#while i fill the queue with a tiny few things thanks

[adaintywrenn]

give this a like for a tiny starter to get my winged child back to life

[scribblesofagoonerr]

— You are the best thing that's ever been ours!

pairings: leah williamson x reader

summary: the first year of leah and reader being parents to their baby girl

special thank you to @alotofpockets and @lvnleah for the help along the way with figuring this one out!

small bump masterlist

“I still can’t believe she’s actually here,” You whisper, peering down at your newborn baby girl, fast asleep in her Moses basket. 

The sight of her tiny peaceful face makes it all feel like a surreal dream to you.

Leah is sat beside you as she nods in agreement, “She’s here, and she’s our perfect little bubba.”

“I know,” You catch Leah’s gaze and smile, “It still feels pretty surreal, doesn’t it?”

“It really does,” Leah admits, a soft smile tugging at her lips as she turns her attention back to Remi, her eyes filled with adoration, “I can’t stop staring at her though.”

“Me neither,” You agree with your wife, not able to take your eyes away from your little one as you try and stifle a yawn, “God, labour really does take it out of you, doesn’t it?”

Leah chuckles and nods, “Why don’t you try and get some sleep while Remi’s asleep? You know what they say– When the baby sleeps, then so should the mum’s.”

“Speak for yourself, you’re still awake,” You murmur, struggling to keep your eyes open.

“Speak for yourself,” Leah retorts playfully, “I’m not the one who just went through hours of labour. You should sleep while you can, love.”

As if on queue to keep you awake, your baby girl starts to stir in her Moses basket, clearly not so keen on the idea of letting you sleep after all.

“Looks like little miss has other ideas,” You can’t help but tiredly laugh as Remi lets out a soft cry, “I bet she’s hungry.” You start to move to get out of bed, however your wife is less reluctant to let you do so considering it’s less than 24 hours since you’ve given birth.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got her,” Leah reassures, gently scooping your little girl up into her arms, “Hi baby girl, are you a bit hungry, huh? It’s okay, Mumma is right here to feed you,” She coos, carefully handling Remi over to you as you prop yourself up against the pillows.

“Thanks Le,” You hold your baby girl close to you as you readjust your top, helping her latch on to feed while your wife sits beside you, watching you with a tender smile and her hand resting on your back to offer silent support and love as your little family settles into this new rhythm together.

The first few months of life with a newborn baby girl was completely blissful, watching your wife bond with your little girl was one of the moments that you most treasured forever. There was just something magical about watching the love of your life cradle your daughter, seeing the way that Leah’s eyes softened, her voice instinctively dropping to a gentle whisper and soothing Remi in ways that only she could.

“Love, are you ready to go?” Leah called out by the front door, cradling Remi in her arms while your little girl is all bundled up in a light weighted coat, ready to face the chill of September’s unpredictable weather, “What’s taking Mumma so long, huh?”

“Almost!” You called back, navigating through the house with an armful of essentials needed, the sheer volume of items is far more needed that you’d normally take to a football game, but you’re determined to be prepared for anything to happen, “I’m just making sure we have everything that we might need.” You explained, offering Leah a weary smile.

The blonde’s face softened as she sensed your nerves, “Love, if it’s too soon…” She began gently, “I don’t mind going on my own. There will be other times.”

You shook your head in disagreement, a firm but understanding smile on your face, “No, no, it’s going to be fine, besides your mum and the rest of your family will be there to help out if I need it,” You reassured her, reaching to take Remi from her arms, “And I know your teammates are all itching for cuddles with her too.”

Leah laughed softly, “Oh, they can’t wait to meet our little Gooner,” She said, taking hold of the several bags to carry out of the house, “I’m so excited for you both to be there to watch the match today. It means a lot to be able to look up into the box and see you both there.” She added, gesturing to the game at the Emirates, you would be going to watch Leah and her teammates play in their first game of the new season against Man City.

“We’re excited to be able to watch, aren’t we, sweet girl,” You cooed, kneeling down to gently place her in her car seat to carry her out of the house, “I can’t believe you actually dressed her an Arsenal shirt as well. I knew I should have been concerned about you dressing her.” You joked playfully with your wife.

“Of course I did, we can’t have our little girl coming to watch me play and not wear a shirt with my name on, can we?” Leah retorted, locking up the house and following you out to the car to help you settle Remi into the back of it while you sit beside her just for your own peace of mind.

Thankfully the drive to the stadium wasn’t too far ahead from where you live and Remi was golden the whole time in the car, snoozing away in her car seat with no care in the world.

“Lovely parking Leah. Well done,” Your wife complimented her parking as she pulled the car up outside the Emirates stadium, with the plan to go ahead of the coach to be able to help you inside before the frenzy of fans arrive.

“You did not seriously just say that, did you?” You couldn’t help but laugh in amusement at your wifes’ usual antics, “Your Mummy is so silly sometimes, isn’t she, Remi Bear?” You cooed to your little girl who’s now awake and looking round with curious eyes.

“I just have my way sometimes, don’t judge me,” Leah retorted, sticking her tongue out at you as she gets out of the car and helps get Remi out of the car seat, “Welcome to the Emirates, my baby Gooner. I can’t wait till you're old enough to be able to experience this properly.”

“I’m sure she’ll be thrilled,” You teased your wife’s excitement, her passion for her club on and off the pitch is one of the things that you love most about her, “What if she decides to not like football at all, huh?” You joked in amusement.

Leah fauxed a playful gasp, “Don’t swear in front of the baby like that,” She acted like it’s the worst thing you’ve said, “Honestly, love, out of all the things you’ve said. I think that one cuts deep.”

“Oh I’m sure you’ll get over it,” You still couldn’t help but continue to wind your wife up, “Let’s get inside, I bet your mum will be waiting for us.”

“I think they’ve arrived,” Leah agreed with you as the three of you made your way inside the stadium to meet up with her family, “Oh! There they are now.” She pointed in the direction her family was standing waiting for your guys arrival.

“Hi girls!” Leah’s mum, Amanda greeted you both as she walked closer towards you and caught sight of Remi who was in Leah’s arms and of course your little girl was all smiles for the woman that she adored, “There’s Nana’s girl!”

“Hi Amanda,” You waved politely and smiled at the older woman.

“Hi Mum,” Leah greeted Amanda and was eager to pass Remi over to the older woman who was desperate for a cuddle, “Look who it is, it’s Nana, baby Gooner!”

“Hi sweet angel,” Amanda cooed, taking Remi from Leah as she gently bounced your little girl in her arms, “Are you so excited for your first match?”

“Of course she is!” Leah was beaming a proud wide smile while she watched the exchange between your daughter and her mother, “She’s even wearing her own shirt in support of Mummy today!” She added, unfastening her coat to show Amanda the little Arsenal shirt that Remi was wearing.

“I didn’t have a single say in it,” You joked with the older woman as you shook your head, “Let’s just hope Remi doesn’t spit up on it.” You added, looking at your wife with a knowing look.

“Nah she wouldn’t do that,” Leah shook the idea off as she quickly exchanged hellos with the rest of her family and took the time to catch up– Your wife was exceptionally close with her family and that was another thing you loved about her.

Before long it was time to take your seats inside the box in the stadium ahead of the game and Leah had to join the rest of the team now they had arrived. You knew the noise would be loud from the fans so you were more than grateful for the pair of small red ear defenders that Remi currently had placed over her little ears while she sat on Berny, Leah’s grandma’s lap and enjoyed the atmosphere around her.

“Are you ready to see your Mummy play, sweetheart?” You heard Berny ask your little girl, gently bouncing her on her knee.

“Look there she is, Remi Roo,” Holly, Leah’s cousin, cooed and crouched down beside the seat and pointed in the direction of the pitch where you could spot Leah warming up amongst the rest of the girls, “Do you see her?”

“Leah’s been so excited about you two both finally being here to watch the match,” Amanda told you with a genuine smile on her face, “It’s the only thing she’s been going on about.” She added.

“I know, even if I’m not sure Remi understands much of it at all,” You joked but you were glad to be able to be here to watch your wife play again– You always did love to watch her doing what she loved the most.

Soon enough the match kicked off and you watched Arsenal and Manchester City battle for the 3 points in the first opening game of the season. It was incredibly different to see Leah’s former teammate, Vivianne play against them wearing a blue shirt but at least she looked happy enough to be a part of the club.

“Back with the stern facial expression,” Jacob, Leah’s brother, joked as he watched the game play out, “Why am I not surprised?” He added, shaking his head in amusement.

“It’s just what she’s known for,” You remarked and you couldn’t help but laugh, “It’s one of the things I love about her.” 

“Remi has the same frown as Leah does,” Jacob quipped, amusedly as he spotted the expression that your little girl had on her face, which did indeed match your wifes, “It’s exactly identical.”

A whole 90 minutes later and the match was over, the game ending in a win for the Gunners which you know Leah would be exceptionally happy about, a brilliant way to kick off the new season.

“Shall we go and find Mummy now, Rem?” You told her, taking Remi from Jacob who was holding off her at the end of the match, “I bet she’ll be so excited to see you!”

“Oh I bet she will be,” Amanda agreed with you, helping you pick up the things you need as you all begin to make your way back inside to meet up with everyone once the game is over.

Walking inside, you’re quick to spot your wife catching with her best friend, Lia now after the match is over and she’s had a chance to grab a quick shower, “Look, there she is, there’s Mummy,” You took a gentle hold of Remi’s small hand and pointed it in the direction of where your wife is, “Let’s go say hi!”

“Baby Gooner!” You suddenly heard the familiar accent of Beth, Leah’s team mate as she came darting towards you with her own girlfriend hot on her tail, “Oh my Goodness, she’s absolutely precious. Can I have a cuddle?” She asked.

“Not before I do,” Lia spotted you walking towards them and took the chance to try and have first dibs on having a cuddle with Remi, “We’ve all been so eager to meet her.”

“Oh I’m sure Remi would love to have cuddles with all of her Aunties,” Leah chimed in the conversation, “But not before I get to say hello to my baby Gooner first. I get first dibs as her Mummy.” She added, reaching out for your daughter, who was quick to realise who was in front of her as she beamed an adorable smile.

“She definitely knows who you both are,” Beth said, watching the interaction between your wife and daughter, “She’s the absolute spit of you, Le.” She said, taking her turn to have a quick cuddle with Remi, who was intrigued by the new face in front of her that she hadn’t met before.

“I know, right? Even Jacob pointed out that Rem has the same frown,” You told them as you found it hard to stifle your laughter, “I think she really enjoyed watching you play today, she was a lot less grumpier than she usually is.” You said.

“Of course she was happy watching Mummy out on the pitch,” Leah gloated at the idea of your daughter being her most cheerful while being at the Emirates watching her play, “Told you, she’s a baby Gooner, through and through. Plenty more years to come as well!”

Before long, the first 6 months had flown by and it amazed you how much Remi was changing every single day right in front of your eyes – Being able to sit up on her own without support, trying solid foods for the first time and even managing to sleep through the night.

Every single milestone felt like a tiny miracle, a glimpse at the little person she was becoming.

It was now the most magical time of the year, it was Christmas and that was something that your wife took very seriously with her family Christmas traditions that she had insisted that you partake in, and she was now even more overjoyed to share them with Remi.

“It’s her first Christmas,” Leah beamed, her eyes sparkling with excitement, “We have to make it so special.”

“We will,” You reassured, smiling at the joy on her face, “She’s going to have the best time– Even if she doesn’t understand much of it.” You joked with your wife, knowing that your daughter wouldn’t be able to remember any of this or understand it yet.

“I wish she would stop growing so much,” Leah’s expression softens as she looks down at Remi while you fasten her in her pram, already bundled up ahead of the Christmas Eve walk you would be joining Leah’s whole family on, “She’s getting so big already.”

“I know it’s honestly crazy,” You agree, shaking your head with a grin, “You blink and then suddenly, she’s this big… I don’t like it. Not oBefore long, the first 6 months had flown by and it amazed you how much Remi was changing every single day right in front of your eyes – Being able to sit up on her own without support, trying solid foods for the first time and even managing to sleep through the night.

Every single milestone felt like a tiny miracle, a glimpse at the little person she was becoming.

It was now the most magical time of the year, it was Christmas and that was something that your wife took very seriously with her family Christmas traditions that she had insisted that you partake in, and she was now even more overjoyed to share them with Remi.

“It’s her first Christmas,” Leah beamed, her eyes sparkling with excitement, “We have to make it so special.”

“We will,” You reassured, smiling at the joy on her face, “She’s going to have the best time– Even if she doesn’t understand much of it.” You joked with your wife, knowing that your daughter wouldn’t be able to remember any of this or understand it yet.

“I wish she would stop growing so much,” Leah’s expression softens as she looks down at Remi while you fasten her in her pram ahead of the Christmas Eve walk you would be joining Leah’s whole family on, “She’s getting so big already.”

“I know it’s honestly crazy,” You agree, shaking your head with a grin, “You blink and then suddenly, she’s this big.”

“No, I don’t like it,” Leah told you in disagreement, not liking the idea of your little baby growing up, “I don’t like, not one bit.”

You finish fastening Remi into her pram, her eyes wide staring up at you with a mix of curiosity and wonder as you can’t help but grin just to wind your wife up even more, “Don’t blink too fast,” You teased lightly, “Or she’ll be off to school before we know it.”

“Stop, no,” Leah said, shooting you a pointed look as bending down and to press a soft kiss on your daughter’s forehead, “No, I don’t even want to think about that.”

You couldn’t help but smirk mischievously, clearly amused by her reaction, “Oh, I mean we haven’t talked about when she’s going to have her first boyfriend–”

“Nope, stop right there!” Your wife interrupts, hands on her hands, “I refuse to believe my little girl will date. Nope, it’s not happening!”

You couldn’t help but laugh at Leah’s protectiveness which only made your heart swell more, reminding you just how lucky you were to have this family and cherish moments like this.

As you finished getting Remi settled in her pram, the hallway began to fill with the chatter and laughter of Leah’s family gathering for the tradition of their Christmas Eve walk.

“Are we ready to go?” Amanda called out, appearing in the doorway with Bella, their dog, tugging eagerly at her lead while her tail wagged excitedly.

“Yep, we’re all ready!” Leah grinned, wrapping a free arm around you.

“Remi’s first Christmas Eve walk! This is a tradition that can’t be broken,” Jacob joined them in the hallway, zipping up his coat as he bent down to give Remi a quick kiss on her forehead.

“Oh just look at her all bundled up,” Berny cooed, her eyes twinkling as she looked at Remi all cosy in her pram wearing her pale pink winter romper, “Before you know it, she’ll be walking and able to run around.”

Leah groaned in disagreement and firmly shook her head, “Don’t you start Grandma, this ones’ already talking about when she goes off to school,” She said, nodding in your direction, “I still have a few more years yet!”

You grinned at the older woman, “Leahs’ dreading the idea of Remi growing up,” You chimed in amusedly.

Holly snorted at her cousin's denial and gave her a playful nudge, “It’s bound to happen sooner or later, Le. You can’t keep her a baby forever.”

“Yeah, you just blink and it just happens,” Jordan, Leah’s older cousin piped in, already having a little boy of her own, “They grow up so fast.”

Leah shook her head with a dramatic sigh, trying to keep a serious face but failing to hide the smile tugging at her lips, “Let’s not think about it just yet, let’s just go for our walk.”

“Yeah, let’s not traumatise Le with the idea of Remi growing up just yet,” Jacob snickered, poking fun at his older sisters’ dread for Remi growing up.

You couldn’t help but enjoy hearing the sound of the snow crunching beneath your feet as you begin your walk, the twinkling lights of the neighbourhood illuminating your path as Remi gurgled softly in her pram, mesmerised by them.

“This,” Leah whispered, squeezing your hand, her face a mix of happiness and contentment, “Is what it’s all about.”

“It’s pretty magical, isn’t it?” You leaned into her warmth and took in this special moment of being around your wife, your little girl and your family during a special time of the year, “I couldn’t think of anything to top this.”

It’s true what they say about time going by so fast – much to your wife’s initial denial about that happening, Remi was nine months old before you both knew it and your little girl was growing more curious and lively every day, her eyes bright and wide with wonder.

March arrived before you know it and Leah’s birthday was vastly approaching, you knew you wanted to do something to celebrate, despite your wife’s insistence on wanting a small celebration and after brainstorming, you decided on the idea on a trip to the zoo – it would be a perfect blend of fun for all of you.

“Happy birthday, Le!” You exclaimed, showered your wife with gifts as she sat cross-legged on the bed meanwhile Remi sat wedged happily in between you, far more interested with the crinkling wrapping paper than the presents themselves, her tiny hands eagerly reaching out to scrunch it up.

“Thank you, love,” Leah smiled, tearing through the paper with a grin and leaning over to give you a quick kiss on the lips, “These are perfect.”

“You’re welcome,” You replied, enjoying the happiness that lit up her face.

Remi started to babble something which sounded vaguely recognisable to “Mama” which Leah’s eyes widened in delight, cupping her hands on her tiny face and peppered kisses over her little face, “And thank you to you too, baby Gooner. I love all of my presents from you too.”

