#well that was a bit longer than i thought
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Thoughts on the Bioware restructuration/lay-offs?
I've long said that any AAA game studio, no matter how strong, is always 2-3 flops in a row away from closure. Bioware did very well with Inquisition, but Mass Effect Andromeda and Anthem's sequential failures resulted in DA4 being their make-or-break release.
One factor was that 2024 was the first full year since 2012 that Bioware didn't have SWTOR on their books anymore - SWTOR went over to Broadsword in late 2023. For the past decade, all of the money earned by SWTOR (which is significant, the game isn't growing but it does more than earn its keep) was considered in Bioware's accounting. That sizable income helps offset the money being burned in other areas like ME:A, Anthem, ongoing DA4 efforts, and other internal projects (like the many failed KOTOR 3 pitches) to the accountants and executives. Without SWTOR to inject additional cash over the year, the Veilguard costs look a lot worse to the money people.
DA4 itself was a bit of a mess during development too. The development of the project that eventually became Veilguard was actually restarted at least twice - they were already working on preproduction for DA4 as of late 2015. The process was long and arduous, and the finished game was... mid? It wasn't underwhelming, it wasn't overwhelming, it was just... whelming. Veilguard also made the somewhat controversial choice to hang everything on sales and not go with post-launch DLC to help monetize further. This gamble really did not pay off. Veilguard missed its sales target by 50%, which was the third nail in the coffin. Each of these failures seems to follow the same pattern - significant dev time spent going in circles because the leadership can't commit to core elements of the game, resulting in something thrown together at the end in order to ship something.
As a result of these issues, the Sword of Damocles that dangles above every studio fell on Bioware. While Bioware remains as a label and the next Mass Effect game continues development, Bioware as a studio is no longer a stand-alone entity capable of building a full game from start to finish like it used to be. Bioware is likely no longer going to have as much of a cohesive identity like it used to - it will be a label more than anything else. If Mass Effect gets a green light for full production, they'll likely have to "borrow" a bunch of floating developers from EA's other studios to build it out, then disperse those borrowed devs to other EA projects once it ships and leave a small team to incubate the next "Bioware" project, at least until they can get two sequential big hits again and warrant a larger injection of funding to start growing again.
My heart really goes out to all of those who are affected by this - the Veilguard devs were really behind the 8 ball when they started and the current economic situation in video games isn't good. I hope that they're able to find something soon, hopefully at a studio that makes better high level leadership decisions.
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other side of the moon - chapter six | formula one imagine
chapter six: fireproof
pairing: fem retired formula one driver reader x ??? fem retired formula one driver reader x platonic!kimi antonelli
testing is finally here and after the car launch, y/n is not looking forward to the mercedes garage
MASTERLIST | TIP JAR | SERIES MASTERLIST
the day and a half after the car launch before max was called into the factory by red bull was a slice of peace y/n had longed for for three years. but also one she couldn’t help think would be the last bit of peace she would be afforded this season.
the pair woke up the morning after the launch, bundled up together and hair sticking up in every direction.
“good morning” y/n said, words smothered by max’s chest. the dutchman grumbled to himself as he wrapped his arms around her even tighter.
“max, your phone won’t stop vibrating - please tell whoever it is to fuck off”
max groaned, flipped over and grabbed his phone. with his eyes shut, max jammed a couple buttons and suddenly the gravely voice of helmut marko rung out.
“max! where are you? the team have just informed me that you left early and are not at the hotel?”
the dutchman finally opened his eyes. he pulled y/n back into his side and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“helmut, it’s too early for this many questions.”
“i asked you one, very straight forward question, max.”
“i’ll be at the factory tomorrow, don’t worry.”
helmut sighed down the phone, “wherever you are, make sure you’re not late and not spotted doing anything untoward.”
“me? untoward? helmut, i didn’t know you thought so low of me.”
“the only reason i believe you is because you’re on your best behaviour with y/n back, maybe we should add her to our payroll as well.”
y/n couldn’t stop herself before she burst out laughing. she smacked a hand over her mouth but it was too late. helmut hummed.
“i see. good morning miss y/ln. make sure he’s in top condition for tomorrow.”
“will do, helmut.”
max hung up as soon as he could and threw his phone down the bed. he smiles down at y/n, “that’s not exactly how i pictured my first morning in bed with you.”
“so you’ve pictured this?” y/n questions, raising an eyebrow.
“no? yes? maybe? i definitely have but i don’t want to creep you out so what do you want to hear?”
y/n laughs as he buries his head in the pillow, whining in embarrassment.
“maxy…” she sings and pokes his back.
“don’t look at me! i’m a freak!” max yells, muffled in the pillow.
“but you’re a freak for me?”
“isn’t it obvious?”
y/n finally gets max to lessen his grip on the pillow and look back up at her. there’s a dusting of pink on his face and a concerned look in his eye.
“don’t worry, i like it. as long as you’re only a freak for me.”
max ducked his head again, “as happy as i am to hear that, can we refrain from saying it like that? i was proud i managed to wake up without morning wood and you’re really testing that resolve right now.”
y/n’s laugh reverberated around the room. without the needy meows of brando, the pair could stay snuggled in the bed for much longer than usual.
“max?” y/n asked, the dutchman had rearranged them so that he could be the little spoon and had his head resting on her chest, “please don’t be sorry for your feelings. they don’t make me uncomfortable and unlike others you didn’t just assume i reciprocated. i like what we have and i want to see where it could go, but i want to take it slow. i don’t want people butting in and adding their two pence. i just want you - and our furry babies.”
y/n could see the smile breaking out on max’s face before he even lifted his head from her chest.
“i said i just want to exist with you,” max said, “that will never, ever change.”
the dutchman’s eyes flicked down to her lips and the blush returned when he realised he wasn’t too subtle about it. y/n gives him a small nod and max leans in.
“can i?”
“please,” y/n whispered as max’s lips connected with hers. it was a small peck, just a press of lips, but it was enough. both pulled back and smiled, happy to breathe the same air for a while. y/n’s hand wrapped around his nape and pulled him in for another one. this kiss lasted longer, the pair pouring their years of pining into it, communicating something words could not describe.
for a moment y/n wished that she hadn’t returned to formula one. she wished that this would be her life. happy in her coop in west london with her and max’s cats waiting for the dutchman to come home, far away from her past ghosts and the sport that nearly killed her.
“will you still find me attractive in mercedes kit?”
“that’s a stupid question. you’re the most beautiful person in the world. yes, i would prefer if it were my number and my colours, but i’ll live with it if it means seeing you at every race.”
y/n giggled, the dutchman pressed another kiss to her lips because he could.
“i know you’ll be rooting for kimi this season, but i’ll win every race for you. even if the red bull is a shit box, i’ll fight everyone to bring that trophy home to you.”
“my singular monza trophy is a little lonely,” y/n said, “but your wins are yours, not anyone else’s”
y/n pushed back the duvet and started to get out of bed, much to the chagrin of max. despite his attempted puppy-dog eyes, y/n shuffled into her slippers and made her way to the kitchen.
“find something good to watch, i’ll cook up one last cheat meal for you,” y/n’s voice called from the hallway. max stayed led in the bed, a dumb smile on his face. it all felt a bit too good to be true and he hoped those in the paddock who had already caused some trouble would stay out of this.
despite another night of snuggles, max did not want to leave for milton keynes the next morning. y/n had made him a breakfast sandwich for the ride, but it did little to console the young dutchman even though the pair would be apart for just two days before they’d reunite in monaco and fly out to bahrain.
“i don’t wanna go… i want to stay here, you’re so much nicer to look at than christian!”
max was dragging his feet as he made his way to the hire car. he even tried to delay his departure by roping frank into a conversation but y/n had thought of that and rung down to reception in advance.
“it’s like you want me gone!” max cried as he put his bags in the car.
y/n laced her fingers in his, “you know i’ll miss you, but i don’t want to hear helmut’s voice any more than i have to, so you have to go. i’ll see you in monaco.”
max pulled her into one last kiss and reluctantly got into the car. y/n waved him off as he disappeared into the streets of london.
“finally!”
a yell boomed out in the garage, making y/n jump and stick her keys out as a makeshift weapon. frank stood at the entrance of the garage with a huge smile on his face. y/n calmed down when she saw the older man.
“frank! that scared the shit out of me! how long have you been there?”
“long enough.”
frank looked very smug. y/n made her way to the entrance, pointedly ignoring the older man.
“don’t be mad, i won’t tell anyone. i’m just glad you finally realised what was right in front of you.”
did everyone see it before her? it certainly seems that way.
“we’re taking it slow, so i’d appreciate if you kept this under your hat, frank.”
“of course, miss y/ln. would you like me to arrange for another parking spot for your flat?”
y/n tried to keep a stern look but she just couldn’t help it and smiled at the older man.
“that would be lovely, thank you.”
her apartment was quiet without max. she didn’t want to say she missed him just yet, but she had to busy herself with something before she fell down that hole. she needed to pack and get a flight back to monaco so she could spend a little more time with the cats before pre-season testing kicked off the season.
y/n’s phone buzzed with a message.
kimi: y/nnnnnnnn huge favour to ask! george can only give me a lift back to london before we go to bahrain so could i maybe get a lift to brackley???
y/n: if you buy my coffee at each stop you’ve got a deal.
kimi: yes, yes. i know your order - THANK YOU !
she better get to packing.
the italian stood on the side of the road, wrapped up in two coats, a hat and a scarf. ollie stood beside him in just a t-shirt, some shorts and a pair of flip flops, showing off his british aversion to the cold.
y/n pulled up beside the pair and winded down the window. “don’t you know hitchhikers are dangerous?”
kimi smiled and gave ollie a quick hug, popping the boot and shoving his small suitcase in. the italian slipped into the passenger seat and waved at ollie.
“why didn’t i have the idea to ask you to be my mentor?” ollie whined, “esteban is great and he has already given me a ton of lifts but you’re you!”
“snooze you lose” kimi said, poking out his tongue.
“esteban is great ollie, don’t believe all this shit about him being a bad teammate. he’s lovely and will be more than happy to help you out. however, we do need to go because i need to drop off this princess and get a flight to monaco. ciao!”
y/n stood on the gas and flew off down the street. from the corner of her eye, y/n could see kimi studying her. this wasn’t too strange for the italian, he often just stared at her, amazed that she had even agreed.
“i can feel you staring kimi, do you have a question?”
“why are you so happy?”
y/n laughed at the bluntness. the italian sputtered, “i mean i’m happy you’re happy, but i can’t help but be suspicious. i haven’t heard a peep from you since the car launch… and a little birdy told me you left with a certain someone.”
“it’s been two days, kimi!”
“you’re still smiling, you can’t stop and considering you smiled maybe twice in the first couple days i knew you - this means something!”
“fine! you caught me. i did go home with max. i’m not saying anymore than we’re happy and we’re taking it slow. i’m telling you because i believe for a good mentor relationship i should be completely open, as should you. also you’re like a quasi-son to me so there’s also that. do not tell anyone else, i’m serious. not even ollie.”
kimi whined at that, “but i tell ollie everything!”
“well not this. you saw how some of the people, including your teammate are with me and max, i do not want to give them any ammunition, okay?”
kimi hummed to himself, his brain whirring so loudly that even y/n could hear it over the music and the road. “speaking of those who WILL be without ammunition because i WILL keep my mouth zipped shut… how are we actually planning on tackling george this season?”
y/n was making the turn off of the motorway and towards brackley as she chuckled, “aside from physically tackling him at testing? i am joking, by the way. kimi, i don’t want you to worry about george anywhere but the track. he talks a big talk, but he’s very easy to frustrate when he’s not winning. don’t give him the rise he’ll want, okay?”
the tension rose in the car, it had all been fun and games up until this point, cocktails parties and car launches. but now it was getting real. y/n had the voice in the back of her head that worried that her off-track drama with the other drivers could impact kimi’s career.
“please stop worrying, y/n. i know what you’re thinking, but i am capable of handling it myself. i may only be eighteen but i’m not afraid of anyone.”
y/n pulled up outside of the mercedes factory and turned to kimi. she grabbed his hands, “promise me, kimi. promise me that if the drama with me gets too much, you will say something. i know it’s your dream to work with me, but make sure i do not interfere with your career.”
kimi scoffed, “them being afraid of you will never be your fault, you know-”
“it doesn’t matter if my fault or not, if their pettiness fucks with you, i won’t be able to forgive myself…”
just as they spoke, george pulled up beside them in his mercedes. the brit wasn’t alone in his car however. a brunette woman sat in the passenger seat, and much like george, her eyes narrowed at the sight of y/n.
“that’s carmen, george’s girlfriend. she doesn’t usually come to the factory with him?” kimi gasped, “maybe she’s here to stake her claim on george, as if you’d want him anyway…”
y/n laughed as kimi got out of the car. the italian grabbed his stuff from the boot and walked round to the window. y/n rolled it down and the two did their handshake.
“enjoy the prep, bunny, don’t make too much mess. see you in bahrain!”
the moment was cut short by someone clearing their throat. carmen had rolled down her window and was looking at kimi, less than impressed. the italian squeaked a quick goodbye and shuffled towards the entrance.
y/n tried not to make eye contact with carmen as she inputted the airport’s address into her gps. she was baffled by the news that george even had a girlfriend, not that she wanted kimi or the couple to know that. how long had they been together? did she know about y/n and about george’s weird feud with her? too many questions and not enough answers.
george and carmen made their way past y/n’s car and stopped just in front of the entrance, pointedly in y/n’s eye line. the two kissed, messily for people their age, and just to sum up her return so far, george kept eye contact with y/n the entire time, his hand wandering lower and lower on carmen.
2025 was the year of psychological warfare it seemed. y/n could work with that.
she sped out of the car park with new vigour. if psychological warfare was what george was ordering, y/n needed to know everything about everyone. she had stayed away from the drama surrounding formula one in her three years away from the sport, but it was time to go full gossip girl.
it’s crazy how much you can find in an hour in an airline bar about your former colleagues. y/n’s phone started ringing loudly, earning her some dirty looks in the lounge.
“maxy! did you know that george dated nyck’s sister?” y/n said, shovelling the free nuts in her mouth, “and that lando and pierre once liked the same girl in dubai?”
“why oh why are you telling me about this?” max said.
“because that prick wants psychological warfare, so i have to know everything!”
max hummed, not convinced. “am i like missing something?”
“i took kimi to brackley this morning and was treated to a lovely show from george and carmen. the weirdo kept eye contact with me the entire time! so if he wants to play it like that, i gotta know my enemies.”
“as weird as this all is, i’m glad to see you’re so into all of this, miss detective.”
y/n laughed, “i know i’m reading way too much about all of this, but i swear to god if he tries to fuck with kimi or you, i’ll play dirty if i have to. i mean i just don’t understand why he’s being such an asshole now about everything i supposedly did when he has a girlfriend - insecure much?”
max laughed down the line, they really were so much more alike than people would think. hearing her now, max wished she was back in the paddock for qatar and abu dhabi last year just to see what kind of revenge she could’ve thought up.
“anyway, maxy, are you still at the factory?”
“yeah, we’re just on a break, i’m outside getting some air and i didn’t know whether you were on the plane yet or not - you know you could’ve taken air max if you wanted to?”
y/n smiled, “i didn’t need your plane for a trip to monaco, silly! i’ll only be on the flight for a little while anyway and i’m only going because i’m having withdrawal symptoms from my babies!”
“why would you say this, now i want to see them!”
the boarding sign popped up, “ah! i gotta go maxy, i’ll text you when i’m back at yours - what time does the cat sitter go?”
“she will have left like an hour or so before you get back. stay safe, i -”
there was chatter in the background, “i gotta go, bye!”
max hung up quickly. y/n was left to her thoughts again and just how much life can change. this time three years ago she was making notes about the season coming, turns to watch and previous first lap incidents and now she’s compiling gossip on the grid’s personal lives? part of her wanted to be ashamed, but in the same vain, she knew that her adversaries hadn’t spared a moment for introspection.
max’s apartment in monaco was alight with the impatient meows from brando, sassy and jimmy. the cats yowled like they hadn’t been fed in days, although clarissa, the cat sitter, had sent max and y/n nearly hourly updates on them.
“oh my babies! momma missed you so much!” y/n said, abandoning her suitcase at the door and ushering the cats towards the couch. once she was sat, brando bullied his way onto her lap, his spot, and jimmy and sassy snuggled up beside her as closely as possible.
she pulled out her phone and snapped a quick picture of herself and the cats and sent it to max.
max: all my favourites in one place, you’re making listening to christian drone on even harder
y/n: you better keep listening, maxy, don’t want anyone else winning this season do you?
max: i do hate losing…
y/n smiled to herself, there was no lying to now, this place with the cats and max felt like home. the most at home y/n had felt for years.
“right, momma needs to shower and cook, babies!” brando did not look impressed but consoled himself by going back to grooming an equally unimpressed jimmy.
y/n rustled around max’s wardrobe trying to find a smaller towel for her hair. max wasn’t the most organised, especially with a wardrobe where he could just shut the door and forget the mess behind it. she finally got the towel loose, but with the last yank, a small book came flying out of the wardrobe.
the book was a small leather-bound book, clearly loved, bursting at the seams with use. y/n flicked open the book, scanning a couple of the pages. she could recognise the handwriting anywhere, was this max’s diary?
y/n flicked through a couple more of the pages before she landed on a page that boldly stated “fuck lando” in bold capitals. oh? the page was dated for a day in january 2020, just before she started her formula one career.
she knew this was a massive invasion of privacy, but max had never mentioned having a bust up with lando around that time - her curiosity had gotten the better of her.
i don’t know what lando’s problem is? i was on a discord call with him, george and alex this evening and he was in such a mood with me. it was all about y/n as usual with him, he’s being proper weird about her. of course we’ve already started training and discussing racing lines? we’re best friends. it’s almost like he knows i have feelings for her? but i know i haven’t been THAT obvious, at least not as bad as him and george. they think i don’t know, but they must think i’m dumb or blind (or both). he’s going to ruin his friendship with her if he’s not careful. i have loved y/n for as long as i can remember, but i don’t ever intend on making that her problem - why would she ever want to be with me? they assume because they’ve known her so long that they have this weird claim on her. i don’t know - i have a bad feeling about how this might all play out… i’ll just be there for y/n, she’s going to need it…
y/n slapped the book shut, feeling guilty about just how much she had read. max had liked her for that long? even when she was a jittery rookie with hormonal acne and way too much to say. and lando has always had this problem? there was never any chance of them being good teammates was there?
it feels like there’s a surprise around every corner since y/n reopened the pandora’s box that is formula one. how much was there left to reveal? to hurt her? can she handle what other secrets the sport has waiting for her?
but on the other side, if she had stayed in the shadows, y/n would’ve never known about max’s feelings and would never have the opportunity for what she feels right now.
y/n tucked the book back in the wardrobe and tried to wash the guilt off in the shower.
bahrain international circuit
testing was a boring affair for everyone that wasn’t in or working on the car. y/n was on her third coffee of the morning just out of pure boredom. kimi was in the car for the morning session and despite him paying her salary, toto did not seem like he’d make good conversation based on the frown on his face.
y/n saw sky making their way back down the pit lane and ducked back into the drivers’ rooms. because timing and fate loved y/n, george was leaving his just at the same moment.
it took a concerted effort not to roll her eyes as she forced out a quick good morning. george stopped in his tracks.
“good morning to you too?”
y/n gave him a nod and continued to kimi’s room, george grabbed her hand.
“are we going to have a problem the entire season? all of kimi’s career?”
“why would i have a problem, george? is there a reason i should have a problem?”
george huffed, “listen to me. we used to be so close… i wasn’t the one who crashed into you, why are you treating me like this?”
“george i’m not treating you like anything! 19 other drivers didn’t hear from me, you’re not special.”
y/n took a sip of her coffee, trying to school her heart rate, “you may have not crashed into me, but you hardly said much afterwards. you didn’t even come and visit me in the hospital? you didn’t post or say a single thing about me? you barely could bring yourself to say my name, so please spare me the lecture.”
george opened his mouth to respond but stopped, he tried to make eye contact with y/n but she avoided it.
“i didn’t think you wanted to see anyone to do with formula one! and you’re you! you hate dumb shit like instagram dedications and all that stuff…”
“you and your little partner in crime seem to be baffled about how max was the one who slipped through the cracks and stayed in my life. well read between the lines, idiot! his dedication to me is still pinned on his account, my number is on his helmet and he made the effort after the crash! you did nothing and you still expect me to coddle you?”
george tried to interject, “no! i think you’ve said enough already, george. you say all of this shit about how i led you on, but now you’re bringing up old drama when you’ve been in a relationship for years? so what’s the real reason? because so help me god, you fuck with kimi and i burn this whole place down.”
just behind george, y/n saw toto come into view. the austrian’s face told her that he had heard everything.
“well wasn’t that just great, thank you, you two. next time you have a domestic at track, please lower your voice, the entire garage now knows your business.”
“toto, i can assure you i will be nothing less than professional this season. winning with mercedes is my top priority, y/n will learn her place in this garage.”
even toto seemed taken aback by george’s words. y/n turned, her shoulder knocking george’s on the way past, “i think toto is well aware of who he hired and i know my place, just like kimi knows his… don’t crane your neck too much looking up at him on the podium.”
y/n shut the door to kimi’s driver room, and slid down to the floor. it was only the first day of testing and she’s exhausted. just outside the room she can hear george and toto still talking.
“i’m just saying i think it’s insane and honestly a little disrespectful that you hired her to begin with, toto.”
