesn't particularly care either way.

“And pray tell, what would step two entail? Flooding the city?”

Cute laugh, Billy thinks briefly surprised. Much better than seeing the guy choke back tears. Let's see if he can't instigate a bit more of that amusement. It's bound to taste better than the misery the brunette wanted to wallow in.

"What kind of water-based supervillain do you take me for?" Billy, mock-miffed, places a hand over his heart and huffs. "That's so silver-age comics. And you're not even my henchman. Why should I tell you anything about my master plan?"

A finger taps at his chin, seemingly thinking hard about his answer. Steve's not particularly well versed in comics but Dustin’s done his best to keep him on the smallest of loops.

He no longer mixes Superman with Captain America, at least.

“Fair point. You don't have the looks to pass off as Aquaman.” Steve purses his lips, offering his best apologetic doe-eyed look. Although he's definitely bluffing because if there's anybody out there who could give Aquaman a run for his money it would be Billy. “And who says I couldn't be your henchman?”

"Did you fill out the paperwork?"

Everyone knows bureaucracy is the lungs of evil. Or something like that. Sue him, he was never great with metaphors on the fly.

“Honey, if I wanted to fill paperwork I wouldn't have taken modeling as a career.”

It's an exaggeration for the most part. Steve's too used to poking fun about himself these days that it doesn't sting as bad as it used. Not too much.

Billy cocks his head and lets the loaded sentence drop and drift away.

"Then guess you can't be a henchman."

“I can make killer margaritas, though.”

“I don’t really drink too much.” The nightmares get worse when he’s anything but sober. It’s better to be exhausted. It’s the easiest way. “Medication reasons.”

A little white lie that’s hardly a lie, he really shouldn’t drink with his ADHD meds, but who ever listens to that rule? Nah. Only when it suits him.

“Model thing explains your hair though. Glad we solved that mystery.”

“Fair.” Steve offers a smile, crooked and a little pinched at the edges but a smile nonetheless. “I’m not supposed to either. Nutritionist's orders.”

To be fair, he's not supposed to be drinking at all. Smoking too. It's a little hard not to indulge every once in a while, though.

The model comment surprises him. There's a billboard with his face just a few blocks down from this apartment complex. He can see it from his room. How has this guy not recognized him?

It's surprisingly refreshing.

“Hm? Oh no, the model thing has nothing to do with my hair. That's just personal taste.”

Now that Billy cares to look, Steve’s face is achingly familiar. Oh, the trials and tribulations of having attention issues. At least there’s a better reason for the weird familiarity than must just have one of those faces.

“Can’t relate.” He’s not particularly attached to any bodily feature of his. It’s a side effect, he’s told. Reassured. It's just a consequence, and nothing more. “Doing things with hair? Nah. Sounds too complicated.”

“Sounds like the kind of thing a pool cryptid would say.” There’s a story behind Billy's words. Something missing, hidden skin deep. Steve hopes the light jab helps diffuse that somewhat.

“What are you, a cop?” Billy smirks, and because he is the pinnacle of maturity, he dips under the water with an obnoxious splash.

“Asshole” Steve hisses, droplets dribbling down his bangs and into the cardigan bunched up in his lap.

With a sigh, he forces himself to get up. Might as well take that shower now.

Billy surfaces, still grinning, because even if the guy looks pissed at him, that means he’s not stewing in the past with his soon-to-be-married exes and the Hercules-class weight of baggage that relationship caused.

“Guys by the pool get splashed. No matter what time it is or how cute they are. Cryptid rules.” His smirk it's wide, tip of his tongue between his teeth. "If you weren’t prepared to get wet, then why’d you come?”

Steve shrugs, doing his best to ignore that peek of a pink tongue. “The local cryptid makes for good conversation.”

“So you’ve been watching me?” Billy makes a little show of floating back, caught in thought. “I don’t know how I feel about spectators.”

“I can stop.” Painfully honest. If Billy really wants him to, Steve would stop. He would prefer not to, though.

“Nah. I’m only pulling your leg.” Billy returns to the pool’s edge. Rests his cheek on the edge, looking up at pretty boy model Steve.

“Things get too quiet sometimes.”

Steve hums softly in agreement, feeling relief ease itself back into his bones. He would have stopped, yes, but he wouldn't have particularly liked the prospect of it.

“You come here every day? Or have I just happened to stumble in on the days you're around?”

"Almost every day. Sometimes I take this side-show to other pools." Billy cracks his best Han Solo roguish smile, levies it against Steve's still too flat smile. "Gotta keep the government guessing sometimes, you know."

“Of course, wouldn't want to get caught and all that.” A yawn gets past Steve's lips, startling him. He hadn't registered how tired he was. “I’ll keep that in mind, for next time.”

“Thank you.” Quieter. Softer. Barely above a whisper but loud enough in the gentle silence of the pool.

It comes just as soft. It's almost tender, really, as the word casts across the water and tile and the near-lonely pool.

"Anytime."

---

The next time Steve visits, it's once again 3 AM but he makes the mistake (is it really a mistake?) to bring a tin of sugar cookies with him.

"Oh shit, are you sharing, or is this all to tease me?"

Steve is sitting by one of the benches, already halfway through a cookie. “Come out here and find out.”

Billy narrows his eyes, lips pulled into a thin frown.

"Fool me once." He waggles a single warning finger and doesn't even really bother to dry off as he drags himself out of the pool to plop down on the floor next to Steve and steal into the snacks.

There are enough cookies for both of them stuffed neatly in a tin container. It's awfully pretentious according to Dustin, but then again Steve's Nonna always said cookies tasted better stored that way.

“I'm not mean enough to just eat while you watch. Yet, at least.”

"Oh just wait until you know me better." Billy chirps, shoving two into his mouth, wholesale and choking a bit.

"Robin and Carol would do that in a heartbeat."

“They probably would have a good reason too.” Steve teases, watching with amused eyes as Billy almost chokes. They are just sugar cookies he managed to scrounge up with whatever was in his kitchen. Nothing that good.

“Easy there tiger, cookies ain't going anywhere.”

"You have no idea how hungry I always am."

Steve blinks, surprised. The words come out before he has a chance to truly think them over. “I’m a good cook.”

"Prove it." It's out of Billy's mouth before he can take it back, but on second thought, he doesn't really want to. Steve's good company, or at least he has been so far.

And he hasn't had a nightmare since.

Good omens.

“You're kind of choking on the proof right now.” Maybe it comes out a little lighter, a little too surprised.

That's fine. Whatever this thing is, it doesn't seem like too bad of a chance to take.

“But if you need some more convincing, I can offer dinner too.”

Wheezing, but recovering, Billy grins up at Steve but there's a hopeful spark in his blue eyes that wasn't there before. "Fuck yeah, gotta make sure it's not a fluke."

Steve offers him the thermos of coffee he had brought with him, suddenly too distracted by watching Billy drink to remember what he wanted to ask. “Uh... When are you free?”

"This Sunday, I think. Getting back from a rapids trip that I shouldn't keep doing but like fuck am I gonna listen to other people for something dumb like my health."

“Is it like, you could die type of thing or just one of those things doctors say we should stop doing and everyone ignores? Because dead people don't particularly eat.”

"I do dumb shit because regular training gets boring and people who actually like me have to put up with it." Billy waves a dismissive hand. "But that's what it takes to get me moving on schedule so. Yeah."

It drives his coach insane because doing his reps in real rivers with real currents isn't exactly... well. It's not what everyone else does for training and given that he has passed out mid-stroke before, he can't even say the risk is just the current. But he knows that upstate rivers like the back of his hand.

Yeah, life would be way easier if he didn't have ADHD, less doctor's notes for the cause of amphs in his piss, but it would also be super boring and he'd be even more traumatized, probably. And that would suck.

Steve thinks of Indiana, and a bat full of nails. Of cliff diving at the quarry, drunk on stolen bourbon and tasting cheap cigarettes. Of the Auris with his slew of dancers most of who he's shared a bed with more than once.

He thinks he has some experience with the whole doing dumb shit just to get his schedule moving.

"I will take your word for it then." Hums, thinking back to his schedule and what he has paged in for Sunday. There was that casting thing Adam wanted him to do but it was morning. "I should be free on Sunday. Any allergies I should account for?"

“None that I know of.” Spoken cheerfully

“Great. Gives me more to work with.” And this time when he smiles, it's the most honest he's offered since they met.

---

When he finds it again, it is entirely on accident.

Adam had scheduled a trip to California for a gig, something about a new summer line of wetsuits and surfboards this company wanted him to advertise. It was a big opportunity and it was good cash too, of course so Steve wasn't going to question why they thought it a good idea to present a summer line in the middle of august. But as usual, he had forgotten to pack his suitcases until the night before, and now he was left to scramble around his apartment searching for his stuff.

So when he finds the lavender envelope buried under a few recipe books and a hoodie, still unopened, he doesn't think much about it and opens it. It's only when he's staring at the date stenciled in black calligraphy under Nancy's and Jonathan's name that he realizes what he's looking at.

Oh right. Those two were getting married.

The familiar ache in his chest is still there, but it's muted enough that he's surprised. Between canceling his exclusive membership at the Auris, and his relationship with Billy coming out to the media, he had sort of forgotten all about the wedding.

Maybe...

Grabbing his phone from the bed, he shoots his boyfriend a quick text.

How do you feel about being my plus one to my exes' wedding?

[foodieforthoughts]

Sand and Stars - Chapter Five

Series Summary: After the water pump being blown up, the insurgents in Baqubah are taking a hold of the food supply to the village. Camp Warhorse is in dire need of reinforcements. It has been eight months of submitting countless requests when the High Command commissions Sergeant Olivia Ross to take her group of men and women and help Captain Syverson and his team to restore a semblance of normalcy. But with the war raging, does it get two hearts closer too?

Pairing: Captain Syverson x OFC x OMC

Word Count: 2.5k

Warnings: 18+, Mentions of war, military technicalities, slight angst, fluff, implied smut

A/N: Well Hello! Our dear Captain Alex has finally made an appearance! A big thank you to @thelastsock​ who is patiently beta-reading this, I love you woman with my whole heart.

<Chapter Four

Title: Chapter Five

The sun felt scorching hot on her skin as Olivia loaded her gun near the parked Humvees. A mild throbbing at the base of her skull added to the uncomfortable sensations each time she moved. She hadn’t planned to drink almost half a bottle of whiskey last night, but it was cold, and she needed the warmth.

Also, the drink had sort of been a gift from Sy.

Olivia groaned as the memories from last night flashed through her mind. She had literally invited him for a kiss, throwing herself on her Captain like a wanton whore. She felt embarrassed even thinking about it. Thankfully for her, Sy had a better judgement about entertaining drunk women and had resorted to just giving her a tight hug.

Her stomach felt queasy as a sour taste filled her mouth. She swallowed as the uncomfortable feeling set at the pit of her stomach. Running a hand over her sweat covered forehead, Olivia rested against the vehicle.

She felt worthless. Olivia couldn't shake the feeling of repeating history, despite the extreme effort of will she put her hungover mind to this time. She slung her gun over her shoulder as a distant memory of her time with Alex began flashing before her eyes.

The sound of their hurried footsteps on the marble floor echoed through the empty hall. It was almost noon, the temperature soaring high and drinks becoming difficult to keep down. Alex chuckled as Olivia pulled him towards a bathroom door, not caring whether it was for the ladies or the gents. She had been begging for Alex’s attention ever since they got to the wedding party for a fellow soldier, downing an unusual amount of alcohol before finally gathering up the courage to whisper naughty things in his ear. She had been hung over her Captain for far too long, it was time for her to finally taste him.

Olivia massaged her temple with her fingers. She had been so stupid and naïve to start something with Alex. Her Captain. She regretted it now more than ever, 3 years of hookups later. Alex had been her friend since she re-enlisted again after completing her Aviation course. Though to tell the truth she'd been crushing on him since she first laid eyes on his beautiful face. His unbridled confidence, panty-melting smile and boyish charm had worked its magic on Olivia’s mind. It wasn’t something she thought of pursuing on a long-term basis, but his sweet nature only kept driving her closer to him. She liked that he showered her with affection all the time, something her attention-starved mind craved desperately. Only she had mistaken her lust for love.

“Really? Here? You know our seniors are present out on the lawn.” Alex snickered as Olivia began undoing his belt. His blazing eyes sparkled with what was to come next, the anticipation dancing in his beautiful orbs. Dinners together had turned into overnight stays and eventually Olivia had kissed Alex one night, crossing the line of friendship with no turning back.

“We are on leave, aren’t we?” She had suggestively smiled at him, palming his bulge through his pants. She leaned in to kiss Alex, feeling the softness of his lips brushing against hers. She felt her arousal beginning to wet through the thin fabric of her panties as Alex plunged his tongue into the warm cavern of her mouth.

Olivia grinned mischievously as she hopped on the sink counter pulling Alex by his tie to stand between her legs. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he pulled her in to steal another kiss. She unzipped his pants as Alex began trailing down her neck, planting soft kisses over her warm skin and cupping her breast through her dress.

“I don’t have a condom,” Alex said against the skin peeking just above her breast.

“I’m on the pill,” she shrugged and pulled his hardening cock out of its constraints. It pulsated in her hand as she pumped him. Alex groaned into her soft skin and nipped at her in retaliation, making her hiss with pleasure. She bit her lip as she watched him take over his cock and enter her aching folds. Alex let out an unrestrained moan as her warmth enveloped his throbbing member.

“Happy birthday, little birdie.” Olivia blinked as Sy appeared in front of her, smiling from under his cap. He was dressed in his combat fatigues, the vest making him look bigger than he already was. “Hangover?”

Olivia shook her head, warmth spreading over her chest as the vivid memories registered in her mind. “Just…uh, regular headache.” She smiled at her Captain. Her eyes lingered on his, mesmerized yet again by the intensely blue orbs looking back at her. She noticed the freckles on his nose and his lip and the changing shade of brown of his beard as it travelled down his neck.

“Maybe later we can have some chai while we watch the sunset?” Sy leaned against the metal body of the Humvee, one hand resting low on his hip.

Olivia tilted her head to the side and raised her eyebrow. “Sunset? You do realize I fly a chopper for a living? I’ve seen my fair share of sunsets and sunrises by now.”

“But you haven’t seen a sunset with me.” A smirk formed on Sy’s lips, challenging her for another excuse.

Olivia felt a flutter in the pit of her belly and her mouth opened as she was rendered speechless. She felt herself balancing over the same dangerously thin line again. In a weird sense, this didn’t feel the same for her like it was with Alex. With him she had felt a rush of becoming reckless, but with Sy she wanted to be cautious, mindful. When he had kissed her forehead last night and embraced her, she had never felt more safe in the world like she did in that moment.

“Okay.” She nodded, “Rooftop like last night?” Olivia suggested as her unit members began getting into the Humvees, ready to head out. Sy tipped his cap in confirmation before walking towards his own team and barking orders to mount up.

Out in the desert, Olivia spent the rest of her day interacting with the locals and listening to their problems. She was following Lieutenant Pepps's orders about sympathizing with the public, to ensure they get local support in the future. As she listened to a weeping woman complain about the scarcity of food, her mind drifted back to a memory with Alex.

“What changed, Liv?” Alex pulled at her wrist, turning her around to face him. Olivia yanked at his hold, trying to free herself from his grasp. “Don’t you love me anymore?”

“Alex,” She pleaded, closing her eyes to escape this conversation. She had spent time in Afghanistan and the things she’d seen had changed her. She had seen the fragile nature of life and understood it was useless to be wasting her precious years on someone she only cared about as a friend.

“Tell me, Liv.” His voice was laced with anger, his eyes burning with hatred. “Tell me you don’t love me so that I can remove myself from your life. Because I can’t be your friend, not after all this.” He let go of her hand, slumping his shoulders as his eyes misted with tears and he fell on his knees.