The morning was somewhat as relaxing as it could be with a 9 month old who was now crawling, pulling herself to stand up and doing her best to try and walk while holding onto furniture, you made work of spoiling your wife with a special breakfast of pancakes while Leah fed Remi bits of fruit that she seemed to enjoy a whole lot.

“You’re spoiling me today,” Leah murmured, popping a piece of fruit in her own mouth as she watched you flip another pancake in the kitchen.

“Only the best for the birthday girl,” You replied, placing the last pancake on a plate and settling it down in front of her.

Your wife's eyes sparkled with a mix of love and mischief, “You know this is one of the most perfect ways to start my way,” She paused as she took a bite of the pancake and savoured the taste in her mouth, “Mm, it’s delicious!”

“I aim to impress,” You joked with her playfully as you grinned, “I just want to make your birthday as special as possible.”

Leah beamed a wide smile as she continued to munch on her pancakes, “You’re definitely living up to expectations, love.”

After breakfast, you got Remi dressed in a cute onesie with tiny animal prints - the perfect outfit for the trip to the zoo.

“Are you ready to go to the zoo and see all of the animals?” Leah cooed at Remi, who cheerfully babbled nonsense in return and her tiny hands batted at Leah’s face, “There’s going to be so many different ones - monkeys, giraffes, elephants… Oh, and tigers as well!”

“I think she’s definitely excited about it,” You grinned, watching as Leah strapped Remi into the pram once you had gotten out of the car at the Zoo.

Leah crouched down, her eyes bright with a playful energy, “What noise does a Tiger make, baby Gooner?” She questioned your little girl, “They go… Roar!” She exclaimed while Remi stared back at her with a blank expression on her face, as if sizing up your wife’s silliness.

You snickered in amusement at your wife’s antics, “Yeah I think she definitely understands what you are saying there, Le.” You teased, shaking your head.

“Of course she does, cos’ she’s our clever little girl,” Leah insisted as you made your way towards the entrance of the zoo, quickly paying for the tickets and heading inside, excited to see all the different animals, “What should we go and see first?”

“I think the monkey’s first,” You walked hand-in-hand with Leah, your wife pushing Remi’s pram along the winding paths of the zoo, the noise around the zoo filled with the faint sounds of the animals amongst the chatter of families enjoying their day.

“Look, Remi! Monkeys!” Leah pointed excitedly, leaning down to get closer to Remi’s eye level, “Can we see them jumping around?”

Remi, however, didn't seem that bothered and decided that chewing the ear of a stuffed giraffe toy was more exciting and her eyes barely flickered towards the monkeys.

“Not impressed, huh?” You chuckled, watching as Remi babbled to herself, blissfully unaware of the monkey’s putting on a show.

“Wow, tough crowd,” Leah laughed, shrugging her shoulders, “There’s still time to warm up to them I suppose.” She added.

“Maybe she’s just saving her excitement for the rest of the animals,” You suggested playfully as you continued walking towards the giraffe enclosure.

“Wow, look how tall the giraffes are,” Leah lifted Remi up from her pram and pointed out the giraffes that were stretching their long necks towards the leaves, “What do you think about them, baby Gooner?”

This time, Remi seemed slightly a bit more curious about the giraffes as her eyes widened and she followed Leah’s hand, trying her hardest to reach her little hand out to grasp them from afar.

“Seems like she likes them better,” You noted with a smile, watching as Remi stayed captivated by the giraffes, “Maybe it’s the height?”

“Or maybe she’s just a giraffe person,” Leah teased, kissing your daughter's cheek before settling her back in the pram to continue your way around the enclosures, “Next up… Elephants.” She declared.

Continuing your journey, you arrived to see the elephants as you crouched beside Remi, “What do you think of the elephant, Remi Roo? They’re so big and strong!” You exclaimed, making a gentle trumpet sound with your lips and attempted to imitate an elephant.

“Very impressive love,” Leah laughed in amusement and shook her head, “And you think I’m silly – Isn’t she silly, Rem? Mumma’s a silly billy,” She cooed, trying to bring out another smile from your grumpy little girl who was apparently disappointed to leave the giraffes.

“I don’t think she’s a fan,” You noted, watching Remi take a short glance at the elephants before her attention shifted back to the giraffe toy that she kept clutched in her hand, “I’m definitely sensing a favourite animal already.”

“I think you might be onto something there love,” Your wife shared a fond smile with you as she peered down to watch your daughter chew intently on the ear of her toy, “I wonder what she’ll think about the tigers instead?” She asked.

“Well, we’re about to find out,” You told her with a small shrug of your shoulders as you couldn’t help but feel curious about it yourself.

Making your way to the tiger enclosure, Leah stopped in front of the large glass panel separating you from the striped cats lounging in the midday sun, “Look, Rem! Here’s the tigers!” She crouched down with Remi, bringing her face closer to the glass, “Remember how it goes? Roar!” Your wife growled playfully, imitating the big cat.

To your surprise, Remi’s eyes widened as she took in the sight of the tigers and after a moment of contemplation, she let out a delighted growl of her own to mimic Leah’s sound.

“Wow, we have our own little tiger!” Leah exclaimed, her laughter ringing out as she hugged your daughter close, “Remi the tiger, huh?” She added.

“I think she just might be,” You laughed in agreement, watching the fond moment of your two favourite people together, “I’d say it’s a toss up between the giraffes and the tigers.”

As you continue your journey around the zoo to see the various different animals, taking in the sights and sounds, you feel the warmth of the sun on your skin and the happiness swelling inside you.

“I think our baby Gooner might just be a tiger fan,” Leah noted, kissing Remi’s small forehead tenderly as your little girl giggled in absolute delight.

“Can you believe that she’s already 1?” Leah questioned in shock as you took the moment in bed reminiscing over the last year while Remi slept in her room next door, “It feels like only yesterday we were bringing her back from the hospital, doesn't it?”

“It really does,” You hummed in agreement, your voice filled with a mix of nostalgia and awe, “Our little girl is really growing up.”

“Where did the time go?” Your wife wondered aloud, enjoying the moment that you were wrapped up in her arms as she traced gentle circles on your bare skin.

“We blinked Le, and she grew up, Le,” You admitted, a gentle voice, “All those hours of labour – This time last year we were at the hospital, I was screaming at you and now, here we are.”

“Here we are now,” Leah repeated, her voice softening, “I forgive you for shouting at me. It was all worth it to meet our baby Gooner.”

You chucked in amusement, “You’re still not letting that nickname go, huh?”

“Nope,” Your wife said with a smirk, “I’ll still be calling her that even when she’s 16 years old and sneaking out the house.”

You frowned and shook your head, “Okay. That is not something that I want to even think about any time soon, Le.”

“Oh, and just all these months ago you were winding me up for not wanting her to grow up,” Leah teased you as she pressed a gentle kiss on your collar bone, “What has changed now?”

“I realised that she’s growing up too fast,” You admitted quietly, biting your bottom lip. 

“Do you think it’s time for another one?” Leah spoke her thoughts aloud, anxiously awaiting your answer. 

You raised an eyebrow in confusion, “Another baby?”

“No, another puppy,” Leah retorted, rolling her eyes, “Yes I mean a baby –  Think about it! Wouldn’t it be great for Remi to be a big sister?”

“I love the idea of that, and the puppy as well,” You told your wife, a genuine smile on your face. 

“Whoa slow down there,” Leah couldn’t help but laugh, “Let’s just do one thing at a time, eh?” She joked. 

“Let’s do it,” You agreed with Leah, nodding in triumph. 

“Yeah?” Leah checked to make sure you were sure. 

“Yeah!” You repeated your wife’s words, “Let’s make another baby.” You add quietly, pressing your face against hers as you share a tender kiss. 

“Mu… Mumma! Mummy!” Remi’s small voice broke the baby monitor in the room and interrupted the moment.

“Sounds like the birthday girl is up,” Leah said, sharing a look with you.

“We’ll come on then, we’d better not keep our 1 year old waiting any longer,” You said reluctantly getting out of bed, quickly chucking on one of your wife’s old Arsenal shirt and a loose pair of sleep shorts. 

“Nope, I already don’t like the sound of that,” Leah said in dismissal as she shook her head, “She’s still too little to be 1 already.”

You couldn’t help but chuckle in amusement, “Le, she’s walking and talking. She’s not too little.” You reminded her, gently as you made your way into your little girl's bedroom. 

“Mumma,” Tiny hands reached up for you to pick her up and you didn’t hesitate to waste the time and scoop her up into your arms, making you realise it’s important to treasure moments like this. 

“Hi Remi Roo,” You cooed, pressing a gentle kiss to your daughters forehead, “Happy birthday. You’re 1 years old.” You added, holding her close to you. 

“Yep, even hearing you say it aloud like that, I don’t like it at all,” Leah appeared behind you and as soon as Remi heard your wife’s voice, she was reaching towards her, “Hi baby Gooner. Who’s birthday is it, huh? Todays your very special day.”

“You have to get used to it sooner or later,” You remarked playful as the three of you made your way down the stairs to begin breakfast ahead of the day full of celebration with your friends and family. 

“Nope, definitely not. She’ll always be little in my eyes,” Leah stated, less than thrilled at the idea of you growing up right there in front of her eyes, “Won’t you, baby Gooner?”

As the day went on, you were so excited to be able to celebrate your little girls’ first birthday with your closest family and friends as they all began to arrive - The house was decorated with pink decorations, several large balloons dotted around the room as a large banner read “Happy 1st Birthday, Remi!” in colourful letters, and the smell of birthday cake wafted through the hair.

The first guests to arrive at your house for the small celebration were the majority of Leah’s teammates, who all came bursting through the door with several presents for your daughter.

“There’s the birthday girl!” Beth’s loud voice filled the house, walking through the front door with a present in her hand, “Hi, baby Gooner! Happy birthday.”

“I still can’t believe you girls have a 1 year old,” Lia said, exchanging hugs with the two of you and gently running her thumb over Remi’s face, “Look at you growing up.”

“Don’t remind us,” Leah murmured against the idea, returning the hug with her best friend. 

You snickered in amusement at your wife’s expense, “Leah’s almost having a breakdown about it, again.” You teased, looking over at the girls.

Leah gasped, nudging you playfully with her free hand, “Way to out me like that, love,” She tutted, though there was a hint of a smile on her lips as she spotted Amanda and the rest of her family walk through the front door, “There’s Nana, shall we go and say hi?” She asked, turning her attention back to Remi.

The moment that Remi saw Amanda, her face lit up and the woman wasted no time in scooping her up, “Hi sweetheart,” Amanda cooed, cradling your daughter with affection, “Happy birthday! Look how many people are here to celebrate your special day, huh? Wow. You’re one lucky girl!”

“Happy birthday, angel,” Berny stepped forward and pressed a soft kiss to the top of Remi’s head, “One already? Where’s the time gone?”

“Hi, Remi Roo!” Jacob gently lifted Remi’s tiny hand into a fist bump against his own, “Happy birthday to you!”

“We’re so glad you could all make it,” You said, raising your voice slightly to address the growing number of guests in your living room.

“We wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Holly replied with a warm smile, “It’s Remi’s special day!”

You felt a surge of happiness seeing so many people here to celebrate. It was exactly the kind of day you’d hoped for – full of love, laughter and little moments that would make Remi’s first birthday unforgettable.

“We’re about to light the candles on the cake!” Leah announced, her voice bright with excitement.

“Ah, the best part!” Beth joked with a wide grin.

“The only reason I’m here– Ow!” Kyra started, feigning a pained expression as Alessia playfully nudged her, “Alright, I was just kidding. Of course, I wanted to be here to celebrate Remi’s first birthday… The cake is just an added bonus!”

Leah carefully lit the candles on the cake while you held Remi in your arms. As the lights dimmed, the room hushed for a brief moment before everyone began to sing.

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Remi, happy birthday to you!” The joyful chorus filled the room as a wave of love and warmth washed over you.

“Happy birthday, baby girl,” You whispered, leaning closer to help Remi blow out the candles as you gently puffed alongside her, and everyone erupted into cheers and applause.

“Happy birthday, my baby Gooner,” Leah moved closer and peppered kisses on your little girl’s face as she giggled joyfully, “I can’t believe you’re already 1. Don’t grow up on us too fast, okay? You are the best thing that’s ever been ours.”

And just like that, the first year of Remi’s life was complete, with many more chapters to be written.

leahwilliamsonn and y/nwilliamson posted

Liked by liawaelti, bethmead_ and 92, 432 others.

leahwilliamsonn: just like that, our baby gooner is one years old! 🥹🎂🥳

what an incredible journey this whole year has been to watch you grow up right in front of our very eyes 👣👶🏼

happy birthday, remi! mumma and i love you so, so much! 💗

© scribblesofagoonerr

[fickleminder]

Karasu’s Confession Corner

Seeing Karasu, one of Mammon’s crow familiars, at your windowsill isn’t an uncommon occurrence. He likes to stop by sometimes to hang out with you, but today he’s acting oddly for some reason…

Written for the OM Secret Santa 2022 event @omsecretsanta2022. Features Mammon x GN!MC.

Happy holidays @kydrogendragon! Your first idea reminded me of this fic so I hope you don’t mind that I wrote the second one instead. Please enjoy :)

Thank Diavolo It’s Friday.

It’s been another long week at RAD, filled with pop quizzes and reading assignments and helping out with student council duties, and all you want to do is take a page from Belphie’s book and sleep the entire weekend away. Satan is the one to walk you home today, and he must have noticed how tired you are because he doesn’t even bother trying to steer you towards a cat cafe on the way back.

Once the two of you return to the House of Lamentation, you thank him for his company and make a beeline for the safety of your room. Trudging inside, you barely muster the energy to change into more comfortable clothing before flopping onto your bed in an exhausted sprawl.

You almost miss the soft rustle coming from the direction of your clothes rack. Out of the corner of your eye, you notice something slipping out of your uniform pocket and fluttering to the ground. Tilting your head slightly to get a better look, you sigh at the tiny piece of paper staring back at you.

It’s a voucher for this boba tea cafe that Asmo had introduced you to several months ago. Levi had gotten it for free with one of his recent Akuzon purchases, and gifted it to you in exchange for helping him queue for some exclusive merch. The cafe had been growing in popularity with RAD students lately, and you were hoping to invite Mammon out after school today to redeem a one-for-one drink from their special menu.

Unfortunately, Mammon said he had “errands” to run (which you knew meant the witches were after his ass again) and quickly ran off after the last bell, leaving his younger brother to escort you home. Watching Mammon rush out of the school gates as though Cerberus was hot on his heels sent a pang of regret through you, for taking so long to gather the courage to ask him out, especially given that the voucher expired the next day.

You sigh again. Your guardian definitely had a nasty habit of always getting himself into trouble, that silly, lovable demon.

Lovable… Your cheeks warm at the thought. But not all hope is lost, and you can still salvage this situation yet. Maybe you could go with him after dinner? It’s the weekend tomorrow, so surely Lucifer wouldn’t mind letting the two of you stay out a little longer tonight. If Mammon even comes back by then, you think gloomily. If he’s dealing with the witches, he’s usually gone for a few days… 

Something raps at your window, the sharp sounds abruptly jolting you from your reverie. You sit up to see a large black crow perched on the sill, cawing loudly at you from the other side of the glass pane, begging to be let in. You recognize him right away; it’s not the first time one of Mammon’s familiars has stopped by to visit, and you’re actually glad for his presence right now. 

“Hey Karasu, it’s been a while!” Feeling a little more energized now, you give the bird a bright smile as you lift open the window. “What are you doing here? Sol told me your chicks hatched the other day, so shouldn’t you be with your mate taking care of them?”

Karasu cocks his head to the side, looking somewhat confused. But he seems insistent on coming in, and, well, who were you to deny the adorable little thing?

“Are you hungry? I still have some of your favorite peanuts left.” You pull open your desk drawer and rummage around for one of the leftover sachets. Karasu waits patiently as you tear it open and pour it out neatly at his feet. “Go on, eat up!”

He appears hesitant at first, but opens up obediently when you pick up a piece and nudge it at his beak. Soon enough, he’s happily vacuuming up the entire pile peck by peck.

“There’s nothing like human world peanuts, am I right?” You laugh at the sight of the crow greedily going at his snack like a woodpecker, and toss the empty package into the trash can. “I don’t have much left, but I’ll be sure to pick up more the next time I go back to visit. Don’t tell Beel, okay?”

You stroke Karasu’s feathers when he’s done eating and giggle as he puffs up in response to your gentle touch. Spending time with animals really never fails to improve your mood. No wonder Satan’s always seeking out cats to hang out with.

“Such a good bird,” you coo. “Your mate’s so lucky to have you.”

Again, at the mention of a mate, Karasu appears startled. He can’t seem to look you in the eye, and his gaze darts everywhere but at your face. It eventually lands on the shiny, laminated coupon on the floor, and he lets out a questioning caw.

“Oh, this? It’s just a voucher for a drink.” You walk over and pick it up with a small huff of disappointment. “I wanted to invite Mammon out to redeem it today, but he already had other plans.”

Karasu perks up at the mention of his master. You start to feel a little bad for talking about Mammon behind his back, to one of his trusted familiars no less, but you can’t help the words spilling out anymore. Just being able to tell someone about this is cathartic, even if you are venting to a crow.

