#when i saw him i was like HEY MATEO!!!

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

[gothcsz]

part six of the neighbors series. thank you to the anon who sent this angsty prompt for getting the gears turning in my head, hehe. these two are something else, i tell ya. the miscommunication is just so... i am pushing them together forcing them to kiss at this point lol hope you guys like it 🖤 and feel free to send me more things for this little au!

javier peña x f!reader. ~2k word count. nothing too extreme to tag, it's straight up just angst and yearning.

Being with Mateo is nice, sweet even. He calls when he says he will, makes you laugh, and remembers how you take your coffee. And you really do try with him. You take interest in his hobbies, hold his hand when you’re walking down the street, and even let him take you to bed.

The sex is fine, nothing spectacular and just barely above average. Being with him is normal and safe.

But every now and then, your mind drifts to what it would be like if it was Javier in his place. You shake those thoughts off as fast as they come. If you’re going to move on, it has to be for real, not half-heartedly.

It’s a little easier to bury those feelings now that Javier is caught up in something—or someone—of his own. 

She’s over at his place constantly, her laugh sometimes drifting through the walls late at night. It feels like they’re always whispering to each other, talking until all hours, and you hate how that little spark of jealousy sits in your chest.

You catch yourself wondering what her name is, how they met, if she gets that look from him—the one that he used to give you when he’d make you laugh. 

You pass Javier in the hallway sometimes, and when he offers a half-smile and rushed, “Hey,” you return it with something tight and brief, barely meeting his gaze.

But he’s always in his own world these days, buried in work, and if he notices you distancing yourself, he doesn’t show it. Or maybe he’s too distracted to care. Either way, it reinforces the choice you’ve made to keep things this way. 

Every time you pass his closed door, you tell yourself you’re doing the right thing. Him being absent is the push you need to keep stepping back, to keep looking at apartments a few neighborhoods over, just in case.

One day, Mateo notices you’re distracted during dinner, poking at your food more than eating it. 

“Querida,” he says, nudging your hand, “you alright?”

“Yeah.” You force a smile. “Just thinking about work.” You try to shake off the odd feelings you can’t seem to put to rest—the unease of Javier wrapped up in someone else and it working for him but not for you, leaving you more restless than before.

He’s become a background hum of missed chances and bad timing.

Mateo catches the shift in your expression and rests his hand on yours. “If it’s about your place, I don’t mind helping you look around. Maybe even do a little apartment tour spree together this weekend?”

His warmth stirs something in you, a pang of guilt for not giving him the part of you that’s still tucked away. “Yeah, that sounds nice. I’d like that.” 

Javier’s schedule continues to keep him out of the complex and you can’t remember the last time you saw him at the embassy.

Granted, you work in different departments but still, there was enough overlap for you to at least catch glimpses of him throughout the day. 

There’s a wall between you two—one he doesn’t even realize is there.

One evening, as you’re walking up to your door, you hear his low voice in the hallway, murmuring something to that beautiful brunette that you feel so strongly against because of your own insecurities. 

It strikes a nerve, seeing her leaned up against his door like that with Javier crowding her, his fingers tucking a strand of her curly hair behind her ear.

They don’t even notice you and that fucking stings, then you remind yourself that you’re being ridiculous and unlock your door quickly, barely giving him a second glance when he finally turns his head to acknowledge you. You just shut your door.

Later, as you sit by your window with a glass of wine, a part of you wishes you could confront him about it—how you miss having a friend even if these feelings you’ve grown for him have tainted your friendship.

But instead, you brush it off. It’s better this way, the distance and silence. Cutting him off quietly.

You have Mateo now, and maybe in time, those feelings you’re trying to force yourself to feel for him will start to feel more real.

In the meantime, you keep Mateo close and Javier at arm’s length, praying the ache in your chest will fade into something easier to ignore.

When things with Helena spiral, Javier’s entire world dips into a darkness he struggles to fight off.

He’d been steeling himself for months, pretending that what he felt for her was just a part of the job, just another way to gather intel, to stay sharp. But things had shifted, unraveled into something he wasn’t prepared for.

She had become more than an informant; something tangible and real, someone he genuinely cared about. He should have known better than to let it get personal—mixing affection with the job, letting his heart get tangled up in a life as brutal as theirs.

It’s in the wake of this disaster that you pop into his mind again. The truth is, he’d forced you out of it completely, buried you beneath his work, his duties, his time with her.

After all, what place did someone like him, wound up in the cartel’s mess, have with someone like you? You were safe, building a life with an uppity banker, someone who could give you things Javier’s world would never allow. 

Security, stability, and something close to a normal life—things he could barely imagine anymore.

And he’d see it, too, in the way you were with Mateo. He could hear it sometimes through the walls, that light laugh of yours, the one that’d once been his to hear on a quiet afternoon or over a shared meal. Now it belonged to someone else.

Javier would watch the asshole come by, flowers in hand, gifts in his arms, looking like the kind of guy he could never be, the kind of guy you deserved.

Maybe that’s why he fell for Helena so quickly, so intensely. She was tough, resilient, unafraid of the shadows he’d cast around him. With her, he didn’t have to pretend.

They shared the same night-bound existence and he didn’t care that she was a prostitute. She understood, even when he didn’t, the danger of crossing those lines in his work, the way it weighed on him, without flinching at the blood on his hands.

But now… he’s haunted by what he should have seen coming. She’d been hurt, and every part of him feels complicit.

He couldn’t protect her, couldn’t protect himself from feeling it all in his bones, and the guilt wraps around his heart, squeezing so tight it might burst. 

The weight of it pulls him under, and he finds himself wondering how he’s going to claw his way out. His work is far from over.

He's at the bottom of a bottle of bourbon one night when he realizes just how long it's been since he’s really seen you.

The ache that realization brings feels like another knife twisting in his chest. Your bright eyes, that quirky laugh you give when he actually manages to crack you up, and the way you can turn his chaos to calm without even trying—they’ve been missing from his life for months now, and he’s feeling the loss more deeply than he wants to admit.

With sluggish, heavy steps, he staggers across his apartment until he ends up at your door. He knocks, too loudly, too long, until you swing it open, looking bleary-eyed and definitely frustrated. He’s clearly woken you up.

“Hola, cariño—”

“It’s two in the goddamn morning, Javier. ¿Qué necesitas?” 

You’ve got your arms crossed, and he blinks a few times, almost impressed with the improvement of your accent. He opens his mouth, trying to form the words, but you beat him to it, eyeing him up and down.

“Are you drunk? You reek of liquor, Peña.” Your tone is flat. “You need to go back home.”

“Te extraño,” he slurs, the words slipping out before he can stop them. “I can’t be in there another second without feelin’ like I’m losing my damn mind.”

You’re sizing him up, at a war with yourself, and he lets his gaze wander even in his bleary state. You’re wearing that familiar robe with a slip dress underneath, and he has no idea if it helps or makes things worse. 

“Then you should probably call your girl,” you say, voice cool. “Or go upstairs and bother Murphy. I have to be up early.”

You go to close the door, but his large palm spreads against it, steadying himself. “Javier—”

“Please,” he says, voice softer. “Don’t do this. Not tonight.”

For a moment, you search his eyes, your own gaze conflicted, and then, almost begrudgingly, you sigh. “Fine,” you mutter, “but you’re out by the time I’m up for work in the morning.”

You let him in, and he feels that distance in your voice like a physical wall between you. It’s his own fault—he knows it, hates it, but here you are, standing back to let him in anyway.

He stumbles, almost falling flat on his face, and your smaller hands catch him with a muttered curse. Like he’s a child.

You steer him to the couch with an exasperated huff, and even as you help him settle, he’s not sure if it’s the liquor making his chest tighten or the fact that you’re handling him with more care than he deserves. 

You wrestle him out of his jacket, tugging it from his broad shoulders, then go for his boots.

The grunts you make in effort, the feeling of your hands on him—even if it’s just to deal with his drunk ass—makes him ache in a way that alcohol only magnifies.

His thoughts drift to places they have no business going. He’d tried to move past the want he felt for you, burying it under other bodies, other names, other distractions. But here you are in a thin slip dress under your robe and all he can think about is how it’d feel to have you moving against him, to finally let his hands roam your curves, bring you pleasure and fuck you like he’s sure no man has. Not even your goody-two-shoes of a boyfriend.

Once he’s settled on your couch, you leave, only to return a moment later with a glass of water, setting it on the coffee table with a quiet sigh. “If you need to puke, please use my bathroom,” you say flatly, “not the new couch.”

“New couch?” he mumbles, sitting up on his elbows and frowning at it. “What was wrong with the old one?”

You just shake your head, the patience gone from your expression. “Goodnight, Javi,” you say flatly, but he stops you before you leave.

“Thank you for this and I’m sorry—”

“Just stop,” you cut him off with a deep sigh. “You’re always apologizing and I don’t want to hear it. Get some rest.” And then you’re gone, the door to your room closing softly but definitively behind you.

After that night, he tries to make things go back to normal but the distance that happened during that time seems impossible to close now.

Every attempt he makes to lessen it only meets the cool edge of your guarded smile or your quick, polite excuses to cut conversations short. The silence between you has settled too deeply now, like it’s found a home where friendship used to be.

He doesn’t know what to do and you’re still stuck in your forced delusion that Mateo is what you want.

started a tag list for my works here, so if you're interested— pls check it out 🖤

🏷️: @persephone-girl . @almostempty . @magneticecstasy . @miss-oranje-disco-dancer . @pepperstories . @greenwitchfromthewoods . @maiyart . @pedrohoe04 . @natalieispunk . @thewisesalmon . @bitchesuntitled . @puddles221b . @swankyorange . @bbyanarchist . @thottiewinemom . @heyhihello-4771 . @danaehldy . @sunflowerfive . @libre-sol . @harriedandharassed . @untamedheart81 . @moel-jiller . @honeyedmiller . @alexxavicry . @oldenoughtoknowbettersstuff . @almodovarispunk . @southernbe . @readingiskeepingmegoing . @pedrito-is-punk7 . @mrs-hardy-hunnam-butler . @la-vie-est-une-fleur29 . @lover-of-books-and-tea . @samanthajonees . @dontlookatme121 . @thundermartini . @dinanabuu . @cherrysugarx . @dontlookatme121 . @sunshinefive . @angiewatson .

[morganaspendragonss]

he's the air i would kill to breathe

Of all the times TK has faced death before, never has he been so sure, so aware, that he is going to die. Even on the plane, there was a chance, but here, trapped in this room, there is no such luxury. No chance, no backup, no hope. ao3 | 1.2k | 5.03 spec

They’ve blocked the door with their turnouts as best they can, but it’s a temporary measure at best. Somewhere in this building, the gas is snaking its way towards them; they’ve shut themselves in the further corner possible, both in this room and in the school, but there’s no denying that it will find them and kill them.

And it will kill them.

Of all the times TK has faced death before, never has he been so sure, so aware, that he is going to die. Even on the plane, there was a chance, but here, trapped in this room, there is no such luxury. No chance, no backup, no hope.

It suddenly hits him, the enormity of it all. The fact that, in less than an hour, he’ll be a corpse just waiting to be found, and grief erupts in his chest, so fast that it almost knocks him back. And it’s not just grief for himself, but grief for his family, his friends. Carlos.

Above all, Carlos, who will have to endure losing his father and husband in less than a year.

He’ll never get to share another moment with him. There’ll never be another kiss, another embrace, another shared smile or a laugh. They’ll never get to celebrate their first anniversary, or any after that, or even just another night together. TK will die before any of that, and it’s not fair how it has to happen now, when he has so much in his life that he loves, instead of years ago when he didn’t care.

It’s not fucking fair.

Brushing away angry tears, TK looks to his left, and it’s something of a comfort to know that this time he won’t have to die alone. Tommy holds her radio close to her lips, murmuring to Wyatt as if anything louder will give away their location to the gas. Nancy is furiously stabbing at her phone, shaking fingers typing out what TK assumes are messages to her parents and sister and Mateo. Hopefully they’re all safe, far away from what’s happening in this room.

Almost imperceptibly, the room darkens a shade. The change is so slight that TK wants to believe he imagined it, but one look at Tommy and Nancy proves him wrong. They may not be able to see the gas yet, but none of them are under any delusion that they’re not running out of time.

His phone is out of his pocket before he even thinks about it, fingers automatically navigating to Carlos’s name. As the dial tone rings, a part of TK hopes it will go to voicemail. In the little time he has left, he wants to remember his husband smiling and happy, just like he was this morning when he brought them doughnuts on what they all thought was just another day.

The rest of TK, though, the more insistent part that lives in the left side of his chest, doesn’t want to die without talking to his husband one last time.

“TK, where are you?”

He doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry in relief, the sound that comes out ending up as a mixture of the two. “Hey,” he gasps. “Hi, baby, hi. Are you okay?”

“I’m at the office, we’re on lockdown because of the gas.” Carlos hurries through the explanation, urgent in a way TK doesn’t quite understand until he speaks again. “I saw the 126 on the news, I know you were working on the derailed train. Just… Please tell me you’re safe.”

The lie sits on the tip of TK’s tongue, but it refuses to be spoken. He struggles with it for a while, too long, and he can see them now, the tendrils of gas fogging up the window, and he’s going to die.

“TK,” Carlos calls, his desperation clear. “Are you safe?”

He can’t do it. Not now. Not to Carlos.

“No.”

An anguished cry tears its way from Carlos’s throat and the strength of it threatens to break TK altogether. His eyes start to overflow with tears and he has to fight to keep his sobs as quiet as possible.

“Where are you?” Carlos asks again. “I’ll come find you, I swear I will. I’ll get you somewhere safe, TK, just tell me where you are.”

TK shakes his head and a sad smile plays at his lips. His husband is nothing if not predictable. “We’re in some school. It’s a kids’ classroom, a pretty cute one really. There are worse places to die.”

“Nobody’s dying, TK, just tell me where you are.”

“Baby, I can’t.” he sighs are wishes more than anything that he could hold Carlos as he says this next bit. “We’re surrounded by the gas, no one could get to us without exposing themselves too. There’s no way out of this one, baby.”

“No,” his voice cracks. “Don’t say things like that. You’re gonna be fine.”

Fuck, it aches. “I’m not, baby. And I’m so, so sorry. I love you, okay? I love you.”

“TK, you’re not–”

“Carlos,” TK interrupts, and he’s almost surprised when he does fall silent. He smiles even though Carlos can’t see him and closes his eyes, picturing him by his side. “Can you just… Please, can you just say it back.”

A beat of silence, and in that beat, TK knows that Carlos understands the reality of the situation.

“I love you too.”

Still smiling, TK tilts his head back until it hits the wall. “There it is.” He breathes out once, then, “I love you.”

It’s goodbye, loud and clear, and even as he drags the phone away from his ear TK can hear Carlos begging him not to put the phone down. He does anyway, even though it breaks his heart, and he ignores the buzzing as Carlos tries to call him back again and again and again. To have his husband’s voice be the last thing he hears would be a gift, but one that would come with a curse too; it would mean that Carlos would have to listen as they cough and choke and die, and TK knows he wouldn’t even think to hang up.

As the last thing he does, he would spare his husband that.

There’s a brief silence in the room before Nancy gasps and TK opens his eyes to find her pointing tremulously at the door. 

“Guys.”

They’ve run out of time.

Tommy brings the radio to her mouth once more. “That gas is coming into this room,” she reports clinically. Then, firmer, more emotional, “Tell your dad to take good care of my girls.”

Wyatt is silent for a moment. “I will,” he says eventually.

Tommy nods. “Good.” She looks between the two of them and extends a gloved hand to either side. TK wastes no time in taking it, squeezing tight as they all silently sit there, waiting second after excruciating second for the gas to close the final few metres separating them.

“Close your eyes,” Tommy says, and TK does.

He won’t look death in the face, not this time. He’ll look at his husband instead, and TK Strand will die with a smile on his face.

[thedenerts]

love isn't red ; it's blue

Hi! This is my first fic on Logan Howlett. Not very good with english but i hope you guys would enjoy reading and if you want to see more please, do ask me ! ^^

dofp LOGAN X FEM!READER

tags: MDNI 18+, bad parenting, fingering, logan and reader are married, reader is in their 30s

word count: 1445

notes; if there's any bad english grammar, i mind you that english is NOT my first language

The night came by too quickly; Logan washed what was left off the little dishes by the sink. He watched as you and Hera (your first born daughter) talking on the patio. He stared at the mother of 2 who hasn’t aged a day since they had met. Your hair wild as a gyspsy’s, and body clothed in a simple shirt dress. You looked over your shoulder and smiled; Logan’s heart skipped a beat. You, yourself don’t even know what you had done to him after all these years. Logan felt his pants tighten at the sight of your black and silver lace bra through the white material. His thought process was broken by a loud grunt behind him, his hazel eyes met Hank’s. Hank had a smirk across his blue furry coat ass face (i intended to write down like this).

“Been awhile huh?” Hank asked, catching Logan’s sexual tension. Logan rubbed his face with his wet hands, turning away from his hairy blue friend. He grabbed the beer Hank offered, leaning against the counter. "Yeah, Mateo, he's definitely my son, alright...but damn," he grunted, taking a sip. "Every time Y/N and I try to get a moment alone, that kid senses it and wakes his little ass up." He slammed his palm on the counter, frustration evident. “Tonight, I’ma put some beer in his milk and keep him asleep all night long" Logan grinned at himself while Hank laughed at his friend’s irritation.

Logan's ears perked up as he heard Hera's yawn and Mateo getting fussy, signalling bedtime. Hank, noticing the situation, slapped Logan's back and exited the kitchen, leaving Logan alone with his thoughts. You were pulled by Hera, who forcefully tugged on your arm while cradling Mateo in the other. Before you could reach the stairs with Hera, Logan stops you by standing in front. “What’s the matter, Lo?” You asked with a soft chuckled “Oh, nothing, I was wondering if I could take over and handle that little monster of ours while you’re off to shower huh?” Logan replied as he picked up Mateo up away from your arm and cradles him in his. You raised a brow at him, feeling a bit sceptical but took the chances as you continue to make your way up with Hera.

Logan waved you a goodnight then looks down at his son’s drooling face. “Hey there bub, I’m not gonna let you ruin me and your momma’s time tonight. Not on my watch.” He cooed at the now smiling baby who was playing with Logan’s mutton chaffs. His tiny hands playing with Logan’s facial hair is almost too adorable to handle as Logan makes his way back into the kitchen. Unscrewing off the cap of the baby bottle, Logan put a few drops of diluted beer into Mateo’s milk and fed him up. He looks up at the time and noticed that it was almost nine p.m. Cradling Mateo in his arms while feeding him the diluted milk, Logan makes his way to Mateo’s room and gently sets him down in his crib. Letting the bottle beside him in case if Mateo gets cranky again.

Hurriedly, Logan makes his way to the master bedroom where you both shared. Hera, who was already sleeping in her other room, unbothered with what noise that will be occurring next. Logan enters the bedroom and waits anxiously as he sat down at the edge of the bed. His eyes clouded over with lust and deep desires when he saw you in a black almost see through that night shirt of yours. He whistles lowly when you smiled at him through your reflection, he approached his temptress nice and slow, hands on your hips before roaming that sweet sweet curve body of yours. Logan brought up his hand behind your head before placing kisses on your lips then to your shoulders while his other hand on your hips, pulling closer to his body. Your breath hitches, your (insert your hair colour) sprawled across his back as you threw you head back, allowing him more access. You felt a burning sensation in your lower belly.

Logan growled lowly, moving the both of you towards a large California king black oak bed. He laid you onto the red sheets, adoring your body with more kisses and soft touches. He spread your legs wide apart and settled in between them. “I missed this…I missed you, darlin’” He groaned with his eyes looking down at you with pure desire, pulling away your panties down and throwing aside as his hands now reaching your now wet sex; you moaned softly. Logan smirked at the sight of you arching your head back telling him that you wanted more. You rolled your eyes at the back of your head as Logan inserted two of his fingers into your wet sex. Your fingers intertwined within the silk sheets of the bed. Logan tries his best to restrain himself as best he could, but as he caught sight of your body begging for more…he withdrew his fingers out, removing off his clothes and pants and threw it aside.

You panted heavily, trying your best to lift your head up, eyes looking down to where Logan's shaft comes out leaking with pre-cum. Logan positions himself between your now spread legs, he looks down at you on the bed, biting his lower lip slightly, his heart racing as he smirks. Seeing you all flustered and panting to his magic touch…makes him feel warm and fuzzy inside. “It’s your fault, you know…looking all mighty fine under that night dress of yours, darlin’”. His hand gripping on your hip, tightening while the other bracing against the bed. His voice, rough and ragged as he plunged into you. With that; you let out a strangled moan, your hips slightly raised by Logan’s thrusts. His hand that was bracing against the bed slides under your night dress, then bra and removing it so that his only restrictions is your beautiful body.

