#we’re doing much better now!! my mom picked me up so I’m at her house

[fallstaticexit]

Prev / Next / Beginning

TW: Self Harm Mentioned/Implied

AN: next update our ladies will have a proper reunion but first tree farm tree farm! (Even though only the poor kids- and Bob- are the only ones super excited about it)

Transcript under the cut

Nancy Narrates: [All those years I’ve spent yearning, wanting, my whole self calling for her—and now she’s here]

Nancy Narrates: [This isn’t a dream. She’s here. I can feel the warmth in her cheek]

Nancy: I- I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to- I don’t know why I did that. I shouldn’t have-

Vanessa: [laughs] It’s ok, Nancy! It’s good to see you too.

Vanessa: Wow, look at you. You’re all grown up, aren’t you?

Nancy: I- I-

Vanessa: Still filled to the brim with tears too.

Nancy: [softly] Sorry. I thought.. I thought I’d never see you again.

Vanessa: 16 years is a long time. I was worried you would have forgotten all about me.

Nancy: I could never forget you.

Vanessa: I’ve come all this way to see you.

Nancy: Have you really?

Vanessa: I know it’s been years, but I was hoping we could reconnect. I’m staying at the Fyres Hotel. Maybe we could have dinner there tonight. Catch up?

Nancy Narrates: [I had to physically restrain myself from saying yes. I realized, after all these years, I still would have followed her anywhere...but it can’t be this way. Not anymore..]

Nancy: [exhales] I can’t. I’m sorry. I had plans.

Vanessa: Ah! Well. I did pop in last minute. Maybe some other-

Nancy: You could come with me! I mean, If you like? We’re supposed to get a Christmas tree for the house; trying to set new traditions and what not.

Nancy: It’s silly but it’s important to them- my sons. I have two boys, by the way. I have to do this for them but- you’re here and I don’t know if I can see you leave again. God, am I rambling too much?

Vanessa: You want me to go tree shopping with you and your children?

Nancy: [blushes] Will you?

Vanessa: Lead the way.

-

Malcolm: What’s taking that lady so long!

Jonathan: Should we try and call mom again?

Geoffrey: [hums noncommittally]

Malcolm: He’s not even listening!

Bob: Hellooo? Earth to Geoffrey?

Bob: Iggy say, ‘what’s eatin’ ya, Uncle G?’

Iggy: [coos]

Geoffrey: Heh, sorry! Sorry. I guess I got alot on my mind right now.

Eliza: Is everything ok?

Geoffrey: Oh, yeah! Yeah, yeah- well...I guess I’m thinking about Nance?

Eliza: What’s wrong with Nancy?

Geoffrey: I’ve been thinking about what happened on our anniversary trip.

Bob: Yeah? What was it?

Malcolm: Mommy’s here!! Mommy’s here!!

Malcolm: Er, who’s that with my mommy?

Bob: Well, I’ll be damned! Talk about a throwback!

Eliza: [whistles] Oh, wow! Who is that? Is she a model?: Well, I’ll be damned! Talk about a throwback!

Geoffrey: Vanessa Villareal?

Nancy: These are my sons, Jonathan and Malcolm.

Vanessa: Oh! Oh, Nancy, they are beautiful.

Malcolm: Who are you, lady!

Nancy: Don’t be rude, darling. Vanessa is- was- she’s my..

Vanessa: I’m your mother’s best friend.

Jonathan: I’m Jonathan, but call me Johnny. This loud mouth is Malcolm.

Vanessa: Johnny it is. You must get those cool, blue eyes from your mom’s brother.

Jonathan: You knew my Uncle Nathan?

Vanessa: No, but I saw a picture once, a long time ago.

Vanessa: [turns to Malcolm] And you look just like your mother.

Malcolm: Are you a movie star too?

Vanessa: [chuckles] No, I’m not a movie star.

Malcolm: Then who are you lady?

Vanessa: I’m your Auntie V. You can call me that, if you like.

Malcolm: Aunt V, are you gonna pick out a tree with us?

Vanessa: You bet. You should know, I have a keen eye.

Nancy: Sorry I’m late..

Geoffrey: Better late than never. I see you had an eventful day.

Malcolm: No more talking! Let’s go already!

Jonathan: I want to find our tree with mom!

Malcolm: Well I’m taking daddy!

Bob: Alright! Long time no see, VV! Man, it’s been a while, huh?

Vanessa: Just V is fine. Billy, right?

Bob: [sighs] It’s Bobby. This is my wife, Eliza and this cool guy is Iggy.

Vanessa: [sheepishly] Right. Nice to meet you. Wasn’t there another one of you?

Bob: [chuckles] Cassie. We still keep in touch. She’s a travel blogger now. And I’m sure you remember ol’ Geoffrey here.

Geoffrey: Good seeing you, Vanessa.

Vanessa: Likewise.

Bob: Heck yeah! Let the festivities begin!

-

Jonathan: This one! This is the perfect tree, right, Mom?

Nancy: Mhm. Yes, that’s nice- I’ll be right back.

Jonathan: Oh..

Bob: Alright, what’s going on? You can tell me, it’s just us guys now, and Iggy here is great at keeping secrets.

Geoffrey: Nance was so sad on our trip, sadder than usual. I haven’t seen her so low since- well, since Vanessa left. And she kept apologizing to me.

Bob: You’ve mentioned before she gets in a mood sometimes, right?

Geoffrey: Well, yeah... that’s not all. I saw these bruises on the inside of her thigh.

Bob: [eyes widen] You think she’s hurting herself?

Geoffrey: Is that it, you think? At first I thought they were- you know, hickies?

Bob: Whoa. Hickies? On Nancy?

Geoffrey: [snorts] That’s crazy, right?

Bob: You should talk to her. If she is harming herself, you should get her help, bud.

Geoffrey: And if it’s not that...

Bob: Then, that’s another kind of conversation. But this is Nancy we’re talking about. You two have been bit by the love bug since high school. I can’t imagine her having an affair with some other guy.

-

Nancy: Hi.

Vanessa: Hi.

Nancy: Sorry if I’m being...odd. I guess, I’m still getting used to seeing you.

Vanessa: I don’t think you’re being odd. I think you’re being you.

Nancy: Is that a bad thing?

Vanessa: [giggles] No, not at all. You haven’t changed and it’s refreshing.

Nancy: Ah. Well. You haven’t either. I mean..you still feel like my Vanessa.

Nancy Narrates: [All those questions I craved answers for came rushing back to me the more I looked at her. Was my loving her just a girlish memory of our past? Did she ever hear my voicemail? Was it worth mentioning after almost 2 decades apart? After I’ve already married and had children? After I’ve sworn to dedicate my all to them-]

Vanessa: So, about that dinner. Are you free tonight?

[lulunothulu]

There's not many Glen Powell stories could you do one for me plz:)

So Glen and Reader have been dating about a year. she's not in the entertainment industry she is just a RN he ask her to join him for the press tour for Twitters overseas. She goes with Glen to do some interviews and over hears a conversation where people think she is just with Glen for the money and everyone sees it. She's never asked Glen for money or help but he does occasionally do things for her out of love. She starts to pick up alot of extra shifts at the hospital and dip into her savings to afford all that stuff for the press tour to the point she's passes out one day after working 3 doubles in a row. Glen shows up and ask why she has been working so much and she comes clean about what she heard and how she dipped into her saving to afford the trip. He comforts her and makes her feel better and let's her know he knows she loves him for him and not his money and he asked her to come on the trip bc he wanted her there and he loves her and he loves to spoil her that's not gonna change.

I absolutely LOVE this one 😭 as a former ER worker I live for this.

“Just ordinary”

Glen Powell x Reader

“So Glen,” the interviewer asks. “Who are you bringing to the London premiere?”

Glen smiles, looking behind the interviewer to where you stand with his publicist behind the stage.

“I’m bringing my girlfriend, Y/N,” he smiles, winking in your direction.

You make a mental note to check how much flights would cost but smile back at him.

“Ooo! What does she do? Is she an actress?”

“She’s actually an ER nurse,” he boasts. “I’m so lucky to have her in my life and to be able to feel so safe with her around me.”

“I bet,” they say. “Having someone there to nurse you to health even if you’re not sick must be so rewarding.”

“It is!” He beams. “I love that she takes care of me and makes sure I stay healthy. It also helps when I get injured on the job.”

“That’s so sweet,” they tell him. “Well, that’s all the time we have today. Make sure you catch Twisters in theaters near you!”

After the interview, Glen walks up to where you’re waiting and interlaces his fingers with yours before pulling you close to kiss you deeply.

“We’re almost done, I just have to do some mini interviews outside and then we can head home.”

You nod, and smile up at him. You knew the drill. After an interview inside, there would be fans all over the place, begging for pictures, as well as other interviewers waiting outside.

You follow him out the building and mentally prepare yourself for the screens and flashing lights of cameras. Next to you, Glen holds your hand tightly—not only making sure you’re next to him, but also safe. Glen hands you off to his mom who’s waiting behind him before walking up to some fans.

You smile at Cyndy. “I don’t know how you do it all the time. It’s so loud.”

She laughs. “Yeah I don’t know either. But to see how happy he gets when they all flock to him is the highlight of it all.”

You smile. You knew exactly what that feeling was like. Seeing Glen in his element and interacting with the people that got him to where he is now, felt amazing to watch.

———

You both follow him down the line of people, chatting to each other until you hear someone to the left say something that makes your blood turn cold.

“Yeah, I don’t see what he sees in her,” a teenage girl says to her friend. “She must be searching for money or something because there’s no way Glen would be with someone so ordinary like her. She’s not even that pretty.”

“Yeah, I agree. She seems like such a golddigger. Like where did she even come from?” Her friend responds.

You stop in your tracks at that, Cyndy’s brows furrow in their direction and she wraps an arm around your waist.

“Don’t listen to them. That’s just jealousy talking,” she whispers in your ear.

You only nod, scared if you spoke, you’d cry. Instead, you and Cyndy walk toward the car that’s meant to drive you all back to Glen’s house and wait for Glen there.

By the time he joins you all, you’re barely speaking and holding it together. On the car ride back to his place, you text your charge nurse, Kathy, and ask her to put you in the schedule for the whole week.

Kathy: are you sure? That’s a lot of hours and you’ll be exhausted by the end of it all.

You: trust me, I need the distraction and the money. I’ll be fine.

Kathy: alright, you’re set up for the whole week.

You sigh to yourself, earning a light nudge and smile from Glen.

“Are you okay?” He asks.

You smile up at him and lean onto his shoulder. “Yeah, just got a text that I’ll be working all week.”

“Oh no,” he says. “Can you find a replacement?

“Unfortunately no,” you tell him. “We’ve been so short staffed, they’d barely let me leave for lunch.”

“Hopefully all that overtime means you can come with me to London next week.”

You only smile and nod.

The thing about dating Glen that you never got used to was the way that he’d pay for everything you two did. You knew there was an imbalance when it came to money but never brought it up because he’d always been so happy to pay for everything. But after hearing what those two girls were saying…. Your pride, or something like it, felt like it was wrong to let it continue to happen.

You didn’t want to seem like a gold digger after all.

With this week of twelve hour shifts, you’d be able to afford the ticket, maybe some souvenirs?

Maybe I should text Kathy to set me up for sixteen hour shifts all week.

You text her when you get back to Glen’s place.

———

By the time Wednesday rolls around, you know asking for a week of work plus adding four more hours to your shifts was a mistake.

Glen tried to stay up and wait for you, but he’d be fast asleep in bed by the time you got out of the shower.

On top of not being able to really see him, you yourself were exhausted. Your body becoming so tired, even sitting down was hard because you’d fall asleep. So instead of sitting down during your shift, you’d stand.

At the end of your shift on Wednesday, you could barely keep your eyes open on the drive back home. And when you did get home, you didn’t even bother getting out of your scrubs before collapsing onto the couch and falling asleep.

“This is normal, mom,” you hear Glen say faintly. “She’s working herself to death and I’m just…I’m worried for her.”

The next morning, you rub your eyes when your alarm blares in your ear. Sitting up from the couch, you race to the shower, peeling off your scrubs from the night before, and quickly showering to wake yourself up.

When you step out of the bathroom, you find Glen standing there with a cup of coffee ready for you.

“Good morning, baby,” he says, kissing you.

“Did I wake you?” You ask, taking the cup and sipping.

“No, I’ve been waking up early to make sure you get everything you need for work,” he tells you.

“Thank you,” you smile. You look down at your watch and sigh. “I have to get going.”

“I packed you lunch and extra clothes so that you don’t have to shower when you get home. Maybe you’ll sleep in the bed tonight?” His eyes are hopeful and you can’t help but feel so bad.

He’s doing all of this for you and yet you’re trying to avoid him—to an extent.

“I’ll try to,” you tell him. “I’ve just been so tired to walk up the stairs.”

“Then I’ll set something up for us before you get home,” he tells you. He kisses you before adding, “I’ll see you later.”

———

You’re halfway into your shift when you get the trauma of the day, maybe even the year.

You’re running, trying to grab the necessary supplies you need for the CPR that’s on its way when you suddenly feel the world begin to spin out from under you.

One second you’re stuffing you pockets with extra flushes and vials for bloodwork, the next your vision is blurring and going black.

When you finally wake up, you’re at the hospital still but in a room. The beeping of the monitor next to you grounds you in reality enough look around the room. Glen sits in a chair on the other side of you, worry and fear painted all over his face.

“Glen?” You croak.

“Oh my god,” he says, turning you and grabbing your hand. “Are you feeling okay?”

“For the most part,” you mumble. “What happened?”

“Kathy told me you fainted from exhaustion,” he tells you. “You shouldn’t have been working so many hours so close together. You could’ve gotten seriously hurt. You’re lucky someone was there to break your fall.”

He sighs, running his hand through his hair before asking, “What were you thinking working so many hours for so long?”

“I don’t know,” you lie.

“Yes you do. Tell me,” he urges.

You sigh, rubbing your eyes before looking at him. “I can’t afford to go to London.”

“I’ll pay for your ticket,” he quickly says.

“Glen, I don’t want you to.” This was going to be hard. “I want to pay for myself.”

“I don’t mind doing it, baby.” He searches your face before adding, “There’s more, isn’t there?”

“Yes,” you answer. You squeeze your eyes shut before opening them and taking his hand in yours again. “I don’t want you to think I’m a gold digger.”

“Why would I think that?”

“Because you pay for everything!” You exclaim. “I don’t think it’s fair that you spend money on me and I can’t do the same for you.”

Glen smiles at you, kissing the inside of your wrist. “Y/N, there’s nothing that makes me happier than paying for everything. If I get to spoil you by taking you to London or paying for our dinners and rent, then that means I’m doing my job. I never want you to feel like you’re freeloading or being a gold digger around me.”

He tilts your head back to face him completely before continuing. “Baby don’t ever feel like that’s what you are because you’re not. I’m so grateful to do it for you. In fact, I love doing it.”

“Are you sure?” You ask.

“Very,” he tells you. “So you can stop with the extra shifts. I already talked to Kathy about giving the rest of the week off.”

Tears prick your eyes as you pull him in for a kiss.

“I love you so much.”

“And I love you more,” Glen says. “But don’t do that again. Please?”

You laugh. “I promise I won’t.”

[clarisse0o]

Camp Wiegman-Part 67

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe: Military School

Words: 6K

Masterlist

———————————————————————

Friday, March 5th; 11:15 PM - On the plane.

"Sweetheart," Lucy whispers to me. "We're about to land."

I groan, sinking into what seems to be her neck, judging by the familiar scent reaching my nose. I’m so comfortable. I don’t want to open my eyes, but I feel like I have to when she alternates between caressing and shaking my thigh. A grumble escapes me, making my girlfriend laugh.

"Come on, sleepyhead. Don't make me take drastic measures."

I can’t help but smile. I missed that nickname.

"I’d like to see you try."

My voice is rough, betraying my six hours of sleep. Lucy runs her hand through my hair, making me hum with satisfaction. Reuniting with her after a week of classes feels so good. I’ve worked so hard that I’m completely drained. I pull back to stretch, and Lucy waits until I’m done to kiss me. I glance to the other side, where Ingrid is still lost in her own world with her headphones on. Either she woke up before me, or she hasn’t moved since takeoff.

"Am I the only one who slept?" I ask.

"Mmhmm," she teases.

I sigh and cuddle back against Lucy. We still have a few minutes left. She kisses the top of my head, making me shiver.

"It feels like ages since I’ve been home."

"A month," Lucy comments.

"It feels longer."

It really does. Ingrid and Mapi had started dating at my place. A little month, and yet so much happiness has been shared since then. I hope it lasts. The plane lands smoothly, and the passengers disembark with a bit of jostling. Shay wasn’t here this time, but I hope to see her on the way back. I liked her. We make our way to the terminal. Hector is picking us up, but I’m not surprised to see Mapi by his side. She rushes into her beloved’s arms, who welcomes her warmly. We take the opportunity to greet my driver, who seems happy to see us again. After picking up our luggage, we head out. I sit up front to give Mapi and Ingrid time to catch up. As for me, I’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the arms of my girlfriend, which I missed so much last night. I sleep much better with her, but I’m not complaining. We have weekends, and not everyone is that lucky. 

The ride is short. Mapi's conversations make time fly. Everyone seems full of energy except me, even though I slept. I’m lucky my suitcase is the lightest. I didn’t bring much, following Lucy’s advice. That way, I’ll be able to bring some stuff back to Manchester. Our move is progressing, and it makes me happy. When we arrive at the house, I expect Lucy to greet me, but to my surprise, my mom welcomes us instead.

"Good evening, girls. I hope you had a good trip."

"Hey, Mom. Yeah, it wasn’t too bad."

"Speak for yourself. You slept the whole way," Ingrid mocks, making Mapi laugh.

I glare at her, but Lucy quickly pulls me into her arms to ease my tension.

"Okay, that’s enough."

"Can we go upstairs?" I suggest with a tired sigh.

I’m not in the mood to face everything right now, even though I came to settle many things. Lucy smiles and kisses my forehead.

"Yes, I think we’re all exhausted."

"We’ll chat tomorrow morning over breakfast," my mom agrees.

"You’ll be there?" I ask, surprised.

"I’m on duty for a few hours in the late afternoon tomorrow, but otherwise, I’m free for the weekend. I had some hours to take, so I arranged it because I knew you’d be coming."

"Oh... okay. Do you know if Joan is in my room?"

"I don’t think so. I put him to bed in his own room, and I haven’t heard a peep since. Who knows, maybe he’s changed rooms."

I nod and thank her for the info, though it doesn’t help much. We exchange goodnights before heading upstairs. The girls take their usual room, and Lucy and I go to mine. I don’t turn on the light until I’m sure my brother isn’t there. Surprisingly, he’s really not, but I’m not going to complain. It means I can enjoy Lucy’s company as much as I want.

"I’m going to change," Lucy announces after rummaging through her suitcase.

"Yep. Hurry up."

She winks at me before slipping behind the bathroom door. She acts like she’s at home, and I love it. I quickly change in the dressing room, wearing one of my dad’s old T-shirts. I don’t bother with shorts since the shirt falls almost mid-thigh. Lucy’s seen me in less, and I feel comfortable with her now. It’s not like she’d take advantage of the situation. I’m done by the time she reopens the door. I join her to brush my teeth, admiring her curves highlighted by a tank top and shorts while she finishes the task herself.

"I’m almost done," she says with a mouthful.

"Take your time," I reply with a smile.

She rinses and wipes her mouth, finally giving me space. I quickly brush my teeth and rush to join her in bed, where she’s already lying down. I make sure to turn off all the lights before lying beside her. A satisfied sigh escapes me. I particularly love my bed, especially when I’m sharing it with Lucy.

"For a change, could you hold me tonight?" she asks unexpectedly.

Her request catches me off guard, but I immediately turn toward her and wrap my arms around her.

"You don’t need to ask," I murmur. "Come here."

A few seconds later, I can feel her against me, her breath brushing my chest. My T-shirt had ridden up, but I didn’t mind. Lucy took the opportunity to slip her arms underneath. I wasn’t wearing a bra, but she didn’t push the intimacy.

"I missed you," she whispers.

"I missed you too," I admit. "So much."

I kiss her face repeatedly. She hums little sounds of amusement.

"Good night, my love," I finish, kissing her lips.

"Good night," she mumbles in return. "I love you."

Smiling, I fall asleep without any trouble.

Saturday, March 6th; 9:30 AM - At Ona’s house.

The atmosphere in the house felt strange this morning. When Lucy and I came downstairs, I was surprised to find Marcus in the living room, reading the newspaper, waiting for breakfast. That wasn’t all. Samuel wasn’t in the kitchen today. It was my mom making pancakes, burning her fingers in the process, with Joan. Something had definitely changed.

"Morning," I mumbled.

"Ona!"

"Oh, hey girls. Did you sleep well?"

I hugged my brother as Lucy answered my mom, saying everything was fine.

"Where’s Samuel?" I asked.

"I gave him the weekend off. Marcus and I are here, so we didn’t want to bother him."

"Oh..."

I struggled to hide my disappointment. I would have loved to see him again, just like I miss Lucy so much.

"Can we help with anything?" Lucy offered, noticing my reaction.

"The table isn’t set yet, but don’t worry about it. I’ll do it when I’m done here."

"No, we’ll do it," Lucy insisted. "Will you help me, sweetheart? I don’t know where the silverware is."

9

I obey without showing my joy. First, I set Joan down after kissing his cheek. Then, I help Lucy find everything and bring it to the dining room.

"She's trying to be nice, so please, don't lose your temper," my girlfriend scolds me when we're alone.

"Something's off. This house has never been this calm and full before," I say, placing the silverware after Lucy set the plates down.

She stops and cups my face, making it impossible for me to look away.

"Stop overthinking."

"You don't know them," I say, raising my voice in a whisper, forcing her to let go. "They’ve never spent a weekend together at home."

"Maybe they talked things out. Didn’t you say things weren’t going well with Joan?"

"Hmm," I respond uncertainly. "Usually, when things seem this way, something bad is about to happen."

She sighs, offering a small smile.

"Nothing will happen today if you just relax. I'm here, okay? And I always will be. Just stop expecting the worst in this house."

I sigh and nod, struggling to believe her, but I’ll trust her for now. Mapi and Ingrid interrupt us at that moment, and then my mother enters with a huge plate of pancakes. The girls look happy and it’s nice to see. We sit down for breakfast. I’m having a hard time enjoying myself, especially since Joan has placed himself between Lucy and me. I notice he seems more cheerful than last week when he stayed with us. Maybe Lucy is right. Conversations start flowing at the table. I don't feel like joining in, too lost in my thoughts, and Lucy notices. When she finishes eating, she lets her hand linger near my neck, a silent reminder of her support, all while sipping her coffee and engaging in the discussion.

