#where i find my handwriting the best in the world

[zeherili-ankhein]

Handwriting flex? Lol

P.S this are my class 10th history notes XDDD

They are of no use now, as my boards ended.

[togament]

⤷ ume, sakura, nirei, kiryu, kaji, togame, suo, endo.

"he wants to make you smile so he left you a little note. What'd he write and where'd he hide it? I got you."

⤷ 𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒: FLUFF FLUFF FLUFF!!!!, g/n reader, suo's kinda scares me ngl, I feel guilty for togame pls be patient with him He Is Trying, ENDO IS SCARY, nirei is very sweet oh MY GOD, all the fluff all the fluffies!!!!!!!

♯ 𝐔𝐌𝐄

"You found it! ◡̈ I just wanted to drop a little sunshine for my sunshine while I go get some sunshine ☼ You're my favorite person in the world and I hope this note makes your heart do a little happy dance like mine does whenever I see you. If you find this (and you did!! Yay!) it means you're awesome and that I'm so lucky to have you in my life. I love you!!!!! Your Number One Fan, 🍑"

Little doodles and happy scribbles!!!! You can tell he was smiling so widely when he wrote everything out for you -- it's like you can feel his happiness radiating from his writing it's very infectious. He just loves you that much.

(hid it in your favorite mug for you to find in the morning when he's out tending to his garden.)

────

♯ 𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐈

"Hey, love. Just a quick note to remind you how much I appreciate everything you do. For me and the boys. Your support means the absolute world to me. Don't forget to take your vitamins today -- gotta take care of yourself too, alright? I love you. - T."

Thankful and doting!!!!!! Vaguely smells like him too so you know he kept the note right by his jacket pocket for a while before sneaking it into its rightful hiding spot. His handwriting is sharp and you know he wrote it quick. He probably wrote it while on patrol.

(hid it inside your vitamin case that you use daily so you find it easily.)

────

♯ 𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐔𝐑𝐀

"I'm not really good with this whole cutesy stuff, but I wanted to let you know I'm thinking about you. You make my days better (even if I don't say it right). Love you. Lots. - S. P.S. there's chocolate for you in the fridge :)"

Clumsy and cute, the note has little writing indents of past notes he's written and promptly thrown away. He settled for this one because you're stirring awake beside him and he doesn't wanna get caught lmao

(Has the note hidden in one of the books you're currently reading, right where your bookmark is.) ────

♯ 𝐍𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐈

"Whoops. You found me. Wanted to leave you a little surprise! I'm planning on something fun for us real soon, but until then (tonight!!) I hope this note makes you smile as much as you make me smile every day. You're the best! I can't wait to see you. - your bunny."

Bright and cheery, much like Nirei is. Of course he has something planned for the both of you by the end of the day and he's keeping it a secret... But you know him. Something's bound to slip from his lips when you meet up with him tonight. Promise to act surprised?

(He hides it inside your pencil box because he knows you use it on the daily.)

────

♯ 𝐊𝐈𝐑𝐘𝐔

"Sweetheart! ♡ Surprise! I just wanted to leave a little reminder of how much I adore you. If you find this note, it means you didn't wait for me to play with you ( •̀ - •́ ) kidding! Can't wait to start our new game tonight. I love youuuu!! - forever your Player Two ♡"

Written on a purple and pink post-it, it's spritzed with his perfume. His penmanship is remarkable too. Playful and sweet!!!!! It makes you extremely giddy and excited to meet up with him later. You know for a fact he's got his space set and decked out in fairy lights for your game night. Gotta wait for a couple more hours though UGHHHSHAS

(has it neatly hidden inside the game case of the new game you both have been dying to play.)

────

♯ 𝐊𝐀𝐉𝐈

"Before anything, don't get mushy on me. Just wanted to say you're pretty great and I'm glad you're around. Found this album at the shop. Remembered you saying you wanted to listen to them, so I guess that's my way of saying I care. Listen to it with me later. - Ren. ♡"

neatly written on a post-it note, you kinda think it could be printed out. It's crazy. Short and concise, you can tell he had his brows furrowed when he wrote this for you. He's trying!!!!!! He really is!!!! You know he'd bring some food for the both of you when you meet up. He's a romantic at heart.

(has it taped to the CD he bought for you right next to your player.)

────

♯ 𝐓𝐎𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄

"I'm probably late again, aren't I? Big surprise. I promise I'm working on it, but in the meantime, I thought I'd leave you a little reminder that you're amazing and that I promise I'll always be worth the wait. Thank you for being so patient with me, doll. I love you. A lot. Bringing your favorite dish tonight. Kame Special. -🐢"

HE'S TRYINGGG AAAASJKDKJASD!!!!!! As you read, you can practically hear the slight purr in his voice and he sounds so apologetic too. HE'S TRYING HE'S TRYINGGJAKJDS he loves his sleep a bit too much, you see. Pepper him in kisses when you meet him tonight. He deserves as much.

(Snuck it inside your planner the night before your date so you'd find it when you go check on your schedule for the day. He's not late for your home date later, by the way.)

────

♯ 𝐒𝐔𝐎

"My dove. Consider this a little hint: I've got a little something special planned for you, but you'll have to find more clues first and follow them. I promise you won't be disappointed. I'll be waiting for you tonight. Wear that dress that I love so much, yes? - Your Hayato."

uH OH. UH OH UH OH. Your man has you working for the surprise but that's such a him thing to do. At least he has something super cute planned by the end of it!!! If he says you won't be disappointed, he means it. HE MEANS IT.

(hid it inside the pocket of your coat that he knows you'll be using today. It's something you'd naturally reach into. Such a Suo thing to plan out.)

────

♯ 𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐎

"Hey there, gorgeous. I know you're in the middle of pretending not to miss me while reading up on this chapter. It's my favorite one, by the way. If you find this note, it means I'm missing you too and totally not hiding underneath your bed or in your closet ᕙ( •̀ ᗜ •́ )ᕗ See you in a sec. - Only Your Yams."

Ominous and teasing, much like Endo is. You kind of wanna check under your bed and in your closet but you know your boyfriend's just out to grab some coffee for the both of you. His handwriting is legible and super neat and he spritzed some of his favorite perfume on the note too. Mmmmm. Sandalwood and smoky vanilla.

(hid it between the pages of your favorite book with your bookmark replaced with a new one he bought for you. One of those fancy ones that can mark the words and stuff. Has to match his.)

a/n: I FINALLY WROTE SOMETHING I FUNALLYNJASDJKASD HUHUHUHUHUUASHKAS thank you for reading through this. I feel very rusty.

[poisonlove]

Wednesday and R studying as 'friends'

Yk the friendships where u keep indirectly flirting + hinting u like each other but never actually adress it?

anyway Wednesday's big on focus so she takes R's phone out her hand and finds her stupid ass looking up 'how to kiss your best friend' or smth😭😭

just flirting | w.a

Pairing: Wednesday Addams X reader

Status: request

Warning: fluffy, Wednesday really don't understand

Studying with Wednesday Addams was never an easy task. I sat on the floor of her room surrounded by books and notes, while she read with intense concentration.

My eyes admired the gothic girl: hair neatly aligned in two locks, long lashes and piercing brown eyes, full lips, freckles dusted on the bridge of her nose, and a stoic yet attractive gaze.

I had been in love with Wednesday for a long time.

But everyone knows that Wednesday is... well... Wednesday.

"What are you staring at?" the brunette asked in a monotone voice, her eyes focused on the sheet she was writing on.

Neat and small handwriting.

Addams' eyes shifted to the English literature book.

"Wednesday, do you know that your way of concentrating is fascinating?" I said, with a slight smile

blatantly flirting.

She lifted her gaze from the book, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. "I don't see how it can be fascinating," she replied with her usual coldness.

"Well, there's something magnetic about the way you immerse yourself in what you do," I continued, getting closer. "It's hard to look away from you when you're so focused."

I bite my lower lip.

I could smell Wednesday's perfume: Vanilla.

Wednesday stared at me for a moment, her intense gaze scrutinizing me as if trying to understand my true intentions.

My cheeks flushed at the intensity of her gaze.

"You have a strange way of expressing your interest in studying," she commented, returning to the book with a slight grimace. "And what's with your face? You're blushing," she asked with curiosity, and perhaps a hint of concern.

"Oh, nothing, it's just warm here," I apologized, avoiding her gaze and looking at the floor.

Wednesday sighed loudly and slowly got up from the floor. Her feet moved gracefully and rhythmically towards the window, opening it.

I bite my lower lip at the sweetness of the brunette.

"It's not just an interest in studying," I replied to her first statement, keeping my tone light. "There's something fascinating about you, in the way you dedicate yourself to what you do. It's as if you're in a world of your own and I can't take my eyes off you."

She raised her eyes again, this time with a hint of curiosity. "It's a very elaborate way of saying that you find me interesting," she observed, her tone slightly less cold.

"Yes, and I think it's wonderful," I said, hoping that my flirting attempt had made an impression.

Wednesday raised an eyebrow slightly, as if evaluating my response. "Instead of staring at me, why don't you use those beautiful eyes to read the English literature assignment?" she said monotonously, indicating the book on the floor next to me.

I felt surprised by her response, but I couldn't help but smile. "Alright," I replied, accepting her request.

I smiled shyly, my eyes looking at Wednesday with curiosity.

"Wednesday... What should we do?" I asked, looking at the book with confusion.

"An analysis of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'," Wednesday replied calmly.

"Speaking of dreams," I said calmly, catching Wednesday's attention.

"Wednesday, are you real or are you a dream come true?" I said, trying to keep a light tone.

She raised her gaze and her eyes looked at me intensely. "You seem rather confused," she commented with a subtle, almost imperceptible smile. "But I believe I'm real enough to help you with this assignment."

Addams' attention was captured by the book once again.

I sighed internally, but I didn't give up.

"You know, if you ever need a break, we could do something different. Maybe go out together?"

"An outing?" Wednesday repeated, without lifting her gaze. "I find social outings to be mostly a waste of time."

"But not with me," I promptly replied. "I promise it would be interesting."

She raised an eyebrow, finally looking at me again. "How exactly?"

"Well, I could tell you about that time I solved a mystery in the library," I said with a mischievous smile. "Or we could simply take a walk in the woods. I'm sure we'd find something intriguing."

Wednesday seemed to consider my proposal for a moment. "If you think it's worth our time, I might consider it."

My heart skipped a beat. Maybe it was a step forward. "Then it's a date," I said, trying to sound casual.

She didn't respond, returning to her book.

My stomach twisted in a tangle of frustration. It was as if I had thrown a coin into a bottomless well, not expecting even an echo in response. I bit my lower lip to hide my disappointment, trying to focus on the text in front of me, but it was difficult to ignore the weight of Wednesday's silence.

I sighed loudly.

"Um... Could I use your phone?" Wednesday suddenly asked.

Her eyes scrutinized my movements with care, as if trying to read my thoughts.

"Sure..." I replied with tight lips, feeling a shiver of nervousness run down my spine.

Wednesday took the phone, opened the browser, and the expression of confusion that appeared on her face made me instinctively worry.

"How to kiss your best friend," she read aloud, raising an eyebrow. "Why did you search for this?"

My heart began to beat faster in my chest as I desperately tried to find an answer that didn't sound suspicious. "Uh, just curiosity," I stammered, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "You know, for... research purposes,"

I quickly concluded, hoping that my explanation sounded convincing enough.

She stared at me for a moment, then shrugged. "I find empirical research more effective than theory. If you really want to know, you should try it directly."

I stood there with my mouth open, unsure if she was joking or not. "Are you saying I should try it?"

"If you think it's important for your education, yes," she replied, returning to her book as if nothing had happened.

I sighed, resigned. Perhaps one day Wednesday would understand what I was trying to tell her. But until then, continuing to flirt seemed like the only option.

[verstappenf1lecccc]

Now that you are gone

please note that once again this is a very important topic this is the last part of this series. if you are not familiar with this series please check the warnings.

Dearest husband or should I say ex husband now that I am gone or will be gone by the time that you would have found this letter. I couldn’t do it anymore lando I saw the way you and charlotte were being burdened by my presence and just knew I had to leave.

You were never a bad husband just simply disappeared from our marriage.

Each day I crumbled infront of you and yet you stayed oblivious, it’s been over 3 months since we last shared a bed and I know you are disgusted by the thought of being with me now that I’ve let myself go, all I wanted was love but I guess it was too much to ask for.

Please don’t try and save me now that you’ve read this, I’ve been gone for far too long for you to simply try now. I know we promised forever to each-other but sometimes maybe it’s for the best that it ends early. Be there for charlotte don’t leave her alone you are the only thing she has left I doubt that she would even notice I’m gone.

I know you hated being told what to do but please make sure charlotte never finds out how I left it’s the only thing I will ask from you. I still love you I promise I just don’t love myself enough to say. The voices are getting too hard to block out.

Goodbye Lando Norris

When lando came home from the club he didn’t expect to be treated to the shrill cries of his daughter, he knew you’d be there to take care of her and had called out your name to make sure you were with her so that he could go lay down the amount of drinks he had plus the cries of his daughter made him want to throw up due to the intense headache.

little did he know everything was simply going to get worse for him.

After yelling your name for several minutes with no response he knew he had to deal with charlotte, muttering under his breath about how deaf you were being. He stomped up the hallway into little charlottes room and based of the little girls cries it seemed like she knew that she had just lost her mother. Nothing lando could do was able to console the destraught little girl. It took him an hour to get her down.

An hour which could have been used to save you.

Lando was blissfully unaware of the heartache that was going to be unleashed into his heart. He searched the house trying to find you and give you a piece of his mind.

When you were nowhere to be found he had the bright idea to check the cameras, and that lead him to his discovery. A rather shocking one that he wouldn’t even wish on his worst enemy.

In the middle of the bathroom deep within the bathtub laid his wife, his one anchor in life through everything the women he called everything laid there in tranquility. The water still and unmoving your body laid there lips blue and cold to the touch yet to lando you still looked like the prettiest women in the world. His mind couldn’t comprehend what was happening it wasn’t until it finally hit that you were not moving, this wasn’t some sick prank or a nightmare that he could wake up from this was his reality his wife was dead lying there cold and dead. The women he called his angel now was an actual angel. He had lost her he lost his love and he knew it was all his fault. He felt shame creeping up his neck knowing he was trying to find you to yell at you. His head shaked with the intensity of the situation.

It was the day after your funeral when lando had found the letter you had left for him and charlotte.

It broke lando to a different level, in his wife’s handwriting his sins were written, he and killed her he had killed you and each day he would pay for his sins.

You were always there, no matter where lando went there was a bit of you everywhere.

He couldn’t get rid of you, not that he wanted to either

The only words he could have muttered at your funeral were “it should have been me, I did it it shoukd have been me she wasn’t supposed to go so soon”.

16 years later

Little Charlotte Norris was not so little anymore, she was now a grown 17 year old girl with questions about her mothers sudden death.

Her entire life she had been shielded from the gruesome reality of how her mother died.

Her father whom she adored more than anything in the world hid the truth from her. Her mother didn’t simply die of a heart attack at 24 she died due to depression, and when Charlotte Norris unfortunately found out the bitter truth due to Lando’s negligence her world shattered.

Her father’s irresponsible behaviour killed her mother.

Landos midnight saddens had resulted in him forgetting to hide away the letters you had left for him and charlotte another careless mistake on his part which would result in him losing his daughter as well.

Charlotte was in tears when Lando returned and he just knew she had found out about everything he could simply feel it.

He tried to justify his actions and decisions blaming it on him being too young and not knowing what PPD was, unfortunately for him his little angel would hear none of it.

She had left lando just like you had.

Charlotte now went by your last name still blaming her father for the years of hurt you went through and how she had to grow up without a maternal figure, she didn’t know why but she always missed you and your soft face.

Your daughter had started up a foundation to help new mothers and fathers with postpartum depression and the anxiety new mothers face. This was the best tribute she would have ever come up with.

tagged -:

@yunnifer

[juniperstale]

i blinked, and suddenly i had a valentine — dazai, chuuya, ranpo

⋆ in which you get a valentine from someone else [ . . . gn!reader, sfw, lowercase intended, profanity, fluff, lowkey crack i think . . . ]

DAZAI cannot allow this. he is immediately pouty when he sees the flowers on your desk as the two of you walk into the office together. he concocts a plan silently, maybe he'll go through all the security footage and leave the son of a bitch a series of threatening messages till they quit or maybe he'll interrogate everyone throughout the day or maybe he'll- you're reading the message on the flowers. dazai panics, hurriedly moving to be back by your side again. what if you fall for them and leave him? his nerves settle when he notices you throw them out with an eye roll before turning to him.