“i hired her because she was a talented driver and is willing to mentor kimi. i was not aware you two had a problem, and the fact that i’ve heard so much about it now without knowing what it actually is makes me think that the problem was in fact YOU. now calm down and get ready for your session.”
okay, maybe not all hope was lost. but y/n knew that this was just the start, the real racing had yet to begin and who knows how far george could take it, especially if the mercedes is competitive and especially if he finds out about her and max.
y/n popped open her laptop to keep track of kimi’s times on track but found herself struggling to keep her eyes open. by the time her impromptu nap had finished, kimi was making his way back into the garage, finishing the morning session. y/n made her way back into the garage to greet him as he made his way out of the car.
the session looked positive for the italian, but the pair were still anxious to see how george would perform, considering both were on the same program for the day. when kimi lifted his helmet, the two made eye contact, the italian’s eyes were so expressive that y/n could already hear the excited chatter.
“oh my god, y/n that was amazing! i know i’ve driven f1 cars before but knowing it’s actually mine for the season? wow!”
“well i’m glad you enjoyed it, let’s get some electrolytes in you before we sit down to analyse everything.”
the pair headed for the mercedes hospitality, with the other morning drivers doing the same throughout the paddock. during y/n’s nap she had missed the only real incident of the day, but a certain spaniard was about to make sure she knew.
“hey! antonelli!”
kimi’s head whipped around to see an angry carlos sainz charging towards him. the spaniard was clearly taking advantage of the lack of media outlets allowed at testing, getting in kimi’s face.
“you might be a rookie, but you’ll stay out of my way, got it? impede me like that again and we’ll see what happens!”
y/n pulled kimi behind her and jabbed her finger at carlos’ chest. “you self-important asshole, he didn’t impede you it’s testing. i know you’re at williams this season, so you’re going to have to invent a storyline for yourself, but trust me, this is not the one you want.”
“stay out of this y/ln, why don’t you stick to hopping into whoever’s winning’s bed, huh?”
y/n let out a sarcastic laugh, not caring about the small crowd forming around them. “your glory days, well whatever you call being stuck in charles’ shadow, playing politics with daddy to get given wins at ferrari only to be cast aside when you got a bit too big for your boots, are over. don’t be the bitter old bitch that makes rookies’ lives hell? oh wait, you’ve always been that way haven’t you?”
“you are a perpetual victim, y/n. that was years ago, get over it.”
“and yet you still act the exact same way. telling, really.”
carlos stayed quiet this time and y/n took that as the chance to guide kimi to hospitality. with their backs turned, “she won’t always be there for you, rookie! she can’t sleep with all of the stewards and she won’t be in the office to bat her eyelashes. so watch your back.”
y/n kept walking despite kimi tugging on her arm, wanting to retaliate. “stop. let him make a fool of himself.”
despite y/n trying to de-escalate the situation, max was less willing to do so. the dutchman had only heard a fraction but that was enough to rear the head of mad max.
“you think you’re so cute with this shit don’t you, sainz,” max said, looming over the spaniard, “you people never change, it’s pathetic.”
“the only thing that’s pathetic here is you, being her lap dog - and we’re meant to be scared of you? all we gotta do is flash an ankle or raise a hand and you’ll be eating out of our palm.”
max’s hands were shaking by his side and it took everything inside of him not to lunge at carlos. y/n’s grip on kimi tightened when jos was brought up, the crowd around them tensing as well.
“i don’t know what she does for you, but you surely can’t still be falling for it all these years later. i remember at toro rosso when you’d wake up the whole camp screaming in your motorhome and you’d call her crying. a four-time world champion and you still go crawling back to her.”
“she’s worth more than you could ever wish to be. i don’t know what propaganda your dad or lando has been feeding you, but you’re a grown man, you’re too old to be falling for it. now leave her and kimi alone. i’d threaten you, but it’s unlikely that williams will be anywhere near me this season.”
max gave one last look to y/n before running back towards the red bull garage. the crowd that had formed chattered amongst themselves and started to disperse. carlos looked enraged but backed off, not without one final glare towards the italian.
“i didn’t know formula one was just this dramatic,” kimi said, “i need to work on my insults!”
y/n laughed, but a voice from behind her stopped her dead in her tracks.
“always the centre of drama, aren’t you y/n? always looking for trouble.”
zak brown.
fin.
note: wow this took me so long to write and i kinda hate it! i am in such a rut rn idk what to do ? but i hope you guys enjoyed it anyway!
taglist: @peterholland04@miureiz@freyathehuntress@lighttsoutlewis@aleatorio1234@chaosandevelyn@blueberry648579@dog-and-cat-person230@fastandcurious16@obxstiles@cosmicwintr@becca388510 @savagittariuspy@tibadi @thisbitxhs-blog @finn-dot-com @scenesofobx @moofilms @alilstressyandlotdepressy @nana-love-bugzzz @mayax2o07 @obsessed-fan-alert @1-queenofpotatoes-1 @jajouska @poppysrin @mimimarvelingmarvel @jiyumie @heeseungthel0ml
@folkloresreputation@hc-dutch@shimmermotorsport@96mcobo@eclipsedcherry@formulaal@czennieszn@gothicwidowsworld@emily-b@suns3treading@henna006@kazgirl20@anotherapollokid@littlegrapejuice@daemyratwst@annimausi@yawn-zi@lulu-1998@xsilkesworld@justaf1girl@daddyslittlevillain@abq654@elizamoe1@evans-dejong33@wierdflowerpower@t1nkerbel1@okcurran@raizelchrysanderoctavius@skepvids@multilovebot@fernandoalonso14@jules-kup-172@m4xgirlie@rorabelle15@minkyungseokie@formula1-motogpfan
#f1 imagine#f1 x reader#f1 instagram au#f1 x you#f1#f1 social media au#max verstappen imagine#max verstappen fluff#max verstappen x reader#kimi antonelli#ollie bearman#george russell
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Thought you were mine all along, guess I was wrong - Part 2.
Summary - What happens when you meet Lando again? So, this was supposed to be angst only, but ya girl can't post anything without smut, so, enjoy!
Warnings - 18+ minors DNI, smut, p in v sex, dirty talk, creampie, angst.
Part 1
The next two weeks following that morning had whizzed by in a blur. Both you and Lando had extremely busy schedules and took every free second you got to text or call each other.
It wasn't easy with the time differences, but the cyber sex was honestly the best you'd had since the start of your 'relationship...' It was intense, mind blowing phone sex, leaving you both desperate and eager to see each other, although you'd have to wait a whole extra week because Lando had some media obligations in America. So that meant it was a whole two more weeks before you could get your hands on one another.
On one particular day, you'd texted Lando in the wee hours of the morning, knowing it was late night where he was, and since he'd said he planned to spend the night in, you were expecting a quick response from him.
You didn't get one.
But you thought nothing of it, not even worrying the slightest bit, and eventually, you got on with your day. It wasn't until evening when you saw that there was still no response for him, though you could see he had been online.
You tried to call him, it just rang and rang.
Still, you didn't think much of it. Maybe he just needed space, and you were happy to oblige.
The next few days as well passed with radio silence from him. You could see from social media that he was out and about, doing whatever media he had to do, getting on with it all, except you it seems, though you willed yourself not to let it affect you.
Newsflash it did.
Deciding it was best to throw yourself into work, you were now working ungodly hours overtime, getting as much done to try and block out the fact that Lando was clearly avoiding you by now. It had only been a week of absolutely no contact, but it definitely felt much longer than that. You missed his goofy laugh, his adorable dimples, his banter, and you missed the orgasms he gave you...you missed his dick.
It was now past 8pm, and after a long day of grinding you stopped at the shops to get some food that you could just throw in he microwave to get hot. Busy scrolling the aisles at your local store then you stopped in your tracks. You'd never miss those god damn perfect curls, even in a sea of a million people.
He had his back to you, and before you mind could make a decision on whether to leave or talk to him, he turned around, bit his bottom lip when he saw you.
It was no surprise that Lando was a handsome man. His physique alone was hot. And so seeing him stand in front of you - in the flesh, already had a wetness pooling through your cunt.
Quickly, you out those thoughts to the back of your mind as he approached you.
''Didn't know you were back'' you said breaking the silence. You were curious to hear what his answer would be, because you were always the first person he'd call the second he was back in Monaco.
''Yeah, just been caught up..'' he trailed, letting out a breath, bringing his hand up to massage the back of his thick neck.
Caught up enough to toss me to the side... you thought to yourself.
It was awkward. Awkward as fuck. The both of you standing there, not knowing what to say to one another. Really, it was a first.
Until...
It wasn't 10 minutes later and you were riding Lando in his McLaren.
Your panty thrown somewhere in the back seat.
You should have known better, should have stopped yourselves, but clearly your pussy, and his dick, had a mind of their own.
You rode him like your life depended on it, watching with hooded eyes as your nipples disappeared into Lando's mouth, his teeth grazing and biting down hard before using his tongue to sooth over your bud.
''Fuck, Lando, yes..ri-right there, please'' you begged as even in the small of his sports car, he was lifting his hips to meet your half way, thrusting in and out of you pussy relentlessly, letting out a series of guttural moans and grunts.
It wasn't even a few minutes until you felt your orgasm nearing, your walls clenching almost painfully around Lando's cock as he bought his hand down to flick a thumb at your clit.
''So tight, fuck..need to stretch you out some more'' he murmured before capturing your lips in a heated kiss.
''I'm close'' you barely managed to say between nips and licks, your body was shuddering, shaking uncontrollably as Lando has two tasks at hand - one, keeping your body in control, two, chase his own orgasm.
And not two minutes later Lando was emptying his load into you, sheets of warm cum filling you up to the brink while lewd grunts left his mouth, his dick twitching as you rode him through it.
You finally stilled your bodies, chests heaving trying to catch your breaths as you leaned back and put your weight on his steering wheel behind you.
''Fucking hell'' he said, panting as his eyes stayed trained on the state you were in - disheveled hair, boobs slipped out of your bra and dress, looking red and bruised.
There was an unspoken tension filling up the car, and you could feel him softening inside you, the both of you looking down to the place you were still joined, almost as if you were avoiding looking at each other.
You watched as Lando gently pulled himself out, gasping when he saw a mixture of both your cum oozing out of your cunt, the both of you moaning at the sight, and then suddenly his eyes were trained on yours, as he very quickly pushed his dick back into you, pushing the cum back in.
''Fuck'' he whispered as you let out another moan, your walls clenching tightly around him.
''Lan..'' you murmured, closing your eyes and trying to etch the feeling of his dick inside you to your brain, because something told you this wouldn't happen again, though you prayed you were wrong.
He was suddenly hard again, no surprise to him because just the sight you all fucked out and dripping with his cum got him all excited again. Call it his good stamina.
''Come here'' he softly said, pulling you forward again, your boobs in his face as he lifted you ass up slightly before slamming you down in one hard thrust.
You braced your hands on his shoulders again, leaning down to lock lips with him for the first time since you last saw him.
It was sloppy and dirty, tongue and teeth clashing, almost as if you were just licking each other where possible - not properly kissing, all the while Lando bounced you up and down his dick, each thrust getting harder than each.
You pulled back for air, Lando stuffing his face back into your boobs, letting a series of staggered breaths and groans leave your mouth, feeling your orgasm approaching fast.
''Lando, I- fuck, I can't. Too much'' you were barely able to say. He was being ruthless and as much as you wanted it, your body was overly sensitive today.
''You can baby, one more for me, yeah? Fuck please'' he sounded like he was begging, and how could you refuse him?
You couldn't form any words by now, so all you did was nod your head, while his hand raked down to pinch at your clit.
''That's it baby. Please just be a slut for me. You're already doing so fucking good, letting me fuck you so good. Fuck'' he grunted, through gritted teeth, knowing his dirty words would send you over the edge.
And he was right, within seconds your cum was coating his dick again, your body quivering in his arms again, feeling like jelly, releasing pornographic moans into the confinement of the car.
And Lando - as soon as he felt you walls closing up on him, his own release spluttering his cum through your pussy, warm and sticky as he slowed his movements and eventually came to a standstill.
''Ah, fuck y/n'' he mumbled, causing you to giggle because yeah, ''fuck'' was the word of the day.
You stayed close together, breathing in each others air as your bodies shivered with cool air on your sweat, Lando busying his hands by combing your hair back through his fingers.
This time, he pulled out, and he stayed out, using his fingers instead to gently push the cum back up your pussy before bringing them up to his lips and licking them clean.
And this time, your eyes didn't avoid each other.
Lando kept opening and closing his mouth, wanting to say something though falling short every time.
You didn't miss how his body language changed all of a sudden, how he stiffened underneath you, and suddenly you felt cautious.
It was awkward as fuck - you sitting on his naked thighs, dress bunched up you stomach, pussy bare and leaking, while his jeans and boxers were pushed halfway down his legs, cock soft and twitchy resting against your stomach.
Finally, he cleared his throat. His words knocking all the air out of his lungs.
''I...I'm seeing someone..Magui. I mean. I'm gonna start seeing Magui. So this - he gestured between the two of you - can't happen again.''
Your breath hitched, you could feel the color draining from you face as your own body now stiffened.
He said it so casually, like what you just did meant nothing. Like the last 6 months have been nothing, just tossed off to the side.
''Say something..'' he whispered.
You were sure your words would get stuck in your throat, already feeling your cheeks flushed with embarrassment at the whole situation.
Lando was done with you. He basically 'dumped' you while you were both naked in the smallest space possible.
You cleared your throat and leaned over to his passenger seat to grab a tissue, your mind racing as fast as his cars go. Some many thoughts overwhelming you as you willed yourself not to let tears spill out your eyes.
This is it. He's not yours. He's back with her, an ex fling. He's leaving you for her.
''Y/N'' he said your name softly, gauging your reaction.
You sniffled, concentrating on cleaning your cunt - that was still on full display, before you finally pulled your dress down and looked up at him.
Gone was that look that was reserved just for you, and you heart broke at the cold eyes staring at you.
''So that's why you've been avoiding me..? Too busy fucking someone else? Why did we just do this if you're with her? You've just used me to basically cheat on her....thought you'd have more respect for the both of us...'' you questioned, almost whispering the last part, and wincing at your words because you didn't want to know the answer.
Lando coughed, shifting underneath you as he slyly tucked his dick back into his boxers.
''Not seeing her yet...but yeah I guess there are unresolved feelings so we're gonna give it a shot'' he said. ''As for us... guess this was a moment of weakness. But I'm done. We're done.'' he said matter of factly.
You suddenly felt like you couldn't breathe, needing to get out of this space asap because the man in front of you wasn't the Lando you knew.
Not 10 minutes ago was he calling you baby...swallowing a mix of your cum, and now he's done with you.
You're heart clenched not just at the fact that you were losing your fuckbuddy, but Lando as your best friend. From the way he was talking, it was clear that the friendship part of your relationship was also done with.
You needed to get out of here before you broke down in front of him. He didn't deserve to see you vulnerable like this.
So you took one last longing look at him, memorizing each and every freckle and line on his face as you body tingled from the warmth of him.
Surely he could see the hurt on your face, right? He knew you better than most. But still, his eyes didn't soften, nor did his words.
''You should go..now..forget the last few months...'' he said, already moving to open the door for you to climb out of his lap.
You cleared your throat for the umpteenth time today, mind fuzzed when your body finally lost contact with his, and with one last look at him, you turned on your heels, shamefully walking to your car, and not a few seconds later, he was zooming out of the car park.
The next few days were spent wallowing in bed, avoiding any events in town with the fear of running into them.
So George's girlfriend Carmen took up residency at your apartment to keep your mind busy.
You needed to heal, and move on from something that was nothing to even begin with.
A whole week later as you were scrolling Instagram, the photo slapped you in the face.
There he was, with his tongue down her throat, hands groping her ass.
You had no right to be mad, sad, angry, whatever emotions that were over taking your senses. Lando wasn't yours. Not anymore at least. There was never any label between you.
But the more you thought about it, you were more so longing the guy with whom you could talk about anything, truly be yourself around and not get judged for silly things.
The universe had other plans for you though...because in just two weeks time, you were to host an event in London for McLaren. Oh, what could go wrong......
A/N - hope you all enjoyed this...side tracked part! Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist!
Taglist - @somanyfandomsbruh @lanf1an @annimausi @ernegren @plotpal @hurtblossom @rbv3rstappen @tylerstacobell @wanderingreigns @bowielovesyou @alexanderachillesisgay @sarx164
#f1 fanfic#f1 imagine#f1 x reader#f1#f1 smut#lando norris#f1 fic#lando x reader#lando norris smut#lando smut
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i caved and bought the legacy collection out of curiosity
i bought it on steam by the way, no way am I going anywhere near the ea app
random thoughts as i go along:
game loaded up straight away with no issues (what a strange feeling)
got into pleasantview within 2 minutes (obvs I have no cc installed right now so its gonna be faster anyway)
a bit of a jumpscare to see the game again without reshade ngl
straight into the lothario household. don you look... different without all my defaults
screen resolution defaulted to the right size without me having to change anything by the way, which was nice
turned up all the graphics setting to max and going to visit the goth household as that always gives me lag, even vanilla
this experience is already making me realise I need to cut down my 12gb downloads folder, cos man this is so smooth and fast without all of that in my game
well everything is working perfectly straight out of the box. had no issues with multiple sims on the big goth lot
going to quit and load up again with my ui mods and defaults next (along with hugelunatic's ikea pack as cc)
legacy collection has an entirely different file path by the way, so won't mess with existing ultimate collection installs (i wouldn't have dared to do this otherwise)
okay all my defaults, ui mods and some others are now in (downloads folder is up to 3.64gb now) and everything is working fine still
ikea items as cc don't seem to be fully appearing in the catalog though? that might be a me problem but i dont know
adding in all my cas cc now, along with hood defaults and hood deco cc (downloads folder is up to 6.5gb now). i'm also adding in anything else I can think of like camera mods, user startup cheat etc etc
getting into pleasantview in less than 2 mins still
heading into cas for the first time now...
... and it loaded up within 10 seconds even with ALL of my cas cc? and this is the first time too so I would've expected major lag. normally cas takes about 60 seconds to load in my game
update on the ikea pack as cc... the build items are definitely there, but not the buy for some reason?
biting the bullet and adding in the remaining 6gb of my 12gb downloads folder
all of my cc is now in the game and loading times were about 30 seconds longer than before. still no issues
took darren dreamer to a community lot and there were no crashes/issues/lag. normally going to a community lot is very dangerous for me cos its where I get the most crashes or issues, its why all my community lots are incredibly small lot sizes
also I have the hood deco view set to extra large... normally I have to have it set to extra small just to play in a small household
i dont think I'm being delulu here to say things are running better
next up is adding in all of my mods, then after that I might dare putting in my mega populated uberhood save, and try reshade?
another ikea update: everything is showing up now. it was me being an idiot
so all of my mods are now also in (so my entire downloads folder now) and i haven't been able to trigger any crashes or pink soup yet through normal gameplay? even with extra large hood view from lots
reshade keeps crashing my game on startup... damn, what am I doing wrong
RESHADE IS NOW WORKING (ver 6.1.1)! thanks to this guide
I finally added in my uberhood save (which is packed with hood deco and and has 35 playable families).... and it's working! I also played with a household for a bit and everything was working fine
final update before I go to bed (as its gone midnight here lol)
i now have all of my mods, cc, saves, and reshade installed, and I've yet to have any pink soup or crashes (apart from the crashes when I was *incorrectly* trying to install reshade). honestly... i'm surprised. i dont want to speak too soon obviously, but things seem better. i was just playing in a household with extra large lot view on and that would usually IMMEDIATELY crash my game, but nothing happened. tomorrow i'll actually play for an extended period of time, so i'll be able to tell more for sure then.
i hope this has been helpful to at least a couple of people, and i'll leave with you a shot of my pleasantview newly loaded up in the legacy collection 😅
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Chalkboard Hearts - Pt IV
Pairing - KindergartenTeacher!Steve Harrington x SingleMom!Reader
WC - 5.6k
Summary - A snow day prompts Steve and Abbey to spend a little one on one time together.
AN - sorry this one took a little longer! being creative is hard when the U.S keeps sucking me of all my joy. thanks for the patience, love y’all! ~ emma
Three weeks ago, your daughter’s kindergarten teacher gave you his phone number in a chilly, deserted diner parking lot, and every weekday since that night, Abbey has had to all but drag you from his classroom when you go to pick her up in the afternoons. One topic leads to another and another, and before you realize it, you and Steve have been chatting in his mostly empty classroom for over an hour. But this morning, you’re dialing those digits he gave you on your landlines keypad for the first time with shaky fingers. You’d spent the past hour exhausting all your other options. Your mother? Working. Your sister? Out of town. Your usual babysitter? sick.
Steve was the only person you knew for a fact wouldn’t be working today.
It wasn’t for a lack of wanting to that you hadn’t called yet. Every waking hour since that night, you had been wrestling with yourself about what an appropriate reason would be. Was he flirting with you? Did he genuinely just want you to have access to him in case of an emergency? Both? Your inner dialogue was deafening– like a squawking bird in the back of your brain.
The intrusive volume of your thoughts seemed to quiet now as your leg bounced impatiently– anxiety over the prospect of having to call into work outweighing your trepidation– waiting for him to pick up the call on the other line.
He finally answered halfway through the fourth ring, “Hello?” Despite the early hour, Steve sounded wide awake. Probably rousing at the same time you did, not expecting to be temporarily blinded by three feet of bright, white snow piled on top of his car. On the kitchen radio, you can hear the newscaster announcing a closure of the local schools.
“Steve, it’s Y/N,” your voice cuts through the static.
He pauses briefly, yours probably being the last voice he expected to hear when he picked up his phone, “Hey, morning–” he clears his throat, “everything alright?”
“Yes– well– I don’t know.” You rub the tips of your fingers restlessly over your closed eyelids, “I don’t have anyone to watch Abbey with the school being closed, I've tried everyone and I really hate to ask but–”
“Of course, I can be there in thirty. Can you give me your address?”