"What do you all have planned today?" my mother asks.

"We’re not sure yet. Nothing special," Lucy replies.

"But I can tell you we won't be here tonight," I say calmly.

"Yeah, it’s going to be a party!" Mapi adds.

"Really? You’re going out? Where to?" my mother asks excitedly.

"Ah, that’s a surprise. It’s our couples' anniversary, so we’re celebrating!" Mapi grins.

"Already? Time flies."

I sigh softly. If Lucy weren’t touching me, I would've gotten up long ago to clear my plate. My mother, sitting next to me at the head of the table, smiles at me timidly, but I don't return it. I feel uncomfortable in this picture-perfect family atmosphere.

"I’d like to take a walk along the beach," I say to Lucy. "It’s been a long time since I’ve been."

"We can go, if you want. The weather looks nice outside, and I haven’t been yet," she replies.

"It’s already warmer than Manchester," I remark.

"You’ll have to get used to it," she teases.

I smile, nodding. It’s the right time to share the news. We haven’t told anyone yet, and while it might seem obvious, it’s good to confirm it.

"I’ve decided to move in with Lucy," I announce bluntly.

"Really?" Ingrid exclaims. "Since when?"

"You two are so secretive, it’s unbelievable," Mapi adds, looking more surprised than anything.

My smile widens despite myself. She really knows how to lighten the mood. I glance at Lucy, who keeps supporting me from where she sits.

"We decided last week."

"Well, the house will stay quiet, then," Marcus comments.

"It’s sudden," my mother adds.

"It was a bit of an impulsive decision," Lucy admits.

"We had a bit of a spat over the gallery’s response," I explain.

"Oh, did you finally get an answer?" my mother asks, surprised. "What did they say?"

"They want to send me to Cardiff. I’m applying elsewhere. We prepared my applications this week, and they were sent yesterday, just before we left."

"But it’s a good opportunity," Marcus remarks.

"I know, but I don’t want to be far from Lucy. I have a meeting with Mr. Fields next Monday. We’ll see how it goes," I shrug. "Either way, my decision is made."

"Let’s wait for the meeting first," my girlfriend interjects. "The decision isn't final yet."

I feel like she still hopes I’ll accept the offer… Or maybe she just wants to reassure my mother and Marcus? Either way, if it’s the first, she’ll have to accept it won’t happen because, for me, it’s already clear.

"Well…" my mother says, getting up from the table.

"You’ll stay for lunch, right? I’m making lasagna."

The girls look at me with starry eyes. I roll mine and end up agreeing to please them. Lasagna, of all things—one of my favorite dishes. At least we’d enjoy the morning here. Everyone pitches in to clear the table first. I'm not sure how it happened, but at one point, I found myself alone with my mother in the kitchen, loading the dishwasher.

"So…" she starts. "Everything’s good with Lucy?"

"Uh, yeah. I think my decision to move in with her says a lot."

"True…"

"And how’s Joan? Is he behaving better?"

I had checked in with her last week to make sure Mapi and Joan had arrived safely. I’d briefly mentioned my concerns, but since it was late in Barcelona, we hadn’t had time to delve deeper into the conversation.

"A little. We’re slowly getting him back on track. Marcus and I have adjusted our schedules so one of us is always around to be with him."

I nod. Lucy was right. That’s already a good step. I didn’t have that privilege. Lucy was the one who took care of me when I got home from school.

"During the day, he’s fine. The main issue is after school. But we can’t always be available; we both have demanding jobs."

"At least he’s seeing you more. What about Sofia and Sam? You’re not planning to let them go, are you?"

"Oh no! They do so much for us that the thought never crossed our minds. Now that we’re around more, we try to give them more time off when it suits them. I think Samuel even went away for the weekend with his boyfriend."

"Okay," I murmur. "That’s good, then."

I turn around when I hear footsteps and feel relieved to see Lucy. Her timing couldn’t have been better. She brings in the last of the dishes. We exchange a smile.

"Need any help here?"

"Oh no, we’re almost done."

"The girls are settled on the couch. Apparently, Joan picked Mulan… The animated one, of course."

I chuckle softly, just imagining Mapi watching a Disney movie. I stop when I realize Lucy is serious.

"Really?"

"Yep. And he’s asking for you, but I bet you guessed that."

I groan, causing my mother to laugh. I hadn’t imagined our morning ending like this, but well, we’re family after all.

"Go ahead. I’ll finish up."

"Thanks."

I put away the last plate before heading off with my girlfriend. She wraps her arm around my shoulders, pulling me close.

"Everything okay?" she asks, kissing my temple.

"Let’s say it is…" I exhale.

"Did she tell you what she wanted to?"

I frown, realizing I’d completely forgotten about that in the middle of everything. She had insisted on sharing some big news.

"No. I forgot all about it. We talked about Joan instead."

"You’ll tell me later," she says as we enter the living room.

The couch has been pulled out into a bed. Our friends are already lying on one side, with my brother in the middle. His face lights up when he sees us.

"Can we start?"

"Yeah, just give us a second," I laugh. "Let us settle in."

I sit next to her and snuggle up to Lucy when she joins me. Maybe this moment won’t be as bad as I thought. My brother starts the movie, but honestly, I don’t pay much attention. I’m too focused on the soothing touch of my girlfriend. It’s so comforting and relaxing.

Saturday, March 6th, 6:30 PM – At Ona’s Place

I’m nervous. I look at myself in the mirror one more time. I think I look beautiful, wearing a dress and heels. I hope Lucy finds me beautiful too. I’m not used to seeing myself like this, even less with Mapi, who’s sitting on my bed looking just as stylish.

"Everything will be fine, you know," she teases. "It’s not like this is your first date."

"I know," I murmur. "Do you have the tickets I asked for?"

"Oh yeah, they’re downstairs," she says, standing up.

"Downstairs? What are they doing down there?"

"Well, did you think I’d risk Ingrid finding them? The last thing I needed was her thinking they were for her, and then I’d have to explain everything."

"Hum..."

I take a deep breath. I’m a little scared. I planned to go to the Barcelona theatre for a show. I had fallen in love with it and wanted Lucy to experience our theatre. This was the perfect opportunity. But of course, dinner had to come first. I chose a casual restaurant. I wanted to impress, but not too much. I wanted it to feel like us. We didn’t need anything grandiose—just a moment to share, like we always love.

"Alright, can we go down? I’m sure the girls are already waiting for us."

"Yeah, I think so."

She laughs, patting my back.

"Come on, stop. You’ve already won her heart. Tonight’s just a romantic evening."

She winks at me, and I smile. She’s right. We just need to enjoy ourselves. That’s the theme of this weekend. The afternoon was already amazing by the beach. I loved seeing it again. I missed the scenery, but I can’t complain about where I am now.

"Let’s go. We don’t want to keep them waiting."

The girls got ready in the guest room that Mapi and Ingrid were staying in. Lucy just grabbed her bag and locked herself in there. Now, I’m eager to see her again. We head downstairs quietly. My anxiety returns as we descend the stairs. I hope we’re the first ones down, but of course, we’re not. Ingrid and Lucy are already there, chatting and even laughing with my mom. She looks stunning, just as I expected. She’s wearing a navy blue dress with an open back. The front is held by a strap around her neck. I stand there for a moment, just admiring her. She’s the first to move, walking toward me in her white heels. She takes my hand to help me down the last few steps and plants a kiss on it.

"You look stunning, my love," she murmurs, pulling me into her arms, making me melt completely.

"You’re not too bad yourself."

She laughs softly. I’m tempted to kiss her, but I remember we’re not alone. Mapi has joined Ingrid, and my mom is watching from the side.

"Shall we go?"

"Yes... Did you manage to get the car keys?"

"Of course. Your mom seems to trust me more than she trusts you."

"That’s undeniable," I say, rolling my eyes, making my girlfriend laugh.

"Have a great evening, girls," my mom says as we head outside.

"Thank you."

Outside, I’m surprised to see not one, but two cars. It makes things easier, but I wasn’t expecting it. There’s Hector’s car and my mom’s.

"Well, I guess this is where we part ways," Ingrid says.

It’s at that moment that I take a good look at her. It’s the first time I’ve seen her looking so different. She’s dressed up for a night out as well.

"Yeah," my girlfriend responds. "Have a great evening on your side. See you later, maybe."

As she speaks, she opens the door to my mom’s Jeep. I get in, feeling a bit uneasy. I don’t have great memories in this car, the few times I’ve been in it. It’s what she used to take me to my detox sessions at the hospital, at least when she could. Lucy takes the driver’s seat, and we’re the first to leave. I’m floating on a little cloud, with her hand resting on my thigh. She hums along to the song on the radio, and after a while, I realize she’s driving without me giving her any directions. Then, I remember—I forgot to get the tickets!

"You know!" I exclaim.

She laughs heartily, squeezing my knee in her palm.

"Sorry, baby. I hope you won’t be mad, but I made a small change to your plans."

"W-what? What do you mean?"

She smiles, glancing at me briefly before turning her eyes back to the road, knowing I prefer that.

"Mapi told Ingrid she was panicking because she lost the tickets for what you had planned, and she didn’t dare tell you."

I widen my eyes. Sure, the theatre was important to me, but I wouldn’t have been mad at Mapi for something out of her control.

"Of course, I found out and contacted Mapi. I offered to take over the planning and make it a last-minute surprise for you. So here we are. I hope you won’t be upset that I made that decision."

I exhale softly. I don’t know if I want to be mad at them or not. I was really looking forward to organizing this evening for once, but at the same time, it’s so sweet. I can’t be mad at her for this. She always wants to make me happy.

"I know you wanted to plan this evening yourself... but I just love surprising you. I can’t help it."

What did I just say? I laugh as she brings my hand to her lips. This woman will drive me crazy. I definitely can’t be mad at her.

"You’re not mad, are you?"

"No... So, what have you planned instead?"

"You’ll find out soon enough. Don’t expect anything wild. It’s just us tonight."

We had the same idea—it’s amazing. I smile, feeling at peace.

"I’m already excited then."

We reach the city center, and I recognize the street we’re on. I think I know where we’re going, but I wait until we’re closer to be sure. She must’ve gotten the idea from Mapi. There’s no other way—she doesn’t know anything about my old life, let alone my habits. She parks the car, and with a squeeze on my thigh, I understand I should stay in my seat. She walks around to open my door and offers me her arm.

"Really?" I tease playfully.

"Only the best for my lady," she replies with a mischievous grin as we start walking.

"But tonight was supposed to be my chance to be the gentlewoman. You missed the boat, what a shame."

She laughs and kisses my cheek.

"This night doesn’t belong to anyone in particular. What I mean is, it’s our night—just the two of us."

"You’re right."

I hold onto her arm and rest my head on her shoulder, smiling as I see the Arkadia sign glowing red in the distance. It’s been a while since I’ve been here.

"You know where we’re going, don’t you?"

I laugh a little, taking my eyes off the sign. She must��ve noticed my gaze. I have a lot of memories here, with Mapi and my high school friends. We used to hang out here a lot when Miller didn’t throw a party. I’m eager to see if the place has changed.

"It was obvious the second you drove by here," I admit.

"I’m becoming predictable—that’s not good."

I giggle again, leaning into her a little more.

"Don’t be silly, baby. It was unexpected, really. I was expecting the theatre, so you know."

"The theatre? That was your plan?"

"Mmhmm," I confirm. "With a nice little dinner before, but yeah."

"I didn’t know you liked that."

"It depends on the show. When my dad came back from missions, he’d take me there every time. I loved going because it was our moment, you know?"

"I see," she smiles. "One day, I’ll take you to the one in Porto."

"Are you crazy? The shows there cost an arm and a leg, and they’re not even the best. But I’d love to visit it. »

- Very well, Princess. We'll visit it when we go to Porto then.  

I smile as she opens the door for me to enter the restaurant/bar. The décor hasn’t changed one bit over the years. It’s a totally modern style with a central bar and all the tables surrounding it.  

- Oh, I can’t believe it... Ona Batlle! It’s been a while!  

- Sterling? I’m surprised. Hey.  

I awkwardly accept his embrace, which catches me off guard. He’s an old high school friend. We were never particularly close. He was an athlete, and we were always in the same class. We know each other that way, but also from a few parties we attended together thanks to mutual friends.  

- How are you? What have you been up to? he asks, stepping back.  

- I’m doing pretty well, I say as I feel a hand slide across my back.  

I glance at Lucy and give her a soft smile.  

- Let me introduce you. Sterling, an old high school classmate. Sterling, this is my girlfriend, Lucy.  

- Well, you must be doing really well, he laughs. Hi.  

He extends his hand to Lucy. She takes it for a polite handshake but doesn’t say anything.  

- Do you still hear from Mapi? he asks. She still comes by here from time to time, unlike you.  

- Oh, yes, yes. We see each other regularly when I’m here. I live in Manchester now. And you, what are you doing here? Do you work here?  

- Yeah, on weekends. I’m still in college, so I need a bit of cash.  

Lucy clears her throat, catching Sterling’s attention. I hold back a smile. She just can’t help herself.  

- I’ve reserved a table for two under the name Woods, she announces.  

- Oh yeah, sure. Sorry, I didn’t mean to keep you. It’s just been a while since we last saw each other. Come on, I’ll show you to your table.  

- Could we get one of the round tables in the back? I ask. That’s my favorite spot.  

- Yeah, I think that can be arranged.  

He takes us exactly where I wanted. I love these spots because the seating wraps around the table in an arc, and there are walls that go all the way up to the ceiling, shielding us from the other tables. The other side has chairs, but what I love most is how cozy it feels, making the space less noisy.  

- Here you go, ladies. I’ll leave you with the menus and be back to check on you.  

- Thank you.  

I slide onto the bench first, quickly followed by my girlfriend. This way, we sit side by side.  

- I can see why you like these seats, Lucy murmurs.  

- It’s perfect for tonight, don’t you think?  

- Exactly, she says, picking up the menu. We can eat and have a drink here, right?  

- We don’t have to stay here the whole night.  

- No. This is great for tonight. I even saw a pool table over there...  

- Yeah, there’s a pool table here, I giggle. Maybe it’s time for you to give me a private lesson, you being the expert. Maybe I can finally beat your friends.  

She laughs and nods.  

- That would be an idea, because you’re a walking disaster at pool.  

- Hey, that’s not my fault, I pout.  

- I never said it was, she teases. So, what do you recommend from the menu?  

- Everything, I laugh. No, for real, we could order something to share. Like this dish, look. My friends and I used to get this because it was cheap, and we could split the bill.  

- Don’t worry about the price. I’m paying tonight.  

- No, I always pay! You could let me pay for once!  

- No way, she smiles. Since I planned tonight, I’m going all the way.  

- You have a secret stash of money or something?  

She laughs heartily at my little joke. I actually wonder how much she earns because she never seems to have any complaints, considering what she owns.  

- Nonsense. I’m just well-paid, that’s all. And since I’m still in school, I don’t have daily expenses, so I save a lot. Plus, I got paid for the nights and weekends I worked... thanks to you, by the way, she laughs. So, yeah.  

- Well, when you put it like that... Do you pay for your meals?  

- No, it’s included in my contract, along with my living expenses for staying in the dorm.  

- That’s amazing!  

- Not really. It’s a private school. It’s either you or your parents, in your case, who pay for the teachers. Plus, there are partnerships, like with the government. There aren’t many schools like Camp Wiegman.  

- Did you know the Putellas and Leah and Alessia families ended up there because of a judge? I ask her.  

- Yes, I knew thanks to Ingrid.  

- Does everyone confide in you?  

- Yes. We don’t let students leave until they’ve talked at least once about why they’re there. We want it to have a freeing effect on them, you know? Not everyone has someone to listen to them.  

- That was the case for me, I murmur. But you had to push hard before I opened up.  

- That’s true, she laughs. You weren’t easy, but I understand why. It depends on the case... Like Alexia, for example. Within two weeks, we knew why she and her sister were there. Ingrid practically let her go right away. She was a good student and didn’t have any internal struggles.  

- That doesn’t surprise me. She’s always been happy and studious.  

- She was relieved to be there, you could tell.  

- Well, the school brought them stability, and she no longer had to worry about her sister taking care of everything on her own.  

- That’s true.  

A brief silence falls between us. I close the menu after glancing through it quickly. It hasn’t changed, so I already know what I’m going to order.  

- Have you decided?  

- Yeah. I’m getting what I always get.  

- And what’s that?  

- A Margarita cocktail. It’s excellent here.  

- Well then, I’ll follow your lead.  

The evening goes perfectly. We order quickly, and we talk, laugh, and eat... all while staying close to each other. I wouldn’t trade this night for anything in the world. This was our first night out alone, and I regret that we don’t do it more often. I get to hear numerous anecdotes she shares over drinks and our shared plate.  

- I’ve always wanted to travel, she tells me.  

- Really?  

- Yeah. I think the world hides so many secrets. I’ve never had the chance to go to America, for example.  

- I’ve been there once, I confess. When I was little, but honestly, I don’t remember much.  

- What country did you visit?  

- Cuba, I think, one summer. My mom loves warm places. That’s why she chose Barcelona.  

- Cuba, she murmurs. It must be a beautiful country.  

- I’d love to visit Argentina one day. I hear everything there is gorgeous.  

- That’s true, she agrees, nodding. Egypt too. It must be amazing to see a pyramid. Or New Zealand.  

- Oh, and Japan too! I add.  

- Japan? she raises an eyebrow. I’m not sure you’d like the weather there, she laughs. You’re always complaining about Manchester, and it probably rains even more there.  

- Yeah, well, I’d get used to it. It’s not like a week would kill me.  

- Noted, she smiles, popping one of the last fries from the plate into her mouth.  

- Oh no, I see what you’re up to! You need to stop getting ahead of my surprise ideas.  

- I don’t know what you’re talking about, she replies with a mischievous grin.  

- Yeah, right! You’re always one step ahead of me!  

- You’re exaggerating.  

- No, I giggle. Look at tonight. I had everything planned, and you just flipped it all.  

- I didn’t flip anything, she laughs. Maybe you had something special planned that I didn’t know about? she teases me.  

I blush, remembering what I had intended to do tonight. Maybe now is the time to make my announcement. Lucy notices my state and smiles gently.  

- Oh, so you did have something planned? she teases again.  

- Stop it, I giggle, lightly pushing her away. Or I’ll cancel what I was going to do.  

Oh, threats now?

She laughs but steps back to give me space. I clear my throat and turn slightly on the bench to face her, trying to show her that this is serious. She doesn't take it that way at all. She looks like she's teasing me, with her head resting on her hand and a small smile on her lips. I can't speak anymore. The apprehension of opening up to her leaves me speechless. But she gives me time. So I watch her, especially her beautiful eyes. From the first day, they had haunted me. I could always relive that moment as if it were yesterday. I was frozen, trapped in that disorienting vision. It was silent, for the first time that evening. I take advantage of it to gently touch her beautiful face, tracing its contours. Lucy says nothing. She lets me rediscover her with her eyes closed. I touch everywhere: her eyebrows, her chin, her nose, her lips... I linger on the latter before kissing her as tenderly as possible. We rediscover each other softly before separating again. There's no trace of amusement on her face anymore. She understands that this is serious. So, I begin.

"I love you," I murmur. "I love you so much... You're the person I've always wanted in my life. You really don’t understand what you mean to me. You make me better... you make me happy. If we ever talk about breaking up, it would never come from me. Because I love you so much. Like I've never loved anyone before. Y-you must be my soulmate. I can’t see it any other way..."

The words are strong, but I had to let them out. I’d been holding it in for too long. My eyes fill with tears. Lucy is in the same state as me. It's the first time I've seen her eyes this watery. She says nothing, though, and panic starts to rise in me. Maybe I went too far, talking about soulmates? But that’s what I feel, and she deserves to know. She, who has waited for me all this time. She, who has accepted me with my character, my flaws, and my mood swings. To be honest, I don't even like myself sometimes.

"Lucy, I-"

"Shhh."

Her fingers brush my lips, encouraging me to stay silent. She replaces them with her lips, starting another kiss. Soft at first, then rougher towards the end. We can't hold back anymore. Our emotions speak for us. We kiss, again and again, barely pausing for breath, closing the gap between us as much as possible. The only regret I have is being in a public place. I have this overwhelming urge to tear off her clothes, to discover this body that belongs to me.

"I-I want you," I whisper against her lips in a moment of euphoria.

My comment breaks the powerful connection between us. We’re both out of breath. She smiles at me before resting her forehead against mine. This moment allows us to come down from our high, eyes closed. I blush, realizing what I just said. When I open my eyes, Lucy is already looking at me. Her eyes are dilated, dark with desire. I’m speechless at the sight. She gently runs her fingers across my face.

"I love you, and I’ll make love to you one day... But definitely not on a whim and certainly not under your mother’s roof."

I burst out laughing despite myself. Tears fall from my eyes at the same time. It's adorable that she can still think of my mom in this situation. She smiles and eventually laughs too when she sees that I can't calm down. This unique moment is so us. It’s reserved, full of love, and sprinkled with joy. My laughter slowly fades. We return to the moment where we're gazing into each other's eyes. I feel silly for being so scared. With Lucy, everything was so simple. She made things feel so easy.

"I love you," I whisper again.

« and I love you," she says with a soft smile.

She knew this was a big step for me. She never even questioned my reasons. That’s admirable of her. I plan to explain it all to her one day.

"I feel like I'm starting a new life with you. It’s like I'm reliving my first times all over again. Maybe not for everything, but for most of it. I know it’s strange, but... I don’t even know how to express it."

"There’s nothing strange about that. You’ve erased your past from your mind, and now you’re starting your life over, so it feels like you’re experiencing everything for the first time again."

I nod. She completely understood what I was trying to say. She takes my hands in hers.

"I would've loved to be your first. I completely understand why you’re anxious, but you don't need to be. You won’t mess up this new chance. I fully intend to be the last person you’ll ever know that intimately."

I throw myself awkwardly into her arms, burying my head in her neck. I’ve never needed to explain much for Lucy to understand me. That’s one of the reasons I love her so much. She kisses the top of my head, holding me as tightly as she can, whispering sweet words to reassure me. Meanwhile, I keep repeating that I love her in what feels like uncontrollable sobs, overwhelmed by all the emotions coursing through me.

[twice-inamillion]

Fall Festival 

Fluff

Chapter 236

Words: 1630

( The family gets together to celebrate after a busy schedule.) 

It's been a while since the members have had a break after back-to-back concerts these past few weeks. The members and you decide to put together a fall festival for the children and the rest of the family.

After much discussion, you all decided to host the festival on the plot of land where you chose to build the new house. The members put you in charge of setting up the furniture and equipment for the event, while the members divide the other work amongst themselves.