Liv felt the weight of her actions crumbling her down in front of him. She never intended to hurt him, but she couldn’t love him, at least not the way he wanted her to. The possibility of losing her friend forever made her emotions win over her determination to end things with him. “I’m sorry, Alex. I’ll do better. I’m so sorry.”

Olivia sighed as she watched the sun slowly drift towards the horizon casting an orange hue over the sky. She had never gathered the courage to break things with Alex again. He had tried labelling them in a relationship, but she had avoided the topic like the plague. Their arrangement worked as they were deployed to different locations which gave her time away from him, only forcing her to pretend when they were on leave together. She grasped the Saint Christopher medal lying against her chest in her hand and felt the consequences of her actions pricking at her heart.

“Hey,” Sy called out from the doorstep leading out on the roof. He had a canteen in one hand and two cups in another. Liv had walked up to the roof as soon as they had returned to base. The parked white truck had indicated that Sy was back too but since there still had been time until sunset, she had decided to wait out alone on the roof.

“Hey,” she cleared her throat, shaking her head to ward away thoughts about Alex. She smiled weakly at Sy and walked towards him.

Sy frowned with his eyebrows scrunching together. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Did Mahmoud make the chai for us?” She changed the subject, sitting on the pile of sandbags against a wall.

“No, I did.” Sy proudly informed as he took a seat beside her.

Olivia watched as Sy poured the steaming cardamom tea in the cups and handed one to her. She breathed in the aroma before taking a sip of the hot liquid. “Incredible. When did you learn to make chai?”

“Picked up the recipe over the years.” He shrugged his shoulders, but Olivia noticed his chest puff up with pride on getting complimented on his acquired skill. Sy turned to face towards the expanse of the desert beyond the compound, silently sipping his tea.

“Captain Syverson, man of many talents.” She said in a sing-song voice and leaned back against the wall, bringing her knees up to her chest and holding her cup with both her hands.

Liv watched as Sy chuckled, his shoulders shaking with his laughter. The hair of his beard over his upper lip glistened with steam caught in it, almost urging her to wipe her hand over his mouth.

“You are staring, little birdie.” He looked at her sideways, his lips curling at the corners.

Liv rolled her eyes, but her mouth twitched with a smile forming on them. “What’s with the nickname?”

“Well you fly the Little Bird, so that makes you little Birdie.”

She laughed as he finished his sentence, looking at him to see if he was joking. “How original, Sy.” She shook her head dismissively, but a fluttery feeling settled in her heart.

“Hey, I didn’t want to call you by the names everyone used.” He defended himself, feigning hurt dramatically by clutching his left pec over his heart.

Liv continued to laugh thinking about the silly reason behind the nickname, but adding it to the list of names she already had. They sat in silence, enjoying their tea as they watched the sun dipping down the horizon with every passing minute. The sky burst into a mixed palette of orange and purple, the clouds drifting away with the wind.

She felt Sy’s eyes on her as she sipped the remnants of tea from her cup. She bit her lip feeling mischievous and commented, “You’re staring, Captain.” She tilted her head to look at him, only to feel her breath hitch as she stared into his cerulean eyes. Sy had the softest look on his face, his smile barely visible from under the bush of his beard.

“What?” She asked, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“Who’s Captain Coop?”

His question caught Olivia off-guard and she blinked several times to understand that Sy had indeed asked about Alex. “Wh-what?” She tried to not stumble over her words but Sy had left her stunned.

“Yesterday, they were teasing you with his name. I just thought I should ask.” Sy’s gaze never left her face, even when he placed his cup to the side along with hers and the empty canteen.

Liv let out a slow, ragged breath. The mention of Alex’s nickname had her heart racing, her mind going through a carousel of his memories. “He was our captain, before you. My men...they were just… fooling around.” She plucked a jute strand from the sandbag she was sitting on, avoiding Sy’s stare.

She felt him shift on the bag and when she peered, she noticed him coming to stand in front of her. Liv looked up at him as his body loomed over hers. He bent down so as his face was right in front of her.

“So, you’re saying, I don’t have to worry about another man in your life?” His voice was low, and his breath felt warm against her skin.

“N-no. Why?” She gulped as her throat became dry. She watched as Sy licked his lips wet and smiled at her.

“Because I am going to kiss you and I ain’t gonna kiss some other man’s girl.” Sy whispered and waited for her to answer. A slight nod of her head was all he needed as he brought his lips down on hers, placing a soft and gentle kiss over her desirous lips.

Liv closed her eyes as the feeling of his lips sent sparks down her spine. The coarse hairs of his beard grazed against her face as she moved her lips against his. Sy placed his hand over her cheeks as he moved his lips with hers, darting his tongue out seeking permission to enter. She grabbed a hold of his t-shirt and another at the nape of his neck and pulled him closer to her and opened her mouth slightly to grant him access.

The minutes felt like they stretched into hours as Sy’s tongue danced against hers. She could taste the faint taste of cardamom on his tongue and breathe in his musky scent as she willingly deprived herself of oxygen. Panting as their lungs struggled to take in air, Sy let go of her with a last pull on her bottom lip.

When Olivia opened her eyes, the sun had set beyond the horizon and darkness was falling over the desert. Sy let out a slow breath as he grazed his knuckles over her cheek. She felt herself leaning in his touch as her breathing came back to normal.

“Sunsets and kisses, aren’t you a romantic Syverson?” She teased, biting her lower lip between her teeth.

Sy chuckled. “Told you our first kiss would be memorable.” Sy shrugged his shoulders with a cheeky smile, before pulling Liv up for another breathtaking kiss.

Chapter Six>

🌟 Series Masterlist 🌟

[wallahhbro]

All The Pretty Things

I wear a pink flamingo shower cap to make sure I don’t wet my curls.

I use the soap his mum makes us; a rose-scented pink cuboid that I always take home to my own mum.

My shampoo is sulphate free. It’s made with onions. It’s also pink.

When I step out of the shower, I put hair food. I think it smells like bananas, but everyone keeps saying it’s coconuts.

I use a dropper to coat my chin in argan beard oil.

I stand in front of the mirror for at least half an hour, trying on different facial expressions and movements.

I’m ready to start the day.

.

.

.

I grew up in a house with a younger sister who needed all the bathroom shelves. Her skincare and haircare products would sit everywhere as she experimented with masks made out of yogurt and egg whites.

She religiously used sugar waxing once a month. In fact, over the last year, she started laser hair removal sessions.

Meanwhile, I was the ‘serious’ sibling. Relatives at random weddings, funerals, birthdays—it didn’t matter—all found it necessary to comment on how beautiful I could be if I tried a little harder. My desire to move away from feminization regularly left me outside the aesthetic realms the women in my family orbit. Often times, that meant I rarely got the gossip as the spontaneity of instant closeness with ‘girls’ in my family was usually lost on me.

I’m the asexual girl. I’m the quasi-boy. I’m the scientist.

.

.

.

“Do you prefer to be called pretty, beautiful, handsome, sexy, or hot?”

I don’t know, depends on how many different ways you are looking to hurt me.

I am the prettiest boy I know. (My brother gets an honorary mention.)

Handsome makes me feel English. Handsome makes me feel white.

I am still too Brown and too Muslim to think of myself as anything that includes ‘sex’.

Hot is just confusing.

And beautiful holds too many words, moves too many ways.

What I’m trying to say is: hi, my name is Yara. Let’s start there.

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.

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“For beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror

which we are barely able to endure and are awed

because it serenely disdains to annihilate us.

Each single angel is terrifying.”[1]

I can theorize everything I find beautiful as a terror formation.[2] Home, land, love, family, sex, friendship, water—they all terrify me, and they all have the potential to so easily terrorize me out of the self I precariously balance atop their shaky foundations.

Once, in Tahrir, my dad and I made our way to the very edge, right where Mohamed Mahmoud St. pours its heart into the Square. From there, I could look onto what we had created.

I remember knowing I was in love. I remember thinking it was beautiful.

Today, it snowed. We looked out our window and the trees were covered in white. It was beautiful.

Now, I know it means it’s time to be terrified.

.

.

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The first thing Cash, my best friend in college, taught me was that: “hoes don’t get cold.” The idea is you take a couple of shots of vodka right before you go out into Maine winter in shorts and a see-through top and you trust the hoe-ness to keep you warm.

Nowadays, we get ready together, sharing gaudy jackets and coloured pants. Meha holds an impromptu make-up station in our bathroom. My favourites are the glittery eyeshadow and the blue crystal beads.

By the time we’re ready to head out, a couple of us have already asked the question: ‘Are you saying I should wear this because it’s cold or because it looks good?’

My friends are an aesthetic. Red lipstick, sarees, green tattoos, flaming hair, layers masquerading as different outfits, ripped jeans, platform sneakers, Kashmiri shawls, heart-shaped sunglasses, and too-cool-for-school vibes.

.

.

.

A cyclone of aesthetic labour—turned work because motion, turned economy because transnational—often drags my body along. I move diagonally between the eye and its many arms.

Sometimes, it forcefully removes, forecloses possibilities, and bans spaces.

Other times, I, like histories before me, wield it to make a home, to find community, and to labour (work) in collectivity.

[1] Rainer Maria Rilke, “First Duino Elegy” (1923). Accessed: https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/elegy-i/ [2] See: Achille Mbembe, Necropolitics (2003), for more on terror formations. Accessed: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/english/currentstudents/postgraduate/masters/modules/postcol_theory/mbembe_22necropolitics22.pdf

[jimlingss]

Sugar and Coffee [16]

Chapter 15 - Chapter 16 - Chapter 17

➜ Words: 3k

➜ Genres: 99.5% Fluff, 0.5% Angst, Pâtisserie school!AU

➜ Summary: It isn't hard to be a pâtisserie chef, but it's not a piece of cake either. It seems like for you in particular, life keeps throwing in one wrench after another. It always finds ways to make your sweets bitter. The cherry on top is Jeon Jungkook — a rival with a sensitive sweet tooth who always finds ways to complain about you.

cr.