"finish your work fast today, i made us reservations at your favorite restaurant, okay?" oh, looks like you're the one down bad for him. so he has nothing to worry about, after all.

CHUUYA makes a competition of it. this suitor thinks they can out love him? now that's called being delusional. they sent you a flower? expect a bouquet of your favorite flowers coming in the next 30 minutes. chocolates? chuuya already brought out all of your favorites, its literally out of stock everywhere. they brought you a card? chuuya will handwrite you a 100 page letter explaining how you're the best thing to happen to him. and if the suitors dares to ask you out in person? their world will be turned upside down. literally. chuuya will turn them upside down. its what they deserve, after all.

at the end of the day though, he is still human (? idk i haven't read stormbringer) and though he denies it, he does need a bit of comfort after fighting for you all day. it is you though. he will always fight for you.

RANPO doesn't mind. i mean, he's going to be the one eating the chocolates in the end so does it really matter? it does. it matters the minute you get bored of working and decide to read the letter the bozo left with the chocolates. he watches as a small smile creeps up onto your face and you let out a silent laugh. oh no, its time to put his detective skills to good use. within a few minutes he finds the scoundrel who sent you that letter based off the handwriting and... well he doesn't really have a plan after that so he tell the guy off and returns to your side.

he comes home a little later that night, with flowers and chocolates that he would also end up eating. but you don't mind. your just happy he's with you.

05.05.24. "a valentine fic in may?? what kind of brownie did u eat juni??" chuuyas was low key inspired by that one barbie life in the dreamhouse episode where ken and ryan are fighting to give her better valentines day presents. im so sleepy i'll check my grammar tmrw, gnight!

[fanfictionismyaddiction]

Celebrating Wins

Word count: 942

Pairing: Lando norris x girlfriend!reader

Summary: As a new couple landos girlfrined celebrates his polepostion with with a playful, intimate evening, marking the start of their relationship

Request are open

______________________________________________________________

The excitement from the day still lingered as we made our way back to the hotel. The buzz of the crowd, the thrill of Lando securing pole position in Q3—it was all still fresh in our minds. But now, it was just us, away from the cameras and the noise, and I had something fun and a bit silly planned for our own private celebration. I couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and nerves. We had only just gotten together, and this was my first chance to really show him how proud I was of him. I wanted to make the night special, something he’d remember—not just as a celebration of his pole position, but as a moment that marked the beginning of us.

As we stepped into our room, Lando immediately burst into laughter. I had covered the bed with orange and blue confetti—McLaren’s colors, of course. There were small, goofy trophies on the nightstand, the kind you’d find at a dollar store, with labels like “World’s Best Driver” and “Pole Position King” hastily scribbled on them in my handwriting. I’d even put out a cheesy plastic crown that said “Speed King” in glittery letters.

“Are you serious?” Lando asked, grinning from ear to ear as he picked up one of the trophies. “You really went all out, didn’t you?”

“Well, someone’s got to remind you how awesome you are,” I teased, reaching up to place the crown on his head. It was a bit too small, but he wore it proudly, striking a ridiculous pose.

“I feel like royalty,” he declared, holding out his hand for me to kiss, as if he were some kind of racing monarch.

Laughing, I took his hand and gave it an exaggerated, over-the-top kiss. “Your Majesty, the Speed King, shall we dine?”

He snorted, his eyes shining with amusement. “Lead the way, my loyal subject.”

We moved to the small table I’d set up near the window, where a simple dinner was waiting for us—nothing too heavy, just some of Lando’s favorite Italian dishes, including a massive bowl of pasta. I’d even ordered pizza, because who can resist pizza in Italy? And there, chilling in the ice bucket, was a bottle of his favorite champagne.

As we sat down, I grabbed a napkin and tucked it into his shirt collar like a bib. “Can’t have you getting pasta sauce on your royal robes,” I said, doing my best to keep a straight face.

Lando burst out laughing again. “You’re ridiculous! But I love it.”

We dug into the food, the atmosphere light and playful. Lando twirled his pasta dramatically, pretending to be a food critic as he took a bite. “Ah, yes, the perfect carbo-loading meal for a champion,” he said in a mock-serious tone.

“Only the best for you, your highness,” I replied, mimicking his tone.

As we finished eating, I brought out a small cake I’d hidden earlier. It was nothing fancy, just a simple cake with “Pole Position!” written in blue and orange icing, with a little toy car on top for good measure. I stuck a single sparkler in the middle and lit it, the tiny fireworks crackling and popping.

Lando’s face lit up with childlike glee as he watched the sparkler. “This is amazing. I didn’t think I could be this excited about cake.”

“Well, it’s not just any cake,” I said, grinning. “It’s the first of many celebrations this weekend, I hope.”

“Does this mean if I win tomorrow, I get another cake?” he asked, waggling his eyebrows.

“Oh, you bet,” I replied, slicing into the cake and handing him a piece. “And maybe I’ll even throw in a victory dance.”

He nearly choked on his cake from laughing so hard. “Please tell me you’re not serious about the dance.”

“I’m dead serious,” I said, trying to keep a straight face. “It’ll be legendary. You’ll win the race and I’ll be the talk of the paddock for my sweet moves.”

He shook his head, still laughing. “Now I’m even more motivated to win, just to see this ‘legendary’ dance.”

After we finished the cake, we collapsed onto the bed, both of us a little too full and a lot too happy. Lando was still wearing the plastic crown, and I couldn’t help but giggle every time I looked at him.

“You know,” he said, turning to me with a grin, “this has been the best celebration ever. No fancy dinners, no big parties—just us, being goofy.”

I leaned in, resting my head on his shoulder. “That’s because it’s real. And you deserve to enjoy every second of it, without any pressure.”

He wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close. “Thanks. I needed this. It’s easy to get caught up in everything, but tonight, I feel like I can just be me. With you.”

I reached up and took the crown off his head, placing it on mine. “Well, tomorrow, the Speed King is going to show everyone what he’s made of. And McLaren is going to be that much closer to winning it all.”

Lando grinned and leaned in to kiss me, his lips warm and soft against mine. “I couldn’t do it without you, you know. You make this all so much better.”

As the night wore on and we finally started to drift off to sleep, Lando whispered, “No matter what happens tomorrow, this is my favorite victory.”

I smiled, cuddling closer to him. “Mine too. But just so you know, I’m ready for another cake tomorrow.”

He chuckled softly. “You better start practicing that victory dance then.”

[mrsarnold]

heyy girly pops i yearn for smt where reader organises a scavenger hunt for paige and at the end reader proposes to paige ( preferably with a lego ring box )

— marry you ✩ paige b.

syn : you finally fought up the courage to propose to Paige in the most sweetest way.

pair : paige bueckers x gf!reader

warn : pure fluff :), kissing, lego ring ( oh my gosh ), the team being absolute no help

note : this is so genius anon ily, @kamii-2 ty for helping mee

Paige stirred from her sleep, reaching out instinctively, expecting to feel your warmth beside her. But the bed was empty. Blinking awake, she glanced around the room, and her gaze settled on a small note placed neatly on your pillow.

Groggily, she sat up, picking up the piece of paper. The familiar handwriting made her smile as she began to read:

"Good morning, Baby. sorry Im not there right now :((. go to the closet i picked something out for you, you'll find a clue !!."

Paige’s smile widened as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and walked to the closet, curiosity bubbling inside her. When she opened the door, her breath caught. Hanging there was one of her favorite outfits, carefully arranged, and pinned to the fabric was another note.

"You’re going to need to look your best for where we’re going today. Get dressed, and meet me where the waves meet the shore. You know the place."

The beach. The very same spot where you’d spent countless afternoons together, soaking up the sun and the salty breeze, where memories were made with every sunset. Paige felt her heart quicken as she slipped into the outfit you’d chosen for her, her mind racing with excitement as she prepared to find you.

After getting ready, she made her way outside, heading toward the beach. The morning was crisp, the air full of promise as she walked, the sound of the waves growing louder with each step. When she finally reached the beach, she found no sign of you. Not immediately. But she was met by KK and Ice acting all giddy.

"uhh Ice which way is she supposed to go again", KK said scratching her head. Ice rolled her eyes clearly annoyed KK forgot already. "Take a right Paige trust me", she said smiling.

Paige laughed then scanned the shoreline, looking for you, the beautiful backdrop of the sparkling water and the sand. Her eyes darted between the familiar rocks and steps, but you were nowhere to be seen.

And then she spotted it just down the beach, there was a small arrangement of seashells forming an arrow, pointing toward a nearby cluster of rocks. Her heart raced as she followed the trail.

She stepped carefully over the sand, rounding the rocks. She saw more of her teammates as KK and Ice followed after her. And there you were.

Standing with your back to her, just at the water’s edge, you were looking out toward the horizon, the sunlight casting a soft glow around you. You had a floral dress on with your hair down.

In your hand, Paige noticed something small and colorfu what looked like a tiny LEGO box, you knew she loved lefos.

Paige’s breath caught in her throat as she approached, her footsteps soft in the sand. When you turned around, the look in your eyes told her everything before you even said a word.

You were standing infront of a big, light up heart that fitted perfectly in the sand.

You took a deep breath, your smile soft but nervous. “Paige,” you began, stepping closer to her, “there’s no one in this world I want to share every morning, every adventure, and every quiet moment with but you. You’re my best friend, my partner, and I want to keep building this life together.”

You opened the small LEGO box in your hand, revealing the ring inside, catching the light from the sun’s reflection on the water. It was purple, paige's favorite color.

“Will you marry me?”

Paige’s eyes brimmed with tears, shocked that you went all out for her, her voice catching in her throat. “Yes. Yes!” She laughed through the tears as you slipped the ring onto her finger, her heart bursting with happiness. The team cheered but glared at KK after what Ice told them.

The world seemed to slow as you wrapped her in your arms, the sound of the waves crashing around you, the sand soft beneath your feet. The beach, your beach, now held a new, unforgettable memory.

After a moment, you pulled back, grinning. “Now, how about we go celebrate with some food? I made a reservation at our favorite place.”

Paige smiled, her hand in yours as you both made your way down the beach towards the restaurant. KK was more excited to eat then you and Paige

taggies : @pbnbucks @wbbgetsmewetter @cosmopretty @3xoticyanna @hrtslaces @hrtsdollie

[bitchinbarzal]

CASUALTY | J DOOHAN

Summary: in the battle between love and war, you were just a casualty.

-

The sneaking around wasn’t to benefit you, you didn’t really think it would change much. However, Jack thought it best to keep it all a secret. Not wanting to have a single thing tarnish his name on the come up to Formula One. He couldn’t be seen to be fucking the social media girl, not now.

This set up worked for a couple years, supporting him from the sidelines during F2. Never getting to congratulate him on the wins in public the way all the other girlfriends got to but you just accepted that, this is how it was.

You assumed that one day this set up would come to an end and that you would go public, you could post him on social media and vice versa, stopping the thirsty girls in his comment section.

As time crept on you came to realise this would never change, he was always going to hide you from the world. Leading to the screaming match you were having after witnessing him get awfully friendly with a girl in the club post Charles’ Monaco win.

“You always do this!”

“Do what? Dislike my boyfriend openly flirting with people in public like I don’t exist?!”

“You know I can’t do that with you, babe you understand-“ he stressed but you scoffed

“I actually don’t! I don’t get it how we’ve been together for years and we can’t come out about it! I want to be proud of you in public”

He sighed, pinching his forehead “We can’t”

“And why not?!”

“Because you work here! We can’t ever be public!” He bellowed, startling you with his volume.

Your brows furrowed “Ever? As in, you don’t ever intend to tell people we’re together? Like this has been a waste of what, two years of my life?!”

Jack’s face went from one of anger and outburst to worry upon seeing the tears lining your eyes “This really does mean nothing to you, god I’m a fucking idiot!”

“No, no it does! I love you, of course I do”

“It doesn’t feel like it!”

“Y/N just calm down” his hand dropped onto your shoulder and you just pushed it away “Don’t touch me”

The room fell silent, the only sounds being those still partying in Monacos streets.

You bit your bottom lip in an attempt not to sob

“Babe please, say something”

“I think we’re done Jack”

He nods “Ok, good idea we go to sleep and just clean slate in the morning” turning to his side of the bed.

You stayed still, shaking your head “No, no we’re done Jack. We can’t be together”

The sounds that escaped him weren’t comprehensible “You don’t mean that, you’re angry”

“You’re right, I’m hurt, angry and heartbroken and anyone who truly loved me wouldn’t make me feel that way. I’m gonna go share a room with the social team, see you around Jack”

He didn’t know what to say, speechless as he watched you collect your coat and kiss him on the cheek on your way out the room.

He couldn’t comprehend what was happening. This wasn’t real. In the morning he’d find you and you’d all be fine, this was just a fight.

He was wrong. In the morning he found out he’d been removed as a follower on your socials and you were gone from the hotel along with your team.

He hadn’t heard from you until he received a box to his door with your handwriting, the contents being stuff he’d left at your apartment. The memories from the past two years of his life squashed into a cardboard box.

He couldn’t stay stuck on it, he was moving quick and fast with Alpine. He knew you’d know.

When the call came in, he’d be driving in Canada he was ecstatic. Not only for the drive but he knew he’d be seeing you again. That you’d be there on media day.

The team knew he was looking for you when he walked in. They exchanged knowing glances.

“Jack this is Aaron, our social media manager. I don’t think you’ve met!”

Jack scowled “where’s Y/N?”

“Y/N quit…”

His heart dropped “W-what?”

“She just quit after Monaco, I don’t know”

He never drove in Canada. Sure this was his cosmic karma for what he did.

When the call came in during Saudi that he’d be an Alpine Driver for 2025 he wanted to call you immediately.

He paused before hitting call, unsure you’d care or that you hadn’t blocked him.

It got to two in the morning before he called, getting your voicemail

“I did it. I’m going to be fucking f1 driver, I really did it and i really wish you were here. God, I miss you”

The off season was spent in the gym, getting into the best shape he could.

Australia.

His home race was his first.

He was beyond nervous.

Social media, Aaron hadn’t stopped harassing him and while he appreciated it was his job Aaron didn’t seem as stealthy as you.

He qualified in the top ten and he was feeling on top of the world. Only one thing would make this better.

All of his family were there, all hosted in Alpine’s hospitality. He was just missing you.

On Sunday, despite his nerves he finished P9. Top 10.

He was celebrating as though he’d won the WDC.

His family were waiting for him in his garage, navigating to them when he stopped in his tracks.

You, stood with your old colleagues chatting away. The room fell silent when he saw you and you looked up with a cautious glance

“You’re here…”

“Congrats J, P9 that’s-“

“Shut up” he mumbled, striding across the room to kiss you. You melted into it, grasping at his forearms to balance yourself.

When you eventually pulled away for air you gasped lowly “shit, everyone-“

He shook his head “I care about you and only you. They do not matter. I’m really really sorry it took you losing your job to see that”

You didn’t get the chance to reply before Alex passed by the front of the garage “Hey Y/N! See you at work Monday?”

You looked up bashfully at a confused Jack

“So… I’m back on the grid I guess?”

“As long as you’re back with me, I’m supporting you wherever you go”

[starsinthesky5]

birthday kisses || joe burrow x reader

description: it’s your birthday and joe wants to make it the best birthday you’ve had and he has quite a few surprises up his sleeve. one, a little more special than the rest..

a/n: i rewrote this a few times because I couldn’t get a set idea of what it was going to be centered around and didn’t like how it looked. but i like this version now, so i hope this was good! also, i think im physically incapable of writing short fics because they turn out to be soo long😍

warnings: language, allusions to sex

word count: 7.5 k

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

A wave of cool air causes you to abruptly wake up early in the morning. You quickly pull the covers a little higher and let out a soft yawn while stretching out your arms. You looked over to Joe's side of the bed to see if he was awake, but it was empty. “He probably went downstairs,” you thought while getting out of bed and going into the bathroom to freshen up. 