It’s the day of the event, and the members have spent the previous day decorating the area. Jeongyeon picked up some pumpkins while Nayeon, Momo, and Sana set up the eating and play areas. On the other hand, Jeongyeon, Jihyo, Mina, and Dahyun helped cook food for adults and children. While the older members were busy getting everything together, the youngest watched over the children as they slept.

“The babies look so cute sleeping next to each other.”

”They’re cute, but those two over there are a handful,” replies Chaeyoung as she talks about Jisoo and Ari.

”Don’t be mean, Chaeyoung '' as Tzuyu gently smacks Chaeyoung’s arm.

“It’s the truth. Jihyo has given me an earful because of those two.”

“It’s because you don’t know how to play with them. You need to get their attention.”

”That’s easy for you to say; they like you.”

Tzuyu giggles at the comment, “Haha, they do. I’m even of having a baby, too.”

”What? Are you serious?”

”Yeah, I enjoy watching over the babies, so having one shouldn’t be too hard.”

”It’s a lot of work. I don’t want to have one.”

”Don’t say that, Chaeyoung. A woman’s dream should be to have a baby.”

”That’s not my dream. I just want to relax and have some fun.”

”Whatever, I’ll tell Oppa to impregnate you after he’s done with me.”

Chaeyoung turns her head around, surprised by Tzuyu’s serious comment, “What? Are you serious?”

”Well… I mean, aren’t we all going to end up having Oppa’s baby?”

“I was never part of that talk. You can all do it if you want; just leave me out.”

You arrive with your parents-in-law and give them a tour of the property since it’s their first time visiting. They’re surprised by how big the property is and the construction progress.

“I’m happy that our Jihyo found such a reliable husband,” said Jihyo’s mom.

“Yup, even gave us baby Jisoo'' said Jihyo’s younger sister.

Jihyo’s father looks around and asks, “How long until the construction is completed?”

”Just a few months. We’re just waiting on inspection so we can move on to the next phase.”

You and her father continue discussing your plans for the next few months. Jihyo’s mother follows her daughters as they run to where the members are.

“Nayeon unnie! Can we help with the pumpkins?”

“Sure, come on and get a chair.”

Everyone invited is enjoys the meal the members made for today’s event. Theyre surprised by how much they improved when it came to cooking.

”Jihyo’s cooking is getting better but still can’t compare to Oppa’s cooking,” shouts Jiyoung as she teases her older sister.

“Then how come you finished the whole plate?”

”Blehh…” and sticks out her tongue.

”Blehh!”

”See, now you got Jisoo copying you” complains Jihyo.

”Haha, sorry.”

Jisoo slides off Jihyo’s lap, runs towards Ari, and shows her what she just picked up.

“Blehh!” sticking her small tongue out.

“Jisoo, don’t do that to Ari; she’s going to want to copy you,” says Jihyo.

Jisoo turns around, listening to her mother’s words, but, like a little sneaky girl, grabs Ari’s hand and runs around the table shouting, “Bleh, Bleh!”

Everyone laughs as they see Jisoo running around with Ari. Jihyo’s mom glares at Jiyoung for teaching her something inappropriately.

The festival continues as most babies jump on the inflatable jumper. At first, the babies were hesitant, but after watching Sana and Nayeon jump inside of it, the rest followed.

You record as Jisoo and Ari giggle every time they get tossed in the air by Nayeon’s jumping. Hina, on the other hand, holds onto Mina's pants, still adjusting to the new experience, but seems like she's enjoying it.

The members sit at the table, carving faces on their pumpkins as the babies play with the pumpkin's innards.

“Ari, don't eat it; it’s not cooked” says Mina.

Ari looks at Mina, turns her head to Jisoo, then back at Mina, and slowly puts the pumpkin’s innards in her mouth. She takes a quick taste and immediately spits it out, “bleh,”making some members laugh.

“Yummy?” asks Jisoo.

Ari turns her head from side to side and says, “Eww!”

Jisoo takes a piece of the pumpkin and puts it in her mouth, wanting to try it for herself. She freezes and tries to understand the new taste. “Yum!”

She turns around and smiles, raises her hand, and gets a bit more before offering it to Hina, who was sitting next to her. Hina turns her head towards Mina, then looks at Jisoo and smiles. She grabs a piece from Jisoo and is about to try it when Ari smacks it out of her hand and nods no.

“Eww, no!”

The members laugh, at the sight of Ari trying to protect her sister from the weird taste.

You and Jihyo try your best to be a good host, ensuring everyone, including the children, have a great time.

“Alright, everyone. Gather around; we are going to start the costume contest!”

Everyone gathers around and takes a seat. Jihyo goes to the front and announces the rules of the contest. “Alright, since this is a fall festival, we decided to have everyone who wanted to participate dress up in costumes. You can come up individually or in groups if you are matching! The best costumes wins!”

The contest starts with the grown-ups, Jihyo’s parents, who decide to match. They dress up as old farmers and even perform a short act.

The next group is comprised of the mothers of Nayeon and Chaeyoung, who dress up as people from the 70s in disco costumes. They play music and dance a little, making Nayeon and Chaeyoung embarrassed.

Now, it was the member’s turn. Nayeon introduce herself as the character Daesu, from the movie Old Boy the Chaeyoung showed her previously.

Jeongyeon was the second person to go up, and she introduces herself as Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. She comes out enthusiastic, pumping up the crowd and even approaching the children. Ari laughs out loud, while Jisoo freaks out a bit from getting her hand grab. Hina, on the other hand, closes her eyes, avoiding Jeongyeon.

Up next was Momo, who dresss up as Boo from Monsters, Inc. She came out in a simple pink oversized sweater with a stuffed Sullivan and Mike Wazaowski.

Sana came out as Mera from Aquaman, after watching it with you earlier that year. The members cheer; she she tries to act sexy in front of everyone, only gets shy in the end because she realizes the member’s parents are there.

Jihyo’s costume surprises some but not you and Jisoo. You remember watching the movie together as a family during one of your outings, and you three loved it. She even brought out a guitar and played a little bit, speaking a bit of English and Spanish.

Ari and Hina clap as their mother, Mina, comes out in an angel outfit. She looks so elegant with the dress and wings on her back that most captivates her beauty.

Dahyun came out completely blue as the Genie from the movie Aladdin. The children laugh as Dahyun tries to be as funny as possible to make sure that the children don’t cry.

Chaeyoung, like always, brought her unique style and decided to dress up as Edward Scissorhands. Dressed in all black and with metallic attachments in her fingers, she tries to scare the children sitting next to their mothers. Jisoo tears up while Ari and Hina hold each other’s hands. Da-eun is the only one unaffected by Chaeyoung’s costume, to everyone’s surprise.

The final member is Tzuyu, who is dressed up as the evil character Maleficent. Dressed in all black and with horns on her head, she gives a serious expression, causing all the children, except Da-eun, to tremble in fear.

You are the next one to go up stage. You remember how difficult it was to choose a costume for the contest, but after much deliberation, you decided on Hatake Kakashi from Naruto. You wanted to dress up as a character from childhood, and Kakashi was an obvious choice.

The last group was the babies who dressed up as the children from the anime, Gakuen Bebīshittāzu or School Babysitters. Jisoo is dressed up as Kirin, the oldest toddler from the show, while Ari and Hina dressed up as the Twins, Takuma, and Kazuha. Da-eun, the youngest as Midori, the cutest infant.

Everyone is in awe by how cute they look in their costumes, which made them shy from the applause and pictures taken.

Jihyo then came towards the front and calls out each contestant’s name. Everyone votes for the best costume, resulting in the children winning by a landslide.

As the winners, they are called back and receive a gifts prepared by everyone. Their eyes shine and can’t contain their smile as they see the numerous gifts they’re receiving from everyone.

After much celebration the festival ends with a group picture of everyone in their costume and the babies at the center. You all pose for the picture, capturing a beautiful moment that you hope the children will remember.

[diorsluv]

feather , part 11

“ i got you blocked ”

series m. list previous chapter next chapter

( socialmedia!au )

markestapa

liked by edwards.73, mackie.samo, yourusername, and 49,736 others

markestapa this dumbass decided she’s staying at my house for the winter break 🙄🙄

tagged: yourusername

view all comments

yourusername disclaimer i told him not to pick me up but he grabbed me anyways (I DID NOT CONSENT)

→ markestapa for someone always worried about rumors u seem to be perfectly fine LYING TO THE PUBLIC RN

→ yourusername OKAY BUT I’M ACTUALLY TELLING THE TRUTH

edwards.73 dont forget abt me i’m coming tomorrow

→ yourusername we’re gonna have soooo much fun!! (god save me i beg)

→ markestapa WE CAN TAKE YOU TO THE SMALL POND AT THE PARK edwards.73

→ lhughes_06 yo me, jack, quinn and duker are gonna be there in like 3 days

→ mackie.samo i’m already here 💪

username58 i feel so bad, our mini drysdale is gonna be surrounded by all those boys for a whole month

→ yourusername it’s not anything new unfortunately 😔

_alexturcotte seems like you and mark are having a lot of fun!

→ yourusername yup.. (i have to share a bathroom with him, ethan and mackie as soon as everyone else gets here)

→ bookerburke_ ur not like.. uncomfortable with that or anything? yourusername

→ yourusername no i stay over at theirs after parties all the time, i’m used to it don’t worry ❤️ bookerburke_

→ bookerburke_ oh…. ok

username45 STOP THEYRE MY FAVORITE PAIR

jamie.drysdale my mom’s still sad she didn’t wanna come to the bahamas with us

→ markestapa she told my mom 💀💀

→ yourusername IT’S SO EXPENSIVE AND I NEED TO STUDY ANYWAY

→ jamie.drysdale IT’S CALLED A BREAK FOR A REASON DUMMY

username49 if i wasn’t an avid dryshughes shipper then i would totally go for drystapa

→ username8 she has a bf now 😭

→ username90 doesn’t look like it username8

→ username60 I CAN’T username90 THAT’S SO FOUL

yourusername

liked by edwards.73, markestapa, trevorzegras, and 57,929 others

yourusername the one day it didn’t snow!! what a shocker right

view all comments

markestapa guys i drank that green juice today and let me tell you it’s DISGUSTING (it’s actually kinda good)

→ yourusername YOU AND ETHAN DRANK THE WHOLE THING SO I HAD TO MAKE A SECOND ONE 😭

→ markestapa whaaaaaat when did we do that

→ edwards.73 stop falsely accusing us yourusername (can you make more when we have morning practices)

username55 i love nature

dylanduke25 lets go skating tomorrow

→ yourusername ofccc you know it

username70 she’s in her green eraaaa

bookerburke_ lemme take you out when we get back?

→ yourusername maybeee 🤭

→ username85 ah hell nah

→ jamie.drysdale omg let me join!!!!! 😍😍😍

→ yourusername jamie wtf who hacked into ur account

lhughes_06 too bad it was just us two at the park, the scenery was great

→ yourusername frrr

→ username12 is this his way of saying what i think he’s saying

→ jackhughes bro wdym i was there too???

username48 what can she NOT do, she’s so perfect 😔

trevorzegras it’s better in cali come visit

→ yourusername stop trying to coerce me

mackie.samo god he’s going on and on AGAIN

→ markestapa oh so it wasn’t just me he was complaining to??

→ adamfantilli dude he texted me a whole ass paragraph

→ _quinnhughes i could hear him throwing the pillows from the other side of the house

→ dylanduke25 he just won’t stop man

→ lhughes_06 🙄

next chapter notes ) so my wifi was out for half the day and it really set me back and that’s why this is kinda bad.. BUT IT’S FINE WE BOUNCE BACK 💪💪

tags: @aliaology

[ronnie-quinn]

It’s Okay to Cry

CG!Husk, CG!Fat Nuggets, and Regressor!Angel

Plot: Angel has been crying nonstop, and Husk doesn’t know why.

Request by @yourneurodivergentlady

Heavily inspired and based on “The Crying Dame” from The Loud House

“It’s Okay to Cry” belongs to Barney and Friends

Husk looked at his phone to check the time as he held Angel in his arms. The spider regressed to a headspace equivalent of a newborn and had been crying for about two hours. Husk didn’t know why or what had gotten Angel so upset. The caregiver tried everything to stop his tears. Angel didn’t need a change, he wasn’t sick, and he wasn’t hungry. Husk tried putting Angel down for a nap, but that was also unsuccessful since he wasn’t tired either. Fat Nuggets tried cheering the little spider with his comfort items (Angel’s Rainbow Puppy and Twinkle stuffies and favorite Blue’s Clues paci), but to no avail.

“I know, today’s just not a good day, is it?” Husk comforted in a soft, hushed tone as he rocked Angel from side to side.

Husk put Angel down on his bed to text Charlie for advice. Angel instantly bawled louder because of this.

“It’s okay, Legs. I just gotta text Charlie,” Husk said as Fat Nuggets climbed on the bed and walked over to Angel, nuzzling his cheek to calm him down. “She’ll help us understand why you’re feeling sad.”

Husk then texted Charlie on his phone.

Husk: “Hey, Charlie, I need help.”

Charlie: “Sure thing, I’m on my way.”

The winged cat sighed with relief as he put his phone away. He picked Angel back up and gave him a gentle bounce. A few minutes later, Charlie arrived.

“What’s going on?” Charlie asked.

“Do you know how to get littles to stop crying?” Husk questioned. “Fat Nuggets and I’ve tried everything for Angel and nothing’s working.”

Charlie scratched her chin as she thought long and hard about Husk’s question.

“How long has Angel been crying for?”

“Two hours,” Husk replied. “I just… I don’t know. I feel like I’m doing something wrong here.”

“No, no, it’s not that at all,” Charlie reassured Husk as she put her hand on his shoulder. “You and Fat Nuggets are doing a good job taking care of Angel while he’s little. I think it’s because littles who regress to an infantile headspace are similar to actual babies. Sometimes, babies cry for no reason, no matter what we do to soothe them.”

“So, what should we do?”

“Just let Angel cry it out and continue comforting him for as long as he needs it. No matter what age, we all need a good cry every now and then. I promise you, it’s nothing that you’ve done.”

Husk smiled a bit as Charlie rubbed the still-wailing spider’s back and walked out of the cat’s room. The caregiver then carried Angel to his rocking chair and sat down.

“You hear that, kiddo? We all need a good cry sometimes, and you know what? It’s perfectly okay to cry,” Husk said as he began slowly rocking Angel in his arms. “Just let it out. I’m right here, and so is Fat Nuggets. We’re gonna be here for you, no matter what.”

Fat Nuggets walked over to the rocking chair and climbed onto Angel’s lap to join in comforting him. Husk cleared his throat and began to sing.

When you feel a tear in your eye,

it usually means you want to cry,

So if you've hurt and it hurts real bad

Or if you have feelings that are making you sad,

Then it's okay, it's okay to cry.

‘Cause I know that when I'm done crying,

I can talk about what's bothering me

And though my face gets wetter,

I feel much better

If I talk about what's bothering me.

Crying is nature's way

Of helping bad feelings go away.

So if you've been hurt or are feeling bad,

Whether you're a kid or a mom or a dad,

It's okay, it’s okay to cry.

‘Cause I know that when I'm done crying,

I can talk about what's bothering me

And though my face gets wetter,

I feel much better

If I talk about what's bothering me.

Yes, that works for me.

Angel sniffled after the song, his cries subsiding to whines and whimpers.

“Shh, it’s okay, kiddo. You’re gonna be okay,” Husk smiled softly and continued rocking the spider until he felt better.

[calholic]

HEY POOKIE BEAR i love ur writing sm ur acc one of my fav accounts 😋😋

anyways i was wondering if you wld write smth where the reader is the guitarist of a well known band (like tom knows who she is) and is kinda like a female ver of tom, like she has the same kind of personality and she’s known for being flirty and a bit of a player and tom has like a fat crush on her bc he thinks that’s so hot 😋 and then he meets her at some point and he’s kinda shocked by how confident she is like she’s not stuttering and shi like other girls he talks to 🤭 anyways then she plays hard to get for a while but it ends in them being together??

T. KAULITZ x READER

★ 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: you never gave your heart to anyways, not until you met a cocky guitarist

★ 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: mentions of alcohol, swearing, cigarettes

★ 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: omgee pookie thx xoxo 😘 anywayssss i had like 1 brain cell writing this and it’s been sitting in my drafts for weeks so yay i’m finally posting this.

you loved the thrill of concerts and being on tour, new man in bed every night, lots of alcohol and dozens of phone numbers being passed around. you could never be contained and you were proud of that fact. being invited to parties was easy since you were in a band, even clubs would let you in with no ID. some would disapprove of your lifestyle but you didn’t care cuz fuck them right? you didn’t care for much, not boys, school, or a anything. you only cared for guitar, it was your passion, your dream. you loved being in a band too but would slack rehearsals sometimes, not without being scolded by lilli though.

“late again,” she said. “hungover, don’t talk,” you said walking past her. you went to a party yesterday and went a little too crazy on the drinks. “there are consequences to your actions ______, stop drinking so much,” said malik, the drummer. “whatever, mom,” you said picking up your guitar. you hated to admit it but you did have a drinking problem, you just couldn’t stop after one you know? you went to go stand by the bassist mery, she was your best friend and the only one that understood you. “anyways, let’s get started,” said lilli. you guys started rehearsal and it went pretty well. you guys all gathered at the end since lilli had some announcements. “we’re finally starting our europe tour!” she enthusiastically announced. “woohoo,” you said sarcastically. she rolled her eyes and turned to the others for questions. “where are we going in europe?” asked mery.

“i only remember the manager saying something about germany,” she said. “when are we starting?” you asked. “next month! we have little time to prepare so i expect you all to show up to rehearsals,” she said looking right at you. “anyways, i hear we’re popular in germany so you guys better put on a show!” said lilli. ignoring her comment, you walked outside and lit a cigarette waiting for the others to finish packing up.

you lit a cigarette outside of the studio as you waited for the others to finish packing up. “ready to go?” asked malik. “yup. wanna go somewhere tonight?” you asked as you caught up with the others. “not sure, the club?” suggested mery as you guys buckled up in the van. “shots on me then,” said lilli. clubbing was your favorite thing to do, second to touring. this was how you met your hookups and one night stands. you loved with the others to minimize housing expenses, it sounded fun at first but now you barely tolerate it.

the fun part of it though is that you can always borrow clothes from lilli or mery. lilli had the cutest, sluttiest clothes ever. you tried on some of her clothes when you got home to plan your outfit. “hey,” lilli said as she walked in. “what’s up?” you asked. “nothing much, just a little tired,” she said, plopping on the bed. “hope i meet someone tonight,” she said. “me too,” you added. you liked the thought of boys but not the thought of dating them, you could never settle into a relationship so one night stands were your best friend.

you decided on a tank top with a mini skirt and you went to go get changed. soon enough it you all finished getting ready and left for the club. you went on like you usually would at a club; party hard, fuck boys, and drink lots. after the night of fun you sat down on the couch and looked up at the tv. it showed an interview of another band that you’ve never heard of. they looked like a bunch of loser teens in your mind but one caught your eye, the one with black hair. he wasn’t exactly your type but you loved his style.

you eventually forgot about that night one might later and you guys were on your way to germany to start the tour. you were excited to meet the fans and the boys. your first stop was the hotel to drop stuff off and get settled in before leaving to tour the venue and get used to the surroundings. you fell on the hotel bed and let out a sigh of relief. “i needed this,” you said to mery whom you shared a room with. “i heard there’s a hot all boy band that going to be at the venue,” she said. “said who?” you asked sitting up, amused by the keyword “hot.”

“i watch the news,” mery replied. “lame,” you said sitting back down. “apparently they’re very hot here, i hope we see them,” she said. “if they’re got then i hope we see them too,” you said yawning before lilli walked into the room. “we have to go soon,” she said. “shit i like garbage right now,” you said before getting up to get changed into something a little more appealing. you slipped into jeans and put on a sequined tanktop before grabbing your heels. “ready,” you said. you guys all got on the bus to the venue and you were anticipating meeting this band mery spoke of. when you got there, many other artists were there already, all waiting for a tour.

mery tapped your shoulder and pointed to a group of boys that looked oddly familiar. “that’s the hot band!” she exclaimed. you turned around and you immediately recognized them, it was the band from that tv interview at the club. “hey i know them, i saw them on tv,” you said to mery. “aren’t they so handsome?” she asked. “a little i guess, they look a bit young though,” you mentioned. “actually we’re about the same age as them,” mery said. “nerd,” you said before petting her head, messing up her hair.

you walked off to go stand in line for the tour with the other artists but you didn’t notice a certain someone noticing you. the line took hours since so many other artists were there but eventually the tour concluded. you realized your band and the other band that mery was talking about were the only bands there that would be performing. you ran back to the van hoping to get back to the hotel room quickly since you were tired, with the others following behind but someone interrupted you.

he walked up to you and introduced himself. “hey, i’m tom,” he said. you were tired and not in the mood to talk to anyone but you tried to be polite since you didn’t want the tabloids to start drama. “nice to meet you, tom,” you said looking at the boy who was surprisingly attractive. “i’m a big fan of your band,” he said. you could tell he wanted to fuck by his expression, i mean what else could he want? “oh really? i’ve heard about you a little too,” you said. he was practically creaming his pants when you said that, you couldn’t help but laugh a little. “do you want to hang out on the tour bus?” he asked.

“thanks but no thanks, my bands a little busy. see you though i guess,” and with that you left. he looked confused at your rejection, like he couldn’t understand how a girl could reject a boy like him. you walked back to the van and mery was practically dying yo ask you questions. “did he just talk to you??” she asked. “yeah what about it?” you replied. “well i guess nothing but you’re not even gonna ask for his number or something? i thought you liked picking up boys especially since he’s exactly your type,” she said. “i’m just really tired right now,” you said yawning.

“oh,” said mery. the car ride back to the hotel room was silent and you almost fell asleep a little on the car. the next day you got ready to explore the city a little before heading to the venue to get ready to perform. you did sound checks and got changed into your stage outfit before meeting the others back stage. you messed around with your guitar a little before you heard backstage staff talking into their wally talkies. “alright tokio hotel is next, get them ready,” they said. malik signaled you guys to start walking on stage and as you did you saw thousands of fans and the venue was completely filled out.

you were so happy and your adrenaline started pumping as the first song started. you got really into it as you strummed your guitar and sang along, getting wild as you usually do. you walked downstairs into the crowd and did crowd surfs, blowing kisses at the audience and doing the “call me” hand signal as well. by the end of the concert your shirt was off and your hair was an mess with your makeup slightly smudged. you said said goodbye to the crowd, giving one last flirtatious smile before walking backstage.

you saw that tokio hotel was already standing there waiting for their set to start. “you’re welcome for the free concert,” you said winking at them as you guys walked by. “leave them alone,” lilli said, laughing and rolling her eyes. you had a little energy left so you walked into the crowd hoping to get a hookup. you saw a guy around your age and walked up to him. “hey, what’s your name?” you asked. “joel,” he smirked. one thing led to another and you ended up making out with him in his truck, although it was dangerous you still enjoyed it. your cell rang and it was mery calling you back to meet with the others.

you left without saying anything to him but not before grabbing a few drinks. you saw mery and ran up to her, she was in the crowd. you offered her a drink which she happily accepted and by the end of tokio hotels set you were both drunk. you were half awake now and wanted to go back to the room. “lilli can we get back to the hotel? i’m tired,” you whined. “yeah sure let me go get malik he’s by the bathroom we’ll meet you by the van,” she said. you and mery walked back to the van and it started getting quiet the farther you got away from stage. you waited by the van for lilli and malik until a familiar face appeared, it was tokio hotel.