On Wednesday, you begin to bake, cut, and fill.   The ingredients are pulled from the borrowed kitchen — eggs, butter, buttermilk, vegetable oil, sugar, flour, baking powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, and vanilla. The oven is preheated to three hundred degrees fahrenheit and the round pans are greased. The four of you measure and mix together the dry ingredients, and then the wet ingredients.    Once it’s all ready, it’s baked while the ganache filling is worked on. Heavy cream, butter, chocolate, and a pinch of kosher salt are melted together with two tablespoons of brewed coffee to deepen the flavour. It cools and thickens, a fluffy texture that melts against your palate.    And when the moist cake is out of the oven, it cools too before being cut and filled.   “Alright, folks.” Namjoon dusts his hands off, shutting the fridge door. “Now on Friday, we just cover, dowel, and stack. Since the wedding is on Saturday, we want it to sleep overnight.”   “We’re going to have to prepare decorations tomorrow,” Sejeong says. If there was anyone’s cake that she wanted to perfect, it was her own sister’s. “Crumb coat the cakes and smooth the frosting, colour the fondants, make the flowers. Just so we can get it prepared in time and not be rushing on the last day.”    “Okay.” You offer a smile. “Are we still going with lavender?”   “That’s the plan. But we can worry about that tomorrow. How have you two been? Any problems?”   You glance at Jungkook, meeting his eye, but you divert hastily. “N-No, we’re fine. We’ve been enjoying ourselves. Thank you for bringing us along.”   “That’s not a problem.” Namjoon laughs heartily, practically glowing with a healthy tan. “We’re happy to have two more sets of hands. God knows the wedding is hectic and stressful enough, right, honey?”   “Chungha is having it tougher.” His wife sighs. “We’re just glad to get this done and over with.”   In between family feuds and relatives duking it out, you don’t need to tell them that you and Jungkook are incidentally sharing the same room over a mistake in booking. They have enough on their plates as it is.   But just because you don’t talk about your issues doesn’t mean that they’ve magically vanished.   Even if you wish that were the case.   “Morni—”   The moment you open your sleepy eyes, Jeon Jungkook has manifested in the mirror. You choke on your toothpaste, toothbrush sucked into your throat like a vacuum, lodged in. You choke it out and sputter.    Jungkook’s shocked awake, eyes widened as he pats your back.   You cough and rinse your mouth. “Oh my god. You scared me to death!”   “All I said was good morning!” He shoots you a look, leaning in too close with his still sleepy demeanour, fluffed hair and swollen face. “Are you alright?”   “Obviously not! I almost died!”   You’re not okay. Very far from any semblance of ‘okay’.   For one, you can’t look the bastard in the eye. You can’t stop yourself from perspiring. It’s as if your best friend is someone worthy to be fearful of…   No. It’s not that you’ve become afraid of Jungkook. You’re nervous.   “I’m going to shower.”   “Sounds good.”   It shouldn’t be surprising. He even warned you. But the moment Jungkook starts to strip off his shirt, you’re caught off guard at how he didn’t wait for you to leave ⁠— how comfortable he is with you. You have half a mind left to sprint out of the bathroom. Nearly falling over. Barely catching your stumble.    Jungkook watches with his brows raised incredulously.   The bathroom door eventually shuts and you change as quick as you can, and run out of the room without a word. Like you’re being chased by loan sharks.   “Hey, Y/N.” After ten minutes, Jungkook comes out topless, having forgotten to grab a shirt. But he pays no mind, toweling off his head. “We should get room servi—…...Y/N?”   The doe-eyed boy looks around, realizing that you’re gone.   You’ve headed across the resort to the restaurant for breakfast. Finally, you’re able to have a meal in peace without having to lift your head to see a big nose and brown, doe eyes.    You grab a healthy serving of eggs, toast and cereal. And you pick a good table to look out and enjoy the view.   But fifteen minutes into your meal, someone suddenly plops down across from you.   You’re startled to death again.   “I can’t believe you ditched me.”   “S-Sorry…” You look away. “I was too hungry to wait.”   “Could’ve told me at least. I would’ve hurried up.” He spreads cream cheese on his bagel, ruffled mop of hair flopping as he moves. He’s dressed like a true tourist again, this time with a hawaiian shirt that’s bright orange with blue florals all over it.   Jungkook’s eyes are round and buggy as he bites down and he hums in satisfaction at the taste. “So what are our plans for today? It’s the only full day we have left before we have to work on the cake.”   “I don’t know.” You stand up. “I finished. Should go back to the room. I have a stomach ache.”   “Really?” His left cheek is puffed out with food stored inside. “But I just got here.”   “Nature calls.” You run off, leaving your best friend in the dust.   It’s horrible being stuck on an island with Jeon Jungkook.    No matter where you run or how you hide, he’s always there.   “How was the—”   You scream.   “—bathroom trip.” Jungkook looks at you, brows furrowed deep.   “You scared me!” You put your hand over your heart where it’s pounding hard, threatening to jump out of your chest.   “But I didn’t do anything,” he defends, mouth drawing open as he gestures around, perplexed at how you could be frightened in broad daylight, in the middle of the day, with this many people around. “Are you sure you’re okay?”   “I’m fine. H-how’d you even find me?!”   “I don’t know, I was just heading back to the room. The resort isn’t that big.” He shrugs and finally is able to get a good look at you. Jungkook slowly smiles at your one-piece swimsuit. “Are you going in for a dip? I can join.”   The thought of Jungkook ripping off his shirt, jumping into the pool and getting all wet with you has your knees weak. It’s not a healthy idea.    “No. Changed my mind. It’s kind of….cold out for a swim. I’m probably going to go back inside to change.”   “Y/N. It’s hot. It’s like a hundred degrees out here.”   You muster stiff laughter. “Well I’m feeling a bit chilly. Gonna go back and change. See ya!”   You sprint off again, in a completely disoriented manner. Jungkook shouts your name when you nearly slip on a puddle of water by the poolside and almost crack your head open. But luckily, you catch yourself and throw him a half-hearted smile and an exaggerated wave goodbye.    Part of you wishes you would’ve just fallen into the pool or hit your head. Maybe it would finally knock some sense into your brain.   There’s no reason for you to be so nervous around him. This is Jeon Jungkook you’re talking about — IU fanboy, the biggest nerd of the universe, officially the worst flirt on this planet.   There’s absolutely no reason for your stomach to flip. For you to be unable to retain eye contact with your friend. For you to suddenly be so self-aware and conscious of him that you feel nervous when he’s around and nervous when he’s not. There’s no reason whatsoever…   “You need to get your head straight.”   You’re muttering to yourself as you walk. You probably look crazy, but need to hear it out loud. If no one’s going to help you by saying it, then you’ll say it yourself. “Focus, Y/N. Focus—”   A blood-curdling shriek tears from your stomach when there’s suddenly knocking. You turn to see Jeon Jungkook beside you, separated by a window, but laughing hysterically at your reaction. His nose is scrunched, mouth drawn up into that boyish smile of his.   He’s inside the fitness center in a white tank top, sweating enough to make his hair damp, and the dark stands are pushed back against his head. That little shit is scaring you on purpose now.   “Are you shitting me, Jeon Jungkook?!” Your fist pounds against the glass and you fail to notice how everyone else in the gym is whirling their heads around at the noise.   The resort attendant runs up on you.   “Ma’am, please don’t bang on the glass.”   “S-sorry.”   Jungkook is in bigger hysterics now, bent over and grabbing his stomach, laughing loud enough for you to hear through the window. His smile is excited, eyes lit up.   Everywhere. Every corner you turn to. Every path you take. Some way or another — whether you’re talking to Namjoon or Chungha, hanging at the bar, around the pool, on the beach to watch the waves — no matter how hard you try to evade him, Jungkook is always there.   You didn’t know it would be so hard to avoid him. He’s truly like the plague.   Or maybe a curse.    Better yet, it would be more fitting to call Jeon Jungkook the year-round Christmas grinch. He’s here to ruin your life, ruin your holiday, and make your head filled with him and only him.   “You’re not avoiding me, are you?”   He finally asks after crawling into bed beside you that night. His hands are folded on top of his midsection and he’s staring up at the ceiling even if he can’t see when the entire room is drowned in a comfortable darkness.   You muster some laughter. “Don’t be ridiculous.”   The sheets shift and from the little light coming through the terrace glass doors, you can see him looking at you. And you can feel his body warmth with the small distance. “I would hate it if you were a hypocrite since you don’t like when others ghost you.”   “I said I’m not,” you whine. The lie gives a tickle of guilt in your gut. “You shouldn’t accuse people after they’ve already defended themselves.”   “Okay.” The corners of his lips quirk. “Just making sure. I don’t want to scare you off.”   You scoff, eyes adjusting enough to be able to look at him. It’s quiet, with him beside you underneath the covers, too close but too far. Yet somehow, in spite of the silence of your room, it’s still very noisy inside your head. “You really think you’re going to get rid of me that easily?”   “No. And I’m glad for that. I wouldn’t want to lose you.” Jungkook grins and he teases, “You’re not a coward, Y/N. Right?”   “Psh. Go to bed, Jeon.”   “Hmm, I’m not tired, but I do know an activity we can do together that’ll tire me right out.”   “Yeah, my fist meeting your face.”   He laughs and you roll over, tugging the covers up to your chin.   You don’t say out loud, don’t admit it, but you are a coward.    One big coward who pretends to face the truth with courage, but actually learnt to run and hide in the face of trouble. A coward who can’t face the music, who’s actually wide awake like he is, but won’t say it. Whose heart is stuttering too loud to try to slip underneath the seduction of slumber.    You won’t admit the funny feeling you get when your gaze sets upon Jungkook. You won’t acknowledge it even when it’s screaming into your ear drums and drumming against your rib cage. You won’t confess that the nervousness you feel is far from platonic.   It’s hard not to feel stuck on Jungkook. These days, the last person you see before you sleep is him and he’s the first person you see when you wake up. He’s both the beginning and the end.   “Hey, Y/N.” You’re stirred away by a soft voice calling to you. “Wake up.”   When your lids peel back, you see him. The strands of his black hair nearly tickle the skin of your cheeks and he smiles tenderly at you. “We have a long day. Come on.”   You’re a coward and you have been for some time now.   //   Friday is the busiest day of the week. It’s the eve of the wedding and where you’re in the kitchen for hours on end.   Between the four of you, the lilac-coloured fondant is rolled out to cover the chocolate cake and ganache frosting. The dowel rods are inserted and the cake is stacked. Once it’s to Sejeong’s satisfaction, the decorating process begins. The sugar lavender that you made yesterday is used, placed delicately in the correct positions and you work on tracing a lace pattern on the bottom most layer.   Hours later, with muscles sore and eyes stinging, she’s finally satisfied.   It ends up looking magnificent. All the effort is presented in front of you — the cake is a soft purple colour, lavender flowers made from gum paste and real lilacs edible.   “It’s too pretty to eat.”   “It always is.” Sejeong smiles. “But when we do, it’ll be delicious.”   Namjoon stretches his arms over his head, making noises as his bones crack. “I’m starving. What time is it?” He checks his watch. “I think the snack bar is still open. We should go eat now since we have to wake up bright and early tomorrow.”   “I forgot how much work it was to be a bridesmaid.” Sejeong sighs lightly. “Let’s just get the cake in the fridge for now.”   Jungkook and Namjoon carefully move the cake into the refrigerator area, a whole cold storage, and you take your aprons off, washing your hands. Sejeong turns to you and Jungkook. “Are you guys hungry too? You probably are since we’ve been working so late.”   You exchange a look with him. “N-No. We’re fine.”   “Are you sure?” Namjoon asks, brows raised.   “Yeah, I’m sure. I’m more tired than hungry. I’ll probably call it a night.”   “Same here.” Jungkook offers a smile, following your lead.   “Well alright, I’ll see you both bright and early then! Good job, you two.” Namjoon smiles and both he and his wife leave the kitchen, talking to one another until their voices fade away.   Jungkook then turns to you with his brow raised. “Are you really not hungry?”   You look down at your stomach and it rumbles. You wonder if he can hear it too. “I thought I’d give them alone time since we’ve been busy all day….”   An extended sigh pulls from the man’s lungs.   Jungkook smiles and as he passes by you, he ruffles your hair. “You’re so unnecessarily thoughtful sometimes….”   You turn around, trailing after him. Jungkook opens the fridge and hums, eyes searching.    “What are you doing?” you ask curiously.   “Looking for ingredients since a little someone said they weren’t hungry and now we can’t go to the only place still open.” He grins easily. “So unless you want to go back to the hotel room and wait half an hour for room service, I’ll cook.”   Jungkook sounds so self-assured that you comply, finding your place on a stool as he begins to pull out mushrooms, shallots, parmesan cheese, butter, and starts digging around the cupboards. “You can cook?”   “’Course I can. I’m a master of the kitchen.” His eyes flicker up and the little shit mocks you. “Why? Can’t you?”   “The pan always burns,” you mutter.   “Is that why you can’t melt chocolate over the stove?” he questions with a glint of mischief.   “For the record, I’m getting better. It’s not like I do it intentionally anyway. But are we even allowed to use these ingredients, Jungkook? Won’t we get into trouble?” It’s not your kitchen after all — just a small space the resort was willing to let you use.   He merely shrugs. “We have to live a little.”   You sit on the other side of the island, watching him closely.    Jungkook finds a can of chicken stock and heats it over the stove in a small saucepan. Then he moves to chop shallots and mushrooms, sleeves pulled up to his elbows, forearms revealed as he works the knife in a constant motion that’s therapeutic to listen to. Jungkook fries the shallots and mushrooms over the hot oil and butter in a skillet, tossing and flipping them as they sizzle.   He works fluidly, in a rhythm without needing to stop and think twice. It’s fun to watch.   “What are you making?”   “Mushroom risotto.”   “Sounds fancy.”   “It is,” he lies.    In your ignorance, you’re unaware that it’s actually an easy recipe. You’re also oblivious to the fact that Jungkook is secretly beaming with gratitude that his dad taught him this recipe years ago. His dad was right that he needed to learn how to cook basic dishes to one day impress.   Jungkook adds the rice, coating it in the butter before adding a cup of white wine he found in the cupboards. Once it’s fully absorbed, he puts in the chicken stock and adds salt to taste. All the while, he’s watching you from the corner of his eye. He can read you like a book and your amazed expression feeds directly into his ego.   When Jungkook turns around to throw something in the sink, he lets his enormous smile slip.   “If we ever have the time, I’ll make you shrimp or chicken risotto.”   “You can make that?”   “Of course, cooking isn’t hard.”   “Pft. You really know how to do everything, don’t you, Jeon?”   “You said it, not me.”   He serves it on a big plate, even taking the extra step to clean the edges up with a napkin. You’re amazed and when he arrogantly urges you to take a bite, you can’t even tell him off. It’s delicious.   And once you say so, he can't deny how happy he is.   Jungkook is over the fucking moon. He would cook for you for the rest of his life if you’d let him.

[riversofmars]

Prompt?

Just the Doctor and River living nicely in the TARDIS. And just the TARDIS keeps making life easy for River but not the doctor. And them talking to the TARDIS and her responding to her! 

Thank you for a brilliant prompt, this was a lot of fun! Hope you like it! <3

Rating: G

Word Count: 1700

AO3

Lost and Found

“RIVER!!“

“Yes, Sweetie?“ River looked around to find the Doctor standing in the doorway between bedroom and ensuite. She tightly hugged her towel around herself, her wet hair stuck to her face and she was shaking. All in all, she didn’t look happy at all. River raised her eyebrows waiting for a response.

“What do you DO in the shower, we’re out of hot water again!“ The Doctor exclaimed as she made her way to the bed where she’d laid out her clothes.

“Don’t be ridiculous, the TARDIS doesn’t run out of hot water, she’s a sentient space time machine, not a beat up water boiler.“ River sighed and rolled her eyes at her.

“Well, this is the third time in as many days that I have to take a cold shower!“ The Doctor shot back as she dried off.

“More likely you don’t know which way is hot and which way is cold…“ River teased and got to her feet. “I can show you if you like.“ She offered as she took her wife’s towel off her and started drying her hair for her. “We could have a shower together…“ River suggested flirtily and looped her arm around her wife’s waist.

The Doctor, however, was in a bad mood still and pulled her top down decisively, knocking her arm away.

“Did you not make any breakfast for me?“ She asked as she noticed the empty plate and mug on River’s bedside table.

“I didn’t make it, it was just here. I thought it was you being romantic.“ River replied with a frown.

“And make none for myself? Doesn’t seem likely, does it?“ The Doctor retorted clearly disappointed, she wanted breakfast. She pulled on her coat, fully dressed and ready to go.

“There there.“ River soothed her and put her arm around her. “Let’s go to the kitchen and I’ll make you something.“ She gentle pulled her reluctant wife towards the door. “How about some hot coco?“

“You’re making fun of me.“ The Doctor huffed.

“Would I ever?“ River smirked and her wife shot her a look. “Alright, fine, I would.“ River admitted with a chuckle. “But I didn’t do anything this time, promise.“

“The TARDIS must be malfunctioning…“ The Doctor mused, it was the only other explanation she could think of.

“Really? I’ve not noticed anything.“ River replied in surprise as they strolled down the corridor. “If anything, she’s being very accommodating actually! You know I’ve got a walk in wardrobe now.“ She grinned. She was enjoying being back in the TARDIS, it was as if the space time machine was going out of her way to be welcoming. Maybe she had missed River as much as River had missed her and her wife.

“See, that’s what I mean, since you’ve been back, she’s been acting up!“ The Doctor retorted. “Maybe you brought a bug aboard or something…“

“Or she’s just happy to have me back.“ River shrugged as they turned into the kitchen where she found two mugs of hot chocolate, one mug donned a big “R“, the other a “D“. “See? Cup of coco to calm the nerves?“ She handed the Doctor her mug and her wife sighed, accepting that maybe she was over reacting. She could go for a hot chocolate right about now… She took a big gulp and spat it back into the mug immediately.

“It’s salty!!“ She exclaimed in disgust.

“No, it’s not.“ River took a sip of her chocolate which was completely fine.

“Right, that’s it!“ The Doctor yelled looking around the room accusingly. “We’re going to have you checked over!“ She stamped her feet as she made her way out of the kitchen and down the corridor.

“Don’t you think you’re being a bit dramatic, dear?“ River sighed following her wife when suddenly up ahead, the artificial gravity seemed to flip around for a moment and the Doctor knocked into the ceiling, only to crash down again and land flat on her face.

“Do you?!“ The Doctor glared at her wife who held up her hands defensively.

“Alright, fine.“ She could help but chuckle a little at the Doctor’s misfortune as she followed her into the console room. The Doctor walked up to the controls and started punching in coordinates.

“I know just the place.“ The Doctor huffed, turning dials and pulling levers.

“You know if you just used that button…“ River started but a glare from her wife made her think better of giving advice. “Alright, don’t mind me.“ The TARDIS wheezed and River looked up to the big crystal in the centre. “She’s not listening to me.“ River shrugged in response and the TARDIS hummed again. “I know, I know…“

“Stop it, you two!“ The Doctor interrupted sounding extremely annoyed. “We are going to have you checked out top to bottom and if I find out you’re doing this on purpose…“ She jabbed her finger at the crystal.

Suddenly, in response almost, the TARDIS ground to a halt and for a moment all the lights went out.

“You did that on purpose! Out of spite!“ The Doctor yelled as the emergency lighting came on but the TARDIS refused to keep going. River tried her best to stop herself from laughing as she watched her wife walk over to the door and pull it open, revealing the emptiness of space around them. “Keep going!“ She snapped at the TARDIS pulling the door shut again but the TARDIS just gave an annoyed wheezing sound. “I’m being serious now, I’m gonna get to the bottom of this, something is wrong with you and I’ll find out, even if I have to rip up every single panel in this room!“ The Doctor jabbed her finger at the console again and the TARDIS promptly dropped a wire on her head from high up above.

River burst out laughing and the Doctor glared at her as she untangled herself.

“You know what, as much fun as this is, there is a spa room with my name on it.“ River clapped her hands together with a grin. She thought it best to leave her wife to it.

“Since when do we have a spa?!“ The Doctor exclaimed in disbelief. “Are you rerouting power to keep her in comfort?“ She looked around addressing the TARDIS again. “I missed her too but there’re limits!“ The TARDIS hummed and wheezed in response and the Doctor groaned: “Right, we will see about that!“

“Have fun you two!“ River called over her shoulder and made her way down the corridor. “You’re not just doing this to wind her up, are you?“ She smiled as she was out of earshot of the Doctor. She knew the TARDIS always had her wife’s best interests at heart.

“Ouch!“ The Doctor pulled her hand back from an electric jolt. She had pulled up a panel in the control room and crawled into the space beneath the floorboard to check the cables underneath the console. At least the TARDIS was kind enough to provide lighting down here.

“Honestly, what have I done to you?“ The Doctor groaned as she crawled along the tight passage way. At the fork up ahead, another pile of wires fell down barring one side. “Fine, I’ll try this way.“ She huffed taking the hint.

“Everything’s fine down here. You’re doing his on purpose, aren’t you? But why?!“ She groaned in annoyance, she just couldn’t figure it out. Everything seemed to be in working order apart from he TARDIS being more temperamental than usual.

Suddenly, something dropped onto her head making her face plant into the floor. “For fuck’s sake…!“ The Doctor groaned. “That was…“ Her eyes fell onto something right in front of her nose. “That’s…“ She pushed herself up onto her elbows and reached out to pick up a ring. Her wedding ring! It had slipped off her finger when she had regenerated and she hadn’t been able to find it once she had got her TARDIS back.