When you walk into the bathroom, you see a bunch of red sticky notes covering your vanity mirror in the shape of a heart.

“What the hell,” you mumble, slightly dazed and half asleep. 

As you walk closer to the mirror you see a stray sticky note on the corner and it reads “Reasons Why I Love You,” in Joe’s handwriting. 

You feel a smile creeping up on your face as you begin to read the other stickies that formed the heart. “Your perfect smile, your gorgeous eyes, you’re so good to me, you’re soo sexy, your adorable laugh, your kind heart, your thoughtfulness, you’re my best friend, you’re my biggest supporter, your ability to understand me when nobody else does, you feel like home,”.

Your heart swells up as you continue reading. Little gestures like this always made your day. You don’t know how Joe would come up with these things but you never complained. He would randomly give you flowers from time to time, leave little notes for you to find, and always find a way to show his appreciation for you. 

You were too busy with the sticky notes to notice that Joe had walked into the bathroom. He stood at the entrance for a moment, admiring his beautiful girlfriend who was attending to his first birthday surprise for her. 

He walks up behind you, snakes his arms around your waist, and kisses your neck before saying, “Happy Birthday, Y/N,” with a smile. His muscular arms that were wrapped around you made you feel so warm and cozy, which was something you’d often feel when you were with Joe.  

You stay silent for a second, soaking up this wonderful moment to start your birthday. You turn around in his arms, plant a big kiss on his lips, and giggle, “Thank You, Romeo. You sure know how to make a girl feel amazing on her birthday,” 

“Oh, there’s plenty more where that came from, Juliet,” he mumbles as he closes in for another kiss. This time, a little sloppy and hungry. You both are caught up in a heated make-out for a few minutes before you eventually pull away, leaving him a little touch-deprived and breathless. 

“So, where were you?” You question while rubbing his shoulders, his eyes never leaving your lips. 

“I was setting up your next birthday surprise,” he says as he kisses up your jaw.

You let out a soft laugh and say, “Someone’s a little extra lovey-dovey today,”.

“Well when it’s the most beautiful girl in the universe’s birthday, I’ll wear my heart on both my sleeves and my face,”.

You lean your head back and stare into his deep blue eyes for a second before saying, “I love you,” while wrapping your arms around his neck. He always makes you feel like the only girl in the world, so special and loved. 

“I love you too,” he laughs while swaying you side to side, a huge grin on his face. 

“Now, onto more important matters. Close your eyes and follow me,” Joe says while letting go of you. He stretches out his hand, gesturing for you to take it and come with him.

You close your eyes and put your hand in his as he leads you out of the bedroom. Joe helps you down the stairs and into the kitchen + living room area and releases your hand. 

“Okay, open,” he says.

You grin and open your eyes and your mouth falls open as you take in what’s in front of you. 

You’re met with a wide array of flowers; including your favorites such as carnations, tulips, and roses. As you look over to the right you notice a few gift bags along with red balloons. To the left is a beautiful breakfast arrangement of all your favorite breakfast foods and fruits, seemingly prepared by Joe.

“Joe, oh my god this is so sweet,” you squeal as you walk closer to admire the flowers.

“26 flower bouquets for 26 years,” he says while carefully watching your reaction. 

“These flowers are gorgeous. All my favs. Thank youuuuu,” you say in amazement while scanning the room. “I think I’ll have to put at least 2 flower bouquets in every room,” you say while thinking about what you could do with all these blossoms. 

“I’m glad you like them,” Joe says as he guides you to the breakfast table. 

You look at the table and see a spread of chocolate chip pancakes, crispy bacon, fresh-cut fruits, hash browns, and more. “Did you do all of this?” you question in amazement. Joe had never been one to cook or bake. He knew how to cook a few things but would usually steer clear of the kitchen to avoid causing a fire, so this was incredibly surprising. 

“Yup,” he says with a smirk. “I woke up pretty early and called my Mom to help me figure some stuff out,” he says as he pulls out a chair for you to sit in. “She says Happy Birthday by the way. She wanted to call you but I asked her to wait till tomorrow since we’ll be busy all day,” he says while pulling his chair out to sit in. 

You nod and say, “This is amazing Joe, seriously you didn’t have to do all this,” as he fills your plate with food. 

“Yes, I did. It’s my favorite person’s birthday so you better believe I will go all out,” he laughs, causing you to break out in a huge grin. 

The breakfast Joe had made was so good and you couldn’t stop telling him how delicious everything was as you were stuffing your face. You even managed to convince him to make the pancakes for breakfast more often because they taste waaay better than yours. 

“What’s in those bags,” you point out and ask Joe while he is cleaning up the table. 

“Let’s find out,” he smirks. You both move over to the couch and he brings over 3 bags and places the first one in your lap. Each bag is a certain size: small, medium, and large. 

“Start with the small one,” he says while settling down on the couch next to you.

You smile at him and start to open the first bag. You see a small jewelry box and chuckle. “You are the reason why my jewelry chest is on the verge of exploding,” 

“Hey, gotta keep my girl iced out,” he laughs as he shrugs his shoulders. 

You playfully roll your eyes, open the box, and see a gorgeous little necklace. “The love necklace,” you say as your eyes go wide. 

“I saw you eyeing it last time we went to Cartier,” he says as he gets up. “Here, let me put it on you,”.

You let Joe put the necklace around your neck before turning around to face him and saying, “I love it,”. You were admiring the interlocking rings; a symbol of the love you two have for each other. That’s the reason why it caught your eye in the store in the first place and that’s when Joe knew that he had to get it for you. 

“One ring represents you, and the other me. We’re forever intertwined,” he says while pulling you in for a hug. 

“Romantic and a little cheesy. The perfect combo,” you say.  

“100%.” He says while placing a kiss on your forehead. He pauses for a second and lets out a breath and says, “Listen, before you open the other two bags, let me tell you what we’re doing today,”.

“I’m listening,” you respond. 

“After we get ready we’re gonna head over to the botanical gardens,”

“Interesting,” you say while studying his facial expression. “We haven’t been there in a while,”.

“Yup. They have a bunch of new stuff for spring and a new exhibit we can check out. After that, we’ll be going over to that fancy new Italian place in Columbus for dinner,”

You slowly get off of Joe and look him in the eyes, “But I thought it was fully booked for the rest of the year,” 

“Yeah it was, but I pulled a few strings,” he says while giving you a look. You weren’t surprised at that. There have been numerous times you both got instant seats at a fully booked restaurant since he is Ohio’s golden boy so nobody can and wants to say no. 

You let out a little squeal before leaping onto him again. “I’m so excited you have no idea. Thank you. Thank you. Thank youuu,” you say with a massive smile. 

“That’s what I was hoping for. I hope I can keep that smile on your face the whole day,” he laughs while rubbing your back. 

“I think if I smile even more my face will get stuck like this,” you respond. 

He lets out a small laugh before continuing, “And then after that, I have one more final surprise but I’m not telling you what that is yet,” 

“Okayyy,” you smile before planting a kiss on his neck. 

Joe had been planning this surprise for a very very long time, and since your birthday was coming up, all the stars seemed to have aligned for tonight to be the night. He was planning on proposing to you after dinner. He had the ring in his pocket for the past 3 months but just couldn’t find the right moment to ask you to marry him, but he knew that he wanted to make your birthday this year the best yet, and this hopefully would cement that. Joe knew that you would be his forever from the day you first met; you always brought out the best in him and that was very clear from the beginning. His friends would tease him about how whipped he was even before you officially started dating, and that was 5 years ago. Years later, it’s still the same thing. He could never get enough of you; you felt like home to him. 

You had stuck by his side through thick and thin and never for a second thought about running for the hills, which he thought was surprising. The drama that came with dating an NFL quarterback was intense, and no ordinary girl would be able to handle that plus the chaos behind the scenes whenever something went wrong with Joe. You were one of the strongest, most selfless, and most special women he’d ever met, and he needed to make sure that this would be a forever thing. And you were completely clueless about what was happening, which made everything even more special. 

You then opened the other two bags and they had a new outfit for you to wear today. He picked out a new cropped tight-fit green sweater, a matching black mini skirt, sheer black tights, along with a matching headband to compliment the outfit. He even got you the knee-high boots you’ve had your eye on for a while. 

“You spoil me too much,” you tell Joe while admiring all your gifts.

“Well I’m getting paid a shit ton of money to do what I love, I might as well spend the money on the women I love,” he casually says while cleaning up the trash from your presents. 

You stare at Joe for a few moments while getting a warm feeling inside your stomach. God, how did you get so lucky? He’s just so perfect and his words never failed to make you feel like you were 16 again and had just been complimented by your first crush. And here you are at 26. Your boyfriend never failed to make you feel like that again and managed to make you fall more in love than you already were. 

Joe catches you staring at him and lets out a little laugh, “Well, quit staring Birthday Girl, go get ready,”.  

You run over to him for a quick kiss before excitedly running up the stairs to get ready for the day. You put on the new outfit Joe got for you and then put on some light makeup. Joe walks into the bathroom after putting on his outfit; an all-black look with a burgundy jacket you got him for his birthday last year. He looked absolutely delicious and you were struggling to hold yourself back from pouncing on him. 

“You look hot,” you say to him as you apply the last bit of your lipgloss.

“You look even hotter,” he responds while moving closer to you. 

“Well, I owe credit to the person who picked out this killer outfit,” you say as you put away your makeup and turn to face him while leaning back against the vanity. 

“If we didn’t have to leave in 10 minutes, I would so take you back to bed right now,” he smirks while resting his arms on both sides of the vanity table, caging you in.

“Settle down, plenty of time for that later tonight,” you playfully tease. 

“Can’t wait,” he winks while placing another soft kiss on your lips.

“I think my lips might fall off by the end of today,” you giggled against his pretty pink lips.

“Well, the Birthday Girl deserves her Birthday Kisses,” he says as he moves his arms while grabbing your hand to lead you out of the room, a love-struck look on both of your faces.  

You both get in the car and drive to the gardens just outside of Columbus. Joe tells you that you’ll be staying at the Columbus apartment for today since it’ll be a late night and his last surprise is over there.

“How many surprises do you have planned?” you grin. 

“We’ll see,” he says while meeting your eyes and flashing a smile.

“Looks like I’ll have to up my game for your birthday. This secrecy is impressive,”.

“You’re already enough. I don’t need anything,” he assures you. You already do so much for him that he never needs anything more. He knows that you feel the same about him, but he knows that he should always show his appreciation and love toward you even if you don’t ask for him to show it. 

“We’ll see about that,” you tease which causes him to let out a defeated sigh.

On the way to the gardens, You and Joe talked about your plans for the rest of the month. Since it was off-season, you guys had quite a bit of free time and were focused on doing more things as a couple since you didn’t get to do much last year with Joe’s calf injury and 100 other things going on. Joe was still recovering from his injury from this past season but was set on enjoying his time off more. 

“We could go to Florida for a bit?” you say as you were talking about vacation ideas. “Or back to that beach house we rented in Malibu last May?”.

“Sounds amazing,” he says while running his fingers through his hair. “We should do both if we can,”.

You smile and say, “I’ll check the calendar when we get home,”.

“We should also take your family on a trip somewhere soon too,” he adds. You looked over at him and felt that warm feeling in your stomach again. 

Joe always made sure to spend time with your family as much as he could. It was extremely important to him and always made sure they came to a few games throughout the season and that you both did something fun with them during the off-season. You’d see his family frequently since they only lived a few hours away, but he felt bad since your family was far away and couldn’t see them as often. 

“They did mention wanting us to come with them on the big dad’s side of the family Hawaii trip this year since we couldn’t last year because of your calf rehab,” you said. 

“We can definitely make that happen,” he says as he places his hand on your thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze. 

You look over at him and melt at his thoughtfulness. He didn’t really like going on big trips, especially ones out of the country, so this meant a lot to you. “God, I love you so much,” you whisper just loud enough for him to hear.   

“Right back at ya,” he says while grabbing your hand, bringing it to his lips, and kissing it. 

After a little while you arrive at the botanical gardens and Joe leads you inside, both of you stuck to each other’s side as you walk through the gardens. The first exhibit you both decide to walk around in is the Spring Flower Garden Walk. You both walked hand in hand through rows of gorgeous tulips, daffodils, and hydrangeas. 

“These are so pretty,” you say as you walk over to the field of tulips, mesmerized by their beauty.  

“Y/N, Look at these kick-ass orange hydrangeas,” he says across from you. One thing about Joe is that the man adored flowers just as much as you, maybe even more than you. He would get so excited every time you got him flowers and you thought it was the cutest thing in the world. Even though he was a football player, he was a softie through and through and you were one of the only people that got to see it. 

After walking through the flower walk, you venture over to the cherry blossom trees display. There were hundreds of beautiful pink blossom trees surrounding you both, and it felt like a scene out of a rom-com. You both spent a few minutes walking through the trees until Joe insisted he take a few photos of you surrounded by the trees. 

“Joe, you’ve taken like 50 pictures,” you laugh while he keeps taking more.

“Being with you has taught me that no amount of pictures is enough. Gotta get all the angles and candids. Also, you look absolutely gorgeous,” he beams. 

“You flatter me, Joseph,” you tease. “Here, let’s take a selfie,” you say as you motion for him to come over. You take the phone from him and angle it so that his tall frame would fit in the photo and take a few photos. 

“Aw, we look so adorable,” you say as you inspect the photo. You’re holding up the phone as Joe stands behind you while resting his chin against your head. His golden skin is glistening in the sunlight while both your smiles speak a thousand words. 

“We look perfect,” he says while pressing a kiss on the side of your head. 

After spending some time around the blossom trees, you follow the path to the greenhouse, “This literally looks like it belongs in a movie,” you say while admiring the various vines and greenery. 

“Looks like something straight out of Harry Potter,” Joe says while taking a few photos of the impressive design and details of the greenhouse.

You and Joe then take a walk around the lake and through the Italian Water Garden, admiring its natural beauty and detailed architectural features. You passed various fountains and structures that you learned were inspired by the sculptor's visits to Italy. 

As you were walking through the fountains, you remembered Joe mentioning a new exhibit that you would be visiting as well. “So what’s the new exhibit you were talking about?” 

“Good timing, we’re about to go there next. I think you’ll love it,” he says while squeezing your hand and giving you a warm smile. 

The path leads you to the conservatory where Joe says the newest exhibition is. “Okay, I’m gonna need you to close your eyes again,” Joe says as he stops you both just outside the door. 

“Okay,” you say as you close your eyes and feel Joe’s hand guide you through the door. 

He helps inside the conservatory and you immediately feel a ray of warm sunshine hit your face. “Open,” he says.

You open your eyes and immediately notice the hundreds of butterflies around the room. “Oh my god,” you whisper. “The fucking butterfly exhibit,” you say as you turn to face Joe. 

“Yup,” he says while crossing his arms across his chest, feeling proud that he remembered how you were telling him during your first date a few years ago about how much you enjoyed this special butterfly exhibit you went to in New York. These exhibits were pretty rare since they would showcase some of the rarest species of butterflies, so getting tickets was always a struggle. So, when he was planning your birthday, he saw that there was an exclusive butterfly exhibit coming to the botanical gardens this month and he had to take you there. Unfortunately, the tickets had sold out weeks ago but he was determined to get you both there. All it took was a quick phone call and a donation to the gardens and here he was, in the exhibit, watching the love of his life lose her shit over it. 

You walk over to him and pull him in for a big hug, “You remembered,” you cooed. 

“Of course I remembered,” he said while wrapping his arms around your waist.

“Thank you,” you say before giving him a sincere look. You felt tears pooling your eyes, the feels of the day so far were catching up to you and there was still the rest of the day to go.

You had spent about an hour in the butterfly exhibit, examining the various species of butterflies, learning about them, and taking a million pictures of the beautiful creatures. Joe had never been to a butterfly exhibit before but you could tell he was having the time of his life by how invested he was in the ‘learning about butterflies’ portion of the exhibit. 

“Joe don’t move,” you urge.

“What, what’s wrong,” he glances over with a slightly panicked look. 

“Just do not move a muscle,” you say as you pull out your phone again. 