“It’s a one-for-one voucher for drinks at Spoopy’s, and it was going to be my treat so he wouldn’t have to spend a Grimm. It makes me happy when he takes me out and buys me stuff, even if he denies it, so I wanted to return the favor. I want to make him feel as special as he makes me feel.

Sometimes I think Mammon’s brothers are a little too harsh on him. Everybody makes mistakes, and it’s not fair that he gets disciplined the most for succumbing to his greed. I can’t say I know what it’s like, but being an Avatar of Sin mustn’t be easy.”

Your heart aches as you give Karasu a sad look, because it’s true. Mammon’s always the butt of his brothers’ jokes, always taking the brunt of Lucifer’s harshest punishments. And yet, he never stops smiling, never stops looking out for his family because he loves them so much despite how badly they treat him sometimes. Plus, tsundere attitude aside, he’s only ever been kind to you after you had first been teleported to the Devildom. Knowing all of this, how could you not fall for him?

“If I can make him happy, even just for a little while, it’ll be worth it,” you whisper, seemingly to yourself. “That’s what you do for someone you love, isn’t it?”

Karasu gives a loud caw, snapping you out of your depressive thoughts. You think he must be pitying the lovelorn expression on your face, because he hops closer to nuzzle your jaw with his beak, just below the corner of your lips.

“Aww… Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Karasu. You’re so sweet!” You pet the crow on his head, smiling softly. He really is such a good bird. “I wouldn’t want your mate to come after me, so I’ll give you this instead.”

You put your middle and index fingers together on one hand and kiss the tips, and then you press them to Karasu’s beak. 

A sudden burst of light blinds you, sending you reeling backwards with a startled yelp. Something— someone— reaches out to steady you, their arms around your waist and shoulders, preventing you from toppling over and hitting your head. When the brightness finally fades, you blink the spots in your vision away only to see…

“Mammon?!” You splutter in shock. “What— How did—”

“I can’t believe one of my familiars has been cozying up to ya,” the white-haired demon grumbles, still holding you in a dip pose as though the two of you had been dancing together at one of Diavolo’s fancy balls. “Gonna have words with that bird, I swear—”

“Mammon! How are you here?” You push lightly at his chest, trying to stand up properly. Your face is burning from the sinking realization that you just confessed your feelings to a crow that had actually been the object of your affections all along holy shit—

“It ain’t my fault, it was those damn witches and their nasty curses! More importantly, don’t ya go giving your kisses to anyone else but me, ya hear?” Mammon demands, his face equally flushed. He helps you up gently, and a distant part of your brain notices that he doesn’t let go of your hand. “Forget dinner with my brothers; I’m taking ya out, and then we can go grab some boba tea later! How’s that sound, huh?”

With the sheer amount of hope and excitement swelling in your chest, you have to remind yourself to breathe. “That sounds perfect,” you manage, your cheeks starting to hurt from how wide you’re smiling.

Mammon pulls you into a tight hug, one you don’t hesitate to reciprocate. You know he’s trying to hide, too embarrassed to face you directly, but his next words tell you all you need to know.

“Love ya too, treasure,” he whispers in your ear, and your heart soars.

[xxmissarichanxx]

✨XMACX Monthly✨November 2024

Happy November! Fall should be in full swing! Leaves should be turning red, orange, and yellow. Pumpkin spice should be filling up stores and lattes everywhere… For us in Hawaii, that means it starts to get less humid and a little more cool. And… that’s about it.

You can read the update on XXMISSARICHANXX.com or under the cut below!

What’s Happening in November?

I’m picking up where I left off in Froot Basket White’s development! That means continuing to draw the remaining artwork, adding the final voiced lines, and continuing to work with the composer for some music tracks! I’ll lay it out more below.

November is also the month where Americans celebrate Thanksgiving! So near the end of the month, I’ll be enjoying some family time!

As for December’s Cover Model… the polls will drop on Instagram and Twitter/X on November 8! Unlike previous months, I’d like December to be centered around family, so the candidates will be pairs of family members. Here they are!

A) Masa & Greyson Takeshiro B) Satoru & Kugo Jonoji C) Kiki & Mae Tsukimoto D) Kou & Kagami Kusanagi

The theme will, of course, be festive for the holidays! I haven’t done a gingerbread look before, so I’m leaning toward doing something with that prompt. But depending on which family wins, we’ll see what I feel works best for them.

Other than that, I wanted to share my OOTDs from my trip (the goal was to wear pink every day) and some of lil Kai’s OOTDs!

VN Dev | Froot Basket White

There are a few scenes I’d like to have CGs for in Sutoro’s route: the romantic ones (of course) and the other endings. I also should get started on promotional artwork. For the promos, I want to have each of the love interests dressed in white and holding a bouquet of flowers. I’m gonna take some queues from some kpop idols hehehe…

Anyway, I’d like to take my time with the art. I want to produce nice and fun artwork and I want to have fun doing it! The last few months, I was struggling trying to figure out how to frame and structure the CGs. Since I haven’t touched the art for the game in a while, I’m still struggling with this aspect.

The good thing is Sutoro’s Route is nearly complete. I am, however, planning to release it next year. I’d like to build up more of a buffer before I release his episode so you won’t wait too long for the next few episodes. That means, I’d like to have the bulk of Beau’s episode mostly finished too so I can release it relatively close to Sutoro’s.

Cover Story | Pumpkin Spicy Monty

Monty is one of Kaimana’s family dogs, a Siberian husky to be exact! He’s old and was the first dog his parents welcomed into their home after Kai was born.

I turned him semi-human for a cute little game I was making for Otome Jam last year called I Turned My BFF’s Dogs Human! but unfortunately, I didn’t finish it in time. I’m painfully aware of how often I say “I hope to work on,” or “I can’t wait to work on” a project. I will again say that of this project. I hope to work on this project again soon! I at least am thankful I’m not short on ideas or projects to pick up when I finish others…

Other News…

Japan Look Book!

I thought it’d be fun to share my outfits during my trip! I challenged myself to wear pink every day! I’m sharing the thread of my outfits that I tweeted rather than slapping a gallery here. I’m, uh, trying to save some space on this site hahaha…

I tried to pack as few clothes as possible, so I reused some shirts, skirts, and shorts and mixed-and-matched them for different looks. This meant we eventually had to do laundry in the middle of our trip. This ended up being a disaster.

We had the brilliant idea to do laundry the day before we planned to travel from Tokyo to Osaka. Not only was the dryer not drying the thick outerwear and jeans, but the tiny laundry room was extremely humid likely contributing to the dryer not drying our thick outerwear and jeans. Oopsie. We ended up throwing our hands up in the air and deciding that getting some sleep for our 530AM local train ride to the Shinkansen station was more important than trying to get the laundry done.

Thankfully, we got at least 5 hours of sleep and made it to our train in time. But we ended up redoing our laundry and air-drying our clothes at our next location.

Lil Kaimana’s Look Book!

I also brought my lil guy around with me and he had some fun lil outfits as well~ This thread is from Bluesky rather than Twitter because I’d like y’all to know I’ll be posting to both spaces. Give me a follow there too!

Anyway, even though Japan is a place where it’s normalized to carry around your lil guys and take photos with and of them, I still felt a little shy pulling him out and snapping these pics. I’d like to be more comfortable sharing him with everyone, and I’m thankful my friends and beloved Alex were patient with me when I tried to get some good angles with Kaimana. All in all, the experience of traveling with my lil guy was so fun!

I hope you enjoy these fun pics! We had a lot of fun on our trip and are already so excited to go again xDD

Next Month?

December is typically a month filled with lots of family and friends, so I’ll be enjoying quality time with people I love. I hope you will too! Also, there will be no poll for January 2025’s Cover Model next month. January is specially reserved for Kaimana because it’s his birth month!

Anyway, plan to enjoy your holidays! Don’t work too hard and take it easy!

I appreciate you! xxAri

[dontfeeltoohot]

I wrote a tiny little thing finally! Have bodyguard Steve and famous Eddie, with Eddie being sensitive to smoke and Steve struggling seeing his new employer so hot.

(snzkink!steve anyone?)

XXX

Steve’s third shift being employed for Eddie, the long haired man asks him if he wants to share a joint.

“Are you kidding right now? I’m working,” the bodyguard huffs, rolling his honey colored eyes.

“Yeah, and?”

“Jesus Ch- no, Munson, I’m not going to get high. I’m here to watch you, not be your friend.”

Eddie groans dramatically, pouting. It makes Steve think of a petulant toddler who’s not getting his way, which…if the shoe fits…

“You’ve made that very clear, sweetheart. But come on, even just one hit? You’re so boring, you need to lighten up.”

As the long haired man starts rolling the joint, Steve can already smell the weed. He’s got everything laid out on the coffee table, where he’s sitting, cross legged like a child.

“No.”

“Fine man, your loss.”

At that, Eddie finishes wrapping it all up, then grabs his black lighter from his jeans pocket, lighting it up. It takes a few hits and then the actor seems to drop any tenseness he’s held in his body. His limbs drape over the couch he’s now crawled onto, and as if he doesn’t have true control over his movements, he smacks himself in the face before rubbing at his nose.

“So tell me about yourself Stevie,” Eddie says, looking over at him.

“Not a chance. We’re not friends Munson, this is why every other bodyguard loses you. I’m here to watch you and protect you, not be best buds.”

“So you’re juhhst a glorified-snf! baby sihhtter..” he trails off, scrubbing at his nose with his wrist. “Ugh, fuh-! fuck…iiHGkSHew!”

The sneeze isn’t loud, but it sounds like he needed it, all itchy and desperate. Steve watches him, watches as Eddie ducks his head into his shoulder, just barely covering. He feels his pants get slightly tighter and he shifts, clearing his throat. Of course Eddie Munson has a cute sneeze, even if he’s insufferable. Maybe that’s the only good thing about him.

“Bless you.”

“Thanks, but uh, you’ll prohhbably get t…t’HKshEW! snf! Tired of saying that,” Eddie waves a hand lazily in the air around the smoke that he breathes out. His nose is twitching, and Steve watches as the man’s eyes flutter slightly.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, my nose gets itchy when I smoke, like it just won’t quit tickling,” the brunette explains as if it’s the easiest thing in the world- like it’s not turning Steve on.

As if on queue, as Eddie blows out a ring of smoke expertly, his nostrils twitch and his breath hitches, eyelashes resting against his upper cheek.

“hih’IGKtsh’uhew! Fuck that felt g-snf! good…” he rubs at his nose with the heel of his left hand desperately.

Steve feels hot all over, like he shouldn’t be watching but can’t look away. Eddie’s nose is cute, and though usually he’s annoying and mouthy, something about seeing him like this makes Steve want to jump his bones. But no, he can’t. He’s his bodyguard for fucks sake. He can’t very well do his job while drooling over his employer.

Eddie sniffles through the next half hour while slowly smoking, letting the air fill with the smell of marijuana. It doesn’t bother Steve if he smokes- at least it’s not a hard drug and he’s at home instead of out in some club. So for now, he’ll keep watching the man and silently drink in the increasingly messy sneezes- if he thinks about them later while getting off in the shower, no one has to know.

[blackbat05]

Hero

Frank Castle x Reader

A/N: First Frank Castle fic! Frank and reader are neighbors, reader is an elementary school teacher and requests help from Frank that leads to just more than an ordinary Friday. Feedback is appreciated as always!🙇🏽‍♀️

Genre: PG-13

Warnings/Notes: Fight sequences, blood, profanities. Usage of O/C characters.

***

He had no idea what he was doing here.

Sometimes, the world had the most funniest ideas that involved screwing him inside out.

Here, stood Frank Castle. In front of a class of third graders, sitting in their tiny plastic chairs, eyes wide open in anticipation.

Would he rather go to war?

‘Hi!’

Frank turns around to see you, the next door neighbor hurrying towards him with your own basket of clean laundry.

‘Looks like it’s laundry day for you too huh?’ You tried to make conversation. He nods numbly, not wanting to embarrass himself in front of his neighbor that was the absolute polar opposite of him.

‘Yeah, got a few stains. Here and there.’ Frank mumbles, not wanting to scare you about the exact nature of the “stains”.

‘Damn, they can be a real pain in the ass,’ you laughed, unaware of the strange effect you had on him. ‘Well, I wouldn’t want to hold you up any longer but could I ask you for a favor?’ You see an unreadable expression on his face.

‘You can say no if you’re not comfortable.’ You quickly added for good measure, not wanting to pressure your neighbor.

But he was never going to say no when it came to you.

‘Alright class, you can ask questions but one at a time.’ You emphasized, giving a quick thumbs up to him while the little ones weren’t looking.

To Frank’s surprise, the kids had posed rather insightful questions that made him think about his time in the military. But it was a little girl with purple framed glasses that would make this day at an elementary school memorable.

‘My grandpa was a soldier like you Mister. He went to Vietnam,’ she tells Frank. ‘Grandma tells me that he still gets a lot of nightmares. How can I help him to get better?’

Your breath gets caught in your throat, prepared to step in as you see Frank tense up.

‘Well…’ The man ponders, wondering how he should proceed. ‘Nightmares are always scary when you have to face them alone… but if you’re together… you won’t feel as scared.’

She takes it in, nodding thoughtfully. ‘Grandma always spends time with Grandpa.’

As you see Frank starting to slip into another world, you take that as you queue to step in. Quickly getting things into order, you reminded your students to thank today’s special guest for their time before dismissing them.

You could tell that the kids were growing attached to Frank despite his intimidating appearance to most grown adults. Filing out of class, some kids had stopped to give him hugs. It was adorable really, seeing Frank bend down to return the warm hugs.

If you dared say so yourself, he needed these hugs from the young ones.

Returning to your table, you see Frank glancing in the direction where the same girl was sitting, waiting for you expectantly.

‘Uh, seems like we have a lone straggler.’

‘Oh no, Madam Wu and her husband are helping out at a veteran support group every Friday. I offered to look after Tammy, spend the evenings with her.’ You filled him in on the specifics. ‘Would you like to join us for dinner? We’re having pizza today.’

Despite the tempting offer to spend more time with you, he felt wrong intruding on your shared time with little Tammy. Before he could give a polite rejection, Tammy speaks up, eyes sparkling.

‘Oooh! Can Mister Castle join us? Please? Pleaseeeee.’

His heart skips a beat, hearing you chuckle. It was almost like the girl was your own flesh and blood.

‘It’s the least I could do after asking you for this huge favor.’ You reasoned with him. ‘Besides, Tammy has a tendency to order a bit too much food. And I won’t take no for an answer.’

A cute kid. A pretty neighbor. How could he say no to that?

***

‘How was dinner Tammy?’ The three of you exited the diner, the girl striding to keep up with Frank’s big steps.

‘It was yummy!’ She gave a thumbs up. ‘Can Mister Frank come with us again next week?’ Tammy instinctively reaches for his hand.

‘Of course kiddo,’ his large hands hold her tiny ones. He could get used to this bit of normalcy in his life.

Thank you, you mouth to him. He gives you a quick wink before turning his attention back to Tammy who was animatedly telling him about the strawberry soda she had earlier.

Although he only knew the kid for less than a day, Tammy had found a way into his heart. Just like you did. The young girl reminded him too much of his daughter. Perhaps Frank didn’t know it, but they were more alike in more ways than one.

‘Tammy lost her parents when she was just a toddler. Car accident.’ You tell Frank sadly while Tammy was out of sight.

‘Thank god her grandparents gave her so much love. Especially Mr Wu. He’s going through things of his own, but he wouldn’t stop talking about his granddaughter.’

Walking past a pharmacy, Frank realizes that he should probably stock up on his bandages that were slowly depleting at home.

‘Hey, I gotta get some supplies. Mind if you give me a minute?’

‘Of course. We’ll be waiting here, do what you need.’ Frank enters the store, feet directing him to the section filled with first aid necessities. Not like it wasn’t his first rodeo. No more, no less. He makes his way to the counter, not wanting to leave the two of you outside on a street like Hell’s Kitchen.

Why did his gut feeling always had to be right?

***

While you waited for Frank, the two of you kept yourselves entertained with a piece of paper and pen, playing tic-tac-toe.

Honestly, you weren’t sure what was up with this neighborhood and people not being able to take a hint.

A heavyset male stumbles across, movement erratic. He’s clearly drunk and you’re more worried about Tammy seeing this rather than anything else. Still, you tried to keep calm. It wouldn’t be long till Frank was out.

‘Hey gorgeous! Where you goin?’ He slurs the last few words out, eyes nearly rolling backwards. You bring Tammy closer towards you, attempting to ignore him.

Tammy tenses up, shifting closer to you. ‘Miss L/N…’

‘Don’t be scared girlie!’ The drunkard waves his arms aggressively. ‘I’m not a scary man!’ He then leers at you. ‘How about I show you a good time?’

That’s it. You had enough. Standing up, you were about to tell him to fuck off in the nicest way possible while Tammy was still there when the door opens, the cold air rushing onto the streets.

Frank stands behind you, looking murderous. It took him his entire willpower not to bash the man’s skull into the concrete with a young kid there. He didn’t know how he did it at that time, but he had never been so calm in his life.