“I thought I’d lost it.“ She sat up and a wide smile spread across her features, all annoyance blown away. “I thought it had fallen out when you disappeared, did you know it was here the entire time?“ She slipped the ring onto her finger and found it far too big of course. It would need resizing.

“Why didn’t you say something earlier?“ She asked looking around and the TARDIS just gave a low hum.

“You knew finding it would remind me of her… and that it would hurt, but now…“ She leaned against the side of the passage way as she hugged the ring to her chest. “She’s really here isn’t she…“ She mumbled and the TARDIS hummed again, more cheerfully.

“Sweetie?“ River’s voice sounded up above and the Doctor hit her head as she tried to get up.

“Down here.“ She called as she crawled back to the opening.

“How are we getting on?“ River asked in amusement as the Doctor pulled herself up and out of the shaft. The lights came back on in the console room and River frowned: “Have you been crying? Did you get hurt?“ She was instantly concerned when she noticed her wife’s cheeks were tear stained.

“I’m not… uh…“ The Doctor was confused for a moment, she touched her hand to her cheek to find that she really had been crying.

“Are you okay?“ River asked softly.

“Sorry, I didn’t realise.“ The Doctor laughed lightly, she wasn’t upset, not in the least, they were happy tears, she realised. She lunged forward and pulled River into a tight hug.

“Did you find out what was wrong?“ River asked with a chuckle, she didn’t quite know what to make of the Doctor’s behaviour but she figured it was best just to go with it.

“Nothing. Nothing was wrong at all… It’s just that… something was missing…“ The Doctor answered burying her face in the crook of River’s neck.

“And did you find it?“ River asked running her finger’s through her wife’s silky hair.

“Yes.“ The Doctor sighed and pressed a kiss to the side of River’s head. “Sorry I kept you waiting for so long.“  

[justthehiddleswrites]

Unexpected Delivery | Tom Hiddleston x Reader

Pairing: Tom Hiddleston x Reader

Summary:  You are 37 weeks pregnant when Tom books a vacation to a secluded cabin in the mountains of Scotland. You are assured you won't go into labor while gone but after an intimate moment with Tom, your water breaks. You are snowed in and the ambulance won't get there in time. Tom must now deliver the baby.

Warnings: implied smut, labor and giving birth

-

“Honey, we could have just stayed at a nice posh hotel in London,” you grumbled as you attempted to get out of the car, “You know in civilization.”

Tom hustled around to help you out. At 37 weeks pregnant, you weren’t as spry as normal.

“Come on, darling. Where is your sense of adventure?” He threw you one of his lady killer smiles.

“Being sat on by your child along with my bladder, that’s were. I swear she is all limbs just like her father.”

Tom chuckled and helped you across the short path and up the stairs to the cabin. He leaned over so his head was next to your swollen stomach.

“Listen in there, be nice to your mother. She is working hard to keep you safe. And she has had to do it without your dad.”

This trip had been all Tom’s idea. For most of the pregnancy, Tom had been away filming in Thailand. This was not the first time Tom had been away for big events. Your sister’s wedding. Graduations and important work events. But having to attend ultrasounds and midwife appointments on your own hit you hard. Pregnancy hormones only made it worse. You spent many nights crying into the phone to Tom and him reassuring you everything was fine and he would be there when it mattered.

It had been near Christmas when shooting finally wrapped. Tom had insisted on a baby moon before your due date. By then flying was off the table, so you two needed to pick somewhere within driving distance. You had suggested a posh hotel in London with a spa where you could be pampered. Tom, afraid of paparazzi, invading this precious time, chose a secluded cabin in Scotland.

“Are you sure we won’t get stuck up here?” you worried as a light dusting of snow started to cover the landscape. The doctor assured both of you at the last visit this baby wasn’t coming for at least two weeks, with your family’s history of overdue babies. But it did not make you worry any less. The nearest hospital was over an hour away. You did not want to have this baby in the mountains.

Tom kissed your forehead as he opened the front door.

“I checked the forecast, and only light snow. You have nothing to fear.”

You gave a weak smile, not convinced as you looked back and saw the snow beginning to cover the car.

About an hour later, Tom got a fire burning and a kettle going on the stove. The cabin was cozy. You shed your layers as you got inside. You were your own portable space heater these days. Tom brought over hot chocolate for you and hot tea for himself as the two of you settled underneath a thick quilt on the couch. You let out a sigh.

“It is cozy.”

“I’m glad you enjoy it. It’s not enough to make up for these past nine months, but now that filming is over, I intend to focus all my attention on you and this precious cargo.”

Tom rubbed his hand over your belly. You smiled and then winced as your stomach tightened.

“What’s wrong, darling?”

You rubbed the back of Tom’s hand.

“Just Braxton Hicks. They have getting worse over the last few weeks.”

Tom moved his hands to your shoulders and began to massage your tight shoulders. You let your head sink to your chest.

“That feels fantastic.”

Tom continued to work on the knots and move his hands to your back, kneading the space between your shoulder blades. You let a groan out.

“Darling, if you kept making such obscene noises, I will not be able to keep my hands to myself.”

Tom’s hands wandered to the front of your shirt, where he cupped your ample breasts. You let a chuckle go.

“Isn’t that what got us in this mess in the first place?”

Tom laughed as he turned you to take you into a deep embrace. His lips were soft but urgent. Both of your hands flew to his neck and hair, pulling him closer and deeper. God, you had missed him! Tom lowered you to the couch with a gentle hand, placing you on your side. However, you sat up and grabbed Tom’s arm.

“What?” he questioned as you tugged on him to follow.

“Honey, I am too big to have sex with you on a sofa. I saw a nice, big, and cozy king sized bed. Let’s do this right.”

Tom’s face lit up, and he grabbed both of your hands and dragged you to the bedroom. He had missed you as well! And his libido felt it too! The two of you didn’t even bother to shut the door before getting down to business.

***

After your lovemaking, the two of you fell asleep. You woke first and headed to the kitchen. The Braxton Hicks continued, and you winced with each contraction. Grabbing a coffee mug, you doubled over in pain, the mug crashing to the floor shattering.

“Tom!”

Your husband ran at the tone of your voice. He was panting as he found you on the floor. It was only then you noticed the wetness between your legs.

“Tom! My water broke. This baby is coming!” you panicked.

Tom’s eyes widened as he ran his hands through his hair. Still groggy from his slumber, he was trying to process everything happening. Shirtless, he rushed to the front door to start the car. The bitter cold hit his skin like needles and it dismayed him to see several feet of snow buried the car. There was no way he could dig it out in time!

“Tom!” you screamed as the contractions became more painful. “What is going on?”

“We’re snowed in!”

“WHAT?!”

“I’m sorry, darling. I will call an ambulance.” Tom replied, a shake in his voice.

By some miracle, he had reception. He dialed emergency and explained the situation. He gave them the address of the cabin. They told him to stay on the line until the paramedics could get there. Tom ran over to where you still lying on the ground. He helped you up to the armchair in the living area. You started to scream.

“Tom, I don’t think the baby can wait for an ambulance. She is ready to make her appearance sooner rather than later.”

You began to breathe like you learned in your birthing classes. Tom started yelling at the person on the phone in a panic.

“What do I do?!”

Tom listened intently to the voice on the line with a stern look on his face, nodding along with the instructions. He put the phone down and began to gather supplies: towels and blankets. He put the kettle on the stove and began boiling some water.

“Done. Now what?”

The color drained from Tom’s face as the operator told him the next step. He gulped and headed towards you.

He grabbed your hand and kissed the back of it. Sweat beaded across your forehead and the pain kept you from saying too much. Another contraction hit and you screamed.

“AAAHHHH!” you squeezed Tom’s hand hard and his knees buckled for a moment.

As the contraction subsided, Tom attempted to extract his hand from your grip but you just held on tighter. He placed his other hand on top of yours.

“I have to check your progress,” you looked at him in disbelief as you released his hand, “But not to worry, I’m a doctor.”

“That was for a movie, you idiot! I don’t want Dr. Laing to deliver this baby.”

His joke fell flat, and he refrained telling anymore for the rest of your labor. He pulled up your skirt and checked on your dilation. When his face came back into view, he looked ashen. He picked up the phone.

“The baby is crowning.”

You panicked.

“What?!” You felt a new sensation, “Tom! I want to push!”

Tom threw the phone down and returned to you.

“Not yet darling. No jokes. You are having this baby now. I will coach you through it. But you have to wait until I tell you push.”

You nodded your head. Tom placed a towel underneath your legs and grabbed some blankets to put beside him. You felt a contraction coming.

“All right, Y/N, Push!!”

You bore down and grunted.

“Three… Four…. doing great… Eight… Nine…”

At ten, you relaxed.

“Doing wonderfully,” Tom reassured as he massaged your knee. You felt another contraction coming on, “Here we go again. Push!”

You began to push again. Tom continued to encourage you. This continued for about three contractions. Tom looked up at you.

“All right, love. This last one should do it. I need to you push as hard as you can. You know you are tired, but you.. can.. do.. this.”

He looked up with his blue eyes filled with tears, pleading you to be strong for not just him but for your daughter you were about to meet. You nodded your head as you felt the contraction begin.

“PUSH!”

You pushed with all your might and before long you felt a release and moments later, you heard the cries of a baby. Tom worked to wrap the baby and placed her on your chest. The tears pricking his eyes.

“You did it! She is here. Meet our daughter.”

You started crying as you stared down at the tiny being you just gave birth to.

“She’s perfect,” you whispered as you kissed Tom softly on the lips.

“Just like her mother.” Tom beamed, “And I believe her name is going be…”

“Evelyn Rose.”

Tom seemed shocked.

“I thought you didn’t like the name Evelyn.”

“I changed my mind. Pregnant woman’s prerogative.”

Tom chuckled.

“Very well. Little Miss Evelyn Rose Hiddleston, welcome to the world.”

The two of you cooed over the baby until the paramedics showed up about twenty minutes later. They rushed to take care of you and the baby as they shuffled Tom to the perimeter. They transported all three of you to the hospital. Once you settled into a room, Tom joined you. You smiled at him.

“Hey.”

“Hey. This has been some day.”

You smiled.

“Now come on, where is your sense of adventure?”

Tom laughed.

“On the floor of that cabin when I delivered my daughter.”

“Oh, but think of the story.”

Tom winced. The papers would have a field day.

“True, but I was worried about you and Little Miss Evelyn here.”

He pointed to bassinet beside your bed where your child was sleeping for the moment.

“Well next time, let me pick where we stay and I will forgive you.”

The two of you laughed and Tom climbed into your bed to embrace you. Just as he settled Evelyn stirred and began to cry.

“Welcome to parenthood,” you said to Tom as you handed him a bottle, “Dad.”

Tom couldn’t argue that.

[blue-bird-kny]

Day 6: Christmas Came Early

This turned out far longer than I anticipated, but I must have been so deprived from not writing for him that it just happened. Enjoy~Amanda 

Warning: Adult themes

( 1.2k+ words)

 ↳ {In which your husband nearly makes it on to the naughty list}

Earlier that afternoon

“Good morning Kyo!” you greeted with a wide smile, you stood on your tiptoes with your lips puckered, waiting for Kyojuro to meet you half-way in a quick kiss. “Good morning! What’s got you in such a good mood?” he questioned pulling away, the glint in his eye just as bright as your own, “It's the holidays Kyo! We’ve got to decorate, our house looks so depressing” you explained. Your hands wandered to the waistband of his loose fitted pants, using them to pull the man closer, “And you…” you started low, fingers still hooked into his pants, “Get to put on layers of clothing to help me!” You cheered, releasing his clothes.

Kyojuro couldn’t help but pout just a bit, “Oh don’t look so sad, what did you think I was going to say?” you teased, “Well I can think of a few thin-” “Ok!” you interrupted, “Eat, get dressed, and if we finish early MAYBE we can do a few of those things you were talking about” you swayed your hips a bit as you disappeared into another room, leaving your poor husband alone in his disappointment, “She is evil”

You both stood outside, the white snow covering the floors and rooftop, already growing white piles on your clothes during the few minutes you’ve been there. Kyojuro stood at your side, the burly man layered in sweaters making him appear even larger, ready and willing to happily help his wife (be it to see you happy or to do other things, you couldn’t tell). “Let’s start-”

“CAW RENGOKU-SAN CAW” 

The high shrill of a raven pierced through the air, landing on the man's shoulder “Emergency meeting! All Hashira’s to be in attendance caw!” the bird squawked, your face already contorting into an intense glare, “You meet every other day, what could you all possibly talk about?” you grumbled. Kyojuro brought your face into his palms, pressing a soft peck against the flat of your forehead, your sour expression wavering for only a moment, “An hour, all I need is an hour. Then I can come back and put up all the garlands your heart desires” he promised standing back to his full height. You saw no other choice than to begrudgingly mutter, “Fine” 

Present

Three hours, that was three hours ago and the fourth was soon approaching. You hung what wreaths you could and planted poinsettias, but there wasn’t much left to do other than hang garlands along the roof, “Kyojuro’s job”  you thought bitterly. In the midst of your wallowing and thoughts of how you could murder your husband, something caught your eye from behind the house. “That's right! How could I forget!” you facepalmed, rushing over to pull out the old wooden ladder you had stored away. “I’ll show him”

The first few strings were successful, handing in lovely ringlet patterns that screamed ‘holiday spirit’ and you were almost done too, “only a few more to go” you thought smugly as you moved the ladder over a few feet. The ground there was mushy and deep and when you climbed the ladder the legs wobbled unsteadily, “I’ll be fine”. You were fine, at least until a strong wind blew, knocking your feet off the ladder and directly into the muddy snow that thankfully cushioned the fall. You laid there, unmoving as the dirty water seeped into the fabrics to your skin, an uncomfortable moist cold settling in the place warmth once was.

“Stupid weather and stupid meeting, I bet now is when Kyo-” your thoughts of depreciation were cut off by loud, hearty laughter bellowing from just a few feet away, you accepted defeat as your fears were just brought to life; of course, he arrived just as you fell. 

“Did you-”

“Yes I fell.”

“Are you-”

“Yes I’m okay”

“And I missed it?”

“You’re getting coal this year, asshole”

Kyojuro’s laughter never ceased, his deep chuckles bubbling up every time they seemed to calm down. “You asked for an hour” you accused, still buried underneath the snow, “I really am sorry, Darling” he reached down, pulling you from your underarms like a toddler, holding you above the ground, “Let me make it up to you” he asked, still not placing you down. “It better be good, I could have died ya’ know'' you dramatized; Kyojuro grinned, pulling you against his dry-self, “Wait I’m all wet” you protested, pushing away, “Don’t worry, we’ll both be wet in a minute” “You perv! That’s how you want to make it up to me?!” you stated in disbelief. 

Kyojuro wore a silent smirk as he walked inside, your chilled form eager for the warmth you so desperately needed as clung onto the man like a koala. You sneezed once, twice, a third time, your cheeks and nose quickly becoming a glowing red. “You’ll get sick if you stay like this” he brought you into the private spring, the large pool of water steaming as mist rolled off the surface. “Ohhh you meant a bath” you giggled. “Who is the perv now” his voice was low and welcoming like the heat of the water, “Undress, I’ll be back in a moment” he left, leaving you to wonder just what he had to do.

You didn’t waste too much time though, eager to chase the chill away, and by the time your fiery husband was back you were already submerged up to your chin. “What’s that?” you questioned without opening your eyes, “A present” was all he said, shimmying out of his clothes to dive in next to you. You landed on the ethereal sight that was Kyojuro; his brightly colored hair now slicked back and sticking to his shoulders, his round orbs shining with the utmost content as you swam your way over, floating onto his lap to feel up his meaty muscles. “Would that be for me?” “Well it was supposed to be for Christmas, however I’m starting to think it's better as a ‘sorry for letting you fall off a ladder and then laughing about it’ present” you both laughed at that.