You begin taking a few photos of him as there are 4 butterflies nestled on him and he had no idea. There was one on each of his arms and two on his left shoulder. He noticed you taking photos of him and looked around and saw the butterflies on him and let out a laugh which ultimately scared away the delicate beings. 

“Damn,” he said while moving back over to you.

“Well, lucky for us I did get a few good pics,” you say while showing him the candids. “Chick magnet for real,” you teased.

“Aye, the only chick that’s getting pulled to me by my magnetic field is you,” he deadpanned, causing you to let out a little chuckle. 

“What kind of butterfly is that one? It’s so sick,” he says while pointing at the one on his left arm in the photo.  

“That is a Palos Verdes Blue,” you say. “They’re usually around the Palos Verdes peninsula in Cali and almost went extinct. They released thousands of them back in 2020 in the hope to repopulate them,” you conclude.

“Damn, it’s crazy how they got some here,” he says.

“I know right,” you say while examining the photo. “This is why I love butterfly exhibits. You never know which butterfly you’ll see. Also because I’m kinda obsessed with butterflies and how they remind me of us,” you add while looking up at him.  

“Really?” he questions as his heart feels like it’s about to beat out of his chest. 

“Yup. You already know that right before we met I had just gotten over a nasty breakup. I thought that person was for me and that would be my forever, but once it ended, I felt lost and hopeless. I felt like I would never be able to find my person, and then I met you,” you say as you tuck your phone away and grab his hand. 

“You taught me how to love again. You showed me what freedom felt like and you gave me hope that my person is out there. It might have taken me a second to realize it then, but I’m glad I realized that person is you,” you say.

“With you, I feel like a butterfly. Free, hopeful, and loved,” you add. 

“Y/N,” he whispers while reaching to cup your face. 

“I love you, Joe. So much,” you say as you pull him into you. “Thank you for bringing me here,” you say against his neck. 

“I love you, Y/N. No need to thank me, ever,” he says while giving your forehead a sweet kiss. 

You stay wrapped up in a hug for a few more moments before deciding to finish up your visit to the gardens and head to the city for the second half of your birthday celebration. 

20 minutes later

You had made it onto the highway and were on the way to the city. You spent a few minutes trying to answer some birthday texts from friends and family while Joe was focused on the road.

Currently, you were humming along to the song on the aux, “Staring” by Tipling Rock, which you and Joe had dubbed to be your song ever since it was playing in the background at the party you met at. 

Flashback to the first time you met (2020)

Your POV

You were currently visiting your bestie at the University of Cincinnati during her break as she was finishing up her masters and she had managed to drag you to one of the clubs downtown to let loose. Unknowingly, you both were crashing a party thrown by a football player for the Cincinnati Bengals. Sam Hubbard had decided to throw a small party at a local club in celebration of his best friend getting drafted to the team as their QB1. You had no idea what you had walked into that night, but it was the night that changed your life. 

“I think those are some football players for the Bengals,” Sophia yells into your ear over the loud music while pointing to the other side of the bar. 

You look over to where she was pointing and see a group of muscular men doing shots and laughing like hyenas. 

“Damn, I didn’t think I’d see any famous people while I was here,” you replied. “Anyone noteworthy?” You question while bobbing your head to the song “Staring” on the speakers.

“Actually yeah, I think that’s Joe Burrow over there next to Sam. We just drafted him from LSU. He was the one that won the College Football Championship and Heisman,” she says while sipping her drink. 

You barely pay attention to what she’s saying because you find yourself staring at one of the guys. His tall frame, dirty blonde hair, and piercing blue eyes had you in a trance. 

“Yeah, he looks familiar,” you mumble while looking back at your friend. 

Joe’s POV

You got me staring like a fool

Yeah I know you want me too

“Who are those two girls over there,” I ask as I take another sip of my drink while bobbing to the song in the background. 

“No clue bro, I thought they closed this part of the club off for us,” Sam replies before taking another shot.

Sam’s voice became background noise for Joe as he found himself staring at the beautiful girl across the room. She seemingly was in a deep conversation with her friend and didn’t notice Joe staring over at her. Her beautiful smile and adorable facial expressions had Joe in a trance. She looked incredibly gorgeous in her little black dress and golden heels.

“Love at first sight?” Sam teases you while punching your shoulder. 

“Really funny,” I laugh, still staring over at her. I was silently wishing that she’d look over at me, and she did. She looked over and made direct eye contact with me, and I felt my heart skip a beat.

When you look back at me

Ah girl, I know you get me

“Oh shit, she's looking over at you,” Sam said.

“Shit.” I panicked as I watched her friend laugh and point over to me. “You think she caught me staring at her?”.

“Probably. Why don’t you go up to her,” Sam urges. 

“And make a total fool outta myself? Yeah, I'm good,” 

“Joe, It’s your first month in the city, let loose. You probably won’t ever see her again too,” Sam says with a wink. 

I thought about it for a second and he’s right, a small conversation won’t really hurt. We’ll just have to see where it goes, if it even goes anywhere. I doubt it will though, but harmless flirting never killed anyone. 

Your POV

“Y/N?” Sophia questions as she traces your gaze over to the group of men, specifically Joe, and realizes what is happening. A huge smile appears on her face, “I see you eyeing Joe over there,” she teases. 

“Shut up,” you playfully say while looking back over your bestie. 

You turned your head back over the group of guys and it felt like the world just stopped. Joe was looking right at you and you’d just made direct eye contact. A feeling of heat filled your stomach and you felt flushed. 

My eyes and your eyes

The sunlight, it's alright

“Oh my god, he’s looking at you,” your friend squeals while pointing to him. 

“Oh my god,” you whisper, feeling slightly embarrassed that he probably caught you eyeing him. 

“Go talk to him, girl. He’s looking at you like he wants to throw you over his shoulders and take you to bed,” she teases.

“Are you fucking crazy? This is the QB1 we’re talking about now. I’d be stupid to get involved with that,”.

“You’ll probably never see him again, Y/N. And after what happened with ‘he who shall not be named’, you need to have some fun,” she urges. 

She’s honestly right. I’ll probably never see him again since I don’t even think me and Sophia are supposed to be back here. I deserve to let loose after what I went through in my last relationship. A harmless conversation and some playful flirting won’t hurt. 

“Y/N..” Sophia says while slapping your arm to get your attention.

“What,” you say as you look over to her.

“He’s walking over,”. 

“Fuck,” I whispered.

I turned my neck back over to where the guys were and didn’t see Joe anywhere. Then I looked straight ahead and saw the quarterback making his way over to me, flashing a huge smile. He looked even better up close, and those eyes were just begging for you to get lost in them. 

“And that’s my cue to leave,” Sophia whispers into your ear. “Remember, safe sex is great sex,” she teases before sliding off the barstool and running away before you can beg her to stay. 

A million thoughts were floating around in my head right now. Why is he coming over? What should I say to him? Does he think I'm a crazy fan? Do I look good? 

Joe casually slides into the barstool next to you and meets your eyes. He stays silent for a few seconds before saying, “Hey, I’m Joe,”. 

“Hi, I’m Y/N,” you barely speak out before flashing him an honest smile. 

“Caught you looking over at me and my friends,” he smirks. 

Oh dear god. 

“Uhh yeah,” you smile while looking down at your thighs. 

Why was I so nervous? He doesn’t know me and I don’t know him. Fuck this shit. 

“I caught you staring at me too,” you boldly say while looking back up at him. 

Yeah, how could I look right past ya

You got me staring at ya

End of flashback 

While you were staring at Joe, he was gazing out onto the road, seemingly in a daydream much like how you just were. 

“You alright Babe?” you question while placing your hand on his thigh. 

He snaps out of his daze before flashing you a quick smile, “Yeah, sorry I was just thinking about something,”.

What Joe was thinking about was your final birthday surprise that would be after dinner. He was incredibly scared of how you would react to it since it quite literally would change both of your lives and it all started to feel really real. 

“Well, whatever it is that has you so dazed, snap out of it,” you giggle as you turn up the music to sing along to the song.

A smile appears on Joe’s face as he recalls the memory you had attached to this song all those years ago.

“Damn, I’m getting Deja Vu,” he says while looking over at you lovingly. 

“I can’t believe it. It feels like just yesterday I was stumbling over my words at the bar,” you giggle. 

“Please, you were exuding confidence the entire time we were talking,” he says. “I’m just glad you didn’t run away when I walked over to you,”.

“I did think about it for a second. But I am sooo glad I kept my ass in that barstool,”.

“Me too. And I’m glad you decided to let me take you out for dinner later that week,”.

“As if you’d let me leave the bar if I didn’t say yes,” you laugh. 

20 minutes later

Once you got to the restaurant, Joe dropped you at the door while he went around the back to park the car. The restaurant was overlooking the gorgeous blue river and the sky was a lovely mixture of orange, pink, and purple hues as the sun was setting. “Picture perfect,” you whisper to yourself as you catch a glimpse of your gorgeous boyfriend walking over to you. 

Joe had managed to get a private dining room overlooking the river for the two of you, away from prying eyes and overly invested strangers. When you walked into the room, you saw that it had been decorated just for you. A few balloons were scattered around the room, a custom menu was on the table, and soft music was playing in the background. You snap a few pics of the special setup, and then a few pics of you and Joe before sitting down. 

After, you both sat down at the table that had a few candles that produced a warm glow around you two, almost as if it was creating a bubble around you both. You had been sipping on chardonnay while eating delicious bruschetta and talking about the vibe of the restaurant, both agreeing that it may be your new favorite place. You had ordered your favorite Chicken Parmigiana, and Joe had ordered the Pasta alla Norma, and you guys couldn’t wait to dig in.

“Mmmm, this is sooo good,” you say while eating the tasty food.

“Very good,” Joe says while taking another sip of his wine to wash down the pasta. His nerves were still there and he was silently praying the wine would get rid of them as soon as possible.

“I could eat this for the rest of my life,” you say while putting your hand over your mouth to hide the food in your mouth. You noticed that Joe was staring outside for a few moments, looking a little anxious before he turned back to face you again. 

You set down your fork and reach over the table to grab his hand in yours, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You alright?” you say with worry in your voice. “If you feel nervous we can get to-go boxes and eat back at the apartment, I don’t mind at all,” you say while rubbing his hand.

There it was, your selfless and caring nature. Even on your own birthday, you were willing to change the plan just so Joe would feel more relaxed. He didn’t particularly enjoy going out because of the unwanted attention that he would get, and here you were, trying to soothe his anxiety by being willing to leave your special birthday dinner for him. 

“No, no. I’m fine,” he soothes. “We can stay,”. 

“Are you sure? You seem a little out of it right now,” you say with concern. 

How can he tell you that the reason he’s nervous is because of what’s happening after dinner and not the dinner itself? “I promise I’m okay,” he says while letting go of your hand and cupping your face, rubbing his thumb across your soft cheek. 

“If you say so,” you reply while placing your hand over his which was still on your cheek.

The rest of the dinner went pretty smoothly as you and Joe talked more about your potential vacations. After finishing up, you both talked to the manager for a little while and made sure to tell him that the food was out of this world. Joe grabbed your hand, interlocking it with his, and led you outside after you finished talking. You thought he was leading you to the car, but you were wrong as you both passed the car and started walking around the building. 

“Joe, the car is over there,” you say as you stop him. 

“Yes, it is. But your final surprise is over here,” he says as he continues walking and pulls you close to him. 

“Okay,” you giggle. 

You watch as he leads you both down the familiar street, eventually making it to the riverwalk. 

“Why are we here?” you question. 

“You’ll see,” he smiles. 

You continue walking down the riverwalk, the lamp posts being the only light other than the moon that was illuminating your surroundings. It was just the two of you out there, and that made this moment even more special. 

After a few more minutes of walking hand in hand, you see a few bright glowing lights in the distance. 

“What’s that,” you point out. 

“That is where we’re going,” Joe smirks.

“What on earth did you do,” you question while pulling him closer. 

Once you got closer to the light, you saw that it was a bunch of candles outlining the dock and there were various rose petals scattered around that eventually led to the end of the landing. 

Joe carefully helped you onto the dock and led you to the end by the railing. “Joe, this is so beautiful,” you say while squeezing his hand. 

“Do you know where we are right now?” He questions once you both reach the end of the dock. He places his arms on the railing and stares out into the river, which currently matches the shade of his eyes. 

You look around for a second and feel Deja vu. “You brought me here on our first date didn’t you,” you remember. 

“Bingo,” he says. After your delightful dinner date downtown, Joe had brought you over to the riverwalk to end the night, and you ended up sitting on this dock for over an hour talking about life. It was the most heartfelt and raw conversation he’d ever had with a person and that’s when he knew that you were going to be a special person in his life. 

“And you brought me here during our 3-month anniversary,” you say while looking over at him, smiling when you remember what happened here during that night.

“Damn 2 for 2,” he laughs. He had once again brought you to the exact same spot during your 3 month anniversary. This is also where you both told each other you loved each other for the first time. 

“This is kinda our spot now,” you smile as you watch Joe turn and face you. “So many special memories and moments,”. 

He nods his head and says, “It is. I hope we can create one more special memory tonight too,”.

It takes a few seconds for his words to register in your brain and you immediately feel butterflies in your stomach. Was this really happening?

Joe grabs both of your hands and holds them tight as he begins to talk. 

“Y/N, you are the greatest fucking thing to ever have happened to me. I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without your constant love and support. You’ve risked so much for me and have always shown up when I needed you. You’re smart, sexy, kind, and one of the strongest people I know,” he says as you feel tears pool your eyes.

“From the first time I saw you at that party, I knew that you were going to be a special person in my life. And after our first date, I knew that you’d be my forever. When I'm with you, it feels like nothing else matters and I need that comfort in this crazy life we live. Every day since then has been a dream for me because I get to spend it with you. You’re the only girl I want and the only girl I need, and I love you so much,” he continues as you feel hot tears sliding down your cheeks. 

“These past 5 years have literally been the best years of my life all because of you and I want to make this a forever thing,” he says while reaching for his pocket to pull out a box.

Your heart skips a beat and everything feels like it stopped, just like it did 5 years ago when you first saw Joe, and here he was down on one knee. 

He opens the box and inside sits a beautiful ring, one that you’d only ever dreamed about. 

“So, Y/N, will you be my forever and marry me?” He asks. 

You pause for a few seconds as you try to compose yourself. You stare into his baby-blue eyes and see nothing but love, passion, and home. 

You sob as you crouch down and plant a big kiss on his soft lips and say, “Yes, I’ll marry you,” in between tears. 

Joe stares into your eyes for a few seconds before capturing your lips in a passionate kiss. He grabs your hand and slides the stunning ring onto your finger, a ring that would now never come off. 

He helps you up and immediately pulls you into a tight hug. “We’re getting married,” he whispers into your ear as he sways you back and forth

You pull back and your eyes go wide, “Oh my god I’m a fiancée,”. 

Joe lets out a laugh and says “Yes, you are,”. 

“Oh my god, I’m going to be a Burrow,” you whisper scream. “Holy fuck, you’re my husband,” you realize. 

“I am so lucky,” he laughs as he pulls you back in for a hug. 

“Please, I think I hit the jackpot here,” you laugh. 

“Nah, I def struck gold with you,” he says as he hugs you tighter. 

After staying at the dock for a few moments to soak in the moment and take a few pictures, you head back over to the car and then rush to the apartment. You both were overcome with so many emotions: love, passion, desire, and lust. He needed to get you both home so you could express them in private and show each other how much you loved one another. 

Now, you both were lying on the bed, your head resting on his bare chest as you both were recovering from a long and passion-filled lovemaking session. 

You look down at your hand again--maybe for the 100th time this night--and admire the ring on your finger. You couldn’t believe it was real, that this was real. 

You look up at Joe and say, “Thank you for making this the best birthday ever,”. He really made this the greatest day and birthday of your life. 

He looks down and meets your gaze. “Don’t thank me Y/N. You deserve this,”.

“I love you,” he whispers in your ear. 

“I love you, forever and always. I can't wait to do this with you forever,” you say back as Joe releases you from his embrace and moves to hover over you again. 

“What are you doing,” you giggle as he starts kissing you all over your face, eventually making it to your lips.