‘Y/N. Could you get me an extra box of these bandages?’ He passes you the bag, referring to the boxes inside. ‘Take your time. Oh and I forgot the sweets for Tammy.’

Confused, you could only nod, taking your student along with you inside the pharmacy. As the door shuts behind you, Frank descends on the unsuspecting man, dragging him to the alley behind the shop.

‘Try that shit one more time and I promise you won’t be walking after tonight.’ He growls, hands firmly on his collar.

‘Whatcha- do about it huhh? None of your business if I want to give that lady a good f- ARGHHH!’

Frank has dislocated both knee caps in under ten seconds. Squatting down to face the whimpering man, he repeats the threat again.

‘I told you.’

Getting out of the alley, he sees you and Tammy waiting for him outside the shop.

‘Is the scary man gone?’ Tammy stands behind you, eyes darting around. ‘Did you tell him to go away?’

‘Yeah, I did.’ Frank ruffles her hair. ‘No need to be scared now kiddo.’

***

‘Ah, this is Tammy’s.’ The three of you finally arrived at a three-story apartment. ‘Looks like Mr and Mrs Wu are back home too.’

‘I’ll wait here, you can drop her off.’

‘What? No don’t be silly, they’ll like to meet you too!’ You held his hand, leading him towards the apartment.

The old couple had embraced Frank warmly. Perhaps it was the common bond of being military men, Frank had immediately started conversation with Mr Wu while you chatted with Mrs Wu.

‘Marine eh?’

‘Yes sir.’

The older man smiles, ‘Harold will do son. Seems like Tammy enjoyed her time today.’

Catching wind of the conversation, Tammy runs towards the sofa in record time, plopping her tiny frame beside Frank.

‘Yeah! Mister Castle beat the bad guys! Told them to go away!’

‘Did he now?’ Mrs Wu walks slowly to the sofa, with you at her side. ‘Thank you for spending time with Tammy today.’

Frank had beat you to it, ‘Pleasure’s all ours. Tammy’s a sweet girl. Thank you sir for serving the country.’

The older man freezes in his tracks and that’s when he knew that this had meant a lot to him.

‘We shouldn’t hold you up any longer,’ you stood up along with Frank. ‘Enjoy your weekend and see you at school on Monday Tammy!’

Less than fifty meters from the entrance of the apartment building, you hear a voice calling for you. You see Tammy running as fast as she can, carrying a shopping bag.

‘Miss L/N!’

She skids to a stop, getting back her breath. ‘Grandma says to give this to you and Mister Castle Chinese New Year cookies that she made herself.’

You look into the bag, seeing one red box. Cheeks heating up, you were determined not to look at Frank’s reaction.

‘Oh! And I bought some more plasters for you!’ She walks over to Frank, tossing a box into his hands. You had to bite your lips to prevent yourself from grinning. Taking a closer look, Frank sees that the colorful box was a plaster that had cute cartoons as its design. It looked like… an egg?

‘Be careful and don’t get injured okay?’

Frank hugs the little girl, a rush of emotions flooding in. He can’t say much or maybe he’s just afraid of shedding a tear or two.

Continuing the journey back home, Frank decides to ask the question that was on his mind since he agreed to help out today.

‘Y/N…’

‘Yeah? You can take the cookies if you like,’ you responded absentmindedly. ‘I think the guys would like them.’

‘Nah, you take them. I’ll drop by sometime to try them out.’

A moment of silence passes through.

‘Y/N. If it’s ok with you, I would like to join you and Tammy from now on.’ You take a double take at him.

‘It doesn’t mean anything. I mean… Tammy stays in the back lanes… can get dangerous for you and her at night. If you want to that is… you don’t-’

‘I think Tammy would love that. And so do I.’

Frank does his best to not show his excitement, keeping his best poker face. ‘Really? That’s great.’

You nod shyly, processing the past few minutes. Finally, the two of you reached the corridors before going in separate ways.

‘Thank you for today Frank. Remember to take care of that bruise ok?’ You pointed, referring to the injury on his knuckle that he used on the man earlier. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’ You waved him goodbye, shutting the door.

You felt like a giddy school girl that had the best time of her life. What made it better was that Frank had reciprocate your feelings back.

When he had first moved in as your next door neighbor, a lot of people had misunderstood him due to his appearance. You were glad that you had made that conversation for the first time.

He was so much more than neighbor’s gossips made him out to be. He was a good man.

A hero.

Yes, you will aware that a certain someone was following you when you had late nights at work. And no, he did not try to be discreet about it.

Today was no different. He had readily put himself in front of you and Tammy, no questions asked.

Slipping into bed, you see the screen of your phone light up.

Frank had sent you a picture of the egg patterned plaster looking quite out of place on his large and bruised hand. A message is attached along with the photo:

‘Treated.’

You snorted. This man was truly something else.

Responding back with your own message, you pulled your blankets close to you, thinking about today’s events.

Who knew that the grumpy man next door had many layers to discover? And you were the one to slowly uncover his different side?

Best of all? This was only the beginning.

***

A/N: As usual my endings can be sh*t but I thought of this in the shower and I just had to get it out? Hope you enjoyed it?😆 Points to you if you realized Tammy gave Frank gudetama plasters!🥰

[garbagevanfleet]

Brightest Blue (series)

PART FIFTEEN (final chapter)

Pairing: Josh & female!Reader Warnings:  18+ ONLY, sexual content, alcohol, feelings Summary: Things are changing. New state. New school. New roommate. You just pray things are going to click into place. Notes: What an odd feeling this is. I love writing fics, but when you work so long and hard on something, it’s hard to let it go. I’m really pleased with how it turned out though, and I’m so incredibly grateful to everyone that read it and interacted with it. A big thank you to my editor, @lantern-inthenight​ for sticking with me through it, and thank you again to everyone on my taglist. 

MASTERPOST

taglist: @valleyd0ll​ @satingrass-maidensfair​ @guitarfingers​ @thebohemianpenguin​ @peaceisouranthem​ @oblvions​ @hansonobsessed @myownparadise96​ @anditsmywholeheart​ @kill-fear-the-power-of-lies​ @bigblack-catattack​​  @dharma-divine​

There was a plant in the Kiszka house that you couldn’t stop looking at - you found yourself making your way to the kitchen, just so you could peek in on it. It was a Christmas cactus placed on the south-facing window sill above the sink, spilling out of the sides of its terra cotta pot in long tendrils. 

Shapely, dark green, and perfectly healthy - it was the perfect metaphor for the household that loved it. The fuchsia pink buds on the tips of every trailing vine were promising to open every day since you’d arrived, and - perfectly on queue - the first one opened on Christmas Eve. It had been tightly closed when you greeted it in the morning as you sipped your cup of coffee, but by the time the family was snacking on a veggie tray and cocktail weenies at lunchtime, it was fully open, facing the floor in a way that reminded you of a ballerina’s tutu. 

“You like this thing, huh?” Josh had asked, audible to just you over the lively conversation and music filling the kitchen and dining room. He was standing closely behind your right shoulder, charmingly trying to get the same view of the cactus that you were - as if that could help him appreciate it better. 

“Isn’t it lovely?” you replied, turning your head and realizing at the same time that you could kiss his cheek if you leaned in closer. The two of you shared a lingering look that you put an end to just before you could start feeling physically warm.

He hummed in consideration after a moment. “It’s pretty,” he agreed and then smiled weakly. “It kinda just looks like another plant to me though, if I’m being honest.”

You turned to face him then, giving him a warm look. “There’s a lot of beauty to be found in things that other people don’t know to consider. It gives you kind of a selfish satisfaction.”

The slightly suggestive tone you’d taken put a puzzled smile on his face. He gave you a look that somehow perfectly let you know that he’d be back to pry at the deeper meaning of this conversation later when you were alone. 

“We got this for Christmas for my mom one year when we were little kids. Sam and Ronnie liked the color.” He smiled at it past your shoulder. “It used to be so tiny.” 

It certainly wasn’t anymore. As a matter of fact, it was currently threatening to take over the whole sill - swallow up the little knick-knacks peppered around it. 

“It’s really happy,” you agreed. 

+++

Dinner that night was photo-worthy. Laid out on the table were dishes upon dishes of different comfort foods, each with its own oversized serving spoon. Jake had been trying to make homemade bread through the entirety of your time there - the first night was his very first time making it and it was a little raw, then the next night it seemed a little hard, then the next it looked a little overcooked and dense. Tonight, however, it looked worthy of a cooking magazine cover.

PERFECT BREAD ON THE SIXTH TRY! it would read triumphantly.  

No one had a claim on any of the specific spots at the dining table, so it was free game - which was how you were able to finagle your way into sitting between Jake and Sam for that evening’s meal. You liked them a lot, for the record, but you had been thinking a lot about your earlier interaction with Josh, and that was the reason for your chosen position. 

You wanted to stare at him without arousing suspicion - or rather, any more suspicion than was already present amongst the six of you. 

He had given you a questioning look as he sat directly across the table from you, scooting his chair in until he could rest his elbows on the wood. You offered him a reassuring smile as you settled in, but secretly you reveling in the fact it’d seem awfully non-platonic if he questioned your choice out loud. 

While you ate, he only caught you looking at him once, to which he responded by playfully poking his tongue out at you. Otherwise, you listened intently to a story that Sam was telling you about a fated time he found a designer jacket in a truck stop bathroom and it fit perfectly. You also chatted lightly with Jake - who was sitting to your right - about each of your classes and he graciously listened to you gripe at length about the weather and its lack of consistency, which was obviously very kind of him.

When dinner was over, the family changed into their pajamas before meeting in the living room with their wine to sit around the tree and open one present each of their choosing. It went around in a circle, starting with Josh who received a new cutting board and a set of knives that his mom jokingly assured him he couldn’t have until he was ready to go back to Ann Arbor. You were unabashedly visibly excited to be able to use a knife that could cut without having to use a sawing motion.

Jake had unknowingly chosen to open the present you got for him, which was a leather-bound journal and fountain pen that cost more than you wanted to admit but after you saw it at the store, you couldn’t stop thinking about it. You had felt incredibly cool while purchasing it, so in a way, it was kind of a gift for you too. 

The gift you opened was a wool sweater from Josh’s parents and when you lovingly clutched the forest green fabric to your chest, it was a genuine gesture. You reminded them that they didn’t have to get you anything, but thanked them profusely when they informed you that you were being silly.

After the designated presents were opened, warm conversation was had as the Rudolph Christmas movie played quietly in the background. It was one of your holiday favorites though, so you probably paid more attention to it than the rest of the family. 

Once 10 pm hit, there was a sharp rise in the frequency of yawns, and shortly after that people started turning in, one by one. Everyone was wished a good night, knowing that when they woke up again, it would be Christmas. 

After Jake turned in around 11:30, you and Josh were the last ones standing - or sitting rather. 

You were sitting next to each other on the sofa, about a foot apart because despite Jake having been privy to your relationship, it was just good practice when any member of his family was around. 

As soon as Jake’s bedroom door was closed, Josh seemed to visibly relax his muscles, though his fingers still fidgeted with his jeans every few moments.

“Are you liking being home?” you asked and then took a sip of wine, already knowing what he was going to say. 

He gave you a low, pained-sounding hum through a grimacing smile. “We should have just told my family what the nature of our relationship was - I don’t think I can handle not touching you much longer.”

 “M’kay, couple things to address here,” you started through an amused smirk. “You were able to handle not touching me for months - I think you can handle literally one and a half more days. And two-”

He cut you off with a finger against your lips. “Yeah, but had I known you wanted me to, it would have made a lot of difference.”

You pressed a kiss to the digit before he quickly pulled it away with an accusatory squint in his eye. 

“And secondly,” you tried again pointedly. “What would you have told them? ‘Hey guys, I have very very fuzzy boundaries with my roommate and that often results in us sleeping together, both literally and as a euphemism’?”

He shot you a teasing smirk. “Cute. You’re very cute,” he said sarcastically. 

After a very long, comfortable silence, you spoke again, voice low and hushed. “So, can I scoot closer to you now?” 

He looked over at you from out of the corner of his eye, still holding that smirk. “Please do.”

You shuffled until your thigh was touching his.

Of course, you had missed it right away, but you hadn’t really realized how much you’d missed being physically close to him until you caught the now-familiar scent of his cologne. 

Another comfortable silence fell upon the room, quiet enough that all you could hear was the quiet crackling of the logs in the stone fireplace.

“Can I kiss you too?” you asked, looking over at him through the sheer curtain of your hair. 

He looked like he was truly mulling it over as his eyes flicked down the hall to his siblings’ rooms, and then across the living room and up the set of stairs to his parents’ room. After a second, he let out a huff and said, “Fuck it.”

He reached over and tugged on your various limbs until you were sitting in his lap, face to face. 

It had been so forbidden to you up until then, that when he leaned in and caught your lips, you let out a groan under your breath. 

“I missed you,” he breathed, almost directly against your mouth. “I love knowing you in any aspect, but I’ve been burning for this.”

 It made the heat rise to your cheeks, as well as your lap - but you couldn’t let him know he’d turned you on so easily, so you replied breathily with, “That’s an awfully fancy way of telling me you’re horny, babe.”

He was biting back a laugh for a split second before, grabbing your hips a little tighter to gain back what dominance you had borrowed from him with your teasing. 

You pressed your luck. “Really, very eloquent.”

A look of contemplation flashed over his features as he was obviously deciding what to do next. He lifted you with little effort and then pressed you firmly backward until your shoulders hit the seat of the couch. Then he crawled over you and stared down into your eyes triumphantly. 

“Aren’t you worried about someone coming out here?” you challenged through a grin. 

He leaned in until he could drag his teeth across your cheekbone, making your skin prickle. “I don’t care anymore,” he replied, and then - in a show of brutal honesty - pressed his crotch against your hip and ground down just enough to show you how hard he was. 

Your breath caught in your throat, and involuntarily, you bucked up against him.

You kissed him so forcefully that it was almost more like just mashing your mouths together for a long moment. His hand slipped down between your bodies until his fingers brushed over your navel, the ticklish feeling making the muscles jump under the touch. It was the anticipation of his next move that fucked you up the most.

He was dragging his fingers lower, just about to dip under the band of your pajama pants when he seemed to have a moment of clarity and pulled his hand away altogether. You frowned at him, pushing your hips up to meet his hand instead, to which he responded by placing his palm on your stomach and pressing you back down with a laugh. 

“Let’s go to my room,” he suggested.

“No, wait.” You gave him the softest eyes you could. “It’s so romantic out here right now - the lights on the tree, the fire, the soft couch. Would you just kiss me here for a bit?”

The look on his face could only be described as enamored. He stared at your face for a few long seconds before you finally asked if he was alright. 

“I’m lucky to have you.”

He said it under his breath, so sincerely and honestly, that you weren’t sure how to respond until you could catch up with your thoughts. You cupped his jaw in your right palm, raking your fingers through his hair and he careened your touch in a way that had you feeling like a melting scoop of ice cream.

 “You know, I sometimes think about how poorly the whole ‘moving across the country to a place you’ve never been for school’ thing could have gone. There were so many variables that had to click into place, and somehow I still ended up living with a person that,” You paused to brush your thumb against his cheekbone, hoping to portray your meaning through your touch. “Might be a literal angel.” 

He raked his front teeth over his bottom lip subconsciously as he consumed the compliment. You could see his brain chewing it over as he snickered a laugh. 

“Though, I think angels are supposed to deliver good tidings and not black eyes,” you teased. 

You couldn’t name the look he adopted then, but it seemed somewhere between solemn and proud reminiscence. The frown forming on your features was not lost on him, and you quickly spoke before he could change the subject. 

“What’s wrong?” 

He hummed and met your eyes. “I never wanted you to find out about that,” he said like an admission.

“What do you mean?”

“There were a lot of things I did to get your attention, but that was completely reactionary. I’ve never been a violent person - well, to anyone but my siblings anyway-”

You huffed a laugh at him but nodded for him to continue. 

“You were right,” He met your eyes with an intense sincerity. “I am a lover. Not a fighter.”

“I know,” you whispered as you brushed a stray curl from his forehead. “But you must have known I would find out, right?”

“I wasn’t thinking about that at the time, but yeah - in retrospect - of course, you’d find out. But I did it. I sought him out and it just-”  He bit his lip for a second to take a pause. “I saw him and all I could think about was you crying on my shoulder that night.”

You didn’t say anything. You just let him gather his thoughts as the crackling of the fire served as a placeholder in his silence. 

“He’s lucky he only got a black eye because I wanted to kill him for touching you.”

 It was clear after a moment that he was waiting for you to respond, possibly even hoping for validation at such a vulnerable moment. 

“If I’m being honest, Josh, I still can’t believe you could do that - I can’t even imagine you yelling at someone in a way that was anywhere near serious.” 

He stared at you for a few long beats, and you watched the reflection of the Christmas lights twinkle like stars speckled over the dark canvas of his eyes.

 “Yeah, well,” he started, just above a whisper. His brows were tipped into a look of contemplation - the spacing of his words making you think that he wasn’t sure how to proceed. “You do crazy things to protect the people you love.” 

It wasn’t voluntary in any way when your breathing stopped, it just happened - like your lungs were locked up for a few long seconds as you waited for one of you to say something. 