As soon as they were on the floor beside his clothes, Logan then returned one hand back to your moist area and the other on your breasts. You moan even louder than before almost begging for more. “You like that, honey? Huh? You like how I’m gonna fill you up real nice and good?” He continues to pound you harder than before, his voice coming out with heavy grunts and moans; You clutched onto his arms as Logan groaned, filling you up. Logan moves with such pace in and out, building up your moans until they were his name. “Please…Lo…I’m gonna come…” you moaned loudly, arching your back causing you to cry out with pleasure. Logan’s primal instinct kicked as he could feel you tightening around him; “Fuck…darlin’! You’re so tight” he said. Your body turning into deep red blush from cheeks to hips. You couldn’t think or said anything except moans and cries from his thrust; hitting your spot every time. You met his already deep thrusts with your hips moving down as he went up.

Logan growled, grabbing your hips and kissing you roughly as your climax hits hard. You came undone on his thick throbbing cock, sweat dripping from both of you but Logan… he wasn’t done. Instead. He withdrew and lifted you on your hands and knees. You didn’t have time to react, so without second to waste, he re-entered. You threw your head back as your body taking every inch of him. Pushing your bottom closer, Logan took your submission and grab ahold of your hips once more; thrusting at full speed. You feel another climax coming quickly. Logan’s hands moved up to your spine, stroking as he finally released his hot seed into you as you let yourself go for a second time. Logan moaned deeply and flops down on top of you before rolling to the other side of the bed. Logan, his arms wraps around you, holding you close against his chest, feeling your body nuzzling into his, his own strength beginning to return. He rests his chin on the top of your head, his breath still uneven, his heart pounding in his chest. "You okay, darlin’? I didn't hurt you, did I?" You shake your head then smiled, laying your head on his chest with your finger playing on his chest.

Both you and Logan laughed before Mateo stirs awake, crying for attention. Logan groans, rolling his eyes. “Well, I guess someone’s awake. Better go check him out” You chuckled softly at him and nodded.

[mavrintarou]

[4:38 PM] Oikawa Toru [8]

A long-awaited chapter, thank you for being patient with me. Happy March everyone.

Warning: angst & hurt, smut

Seventh part Nineth part

.

“Teo, when do you think Y/n would be back?” Toru asked his son who was busy suckling his four fingers. He was drooling incredibly the last couple of days, having to go through three or four outfits in one day.

At the sound of Y/n’s name, the baby looked up and his eyes searched the room.

“She’s not back yet, but her appointment is taking longer than expected.” Toru sighed in disappointment. Even though he saw her about two hours ago, he missed her.

Not just physically…

He chuckled to himself, feeling like a teenager all over again.

He’s having the most sex in his life in the last couple of weeks. Toru believed he may have a problem.

A problem of not being able to keep his hands off of her. Or from being inside of her.

It’s astonishing how quickly they’ve grown close in such a short span. While it doesn’t compensate for the time that slipped away between them, he had a lifetime ahead to make amends, forging new memories to replace the lost time.

For a while, he bore the weighty burden of fearing that Y/n might find being with him and Mateo overwhelming, prompting her to consider leaving. However, with each passing day, she unwittingly reassures him that she desires him, that she wants to be with the both of them.

His heart fills with warmth witnessing their togetherness. It nearly overflows when strangers compliment them on what a beautiful family they make.

That’s his deepest desire – to create a loving family with them.

“Feeling tired? Ready for a nap?” Toru inquired, observing Mateo’s yawn and weary eyes. Lifting his son, he reached for his blanket, attempting to swaddle Mateo in the manner Y/n usually does, but finding it challenging. “One second…” he coos as Mateo begins to whine, fighting against his father.

Toru steps back, hands on his hips as he lets out a frustrated sigh while Mateo is wailing at the top of his lungs. He is never like this with Y/n when she puts him down for a nap…

“Okay, okay,” he coos, picking his son up and rocking him. He grabs the blanket and Mateo immediately grabs it, hugging it tightly. He calms down but continues to fuss.

Something clicked in Toru’s head as he walked into his bedroom picked up one of Y/n’s worn shirts out of his laundry basket and brought it close to his son. He remembered reading that babies were sensitive to scent.

True to the theory, Mateo immediately clutched onto Y/n’s shirt and calmed down.

With a loud sigh, Toru continued to rock his son who soon closed his eyes and napped.

Carefully, he laid down on his bed with his son on his chest. Closing his eyes, he figured he might as well take a nap too with this son. After all, it’ll make time go by faster until Y/n returns.

.

Y/n opened her eyes, alerted when she heard cooing and nails clawing at her jaw. “Hey you,” she smiled at Mateo who woke up from his nap.

After her doctor's appointment, she took a long walk along the river to clear her mind.

“W – what?” Y/n uttered.

To the doctor’s suspicion, she had no idea. She inhaled and exhaled deeply before repeating herself, “you are pregnant, Y/n. Did you not know?” She looked down at the piece of paper with all her messy scribbles. “Earlier when I was asking you basic questions you told me that you noticed how you had a lack of energy, just physically tired and napped more than usual?” Y/n stared at her with a blank stare. “When I conducted your physical examination you flinched when I felt for any abnormal lumps in your breast and you noted that your breasts have been sensitive lately?”

And she was embarrassed that her doctor had seen the red hickies on her chest that were left from Toru.

“Yes,” Y/n barely whispered, “I remember.” She swallowed, she didn’t know why it did not click prior but now everything was beginning to make sense. “Are you sure I’m pregnant? I didn’t have any morning sickness. Isn’t that a clear indication that someone is pregnant?”

The doctor shook her head, “no, not every woman will experience morning sickness. Some women don’t experience until a little further in their pregnancy.” She can see the distraught patient before her, handling the news she was not expecting to hear. “I know you were not expecting this news at all. I can’t let you go until I’ve known you’re okay to leave.”

Y/n swallowed again, leaning forward onto her knees and covering her eyes.

“How… how far along am I?” Y/n finally asked after a few minutes of silence.

“We will have to do an ultrasound to get a better idea of how far along you are. Do you remember the last time you had your period?”

Y/n grabbed her phone and checked her application which tracked her period. Her breath hitched as she realized she had not been logging her period for two months, going on to three months.

She had completely overlooked it as she was occupied with her sudden lifestyle changes with Toru and Mateo.

She squeezed her eyes shut and muttered, “can I get an ultrasound done today?”

As she lay on the padded bed waiting for the nurse, Y/n has never felt so alone before.

Her hands were placed against her lower abdomen, she still could not believe that she was pregnant.

She was joyous at the news yet she was terrified.

When the technician came in and performed the ultrasound, she spoke softly, making all Y/n’s worries and doubts fade.

Y/n paid close attention to the technician’s words, and finally, she tapped on the screen. “Here they are,” she said excitedly, pointing to the circle shape on the screen. “There’s your baby, Ms. Y/L/n.”

Tears pooled in her eyes as she covered her mouth. She couldn’t take her eyes off her baby.

The joys and excitement she felt all disappeared when the nurse spoke, “I believe you are roughly eight to nine weeks along, but that’s not a definite answer…”

Y/n did the math in her head if she was more than eight weeks along… there was no doubt that the baby she was carrying was Woojin’s.

Y/n spent almost an hour sitting on the bench and staring blankly at the river.

“What happens now?” she muttered to herself.

She had just found a safe place, a home with the man she had been hopelessly in love with.

Yet now she is pregnant.

With another man’s baby.

Burying her face in her hands, she leans over her knees and groans.

When she returned home, their units were quiet. Dropping off her bag on the couch, she heads to Toru’s room, finding the two of them sleeping soundlessly.

She needed them, that was all she needed.

Carefully she crawled over and laid behind Toru, her arm slipped around his waist as she buried her face against his broad back.

“You’re home.”

Yes, she was home, home to Toru and Mateo. Y/n nodded, tightening her arm around his waist. “I’m tired too.”

Chuckling, he rests his hand over hers, intertwining their fingers together. “Okay, let’s nap together.”

Mateo’s slobber against your cheek brings you back to reality.

“Ahh Mateo,” Y/n giggled, picking up the baby. “Is that a kiss?”

The baby laughed brightly at her question.

“Oh awesome, you both are up,” Toru stood at the doorway of his bedroom wearing an apron. “Just in time, I finished cooking dinner.”

“Dinner already?” Y/n stood up with Mateo on her hip, walking towards Toru. She pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips but Toru was quicker and turned so their lips met. Y/n smiled and pressed another kiss against his lips. “I missed you.”

Toru’s smiled, “I missed you too.”

. .

Toru was no fool, he knew something was bothering Y/n.

Over dinner, he mentioned the unexpected visit from the building management. They had come to assess the damage, and the following week, a construction crew will be handling the repairs.

But it appeared that the conversation had entered one ear and exited the other. She seemed distant during dinner, raising concern for Toru.

He could discern from the graceful movements of her fingers on the piano keys that the piece she played was infused with deep emotions, as if she were pouring her heart and soul into the music notes, expressing everything through her melody.

He sensed that something had occurred during her visit the moment he felt her snuggle against his back. The way she embraced him, as if fearing his disappearance, and the trembling of her hand indicated that something had frightened her or weighted heavily on her mind.

Y/n’s finger hit the last note, ending the piece she played.

Toru could hear her soft exhalation, soft yet heavy.

He approached her from behind and gently gripped her shoulders, squeezing them in a massaging manner. “Are you… okay?”

Y/n nodded before tilting her head back to look up at him, “I love you.”

Toru’s breath hitched, these were the three words he had been eagerly awaiting from her.  

He feels his life is completed, having Y/n by his side, and hearing her true feelings for him.

Y/n rose from her seat, perching on the piano bench, her height still a few inches shy of his. Tenderly, she cradled his face and leaned in to share a kiss. “Toru,” she mumbled against his lips, “make love to me… make me scream your name…”

Any other time, he would have loved to make her scream his name but something didn’t feel right. He was about to protest when she begged, “please, Toru… I need you to take my mind off it …”

His arms wrapped underneath her backside and lifted her, carrying her in the opposite direction of his bedroom. “Let’s go to your room, that way you can be as loud as you want.”

Surprisingly, Toru has never been inside Y/n’s room before. He led them blindly to her room as Y/n distracted him with kisses.

“I love you,” she murmured repeatedly.

Chuckling, Toru couldn’t contain his smile, “I know, I love you too.” He set her down on her feet and began undressing her, first with her jeans and then reaching for her shirt. His fingers found the clip to her bra, undoing it and tossing it aside. He dropped to his knees, lips trailing down her belly until they reached the elastic part of her panties. His eyes are at direct eye level with her abdomen and for a split second, he stares at her belly.

Y/n’s breath caught. As she looked down from her perspective, uncertain if her eyes were deceiving her, she noticed a subtle bump.

“Let’s take these off,” Toru whispered, tugging down her panties. “Be a good girl and get on your hands and knees on the edge of the bed.”

Spinning around, Y/n got on her bed that she had not slept on for a while and got into the position. She could hear him taking off his clothes.

Without warning, he slams into her. Y/n had to brace herself as he pounded deep and hard. “Yes!” she moaned loudly. “Harder!”

Toru increased his speed and density, slamming his hips against her and causing the room to echo with only their flesh slapping. A sense of greed and selfishness overwhelmed him, and suddenly, a possessive feeling took hold. Y/n’s subtle indifference earlier was making him anxious. Did something happen? His mind began to conjure up all possible worst-case scenarios.

He had to grasp onto her; if she harbored any doubts about him and his son, he was determined to do whatever it took to sway her thoughts. They needed her.

Toru wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her up and hugging her tight against his body. He continued to rut into her, needing her desperately.

“Love you… I love you so much, Y/n…” he nipped her skin at her shoulder. His teeth mark embedded into her delicate skin.

“Toru! Toru, oh God… I’m close… please…” Y/n turned to look over her shoulder. She pressed her lips to his, “cum inside me…”

He knows he shouldn’t but his body acted on its own accord. Y/n permitting him to cum inside her was all he could think about. His arms wrapped tighter around her as if to keep her forever next to him.

Y/n clenching around his cock and whimpering brought Toru over the edge as he came. His hips tremble and spasm as he ejaculates.

His head drops onto her shoulder as he tries to catch his breath.

In an instant, his ears perked as he heard something that twisted his heart. “Y/n?” He released his hold around her, withdrawing before turning her around to face him. His eyes widen, “what’s wrong?” He shifted in front of her and cupped her face, searching for an answer. “Did – did I hurt you?”

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she gasped, shaking her head. She buried her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

Toru pulled her into his arms, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry if I hurt you… if I scared you…”

Y/n continued to shake her head, unable to speak a word as she cried quietly.

Feeling completely hopeless and useless, he only continued to hold her, murmuring sweet words to her.

After what felt like an eternity, Y/n eventually eased her turmoil. Her hands lay on his bare chest, sensing the rhythmic beat of his heart beneath her right palm – a sensation she wished to experience for the entirety of her life.

She loves this man. She loves Oikawa Toru.

“You don’t have to tell me what happened,” Toru whispered gently, pressing his lips against her forehead. “But if I am the reason behind those tears, all I ask is that you let me fix it… whatever I did… please – “ his voice choked, “I promise that I will never make you cry again…”

Y/n pulled away from his arms and sat up, at some point, Toru had laid them down on her bed. She looked down at him and reached to brush his hair away, “it is not you, Toru.”

He wished to trust her, yet a part of him still clung to the belief that he was still the reason behind her tears.

“The truth is…” Y/n took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut for a brief moment. “I am pregnant.”

Toru sat up abruptly, his voice faltering at her statement.

Her head bowed, and he sensed her shame. “I… I don’t think it’s your baby.”

. . .

E/n: I'm hurting everyone :(

>>> @queenelleee @mfreedomstuff @erintaro @callmeraider @chaotic-fangirl-blog @wolffmaiden @cloud-lyy @rukia-uchia-98 @anejuuuuoy @tooruchiiscribs @mommyourcall420 @haikyuubiggestsimp @lilguycoded @random-734 @ghostlyneckoaftoad @abcde12345 @shotenvinsoot @princess-sunshyn @anonymoussimper @junglewoos @basically-an-anime-stan-acct @mih311 @m1nt-3lla @qualitygiantshoepsychic @whatamidoing89

[fallstaticexit]

Siblings are siblings no matter what age they are.

Prev / Next

Mateo: (using sign language) Eat?

Lyric: I know baby, it’s almost done. Good job using sign to let me know, Mateo!

Lyric: *snorts* Uncle Light Skin finally returning my call.

Mel: Don’t yell. I know I’ve been slacking with reaching out.

Lyric: Now I know where your kids get it from. Am I the only one in this family who knows how a phone works?

Mel: It’s just, I’ve been b-

Lyric: And you better not give me the ‘I’ve been busy’ excuse; we’re all busy, Mr. Showtime. Just call your sister. That’s all.

Lyric: So, what’s going on? Looks like you made it back to Sulani. How’s that going? How’s Loren and Maeve?

Mel: *sighs* Long story. We’re leaving a little earlier than planned. Going to see Adie, Ri, and dad.

Lyric: Did something happen?

Mel: I’ll tell you about it later...

Lyric: Are you sure, Mel?

Mel: I’m sure, sis.

Lyric: You know how I used to have visions when we were kids? Mom said they were just hyperactive dreams, but I saw things, and you and Sonny always believed me.

Mel: Yeah, I remember.

Lyric: I was with our grandmothers this time. All of them. They want us all to be together, Mel. I don’t think we’re supposed to be spread out all over the world and apart for so long.

Mel: I think in a perfect world, we could make that happen.

Lyric: Then why don’t we? Hell, Olive lives in the same city as me and I see her maybe every few months?

Mel: Hold on, Sonny’s calling.

Sonny: Mel- *static* can you hear me? *barking* *snarling*

Mel: Bro, what the hell? Are you doing wolf stuff? Just call me back!

Sonny: What? *howling* *more static*

Mel: *laughs* Henford’s service is so ass, Sonny. How did you survive 20 plus years out there?

Sonny: See, that’s the difference between me and you, City Boy. All I need is wide, open country. That’s the secret to not having patchy facial hair, by the way.

Mel: Yeah, alright. Tell your mama that.

Sonny: Come on man...don’t talk about moms...

Mel: Hold on, I’m gonna add Lyr to the call.

Mel: Look who’s here.

Sonny: Sup, big sis!

Lyric: Woooow, hey stranger! Why do you look so mangy?

Sonny: Sun’s settin’. That’s when me and the pack get to work. Caught a bloodsucker on our property, so I got the boys tearin’ it to shreds now.

Lyric: ...ew.

Lyric: Weeeell, since we’re all here, now I can finally ask—which one of yall narrow asses be telling mom my business?

Sonny: I mean...I might of mentioned things. Mama calls everyday- she get’s lonely...

Mel: Sonny!

Lyric: I knew it!

Mel: Come on, man. That’s like sibling code 101!

Sonny: Well, shit! Maybe it’s the wolf in me that gave me this undying loyalty to my own mama...

Lyric: No, it’s the brat in you, mama’s boy.

Mel: *laughs* Lyr, remember when Sonny was like 6 and he would snitch on everything we did unless it included him?

Lyric: Mhm. And he use to cry when we wouldn’t. He still does.

Sonny: Come on, yall…

[vintagepascal]

I have an angsty/fluffy request!!!!! I feel like P has been getting more annoyed with the paps lately and I feel like if they stressed out his love he would get so po'ed, so maybe something about him getting mad or anxious about it (thats the angst), and reader comforting him and then some type of fluffy ending? I don't know if that makes sense but I think it's a fun concept. Ty if you decide to write it!!

LETHAL

AN - thanks so much for requesting love! hope this does it justice :) I used the inspo from that article where Pedro says his protective side is lethal hehe

word count - 3,200

rating - mature

content warnings - angst, no smut, fluffy ending, paparazzi involvement, slight catcalling, but literally the sappiest shit you've ever read how tf did I even conjure this shit oh my god

summary - pedro just wants to take his girl out for a nice date night, but someone at the restaurant sells you out

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

No one was supposed to know. The two of you had done everything right - called ahead with specific instructions but not given your real names, gone at non peak times, asked for a private table in the back of the restaurant away from the windows, taken your car instead of Pedro’s because it was less recognizable. And still, as Pedro scribbled his signature at the bottom of the receipt, you cautioned a look outside and you realized that what you suspected was true as yet another car pulled up to the curb. 

“Pedrito,” you used your softest voice, reaching across the white tablecloth for his hand. He wrapped your fingers up in his automatically, eyes finding yours. The sparkle in them dulled when he saw the look on your face. “We should probably go.”

“You haven’t finished your wine, amor.” His voice was tight, and you saw him crane his neck to get a view of outside for the first time, though he didn’t have a clear view like you did. It wasn’t hard to guess why you were ready to end an otherwise perfect date night early.

“That’s okay, we have more at home,” you smiled, moving your napkin nicely off your lap and onto the table. The first flash of a bulb went off and you swallowed hard. At the table to your left, you saw your favorite security guard, Mateo, stand up. 

“Time to go,” was all he said. 

You saw Pedro’s hand ball up into a fist, and he sucked in a breath between his teeth. 

“No one was supposed to know we were here. Someone must have tipped them off.” 

You reached for his hand, smiling when he opened up and offered you his fingers to lace your own through. 

“It’s alright.”

“It’s really not,” he countered. You knew he was at his wits end, considering the paps had managed to find him every day this week. He didn’t have much choice since he had to go to the gym each day for training, but he’d begged you to stay in the house as much as you could so they’d leave you alone with the promise of a nice date night on Friday to make up for it. 

“Hey.” You ran a thumb across his cheek quickly, hoping no one had a zoom lens where they could find you somehow. “Let’s just get home, yeah? It’s gonna be fine.” He looked down at you, some of the stone softening in his eyes as he did. He squeezed your hand twice before looking over at Mateo who dutifully began to walk forward. It wasn’t lost on you that he stood in front of you rather than Pedro. 

It was more than you anticipated. As soon as the front door opened you were practically blinded, flash after flash going off. You wove your arm around Pedro’s bicep, trusting him to guide you in the direction the car was in. You walked as quickly as you could in your heels, only slowing slightly when you realized your dress was starting to ride up your thighs a bit. 

You could barely make out most of the words that were being yelled at you, but one voice stood out above the rest of the frenzy.

“Nice legs sexy, let us see em!”

And you weren’t the only one who heard.

“What the fuck did you just say?” Pedro turned, and he would have stopped walking if Mateo’s strong grip on his shoulder hadn’t kept him moving towards the car. 

“Get in the car Pedro,” he said matter of factly, opening the door. Pedro waited for you to slide across the backseat first, blocking the opening just in case your maneuvering revealed anything you didn’t want on display.

“I want his name,” Pedro demanded.

“In the car,” Mateo repeated, shaking his head. Pedro looked at you quickly, saw that you were tucked back into the seat as far as you could be and felt his chest tighten. It didn’t matter then, all he needed was to be closer to you. He ducked in and the door shut behind him.

Mateo was quick to circle around to the driver's seat and you were on the road almost immediately, the crowd already scattering behind you in search of their next victim for the evening. 

“Fucking assholes,” Pedro growled, eyes trained out the back windshield for only a moment before he turned to you. “Are you alright?” 