“Birthday Kisses remember. Your lips still haven’t fallen off yet. And I’m also not done with you yet,” he says in between kisses. 

You let out a soft laugh before closing your eyes and enjoying what was to come. He had managed to make this birthday the best damn birthday of your life, and it could only get better now that you’d have him forever. 

—The End—

[lovebugism]

Hi I am begging on my knees for more of your steddie x reader it’s so good I’m crying

BIZARRE LOVE TRIANGLE | baby fever

summary: steve's got a bad case of baby fever. it's not so bad until you start getting sick with it too. eddie has to come up with a solution before all of you fall ill.

pairing: steve harrington / f!reader / eddie munson

a/n: i just realized i haven't posted anything steddie related in almost three months. i am so sorry. this is a total travesty. please enjoy this 3k blurb and find it in your heart to forgive me <3

You squint at the grocery list scribbled on a bright blue sticky note. It’s a mish-mash of all your different handwritings. Some are certainly neater than others. “This just says crabs… I think...”

“It doesn’t say crabs, you loon,” Eddie laughs from where he mans the shopping cart beside you. He’s steering the thing about as well as his van. “It says cereals.”

“No, it says a bunch of gibberish that no one can read but you,” you retort with a giggle of your own as you follow him down the breakfast aisle. “And we just need one box of cereal, alright? Singular.”

He turns to you with a cartoonish pout on his lips. “But why?”

“Because you’re like a kid, Eds. You eat the entire thing in one sitting, and then you’re absolutely haywire for the rest of the day.”

And, just like a child, the boy stands in front of the vibrantly colored boxes of cereal with a wide grin on his face.

The local grocery store was smaller compared to the others in town, but they had every brand of the breakfast food known to man, stacked in neat rows from the floor to ceiling. 

Eddie’s got a twinkle in his eye as his gaze runs over them all. And even though you think it’s all boyish and hilarious, you let him have his fun. 

He grew up unable to enjoy all the goodness of overly sweet cereal because bills and food with actual sustenance were always more important. Now, he’s got a halfway stable job with Wayne at the car shop, and he’s living at his own place with his boyfriend and girlfriend, and he can buy whatever the hell kind of cereal he wants. 

So, as far as he’s concerned, everyone who said he’d never amount to much can suck it. 

And you know you’ll let him buy the whole damn grocery store out of their cereal if that’s what he wants. It’s the least you can do for the world’s best boyfriend — a title he begrudgingly shares with Steve The Hair Harrington.

You’d give him the world if you could, but for now you’ll have to settle for a couple of boxes of Lucky Charms.

“Okay, so the OJ’s we got last time tasted like absolute shit,” Eddie mutters, mostly to himself as he crouches to peer at the lower shelves. “I saw a commercial for Waffle-O’s this morning, and they looked pretty good. But I know you like Breakfast With Barbie and Steve ate a bowl of C3PO’s every day for, like, two weeks, so…”

You stand by the cart and laugh at his rambling. You turn to look behind you with a lighthearted joke sitting on the edge of your tongue. It dissipates when you realize Steve isn’t next to you. 

Instead, he’s still standing at the end of the aisle with his back to you and Eddie — like his feet forgot how to work when he caught sight of the family across the store. It’s a mother and a father, dressed in their mid-weekday finest, with a baby swaddled at their chest and a toddler bouncing in the seat of the shopping cart. 

And you know it’s got the boy totally lost in his own head. You know he's picturing you and him and Eddie as that happy family — the one fills every store you walk into with baby babbles and bubbly laughter. 

Steve told you his senior year of high school he wanted a baby, that he wanted six of them, and that he wanted them all with you. And you were just a stupid seventeen-year-old girl who would’ve done anything he asked you to, though you definitely drew the line at babies. 

But you’re older now, and far more settled than you had been all that time ago. Steve’s ready for a family, but you don’t think you’re anywhere close.

“How about we just compromise and get all three?” Eddie finally concludes with the boxes already in his arms. He dumps them into the cart and notices that your attention is elsewhere. He realizes then that Steve’s gone too because his attention is stuck on a nice family minding their own business. 

“Not again…” he murmurs to himself while you go rescue the boy.

“I’ve never seen someone so sick with baby fever in my life,” you laugh as you drag Steve back to the cart by his wrist.

“I can’t help it!” he defends weakly. “They were so cute! They were all matching and I couldn’t stop thinking about how I can’t wait to coordinate outfits with our baby. Doesn’t that sound like the cutest fucking thing ever?”

“It sounds very adorable, Stevie,” you nod understandingly and try to ignore the way your stomach twists at the thought of him and his baby girl wearing matching pastels every time they step out of the house. “And we can be just like them in five years—”

“Five years?” he gapes.

“Maybe even ten,” Eddie shrugs and nonchalantly tosses a box of Count Chocula into the cart.

“Ten years— You guys are insane if you think I’m waiting ten years to have a kid!” Steve protests with a pair of buff arms crossed boyishly over his chest. “I’m not getting any younger over here, you know that, right?”

“You’re twenty-five, Steve, stop being so dramatic. We’re just now trying to get settled. I’m still in school, you’re still working at Family Video, Eddie’s still… Eddie. Don’t you think we should have actual careers before we have a kid?”

Steve huffs and rolls his eyes, feigning annoyance even though he knows you’re right.

It’s not like he wants to keep working at the stupid store on Main Street. He keeps putting off the conversation with his dad about another job, because he puts off every conversation with his dad. He’s scared of what asking for a position at his firm will do to his pride.

“She’s right, and you know it, Steven,” Eddie tells him, then scoffs. “I mean, can you really imagine me with a baby strapped to my chest on tour?”

You and Steve both pause and tilt your heads to the side as you picture the sight, terribly in sync as always. You can imagine it, quite perfectly actually, tangible enough to touch.

“Well—”

“That’s the cutest thing I think I’ve ever heard,” Steve finishes your thought for you.

Eddie cowers at the sudden attention. “Okay, stop looking at me like I’m a piece of meat, alright? We are not having a kid right now. There’s no fucking way.”

Steve all but deflates at the rejection as Eddie pushes the cart down the aisle, desperate to escape the bubble of tension the conversation had created in the cereal section.

You smile sheepishly over at Steve and wrap your arms through the crook of his elbow, standing on the tips of your toes to press a kiss to his cheek. “He’s being grumpy about it, but he’s right… It’s just not a good idea right now— but it will be, okay? One day. Just not… to-day.”

┄

The day, for you, comes exactly seven of them later. 

You accompany Steve on his morning run and his routine stop for coffee. You’re not quite sure how he’s still mobile because your muscles are screaming, even after the warm shower you took to soothe them.

You left him alone for all of half a second to use the bathroom while he ordered drinks for him and you, and something extra for Eddie for when the boy decides to roll out of bed.

When you return, you find him bouncing a baby on his hip — a young thing, maybe three if you had to guess, with two buns in her hair like bunny ears and a sparkly pink dress to match the bows she wears in them.

Steve smiles down at her, talking to her in a baby voice and saying something you can’t hear because you’re frozen in place. You resemble him at the grocery store a week ago, when he was thrown into a daydream so suddenly that his body all but shut down. 

You look at him now, tickling the baby’s sides just to hear her giggle, and you see him with your firstborn — sleep deprived, covered in spit-up, and still the most beautiful human you’d ever seen.

You have to shake your head to remove the thought before it ruins you entirely. 

Freshly jostled from your stupor, you walk over to him. “Steve… Please tell me you didn’t steal someone’s baby.”

He laughs. “What? No! She was just a little fussy, and I offered to take her while her mom looked for something,” the boy explains. You look just behind him to see the woman bent over at one of the smaller tables, sifting vigorously through a large baby bag.

“She doesn’t seem very fussy now,” you observe, eyes flitting between his and the child's and noticing they’ve both got matching grins.

“She doesn’t, does she?” he smiles, softly scratching at her sides again to make her laugh. And she does, most enthusiastically so, tilting her head back and letting the giggles spill from an open mouth.

He turns back to you, with wide eyes and raised brows and a bemused grin. “I like she likes me.”

“Of course, she does,” you scoff. “Babies always like you.”

The mom returns with a snack in hand and a relieved smile. Steve passes the baby back to her with little effort. She whines at the loss of him, though the brightly packaged treat is quick to quell her sorrow. 

“Thanks for taking her,” the mother's grateful smile falters with exhaustion. “If I don’t give her the same snack at exactly the same time every day, she tends to go a little nuts.” 

Steve tells her that it’s no problem, that he was a part-time babysitter at one point in his life, and that her kid was better than those little shits combined. He censors himself before the swear slips out, though.

You go your separate ways when the barista calls out your drink orders and walk hand in hand back to your place.

“Did you get their names?” you ask him before taking a sip of your latte.

“The mom’s name was Maeve and the kid’s name was Harper—”

“Holy shit,” you mutter.

Steve snaps his head over to you because he thinks you’ve burnt your mouth. Instead, he finds you with a distant smile on your face.

“Those are the cutest names I’ve ever heard. It sounds like something out of a fucking cartoon or something.”

“Yeah…” is all he can say because his mind is preoccupied with a million other thoughts. He doesn’t tell you them, obviously, but you know they’re there. The sly smile pulling at his lips makes it obvious.

“…Why are you looking at me like that.”

“Because I’m totally gonna wear you down,” he grins and brings his coffee to his mouth, sipping through his smirk.

You only scoff in response. “Never.”

┄

It doesn’t take you very long to realize that Steve was right.

You spend the rest of the day thinking about it — about him with a baby and how perfect he'd be as a dad. The thoughts plague you far more than they usually do. They take up the entire frontal cortex of your brain and make it nearly impossible to think about anything else.

You’re self-aware enough to beat yourself up about it. 

You were just telling him that it wasn’t time yet, and you knew you were right. As far as you’re concerned, you still have another few good years before you’re ready to even start seriously considering it. 

But here you are, having to calm yourself down every time the thought of Steve Harrington with a baby, your baby, crosses your mind.

You wait until the boy heads to bed to talk to Eddie about it. You find him in the kitchen, eating handfuls of Breakfast with Barbie like a maniac. You’re too preoccupied to make a snarky comment about it.

“Steve wasn’t lying,” you warn him.

“..About what?” he wonders through the mouthful.

“About him not waiting ten years to have a baby! He wants one now!” you explain through a yell-whisper hybrid. “And he told me he was going to wear me down, and he was right.”

Eddie’s eyes go wide too, like he’s just learned you caught some sort of plague. You have. It’s called baby fever, and it’s only a matter of time before the entire house is afflicted. “Shit…”

“So you have to be the strong one, Eddie.”

“Oh, god,” he whines with pinched brows. “Why does it have to be me?”

“Because I saw him hold a baby today.”

“…And this is a bad thing?”

“Of course, it’s a bad thing! My hormones went crazy, okay? It’s like my brain stopped functioning, and I started thinking with my ovaries or something! All human instinct told me to lay down and procreate the second we got home!”

Eddie laughs to himself. “Are you sure it was human instinct, or was it just you on a normal Wednesday?”

“I’m being serious, Eddie,” you tell him, a sudden solemnity to your features. “You have to put your foot down whenever Steve talks about it because I will cave.”

“Alright, alright, have some Barbie cereal and settle down,” he tells you with a playful grin.

He offers you the box and you pout for a moment before sticking your hand into it and pulling out several red and purple butterfly pieces.

The boy wraps an arm around you with his free hand. He pulls you closer and noses at the crown of your head. You sigh as you relax into him. 

“I’ll take care of it, okay? I actually have the perfect idea.”

“I don’t like the sound of that,” you waver through a mouthful of cereal.

“Don’t worry about it,” he lilts with a grin, smacking a kiss to your forehead. “Let me take care of it.”

┄

You and Steve are tangled in bedsheets, both slowly rousing but trying desperately to go back to sleep. 

You’re laying on your stomach, face smushed into the pillow you clutch to your head. Steve lays halfway on top of you — his legs knotted with yours, arm splayed over your back, and softly snoring in your ear. 

Both of you noticed the lack of Eddie’s presence, but chose not to linger on it too much, figuring he must’ve gone for a breakfast run. 

He returns hardly a moment after the thought of him crosses your mind. You hear the door open and shut again, then the shouts of your names entwined with a muffled barking.

You groan at the intrusion on your sleep.

Steve huffs and shifts against you, voice gruff with fatigue as he wonders: “Why do I hear a dog?”

The mixture of confusion and subtle knowing has you both shuffling out of the bedroom and trudging into the living room.

You round the corner and find Eddie standing by the door with a rowdy goldendoodle bouncing at his feet. He’s trying hopelessly to undo its leash when the thing starts to squirm at the sight of you and Steve.

Eddie’s eyes flit to the both of you when he notices you standing across the room. A smile bursts like early morning sunshine on his face. “Surprise!” he beams.

The metal of the leash clicks when he finally gets it unbuckled. The dog dashes your way, all but jumping into Steve and then spinning in circles with excitement as it tries to figure out who to accept attention from. 

“You got us a dog?” the boy wonders, head cocked back to dodge the thing as it licks at his chin.

“You said you wanted a baby,” Eddie shrugs. “So, I got you a baby.”

“This is so not what a meant,” the boy grouses in response, though he’s got his arms wrapped around the dog like he’s hugging it. “I mean, it’s not even a baby— it’s huge.”

“The woman at the shelter said he was eight months old. And he is a he, so stop calling him it.”

You crouch beside Steve, scratching the dog behind his ear. He pants with his tongue sticking out, almost looking like he’s smiling. It makes you smile too. 

“We don’t even have dog food. Or toys. Or a bed,” you stress. “What are we even gonna name it?”

“Well, I took care of exactly one of those things,” Eddie lilts with a grin. “They only had that gross artificial shit at the grocery store, but they did have some badass collars and an engraving machine, so…”

You and Steve peek through the dog’s golden curls and find a black band with silver spikes dotted around the neck. “Super metal, huh?” you hear himEdiejoke as you reach for the dangled heart pendant handing around the collar.

“…Ozzy?” you recite.

“See what I mean?” he beams. “Metal.”

[cutielando]

about time | c.s.

synopsis: in which your relationship is long-overdue to happen

my masterlist

Everyone who knew you and Carlos could tell that you were very much in love with each other.

Well, everyone but the two of you.

You and Carlos had been friends for many years, even prior to him joining Formula 1. You had kept in touch even after he started travelling the world, you often flew out to his races when your schedule would allow it, you would vacation together.

Typical stuff that best friends do.

However, what everyone else could see were the stolen glances when you thought nobody was looking, the little gestures you thought nobody noticed, the extra special attention he would give you whenever you were out, how your eyes sparkled when you talked about the other.

Everything.

It was annoying how oblivious both you and the Spaniard seemed to be.

Carlito, the nicknamed you had for Carlos' cousin in order to tell them apart, had had enough of it and decided that maybe, just maybe, you needed a push in the right direction.

And so the planning began.

You had gotten a message from Carlito asking you to meet him at a restaurant in downtown Las Vegas where the current Grand Prix was being held to discuss something very important.

Coincidentally, Carlos got the same exact message from his cousin, asking him to meet at the same restaurant at the same exact hour as you.

Once you got to the restaurant, you looked around but couldn't spot your long-time friend, so you asked the hostess for your reservation.

Not even 5 minutes after you had been seated, Carlos appears out of nowhere, looking equally as confused as you did.

"Y/N? What are you doing here?" he asked while he shrug off his jacked and draped it over the back of his chair before taking a seat across from you.

"I could ask you the same question. I was supposed to meet Carlito to talk about something tonight" you explained, watching his eyebrows furrow with even more confusion than before.

"I was supposed to meet him to discuss something important as well" his voice was quiet and he seemed deep in thought.

Just before you could say anything else, a waited came by and dropped off an envelope for the two of you, and you could recognize Carlito's handwriting on it.

You took the envelope and opened it, finding a note inside which made a blush coat your cheeks.

"What does it say?" Carlos asked once he saw your reaction to the note.

"Dear Y/N and Carlos, seeing as the two of you are too blind or stupid to see that you are undeniably in love with each other, we have decided to take matters into our own hands. Consider this your very first official date, no excuses. Have fun and wrap it up! Love, Carlitos" you read out loud so he could hear, and his eyes widened when you finished.