“You’re my best friend,” he said like a confession, looking more serious than you’d ever seen him. “And I love you.” 

Undeniably, your face was peachy pink - you could feel it tingling warm. You weren’t sure what to do with your hands, but you knew you wanted to touch him. His skin tightened around his jaw when you ghosted your fingers over it.

“You love me?” 

He nodded at you, a small but confident motion. “You fill a lot of different positions in my life. I’m not in love with you yet - I don’t think - but I want your permission to be.”

Without wasting another second, you caught his lips in an earnest kiss, your chest feeling like it might implode. It only lasted for a moment before he was pulling you back up until you were sitting in his lap.  

“Was that romantic enough for you?” he asked, trying to shade his voice with humor but it came out sounding breathless instead. 

“I literally can’t imagine anything more romantic,” you agreed with a weak laugh and then teased, “Unless you proposed. You’re not going to propose, are you?”

He adopted a disbelieving smirk. “Do you want me to? I’m sure I can fashion a ring out of something. Maybe there’s a cock ring joke in there somewhere-”

You rolled your eyes playfully and cut him off with, “Please shut up and take me to bed. Right now, okay?”

He ushered you off of him with a breathy laugh before gently nudging you in the general direction of his room. “Hurry along then.” 

The two of you padded quietly down the hall, shutting the door without making a peep. 

The only light in his room was what you could see of the Christmas lights that framed the front door, casting a white-gold glow over the setting.

When he laid you out over the bed, it was significantly gentler than you were expecting as was the kiss he placed - first on your cheek and then your jaw and down your neck to your throat.

His hands slipped under your pajama top, tugging lighting at the buttons on it from the inside and letting his fingers make the skin across your navel tighten. Instinctively, your fingers tangled into his hair, keeping him close enough that the pointed tip of his nose was resting on your sternum. The warm humidity of his breath hitting your skin was both calming and exciting at the same time in a way you couldn’t describe if you tried. His fingers worked to undo your top with relative ease, sliding it off of your chest after. 

You eyed the way his bicep flexed as he held all of his weight on it, and wrapped your fingers around it to give it a squeeze. He reacted by dragging his teeth across your breast with just enough sting to make your hips lift off the bed. The way he sucked one of your nipples into his mouth and rolled it around with his tongue made you squirm, fingers flexing into his tense skin. A tingly, warm feeling set over you as you wrapped your legs around his hips and sat up to shrug your shirt off. 

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this,” he stated simply as he ran his fingers down your bare chest. 

You hummed at him through a smile, pinching his chin in your fingers and tilting his head up until he had to look you in the eyes. He gave you a grin as he bit his bottom lip and then leaned in to press a kiss against your cheek. In your heart, you knew the gesture had you blushing, but it was confirmed for you when he smugly rubbed his thumb across your cheekbone. 

The chill in the room made your newly-naked skin prickle as he tossed your pajama pants to the floor, followed quickly by his own. With all of your clothing discarded into a pile, he pulled you up onto your knees, cupped both sides of your jaw with his hands, and tugged your face closer until your noses were touching. You listened to his shaky breathing for a moment before you dug your fingers into his hips, pulling him back over you as you laid out on the bed. 

You knew your nails were digging into his skin - probably a little too deeply - as he pushed into you, one of his hands wrapped around your thigh to keep it hitched over his hip. This was confirmed for you when you heard him suck in a breath that sounded more like a hiss, though you got the feeling that he liked the sting of it. 

Through the entirety of the time he was fucking you, he barely pulled his body away from you at all, instead opting to just rock himself against you until you were near tears. The biggest challenge was barely making a sound as you reached your peak, your face buried in the humid crook of his neck and shoulder. 

You weren’t positive how much time had passed, but as you laid together, post-orgasm, you realized just how exhausted you were. 

Neither of you had said a word for quite a while, so it sounded too loud when you spoke into the dark room. 

“Are you going back to the living room?” you whispered. 

“Nah, fuck it. I’m not going anywhere,” he replied, nuzzling the top of his nose into your hair as you laid, half on his bare chest. Just before you fell asleep you remembered the very first night you slept in his bed, and how much had changed since then - and how much had not really changed at all. 

+++

You had meant to set an alarm - really. But you hadn’t gotten around to it the night before, which is why when you came stumbling out of the bedroom with Josh close behind you, you were met with a few pairs of eyes staring at you from the living room. Trying not to look like the most guilty human on earth, you ducked your head and quickly made your retreat to the bathroom. Neither of you said a word as you brushed your teeth together, sneaking playful glances at each other in the mirror. 

By the time you had both showered - Josh first and then you second - and changed into your clothes for the day, it was 9:30. You both found the dining room table hosting his entire family and enough breakfast food piled on top of the worn wood to satisfy a small army. 

The two spots that they saved for you were next to each other, so you settled in and tried to prepare for the most awkward meal of your life thus far. 

“You almost made it to the end,” Jake quipped, apparently happy as hell to deliver the first blow. 

You watched Josh’s eyes flick up at him, delivering him a chilly look. 

“Okay, it wasn’t really a secret before, but it’s definitely not anymore,” Jake finished, rolling his eyes as the bowl of scrambled eggs was passed to him. 

Josh poured himself a glass of orange juice and then gestured for your glass too. “If I were in the living room last night, Santa wouldn’t have come. Really, you have me to thank for the gifts you receive today.” He finished filling your glass and set the carton back down before continuing. “And I’ll take that thank you in the form of you shutting up and minding your own business.”  

 Jake snorted a laugh as he dished himself out some breakfast. He opened his mouth to tease Josh further, but when he looked up and met your eyes, he let the next remark die on his lips - instead just settling for a smug smirk. 

No one mentioned anything else about it, but as the meal went on, you realized that you really had nothing to be ashamed of. You brushed your fingers against Josh’s under the table and then let him lace them together as his sister was telling a story about the best gift she’d ever received. You didn’t share a look with him, but you didn’t have to as his thumb swiped over the top of your hand, over and over. 

After breakfast was eaten and presents were opened, Josh found you on your way out of the restroom and motioned for you to follow him to his room. 

“I have something for you,” he started as he took your hand and sat you on the bed. You crossed your hands in your lap, settling into your spot with a smile. He closed the door behind him and then lifted the bag he’d packed from home onto the dresser. 

He pulled out a little box like a magician would pull a rabbit from his hat, and then held it out for you to take. 

“It really isn’t much, because we obviously don’t have a lot of money, but after what you did for Penny- Well. I wanted to do something meaningful too,” he explained sheepishly. 

The box was wrapped in mint green foil and marked with your name on a brown paper tag. 

You took a lot of care removing the wrapping, and gently opened the top of the box as you held his eyes. 

Inside was a 4-inch terra cotta pot, decorated with delicately painted sunflowers on a white background.

“It’s obviously not perfect-” he started, but you didn’t let him finish before you set the pot on his bedspread and wrapped your arms around his neck.

“It’s perfect,” you stated simply. 

+++

He slept with you again that night, this time sparing any sneaky behavior - and this time, when the two of you emerged from his room, no one even batted an eye. It took you only a few moments to pack your things up, but over an hour to say all of your goodbyes. 

You watched as his mother hugged him again, just like she had when he’d arrived - tightly, like she could barely stand to let him leave. This time, she hugged you too, nearly just as warmly. 

Josh helped you get your bags into the trunk of your car, being decidedly less gentle with Jake’s belongings, and the two of you crawled into the front seats as Jake was ribbing his much taller younger brother at the front door. 

“Hey, I got you this. I looked it up on my phone and the wiki page said I could just rip it off, so I did,” he explained as he placed a long arm of the Christmas cactus into your lap. 

You look at it for a long moment, your chest feeling tight. 

He must have mistaken your silence for apprehension, because he continued on, letting a concerned tone shade his words. “It said it wouldn’t hurt the plant and that it would eventually just grow roots. Is that right? So you can have one of your own, you know? Since you liked it so much. You could even use the little pot.”

You let your eyes meet his as you tried to choke back the feeling in your throat that was threatening tears. Embarrassingly, your voice was a little shaky when you stated, “I love you too.”

He looked completely stunned, but he only had a moment to fix his expression before Jake was opening the back door and sliding effortlessly in. 

“You guys good to go?” Jake asked as he leaned forward and snatched the aux cable from where it was rested on the center console. 

You gave Josh an expectant smile, but when it was clear that he wasn’t going to respond, you leaned over and pressed a kiss against his lips, prompting him to say through a beaming grin, “Let’s go home.”  

[aliwritesss]

~ Labyrinth

Pairings: Eric x reader

Genre: fuckboy au!

Warnings: angst, slightly suggestive, slow burn, swearing

Based on this AU! Highly recommended to read it before you start the series, but can be read alone.

1/? Masterlist

-“… And remember! The deadline for the essay is in three weeks.”- You hear your History teacher’s voice but no one listens to him. The bell just ringed and that meant freedom.

-“ It’s Friday!!! Let’s do something fun.” You hear Kevin’s voice next to you. You thank the heavens and stars to have him in your life, you don’t know what you would have done without him all this time.

-“ What are you thinking?”

-“ Well… You know, everyone’s been on the edge these past months with the exams and all. So Juyeon thought I’d be fun to do a small gathering, only close friends.” He says with the smallest voice and you feel all your body tense up. If you knew one thing is that you couldn’t go to parties, not yet. Not when it’s been so long since you’ve seen him and you’re actually starting to move on. To wake up and not think of him.

-“ It sounds fun! But I think I’m gonna pass this time, I better start working on this assignment.”

-“ Cmon (Y/N), it’s been a month. You gotta go to your old self, I miss you. I miss us having fun.” It pains your heart to hear Kevin, you’d love to have the balls to go to their dorms and be yourself, to dance again till you can’t stand up, to laugh freely but you feel that the spark inside of you has died and you’re afraid that if you go, it won’t light up anymore.

-“ I promise you I’ll go back to my old self. You’ll get back your partner in crime, my little moon.” You say hugging him and exiting the class. -“ Just give me a little bit and you’ll get back your star.”

-“ The world better get ready once the moon and star duo comes back.” He says giving you one of his best smiles and you feel a little bit better. You’ve known him for so long and clicked since then. One day you two were in class and someone said you looked like the team rocket from Pokémon, always together being mischievous. And since then you baptized your friendship as the moon and star duo.

As you walk outside you feel his comment nag you in the back of your head. “Why do I have to feel so bad when he’s doing fine? Was everything a lie? Did he truly love me?” These thoughts have been bugging you lately and you’re starting to get annoyed. You thought you were doing fine but sometimes these dark clouds will come and shake you down. And it seems like today was one of these days.

“ So… Juyeon is doing a gathering huh? Do you realize that it means half of the campus is going, right?”

-“ Yeah… We told him only close people and Changmin said that meant around 50 friends.” He says, rolling his eyes. -“ Thank god we have Sangyeon and Jacob to keep him in check or else It’d be a nightmare.” And that makes you laugh because it’s true, you remember one night you were staying the night in their dorms and suddenly Sunwoo and Chanhee started arguing about the smallest thing. Sangyeon only needed to look at them to make them stop. It was so funny, you don’t want to mess with an angry Sangyeon to be honest.

-“ And… Here we go. I knew it.” You hear Kevin’s annoyed voice. -“ They’re asking me to buy drinks, it seems like more people are coming tonight. I have to go now bubs, but we should do something fun this weekend okay? Just the two of us.” He says while hugging you and you nod. Maybe that’s what you need, to start slowly coming out of your cave.

You start making your way to your dorm thinking about the million things you have to get done in these two weeks and you can feel your anxiety already coming. The pressure you’ve been feeling these past few days it’s getting worse everyday. And the worst of it, it’s that you don’t have anyone to talk about it. Unconsciously, you touch your necklace, feeling a little bit better. You look down to the tiny shiny star and remember the night he gave it to you.

-“ I’ll be your star, ready to guide you even in the darkest times, even when there’s no moon shining.” He said softly in your neck. You smiled at him and looked at the charm. It was a little star filled with crystals. Stunning.

-“ When you feel like giving up, remember that I’ll be here with you. Faintly.” Eric said, touching your necklace.

“Where are you now? Where are you now when I need you the most?” You think for yourself, It’s not like you weren’t starting to move on from him, which you are doing. But you were not forgetting him, and you wish you could.

You wish you could erase all these sweet moments, act like nothing happened. Act like him, cold and unbothered. Why did him have to play you? Was everything a lie? Everything he said, was just a trap to only have fun with you? You couldn’t trust your memories, it seems like you only could remember the good ones.

But what about that night you two had a fight on a party because he was with this girl, laughing and talking the whole night while you were alone? You still remember his words: “ Stop being a pain in the ass, if I wanted to hook up with her dont you think I would have already done it?”. And you being a silly naive girl in love, acted like it didn’t hurt you. Like he didnt had the power to destroy you in matter of seconds if he wanted.

And that was the reason you broke up with him.

Everyone knew you were his girl and god forbid anyone who dared to touch you. But that’s it, you were only that, his girl. He didn’t bother to put a label, you were there for him and that was enough.

-“ Eric what are we doing?”- You asked him the night you two broke up.

-“ What do you mean?”-

-“ What are we doing together? What is this? Are we exclusive? Are we truly in a relationship?”- You asked trembling, you weren’t ready to hear his answer.

-“ Not this again (Y/N). I told you I don’t want to talk about it and you keep bringing this up. I said you are my girl and that should be enough.”-

-“ But it isn’t. It isn’t when there’s a queue of girls waiting for you to get tired of me and drop me like a toy. And I had enough, I need to know what I am to you.” You said sitting in his bed.

-“ You are making me tired with all these questions. I said drop it, (Y/N). You know how I am and still chose to be here with me.”-

-“ I chose you bc you said that you couldn’t do this without me, Eric! You told me that I was special and-.”

-“ So? That gives you the right to be called my girlfriend?”- And that was the last straw. You couldn’t believe what you were hearing, it’s like someone snapped you back to reality. Like you just woke up from a beautiful dream and got hit with the true world.

He loved you, but not in the right way.

He cared about you, but not enough.

You got dressed and started to pick yoiur things while crying. You needed to get out as soon as possible, even if it was 3 in the morning.

-“Cmon (Y/N) don’t be like this. I got mad and you know I say things I regret later. Please let’s talk in the morning when we are calm, okay? Babe please-“

-“ Don’t touch me, Eric. I’ve had enough. I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep falling in love with you more and more when we are not in the same page. Not even in the same book.”- You said putting on your sweatshirt, well, his sweatshirt now yours.

-“ Are you serious? Are you going to be like this? After all we’ve been through?”-

-“ Exactly, after all we’ve been through you still think I don’t deserve to be your girlfriend. And let me correct you, you’re the one who doesn’t deserve to be my boyfriend. I’m tired of your shit.”

-“ I know you’re angry (Y/N) but I swear if you leave this room that’s it.”- He said staring at you. You gave him one last smile and closed the door. It was so late at night and you decided to bring this topic up… That was a stupid move of you to be honest, but it needed to be done.

You can feel your vision getting blurry with all the tears falling but you don’t care anymore.

-“ Star? Is everything ok?”- you feel Kevin’s sleepy voice coming from the other side of the hallway and you let out a sob. -“ Hey, Hey. What happened bubs? Why are you crying? Where’s Eric?”-

-“ I… I- I think we just broke up.” You said hugging him and starting to sob even harder.

- “ Oh gosh…” He said quietly while stroking your hair.

And after that everything was a blur, you only remember him and Haknyeon taking you to your dorm and sleeping there. Everyone knew what happened because they heard you two arguing but no one could bring the topic up. It was typical of you two to argue, but in a matter of hours everything was cleared. But this time was different and both of you knew it.

This time the damage was done and there was no going back now.

A/N: So it’s finally here!! The first chapter of this little series. Thanks to all of you for liking so much the AU and for telling me what you preferred to see on this series. It’ll be after the break up, but I thought it’d be nice to have a little context of why did the discussion happen and to see the dynamic of the relationship. Honestly speaking, I love Eric’s fuckboy vibes so much.. But still it pains me to see him acting this way :( I apologise for any typo or mistake! And remember you can ask in the comments or dms to be tagged and that requests are open!!

TAGLIST: @asherbl @fairycob @givememunjang

[sickficsies-and-whumpsies]

hi, may i ask you sick semi eita fic? he went amusement park with his team despite feeling a little bit unwell. Later he feels dizzy & nauseous, his team then take him to doctor/dorm. thank you 🥰

Oui oui, mon amie!!

TW: dizziness & nausea, vomiting, hospitals, brief mentions of IVs.

1.4k words, Gen.

ー ー ー

“Oh, the queue for that one isn’t too long!! Let’s go, guys!!”

Semi sighs. While Tendou’s volume doesn’t usually bother him, right now, stuck in the middle of Yagiyama Benyland, surrounded by screaming people and running children, he wishes his friend could turn it down a notch already.

The fabric around his neck feels constricting, suffocating. Semi tugs at the collar of his shirt lightly, clearing his throat silently as he trails behind the rest of the team.