“Yeah, yeah I’m good.” It couldn’t have taken more than 30 seconds for you all to get to the car, but your pulse was racing and your ears were ringing and despite your best efforts, your eyes were watering just slightly from the adrenaline. You fought it and won, determined not to cry and add any more fuel to Pedro’s fire. Very little made him mad, but when you were mistreated, there were no bounds he wouldn’t cross. 

“Are you sure?” He found your hand against the leather, eyes hardening when he felt how clammy it was and realized you were hiding how upset you actually were.

“I’m okay,” you whispered, trying to play it off. “That was just a lot.”

“I’m sorry, so so sorry.” His voice was small again. 

“Don’t apologize for them, amor. You didn’t ask for that, it’s not your fault,” you reminded him, lifting his hand up to your lips and kissing his knuckles softly. This wasn’t a new conversation.

“You wouldn’t have to deal with any of that if you weren’t with-“

“Pedro, stop. You know I don’t care about the pictures.”

“The fucking nerve of that guy to say that shit to you…” You could feel the anger roll off him in waves.

“It’s not the first time I’ve heard some shit like that, it’s not the last-”

“And that makes it okay? That’s supposed to make me feel better about it?” He looked at you, exasperated, and somewhat confused that you weren’t as upset as he was. 

“No, of course it’s not okay, but I can handle it. I’m fine.”

You saw him open his mouth again to argue and you knew it would be futile, so you used your last line of defense. You leaned over and kissed him, bracing your hand on his thigh and molding your lips to his. Of course he kissed you back - he’d never had that much self control, but his lips were unrelenting at first, words unsaid keeping his mind racing and away from you. 

“I’m okay Pedrito,” you murmured, kissing along his jaw, smiling when your lips found the smooth heart shaped gap in his beard. “I’m safe, I’m happy, I’m here with you.” 

Your words pulled him back a fraction, your lips helping his jaw to unlock from where he had it clenched. He ran a warm hand along your thigh, trying to ground himself. 

“Bésame,” you asked. His eyes softened - something about you speaking Spanish always got to him and he obliged you, leaning over to kiss you sweetly. He cupped your face gently, getting lost in you for a few minutes of the drive until you were both satisfied. You settled afterwards, with your head on his shoulder, smiling each time he pressed a kiss to your forehead or your hair. 

But you could still feel the tension in his posture, see it in the way he led you into the house when Mateo parked the car, and you knew the storm hadn’t passed. So it wasn’t a total surprise that Pedro stopped in the living room instead of following his usual path to the bedroom. 

“Hey,” you tried. “I’m going to go change, are you coming?”

“Yeah, I’ll be right there.” You watched him pull his phone out of his pocket, mind already on his next task. You didn’t push it - his heart was in the right place. Always the protector. And so you went about your evening, changing out of your dress (though it would have been easier with Pedro there to help with the zipper) and into a cute matching pj set, perching in bed and waiting. 

And waiting. And waiting. 

Your patience waned after 15 minutes, and you peeked your head out of the bedroom doorway, only barely able to make out the outline of your boyfriend standing on the living room balcony, the sliding door half open and his agitated voice flowing in. 

You settled yourself with a deep breath and moved back into your room, then to the bathroom and over to the clawfoot tub, starting up a bath. When all else failed, you always turned to water. You took your time doctoring it up with all your favorite products until the bathroom resembled a bit of a spa. The only thing missing then was Pedro. 

So you went in search of him, again unsurprised to see him still on the phone. You caught the tail end of his conversation as you pushed the sliding door out of your way. 

“- had to be someone there… Yes, I can respect that you don’t think it was, but I am very respectfully informing you that you’re fucking wrong. Someone within that building sold us out to the paps, and you’re going to figure out who it was, so I can figure out who the hell was outside harassing my girlfriend and who the fuck they work for.”

You slid your hand up Pedro’s back as a way of announcing your presence, coming around to his side and ducking under his arm that was braced against the railing. You wedged yourself between him and the metal, facing him with a smile that he briefly returned, phone still pressed to his ear. With a wiggle of your fingers you motioned for him to hand it to you, your other hand resting on his hip. 

With a small sigh he gave in, passing you his phone. You could hear the restaurant manager babbling and you muted the mic for a moment so you could speak freely.

“I’ll be right there expired a while ago amor,” you teased.

“I’m sorry baby, I just-”

“Don’t let that dick steal any more of our night. We’re okay. I’m okay. I’m safe, I’m happy, I’m here with you,” you repeated your words from earlier, getting up on your tiptoes to brush your nose against his. His resolve was fading, but there was still a dull fire in his eyes, aching to defend you.

“We don’t get enough time like this as it is, let’s enjoy it, yeah?” You hummed, kissing him only once before checking to see. As expected, it worked, and your Pedro was back, all traces of his anger gone from his face. He took his phone back, hanging up without another thought and slipping it away into his pocket.

“Sorry cariño, I got carried away.”

“Apology accepted in the form of you, in the bathtub with wine in the next two minutes,” you grinned, kissing him again and ducking under his arm before disappearing to the bathroom. 

He didn’t disappoint. You had barely stripped and sunk into the water when he returned, two glasses in one hand with a bottle of wine in an ice bucket in the other. 

“Looks like I missed the show,” he teased, looking down at your pile of clothes on the floor. 

“That’s what happens when you’re late. But hey, I’m in my seat and ready for the next act.”

That got a chuckle out of him, paired with a blush that warmed your heart. He took care of you first, pouring two glasses of wine and passing one to you before he got to work taking off his dinner clothes.

You attempted to dog whistle for him, which only ended in you breathing aggressively on your two fingers with a bit of spit ending up in the bathtub, and Pedro giving you a look of pity before you were both laughing. 

“I’ve really got to teach you how to do that love.”

“Oh shut up and get in here.”

You offered him a hand, scooting up so he could settle in behind you. As soon as he was in the water he was guiding you back to lean on his chest, arms coiling around you to hold you to him as he kissed your temple. 

“Does this mean we’re never going to that restaurant again? Cause my capellini was really good,” you ran your fingers up and down his arm that crossed your chest. 

He was silent for a moment before he spoke. “I can make you good capellini.”

You leaned to the side until you could look back at him, quirking an eyebrow. 

“I… can hire you a chef to make you good capellini,” he grinned sheepishly, laughing as he held you against his chest. You relished in the sound as it echoed off the tiles, kissing his skin. 

“I’m kidding baby, we don’t have to go back,” you reassured him. Deciding you’d spent long enough unable to see his face, you maneuvered so you were next to him instead, resting your cheek on his chest with your legs intertwined under the bubbles. It was blissful, and you only sat up to sip your wine or kiss him. 

You enjoyed the silence and soft kisses, light traces of each other’s skin under the water through your first glass, but your tongue loosened up by the second one. 

“Can I ask you something kinda serious?”

“Anything amor,” he hummed, interest piqued.

“Would you ever trade it? The fame, for getting your privacy back?”

“If you’d asked me that before I met you, I would have said no. But I think the answer now might be yes.”

You pushed up off his chest so you could see his eyes, waiting for him to explain. 

“It comes with my job, and my job is all I ever wanted. It’s been my dream since I can remember. I worked my whole life for it, and somewhere deep down I always knew that there were downsides that would come with it if I ever made it big. You hear the horror stories of the crazy people, the stalkers, the paparazzi. And when you’re just trying to make it, it almost makes you jealous in a way. It’s like ‘damn, well if anybody gave a fuck about who I was maybe I’d have to worry about that’. And then you get your break-”

“And people are asking to put their thumbs on your eyeballs in the streets of NYC,” you grin.

“Yeah, yeah exactly. But when it was just me, I could always stomach it because it was also a reminder of like ‘hey, you made it. This is happening because you made it into the big leagues’, you know? But it’s not a fun or glamorous part of it. And now it’s affecting the people I love, and I can’t do normal fucking things, like take you out on a normal date night without us getting swarmed. And you deserve that. You deserve to get your capellini in peace, and I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to give you that, because that part of my life is always going to be there.”

The sadness on his face brought tears to your eyes, and you turned his face to look at you.

“You’re worth it Pedro.” 

The sadness didn’t budge.

“I mean it,” you continued. “You’re worth all of it. You’re worth more.”

The next kiss was deeper. His lips caught yours with a new appreciation, his teeth catching your bottom lip making your breath freeze in your chest. His arms moved under the water, shifting your body around until you were straddling his thighs, your elbows braced on his shoulders, fingers in his wet hair. 

When you finally broke free to catch your breath, he was looking up at you as if you’d hung the moon. 

“I need you to remind me of that. On the bad days,” he whispered. It wasn’t often that he asked you for reassurances, and the entire premise of it made you melt. 

“Of course baby. Of course I will. You’re always going to be worth it to me, because I love you.” 

“I love you more.”

You shook your head at that, folding down to rest your head on his shoulder. He traced his finger over your spine, back and forth slowly as he kissed your skin. 

“You know, we don’t have to stay in LA when you aren’t filming,” you mused after a few minutes.

“Where would you want to go love? I’ll take you wherever you like.”

“No, I don’t mean a vacation. I mean, we’re in the worst city for privacy in the world. Even New York is better than here, and we already have your place there.” 

He pondered it for a moment, twirling a piece of your hair in his fingers. “I wouldn’t mind spending more time in New York. Don’t know that it would solve our paparazzi problem though, they’re still pretty bad there.”

“Then we could go even further. Not long term, but I mean hell. Oscar has that second house in Hawaii he always offers to us, you know he’d let us stay. Or we could go to Chile, see your family.” 

“Chile? You’d go to Chile?”

“Why not?” You asked. “I mean, I don’t know that I’d want to move that far away, but of course I’d love to go for longer than just the few days we got to go last time.”

“You’d do that for me?” 

You weren’t sure if it was the wine, or the pure bewilderment on his face, or maybe the realization that he just couldn’t fathom how much you truly loved him, but you began to laugh. 

“What do I have to do to get it through that brain of yours hmm?” 

“You’re worth it-” you punctuated it with a kiss before you continued. “I love you-” another. “I’d do anything for you.” He was smiling then, leaning up to meet you. “I’d go anywhere with you.”

“Yeah?” He murmured against your lips, chasing you in a bid to kiss you longer. 

“I’d marry you tomorrow if you asked.” The words stumbled off your tongue before you could stop them, but you didn’t care, you were too wine drunk and in love to think about them.

Pedro caught them though, kissing you again with a smile and waiting for you to lean back. 

“Tomorrow huh?” 

You blushed as he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear.

“Well in that case I need to call the jeweler and see if they’re still open this late.” He dramatically pretended to check his watch, making you roll your eyes at his antics.

“Ah yes, nothing like a Friday night ring shopping escapade.”

“Who says I still need to shop? I bet they’d let me pick it up, it should be done.” 

You felt your mouth drop open, but you couldn’t quite find the muscles to close it. Pedro kept his smug smile for a moment, basking in it as he reached up with his finger on your chin. 

“You’re worth it,” he returned your words, leaning up to kiss you again. “I’d do anything for the future Mrs. Balmaceda Pascal.”

[littyhoney]

Unexpected (part 2)

(part 1) (part 2)

Earth 42! Miles x Black widow Reader

(Enemies to lovers trope)

Summary: Can two vigilante ever work together? No,But the future proves otherwise.

You and Miles are standing side by side, looking down at the 2 boys who is tied up by Miles.

“Alright, first of all who are you?” you ask tilting your head at them.

“I-im uhm M-Mateo” the one with glasses says,then the other one speaks “I’m Louis..”

Miles roll his eyes before saying “Surname? So we can file some missing kids” he glares at the two boys who looks like they about to damp their own pants.

“M-Morales” “Morales” the two boys says in the same time, your eyes widened as you look to your side, to see Miles is frowning and confuse. Your head is panicking, Mateo called you ma like few minutes ago and Louis just called Miles…no way.

Miles looking at the two, how in the world they have the same exact surname as he is. They did called him dad before. The other one even called you Ma when he saw your face…he turn his to look at you and chuckle slightly. “Damn mami you can just admit it now”

Your eyes widened before you start to scold him “Admit what!? that you’re such an ass? I told you that every single day” you glare at Miles. You cant help but your face flushes as you piece another pieces of puzzle together “W-wait you two just called us mom and this little ass dad does that mean…we” you press both of your palm covering your face “Oh my god..”

“Whoa okay ma we do not talk about that please ma” Alejandro begs turning his head away feeling just as embarrassed as you are. Miles on the other hand is feeling smug at this information “Believe me mami once you give me a chance I will not disappoint you” he teases you.

“Okay you need to shut it before I-” Miles cut you off smirking at you as he tilt hos head to you letting his braid fall over his shoulder “Before you what?”. You just stand there with an angry expression at him, but your red cheeks says otherwise.

Mateo look at his parents who are in their teens, it is weird to see them being so mean to one another. His mom would not stop calling their dad profanity names while his dad would not stop flirting and teasing their mom. Mateo lean to his twin saying "why were our parents so mean to each other when they were our age?" 

Alejandro just chuckle before leaning back and says “They did say when they were younger they are competing one another” oh right, they are both the vigilante of Brooklyn. Alejandro back to the two bickering young soon to be couple “Hey we would appreciate it if you untie us?”

The two stops and you walk near to them “Right yeah sorry about tying you guys up” you reach down to untie the knot “He though you guys are carrying weapons or somethin” Alejandro shrug at the statement “Fair”

“So uhh is it true that uh wherever you come from that me and ‘him’ end up together?” you ask the two boys,you seem uncomfortable by the idea marrying that boy in the future but deep in you feels giddy to know that you do have a chance to have a happy life a happy family, maybe just maybe you gonna give him a chance.

Mateo face lights up at you before saying “Yeah! I mean,we are your children after all. Oh! Wait I can show you” he reach for his pocket pulling out his phone. He opens the phone then open up the gallery he shows you a picture that makes you stun.

“That’s you favorite photo, I took it when we were celebrating your 10th year anniversary together” Mateo smiles remembering how much their dad plan for their anniversary,he even recreate their proposal.

You on the other hand is taking in how much happier yourself look in the picture,no eye bags under your eyes after some sleepless night, your hair is longer and even though you reached 30 you look so…beautiful. Your eyes shift to the other person who wraps his arms around your waist giving a kiss to your temple with a close eyes and a soft smile on his lips. He is wearing a black tux while you’re wearing a beautiful classy dress,you wrap one of your arm around his neck while the other is on his bicep showing your wedding ring. You can’t deny that Miles aged like a fine wine, he’s looking much more handsome and his hair is much shorter.

“Huh you still have that pic?” Alejandro says as he look over his brother shoulder. He remembers how much of a fuss his dad when they were planning on the anniversary.

Miles is leaning over to look at the picture, his eyes focus on you. Well an older version of you. The tenderness in your eyes as you look at the camera showing your slightly reddened cheeks and your hair framing over you just perfectly. You facial doesn’t change as much but you look much more mature, they say woman fully blossom at the age of 30 and you did. He can’t believe that he is happy…out there living a life he once dream of. To go to prom, college and maybe date but his duty being the Prowler takes away most of that. He only focus on keeping his mom safe…being the man of the house after…

The peaceful moment gets interrupt when the same portal that is opened half an hour ago but this time its from the wall behind the couch. You and Mateo spring up from the couch while Alejandro and Miles come to stand beside you two. The portal is sucking in but much more gentler this time,like it is more controlled.

“Well I guess this is it then!” Alejandro says as he looks at the 2 of his much younger parents, “It’s nice to see you guys! Really! Not everyday you could meet a younger version of your parents” Alejandro says as he turn to look at the two. “Cmon Mat we gotta go!” he starts to pull the arm of his younger twin

“Bye ma!” He waves before jumping into the portal making it disappear.

After that, you and Miles just sit outside of the lair sitting by the edge of the rooftop. Looking at the vast city, waiting for the sunrise. The silence is broken by Miles when he asked “Do you envy them..”

You glance to your side before looking back at the city “Of the boys?”  Miles shake his head “No…of other us” you frown slightly before looking at him again “No,im more of…happy for them. At least I know the other me is living her best life,living the dream” you lean back on your hand smiling slightly.

“I envy myself…he got everything,a perfect family,a perfect partner and a normal life” he says as he pull one of his leg up letting the other dangle by the edge. “By the look in the pics,the city there seems more…safer” You chuckle “No doubt it be ourselves work keeping it safe…maybe,we can make it come true here” you say softly looking at him.

Miles look at you “But our methods are different…I kill for money, you defend for justice” you nod your head “That is true…but we can work on it,you do the killing and I do the tracking but,we will see if that person is worth killing or not. What do you think?” you tilt your head

“Right, if my bounty is one of the person you’re tailing for information il give you time before I finish the contract. Deal?” You chuckle and nod in agreement, “I guess we better start tonight then, partner”

(Somewhere in different Dimension)

“Aaah!” “Ow!” Both Mateo and Louis stumble out of the portal making them lay on their back on the ground

Louis open his eyes before looking up at the silhouette, his eyes focus on the brightness of the room to reveal their parents, His mom standing by him with her hand on her waist while his mom is standing by Mateo with his arm cross over his chest.

“Hey ma..” “Heyyy dad”

“You two are grounded!”

“5 Months!”

tag list:

@randomhumans-blog @baby-177pretty-girl @@corpsebridenightamare @

[gekkosgirl]

a kiss | gekko.

summary: gekko, after freaking out about the intial text about it, meets up with you at the mall to help out with decorating your room

pairing: gekko (mateo) x gn!reader

cw: SFW! mild language, pda (kinda awk), teasing(?)

notes: wrote this one pretty quickly, but still love it nonetheless. just so you can get inside my mind, i was listening to >one - greater than one by valorant and ericdoa (literally gekko's song)

word count: 1.8k

Gekko nearly tripped over his skateboard when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He fished it out with a quick swipe and saw your name light up the screen. The moment he read your text—"Hey Mateo, wanna hit the mall with me? Thinking of sprucing up my room a bit. Could use your help!"—his heart skipped a beat.

A grin spread across his face so fast that it made him look ridiculous, but he didn’t care. “No way,” he muttered to himself, rereading the text just to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

Without thinking, he sprinted to Reyna, who was chilling on the couch in the living room, scrolling through her phone. “Yo, Rey! Look at this!” he blurted out, practically shoving the phone in her face.

She raised an eyebrow, pulling her face back a little before focusing on the screen. A slow, knowing smile spread across her lips as she handed the phone back to him. “Aw, mira nomás. They’re asking you out,” she teased, leaning back with an exaggerated sigh. “My little Mateo’s all grown up.”

“It’s not a date,” Gekko shot back, his cheeks tinting pink as he tried—and failed—to suppress his excitement. “They just wants help. You know, picking stuff out.” He flipped his phone over in his hands nervously. “I mean, that’s cool, right? Like, it’s normal.”

Reyna snorted. “Yeah, normal for someone who likes you,” she said, crossing her arms. “Just don’t do anything dumb, and por favor, don’t forget to actually listen to them. Got it?”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it!” Gekko said quickly, typing out a response with speed that would make Dizzy jealous.

“Bet! Meet you at 3? Can’t wait, it’s gonna be dope!”

As soon as the message sent, he jumped up like he’d just scored a game-winning goal. Reyna rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile as she watched him grab his jacket.

“Don’t forget your phone,” she called after him, the boy in such a hurry he almost tripped over himself turning to grab it off the table he’d just set it down at. “And don’t forget to be safe on your date,” she added with a smirk.

Gekko paused mid-stride, groaning dramatically. “It’s not a date!” But the way he practically skipped out the door told a different story.

Gekko burst into his room, already stripping off his hoodie and tossing it onto the nearest chair. “Okay, okay, calm down, it’s just the mall,” he muttered to himself, standing in front of his closet. “No big deal. Just helping her with her room. Not a date. Definitely not a—”

His creatures interrupted his self-pep talk, chirping and squeaking as they peered at him from their favorite spots. Wingman tilted his head, clearly judging Gekko’s sudden wardrobe crisis, while Dizzy floated lazily, already bored of his pacing. Thrash let out a playful growl, nudging at his shoes as if to say, “Hurry up, dude.”

“Okay, fine, I’ll shower first!” Gekko announced, grabbing a towel and bolting for the bathroom. The water was barely warm before he jumped in, scrubbing quickly but thoroughly. “Can’t show up smelling like a gym bag. They’ll think I’m gross,” he muttered, rinsing off in record time.

Back in his room, he threw on a clean t-shirt and his favorite jacket, pausing only to fluff his hair in the mirror. “Alright, chill vibes. Cool, but not trying too hard.” He gave himself a once-over, grinning nervously. “Yeah, that’ll work.”

As he skated toward the meeting spot, his nerves kicked in. What if he said something dumb? What if you didn’t actually think his suggestions were cool? His phone buzzed again—another text from you. “Hey, running a little early. See you soon!”

“¡No manches!” he yelped, kicking his board harder to pick up speed.

As he turned the corner, he spotted you standing outside a café, casually scrolling on your phone. The sight of you made his stomach do flips. He slowed down a bit, hopping off his skateboard and rolling it alongside him as he approached.