“Are you sure, Steve? I can just call out if–”
“Don’t be ridiculous, just give me your address,” his incredulity and lack of hesitation sends the wings fluttering about in your stomach again, while cementing the reassurance of his words. You gain the courage to repeat your home address for him to write down.
You can hear the sound of pen hastily scratching paper, then after a few beats of silence he speaks again, “It’ll take me a little bit to clear off my car, but I’ll be there as soon as I can,”
“Thank you so much, you have no idea.”
“Don’t mention it,” you can hear the grin in his voice, can picture the flash of perfect white squares, “see you soon,” you breathe a heavy sigh of relief at the click of the receiver being placed back in its cradle. Abbey is bundled up on the couch watching Rugrats, a bowl of cereal in her lap. Normally, you wouldn’t let her eat in the living room, but you needed respite from her usual game of 20 Questions to make some phone calls.
“Hey, Ab,” you say as you approach her, thoroughly engrossed in her cartoons, “Is it okay if Mr. H comes over and watches you today while mommy goes to work?”
The question is more than enough to pull her focus from the television screen. Her face lights up like the Fourth of July as she nearly spills her cereal with the force of her straightening on the sofa, “Really?” She asks hopefully.
“Yes, grandma is working and Julia is sick. Is that okay?” As excited as you know she is, you want her verbal confirmation. Mostly because you’d never put your child in a situation she’s uncomfortable in; but a smaller, more selfish part of you wants to be absolved of the guilt you feel for having to leave her all day.
Your wish is granted almost instantly as she squeals and hops off the couch where she’d been lounging, placing her bowl on the coffee table. Halfway to her room, she calls, “Mommy! Where are my coloring books?”
“They’re on top of your bookshelf,” you call, “don’t make a huge mess, please!”
“I won’t!” She replies, muffled through the drywall separating you.
✧・゚: *✧・゚:* *:・゚✧*:・゚✧
You hadn’t had time to tidy the house or make yourself look even remotely presentable before Steve arrived. If it weren’t for the relief that floods your body upon seeing his car pull in the driveway, you might even be a little embarrassed. Booted footsteps shuffle up the porch as you’re shoveling things into your bag at the last minute, followed by three light knocks on the door.
“Coming!” You shout from where you stand in the dining room.
Before you even have the chance to reach the foyer, Abbey is darting from her bedroom in plastic play shoes and throwing the door open with immeasurable enthusiasm.
“Hey–” Steve starts, expecting it to be you before he realizes who’s greeting him, “Oh, hi Ab,” he waves to the little face staring up at him, “Where’s your mom?”
“Mommy!” Abbey calls, “Mr. H is here!”
Steve spots you holding two pieces of notebook paper clad with chicken scratch scribblings. You look frazzled– hair thrown up hastily and scrubs wrinkly. He scours the place where he would normally find an emotion akin to pity for your distressed state, but in its absence, he only feels endearment laced with a little concern.
He doesn’t get a word in before you’re shoving the papers in his hands and spouting off information that he’s praying is already on the sheets you’ve given him.
“I should be home by five, if anything happens, this–” you point to a barely legible number, “--is my work phone. This is her doctor’s phone number and she’s allergic to peanuts. There aren’t any peanuts in the house but–” you sigh, exasperated with yourself, “just in case.”
The rest of the pages are filled with ramblings about which channels Abbey likes to watch and how to work the television. How, in case she needs a bath, you have to pull and then twist the knob for the hot water to run. That she is not, under any circumstances, allowed to put nail polish on by herself and where you keep her Epi Pens.
Steve’s surprised at how many of these sentiments he already has catalogued. He’s required to know Abbey’s emergency contacts and that she has a nut allergy for his job, but he knows that channel thirty-seven has the best cartoons because Abbey once told him that Power Puff Girls was her favorite– and you’d already relayed to him the hilariously tragic tale of what happened the last time Abbey attempted to paint her own nails.
Despite this revelation, he doesn’t dare interrupt you. He indulges your ranting, a grin creeping involuntarily along his face.
“-- sorry, I’m rambling– I’ve just never left her with someone who wasn’t my mom or her sitter before,” you’re a little breathless after two straight minutes of talking.
“Hey, hey– you’re okay,” he wastes no time reassuring you, “you know I’d never let anything happen to her.” You nod your understanding, “Besides,” now he’s speaking to Abbey, “we’re gonna have a super fun time right?”
She shouts, “Yes!”
He looks at you with his brows raised, amused, “See?”
“Okay, alright,” you kneel down, chuckling, “do I get a hug? Or am I chopped liver?”
Giggling, Abbey wraps you in a suffocating embrace, like always. Her excitement for Steve has never quelled her affection for you, and you can tell that she’s still hesitant to see you go. You smack a kiss on her cheek, grabbing your bag from the floor as you rise again.
“Swear you’ll call me if anything happens?” You ask him one more time, already knowing the answer.
“Cross my heart.” He smiles fondly, stoking the flames burning bright around the cage that your heart inhabits.
✧・゚: *✧・゚:* *:・゚✧*:・゚✧
Your home is cozy, much cozier than anything Steve had growing up. He’s warmed at the idea that Abbey has the privilege of growing up in a house that feels so lived in– stains on the carpet, soft edges and yellow lighting. There’s clutter on the kitchen counter by the microwave and colorful alphabet magnets securing several bright pieces of artwork to the fridge.
“Are these the pictures you drew in art class last week?” He asks Abbey, who has been trailing behind him all through the house, pointing things out to him as they go.
“Uh-huh, Mrs. Morse helped me with that one,” she points to what Steve thinks is probably supposed to be a zebra.
“Well, you’re very talented, I love them,”
“Can we go play outside?” She asks, drawing out the last syllable and completely ignoring Steve’s compliment.
“Sure we can,” he chuckles, “where do you keep your snowsuit?”.
Abbey takes Steve by the wrist and leads him to the coat closet by the front door. Similar to the rest of your house, it’s stuffed to the brim– full of puffy nylon and heavy winter boots. He catches a glimpse of a familiar brown and green jacket– his jacket. You’d promised to wash it and return it to him, but it must’ve slipped your mind. He grins to himself at the reminiscence as he fetches Abbey’s snow gear and shuts the door.
Steve hadn’t dressed appropriately for a morning rolling around in the cold. He had slipped on a pair of your mittens, probably meant more for fashion than practicality, because his fingers were already completely numb. But he can’t seem to deny her when Abbey pleads with him to make snow angels. They’d just spent the past half an hour building two snowmen– one short like Abbey and one tall like Steve, she insisted, as she wrapped her scarf around the snowman that resembled her.
“Please, Mr. H?” She begs when she notices his hesitancy.
“Alright, alright,” he chuckles, “but then we’re gonna go inside and have lunch. Deal?”
That appears to be a good enough covenant for her, “Okay!” Abbey exclaims, falling fairly harshly to the cushioned ground. Steve braces himself for tears, but Abbey only keeps laughing in that contagious way as she begins spreading her arms and legs out beside her in a repetitive motion.
“Are you gonna make one?” She questions from her place on the ground.
He grunts as he reluctantly lowers himself down next to her, anticipating the icy wetness waiting underneath him. The snow seeps uncomfortably through his jeans, but the sound of Abbey’s unbridled joy nearly makes up for his soiled clothing.
✧・゚: *✧・゚:* *:・゚✧*:・゚✧
What’d you want to eat, Ab?” Steve calls from the pantry while Abbey changes out of her wet clothes in her bedroom.
“Not hungry!” She calls back.
He sighs, expecting her stubbornness– she was nearly as mulish as you.
“Remember the deal we made earlier?” He asks, “That if I made a snow angel with you, that you’d have to eat something for lunch, right?”
She emerges from her room, pout prominent on her strikingly adorable features, “But I wanna keep playing,” she whines, giving her foot a little stomp on the linoleum for emphasis.
“We can keep playing after, I promise,” he knows he’s not winning this battle without a compromise, “does your mom let you eat in the living room?” He asks with a lilt to his voice that makes him sound conspiratorial.
“Sometimes…”
“How about…” he pauses as if thinking, “I make us some food and we watch a movie while we eat?”
He can tell he’s got her after that– hook, line and sinker. She still pretends to mull over his proposition for a moment before agreeing, “Hmm…I think that sounds good,” she settles, trying and failing to mask her elation.
That’s how Steve ended up, plates of grilled cheese sandwiches in hand, dodging barbies and miscellaneous stuffed animals on his way to the living room a few minutes later.
“Have you found a movie yet?” He asks Abbey as he sets the plates down atop the coffee table.
“Yes but–” she jumps on her tiptoes, “I can’t reach it,”
Steve walks over to the towering shelf of VHS tapes in front of her, “Which one are you trying to reach?”
Abbey points at the tape in question, “Home Alone,”
“Alrighty,” Steve says as he grabs it with ease, “Your foods on the table, go sit while I put it in,”
Abbey, for once, does as he asks– bounding over to the coffee table with the excitement typical of a five-year-old who has an adult's permission to break a house rule.
While Steve eyes your VCR, he catches a glimpse of a photo out of the corner of his eye, causing him to pause. It’s you, no older than twenty, holding a swaddled baby in a sterile hospital room. He doesn’t recognize the picture as one he’s seen before.
Of course you’ve never seen it before, he thinks, you barely know her. Get a grip.
You’re filled with such youthful brilliance in the shot, despite the underlying weariness of having just given birth; your hair tied messily into a bun at the nape of your neck, sweat beading on your brow bone. It’s just you and Abbey, Steve thinks her father must’ve been the photographer.
He can’t help but think of himself at that age and all the stupid shit he was doing. How, if you had handed him a baby then, he wouldn’t have known the first thing about what to do with it– but here you had raised such a bright, healthy daughter and largely alone. He was struck by such a sudden and overwhelming admiration for you that he nearly forgot what he was supposed to be doing.
“Mr. H?” Abbey asked, mouth full, “When are we gonna start the movie?”
Her question sends him hurling back to reality. A reality where he’s your daughter’s kindergarten teacher, and the two of you are friendly with each other at best.
✧・゚: *✧・゚:* *:・゚✧*:・゚✧
At some point during the movie, once their lunch was reduced to crumbs on empty plates, Abbey had hauled out her box of coloring books and crayons that she had been looking for this morning.
Steve, the less creative of the two, was coloring in a cartoon illustration of a fairy while Abbey was making her own drawing on a piece of white construction paper. The lack of constant chatter is a welcome reprieve, but he knows that Abbey only becomes quiet when she’s particularly concentrated, so he chances a peek to his right at what she’s working on.
She got a death grip on a brown crayon– shaved almost down to the tip– with her tongue sticking ever so slightly between her lips as she focuses intently on her art.
The picture is of three stick figures– two tall and one significantly smaller in between them. It’s set at what looks to be a playground, a bright yellow sun in the sky and blue scribblings around white clouds. Swings, slides and even a little blue dog adorn the rest of the background.
Pleasantly surprised at her artistry, Steve says, “That looks amazing, Ab!”
She’s snapped out of her stupor, her face split with a wide toothless grin. She doesn’t thank him, only lets out a few bashful giggles at his praise and says, “I like yours too,”
“Is that you?” He points at the littlest figure.
“Mhm, see? I made her hair curly like mine!”
“It looks just like you,” he agrees, then draws her attention to the other figures, “Is this your mom and your dad next to you?”
“This is mommy,” she points, “I put her in the blue clothes she wears at work,” he knows she’s referring to your scrubs, but the phrasing makes him chuckle.
“And this is you!” She circles the figure she’s drawn with the tip of her finger. She’s included his voluminous chestnut hair and his silver wire-framed glasses, even one of the stupid striped polos he wears at school. Looking at it now, it’s obvious who it was supposed to be– but it’s so unexpected that he feels his face heat up at the realization.
“Oh, wow, Ab– That’s–” he grapples to find the words to express the juxtaposition he’s found himself in. He’s honored, truly, to be included in this portrait Abbey’s made of herself and her mother– her family– but there’s a gnawing guilt he can’t seem to shake. The fear that, in some way, he’s replacing her father.
“I love it, Ab, thank you,” he smiles fondly at her work, the proud grin she wears slowly melting the flash freeze of trepidation that encased his conscience.
“Can we hang it on the fridge for mommy to see when she gets home?” She asks after a moment.
“That sounds like a great idea.”
✧・゚: *✧・゚:* *:・゚✧*:・゚✧
Around four o’clock, Abbey begins asking what they’re having for dinner. Steve wonders briefly if you always have to deal with her being so ravenous.
“How about we start cooking now? That way it’ll be ready for your mom when she gets home,”
“Okay,” Abbey concurs. Steve wouldn’t consider himself a Michelin star chef by any means, but he can make a mean chicken parmesan.
A trip to the grocery store was needed to grab some ingredients. After scribbling down the required items on a crumpled receipt, and struggling for ten minutes to get Abbey’s carseat in the back of his BMW, they’re on their way.
He meets her eyes in the rearview mirror, “Do you want me to put on some music?”
“Christmas music?” She asks hopefully.
Steve isn’t the biggest fan of Christmas music– Christmas in general, really– but he obliges her request and turns the dial to their local channel, soft bells and a choir of voices begin to flood through the interior of the car. She really is so harmlessly manipulative with her saucer eyes and round button nose, he can’t seem to refuse her anything.
Steve drives more cautiously than he thinks he ever has, even more so than when he was sixteen and learning how to drive with his family’s Pontiac as his father stared harshly at him from the passenger seat. He comes to a full halt at every stop sign, and he never takes his eyes off the road.
After fighting some early rush hour traffic, they make it. Without a second thought, Abbey grasps Steve’s hand while walking through the parking lot. He tries not to look startled at the sudden contact, recalling how she always seems to have a firm grip on your hand in public spaces too. Steve’s just glad she feels comfortable with him.
“Can I help?” Abbey asks as Steve grabs a cart from the corral.
“Course’,” he smiles, “do you wanna grab the ingredients and put them in the cart for me?”
She bounces excitedly, “Sure!”
Wandering through the aisles, Abbey never strayed from Steve’s side. Every time he read off an item, she would dutifully fetch it and throw it into the cart with a little more force than necessary, but Steve didn’t mind.
“Do you live by yourself?” She asks out of the blue as they peruse the store.
“I do,”
“Then how come you know how to cook?”
He laughs at her inquisitive nature, “Well I have to eat don’t I?”
“Yeah…” she ponders, “I guess so,”
“Alright, the last thing we need is breadcrumbs,” he informs her, scanning the shelves.
Like earlier, Abbey attempts to stand on her tiptoes to try and reach the can in question, “I’m getting it,” she mumbles in determination, very much not getting it.
“Here,” Steve says as he lifts her up by her waist like it was second nature to him.
“Got it!” She exclaims, tossing it in with the rest of the groceries. “Can I ride in the cart now?” She yawns with a polite hand over her mouth. He supposes grocery shopping takes a lot out of you when all the shelves are at least five feet taller than your head.
“Sure,” Steve chuckles as he slots her little legs through the designated holes.
Despite the ride home only being about ten minutes long, Abbey manages to doze off– lulled to sleep by the subtle hum of the car's engine. Steve veered as gently as possible into the driveway, careful not to disturb her even though he was about to wake her up anyway.
“Abbey,” he shakes her softly, “we’re home,”
Abbey rouses, but only slightly. She yawns again and stretches with her arms over her head before extending them out, silently motioning with her eyes still closed for Steve to carry her inside.
“Okay, c’mon lazy bones,” he grunts at the angle but lifts her from her car seat nonetheless. After unlocking the door one-handed, he sets her carefully on the couch and covers her with a plush throw blanket before heading back outside for the rest of the groceries.
✧・゚: *✧・゚:* *:・゚✧*:・゚✧
The first thing you notice when you approach your front door is the savory smell of something cooking. Inside, the TV is off and your daughter is sleeping soundly on the couch. Quiet clattering noises flood from the kitchen.
The sleeves of Steve’s burgundy sweater are rolled up to his elbows and the kitchen smells of roasting chicken and mahogany as he stirs a simmering pot of homemade pasta sauce. He’s humming some tune softly under his breath– Bob Segar, you think.
“Hey,” you greet with a grin as you set your bag down on the dining table. Steve turns around to meet you as you ask, “What’re you doing?”
“Cooking?” He replies.
“No, really?” You deadpan back, eliciting an amused chuckle from the man standing at your stove.
“Abbey was asking about dinner,” he pauses, “we were gonna do this whole thing– we were gonna make it for you together, have it ready by the time you got home, but,” he gestures with his arm to the living room where Abbey is napping. Steve Harrington is nothing if not expressive– talking with his hands, eyebrows always either furrowed in concentration or raised in amusement. It’s one of the most charming things about him, you think.
“Well, thank you,” you say, “you didn’t have to do that,” you feel a blush heat your cheeks at how domestic this feels– like you come home to Steve cooking dinner for you and your daughter every night. You can picture it as easily as if it were your actual reality and it leaves you feeling briefly vertiginous. You’re not sure Jeremy ever cooked even one meal for you in the entirety of your relationship.
“The chickens almost done and then I'll get out of your hair,” he assumes a teasing lilt to his voice to disguise the fact that he feels like he’s overstepping– overstaying his welcome or crossing some invisible line.
“Are you kidding?” You scoff, “You’ve gotta at least stick around long enough to see how it came out,”
“You don’t mind?” He asks hesitantly.
“Steve, of course I don’t mind,” honestly, you think you’d start a fire and burn your house to the ground if it meant getting him to stay just a little longer to help you put it out, “plus, I’m sure Abbey’ll be stoked.”
“Alright, well,” he smiles warmly, “it’s ready if you wanna go wake the gremlin up,”
At the table, Abbey insists on sitting next to Steve in the chair across from you.
“This is delicious, Steve,” you compliment.
“Best you ever had?” He teases, but his phrasing makes you choke a little on your pasta.
Abbey makes a twisted face, “The sauce tastes funny.” Saved by the bell.
“Abbey!” you scold playfully, poorly concealing a laugh behind the back of your hand, “Sorry– I think she’s just used to eating Prego,”
“That’s okay– I think she’s right, actually,” he assures you, twisting his expression into something sour and causing Abbey to giggle. His eyes are the color of rich soil as he sends you an oh, so familiar look across the table, communicating another silent thought to you. One that says, I don’t mind how blunt she is, I think it’s endearing.
When dinner is finished, Steve insists on doing the dishes for you too. “You cooked, Steve, let me–” you try to barter.
“--You do enough as it is,” he counters simultaneously.
“You watched my child all day!” You laugh at his stubbornness.
“I do that everyday anyway!” He argues, beginning to fill up the porcelain farmhouse sink with hot, sudsy water.
“At least let me help,” you give him that wide eyed look you always seem to be giving him lately. God, you’re no better than Abbey. “You wash, I’ll dry?”
“Fine,” he tries to frown but his smirk betrays him in his act of faux annoyance.
After a few minutes of stuffy silence, you ask, “She wasn’t too much of a pain in the ass today, was she?”
“Not any more than usual,” he jokes and a plate slips through his fingers, causing a small splash of water to coat your face in dishwater. You gasp at the sensation.
“Oh– Sorry!--” he tries to apologize, but you take your dishwater soaked fingers and flick them in the direction of his own face– small soapy bubbles clinging to his lashes and eyebrows.
“I cannot believe you right now,” he says, wiping his eyes with his sleeve.
“There, now we’re even,” you smirk.
“I’ll let it slide. This time.”
“Mommy!” Abbey rushes into the kitchen, “Can Mr. H stay to watch a cartoon before bed?”
“I don’t know, baby, it’s getting late,” you can just barely see the flash of heartbreak in her gaze before Steve interjects, “It’s okay, I don’t mind staying for a little longer,”
You send him a skeptical glance over your shoulder, but he just nods and asks Abbey what she’d like to watch.
✧・゚: *✧・゚:* *:・゚✧*:・゚✧
The end credits for an episode of The Rugrats flashes across the screen, illuminating Abbey’s sleeping face in muted shades of blue and orange. She snores, slumped against Steve’s chest with her arms wrapped around his torso. You sit propped against the other arm of the couch watching them intently– trying to memorize the sight before you. You’ve never seen Abbey cradled like this before by anyone else except you. It wasn’t something you felt you craved until recently.
Steve turns, catching you staring but not calling attention to it. He can count on several hands the amount of times he’s done the same to you– Steve Harrington is many things, but he is not a hypocrite.
“Did you know the guy from Devo wrote the theme song for this?” He gestures towards the television.
“Really?”
“Mhm,” he replies, “I can’t remember who told me that,”
After a few beats of hushed silence, you say, “Should probably put that one to bed– unless you wanna be here all night,” you try to joke but your voice shakes.
He would if you were sincerely asking. He’d stay right here on this uncomfortably worn sofa, with your daughter whom he has such an affinity for, sleeping against his chest for the next millenia. He’d fossilize here if he could– your presence beside him calm and grounding like an anchor in a storm.
He voices none of this. Instead he says, “Do you want to take her?”
“It’s okay,” you wave him off, “I’ll just come with you.” The three of you slowly make your way to Abbey’s bedroom, Steve carrying her bridal style against his torso and the door creaks on its hinges when Steve pushes it open with his hip. She stirs only a little when he sets her down, but is soothed quickly with a firm palm stroking her back a few times.
The door clicks behind you as Steve leads you both back to the living room.
“I should probably–”
“Do you want–”
You begin to speak at the same time, awkward chuckles leaving both of your nervous lips.
“You first,” he offers, scratching the back of his neck.
“I was– just gonna ask if you wanted some wine, but I know it’s late–”
“Wine sounds great.” His lips form a line across his face as he grins.
✧・゚: *✧・゚:* *:・゚✧*:・゚✧
Half a bottle of wine split between the two of you, and your hands were tingling from the effort it was taking not to reach out and card your fingers through the hair of the man sitting across from you.