He leaned against your breast, nuzzling his nose into the crook of your neck as you toyed with the strands of hair on his head, “You don’t have to give it to me now if you don’t want to, I’m not mad at you” you soothed. He nibbled on the exposed skin there before pulling away, “You deserved to be spoiled, Y/n” he reached back, grabbing on to the box he brought in, presenting it to you. 

Delicately, you open the lid to reveal the most elegant, finest piece of jewelry you’ve ever held. They were earrings, a set pair that had vibrant red gems engraved in the gold hoop; they happened to match perfectly with the wedding ring you’ve worn proudly for the last two years. “Kyojuro these are beautiful, you shouldn’t have” you held them tenderly, eyes watering. “Am I still receiving coal this year?” he said humorously, earning him a gentle slap against his shoulder.

You replaced the old ones with the new pair, a grin from ear to ear, “You’re quite the charmer  Mr.Rengoku” “Only the best for you Mrs.Rengoku” your lips inched closer, meeting in a passionate kiss, the pads of his fingers pressing roughly into your hips. The kiss was hot and heavy, lips and tongues clashing, gliding over one another in a sensual dance. When you pulled back, too out of breath to continue, your eyes were glazed in something that wasn’t previously there. As if on cue, you both simultaneously thought.

“I am so getting laid’”                                          

“He is so getting laid”

Holiday Event Masterlist

If you think about it, the tittle is correct in more ways than one ;)

[blouisparadise]

Although most of us aren’t able to go on vacation at the moment, we hope this rec list will make everyone feel a bit better than that. Upon request, here is a rec list of bottom Louis fics where Harry, Louis, or both boys go on vacation at some point during the fic. Happy reading!

1) This Is Where I Sleep | Explicit | 3678 words

Harry and Louis go camping while on break and make some memories.

2) Under the Vanilla Sky | Explicit | 8006 words

Who the hell wears a hat like that on a yacht?  That's one of the things Louis thinks when he sees Harry from across the deck of the most expensive, ridiculous boat he's ever been on.  He also thinks he'd like to get closer.  Just to see what's under those aviators.  Just to verify that, yes, in fact, those white swim trunks might be a little see-through when wet.  Just to see if someone could really be that hot in real life.  On a yacht.  In the Caribbean sea just off the coast of St. Barts.  

Here's what really happened on that yacht.

Or, my opinion, at least.

3) Rather This Than Live Without You | Explicit | 10715 words

Harry decides to give it all up. Louis refuses to be left behind.

4) Ready To Run | Explicit | 11940 words

After being left at the alter by his boyfriend of five years, Louis goes on a vacation to try and clear his head and fill the empty spaces in his heart. On the way, he meets a new group of life-long friends, and maybe a little more than that.

5) I Know You Have A Heavy Heart (I Can Feel It When We Kiss) | Explicit | 14489 words | Sequel

In which Louis is spending New Year’s alone in France but he’s definitely not running away, and Harry is a french florist with an ever present smile who cares a lot. They meet a cold night in the outskirts of Paris.

6) Don’t Put Out The Glow | Not Rated | 15007 words

"He fists out a pair of skinny jeans and a plain black tee. Nothing wrong there. Then he sees an atrocious Hawaiian shirt in Zayn’s hand and he starts digging through the bag urgently, pulling out more and more items that don’t belong to him."

7) Pleasure Over Matter | Explicit | 152014 words

Harry is a bit out of his element, and an unsuspecting stranger provides him temporary relief.

8) All I Want Is To Fall With You | Mature | 16254 words

The weekend ski trip where omega Louis discovers that he can’t change a tire and his skiing skills are debatable but still manages to find the alpha who will change his life.

9) Some Flowers In Your Hair | Explicit | 23015 words

A magical camping AU in which Louis is jealous of Harry's magic, Liam's a little too enthusiastic about surviving in the wilderness, and Niall might have misunderstood the rules.

10) Force of Nature | Mature | 25672 words

Louis is a shy, young musician who doesn't want to go to Harvard.

Harry is a confident,  second year athlete who likes to have a good time.

When their paths cross while their families are vacationing at the same lake resort, what begins as a summer of fun becomes a defining journey that might just change everything.

11) A Trail Of Honey Through It All | Explicit | 27085 words

The boy in front of him, well really, the man in front of him, was like something out of a confusing wet dream. Built, tall, tan and muscular, his skin glistened with sweat after a long day of working outdoors with his hands. He was wearing a cut up old American football shirt, the bottom hem was torn and the sleeves were cut off to the point where the t-shirt was really just a loose tank top. The shorts he had on had clearly been full length jeans at one point, and were now just crudely cut off above the knee. His white socks were pulled up too high on his calves, and the brown work boots he had on were old as fuck, the leather peeling along the edges of the soles. Curly brown hair stuck out from the edges of his backwards snapback, and there was a smudge of grease wiped along his brow bone. The smattering of hair along his jaw proved that he hadn’t shaved in a week or two, the hair growing in thicker across his upper lip and around his chin. His sinfully bowed mouth was pink and plump, and Louis was suddenly hyper-focused on the way that he chewed at the toothpick stuck between his lips. He looked like he needed a shower. Louis wanted to lick him.

12) Rivers ‘Til I Reach You | Explicit | 29315 words

AU. Louis studies astronomy; Harry studies Louis. They spend their summers on the water and it shouldn't be complicated (spoiler: it is).

13) The List | Mature | 32094 words

'In the weeks that follow, Harry opens his old journal more than he has in the past two years each time he remembers Venice or thinks about Louis. He always flips to the same random page in the middle of the book, marked by the picture of himself that Louis sent him a few days after they got home. There’s a message on the back that says, ‘Spontaneous looks good on you! See you soon,’ and it makes Harry’s chest warm each time he reads it. He wedges their list out from between the worn pages, and it feels silly staring down at a folded up piece of paper with a strange sense of nostalgia for experiences they’ve yet to have; for places they’ve never even been.'

14) (Your Heartbeat) Rang True Inside My Bones | Explicit | 32945 words

Harry goes as Louis' date for a weekend wedding. He ends up taking the role a bit too seriously.

15) Let Me Feel Your Heartbeat | Explicit | 34572 words

Harry is 98% sure Louis hates him. So he feels like his bewilderment is justified when the omega offers to help him through his rut.

16) And Touch Me Like You | Explicit | 35971 words

The one where Harry and Louis agree to be each other's New Year's kiss and it ends up being a lot more than they bargained for.

17) A Red-Dusted Planet | Explicit | 38265 words

A one-night stand in a small town in Australia turns into a weekend that Harry could've never predicted with a boy he may never forget.

18) A Rhythm In Rush | Explicit | 40010 words

Harry is a WWF journalist with big dreams and Louis is a glaciologist that flies helicopters for fun. Greenland is an odd place to spend Christmas, but just maybe, the perfect place to fall headfirst into love.

19) Nobody Does It Like You | Not Rated | 58520 words

Louis isn't looking for a home, but he finds one in Harry.

20) Waiting For The Tides To Meet | Explicit | 59873 words

Soulmate AU. Everyone is born with heterochromia — one eye is their own eye colour, while the other is the colour of their soulmate's. It's only when they meet their soulmate for the first time that their own eyes match properly. After a hazy night at a frat party, Louis wakes up to blue eyes and the shocking realization that he had met his soulmate, without any sober recollection. Seven years pass where Louis comes to terms with the fact that he'll never know who his soulmate is. Then one fated summer, a beautiful green-eyed photographer arrives at Louis' workplace, with promises of endless laughter and a familiar feeling in Louis' heart.

21) Tug-Of-War | Explicit | 63000

Louis' husband dies suddenly and he is left with nothing. Well, not really nothing. He has Harry. And a St. Bernard puppy named Link, whom his late husband left behind for him. Louis takes care of Link and Harry takes care of Louis. Everything is okay until suddenly, it isn't.

22) This Wicked Game | Explicit | 70010 words

An AU in which The Bachelor is gay, Louis is a contestant, Harry is the bachelor, everyone drinks a lot of champagne, the entire world gets to watch them fall in love, and no one plays by the rules.

23) Don’t Tell the Gods (We Left a Mess) | Explicit | 71556 words

After a misunderstanding with Liam’s mother, Louis agrees to accompany his best friend to a family wedding and pretend to be the world’s best boyfriend. But their simple plan goes awry when he learns that Harry, ex-boyfriend/ex-love of Louis’ life, will also be in attendance. (aka: fake!boyfriends with a twist ft. bromance, romance and cake.)

24) Perfect Storm | Explicit | 80230 words

What do you do when your best friend asks you and your (now) ex to be the best men at his destination wedding? You can either tell him the truth, tell him you’re not together anymore, and deal with the consequences, or you can pretend you’re still together and roll with it, just pray you don’t spiral. Fake it ‘til you make it. You know, for the sake of the wedding.

Harry and Louis choose the latter.

25) Nothing Worsens, Nothing Grows | Explicit | 102528 words

Another roadtrip au featuring Harry as the misunderstood hipster, Louis as the bitter psych major, Liam as the one with the secret boyfriend, and Niall as the one who just wants everyone to be happy.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

[thewildomega]

Doughnut of lies ch.9

"OW! No damnit leave it alone." You growled, smacking his hands away from you and glaring at him. 

"Hold still." he told her in a deep voice, wrapping his legs around hers while his arm moved around her middle, holding her in his lap. 

Letting out a noise that was something between a growl and a whimper you hissed through clenched teeth when he worked on cleaning the painfully deep claiming mark on your neck with the wet washrag. "grrraahh, Kata it hurts." you whined. 

"I know but I have to clean it y/n." 

Hearing no room for discussion in his voice you instead tried to focus on the rippling water in the massive soaking tub made for the sixteen foot man. The hot water was steaming, filling the room with the relaxing scent of lavender that your husband had added to help sooth you. It had been working, relaxing your sore body after your first time mating with your now alpha. Sitting in his lap with the water up to your collarbone you had been lounging back into his body, almost asleep again when he had decided he needed to torture you. At another burning pain you flinched and let out a snarl. "Okay it's clean now leave it alone." you snapped. 

Sighing he dropped the rag to the edge of the tub and moved his hand under the water to massage her back and shoulders. Feeling how tense she was he dipped his head to kiss just over the large bite in apology. Hearing her let out a long sigh he gently pulled her back to his chest. Rubbing her hips and then down to her thighs he kissed her head. 

Closing your eyes you relaxed back into his chest, his large hands kneading your fatigued muscles. You were sleepy, it had to be the middle of the night, or at least it looked like it outside. You didn't know how long you both had been sleeping but your don't think it had been too terribly long. He had woken you by lifting you into his arms and carrying you to his... your shared bathroom where he had a hot bath waiting. Now though you felt like you were going to fall back asleep any second. 

"When is you heat?" he asked in a low voice. Feeling her flinch he knew she had been close to sleep and lifted his hand to rub her head. 

Blinking slowly you turned to sit sideways in his lap, nuzzling his chest to get comfortable. "mmm seven or so weeks I think... why?" 

"I was just wondering when I need to take off." he told her, casually twirling her hair around his finger he thought of something and knit his brows a bit. "What did you do before when you went through heats?"

Closing your eyes you listened to the sound of his strong heart and took a breath, "Well most of the time I was away. I'd have us dock somewhere and tell the crew to go take a few days off while I stayed in my cabin."

"You were alone then? You stayed alone, unprotected while in..."

"No, Vex stayed on ship with me, kept watch and brought me food afterwards." 

Gritting his teeth he felt his brow twitch, "He knew as well?"

"Yes." you answered honestly. Feeling him stiffen you sighed, your fingers moving to trace the tattoo on his chest "I didn't tell him Kata, he guessed. His sister had been an omega growing up so he knew the signs. When I told him that I wanted it kept a secret he respected it and never treated me any differently." 

Hearing this he relaxed again. "What is it like for you?"

"I don't know really, I've never been through one without my necklace to help ease it. I guess if I'm being honest I would have to admit I'm a little afraid of how it will be." you told him. 

Rubbing her side and hip he looked down at her. "We do not have to spend your heat together if you do not want to y/n. I am in no rush to try for little ones just yet." Seeing her blue eyes look up to him, her eyes searching for any lie there he cupped her head and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I am contempt with simply enjoying each other for the time being. When you are ready you tell me." 

Feeling a warming in your heart you crawled up his chest to kiss him. Taking each side of his face into your small hands you felt his scars under your palms and his large teeth against your thumbs. Keeping your eyes closed you peppered his lips with kisses before moving to hug his neck. "I love you Kit Kat."

Wrapping his arms around her small frame he closed his own eyes and took in a deep breath, "I love you too sweetheart." The two of them just sat there for a while, the water cooling until he decided it was time to get out. Standing he again felt her startle. "Come on darling you need to eat something." 

"Sleep." you grumbled, tightening your hold on his neck so he couldn't put you down. 

"No, eat then sleep." he told her and heard her whine. "I'll make you eggs." he said an heard her stop instantly. 

"Scrambled with cheese." you grumbled.

Chuckling he grabbed the blanket, wrapping her in it before carrying her downstairs, "Yes omega." Sitting her on the counter by where he would cook he walked to the fridge to grab the eggs, cheese and milk. Starting to whisk the eggs and milk together he saw her yawn and grinned a little before yawning himself. "Quit it, your making me yawn too." he said in a teasing manner. 

"It's your fault, making us get up outta bed. I was having a good dream too." you told him, snuggling up into the blanket and watching him pour the egg mixture into the skillet.  

"And what pleasant dream did I pull my mate from?" he asked. 

Not being able to stop the big smile on your face when he called you his mate you looked to him, looking over his naked body in all it's glory. "I was dreaming about that island we were at when we were kids, you know the one with all the flowers..."

"The one in the south blue?" he asked, beginning to cook the eggs. 

"Yea, well I was there and I was running through that field and when I got across the hill I saw someone sitting under that old tree we used to climb. I ran over there thinking it was you and everyone else but it wasn't, it was my mama. She was all healthy again and smiling. I was just sitting with her for a while and then White... my dad came over and sat down with us." you told him with a sad smile. "It was nice, it felt real." You told him looking down to your hands and seeing your two rings, the one Katakuri had given you, your wedding ring and then the one your father had given you, your mother's. 

Seeing the slightly sad look on her face he furrowed his brows and leaned over to nuzzle his face against hers. "I am sorry I woke you from it." 

Grinning you turned to kiss his cheek, "It's alright, the bath was nice, other than you torturing me." 

Humming he started adding the cheese to the eggs. 

"You know what's kind of ironic?" you asked and heard him hum again. "The fact that our parents had us while they were all on Rocks' crew. I mean what were the chances that we would have met like we did."

Platting their food he turned to her, stepping between her knees and moving his hands under the blanket to rub her bare hips, his hands encasing the majority of her abdomen and back. Dipping his head down to stare deep into her blue eyes he felt that warming in his chest that happened every time he looked at her. "Fate brought us together. You and I were always meant to be. When I was running away from those slavers that night I almost ran straight past your home but something told me to hide in that shed."

Smiling you wrapped your arms around his neck, "And to think I thought you were some racoon." 

"A racoon?!" he chuckled. 

.................................

Before you knew it a few months had passed and winter had set in. You felt off today, anxious, emotional. Glancing to the clock you saw it was only three in the afternoon, still a few hours till Kata would be home for the day, if nothing happened that was. tapping your finger against the book you had been trying to read you let out a sigh and stood, snapping it close and placing it down on the table by the now empty tea cup. Walking to the door you pulled on your new coat Kata had bought you, a a leather jacket that went down to your mid thigh and was lined to keep you warm. Glancing to the matching boots you groaned, you were already feeling jittery as it was you didn't want to add to it. It was cold out yes but you didn't plan on being out long and besides what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"Going out Mrs. Y/n?" a kind voice said.