Neither of you knew what to say, the only thing you could do was steal glances at each other, both of you blushing to no end.

You were the first one to clear your throat, but Carlos spoke before you could even think of anything you could say.

"He's right" his thick accent made your heart skip a beat, your eyes tingling.

"What?" you were in disbelief.

Carlos loved you? THE Carlos Sainz Jr. was in love with you? He loved you as well? No, yo must be dreaming, that can't be real.

"You heard me" 

"Maybe he was right about me too" you spoke, the words rolling off your tongue with ease.

You spent a couple of seconds looking at each other in silence, but it felt like an eternity. You didn't acknowledge anyone around you, feeling like you were the only ones in the whole restaurant in your own little bubble.

"Then we should do exactly as my cousin suggested" he offered you a smile before calling the waiter, ordering the both of you the top notch wine and their most exquisite delicacies that he knew you would enjoy.

As the hours went by and the evening faded into the night, the bond between you and Carlos was reaching a whole new level.

You were discovering each other in ways you didn't even realize you could, learning so many new things about one another from a whole new perspective on things.

As you were getting ready to pack up and leave, Carlos offered you his hand, which you gladly took. It wasn't like you had never held hands before. You had, on several occasions, but never like this.

You had never paid attention to how soft his hands were, how much bigger they were than your petite ones, how comfortable you felt while holding his hand and letting him lead you to wherever he wanted to go with you.

You now savored in the feeling of his hand holding yours, a feeling you didn't know you would ever be able to feel with him.

"What happens now?" you asked Carlos once you had arrived back at his hotel room in the heart of Las Vegas.

He took a seat next to you on the bed, putting his hand on your knee and caressing it lightly.

"What do you want to happen?" ever the gentleman.

"I would want to see where this goes, if we're being honest. I love you and have done so for a while now. We managed to survive this long being friends, what's to say we couldn't survive something more?" you were nervous actually saying it out loud, but the soft caress of Carlos' hand soothed you.

"I want to try, too"

You had never been happier to hear those words in your entire life.

♡♡♡♡♡

The next day at the paddock, everyone could sense the change in the air.

The smile you both sported, holding each other's hands, staying close to each other and whispering in each other's ear as you neared the Ferrari garage didn't go unnoticed by anyone.

"Well?" Carlitos asked as soon as you were within a small distance from him.

"Well what?" you played dumb for a minute.

"You know what I mean. Did you finally get your head out of your ass and make a move?" his question was directed to your boyfriend, who looked offended for a second.

Wow, your boyfriend. What a nice change.

"Shut up" Carlos mumbled as he started to retreat to his driver's room, pulling you along with him.

"I knew it!"

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[ancient-and-gauntly]

Owl Post

Sebastian Sallow x Reader Warnings: None Summary: Sebastian notices you are upset about not getting post, so decides to write you a small love letter to brighten your morning

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You sat at the your house table in the Great Hall, a slight frown marring your usually cheerful face. You absentmindedly stirred your porridge, glancing around at the students who were receiving letters and packages from their families and friends. The owls soared gracefully through the enchanted ceiling, delivering messages to eager recipients.

Sebastian, your new long term flame, was sitting a few seats down and couldn't help but notice your disappointed expression. He had overheard you complaining to Poppy about never receiving owl mail, finding the mornings in the Great Hall a bit less exciting compared to others. A mischievous smile played on his lips as an idea sparked in his mind. He decided that he would be the one to change that.

Late that night, Sebastian sat in the common room with parchment and a quill, carefully crafting a heartfelt letter to you. He poured his feelings onto the page, expressing the warmth and admiration he felt for you. He sealed the envelope with a dash of wax and pressed it so it was nice and tightly closed, grinning at the surprise waiting to happen. The next morning, before breakfast, Sebastian carefully made his way to the Owlery to choose and owl to deliver the special letter. He whispered his instructions to the her and watched as it soared off into the early morning sky, disappearing among the clouds.

As you entered the Great Hall that morning, you noticed the familiar fluttering of wings above you. A brown, pleasant looking owl descended gracefully, landing in front of you with a small note attached to its leg. Surprised, you took the letter and untied it from the owl's leg. You could hardly contain her excitement as you recognized Sebestians distinctive handwriting. You look over to him, giving him a questioning look but all he did was shrug and smile, going back to the food on his plate

Curiosity and delight danced in your eyes as you slowly unfolded the parchment and began to read:

My Dearest Y/N,

I hope this letter finds you in the best of spirits, and that the sight of this owl bearing my words brings a smile to your face. I've noticed the lack of owl posts in your life, and I couldn't stand the thought of your mornings being any less delightful than they should be.

There's something magical about the way your eyes light up when you're excited or passionate about something. It's a sight I've come to cherish, and it never fails to brighten my day. I've been meaning to tell you how much I love the way you look when you're lost in thought, a thousand galaxies swirling in your eyes.

Some of my fondest memories involve sneaking on to late night walks with you after curfew on those clear nights when the rest of the world was asleep and finding a nice quiet place to just look at the stars while in each others arms. Stargazing with you is like being transported to another realm, where time stands still, and it's just us against the vastness of the universe. Those stolen moments are etched into my heart, and I find myself yearning for more every day.

And I can't help but mention the small glances we share across the common room. It's as if our eyes have a language of their own, speaking volumes in silence. Those stolen glances, the unspoken connection, they make me fall more and more in love with you with each passing day. It's a love that grows stronger, deeper, and more profound.

For the first time in a long time, I feel at home. Not just within the stone walls of Hogwarts, but within the warmth of your laughter, the gentleness of your touch, and the genuine connection we share. You've become an important part of who I am becoming, and I can't imagine it any other way.

I know we've just started this journey together, and I want you to know that I meant every word I said that first night we spent together. I am planning on spending my life with you. Thank you for believing in me and seeing the potential that no one has seen before. 

Forever and Always yours,

Sebastian Sallow

As you reached the end of the letter, face hurting from the smiling it caused you couldn't help but look over at Sebastian once more, who was watching you with an expectant grin. You eyes met, and a silent understanding passed between the two of you. You mouthed a heartfelt "thank you" to Sebastian, your eyes sparkling with gratitude.

Sebastian just winks, a mixture of mischief and genuine affection in his gaze.

[pseudowho]

Pen-Pals

He was your first boyfriend. You were his first real connection with someone outside the Jujutsu world. And it's not that he intended to catfish you...he really didn't.

Note: THIS IS NOT A "FURRY" STORY. ITS A HEARTWARMING TALE ABOUT THE READER FINDING A PLACE IN JUJUTSU SOCIETY, THROUGH HER PENPAL, PANDA 🐼

SFW, fluff, a bit of angst.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

You were fifteen, when you got your first boyfriend.

At least-- you saw him that way. He was your penpal, first. Your...oddity had left you lonely. Isolated. Friendships were hard, and functioning like you didn't see monsters on every street corner, every underpass, was even harder.

With numerous psychological assessments before the age of ten, seeing your mother and father in tears outside the Psychiatrist's office...no. It would not do. You told nobody else after that, simply living in your haunted little world, head down, desperate not to be noticed by them.

You soothed yourself to sleep every night, imagining lilac clouds and fields of wildflowers, instead of blackened fingers closing, bone-brittle, round the edges of your wardrobe.

He went by 'Panda'-- a cute pseudonym, and how he had signed off all of his letters, ever since you had matched with him on the Pen Pal Seeker website.

And how you loved him. Despite his dreadful handwriting, his thoughts were sincere, warm without being patronising, funny and abstract in the most oddly conversational way. He poured his heart out to you, and you to him. You yearned to know him better, but delighted in the mystery of a secret lover.

Panda had just a father, one older brother and one older sister. He went to a boarding school. He took hand-to-hand combat as a sport. His best friend was quiet, but tough and kind.

And he saw the monsters too. At first you were doubtful, your pen hesitating on the page. Do I tell him? He'll think I'm a freak. I probably won't even get a letter back...you told yourself all this, as you wrote yourself bare to him. As you posted the letter. As you waited, chewing your nails to stubs, certain you had royally screwed up.

The clatter of the letter box. Your frantic footsteps tumbling down the stairs, shoving your father aside-- "hey kiddo, where's the fire?"-- to reach the stack of post first, seeing your name in his hand--

...and his words. Oh, you loved him so.

You're not alone! I can see them too. Lots of us can at my school. Try not to let them notice you looking...

You kicked backwards onto your bed, the letter pressed to your chest, one arm over your eyes as you kicked your feet in glee, trying not to cry.

It was settled-- you had to know him. You had to meet him.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Skipping school the next day, you felt like everyone around you on the street knew it. You felt like a criminal, hitching your bag over one shoulder, keeping your gaze downwards as you spent your savings on a train ticket to Tokyo.

The train journey was full of blushing imagination, running through how you would greet him, again and again and again, each time stupider and more embarrassing than the last.

Hey, Panda, it's me. Hi Panda...how've you been? Boo! Ahaha just kidding...unless--

As your footsteps carried you along your phone map, glancing up and down to see yourself wander into the tree-shade hush of outer-Tokyo...your coming here became a worse and worse idea.

What were you thinking? Panda was going to think you were absolutely mad! You didn't even know his real name. He might have been some sixty year old creep just pretending to be a kid like you. What if he wrote to loads of girls? What if he gave you one look and was embarrassed by what he had been writing to? What--

You stood at huge wooden gates, encircling a beautiful stack of traditional Japanese buildings, winding away up the rolling hills. Your finger hovered over a buzzer. You tasted copper as your teeth bit into your lip, bubbling over with internal conflict, before stabbing down on the buzzer, greeted by a shrill ringing.

A voice-- "Name, please?"

You stuttered, announcing your name. Silence on the other line. You elaborated.

"Panda, uhm-- I'm here to see Panda. About...about the monsters. I'm...I'm a friend."

Silence...clickcrrreeeeeeeak.

You stepped back, gripping your bag like a shield as the gates heaved slowly open. Hesitant footsteps crunched over gravel, carrying you in. You had not thought about the particulars of actually finding Panda, and you gazed around you, stumped.

You stood to attention, seeing two figures move down the twisting stepped path ahead of you. A girl, stern, bespectacled. A boy, tired-looking but friendly, with big dark eyes and a white funnel-neck collar. They saw you, and shared a glance, before stepping over. The gates swung closed behind you.

The girl didn't waste any time; "How do you know Panda?" she demanded, one hand on her hip, eyes narrow through her glasses. You gulped, feeling dizzy from the volume of strange power rolling off the boy beside her.

"I...we...he writes to me. To each other. We write to each other." The boy's eyebrows quirked up in surprise. He looked to the girl with a light smile. The girl scowled.

"I didn't know Panda could write," she grumbled. You blinked, once, confused and beginning to feel nauseous, the boy's presence alone crushing in on you--

"Hey..." the boy started gently, stepping closer to you, "...maybe-- maybe you should go? Panda's not really good to see anyone right now-- oh hey-- Maki--"

You had lurched sideways, retching on the gravel as the boy held you gently round the waist. Maki looked unaffected, continuing to frown down at you as you sniffled, hiccuping, mortified, of course he didn't want to see you--

"I'm sorry you're right, I should just-- I'll go I just--" you babbled, standing and stepping back, the boy letting go of you hesitantly, warm brown eyes cut with genuine concern, "--he just-- he said he could see the monsters like me and I--"

The boy and the girl both paused, mouths dropping open in...realisation? The girl, Maki, slapped the boy on the shoulder with the back of her hand, and he crumpled like wet tissue; "Dull it down Yuuta...you're making her sick."

"I think...you should come with us, and uhm....meet Panda," Yuuta offered, rubbing his shoulder and smiling softly at you. You sniffled, glancing between them both.

"...really?" Your heart clenched, hopeful, excited.

Walking between them, up the twisting path, you did not yet realise you had found your new home.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

"How much do you...know about Panda?" Maki asked, seated opposite you in a dusty wood-panelled classroom.

"Oh, uhm...he goes to this school. He has an older brother, an older sister, he practices martial arts..." you continued to reel off your relationship with him, enclyclopedic. At each point, Maki seemed to be waiting for something that never came. Her face was set in a grim line.

"Panda's not like the rest of us," she stated, blunt, "And I don't know if you'll--"

The door slid open. Yuuta poked his head in, catching your eye with an uncertain smile.

"Panda's here. He can't wait to meet you." You stood up, smoothing your skirt, twisting your hands together, straightening your hair. Maki and Yuuta glanced apprehensively to each other.

"Just, uh...just don't scream, yeah?" You frowned at Yuuta, laughing;

"Why would I scre--"

As a full-grown Panda walked into the classroom, shrieks rang out of the windows across Jujutsu High.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Sat by the little brook, you sobbed your heart out, your face being gently dried by an enormous black and white paw, the other round your shoulder, holding you against--

"-- a literal Panda! You're a fucking Panda!"

Maki shook her head disapprovingly behind you both, glaring at Panda; "I can't believe you pretended to be human--"

Panda gaped, appalled, "I never told her I was human!" Yuuta laughed into his hand, struck by the bizarreness of the situation.

"Of course she'd assume you're human--"

"-- I don't like to assume what you humans think, but anyway, she's smart and kind and I knew she wouldn't judge-- stop laughing, Okkotsu-- can you guys just leave us alone? For a minute?"

You laughed despite yourself, patting Panda's enormous paw, engulfed in his behemoth furry embrace. Yuuta stood, gently dragging a still protesting Maki away. Silence fell. The river whispered down the stones. The sunlight softened in the rustling leaves.

"...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to mislead you. I just...liked talking to you. I've never had someone who-- who didn't know what I-- ...I'm sorry," Panda finished, weakly. You blinked back tears, wiping your nose.

"...it's okay. I'm the same. And you're the best person I-- my favourite person-- you've helped me with so much and I love you--" Panda's ears perked, and he looked down at you with joy.

He continued, gruff with emotion; "It's the right thing that you're here, though. You need to learn more about these monsters. Maybe you can even stay."

It was your turn to look at Panda with joy.

You sat in companionable silence, delighting in the company of a new friend. You hesitated again, your cheeks scattered with pink.

"Can you uhm...can I still say you were my first boyfriend, though?"

Oh. If pandas could blush.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

Many years later, tied to a chair in the dank Curse users' hideout you had infiltrated, you smirked to see the men around you step backwards from the door in horror.

Beyond the door, an incoherent din of bestial roars, men screaming, furniture smashing. One of the men beside you squeaked in terror, clapping a hand over his mouth before grabbing you roughly by the face.

"What is-- what is that thing? Out there?" He demanded, shaking with terror. You laughed, your face squished in his hand.

"That's my ex-boyfriend. He's called Panda, he's 6 foot 7, and he's here to fuck you up."

The door flew off its hinges with a metallic bang, and the men around you scrabbled to run for their lives. A hulking mass of black and white filled the doorway.

"What are you guys doin' to my girl, huh?"

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

I don't know where this came from, but I love Panda 🐼

[radioisntdead]

If I may, I kindly request a small crumb of some Rosie x Reader? Where reader is a living human talented with the arcane arts, accidentally summoning the cannibal and becoming enamoured with her? We send her genuine human meat as gifts, trinkets from the living world and all sorts of cute little letters and stuff.

Good evening my dear! I'M SO EXCITED SOMEONE REQUESTED SOMETHING WITH ROSIE, I ADORE HER [as seen by my pfp] I'm gonna go with headcanons here because I can see this going very very chaotically.

Warnings: cannibalism, demon summoning, which I should probably mention, PLEASE DON'T SUMMON ANYTHING?? Does this count as a long distance relationship??? This is shorter then my normal headcanons

No idea what you were trying to summon in the first place but you managed to summon Rosie who was in the middle of her tea break,

She went from drinking tea in her emporium to I assume your room, she's startled

It was love at first sight,

For you anyway, Rosie just wanted to finish her tea and fingers,

"Salutations?"

"YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!"

And thus began you seducing courting Rosie,

You aquire human flesh, either by murder insuring you'll end up the same place as Rosie or I don't know the dark web? Grave robbing?

Please don't rob graves,

She quite likes the fresh meat, because human probably tastes somewhat better then Sinner? Like no added claws, flavors etc etc,

It gives her a nostalgic feeling of being alive and having her husband for supper, but better because he tasted disgusting.