“hey, good job tonight guys,” one of the members said. it was the one with black hair, the one that caught your eye first. “oh thanks you guys did good too,” you said. “you were off with some dude half of it,” mery said laughing. you told her to shush as you laughed, their faces were priceless. tom, the one that tried to flirt with you looked jealous? you brushed it off once you saw lilli and malik. “oh we gotta go now,” you said. “wait, do you guys want to go somewhere?” tom asked. gosh this boy was restless you though. “go where?” asked lilli. “you guys can come to our room,” said the black haired one.

you all looked at each other, “why not?” malik said. “alright then uhm let me call our manager and tell her we’ll be gone then,” said lilli. so you guys all got into tokio hotels van and headed for their room. you got sat next to tom whom was still trying to flirt and you decided to entertain him a little. “your guitar playing is amazing,” he said. “you’re not too bad yourself,” you replied. you guys went back and forth like that before you reached their hotel. you immediately went out on the balcony for a cigarette and tom followed.

“i’m surprised, usually girls stutter or get flustered when talking to me,” he said. you were confused as to why he brought that up but at the same time too drunk to care. “well i guess i’m not one of your fangirls,” you replied. it was silent for a bit before you said something. “you said you’ve seen my band around before right?” you asked. “yeah i really am a fan. i always thought you were hot, i was really excited to meet you,” he said. “well am i what you thought i’d be?” you asked. “not at all,” he replied. “you’re funny,” you said, winking at him. you headed inside first and introduced yourself to the others.

after introductions, you found out that the black haired one was bill, the singer, the drummer was gustav, and bassist was georg. you sat down next to mery and the room was silent until georg said something. “so you and tom huh?” he asked. “what about him?” you replied. “do you two like each other?” he asked. “i don’t ‘like’ boys, i fuck them,” you said. “she’s like the female version of tom,” bill said laughing. “what does that mean?” asked lilli. “tom’s just like her, flirty and sort of a player,” said gustav. “that makes sense, you finally found your match,” said malik.

the others laughed before tom walked in. “what’s so funny?” he asked. “nothing, we were just talking about how you and ______ were so similar,” said bill. he looked at you and smirked before taking a seat next to you. “want to take some shots?” asked bill reaching for a bottle of vodka. “sure but how’d you sneak alcohol in the hotel?” you asked. “don’t worry about it,” he said.

you guys took the shots and soon enough you were all drunk. but since you and mery had already gotten drinks the two of you blacked out. you don’t remember much except for someone carrying you to the bed and the lights turning off.

you woke up the next day, not knowing where you were. you saw lilli and malik on the floor and mery sleeping next to gustav. tom was laying next to you with bill next to him while georg slept on the sofa. the bed was crammed so you got off to wake the others up. you walked over to lilli first. “lilli help me wake the others,” you said. “what time is it?” she asked. “it’s like eleven AM,” you said. “oh shit, we were supposed to meet our manager at nine,” she said.

she started panicking which led you to panic so you two were just freaking out which woke the others. “what’s wrong?” asked mery, waking up. “we were supposed to meet our manager at nine, it’s eleven,” she said shaking malik. you were fighting a massive hangover and lillie’s panic wasn’t helping. soon enough tokio hotel woke up and you guys were already at the door. “leaving already?” asked tom. “we’re late to meeting our manager,” you said. “shit,” said georg. “uh see you guys around i guess?” said mery as you guys ran out the door.

lilli had ten miss calls from the manager and dozens of angry texts. you guys got into a lot of trouble, which you took the blame for. you guys went back to the hotel room and you flung yourself on the bed. “ugh fuck this,” you said. “what’s wrong?” asked mery. “this hangover, i feel like i’m dying,” you replied. “i bet calling your boyfriend tom will make you feel better,” she said teasing you. the others started laughing while you just rolled your eyes. “seriously though you guys are perfect for each other,” added lilli. “whatever,” you said.

“speaking of them i happened to get gustavs number last night, maybe we should meet with them tonight~~,” said mery. “well i am bored, maybe the club?” malik suggested. “you read my mind, call him mery,” said lilli. you sat by the side pretending not to be interested because deep down you knew you were starting to find tom attractive and you knew where this would go. he would break your heart or you would breaks his and he would leave, just like the others.

mery called the gustav anyways and it was settled, your band and tom’s band were going out tonight. your manager basically grounded you guys so obviously you couldn’t go out… which wasn’t going to stop you. i mean you guys never listen to your manager hence last night. you felt and looked like garbage so you quickly hoped in the shower before going shopping in town. you went by yourself since the others were too busy doing their own thing, but you didn’t mind since you liked your own company.

hours later you got a call from mery asking you to go back since everyone was getting ready. you meet them back in the room and get ready as well, putting on one the dresses you bought while in town. “did you buy that dress just for tom?” asked lilli in a teasing tone. “no i bought it for you dad,” you replied sticking your tongue at at her. malik and mery laughed as you put your heels on. thirty minutes later you guys all left and met with tokio hotel and there tom was, looking nonchalant but in a hot way as usual. you look away from him to scout out the boys in the club that could help take your mind off things.

you spotted a very cute boy with curly brown hair dancing by himself. you walked up to him, completely separating from the others. “hey i’m ______, what’s your name?” you asked him. “it’s skylar,” he said. “let’s dance,” you said as you started grinding against him. he was into and you even got your mind off tom before you walked over to the bathroom. you guys are out a few moments later, your hair messy and his shirt half buttoned. you blew him a kiss as you walked over to the others who were now sitting on a sofa.

“wow we’ve only just gotten here and you’ve already hooked up with a dude ______ that’s a new record,” said malik. “who keeps track anymore?” you asked him. you took a seat next to mery and tom, right in the middle. tom was visibly staring at you and you were confused until you realized you were wearing a very booby top. “perv,” you whispered over to him. he quickly looked away which made you laugh a little. mery left and decided to go on the dance floor with gustav and bill following while lilli and malik went to the bar to gets drinks leaving you and tom.

“so why don’t you date?” he asked. “same reason as you probably, i don’t believe in love after one night,” you said. “wow, we really are similar,” he said. “you think?” you said. “why don’t we date then?” he asked. “because i’ll break your heart,” you replied. “maybe i’ll break yours,” he said. “nobody breaks my heart,” you replied, chuckling. he gave you a dry laugh and looked away before malik and lilli came back with drinks. you and tom both got super intoxicated that night and one thing left to another and you two ended in a hotel room together. the two of you laid on the bed as you lit a cigarette. “do you hate me?” he asked. “what do you mean?” you were confused. “i mean, you’re not head over heels for me, you don’t stutter or fumble your words at all when we speak and you don’t want to date me, i don’t understand why you would act like that unless you hate me,” he explained. “i don’t hate you, in fact i think i’m in love with you,” you drunkenly admitted.

“you do?” he asked, shocked. “i think. i mean you’re exactly my type and we’re basically the same person so i guess i do,” you said. you were slightly conscious of what you had just confessed to tom and you had no regrets, holding it in was killing you slowly. tom reached for you cigarette and you guys shared it until you put it out. you fell asleep and the next morning you woke up in tom’s arms. he was completely wrapped around you and you had no memory of the night before.

“morning,” he said groggily with his morning voice. “did we…?” you asked, scrounging up as much of last night as you could. “yeah, and you also confessed you love for me,” he said laughing. “oh god, did i?” you asked. “don’t tell me you didn’t mean it,” he said. “unfortunately i did and you’re not going to let me live it down will you?” you asked. “of course not,” he said smiling. you reached over for your phone to missed calls and texts messages from lilli. “i guess we should get back to our hotels,” you said before getting up to put your clothes on. “not before i do this,” tom said, grabbing your wrist and pulling you back to bed before kissing you. “i hate you,” you said digging your face into his chest.

[yesimwriting]

Final Girl - Part 8

Series Masterlist (updated chapters 1 -9 and extras) Final Girl Masterlist

A/N this took awhile,, but i always want to put my best foot forward bc of how much this series means to me, which means i work when i’m in the right headspace for it and have the time to invest,, which hasn’t been lining up too much recently 😭 anyways i see all the supportive comments and appreciate them sm!!

also keep in mind that my priority is not the timeline, like if you’re feeling like the month before halloween is the longest month of all time,, it’s bc i want to give them bonding time before the heavy murder stuff! 

Series Summary: Y/n can’t believe that she has to leave the only home she’s ever known just because her mom’s latest boyfriend has a house in some town in California. Just as she’s starting to think that Woodsboro might not be that bad, something life altering happens after she agrees to sleep over at the Becker’s house. Now her name is practically synonymous with Ghostface’s/

Chapter Summary: Y/n tries to get back to normal and work on her friendships, but there’s nothing normal about surviving a serial killer attack, and it’s no one’s fault her friends keep noticing. She’s navigating the start of dealing with her trauma while also trying to be a good friend, especially since Billy hasn’t been feeling like himself lately. In a desperate attempt to feel like a normal, healthy teenager, Y/n crosses a personal boundary. 

----

My mom has often told me that in many ways, I was born as an old lady. 

She’d always say it after I tried being responsible. Suggesting that she give herself a curfew on weeknights, or at the very least, call if she was going to be late. Reminding her that there’s a reason people gave her the side eye when she took a visibly underage me into R-rated movies. 

Now that I’m older, I guess she was right in a lot of ways. I wasn’t the kid-iest kid, if that makes sense, but there was one thing I was always good at: playing dress up. 

With a mom like Gloria, it would have been hard not to. For years, my mom’s closet basically had the same magical properties as Disneyland. I thought that that mindset might have just been nine-year-old me, but apparently not, because Tatum and Sidney have been looking through it like it’s life changing. 

“Okay.” Tatum picks up one of my mom’s shimmery wrap and tosses it over her shoulder. “It’s official, when I die, I want to be buried here.”

I look over in time to watch her observe herself in the mirror. “Then I hope you live for a very long time.” 

She wrinkles her nose.  “That better not be the only reason.” 

“Course not, you know I love you very much, Tate-a-boo.” I make a quick kiss-y face, and Tatum almost giggles before returning the gesture. 

Turning away from my mom’s dresses, Sidney smiles. “Please, for all our sakes, don’t let Stu hear you say that.” 

After the joke settles, I practically snort. “Good point.” I step a little further into the closet, refocusing my attention. The only reason we’re all in here is because I wanted to borrow a pair of shoes before going out to the nail salon. It was Tatum’s idea, and the state of my cuticles made me agree. My social hibernation has not been good to them. “Okay, these are the shoes.” 

Sidney steps out of the closet to give me the space to do the same. I slip on the shoes, happy with how they look with my outfit and their level of comfortableness. My mom rarely buys any shoes for herself that aren’t heels, so she ends up taking anything that’s remotely comfortable from my closet. 

“I want to stay here.” Tatum’s hand brushes against the sleeve of something cashmere. “Maybe forever.” 

“And leave your nail beds like that?” Sid glances away from the full length mirror that’s right outside of my mom’s closet. She turns her attention to her reflection, adjusting the fluffiness of her always, almost magically perfect bangs.

Tatum halfheartedly glares before stepping out of the closet. “You’re such a liar.” She raises a hand, studying her palm while walking out of the closet. “You told me they looked fine yesterday.”

Sidney almost smiles before throwing me a look. A quick raise of eyebrows that seems to say got her. “We’re gonna be late.” 

----

The first nail appointment after awhile always feels like willingly volunteering to get a bunch of paper cuts. It’s not overwhelming painful, just a little irritating. After feels nice, though, now that my nails look fresh and I know I don’t have to worry about having my cuticles professionally gutted for a little bit. 

And being around Sidney and Tatum is nice. Familiar in a way that’s still new. It’s weird in a good way. Like I could start throwing around cheesy terms like BFF and it wouldn’t even be dumb. It’d still be ironic, but I think they’d get the sentiment. It’s not that I’ve never had good friends, but this is different. A little more open.

Like right now we’re in Sidney’s room and we’re not talking about anything in particular, just going off of whatever comes up. I could probably say the dumbest thing in the world right now and it wouldn’t even feel unfitting or awkward. 

“...Shut up, he was not that bad.” Tatum’s trying to sound more upset than she is. Somehow Sidney found a way to tell me about Tatum’s first boyfriend. A total middle school romance--they even went to the 8th grade dance together and held hands and had their first kiss under the bleachers. Sounds cute enough, but according to Sidney he was a total weirdo. Even by 8th grade boy standards. “He wasn’t.” 

Sidney laughs again, the movement has her arm bumping into mine. “He tried to eat a live lizard because Stu dared him.” 

“No way.” I snort. “Your first kiss was with a lizard eater?” 

Tate sighs, dropping her head against the side of the mattress and crossing her legs on the floor. “Tried. It ran away and no one ever found it.” That’s still objectively hilarious. I can’t picture Tatum with anyone that out there, but then again, she is with Stu. 

Not that he reminds me of an 8th grade boy trying to eat a lizard, but he was the one that came up with the idea. “Maybe Stu ate it.” 

Tatum glares, halfheartedly shoving my leg as Sidney clasps a hand over her mouth to avoid laughing too hard. “I’ll ask him.” 

It’s strange to picture them like that. A little younger, growing up together. “So you guys knew each other back then and now...” 

She shrugs, “I don’t know...it just kind of happened. He was always hooking up with or seeing any girl with a pulse and I didn’t even see him like that until after--” She cuts herself off with no warning. “You know Sidney and Billy have a way nicer getting together story.” Tate snaps her head up to look at Sidney, whose expression immediately shifts. “Right, Sid?” 

Sidney’s eyes briefly meet mine. There’s a bit of uneasiness there that I don’t get. What could the end of Tatum’s thought have been? What could she have been about to say that might have been--oh. 

“Yeah,” she agrees, “Billy and I were hanging out for weeks--” 

“You can say her name.” My throat feels drier than it did a second ago. “I won’t freak out if you mention Casey. Promise.” 

Tatum’s eyes briefly shut. “That’s--” She doesn’t know how to finish the sentence. I’m right. Why wouldn’t she think I’d freak out? After the way I acted at that party. “No one would blame you if you did.” 

It’s easy to say that it doesn’t matter when you’re not the one that has melt downs. “Yeah.” 

There’s a brief stretch of awkward silence, the light mood now tainted by the exact thing that’s kept me away from my friends for so long. Maybe keeping to myself was about more than the safety of others--maybe I don’t want anyone to know what I’m like now. 

“It’d be weirder if you weren’t a little messed up about it.” Tatum hums the words with such casualness I can’t help but laugh, even when Sidney snaps her head to the side to give her a seriously look. “I’m serious, only a total psycho would be able to see that and jump back into things.” 

Sidney sits up a little more, “And you took the SAT a week after it all happened. You’re doing a lot better than most people would be doing.” 

I nod, glad that they’re at least good at pretending that I’m not a total mess. “Yeah, guess I’m just sensitive about it because I freaked out on Noel at that party.” Ugh. That’s been something I’ve been trying really hard to forget. “He probably thinks I’m a total freak.” My eyes squeeze shut at the memory of the party. I had been a total mess. I flip flopped on murder accusations like it was nothing and nearly ran to Casey’s house in the middle of the night. “He’s probably told everyone I’m a total freak.” 

“You don’t know that.” Sidney’s nice for trying to comfort me, but it’s not the best argument. She picks up on my expression because she then immediately tacks on, “Okay, let’s be logical--why would he do that?” 

“Why wouldn’t he after the way I acted?” Ugh. Every guy that knows him is going to think I’m a complete weirdo. This is what I get for trying to date. “And it’s not like he called after. He hasn’t even talked to me in class since.” 

Sidney’s eyebrows draw together briefly before her hands move off of her lap and land on her comforter. She pushes herself to stand. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing.” 

“Noel’s a total scrub. You’re better off.” Tatum stands too, scratching the back of her arm once. She approaches the bag she abandoned near Sidney’s door, “I brought that eyeshadow I was telling you about. The sparkly, blue one that makes everyone look like Baby Spice.” 

She exhales what’s almost a laugh and I find myself not being able to answer. That does sound like something I’d normally happily go along with. Even though Tatum tends to go for a more subtle look on the day to day, she has a solid makeup collection. Lots of trendy shimmers and bright colors that are fun to swatch and mess around with. But there’s something about the way she said it...breezed away from one topic to this.

And the way Sidney just got up like she was hoping that’d change something. I sit up a little straighter, trying to remember what it’s like to not feel paranoid all the time.

Sidney stops adjusting her hair and messing with her bangs in the mirror. “Or we could hold off on that and go to the video store.” Another change to a topic that normally I’d be all over. “I think Randy’s working, we could bug him a little and get something to watch later.” 

Okay, another thing I’d normally want to do. It has been a minute since I’ve gotten to annoy Randy, and the itch is definitely there. Maybe they’re just trying to be good friends and cheer me up, but they’re spitting out suggestions in a way that feels like they’re really hoping one will stick.

 “Are--do you guys know something about something?” Ugh. If this is my paranoia acting up, I’ll never recover. Why can’t I just go along with things? “I don’t know if it’s me and my head, but you’re acting kinda weird.” 

“No, we’re just--” Sidney’s eyes don’t stay on me, they shift over to Tatum for the briefest second. I blink and almost convince myself I’ve imagined it. “You’re not crazy, we just don’t want to stress you out.” 

I push myself onto my feet. “That is the worst thing you can say to someone you don’t want to stress out.”

Sidney’s eyebrows draw together like she’s worried. I almost feel bad for pushing. “Noel not talking to you isn’t an accident or your fault.” 

“Sid.” I snap my head in Tatum’s direction. She hesitates beneath my stare and gives in with a sigh, “Okay, Noel’s a player who brags about crushing girls’ virginities and breaking up with them the next day. He talks about every girl he’s dated like they’re some kind of car and there are even worse things written about him in the handicap stall of the second floor bathroom.” Tatum pauses, considering how she’s going to word what actually happened. “You’re going through a lot right now and that’s the last thing you need, and we were worried about you, so we talked to Stu and Billy and basically...got Noel to back off.” 

Oh my god. The embarrassment, anger, and shock are all fighting for dominance in my mind, but none of them overpower the other so the feeling is just really fucking bad. All I can picture is Billy and Stu talking to Noel like I’m some little kid or someone with brain damage that can’t make their own choices. 

“You guys suck!” I wipe at my face with the back of my hand, exhaustion cutting into my irritation. “Like really suck. I’m not some child that can’t make her own decisions.” Ugh--I can’t even decide how to react. “It’s not like I was going to marry him or anything.” 

Tatum watches me with a certain level of uncertainty. I don’t think I’ve ever snapped at her or Sidney before. “You’re not exactly a casual dater.” 

“Well--I-I could have been.” It feels awkward, almost reluctant, and I hate myself for it. She’s technically right. I’ve never casually dated, but I’ve never seriously dated either, so it probably wouldn’t kill me. “Either way, it might have been a mistake, but it was my mistake to make.”

“I know, Y/n,” Sidney breathes the words slowly, “We didn’t mean anything by it, it wasn’t like a whole scheme or anything it just--” She’s trying, really trying. “We wanted to help you.” 

I didn’t need help, I was fine. The genuine hint of worry in her tone keeps me from pointing that out. I just stare at her and then at Tatum. Why does it matter anyways? Everyone gets to be normal and do dumb things and have people they’re close with and relationships and all I have is the stupid ‘almost murdered’ label. 

“Why does it matter enough for you to--” I cut myself off, not sure what I’m really asking or what I mean. 

Tatum lets out a small sigh, the sound almost reluctant, maybe a tiny bit annoyed that she even has to talk about this. “Because you’re our friend,” she half shrugs like what she’s saying should have been assumed , “And we love you.” She presses her lips together briefly, “Duh.” 

Sidney throws a look in Tatum’s direction, “Yeah, we love you so much we were willing to risk you being super mad at us because we were worried.” Sidney pauses to take a breath. “We shouldn’t have done it behind your back, and in the future we won’t meddle.”

When I don’t ease, Tatum tacts on, “If it makes things any better, Stu’s normally a total guy’s guy about this kind of thing and even he thinks Noel’s a total creep.” She scratches the back of her wrist, “And those two never care about this stuff, so, boohoo, we all love you.” 

Okay, that doesn’t exactly fix things but it does take the edge off just a tiny bit. They all go way back, and that’s intimidating. And Tatum’s trying to be funny about it, layering on the sarcasm so that I’ll laugh. I hate that it’s almost working. “Well, as long as it’s just everyone being obsessed with me...” The joke feels like a bit of a betrayal, so I tact on something else, “I’m still mad, though.” That feels even weaker. I’m too in my head about all of it and still pretty embarrassed despite the fact that I didn’t do anything. It won’t last forever, but right now, it’s all feeling like too much. The safety of my bedroom feels miles away instead of the few blocks it actually is. “I think I-I’m gonna...” 

“No,” Tatum huffs, “It wasn’t supposed to be a thing.” She tilts her head to the side, silky blonde hair bouncing with the motion. “We haven’t seen you in forever and it was more Stu and Billy’s thing, they’ve been ready to start a thing with him since like the 9th grade.” 

More Stu and Billy’s thing? That almost makes sense for Billy, who Noel casually suggested could be a murderer. But Stu? Noel seemed to like him well enough. Maybe it’s a loyalty thing. I can see Billy and Stu having a bit of package deal friendship. You can’t hate on one without becoming enemy of the other. And with how generally protective Stu seems to be over his friends, it’d make sense. 

But still. I am not a bargaining chip or an excuse or someone that needs their approval on who I do or don’t date.

“Let’s do whatever you want to do and then if you’re still mad, we can invite them over and you can yell at them.” 

Tatum almost smiles, “You’re good at that.” 

That...feels a little weird. “I’m good at yelling?” 

“No, it’s like when you told off that reporter. One minute, you’re normal, but then, when you need to be--bam! You’re super bitch.” 