“Hey, uh…” His voice cracked slightly as you looked up and smiled at him. His brain short-circuited for a second. Why do you have to look so cute just standing there?

“Teo!” you greeted warmly, slipping your phone into your bag. “Since you’re here, wanna go ahead?”

“H-here? Already?” He blinked, trying to collect himself. “Oh, yeah! Of course. Totally. I was just, uh…y’know, warming up my board and stuff.”

You raised an eyebrow at his slightly disheveled hair and the faint sheen of sweat on his forehead. “Warming up your board?”

“Yep. Gotta keep it…ready for action,” he said, cringing internally at how lame he sounded.

You chuckled, making his cheeks burn brighter. “Well, action guy, let’s get going. I have no idea where to start, so I’m counting on you.”

“Count on me?” His chest puffed up slightly, the nervous energy melting into excitement. “Yeah, I got you. Your room’s gonna look sick when we’re done!”

“Good,” you teased, nudging his arm as you started walking together. “I’ve got high expectations, Teo.”

“Don’t even worry,” he said, his confidence growing with each step. “I won’t let you down.”

Little did he know, you were already impressed—nerves and all.

As the automatic doors of the mall whooshed open, the bustling energy hit you immediately—bright lights, cheerful chatter, and the faint aroma of food court pretzels wafting through the air. Mateo was practically vibrating with excitement beside you, his skateboard tucked under his arm.

“So, where to first?” he asked, glancing around. His creatures peeked out from his bag, clearly curious about the lively environment.

“Well,” you started, scanning the directory near the entrance. “I was thinking posters first. I want something cool for my wall.”

Gekko’s eyes lit up. “Posters? Oh, I got you. C’mon, I know a spot!”

You followed his lead, weaving through the crowd as he navigated the maze of stores with surprising ease. A few minutes later, you both stood in front of a small, vibrant shop filled with an array of posters plastered across every inch of the walls. Bands, movies, art prints—you name it, they had it.

Stepping inside, Gekko immediately gravitated toward a display of music posters. “Okay, so what vibe are we going for? Chill, artsy, total chaos?” he asked, flipping through the rack with practiced ease.

You laughed, joining him. “I’m not sure yet. Something that makes my room feel…more me, I guess. What do you think?”

Gekko paused, tapping his chin dramatically. “Hmm. Alright, lemme see.” He rummaged through a stack, pulling out a bright, graffiti-style print. “What about this? Bold, colorful—kinda like you.”

Your eyebrows shot up, a smile tugging at your lips. “Bold and colorful, huh? Didn’t know you thought of me that way, Teo.”

His face turned a deep shade of pink. “I-I mean, not like that—well, I do, but like, in a cool way!” he stammered, flustered. Wingman peeked out of his bag, chirping at him as if to say smooth move, bro.

You chuckled, reaching out to take the poster from him. “Relax, I’m just messing with you. This one’s actually really cool.”

“Yeah?” he asked, the tips of his ears still red.

You nodded, glancing around the store. “What else do you think? Show me your expert taste.”

“Okay, okay,” he said, regaining his confidence. He grabbed another print, this one a minimalist black-and-white design of a city skyline. “What about this? It’s kinda chill but also classy. Good balance, right?”

“Impressive,” you teased, holding both options side by side. “You’re better at this than I expected.”

“Hey, don’t sleep on me,” he said with a grin. “I know a thing or two about style.”

You spent a while longer exploring the store, occasionally laughing at Gekko’s over-the-top reactions to some of the more outlandish designs—like a life-sized cutout of Rose from the Titatnic.

Finally, with two posters in hand, you headed toward the register. “I think these are perfect,” you said, glancing at him. “Thanks for the help, Teo.” As if on autopilot, you grabbed his chin swiftly and turned it away from you, planting a chaste kiss on his cheek. 

As your hand fell, his went up, touching the spot your lips had been as a moment of savoring. “Sorry.” You giggle, seeing the man standing before you in bewilderment, staring at your face like he'd found treasure. Nonchalantly, you pulled out your wallet to pay but, without a word, his hand pushed yours down. He cleared his throat, fiddling nervously with his wallet to pay the man at the register. As soon as the translation was done, the look of desperation was evident on his face. 

“C’mere.” You gasped softly as Gekko’s warm hands found your waist, pulling you flush against him. His piercing gaze locked onto yours, a mixture of surprise and yearning swirling in his eyes. Your breath hitched as he leaned in slowly, giving you just enough time to either pull away or close the gap.

You chose the latter.

The moment his lips met yours, it was as though the world around you faded. The chaos of the mall—the chatter, the footsteps, the background music—melted into a muffled hum, leaving only the electric connection between the two of you. His lips moved against yours, firm but tender, his confidence growing with every second.

Your hands instinctively found their way to his jacketed shoulders, steadying yourself as your head spun. One of his hands stayed firmly on your waist, grounding you, while the other traveled up your back, his fingertips brushing the nape of your neck, sending a shiver down your spine.

You pulled back just slightly, catching your breath as your forehead rested against his. Both of you were panting softly, his eyes now dark with an intensity that made your knees weak.

“Teo,” you whispered, voice trembling, but before you could say more, he tilted his head and captured your lips again, deeper this time, as though he couldn’t get enough of you. His passion was intoxicating, and you found yourself melting into him, hands sliding up into his hair as you lost yourself in the moment.

A loud, awkward cough from the man at the register jolted you both back to reality. You jumped apart slightly, faces flushed as you glanced around. A few people were staring, some smiling, others amused, but the world seemed a little brighter as Gekko’s hand stayed firmly at your waist, holding onto you as though he wasn’t ready to let go.

“I, uh, thank you,” he murmured to the man who had rolled and bagged up the posters, a flashy grin tugging at his swollen lips.

Your cheeks were burning, but you couldn’t help the grin spreading across your face as he took the bag, his hand never once leaving yours.

[jiyansthesis]

AIRPORT CRUSH

GEKKO (MATEO) x reader

summary — just some headcannons of reader having an airport crush on gekko: kind of a filter fic as i get to writing other ones. this is pretty short and its js a bunch of my thoughts put together

note — i write so much better in headcannon form and i wanted to get something out really quick so i decided to do this ^^ i was in a dilema to use gekko or leon for this but i decided that gekko would be more fun to write

"i have to be the hottest person sitting at my gate in the airport."

is what you would normally say if you didn't see the EXTREMELY attractive person sitting right next to you in the gate lobby.

somehow, you were next to the boy you had been seeing throughout the airport, and needless to say, you had developed a little bit of a crush on him.

true to los angeles, he had a fashion style and haircut that made him stand out. normally you wouldn't like such vivid colors on clothes, but on him it fits. you'd never know how he pulls that buzz cut off.

you wanted to make conversation, but you kept your eyes on the weather app on your phone. you knew you'd embarrass yourself.

gekko glanced over at you as he was surveying the airport.

he saw you nervously scrolling through the weather forecast, and he wouldn't have said anything if it wasn't for the fact that it was some random country in europe.

"you alright?" he questioned.

your eyes widened in surprise at the question

"yeah, i'm fine. just checking the weather!" you held your phone up. holy shit, you sucked at this

"that's the weather for romania," he pointed out.

it was indeed set for romania.

"sometimes i like seeing other countries' weather," you tried lying.

he let out a laugh.

you were all giddy on the inside. you finally got to talk to your airport crush and you caused him to laugh. and not at you.

"so, are you nervous about something?"

"what makes you think that," you scoffed.

"people only do that when they're nervous. and there's no groups of high schoolers around and you're not alone at a party, so what's up chica?"

well, he was smart

you knew that you didn't want to embarrass yourself, since the two of you were going on the same flight for a few hours.

"i just don't like planes."

he nodded in acknowledgement. "makes sense."

not wanting this to be the end of the conversation that would lead to an awkward silence, you piped up.

"so, why're you going on the flight?" you hoped that wasn't too intrusive.

"just for a job," he replied. he didn't seem like the type of person to be flying around for work. "what about you?"

"also just for a job," you grinned. you couldn't tell him what exactly.

the two of you made small talk, even going to go get some drinks when your flight got delayed.

then it was time for boarding. you expected this to be the last time the two of you would really talk.

but god had other plans.

showing each other your tickets, both of your eyes lit up in excitement.

"you sit next to me?" maybe you really were meant to flirt with him.

the two of you boarded and made some more small talk

"need me to hold your hand during takeoff?" he teased

your face turned a shade of crimson.

"hey. i was joking," you scowled playfully.

"then what were you nervous about?"

"talking to you." you put it bluntly as the airplane gained speed.

"talking to me?" he smugly grinned.

"hey man, don't rub it in." you looked out the window to avoid seeing his reaction.

a moment of quiet passed until he said, "i wanted to talk to you too."

you studied him. he wasn't lying for your benefit, that's for sure.

his cheeks reddened.

you let out a little chuckle. "then i'm glad that we both got what we wanted."

you really didn't want this moment to end, but you still had a few hours to make the most out of it

it was two hours of on and off talking, until you fell asleep.

you shifted, and slumped right onto his shoulder.

he wasn't complaining, but he didn't want to wake you if he ever decided to go to the bathroom.

so he stayed still.

a sudden burst of turbulence woke you up, and you noticed where you were resting your head.

"holy shit! my bad mateo" you immediately sat upright. you wiped your mouth to make sure you weren't drooling all over him.

"you're fine. it was cute." he smiled.

you wanted this man to wife you up already.

then came the time to eat lunch.

the two of you joked about it being like a little date, with spaghetti and all.

the two of you even decided to watch the same movies, both of you telling each other your opinions about certain parts.

before you knew it, you had landed.

the two of you stood outside the gate, ready to part ways.

"well, this is it." he said, shrugging.

"well, you're here for a job, right? we can still hang out when we're back in la." you handed him your phone. "call me when you're up to a date."

the two of you swapped numbers and went off on your separate ways. or well, you were supposed to.

the two of you left out the same way, which led to him catching up to you and sheepishly rubbing the nape of his neck.

then it was the same taxi, then you got out at the same building.

"well, this is awkward." he smiled.

the both of you somehow worked for the valorant protocol.

and now im too lazy to continue this so im probably gonna make this a fic later if yall want it 😹

[pedroscurls]

Hold My Hand

Character(s): Frankie “Catfish” Morales , Reader (female, second person POV) Summary: For years, you have been in love with Frankie. Everyone else saw it, except him, and you never had the courage to tell him how you truly felt. Instead, you stuck by his side even when it hurt. And after Colombia, he hadn’t been the same. You knew he had demons (being a veteran and all), but this... This was different. Would Frankie finally open his eyes and realize that the woman he was meant to be with had been right in front of him all along? Word Count: 6,653 Author's Note: This is my first time writing this character, so if I’m a bit off, please let me know and give me some feedback! Anyway, I have been obsessed with Frankie and it might very well be my favorite character that Pedro has ever played. I hope you all enjoy this story. Enjoy and happy reading! (also this story may or may not be very loosely inspired by my own relationship with my partner). Warning: Mentions of death, killing, violence.

(song: Hold My Hand by Lady Gaga)

Present day

Francisco “Catfish” Morales. The man who had your heart. The man who you would do anything for. The man who had absolutely no clue how you felt. You had met Frankie and the rest of his group of friends five years ago and since then, you had always been by his side. 

You had seen him at his worst, at his best, even when he had proposed to, gotten married to, and had a child with his now ex-wife. Through it all, you pushed aside your love for him because you didn’t want to ruin such a great friendship you had with the man. After all, Frankie was your best friend. 

But now? Now, there was just something different about him. After his so-called “boys trip” with Will, Santiago, Benny, and Tom, he had been different. When you tried to pry out some information from the other men, no one gave you any details. They all stuck to the same story. You had thought asking Benny would be the way to go, but even he was tight-lipped, which made you wonder what this boys trip really was. 

The men had always come by where you worked (a hole-in-the-wall bar nearby a military base, which meant most of your patrons were either active duty or retired veterans). They always came by Wednesday night, every week, the same table, the same drinks, the same food. Their routine hadn’t changed, until the boys trip. Their weekly get-togethers became less frequent and you hadn’t seen Tom in so long. Even when you hung out with Frankie, all he wanted to talk about was how your life was going and his son, Mateo. While you didn’t mind, you missed him, missed the way he would smile and a dimple on the right side of his cheek would appear, missed the way his laughter would fill your heart, causing you to laugh too. 

“Hey, you there?” Frankie asked from over the phone, pulling you from your thoughts.

“What? Yeah, sorry. Got a lot on my mind.”

“Hm,” was all he said. “Are you working today?” 

“Like always. Are you and the guys coming?”

“Oh, is it Wednesday?” 

You could tell his mind was elsewhere. He was distracted. Frankie had noticed that his sense of time was all over the place, probably because he barely got any sleep these days. 

“Last I checked, yeah.” You bit your lower lip. “Still having trouble sleeping?” 

Frankie huffed. “I’ll be fine.”

“You keep saying that.”

“I’m managing.”

“Are you though?”

You could hear Frankie curse under his breath, which probably wasn’t a good idea on his end since he was holding the phone so close to his mouth. “Listen, I gotta go.”

“Wait,” you sighed. “I’m sorry if I pushed. I just–”

“Don’t worry about it.” 

“Frankie–”

“Gotta go.”

Before you could even object, he had already hung up the phone. You sighed and tucked your phone back into your pocket, standing from the table to head back to work. You hoped that you would see him today, see the rest of the guys actually. 

—

Five years ago

You had been working at the bar for a little over six months, moving to a new state for a new start. It was tough in the beginning, but you had come to enjoy the adventure that it brought. You had broken up with your long-term boyfriend after realizing that he hadn’t wanted to settle down, have kids– ultimately, you both just wanted different things. It hurt in the beginning, but the distance helped. Being in a new city where no one knew you alleviated most of the emotions you had felt when the breakup first happened. 

And the bar you had been working at was always a fun time. The men and women that came in were either active duty or retired veterans. While there had been a few mishaps that happened with some of the patrons, most of the time, it was calm, quiet, and even respectful. 

One Wednesday night, however, changed your entire life. Five men entered the quiet bar, deciding to occupy a table at the corner of the bar. You were taken aback. They were all so good looking in their own respective ways, but one man… One man in particular caught your attention immediately. 

“So, y’all coming to watch me fight this Friday or what?” Benny grinned, running a hand through his dark and dirty blonde locks. He was cute, had this boyish attractiveness to him and he definitely looked younger than the rest of the group. 

The other blonde-haired man looked over at Benny. Must be his brother, you thought. There were obvious resemblances, but you couldn’t help but notice how this one was a bit older, quieter, more reserved. “Yeah, we’ll be there, Ben.”

There was another man who spoke up and you noticed him standing from his chair. You immediately went back to focusing on cleaning the counter of the bar, trying to act like you weren’t just staring and eavesdropping. He was handsome, alluring, his salt and pepper beard neatly trimmed. He was definitely clean cut, walking towards the bar with a sense of confidence that you found sexy. 

“Um, excuse me?” He called out. “Can we get five beers?”

“Oh, sure. Of course. Keep the tab open or close out?”

The man glanced over his shoulder, looking at his friends with a smile. “Yeah, let’s keep it open.” He handed you his card and you took it without hesitation, turning your back to him to swipe his card. 

“You new here?” You heard him ask. 

After ringing up the drinks, you turned back to him and handed him his card. Then, you grabbed five glasses to fill with beer. 

“Yeah, but bartending has been something I’ve always done. Even back home,” you replied with a smile. 

“Oh, so this isn’t home?” 

You shook your head. He was friendly, easy to talk to, and it helped that he was also nice to look at. “California’s home.” 

“So, why Florida? Weather’s kind of the same, lots of beaches…”

“Relationship ended.” You said, handing him the glasses. “But I’m happier here.” 

“Well, I’m Santiago. You can call me Santi, or Pope,” he smiled. “If you ever need a tour guide, I’d be happy to be of service.”

You blushed, glancing over his shoulder to the table with his friends. They were watching you, but you couldn’t help but find yourself staring a bit longer at the man with a cap. 

“Pope?” You said with a smile. 

“It’s my callsign,” he replied. “Was in the service.”

You nodded in understanding. “Makes sense. Bar near a military base.” You smiled, telling him your name. “By the way, your friends are staring a bit too hard over in this direction.”

Santiago looked over his shoulder and chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. “Probably jealous I got to talk to you first.” 

“Ah, I see. This was all part of your plan, come over here, sweet talk the bartender?” 

He laughed quietly, glancing over at you. “Damn, you caught me.”

Looking over his shoulder again, your eyes met the man who was wearing a hat. You could tell that his dark curls were sticking out from underneath and he had this mysterious way about him. He seemed as reserved as the older, blonde-haired man, but you felt a pull towards him. Just something about him. 

“You wanna meet ‘em?” Santiago asked. “My friends, I mean.”

“Oh, you know…” You cleared your throat. “It’s fine. I don’t want to impose and–”

“Nonsense,” he smiled. “Guys!” He called over his shoulder, waving them over. Almost immediately, the remaining four stood from their seats and walked over to the counter of the bar. As the man with the hat came closer, you felt your heart beat faster, your cheeks slowly become hot, and all of a sudden, you were now looking at five good looking men. 

“This is Will,” Santiago said. Older, dark blonde-haired man.

“Benny, his younger brother.” You were right. They were brothers. 

“Tom.” Santiago pointed to the man with dark hair, his beard also tinged with gray. He was the only one wearing a wedding ring, but he had this permanent scowl that you found to be a bit intimidating.

“And this,” Pope said, wrapping an arm around the man with the hat. “This is Frankie.”

Frankie. 

He removed his hat, running a hand through his curls and he looked at you with such soft eyes, big, and brown that had you captivated instantly. He gave you a small smile and you noticed the dimple on his right cheek, right underneath the patchiness of his beard. 

“Nice to meet you guys,” you said, trying not to act too obvious that you were obviously more interested in one man. 

“She’s new to Florida. I figure we can show her around.” Santiago said, handing each man a glass. “You know, show her not the touristy areas.” 

“Santi,” Frankie mumbled.

“What?” he replied. 

Benny grinned. “That sounds like fun. I’m in. I’ve got a fight this Friday, you should come.”

You glanced over at Benny, watching him take a swig of his beer. He was leaning against the counter of the bar, flashing you a smile that felt welcoming and inviting. 

“A fight?” You asked.

“MMA,” Will responded. 

Your eyes widened, a small grin slowly appearing on your lips. “MMA? I’m in.”

Santiago arched his brow. “Are you a fan?”

“Huge fan,” you nodded. “Brings back a lot of memories with my grandpa.”

“Sounds like a good man with taste,” Benny chuckled. “Here.” He grabbed a napkin and a pen from over the bar and wrote down the details: the time and location. You looked down at the napkin and smiled, pocketing it into the front of your pants.

“I’ll be there.”

Benny smiled. Tom, on the other hand, was the one who interrupted the conversation by saying, “guys, we should probably head back, let the girl do her job.”

You cleared your throat, nodding in agreement. “It was great meeting you guys. If you need a refill, just let me know.” You turned your attention once the door to the bar opened, noticing two men entering and taking a seat at one end of the bar. You excused yourself, walking over to them to take their orders. 

“She’s nice,” Santiago said, following the guys to the table. “You think she’s really gonna show up on Friday?”

Frankie shrugged. “I’m willing to bet she was just being nice. You know, customer service and all of that.”

Benny rolled his eyes. “Seemed like genuine interest to me.”

“Will, back me up here,” Frankie added.

Will shrugged. “I don’t know, Fish,” he chuckled. “Hard to argue when her interest in the sport seemed very sincere.”

“Tom?”

Tom didn’t respond, just sipping from his beer.

“What’s the big deal, Fish?” Santiago asked. “She’s nice, she’s new to the area. Seems to me like she needs some friends.”

Frankie didn’t respond. He glanced over in your direction, taking note of how your smile lit up the entire room. There was something he hadn’t felt before, right in the pit of his stomach as he watched you move from behind the bar, making the drinks for the other patrons that had come in. 

“You got a crush, Fish?” Benny teased, letting out a quiet chuckle. 

“What?” Frankie whipped his head towards the younger man, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest. “Just distracted, is all.”

“She is single,” Santiago grinned. “And she didn’t show me much interest.”

“You tried hitting on her?” Frankie asked, feeling a sudden sense of protectiveness wash over him. He hadn’t even said anything to you, just a simple wave when Santiago introduced you, but there was a pull he found himself fighting. He didn’t even know you, yet he wanted to… It had been a long time since he had shown any interest in anyone. 

“I wasn’t hitting on her, Fish, jesus.” Santiago sighed. “I was just being nice, that’s all.”

“You’re wound up tight,” Tom chimed in. “And you didn’t even say anything to her. Next round, you should go up there and order for us.”

Frankie shook his head. “I’m good.”

The rest of the men chugged their beers, looking over at Frankie with smirks written on their lips. “We’d like another, Fish,” Benny grinned.

“Hey, I still have mine to drink,” he replied. 