“How come you never called?” He asks suddenly, but not unkindly.
“Hm?”
“You never called– well, not til’ this morning at least,”
“Didn’t know what counted as an emergency, I guess,” you shrug, the alcohol shaking your nerves loose.
He must’ve been feeling in a similar way to you– speaking freely in a way he wouldn’t have before, “Just wanted to talk to you,” he smiles fondly.
“Oh,” you whisper, and when you don’t say anything else, Steve changes the subject.
“I like that photo of you on top of the entertainment center,” he says contemplatively, “you looked really…peaceful,”
“Well, raising a miniature version of yourself tends to age you a bit, I suppose,”
“Can I ask you something?” He asks, testing the waters.
“Always”
“Where was Jeremy in the picture?”
“We always talk about me,” you roll your eyes spiritedly and release a contented sigh, “Tell me why you really came to Maine,”
“Don’t deflect,” he teases.
“C’monnnn,” you draw out the last syllable, “answer,”
“I asked you first,” Steve chuckles.
“Jeremy wasn’t at Abbey’s birth,” you admit, it's immediately like an aching weight removed from the length of your spine– one that's been there consistently for years. “He didn’t even want me to have her,” you scoff humorlessly.
You had told almost no one this before. For the sake of keeping appearances, even after he passed, only your mother and sister knew that Jeremy had pushed for you to terminate your pregnancy when he’d found out; and that only once your daughter was actually born did he want to be involved in her life. The burden felt shockingly easy to lay at Steve’s feet, like someone might confess to a priest. This tender man sitting across from you– whether it was the wine or simply his presence, you aren’t sure– but it felt so effortless to be vulnerable right now. Your soft, white underbelly on display for him to do as he pleases, trusting him to have a gentle touch.
“That fucking sucks,” he knows you well enough by now to understand you’ve never cared for empty platitudes, so he doesn’t bother schooling his bitter, empathetic expression, “M’ sorry,”
Not wanting to dwell on it any longer, you say, “Your turn,”
“My old man was an abusive, drunk asshole,” he says frankly, “I don’t know if I ever saw him sober,” he huffs a laugh but there’s no humor behind it. “I needed to get out– to see what else there was, you know?” He asks, and you nod, “He died in my sophomore year of college. Didn’t even go to the wake.”
“Well, I’m really glad you ended up in this shithole,” he laughs at that, “I think you’re pretty neat, Harrington,”
“Thanks,” he deadpans, “Juries still out on you,” he pokes your side and you giggle like you’re a damn teenager again.
You swat him lightly on his bicep in retaliation, and before you know it, you’ve both succumbed to a fit of contagious laughter. When it begins to die down, you’re closer to him than you’d been before. It steals the breath from your lungs and your heart thrashes inside your ribcage like a wild animal.
You’re gazing at each other now, heads light from the alcohol and dizzy with proximity. His heavy lidded gaze lands on your lips for a second too long, and then he’s pulling your face flush to his own by the sharp edge of your jaw.
It’s a soft kiss, but it’s maddening nonetheless. His lips are plush and smooth– malleable against yours. You huff a surprised breath of air, but don’t pull away. One of his calloused hands is resting firmly on your waist while the other one snakes up tenderly to hold the back of your head. You feel that familiar itch to bury your fingers in his brown tresses, so finally, you do. What realistically only lasts a moment, feels like hours before he’s pulling away, nearly frightened.
When he looks at you, his doe eyes are wide with fear, glassy with the impending fallout of what he’d just done. He stammers, “I’m sorry–that was–” he runs his hands down the length of his guilt twisted face.
“No– Steve, It’s okay, I–”
“I should go–” he says quickly as he slips his shoes and coat on, not even bothering to tie the laces, he grabs his keys, “I’m sorry I’ll– I’ll see you on Monday,”
He’s closing the door behind him before your mind gets the chance to catch up with your mouth. You wished to tell him that it was okay, that you liked it– that you wanted him to stay and never leave again.
But it’s too late. You’re left alone in the stifling air of your living room, half a bottle of wine on the coffee table and your heart on the floor.
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Thin Ice ~ A.H
Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x f!reader
wc: 4.7k
cw: kind of secret relationship that only the team is really aware of, agent!reader, Hotch being angry (my favorite gender), insecurity, a bit of angst if you squint, wife!reader, injury, blood, protective!Hotch
a/n: Second fic Rah! Woah this is longer than I thought. Soz for the delay guys, got caught up in some uni work but will try my best to put something out once a week. Don’t know how I feel bout this one if I’m being fr.
Summary: A retired agent comes back to assist with a case and immediately decides he has it out for you. Hotch is tempted to call him out for it but you assure him it’s fine. That is until the agent carries out an outrageous idea that puts your safety in jeopardy. Your husband leaves the agent with a bit more than just a warning.
“You’re here early” You heard Rossi comment as he walked into the conference room.
You gave a half hearted hum, not looking up from the files you were reading over. “early start to my day” you replied. “Managed to get to bed at a reasonable hour last night”
That wasn’t entirely untrue. You were out practically the moment you put the kids to bed and collapsed into yours. The reason you were up bright and early, however, wasn’t by a well timed bedtime but rather the fact that by the time it reached four in the morning and you’ve already woken up practically every hour before then, you decided to just get up and get a head start at the bureau.
Aaron was going to be on your ass today.
Your lack of text message from him this morning said as much. You knew he had felt you shifting restlessly around in the bed and there was no chance he didn’t wake up when you quietly slipped out a few hours later. And since nothing got past that man, you knew he would’ve seen the trashed remains of the not one, but two cups of coffee you hastily downed before your departure.
Any moment now, he was going to walk in, Wednesday today so he was going to have his grey suit on with the red tie. You liked that suit on him, it was one of your favorites, and he will definitely use that fact to his advantage. He’ll greet the team and just as he reaches his seat next to you, he’ll catch your eye with a fleeting look, one that with three years, approaching four of marriage behind you, didn’t need any words.
And speak of the devil, here he was.
You didn’t look up, didn’t have to to know it was him. You recognized the pace of his shoes against his stride and the faint sound of the briefcase buckles.
“Morning” you heard him greet the team as he walked in, his steps going louder as he approached your side of the table.
He placed his files on the table and within the next moment, your third cup of coffee was taken out of your hand and set aside.
“(Y/N)” he greeted, his voice low.
You finally tilted your head up to glance up at him and there it was, the hardness of his eyes, the slight furrow of his brow, the look.
It didn’t linger long before Aaron sat down, letting Penelope present the case.
Female abductor. Sexual sadist. Serial Murderer.
You wondered if seeing these things on file will ever get easier. You felt your stomach coil at the sight of the women, their faces lifeless and eyes forever frozen with terror. Big holes in the palms of their hands and in each of their feet like they were….
“Crucified?” Emily offered.
Spencer shook his head.
“No, the angle of the wounds doesn’t align with those of a crucification” he turned the file to the side a bit, his eyes scanning over the pictures. You could practically hear the gears in his head turning.
“They were hung” he finally said.
“Like from hooks? Like the ones at a butchers?” You asked, lifting your head up from the file.
Another shake of his head.
“No…pinned, like to a wall” Spencer straightened up, his brows raising like they always did before he dumped a bunch of information. “The evidence of torture is consistent with his anger and hatred for the women as well as the assault, however also consistent is his sexual sadism. After he’s done with them he’ll hang them up like trophies, just like hunters”
Yeah. It’ll never get easier.
“Alright, Garcia run through all the records of hunting rifles purchased within the area and cross that with mental health assessments” Aaron said.
“Right away sir”
“Before we leave-“ his voice stopped everyone in their tracks. “-Agent Carter, former associate director of the Criminal Investigations Unit, will be assisting us with the case today. He will be meeting us at the airport”
“Shouldn’t he be here with us?” Derek asked “This is a critical case, we should make sure he’s familiar with it”
“He’s good at what he does. You guys will need to trust him. Wheels up in an hour. Agent (L/N), a minute”
You lingered behind as you watched the rest of the team file out before letting out a breath.
“I told you Aaron, it’s fine” you said once the door closed.
“I’m having a hard time believing you”
He sat against the table, his arms crossing across his chest, his head tilting a bit so he could see your face better.
“What’s going on? Don’t lie to me”
His voice softened, taking on that gentle tone he always used with you, knowing it made you weak.
You sighed, your eyes dropping down to your fingers which were absentmindedly tracing over the table.
“I want to do better…be better” you said quietly. You saw him shift in your peripheral as he realized what this is about.
“You did what you thought was right”
“What I thought was right ended with a girl dead Aaron” you bit back.
It had been a slip in the case, the unsub was smarter than the team initially thought. In a spontaneous decision, you went in alone, only a gun on you to protect you.
For a moment, things were looking up despite the grim circumstances. You found the girl, got her untied, and started guiding her back to the exit with no altercation. That should’ve been your first warning. It was too easy. And then just as you were about to leave, he appeared out from behind a wall, a different girl in his arms, a gun pressed to her head.
What was going to be the biggest hit of your career quickly turned into a gamble. One life for another.
You hadn’t prepared to have to talk him down and you weren’t yet experienced enough to do it on a whim. So you took the shot.
But he must’ve seen it in your eyes because the girl would go down with him.
It had weighed on you heavily, something that didn’t go unnoticed by the team.
Aaron especially.
He normally hovered over you- always having you somewhere in his line of sight, trailing behind you where he could whether that was interrogations or to areas of interest, and when he couldn’t he’d make sure he knew where you were-but that protectiveness was just a byproduct of your marriage.
But after this incident he was just…everywhere all the time.
He wasn’t subtle about having you in his sight anymore and you could see him practically everywhere you turned…hovering. You weren’t allowed anywhere alone let alone barely even be alone.
He assured you that your slip up didn’t change your standing as an agent with him, but it seemed like everytime the team was called to go out on the field, he’d find some excuse to keep you on the sidelines.
“I just feel like you don’t trust me anymore” you said, looking back up at him.
He glanced away for a moment before letting out a breath.
“I’m taking the necessary precautions”
You watched as he stood back up to his feet, straightening his blazer out.
“I’ll see you in a bit”
⋆⋅ ⋅☆⋅ ⋅⋆
Agent Carter was a short man with an even shorter patience.
He greets Aaron and Rossi with a firm handshake but barely regards the rest of you, save for a brief nod.
Now you’re in a sort of awkward corner with Aaron sitting next to you while Rossi and Carter sit across from you.
“She must be a talented one for you to choose her for the case” Carter said, nodding towards you.
You turned your gaze away from the window at his words, your brow furrowing a bit at the implications behind them.
“She’s a special agent not an intern” Aaron said curtly, not looking up from his file.
The agent seemed surprised at this, his brows quirking. “No kidding. How old even is she?”
This time, Aaron’s eyes flickered up at the agent, a hint on irritation passing through them.
“How about you ask her?”
“Twenty four” you said before the agent could open his mouth.
“That’s young”
“Does that matter?”
“I don’t know. Are you good?”
“Substantially”
Agent Carter nodded silently, his eyes raking over you for a brief moment.
“I hope you are right”
⋆⋅ ⋅☆⋅ ⋅⋆
Your lips were cracking even before you got out of the airport.
Oro Valley Arizona, in the middle of May.
Just your luck to be stationed outside of the city in the big open desert, with no proper ac unit as far as the eye can see.
You squinted, your sunglasses not helping much with the sun that was beating down on you as you looked over the scene.
“And you searched this entire area?” You asked, looking up from where the latest body was found, now covered by a white sheet.
The sheriff nodded.
“Yes ma’am. Expanded our sweep to two miles in every direction. Found nothin’ helpful, not even shoe prints. This killer is stealthy”
You hummed, nodding your head.
“Yes he is”
You stepped back up to the main road where the team had set up under a white tent.
“What you got sunshine?” Derek asked as you joined them under the shade. You sighed. “Stealthy but predictable. You?”
Derek shook his head, looking over the scene photos again. “Same. No evidence. It’s like she just appeared here”
You frowned as you saw officers begin to head back into their cars. “What’s this about?”
“I told them to sweep the scene again, identify what car the guy used from any tracks left behind in the sand” Agent Carter said, not looking up from his files.
“The sheriff told me they checked, not even in just the surrounding area but two miles out, no tire tracks in the sand were found” you said. “There’s reason to believe he drove here but carried her to the dump spot on foot”
“Do I look like a damn idiot to you?” The agent suddenly asked. You blinked, not expecting the harsh tone.
“Sorry?”
Agent Carter sighed heavily, closing the file in his hand.
“Look kid, I get that you’re all young and excited to be involved in this case and stuff, but just let the professionals with more experience do their jobs alright?”
Any irritation you already suppressed from his earlier attitude came bubbling back in your chest and you felt heat rise into your cheeks.
“I think it is within everyone’s best interests not to waste our time chasing leads we don’t have” You bit back.
He let out a bitter laugh, his files dropping harshly onto the table in front of him as he turned towards you.
“Yeah you’d know a lot about best interests huh? Like how your best interest got that girl killed?”
That was a low blow.
You should’ve seen it coming, but it truly caught you by surprise and you visibly froze up.
Behind you, you heard Derek get up from his seat. “Watch it man”
The agent let out a scoff, his eyes flickering between you two. “I think you’re best sitting this one out agent” he muttered to you, turning back to his files.
You swallowed thickly, feeling as though all the moisture has been sucked out of your throat. Derek went to place a hand on your shoulder but you were already storming off, pushing past Aaron who was just walking up to join you guys.
“(Y/N)?” He called after you but you ignored him, the corners of your vision already blurring with tears as you made your way to the car.
⋆⋅ ⋅☆⋅ ⋅⋆
You watched the distant figures of your team working beneath the tents, some getting into cars and coming back while others walked about the area.
Aaron had glanced over in your direction a few times but you just turned away, plagued with a deep sense of shame.
You told him you were going to be fine.
This was going to be the case that proved to him that you could handle it. And yet here you were, sitting in time out like a child.
You imagine Derek had filled him in on a word or two hence why he hadn’t attempted to come over to you yet.
It was only when the evening had fallen were you waking up with him getting into the car. You lifted your head from where it was leaning against the window, wincing a bit at the soreness in your neck.
He didn’t say anything for a good moment, simply quietly starting the car before pulling out onto the main road.
You drove in silence until the scene disappeared into the darkness of the Arizona desert and then he spoke.
“I’ve heard what happened” he said, his voice soft.
You don’t respond.
“Are you alright?” He asks
You swallow again, your eyes fixing on the road ahead of you.
“Maybe he’s right Aaron, maybe I shouldn’t…I can’t…”
“Hey, stop that, we talked about this (Y/N)”
You let out a breath that sounded like a scoff.
“Did we?”
You saw him straighten up from the corner of your eye at your retort.
He sighed heavily, a sign he was getting worked up and he was keeping himself in check.
“(Y/N)” he repeated, his voice firmer. “I told you I am taking-“
“-the necessary precautions, honestly Aaron just give me a break” you said with an exasperated breath, your body slumping into your seat as your arms crossed over your chest, your head turning to the window. “I just want to go to the hotel” you murmured, your voice quiet and laced with defeat.
You felt Aaron look at you, practically could feel the way his brows furrowed before he returned his attention to the road.
Three hours later, after a quick dinner and much needed warm shower, the two of you were tucked into bed. Aaron, exhausted by the heat and from following sheriffs practically back and forth all day from the same three places, was already dozed off beside you, his breath leaving him in soft snores.
You were wide awake, turned onto your side as you watched him in the quiet darkness of the room, your eyes following the way the street lamp light traced along his features. You liked watching him in moments like these, away from the demand of work and where you can see him as the soft Aaron only get to see at home.
You sighed, slowly turning back onto your back before pushing yourself up, quietly slipping out of the bed. You turned back, making sure Aaron was still asleep and once you were satisfied, you reached for your sweater, pulling it over your head as you silently left the room.
You didn’t know where you were going, just wandering aimlessly through the brightly lit hallway.
Eventually, you stop at a small sitting area, sinking down into one of the brown leather armchairs, leaning back against it and allowing your eyes to close.
“Long night?”
The voice startles you and your head snaps up, your eyes fixing on the figure standing in front of you.
Agent Carter in all his glory, still dressed in his suit, stood a few paces away from you, a somewhat unreadable expression on his face.
“You can say that”
You say back.
Agent Carter sighs.
“Look” he says, circling the chair across from you and sitting down. “I know we got off on a bad start”
“Bad might be an understatement” you muttered.
“Right just…” he sighs again. “Listen as unbelievable as this sounds…I see myself a lot in you kid” he said.
You watch as his hands clasp together his thumbs tapping against each other. Your eyes flicker back up to his face, trying to decipher where he was going with this.
“I want to give you the opportunity of a lifetime that’ll elevate your career as an agent to standards that rival Hotchner and Rossi”
Against your better judgment, your curiosity peaked. “Go on”
A small grin graced his lips.
“We can have this unsub in handcuffs before anyone wakes up in the morning. Oh just imagine their faces, his face when he sees what you’ve managed. How does that sound?”
Good.
Really good in fact.
⋆⋅ ⋅☆⋅ ⋅⋆
Maybe there’s a point to that tight, coiling feeling in your gut when you’re putting your life on the line.
You force yourself to breathe, to keep your head up and your arms relaxed at your sides as you walked through the quiet streets, your path only illuminated by the yellow streetlamps.
Your heels clicked steadily against the pavement, the hem of your short dress brushing against the skin of your thighs with each step.
This was risky. Dangerous. Stupid above all.
You were vaguely aware of the black car trailing behind you in the shadows, you could feel the watchful eyes of the sheriff and agent Carter on you, offering a minimal semblance of security as you baited yourself out.
Baited was put lightly.
You were handing yourself over to this killer on a silver platter and an apple in your mouth.
You closed your eyes for a moment, forcing your mind to focus, to relax. If you’re too tense, he won’t come.
A gust of wind breezed past you and you pulled your jacket tighter around yourself, goosebumps sweeping across your skin.
“A pretty lady like you shouldn’t be out here in the cold”
A car, a older Mercedes Benz, pulled up to a stop next to you. Your eyes fixed upon his face behind the wheel, barely visible in the shitty streetlight above you.
Younger, a lot younger than you’ve anticipated.
Anywhere from brown to sandy brown hair and if you squinted, you could make out the green of his eyes.
You stopped in your stride, making a purpose to exaggerate the swing of your hips as you turned to him, arching your back as you leaned against the car, ducking your head to see him better.
“What would you know what a pretty girl like me should and shouldn’t do?” You asked, a sweet, flirtatious smile on your lips.
He chuckled lowly, leaning towards you a bit.
“How about you get in this car and I’ll show you pretty girl”
Your eyes subtly darted around, anticipating for the black car to come out of the shadows to make the arrest, but it never did.
You bit your lip, a deep coil of dread tightening in your stomach at the realization of what you had to do. A thick swallow and strained smile later, you were buckling yourself into the passenger seat as the car steadily pulled off the curb, your gaze just barely catching the sight of the black car emerging and turning away in the direction opposite of you.
⋆⋅ ⋅☆⋅ ⋅⋆
Your eyes fluttered open, your vision darkened and blurred, an insistent high pitched ringing in your ears making it hard to focus on anything else.
A sharp pain pulsed at the back of your head, making you squint against the light steadily beaming over you in the otherwise dim room.
“There’s my pretty girl”
A rough hand gently caressed your hair and a cold plunge went down your spine as the guy came into view.
He stopped in front of you, leaning down with his hands pressing against your forearms and you could smell the acrid sweet smoke that lingered from his cigarettes.
He tilted his head, his face morphing into a sickly mocking expression.
“Aww dont be like that. You’re the most beautiful piece I’ll have in my gallery”
You didn’t want to show weakness, give him the satisfaction of your fear, but the reality that this really might be it, that you’ll become another victim to your case, was starting to set in.
He let go off your hair and your head dropped.
You heard him straighten up and saw him step away to a nearby table, coming back with a small blade that glinted as it appeared in your line of vision.
You closed your eyes again as you felt the cool metal slide beneath the ropes binding your wrists.
You tried to imagine it was him.
Aaron.
Tried to imagine he was kneeling in front of you, one of those gentle chuckles that you loved so much rumbling in his chest as he worked to get the satin rope off your wrists.
“How’d you even manage to do this sweetheart?”
He’d asked, shaking his head in amusement. You could’ve only blushed and looked away, a shy smile on your lips. It was his birthday and you had wanted to surprise him when he got home from work that night, except you got yourself tangled trying to wrap yourself up for him and ended up stuck on your bed for him to discover.
Your wrists would be freed and he’d help you up to your feet. “Don’t be shy, angel” he murmured against your ear, pressing a gentle kiss to your cheek and then to the corner of your mouth. You could smell his cologne, diluted by the smell of paper and coffee from the office, his aftershave against his skin, wood…
Blood
Your eyes opened again as your head was yanked back by your hair, landing upon a canvas of wood.
“You’ll look so pretty up there. Prettier than any painting ever painted”
Your stomach turned as you looked upon it, the blood that had saturated into the wood, lighter in areas where the bodies were pressed against it, the splintering where the women had struggled in their last moments.
“Stay still. You don’t want this to hurt more than it has too”
A click of a gun.
“Let her go”
Aaron’s voice startled you more than the situation you were in.
You were promptly yanked around and the blade of a knife was pressed right against your throat as you were pulled back against the guy behind you.
There you could see him, standing off just where the light could reach, his gun drawn and angled steadily in front of him. His hair was soft and beneath his vest, you could make out the familiar white shirt that he slept in that night.
Maybe you were imagining things.
Maybe you were already hanging from the canvas in that foreboding room, your neurons firing the last image of him in their dying moments.
“There you are agent, just in time for the show”
“There will be no show”
“I’m afraid that’s where you’re wrong”
You felt the knife press harder into your skin, breaking it ever so slightly. Aaron’s eyes met yours for a moment.