I laugh, this time it’s genuine. “Super bitch strikes again.” The exit is still close, and some nervous part of me wants to cling to the out. I’m not sure if it’s out of some form of fear or genuine anger or both. But I do want to stay around them a little longer and go take way too long renting a video just to annoy Randy. “If I get to pick what we do, I say we go bother Randy and get a movie. He’s had it easy for too long.” 

Sid half scoffs at my ominous tone. “How do you know?” 

"Knowing whether or not Randy needs to be annoyed is my superpower.” 

----

The video rental is surprisingly empty for early Thursday evening. Schools are out and it’s close enough to the weekend where normally there are more people stopping by to check out what they want to watch in advance. Today doesn’t reflect that. Good to know that my Randy distress radar is still in tact. 

There’s an older man adjusting the latest release aisle, changing out movies. He’s the only employee that I see as I scan over the store and a part of me nearly deflates. Sidney did say she thought Randy would be working and I have no way of knowing. Our friendship has also been a victim to my recent hermit ways, and it’s likely suffered more than my connection with anyone else. At least my other friends are in a couple of my classes or need to walk down the same hallways. Most of Randy’s classes aren’t near mine and we only share a study hall, which he often uses as an excuse to leave early in order to get to work. Meaning that most days I only see him during lunch. 

The door to the back swings open and behind a cart of VHS tapes, there’s a familiar face. Randy. I find myself smiling as I approach the counter he’s coming up from behind. 

“Excuse me,” he glances up, a bit of surprise causing him to raise his eyebrows, “I was wondering if you have a copy of Child’s Play 2, but not the original, the extended cut with the alternate ending, Sorority House Massacre, uncut, duh, and/or Fox’s original version of Clueless.” 

Randy blinks, unfazed by my bullshit. “I’ve been around you too long to fall for that last one.” 

I almost laugh. I can’t believe Randy remembers my rant about the developmental nightmare that was the original Clueless pitch. Fox wanted a TV show, but they got a movie instead, and that took way too long for no reason. I had talked about it a lot longer than I meant to the other day at school. “You caught it.” 

“Decoys are always more obvious than they seem to the person making them.” It feels like some kind of movie rule reference, vague enough for me to get how it applies but not so random I feel the need to ask. “So are you here to rent something or make my job harder?” 

“A little of both.” Turning my head, I gesture to where Sidney and Tatum are. They’re in the same aisle, backs to each other as they scan through options. “We wanted something to watch and Sidney said she thought you’d be working today.” I tap my nails against the counter. “And I had this feeling that things have probably been too easy for you.”

Randy’s lips turn upwards but it feels a little different than a smile. “Yeah, nothing but peace since you...” 

“Became a total paranoid PTSD recluse?” 

He half shrugs, “Jack Torrence.” I roll my eyes, a little relieved that Randy’s joking about it instead of pressing. It’s part of the reason he’s a good friend to have. “You’re feeling better, though, right?” 

Spoke a little too soon, but that’s an okay question. It’s not invasive, it’s just an offer. “Getting there.” 

Randy nods, taking in the answer for what feels like a little too long for two words. Maybe he’s feeling the honesty of what does seem like a cop out answer. I’m not over it by any means, but feeling better is a process that’s starting to work. “That’s good.” He pushes the cart slightly before pulling back to place. “You’re good.” Randy lets out a breath, tugging and pushing the cart again. “I mean--deserve to feel good and normal.” 

I grin at the stumble in words. It’s rare that we’re openly nice to each other instead of acting like little kids after one pulls the other’s hair. “I get what you mean.” 

His lips part, but no words come out. Randy’s eyebrows draw together as his mouth shuts. What is--a firm touch on my shoulder snaps the question out of me. My head turns and some kind of comment about being rude to people in line rises and immediately falls back down. Stu! And then I remember my earlier conversation and it feels a lot more like: Oh. Stu. 

It’s such an instant flip that for a second I don’t react. Stu pulls his arm around me in a quick attempt at a side hug, but I’m so stiff it’s more like being shoved into him. “Look who’s here.” 

Bumping into him is by no means new to me. Small town, same friends, some overlap in hobbies. But this time it’s different. I promised myself that Stu and Billy would get scolded for meddling as soon as possible, but I didn’t expect run into him in public. It’s like being a parent with a child that’s misbehaving in church. You can’t do anything but redirect until you get to the car. 

Stu drops his arm back to his side. “Thought you were doing something with Tatum and Sid?” 

“They’re over there,” I gesture vaguely with a tilt of my head, trying to seem casual. I might not be willing to get into the whole Noel thing in front of Randy and the suburban mom trying to settle a dispute between two kids who can’t decide which movie to get, but Stu probably is. “I wouldn’t look too closely, girls’ night movies might make you sick.” 

Stu misses by just a second. He does wrinkle his nose in a display of the kind of good humor I’d expect from him, but it doesn’t feel as natural. There’s nothing wrong about his reaction, it just feels lacking. Missing his usual brand of energy. “I have no issue with girls’ night movies.” 

Clearly, I’ve been spending too much time with him because I get the joke instantly. Now it’s my turn to cringe. “Why do I even talk to you?” 

“Because, buggsie, your life would be so boring without me.” The nickname does make my expression warp, but this time it’s more like trying to keep in a laugh than anything else. “If your only movie influence was Randy, you’d be a lot less likable.” 

Randy sighs. “Keep telling yourself that.”

The words are just a little too sharp. They’re good enough friends in some senses. Not two I’d guess hang alone together, but I like to think at the end of the day they like co-existing. That doesn’t mean they don’t bicker from time to time in a way that feels different than when Randy and I fight like little kids or Stu and I fight like an old married couple too lazy to get divorced. 

“No need to be bitter, dude,” Stu’s hand is back around my shoulder, “I gave you a whole five minutes.” That was a weird thing to say. Random, and not in a fun sort of way, but before I can ask, Stu’s pulling me forward. “You want to help me sneak up on Tay?” 

I throw Randy a look that hopefully communicates my level of confusion and some sort of see you later. “Uh...” Stu’s already turning like I’ve answered, “Sure?” 

When we’re finally closer to the shelves than the counter, Stu lets me go, his hand sliding down my arm a little before retracting. “So you go up to Tatum, talk to her, keep her distracted, and I’ll sneak up behind her.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay.” He’s moving along so quickly and casually, but I’m still fixed on that last comment to Randy. It wasn’t banter-y and Randy didn’t say anything back, which feels a little weird. “That last thing you said, the five minute thing?”

Stu barely pauses, head tilting in a way that feels confused. “Oh. Gave him five minutes to make a move, but you know Randy, not a closer.”

It’s said casually enough that I could think Stu’s being serious, but there’s also a hum of sarcasm in there. And what he’s saying does feel too unrealistic to not be a joke. Randy and I are completely platonic, there’s no way he sees me like that. Plus, I’d like to think that if a guy I’m around that regularly liked me in any sort of way, I’d have at least somewhat picked up on it. 

“Shut up,” I shove Stu’s arm, “You’re not funny.”

He holds his hands up in defense briefly. “Don’t shoot the messenger.” 

It’s said casual enough that I’m finally given a second to think. The nagging voice at the back of my head is finally given the opportunity to remind me that I’m supposed to be mad at him. Or, at the very least, irritated until I can tell him off for trying to make decisions for me behind my back. 

“Interesting that you mention shooting you, be--” 

“Ouch,” Stu hums, a little too pointedly, “Thought we were all good, angel.” I press my lips together, staring at the ground to avoid giving him anything to latch onto. “I’ve been on best behavior. Minding my business, just here to check something out.”

I stop, a motion I think is subtle enough but Stu picks up on it immediately. He turns and grabs my wrist. The contact is sudden enough to force me to look up. Stu’s watching me, his expression seems innocent, and not in that pretend way either. There’s a hint of confusion behind his eyes. I’m not sure I entirely believe it, but I think it’s possible that what I’m mad about isn’t coming to mind. He has no reason to think I’d know about it. 

His hold is firm and oddly warm and bordering on distracting. 

“Stu,” Tatum’s cheery voice snaps the two of us out of our stand off.

He pulls away quickly, eyes falling on Tatum. “There’s my girl.” Stu pulls her into a hug and gives her a quick kiss. “Y/n was going to help me sneak up and surprise you, but she’s in a mood.” 

Ugh. Stu has a way of dismissing any type of reaction that doesn’t work for him as me being in a mood or pouting. “I am not in a mood.” 

“Give her a break.” Stu’s hands are still on her. “Y/n found out about the Noel thing.”My gaze instinctually shifts back to Stu. His easygoing grin falters. Tatum smiles at him with a coy look that I guess could be interpreted as some kind of apology. “Don’t get moody, she pulled it out of us.” 

It takes him a second, but Stu eventually eases off of her. He doesn’t look as content as before, but his expression hints at nothing else besides casual annoyance. “She can’t be too mad if she’s still hanging around you and Sid.” 

“I got to tell them both off already.” 

Stu turns, something smug tugging his face into an almost smile. It’s infuriating. “If that’s what you’re into, babe.” 

Tatum scoffs and halfheartedly smacks his shoulders. “You’ve been around long enough that I don’t have to apologize for him anymore, right?”

“Right.” 

Stu lets out a breath, “Geez, you two sure act like you love me.” 

I am so not in the mood to say anything nice about Stu in front of him. “Maybe if you minded your business a little more--” 

“Okay,” Tatum pushes herself into the budding argument and looks at me. “Save your energy for when there’s two of them.” Good point. If I yelled at Stu and Billy separately every time they messed up, I’d be yelling constantly. Tatum’s attention shifts back to Stu, “Is he around? Sid’s around the corner.” 

Stu shakes his head once. “Nah, it’s still early and he only said he might call. He’s been a little out of it.” 

Billy’s out of it? And out of it enough to not be around Stu for once? It’s not like they’re literally attached at the hip but a weekend evening where both me and their girlfriends are busy and they’re not hanging out together? That in itself hints at something being wrong. 

I think through the last I heard from Billy, but nothing particularly stands out. He might have briefly mentioned his dad but not in a concerning way. Not in a way that indicated he’d have to spend extra time with him or anything.

Billy has also been weirdly absent. No recent warning-less appearances at my window. Has he been going through something and I’m just too caught up in my personal issues to notice? God, this serial killer nonsense has turned me into a terrible friend. 

“He okay?” 

Stu’s eyes flit up to meet mine. “You might want to hold off on the scolding, but last time I checked in, yeah. Just all angsty, you know how Billy gets.” 

I blink. Last time he checked in. Maybe I’m idealizing their friendship too much, but I’ve always felt like they were looking out for each other. Closer than Stu’s current reaction warrants. Or maybe I’m overthinking things and Billy’s just taking some time. He doesn’t seem the type to want to talk about fuzzy things like feelings. 

“We were going to ask you guys to come over, but if he’s not up for it, that’s okay,” Tatum says, “You can still come by later, but I think you should check in on him.” 

Now I’m starting to feel antsy. Like I should go check in on Billy, but I don’t even know what that’d look like. The realization that I’ve never been to Billy’s house hits hard and with no warning. Whenever we all hang out, it’s at my place or someone else’s, and when it’s the three of us we go to Stu’s and sometimes my house. The thought rubs me the wrong way, like this one thing is pulling on the threads of our friendship. 

He’s one of my best friends and I can’t even say I know what his room looks like. 

“I’ll probably stop by soon.” 

That makes me frown. Probably. Soon. 

“Oh, that reminds me.” Tatum’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts. “Dewey wanted me to give you a head’s up that he’ll be trying to meet with you soon. He wants to go over some....stuff.” 

Ugh, this again. I can’t escape it. “Yeah. He has my number, Dewey can call whenever, but the warning was nice.” 

Stu shifts back like he doesn’t quite believe what he’s hearing. “He wants to talk to her again?” He’s more offended than I am. “What? It’s not like anything’s changed.” 

Tatum shrugs, “I don’t know. Dewey doesn’t give me the details.” 

“Unless they have new evidence, they shouldn’t be dragging her back into it just because they don’t know shit.”

I should tell him to drop it. That this is my business and maybe it’s time we establish some firmer boundaries, but I can’t get the words to form. The whole thing feels hypocritical. I should be annoyed, but I’m not because he’s saying what I can’t. 

It’s brief, but for a second it almost feels like Stu might be the closest to someone that gets what it feels like. The irony is insane, considering that there’s no way that empathy’s his strong suit. 

“I don’t know. It’s not my thing.” 

Tatum is understandably a little defensive, which is fair. Especially when considering our earlier conversation. This isn’t fair to her. “It’s okay.” The words feel like a flat cop out compared to Stu’s instinctual defense. “It’s not Tatum’s fault and Dewey was really nice about it last time--” 

“Last time? You mean when they ambushed you at the hospital before they let you take visitors?” 

My stomach knots at that. The feeling of waking up there, confused and unaware of what I’d just been through and then being made to feel like I was completely alone while Billy and Stu were waiting outside for me. “That’s not his fault.” A dry defense. “It sucks, but it’s for the greater good and it won’t take long.” I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince myself or him. “It’s okay.” 

Stu half sighs. “I’m going to grab my movie and head out, maybe stop by Billy’s.” He tuns to give Tatum a brief goodbye kiss to the top of her head. “I’ll see you soon, Y/n. Make sure you get to yell at me before it builds too much.” 

At that, I roll my eyes but still wave him off. 

---- 

My eyes are on the phone again, staring down the extension on my nightstand like it’s keeping things from me. 

Ugh. This is ridiculous. I snap my attention back to the homework in front of me. Some extra credit for my math class. It’s an attempt at damage control because the test I had to take the morning after being attacked by a serial killer is seriously bringing down my GPA. Too bad calc has never been my strong suit. The distraction that is my inability to move on from what Stu said is definitely not helping. 

Even after Sidney, Tatum, and I left the video store, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Stu’s uncertainty and what Billy could be going through. Maybe Stu was playing down how much he knows because Billy didn’t want anyone else knowing. I could see that. Hope for that since the thought of Billy locking himself in his room and dealing with whatever it is completely alone tugs at my heart.  

I could call. He might not answer, but that’s okay. It might make me feel better to just do something and it’s not like I’ve never called him. There’s also the more extreme option of showing up to his place. I’ve never been to his house,  but he’s pointed it out before. Even though I physically could get there, that feels like too much. If I’ve never been over, it’s probably for a reason.

There’s also Stu. I could call him to ask about Billy. He’s more likely to tell me about how Billy’s doing than Billy. But that also feels weird for no reason. Again, it’s not like I never call them. 

I glance over at the digital clock on my desk. 7:56. Okay--it’s not too late. Not weirdly late. 

I stand before I can think about it too much, walking over to the phone. If it’s going to be distracting, I should just get it over with. Maybe having some kind of answer will make it easier to focus on things.

The phone rings about three times before there’s an answer. “Yeah?” 

“Hey.” Okay, that one word feels super awkward for no reason. “Hi--it’s um--” Be more normal. It’s just Stu. “It’s Y/n.” 

A quick breath that feels more like a laugh than it sounds. “Yeah, I figured that out.” Great, now he’s making fun of me. “I also know why you’re calling.” 

“Really?” 

I can feel his amusement over the phone. “You can’t stop thinking about me and want me to come over.”

I snort as soon as the words wash over me. What was I expecting? “You figured it out. This is a booty call.” 

Stu sort of laughs. “Yeah? I can be over in five.”

Pressing my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing, I sit up a little more. “Loser.” I reach over for a pillow and pull it on to my lap. “Okay, so actual reason, I was trying to do something for calc, so obviously my mind was wandering and thinking about literally anything else.” 

“Obviously.” 

My fingers brush the fluff of the pillow’s exterior. I brush the strands flat and then back into little spikes of hair. “And at some point, I started thinking about what you said at the video store. About Billy.”

There’s a brief silence, and then another one of Stu’s breathy-accidental-laughs. “Aw, you’re worried.” Ugh. “That’s cute, angel, I’ll make sure to tell him.”

“Don’t.”

“Don’t be a spoilsport.” 

My nose wrinkles at that, nails smothering my pillow’s layer of fluff. “Is he okay or not?” 

For a second, the only thing coming from the other side of the phone is the general static of someone’s movement. “Bossy.” I roll my eyes, but before I can tell him to spare me tonight, Stu continues, “Why didn’t you just call Billy?” 

It’s a fair question, which only bugs me more. “Because there’s no way to call someone and ask if they’re okay based on a passing comment without sounding insane.” 

I pinch the thin hairs of my pillows between my thumb and index finger. “And it’s less insane this way?”

Feels like it. “Kinda, yeah.” 

“Don’t worry your pretty head about it. Billy’s fine, he’ll be back to his usual levels of brooding soon. Promise.” I don’t know what to make of that, so I just focus on my pillow. “It might help if you called him tomorrow. Let him sleep it off for a little longer.”

That’s probably a good suggestion. “Yeah, I’ll do that.” My eyes drift back to the still open textbook on my desk. My mom is out with Wells so I can’t even use her as an excuse to not be doing this right now. I briefly bite my tongue to give myself a second to think through what I’m considering. “You um--are you doing anything right now?” Even more awkward. Great. “I could really use an excuse to not work on calc right now.” 

“Now it’s a booty call.” 

Being friends with him is so annoying sometimes. “I hate you.”

“Ouch,” a brief shuffling before he speaks again, “You know I love distracting you--” I roll my eyes. “But tonight’s--” 

“Shit, is Tatum over or something?” A hand flies over my mouth. Of course I’d call at a time where he had someone over and be a total mess. “I’m sorry.” 

Some more static before a response, “No, it’s--” He sighs once. “Billy’s here and he’s--” Oh. My embarrassment is definitely doubling, but there’s still some relief there. At least he’s not alone. “Maybe you should come over, help cheer him up.”

“You’re kind of an asshole for not mentioning that earlier.” I push the throw pillow off my lap and let my back fall onto my cocoon of larger pillows. “And it’s fine, I wouldn’t want to overwhelm him or anything.” 

“No,” Stu’s answer is quick but feels a little flat. Almost worried. “You--I think it’d be good for him to see you.” There’s still a bit of hesitance there, like Stu’s not telling me the full story. Maybe he can’t. “We rented a few movies and I think I might still have those sour gummy things you like.” 

I really do love sour gummies. “Is Billy okay with it?” 

“It’s my house, bug.” When I don’t say anything, Stu sighs, “Kidding. C’mon, he loves you.” I don’t know why I’m debating so much, it was my idea, but now it feels a little intrusive of me. “And we’re a lot more fun than calculus.” 

“Not a high bar you’re setting there.” Stu pointedly scoffs. “Okay--if you’re sure Billy’s okay with it, I’ll be over in a few.”

“Need to go ask your mommy?” 

I’m already pushing myself to my feet. “Shut up.” An ‘at least I have a parent that gives a shit’ nearly slips out and I just barely manage to bite my tongue. That’d be like reacting to a playful shove with a punch to the face. Besides, my mom’s not a factor right now. She and Wells are out to dinner with some friends. She left me with a 20 to order pizza and maybe rent a movie. “I can still not go.” 

Stu chooses to ignore the (empty) threat, “See you soon, babe.” 

I push open the door of my closet and search through it as quickly as possible. It’s not like I need to get dressed up to go to Stu’s, but my stained pajama pants from the ninth grade and practically threadbare tank top aren’t things I wear out of the house. Especially now that fall is making evenings a lot chillier. “I don’t get our friendship.”

“I keep you supplied with those awful sour gummies.”

I smile despite myself, grabbing something out of my closet. “That explains it.” Bending down, I pick up another article of clothing. “See you soon.” 

----

“There she is.”

Stu pulls me into a hug before I can think to react. He’s always so warm and everywhere. I think it has to do with his smell. It sounds weird but he’s so consistent about it. Enough expensive laundry detergent to drown out most of the usual teen boy body spray musk to a level that’s tolerable and sharpens the slight hint of weed that seems to cling to him. Even that is balanced. Subtle unless you know to think about it. But now it’s a little more overwhelming than usual...fresher. 

Like he just finished a joint. I stare at him for a second and while his eyes seem mostly normal, there’s a bit of a red tinge there. If it wasn’t for the smell of weed, I wouldn’t have noticed. “Are you high?” 

The corner of Stu’s mouth pulls up into an almost smile. He’s amused. “That’s a fun way to greet me.” I give him a pointed look. “Mmm...maybe a little.” Stu extends an arm, halfheartedly punching me in the shoulder. Instead of dropping his arm like usual, Stu relaxes his fist in order to squeeze the top of my arm. “What gave me away, angel?”

“With you, it’s always a safe guess.” He sort of frowns, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Kidding. You smell like a dispensary.” 

Stu squeezes my arm a little harder. “Judgy.” He tilts his head slightly. “And here I was going to offer you some.” 

“No one likes me when I’m high.” That’s true enough. I get all paranoid and clingy. Randy won’t even smoke around me if we’re alone just in case. 

He half scoffs. “Nah, that’s just for people that don’t know how to handle you.” 

Handle me? I’m about to give him some sarcastic answer, but when my eyes meet his, the reaction freezes over. He’s staring at me with a concentration that feels more prominent than his hand on my arm. I don’t know why, but I feel the need the redirect and break the silence. “Where’s Billy?” 

“In my room.” Stu swings a hand around my shoulder and starts guiding me forward. “C’mon, he’ll be happy to see you.” 

I should shrug Stu off of me, but it feels easier to just let him. Besides, there are other things to worry about. From the vagueness Stu’s been handling mentions of Billy with, I half expect him to be in a straight jacket or something. “He--he does know I’m here, right?” 

The only answer I get is Stu placing a hand on his bedroom door once we reach it. He releases me to push open it open. “Hey, feeling any better?” Billy doesn’t get a chance to reply before Stu continues, “Because I brought you a present.” 

Weird...and kind of objectifying, but in a weird way. It’s not so much the words, but the way he’s saying them. This is definitely an ambush. Stu pushes the door open all the way before I can really react. I still make a point of smacking his arm. “Don’t make it weird.” 

I turn my head towards Stu’s room. Billy is in there, sitting with his back against the headboard and he’s looking at me but there’s little recognition. It’s more like he’s seeing through me. I want to assume it’s part of some kind of side effect of being high, but I can’t quite get myself to dismiss it as something so casual.

Any fight directed at Stu evaporates into the air and morphs into this weird veil of tension. Not good or bad. Just heavy and full, bleeding through the room and into the hall where I’m still standing. 

“Hi,” it feels like an attempt at cutting through the harshness, “I heard you were feeling bad so I thought I’d come back and make you feel worse.” 

Billy’s eyebrows draw together slightly, like he’s considering how to react. He settles on a, “Yeah?” It feels smaller than the way he usually is. 

I swallow my instinctual reaction. “Yeah--things aren’t looking too good in Iraq and everyone’s getting too comfortable with nuclear bombs.” 

The corner of his mouth turns up into an almost smile. It’s not quite there, but the thawing of the icy layer behind his gaze is cracking. “Anything else?”