He massages his stomach under the grey hoodie, feeling it gurgle under his touch. It was only two days ago when the pinch-server’s stomach first sent a painful, sudden jolt of white-hot pain throughout his body, making him shudder and gag, taken aback. But since his appendix has long been removed, Semi’s confident that it’s probably just a matter of too much coffee and too little water in his guts. It’s been a stressful week, after all. Nothing he can’t fix. It still hurts, though.

“Are you sure we’re tall enough for that ride?” Goshiki jokes, and everyone laughs, Tendou wrapping a lanky arm around the first-year and ruffling his head with the other hand. More laughter echoes among the group.

Semi shudders, chills running down his spine, stomach twisting. He struggles to even only force out a tiny smile.

ー

The safety belts press against his stomach and shoulders uncomfortably, and Semi doesn’t think he will make it. Next to him, Ushijima sits quietly, waiting for the ride to start. He briefly glances over, humming.

“Are you scared, Semi?”

There’s no malice in his voice, no curiosity either. It’s something along the lines of… Concern? Annoyance? Both?

“M’fine.” Semi gulps, “Just excited.”

“It’s okay to be scared.”

“M’not.”

“Alright. But if you were, it’d be okay.”

“Ushijiー!!” he gets cut off, abruptly, as the thing finally starts to move.

The higher it goes, the more Semi knows he’s not going to make it. There’s no doubt about it. He quickly tries to recall if there’s some sort of trashcan near the exit but he realises that he hasn’t seen any. 

His complexion bleaches rapidly. The thing is, Semi isn’t scared of roller coasters, he quite enjoys them, to be fair. Right now, the thing he fears the most is puking all over himself or worse, over the team’s captain.

And he knows it’s going to happen.

The people in the front row start screaming, Semi only a few rows back. It’s only a matter of seconds before he feels himself falling, and the world tunes out.

ー

He doesn’t actually pass out, really. Instead, once the operators remove his safety belts and wish him and his friends a fun day, he lets his shaky legs guide him down the metal staircase, eyes glazed over, blind. He’s not quite sure he’s moving, either. And he looks green.

Semi doesn’t even register that Ushijima’s strong hand is wrapped around his right upper arm, the left in the care of Tendou himself, eerily quiet. They set him down on the first empty bench they find, the team quiet behind the three.

It’s Reon to crouch in front of the ill teen, a firm hand squeezing his knee encouragingly. “Semi? Dude, hey.”

“...up…” he murmurs, seemingly catatonic, staring somewhere behind the team that has gathered in front of him, eyes filled to the brim with apprehension.

The setter swallows, a thin trail of saliva making its way down the corner of his chapped lips and down his twitching chin. He opens his mouth to speak, to say something, but nothing comes out, and soon enough he ducks his head between his knees and retches onto the pavement without a second warning. 

His teammates gasp, horrified and worried, but Reon is quick to avoid the onslaught and immediately usher the others away, leaving Tendou and Ushijima behind. The taller guy rubs at his back firmly, while the other puts a palm flat on Semi’s forehead, preventing him from giving himself a whiplash. 

His skin feels cold and clammy, ashen. Tendou hisses. 

Not long passes before Semi throws up again, more and more bile splashing between his feet, little droplets staining his shoes and jeans. He retches and gags, helpless, eyes stinging painfully, about to pop out of his skull.

Reon jogs back a minute later, stopping a couple of meters away to give Semi some breathing room. “Should we call an ambulance? He looks like death warmed over...”

Ushijima shakes his head. “We should try and make him drink something, first.”

“I don’t think he’s up to it, Toshi.” Tendou reasons, “Semi-Semi, hey, you need to take a breath, my man.” he adds, patting the boy’s shoulder while Ushijima keeps massaging circles on his back.

But Semi doesn’t. He can’t. His stomach twists and knots painfully, and he doubles over, arms wrapped protectively around his abdomen as he hiccup and dry-heaves weakly. 

“Does your stomach hurt?” Reon asks, careful, calm as ever, “Do you need an ambulance?”

“Yeah, we should call ‘em.” Tendou says, “It’s not normal to feel this sick after riding a roller coaster as bland as that one, andー”

“He was feeling ill before the ride, too. I didn’t think it was this bad, though. I apologize, Semi.” Ushijima interjects. “I think the ride was simply the last straw.”

The three stay quiet for a moment, Semi’s desperate struggles and pants and hiccups drowning out every other noise. And finally, blissfully, about ten minutes after sitting down, his jagged breaths come to a halt, and he slumps to the side, crashing into Tendou.

“Semi-Semi...? Oh shit. Is he dead? Semi-Semi?” Tendou gasps, “Guys, a little help?”

The ill teen is quick to blink his eyes open, glassy and dull, spent. “H’rts.”

“What hurts?” 

“S-stomach. Head.” 

Reon nods, serious. He then takes his phone out and quickly types something, before glancing at Ushijima and Tendou, who are both massaging Semi’s trembling back, subconsciously. 

“Okay, the closest bus stop is about five minutes away on foot from here, and then it takes about ten minutes to get to Sendai Red Cross Hospital by bus, and another minute on foot after that. What do you guys say?” Reon asks.

Tendou is fast to nod, “Let’s go, we might catch the first bus available if we hurry.”

“I’ll carry him.” Ushijima adds.

Semi then struggles, shaking his headー aggravating his nausea and gagging silently. “Th-the others, and y-you, th-the pa-park and- and the tickets andー”

“Woh, woh, slow down, Semi-Semi!! It’s fine, we’ve been here for hours already anyway, and the entrance fees aren’t that expensive. No worries, okay? Let us worry about the rest.” Tendou says, cheerful, “We’ll text the others to let them know we’re leaving. We can always reschedule for another time, alright?”

“Done.” Reon smiles, waving his phone, ‘Shiratorizawa Volleyball Club’ chat open and rapidly flooding with texts from everyone. “Let’s go.” 

ー

Luckily, and unsurprisingly, the bus is perfectly on time, and Semi doesn’t even have the time to register that he’s an eighteen year-old being offered a piggy-back ride from another eighteen year-old. He couldn’t care less. Instead, once he’s on the bus, he drifts, drained.

ー

“Anyone here for Semi Eita?”

Tendou, Reon and Ushijima are quick to reach the doctor, wide-eyed. “How is he!?”

She smiles, “Your friend will be okay, nothing to worry about. He was terribly dehydrated and overall exhausted, courtesy of the raging viral gastroenteritis he has. The nurses gave him an IV to pump some fluids into his system, and once it’s done, I’m going to prescribe him some probiotics to help with the infection and he’ll be free to leave.”

“Can we see him?” Tendou frets, “Is there anything else we should do? Are you sure he’s okay?”

The doctor nods, her expression firm and reassuring. “Viral infections are extremely common, we treat thousands of similar cases each day. I promise you, Semi-san will be okay. And yes, you may see him, of course. Come with me, please.” 

The three follow the kind doctor quietly as she leads them to Semi’s bed, in the ER, the thin curtains between his and other patients’ beds being his only source of privacy. 

Upon seeing them, Semi sits up, grinning sheepishly, cheeks tinted in red. “Hey there.” he grins.

His friends chuckle, rapidly making their way toward his bed, ruffling his hair and pushing him around with calculated motions.

He’ll be fine. 

ー ー ー

I got carried away and started researching how to get to the closest hospital from Yagiyama Benyland, a real amusement park in Miyagi. And yeah, the Red Cross Hospital’s real, too, and the bus as well. I had so much fun researching this stuff. So yeah, I hope you liked it, let me know!!

Also, anon, if you have an AO3 tell me so that I can gift this fic to you when I post it there in a few days.

September 2, 2021

[sbtlns]

Tiny Dancer

Warnings: smut (!) kind of a crack fic 

A/N: so uh we all agree that the finale was trash right? aight just checkin. anyways i reality shifted when i had a high fever and lived a version of this so i figured i would make yall live it too. part two?

Castiel’s cheeks flushed as you moved to straddle the naked angel. His hand moved instinctively to your waist, holding you close as you leaned down to nip at his ear. He groaned at your action, sending a new wave of heat to your core. You continued your ministrations, nipping and sucking at the tender parts of his neck while the debauched angel squirmed beneath you. “y/n,” he said in a strained voice. You stopped your actions to look down at him, meeting his desperate look. You cocked an eyebrow, prompting him to spit it out. “Please,” he strained, raising his hips to meet yours. Deciding you had tortured him enough, you raised your hips slightly and reached beneath you to align him with your entrance. Before you sunk down on him, you gave him one more ‘are-you-sure?’ type of look. He nodded vehemently and you smiled to yourself, returning your focus to his hardened member slightly probing your entrance. You lowered yourself onto him slowly, savoring the way he stretched you out. He moaned a string of your name, each seeming more urgent. “Cas,” you gasped.  “y/n.....Y/N.....Y/N!”

You shot up in bed, the sound of Dean yelling your name and pounding on your door startling you to say the least. “Yeah?” you croaked, trying to regain your composure. Dean sighed from the other side of the door, finally, he thought, only took five minutes. “We’ve got a case. Map Room in 5,” he said gruffly. Sensing your annoyance, he added, “Sam made coffee.” 

With the promise of coffee, you begrudgingly got out of your bed, shoving the remnants of your dream to the back corner of your mind. You had known Cas for quite some time now, long enough to know that he doesn’t understand human feelings well, let alone romantic feelings. That’s why you decided to try and bury the small crush you had developed for him, which was becoming increasingly harder with the dreams you had been having recently.

Sighing, you got dressed and made your way to the Map Room where you were met with a grumpy looking Dean and a smiling Sam. “Coffee,” Sam said, reaching from his seat to hand you a fresh mug. You were about to thank him when Dean cut you off, “I said 5, not 7.” You threw him a bitch face before turning back to Sam and mouthing thank you, and he smiled in response. You sat down across from Sam as Cas walked in, looking a bit flustered. 

“Sorry I’m late, I was caught up in another matter,” he rushed, making his way through the room to join you at the table. “ ‘S alright, Cas, no sweat,” Dean replied, sitting down with a grunt, across from you and Castiel. “Hold up, I got here before Cas why does he get a ‘no worries Cas,’” you mocked in a high pitched voice, “while I get a ‘how dare you be two minutes late,’” you said in you best gruff Dean voice. Sam almost spit out his coffee, earning a huff of annoyance from Dean. “Maybe because Cas didn’t make me bang on his door for five minutes while he was off in dreamland” he countered. Your face blushed at the mention of dreaming, trying not to think of the hot sex scene you had just dreamt about the angel next to you. “Whatever” you huffed, “let’s just get on to the case, yeah?” 

Sam nodded, pulling up his laptop. “So get this, reports of cattle mutilations, power outages, and now three missing persons reports all in y/h/t. I’m thinking demons. What about you guys?” Dean nodded, sipping at his coffee. “Sounds like our kinda thing” he replied. Castiel nodded silently in agreement. Sam turned to face you, “y/n, thoughts?” Your heart was beating fast and you were sure your cheeks were red. Sam looked at you with furrowed brows. “Hey, you good?” he asked concerned. You forced a smile and nodded, realizing now that the three men were all staring at you. You cleared your throat before saying, “Yeah, it’s just...that’s my hometown is all.” You sighed, “You’re right, sounds like demons though,” you added quickly before taking another sip of coffee. The three men shared a quick glance.

“Um,” Sam started uneasily, “You gonna be okay taking this case?” he asked genuinely. You hadn’t shared much about your past with the boys, nodding and laughing at the stories about their past they told you and quickly changing the subject before anyone could ask about yours. You nodded curtly, raising the mug to your lips again. Memories of your past filled your mind, not totally unpleasant, but enough to make you uneasy about returning to your hometown. You were silently hoping that you could get in kill whatever douchebag demons were causing havoc, and get out without having to deal with anything dealing with your old job. 

Sam didn’t seem convinced. “You sure? I mean we could always call Garth and see-” “I’m sure,” you cut him off. You stood from your chair abruptly, causing the legs to squeak unpleasantly. “I’ll get packed and meet you guys in the garage,” you said before turning on your heel and making your way to your room. You grabbed a bag and filled it with the essentials, glancing at the pair of cowboy boots sitting long ignored in your closet. You sighed to yourself, remembering happier moments from your old job, before management became a shit show. Feeling nostalgic, you decided to throw the boots in your bag before zipping it and heading to the garage.

The boys were already chatting by the car when you made your way to the garage. You threw your bag in the trunk, closed it, and climbed in the back of Baby, the boys following suit. On the drive to your hometown, Dean sheepishly handed you a stack of cassettes, his way of apologizing for earlier. You beamed back at him and picked out your favorites, handing them to Sam to queue up. Not before long, your eyelids grew heavy and you drifted off to sleep in the backseat. 

Dean must’ve hit a bump, because you woke up with a start, disoriented for a moment. It took a second for you to realize that in your sleep, you had laid your head on Castiel’s shoulder, close enough to him so that you were practically draped along his side. You quickly scrambled back to your side of the car, not missing the soft smile and forlorn look Cas had given you. “Oh look, sleeping beauty’s awake,” Dean joked. You stuck your tongue out at him, settling back into your seat. “So y/n, we found out that all three vics have something in common, they’re all regulars at some place called The Saloon” Sam filled you in, placing a Southern drawl on the name of your past employer. 

Your blood ran ice cold and you stared back at him with wide eyes. He was still smiling, pleased with himself for his accent, when he realized you were panicking. The smile dropped from his face. “What’s wrong?” he asked, drawing Dean and Castiel’s attention. Dean shot you a confused glance from the rearview. “What’s wrong princess? Don’t like linedancing?” he joked. You gulped. “Um,” you started. “I uh...” you cleared your throat. “I used to work there,” you mumbled. Sam raised his eyebrows in amusement and Dean fought back a laugh. “Wha-you,” he wheezed, struggling not to burst out laughing. “Our very own tiny dancer, huh?” he mused. You huffed and crossed your arms across your chest, cheeks burning red. Sam turned back around in his seat, holding his laughter in with a smile. Castiel broke the silence, “I don’t understand, is it shameful to dance in a line?” With that, the boys couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out into fits of laughter.

The rest of the drive wasn’t too bad, besides Dean’s off-tune humming of Elton John’s Tiny Dancer. You pulled into town and checked into the nearest motel, silently thanking the universe that Dean had booked two separate rooms. You might have offed yourself then and there if you had to spend another night listening to Sam’s snores. After settling in, you got dressed in your FBI best and met back by the car. The four of you drove to The Saloon, you becoming more and more anxious the closer you got. Dean pulled up to the gravel lot and took in the building with an amazed look. He kept his eyes on the building as he got out of the car, “Oh ho ho, get look at this,” he said incredulously. Before you stood a massive red barn with a huge blinking neon sign of a half naked woman riding a bull with a lasso spinning in her hand. 

“Yeah yeah, let’s just get this over with,” you huffed, pushing past him and walking into the bar. The familiar scent of beer and cigarettes hit you the second you walked in, taking in the sight of the huge stage in front of you along. A few girls were dancing on stage, with a handful of customers sitting and watching. You heard the door open behind you as the boys stepped in and sighed before turning to face them. Dean looked like a kid on Christmas smiling widely and looking around the bar, while Sam scanned the room looking for the owners. Cas stood in place, staring perplexed at the women dancing. You followed his gaze to the stage where one of the girls was swinging her hips slowly and deliberately to the beat of the song. You turned back to him, his head cocked to the side as he mumbled, “Well that’s inappropriate.”

Trying to hide the blush creeping to your cheeks, you quickly turned back around, just in time to see your old manager strutting towards you. You took a deep breath, ready for the coming bullshit. “Well well well,” he said with a smug smirk on his face. “If it isn’t Miss Daisy Duke herself.” You felt your cheeks get hot and heard Dean snort. “I’m sorry,” Dean said, looking at you like this was too good to be true. “Daisy Duke?” he repeated. Your cheeks were burning by this point, praying that the floor would open up and swallow you whole. 

“That’s right,” your old manager said in his chill inducing Southern drawl. “You know how it goes, ‘nice legs...daisy dukes...makes a man go-’” he whistled, finishing the line and turning your cheeks an even deeper red. “Miss Daisy here was our pride and joy,” he said, turning to Dean. “Best dance this bar has ever seen,” he finished, turning back to you. He smiled devilishly at you, humming in contentment. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Miss Daisy?” he asked sickeningly sweetly. Fighting to hold on to whatever shred of dignity you had left, you pulled out your fake badge and held it up. “It’s Agent Jett now, thanks,” you spat, flashing it in his face before putting it back in your jacket pocket. He squinted back at you. Sam cleared his throat in attempt to break the tension before telling him about the missing persons reports. Your old boss soaked in the information Sam was giving him, but stayed silent, still squinting at you. 

Sam looked uncomfortably between the two of you before clearing his throat again and asking, “Do you have any security cameras that might have caught anything? Any possible witnesses?” Your old boss shifted his glance to Sam and replied, “Maybe.” Sam stared back, waiting for him to continue. When he didn’t, Dean cut in. “Maybe?” he asked gruffly with an eyebrow cocked. Your old boss nodded, pursing his lips together. “Depends,” he stated simply, crossing his arms. You could tell Dean was losing his patience quickly because he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “On what?” he asked, voice tight. Your old boss simply shrugged. “On if Miss Daisy will give us another show tonight.”