With every delivery of meat you send what she can describe as a love letter, like I'm imagining you got a whole stationary kit to make the best letters ever, like if you have horrible handwriting [Like I do]

You invest in a typewriter, awesome stickers to put on the envelope, the letters are wax sealed.

You begin summoning her on a bi-weekly basis, at first you summoned her at VERY inconvenient times,

She's doing overlord stuff? Not anymore she's in your room with you on one knee holding a plate of fingers

She's giving advice? Well they better hold off on that advice because now Rosie is wherever you summoned her from with you reading her poetry or something,

She's having tea with Alastor? Poor Alastor is left alone and confused, with Susan approaching,

Alastor now knows of your existence, and Rosie gives you a schedule on when you can summon her.

Also she requests that you send her more meat because now she's sharing with Alastor.

With trinkets Rosie is more picky,

You give her cheap jewelry from Amazon? She's politely ghosting you, no offense but she's from the early 1900's according to the wiki, she has standards for courting.

Doesn't have to break the bank but at least something that's more expensive then twenty bucks.

However you give her stuff she can't get down below? She adores it, like GOOD tea? Aren't you a charmer? that good ol' expensive wine? Well if you insist! Give her fresh fruit, fresh flowers, you know how HARD THAT IS TO GET DOWN THERE???

The gift giving isn't one-sided, you want something like demon horns? Next time you summon her, she has a box of different types of horns, she'll give you little treats

You weren't a cannibal before? Well you are now.

She'll tell you about the ongoings in hell, Alastor, the townsfolk, the tea, SUSAN, you don't like Susan.

Now after you've perished and ended up below because you were fraternizing with a cannibal,

You immediately go find Rosie, you know she runs a place called Cannibal town you managed you find Rosie's Emporium,

You swing up open the doors, startling several cannibals

"ROSIE I DIED!!"

She's not the happiest that you died, or that you almost broke her doors but your there now so yay!

She shows you around cannibal town in a musical number, introducing you to the tight-knit community, you avoid Susan the best you can but she catches you and threatens you to be nice to Rosie or else.

You should fear the old lady.

Anyways you get moved into cannibal town, helping out at the Emporium, Vibing with Rosie.

You get married eventually but I hope she likes you enough not to eat you like her past spouses.

The wedding is very classy though, the whole of cannibal town was in attendance, along with a couple of overlords!

Good evening folks! Thank you for tuning in! We hope to see you again! Also ROSIE SUPREMACY

[stargirlfics]

B U T T E R F L Y

Joel Miller x Black Latina Reader

Summary: Sometimes the path to healing starts with a reminder of what’s been lost

Warnings: 18+ ONLY, death tw, child death tw, some TLOU spoilers but doesn’t follow canon, post-outbreak!Joel, angst, hurt/comfort, trauma and violence mentions, fluff, slow burn vibe, mutual pining

Word Count: 5.6k

My mind has been stuck on the butterfly imagery connecting Sarah and Joel in the show, and in the game too! I grew up hearing from my abuelita that monarch butterflies are symbols of loved ones who’ve passed and I thought that would fit well here! This fic explores grief and pain but also finding hope through it too 🦋

To be soft-hearted at the world’s violent end, that’s where you’d decided to make a home for your heart with all its fragile beating.

Doomed is what they all said you were, surviving the outbreak this long sooner or later came with a price and they had been right, but still, half out of spite, half out of needing something to hang onto, the tenderness of you remained.

Surviving was a miracle and most could go on just grateful to wake up another day, but you’d seen how void life was lived here in the ruins of a former world, and as doomed as it all appeared, you tried your best to find pockets of light where you could, fighting the urge to shut yourself away. 

Because maybe one day those pockets of light would be abundant where they were once scarce, maybe one day, if you kept yourself open to it, there would be a sign of a changing tide to let you know you were finally safe. 

How strange signs could be, in plain sight but unseen until your brain could catch up with what your soul was feeling, and rarely did they ever come without complexity. 

In your case, that complexity came with a stern scowl that belonged to one Joel Miller. 

The first whispers you’d ever heard about Joel were that he was grumpy, stubborn, and not the kind of man to be messed with. He was the muscle behind trades done in shadowed alleys here in the QZ, illegal substances, weapons, extra ration cards, you name it. 

He was intimidating to most people, even you; having a reputation for being a man of few words and an even shorter fuse would do that but you knew there to be sorrow there too, etched deep in the lines of his face, reflecting like moonlight in his eyes. 

You’d never spoken to him, not in all your time in Boston, always seeming to narrowly avoid crossing paths, but you often saw him from afar. In the town square, catching glimpses of him waiting in line to collect a job’s earnings or in the pit, hauling bodies to the acrid cremation pyres smoldering hot throughout the day. 

If you thought about it, that’s where you saw the sorrow most.

That old, faded bandana he wore over his nose to block out the stench of burning gave you the clearest view of his eyes; sad, angry orbs fixated on the task like it was penance for him. 

All those hushed whispers told you he wasn’t a good man, that he had hurt people to get what he needed, and that wasn’t a surprise, you’d seen it enough to understand the grim nature of the wasteland you were in, how people often turned against each other if they thought it meant they’d live to see another day. 

Maybe that understanding was how it happened that day, the first time you’d meet, something in your soul already well tangled with something in his yet neither of you knew it yet. 

You’d been expecting someone else at your door that evening, a friend of yours with a bag of good soil snuck in from the outside in exchange for a radio of yours that was in decent shape. 

Instead, you were greeted by Joel Miller, bag in hand, a frown already on his face as he explained the switch up, even pointing to a note on the bag in your friend's handwriting to vouch for him. 

His voice had caught you off guard, a low, gruff bass in his careful cadence, Texan accent making the words go down smooth. 

“Okay, no problem, she did tell me she wasn’t sure if she would really make use of it. You can step in if you want, I’ll just be a second.”

Maybe you shouldn’t have been so trusting. 

That’s how people got robbed, taken advantage of, murdered and you weren’t going to get any sympathy from neighbors or any FEDRA soldiers in the area if something were to happen but despite that, and his reputation, you didn’t feel unsafe. 

Quite the opposite. 

Joel was certainly the grumpy type and you didn’t doubt he was capable of hurting you if he wanted but as you returned with the radio you found him just where you’d left him, his body filling your doorway in a way that reminded you of a guard dog. 

Something had caught his eye in the time it had taken you to walk back, gaze fixed somewhere behind you. 

It took you a second to realize what exactly he was staring at, eyes tracking him and following until they landed on the butterfly figurine hanging from the makeshift curtains of your kitchen sink window. 

Golden hour light warming the window had bathed the glass winged butterfly in its rays, casting fractals of color across the wall and the worn wooden floors. 

You studied his face for a moment then, a familiar kind of sadness reaching his eyes, the darkened circles underneath them a little more noticeable now. 

You wondered when the last time he got any proper sleep was. 

“I made it…” interrupting his thoughts gently you gestured towards the window when he looked at you in question, “La mariposa...took me ages to fit the glass and wire together right but I think it came out ok.”

He grunted in response, finally handing over the bag of soil when you noticed the slightest tremble in his hands. 

Oh…so he’d been caught off guard too. 

Something about your butterfly had shaken him up and you were curious, who could blame you for being tempted to cross what you were sure he would say was a line, but you pretended not to notice, trying to offer him some privacy, a second to collect himself. 

You’d appreciate it if he did the same for you in his place after all. 

The exchange was completed swiftly after, a palpable silence settling between you before he was leaving almost as quickly as he arrived, taking the fading summer sunset with him.

–

Joel barely slept that night, woken by nightmares again, a routine he was familiar with, haunted by the same old ghosts but it was different this time, the barbed wire around his heart digging in just a little extra, memories of her surfacing. 

Sarah. His Sarah.  

He didn’t realize just how long it had been since he was reminded of her this way, of what it felt like to be her father, shutting himself off to that years ago, unable to think about his life with her before because that pain was nearly unbearable. 

There is only after, the after in which she doesn’t exist, where he searches for her in his sleep and wakes knowing he won’t find her. 

Because he watched her slip away, had pleaded and begged to the skies to bring her back, had held her in his arms, hands stained red with her blood, and had to accept that she was gone and he was granted no time to say goodbye. 

Days turned to weeks, months into years and he had learned to operate on a certain level of numbness, just focused on surviving, never getting too attached, acting cold and angry, just a dead man walking. 

Until now, his chest nearly caving in with the truth that he was still breathing even after so long spent closed off. 

He wasn’t even sure why he’d considered your friend’s offer to complete the exchange at all, he knew he shouldn’t have, the radio you traded wasn’t in as great a shape as he would have liked, he knew that upfront and still begrudgingly agreed, not expecting to feel so exposed, so upended by a simple encounter.

That butterfly shining in the sunlight of your kitchen made his heart stop the second he saw it, flashes of memory surfacing, almost like his little girl was pulled to the surface of his skin again, like if he stepped inside he could reach out and she’d be there. 

A dreadful reality had washed that away after a moment, grief swallowing up the hope just as he knew it would, like it always had, but something was undeniably different this time for Joel. A difference that left an ache in his center. 

Because for those few fleeting seconds, he had felt alive again. 

–

The second time you met Joel was intentional, another bag of soil in exchange for some instant coffee this time. 

It was still early morning when he knocked on your door, quiet, hands tucked in the pockets of his jeans and a sleepy kind of softness that you hadn’t seen before around the edges of his eyes which made you wish he didn’t look so inviting then. 

It wasn’t so hard to look at him as unapproachable as he made himself seem, he was handsome, the streaks of gray peppered in his hair and along his beard lending to his rugged look. 

“About the coffee, it’s not as strong as it could be but it’s the best I’ve got,” you handed over a jar, watching him open the lid and sniff its contents.

“That’ll do just fine.” 

Relief arrived at his approval, you gathered it’d been a while since he had any and you were glad your stash wasn’t a disappointment. 

You watched as he knelt down to set his backpack on the floor, stowing the jar inside and handing you the bag of fertilizer mix you had inquired about. 

It wasn’t long now before he’d be out the door again, these things were best kept short and simple but as you thanked him for the exchange and moved to store the bag with your other garden supplies, you noticed a moment of reluctance. 

Joel didn’t plan on lingering around now that you both had what you came for but then he was reminded of what he felt the last time he’d been in your space and his mouth was moving with the thoughts that were swimming in his head before he could bite back the words.

“That’s a good amount of soil you have, got some sorta secret garden FEDRA don’t know about?”

Suddenly you felt very silly for wanting to smile at his curiosity but also recognized the significance of him asking. 

“Something like that, yeah. I…actually found a spot of flowers growing through one of the QZ fences and I’ve been tending to it. It's no garden but the flowers are in bloom now, first time I’ve seen real butterflies in years.” 

You watched him perk up at the mention of real butterflies, furrowed brows hiding the flicker of emotion mere seconds later but it was too late, you’d seen it already. 

Up until now, your little patch of greenery had been a private endeavor. 

Something for you to put some love and effort in, and just a quiet, secluded place to be, to clear your head or be alone for a while, away from some of the chaos in the streets, and yet here you were, now, carefully asking him if he’d like to see it too. 

You thought just maybe, bringing him there would do him as much good as it had done you. 

And it’s there, in that moment when he says yes that you see all that hard exterior start to slip just an inch.  

It’s an inch you can work with. 

–

Early morning dew still clings to the soft blades of grass sprouting up near the fence line, the section where you’d been taking care of the vegetation noticeably more vibrant with color and growth. 

Slowly, you’d been replacing the dirt, had saved as many roots and sprouts as possible, taking care in replanting them, and from there, a shabby little makeshift garden bed had formed. 

This would be your third week caring for it and now Joel was trailing behind your steps to see it too.

His body language was tense like he couldn’t quite be sure you weren’t actually taking him to some secluded corner to ambush him, but you get it.

Being wary was smart, but you couldn’t lie that it was satisfying to let him take it in without explaining anything first, the tension in his shoulders easing, sagging when his eyes fell upon the dusky blue flowers and rich green leaves and vines growing up from the ground, searching for the sun’s nourishment. 

Joel couldn’t be certain whether it was the day’s first tendrils of summer heat making him feel warm or the fluttering orange and speckled black wings of a butterfly nestled atop a marigold. 

He glances at his wrist, at the memento that never leaves his side, a broken watch, and there’s a moment of clarity in the silence where Joel can feel it, all the shattered parts of him spilling out, and there isn’t any way he can catch it all, he’s already too late and he knows it. 

Panic works its way into his bloodstream, causing his hands to shake, not used to being so disarmed, so flayed open. 

His fingers curl into a fist, trying to steady himself, needing a moment to catch his breath, to process. 

And there you were, your gentle voice cutting through the noise in his head and that tidal wave of emotion. 

“They’re monarch butterflies, which means they’re special,” you’ve moved a little closer now, watching another one land next to its friend on the flower. 

“What makes' em’ so special?” Joel takes a deep breath and you do too. 

You thought for a second he might shut down and walk away, there wasn’t anything keeping him here after all, he had the coffee he came for and yet still took you up on your offer. That in itself was difficult not to attach yourself to immediately but there was no denying it felt good to know you’d earned maybe an ounce of his trust. 

“In Mexico, my abuela used to say they were a sign of the dead coming to visit the living, loved ones, our ancestors, the monarchs carry their souls to us. I think they’re good luck too.”

The smile working its way onto your lips is fond, sad, one you knew he’d recognize, the silent but shared knowledge of loss was a heavy burden to carry. There was no mistake about it, but being here, amongst your flowers and your butterflies made it easier. 

Orange and gold halos shimmered around the plant life softly swaying with the wind, your own features now warmed with the climbing sun, brown skin shining deeper under the light. 

Joel was looking at you now, following your words. The meaning of what you were both looking upon hitting him square in the chest when that feeling blooms behind his eyes again, that itch of something alive, something beautiful growing again amongst concrete ruins.

And it's there, standing next to you, watching you water the soil while butterflies float around you that he works out what that feeling must be. 

Salvation. 

–

After that morning, trading goods with Joel became a regular occurrence. 

Soil for another stash of coffee or a packet of seeds for a hunting knife in need of experienced hands, neither of you quite sure how it happened but eventually the trades became more like friendly favors to each other than practical transactions. 

Your ‘garden’ also became a frequent place for you both to go, so much so that on any given day you could bet he was there, a quick stop on his way back home, or in the morning before the day started, it became an unspoken shared refuge. 

Joel helped you fix up the makeshift garden beds when it became clear your tender care of the plants called for an upgrade and you were grateful for it, dismissive at first, not wanting him to feel obligated.

You could handle yourself around a hammer and a few nails but he insisted and you relented, the two of you knelt under the setting sun, working on the task together. 

It didn’t matter that it was closing in on curfew time, or that you didn’t really have anything to compensate him for his time because, the moment itself, the small inklings of trust building between you were actually far better. 

That’s when you started to see him nearly every day, sitting against bomb-scarred concrete, always facing those marigolds, the ones the monarch butterflies you’d told him about always flocked to. 

At first you kept your distance, knowing better than to pry. 

It was clear he’d been through a lot, most his age-if you were guessing correctly-had, old enough to have lived a good portion of their lives before the outbreak, the last witnesses of an old world. You wanted to respect that and as long as he was finding some sort of peace here, you were content. 

You didn’t mind his company either, he wasn’t much of a talker, but his presence was comforting and familiar and you felt safe with him near. 

Eventually though, keeping him at a distance became impossible, both of you stumbling through the uncertainty of what to say to each other yet not giving up on trying at the same time. 

And Joel had resisted too, had tried to keep his words short, always residing somewhere in between neutral and aloof but the more he watched you in your element, amongst the seedling sprouts and vines and moss, the more it made him want to talk.

It was easy to find his voice around you. 

You were soft-hearted, he could see that and it wasn’t easy to get used to the way you looked at him, like you cared, like you understood something about his brokenness right away, had let him sit here day after day watching the butterflies because somehow you knew it’s what he needed, but he didn’t mind the learning curve either. 

His usual annoyance and reluctance to speak about feelings couldn’t keep up this time surrounded by reminders of Sarah, coaxing the small part of him that hadn’t died with her out of its state of numbness, softening him again. 

‘You were never gonna do it for yourself’ rings in his ears. 