Leave.
Don’t watch me die.
And then, he lowered his gun.
You watched as he placed it down on the table beside him, the sound emitting around the room.
You saw his palms raising in the light, a white flag amongst the battle.
Your body slumped a bit with relief.
This didn’t have to turn worse than it already was.
You opened your eyes again to him only to see he wasn’t looking at you.
His eyes were fixed on something behind you.
In fragments of a second, the weight of the body behind you was sliding down and crumpling to the floor, the blade of the knife falling from your throat and clattering to the ground at your feet.
You hadn’t even processed the sound of a gun going off until Aaron was in front of you, his strong arms enveloping you as your knees buckled.
“There you go, I’ve got you. It’s ok, you’re ok” he murmured, his lips brushing against your head.
The tape was pulled from your lips and you let out a weak breath, your throat seeming to burn from the thick air.
“Aaron” you exhaled against him, your hands shakily wrapped around his neck, your fingers sliding into his hair, holding him, feeling him.
“Aaron I’m sorry I just wanted to-“ you babbled, the damns breaking as tears spilled down your cheeks.
“Shh we’ll talk about this later. Let’s get you out of here”
⋆⋅ ⋅☆⋅ ⋅⋆
An ambulance was already outside waiting for you on the side of the road.
The air was frigid and the surrounding area was dark, miles of empty desert spanning in every direction around you.
You sat quietly on the back edge of the vehicle, wrapped in Aaron’s jacket as the paramedics treated the wounds around your wrists and Aaron sat next to you, holding an ice pack to your head.
The rest of the team lingered around you, keeping enough distance for you and Aaron to have some space.
“Hey Morgan, take over for a minute” you heard Aaron say as he stood. You lifted your head up at him, giving him an inquisitive look.
“I’ll be right back sweetheart” he said, pressing a kiss to your head as Derek took his place next to you.
You watched Aaron walk up to the car that had pulled up a few paces ahead. “Who’s that?” You asked.
“A man who’s place I would not want to be in right now” Derek answered.
The car door opened and out stepped Agent Carter. You saw his mouth barely open before Aaron was on him.
“Who gave you the order?” Aaron demanded, his hands grasping at the lapels of the other man’s blazer and pushing him back against the car.
Agent Carter swallowed before he spoke.
“I assure you we made the plan with as much caution-“
Aaron cut him off, his grip tightening around the fabric.
“Caution? My agent gets swept up in five seconds right under your nose? Was that part of the ‘cautiously arranged’ plan?”
“My plan-” agent Carter said, pushing Aaron off him”-led us to him didn’t it?”
There was a heavy moment of silence and you could see Aaron’s jaw clench before he spoke again.
“You had no authority to carry out this plan without my knowledge. You evaded my authority as unit chief and jeopardized the safety and life of one of my agents”
Agent Carter sighed. “It won’t happen again alright?”
“It won’t because you are no longer an agent” Aaron said. “The attorney general will be informed of your actions and you will be placed under investigation for obstruction of justice and the deliberate endangerment to safety of a federal agent” he held out his hand, an expectant look in his eyes.
You saw the other man’s eyes flicker down to his hand and then back up to his face, hesitating, hoping Aaron would let down. But he didn’t. Aaron kept his stance firm and eventually, with a sigh, Jamie Carter handed over his badge and gun.
“Strauss will be waiting for you when we land back in Quantico” Aaron said. He gave a brief nod to JJ and Rossi who escorted Carter to one of the nearby federal cars.
Aaron walked back to you, glancing down at the badge in his hand for a moment before tucking it away into his pocket. He smiled lightly as he approached, thanking Derek as he retook his place beside you.
You sighed, looking up at him. “I’m sorry again for everything Aaron” you said quietly. “I should’ve discussed the plan with you beforehand”
He hummed and then was silent for a moment.
“When we get back, Penelope will have your new badge. I just got the confirmation that it was validated”
You frown in confusion as you watch him stand once again. “New badge?”
Aaron smiled, his dimples indenting his cheeks.
“Well, i think it’d be impractical for an SSA to walk around with a regular special agent badge, don’t you think?”
GIF from Pinterest
Headers from @cafekitsune
#aaron hotch x you#aaron hotchner#criminal minds x fem!reader#criminal minds x reader#criminal minds#criminal minds fanfiction#aaron hotch fanfiction#hotch x you#aaron hotchner x reader
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Can I please request Sirius with a single mama who happens to be a muggle? He would be such a good daddy 😭😭😭
[ sirius black x muggle!reader | fluff | in an alternate universe wherein there was no wizarding war | 3.1k words ]
note. well this got way longer than intended and yet for some reason still doesn’t feel enough??? anyways halfway through writing this i realized that jily is supposed to be 18 when they got married so for the sake of this fic let’s pretend that they’re in their late 20s hehehe,, hope you’ll like this one! 🫶🏻
Sirius got to meet you through Lily.
The meeting was unexpected, really. It was during the time James and Lily were preparing for the wedding, and Sirius, being the designated best man and all, was tasked to deliver some important items for the ceremony from the Evans home to the Potters.
He knocked on the front door, clad in his usual attire of faded jeans, black shirt, with a leather jacket worn around his shoulders. His motorbike was still running in the driveway, an indication that he wasn’t planning to stay long, but as soon as you opened the door and locked gazes with him, Sirius suddenly thought that perhaps it would be okay to hang around even for a few minutes or so.
He flashed a smile, a smile he knew turned up the charm and made his handsomeness look a bit devilish, and stepped a bit closer, his hands placing themselves on the front pockets of his pants. “I didn’t get the wrong address, did I?” he asked. “Although if I did, I don’t think I should be in the position to complain.” His smile transformed into an easy smirk.
You stared at him, analyzing him, taking in the sight of his dark tousled hair and the manner in which his piercing eyes looked back at you, before opening the door a bit wider. “I take it that you’re Sirius Black?”
“The very one. And you are?”
“____ ____,” you said your full name, extending a hand out for a handshake but when Sirius took it, he didn’t do what you were expecting him to do.
Instead, he brought it closer to his mouth, pressing a kiss on your knuckles. “Beautiful name for a beautiful girl,” he replied smoothly, prompting your face to feel a bit hot.
As you were about to utter a response, Lily came behind you and saw what was happening. She rolled her eyes and playfully shoved Sirius’ shoulder, causing him to drop your hand.
“What?” he asked, mock innocence on his features but he was already laughing.
“Don’t even think about it, Black,” she warned, though she too was chuckling. She then handed him the things he came for without delay. “____ is off limits.”
“Why? Is she taken?” he asked, glancing at you as if waiting for you to confirm it yourself.
“No,” Lily answered before you could (again), “but she’s my best friend.”
“And? I’m your fiancé’s best mate. Wouldn’t that technically make us meant to be?” He smirked, eyes flickering to you once more. “Don’t you agree, love? I reckon you’re the maid of honor too—my perfect match as the best man.”
You laughed, a soft melodic sound that he got momentarily mesmerized by. “Well, I see Lily was right about what she told me about you. You do seem like a menace.”
“But charming and handsome nonetheless?”
“Sirius,” Lily walked out of the threshold and began gently pushing him to the direction where the motorbike was parked, “go before I hex you,” she said. “Or worse, uninvite you to the wedding.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll behave.” He relented, waving a hand before heading to the vehicle and placing the fetched items in the compartment.
Before he revved the engine, preparing to leave, he gave you one last look which consisted of a rather heart-fluttering grin and a very flirtatious wink.
Lily turned to you as he sped off, already reading what was on your mind. “No,” she said, her tone final.
You laughed. “I didn’t even say anything!”
“You didn’t have to. It’s written all over your face.” She scoffed with a teasing smile, marching back inside the house and leaving you there, still staring at where Sirius rode away.
****
The next time Sirius got to see you, it was at the wedding itself.
It was a small ceremony. James’ parents were there, all happy and excited for this new chapter of their son’s life, and as for Lily’s family, only her parents came to attend.
Her sister, Petunia, still had an unprovoked dislike towards wizards, a feeling that apparently couldn’t be ignored even for one day in order to be part of her sole sister’s special day.
As for other attendees, aside from some friends they went to school with back at Hogwarts, there were quite a number of Muggle friends and relatives, mostly from Lily’s side. It was for that reason that the event felt… mundane, you could say, with the absence of magical decorations and whatnots—but in the best way possible, as it gave the whole affair a more intimate and solemn feel.
“Padfoot, you’re going to turn into a giraffe if you don’t stop craning your neck like that,” Remus retorted with a chuckle.
Sirius gave him a lopsided smirk, dropping the cigarette between his fingers and extinguishing it on the ground.
He was trying to search for you among the busy crowd, curious on where you might be. It wouldn’t take long before the entourage would be asked to take their positions and he would have the excuse of having your arm latched to his, the both of you ultimately walking across the aisle as the best man and maid of honor.
After a few more giraffe-like actions of trying to catch a glimpse of you, he finally saw you talking with Lily’s parents, a baby girl not more than three years old wearing an adorable dress carried in your arms. He didn’t think much of it, assumed that she was a flower girl, though he did notice a bit of similarities between your appearance and the little lady, such as the shape of your eyes and the color of your hair.
“Excuse me,” Sirius arrived just in time beside you as the Evans went off to greet a relative, “I believe that you’re my partner for the day?” he cheekily said.
His smile was directed to you at first, but it swiftly shifted to the toddler who you still had in your arms.
“This is Esther.” You introduced with a fond grin. “My lovely daughter.”
You watched as his eyebrows rose in surprise.
“Daughter?” he repeated, though the manner in which he said it had no malice. “Well, that explains the pretty eyes.” He chuckled before doing a courteous prince-like bow to Esther. “Pleasure to be of acquaintance, Ms. Esther.”
Esther giggled, hiding behind your hair in bashfulness, though still peaked as Sirius like she was initiating a prompt peek-a-boo game.
“Where’s this cute one’s dad?” he asked next. You could tell that he was attempting to sound nonchalant about it, as if the question wasn’t being asked to check if you were single or not again despite confirming it last time. It seemed like what he wanted to confirm this time was your current relationship with the father of your child.
You shrugged. “No idea. Probably off at someone else’s bed.”
“I see.” He laughed, sounding a bit too pleased.
When you eyes met again, your lips curved upwards as his eyes twinkled.
****
For the rest of the ceremony, you and Sirius shared conversations then and there.
You reckoned that without Lily’s focus on you, there was less chances of her reprimanding you if she saw you willingly involve yourself with the heartbreaker that is Sirius Black. You weren’t lying when you said that she had said several things about Sirius prior to your first meeting, all of which involved not letting your guard down and being seduced by his ‘bad boy charm’.
“He’s generally nice,” Lily told you. “As a friend, that is—I can’t say much as a significant other—but I do know that he made loads of girls cry and curse his name back then.”
And as Sirius made you laugh after one joke and another, you could understand why. He was the type of guy who knew what the ladies loved and used it to his advantage; the type who was aware of how good looking he was and yet acted as if he didn’t, this effortless aura surrounding him that pulled you in ever so naturally.
Whenever Esther was whisked away by a friend or any elderly couple that were enamored with the presence of a child, Sirius took it as an opportunity to level up his advances. He’d compliment you, look at you with a gaze that made you a bit weak in the knees, and spoke in a voice that was all velvety and smooth—giving you an even clearer picture that this definitely wasn’t the first time he went his way to woo a woman.
“Look at those two,” you said upon seeing Lily and James sway along the rhythm of the slow music, caught in their own world at the center of the dance floor, “I find it hilarious that he’s the lad she ended up marrying. Do you know how many times she complained about him whenever she came back from Hogwarts?”
Sirius snorted. “Well, in her defense, James was a bloody tosser. He followed her around, trying to get her to go with him for even one date.”
You hummed in agreement. “Yes, but I also heard that he was an arse, always messing with Severus.”
“Oh, you’re familiar with Snivellus?” He appeared amused for a second, daresay proud at the awful nickname—but then realization dawned unto him, and he shifted his expression to a more controlled and behaved one. “I mean, Severus, yes. Severus Snape—I didn’t know you knew him too.”
Your nose wrinkled.
Instead of answering his question, you tilted your head slightly to the side before uttering out what you have been itching to say since he began blatantly showing interest to you. “I know your reputation, Sirius,” you began, “and I’ll have you know that I have no time for funny business.”
“Great. Neither do I.”
“I have a daughter.”
“Yes, as you have introduced me to the little one earlier.”
“And does that not bother you? Or do you like knowing that you can have someone with a child wrapped around your finger?”
His features softened in an instant. “Love, I don’t know what you exactly heard from Lily, but I’ll tell you this. I won’t deny how much of a menace I’ve been when we were still studying, but it has also been a few years since we graduated. I’m not entirely the same lad as I was.”
You were skeptical. No matter how talking to him throughout the evening gave enough proof to support his case (he did prove that he was a man of substance and who knew how to lead a meaningful conversation), you were also wary of putting all your trust in him. After all, this wasn’t the first time that a man charmed you and made the implication that he was going to treat you the best, only to flee the moment you made it apparent that you needed him.
“Okay,” you said.
Sirius chuckled. “Okay? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“As it’s supposed to be.” You shrugged. “It’s a free country. You can do anything you want, as they say.”
****
It has been 11 months since Sirius and you became a couple officially.
Was Lily mad?
She was furious. She scolded you nonstop for days, saying how she didn’t lack in warning you about Sirius and that you should be careful about letting men in your life, especially since the last man you let in was not only an embarrassment, but someone who had made it apparent that not everyone can stay true to their promises.
She was right, of course. You weren’t naive and you for sure were smarter this time around. There was no moment that you ever made it easy for Sirius the second he declared his intentions with you, always being transparent of your feelings and whenever he did something that you didn’t like. Your mindset was always that if he were to give up because of your ‘pickiness’ or ‘unrealistic’ demands, then it would save you the time of investing your feelings yet again to the wrong person.
But Sirius was a different breed. He was persistent. He met each ridiculous request with ease and listened to every concern you addressed to him with commendable willingness to change. Though there were still moments wherein his inherent mischievousness jumped out, when his sharp tongue rolled out at the presence of others and you saw a side of him that you didn’t particularly like—at the end, Sirius knew when to apologize and how to show you that he wasn’t all talk in saying that he was ready to change for the better for you.
As for his relationship with Esther… well, you thought that was the most compelling thing about being with Sirius, just seeing him effortlessly take on the role of her father figure without being asked to.
“Oh, Merlin, you must be the most adorable little lady in the world, darling,” Sirius cooed at Esther as he adjusted the backpack worn behind her shoulders, dressed in light denim overalls with a white shirt underneath.
She was going on a trip with your brother, along with his wife and two kids, and was going to be picked up a few minutes from now. Sirius had insisted the night prior to sleeping at your place to help you pack Esther’s things, given how the trip was going to last three days, and when you woke up this morning to prepare breakfast and some snacks she could bring, saw that Sirius had already prepared it for you.
“I didn’t know you could cook,” you mused.
“I don’t.”
“Then how—” you cut yourself off at the reminder of him being like Lily, a wizard, and the sight of the smirk plastered on his face. “Right, right. Almost forgot about that one.”
“Sirius,” you heard your daughter chime while you checked her belongings, making sure that everything was set, “will you still be here when I get back?”
Sirius smoothed her hair. “Hm, that depends, love. You know I don’t actually live here, don’t you?” He teased her.
“But you’s always sleeping here!”
“Yes, because I like spending time with your mum.” He chuckled. “And you, of course. You can’t quite sleep without me reading you your favorite storybook.”
She nodded. “Tha’s ‘cause I likes it when you read it.”
“More than you like listening to Mummy?” You jumped in the conversation, crossing your arms in fake hurt. “I’m wounded, darling. Aren’t I supposed to be your favorite?”
Esther grinned rather sheepishly. “You’s still are, Mummy. But when Sirius reads me my storybooks, he makes the characters all come to life!”
Before you could process the implication of what she said, two loud honks from a vehicle outside announced your brother’s arrival and Sirius was quick to take advantage of the distraction, ushering you to greet your brother outside while he helped with bringing Esther’s things to the car.
Once all things were settled, you kissed Esther’s cheek goodbye, a wet smooch that she giggled to, and said your farewells to your brother, his wife, and your two nieces that you hugged tightly and gave sweet kisses to as well before you stepped back in the driveway, waving as they drove off.
You turned your heel around the second the car was far enough, looking at Sirius who was leaning casually on the door frame of the front door.
“What?” he asked, but you knew that he was already aware of what the look meant.
You reached him as you entered the small house. “Do you use magic whenever you’re reading books to Esther?”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.”
“No, absolutely not.”
You raised an eyebrow, in which Sirius finally grinned.
“Okay, maybe sometimes.” He yielded. “But I promise, it’s all harmless. I just make the drawings move and run around her bedroom.”
“You…” a sigh escaped your mouth at his statement, “you make the drawings move? And, and run?”
He nodded. “It’s a simple charm, really. Makes Esther all excited too. Sometimes she even requests that I make them life sized so she could play with them.”
“Is that even allowed?”
“Well, she’s a kid, so I reckon she’d blame it to her imagination if she ever does remember this in the future.” He laughed.
You couldn’t help but laugh too, seeing his point yet still being in disbelief at the reality of all of this. You were never that weirded out by magic—in fact, you were amazed by the existence of it—but as someone who grew up with completely mundane stuff, you still couldn’t grasp its possibility and how casual Sirius was whenever the topic arose.
“You’re lucky she adores you, Sirius,” you told him, laughing and shaking your head. “If not, you wouldn’t have gotten yourself out of this one.”
The grin was still on his mouth as he gently hauled you closer to him. “What can I say? My charisma is universal.”
“I think I beg to differ.”
“Oh, are you saying that it doesn’t work on you? You haven’t fallen for my irresistible allure yet?”
“And if I were to say no?”
He kissed you, slow and lingering, enough to make your head spin a bit at how his lips moved with cognizance of what you liked. When he pulled back, he flashed you a rakish smirk that had you weak in the knees.
“Then I’ll have to change that. Can’t have Esther’s gorgeous mother not fall for me, can’t we?”
“You’ll survive.”
“No, I don’t think so.”
Another kiss. You grinned at how you could feel the intent behind the gesture.
“But seriously,” you pulled back momentarily to look him deeply in the eyes, “thanks for being there for Esther. I appreciate how you make her laugh and all. I can see that she likes being with you.”
He smiled in response. It was sincere and warm, a side of him that you have come to witness and love for the past months. “No need to thank me, darling. The kid isn’t hard to adore either. I’d say I’m honored to be part of her life.”
You continued to gaze at Sirius, his words making you feel fuzzy and gooey inside. You never thought you’d get to this point of yours and his relationship. You always assumed that he was going to get tired one way or another, or perhaps realize that dating a single mother was not for him, but here he was, smitten with you and treating your daughter as if she was his own.
“Fine, I’ll take it back.” You slyly pulled the collar of his shirt down so you could be the one to kiss him, Sirius smirking against you as you did. “Maybe I’m not immune to your irresistible allure after all.”
He laughed, the beat of his heart syncing with yours.
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#sirius black x reader#sirius black#sirius black imagines#sirius black drabbles#harry potter#harry potter fanfiction#harry potter imagines#marauders#marauders imagines#marauders fanfiction#mauraders drabbles#marauders scenarios#sirius black scenarios#sirius black x you#sirius black x y/n#sirius black fanfiction#harry potter drabbles
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THE SPARK BETWEEN US
💐 synopsis — it was good being the maknae of aespa, they always treated you like their younger sister, well Except one member who definitely thinks of you more than that.
⚠️ warnings: Urm idk why I wrote this in first persons POV but never trying that again :/, 5th member reader, avoiding
💬 Rin: first actual attempt at writing something that’s fic related, yay(?) came up to the decision of making this blog my writing fics blogs and created another for reading and interactions!
☀︎︎☁︎︎ 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓 ꆭ ᷎ ࣪ 🎀ᩖ ࣪ ۪ ̃ ✿
As I spent more time with the members of aespa, I couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging. They were all so kind and welcoming, always making sure I felt included and comfortable. Karina would often give me advice on fashion and beauty, while Giselle would share stories about her love of food and cooking. Ningning would tease me playfully, but always made sure I knew she was just joking.
But there was one member who treated me differently. Winter would often find excuses to sit next to me, or to touch my arm while we were talking. She would look at me with a gaze that was almost... intense. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I knew that Winter saw me in a different light.
At first, I tried to brush it off as mere friendliness. But as time went on, I began to realize that Winter's feelings for me went far beyond friendship. She would make subtle comments, or find ways to be close to me, even when it wasn't necessary.
I have to admit, it was a little intimidating at first. But as I got to know Winter better, I realized that she was genuinely kind and caring. She would do anything to protect me, and make sure I was happy.
And as I looked into her eyes, I couldn't help but wonder... did I feel the same way?
As I pondered my feelings, Winter's gaze seemed to hold mine for a bit longer than usual. I felt a flutter in my chest, and my heart skipped a beat. I quickly looked away, trying to brush off the sensation.
But Winter's eyes seemed to follow me, and I could sense her gaze on me even when I wasn't looking. It was as if she was trying to will me to look back at her, to acknowledge the unspoken tension between us.
I tried to focus on the conversation around me, but my mind kept wandering back to Winter. I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if we were more than just friends.
As the evening drew to a close, Winter walked me home, her arm brushing against mine. The touch sent shivers down my spine, and I felt my heart racing in my chest.
As we stood outside my door, Winter turned to me and smiled. "Thanks for tonight," she said, her voice low and husky. "I had a really great time."
I smiled back, feeling a sense of nervousness. "I had a great time too," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.
Winter's eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I thought she was going to kiss me. But then she seemed to hesitate, and instead, she leaned in and whispered, "Goodnight."