“Easy fix,” Benny smiled, reaching for Frankie’s drink and downing the contents. “Now, go on.”

Frankie rolled his eyes. “You guys are assholes.”

The remaining four men erupted in a fit of laughter. When Frankie stood up, he straightened out his shirt and removed his hat to fix his hair before placing the cap back on top of his head. He exchanged a look with Santiago, noticing how the other man maintained a knowing smirk on his lips. 

“Dale,” Santiago whispered. “Go.” 

Frankie took a deep breath and walked over in your direction. He didn’t know why he was nervous, but when you turned to face him, a smile on your face, he felt himself suddenly relax.

“Frankie,” you smiled. “You guys went through those fast.”

Frankie shrugged, biting his lower lip as he nodded. “Yeah, can we get another?”

“Of course. On the same card?”

“Yeah, same card. Drinks are on Santi tonight.” 

“You guys seem like a tight knit group,” you noticed, grabbing five glasses and one by one, filling the contents. You still maintained conversation, looking up at him. “Lots of history there?” 

Frankie nodded, taking a seat at the bar across from you. “We all served together.”

“Ah, so all of you are retired veterans?” 

“That’s right,” he replied. “Santiago mentioned earlier that you’re new here?”

You smiled to yourself. Frankie was listening. “I am, yeah.”

“Where are you from originally?”

“California.”

“What’s wrong with California?” he smiled, feeling himself begin to relax as he continued to talk to you.

“Ex-boyfriend.”

Frankie arched his brow. “Ah. Bad breakup?” 

“Something like that.” You set the glasses on the counter of the bar in front of him, looking up at him. He was staring at you, his eyes piercing through you as everything around you seemed to disappear. All you could notice, could see, was him. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “You okay?” 

Ugh, he’s sweet. Your heart raced even further. You barely knew this man and here he was, showing genuine concern over your wellbeing. “Yeah, it was my decision. We wanted different things, wasted a lot of my years being unhappy, so moving to Florida without much of a plan seemed like a good idea.”

“And is it?” Frankie asked. “A good idea?”

“So far? It’s been challenging, but just what I needed.”

He smiled at that. Frankie liked the fact that you seemed so motivated, determined to make something of your life. You had noticed that life in California was no longer serving you and while plenty of people would have settled for the sake of being afraid of change, here you were, jumping feet first into the unknown. He liked it. 

“This might be too forward, but–”

“I was thinking–”

Both of you let out a quiet laugh, looking into each other’s eyes. 

“You go ahead,” Frankie said. 

You smiled. Since moving to Florida, you had stepped out of your comfort zone, doing things you had never thought you’d ever do. And this moment? You were going to take the first step and ask him for his number. 

“Can I get your number?” You asked quietly.

Frankie’s eyes slightly widened at that. He certainly wasn’t expecting that. In fact, he had thought that maybe you were interested in Santiago, Will, or Benny, but him? He didn’t see the appeal.

“Oh, um…” he began, hesitating.

You felt embarrassed, immediately shaking your head. “You know what, I don’t know what I was thinking. We barely know each other and–”

“I should probably get these beers to the guys,” he interrupted. Frankie didn’t know why he didn’t just give his number, maybe it was the fact that he had a lot of baggage that he didn’t want to share with anyone. This isn’t to say, though, that he wished he had the courage to just give it to you. 

“Right, sorry,” you sighed. “It was nice talking with you, Frankie.”

“Yeah, it was nice,” he smiled. “See you Friday?” 

You bit your lower lip, thinking back to Benny’s invitation for the fight night. You were a woman of your word and while you felt highly embarrassed, you still decided to go. “See you Friday.” 

And every Friday since meeting Frankie, Santiago, Will, Benny, and Tom, you had spent it with them, watching Benny fight. While the first conversation with Frankie had been awkward and embarrassing, every week your friendship blossomed and it had taken him three months to finally give you his number.

—

Three years later

You were spending Friday night with the guys again. For the past three years since meeting them, you had felt like you were now an honorary member of their group. Each of them had their own personality, differing from each other, but Frankie… Frankie was the one you were closest to. 

It was easy when it came to talking to him. He made you laugh, made you smile, and his efforts to always try to cheer you up when you had a bad day was welcoming, inviting, and it had been a long time since you had felt this way. 

But for three years, you were in denial of the feelings you had for him. Everyone in the group, however, noticed it long before you had. The way you and Frankie would hang out (just the two of you), the inside jokes you two shared, the look of longing you had whenever you were with him. It wasn’t until when something unexpectedly happened that it opened your eyes to the reality of your friendship with him. 

You were in love with this man, in love with Frankie. 

It was a Friday night. As usual, you and the rest of the guys were sitting in the front row, waiting for Benny to walk out to the cage. He had been on a winning streak lately and you were all so excited of the possibility that he may become something more than just an underground MMA fighter. 

Before Benny’s music came on, your phone rang. So, you excused yourself from the group and walked towards the back of the room where it was less quiet. Frankie had looked over his shoulder to watch you, both of you locking eyes. He let a smile line his lips and you nodded in his direction, letting him know that you were okay. 

But the moment you heard your mother’s voice on the other end, your smile faltered and tears instantly pricked your eyes. 

“What?”

“Grandpa’s – He’s gone,” you heard your mom say. “It was a heart attack. We need you to come home, baby.”

“But… I just talked to him a couple of days ago. He said he was fine, he sounded fine, he –”

“Come home,” your mom repeated, hearing her sniffle on the other end. 

“Okay, mom. I’ll – I’ll figure it out. I’ll see you soon. I love you.”

Once you got off the phone with your mom, you wiped your tears away and walked back towards the group. This was one fight night that you would have to miss and you knew Benny would understand. 

“Hey, Benny’s about to –”

“I can’t stay,” you replied to Santiago. 

“Is everything okay?” You heard Frankie ask. His brows were furrowed together and his eyes had softened a great deal. 

“N – No,” you whispered, tears slowly falling from your eyes. “My grandpa… He died and I just have to get home. I have to book a flight and pack and–” 

All of the guys knew how close you were to your grandpa. So without hesitation, they all understood, all muttered their condolences. But it was Frankie that had taken that extra step. He reached for you and pulled you into a tight hug, his strong arms wrapping around your frame. Resting your head against his chest, you let yourself cry, despite the loud crowd erupting in cheers when Benny walked out. 

“Let me take you,” Frankie said. “I can fly you to California.” 

“Fish,” Santiago said. “I think that’s a good idea.”

“You guys should leave tonight. Benny will understand. We’ll let him know after his fight,” Will said, his hand rubbing your back comfortingly. 

“Go,” Santiago said. 

“Frankie, I can’t –”

“It’s not up for debate. I’m taking you.” He pulled back, looking down at you once more with those soft eyes. It was in that moment you felt your heart skip a beat; the way he was looking at you and the way he was willing to drop everything to make sure you got home… You loved this man. 

You grabbed your things while Frankie said goodbye to the rest of the guys. Santiago pulled him in for a hug and you saw him whisper something in Frankie’s ear, which caused the other man to nod once he pulled away. After he said his goodbyes, you hugged each and every one of them. They all held you tighter and longer than normal and you felt like you could have broken down all over again. 

Santiago pulled back to look at you, cupping your cheeks and wiping your tears away with a swift motion of his thumbs. Everyone felt like your big brother. Everyone except Frankie. 

“Call us when you get there, okay?” 

You nodded. “I’m sorry I can’t stay and–”

“Stop,” he said with a small smile. “Frankie will take care of you.”

“I know,” you replied. “I just–”

“You be there for family,” Santiago interrupted. “And we’ll be here, waiting for you to come back.”

“I love you guys,” you whispered, your voice shaky and tears threatening to spill over again. 

Santiago smiled and kissed your forehead before letting you go. You turned around and noticed Frankie with his arms crossed over his chest, waiting patiently, but that look of concern was permanent on his features. Once you both left the building, he brought you over to his car and before he could unlock it, Frankie grabbed your hand and pulled you to him. 

“It’s gonna be okay,” he whispered. 

You nodded, your arms wrapping around him tightly. Being in his arms like this felt normal, felt like you belonged there. The feeling he gave you was nothing like you ever experienced before.

It was a couple of hours into the flight when Frankie spoke. He had been focused on piloting the small plane that he hadn’t checked in to see how you were doing. 

“So, I was thinking I can get a hotel once we get to California.”

“What?” You asked, looking over at him. “You don’t need to do that.”

“I wanna be there for you,” he said, glancing over at you. “Besides, how else are you gonna get back to Florida?”

“Hm, maybe just buy a plane ticket and –”

Frankie shook his head. “And spend all that money when you got a pilot as a friend?”

You sighed. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.” He reached out to rest a hand over yours. “We look out for each other, you know? Make sure that the other person is okay.” 

“Thank you,” you said, biting your lower lip. This wasn’t the first time he had rested a hand over yours, but this was the first time that you felt the love you had for him. 

“Do you wanna meet my family?” You asked hesitantly. 

Frankie squeezed your hand before letting it go to rest it back onto the steering of the plane. “Is that gonna be okay?”

“I have talked about you and the guys, so you won’t be a complete stranger.”

Frankie smiled. “Hm, you’ve been talking about us, huh? What have you been saying?”

Despite the circumstances, Frankie managed to make you smile. “It’s a secret.” 

Frankie didn’t push any further. He just gave you a single nod before turning his focus ahead of him. You didn’t know if you were ready to get back home, especially now that your grandpa wasn’t going to be there to welcome you. It hurt to know that the man who had always been there for you was now gone. He was a big part of your life and it just didn’t seem real that he wasn’t going to be here anymore. 

Later that night after you got to California, Frankie had gotten a rental car to drive you to your childhood home. You had been quiet the entire drive, aside from the quiet sniffles he heard. Once again, he reached over for your hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“Hey,” he said quietly. “You’ve been quiet. Tell me what’s going on in that head of yours.”

You shrugged, keeping your eyes and attention out the window as you watched the houses pass as he continued to drive. “I’m just gonna miss him, that’s all…”

Frankie sighed. He never was good at talking about emotions or feelings, that was more up Will’s alley, but seeing you like this when you were usually always so positive, hurt and he wasn’t sure why he was feeling this way. Maybe because you were just a really good friend, but even after plenty of talks with the guys and especially Santiago, he had started to wonder if there was something more to this friendship. 

And as he continued to drive, all he could hear was Santiago’s voice before you and Frankie left. 

“You take care of her,” Santiago whispered, keeping his hold on Frankie as they remained in a hug. “She’s gonna need you.”

“Pope–”

“I’m serious, Fish. Be there for her.”

“I will,” Frankie nodded.

“That woman loves you so much,” he chuckled, pulling away. “I don’t even think she realizes it.”

“She loves all of us, man.”

“Yeah, but not in the way that she loves you.”

Frankie glanced over at you once he pulled up to your childhood home. He put the car in park and couldn’t help but notice that you hadn’t even looked in his direction the entire drive. He wasn’t sure if what Santiago said was true, but he knew that he couldn’t cross that boundary with you, and he certainly wasn’t going to take a chance on something that was possibly far from the truth. 

“Hey,” he said quietly. “I’ll be right here with you, okay?” 

When you finally turned to look at him, Frankie noticed your eyes were red and your lips were the opposite of what he was used to. You weren’t smiling. You weren’t happy. You were grieving and Frankie didn’t know how to handle that. 

“You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”

“I’m staying.” 

“There’s gonna be a lot of people crying.”

Frankie shrugged. “It’ll be fine.” He didn’t want to admit to you that death had been something he had gotten used to. Being in the military, he had seen his fair share of dead bodies, had lost plenty of friends along the way, and he had become numb to it. “Come on…” 

You nodded and climbed out of the car. Once Frankie was standing in front of you, you immediately wrapped your arms around him, crying into his chest as he held you. He didn’t like seeing you like this, didn’t enjoy the feeling in the pit of his stomach that gave him a clear understanding that his feelings for you were not just something a friend would feel towards another. This was different. 

And throughout the weekend, Frankie had become part of your family almost instantly. Despite the constant crying from your other family members and especially from you, he had been your anchor, keeping you grounded. He had met your parents, met your grandma, and it almost felt like he belonged here, with you. 

“Grandpa would have loved him,” you heard your mom say, watching as Frankie and your grandma were talking with each other. 

“I think so too,” you replied. When your mom wrapped her arm around you, you leaned in almost immediately. “He’s great, the rest of the guys are.”

Your mom smiled, looking down at you and back towards Frankie and your grandma. Frankie had managed to make her laugh and while you weren’t sure what they were talking about, you found yourself so enamored with the way he was so gentle and so caring towards her. 

“You love him,” your mom said. 

“What?” You asked, shaking your head. “No way. He’s just a really good friend.”

“You’re lying to yourself, honey.”

“Mom,” you sighed. “We’ve known each other for three years, so of course we’re gonna get close and –”

“I’ve never seen you look at a man like that,” she said. “Not even with your previous relationship and I thought you were gonna marry the guy.”

You rolled your eyes. “Mom, Frankie’s just a friend. Besides, even if I did love him, I wouldn’t want to ruin our friendship.”

“But what if he loves you too?”

You arched a brow. “He doesn’t.” But that would certainly change things. “We’re just friends.”

“Sure,” she chuckled, kissing your temple. “If your grandpa was here, he’d tell you the same thing.”

“I miss him, a lot,” you whispered, tears stinging your eyes again. “Hard to believe that he isn’t here anymore.”

“I know,” she sighed. “I know.”

Frankie had glanced over in your direction, flashing you a small smile before he turned his attention back to your grandma. Your mom noticed this and smiled, gently nudging you. “He’s a good one.”

You nodded in agreement, “he is.” 

Once you had said goodbye to everyone, you and Frankie were making your way back to the airport. It had been a weekend filled with a lot of tears, but also plenty of laughter as you and your family reflected on the moments you had with your grandpa. It also helped to have Frankie with you and seeing how he so easily fit in with your family made you reflect on what your mom had said. 

“But what if he loves you too?”

—

Present day

You were anticipating the guys coming to the bar, like they always had, but every time the door opened and it wasn’t them, you were met with disappointment. You didn’t know when everything changed, but you did have an idea that it might have had to do with their “boys trip” to Colombia. 

Throughout the rest of your shift, neither guys had shown up. So, when you had clocked out and left the bar, you made a note to visit Santiago. If anyone would tell you what’s going on, it would be him. It was late, but you knew that the guys had trouble sleeping, the cause of it due to being in the military. 

After twenty minutes, you parked your car along the curb to see Frankie’s car in the driveway as well. Confused, you walked up to the front door and knocked on it twice. It wasn’t long before Santiago opened the door and a confused, yet surprised, look spread across his features.

“Santi,” you said. 

“You okay?” He asked. “It’s late and –”

“We gotta talk.”

“Now’s not a good time.”

Then, you heard Frankie’s voice. 

“I think now’s the perfect time.” 

Santiago sighed and nodded, opening the door even further to let you in. Once inside, you walked towards the living room to see the rest of the guys – not only Frankie – sitting at the couch. 

“Wow,” you said. “So, this is where you guys go now.”

Frankie cleared his throat. Will and Benny looked at each other before turning their attention to you.

“We were going to stop by, but–”

“I don’t care if you guys don’t come to the bar,” you sighed, interrupting Benny. “But what I do care about is why in the hell you guys are acting so differently.”

Santiago had entered the room, leaning against his bookshelf. He glanced at the rest of the guys and sighed. He had to speak first. 

“Nothing’s going on,” Santiago said. “We just – It’s been a year since Colombia and we all just wanted to talk about it.”

“Ah, your boys trip. Where’s Tom, then? I haven’t seen him.”

The guys shared a look. It was a sad one. A look of regret, of disappointment, of failure. 

“Okay, I get it. You don’t wanna share the details, that’s fine. I’m not going to pry, but I just –” you sighed, your eyes falling on Frankie as you continued. “I just care about you guys and want to make sure you’re all okay.” 

“We’re fine,” Will said. “It’ll be fine.”

“But –”

Benny shouted. He had been four drinks in and was definitely feeling the effects of alcohol. “You don’t know what we’ve been through, what we’ve seen, what we’ve had to do! So please,” he said, shaking his head. “Don’t act like you can fix us.”

You cleared your throat. You weren’t expecting that and you were about to say something before Frankie stood up. 

“Let’s talk outside.”

“No,” you shook your head. “I’m okay. I didn’t mean to come in here and act like I wanted to fix you guys, so I apologize if it seemed that way. I do care about you all and I just – You’ve always been there for me. I figure I should at least return the favor, especially when I can visibly see how much all of you are hurting.”

Will gently shoved Benny, shaking his head. “Don’t listen to him,” he replied. “He’s not – We’re not okay, but we will be.”

You always knew Will to be the honest one out of the group and you gave him a nod in appreciation. You glanced over at Santiago and Frankie, biting your lower lip. 

“I’m just gonna go.”

Santiago called your name with a quiet sigh. “Listen, if we could tell you, we would.”

“I know,” you whispered. You spared another glance at Frankie, watching him sit back down. “Have a good night. I’ll see myself out.”

You didn’t bother to wait for a response. Instead, you turned on your heel and left Santiago’s house, shutting the door quietly behind you. Once you were in your car, you felt tears threatening to fall from your eyes. You let out a shaky breath and pulled away from the curb, making your way back to your apartment. 

“You should go check up on her,” Will said to Frankie after you had left.

“Why me?”

Santiago and Will shared a look, but it was Benny that spoke up.

“Because she loves you, Fish.”

“No,” Frankie said. “If she loved me, why’d she let me get married?”

Santiago shook his head. “Idiota.”

“What?” Frankie asked. 

“That woman has been by your side since the moment we met her five years ago and you’re telling me that the love she has for all of us is the same love she has for you?” Will replied, quietly chuckling to himself. 

“She didn’t want to ruin your friendship,” Benny spoke up, grabbing his beer. “She didn’t want to ruin something because she never knew how you felt.” 

“And let’s be honest,” Santiago added. “You love her too.”

Frankie tightened his jaw. All of the guys were right and it pained him to realize that he had let his fears – and yours – get in the way of what could have possibly been something great. 

“She’s one of my best friends,” Frankie replied. “Of course I love her.”

“Maybe,” Santiago said. “But you love her more than that.” 

“Go get her, Fish.” Will added. 

“She’s not gonna wait forever.” Benny chimed in. 

“She waited five years and watched you marry someone else… There’s gonna come a time, Fish, where she realizes that it might be better to move on,” Santiago finished. “You really gonna let her get away?” 

Frankie glanced over at Santiago. All he could think about was the endless amount of times where you had been there for him and especially the time where he had flown you to California after your grandpa passed away. It was odd to him how easily he fit in with your family and how at home he felt. 

Even with his ex-wife, he hadn’t ever felt like that. 

But with you? With you, it was different. Frankie felt like he could be himself, like he didn’t have to constantly impress you (or your family). With you, Frankie could let his guard down and be absolutely vulnerable with you and he hadn’t realized how much that meant to him until now, five years later. 

“I’m gonna call an Uber,” Frankie finally spoke up. 

“Finally!” Benny laughed, a stark contrast of how he had just reacted when you were here. 

“Go get her,” Santiago smiled. 

“Atta boy,” Will said. 

—

You had changed into your pajamas, dressed in an oversized t-shirt and shorts. Your hair was put in a hair clip and you had finished heating up your leftover pizza when you heard a knock at your door. It was well after midnight and you carefully looked at the peephole to see who it might be, but when you saw Frankie standing on your porch, hat sitting on his wavy locks, hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans, you felt your heart leap at the sight of him.

Slowly opening the door, he raised his eyes to meet yours. 

“Hey,” he said. “Can I come in?”

“Sure,” you replied, opening the door even further for him to come in. Once he stepped inside, he removed his boots and glanced around your apartment, smelling the aroma of pizza. 

“Frankie –”

“Is that –”

Both of you let out a quiet chuckle. 

“You go first,” Frankie said. 

“What are you doing here?” 

Frankie sighed. “Honestly, I don’t know,” he let out a nervous chuckle. “On the ride here, I had an idea of what I was going to say to you, but now… Now I can’t remember.” 

“If it has anything to do about earlier with the guys, just know that I –”

“No,” he shook his head. “It isn’t about that. We – We have a lot of baggage and we all know you come from a place of love, but sometimes, we just don’t think we’re deserving of it.”

“Frankie…”

“Why did you let me get married?” He asked abruptly. 

“What?” You asked, biting your lower lip. “You were happy. Why wouldn’t I?”

Frankie stepped closer to you. There were plenty of times where he had been so close to you, but this time… This time was different. 

“But were you?”

“What are you implying, Frankie?” 

He reached out for you, his hand reaching up to gently cup your cheek. Frankie watched as you leaned against his touch, your eyes falling shut. 

“You have always been by my side,” he whispered, taking another step closer to you. Mere inches separated your bodies and his thumb gently caressed you. “No matter what, you were always there.”

You opened your eyes, looking up at him. “Because I care about you, about all of you guys.”

Frankie bit his lower lip nervously. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m sorry it took me so long.”