“I still think the Princess Diana divorce is kind of a bummer.” 

Stu sighs dramatically. “Of course you’re on her side.” 

“There is no other side, Charles is the worst.” 

Stu walks fully into his room and practically flops onto his bed. His head hits Billy’s calf and Billy throws him a dirty look before adjusting. “Charles is next in line for the throne. That entitles him to all the girls he wants. That’s just history.”

I wrinkle my nose and halfheartedly glare at him. “He’s also probably inbred.”

Billy sits up a little further, reaching for what I’m assuming is a joint. “Definitely inbred.”

The small vouch of support is strangely easing.

Stu tilts his head to look at me briefly. “You two deserve each other.”

“Don’t pout.” Maybe not my smartest joke, but it’s too easy to pass up on. 

He props his head up just to glare at me. “I can still kick you out.”

I roll my eyes and Billy wordlessly extends what he’s been smoking. Stu reaches for it absentmindedly and Billy moves his arm away. “You need to slow down.” 

Stu doesn’t protest, which has to be a byproduct of his easy high. I’m so distracted by that it takes a second for it to click. If Billy isn’t handing off the joint to Stu, he’s trying to give it to me...the person who’s going to be around their mom and a cop before the night’s over. 

“Can’t tonight.” I’m so going to get bullied for this, “My mom would know immediately, and then she’d kill all three of us.” 

Billy sits up a little more, not fully taking his hand back but relaxing it a little. Stu drops his head back down, accidentally landing on Billy’s leg. I suppress a laugh when Billy lazily shrugs Stu off. It doesn’t work, because Stu still glares at me as he curls into himself slightly. “You could stay over, sleep it off.”

Maybe Stu’s more high than I thought. I take a step forward, feeling awkward about the distance. “I don’t see how that helps the my mom killing us all thing.” 

“You could call her from my home phone, tell her you’re staying over at Sidney’s or Tay’s.” Stu doesn’t wait for my response before stretching out an arm in my direction. “Come here.” 

It feels a little bit like a trap, but at the same time, standing this close to the door is probably weirder than anything Stu’s going to try. I walk forward and sit down on the edge of his bed. Stu smiles lazily and adjusts so that his legs are on my lap. They’re long. He’s basically an arachnid. 

With Stu, a firm approach is usually best, but this seems harmless enough so I don’t kick him off of me. “You’re like a spider.”

He laugh-scoffs, stretching even further. “Like a daddy long legs.”

There’s a weird attempt at sultriness in his words. It’s so stupid I can’t hep the terrible laugh that comes out. “Shut up. You’re so gross.” Now I do want him off of me. He won’t move so I try dragging myself back a little. All that does is make me bump into Billy’s arm. “Sorry.” 

Dismissing my apologetic look with a short wave of the hand still holding the joint, Billy sits up even more, angling himself towards me. “You should be.” It’s sarcastic, but still oddly flat, like Billy’s putting work into being a part of the conversation.

Stu, clearly feeling forgotten, softly kicks his leg. “Your sobriety’s bringing old Billy Boy back down.” 

I lean back, ignoring the way my fingers brush against Billy’s. “I promise me being high would only depress him more.” 

“I like you high,” Billy muses flatly, “You get all jumpy.” 

I roll my eyes, trying to straighten to pull my hand back but Billy doesn’t let me get that far. His hand turns over and pulls his fingers between my own. It’s a casual enough attempt to pull me back into place, but his eyes are so quick to meet mine. There’s something almost nervous about the shift, and vaguely familiar. An uncertain, begrudging request for reassurance I’ve come to associate with people going through some sort of depressive episode. 

“That was one time,” I mumble, “And it was because you guys are assholes and didn’t tell me that it was extra strong.” 

Stu’s leg moves again, “It wasn’t extra strong, we just didn’t pace you.” 

“Either way--assholes.” 

Billy moves his thumb along my knuckles. “We’ll be nice this time.” He takes a deliberate hit and exhales the smoke in a way that lingers. I can feel the smell of it, a paranoid part of me thinking it’s already caught up in my hair and clothes and skin. Like my mom will just be able to tell already. Maybe it is already too late. 

And it’d upset her. She’s already worried enough about how I’m handling all the killer stuff, if she thinks I’m acting out and smoking she’ll probably freak. This also wouldn’t be the first time I did something like this and didn’t tell her...or the first time I stayed over at a friend’s house to sleep something off. 

It’s also objectively nice to be around them. Also, Billy’s whole slightly off thing is something I’ve definitely seen before. The familiarity finally clicks into place, a few memories of my mother from when I was younger. Bad ones, days in which things slipped through the cracks before my mom was diagnosed and started managing that part of herself.

“Even if you don’t smoke, you should call your mom...stay over.” Billy gets the words out stiffly, like some invisible force was trying to shove them back down his throat. “Keep me from being alone with that one.”

Stu lets out a sound that’s sounds a lot like a tired “fuck off”. The casual disapproval makes me smile.

Billy takes another, much shorter hit. I let myself observe the process. The way the smoke goes in, how he holds it in, and finally the way he forces it out. Billy wordlessly turns the joint around in a silent offering. I give in with an exhale and reach over. Billy doesn’t let me get that far, moving so that his fingers are almost to my mouth. I part my lips and let him hold the joint there as I inhale. He doesn’t give me long before taking it back. He runs his thumb along my knuckles. “Hold.” I struggle, but follow through. “Good. Now breathe.” 

I let it out with a slight cough.

“There ya go,” Stu mumbles, patiently dragging his leg up my thigh. “You’ll feel better.” I wish I had more experience with smoking outside of them. If I did, I’d have a reference point to tell me if Stu’s weed is actually extra strong or not. I’m sure what he gets is considered good shit, since he definitely has the money and tolerance. “You should call your mom before you get all giggly.” 

I openly frown. “I do not get ‘giggly’.” 

“Yeah, you do.” 

I’m not in an argumentative mood. Maybe it’s the atmosphere or the weed is already starting to cloud my judgement. I should call my mom, though. It hasn’t been that long since I left, which means she’s probably still out with Wells. It’ll be easier to just leave a message on the machine. She always checks when she gets home. 

Ever since the first incident, my mom keeps a cell phone on her that’s always on, but it’s still weird to both of us. I don’t have the number fully memorized yet, it’s written on a note held to the fridge by a magnet back home...a few blocks away. The cell phone isn’t exclusively emergency, but my mom doesn’t love portable technology. She thinks they’re tacky and breed rudeness.

I tap Stu’s leg, “Up.” 

Surprisingly enough, Stu listens, letting me go. I let go of Billy’s hand and reach for the extension on Stu’s nightstand. I quickly dial my number and leave a flat message. Staying over at Sid’s, have fun but not too much fun, love you and see you tomorrow. 

In a moment of straight forward association, I almost went with telling my mom I was staying at Tatum’s, but I have to talk to Dewey soon and my mom will probably be there and that felt like a potential loose end. 

Stu half snorts, “Love you and see you tomorrow, mom.” 

I shove Stu’s shoulder. “Shut up.” 

“Have fun but not too much fun,” Billy mumbles, a lot more subdued but just as teasing. 

Rolling my eyes, I move back to the edge of the bed where I was sitting before. “It’s an inside joke.” 

Stu leans forward and pinches my cheek. “That’s adorable.” 

The patronization doesn’t sit well and my eyelids feel heavier than they did a second ago. “I hate you guys.” 

“Clearly,” Stu breathes, reaching over and taking the joint from Billy. “Oh, Billy, forgot to tell you, Y/n’s supposed to be mad at us.” Billy tilts his head a little too far to one side like that’s news enough for him to be curious. “Tay told her about the Noel thing.” 

Billy feels imbalanced, head leaning one way and spine straight. His eyes harden over again. “Really?” He takes my hand again, this time a lot less softly. “Over that asshole?” I let him run his knuckles over my hand again, even though this time it feels a lot less soothing. “If none of your friends like a guy, that usually says something about the guy.” 

I’m sure there’s some kind of joke I could spin. Maybe about where he learned that one from. Get that from Cosmo? But the bordering on defensive look behind Billy’s eyes is overbearing and messing with my head. Stu is seriously in danger for bringing this up right now. 

“It’s not about the guy,” I manage, “It’s about...” All the points I had feel a lot less concrete under Billy’s scrutiny...or maybe it’s the weed. Or both. I swallow, dropping my gaze to my lap as I try to really think. Okay, it’s definitely both. “Timing and boundaries.” It feels fractured. “Like even if a guy totally sucks, you can’t go over my head about it.” 

Stu lets out a sigh, dropping his head onto one of his pillow’s. I glare openly. This is all his fault. Why bring it up now? Billy was just starting to act a little more like himself. “I don’t know what you see in him.” Ugh. It’s like he’s not even hearing me. “Especially with the way he talked about Casey.” 

That last part hits its intended goal. Stu’s staring at the ceiling, so I can’t see his expression, but he seems to take my silence as a win. I don’t know Noel as well as they do, but he did talk about Casey at that party and it wasn’t exactly kind. 

I squeeze what I can grab of the comforter like that will tether me here. It half works but it does nothing to ease the tightening in my chest. The memories mix uneasily with the start of my high. The dip of panic doesn’t suit the way my body wants to feel and it all blends together in a way that leaves me on edge and a little nauseous. 

There’s the sound of someone moving, but I barely pick up on it. Billy smacks the side of Stu’s head. “Too much, asshole.”

Stu throws Billy an offended look before craning his neck to look at me. I must look as off as I feel, because Stu does sit up. “Shit,” he pushes himself back, “Sorry. I didn’t think--” 

“You never think.” The words are pointed, but not completely angry. If I was feeling any better, I would’ve laughed. He slowly reaches forward and I don’t stop him from prying my fingers away from the sheets. “Your trip going a little bad?” I nod. “Don’t think about it.” Easier said than done. “You could end up like Stu the one time he smoked too much while watching one of those old horror movies where the special effects are basically held up by a string.” 

That cracks at the panic a little. “What did he do?” 

“Convinced himself that it was real and we were the ones that were off.” 

I almost laugh. “Actually?” 

“Shut up,” Stu sighs, a little bitter but not actually mad. 

Billy ignores him, “Actually.” He turns my hand over carefully before running his fingers over the thin scar on my palm and up my wrist. “So you’re already doing better than him.”

For a second, I let myself study Billy. The wisps of hair falling forward, the slight pinch between his eyebrows, his focused expression. Billy almost always holds himself with a certain tenseness. Whether that’s force of habit or natural to him, I’m not sure. Maybe that’s why he gets along so well with Stu. They balance each other. 

“Are you...” I don’t know where I’m going with this. “Are you feeling any better?” 

His expression briefly clouds, pulling into something much more blank. He drops his gaze and for a second I feel like I might need to take it back. “Yeah--yeah, don’t worry.” Again, easier said than done. Billy clears his throat almost immediately after, like that will erase the fact that he actually responded. 

“Good.” It doesn’t sound overly positive, but he hasn’t convinced me. “I’ve missed you, a little.” That feels a lot more real.

Billy angles his head downwards, almost smiling. “Only a little?” 

“It’s not like you haven’t been around at all.” He traces an invisible line up my wrist. “Maybe more than a little, anyway.” 

“Aw,” Stu hums, his hand finding a place on my back. He leans forward and rests his head on my shoulder. “You two are adorable.” I’m not really given a chance to answer before Stu lets out a sigh that I feel against my neck, “Don’t be mad.” 

Honestly, I’m not feeling any anger. I’m a little annoyed at him and frustrated that I’m still not normal. That’s all there is. It’s too tiring to turn into anger. “’M not mad,” it feels like a confession, “A little annoyed at you, but not more than usual.” 

He breathes a sarcastic, “Haha” into my shoulder. 

With no warning, I start to unweave myself from them. I think they’re too confused to ask until I’m actually standing. 

“Where are you going, angel?” 

I don’t really know, so I can’t really answer. Stu’s room isn’t super familiar. I’ve been in here a couple times, most of them brief. I take a second to really take in the space. A lot of posters, the ones that aren’t directly bloody movie posters feature practically naked women and some combine the two. It fits him.

“Getting a feel,” I decide on, “You can tell a lot about a person based on their room.” 

Stu moves to the edge of his bed, grinning at my focus. “Really?” 

I move to pull open the drawer of his nightstand. “Mhm.” 

“You’re not going to like anything you find in there.” He places a hand on the front of drawer but doesn’t stop me. 

It takes me a second too long to realize what he’s getting at. By then, I’ve already taken in a cover of a magazine with a model that’s wearing even less than the girls on the posters, a box of condoms, a surprisingly neatly stacked set of polaroids, an old deck of cards, and a few random odds and ends all crammed in there. 

My nose wrinkles, but I’m too distracted by the polaroids to make fun of him. I can only see the top one, but it’s innocent enough, an accidental snapshot that sort of looks like a blurry person on a couch.  

“Polaroids?” I pick them out of the drawer and flip to the next one. A small lump that looks like a cat in Stu’s living room. Weird, I’ve never seen one in his house and he’s never mentioned having a pet. Maybe these are old pictures. Before I can snoop any further, Stu pulls the stack of photos away from me. “You’re no fun.” 

He rolls his eyes as he moves the first photo back into place. “You’re nosy.” I don’t say anything because I’m not so high that I’m clueless. This is a little weird of me, but I can’t help the impulse. “What if the next picture had been me naked?” 

“You take naked pictures of yourself and keep them in your nightstand?” 

Stu intentionally ignores my laughter. “You don’t need pictures for that, baby, you can see the real thing.” 

My laughter picks up again. “Yeah? Let’s go right now.” 

At that, Stu does crack a bit of a smile. “Let’s make Billy strip first.” 

“Deal,” I mumble through another laugh. 

Billy drops his head onto a pillow, “Fuck off.” 

I turn my attention back to the card deck and dig them out with my nail. “Any naked pictures hidden in here or am I good?” 

“No promises.” With that as my warning, I begin to shuffle the cards absentmindedly. “Why? You wanna play strip poker?” 

Ignoring him, I move back to my previous position on the edge of the bed. “Think I’m good.” 

I drag the nail of my thumb along the edge of the cards and focus on the sound of them. Billy nudges my knee with his. I look up as he extends his arm, silently asking for the cards. I hand them over without thinking much about it. Billy begins to actually shuffle in a way that would fit Vegas. 

He has to notice my mesmerized stare, but he says nothing. “Do you actually know how to play anything?”

My mom briefly worked at a casino when I was in the first grade and she’d have to bring me in sometimes, but I retained nothing. “Not really.” 

That starts something. A process that should have been short and easy. Billy trying to explain different versions of poker and Stu trying to trick me, but only sometimes so I couldn’t know to for sure not trust him. It’s a mess of laughter and a refreshing lack of angst. Every once in awhile, someone insists that a loser has to take a drag from a joint, so everyone’s progressively getting worse. I’m pretty sure Stu’s cheating somehow, but I have no proof and I’m too out of it to get any. 

It’s so lighthearted and genuinely fun that I’m fighting against the heaviness of my eyelids. It can’t be that late, but I’m already starting to feel drowsy. I’ve finally been given good cards, so I really need to get it together. “I won.”  

Stu scoffs, eyebrows drawing together as he eyes the cards I just set down. “No--that’s not--” 

“I won,” a yawn cuts my sentence in half, “Don’t be a loser about it.” 

Stu picks up all the cards, ignoring my protests. He’s already mixed me up a couple of times. “I can let you have this one, because you’re--” 

“Because you have to.” 

Billy turns his ankle, tapping his foot against my leg. “Don’t be mean about it.” 

That was nowhere near mean. “Dramatic, both of you.” 

Stu’s mouth falls open in a mock gasp as he continues to gather cards. I don’t know what he’s doing until he drops them all back into his drawer and shuts it. He then walks towards his dresser, pulls out a T-shirt, and tosses it in my direction. “After all I’ve done for you.” 

I pick up the T-shirt and fold it onto my lap but make no move to go to the bathroom to change. “I don’t want to go to sleep.” 

“You’re half asleep already.” Billy ignores the dirty look I give him. “Just change in case you fall asleep.” 

Stupid voice of reason. I scratch the back of my wrist and decide to give in. If for no other reason than the fact that Stu’s shirt is almost weirdly soft. Rich people must have access to different kinds of fabric. I reluctantly get up and find Stu’s bathroom.

I change quickly and take a second to make sure Stu gave me a long enough T-shirt. Thankfully, he did, so I don’t have to feel extra awkward about anything. I fold my clothes and bring them back with me. 

“Looks nice on you, babe.” 

Drowsiness hits harder without any distractions. I blink, unsure on how to respond. Stu’s always a flirt with everyone, but it feels a little weird to react to it while standing in his room at night in one of his T-shirts. “It’s the rich guy cotton.”

The corner of his mouth turns up. “And those legs.” 

“Shut up.” 

Billy turns onto his side, fluffing his pillow. “Go to sleep before he gets worse.” 

“Yeah.” The two of them look comfortable, all settled. “I’ll crash on the couch.” 

Stu props his head up on an elbow. “You don’t wanna do that. Living room’s creepy at night and you’ve smoked too much. You’ll get scared.” 

“I’m not 12.” 

“It’s safer here, you wouldn’t be alone if something happened.” 

Ugh, Stu can never resist trying to get me paranoid. “Nothing’s going to happen.” That’s what I thought when I was at Casey’s. 

“Just get in bed,” Billy mumbles, half asleep, “I know how this argument goes with the two of you.” When I don’t move, Billy sighs, “If I fall asleep and you get freaked out, I’m not helping.” 

Stu lays back down, “He means it. He’s an asshole when he’s tired.” He pauses for so long, I briefly think he might have fallen asleep. “...’S not a big deal.” 

True. It wouldn’t even be the first time we all fell asleep in the same bed. And Billy’s slept over in my room enough times for that to barely phase me. “Yeah.” 

I walk over towards the bed. “Drink water,” Billy mumbles the words with his eyes still shut. I look over at the nightstand and there’s a glass there that wasn’t there before. I drink a few long sips until Stu sits up to steal the glass from me. 

Rude. “Give me--” 

He downs the rest of it in a few gulps, “Go to bed.” 

I roll my eyes, but unfortunately do listen. Stu pushes me towards the middle, ignoring my surprised huff. I smack his arm before covering myself with his bed sheets. I barely get to reflect on how much of an asshole move that was before I fall asleep. 

----

A/n fun fact, there’s a moment in here where Y/n came superrr close to accidentally finding out who Ghostface is :) 

Taglist: @cole22ann @womenarecannibals @fand0mskullfa1ry @princessleah129 @i-amnotokaywiththis @fvcking-gxddess @suckmyass-things @im-better-than-your-newborn @michibuni @bigenargy @marli-lavellan @mushy-mushroom04 @neenieweenie @lone-ray @the-ruler-of-death @andthevillainshallrises @thesebitcheslovesosadotcom @thesebitcheslovesosadotcom @dixbolik-bby @thebitchiestnerdtowalktheearth @peachycupotea @my5tica1ien @agustdeeyaa @astrial @3ll0kittylvr420 @zoleea-exultant @slaypussypop-21 @aonungs-tsahik @finnydraws @slytherhoes @vxarak @xofeeeeelsxo @thewayiknowyou @yourslashersfinalgirl @winterridinghood @maggieleighc 

[littlewrensx]

@spiritusmuses you don't even have to respond to this but I wanted to write Wren and Tanya making up. Or we can write the baby shower off of this.

Wren glanced over at Tanya as they frosted cupcakes together for the party. She’d been wanting to bring something up all day but couldn’t quite find the right words. Guilt had been nagging at her, knowing they hadn’t talked much about the baby, and Archer’s visit to speak with her and Calvin only made it worse. Thinking back to her own last pregnancy, she couldn't imagine surviving the kind of experience Tanya had been through.

“How’s the baby?” Wren finally asked Tanya, breaking what felt like an eternity of silence. Tanya shrugged, keeping her focus on the cupcake. “He’s fine,” she replied simply. Wren let out a soft sigh and set her cupcake down. “Tan…” she said gently, drawing Tanya’s attention. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that we haven’t been on good terms since Archer’s overdose. Calvin and I took sides when we shouldn’t have, and we both feel terrible. We’re not mad at you. I just wish I’d been a better friend—you deserved better.” Her apology hung in the air, and Tanya gave her a small smile, eyes welling up with tears.

“It’s been so hard,” Tanya admitted, her voice trembling. “I feel like I’ve been so alone in all of this. Archer and I talk about it now, but it’s still not the same.” She swallowed, her emotions spilling over. “I know I messed up, and I probably don’t deserve anything, but I just wish I could have celebrated this last pregnancy. No one wants to talk about it with me. Archer’s mom won’t even speak to me. She blames me for her son almost dying, and she’s right—it is my fault. But she’s the only mom I have left, and she won’t even answer my texts.” The words kept flowing, as if a dam had broken. “And I don’t even know where we’re going to put the baby. I want to move because I still can’t use our bathroom without wincing, but buying a house right now would be insane. I have all these dreams of a nursery for him, and I can’t make any of them happen. I don’t even have his name picked out. I want to name him Everett, but I don’t think Archer would like that name.” Tanya’s voice cracked. “I’m freaking out. Every time I try talking to my husband, he just says we’ll figure it out, but we don’t have time.” Her hand drifted to her belly, her anxiety palpable as she neared her last trimester.

Wren felt a deep sadness hearing how much Tanya had been struggling and regretted not being there for her sooner. But she was grateful Tanya had finally opened up. “Okay, let’s break this down,” Wren said gently. “First, Archer’s mom will come around. She’s going to want to see her new grandbaby. And you guys had Izzy in your room when she was first born, right? You can do that again, and it’ll buy you a couple of months.” She offered a small smile, hoping to reassure Tanya. “And Archer? He’s thrilled to have a son. Don’t keep things to yourself anymore. You don’t need his permission to talk about the baby—he’s just as much yours as he is his. Celebrate this last trimester, talk about your baby as much as you want.” Wren’s eyes softened. “I love you, Tanya. We all do. You’re not alone in this, and we’d never let you be.” She hid the knowledge of the surprise baby shower they were planning, hoping it would make Tanya feel even more supported.

[jungwnies]

syn ' he was once your best friend, now he's not. pairing ' exbsf!jungwon x gn!reader

775 words

“you’re my best friend!” seven-year-old you bubbles as you play with the little boy in front of you. “we’re going to be friends forever.”

–

“y/n! we’re in the same class!” the young boy shouted as he ran towards you with his schedule sheet.

“it’s fate, because we’re best friends, you know?” you exclaim, with a big smile.

–

“will you go to the 8th grade formal with me?” he asks, with a single flower he plucked from his mothers garden.

you smile, “of course, that’s what best friends are for.”

–

“can i see your schedule?” he asks, handing you his.

you frown, “we only have lunch together.”