Turning to the older lady who worked for both you and Katakuri you smiled softly. "Yes Bella, only for a quick walk." you told her, knowing she had been told by your husband to keep an eye on you.

"Alright my lady but please make sure you don't stay out too long, you know master Katakuri doesn't like you being out alone." she said.

"I won't, an hour tops." you smiled to her. Opening the door you stepped out and closed it behind you. Walking along the path you made your way to the small forest that bordered the sea. As you walked for a bit you started to feel a little more at ease but more tired than usual. "See what you are doing to me you overprotective ass, making me stay in the house all the time and now I'm getting all lazy." you grumbled to yourself. Sighing you kept on your way, maybe some fresh sea air would help freshen you up. Walking over to the large piece of driftwood you jumped up to perch yourself on it so you could look out over the crashing waves. Shivering as the cold wind blew you tightened your coat around you some. You had been sitting there for a while when you heard a noise from in the forest. Furrowing your brows you looked into the trees, waiting to see if you would hear it again. When nothing else was heard you blinked and turned your head back to the ocean but snapped your attention back to the thick woods when you heard it again. It sounded like muffled crying. 

Hopping down from the log you pulled out your knife that was tucked away in your belt. Quietly you started towards the noise, your senses on high alert. The deeper you got into the forest the more crying you could hear. A loud thump was heard and then a deep gravely voice of a male telling someone to 'shut them up.' Peeking around one of the larger trees you saw what looked to be three men loading things onto two boat. Glancing down to the ground, on the roots of some of the trees you saw something that made you see red. Children, five small children all tied up and gaged with tears streaming down their faces. Seeing one of the men kick one of them when they continued sobbing you growled. 

" 'urry up an' load 'em on the boat so we can get out of 'ere."  A voice that sounded like a woman said. 

"Aye, won't be long till someone notices them missi..."

"I think we are past that." A deep male voice growled out from behind you.

Being shoved forward hard you fell to the ground, dropping your knife in the process. Going to push yourself up from the ground you stopped when something cold and hard was pressed to the back of your neck. 

"Now you just stay right there girl." the man from behind you commanded.

"Shit. Are there anymore?" the woman asked, her voice sounding rough and gravely. 

"Fuck if I want to find out, just hurry up and finish getting these brats on the boat so we can go." 

"What about the bitch?" 

"Kill er'." the woman hissed. 

Growling you shrunk down quickly, flipping over and growing to your full size so you could land a hard below the belt kick to the man that held the sword. Seeing him fall the the ground, curling up and holding his manhood. 

"She's got devil fruit powers." 

Standing quickly you grabbed your knife and sliced at the man that next tried to attack you. Dodging the swing of his sword you thrusted your knife up and into his exposed throat, a gurgling sound leaving him as he fell down. Grabbing his sword you turned to the other two and quickly cut through the rope that was tying the kids to the tree. "Run!" you yelled to them and saw them all quickly stand and start running back towards town. 

"NO! Catch them!" The man told the woman who started to run after them. 

Gritting your teeth you went to stop her but cried out when a sharp pain was felt on your thigh. Looking down you saw blood quickly coming out of a deep gash on your left thigh. Before you could look back up you were again being knocked to the ground, a hard punch to your temple making the world spin. You felt as the sword was snatched from your grip and tried to blink away the haze. 

"Fucking bitch! We were so close!" one of the males grunted, kicking the woman as he was filled with anger. 

"I know her, I've seen her wanted poster...She's married to one of them Charlotte's..." the man with the deep voice said, looking down at the woman. 

"Whitebeard's daughter?!" 

"Yeah and wait a second..." Dropping down to his knees he leaned over the woman to sniff at her neck. "No fuckin' way... this whore's an omega." he huffed. 

"What?" the second man said, moving to smell at the woman himself. 

Snarling you tried to lash out against the men but felt one of their hands hold your throat so hard it blocked your airway. 

Breathing in the female's scent he chuckled and looked to the omega darkly. "You sure do smell nice honey. Sweet and... fertile." he growled. 

"She's in heat?!" the male asked with wide eyes. 

"Not yet, in the beginnings of it."

Feeling your breath hitch in your throat you tensed up, was that why you felt so off? You were going into heat? A sudden tug of your shirt and a ripping sound snapped you out of your thoughts and you felt your eyes go wide when you felt the cold air on your skin. 

"What the hell you doin' Hal?" the other male asked. 

"What does it look like?" he grunted, tugging at the female's clothes.

Trying your best to fight away the male's hands as he tried pulling away the rest of your clothes you went to scream for your alpha when a dirty hand covered your mouth. 

"You... you can't be serious?" 

"I ain't gonna give up the chance of ruttin' a damn omega that's in heat..."

"But this ain't no ordinary omega Hal, she's Whitebeard's daughter and Big Mom's daughter in law. If they find out we did this they'll...."

"They ain't gonna find out now hold her down." Hal growled. 

Screaming behind the man's hand you felt as the other male held your hands down. When your pants started to get pulled down your legs you felt tears fill your eyes. Biting down on the man's hand you felt him pull it away for only a moment and took your chance. "KATAKURI!!" you screamed as loud as you could before something was being shoved into your mouth and his hand was back over your mouth and jaw. 

"SHUT UP!" Hal snarled. Pulling the front of his pants down he looked down at the female and chuckled. "Let's see if you omegas are as good as everyone says you are..."

....................................

He had been feeling on edge all day, ever since he had left home this morning. While his wife never left his mind, today he had found it especially hard to concentrate on anything but her. By three O'clock he finally had enough and decided to call it a day, he had all of his work caught up anyway and nothing had seemed out of the ordinary on his island. Heading back home he walked inside and was greeted by one of the staff. 

"Good afternoon Master Katakuri. You are home early today." 

"Yes I..." stopping mid sentence when he was moving to hang up his cloak he saw Y/n's jacket not on the hook where it normally was, her boots however where still in their place. Snapping his eyes down to Bella he blinked his eyes, "My wife, is she home?" he asked. Perhaps her coat was simply being cleaned. 

"No sir. Mrs. Y/n left not fifteen minutes ago." she told him. 

Stiffening up he narrowed his eyes. "Do you know where she went?"

Feeling slightly afraid by the massive male's piercing eyes she rose her chin some, "She said she was going for a quick walk sir. She has been very... restless today, she wouldn't allow anyone to make her anything for breakfast or lunch and she seemed to have a hard time relaxing." she spoke truthfully. 

"Is she sick?" he asked, she hadn't seemed sick last night, on the contrary she had seemed perfectly fine.

"She hasn't said anything about feeling ill sir." Bella told him. 

Humming he pulled his cloak back on. "I am going out to find her, if she comes back before I return tell her to stay here." 

"Yes sir."  Bella nodded. 

Walking down the streets he looked for his female everywhere but he didn't see her. There was this strange feeling inside his chest like something was wrong and he didn't like it. She wasn't at her favorite café' or the bookstore or even the market. As he looked for his female he noticed a pair of women who seemed to be looking for their children, hearing them ask people if they had seen them. Brushing it off as children who just wandered off he kept on his way. Deciding to go try the beach where they normally went for walks together he turned down the path towards that way when a group of children came running out of the forest. They were clearly out of breath and very frantic with tears streaming down their faces. When he stepped over to them he noticed ropes binding their hands and gags hanging about their necks. "What is going on?" he asked. 

"Mika! They are over here!" a woman yelled. 

Seeing the two women and one man come running over to the children he furrowed his brows.

"Where have you all been?"

Something was wrong. "Why are you all tied up? What happened?" he asked in a deep voice. 

"They grabbed us, they were gonna take us away!" one of the younger children cried into her mother's chest. 

Seeing one of the older boys look up to him he stepped closer, his heart hammering in his chest.

"Mister Katakuri you have to go help her, she saved us, told us to run but they got her!" he panted. 

"Who?" he asked, silently begging it wouldn't be who he thought it was.

"Your wife sir!"

"Where are they?" he asked, his voice rougher than he intended. He didn't mean to frighten the child but right now there were more important things.

"In the forest sir, on the edge of the sea. "

Not wasting another second he took off into the trees. Running as fast as he could he came across a woman who looked to be searching for something or rather someone. Seeing her eyes go wide when she saw him and go to run he used his mochi to grab her. Lifting her from the ground he growled and grit his teeth behind his scarf. "Where are the others!?" The female only whimpered and clawed at his hand. Going to ask again he heard a familiar voice scream his name and froze. "Y/n." he muttered. Wrapping his mochi around her he threw her into the tree and saw her body fall limp before he started running in the direction of his love's voice. She had said his full name, and she had sounded afraid. Pulling his trident out he held it tightly, ready to put it to use to save his mate. 

Breaking through a thick patch of trees he saw something that made his vision go red and all sense leave him. His blood boiled in his veins and a loud roar left his throat when he saw the two men over his wife, one holding her struggling frame down to the ground while the other was fighting to get between her legs, his pants hanging low on his hips. From here he could hear her screaming and crying around the makeshift gag in her mouth, see the tears spinning from her eyes and her ripped clothes. Charging forward he saw the man holding her down look to him as he threw his trident through the air and into the male's chest, impaling him on the tree behind him. Turning to Mochi he flew through the air and slammed right into the other man, knocking him from y/n and to the ground. Holding him to the ground with one hand on his throat he pulled back his other arm, balling up his fist and slamming it down so hard on the man's chest, crushing it and filling the air with a sickening crunch. Watching the light leave the man's eyes he moved away and quickly went over to his omega who wasted no time crawling up into his arms and nuzzling into his neck. He could feel her shaking, hear her crying as her small hands fisted into any fabric she could find. 

"K..k...kata..." you tried saying before it turned into a sob. 

"Shhh... it's alright sweetheart. I've got you." he said in a low, deep voice but heard her still gasping, "You're safe omega." 

"A...alpha.." you whimpered, nuzzling his chest and pushing your head under his vest to feel his bare skin, hear his heart. 

"Yes." he said affirmatively, kissing her head through his scarf and closing his eyes. Sitting there for a few minutes he held her close, purring to help calm her down and himself. Once he had taken a few deep breaths to damper his burning rage he stood. Holding her with one arm he pulled off his cloak with the other and wrapped her in it to both hide her near nudity and keep her warm. Her face nuzzled under his scarf, hiding away from the world. Walking to the man impaled on the tree, he pulled out mogura from the male's chest and watched him fall forward to the ground. Glancing back to both of the dead men he felt his lip lift into a snarl for only a moment until his omega let out a small whimper and he ceased the noise and turned to walk away. 

Getting back to their home he quickly called for Bella. 

"Oh my... what..."

"Call for the doctor." he said in a deep voice. Seeing the elderly woman quickly nod before hurrying off he took his beloved up the stairs and to their room. Going to place her down she held to his neck like he was about to toss her off a cliff. "Y/n... darling." he said in a low voice. Hearing her whimper he went to speak before he heard his sister's voice calling from the hall and took a deep breath. 

"Big brother? Y/n?" Brulee called, hurrying down the hall towards her brother and sister in law's room. Pushing open the heavy door she saw Katakuri standing there holding what she knew to be her best friend wrapped up in his cloak. There was blood on his arms and staining his abdomen but he himself didn't look to be hurt. "What happened? Everyone on your island is talking about ..." 

"Later." he said, interrupting her and glancing down to his omega who was still trembling slightly. Seeing Brulee nod he heard a knock and looked around his sister to see Bella and the island doctor standing there. Bidding them inside he again tried to sit his wife down on the sofa but she wouldn't budge. "Let go sweetheart. Come on little one, the doctor is here to look at you." he told her but she only made a small whine. He had never seen her like this. Knitting his brows he burrowed his face deeper into his scarf to talk closer to her. "Omega no one is going to hurt you, I promise. I will be right outside okay?" he said in a low, deep voice. When she finally loosened her hold on him he moved to sit her down on the sofa, keeping his cloak wrapped around her. Kissing the top of her head he pulled back and glanced down at her. Seeing her clothes ripped and blood on her he grit his teeth but said nothing for now. Leaving her in the doctor's care he stepped outside with Brulee, Bella staying with Y/n. 

................................

Once the doctor had finished with Y/n he had came out of his room and walked over to where he and Brulee had been speaking. "How is she?" he asked the older beta.

"She is shaken up, I wouldn't say she is in shock but the events definitely took a toll on her. There was a deep gash on her thigh that I had to stitch close as well as a few bruises and smaller cuts, the one on her temple being the worst. Other than all of that I would say she is need of some rest, her oncoming heat probably making the whole situation harder on her and..."

"Wait. What did you just say?" he asked, tensing up. 

Looking up to the large male he furrowed his brows "That she is in need of rest."

"No. You said her oncoming heat..." he said, his voice becoming deeper.

Nodding he looked to the deadly pirate. "Yes, your wife is in pre heat. Mrs. Bella said that she has been restless today, that she wouldn't eat. Going by that and her weakened state I am certain that your female will be in heat by tomorrow at the latest, if she doesn't start it tonight." 

Noticing her brother's body turn stiff she blinked several times before she looked to the doctor. "Could she take represents?" she asked the doctor.

"No, it is simply too late. This is her first heat without her concealing stone correct?" he asked and saw both Charlottes nod. " Then it is likely that she did not realize she was going into heat, that she has never experienced the symptoms before so she didn't know what was happening."

His heart was hammering in his chest and the alpha in him was trying to take charge. Clearing his throat he looked to the older beta. "How long will it last?" 

"Every omega is different from what I have ever heard Master Katakuri. Some only stay in heat for two days while others can take as many as four." 

Closing his eyes he took a shaky breath, "If we did not wish to go through this heat together would it be possible to skip it?"

Shocked by this the doctor opened and closed his mouth a few times. "Ah well... yes. I mean it is possible but you would have to understand that it will not be easy Master Katakuri. It is a primal instinct for the both of you and it will be extremely difficult to restrain yourselves. If you were to go forward with it then I would highly advise you both stay in separate homes until she is through with her heat." 

Knitting his brows he glared down at the male, "You expect me to leave my wife in our home alone, unprotected while she is in heat?" he said, a slight growl to his voice. 

Swallowing thickly he thought carefully over his next words. "No sir, not unprotected, perhaps one of your sisters or brothers would be willing to stay with her while you were away."

"Why couldn't he just stay in another room?" Brulee asked. 

"Master Katakuri would still be able to hear her, to smell her and it is very unlikely that he will then be able to restrain himself."

"Hear her?' he asked. 

"Yes sir, omegas are in quite a lot of discomfort while in heat, pain even. Being this is Mrs. Y/n's first true heat she will surly not understand how to deal with it alone... She will cry out for you, for her alpha to help her." the doctor told him in the most respectable way he could. 

She would be in pain. His wife, his omega, in pain. Closing his eyes again he clenched his teeth shut. He couldn't do it, he wouldn't. Nodding hid head, he opened his eyes and looked to the doctor, "That will be all." he said in a deep voice and saw the doctor nod before he walked towards the stairs to leave. 

"So what are you going to do? Do you want me to stay..."

"No. Thank you sister but I will not be leaving her to suffer alone, I can't." he said with a sigh. 

"I thought you both wanted to wait?" she asked. 

"We were but the plans have changed." Rubbing his face he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Could you tell mama what is going on, tell her I will be taking the next few days off while y/n is in heat." he asked. 

"Of course." she told him. "If you need anything, either of you let me know." 

"Thank you." he said before she walked away. Taking a deep breath he turned to his bedroom door and placed his hand on the knob. 