“Frankie…” you knew what he was referring to, what he was implying and as his thumb brushed along your lower lip, you let it part. 

Frankie didn’t reply, but instead leaned in and pressed his lips to yours. You melted into him, your arms immediately snaking around his neck as his arms wrapped your waist. He gently lifted you off the ground, moving his lips against yours. Pulling away after a few seconds, he set you back down your feet and looked into your eyes.

“I’m never letting you go.” 

---

@pedrostories​

[returnofnonya]

From Thief to House Husband Part 2

In just 3 days I had grown attached to my new life. I had literally billions of dollars to spend, a mansion to explore, luxury cars to drive, and a wife who seemed to be gone quite often. Two of “my” sons were constantly out and about making friends and hanging out with them.

There was only one problem; Adam.

The eldest son of the Smith fortune. It appeared that he peaked in high school, and didn’t attend college. He spent his mornings in his gym and the rest of the day lazing about at home and inviting his so-called friends over. Rick may not have been able to see it, but as someone who used to rely on flirting with men who looked like they had more than $50 in their pockets, I knew a gold digger when I saw one.

Adam’s constant presence in the house meant I couldn’t have special company over, and I had to rely on the memory of sex with Ajax, a name I had learned a whole day after I let him fuck me. I kept wondering how I was supposed to work around this issue, then I remembered my special case of possession vials, and a good friend of mine who would enjoy the life of luxury.

So I got some cash and went to the local county jail, putting on my best remorseful face. I told the police that I was so regretful that my actions sent a shoplifter into cardiac arrest, causing his death. (I had learned soon after the hookup that my body passed away without anyone to inhabit it). I explained that the arresting officer had mentioned the hoodlum had a friend he often committed these crimes together with and wanted to help him find a better path in life, so I paid my friend Roy’s bail.

I waited outside of the entrance, sitting on the hood of my new Mercedes with a smirk on my face as Roy walked out, looking more puzzled than ever. “Look bro, I don’t need pity. Especially not from the guy who killed Mateo.” He stepped towards me angrily and I couldn’t help but laugh a bit. “Since when did the wealthy ever give a damn about us, Roy? Maybe those possession vials were worth something after all.” I winked and then walked around the car, getting into the driver’s side. I enjoyed the dumbfounded look on his face and smugly asked, “You getting in or did you want to hang around in that cell a bit more?” He scuffled into the car and we got going.

Before he could ask his barrage of questions I answered, “This basic looking bitch caught me shoplifting at Norm’s. I knew it would be my felony offense, so I panicked and pulled the vial out while concentrating on him. Next thing I knew, I was Rick Smith, multibillionaire and house husband. No more stares when I’m in any store but Dollar Tree, people worship the ground I walk on now! But I need your help.” He just grinned dumbly and nodded. “Anything for you, hermano. The billions are just a nice perk.” We both laughed a bit before I decided it was time to get serious again.

“He’s got three sons, all adults now. His oldest is Adam, about 24. The other two are social butterflies, rarely in the house except to sleep nowadays. Adam though, he treats the house like it’s his palace and invites a bunch of his fake friends over all the time. Total peaked in high school type guy. An easy mark in my old body, but now that he’s my son he’s preventing me from…enjoying this body to its fullest extent.” Roy raised an eyebrow at this. “And how am I supposed to help? Fake date him or something?” I rolled my eyes and chuckled. “Again, rich white kid who peaked in high school. He wouldn’t be caught dead with you, no. Fortunately I’ve still got a few vials, if you catch my drift.” A wide smirk crept across Roy’s face. “Yeah, yeah I do Dad.”

Soon enough, everything was in position. Roy was hiding in the kitchen pantry while Adam’s moocher friends were finally leaving. I pretended to be washing some dishes when Adam approached, throwing the plan off course a bit since I was just going to have Roy stealthily take over once the friends were gone. “Hey Dad, can we talk?” He asked, forcing me to put on Rick’s stupid smile. “Of course kiddo, what’s up?”

“You’ve been acting kind of…off lately?”

Oh boy…

“What do you mean?”

“You worship mom, but you forgot her name the other day. And you’re not as nice to my friends, or..us. You seem distant kind of. Plus, maybe I’m just paranoid, but I feel like your smile has been different lately.”

Fuck. I knew his dumb goody two shoes smile was important, so I practiced Rick’s smile based on his photos a lot. Guess I hasn’t gotten it down perfectly. Wait, why am I worried? Adam won’t exist in a few seconds.

“To be perfectly honest with you, loser, I’m not your Dad. I’m Mateo, the shoplifter who mysteriously died a few days ago.” I smirked, Adam’s eyes widening with fear as he backed away. “W-what? Dad, this is a weird joke.” I just laughed, stepping closer to him. “This isn’t a joke. I tried pretending to give a fuck about you, but your constant couch mooching has gotten on my last nerve. I’m trying to have some guys over to break your dad in, and I can’t do that with a witness! That’s why I bailed my hermano, or should I say, hijo, Roy out of prison today. He’s going to use the same serum I used to steal your dad’s body to steal yours. Then no one will know that you both are gone.”

Adam’s eyes darted all over the place, trying to find Roy. The cabinet creaked open and he saw Roy’s eyes for just a second before he faded to black. Roy had consumed the vial, and by the time Adam saw him it was too late, the possession was complete. He laughed and smiled widely, looking down at his new hands. “Holy shit! This body feels amazing! So fit and tight…” he started to grope Adam’s tits, moaning out in pleasure. “Heh, enjoy it son. I’ve got to get rid of the evidence, feel free to explore your new life in the meantime.”

I picked up Roy’s now vacant body, carrying it to a box we had designated out in the pool house in the backyard. It would stay there until we figured out a disposal method.

I came back in a few minutes later and found Roy standing in the living room, wearing Adam’s old football gear with a wide smirk.

“Hey, Dad.” He said seductively, walking to me now. “I wanted to thank you for all that you’ve done for me.” He said and grinned from ear to ear. I couldn’t help but find myself enamored with his getup. “How…where?” He just chuckled as he unbuttoned my shirt. “When you said he peaked in high school, my mind wandered to one thing. Thankfully, my assumption was right.” He said, kissing my neck and pulling my shirt open, slowly descending down my body, littering it with kisses and earning pleasured moans from me. “Fuck…I couldn’t be happier to have you for a son.” I chuckled, watching as he got down on his knees and pulled my cock out, wasting no time and sliding it into his mouth. “Fuck! Boy’s got a perfect set of lips~” I moaned out happily.

It was hard, but I tore my eyes away from Roy’s new ones to look at my surroundings. We were in the kitchen, which according to Rick’s photo album was likely his favorite spot to spend family time. He was quite the chef and apparently had made the candy the security guard was stuffing his face with the day of the possession. Now, his oldest son was blowing him off right there.

“God…tell me you stretched yourself while I was gone. I don’t want to wait to bust that pretty little straight hole open.” I said, looking back into Roy’s eyes. He just winked and then moaned on my cock, clouding my mind with the pleasure. “God fucking damn you’re such a slut…” I moaned out. Once he felt that I had enough spit he stood up, laying on his back on the kitchen table and pulling his compression pants down to reveal a white jockstrap, and a plug vibrating in his hole! “For one of his gold digger girls. A cheesy present from a straight fuck boy apparently, but we’re making it work for us.” Roy always cased every place we stole from. He could read people and environments very well, no one would know Adam was gone.

“Fuck, I could kiss you.” I growled, grabbing the base of the plug and pulling it out, earning a whimpery moan from him. “How about we do that first part first? Then we can kiss.” His smug expression looked perfect on Adam’s face. I wasted no time, pulling his legs over my shoulder and waist over the edge of the table. I slid into him with ease, leaning down and pressing my lips against his. He reciprocated with joy and I started to thrust the way I knew he loved it; hard and fast.

The sound of our skin slapping filled the kitchen and our tongues ravaged each other inside of his mouth, our moans muffled inside of them. It didn’t take long for sweat to build up, I was giving it my all and he was taking it like a pro, his body’s previous owner had built it for endurance. As we fucked the table wobbled underneath us, not built for the ferocity of our sex. Everything about this was so fucking hot that both of us were throbbing quickly.

I pulled back from the kiss, caressing his eyes and smirking. “We’ll have to work on these bodies’ sexual stamina. I think that’s a good way to spend father and son time together.” I chuckled as he nodded. “Couldn’t agree more. In the meantime, how about you show me the way you and mom made me?” He winked. God, seeing Adam’s face portray Roy’s demeanor drove me crazy. I thrusted one final time, roaring as I shot a load deep inside of him and the table gave out, collapsing underneath us as Roy shot his load high up into the air. As we reached the ground it arched, landing on the top of my head.

Once we had a second to gather our bearings and realize we just broke the dinner table and he had cum on the back of my head in a missionary position we started laughing. “Fuck, no more shoplifting, no more gold digging.” He said, panting as he looked around at the mansion.

“Life is perfect.” I said, smiling widely as I basked in the afterglow of our first father and son bonding session. “It’s all uphill from here.”

[mateoluvr]

confession

gekko/mateo x f!reader 

wc: 1.3k | fluff 

a/n: currently down in a deep hole for this man and perhaps going to try writing again cuz of him!? ngl this is lowkey half-assed im srry if it sucks SOBS + not rlly proofread.. 

you and mateo were basically best friends, not a second goes by where you both aren’t making great memories with each other. but, everyone usually mistook your relationship with him and was surprised to figure out you both weren’t dating. especially his friends from his workplace, whenever he wasn’t on an assigned mission or training with harbor, he was most likely with you. reyna would always try to tell him to just shoot his shot with you, because she figured out he grew feelings for you.

“mijo, I don’t understand how you two aren’t official yet.” 

“I doubt y/n sees me more than that reyna..” he sighed.

“no estés triste, you’ll never know until you pop the question.” reyna tries to reassure him.

“sí tienes un punto.. but what if I ruin our friendship over it? I don’t want to scare-“ he gets cut off, when he feels the vibration of his phone. he pulls it out of his pocket, and it was a message from you.

[ y/n ]

hey!! r u down to grab some boba tomorrow? it’ll be a treat on me since you’re going on another one of those missions soon right?? 

he smiles at your message. reyna asks if it was you who texted, and he nodded. 

“what’d she say?”

“oh she wants to grab some boba tomorrow since brim assigned me and the others a task soon.”

“sounds like a perfect opportunity to call it a date and just tell her mijo.” she chuckles, as his face turns red at the thought. 

“but what if-“

“shh, I don’t want to hear back talk at me just do it you’ve prolonged it way too long.”

mateo sighs and accepts reyna’s words at last, and she leaves his office and wishes him good luck tomorrow. then he remembers he forgot to respond to your message oh shoot he left you on read. he immediately sends a quick message back so it didn’t look like he was ignoring you. 

[ mateo ] i’m so so sorry I didn’t respond sooner!! :( but i’d love to!! same place & time?

to his surprise, you immediately replied back.

[ y/n ]

don’t worry about it! but yeah :D

[ mateo ]

great! see u then :p

[ y/n ]

yep!! can’t wait ^-^

he hearts your message and sets his phone aside so he could finish the last few of the assignments his mentor harbor gave him. although all he could think about was seeing you again (even though you guys literally just saw each other a few days ago). hours went by, but he managed to finish, he grabbed his bag and went home on the train with his little buddies waiting for him at the door, and he told them about his day and how he made another plan with you tomorrow! they all approved, especially wingman, he’s happy that you make mateo’s day lighten up. 

then the day finally came, he woke up earlier to help his mama out with some house chores before he left the house later.

his mind kept reminding him about the words reyna said to him yesterday. he kept pondering if he should actually ask the question later when he sees you. part of him wants to do it and hopes for the best, but the other side is just scared to lose over a few words. he shakes it off, and decides to go get ready and made himself look presentable. he wore his usual vest over his black shirt and touched up his hair. he let his little fellows tag along since why not, and off they went on his skateboard. 

when he made it to the shop you both agreed on meeting at, he saw you staring at your phone, probably listening to music with some earbuds. he slowly approached you and tapped your shoulder.

“hey y/n!”

you slightly jumped from the sudden touch, and looked up from your phone screen and saw the green hair boy with wingman on his shoulder. 

“oh hi mateo! and aww wingman’s here too.” you smiled, taking him off his shoulder to give wingman a hug. 

“hey, hey, the rest is here too, dizzy, mosh, and thrash.” he chuckles as your attention was focused on wingman. he adores that his critters and you have such a nice bond with each other, it’s too much for his heart. (he’s in literal awe whenever you’re having a good time with them)

you both finally decide to enter the shop to grab some boba after having a small chit-chat outside. 

“what do you want mateo? it’s on me!”

“it’s okay y/n don’t worry about it.” he pushes away your wallet in hand, but you kept insisting. after constant bickering on who’s going to pay, mateo lost because of how persistent you were. the cashier looked so lost while the two of you were arguing and sighed in relief when you both finally agreed on something. you both got your drinks and sat down at a table, and continued your conversations from earlier. as you were both talking you couldn’t help but notice how jittery mateo was, and how he was barely making eye contact with you. 

“is everything okay?” you ask in a concerned tone, putting your drink down.

“i- uh..” he mustered, trying to calm himself down. 

“you can tell me mateo, what’s wrong?”

mateo started to panic a bit more, and then before he knew it he finally confessed. 

“i really like you y/n!” he blurts out, and when he realizes what he said, he covers his mouth immediately. you also paused at the sudden words he just said to you. it was utterly silent for a moment, both of you trying to process what just happened. he was the first to break the silence, and apologized for his out-of-the-blue confession. 

“i’m sorry y/n! i understand if you don’t wanna be friends anymore..” he puts his head down on the table in shame, face burning.

but, then the unpredictable happened, and he heard you say, “why would i think that silly? i like you too mateo,”

his head perked up, barely making eye contact with you, he asked if you were sure.

“of course mateo, i’d never think you’d ask- i’m happy you told me though i wouldn’t have the guts to confess to you,”

“i’ll tell you now y/n if you confessed i would’ve taken you in a heartbeat.. you’ve basically been there for me for the thick and thin; anyone would be lucky to be with you- soy serio,”

he grabs one of your hands, and uses his other free hand to hold your cheek, which makes you flustered. mateo still barely being able to make contact; yet still pulling off bold actions amazes you. before anything too intimate happened, wingman rushed up to mateo and pulled on his leg. he looked down, and saw wingman holding a flower, he wanted him to give the flower to you.

“gracias wingman!” he says as he fist-bumps him. mateo hands you the flower wingman picked nearby.

“thank you! that’s so sweet,” you smiled which makes mateo and wingman happy. after you finished your boba, you both decided to go by a nearby park to finalize things. (also so mateo’s buddies can have some fun) you both sat down at a bench while mateo’s critters went to play some basketball with each other. mateo tries to maintain himself so he doesn’t say anything stupid like he did before. 

“so- y/n what would you say we are now relationship-wise?”

“it’s up to you.”

“okay then.. mi cariño y/n will you be se mio para siempre?” 

“of course mateo, i’d love to.”

“i promise when i come back from my mission i’ll bring you anywhere or do anything for you!” 

his eyes light up thinking about all the plans he’d wish to make with you. he pulls you in for a hug since he’s too embarrassed to kiss you in a public place. you embrace his warm loving hug, knowing a new chapter in both of your lives will be starting soon. 

“te amo y/n.”

“i love you too mateo.”

<3

[toomanystoriessolittletime]

the future

Summary: Frankie and you finally talk.

Pairing: Frankie Morales x fem. Reader; Marcus Pike x fem. Reader

Wordcount: 1.3k

Warnings: unplanned pregnancy, fluff, angst, implied complications at childbirth, implied childbirth

A/N: This is the last chapter. I hope you like how I let it end. Thank you all who read this little angsty experiment that was supposed to be a one shot.

Part of the (Ir)replaceable series

You had just finished lunch when there was a knock on your door. Marcus looked at you, mouthing, are you okay? You nodded, giving him a small smile before he walked over to your door to open it. 

You slowly got up to follow him when you saw Frankie walk into your kitchen. He was pushing a stroller in front of him. 

“Hi,” he said as he saw you. 

“Hey.”

“I hope it’s okay. I walked over here. He just fell asleep… I…”

“It’s fine,” you nodded. 

“I’ll be in the office if you need me,” Marcus stood behind Frankie gesturing towards your office where he had been working from, looking at you. He had insisted on giving you two time and space to talk, but wanted to be close, just in case you needed him. It made you love him a little more. 

“Thank you,” you smiled softly. 

Frankie watched you as you rounded the kitchen table. 

“You want something to drink?” you asked him. You felt a little nervous to be alone with him, your nerves on edge. Your baby girl had been kicking like crazy today and you felt like it was almost time, which did not help your nerves. 

“Water would be great,” Frankie said, stepping into your kitchen. 

You fixed him a glass of water. 

“Let’s go to the living room. My back is killing me and I wanna lay down if you don’t mind,” you gave him the glass, his finger brushing over yours as he took it. And you were surprised to not feel…. Anything. 

Frankie used to have the talent to make you squirm with a single touch. But now… nothing. 

“Sure. Is it okay if I take the stroller there too?”

“Sure,” you nodded. 

This was awkward. 

Frankie was just looking at you without saying anything. You were half sitting, half laying on the sofa, Frankie sitting in the armchair across from you.

You never used to have issues finding something to talk about to each other.

“So… How is Mateo doing?” you finally asked. Smalltalk was a good start, right?

A small smile sneaked to his face. 

“He’s… He’s perfect. When he’s not crying. He’s almost sleeping through the night which apparently is something that’s not normal.”

“Sounds like you got lucky,” you hummed. 

He sighed. 

“With him? Yeah. With the rest of my life? Nope,” he laughed humourless. 

“Frankie…” you sighed. 

“Would you… let me say something first? You can yell at me after, I don’t care. I just need… I just need to say some things,” he looked up at you and into your eyes for the first time. 

You gulped before you nodded for him to continue. 

“I am an asshole. I knew what I was doing from the very beginning and nothing I will ever say can express how sorry I am for how I treated you. I am so fucking sorry. You… You should know that I really fell in love with you. I am in love with you, which is why I want you to be happy. And from what I can see he makes you happy.”

“Frankie…” you whispered. 

“I honestly don’t know what is wrong with me. I’m… I’m working on myself. In therapy. And I… I want to be there for you however you want to let me. I want to meet our baby. I want to be a father. And Mateo and the baby could grow up together.”

“What… What about your wife, Frankie?” you asked softly. 

He sighed, and you saw him blinking his eyes as they filled with tears. 

“She lost a lot of blood after the delivery. There’s… I don’t understand everything but she’s at the hospital. In a coma. It’s… It’s unlikely she’ll ever wake up,” he whispered. 

“I’m… I’m so sorry Frankie.”

“Guess I had it coming with how I fucked up this last year,” he shook his head to himself. 

“Don’t…. Don’t say that. You fucked up. Big time. But… Frankie, this isn’t your fault.”

“Does feel like it,” he shrugged.

“I shouldn’t have punished you like I did. I just… I was so hurt. And heartbroken. And you kept pushing and pushing and lying and…”

“I’m sorry I showed up at your doorstep. That… It wasn’t okay.”

“No it wasn’t,” you agreed with him. You took a deep breath.

“But that’s in the past. Therapy and Marcus helped me to focus on what’s important. And that’s her,” your hands came to rest on your belly. 

“It’s… It’s a girl?” he whispered. You smiled a little, nodding your head in agreement. 

“Yeah. I… I haven’t decided on a name. I like Caroline, Marcus suggested Luna, which I also love,” you shrugged. 

“Marcus is… he seems great,” Frankie said carefully. 

“Yeah. Yeah he is. I…” you stopped yourself. Talking about your feelings in front of Frankie…

“You love him,” he said softly. You sucked your bottom lip in. 

“I… I don’t know…” you lied

“You used to look at me like that. With that… sparkle in your eyes,” he said, smiling sadly. 

You both were quiet.

“I like Luna too,” he said after a while. 

“Yeah?” you asked. He nodded. Your eyes widened when you felt a kick against your hand. 

“I think she approves,” you chuckled. 

“Can… Can I?” he asked. 

“Yeah, come here.”

Frankie stayed for dinner. 

While Marcus was protective of you, he wanted to get to know Frankie. If things continued with you and your relationship, Frankie would be in his life too. He did not want to start on the wrong foot. Marcus knew you were still healing from the betrayal you suffered from Frankie, but if you could make an effort to forgive him, why should he hold a grudge?

Though if he ever chose to hurt you ever again, Marcus would definitely have words with the man.

Frankie helped Marcus cook dinner, while you fed Mateo his bottle. He was like a mini version of Frankie and you wondered how your girl Luna, as the three of you had now decided, would look. 

You were beyond ready to find out. 

And for the first time since finding out you were pregnant you felt completely at ease. 

It was during dinner, Marcus and Frankie were deep in a conversation about some… ball…. game you were not interested in when a sudden pain in your stomach made you inhale sharply. Both Marcus and Frankie’s eyes were on you immediately, Marcus reaching over to touch your hand. 