Your jaw dropped open. Did he say what you thought he said? Sam, Dean, and Cas all turned to stare at you, trying to gauge your reaction. Dean looking more amused than anything, and Sam trying to see whether or not he had to step in between you. “I’m sorry, what?” you croaked. Your old boss gave you the same devilish smile that sent chills down your spine. “I said,” he took another step closer to you, “I’ll talk...if you would grace The Saloon with one last dance. For old time’s sake.” The three boys looked at you expectingly. You looked incredulously among them. “You can’t be serious,” you protested.

He was. You found yourself back in your motel room, changing out of your FBI clothes and into your shortest denim shorts and your most revealing tanktop. You silently cursed yourself for packing your boots, as it seemingly jinxed you into your current situation. After you were changed, you fell back into your old routine of hair and makeup, becoming almost unrecognizable in the mirror. As you were applying the last bit of hairspray, you heard a knock at your door. “Y/n, we gotta go!” you heard Dean yell. Sighing, you slipped into your boots, took one last look in the mirror, and summoned the courage to open the door. 

When you opened the door, it took them a second to react, all three reacting differently. Sam looked at you with raised brows and an amused smile, Dean whistled, and Castiel’s eyes widened before slowly trailing down your body. You felt yourself blush under his scrutiny, until it became unbearable and you snapped your fingers in his face. “My eyes are up here buddy,” you feigned anger, startling him from his trance. “I-uh m-my apologies, y/n” he stumbled over his words, looking down at his feet. Dean laughed and clapped his shoulder before walking towards Baby.

The drive over was silent, with the occasional ‘heh’ from Dean, as he thought about the ridiculousness of this day. You dreaded every mile he drove closer to the bar, wondering why Castiel couldn’t have just used his angel powers to make your old boss cough up whatever info he had. You sighed as Dean pulled up to the bar once again and begrudgingly opened your car door. “Did you guys really have to come?” you whined, trying to stall. “Of course we did princess. What if the demons are here tonight?” Dean said with a smirk. You rolled your eyes at the excuse. Sam turned to you with a look of pity. “Seriously though, y/n, if you’re uncomfortable at any point just say the word. We’ll leave and we can find another way to get the information,” he said and smiled softly. You nodded and sighed before making your way into the barn.

You opened the door and to your dismay, the place was packed. You groaned as you stepped further in before you made eye contact with one of your old coworkers. “Y/n?” she said shocked, a huge smile forming on her face. “Jimmy said you were coming but I didn’t believe him, no one did,” she said before pulling you into a huge hug. You relaxed into the hug, her being one of the very few people in town that you still kept in contact with. “Yeah well,” you said pulling back. “One night only kinda thing,” you finished, choosing to ignore the way her and Dean were eye-fucking next to you. She turned her attention back to you and took your hand. “Well, we better get you stage ready, Jimmy’s queuing up your signature!” she said excitedly, pulling you away. You threw a quick glance behind you at the boys before realization dawned on you. “Hey!” you yelled back to them, getting their attention. “Do NOT sit in this section!” you tried to point to the front left, but your friend was pulling you too fast and they just gave you confused looks. 

Before you knew it, you were back stage, pacing with anxiety. You heard the current song stop and you dreaded what was coming. “Ladies and gentlemen,” you heard Jimmy’s chilling voice draw out. “Please give a big Saloon welcome...returning back to the stage... Miss Daisy Duke!” You shoved your nerves down and forced a smile before strutting out on stage. You quickly fell back into your old routine, strutting around the stage and swaying your hips to your opening music. One dance and that’s all you said to yourself. You knew that from the song Jimmy had chosen, your signature, that in the middle of the routine you would have to go down to the audience and dance for whoever the spotlight shown on. You continued your dance, praying that the boys had listened to you and had chosen anywhere else to sit. As the part of the song drew closer, you scanned the audience to gauge about who you would be giving a lapdance to. Dean raised his hand to catch your scanning eyes, with the biggest smile you’d ever seen on him. You rolled your eyes before realizing that they hadn’t taken your warning and had sat in that section. 

You shot him a death glare before turning back to your dance, hoping that the spotlight would shine on anyone but them. The drunken cheers and whistles from the crowd were just about the only thing keeping you from running off stage and straight to the motel. You heard the cue in the music, prompting you to saunter down the main steps and into the audience. Sighing to yourself, you grabbed the mic and made your way to the steps. The music stopped, prompting your lines. “Gentlemen,” you said with your best honeyed Southern accent. “It’s one of your lucky nights” you finished, and the music started back up. You felt all eyes on you and tried to keep yourself from freaking out as you continued your routine. You heard the third cue in the music as the spotlight came down. You held your breath, praying that it would land anywhere but where it did. To your horror, it landed on Castiel.

Fuck you thought. The angel looked utterly confused, looking up and around him, completely thrown off by the sudden wash of light encompassing him. If it was possible, Dean’s smile grew even wider as he excitedly looked to Cas and clapped him on the shoulder. Castiel looked at him through furrowed brows, before following his gaze to you. You locked eyes with the bewildered angel, walking over to him as sexy as you could. A surge of confidence filled you when you saw his Adam’s apple bob and his jaw clench. In accordance with your routine, you walked right up to Castiel and kneeled in front of him, gently nudging his knees apart so you could settle between them. Castiel looked down at you with wide eyes, throat bobbing once more.

“And what might your name be, handsome?” you said into the mic, part of the routine. You held the mic out to Cas, which made him even more confused as he stared into your eyes, searching for any clue as to why you were asking for his name. The music was stopped again, waiting for his reply. Dean elbowed him, prompting him to answer. “Uh... Cas-Castiel,” he finally spat out. You mouthed a quick I’m so sorry and gave him an apologetic look before standing up and saying “Well, Castiel, I’ve got a special treat for you.” The music came back on and you handed the mic off to a stagehand, before turning back to Cas. 

With the spotlight still on him, you sauntered over to Castiel, swaying your hips to the music along the way. He sat unnaturally still, legs still apart from when you spread them, just barely exposing the small bulge beginning to form in his pants. You felt heat pool in your core at the sight, struggling to keep your focus on the routine. You made your way back in front of him, before turning away from him to swing your hips to the music. Turning back around, you saw him watching your movements closely, his once bright blue eyes now dark, pupils blown out from lust. You swallowed before placing your hands on his shoulders and climbing onto his lap. This surprised him, as his breath caught in his throat and his hands flew instinctively to your hips. You leaned in to whisper “don’t touch, the bodyguards won’t allow it.” He ripped hands off of you as if your skin burned him and he looked up at you with wide eyes.

You began grinding against him, moving your hips to the music and gaining more drunken cheers, one distinctively from Dean, earning him a smack on the back of his head from his younger brother. Castiel couldn’t care less about the audience, you had his undivided attention. He couldn’t help the noises coming from the back of his throat, nor could he seem to keep his vessel under control. His hands twitched at his sides, desperate to touch you. You felt him becoming harder and harder, making it more difficult for you to stay focused on your routine. You climbed off his lap, danced in front of him some more, and then sat back down, this time facing away from him. You ground you ass against his hardened member, earning a low moan from the angel. You felt your panties dampening, enjoying this just as much as he was. You continued grinding against him to the music, the crowd continuing to cheer, and Castiel continuing to squirm beneath you. 

Once more, you stood up from him, danced more of your routine, and straddled the utterly debauched angel. You worked hard to avoid eye contact, but slipped up and locked eyes with Castiel. To your delight, he donned the same desperate look from the dream you had earlier that morning. You shifted your hips to grind against him, causing his head to fall back to his shoulders and his mouth to part slightly. More heat pooled in your core the more you ground against him, a coil starting to form in your belly. Fuck you thought to yourself. Luckily, the fourth and final cue came in the music, signaling your return to the stage. You breathed a sigh of relief, climbed off of him, and pecked his cheek before sauntering back to the stage to finish the song. From the stage, you watched Castiel shift uncomfortably in his seat, trying and failing to conceal his tented slacks. 

Finally, the song ended and you blew a kiss to the crowd before skipping off stage, thankful to be done. While you were chatting with some of the girls, Dean came to get you, trying to hide his amusement as he told you Sam had gotten the tapes from Jimmy. You breathed a sigh of relief, glad that this night was over. Dean walked you back out to the car, where Sam and Cas were waiting. Cas looked up hearing footsteps, and his eyes widened when they met yours. He quickly looked down and avoided your stare until you got back to the car. The four of you got in silently and sat for a moment before you heard Dean breathe in as if he was about to say something. 

“Don’t,” you said quickly. “I don’t want to hear anything about tonight ever again. Capiche?” Dean muttered something under his breath and Sam gave you a tight nod, eager to also forget the events of the night. You took a deep breath and turned to Cas. “Castiel,” you began, and you could’ve sworn you saw him flinch at your words. “I really am sorry. I wasn’t expecting it to land on you, I told you three not to sit there..” you trailed off. He couldn’t meet your gaze. Instead he nodded and replied, “Our apologies for not realizing your meaning.” His eyes momentarily flicked up to yours before landing back down into his lap. You followed his gaze, and he seemingly noticed, as he once again shifted in his seat, trying to conceal the still obvious bulge.

This was going to be a fun ride back. 

[elliewritessometimes]

hello. have you seen this post by @notsomightymightytiger?? that’s my friend!!! and this is completely and utterly inspired by that and completely and utterly written for her. love you stabby friend <3

also known as: the tigers go to disneyland, kateva like to kiss, chess, reese and mattie have an understated bromance and cheerwives can actually be fluffy for once

tw: swearing, theme park kind of things??? aka rollercoasters and fireworks and all that. as always, let me know if i’ve missed anything

(sidenote idk if you can tell but i have never in my life been to disneyland don’t come for me if i wrote it all wrong i tried my best)

---

"We're going to Disneyland."

There was silence in the gym for a solid thirty seconds before all hell broke loose.

"WhAT???"

"Wait, really?!?"

"Oh my God, Riley, you're the best, oh my gOd!"

"Why the fuck did you think that taking us to fucking Disneyland was a good idea??" Kate looked less than pleased at the proposition, a stark contrast to the delighted faces of Reese and Mattie.

Riley smiled brightly. "Team bonding!!"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Right. Of course." Their voice rose in pitch, sarcasm delicately lacing their words. "For the best of the team-"

Chess cut them off, not so subtly stamping on her foot. "Katherine, please."

Farrah had been wobbling on her tiptoes, peering over Annleigh's shoulder. She gave a long-suffering groan. "Annleigh, Clark's not a Tiger, he can't come."

"But-"

"No. It's unfair."

Annleigh ignored her sister and switched her attention to Riley, making her best puppy eyes at the captain. Riley only widened her smile. It probably hurt her face a little bit. "You know what? Fine. Clark can come. It's gonna be fun, right?!"

Annleigh giggled at the answer, sticking her tongue out at a fuming Farrah. Kate was in a similar predicament, being held back by a smirking Chess with an arm around their shoulder. They pulled out their phone as well, already dialling a number, “If Annleigh’s boyfriend gets to come, then my girlfriend should be allowed as well. Otherwise that’s nepotism.”

“Fine.” Riley was steadily regretting her decision to hold a cheer trip. On her left, Cairo squeezed her hand, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. Kate gagged in their direction. “You better not, Kate, or I’m banning your girlfriend from Disneyland.”

“Fuck you.”

“Wait,” Reese spoke up, “If Kate and Annleigh can have Eva and Clark, and Cairo and Riley have each other, can I bring my boyfriend?”

“No more significant others!” Riley clapped her hands, ignoring Reese’s pout. “If you can’t get Eva and Clark here in the next eight minutes, we will be leaving them behind! I paid so much money for these tickets and we will not be late.”

The team headed towards the door, being greeted by Eva and Clark already standing beside Cairo’s minivan. They split the rides evenly between the van and Chess’ car (Kate was more than pissed to find that their best friend had been in on the plan all along). 

At one point, Mattie took Reese’s hand. “Hey, even if you can’t bring your boyfriend, you’ve got me, right? Ultimate bromance and all that?”

Reese grinned and squeezed the freshman’s hand. “Hell yeah.”

-

“I want that pin.”

“No, you don’t.” Reese hugged the Belle pin closer. 

Chess held out a hand. “Yeah, but I do though.”

Reese shook her head.

“Look, I’ll give you my Tinkerbell diamond one.” They held out the rare pin in their other hand.

“No! Belle is my favourite!”

“She’s my favourite as well though!”

Cairo sighed. “We’ve been here literally ten minutes.”

Reese linked arms with Mattie, turning on her heel to walk off, “I’m going now and you’re not getting my Belle pin!!!!”

“HEY!” Chess chased after the two, trying so hard to keep up their grumpy demeanour and failing when a smile crept onto their face.

Turning to an anxious-looking Riley, Cairo sighed again. By now, she’d sighed more than she’d spoken today. “Chess does know that they could just... buy their own Belle pin if they really wanted, right???”

“It’s the fun of it, Cai.” Riley looked around, craning her neck. “Where on Earth have the other five members of our team gone?”

“Holy shit.” At this rate, Cairo must have been running out of oxygen from the intense sighing. “It has been. Ten. Minutes.”

-

Farrah wouldn't call herself a Disneyland regular, but she's been a few times before. She remembered a time before her mother had left, when she was still just a little kid, coming to the park for the first time. It had been the kind of magical that only a child can experience, filled with glitter and laughter and something that might have been called family. Her mother bought bubblegum flavoured cotton candy, handing the stick to a seven-year-old Farrah with a smile and a wink. They agreed that it was the first thing that you had to do when going to Disneyland - buy cotton candy. Every time since, Farrah bought the same bubblegum pink sugar from the same tacky stand and ate it with the same wonder as she did the very first time.

Now, Farrah had a new family. In, perhaps, more ways than one. Here, away from home, she's still with her family, maybe a slightly dysfunctional one made up of teenage cheerleaders (and Clark), but still, they are her family in one way or another.

Annleigh returned as Farrah was mulling over all this, a stick of worryingly neon pink cotton candy in her hand. "Figured you'd want to start the day off with your usual sugar rush."

Farrah took the treat with a smile, wondering if Annleigh is only so glad to buy such unhealthy food because at least it's not alcohol. "Thanks."

"Come on, ladies! We've got a whole park to explore!" Clark had apparently already visited a store, a pair of Mickey ears stretched over his head. Farrah rolled her eyes, but followed her sister and brother-in-law (nearly) further down the street because, after all, they are her family.

-

“I can’t believe you’ve never been to fucking Disneyland before,” Eva looked mildly horrified, “Has Chess never taken you?”

“I didn’t really want to go.”

Eva narrowed her eyes. “Why the fuck-”

“Reasons.” Kate’s voice was sharp and Eva backed off, only kissing the top of their head. Kate squeezed her hand in response. “Anyway, come on, show me everything. Mountain rides challenge, right?”

“Ugh, Katie, the queues with be forever...”

“Lucky for you, I’ll be there to while away the time with you.” She winked, laughing when Eva blushed. “Let’s go.”

-

Of all the things to happen at Disneyland, Reese was not expecting to get sneak attacked by a literal cuddly pig. She yelped, reaching a hand to smack it away, nearing the point of ‘this might as well happen’, when a small head poked out from behind the toy. Mattie grinned, “Boo!”

“Jesus Christ, you scared the life out of me.”

The younger girl giggled brightly. “Look what I got!”

“...Is that the pig from Moana?”

“Obviously.” Mattie rolled her eyes. “You should know by now that Moana is the best Disney movie of all time.”

Reese rummaged in her backpack for a second before pulling out yet another pin. “Look! Moana pin. Girl, I would give it to you, but me and Chess are tryna see who can get the most pins by the end of the day. Speaking of, was Chess in the store?”

“Yeah, actually.” She hesitated. “Dude, I hate to tell you this, but they had a Belle pin.”

“Shit.”

-

Perhaps queuing had been a mistake. It had probably been hours. Kate would have known more accurately if they’d worn a watch like Chess always told them to. She was stubborn though, and hadn’t. “Aves...” 

“Yeah?”

“How long have we been waiting?”

“Twenty-five minutes.”

“Oh.” They craned their neck to see over the heads in front of them, realising that they were only a few people from the front. “Oh.”

Eva laughed and took her partner’s hand again, “Told you the queues were long.”

However, in only a matter of minutes, they were seated in an uncomfortable car, the seatbelts just a little too tight to be comfortable and a little too loose to feel actually safe. To say Kate was uncomfortable would be an understatement. She was also maybe a tiny bit scared. 

Eva squinted at them. “You look like you’re gonna throw up.”

“I’m fine.” 

And so the ride began.

Around halfway through, they began the steady climb to the highest peak. Kate turned to Eva, yelling over the shouts of other passengers. “Hey, babe? Remember when I said I didn’t come here with Chess because of reasons? Now might be a good time to tell you that those reasons are that I’m scared of heights.” 

“You fucking idiot.” Eva turned carefully to them, holding their hands tighter, worry and amusement shining in her eyes. The car reached the peak of the ride. “Look at me and don’t fucking think about looking down. It’s okay.” She cupped her cheek. They fell suddenly and Kate's heart jumped into her throat. Eva laughed a little at their surprise. “You know what they say, babe, you gotta confront your fears straight on.”