[8unnieswrld]

Dialogue 35 & 43 + scenario 10 with Jaemin pleaseeee

Request 35 + 43: "how am i meant to cover these?" + "lol you're really gonna wine and dine me after rearranging my guts"

Word count: 1.7k

Genre: fluff, angst (IF U SQUINT)

Warnings: ITS SUGGESTIVE, im honestly bad at smut and no lovely people on here deserve bad smut. That shit gotta be sensual or its a bad time...

A/N: Thank you so much for requesting! I hope its to your liking 💖 I will be crossing off each prompt as they are requested to avoid any double ups 💖

You had only known him for a couple of moths, max being generous.You groan loudly as you feel Jaemin’s warm body detach from yours causing goosebumps to rise to your skin.

“No no no no cold cold cold” you cry, pulling the blankets that were bundled at your feet over your body.

“Calm down baby, I'm just grabbing a warm cloth and some water for you” he whispers, placing a kiss on your forehead before exiting the room. You lay there patiently waiting for your “husband” to come back, slowly drifting off to sleep after having used all of your energy to keep up with Jaemins crazy sex drive.

In your 25 years or so of living, you had never even thought about the possibility of marrying someone introduced to you a week prior to your so-called wedding. It was such a foreign thought in your mind, clearly not for your parents or your husband’s though as they had no issue announcing it abruptly. It seemed unfair for your parents to even agree to letting their only daughter marry off into another family at such an early age, just to settle some family drama on their behalf. Jaemin was only a couple of years older than you, working in the same career field as you. You felt odd marrying someone who you had just technically met, not even able to harvest feelings for him beforehand. You didn't hate him or anything, you also just didn't know him all too well, feeling bad that he was also forced into this situation while at the top of his career.

Even though legally married you both had a very casual relationship, both not really committed enough to even call it one. However, due to yours and Jaemin’s crazy sex drive, after a night of very drunk talking you both agreed to relieve sexual tension with one another as a way to keep sane as you were both very stressed people. In the few months of living together, the blonde hair stranger turned into a pink hair friend who was now your good blue hair friend with benefits even though technically married to each other. The summer of your marriage changed like the colour of his hair into a cold winter as you both grew comfortable with each other, picking up one another's traits.

You feel the bed dip a bit, blanket shuffling slightly before a warm wet cloth is pressed between your legs causing you to jolt awake. You lift your head slightly looking at Jaemin clean you up while placing kisses on the inner of your thighs.

“Dont, that will only lead to another round” you warned, closing your legs on his head. Jaemin only chuckles as he moves his body to hover over yours placing a soft and gentle kiss on your lips.

Recently, Jaemin has become more intimate with you, even to the point of suggesting to move your stuff into his room since you were both married regardless. For sure he made your heart flutter, but there was a feeling of distrust locked in a box inside your heart. You knew it was possible to harbour feelings after getting to know one another, but a part of you made you doubt that, only choosing to believe that Jaemin was harbouring feelings out of convenience due to his age and career. Still, there was another part of your heart that began to light up whenever he was around you, hypocritical to your conflicting feelings.

You wrap your arms around Jaemin pulling him closer to you as his hand makes itself up to your stomach, lightly running the cloth over it cleaning any leftover cum that remains. He lays down beside you, pulling your head onto his extended arm. You shift slightly rolling onto your side as you hook your arms around him, pressing your face into the crook of his neck as he begins to clean your back.

“So I was thinking we would go to that fancy new place that opened up on the other side of town. You know the one on top of the hills that overlooks the city.” Jaemin mumbles, resting his head on the top of yours. “I heard they have a great selection of Italian reds.”

You couldn't help but laugh at his sudden remark, causing him to be tickled by your hot breath against his skin. Unable to control your laughter, you use every force in your body to roll over sitting up as Jaemin eyes you curiously, baffled as to why you were laughing so hard at such a normal question.

“What? Why are you laughing huh?” He chuckles awkwardly, still unsure as to why you were laughing at him.

“Lol are you seriously going to wine and dine me after you rearranged my guts for the past couple of hours” you laughed, gripping your stomach as you fell back onto the bed kicking your legs playfully.

Jaemin couldn't help but to smile as he sits up pulling your body closer to his before caging you in his arms falling back down on the bed.

“What? What's so wrong with wine and dining hmm?” Jaemin laughs, resting his head onto your exposed chest. Your laughter dies down as you wrap your arms around his head, causing him to be squished between your tits.

“Jaemin you know we’re not technically dating right? Why are you being so romantic all of a sudden” You whisper running your hands through his hair. Jaemin chuckles slightly, enjoying his face squished between your breasts.

“I mean...Y/N we’re technically married, shouldn't we at least act like it?” Jaemin mumbles, placing a few kisses in the centre of your chest. You felt your chest sting at his remark, biting your lip to stop yourself from tearing up. Confused as to why you weren't replying, Jaemin removes himself from your chest to look up at your face, instantly cupping it. “What's wrong? Was it something I said?” Jaemin coos, wrapping his arms around your head as you lose control over your tears allowing them to spill all over his exposed chest.

“Jaem...do you ever think that you only like me because we live together?” you whisper, rubbing his back slightly as you forced yourself not to continue to cry.

“Y/N…That's not it at all. I genuinely like you so much and I'm sorry if I'm not expressing that well enough but...the past few months of us living together, becoming friends, and then this...it's been amazing. You make me feel so warm inside, like substantial… you feel like home.” Jaemin mumbles, hugging you tighter as he presses kisses on top of your head. “I'm sorry that i haven't officially asked you out or anything...its just that we’re kind of technically married and i thought it’d be easier just to flow into it naturally…” You were about to reply but Jaemin takes a deep breath, pushing you lightly from his chest to look you in the eye.

“Y/N I think you’re super hot, you’re so supporting and smart and intuitive and kind…” He starts rambling, counting the traits he saw in you causing your ears to become red and flustered...even though you were both in bed naked as he confessed to you. “I think you’re amazing and I would be super upset if you started dating someone else and we got divorced because I have felt so much more happier after meeting you, like you were some saving grace!” He confesses, hugging you tightly once again. You felt your entire body flush red, from head to toe causing you to nervously sweat. “If you don't want to be my girlfriend, that's okay but i just want you to know that everything i just said are my real feelings...100%” Jaemin mumbles, staring into your eyes softly. You felt your heart race, unable to even face him properly are you pushed yourself away from him to sit up.

Putting on top he discarded the headboard over your body. You felt a shiver travel up your spine as your feet hit the cold wood floor.

“So it's a no….” Jaemin chuckles sadly, running a hand through his hair. You instantly turn around, facing him shocked to your core at the words that had left his mouth.

“No, Jaem...i'm getting out of bed to get ready for our first official date.” You reply, completely panicked that his mind went instantly to rejection. Was the idea of you leaving him what held him back from confessing to you?

Jaemins face instantly brightens as he quickly gets out of bed to run over to you, engulfing you in a tight hug as he peppered kisses all over your face. “I knew you had a crush on me, Y/N you’re so fucking cute!” He sings happily, waddling you to the bathroom in his arms as you felt tears flood the brim of your eyes, tears of self inflicted anger, sadness and joy.

Flicking on the bathroom light, you shriek, causing Jaemin to snap out of his state of ecstasy to look at you worriedly. You hit him lightly, huffing as you stare at the dark red and purple patches littered all over your neck in absolute disbelief.

“How am i meant to hide these?!” You cry, pulling the collar of his shirt down to reveal even more. Jaemin only laughs, wrapping his arms around your waist as he rests his head on top of yours.

“Don't hide them, they’re pretty” he states, staring at you through the mirror before blinking innocently before tightening his hug on you, returning to his own happy world. Jaemin was esatic, feeling as if all of his wishes were finally granted after pouring his heavy heart out onto you, in hopes of progressing your relationship with one another.

“You’re so cuteeeeee!” Jaemin yells cathartically, rocking you side to side like a child squeezing

a soft toy. You could only sigh as a response, returning his hug as he happily chatted your ear off about how happy he was in that very moment.

Jaemin stops speaking momentarily causing you both to stare at each other in the mirror, before bursting out into laughter as Jaemin pushes you to sit on the toilet running a warm bath for you both.

“You better be helping me apply concealer to this before we leave” you laugh, splashing the water up at Jaemin.

“Of course, anything for you”

[boxoftheskyking]

Something Good, Part Seventeen

In which we get to the title

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven, Part Twelve, Part Thirteen, Part Fourteen, Part Fifteen, Part Sixteen

--

When Wei Wuxian wakes up, the sun is going down, and he is alone. For a few comfortable minutes he stretches and luxuriates in having a whole bed to himself. The bedclothes are far better quality than he’s become used to. It feels like he’s been asleep for ages, but it must have only been an hour, if that.

His stomach growls, startling him more awake. He’s likely missed dinner, but there’s sure to be some left over in the kitchen. Perhaps he’ll grab Lan Wangji something as well, to repay his kindness.

When he gets to the kitchen, Wang Xiaolu is there scrubbing out a wok.

“Ah, Wei Ying! How was your day off?”

“Day off?” he darts around her to grab a steamed bun. It’s not hot, but not unpleasantly cold yet, either. “I had the little ones all day.”

“Lady Wen has had the little ones all day in the medicine garden. Madam Xiao said you were sleeping in.”

Wei Wuxian drops the bun onto the bench. “I slept through an entire day?”

“Is that what you did with your day off? Ha, Wei Ying, what a lazy bones. It’s been a gorgeous day, you could at least have taken a walk up the mountain.”

“I don’t get days off, anyway.”

Wang Xiaolu tchs at him. “Servants in the Cloud Recesses get a day off after every ten days. Surely you know that.”

“I never— I’ve never had a day off before.”

She puts down the wok and spins around to face him. “Are you serious? You need to talk to Lin Biming! It must have been a mistake! If they skip your days off, then you’re entitled to them later, you know. You need to count up how many you’ve missed! Always keep records. You might have a whole vacation saved up!”

Wei Wuxian laughs, feeling awkward. “I don’t think prisoners get days off.”

Wang Xiaolu goes back to work. “Everyone gets days off. If anyone tells you different, then we’ll all go to Master Lin together, and if he doesn’t listen then we go to the Sect Leader. It’s happened before, you know. We’re stronger together—they forget how many of us there are until we all show up together. Anyway, Wei Ying, Master Lin told us this morning that today was your day off, so I did breakfast and Madam Xiao just did dinner, and Lady Wen has been in the garden all day. Even Second Master Lan was gone today. Must have been exhausted from all the guests. Nobles do get tired easily.”

“I’m not a noble!” he cries out, feeling defensive.

“Of course not!” she flicks soapy water at him. “You certainly earned your rest day. Go on, take another bun. They can’t make you work again until the morning, but stay out of the way just in case. You know when Madam gets on a tear she’ll grab anyone by the ear. And between us, the Wen guests wrecked the guest quarters. Liquor soaked all the way through the mattress, tch.”

“Wen Chao, I bet,” he says darkly.

“Makes no difference to me who it is, I just hope they aren’t invited to the wedding.”

Wei Wuxian sticks another bun in his pocket and wanders back to the Jingshi, detouring into the forest to play a few scales on Chenqing. When he returns to the room, Lan Wangji is still gone. Wei Wuxian tries to sit politely, but the shadows lengthen and his restlessness grows, so he starts poking around. Surely if Lan Wangji worried about him looking around the room he wouldn’t have left him alone here for the entire day.

The books on the shelves aren’t very surprising—a few political treatises, transcripts of cultivation lectures, a pocket version of the Lan Sect rules (as if Lan Wangji needs the reminder) and some bland classic poetry. No adventure stories or romances, just descriptions of peonies and snowdrifts. He reads a few poems over, wondering if perhaps there are metaphors he’s missing, then sets them back on the shelf. 

There’s a nice wardrobe with identical sets of white and blue robes. Wei Wuxian considers trying one on, but imagines being caught with his shabby self in the perfect white silk and decides to err on the side of caution. He’s examining some musical scores on the floor when the door finally opens and Lan Wangji comes in.

“Lan Zhan!” He scrambles upright. “I’m sorry for prying, but in my defense you did leave me here for an entire day. Why didn’t you wake me? I must have really been deep asleep. You know, I think I could play this piece. I can see there’s an interval that would make a nice harmony at the bridge here. What do you think, Lan Zhan? Oh, I brought you a steamed bun from the kitchen. It’s probably cold by now, and a little squished, but—”

He finally looks at Lan Wangji and his voice cuts off in his throat. Lan Wangji’s eyes are red, swollen, and when Wei Wuxian manages to take in all of him together he looks wrecked, stricken, leaning against the door as if unable to hold himself upright.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Wuxian breathes, dropping the score to the ground. “What’s happened? Is it Wen Ruohan? Who’s dead? Zewu Jun? Lan Zhan, what can I do?”

Lan Wangji says nothing, just keeps staring at him.

“Is it— Not the children, Lan Zhan?” Wei Wuxian runs to him and grabs his arms, desperate. “What’s happened? Tell me, tell me, please!”

Lan Wangji wraps his arms around him and pulls him tightly against his chest. Wei Wuxian can feel his damp face against the skin of his neck, and worries that he might faint from fear.

“Please, Lan Zhan, you’re scaring me. What’s happened?”

“I spoke to Wen Qing,” is all Lan Wangji says.

“What? Wen Qing? Is she all right? Has something—”

“She told me about the core transfer.”

Wei Wuxian pulls back, fighting against Lan Wangji’s arms.

“What?”

“She told me.”

“That’s it? She just told you about— Aiyah! Lan Zhan, you are really terrible. Feel my heart!” He presses Lan Wangji’s hand against his chest. “You nearly killed me! I thought something terrible had happened!”

He pulls away, shaking off Lan Wangji’s hands and collapsing down on the bed.

“The surgery—” Lan Wangji’s voice breaks off. Wei Wuxian crosses his arms over his chest.

“There’s no reason to cry about that old thing.”

Lan Wangji stays by the door, still looking destroyed.

“Two days. She told me you—”

“Yes, yes,” Wei Wuxian waves his hand. “I know, I was there.”

“How did you— How could you stand it?”

Wei Wuxian sits up, embarrassed and more than a little angry. “You don’t know what you can stand until you have to stand it. There’s no reason to dwell on it. What, do you want to see it? Will that calm you down?”

He pulls his shirt over his head, throws it on the ground, and leans back against the pillows. “There, are you happy? It’s ugly, but it’s closed. Everything is fine.”

Lan Wangji looks at him for a long time. Wei Wuxian’s skin starts to spring up in gooseflesh, but he fights down the shiver. Last night Lan Wangji had challenged him, so he’s challenging back. He’s a second away from giving in, saying something ridiculous to break the tension, when Lan Wangji comes over and sits next to him on the bed. He reaches out and hovers one finger over the scar, twisted and ugly and pink as raw meat. His gaze is so intense Wei Wuxian feels it like a blade, opening him back up. 

“Lan Zhan,” he whispers. What do you want? he doesn’t ask. What is it you need?

Slowly, but still suddenly, Lan Wangji bends at the waist and presses his cheek to Wei Wuxian’s stomach. Wei Wuxian gasps but doesn’t move. He can feel Lan Wangji’s head move up and down with each shaky breath he takes. A tear slides down his side, soaks into the band of his trousers. 

“Don’t cry, Lan Zhan. Please don’t cry.”

Lan Wangji shakes his head, smearing tears across his stomach.

“So contrary, Lan Zhan.”

Wei Wuxian reaches out tentatively to smooth a hand over his hair. He’s not sure why touching Lan Wangji’s hair seems more intimate than anything that’s happened between them so far.

“Kiss me, Lan Zhan?”

Lan Wangji sits up and wipes his face on his sleeve. Wei Wuxian wants to offer his shirt, something rough and durable and meant for soaking up messes. But before he can think anymore, Lan Wangji is leaning forward and kissing him, open and wet. Wei Wuxian takes a risk and pulls him down on top of himself, the weight of him calming down every shiver, every howling voice inside of him relaxing into a satisfied purr. 