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“I… I think it’s time. I think the baby is coming.”

Marcus released a breath, before he shook himself out of it, getting up from his chair, smiling at you. 

“Are you ready?” he asked, kneeling next to you, his hand in yours. 

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m ready to meet her,” you smiled. He kissed you quickly, before he got up.

“Gonna get your bag,” he said and disappeared. You closed your eyes, breathing in deeply. 

When you opened your eyes Frankie was there, looking at you. He seemed anxious. 

“Are you okay?” you asked and he huffed a laugh. 

“You’re about to deliver a baby and you ask me if I'm okay?” 

“Well… yeah,” you shrugged. 

“I’m… I’m fine. I’m gonna head home and….”

Marcus walked back into the kitchen and you frowned at Frankie. 

“You don’t want to come to the hospital? I’m sure you can bring Mateo…”

“Uh… I… I didn’t know you wanted me there…” he said quietly. You took Marcus hand, letting him help you stand up. He pulled his arm around your middle. 

“Frankie, if you want to go home, you can. But if you want to be there when I give birth to our daughter, I won’t stop you.”

A million different emotions could be read on his face, tears welling in his eyes. 

“I’ll be there.”

[kusagrasskusa]

An Eye for an Eye, ‘Til the World goes Blind

Chapter 3- Italian Food

Intro, Cha1, Cha2, Cha3, Cha4, (Chapter Selections! Click this to find later chapters)

Lovely Y/N gets ready for her date. He really is something so dreamy- so fine. He invites her back to his place after good food <3 Although maybe agreeing to go back to his place was not so smart. Maybe she should learn Italian to recognize the little pun in the restaurant’s name.

There’s just one thing on her mind. Why did they look like her?

There was one thing they were thinking of. When were they going to reach her?

…

Buzz buzz

The ringing of her phone is what got Y/N to snap out of it. Her eyes were wide and her vision blurry as she daydreamed, not even realizing that she’d been holding her lip gloss on her lips for the past 5 minutes as she stared into her reflection.

“What am I doing,” she furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head to herself, dismissing the oddity and picking up her phone. “Hello?” She said with a smile.

“Hey, I’m here whenever you’re ready!” Tim’s deep voice replied through the phone, “I got my truck parked out front.”

“Okay! Give me just one more minute, I won’t keep you waiting!” She replied cheerfully, feeling the heat rise to her face and chest as she heard his voice. It was so dreamy!

“No rush, Y/N. I’ll see you in a minute.”

An intense anxiety and curiosity rested on her muscles. It was rare for Y/N to ever go out, let alone with a man who looked to be about 5 or 6 years older. Gosh, how would Mateo think of this?

But we all gotta live and rebel a little, you know?

“Yep, I will be there in one minute,” Y/N said out loud as she replied to her date, a shy smile on her face. Okay, she thought, play it cool. Cute guy asked for her number earlier and now he’s taking her out. Perfect.

Y/N grabbed her purse and fluffy coat and quickly walked out of her bedroom. However, she made a sudden halt as she passed the open door to her office- her furrowed eyebrows and pouted lip making her concern in plain sight.

No, she must be getting out there. She wouldn’t wanna keep him waiting after all.

But she hadn’t had the chance to just see if the girls’ faces were really similar to hers. With all the weird things the last 24 hours have brought, it could be enough to settle something deep in her mind.

Oh, he can wait a few more minutes.

Y/N plopped down into the chair, opening the monitors and following the same steps she had done many times to unlock her brother’s case files. Her legs shook with anticipation as she waited for the computer screen to load- a commonality in 2010 unfortunately- hoping what she saw was just a dream.

But that led her to think again. When did she fall asleep? There’s no way she fell asleep after looking at the photos, but she doesn’t remember falling asleep at the desk either.

Finally, the proper screen pulled up. “Here we go,” Y/N mumbled quietly to herself as the mouse clicked on the case photos, watching as the many bloody and graphic images flashed onto her screen. Her eyes scanned the entireties of the victim’s faces.

Next case’s photos, followed by the next, and then by the next. Each victim’s bloody face was blue, cold, and stiff; the daughters’ faces worse each time. It made her think of the daughter she saw dead yesterday, and how the back of her mind made that connection.

So, if it’s confirmed that each girl looked very, very close to Y/N… then when did she fall asleep between the time she looked through it and when she sat back?

A deep sigh escaped her lungs as Y/N stood up, pulling her coat over her arms and hurrying out the door. No more dwelling. What difference does it make, she thought, since it’s not like the nightmare was real. She felt annoyed with herself for letting the question bother her so much.

Something about the faceless man in her dreams just seemed to move her in a weird way, I guess.

“Well, took you a bit more than a minute,” Tim joked as he smiled at her, leaning against his white truck as she stepped out of the apartment building. He flicked his cigarette ash onto the road before sticking it between his lips.

“Heh, sorry,” Y/N shyly said, rushing down the stairs and over to him. She blushed heavily upon seeing the man, like a middle school girl would to her crush.

He was wearing the same red flannel from earlier, and nicer jeans and boots. It also looked like he combed his hair a bit.

“No worries,” he blew out smoke as he opened the door for his date, “ladies first.” Y/N grinned at him as she got into the car, the door shutting behind her. Moments later, he got into the driver’s seat and started the vehicle.

“This is nice, Tim,” she shyly complimented, looking out the window and onto her apartment. Out of the reflection of the window, she could see his smile as he looked over at her.

“And you look real nice yourself, Miss L/N,” he replied.

The small talk continued as they drove to the restaurant- a nice little Italian place called L’inganno. It wasn’t too far away, but definitely a different area than where she usually goes. The two stepped inside, got a table, and thus began the date officially.

“It smells so good in here,” Y/N couldn’t help but smile widely as she spoke. You know that feeling when something you have been dreaming about for a while happens? Like, for example, getting asked out by a guy with good tastes? Because that was how Y/N felt right now.

“Yeah, I’d never been one for Italian food, but I know the ladies like ‘em, hah hah,” Tim joked, running his finger down the menu as he read the options. Y/N giggled at his comment, nodding her head.

“You choose right then,” she replied as she took a sip of her water. “Say, I noticed your accent and I’m curious: where are you from?”

“Alabama,” he replied as he looked up from the menu and into her eyes. “I must not be good at blending in, hmm?”

“Mister, I’ve lived here all my life and you stick out like a sore thumb,” Y/N replied in an exaggerated Southern accent, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms, inciting a playful smile out of her date. “So, that brings me to wonder, what business do you have in these parts?”

“Well, since I apparently talk like this,” he replied in an equally exaggerated accent, “I said I had to do sum internet installations out this way, ya hear? Not that fun of stuff. Now, how ‘bout you tell me more ‘bout your job?”

Y/N giggled playfully as Tim leaned forward, holding his arms on the table. Not his elbows though; a small detail that showed a lot of etiquette. “Well, I’m in school for criminal justice and sometimes work with my brother Mateo; he’s a pretty high-ranking detective here, just like our dad was,” she replied in her regular voice. Tim nodded his head, taking a sip of his drink.

“You lived here all your life then, huh?” Y/N nodded her head, looking back down at the menu. Seconds later, the waitress came to take their order before walking away with the menus.

“How long are you going to stay?” Y/N asked, scooting forward in her seat and looking up at the man.

“That depends. I could go back once my work here is finished, but recently I met a pretty lady in town. She might make me stay for a lil while longer,” he replied with a wink. Y/N felt her face flush as she looked away, a smile creeping on.

“She must be really nice then,” Y/N said, fumbling with her fingers, “I wonder what she could do to keep you here longer.” Oh, Mateo would be so unhappy if he witnessed this.

“There’s a couple of things,” Tim said thoughtfully as he tapped his chin. “I could never force anything though. Maybe all we could do is enjoy dinner, talk for a bit, maybe hang out for a bit afterward too.”

Her heart sped up as he spoke. It’s funny how when a girl feels herself falling for a guy, she loses her appetite at times. Her stomach felt warm and her legs numb.

And finishing dinner couldn’t have come soon enough for her.

They stood at the front counter for a minute as Tim paid; Y/N swaying her legs back and forth with anticipation. When they finally walked back over to the truck, it was a matter of a second before she was wrapping her arms around his neck as he held her waist. Y/N had never kissed a man like this before but she could tell he was experienced. Not very surprising for a man that attractive.

“Wanna go back to my place?” He whispered raspily, his voice inciting feelings within her. As much as she didn’t want to stop touching him, she knew it would be way better somewhere else than the outdoor cold on the side of a truck.

As the two got into the truck, Y/N pressed her legs together and fumbled with her fingers. “You just can’t wait,” Tim pointed out with a cocky grin. His face was flushed as well.

Y/N giggled, nodding her head shyly. “You’re gonna teach me a lot tonight, Tim,” she said.

“Oh yeah?” He replied as he turned out of the parking lot and onto the road, “Good thing you’re in good hands.”

The flirty remarks continued back and forth as he drove down the highway, turning into a backroad and continuing down. It wasn’t too far away from the restaurant, but she couldn’t tell if it was closer or further away from her apartment. It’s not like she was paying attention though; until Tim suddenly cussed under his breath abruptly and pulled over to the side of the road.

“What’s wrong?” she asked as she furrowed her eyebrows. Tim sighed with an annoyed expression.

“I just gotta check somethin’ real quick. I’m sorry but I’ll be fast, I promise.” He leaned over in her direction and gave her a quick kiss before stepping out of the vehicle, leaving the door wide open. The cold winter night air seeped in, letting out some of the warm air from the heater. She listened as he stepped towards the bucket of the truck.

It was that moment she took in her surroundings. It was dark and thick with woods all around. No streetlights or a single passing car- a perfect scene for a horror movie.

A few minutes passed without a single sound or word from Tim, making her grow a little uneasy. Y/N shivered as she opened her door and stuck her head out, calling out, “Hey Tim, is everything okay?”

No reply. Y/N hummed to herself as anxiety crept up her body. Okay, that’s a little weird.

“Tim?” she called out again as she stepped out of the truck, closing the door behind her. She made a face of worry as she slowly walked towards the back of the truck, looking around and seeing that he had just disappeared. “Hey, if this is some kind of joke, it’s not funny…”

Nothing; no reply. Y/N huffed, furrowing her eyebrows in annoyance. She swiftly spun around, gasping loudly as she came face to face with a large hooded man who was barely illuminated by the moon. His face was dark; maybe there was a mask concealing it from the moon’s light. His orange hoodie shun, however.

“What the fuck!” Y/N screamed as she jumped back, spinning her heel and breaking it for the opposite direction. That moment she felt her fucking heart skip a beat; a sentence she never once related to literally until this very moment. As well as the moment another man jumped out of the woods, forcing Y/N to a halt as she looked upon him with wide eyes.

He wore a feminine white mask that glowed in the moonlight, as well a yellowish jacket. The two men were much taller and larger than her; in fact, one of them was exactly as tall and large as Tim.

“T-Tim?” Y/N whimpered out as she felt tears sting her eyes. The man came stepping closer, before the man behind her quickly wrapped his arms around her and held her to his chest. Her survival instinct kicked in with her limbs flailing all around, trying to escape. The hooded man reached his hand up to her mouth to muffle her louds screams as he effortlessly held her smaller form.

Meanwhile, she watched as the masked man pulled out rope and effortlessly held her arms and bonded them together, unreactive to her kicks. He then grabbed her legs and tied them together. Once he finished, he walked over to the truck door and grabbed a rag and a bottle, pouring its liquid into it. Fuck, Y/N already knew what it was.

The hooded man released his hand from her mouth as the other pressed the rag against her nose and mouth. She whimpered out cries as the tears flooded down her frozen face. She tried not to breathe but she couldn’t relax enough for it to be easy- her body needed the air and took in the smell of the chloroform as well as whatever other drug it was laced with to make the effects kick in fast. Her vision began to turn blurry as she looked all around, trying to avoid the face of the fucker.

Her eyes were met with a dark figure in the woods. It was familiar- its face white and blank yet looking back at her. Thank God she got knocked out before she could stare at it for too long.

[clarepreed]

As Long As We Both Shall Live

Story Content and Summary - 5,666. Ellie and Mateo from Slip and Fall get married, but will Ellie survive the day? Heart block, agonal breathing, on-site resuscitation.

Sequel to: Slip and Fall; characters also seen in Choke.

--

Ellie looked beautiful. Delicate, dressed in cream lace, curly hair pulled back from her face and tumbling down her back. Light make up aside from her eyes; Mateo could still see her freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks.

She stared up at him with a look of adoration, one that he returned tenfold. Her voice was steady as she made her vows, but her eyes gave her away, glistening with emotion.

Still, he couldn’t help but worry.

She’d felt nauseated and a little dizzy prior to the ceremony, causing them to delay for fifteen minutes. Her mother, Rebekah, told him she hadn’t eaten enough breakfast. He hovered outside the bathroom, more than willing to come in and help. She didn’t want him to see her in her dress like that, however, and she’d refused Josh’s offer of a finger stick. Paloma, matron of honor and several months pregnant, saved the day with a sparkling water and a handful of candy.

Ellie looked pale coming down the aisle, and she’d definitely wavered on her feet more than once, but she squeezed his hand and whispered reassurances. As the ceremony wrapped up, they stood close, Mateo keeping a protective eye on his new wife. 

“I pronounce you married,” the pastor intoned. “Please seal your union with a kiss!”

Ellie reached for him, and he folded her into his arms, leaning in to press a kiss to her upturned mouth. She tasted like strawberry candy, and he lingered, overtaken by his good fortune and the commitment they’d just made to each other.

When he pulled back, she smiled up at him.

“I love you,” she murmured, her voice thick.

“I love you, too.”

Someone cheered, then everyone cheered. Mateo turned, intending to steer them toward the aisle. Ellie stumbled. 

“Hey!” Mateo tightened his grip on her, watching in alarm as her face blanched and her eyelids fluttered. She stared at him for several long seconds, then her eyes shifted to the side and rolled back, her body going limp in his arms. “Ellie! JOSH!”

His brother-in-law was beside them in seconds, helping to lower Ellie to the floor. Josh looked up, then caught sight of Mateo and Paloma’s father. “Hugo! Behind the driver’s seat of my truck, there’s a big orange medical bag. You can’t miss it! Hurry!” He dug into his pocket and dragged out a set of keys, tossing them to the older man.

“Ellie!” Mateo called out, gently patting her cheek. She looked pale enough that he felt a stab of fear, remembering how she’d looked the day she’d drowned in the river.

Josh pressed two of his fingers into her neck, but as he did so, she stirred, her arms flinching and a huff of air escaping her lips.

“Open your eyes, Ellie,” Josh said.

“Cocktail hour is starting now!” Mateo heard Paloma say. “Go on, everyone. We’ll meet you there shortly!”

Ellie opened her eyes, a look of consternation and confusion passing across her face. 

“You’re okay,” Mateo said, wanting to reassure her. “You fainted, cariña.”

Josh still has his fingers pressed to her carotid, his eyes on his watch. “Pulse rate is around sixty-five. How are you feeling, Ellie?”

“Tired…” She made a face. “I’m messing up my hair.”

“If she feels well enough to worry about her hair, then I feel better, too,” Paloma said, sitting down heavily in a chair close by. Mateo glanced up at her and saw that she was gesturing for Ellie’s mother to sit next to her. “You aren’t pregnant, are you, Ellie?”

Ellie’s cheeks turned pink, a welcome color. “No…”

“Ellie,” Josh said, leaning back on his heels. “When your dad gets here with my bag, I want to check your blood pressure and your sugar.”

“Okay…” Ellie sighed and reached for Mateo’s hand. “I’m okay. Don’t look so worried. I’ll be up and about soon. We have pictures to take and cake to eat.”

Mateo ran his thumb across the back of her fingers, pausing at her ring finger, where he’d just placed her wedding ring. “I love you, Ellie.”

“I love you, too,” she said, squeezing his fingers. “I’ll be okay.”

A short while later, his father returned with Josh’s kit. The minister brought a throw pillow from elsewhere in the venue to put under Ellie’s feet. Mateo sat close by while Josh pricked one of her fingers and checked her blood pressure.Then he clamped a pulse oximeter onto her index finger.

“Your blood sugar is fine. Your blood pressure is low, Ellie. Eighty over fifty. Have you had low blood pressure in the past?” Josh looked from Ellie to Mateo as he removed the cuff from her arm.

They both nodded.

“I’m supposed to drink a lot of water,” Ellie said. “And exercise.”

“Sweetheart,” Rebekah piped up. “The photographer has a bottle of water for you.”

Mateo looked up and saw the kind young woman with a pixie cut they’d hired to take pictures. The photographer extended the bottle of water to him. “I’m going to take some pictures of your guests. Just let me know when you’d like me to come back in here. Feel better, Ellie.”

“I’d like some water,” Ellie said, looking at Josh. “Is it alright if I sit up?”

“Oxygen saturation at ninety-five percent… That’s technically normal. Yeah, go for it. I can help you.” Josh slid his arm under her shoulders and supported her. Ellie reached up and patted her hair as Mateo cracked open the water bottle. 

“Is it a mess?” she asked, taking the bottle from him.

“You look perfect, Ellie,” Mateo said, trying to decide if she had a little more color in her cheeks. 

Ellie cocked an eyebrow at him and took a swig of water. Josh gently retrieved his pulse ox, watching Ellie’s face for a moment before nodding. 

“Your hair looks great,” his sister, Paloma, piped up. “I can see the back; can’t tell you’ve been laying on it at all.”

Mateo smiled up at his sister. She was rubbing her belly absentmindedly as she spoke.

“You okay, babe?” Josh murmured, looking over at Paloma with a smile on his face. He was relaxing back into wedding mode now that Ellie was sitting up and talking.

“We’re fine. No worries now that Ellie is feeling better.”

Everyone looked much more relaxed. Their parents were chatting with each other, and the pastor who’d married them was filling out the marriage license. Mateo let himself sit down next to Ellie, reaching for the hand that wasn’t holding the water bottle. She took a big gulp of water and swallowed hard, her eyes amused.

“I keep trying to guzzle it so we can move along.” She squeezed Mateo’s hand. “See? Everything’s OK.”

Nearly an hour later, photos were done and a bathroom break taken, and Mateo and Ellie were in the center of the dance floor, having their first dance. She leaned against him, arms wrapped around his neck. They hadn’t choreographed anything, or taken dance lessons; they simply held each other and slowly moved to the music.

“We did it,” she murmured.

“Mmm?”

“We got married. I’m so happy.” 

The song was ending, so Mateo stopped moving. “I am, too.”

Ellie slipped her arms from around his neck and reached up to pull his head down to hers, giving him a soft kiss. Then her stomach growled.

“Let’s get our food.” Mateo grinned at her. “I’ll fend the well-wishers off until you’ve eaten.”

“Do you mind bringing me a plate?” She wrapped her arm around his. “I think I need to sit down.”

Mateo quickly steered her toward their table. “Are you feeling faint again?”

“A little.” She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. 

Mateo helped her into her chair, his eyes on her face. Her own eyes were darting around their small crowd of family and friends. 

“Are you looking for someone?” Mateo rubbed her shoulder. “Your mother?”

“No,” Ellie replied, sounding a little breathless. “Just hoping no one notices.”

Mateo kissed her temple. “Don’t be embarrassed, Ellie. Everyone here loves you.”

She nodded, then offered him a wobbly smile. What little color she’d regained over the hour had drained back out of her face. “I want a little of everything, please.”

“Sweetheart,” Rebekah’s mother piped up from behind Mateo. “Hugo and Alma are making your plates right now. Both of you can just sit and relax.”

Ellie reached for Mateo’s hand, smiling at her mother. “That’s kind of them, Mama.”

Mateo thought she sounded breathless, and when Rebekah moved to Ellie’s other side, he saw the older woman had a worried look on her face. “Cariña, do you need me to get Josh?”

“No,” she said. “Sit. Josh will be sitting a couple of chairs away from me soon, anyway. Mama, you go get something to eat.”

Mateo nodded at Ellie’s mother. “I’ve got her.”

He said down in the chair beside her, turning toward her and keeping hold of her hand. That’s when he noticed she had her other hand pressed to her chest. He could see it rising and falling rapidly with the shallow movement of her breathing.

“Ellie?”

She grimaced and gasped softly. Her torso tipped forward, nearly dumping her on the table.

“Ellie!” Mateo dropped her hand and grabbed her shoulder to hold her upright. Then he looked wildly around the room, looking for his brother-in-law.

Ellie let out another gasp. “Chest… hurts…”

Mateo stood, hoping to spot Josh, but Ellie clutched at him.

“I need out… of my under… garments… can’t… breathe…” Her eyes were huge and disoriented, and she swayed against him.

“Alright, it’s okay!” Mateo spotted his sister hurrying toward them. “Paloma! Where’s Josh?”

“He went to grab his bag; we could see she looked unwell from the food line.” Paloma came around the table to Ellie’s other side. “Can you breathe a little slower, Ellie? You’re going to hyperventilate and make yourself dizzy.”