He’d never been much good at that, doing things for himself, and Sarah was always so clever about calling it out, even now, nudging him awake again after all these years. 

It’s why he decides to tell you when you ask one day, sitting next to him on sun-warmed stone. 

He merely came by to sit for a little while and clear his head and found you already sat in his usual spot, butterfly watching, your eyes telling your secret, that you had been crying before he arrived, his first instinct carrying him forward, to your side. 

He offered you some water, even sliced an apple in half to share with you, pleased with himself when he got a smile out of the gesture but remained as quiet as you were, wanting you to feel like you could just be. 

“Who do they remind you of?” your voice was small, unsure of how he’d react to the question, overexplaining in hopes it would make him recoil less, “It’s okay if you can’t talk about it, I understand. It’s just that…what I told you about the monarch butterflies, I really do believe in it you know, the people I’ve lost…they feel so close to the surface, like they’re watching over me and I think you feel the same.” 

Joel nods after a moment and you’re exhaling a breath you didn’t realize you were holding.

It takes him a moment but he finds the words. 

“My daughter…her name was Sarah. They were her favorite, actually, since she was bout old enough to talk. I used to call her my little butterfly when she was a baby which, yeah, got real old when she started middle school but I liked to remind her anyways, just to see her roll her eyes at me. Just as long as she knew I loved her, you know, that I never stopped, not since the moment I held her in my hands for the first time.”

It broke your heart to hear. 

And it hurt him too, to speak about her and then remember that he had lost her, that twenty years had passed and he couldn’t remember what she smelled like anymore, and he hated the nightmares but without them, he was afraid of forgetting her face, her eyes, the coils of her hair, the sound of her voice calling out to him. 

It was only now that he was seeing how deep he’d pushed it all down, bottled up tight out of fear, and then somehow you’d entered his life, Molotov aimed straight at his heart, stunning him into remembering her the way she deserved to be. 

“I’m so sorry,” you extend all the comfort you can, knowing there weren’t any words that would ever make it right but you wanted to try anyway. 

“Yeah, me too. But you’re right, she feels close, and I know you’ve put it together by now but it’s why I’ve been sittin here every day, I see those butterflies and I see her, I remember her and it feels...good. I didn’t want it to; don’t really trust things that feel good but it does and I wanna thank you for that, for letting me have that.” 

He worries he’s said too much, or said the wrong thing, wanting to kick himself because he was never much good at words either but the sight of your lips pulling up into a small smile came as a relief. 

“She’s with you, Joel. And there’s no need to thank me, it’s been good for me too, doing all this. I think it helps.” 

He nods again, agreeing before asking you the same question, extending an opportunity to open up too; a big step when keeping personal histories to a minimum was the lay of the land around here. 

And it wasn’t easy, to talk about the things that hurt, baring your grief to Joel, and trusting him with it but you did and he had held it so gently, understanding it for what it was. 

Looking back you think maybe it’s there that things started to change, where your life and his started to merge. 

Sometime after that conversation you gifted him one of those glass winged butterflies like the one in your window, showing it to him one evening in the garden, earning you the first real smile you’d ever seen from him. 

It was after he told you more about himself, about Sarah, his brother Tommy, recounting happy memories; like the time he and Tommy surprised Sarah with her own soccer ball for her birthday one year, how he’d caved almost immediately the time she begged him to get her a polaroid camera, and you shared too, thinking on good times you’d had with the people in your life. 

It meant a lot to Joel that you spent time crafting the ornament, knowing just how deep the symbolism of it went for him. 

You were always doing that, looking out for him, planting tiny seed after tiny seed, slowly working your magic on him, ensnaring him deep, making him want to look out for you too. 

Under the fading sun again you sat with him, watching the marigolds, the calm, slow fluttering of wings, and it’s in that same spot that you find your hand in his for the first time. 

No words needed to be said, this was far better. 

A little while later you saw your gift hanging from the window in his living room, right next to the radio you had first traded him for.

The two of you had found yourselves escaping the heat here after some time tending the garden together, pulling weeds, clearing new soil of rocks and rubble, now sharing his couch, a rusty old fan that still somehow worked cooling the sweat prickling the back of your neck.

Curfew hour was nearing and you knew you would have to start making your way back home but Joel warned that he’d heard from a FEDRA officer he did trades with that they were patrolling the streets early the next few nights.

You knew why, it was hard to forget the hail of gunfire last night, a group of Fireflies going after a group of officers on patrol, a fight that neither one had won. 

Tensions in the QZ had been high all day since then and Joel suggested that you stay here with him for the night, saying he didn’t want you dealing with anything that might be going on out there.

He was being protective, a disapproving frown on that handsome face of his when you told him you didn’t want to intrude on his space but he was right, things had already started looking a little dangerous on your way back from the garden and you appreciated that he was trying to keep you safe. 

So you stayed. 

Curled up on Joel’s old, worn couch with a blanket that smelled like him tucked around you, the white noise of the fan still blowing and the knowledge that he wasn’t far, just in the next room over, carried you off to sleep.

–

One night had turned into two and then three and somewhere in the last couple months of summer that were left, you spent most of your days and nights with Joel. 

No label had been applied to whatever your situation was with him, you knew better than to ask, this all needed time, and you were okay with that, just content on holding onto this good thing with him. 

Because you liked being around, like sharing a space with him and sitting in the garden together, opening up to each other more and more every day. 

It was nice watching Joel come out of that hardened shell of his, watching him find it easier to talk about things, noticing him trying to live life more, not as reluctant to connect. 

Things were good, not to say that there hadn’t been bad days amongst all the progress made, there were plenty of them in fact. 

Days where old patterns became default again, stretches of nights where the nightmares returned, both of you trying to wade through it. 

When the aching of old wounds came knocking and the walls came back up again. 

You hated to fight with Joel when that happened, and you hated not being on the same page but he was so stubborn it wasn’t always easy to bite back your frustration. 

He had told you about his past, about the people he hurt in those early days and it’s something he wrestled with, believing in the goodness you saw inside him when all he could see were the bad things.

It frustrated you sometimes, how he preferred to shut himself off, to you, to Sarah’s memory because he felt like his hands were too dirty, too blood-stained to even try. 

“Que, no entendes?! Please, Joel! Stop trying to be something you aren’t. You think you aren’t a good man but bad people don’t get upset about being bad. Do you think you can just turn it off, the part of you that was always a good man, a good father? Well sorry, but you can’t, that’s who you are to your core, I saw it the first moment I met you and every time since then.” 

 “I’ve killed people,” his tone was mean, and venomous, another attempt at pushing you away. “Goddamnit, it’s not as simple as-”

“I get that! Look I know that you’ve done bad things but you’ve also spent every waking moment punishing yourself for it, do you realize that? All these years you’ve been paying your penance any way you can and I’m trying to tell you it’s okay live well, that you don’t have to torture yourself anymore because we have to try and make something out of all this pain.” 

It wasn’t easy to get him to see what you saw but you didn’t back down, even when it would have been easy to, Joel knew it too, guilt washing over him as you looked at him then, tears brimming in your eyes. 

“You’ve endured enough.” 

It’s those final three words from you that makes him ease up, a reminder you nudged him with often, that he could rest already, could make amends by making a choice to find the light. 

He lets you take some space from him, coming to find you before bed because he doesn’t want to fall asleep without fixing things. 

“I’m sorry. That wasn’t fair, talkin to you like that. You’re just tryna help my sorry ass and I haven’t thanked you enough. I’m gonna get better at that.” 

It’s the first time you ever hug him, noticing the tremble in his hands as he says the words, feeling the sincerity in his voice, unable to stop yourself from all but barreling into his arms. 

He’s still for only a moment before his arms wrap around you in return, the two of you bathed in moonlight, that butterfly still hanging in his window, pushing you towards each other again just like it had when you first met. 

–

Eventually, the day comes when the monarchs leave, the approaching fall and winter seasons carrying them to warmer places, a solemn change in what had been yours and Joel’s routine. 

The absence of the butterflies that had provided so much hope the last few months was felt, but the world was also a lot more open and wide now too. 

You no longer slept on Joel’s couch, you slept pressed against him now, and woke with your limbs tangled with his, a quiet partnership forming.

It scares both of you, knowing that you had grown to care for each other so quickly, knowing that was dangerous and reckless but also feeling stronger because you were a team. 

You think that’s why you make the decision together, one rainy fall evening when Joel comes home with a message from Tommy. 

They had gone through a rough patch recently, being apart from each other for some time and still not seeing eye to eye on Tommy’s choices but slowly, they’d started talking again and there was news that Tommy and the group he was with had gotten a hydroelectric plant that had once belonged to FEDRA up and running. 

There was electricity and a place to stay if you and Joel were interested, plus Tommy wanted you to meet Maria, said she did him a whole world of good and this was some of that good in action. 

It hadn’t been a hard choice to make even knowing how difficult the journey would be.

This was the chance you’d both been waiting for, and had talked about, a far off dream of running away from all the violence that was inescapable here in Boston, searching for something better out there, and now it was within reach. 

So you’d left your garden in the care of a friend you knew would understand its importance, and you bide your time with Joel, making deals, doing jobs, collecting and saving up supplies, and helping him map the way to Jackson. 

And then the day came when you left the QZ behind for good, watching the city fade away in the rearview mirror.

Making it to Tommy hadn’t been easy, there had been one too many close calls for comfort but the trust you and Joel had in each other didn’t waver, and here you were, finally on the other side. 

Settling in hadn’t been the easiest, especially for Joel, his guard still up but little by little, you both sank into a new way of life. 

You quickly learned how to ride a horse and hunt in the woods surrounding the power plant, even making friends with some of the families in the community. 

Joel had taken to things a little slower, but even he couldn’t hide for long, helping some of the men in the group with repairs on things that needed fixing, even cautiously attempting to make friends with you. 

Small pockets of peace started to open up the longer you stayed and the threat of raiders loomed over that peace at times, keeping everyone on alert for attacks but you all had Joel and Tommy now, always amongst the first to be out there protecting, defending fiercely.

You knew they wouldn’t let anything happen to you here.  

As spring arrived again you found a nice spot for a garden, pointing out sprouting flower buds to Joel one day, almost missing the fond smile forming on his lips, both of you knowing what this meant. 

You were happy here, and happy being with Joel, the two of you building a new garden together this time, until finally, as the chill spring breeze transitioned into summer heat and sunshine you were sat next to him like you had been what seemed like ages ago, watching the butterflies circle the flowers in bloom in what had become Sarah’s Garden. 

Joel made you a promise; to keep going for family, the family you, him, and Tommy were now. And you promised the same, not scared of how much you cared for the man by your side anymore.

It wasn’t perfect, the world was still rotten and the broken parts of you all were still raw, still healing, but this time her light was guiding the way through it and that made it all worth it.

---

A/N: When I saw that butterfly hanging in the window of his place in Boston I just couldn’t resist writing something about how he got it and here we are! This world is so dark and tragic and while this fic doesn’t change those facts, I hope it plants some gentle, hopeful little seeds of healing, because Joel deserves that and so do you as the reader! thank you for reading this, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it! 💌

some tags no pressure! @inklore @allaboardthereadingrailroad @yelenas-lova @ozarkthedog @amethystwonders11 @blkmorticia @moreofem @eupheme @obiknights @tarrenterror25 @superhoeva @buckyhoney @plumbits

[cinnamontoastcrunch-15]

How to Find a Werewolf (a week before the full moon)

The title will probably change lmfao

7 days

Sirius notices the signs from the moment Remus is awake. He's flinching every single time a fork hits a plate in the wrong way, for starters. Sirius ends up gently kicking both James and Peter, forcing them to catch on. It's clearly much too loud in the hall itself, Remus is barely contributing. Not for lack of trying, but he seems more than a little dissociated.

Then it's the walking.

As much as he's trying to hide it, the slight exhales that come with every step is enough to show Sirius that he's in pain. The hip's usually the first of his joints to start acting up, so Sirius wordlessly starts picking up and shoving Remus' textbooks into his own bag. Thankfully, Remus isn't ready to bicker about that.

No, it's much too early for that.

5 days

It's two in the morning when Sirius notices.

He's a light sleeper, so Remus' tossing and turning is more than enough to wake him up.

For a moment he just observes carefully. He knows full well that Remus is going to be exhausted, and the fact that he's still up means his skin must be crawling.

"Moons?" He says softly, and Remus stops in his tracks.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you."

"Nah, s'fine," Sirius waves him off easily. "We can go sit by the window, if you want?"

For a moment, he thinks Remus is going to say no and resign to a sleepless night, but instead he just sighs.

"...yeah. If that's okay."

Sirius is already sliding out of their bed, glancing at James and Peter to make sure they're still asleep. Then, he reaches out and offers Remus his hand. Remus takes it, letting himself be led to the big window. The windowsill was charmed years ago. Initially it was to fit the four of them, but four seventh years can't fit on it even when it's been extended. Two, though? It's absolutely perfect.

That's how the two of them end up sitting together on the sill, Sirius wedging the window open slightly and letting the cool air hit them both. He can see the way Remus relaxes as he starts to cool down, eyes sliding shut. He leans his head back against the wall, and Sirius smiles to himself as Remus finally starts to fall asleep.

3 days

It doesn't take long for the anger to hit.

Remus isn't what people expect when they think of a werewolf before the full moon. He doesn't have all consuming, blinding rage. There's no world where Remus Lupin will turn and start screaming at teachers.

Instead, it usually starts pretty suppressed.

At breakfast, he sees Remus' hand tighten around his goblet the moment Snape strolls past, making another snide comment about the moon. It's enough for Sirius to make a mental note not to push anything too far. Bickering can turn into real fighting and hurt feelings much too quickly around the full.

James, however, hasn't caught onto the timeline the way Sirius has.

They can all see Remus fighting his own tiredness in the common room, quill in hand as he absentmindedly tries to do his homework. Remus' handwriting is shit at the best of times, but before the full? It's barely legible.

Sirius' solution is to walk over and sit beside Remus, not saying a word and just making sure Remus knows he has support.

"Moony, you might need to take a break," James says softly, and Sirius almost sighs.

Poor bugger.

"I'm fine," Remus starts, and Sirius feels him tense up beside him. He tries to shoot James a glance that essentially means 'stop fucking talking', but he doesn't get the hint.

"Minnie's offered you an extention. It's probably best to wait until you feel better."

"Christ, I said I was fine! Get off my fucking back!" He snaps, James lapsing into silence.

Okay, it's hit him too.

Sirius tries to wrap an arm around Remus' shoulder, but he's shaken off like it's nothing, Remus standing. He winces as he does it, and Sirius forces himself to take a breath, not get too het up about that.

"You all just need to fuck off! You're all so bloody clingy!"

With that, he's gone. He turns and walks upstairs, and Sirius just shrugs at James.

"Give him a day, it'll be fine."

1 day

Remus doesn't get out of bed the day before.

Sometimes he does, but recently his good days before the moon are getting fewer and further between. The only reason Sirius actually bothers to go to his morning classes is to take notes for Remus, and he makes Pete promise to get Remus' notes for his last few.

That sorted, he heads up to the dorm, a hot chocolate he got from the kitchen in hand. Knocking once, he pushes the door open to find the curtains drawn in the room, the whole dorm flooded in darkness.

"Moony?"

For a moment, he thinks he's asleep, until-

"M'fine." His voice is rough, sounds almost like he's been crying.

Yeah, this is definitely one of the bad ones.

He steps into the room, letting the door shut behind him as he gets to Remus' bed. At first, he sits on the edge of it, Remus not moving.

"I've got hot chocolate?" He tries.

"...could you put it on the bedside table?" Sirius nods, setting it down.

"D'you need anything?" He asks gently. Not that he needs to ask, he knows what the answer is going to be.

"If you- maybe you could... stay?"

He doesn't waste a moment in climbing into the bed with his partner and wrapping his arms around Remus' waist from behind.

"Sorry I was such a twat before," Remus says quietly, and Sirius smiles to himself.

"Don't worry about it."

To be fair, his body is literally getting ready to break itself. In what world is he going to have boundless excitable energy?

Sirius just wants to take care of him.

"I love you," He says softly, shifting his weight to reach up and press a kiss to Remus' temple.

"I love you too."