“it’s better than nothing!” he reassures you, throwing his arm over your shoulders, “as long as we have time together during school.”

–

“hey, it’s been a while since we’ve hung out.” you tell him, a little sadly as the two of you sit next to each other in lunch. “are you free next week?” you ask, picking at your food.

he sighs, “i have a lot to study for, and there’s this girl i’ve been wanting to talk to.”

you smile, “yeah, of course.”

“can i tell you about her?” he asks.

you nod, “duh, i’m your best friend.”

–

“i asked her out.” he told you, joyfully.

you look down at your phone, “yeah? did she say yes?”

he nods, “yeah, but there’s one thing.”

you look up from your phone, “what?”

“i don’t think we can be friends anymore y/n.”

“okay.” you say, walking away from the boy.

“wait y-” he tried shouting, to stop you.

but you left.

–

“hey sweetie, i’m going to jungwon’s mom’s house later today, are you coming?” your mom asks through your closed bedroom door.

“no thanks.” you slightly shout.

–

“how come you guys barely hang out now?” your mom asks, as your family sits at the dinner table.

you shrug, “i don’t want to talk about it.”

“is it because he has a girlfriend now?” your mom asks, causing you to put your utensils down.

“we just stopped talking over the years, i’m full now.” “i’m going to go study.”

–

you walk across the stage and accept your diploma, you hear your family cheer for you, along with his; as they were literally seated next to each other.

as the ceremony ended you walk to your family, who happened to still be with his.

“oh my god, you’ve grown up so much y/n! i feel like i never see you around!” his mom says, squishing your cheeks. “you’re still a little baby to me!”

you smile, “yeah, it’s crazy how much we’ve grown up.”

“here, how about you and jungwon take a picture together!” she exclaims, grabbing her son's arm and pulling him besides you. she gives you guys a smile and pulls out her camera.

you take a slight step back from jungwon and smile at the camera. 

“babe! come here, my family wants us to take a picture!” his girlfriend shouts, grabbing him away.

jungwon’s mom looks at the girl with a side-eye and she walks closer to you locking her arm with yours, “she’s not good for him.”

“i don’t really think that’s any of my business.” you tell her, quietly.

jungwon’s mom smiles at you with pity, “i miss having you around my son y/n.”

you laugh, “things change.”

“eomma, can i talk to y/n alone?” you hear the familiar male voice say, interrupting.

she nods and lets go of you walking towards your parents.

“why’d you just walk away that day? how come you didn’t argue with me.” jungwon asks.

you purse your lips, “because you just don’t do that.” you snap, “you don’t just get a girlfriend and decide to cut me off, i’ve been there for you since we were children, so i just walked away, because there was nothing worth fighting for anyways.”

“what do you mean there was nothing worth fighting for?” jungwon asks, with sorrow.

“you love her?” you ask.

jungwon nods, “yes, of course, but-”

“jungwon stop.” you cut him off. “there’s no but, if you love her go to her, please stop talking to me.”

“but i love you too y/n, you’re my best friend.” jungwon tells you.

“best friend?’ you scoff, “is this what best friends do to each other?” you argue.

“i was young, and i shouldn't have done that, i just thought that was my way of showing her how loyal i am.” he tells you, sadly.

you take your graduation cap off your head, “jungwon, this friendship ended two years ago, let it stay like that.” you hiss, walking away.

2022 © jungwnies

[atinylittlepain]

Summer Lovin

joel miller x f!reader

joel miller masterlist

she thought he was all hers. she was wrong. but revenge is always sweet, and a little melted.

warnings | 18+ smut, serious angst, Joel is a cheater in this one and gets what he deserves (within reason)

a/n | i don't have an explanation for this one, it just sorta happened, sorry about it.

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

Her hands are shaking all over the steering wheel, enough to force her into pulling off the highway before the tears can fracture her vision anymore. And all she can do is laugh, a bitter thing in her throat, because she’s turned into a complete cliche now. Idling on the shoulder of the road while the texas sun splits and sinks in the sky, crying like a fool over a man she shouldn’t have given the time of day to.

But he had been so sweet, hadn’t he? A bit hopeless when they met, standing in the frozen food aisle, pinching the bridge of his nose with one hand and cradling a cellphone to his ear with the other. She had made an offhanded comment that he seemed to be negotiating a hostage crisis when he hung up, a sheepish smile slanting across his face and a surprisingly earnest explanation that his twelve-year-old daughter had just gotten her first period and he had been screamed out the door for provisions.

“Don’t tell her I told you that though. Pretty sure she’d burst my eardrums for letting that slip.”

“Your secret’s safe with me. But could you use some help maybe?”

“I look that pitiful, huh?”

“Maybe just a little.” 

She was gone from the start, helping him pick out Ben and Jerry's and tampax pearls while he rambled about his daughter. Her smile spreading in sync with the flush creeping up his neck, typing her number into his phone while he leaned against the side of his truck, a nervous palm rubbing the back of his neck. He called her that night, cute and eager, wanting to thank her for the help, and to ask her out. And of course she said yes. Afterall, she had checked for a wedding ring. She thought she had been so clever for that. 

Three months, spring sliding into summer and something she thought was love slipping big and bright between her ribs. She got to know his daughter during weeknight dinners on their back porch, inside jokes zinging right over his head. And while Sarah was at her mom’s every weekend, Joel would invite her over and they’d spend the hours tangled up in his bed, bodies sticky and slick with sweat blown cool by the box fan in his window, talking in circles around each other, promises stamped into skin. 

“Don’t worry about it, darlin. We’re as good as divorced. She’s just dragging her feet signing the papers, that’s all. Haven’t lived together since Sarah was real little. I’m all yours.”

“It’s okay, Joel, I understand. It must be so hard, though, having to do all of this on your own, in a way.”

She scoffs at the sting of that memory, the way his palm had been trailing up and down her spine, the sigh he had let out at her words. She had interpreted it as a soulful weariness that only made her love him a little more. But there were warning signs too.

“Hey, darlin, I’m really sorry but I have to cancel tonight.” She was already pulling into his neighborhood when he called, new dress, the perfume he liked so much, a tray of brownies in the passenger seat, sprinkled with powdered sugar, how she knew Sarah liked them.

“Oh, is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I think Sarah picked up a stomach bug at camp today is all.”

“Oh no, can I get you guys anything from the store? Soup? Ginger ale?” 

“That’s real sweet of you, darlin, but I don’t want you to catch anything. Can we take a raincheck though?” What a good father, what a good man. 

“Of course, Joel. Tell Sarah I hope she starts feeling better soon.” He had already hung up, quick and clipped. And when she drove past his house only a moment later, she could have sworn she saw Sarah in their backyard swinging on that old playset of hers. It had been easy enough to write off as a trick of the light and her eyes tired after a day of work. Though she couldn’t figure out whose car had been parked in his driveway, not his and not his brother’s. But he made good on his raincheck that Friday, showing up at her apartment in that button-down she liked so much and a bouquet in his hand, not letting her get a word in before he was pulling her into a hard kiss that made her forget to even ask if Sarah was feeling better. He was always good at that, pulling her apart, just a little overwhelming in the wander of his hands, his mouth, laying her down right on the floor of her tiny living room after kicking her front door shut.

“Missed you so bad. Been thinking about you all week. Thinking about this pussy. How sweet she gets for me. Just for me, huh?” Already mouthing at her clit through the cotton of her panties, his words thrumming up her spine, making her hips jolt in the heavy hold of his palms. 

“Yes, Joel, it’s all for you, fuck, you’re so good.” So, so, so good, stripping her down and settling back between her thighs, tongue dragging through her cunt, a hum in his throat as he held the insistent heat of his mouth against her core, pulling pleasure from her like he owned it. The ropes of muscle in his forearm jumping, holding her down by her pelvis, not letting up until she was shaking with it, his scruff scraping against the inside of her thigh, a small mercy in the kiss he pressed there. 

“Are we seriously about to fuck on the floor?”

“What’s wrong with the floor?”

“Joel.” Total theatrics with the roll of his eyes, a petulant huff as he got up, dragging her along with him. a fumbling tangle into her bedroom, making her laugh with his feigned meanness in throwing them down onto the sheets, wide eyes and breathless beats.

“That better, darlin?” No answer, too busy tugging him out of his clothes, his cock solid and warm against her thigh. Always a stretch, pleasure mingling and mixing up with pain with the press of his hips against hers. Always careful, considerate, pressing kisses to her sternum while she opened up around him, whispering into her skin.

“Feel so good for me, darlin. Like you were made just for me.” She felt like it too, like she’d never had anything like this before. The obscene slap of slicked skin, swallowing each other’s gasps as he pushed and pulled them through a hard rhythm. Her ankles hooked around his hips, open, wanting, receiving everything he gave her, the both of them sinking their teeth into each other’s pleasure, furling up close and unraveling all at once with each other’s names held in their throats. She had told him she loved him that night, in the after of it all, her chest pressed to his back, limbs tangled up. But he didn’t respond, already asleep.

Her cell phone ringing startles her out of the past, but when she sees who it is she tosses it back into the passenger seat. And her mind settles into something like disbelief, replaying the day. How differently it began compared to how it ended. 

She woke up that morning with anticipation thick in her stomach for what the day ahead would bring. She thought it was a big step, the step, inviting her to a family cookout. Playing house with the Millers. Sarah and her in the kitchen most of the morning, crockpots bubbling and watermelons split while he and his brother putzed around in the backyard with the grill, some frivolous joke about men regressing to the stone age lobbed out easy and effortless. And then people started coming, coworkers and friends and all the rest and Joel wouldn’t look at her and she wore her new sundress so he would but he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t and she worried over the potato salad and the kebabs like maybe she could make right whatever she had clearly made wrong. Something about a man’s heart in his stomach, right? 

Everyone else eating and she couldn’t find him in the crowd, Tommy telling her he ran out to get ice cream from the HEB for dessert just as she slipped in the front door. She nearly laughed because why was she here? Who invites their ex-wife to a family cookout? 

And then, and then, and then.

“You must be the babysitter Joel mentioned. I admit I thought Sarah was a little too old for that but she absolutely loves you so thank you for helping out.”

And then, and then, and then.

“Hi, Tommy! It’s good to see you.”

And then, and then, and then.

“Oh, he didn’t tell you? We’ve decided to make another go of it after some time off. We haven’t told Sarah yet, but I think it will be good for all of us.”

And then.

“-- a family again. It’s right, don’t you think?”

And then.

“Sorry, what did you say your name was? I hope Joel is paying you well, and if he’s not, you come to me, okay? There’s gonna be some changes around here, but I’d love for you to stay on for our Sarah.” 

And then.

Out the door, white noise in her ears so loud she only barely thought to grab her keys and shuffle into her flip flops. Out the door and into her car and driving to the same HEB she met him in three months ago being a good father and a good man and a little hopeless and–

She pulled in right as he was walking out of the store, a placid expression on his face, not a care in the world. 

“Darlin? What–”

“Do not call me that.”

“What, what is it? Baby, please don’t cry.” A sick feeling in her stomach at the pull toward him, that tiny want for him to comfort her, to make it all better, quickly seared and singed into more anger.

“Were you gonna tell me, Joel? Or were you just gonna see how long you could keep this little game going, huh? Is that it? You think you’re so smart? Not gonna get caught fucking the babysitter?” Instant recognition sliding down his face, the quick slip of it made her laugh as his eyes darted around the parking lot.

“Let’s talk like adults, okay? There’s no need to make a scene.”

“Oh, fuck you. That’s what you're worried about though, right? That someone’s gonna see. Worried someone’s gonna go tell your wife what you’ve been up to all summer, huh?” His jaw slack, an answer in his silence. She shook her head, anger simmering beneath the hurt.

“Did you care about me at all?”

“Of course I did, I do. Darlin, please, I just got confused, let me–”

“Don’t do that.”

“Please, I’ll–”

“No, Joel. We are done, do you understand me? I care about Sarah too much to let any of this go on any longer. You know what? I just hope that your wife has a good enough head to figure it out for herself. I hope she leaves you, I really do.” Hurt crumpled across his face and she wanted more of it, wanted to dig her thumb into it and twist.

“I– loved– you– you– fucking– lying– lowlife– bastard.” She’s not sure how it happened, though it would be the topic of conversation at the neighborhood women’s book club for weeks to come. Some young thing tearing into Joel Miller, smacking him six ways to Sunday with her flip flop in the grocery store parking lot. Cornering him against the side of his pickup truck, big strong man curled up with his hands over his head as she rained down perfect hellfire on him. He had dropped his grocery bag, two gallon containers of ice cream sweating out in the summer sun, her bare foot stepping sticky into a puddle of vanilla. 

“Don’t you ever do anything like this to anyone ever again, Joel Miller.” The grand finale, that ice cream of his melted enough that it was too easy to pick up a carton, pop off the lid, and dump the dribbling liquid over the top of his head before primly shoving her flip flop back on and getting in her car. 

She finds herself laughing through a throat heavy with snot, the image of him in her mind, blinking hard through a thick stream of slurried ice cream, shoulders up to his ears, pure shock in his shudder. 

“Worth it.” One thing that goes right today, she leans over to rummage through her glove compartment, sighing when she finds the nearly empty carton of cigarettes, lighter tucked into the crumpled box. She quit two months ago, secondhand smoke around Sarah and all that. But how easy it is now to roll down her window and take a crackling drag that she blows out into the fading afternoon, smoke whipped away by the endless whir of cars passing by. Peace in the inhale and exhale, promptly disrupted by her phone ringing again. Cigarette dangling between her lips, she scoffs between her teeth. Ten missed calls. She doesn’t even listen to the voicemails, simply chucks the thing out her window along with her cigarette butt and shifts her car back into drive.

She’ll be okay.

[gumnut-logic]

Christmas in the Tracy household was a big family affair. The house itself was a big one. Big enough to house extended family and the bustle and noise that involved.

Scott loved it. Loved everyone being together, the hugs, the jokes, the fact that Uncle Lee always called him ‘Little Jeff’ and told the best stories about planes and rockets. Aunt Val always brought the best Christmas cookies with various aircraft drawn on them with icing. Grandma Taylor had different coloured hair every year and this year was bright blue and included glitter. Grandpa Taylor invented toys for a living so he was always welcome. Though Virgil tended to hoard his attention and Scott wasn’t really sure why because Virgil pulled apart everything Grandpa Taylor gave him anyway.

But the best part of Christmas this year was that Daddy was home.

Daddy spent a lot of time away. Scott understood why, but that didn’t stop him from missing him. Dad had stories much like Uncle Lee and often they starred in each other’s tales, but there was something about his father that Scott just looked up to even more.

It didn’t hurt that Uncle Lee made a point of placing Scott’s father in the spotlight in all his stories.

Dad was an amazing person. A hero.

Dad was also very tall and strong and always had the answers Scott needed. While Mom looked after him and his two little brothers and he loved her very much, Dad was…Dad.

And Scott wanted more than anything to grow up and be just like him.

It certainly didn’t hurt that his father had the same colour hair and everyone said Scott looked a lot like him. Scott bore those comments proudly and made a point of doing his best to emulate what his father might do in any situation.

Scott was going to grow up, join the Air Force and do his father proud.

A clatter in the hallway and Virgil barrelled into the room. Uncle Lee, who had been retelling the Mars landing, stopped mid-word and frowned.

His biggest little brother’s eyes widened as he skidded to a halt and straightened himself up. “Uh, excuse me, Uncle Lee.” A blink, and he looked fit to burst. “Could I please speak to Scott?”

“Sure….squirt.”

That caused Virgil to frown. Scott thought it was funny. Uncle Lee never seemed to be able to remember Virgil’s name.

And besides, Virgil had a thing about being smaller than Scott and didn’t like it being pointed out.

However, Virgil hurried over anyway. “Scotty, can I borrow Chuckles?”

Blink “His name’s not ‘Chuckles’, it’s Chuck.”

“Oh, okay.” Virgil bit his lip. “But can I anyway?”

“Why?”

“Johnny won’t leave me alone.”

“He’ll eat his goggles.”

“Better than him eating my nuts.”

Uncle Lee made an odd sound that dissolved into a cough when Scott and Virgil looked at him.

Scott sighed. “Virgil, it’s Christmas. We’re supposed to share.”

Virgil dragged Scott part way across the room, away from Uncle Lee and lowered his voice.

“I tried, but the kit contains small bits. Mom said Johnny wasn’t allowed to play with small things. She said he was too young.” It was almost hissed under Virgil’s breath. “I don’t want him to get hurt or to get into trouble. Chuckles always distracts him.”

His name wasn’t ‘Chuckles’, it was ‘Chuck’ after Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier. But Virgil had called the bear ‘Chuckles’ once as a joke, Johnny had picked it up and now it was all about Chuckles. It was annoying.

“Well, give him the nuts and tell him to go eat them somewhere else.”

Virgil stared at him aghast, but then his eyes widened. “Nuts. As in ‘nuts and bolts’, Scott! I’m building the robot Grandpa Taylor brought me. Johnny keeps trying to eat bits of metal.”

Oh.

Uncle Taylor had picked up his tablet, but was now staring at them, a question on his face. “You boys okay?”

Scott nodded. “Yes, Uncle Lee. Virgil just needs some help with his kit. I’ll be back in a moment.”

Blue eyes gauged him, but Scott was more worried about his littlest brother and dragged Virgil out the door.

“Where is Johnny?”

“On the floor outside my room.”

“You didn’t leave the door open, did you?”

“No.”

Scott hurried down the hall. “Why didn’t you call Mom?”

“I tried. Mom is talking to Aunt Val and she sounded sad. I didn’t want to interrupt and I didn’t want Johnny to get into trouble. Chuckles will fix it.”

“His name is not Chuckles!”

Scott rounded the corner and to his horror, Virgil’s door was wide open.

He didn’t bother to acknowledge Virgil’s gasp of horror, but instead barrelled on through the door terrified he would find his little brother choking on the floor.

But Virgil’s desk was empty except for the scattered pieces of his project. A quick glance around the room and Scott quickly found Johnny.

He was no more than a tuft of red hair wrapped around Scott’s pilot bear, half buried in Virgil’s bed covers.

Two wide eyes popped up over the top of those goggles. “Scotty!”

Scott hurried over to the bed. “Johnny, are you okay?”

“Chuckles!” Johnny held up the bear and grinned.

Scott sighed and sat down on the bed next to his littlest brother. His heart was beating fast - he had been so scared.

Virgil stood in the centre of his room staring at Johnny, his lip trembling. It was obvious he realised what could have happened when he left to get help.

Tears welled in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Scotty. I thought he couldn’t get in. I didn’t want him to get hurt.”

“Virg, he’s okay.” The fright in Virgil’s eyes had the eldest hurrying off the bed from one brother to another. “C’mon, Johnny’s fine. He went and got Chuckles, didn’t you, Johnny?”

The three-year-old’s eyes peered up at Virgil registering his distress and soaking it in like a sponge. His grin vanished and his brow crumpled. “Virgil?” Johnny clambered out of the bed and scampered over to his next eldest brother. “Chuckles? Chuckles make it better?” He offered Virgil the bear.

Virgil stared at Chuckles for a moment before reaching out and taking the fluffy toy. He poked at it gently before hugging it to his chest.

John threw himself at his brother with a huge hug almost knocking Virgil over. Scott reached out and steadied him before adding his own arm to the mix and hugging both his brothers at once. “It’s okay. We’re okay.”

Scott had to scrub snot off Chuckles’ ear later that night.

-o-o-o-

Christmas Eve was family relaxing time before the busy of the next day. Mom, who had been in the kitchen with Onaha since just after breakfast, called a halt to everything at six in the evening and they sat down for a light buffet of a meal. Every family member donated time or a dish which was mostly warm finger foods like pie and things on sticks.

Scott always looked forward to dessert on Christmas Eve because there were all sorts of interesting things to be had. Aunt Val’s Christmas cookies was one of them.

He stood staring at the different planes so artistically drawn on each of them. They were good enough to be recognisable and none of that generic kiddy stuff kids’ books tried to throw at him. Some were historical, some more modern.

“Trying to decide which plane to eat this year, honey?” Grandma Tracy crept up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. Her long blonde hair flopped over his shoulder as she leant in to kiss him on the cheek. “Merry Christmas, Scotty.”

“Merry Christmas, Grandma.” But he was still frowning at the cookies. “I can’t see Dad’s plane.”

“Your dad has flown several of those.”

“Yeah, but I want the Sparrowhawk Anderson ZX3.”

Grandma snorted. “Then you’ll have to chase up your father. I saw him nab it earlier.”

Scott turned to his grandmother. “Really?”

“Really.” And it was his father’s deep, smiling voice as Scott was suddenly scooped up in strong laughing arms. “C’mon, ‘Little Jeff’, I’ve saved you your favourite cookie.”

Scott giggled and squirmed, but ultimately clung to his dad, resting his head on his shoulder for just a moment as he was carried across the room to his father’s chair and plomped down on his lap as the man sat down. The longed-for cookie was produced and Scott grabbed it. “Thanks, Dad.”

A big hand on his back, another on his knee, Scott was held close.

“So, what have you and your brothers been up to this week?”

Scott stared at the cookie with the grey, blue and red jet iced on top. “Virgil, did a good drawing of a plane. He didn’t get the tail quite right, but I helped him with that. Johnny learnt some new words.” He couldn’t hold back any longer and bit into the cookie.

It was the best.

Dad snorted. “I heard. I suspected it was you who taught Johnny to say ‘extra-orbital’.”

Scott grinned, his mouth full of biscuit crumbs.

“Swallow before you talk, son.” But his father was smirking.

Scott downed the remains of the cookie, caught between enjoying it and the opportunity to sit and talk with his dad. “He knows all the planets, too.”

“Really?” His father frowned. “He’s only three years old, Scotty.”

Scott sat a bit straighter. I taught him all the names and showed him Mars where you and Uncle Lee went.”

The smile that appeared on his dad’s face only encouraged him. “Virgil drew him pictures of each of them and we stuck them on the wall in his room.”

“That was very kind of the two of you.”

“It made Johnny happy.” Scott didn’t want to mention that Johnny was sometimes sad and always serious. “I want to help him.”

“It sounds like you are doing an excellent job.”

“I’m the eldest.” And Scott knew what Dad was going to say.

“Yes, you are, and that means you have to look after your little brothers. They look up to you and they are your responsibility.”

Scott stared up at those serious grey eyes and for just a second Dad looked like Johnny. “Yes, Dad. I will, I promise.”

His father’s big hand patted his back. “I know you will.”

Scott smiled.

-o-o-o-

[englishstrawbie]

Hi! Just wanted to say I love your work, thanks for sharing them.

could you do number 40 and 41 from the fluff prompt list for Marina? Thank you so much :)

Thank you! ❤️ I hope you like this prompt fill, I combined the two you gave me, but you'll notice I tweaked #41 a little bit.