As I watched her walk away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment. But at the same time, I knew that Winter's feelings for me were real, and that she was willing to take things slow.
I smiled to myself, feeling a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, Winter and I could explore something more than friendship. And as I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but wonder what the future held for us.
The next day, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something had shifted between Winter and me. We had always been close, but the way she had looked at me the night before, the way she had whispered "goodnight" in my ear... it all felt so intimate, so personal.
As I went about my day, I found myself wondering what Winter was doing, whether she was thinking about me too. I felt a little silly, to be honest - I had never really considered Winter in a romantic way before, but now I couldn't seem to get her out of my head.
It wasn't until we met up for practice that afternoon that I saw Winter again. She smiled at me as I walked in, and I felt my heart skip a beat. We exchanged a few pleasantries, but I could sense a newfound tension between us, a sense of awareness that hadn't been there before.
As we began to practice, I found myself stealing glances at Winter, watching the way she moved with such precision and control. She was always so focused, so dedicated to her craft - and yet, when she caught my eye, I saw a flicker of something else there, something softer and more vulnerable.
I felt a pang of curiosity, and before I knew it, I was wondering what it would be like to kiss her, to hold her close and see where things might go. The thought sent a shiver down my spine, and I quickly looked away, trying to compose myself.
But as the practice drew to a close, Winter caught up to me, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked, her voice low and teasing. "You seem a little distracted."
I felt my face heat up, and I looked away, trying to play it cool. "I'm just tired, that's all," I said, trying to brush it off.
But Winter just laughed, her eyes glinting with mischief. "I don't think that's it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think you're just avoiding me."
I felt my heart skip a beat, and I turned to her, my eyes locking onto hers. "Why would I be avoiding you?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
Winter just smiled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I think you know why," she said, her voice low and husky. And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving me feeling stunned and confused.
As Winter walked away, I felt a pang of curiosity. What had she meant by that comment? Was she really suggesting that I was avoiding her, or was she just trying to get a rise out of me?
I decided to follow her, to see if I could get some answers. I caught up to her in the hallway, where she was waiting for the elevator.
"Hey," I said, trying to sound casual. "What did you mean back there?"
Winter turned to me, a sly smile spreading across her face. "I think you know exactly what I meant," she said, her eyes glinting with amusement.
I felt a flutter in my chest as I met her gaze. There was something in her eyes, something that made me feel like she could see right through me.
"I'm not sure I do," I said, trying to play it cool.
Winter laughed, a low, throaty sound. "Don't play dumb," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know you feel it too."
I felt a shiver run down my spine as she stepped closer to me. "Feel what?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Winter's eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I thought she was going to kiss me. "You know exactly what I'm talking about," she said, her voice husky with emotion.
And with that, the elevator doors opened, and Winter stepped inside, leaving me standing there, feeling stunned and confused.
For the next few days, I made a conscious effort to avoid Winter. I would take the stairs instead of the elevator, just so I wouldn't run into her. I would sit in a different part of the cafeteria during meals, and I would arrive early to practice so I could warm up before she arrived.
It wasn't that I didn't want to see her - it was just that I needed some time to think. I needed to process my feelings, to figure out what was going on between us. And I couldn't do that with Winter around, being her usual charming and persuasive self.
But as the days went by, I started to feel a little guilty. I was avoiding Winter, and I knew she had noticed. I could sense her eyes on me during practice, could feel her watching me even when I wasn't looking.
And then, one day, Winter decided to confront me. We were at practice, and I was sitting on the sidelines, taking a break. Winter walked over to me, her eyes fixed intently on mine.
"Hey," she said, her voice low and serious. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
I nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation. I knew what was coming.
Winter sat down beside me, her eyes never leaving mine. "I've noticed you've been avoiding me," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "And I want to know why."
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "I don't know what you're talking about," I said, trying to sound nonchalant.
Winter raised an eyebrow. "Don't lie to me," she said, her voice firm but gentle. "I know you've been avoiding me. And I want to know why."
I sighed, feeling a sense of resignation. I knew I couldn't avoid this conversation forever.
"Fine," I said, looking down at my feet. "I've been avoiding you because...because I don't know how to feel around you. Okay?"
Winter was silent for a moment, and I could sense her processing my words.
"Because of what I said the other day?" she asked, her voice soft and gentle.
I nodded, feeling a sense of relief. "Yeah. Because of that."
Winter nodded, her eyes never leaving mine. "I see," she said, her voice thoughtful. "Well, can I ask you something?"
I nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation.
"Do you feel the same way?" Winter asked, her voice soft and gentle.
I felt my heart skip a beat as I met her gaze. Did I feel the same way? I wasn't sure. But as I looked into Winter's eyes, I knew that I couldn't deny the spark that had ignited between us.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. Winter's eyes seemed to bore into mine, as if searching for the truth. I felt a flutter in my chest, and my heart began to beat faster.
"I...I don't know," I stammered, trying to sound nonchalant despite the turmoil inside me.
Winter's expression didn't change, but I sensed a flicker of disappointment. "Okay," she said softly, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness. "I understand."
But I could tell she didn't understand. Not really. And I couldn't blame her. I was confused myself.
Winter stood up, her movements fluid and effortless. "I'll leave you alone for now," she said, her eyes still fixed on mine. "But can I ask you one more thing?"
I nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation.
"Will you at least think about it?" Winter asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Think about how you feel, and what you want?"
I nodded again, feeling a sense of resolve. "I'll think about it," I promised, my voice firm.
Winter smiled softly, and for a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "Good," she said, her voice gentle. "I'll be waiting."
And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving me feeling more confused and uncertain than ever. But also, somehow, more hopeful.
I watched Winter walk away, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. I was glad that the conversation was over, but at the same time, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had just made things more complicated.
As I sat there, trying to process my emotions, I couldn't help but think about Winter's words. "Will you at least think about it?" she had asked, her eyes pleading with me to consider my feelings.
And I had promised her that I would. But as I sat there, I realized that I had no idea where to start. I had never really thought about my feelings for Winter before. I had always just assumed that we were friends, and that was it.
But now, I wasn't so sure. Winter's confession had thrown everything off balance, and I was left feeling confused and uncertain.
I decided to take a walk, hoping that some fresh air would clear my head. As I strolled through the streets, I couldn't help but think about Winter. I thought about the way she smiled, the way she laughed, and the way she always knew how to make me feel better.
And as I walked, I started to realize that my feelings for Winter went far beyond friendship. I felt a flutter in my chest, and my heart began to beat faster. I couldn't believe it. I had feelings for Winter.
But what did it mean? And what was I supposed to do now? I felt like I was standing at a crossroads, unsure of which path to take. But as I looked up at the sky, I knew that I had to be honest with myself. I had to acknowledge my feelings, no matter how scary it seemed.
And with that, I made a decision. I would talk to Winter again, and I would tell her how I really felt. I was nervous, but I knew it was the right thing to do.
I took a deep breath and made my way to Winter's room, my heart racing with anticipation. I had been thinking about our previous conversation nonstop, and I knew I had to talk to her again.
As I knocked on the door, Winter answered with a curious expression. "Hey, what's up?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with interest.
I smiled, feeling a sense of nervous excitement. "I wanted to talk to you about what you said the other day," I began, my voice barely above a whisper.
Winter's expression softened, and she nodded encouragingly. "I've been thinking about it a lot too," she said, her voice gentle.
I took another deep breath, feeling my heart pound in my chest. "I have to admit, I was surprised at first," I said, my eyes locking onto Winter's. "But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I feel the same way."
Winter's face lit up with a radiant smile, and she took a step closer to me. "Really?" she asked, her voice trembling with excitement.
I nodded, feeling my heart soar. "Really," I replied, my voice firm.
Winter's eyes sparkled with joy, and she reached out to take my hand. "I'm so glad," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
As our hands touched, I felt a jolt of electricity run through my body. It was like the whole world had come alive, and everything felt new and exciting. I smiled up at Winter, feeling my heart full of joy and anticipation.
As Winter's eyes sparkled with joy, I felt my heart skip a beat. We stood there for a moment, hands touching, and I knew that everything was going to be okay.
Winter smiled and leaned in close. "I'm so glad you feel the same way," she whispered, her breath tickling my ear.
I nodded, my heart racing with excitement. "Me too," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.
As we stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, I knew that this was just the beginning of our journey together. And I couldn't wait to see what the future held for us.
✰𝐀𝐄𝐒𝐏𝐀
#aespa#aespa fluff#aespa x reader#aespa x fem reader#aespa winter#aespa winter fluff#winter x reader#winter fluff#aespa reader
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Travelling back in time is an accident. Harry isn't going to waste it.
Harry glances at the calendar and grimaces. He can't go to Knockturn today. Hogwarts just let out for Summer holidays, and he's already decided to avoid the alleys until school term starts. Just in case... well. Just in case.
He never thought there would come a day that he missed Voldemort's soul pressing alongside his own, but it would make things simpler. If he could peer into Voldemort's mind, he wouldn't have to go about things the old fashioned way. As it is, one of his spies is twenty minutes late, and he can't snatch him from work on the off chance that children are wondering around places they shouldn't be.
Burke's still alive, at least. Harry would feel his death.
It does nothing for his current situation. There will be an attack today. 3 July, 1973 was significant. The day Voldemort's attacks went from targeting the Knights of Walpurgis' political opponents to involving the public.
He just can't remember where.
He knows this. He knows he does. But the time magic takes knowledge, seemingly at random, until he's left with bits of the puzzle. Harry knows Voldemort's broken his soul into pieces, but he no longer remembers what those pieces are called. He doesn't know what they're contained in, either, except one: Slytherin's locket.
Harry really needs to get a move on with this whole defeating Voldemort early thing before he forgets who he is. Forgets why he needs to.
He takes a deep breath. There's nothing for it. Diagon and Hogsmeade are the most obvious places to stage a first attack. Diagon is the more dramatic option, though Hogsmeade would strike fear, especially just a day after the children have left the station. Which one...
Fuck. He's got no time for guessing games, for hoping he knows Voldemort well enough to predict him. The Voldemort of this time is more politically minded than the one Harry defeated, and he's losing information by the day. Who knows how much he's forgotten about his Voldemort.
He needs Burke. He needs the bloody information.
Snape would be home, wouldn't he? His mother's still alive. There was no chance Lily Evans would be sulking about Knockturn. And the Marauders? No...
It should be safe enough.
It's a risk. If he sees one of them, he's going to screw up spectacularly. He has to steer clear.
Too bad he's still got a saving people thing.
He twists through the wards and lands at the apparition point. A moment later, the screaming starts.
Turns out he doesn't need his spy for this after all.
He runs towards the shouts, wand at the ready.
He puts it to good use.
"Evans?" Charlus calls out. "Is that you?"
Harry grimaces and keeps walking. Ever since he saved Charlus's baby brother in the Dark sects first Diagon Alley attack, Charlus Potter has been dogging his steps. The very last thing he wants is the be associated with this family. He already only manages to avoid being labeled a Potter by virtue of using the Sleekeazy's hair potions to settle the characteristic chaos of his hair.
If anyone can recognise its use, it is the inventor. Charlus dared to call him "cousin," before Harry sharply corrected him. He hasn't tried since, but he still has that gleam in his eyes. That set to his jaw.
The famous Potter stubbornness. Harry would be warmed by the fact that it exists outside of himself (and he is, truly, because even if he will never claim them as such, he has family here), but it's causing issues.
"Is that him, darling?" Another voice rings out, clear and lovely. Harry keeps moving along, heedless.
"Yes love, that's our errant Potter-"
Harry spins with a snarl. "I told you," he says, stepping forward to stab his wand into Charlus' chest, the threat bald, "my name is Evans. I want nothing to do with you or your family. I'm a muggleborn, for Merlin's sake."
The woman beside Charlus looks at Harry with wide grey eyes. Aside from their shade, she looks a great deal like Bellatrix LeStrange one day will. Her hair is carefully controlled, brown rather than black, and she's dressed conservatively, as is appropriate for the time period, but. She's certainly a Black.
"Are you quite sure he's yours, darling?" she near-purrs, meeting Harry's burning gaze with a fire of her own. Like recognises like. Black madness sparks in them both.
It has to be Dorea Black. Her arm is linked with Charlus', and she calls him darling. His grandmother.
He turns on his heel and flees.
Pretends the lump in his throat is from fear instead of longing.
Voldemort's yew wand twirls through his fingers as he considers the man on his knees.
Octavian Nott has always been reliable, yet...
"Are you the only one alive?"
Nott's shoulders draw tight.
"No, Vo-" Voldemort presses his magic around the proud little pureblood who dares think to say his name after he's failed. As if he's earned the privilege. "My Lord."
"And where are the others, Octavian?"
"I don't know, My Lord," Nott tells the ground. It's clear from his inflection that his teeth are gritted.
"Oh?"
"The... the vigilante put something around each of their necks. Portkeys. He said the activation phrase when I was the only one left. They... vanished."
Voldemort's methodical movements pause. The mysterious new player on the board has kidnapped his soldiers?
Well. It was an effective tactic, to be sure, but why not simply kill them? Was it weakness, or strategy?
He couldn't help but assume it was the latter. The man - and he was that from the many memory's Voldemort's stolen, though he remains cloaked - was always a move ahead. He met Voldemort's attacks each time.
It was exhilarating. Infuriating, too. The only way his every move could be so neatly countered was a spy. Yet even after he began limiting plans to his Inner Circle, the Knights, this man still knew what he would do...
"What else?" he presses, impatience growing.
"He knocked out five men with a single stunner. It... it seemed to split, my Lord, midcast. And..."
Nott truly is testing his leniency tonight. "You will not like what happens if I have need to prompt you again, Octavian."
A shudder. How positively plebian. "I apologise, My Lord. I simply do not wish to give you incorrect information."
"It just... sounded as though the portkey passphrase was in parseltongue."
Voldemort stares down at his head. Nott's been with him for a very long time. He knows what parseltongue sounds like.
Still, Voldemort must be sure.
"Look at me."
The man does speak parseltongue.
The words "fuck you" spill prettily past concealed lips.
Voldemort obsesses.
The more he learns, the more his fascination grows.
The man performs feats of magic that surprise and delight. Simple things, weaponised. Magical control the likes of which Voldemort has rarely sought to achieve. From fiendfyre, yes, but basic spellwork...
He tries to split a stunning spell. He can still only manage three branches, and they're difficult to aim.
Voldemort keeps trying.
Keeps hunting, too.
The first time he meets him on a battlefield, Voldemort shreds the spell that normally hides his vigilante. The haze cloaking features fractures.
His eyes are unforgivably green. Voldemort almost wishes he would cast the killing curse, just to see how the shade compares side by side.
Victory. He hadn't even had to fight for the other's identity. He tells himself it isn't a disappointment. He can feel the magic this man radiates. Lord Voldemort does not need to be convinced he isn't weak.
He dips his head politely, never letting his eyes stray from that brilliant shade. "Lord Voldemort," he introduces.
One beat.
Two.
Manners, he thinks mildly.
"Harry Evans," his opponent rasps out. It sounds like he hasn't talked to anybody in some time. Voldemort notes the name. Muggleborn, perhaps? Or a half-blood, like him?
Voldemort is hungry to know more. He licks his lips. Bright eyes dart to the motion, then rise back to meet his. A silly mistake. Voldemort tears into his mind.
Or, he tries to.
Blankness meets him. Not fog. Not a wall. Nothingness.
After some heavy-handed prodding, Voldemort pulls back before he is lost in the abyss.
An occlumens as well, then.
He ducks a blasting curse shot at his head.
Time to play.
Thing is, as much as Voldemort likes to play with his food, he's always been a thief at heart.
He wants to steal this man - this Harry Evans - more than he wants to break him.
He leaves with wounds his healer must tend to. They require dittany not to scar. He accepts it for the two large, arched marks. The small one, though - a knife wound, of all things - he keeps. He can rid himself of it later.
For now, though, he has something to press when he thinks of Harry.
Besides, he's not the only one to have left with marks. If Harry is smart, he will bear his well. If not... well, Lord Voldemort is generous. He can always give him more.
His men have standing orders to flee when they see him. He's still down seventeen fighters, stolen by Harry. The next time they dare to linger, he gets three more.
It's annoying to have his pawns taken. Especially because he does not know why.
Harry could ransom them to their rich families. Could try and use them as leverage over Voldemort. Could even just kill them: but he doesn't. Voldemort can tell that much from the Dark Mark. The fact he can't communicate with them or plot their locations is interesting. Unsettling, too. The magic of his mark, circumvented.
It's been a long time since he has gotten stuck on a puzzle.
He thrills at the challenge.
He next sees Harry in his human skin. The other is in Knockturn, just coming out of a shop.
How rare. He's not often spotted in public unless he's dismantling Voldemort's plans.
"Hello," he greets politely. Those green eyes slant over to him, then catch. Like he recognises Lord Voldemort even in this pitiful mask. A part of him delights at the notion, even as he double checks his magic. It remains tucked tight to his body.
"Hello," Harry breathes back.
Voldemort barely suppresses a frown. Is the other attracted to him like this? A pity. He wouldn't think Harry one to fall for a pretty face.
Still, it could prove useful... imagine what information he could pull on a date...
Green eyes trace his features intently. Voldemort is no longer used to being examined in such a way. And then-
Then Harry's magic lashes out at him without the aid of a wand, and the glamour is ripped from Voldemort's skin. He hisses in discomfort at the sensation, taking a step forward and pressing long nails to Harry's throat.
Fingers catch around his wrist before he can make contact. Somehow, Harry is strong enough to hold him in place. Strengthening rituals rendered void. Just what was this man?
The hold does nothing to stop Voldemort from stepping into him. From leaning close to his ear once they're chest to chest and hissing, low in threat, "That was rude, Harry."
The chest pressed to his moves. A laugh trembles out of Harry's throat. He sounds a touch mad. Just look what Voldemort's reduced him to...
"Sorry," he lies. "Were you doing some shopping?"
"No."
Harry hums, disbelieving. Voldemort licks his lips and stares at the neck his fingers have been denied. He wonders how much blood he can draw with a bite before Harry manages to escape.
Harry has a habit of vanishing all the marks he gives him. Such an ungrateful creature.
If given half a chance, Voldemort will bite a collar around his throat.
Harry can't breathe.
He doesn't know how it's come to this. He doesn't understand.
Voldemort's mouth is hot and urgent against his. Nails dig into his hip and back. One of Harry's hands is angling Voldemort's chin.
Voldemort lets him. Tips into his touch. Darts a tongue out to taste him.
He shivers.
Isn't he meant to be destroying Voldemort?
A wicked thought catches in his mind.
Can I destroy Voldemort like this?
Long, powerful fingers trace a burning path up his thigh.
Undo him with my touch?
He takes Voldemort in hand.
Unmake him with my mouth?
Slots teeth against his neck when Voldemort jerks. Scrapes them down when the Dark Lord shudders.
Well. It's not a plan he's thought up, before, but-
It's worth a try, isn't it?
au where auror harry potter ends up in the marauders time period, right by the beginning of voldemort’s rise.
harry potter who avoids hogwarts by all means (the memories are too painful) and instead tries to take down voldemort and his death eaters by himself.
harry who drops his last name in favor of the common muggle last name “evans” to completely separate any ties to the potters (for their sakes.)
harry evans who keeps his distance from his mom, the marauders, and snape because he knows if he sees them he’s going to ruin something.
instead, harry evans catches the attention of the potter family (who is convinced he is a long lost heir), the blacks (who start to suspect he is a new up and coming darm lord), dumbledore (who believes the same), and the dark lord himself (who is intrigued by this mysteriously strong man thwarting his every move.)
i timetravelled to when my parents were still kids to destroy the dark lord but i became his lover instead!?
#my writing#an hour long drabble#I literally saw this#scrolled down#scrolled back up#re-read the prompt#had to stay up til 1a writing#Harry/Voldemort#harrymort
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They Knew
Schlatt x gn!reader Summary: Second part to this! Schlatt takes you back to his after the bar. After all these years you're finally together in the ways you always hoped, until Schlatt's anxiety gets the best of him. Warnings: Please let me know if you find any gendered language, I haven't edited this fully yet. Swearing, making out, allusions to sex. I'm gonna torture everyone and make you wait longer for the smut
You don't remember getting out of the cab, or stumbling your way drunk through the doors of Schlatt's family home, still locking lips as you cling onto each other and giggle. He shushes you as he laughs, as he stumbles his way down the hallway towards his bedroom.
"Not very subtle you two are," a kind voice laughs from the kitchen as his mum flicks on the lights and gives him a faux stern look as the pair stumble in. Her eyes drift to you and in an instant she's in front of you, her hands are on your shoulders as she pulls you in for an excited hug.
"Well look what the cat dragged in," she says excitedly as she pulls back, hands still on her shoulder as she takes you in "oh dear look at you," she says getting a bit choked up as she takes you in, "I always knew you'd grow up to be a beautiful young woman."
"Mom come on," Schlatt grumbles embarrassed as you laugh softly next to him, making familiar pleasantries with his mum. She steps back and takes the sight of the two of you in, standing in her kitchen, like you did so often when you were kids. Now, here you were again, by some miracle, in her kitchen once again, all that time having flown by.
He hears his mum open the door before he can make his way down stairs, cringing to himself as he hears the surprised greeting she gives you.
“Oh! Hello dear,” she says sweetly as she opens the door and takes you in, “who might you be?”
You laugh nervously as you adjust your bag on your shoulder, giving the woman a polite smile, “hi Mrs schlatt -“
He cuts you off as he leaps down the stairs, sliding in between you and his mum, “this is Y/N mum,” he says, “they’re a -“ his voice stuttering in his throat as he takes you in, staring up at him, dreading the words coming from his mouth, “friend from school.”