Lan Wangji pulls back, holding himself up with his elbows. Wei Wuxian pouts at him.

“What do you want, Wei Ying?” He’s looking through Wei Wuxian’s eyes into his brain, into his marrow, into the place his core used to be.

“This. I just want this, Lan Zhan.” Wei Wuxian runs a finger over Lan Wangji’s lower lip. “Just keep me.” He leans up to kiss him again.

Wei Wuxian has both arms wrapped around Lan Wangji’s neck when he’s released, left back on the pillow with Lan Wangji hovering over him and worrying his lip in his teeth.

“What is it, Lan Zhan?”

“I won’t keep you.”

Wei Wuxian’s stomach drops through the mattress. Why would anyone want you? You’re empty. (I’m not.)

Lan Wangji rolls off him to lay by his side. Wei Wuxian crosses his arms and holds onto his bare shoulders, suddenly feeling very cold.

“Has anyone told you about my father and my mother?” Lan Wangji asks.

“This is a very strange time to talk about your parents,” Wei Wuxian says, aiming for a joke but missing by a mile.

“My father loved my mother. Or that’s what everyone said. My mother committed a crime. She killed someone. Everyone said she was guilty, but I never heard her version of events. And my father married her, to protect her. I don’t know that she had a choice.”

Wei Wuxian turns to him and watches him swallow.

“She was a rogue cultivator when they met. The Lan Sect— There is a lot of power held by the Lan Sect, especially here in Gusu. They married, and she became a prisoner. Xichen and I were born, but we only saw her once every month. She remained locked in her room, serving a sentence with no trial.

“She was powerful, I think. My father—he was the Sect Leader, but I don’t believe he had exceptional spiritual power. And Xichen and I— It only makes sense that she was powerful. She could have broken out, left, gone off into the world. But she didn’t, because we were here. Not because of my father, not because of the laws or the rules. Because of us. 

“I was just a child, I didn’t know what I was doing at the time. But I was her cage. We were her cage. And she died a very small woman. We made her small.”

“Lan Zhan.”

“I won’t do that to you. I will not be your cage, Wei Ying, even if you love me.”

“Lan—”

“I love you, but I will not keep you.”

Wei Wuxian leans up on an elbow. “You love me?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

Lan Wangji glares at him. “Obviously.”

Wei Wuxian huffs out  a laugh and rests his head on Lan Wangji’s shoulder. “I’m sorry about your mother, Lan Zhan.”

“That wasn’t the point.”

“I know. I’m still sorry though.”

“Wei Ying.”

“I do love you. Also.”

Lan Wangji relaxes and turns toward him, tucking an arm around his bare waist.  “I’m glad.”

“How long?”

“Hm?”

“Have you loved me?”

“Caiyi Town.”

“Really?”

“Hmm.”

Wei Wuxian kisses his chin. “I don’t know how long I’ve loved you. I’ve only just been allowed to, after all. Oh, don’t argue. Just kiss me again.”

He does, again and again, and his robes disappear, and Wei Wuxian’s trousers, and night falls, and everything turns warm and honey-sweet. 

Hours, years later, when Wei Wuxian comes back to himself, he’s laying on Lan Wangji’s chest with fingers tangled in his hair.

“I’ve done terrible things,” he says, but it’s not heavy, not guilty. 

Lan Wangji grunts unhappily.

“No, I have. I’ve been wicked, miserable. I’ve been proud and arrogant and irresponsible. Since I was a kid, honestly, and I’ve only gotten worse. I’ve been nothing but a problem, and I’ve enjoyed it.”

“No.”

Wei Wuxian pinches his side. “Yes, I have. But here you are.”

“Hmm.”

“I may not be the demon everyone thinks I am, but I’m not innocent. And you know that. And still, here you are.”

“Always.”

Wei Wuxian rubs his forehead against the warm, smooth skin beneath him. “You shouldn’t, you know. But you don’t care. All those rules, Lan Zhan, and you don’t care.”

“You are good.”

“I must have done something. It’s the only thing that makes sense. You’re here, and you love me, in spite of everything. I must have done something so good to deserve it. Maybe when I was little, a long time ago. Something so, so good.” He leans up and traces a finger around Lan Wangji’s serious face. “Oh, look at you. It must have been something wonderful.”

Lan Wangji leans up and captures his mouth again, big hands sliding up over his back.

“I don’t know what I did,” Lan Wangji breathes into his ear. “But surely I’ve done something wonderful too.”

“Look at us,” Wei Wuxian laughs, shifting back on top of him. “We must be amazing.”

Lan Wangji smiles at him, wide and bright and shining like a waterfall in the sun, and the force of it knocks the breath out of Wei Wuxian. “We must.”

Part Eighteen

[gongju-juice]

9. Once Upon a Southern Night

Not So Far-Fetched

Warnings: SMUT, language, fluff, and a little angst

The wedding was absolutely perfect. Of course, Alice designed the entire affair, everybody else but you and Jasper a slave to her incessant ordering.

You got married on a sunny day back in the country, just a few miles Jasper’s old home town which was nestled far out into secluded woods with a grand, wooden barn and southern mansion nearby a quiet stream

Your dress was sleeveless and made of immaculate white silk that trailed behind you in the rose petal walkway to your groom, standing under a flower arch of candles and flowers. Alice, Rosalie, and Amelia were your bridesmaids—and Ivy, though she whined and cried from home—was not invited.

And when the wedding was over, Jasper flew you out to Havana where a pastel yellow house waited on the shoes of the beach. Little antique cars zoomed past on the streets, people danced in skimpy swimsuits, lovers toured the old buildings, hands entwined.

But you weren’t even interested in all of that. That was second priority. All you wanted was to be underneath the man you’d been lusting for over two years now. And he seemed to sense your urgency, for he immediately rushed the both of you to your villa without any side trips or excursions.

He got busy taking care of the luggage and dealing with the house attendants as they stocked the kitchen with food. Meanwhile, you made a nest of the bathroom. 

Dropping your suitcase on the tiled floor, you laid out all your supplies and filled the tub with bubbles and hot water. Alice and Rosalie had packed an “essential” bag of lingerie, but you thought it would be best to save it for later. Tonight, there would be no lace or fancy ribbons. You would be yourself, and you would reveal yourself to your husband just like you shamefully imagined yourself doing before. 

You opened the french style bathroom doors and stepped into the humid room. The ceiling fan whirred uselessly overhead, creating more noise than comfort, adding only to your anxiety and nervousness. You tightened your arms around your waist and moved forward.

Jasper was on the other side of the room staring out over the balcony. The moon shone down on his wavy hair, creating a silvery effect that slowly faded into the warm candlelight of the bedroom. 

When he turned around, you were already tugging at the ties of your robe. The candles flickered and in a heartbeat, he was standing in front of you, his icy breath on your lips. He lowered your hands and began undoing the fabric himself.

To his delight, there was nothing underneath. It was silent as he took in your bare form, his piercing gaze sweeping over the hills of your breast, the curvature of your hips and thighs. Never before had you felt so exposed, so completely and utterly vulnerable and especially nervous.

What if you did something wrong? What if he didn’t like what he saw? What if you accidentally humiliated yourself?

“Y/N,” he hummed, putting his hands on the top of your shoulders. “I can feel everything you feel. And, you’re worried. I won’t go any further until you tell me you’re ready. We can stop now, and I won’t touch you like that at all, if that’s what you want. I just want you to be okay.”

You bit your lip but vehemently shook your head. Of course you were nervous. It was your wedding night. To not feel anything at all was a sign of trouble. 

But you wanted him. Your feeling of desire overwhelmed any sense of anxiousness, and it made you breathless with how tangible it all seemed. It was often you could lay awake at night and think of being with him. With seven other vampires around, your every move was heard and monitored even if they didn’t intend to invade your privacy. And Jasper sat on the edge of your bed as you slept, too traditional to venture under the covers most of the time. The want had been building and boiling inside of you, waiting to be unleashed.

“I want you,” you whimpered. “Please, I can’t wait any longer.”

Gracefully, he scooped you into his arms and carried you to the canopied bed where he had already rearranged the pillows at least twice. 

Perhaps, you thought, he was nervous too.

But before you could contemplate this theory any longer, his eyes dropped dangerously to the apex of your thighs where your arousal had obscenely gathered. He licked his lips and cradled your hips with his strong arms. 

“Fuck, this is the most beautiful thing I’ve seen since you walked down that aisle,” he declared, admiring your writhing regions in his deepest drawl yet. It was funny, the more excited Jasper became, the thicker his accent became. 

Before he continued, however, he began by kissing every inch of your skin. He started from the vein just behind your left ear before making his way down the crevice of your collarbones, down the valley of your breasts, slowly and teasingly trailing down to the place you really wanted him to be.

But once he made it to your pelvic bone, he placed your legs over his shoulders, a smirk on his face. You’re sure you were wide-eyed, your features twisted into a blissful grimace of unfulfilled need and throbbing ache.

He delved his tongue into your folds, sucking and kissing hungrily like a predator bearing down on its prey. His eyes darkened into a shade of burnt umber. It must’ve been so tempting to be that close to all those vital vessels and not give in to the burning instinct to drink you dry. Instead, he channeled all of that desire and yearning into eating your pussy like a starved man.

“Jasper,” you screamed, “Oh god, I—you’re so—it’s so—”

“You’re feeling everything I’m feeling,” he admitted, ripping through the buttons of his shirt. “And everything I’m feeling is you.”

You understood. It was a continual, never-ending loop of love and pleasure that he had shared with you. This was exaltation, better than any human drug or stimulant. It was just you and your husband making love for the first time, consummating your marriage as countless other lovers had done before but infinitely different and unique.

“I can’t take it anymore! Please, just do it! I want you inside me so badly, Jas,” you hyperventilated as you assisted him as he undid his belt and zipper, the rest of his offensive attire falling to the floor. Now there was nothing standing in between you and your man.

“Patience, darlin’,” he hummed, pushing you up against the headboard in a way that did not seem so patient in itself. By this point, your vision was beginning to go white from the sheer excitement, and in that moment, you hated him for deriving you from the immediate pleasure. He was taking his time, savoring the image of your desperate expressions in his photographic mind.

He pressed his cock unto your clit, rubbing tiny little circles with the tip of his dick—only contributing to your frustration and utter annoyance. 

“Just do it, please! I want you to fucking ruin me.”

His eyes widened. “My baby girl has a dirty mouth, doesn’t she? I’ll have to deal with that later, but since you asked so nicely—”

He thrust into you suddenly, knocking the air sensuously from your lungs. Your fingers crept up to his hair, grabbing a palmful to yank and hold on to. The pain was noticeable, but somehow you suspected he had lessened the intensity by using his ability. He stilled inside you, brushing his lips against yours as he waited.

“Are you ready?” he asked after a while.

“Yes.”

He began moving, his thrusts deep but firm as he pinned you down in the warm candlelight. The lewd sounds of your bodies meeting brought heat to your cheeks. It was so delicious and utterly filthy that tears accumulated in your eyes. He uttered a string of curses in your ear, quiet and intended only for you. 

“This sopping pussy, so wet. So sweet. You want me to fix for ya, darlin’? Does it feel good when I’m stroking you like this?”

It was so startling and unlike what you imagined. Jasper had always been the quiet Cullen, the one who never spoke unless spoken to. Even in your relationship, he opted to listen to your voice rather than lead the conversation. It was something you thought would carry over into his bedroom tendencies. But here he was, spitting naughty, dangerous words to you, unabashedly and so god damn sexy. 

His pace changed. Now it was fast and shallow. You looked down to where your bodies connected, your arousal dripping down onto the cotton sheets and shining against his lower half. You cried into his throat, trying to hide your face.

“No, Y/N,” he commanded, “Look at me. Look at what I’m doing to you. I want to watch you cum for me. Look into my eyes.”

You did as he said, and it was utterly too much. He growled as you came undone underneath the sheets. His seed, slightly warm, gushed inside you, filling your womb with his love. Your tongues clashed together as he bared his hands on the mattress and hunched over you.

You laid together in the romantic darkness, your head relaxed against his chest. You could hear cars honking in the streets, music floating up from the partying crowds below. It was so tranquil and perfect that if a hurricane blew over the island in that instant, you truly believed you wouldn’t care. All the while, his breathing slowed in your ear—not out of necessity—but from pure leisure.

“I can’t believe,” you started before taking a deep breath and starting over, “I can’t believe you waited over a century and a half to be with me. With someone you never met. I feel like I’ve robbed you years of laughter and joy when you should have been out living your life. If I had been there, then Maria wouldn’t have. . .she wouldn’t have—”

He sat up suddenly, bringing you with him against the headboard. 

“All of it, all of the years of waiting and suffering—every painful moment of it was worth it. It groomed me to become the man I am now. I used to be cold, unsympathetic, and callous. I had a backward ideology and knew not how to love another person for I could not even love myself.” he placed his large hand over yours, brushing the iridescent diamond band glimmering colorfully in the candlelight.

“But Carlisle and Esme, all of my adopted siblings—they taught me to cherish myself, even in spite of all my flaws. They never gave up on me when I struggled with my thirst, and they never judged me for the life I used to have. Little did I know, you had made your second arrival in the world not long after. I was learning to love, and well, you were learning to live.”

“The way your mother looks at you, Y/N, it’s a look of pure love and adoration. I decided then when I first sat at your dinner table that I would never let anything happen to that bond. I would protect you with my life. You were the final piece to my heart, darlin’. I had learned to love myself, but I didn’t trust myself. It wasn’t until you realized I was capable of loving others, that I could control myself enough around people.”

You didn’t realize you were crying but you were. Tears streamed down your face, some rolling down your cheeks and others falling unto his skin. 

“I don’t care what Edward believes.You are capable of loving in any way you choose; as a friend, as a brother, as a son—”

“As a husband?”

You smiled. “Yes. And, maybe, if you wanted—as a father.”

He froze, his golden eyes widened in surprise. “You mean. . .you want to adopt?”

“We could if we wanted,” you whispered quietly. “But Ava told me something about witches, something I thought you should know.”

He nodded, beckoning you to continue.

“Witches can have children with humans, vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters. Because of our magic, it is immediately passed on to the offspring so that the children automatically retain human characteristics until they are old enough to learn what they are. And as for me, as long as I choose, I will never age. Of course, if we do have children, then I might need to create an illusion to change my appearance a little so people won’t be sus—”

He pulled you to his lips, and once again the two of you were reunited. It felt warm in his arms. Safe. 

“I would be honored,” he answered breathlessly. “Perhaps that dream of our farm life isn’t too far-fetched at all.”

“Oh no, it’s totally far-fetched,” you cried, laughing. “Yes, I grew up in Alabama. Yes, we’re southerners at heart. But I do not want to smell like cattle and chase chickens around for all of eternity. Maybe let’s just get a summer farm and we can have people to maintain while we’re gone.”

He shook his head, laughing, as you cradled his chin in your hand. 

“We’ll need a big house for the farm I plan to create with you, Mrs. Whitlock,” he drawled seductively, grabbing your hand by the wrist and bringing it slowly to his chest. 

You moved him so that you were on top, straddling him, the sheets pooling at your waist. 

“Well then, cowboy, we’d better get started.”

And this completes this series! Hope you enjoyed! I’m planning on doing some blurbs and drabble with our happy couple in the future. . .send me some ideas, will ya?

Twilight, despite all of its many problems and kinks, is one of my favorite nostalgic stories to this day. Jasper has always been my favorite character, (Seth Clearwater next) and since we’re all either quarantined or protesting, I thought I could bring light to our lives in such a dark time.

Part Six   Part Seven   Part Eight