“She’s having chest pains!” Mateo turned to look behind them. “She wants to go take off some of her clothes. She’s having trouble breathing.”

As he stopped speaking, Ellie went limp, sagging to the side. Mateo yelped in alarm and then stood, awkwardly holding her up while he kicked his chair back out of the way. Then he gathered her up in his arms and lifted her, a bundle of limp limbs and skirts.

The wedding planner, Malia, appeared out of nowhere and helped him lower Ellie to the floor while Paloma pulled the chair out of the way.

Family gathered around them as Mateo leaned over Ellie, his own chest aching. To his relief, her eyelids fluttered, and she took a ragged breath. “Ellie! Open your eyes!”

“I’m calling an ambulance,” he heard his father say. “She doesn’t look good.”

Ellie opened her eyes. Her hands reached up to pull at the neckline of her dress. “I can’t… breathe…”

“I’ll help you, Ellie, it���s okay!” Mateo ran his hands down her sides, searching for a zipper.

“It’s in the back!” Paloma kneeled at Ellie’s other side. “Roll her toward you; I’ll unzip it and unhook her bustier!”

Mateo rolled Ellie toward him and watched as his sister unzipped the dress, then unhooked the series of small hooks running down Ellie’s back. He tipped his head to look at Ellie’s face. Her lips looked bluish, and she continued to clutch at her chest.

“We need some privacy, please!” he heard Rebekah say.

Josh ran up, dropping his bag and kneeling by Ellie’s head. 

“Got it!” Paloma said. Mateo laid Ellie on her back, and Paloma reached in to pull the bustier out from the front neckline of the dress, leaving her covered while allowing her lungs to expand fully.

Josh reached in to take Ellie’s pulse.

“Is that better, Ellie?” Mateo asked. “She says her chest hurts, and she’s having trouble breathing!”

“Papá is on the phone with 9-1-1,” Paloma said.

“She’s running about thirty beats per minute,” Josh said. “Ellie, just breathe easy for me.”

As Mateo watched, Ellie’s breathing grew more and more shallow. Josh was pulling things out of his bag and putting on gloves. He could hear his father taking with the operator. Paloma and his mother, Alma, stood close by with Ellie’s mother.

“Mat…” Ellie said, breathless. “Love you…”

“I love you, too, Ellie, but you should save your breath.” Mateo felt his throat tighten and his eyes burn. He had the eerie feeling that she was trying to make sure she didn’t leave anything unsaid. “An ambulance is on the way!”

“Good…” Ellie muttered, and then her eyes closed and her arms fell limp to either side.

“ELLIE! Wake up!” Mateo grasped her shoulders, shook her lightly. Josh plunged his fingers into her neck. With his other hand, he reached toward the supplies he’d laid out.

“I found the AED!” Mateo heard Malia exclaim.

“She has a pulse, Mat, but it’s slow. I’m going to help her breathe.” Josh tipped Ellie’s head back and opened her mouth. He had a plastic airway ready and slipped it between her teeth, turning it one hundred and eighty degrees before letting the flange rest on her teeth. Then called out to his father-in-law: “Hugo! Tell them she had chest pain prior to collapsing, has a pulse rate of thirty, and I am assisting her respirations.”

Josh pressed a bag-valve mask to Ellie’s pale face and squeezed the bulb, making her chest rise visibly. Mateo reached for her hand, his fingers clumsy and unpracticed as they sought the pulse in her wrist. He found it, and even he could tell her heart beat was frighteningly slow.

“Josh, what’s happening to her?” Mateo asked, his voice shaking. He could hear Rebekah sniffling and forced himself not to look up, knowing he’d be weeping as well if he saw his mother-in-law’s tears.

“Josh, the operator says the ambulance is five minutes out.” Mateo looked up at his father. His face was solemn as he crouched close by, cell phone pressed to his ear. “She wants to know if Ellie’s condition changes at all.”

The sound of furniture moving behind him made Mateo look over his shoulder. Malia and a few of the guests were moving around a set of the venue’s partitions, giving them some privacy. Then Malia hurried over. 

“Your friends Jill and Miller are outside waiting for the ambulance, and the photographer offered to help them find their way through the building. I’ll be in here with your guests if you need me.” She held out a bottle of water. “You are not looking great yourself. Have some water.”

“Thank you.” Mateo sat the water bottle down and immediately forgot it, his attention returning to Ellie. 

“Mat, I want to go ahead and put the AED pads on her. Just in case, okay? Right now, we won’t be using them, but it could save us time if that changes.” His brother-in-law kept squeezing the bag as he spoke. “Can you do that for me?”

“I’ve got it,” Paloma said, kneeling beside Ellie. He could see the bulge of his sister’s child rounding out her dress as she reached for the AED. “You just keep holding her hand, okay?”

Mateo cradled Ellie’s hand in his, the fingers of his other hand still monitoring her pulse. He could still feel it, but it felt weak and slow against his fingertips.

There was a brief period of near silence from the group, aside from the regular whooshing sound of the bag and the rustling as Paloma tore open a set of packaged adult bystander AED pads.

Then she reached for the wide strap of Ellie’s gown, gently pulling her arm through the hole. Mateo released Ellie’s hand long enough to do the same on the other side. Then Paloma turned the bodice of the dress down, exposing Ellie’s pale breasts and most of her abdomen. He watched his sister smooth the first pad just below Ellie’s right collarbone, then the second beneath her left breast. Ellie’s chest rose and fell as Josh squeezed the bag, though Mateo could see that Ellie was still trying to breathe on her own, her chest occasionally heaving out of sequence with the breaths from the bag.

“Don’t plug it in yet,” Josh said. “Thank you, babe.”

Paloma pulled the bodice of Ellie’s dress back up to cover her. 

Ellie’s hand moved, then her arm, the muscles contorting and pulling against him when Mateo tried to keep hold of her hand. Her other arm rose off of the floor, and he heard her gasp underneath the mask. 

“Ellie?” he asked, looking at her face. Her eyes were still closed.

Josh sat the bag down and pressed his fingers into Ellie’s neck. “Paloma, are you okay to help me? I need you to take over ventilation.”

“Yes!” Paloma shifted to the side, waiting as Josh held his fingers to Ellie’s carotid.

Then Josh moved, rushing around to Ellie’s side. “Hugo! Tell them she doesn’t have a pulse! I’m starting chest compressions now!”

Mateo watched in horror as Josh jerked the front of her gown back down to her navel and pressed his gloved hands between her breasts. He heard Rebekah let out a sob as Josh began pumping, forcing Ellie’s sternum down two inches.

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine…”

“No, Ellie…” Mateo whispered. He still had her hand, gripping it tightly. She’d gone limp again after the initial gasp. Her head tipped to the side and Paloma immediately turned it back toward the ceiling, thrusting Ellie’s chin forward and pressing the mask to her face. Ellie’s pearl earrings dangled into her hair, shaking with each compression.

“…twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five…” Josh’s gloves made a noise against Ellie’s skin each time he pushed down and rocked back up, squeaking and rustling. “…twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty! Squeeze, Paloma!”

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Ellie’s chest rose and fell, and then Josh resumed chest compressions, making her breasts wobble and her stomach bulge. The force required to pump her heart made her body move like a rag doll, her shoulders shrugging and her feet rocking. Mateo heard air puffing back up out of her inside of the mask. Then she made a strange, growling sort of sound, accompanied by an abortive movement of her legs.

“…twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty!” Josh shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket, tossing it behind him.

Paloma squeezed the bag twice.

“One, two, three, four…” 

Mateo finally looked up. His father was pacing back and forth, still on the phone. His mother was sitting in a chair next to his mother-in-law, Alma holding Rebekah’s face against her shoulder as the other woman sobbed. As expected, the sight didn’t help him, and he blinked back tears as he looked back down at Ellie.

“…eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen…”

“The paramedics will get her back,” Paloma said. Her voice was husky, and Mateo didn’t dare to look at her.

“…twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four…”

“Stay with me, Ellie,” Mateo pleaded. He held on tight to her hand. “We just got married. Please, stay with me!”

“…thirty! Mateo,” Josh said. “We will let the AED analyze after two more cycles of CPR. Then I need you to switch with me.”

Then it was time for Josh to start compressions again.

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…”

Mateo squeezed her hand again and then released it, laying it gently on the floor. He unbuttoned and removed his tuxedo jacket, tossing it onto a nearby chair. Then he removed his bowtie and undid the top few buttons of his shirt.

“…thirty!”

Whoosh! Whoosh!

“One, two, three, four, five…” Josh’s shoulders rocked over his hands, his weight pushing down into Ellie’s naked chest. 

Mateo felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, and his father was there. Hugo nodded, gave his shoulder a squeeze, then released him and took a step back.

“…twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine thirty!” Josh reached across Ellie’s body for the defibrillator connector and plugged it into the AED, turning it on as Paloma squeezed the bag.

“Analyzing rhythm, do not touch patient! Analyzing rhythm, do not touch patient!” Mateo held his breath, his eyes on Ellie as the device determined if she needed a shock. “No shock advised.”

He didn’t have time to deflate; Mateo bent over his wife and pressed his hands into the reddened skin between her breasts. He interlocked his fingers and started pumping, trying not to focus on the feeling of her ribcage moving under his hands. She made another gurgling, growling sound and her arms jerked.

“Don’t stop!” Josh snapped, though Mateo could tell this wasn’t Ellie coming around.

“One, two, three, four, five…” His voice was hoarse in his own ears.

“The ambulance will be here soon,” Josh said, pressing his fingers into the inside of Ellie’s wrist. “You’re doing a good job. We’re keeping oxygenated blood circulating in her body and when they get here, they can give her medications to help.”

“…twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty!” Mateo paused long enough for Paloma to give Ellie two breaths, and then he started again. “One, two, three…”

Underneath his hands, her skin felt warm and soft. Damp from his sweat and Josh’s. He was trying not to think of their wedding ceremony; every time it tried to enter his mind, he was in danger of panicking.

“…nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two…” Please come back, Ellie. Please, God, please come back! “…Thirty!”

He gasped as he lifted his hands. There wasn’t any time to recover; before he knew it, Paloma had given Ellie two breaths and it was time to beat her heart for her again.

“One, two, three, four…” A small commotion near the entrance of the hall drew his attention, though he kept pushing his hands into her sternum. Malia was in view, pointing in their direction.

Two paramedics pushing a gurney walked quickly into the hall, turning the gurney as directed and heading toward the group around Ellie. Josh stood and met them halfway, walking back with them.

“Thirty!” Paloma, holding the mask firmly to Ellie’s face, squeezed the bag twice. “One, two, three, four…”

“…bradycardic, then she stopped making respiratory effort, and she lost a palpable pulse. We’re in the middle of the second round of CPR; no shock was advised by the AED.” Josh stood next to Ellie as the paramedics unloaded equipment and bags. “Her name is Ellie. She’s been experiencing low blood pressure and a low heart rate recently. She had a previous cardiac arrest due to drowning, but we were told she had fully recovered. This is her next of kin, her husband Mateo.”

Whoosh, whoosh!

“One, two, three, four, five…”

A stocky woman with her hair in a neat bun kneeled on the floor next to Ellie. “Okay, sir. Mateo. I’m going to check Ellie’s pulse and we will take over. You’ve done a good job; you can stop.”

Mateo raised his hands, and the woman pressed two of her fingers into Ellie’s delicate neck. 

“Josh,” the tall, male paramedic said. “Take over the bag for me. I’m going to get her on the monitor.”

Mateo, realizing he was about to be in the way, snatched up Ellie’s limp hand and pressed a kiss to her cool palm. “I love you!” His voice came out gruff and harsh, and he laid her hand back down. Then he pushed himself up off the floor and took a few weak-kneed steps over to his chair.

He might have sat on his tux jacket, but he was on autopilot at that point and picked it up, shaking out the wrinkles and draping it over the back of the chair. Then he dropped into the chair and clasped his shaking hands together in his lap.

He felt his father’s hand on his shoulder again, and then Paloma pulled a chair over to sit with him, one hand covering his and the other on her belly.

Mateo swallowed hard and asked Paloma: “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” she reassured him. “And Ellie will be.”

He looked down at Ellie. They’d peeled off the AED pads and replaced them with large pads. Whatever the paramedics saw wasn’t good; they didn’t shock her. The male medic pulled Ellie’s arm to the side, tied off a tourniquet, and cleaned the crook of her elbow. 

Josh kneeled at Ellie’s head, bracing it against the movement of her body, the mask pressed to her face. The female paramedic paused compressions and Josh squeezed the bag twice, watching Ellie’s chest rise. Then the paramedic resumed compressions. She was still moving occasionally, her knee bending or her throat forcing out an unnatural sound.

“Administering one milligram epinephrine and flushing.” The male medic emptied a syringe into Ellie’s IV, followed by a second syringe. Then he elevated her arm. “Analyze in ninety seconds.”

“…fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty…”

“Is everyone still here?” Mateo asked, suddenly thinking of their extended family and friends lingering on the other side of the partition.

“Yes, mijo. The planner moved everyone into the space where we had the ceremony, and the minister is with them.” Hugo squeezed his shoulder. “Everyone is praying for our Ellie.”

“Gracias.” Mateo leaned forward. The paramedics were working quickly, one performing hard and rapid compressions, while the other took her blood pressure. 

“She’s hypotensive. Treatment is IV bolus and vasopressin infusion. Josh and Genesis, switch after analysis.” 

“…five, six, seven, eight, nine…”

Ellie looked worse, he thought. Her arms splayed out on either side, and her skin was a terrible color. As Mateo watched, the male paramedic prepared what looked like a bag of saline. Josh had his fingers lapped over her chin, keeping her jaw in place and her airway open. Her breasts wobbled with each compression, her nipples pebbling in the air conditioning. The hands on her sternum were relentless, her ribcage bobbing and her abdomen pulsing with each thrust. 

“…thirty!” 

Josh squeezed the bag twice, and then Genesis the medic resumed compressions.

“One, two, three…”

“Sir?” the male medic asked, looking at Hugo as he held out the bag of saline. “I need you to hold this bag for me. Keep it at this level.”

“Of course!” Hugo stepped forward and took the saline bag, making sure he kept it raised without pulling on the attached tubing. Mateo leaned forward, bringing his fists up to his mouth. Paloma rubbed his back, murmuring something that he didn’t catch.

“…twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty!” Genesis sat back on her heels, breathing hard as the male medic looked at the monitor. 

As he reached over to silence the alarm, Genesis and Josh switched places. “No change,” the medic said. “Still in PEA arrest… Two minutes of CPR.”

“Come on, Ellie,” Josh growled as he started compressions. “Three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten…”

“Ventilate every six seconds, Genesis. Her sat is holding steady,” the medic said. In the time that it took them to switch places, Ellie’s head had tipped to the side. Her features were slack, and she still looked pale. The oral airway jutted out from between her teeth.

Genesis tipped Ellie’s face back toward the ceiling, and quickly but carefully reopened her airway.

“…twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven…”

Genesis pressed the mask over Ellie’s nose and mouth, and when Josh hit “thirty,” she gave Ellie two breaths.

“One, two, three, four, five, six…”

Mateo saw movement across from him and realized his mother was helping Rebekah out of her chair. Alma supported her as they hurried back toward the bathrooms.

“Is Rebekah okay?” Mateo asked. He felt numb and ragged, but he liked and respected Rebekah, and could only imagine how she was feeling. He also had a responsibility to Ellie’s family that he’d sealed today with a ring and a kiss. “Beyond the obvious…”

“I think Rebekah was about to vomit,” Hugo said. “You don’t have to worry about her, Mateo. Your mother has her.”

“Dad…” Mateo didn’t know what he wanted to say. The resuscitation efforts on Ellie continued. She was such a slim, fine-boned person, and the last time she’d been resuscitated, she’d taken a long time to recover. Part of that had been the head injury, but watching them work on her now was painful. Josh’s hands dwarfed her chest, and two inches looked like a lot on her slim frame.

Hugo reached back with his free hand, palm up. Mateo blinked at it for a few seconds before he reached out and clasped his father’s hand. Hugo nodded and squeezed his hand, his eyes on Ellie.

“…ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen…” 

Next to him, he heard Paloma sniffle. He couldn’t look at her, but he held out his other hand, and she took it and leaned her head against his shoulder. Then she whispered: “I’m so sorry, Mat.”

“Don’t. Don’t be, please.” He was shaking again.

“Thirty!” Josh shook out his arms and Genesis made Ellie’s chest rise and fall. Then Josh bent back to his work. “One, two, three…”

“We analyze after this cycle,” the other medic said. “Then I’ll administer epinephrine and Genesis and Josh will swap.”

“…eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty!” Josh leaned back, breathing hard and watching as Genesis gave Ellie two breaths. Then Genesis disconnected the bag and sat it to the side before switching places with Josh.

“V-fib!” the male medic called out. Josh’s head whipped up, and Mateo felt his own heart rate increase. “Charging to three-sixty!”

Genesis leaned in and gave Ellie a series of quick and deep compressions, popping her stomach up with each thrust.

Mateo gripped his father’s hand too hard and struggled not to do the same to Paloma. 

“Everyone clear!” the medic called out. Josh and Genesis raised their hands, leaning back. “Administering shock.”

Ellie’s chest gave a little jerk, making her head tip to the side and her arms flinch. Genesis clasped her hands together and began pumping rapidly between Ellie’s breasts.

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven…”

“Administering one milligram epinephrine,” the medic said, following the first syringe with a second. “Flushing…”

As before, he raised her arm for twenty seconds.

“Thirty!” Genesis said. Josh had already turned Ellie’s face upright and pressed the mask to her face. He squeezed the bag twice, his eyes drifting up to look at Mateo. 

Mateo would never know what Josh was going to say or do, if anything, because he flinched, looking shocked before he looked down again, lifting the mask and asking: “Ellie?”

“What do you have?” asked the medic. Genesis put her hands back between Ellie’s breasts and started pumping, only for Ellie to let out a wheezing gasp and jerk her arms. Mateo lunged forward, releasing the hands he was holding and crouching on the floor by her feet.

“Pause compressions!” the medic said.

“Ellie!” Mateo called out. 

Ellie’s chest heaved, and her hands grasped at the air. Josh pressed two fingers into her neck.

“She’s got a pulse!” he exclaimed. “Slow, but it’s there.”

Mateo heard Ellie gag, and Josh quickly removed the oral airway.

“Sinus rhythm,” the medic said. “Genesis, look at those P waves…”

Genesis leaned over Ellie, looking at the monitor. “Twelve lead?”

“Ellie.” Josh gently patted the side of Ellie’s face. “Ellie, it’s Josh! Mateo is here. Everyone’s here.”

“Do it,” the tall medic said. “I’m going to administer one milligram atropine.”

Mateo was making himself listen to the conversation between the paramedics, but his eyes were on Ellie’s chest, which was rising and falling visibly, at almost a regular rate.

“Pacing?” Genesis asked, getting up and heading for the bags of equipment and supplies.

“Let’s see how she does with the atropine,” the male medic said. “She’s at forty at the moment. Josh, how’s her breathing?”

“Fast, but it’s all her!” Josh was struggling to maintain his professionalism, visibly relieved. He smoothed her hair back from her face, his expression paternal, and called out: “Ellie?” 

“I’m going to tell Mamá and Rebekah,” Paloma said, hurrying by. “Poor Rebekah doesn’t know!”

Mateo reached out toward Ellie, his hand finding her bare ankle under her skirts. “Respira, cariña. Sólo respira.”

Two days later

“I’ll be close by,” the nurse said. “She should wake up any minute. The sedative took her for a bit of a ride.”

Mateo sat at Ellie’s bedside, her cool hand tucked between his two. Wan, with her curly hair pulled back from her face and a nasal cannula feeding her oxygen, she looked fragile. 

Reaching out, Mateo ran his fingertips across her face, tracing lines from freckle to freckle. Ellie stirred, wrinkling her nose and making a small, distressed sound. Mateo brushed a loose curl back behind her ear.

“Cariña. Wake up, it’s me.” 

Ellie yawned, too drowsy from the sedation to cover her mouth. Her head lolled from side to side and her legs moved beneath the covers. Her fingers moved, tightening on his hand. Finally, Ellie peeled open her eyes and looked around the room. Her gaze settled on Mateo, and she blinked at him several times. 

Then, as he watched, her face broke into a wide smile.

“Good to see you, too,” he said, keeping hold of her hand as he stood up. He leaned over her and kissed her forehead. “I love you.”

“Love you…” Ellie breathed, yawning again. “Did they… do it? I fell… asleep.”

“The sedation knocked you out,” Mateo said. “But the pacemaker insertion was a success. You might be able to go home in a couple of days.”

“Good.” Ellie’s eyelids slowly fluttered. “I’m sleepy, Mat…”

“I know, it’s okay.” Mateo squeezed her hand. “I’ll be right here. The nurse will come back to talk to you, but for now, you can rest.”

Ellie rolled toward him, curling onto her side. He watched her breathe, in and out, slow and deep as she dozed off.