“Mmm,” his mum chuckles behind him as she fails to stifle her laugh, “friend from school he says.”
"Come on," Schlatt groans as he stumbles a bit drunk, resting a hand on your waist, "you can talk in the morning."
"Oh in the morning huh?" she says as she raises an eyebrow at her son, who in turn groans as his cheeks flush, "alright alright" she laughs putting her hands up in surrender "I'm leaving."
"You're so embarrassing" Schlatt groans to his mum as he grabs your hand, tugging you towards his bedroom door.
"I'm just gonna say one I told you so" she says to Schlatt in a sing song voice as she walks up the stairs "'I don't like her mum' you used to say, but I always knew"
He pulls you into his bedroom as he groans, pushing the door shut as he grumbles "Jesus Christ!"
"She always knew huh?" you say teasingly as you look around his bedroom, stumbling slightly on your wobbly legs. It's a lot different than the last time you've been in here, but you've caught some of his streams before he moved out. It's comfortable, familiar, even though it's changed.
He watches you as you walk around his room, a longing in his chest making it ache. It's been so long since he's really been back, but watching you, move about his space with such familiarity makes him remember just how much you belong, how easily you fit into his life. How much he's missed you.
"I used to hate when she asked about you," he says in a soft voice as he approaches you, gently turning you in his arms as they snake around your waist.
You smile softly as you wrap your hands around his neck, "my family used to do the same."
"I used to get so embarrassed that they thought we were dating," he admits as he raises a hand to your face, cupping it gently as he rubs his thumb across your cheek. You've lost some of the baby fat you still had the last time he saw you, your face now littered with freckles etched into your skin from your time on the West Coast. Your time away from him.
"I did too," you whisper, words slightly slurred still, as you lean into his touch, "I didn't wanna be the kinda person to fall for their best friend... it was so cliche," You breathe as you look up at him, "but everyone knew."
"How was your date?" your mum beams at you as you walks through the door, throwing your shoes and coat off and dumping them on the ground.
You huffs and slink past her into the kitchen, pulling open the fridge and grabbing an apple, the first thing you sees. "It wasn't a date," you remind them as you take a bite of your apple, keeping the fridge door open to cool your suddenly warm cheeks.
"Well how was your not date then?" she says excitedly, attracting the attention of your father who pops his head out of his office.
"How did the date go kiddo?"
"It wasn't a date," you groan as he sits down at the kitchen island, burying your face in your hands.
There's the sound of doors opening and closing upstairs as excited footsteps run to the top of the stairs, "how was your date?" your brother asks. "Is Jay still here?"
All you can do is groan as you feels your face burn, "I don't like him like that."
He nods as he pulls you closer, chest against chest, holding you, "yeah," he whispers as he leans closer, "they knew. I think I knew too."
The vulnerability in his voice makes you wanna cry, the longing in his eyes makes the tears actually well up as all you can do is connect your lips to his. This kiss is passionate and soft, gentle. There's an innocence to this kiss that surprises you both, different to the desperate flurry in the cab. Those young teens that were crushing on each other coming out as if it's the first time you've both kissed anyone. The kiss you both wish had been your first.
You stand there for an eternity, softly kissing, wrapped up in each others arms. Schlatt's grip on your waist is almost bruising as he holds you against him, afraid if he loosens it even slightly you'll vanish from his life again. It feels like a dream, having you in his arms like this, feeling your lips against his. It's something he thought of countless times when he was younger, long nights laying awake yearning for you, too scared to make a move. Too scared to mess it up and ruin everything.
He can't help but deepen the kiss, his need for you growing as he drags his tongue across your lips. You part your lips for him with a gentle hum of pleasure, your hand slipping under his shirt as you do, nails scratching against his stomach ever so slightly and making him shiver.
As he gently pushes his tongue into your mouth, he finds those anxious thoughts coming back, as they did every time he thought about this all those years ago. Your tongue is thick with the taste of alcohol and he suddenly remembers just how drunk you were only 30 minutes ago, stumbling out of the cab. Had you sobered up that much?
He pulls away just slightly, breath heavy against your lips as he hold on you loosens slightly as they drift to hold your hips. He takes in the way you sway slightly as you stand there, the way your hazy eyes flutter open and struggle to concentrate fully on his face. He meets your confused gaze with a look of desire and disappointment etched on his own.
He wants you so badly he feels like it's suffocating him. But he can't like this. You're both too drunk for this, you more so than him. He doesn't wanna ruin the first chance he gets to sleep with you, to have you in all the ways he dreamed of, because you were both drunk. He wants to take his time, show you how good he can be for you, how much you belong together.
He takes a deep, grounding breath as he takes your hand out from under his shirt and intertwines your fingers. "We should get you to bed doll," he whispers as his thumb rubs soft circles on the back of your hand.
He watches your face morph into one of surprise as you stare up at him. He has to look away, he's too weak to keep staring into your pretty doe eyes, wide and sweet staring up at him. "I thought you-"
"You look beat," he says as he forces himself to pull away, his hand still connected with yours as he walks towards his bed.
"Oh," is all you can manage.
The sound of giggles fill the room as you and Schlatt do your best to stifle your laughs. He's got some stupid Youtube video playing that he insisted was the funniest thing he's ever seen, that he just had to show you.
It obviously wasn't. But here the two of you were anyway, lounging in your bed together as you fell apart laughing. By 3am, everything is suddenly the funniest thing in the world.
There's movements outside your bedroom that go totally unnoticed by you both until there's a sharp knock at your door. You fall silent as you stare at Schlatt, both of you with nervous looks written all over your faces.
"Yeah?" you call out, as Schlatt bites his hand to stop himself from laughing again.
"If you two can't be quiet, Jay can't stay the night anymore," the annoyed voice of your father grumbles from the other side of the door.
"No!" you both call out as you sit up straight, scrambling to turn the video off. "No no, dad, we're sorry, we'll go to bed." You say as you turn the lights off, listening to your father grumble to himself as he walks back down the hall.
You lay in silence in your bed for a while, trying to force yourself to go to sleep. "We interrupted the poor guys beauty sleep," Schlatt mumbles next to you, and in an instant you're both falling apart giggling again.
Schlatt has never hated himself more, he thinks as he watches you peacefully sleeping. Here you are, laying in his bed, curled up next to him, looking like a fucking vision. Had he really just turned you down? Why the fuck did he do that?
He can imagine his 16 year old self ready to throttle him if he could go back in time and tell him what just happened, 'oh yeah you finally kissed Y/N, they were practically hanging off you and you sent them to bed.' Maybe he has gone crazy.
He knows he made the right choice, he wanted your first time together to be special, memorable, not just a drunken fuck. The longer he sat there staring at you, the more he thinks maybe he ruined the only chance he would get.
Your confession earlier wasn't really a confession... was it? Could he really rely on you saying that you used to get embarrassed when people thought you were dating as a confession of your current feelings for him. That was nearly 10 years ago now.
He lets out a shaky breath as he looks down at you, watching the way your nose twitches slightly as you sleep, and arm draped across his leg. It feels so right, to have you like this, but fuck if this whole night didn't make him feel sick with anxiety.
#jschlatt#chuckle sandwich#jschlatt x reader#schlatt#fanfic authors#My writing#jschlatt x reader fluff#jschlatt x reader angst#jschlatt x reader smut#jschlatt fluff#jschlatt smut#jschlatt angst#schlatt x reader#schlatt x reader smut#schlatt x reader fluff#schlatt x reader angst#schlatt smut#schlatt fluff#schlatt angst#chuckle sandwich x reader#chuckle sammy
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Me? Jealous? Pfft!
Pairing: Minghao x fem!reader
Genre: fluff, a tinge of angst
Synopsis: in which you were jealous but your boyfriend knew how to exactly comfort you.
Why has he standing with her for over 10 minutes?! It wasn't like it mattered to you. Pfft! of course not.
You've known your boyfriend to be very respectful, so it wasn't like you didn't trust him, I mean he clearly carried the Victoria's secret shopping bag that obviously belonged to you. It was as if 'I have a girlfriend' was written in his forehead. But it didn't help that some thoughts were starting to invade your mind.
She was refined. Her back straight, making you suddenly aware of your posture. Her voice quiet, making you too conscious about you naturally outgoing nature.
And most importantly, she embodied everything you wish you were. But this wasn't the time to go through internal monologue of how you think she's better than you! She has been talking to your boyfriend like she has known him for 30 years.
You were starting to go over 30 ways to commit murder without getting caught but your boyfriend finally made his way to you, after, in your opinion, a conversation that has been going on for too long.
"I'm sorry if I made you wait." He smiled guiltily.
"It's fine." Your sudden quietness caught him off-guard, and for someone as perceptive as Minghao, it wasn't hard to guess that something was off.
The store names in the mall were suddenly very interesting and it was painfully obvious that you were avoiding his gaze.
"Baobei, are you upset?" He knew you were weak for that nickname and it was apparent from the rosy tint of your cheeks, but you were giving one-word responses, which wasn't like you at all.
"No, Why would I be?" You manged to fake a smile which pretty much looked like a grimace.
You scoffed "Me?Jealous? Pfft!"
"Did anyone bother you while I was talking to [girl's name]?"
Oh, so he also knew her name?
Unfortunately for you, he noticed the furrow of your eyebrows when he said her name.
"Or is it me?...Are you jealous?"
He raised an eyebrow at how defensive you suddenly got. You two were back to his car and as soon as you closed the doors, you knew he had something to say.
"Baobei, talk to me. You know I don't like leaving things unresolved." His tone was serious but still gentle.
"No- No, It's not something to resolve. It's silly and I don't want to make a big deal out of nothing." You bit at your fingertip.
"It isn't nothing if it makes you upset, please tell me." He grabbed both your hands.
"She was just so...you. She is everything I want to be and that just made me a bit insecure and it really isn't your fault and the fact that I didn't know what had you so focused on what she said made me feel...I'm sorry I'm being childish." You look down at your hands.
He raised your chin with two fingers and slowly pulls you closer. "First of all, she is the choreographer of our new comeback. She wanted to ask about my input for the choreography. And what do you mean she's so me? You're a part of me that could well enough define who I am. No other person could ever replicate whatever you could do to make me feel how I do."
At this point these words were too much for you, and how he described you so romantically wasn't helping in how red your face was getting.
"Yes- I mean no and um you know-" You could no longer make sense of what you can say. You were too hyper-aware of the distance between you two.
He smiled knowing the buttons he pushed and decided to pull the final move.
He pulled you in and his lips landed on yours. You grabbed onto his shoulders and started kissing him like it was the last time. The slow yet desperate rhythm of both your lips was too much for you and when you suddenly pulled away a realization dawned upon you.
He could talk to a thousand girls and only you could get to devour his lips that way. You smiled to yourself at the thought but you instantly snapped out of it at your boyfriend's voice.
"Was it that good?"
Reblogs and comments are appreciated!
#seventeen#svt#svt fluff#svt drabbles#seventeen fluff#seventeen drabbles#seventeen x reader#seventeen x you#minghao#the8#minghao x reader#myungho#xu minghao#minghao fluff#minghao angst#svt angst#seventeen angst#the8 fluff#seo myungho
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what took you so long?
A tender moment between john and gale in stalag, written for mota's 1 year anniversary and the beginning of the way they consumed my life lol.
John woke up one night to find Gale in his space.
*
It wasn’t unusual for Gale to hover nearby now. To watch him carefully when he thought John was sleeping. To trace his broken eye socket tenderly before sighing and retiring to his own bunk. But this was different.
Gale had been restless all evening. John had noticed the way he kept fidgeting, the way he looked over at John more than once as if he wanted to say something but he never did.
John hadn’t pressed. He knew Gale and he knew pressuring him would end up doing the exact opposite of drawing him out of his shell. He let Gale sit in his usual spot near the bunk and pretended not to notice how he stayed there longer than necessary. Even when the lights were out and everyone else had gone to sleep. John closed his eyes and waited for sleep to come. Eventually, Gale had gone to bed as well.
Or so John thought.
Now, as John blinked blearily in the dark of the night, he realized Gale wasn’t in his own bunk.
He was sitting on the floor, knees drawn up, back pressed lightly against the edge of John’s mattress.
This was it. John took a slow breath. “Couldn’t sleep?”
Gale didn’t startle.
Didn’t move.
He just exhaled quietly. “No.”
John shifted up onto his elbows, watching him. “Why are you down there?”
A beat.
Then, soft, hesitant..
“…I wanted to be close.”
John felt something in his chest ache.
He reached out, slow and deliberate, brushing his knuckles lightly against Gale’s shoulder. “Come up here.”
Gale hesitated.
Then, carefully, deliberately, he moved.
John barely had time to shift before Gale was easing into the bed beside him gingerly, not quite touching, but close enough that John could feel his warmth and the slight shake of his limbs.
Gale let out a slow breath, his fingers twitching slightly against the blankets.
John watched him carefully. Then, quietly he whispered
“Come here.”
Gale shivered. Eyeing John for a second before finally, he gave in.
He shifted closer, pressing into John’s side, his head tilting just slightly toward him.
John let out a slow breath, moving his head to rest lightly against Gale’s. “You okay?”
Gale swallowed.
“…I think so.”
John let his hand brush lightly over Gale’s wrist, grounding. He felt Gale exhale, leaning into him a little more.
And John knew.
Gale wasn’t just letting himself be close.
He was asking for it. Not in words, but in ways he knew John understood. In ways John had learned about Gale over years of knowing him.
John could feel it, the way he was right there, close enough that he could reach for him easily, pull him close enough that John could feel the heat of him, but still holding back.
Still keeping that last bit of distance.
And John had let him. For weeks, he had let Gale take his time, let him hover just close enough, let him almost reach for him but never quite. He had been patient even though patience was never his forte. But now that Gale was here, now that he was looking at John like he wanted something but didn’t know if he was allowed to have it, John wasn’t waiting anymore.
“Come here.”
Gale inhaled sharply.
John didn’t move.
Didn’t pull him in.
Didn’t force it.
He just offered.
And this time Gale took it.
He moved slowly at first, hesitant, like he still wasn’t sure if he should. But the second John reached for him, really reached, with both arms, steady and certain, Gale let out a shaky breath and melted.
John had been holding himself back for weeks.
Now, finally, he didn’t have to.
His arms wrapped around Gale, solid and unshaking, pulling him in, pressing him against his chest the way he had wanted to all those long nights when Gale had been too far away. Nights when he wasn’t even sure if he’d ever feel Gale again.
Gale didn’t resist.
Didn’t tense.
Didn’t hold himself back.
He just went.
Went into John’s space, into John’s arms, like he had been waiting for this just as much as John had. His body eased against him, his weight pressing fully into John, like he trusted him to hold him up, to keep him steady.
John exhaled slowly, one hand smoothing over Gale’s back, the other pressing warm and steady between his shoulder blades.
He felt Gale shudder and he knew it wasn’t from pain or exhaustion. It was from relief.
John squeezed his eyes shut, breathing him in.
Finally.
Finally, finally.
His hand moved up slowly, brushing lightly against the back of Gale’s neck. Touching the blond baby hairs tenderly. His voice was low, warm.
“What took you so long?”
Gale let out a soft, breathless sound, half a laugh, half a sigh.
Then, muffled against John’s blouse,
“I didn’t know if I could.”
John pulled back just enough to see his face. “And now?”
Gale swallowed, his fingers curling lightly in the fabric of John’s shirt. “Now I don’t want to stop.”
John’s chest ached.
He cupped the side of Gale’s face, thumb brushing lightly over his cheekbone. “Then don’t.”
Gale inhaled shakily. His eyes were softer now. Still tired, still carrying everything he had been holding onto, but softer. More himself.
John tilted his forehead against Gale’s, voice quiet. “I wanted to give you space”
Gale’s breath caught. “I know John” a pause “don’t want space anymmore”
John tightened his arms around him. “then stay right here.”
Gale sighed, exhaling long and slow, pressing himself closer.
And John just held him.
Held him the way he had wanted to for so long.
Held him the way he needed to.
Held him until Gale finally, finally let go of the distance between them.
over the past few weeks my beloved moots @joeyalohadream @middlingmay @onyxsboxes @trekkiehood and @stars-remain2 have tagged me in last line tags and word finding games. i just wanted to say i appreciate u guys thinking abt little old me sm and i hope this makes up for those <3
#mota#clegan#mota fic#clegan fic#buck x bucky#gale cleven#john egan#drabble#mota drabble#mota fanfic
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Musings on a skin loving Boothill ~
Yeah, bath thoughts. They kept coming and I was like aaaaa write them down. cws: nsfw suggestions, nothing explicit, mentions boobs but could easily be pecks, Boothill's dodgy and excessively charming use of language, he feels.
Boothill who has become increasingly attracted to and fascinated by skin and flesh since he's become a cyborg, his own replaced with flexible but firm metal plating. Initially, he shrugged it off, the fleeting moments of interest he found himself having when encountered with some bare skin, his eyes lingering a touch longer than usual. He ain't got no muddle-fudgin' time for pond'rin that hodgepodge. But now he has you, a sweet thing he likes a bit too much, and who seems suspiciously receptive to his weird affections. So butter my fudge 'n' call me a biscuit he might as well indulge a little hm?
Freckles and moles ~ whenever they're visible, wherever, he finds himself a touch distracted. It's usually if you're relaxed together somewhere, on the bed, the couch, which isn't extremely often so it just increases the intensity of it. He'll run the smooth metal pads of his fingertips over the small darkened speckles of skin, bullseye pupil following the movements with a strange sort of determined affection. He doesn't have these, anymore, other than the ones on his cheek, and they're all the more beautiful to him because of it, small dots of cuteness. If he was some sappy forker like Argenti he would probably make some simile about the stars...or somethin' like that.
(addition, he'll get all blushy and awkward when you notice his fascination and you make a gentle comment about the small nicks and scratches on his metal being his freckles, and that you love tracing those too. He sees them in a whole new light when he takes a glance in the mirror, catching a curl on his lips before shaking his head and moving on. He's a tough guy you hear?)
The way it bends and curves around clothing, his fingers, anything ~ like I said his metal is flexible enough for him to move almost like normal. Enough to pull those way-too-attractive and very unnecessary poses as he shoots, or threatens to. But it doesn't act the same. It doesn't squish slightly under tighter clothing, making the skin puff ever so slightly either side of whatevers obstructing it's usual gorgeous curve. It doesn't leave indents afterwards either. And he loves the way yours does that, his metallic fingers twitching slightly with the urge to squish it himself.
(addition because HEHE ~ I like to think he's a boobs and an ass guy, well he's an all of you guy, tbh, but: he likes boobs the most, or tends to them, because they're in front when he's talking or doing other very fun things, and he can see the way they squish and bulge under his fingers easier.)
Spreading moisturiser onto you ~ okay, so he loves the way it squishes and moves under his touch. That naturally shifts to when he sees you spreading cream or any products you use on your skin, especially your body other than your face. He wants to watch the skin move subtly under his direct movements, the cream making his metal slightly slick and slide softly against you. It's so intimate, and often he's not even thinking about the sexual implications that could be applied here, just enjoying not only the feel and sight of your skin, but helping you do something, tending to you and your body which he adores.
Saying that, I think his perception of bodies might have shifted too. The man decided to change his own, seeing his body as a tool. And while it is deep rooted in survivors guilt and vengeance, I think it would have likely rubbed off on his perceptions of bodies in general. Now I don't think he'd view yours as a tool the way he does his, no. Quite the opposite perhaps. He sees it as almost a vessel for you, a 'temple' but in a practical sense. It's the thing that keeps you here, represents you, enables you. Therefore it must be looked after, treated with upmost care and respect, like a well used and well cared for piece of equipment, which it essentially is. But also not in a dainty goddess type of way, I feel. He's a strong man, a hardened one, taught respect for life and the strength and beauty of life, and taking it, from a young age. And he knows how quickly it can be taken away. So he sees your body that way, too, as strong, capable, but less so than his ol' metal one. Cute :3
Biting ~ okay back to the stuff that doesn't make me feel like crying - he likes to nom on your skin. The feel of it bending underneath his sharpened teeth, the act itself just being so him and cheeky. He won't hurt you, unless it's an accident or you ask him to, though he might need some convincing. But he just likes nibbling you like a puppy with their baby needle teeth. Is he teething permanently? Maybe. You don't mind.
Falling asleep on you and then tracing the faint imprints left by his plates ~ that's the point. He'll wake up all sleepy, you still tucked underneath him, and shift slightly, moving his arm or middle that was rested cosily onto you, the plates now warmed from your body heat, and notice the faint lines across your skin that the indents of his metal pieces left. There is a small cheeky flash of hehe-i-made-those in his little sleepy grin as he'll trace them with his fingers, trying not to wake you up.
Ultimately - the way your skin moves, the imperfections across it, the way it feels, they remind him you're alive. Something he felt he parted with a long time ago. And fudge me sideways he'd rather keep it that way.
#hsr#hsr headcanons#honkai star rail#hsr x reader#boothill#boothill x reader#hsr boothill#boothill headcanons#boothill honkai star rail#hsr fluff
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This is a really short request but jayvik x reader who like just randomly cut her hair short one day for no reason other than vibes
A SMALL CHANGE - JAYVIK X READER
synopsis: you’ve always had luscious hair. It was the main thing people complimented you on, and you’re starting to hate it. You’ve always wanted to change your hairstyle; try something new. After a minor crash out, you’ve got no choice but to chop it all off. Hopefully, you won't regret it in the morning.
warnings: y'all smoke in this, crash out (no reason in particular described), impulsively cutting your hair, overthinking, your boys LOVE the new look; stop being a silly goose, fluff, pre-established relationship, Grammarly is my beta
genre: m/m/f or m/m/m
p.s. I went through a phase for a few years where the longest my hair went was just brushing my shoulders. I had a french bob for a while, I even experimented with bangs that weren't curtain style. I'd love to go as short as Winona is up above but I'd like to re-experience my long hair again before that. Hope y'all enjoy!