>>>>>>>>>>

“We’re late!” Carina says, as she rushes around the bedroom. Her toothbrush hangs from her mouth as she brushes her hair at the same time. “Why did you insist on joining me in the shower?”

Maya watches on with amusement from her seat on the edge of the bed as she pulls her boots over her skinny jeans.

“Because it’s better for the environment. Showering together saves water.”

She smiles triumphantly, but it doesn’t last long when she receives a glare from her wife.

“You know Mom isn’t going to be here for another two hours,” she points out.

“Exactly!” Carina says. “We have two hours to tidy the whole house, pick up Liam from Peggy and Dayna’s, and make lunch!”

“That’s more than enough time,” Maya tries to assure her, but all it earns her is another glare.

She gets up from her seat and follows Carina into the bathroom, putting her hands on Carina’s hips and encouraging her to turn around to face her.

“Babe, you remember you’ve met my mom before, right?” she says, careful not to upset her wife any more.  

“Of course I remember,” Carina huffs. “But that was before.”

“Before?” Maya asks with a small shake of her head in confusion.

“Everything!”

Carina waves her arms around wildly. The everything is the new house, the son, and the baby growing inside of her. It has been a whirlwind eight months since that day in the hospital when they had decided to become Liam’s moms. It has been overwhelming for them both at times and more so for Carina now she is full of pregnancy hormones.

“It’s okay,” Maya says gently. “We can call Peggy and Dayna, and ask them to drop off Liam. We’ll tag team cleaning the house. And I prepped most of lunch last night while you were at work.”

Carina’s face softens. “You did?”

“Yeah, I did,” Maya says with a smile. She cups Carina’s cheeks and kisses her lightly. “Why don’t you get dressed while I clean up in here?”

“Thank you, bambina,” Carina says, reciprocating with a light kiss on Maya’s cheek before heading back into the bedroom.  

Maya makes quick work of wiping down the surfaces in the bathroom, throwing all the dirty towels into the laundry hamper. She figures her mom is going to be too distracted by Liam to worry about whether she has scrubbed the shower. She has just finished when she hears a loud sigh and an agitated grumble from her wife. She pops her head around the door to see Carina staring at her reflection in the mirror, a grumpy pout on her face.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing fits properly,” Carina says, pulling at the material around her small bump. “I look awful.”

“You don’t,” Maya says. “You look beautiful.”

“Pfft, I look like a beast,” Carina says. “Every morning, I wake up looking like Godzilla!”

Maya bites down on her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing at Carina’s over-dramatics.

“Well, I don’t care if you think you look like Godzilla when you wake up,” she says. “You’re my beautiful Godzilla.”

Carina rolls her eyes and exhales loudly, Maya’s words having no affect on her. Maya walks over to her and kisses her temple.

“I’m going to start putting away Liam’s toys. Take your time, I’ll see you downstairs.” She brushes a loose strand of hair away from Carina’s face. “Hey… I love you.”

Carina softens, her cheeks turning pink as she smiles, her eyes glistening in the morning light.

“I love you, too.”

Peggy and Dayna are happy to bring Liam home, any excuse to spend some more time with their (favourite) godson, which allows Maya more time to tidy up. Liam is spoiled by his aunts and uncles at the station and the hospital, toys and cute outfits always being gifted, as well as all the hand-me-downs from Scout that Amelia delivered a couple of weeks ago. She folds his freshly washed clothes and puts his toys in the boxes they bought to keep the room neat – something they don’t always have time for in between their busy jobs.

Maya wants to make a good impression for her mom. Their relationship faltered in the months after her wedding, when Katherine stayed with Lane for longer than Maya wanted her to. Something changed a few months ago, when Maya called her to her tell her about Mason. It may not have been the conversation she had hoped to have with her brother, and it still stings when she thinks about the cruel words that came from him, but it felt right to tell her mom that she had seen him, and that he was alive and healthy.

It was then that Maya had told her about Liam, but she wouldn’t let Katherine meet him, not when Lane was still around. There is no way she is going to let her son ever know his grandfather.

One month later and Katherine had left the family home again, and slowly Maya had let her back into her life until finally, today, she will meet her grandson for the first time. Maya can’t help but feel a little nervous about it, but she pushes that down and tries to hold on to the excitement of bringing her family together.

Carina joins her in the kitchen once she is dressed, her mood lifted when she notices the lasagna in the refrigerator.

“Mmm, you spoil me, bambina,” she says, nuzzling her nose into Maya’s hair while she makes a fresh salad.

“Always will,” Maya says.

She looks over her shoulder, sweeping Carina up and down at the dress she wears. It is the same dress she wore when they went out to dinner last week – and it didn’t stay on her for very long once they had got home.

“Have I mentioned how hot you look in that dress?”

Ever since Carina reached her second trimester, she has had a glow about her that Maya finds very sexy – and she has no problem letting Carina know it at any given moment.

“Maya DeLuca-Bishop, stop looking at me like that,” Carina scolds her, laughing at the same time.

The sound sends a shiver down Maya’s spine. It is something she will never grow tired of – making her family happy and hearing them laugh.  

“You can’t blame me,” Maya says, “not when you’re standing there doing that.”

She waves the knife in her hand in Carina’s direction, grinning when Carina feigns innocence.

“I haven’t done anything!”

“I know you haven’t done anything,” Maya says, “but can you please stop looking so goddamn kissable, my Mom is coming.”

Carina shakes her head in amusement, sauntering over to where Maya is stood. She takes the knife out of Maya’s hand and sets it on the chopping board, then pulls Maya into her arms.

“Well, your mom isn’t here yet, so you can kiss me all you want.”

Maya doesn’t need to be told twice. She wraps her arms around Carina’s neck and leans in to kiss her. They stumble across the kitchen until they hit the small dining table in the corner, where Maya lifts Carina to perch on its edge, tugging her hips closer. Carina wraps her legs around Maya’s waist, drawing her closer. Maya feels her moan against her lips, her heart skipping a beat at the sensation.

It isn’t until the doorbell rings through the house that they part breathlessly.

“That’ll be our son,” Maya says, straightening her shirt that Carina has pulled out of her pants.

Carina twists her lips into a pout. “We’re going to finish this later, okay?”

Maya chuckles.

“Oh, you can count on it. I told you, you look hot – and I’m gonna spend all evening kissing you.”

[idontplaytrack]

FLUFF PLEASE

Capri finally home from the hospital after the incident

Reader being super gentle

Cuteness

Once in a lifetime

Capri Donahue x fem! reader

Warnings: fluff, mentions to Capri’s accident & injury, crying

"Once in a lifetime Means there's no second chance So I believe that you and me Should grab it while we can"

Capri was coming home today after a full week in the hospital. Things ended up way better than you thought it would’ve. She wasn’t supposed to be here anymore, but it seems the universe wanted you to be able to have more time with your girl. You were sure that'd be it for you and Capri, but Capri being the fierce, sassy fighter she is...she didn't give up. She didn't want to go. You debated between meeting her at the hospital and waiting for her at her house, and eventually, you went with the latter. You walked to Capri’s and got there about twenty minutes before she was due home. The front door opens and you were greeted by her sister, “y/n! Come on in, Capri will be home soon with mom and dad.” You hugged her, “Hi, Camille.” 

“You want something to drink?” She asks.

“Uh, sure?” You chuckled, setting down your gift for her on a table that already held a few gifts from kids at school and also her cheer squad. Even one from Darby.

“Relax.” Camille bites back a laugh, “Water or Snapple?” 

You looked at her for a moment, “Water’s fine.” 

She shuts the fridge door after grabbing two drinks, walked over, and sat down next to you. “How are you doing?” The older sibling asked as she handed you the plastic bottle. “Um, better I think? This week has been a lot, I really cried until I had no tears left then all of a sudden she’s okay? The different emotions that I had to go through during then were ever-changing, so intense, so terrifying. I am so happy that Capri is fine, but my mind is still like, racing.”

“It’ll take some time to settle, but I get how you’re feeling. I’m just glad we’re not alone in this.” Camille nodded, a soft sigh falling from her lips.

“My mom must think I’m crazy given how fast my feelings are changing these days.” You joked. 

“Don’t even worry about that, sometimes we just need to feel what we need to feel to get through it, you know?” 

“I know, I just— cannot believe it. It was quite literally a miracle.” 

“Well, some people deserve the greatest miracles.” Camille hugs you from the side, “Her time isn’t up yet.”        

Soon, you hear their car pull up in the driveway. Your heartrate quickens momentarily and you wiped your sweaty palms on your pants. As you took a deep breath, the front door opens and you lock eyes with her father. He smiles in a way to say hello, knowing how excited you were to see Capri again. You stood up from your seat on the couch and sprinted over to the foyer before Capri even registered your presence. As she placed her shoes on the rack, she turned to look forward— in your direction. A gasp, then you were in her arms. She hugs you so tightly. Something you’ve missed a lot lately, something you thought you’d never be able to get back. Someone you thought you’d never be able to see again. 

“I’ve missed you so much, baby.” Capri sniffles, chin resting on your shoulder as the hug continued. She was rubbing your back instinctively, but it was a much needed gesture of comfort. “I’ve missed you so much, oh my god.” 

You kept it together for the lunch that followed. Then, her parents decided it was enough chit chat and family time and left you and Capri alone. Her dad had to pack for a business trip, and Camillle had to go pick up her son. And so, taking you by the hand, Capri leads you to her room upstairs to her bed after shutting the door behind the two of you. “I’m okay.”

“I know you are now.” Your voice quivered, “It’s just been a very difficult week.” You sat yourself down at the head of her bed, she climbed on and laid on you instantly, arms wrapped around you while her head laid on your chest. You rubbed her upper back slowly as she looked up at you, your gaze meets hers before she says, “I heard a lot of things while I was out.” 

You swallowed thickly, nodding your head then you looked up to keep the tears from falling. You feel her hand cupping your cheek, tilting your face down to keep eye contact. 

“My mom, she’s never cared about me so much. Before this happened, you knew how she was like. She showed no interest in my life. I heard my Dad talking to me, telling me stories, the cheer squad, Darby, James and Alex…but only you came by everyday and willingly sat there in that god awful hospital room to do your homework just so you could be with me. You didn’t talk a lot, just held my hand most of the time and even sang to me. My god, your voice was absolutely angelic. Baby, my favourite song…has a whole new meaning to it now and I cannot even begin to tell you how much I appreciate you. I don’t say it enough, but please know that I am so grateful to have you in my life, y/n.”

“I should be telling you that, Capri. You fought so hard for your life. I was just…there.”

“Yes. Yes, you were there. You were the only one there every single day so that I wouldn’t be alone. You didn’t have to do that, you could’ve just stayed home and got some proper rest, but you stuck by my side until they had to ask you to go home. Baby, that is insane, I wish I could’ve just told you to get your butt home and sleep. The commute from your house, from the school to the hospital is so long.”

“We didn’t know if you were going to wake up again at one point, I just wanted as much time as I could have with you.” You swallowed painfully, swiping your tears away but she grabs your wrist and moved your hand out of the way, wiping your tears away with her thumb instead. You wound up holding onto her wrist and looking at her through your clouded vision. As much as you were crying, you couldn’t help but smile because Capri was still here. She was right here, with you, and you were going to make sure she was going to be right here with you for as long as you could. 

“Don’t fight it, cry if you need to cry.” Capri whispers, thumb stroking your cheek. “Don’t bottle it up.” 

As if on cue, you let the tears go like she’d told you to. She was crying too, but not as badly as you were. Capri just held onto you and you release those emotions that you’ve been trying so hard to shove aside because people were constantly around. 

“I’m very sorry you had to see me like that in the locker room. No one needed to see that.” 

It was that image, of her lifeless on the floor of the locker room that haunted you and made you feel like shit more than anything else now. It wasn’t something you could just forget even though you wanted to. That simply just wasn't possible.

“No one knew it was going to happen, Capri. It wasn’t your fault.” You sniffed, stroking her hair as you pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head.

She nodded, her eyes on you. “I love you, darling.”

“I love you, too,  so much.” You smiled through the tears that were finally dying down, “Don’t you ever scare me like that ever again.”

“I promise.” She says, scooching up to meet your lips, giving you a kiss, “I’ll be uh, holding on tight and celebrating everyday.”

You bit back a chuckle, licking your lips. She winks and smiles cheekily, “Oh how I’ve missed this face.” 

You finally laughed, she finally got it outta you. “There it is.” She smiled back, pressing another kiss to your lips— one that was more than just sweet, it was passionate but tender. “I could watch your smile all day, pretty girl.” 

You grinned, heart melting, “Well, I’m all yours.”

🏷️Tag list:

@ashecampos @auliisflower @cheesysoup-arlo @frogs00 @ludoesartandstuff @pda128

[astrologicalsstuff]

Composite Scorpio moon

I’m experiencing composite Scorpio moon for the first time and it’s genuinely one of the craziest experiences. 

It kinda feels like Bella and Edward, like I want him so bad and I don’t know why, and I can’t understand why he wants me but we’re magnetized toward each other. It feels too intense like I want to escape but I also crave this kind of intimacy. He’s definitely intense too. And it’s so sexual. The eye contact got me going crazy!

As a disclaimer we have a lot of Pluto influence in our synastry his Pluto is exactly on my 8th house trine my mars square my Venus and moon in his 4th

And my Pluto is opposite his sun Mercury and mars but that’s generational.

Additionally he’s got Saturn and Jupiter in my 12th which I can also really feel so this a very watery synastry.

We have a very water dominant composite so I know it probably appeals to my cancer stellium more and I think it shows in how crazy I act but I don’t know if he can tell and I know he feels it too but I cannot fathom it’s this intense for him. I don’t know his birth time but the composite moon is directly opposite my ascendant so I know I’m really feeling that.

I’m obsessed and I can’t even stop myself because he so easily fans the fire. He is so patient and understanding it doesn’t even feel real but there’s such a seriousness with Saturn involved. It’s like I’m blackout drunk and the most sober I’ve ever been. I’ve read into our synastry and honestly it’s probably not so good it’s more neutral but when I am with him, when I talk to him… god it’s just like everything.

The tension is palpable we’ve gone to parties and everyone around us points us out even if we don’t talk it’s just like intense eye contact and everyone knows.

Being around him makes me so… Farrell … like all I want is to touch him and I’m never close enough but I’m terrified to get too close.

It’s almost animalistic like I want to devour him I love biting him and when he bites me.

I can tell that if we had sex it would change the relationship completely and probably for the better because this built up tension literally makes me act out but omg I really like this guy so much and it terrifies me. Every time he calls me and we talk I cry afterward just because he feels so good for me and I feel so intensely about him. I don’t think he’s the most conventional person, but somehow he says exactly what I need to hear and we don’t even know each other. His timing is so perfect too like even though we don’t know each others I feel like our lives are synced up. There’s definitely themes of possessiveness and commitment, and we can never do anything causally. We met the first day and I went off on him for something really stupid and I was being totally possessive over a made up scenario I conjured but I really sent it and we didn’t talk for months and when we started talking again he got a puppy and immediately called me after calling me the puppies step mom and I helped him pick out names for her.

Foreplay feels as intense as my best hookups and we haven’t even had sex.

The tension is like unbearable I’m realizing now that it would probably be different if we had sex but I’m afraid I’d literally just fall in love with him if we did and I know this one would fuck me up. I’m in my healing era but this man’s about to make me risk it but I don’t even know if it’s a risk because he is probably really good for me and what I need but I keep fighting it. Bottom line I’m scared.

His eyes are so dark when he talks to me and he can be so serious and it’s so sexy. we can literally be in a room full of people and it feels like it’s just us and everyone at the party was annoyed about it.

The funny thing about how we met is that my friend went to a party to meet his friend but his friend was flirting with every girl there so I was death staring his friend trying to show him I see what he was doing but he was too busy looking at other girls so I looked over at him (the guy I like) and glared with a passion trying to convey a “your friends so messed up for this” kinda look and the random girl I was with said he was giving me “the eyes” and I think that details funny because I was so mad at him and his friend. We ended up going downstairs to talk with my friend and me and him ended up by the balcony looking over the city and immediately I knew the girl I was dancing with was right about him being into me but I thought that was funny cause I was GLARING. but she came over to talk to him and he put his arm around my waist and I was sold on him. Taht immediate loyalty I’m only into you was so freaking sexy. Even when I went off on him LIKE A LITERAL CRAZY PERSON he was very understanding. He handles my intensity very well but that’s honestly not my favorite part of myself and he really brings it out. I keep blaming it on the alcohol but I really think it’s him, or at least the synastry.

Everything he does evokes a reaction out of me, and part of it is from trauma but he’s uncovering all these fears I didn’t know i had.

I read somewhere that these people with Scorpio moon composite need to take breaks from time to time cause it just gets too intense and I feel that but honestly I can never tell if it’s just a break. Or at least for me it’s that and I fixate on if I’ll ever see him again. We’re not talking again, but I needed a little break from the intensity anyway.

We’re not talking now…

[writingdumpster]

our family

pairing: Rhett Abbott x reader

warnings: language, suggestive dialogue

summary: You go to meet the Abbott’s but walk in to find that Perry already disapproves.

word count: 1.2k

You were having dinner with Rhett’s family. You’d met them at his last rodeo, but hadn’t spoken to them long. Rhett always wanted to get you home as quickly as possible after his rides. You were excited to have the opportunity to get to know them all better. You’d been dating Rhett for a few months and had barely ever seen them. When Rhett invited you over he told you to come in through the backdoor. The whole family was always too loud to hear the door knock as he explained. He didn’t lie about that.

You walked into the Abbott’s house to hear yelling from the living room. You nervously approached. When you recognized Rhett’s voice you abandoned your nerves. He was clearly upset. You wanted to make sure he was alright.

“…You’re wasting your time with her!” Perry yelled.

“You shut your fucking mouth! You don’t know a goddamn thing about her!” Rhett bellowed back.

“She’s just some whore you picked up at the bar and now you’re bringing her into our home!” Perry continued. Cecilia noticed you from the corner of the room.

“Perry!” She scolded, trying to stop his ramblings. Perry’s eyes fell on you as you appeared in the doorway. His mouth closed tightly. Rhett noticed that Perry’s eyes were focusing on something behind him and he turned to see you standing in the doorway.

“Hi,” you said quietly. Rhett’s eyes fell soft upon seeing you. He could see the tears welling in your eyes and he knew you well enough to know that your expression was the one you put on to keep yourself from falling apart.

“C’mon, baby,” Rhett called as he crossed the room to meet you. He took your hand, lacing his fingers between yours. “We’re leaving.” You didn’t say anything as he led you back out of the house. He took your keys from you and climbed into your truck after helping you into the passenger seat. He pulled away from his house and grabbed your hand immediately.

“I’m so sorry, darlin,” Rhett started apologizing at once. “You didn’t deserve to hear that.” You weren’t sure what to say. You didn’t know what you had done to make Perry think so lowly of you.

“Why does he think that, Rhett?” You asked quietly. Rhett looked away from the road to see that tears were now falling from your eyes. He pushed harder on the gas. He wanted to get you back home as quickly as he could so he could give you the comfort you needed.

“I don’t know, honey,” Rhett sighed. “I really don’t know.” You sniffled. He squeezed your hand.

“Do your parents think that too?” You asked in a whisper.

“They didn’t say anything about you,” he told you.

“But do they think that?” You pushed.

“No,” he assured you. “My dad wouldn’t judge you without really talking to you first. And my mom already likes you. Likes how good you are for me.”

Rhett pulled into the driveway of the trailer you had on the edge of town. It wasn’t much, but you could live alone and that was enough for you. You climbed out of your truck and he unlocked your door for you, following you in as held the door open. Rhett closed it behind him and put your keys on the hook on your wall while you pried off your boots. He watched in silence as you quietly moved back to your bedroom, taking off your dress to put on pajamas. You weren’t in the mood to be seen by anyone but him.

“Are you hungry?” Rhett asked from your doorway, watching you as you took off your jewelry and makeup. He didn’t know what to say to make you feel better. He was angry at Perry himself.

“Lost my appetite,” you said quietly. Rhett sighed.

“I’m sorry, darlin,” Rhett apologized again. “You never have to see him again if you don’t want to.”

“That’s not what I want,” you told Rhett as you sat down on the edge of your bed. “I want to be a part of your family.”

“Oh, honey, you already are,” Rhett assured you. He quickly moved to sit beside you, pulling your head into his neck. “You’re my family now. You and me, that’s all I need.” His voice was soft and his accent sweet. It comforted you despite the pain you were feeling. You started sniffling anyway.

“Your life is on that ranch, Rhett. I need them to like me,” you said.

“No, you don’t. My mom likes you, she’s the only one whose opinion counts in the family,” Rhett said. He was gently stroking your hair as you leaned into his body. He could feel your tears against his neck.

“Your dad’s opinion matters too,” you said. “You know that.” Rhett kissed your forehead.

“I also know he’d love you,” he said. “You’re sweet and funny and strong,” he continued. “Perry’s the only one that’s not on board.”

“I want him to like me too though,” you whimpered.

“It doesn’t matter to me if my brother likes you, darlin. I love you. That’s enough for me.”

“I want your family to like me though, Rhett. I don’t want our family to be separate from theirs,” you said. Rhett sighed lightly. He scooted further up the bed so he could pull you to straddle his lap, letting you wrap your arms around his neck and rest your head on his shoulder.

“Honey, I don’t even care if he’s at our wedding. I—” Rhett stopped himself once he realized what he’d said. His body tensed. You smiled against Rhett’s neck.

“I want your whole family at our wedding,” you said. Rhett’s body relaxed. He turned to press a kiss to the side of your head. You carried on the conversation as if the two of you hadn’t just admitted how incredibly dedicated to one another you were.

“If that’s what you want then I’ll make it happen. If I have to tie Perry’s jaw shut while you walk down the aisle I will,” Rhett promised you. You giggled lightly. “There’s that laugh,” he cooed. You pulled your head from his neck. There were still some tear streams on your cheeks, but you had a small smile on your face. Rhett leaned forward and gave you a short peck. He wiped the tear streams off your cheeks.

“Want me to cook for you?” You asked.

“You hungry now, darlin?” Rhett asked.

“Yeah,” you said. “You cheered me up.” He smiled softly.

“Good,” he said. “That’s all I ever wanna do.”

“That’s all, cowboy?” You asked. Rhett chuckled.

“That’s all, cowgirl,” he told you.

“Too bad. I was hoping to get lucky tonight,” you said. “Guess I’ll have to go back to the bar and have someone else pick me up.” Rhett wrapped his arms around you, flipping you so you were pinned beneath him. He started kissing your neck before growling in your ear.

“You’re not going anywhere.”