Life’s been kicking your ass recently
Nothing has gone to plan. Your work life, social life, hell even some of your romantic life has taken a small hit due to the importance of Hextech and he council breathing down your boys necks.
So one day, when they're out late, and you mean late at the lab, the straw finally broke the camels back. And you crashed out. Hard.
After all this built-up tension, and frustration, you just couldn't take it anymore.
In an oversized t-shirt stolen from Jayce and a simple pair of underwear, you snag your pack of cigarettes out of your bedside drawer. You quickly sit on your windowsill in your room and pop a cigarette in between your lips and start to puff like a train.
It’s not helping you in the way it usually does. You're running your hands through your hair, your leg is bouncing up and down incessantly, your anxiety hasn't wained at all.
As you look out into the distance and see the councillor's tower, you get up and stomp your way to the bathroom. You hastily enter the ensuite and slam your hands into the counter, swiping off all of your toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, and deodorant.
You look in the mirror and glare at yourself, inhaling shakily and exhaling the cigarette still gently placed in your mouth. You open the medicine cabinet and grab a pair of scissors, and without even thinking, you grab a chunk of hair.
Snip.
You freeze for a moment. Holy shit. You just… yup. You just cut a good chunk of hair off. Maybe like… six inches? Seven?
Well, shit. You don't have the power to reverse time so… you've gotta fix this. You've always wanted to change your hair, even if others disagreed with you. But you thought you'd be in a salon chair getting this mini makeover, not at three in the morning as you angrily cut your hair without thinking.
So you do just that. You start to cut your hair.
Snip.
Snip.
Snip.
More and more hair falls into the sink, it's almost a ridiculous amount. It looks like a small dog at this point. A little bit of layering here, face-framing pieces here, you even add some curtain bangs to accentuate your features.
Almost all of your hair is in the sink by the time you're done. You calmly place the scissors down and look at yourself in the mirror, appreciating your work.
The haircut is the shortest your hair has ever been. It stops at the nape of your neck, there are longer layers, curtain bangs, and a nice voluminousness to your hair now. You run a hand through your hair and giggle. It's so short, so light, so different.
You put two fingers onto your cigarette and inhale once more, taking the tobacco out of your mouth and slowly exhaling, you rub one eye with the hand holding the cigarette, aiming the lighted end away from your face and hair. You smile at yourself in the mirror.
You look good. Better than good. You look fantastic! You freeze for a moment when a freight train hits you. Oh god. Viktor and Jayce have no idea about what you've just done. They're gonna come home and all your hair is essentially gone. What if they hate it? What if they think you're ugly? What if they break up with you?
You shut those thoughts down quickly. They're not vain. They won't break your heart over something so minuscule. You put the cigarette back in between your lips and clean up the bathroom. Cleaning the sink by tossing all the hair you can into the trash, the rest going down the drain. You pick up all the care items you swiped and put them back in their respective spots.
You take one last look in the mirror and casually stroll back to your bedroom, finishing the cigarette and putting it out in your ashtray at the windowsill. A light groan escapes you as you stretch and bundle yourself into your bed. You'll worry about Jayce and Viktor's reaction in the morning.
Its now the morning and you completely forgot about what you did until you wake up and run a hand through your hair.
You chopped it all off last night. Oops.
Some noise in the kitchen disturbs your thoughts, so you whip on some comfy pajama shorts and put some slippers onto your feet, the floors are cold in the morning.
Jayce is bustling in the kitchen as Viktor sits at the island sipping his coffee, and reading the newspaper.
Their attention immediately turns to you when they hear you shuffle into the room. They look shocked at your appearance.
“Holy shit babe,” Jayce starts, almost dropping a pan, “Your hair. It looks—”
“Bad.” You nervously interrupt, as your eyes dart between the two of them. Jayce's jaw stays dropped as he checks you out, Viktor lightly shakes his head and smirks “Good. He was going to say it looks good darling. Phenomenal I’d say. It frames your face wonderfully, and it leaves more skin exposed.”
You feel your face heat up at his deceleration and run a hand through your hair, it fluffs up your bangs and it makes Jayce choke a bit as Viktor sniggers. You sit next to Viktor and he immediately places a kiss on your bare shoulder. “See? Oversized shirt, short hair, easy access.”
A small snort escapes you as you lightly slap Viktor in the chest, “You perv.”
“It's the truth! Jayce, tell them!”
Jayce looks at you, eyes big and pleading, “He’s right. I thought you were attractive before but wow… this haircut really suits you.”
You can't help but smile at your two boys. Your mind made you think the craziest thougts. Jumping through fire to get to those conclusions. But you knew they really wouldn't mind, they love you, not your hair.
And they seem to really really like it.
So having a minor crash out at three in the morning and impulsively cutting your hair was a good thing after all. Who knew?
I too have impulsively cut my hair at 3am, the shortest I went was a french bob. I'm currently growing my hair out after having it short for three years. I want long hair again for a while before doing a big chop like the one up above.
#arcane#viktor arcane#jayce talis#arcane imagine#arcane x reader#jayce x viktor x reader#jayvik x reader#fem!reader#male!reader#gender neutral reader#banners by cafekitsune
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THE RIGHT MOMENT WILL SMITH
Summary :: In a quiet moment with Will, the world around you fades as he leans in for a kiss, turning a simple touch into something deeper—something both of you have secretly longed for. (REQUESTED :: prompt 11)
Warnings :: kissing
Word count :: 2.1k
The evening air carries a cool, crisp bite, but it’s not enough to dull the warmth that spreads through you as you walk alongside Will. The arena’s sounds still echo in your mind—shouts from the crowd, the scrape of skates against ice—but here, out on the quiet streets of San Jose, everything feels calmer, more intimate.
You keep your hands buried in the pockets of your jacket, your steps slow but sure as you walk alongside him. For the first time tonight, the thrill of the game feels far away, and it’s as if the world around you has shrunk to just the two of you, caught in the spell of the post-game glow.
Will’s laughter fills the silence between you. “So, what do you think? Pretty good for a rookie, huh?” He raises an eyebrow in your direction, a playful glint in his eye.
You roll your eyes with a smirk, despite the flutter of something you can’t quite name curling up inside you. “A rookie, huh? Is that what we’re calling it now? You’ve been playing hockey for what, a few years?”
He shrugs nonchalantly, the motion casual but confident. “Just getting started,” he teases, nudging you gently with his shoulder.
It’s the way he’s always been—lighthearted, charming in that effortlessly disarming way—but there’s something different tonight. Something underlying in the way he looks at you, the way his smile lingers a little longer than it usually does. You can feel it, too—an energy that shifts the atmosphere around you, making your skin feel just a little bit warmer.
There’s an undeniable pull between the two of you, something deeper than just camaraderie or friendship. You can’t deny the way your heart races a little faster every time his hand brushes against yours, how his laughter sends a wave of warmth through you, or how his presence has become something you can’t quite imagine your life without.
You think you’ve known him well—his jokes, his competitive spirit, his dry sense of humor—but now, in this quiet moment between the two of you, you realize there’s a lot more to him. Something behind those blue eyes that’s been there all along but never quite surfaced.
Will falls quiet as you both make your way to the park, his gaze flickering toward the water. He seems to be thinking about something, lost in thought, and it’s then that you realize you’ve never truly understood him—not the way you want to, at least.
“You okay?” you ask, your voice soft as you step up next to him, feeling a strange sense of vulnerability that you’re not sure how to navigate.
He exhales, a soft sigh escaping his lips, and you watch him closely. “Just thinking,” he says quietly. “About the game, mostly.”
But there’s something in his voice that doesn’t quite match his words, a faint sadness or exhaustion that you can’t quite place. You reach out, instinctively, placing a hand on his arm. The warmth of your touch seems to pull him from his thoughts, and he looks down at you, surprised but not pulling away.
“You know you don’t have to carry all that weight on your own, right?”
Will’s eyes soften, and for the first time tonight, he looks at you with something raw, something unguarded. His smile falters, just for a second. “I know,” he says, his voice quiet, almost a whisper. “But sometimes… it’s hard.”
You don’t push him for more; instead, you just stand there with him, offering him the kind of quiet comfort you know he needs. There’s something sacred about this—about sharing these unspoken moments.
It’s then that Will looks back at you fully, his eyes catching yours with a depth that sends a flutter through your chest. For a second, time seems to slow. The air feels thicker, heavier, and every nerve in your body feels electric.
He’s standing closer now, and the space between you feels smaller than it ever has before.
“I don’t know what it is about tonight,” Will says, his voice low, almost hesitant. “But I feel… like everything’s different.”
You meet his gaze, your breath catching in your throat. You know exactly what he means.
Everything about tonight feels different. The way his hand brushes against yours when he speaks, the way his eyes linger on yours a little longer than usual, the way your heart skips a beat each time he smiles at you. There’s an unspoken tension hanging between you now—raw, intense, and impossibly close.
He steps forward, and you instinctively mirror his movement, closing the distance until there’s barely any space between you. His gaze flickers to your lips, then back to your eyes. You can see the question there—unsaid but clear. And you realize, for the first time, that the answer is already on the tip of your tongue.
Before you can respond, Will reaches out, his hand gently cupping your cheek. His touch is soft, almost reverent, as if he’s afraid you’ll disappear if he presses too hard. And for a brief moment, you close your eyes, letting yourself savor the feel of him so close. The steady rhythm of his breath, the warmth of his hand, the feeling that you’re standing at the edge of something monumental.
“I really want to kiss you right now.” Will says, his voice so low it sends a shiver down your spine.
The words hang in the air like a delicate thread, each syllable weighted with sincerity. His voice is hushed, almost like he’s afraid the world will hear him, but it’s also full of longing—raw, untamed, and vulnerable in a way you’ve never heard from him before.
You feel it—the undeniable pull of his presence, the tension between you that’s been building up ever since the game ended. The world around you feels distant now, muted as if you’re caught in a moment that’s too powerful for anything to intrude. It’s just the two of you, standing in the park with the quiet sound of waves lapping at the dock. The city’s busy hum is a faint backdrop, but all you can hear is his voice, so close, and the thudding of your own heart in your chest.
You stand frozen, your heart hammering in your chest as the air between you seems to thicken with every passing second. The words he’s just spoken seem to echo in your mind, over and over, almost like you’re afraid they’ll disappear if you don’t pay attention to them. You’ve known, deep down, that something has been building between you two for a while now, but hearing him say it out loud—so simply, so honestly—makes everything click into place. The confusion, the unspoken tension, the electricity that you’ve both been dancing around for what feels like forever.
For a moment, neither of you moves. You’re both caught in the weight of it. His gaze doesn’t leave yours, and you’re caught in his eyes—those deep blue pools that seem to see straight through you, to the very heart of your soul. It’s like the world outside you no longer matters. There’s just him. And you. And the unspoken truth that lingers between you.
His chest rises and falls as if he’s holding his breath, waiting for your response. You can feel the way his entire body is attuned to you, like he’s waiting for a signal, a sign that this moment is right. And you know—without a doubt—that it is.
You step forward, just a fraction, your body instinctively responding to the pull. You’re not sure what’s happening anymore, but it feels like the most natural thing in the world. His words, his presence, the feeling that everything has been building up to this exact moment. It’s like all the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place.
Without thinking, without hesitation, you lean in closer. The space between you feels impossibly small, and then, in a heartbeat, your lips meet his.
The kiss is slow at first, tentative, like neither of you wants to rush through it. There’s something soft and delicate about it, as if you’re both savoring the moment, uncertain and yet so sure at the same time. His lips are warm against yours, gently pressing in, and you feel your heart skip a beat, the thrum of his presence filling every part of you. His touch is tender, almost unsure, like he’s testing the waters, trying to gauge how far he can go. And you can’t help but let out a quiet breath, your hands instinctively finding their way to him.
You feel his hand gently cup the back of your neck, his fingers brushing over your skin, sending a ripple of warmth through you. It’s a simple touch, but it’s enough to send your pulse racing, to ignite something deep inside of you that you’ve been trying to ignore. His fingers press lightly into the nape of your neck, urging you closer, and you respond without thinking, your arms slipping around his waist, pulling him in just as tightly. You can feel the steady beat of his heart against your chest, the intensity of the moment taking over everything else.
The kiss deepens, and it’s everything you’ve imagined and more. His lips move against yours with a sense of urgency now, as if he’s afraid it might slip away, and you can’t help but melt into him, your body pressing closer, your fingers tangling in the fabric of his jacket. Every inch of you is on fire, every sense heightened as the kiss becomes more passionate, more intense. The slow burn ignites, spreading through you like wildfire.
You lose yourself in him, in the heat of the kiss, in the electricity that zips between you both. It’s not just about the physicality—it’s everything. The emotion, the need, the unspoken words that have been building up for far too long. It’s everything you’ve been holding back, everything that’s been simmering beneath the surface.
Will exhales into the kiss, the sound soft, almost relieved, as if he’s been holding his breath this entire time, waiting for the moment to be right. It’s a sound that resonates deep within you, filling you with warmth. His hand moves from your neck to your jaw, his thumb brushing over the curve of your cheek, and you can feel the tenderness in his touch, the care he’s taking with you. It’s like he’s savoring every second, making sure it’s everything he’s been wanting and more.
The kiss becomes slower, more deliberate now, as if he’s afraid to break the spell, afraid that if he pulls away, it might all vanish. But it’s impossible to ignore the way your body is responding to him—how the kiss is no longer just a simple connection, but a release, a moment where all the tension, all the longing, finally finds its resolution.
And yet, despite the intensity, it’s gentle. There’s something tender about the way he holds you, the way he’s kissing you as if you’re something precious, something he’s been waiting for. It’s like every part of him is pouring into this kiss, into this moment, and you feel it all—the depth of it, the emotion behind it, the desire.
Eventually, he pulls away, just a little, his forehead resting gently against yours, both of you breathing heavily, your faces flushed, your lips still tingling from the contact. The space between you is just as charged, even though your lips are no longer touching. Will’s eyes are closed for a moment, his breath shallow as if he’s gathering himself, trying to calm the storm that’s rushing through both of you.
He opens his eyes, and they’re softer now, almost vulnerable, as if something inside him has shifted. He looks at you like he’s seeing you for the first time, or perhaps like he’s finally allowing himself to see you in a way he hasn’t before.
“I’ve wanted this for so long,” he murmurs, his voice thick with emotion. “I’ve just been… waiting for the right moment.”
His words are raw, unguarded, and they hit you like a wave, crashing over you in a rush. The weight of everything he’s been carrying, everything he’s been holding back, is suddenly so clear, so real. You can feel it—his desire, his fear, his hope—and it makes your chest tighten with emotion.
You smile softly, a warmth spreading through you at his admission. Your fingers trace the line of his jaw, gently brushing over his skin. “I think the right moment is now,” you whisper, your voice steady but filled with the depth of everything that’s been building between you two.
Will chuckles softly, his lips curling into that familiar grin that makes your heart flutter. “I think you’re right,” he replies, his voice still laced with the same mixture of relief and wonder.
And as the night stretches on, the world around you seems to fall away. The city’s lights twinkle softly in the distance, the sounds of life are distant, fading into the background, and all that remains is the feeling of him—so close, so real.
#nhl#nhl imagine#nhl x reader#nhl x you#will smith nhl#will smith x reader#will smith hockey#will smith imagine#ws2#ws2 x reader#ws2 imagine#san jose sharks x reader#san jose sharks imagine#san jose sharks#sj sharks
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Birthday Boy
Masterlist
Jamie Tartt x fem! PA reader
TW: cursing, suggestive scenes
It was still early in the morning when Y/N arrived at Jamie’s house, the first rays of sunlight spilling through the windows as she approached the front door. She had come well before anyone else, knowing that setting up for Jamie’s birthday party was going to take all day. As his personal assistant, she’d seen her fair share of birthday disasters. But this one would be different. She was determined to make sure everything went off without a hitch, even if it meant dealing with Jamie’s antics, especially early in the morning.
She rang the doorbell, shifting the stack of decorations in her arms, hands too occupied to rummage for her keys. The door opened almost immediately, and there he was: Jamie Tartt, the birthday boy, wearing a goofy grin and a T-shirt with boxer shorts. His hair was a mess and he was barefoot—clearly, he had just rolled out of bed. Not a sight that Y/N isn't used to, being his assistant for almost one and a half years
“‘Bout time, love,” he said, stepping aside so she could come in. “Been waitin’ ages.”
Y/N snorted, stepping inside with a bag full of decorations. “Jamie, it’s seven in the morning. I know you've been sleeping...”
“Exactly. I've waited for you to congratulate me in me dreams,” he said, dramatic as ever.
She rolled her eyes but grinned. “Happy birthday, Jamie.”
Before he could respond, she pulled him into a warm hug. He barely hesitated before wrapping his arms around her, squeezing her just tight enough to make her stomach flip.
“Mmm,” he hummed, resting his chin on her shoulder. “Best gift so far. You're always the first person to wish me happy birthday, never breaking that tradition,” he mumbled into her hair.
Y/N huffed a laugh, pulling back, but Jamie kept his hands on her waist for just a second longer than necessary before finally letting go.
“Alright, let's get to work,” she said, clearing her throat and ignoring the way her skin burned where he’d touched her. “We’ve got a lot to do before tonight, decorations, setting the table, and so on. So you go eat some breakfast or something while I get started.”
Jamie didn’t move. Instead, he crossed his arms and gave her a smug look. “Or—hear me out—I stay right here and help.”
Y/N arched a brow. “Help? You? On your birthday?”
Jamie gasped. “Excuse me? I can be helpful.”
She gave him a pointed look. “Jamie, last week you tried to put together a shelf and nearly set your kitchen on fire.”
“Okay, first of all,” Jamie said, holding up a finger, “there was no actual fire, just a tiny bit of smoke. Second, this is different. It’s my party, innit? I should get a say.”
Y/N sighed, rubbing her temples. “Fine. Just—try not to destroy anything.”
Jamie grinned. “No promises. You want coffee?”
"Yes, milk, no sugar please!" Y/n shouted after him as he made his way to the kitchen. She was hot on his heels.
"I know how you drink your coffee, silly" Jamie shouted back.
"Sooo," Y/N said while propping herself on Jamie's kitchen counter while she watched him prepare her cup. "You got any special wishes for your birthday this year?"
Jamie only hummed in thought then walked towards her, standing between her legs and handing her the cup.
"Not that I can think of right now." he placed his hands on her knees.
Nervous, that's one way to describe Y/N's feelings, being in this position with Jamie right now.
"Well, if you can think of any presents you'd want, tell me." She hurriedly said and jumped off the counter. "Time for decorations!"
An Hour Later
Y/N stood on her tippy toes, trying and failing to tape up a banner over the kitchen doorway. She almost had it—just a little higher and—
“Need help, love?”
She nearly jumped out of her skin as Jamie suddenly appeared behind her, way too close. She could feel his chest against her back, his breath tickling her ear. He changed into his joggers, wanting to get a workout in before the party started.
“I got it,” she said, trying to act unaffected, even though her pulse had gone haywire. So close. She could feel his warm breath in her neck.
Jamie, of course, ignored her. His hands landed on her waist—big, warm, deliberate—and he effortlessly lifted her an extra few inches.
“There ya go,” he murmured, voice low, right by her ear.
Y/N’s fingers fumbled slightly with the tape, her brain short-circuiting at the very obvious way his hands tightened around her hips. She pressed the banner in place, clearing her throat.
“Okay. Done.”
"Look you did it all by yourself now, I only gave you a little boost..." Jamie didn’t put her down immediately. Instead, he hummed. “Y’know, this is kinda nice.”
Y/N scoffed, but it was weaker than intended. “Jamie.”
“What?” he said, finally lowering her back to the ground, though his hands lingered. “S’not my fault you’re tiny. Kinda cute, actually.”
Y/N turned to glare at him, but Jamie just smirked, tilting his head.
“You’d make a good birthday present, y’know.”
Y/N blinked. “What?”
Jamie grinned. “I mean, s’my birthday, right? You asked me what I'd wish for. And you’re already here, lookin’ all cute, helpin’ me set this all up an’ shit. If you really wanted to make my day, you could just—” He gestured vaguely, smirking down at her. “—put a bow on or somethin’.”
Y/N groaned and slapped his chest lightly. “Jamie, for the love of God—”
“Ohhh, or better yet,” he continued, completely ignoring her, “I could unwrap you instead.”
Y/N then smacked his arm, hard, face burning up. “Jesus Christ, Jamie!”
He cackled, clearly pleased with himself. “C’mon, love. You wouldn’t deny me my biggest birthday wish, would ya?”
Y/N shook her head, biting back a smile. “You are ridiculous.”
Jamie just grinned. “Yeah I know, but you love it, right?”
She rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it.
Jamie leaned against the counter, watching her with that infuriatingly smug expression. “Ok enough banter,” he said, “seriously, what did you actually get me?”
Y/N smirked, crossing her arms. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
Jamie pouted like a toddler. “But I hate waitin'.”
“Too bad.”
Jamie sighed dramatically, but there was something else in his eyes—something softer, fonder, beneath all the teasing. “Fine. But if it’s not as good as you in nothing but a bow, I will be disappointed.”
Y/N chuckled, shaking her head. “Duly noted. If you don't like my present, that's my plan B then.”
Jamie's smirk widened, wiggling his eyebrows. "I already fuckin' hate it'."
But as she turned back to her work, she couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, Jamie wasn’t entirely joking.
#jamie tartt#jamie tartt x reader#jamie tartt x y/n#jamie tartt x you#ted lasso#roy kent#afc richmond#sam obisanya#jamie tartt imagine#ted lasso show
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