“I can’t do anything straightly.”

And that was how they found themselves kissing on a rollercoaster, hair slightly in their faces, just as the camera shutter went off. 

-

The team somehow reconvened for lunch, stopping on a bench somewhere as Clark unpacked a multitude of sandwiches and juice boxes. Of course, only Clark, Annleigh and Riley ended up eating the home-brought food, everyone else opting to buy their own trashy, mostly-sugar lunch. 

“How the fuck did you know to bring all this if we only organised the trip this morning?” Kate sounded suspicious, eyeing Clark like he was the imposter. 

Clark looked mildly sheepish. “Oh... We all knew already.”

“WHAT?”

“Yeah, sorry Kitkat.” Chess stifled a snort of laughter. “We organised this weeks ago. We had a group chat and everything.”

Kate spluttered for a second. “Alright, traitors, who else was left out of this?”

Mattie, Farrah and Reese all raised a hand. 

“This makes no sense. Cairo, I trust you to tell the truth, why the fuck didn’t you tell us?!”

Cairo smirked. “We didn’t tell Mattie and Farrah because they’re children-”

“Rude!” Mattie smacked Cairo on the arm. “I am possibly more responsible than half of the rest of you.”

Riley cut in. “Don’t be silly, Cai. We didn’t tell Reese, Mattie or Farrah because they like Disney the most and we wanted it to be a surprise treat for them.”

The rest of the group made noises of appreciation or fondness. Kate, however, was less than pleased, “What about me?!”

“Oh, we just wanted to see your face when we announced it.” Cairo didn't hold back.

“Fuck you all.” But they were holding back a smile, already moving on to the next thing. “Hey, Farrah, you okay? Why aren’t you eating?”

The sophomore groaned. “I feel sick.”

Annleigh hugged her sister to her side, rubbing her back gently. ‘It’s because you ate all that cotton candy earlier.”

“It was so good, though.” Farrah frowned, regretting her past-self and her need for sugar. 

Clark reached into his backpack, pulling out a pair of Minnie ears, before plonking them awkwardly on Farrah’s head. He grinned. “That’ll make you feel better!”

“Dude, I don’t know, but thanks for the effort.” She fought a smile, reaching up to arrange the ears around her plaits. 

-

Riley had been anxious about the trip ever since it had been first suggested. She’d pored over the plans for hours on end, triple checking each detail with Cairo and Chess. Now that they were here, it was all going well enough. Sure, maybe they had gotten lost a couple of times, and sure, maybe they hadn’t stayed as much of a team as she’d planned, but yeah, it was going fine. Everyone else was having fun. 

“Hey, Rye, you doing okay?”

She nodded with a smile, clutching Cairo’s hand. “Yup! All good!”

Cairo did not look convinced. “Look, you've been stressing about everyone else all day, how about we leave them be and go visit some princesses, huh?”

“Cai... Cai, that would be honestly amazing.” Hesitating, she watched the retreating backs of the rest of the team. “You’re sure they’ll be okay?”

“They’ll be fine, I promise. Besides, they’ve got Clark and Chess and Eva in case anything goes wrong.” The taller girl didn’t hesitate from naming who she perceived as the ‘responsible ones’. 

“Okay.” Riley opened her mouth to suggest a destination, when they were approached by the one and only Peter Pan. 

“Hey!”

“OhmygodCai.” She clung to her girlfriend’s arm. “It’s Peter Pan.”

Cairo snorted, nudging Riley to spark her reply. She watched as the two had what was possibly the purest and most wholesome conversation she had ever heard, sneakily taking photos that she would treasure because of Riley’s true delight. Riley skipped towards her after a couple of minutes, grinning properly from ear to ear. “That was so cool!”

“Amazing, Rye. Who shall we visit next?”

“Oh my God, we have to see Tangled!”

“....Rapunzel.”

Riley paused from where she was dragging Cairo into another set of rooms. “What?”

Cairo laughed, “She’s not called Tangled, babe, her name’s Rapunzel.” 

“Oh. Yeah, right, of course, forgot.”

The other girl only laughed harder. “You're so stupid, Jesus Christ, I love you.”

Riley blushed. “Love you too.”

-

“So you did the mountain rides challenge.”

“Yes. Obviously.”

“And somehow, just magically, you two found yourselves making out in every single ride photo.” Chess crossed their arms, grinning at the couple in front of them.

“I- It was noT making out!!” Kate spluttered a reply, hiding her face in Eva’s shoulder. Chess only laughed harder.

Eva hummed as if she was making a difficult decision. “I don’t know, babe, you got pretty into it at one point.”

The senior cackled, high-fiving Eva over Kate's head. Kate continued to hide in their girlfriend's shoulder, only lifting a middle finger in Chess’ direction as a reply. Chess took the offending finger in their hand, pulling Kate up so she could walk between the other two. “Damn, Kitkat.”

“I’m not ever replying to that name again. I have been too attacked to allow it.”

Eva kissed the top of their head, “You came here to have a good time and you’re just feeling so attacked right now.”

“Exactly!” Kate nudged their head up into Eva’s chin, “This is why I’m dating you, meme girl.”

“Ew, gross.” Chess tugged Kate, who tugged Eva, who finally got them walking again. “Come on, lovebirds, it’s firework time.”

-

By the time the fireworks began, they’d been at the park for hours. Farrah still had her Minnie ears on, ones which Clark occasionally tried to steal due to his own ears being lost on one ride or another. Annleigh would only bat his hand away, laughing when he pressed kisses to her palm. 

Kate kissed Eva again when the first firework exploded above them, being caught by yet another camera, this time in the hands of Riley. The photo found its way onto the Tigers group chat by morning, greeted by a pouting Kate begging them to take it down against the protests of the rest of the team (“But you’re just so cute!”). Somehow, she didn’t complain when it even later worked its way onto Eva's Instagram feed. 

Chess and Reese jumped at the first fireworks, too absorbed in counting pins to pay attention to the rest of the world. Mattie wormed her way between them, sneakily stealing both Reese’s Moana pin and Chess’ newly-bought Belle pin. They were too distracted by the light show to notice and Mattie celebrated her little victory by also stealing some of the cotton candy that Farrah had bought herself again, despite her earlier regrets. She supposed some people never learnt.

Cairo stood quietly at the back of the group, showing a still-bouncing Riley the pictures taken with the various characters they’d encountered. Riley kissed her for the final firework, a silent ‘thank you’ for today. 

With the lights of Disneyland glimmering maybe slightly tackily behind the group, Riley took one last picture. It was them, the team, the Tigers, silhouetted in the lights but, if you zoomed in and maybe turned the brightness up a bit, you could still see them smiling. That made its way onto the group chat as well and maybe it still hangs in more than one of their rooms. It was certainly a day that qualified for the scrapbooks.

[lyallblacklupin]

Don’t miss the Yule Ball.

Sirius and Remus relives their favorite memory together, and reconcile their relationship.

Tags: Post-Incident with Severus Snape, Angst with Happy Ending, Getting Back Together, Trust Issues.

Chapter 5

There he was, standing by the doorway with his hand still clutching the doorknob, his amber eyes glistening, blotchy and scarlet face at a brink of erupting everything that had been lying agonizingly beneath his chest. Sirius could feel it. He could feel it radiating off him, seeping into the crimson walls of their dorm, making them dull and blue. Sirius could easily recall that particular day when Remus had entered the common room with a face that had been the facsimiled version of the one that he was currently staring at. It was one of his favorite nights with Remus. 

They were staring at each other, both waiting, hoping, and begging.

And then Sirius tentatively held out his arms just like he had, always. He didn’t get to wait because Remus had already shoved himself into his body so forcefully that Sirius had to keep his feet hard on the ground from stumbling backwards. The moment his body was harshly hit with his, he knew. He knew the scent, the touch, and the curves of the body that was plastered with him. It was hard to believe. Considering their current relationship, he was hard to even dream. But now, it was happening so vividly that he had to pinch himself to detect the line between dream and reality. And he did, and the distinction was clear. Tears pooled into his eyes when all of his senses were soundly aware. His heart was singing the name like his very own mantra.

Remus Lupin. Remus. Remus. Moony. My Moony. My Remus. Mine. Mine. Mine.

Remus was wrapped around him like trailing plant. His limbs were all over Sirius’ body. He was shaking, and so was Sirius’ body. He was sobbing, and so was Sirius’ heart. Hard. His howls were raggedy and too painful to hear. Sirius thought he was hit by a stunning charm that his feet stood by the ground, but his knees were turning rickety. Remus didn’t stop. His face was buried in Sirius’ neck. Sirius could feel that the dampness was not just his dripping hair but the endless tears of Remus as they trickled down his neck, and soaked the cotton maroon shit he was wearing.

James and Peter emerged from the bathroom, wearing their robes for the Ball that was starting in few hours, with their mouths hanging open. They had never seen Remus like that. The Remus they knew was the one who squirmed away from group hugs, the one who never cried from any pain—either physical or emotional—the one who was expressionless when angry, and the one who coped with everything without fussing or weeping. However, the Remus Sirius knew was the opposite version of his public display, and secretly Sirius was proud of this intimately celestial relationship between them.

“Moons—“ James had almost called Remus out before Sirius slightly shook his head to him in a gesture that said ‘I will handle this, not any of you.’ James had never been the one to take or assume any offence so he took this as his and Peter’s queue to leave the dorm for a while. “We’ll come later, okay?” Peter gave a small smile to Sirius before exiting.

He did everything. He didn’t stop rubbing his back, he didn’t stop squeezing his arms, and he didn’t stop pressing his head against his. But Remus didn’t budge. The sobs had turned into whimpering. Sirius untangled himself from him and held his burning face that was stained with tears and snots. He wiped his face with his hands. Remus scrunched his nose in a grimace. Little did he knew, Sirius loved this facial expression of him. It made him look very innocent. Sirius dared to lean in and kissed his nose. He witnessed the relaxation spreading on Remus’ face. He leaned again to shower all of the kisses he had wanted to, and Remus let him. On the wet eyelids, forehead, cheeks, temples and anywhere where his lips could reach.

“Had a bad day, Moony?” Sirius asked him gently.

“I’m sorry…” It broke his heart because Remus was not supposed to apologize. He didn’t do anything wrong. If there was someone who deserved to apologize for the rest of his life, it was Sirius. He breached his trust, and he didn’t know if he could ever reconcile his mistakes, his bad traits and hid darkness that came along with his surname.

Sirius couldn’t bring himself to utter a word of disagreement, so he kept shaking his head.

“I’m so sorry, Sirius.” He said it again. And it hurt again, “I should have never pushed you away…I mean what was I thinking? That I will be able to free myself from this desire that looms around me like a shadow. This longing to have you by my side, all the time. I thought I would win this tug of war. But I didn’t...Having you…here, around me and yet so far…No, Sirius. I can’t do that for much longer because sooner or later I’ll be falling into your arms again. You are this piece of my puzzle. My missing piece of life. And this void needs to be filled! It is just too agonizing. I miss you. I miss you so much.”

Every syllable was coherent and intense. They were causing a havoc inside Sirius. It all seemed like another dream. And then he looked around. It was all real. He looked into Remus’ watery eyes. It was all real. But he was trying to look for something that could liberate him from this beautiful deception. He didn’t want to stay in oblivion.

“I know it's selfish-” 

“it’s not selfish... Sirius replied anyway, “I don’t believe all of this…” He whispered. Remus was smiling at him so peaceful at him. It was certainly going to be a dream. He saw him leaning closer. He closed his eyes when his forehead was pressed with his.

“I cry to you, I laugh openly to you. You know the things that matters to me the most. And you should know that you are the first and foremost on that list of mine.” Remus’ voice was so soft. The small puffs of breath against Sirius’ cheek was causing a tingling sensation all over his body.

“Do you trust me?” He couldn’t recognize his own voice, and Remus was taken aback. His lips were parted, puffy eyes, and disheveled hair.

“I trust you.” He leaned more closer, nodding his head.

“How?” It came out like a whine. He felt Remus’ arms encircled his waist.

“Because you are loyal. You never meant me harm, I know it. I believe you, Padfoot...Tell me if you still don’t believe it’s all true.” He heard him say again. And then he felt the warmth of mouth capturing his lips. When Remus’ mouth moved against his, Sirius wanted to cry. His mouth was stiffening. His eyes were stinging, even when they were closed. The stubborn tears did fell because Remus was wiping them with the pad of his thumbs. In between the tiny pauses for breath, Remus was shushing him. He felt like he was shivering internally. Suddenly, he was feeling vulnerable. He could feel Remus’ slender hands travelling to his neck. His fingers sliding up from his nape into his hair. It didn’t fail to make him shiver for real, this time. He did, and a smirk crossed Remus’ mouth.

“It’s real.” Sirius whispered against Remus’ lips, and then captured them again. The kiss was making him lightheaded as he deepened it. His hands were still clutching Remus’ face as if they were the most ethereal treasure to hold. It was, it really was, for Sirius. They both parted to gaze into each other’s eyes. Amber met Silver. “Remus, I love you.” And Remus kissed him again, despite of all the mess they had become with the wetness of tears rubbing each other’s skins.

“I love you, too, Sirius.” The words made him smile. He didn’t know if he was crying or laughing, but it was something in between that. The tears were not stopping but he was happy a little too much.

“Ah! I thought I was going to be the one to comfort you here.” He let out a watery chuckle, wiping his face, “Look at that, I’m a mess here.”

“We both are.”  Remus batted away his hands to wipe Sirius’ face with his own hands. The both of them were standing there in the middle of the dorm, cozying up in each other’s balminess. Sirius’ hands were playing with the hem of Remus’ sweater, while Remus’ hands were untangling the loose knots of Sirius’ slightly damp hair.

“You forgot to cast a drying spell on your hair after shower because of me.”

“This is how much I love you.”

They laughed again. Everything was beautifully back to its rightful places. 

“Moony?”

“Padfoot?”

“Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?”

Remus narrowed his eyes, squinted to come at eye-level with Sirius, a smirk trying hard to break his glare.

“You love dancing.”

“I love dancing with you.”

 _____________________________________________________________

They were in their robes, thrilled to go to the Yule Ball, as they descended the stairs of dormitory. They both came to a halt at the same time when they stepped into the common room. James and Lily were sitting on the couch, and Peter was lying on the carpeted floor before the fire-escape.

“What are you guys doing here? You left an hour ago.” Sirius said.

“Oh thank Merlin!” James jumped up and rushed to embrace him and Remus, “You guys made up! You guys are reunited! We’ve been waiting for you lot! I’m so happy! I love you! I love you both!”

Remus squirmed away hesitantly, letting James and Sirius alone to suffocate themselves in hugging and jumping. He met Lily beaming at him.

“Look at you, handsome.” She kissed him on the cheek, “I’m happy for you, Remus.”

“Oi! Evans!” Sirius and James said in unison, causing all of them to laugh into hysterics.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5

[silence-burns]

Please Hate Me //part 48

Fandom: Marvel

Summary: Based on: “Imagine having a love/hate relationship with Loki.” by @thefandomimagine​ Who would have thought that babysitting a god could be so much fun?

Genre: slow-burn, enemies to lovers, banter, smut

Being the friendly neighborhood Spiderman always gave Peter a sense of pride and purpose, even if he could only share it openly with a few people. It was the kind of accomplishment that made all the hardships seem worth it in the end. It also made him happy in a way he couldn't really explain, but which involved a certain connection between him and the people he protected and got familiar with over the course of his superhero patrols.

But being the friendly neighborhood Spiderman was difficult in a neighborhood where no one was actually friendly in return.

Peter’s frown grew the further into the building he went. He was pretty sure it was the same one Loki and you had been renting an apartment in, and since he was a rather frequent guest, the neighbours should recognize him by now enough to at least return his greetings. 

That was what logic dictated, but Peter was pretty certain the people he met in the hallway only gave him a stern, disapproving look before walking past him quickly.

Peter was still frowning when he moved up the stairs, juggling the keys in his hand. Then he stopped. The unearthly screams of the damned were muffled, but most definitely coming from apartment number 13. 

Opening the door quietly, he slid into the familiar interior, now echoing with pain and suffering so loud, Peter had to cover his ears just enough to move to the root of all evil  - the bathroom. 

There were many inexplicable things Peter had witnessed happening in the apartment 13, and to some extent he got used to the thrill of not knowing what he'd face next time he paid a visit. Still, he hadn't expected to see various parts of a half-drowned owl sticking out of the sink filled thick with foam and bubbles. The owl must've struggled a lot, judging by the amount of water splashed on every possible surface, and the iron grip you and Loki still kept on the bird. Even if Loki was not wearing his usual features, it was still obvious who your partner in crime was.

The two of you froze. Soap and foam dripped to the floor. Loki's new form shimmered with a glamour only magic could achieve.

"Um, what are you guys doing?" Peter asked.

"Trying a new disguise?" The curtain of Loki's new long hair was luscious and utterly drenched. 

"No, I meant-"

"Listen, boy, as surprising as it might be for you, I'm still me, just with a less… criminally wanted image."

"Yeah, only if 'ME' stands for mischief embodied," you laughed.

"It literally doesn't. It's smooth, but it doesn't."

"Thank you, love. Now, could you please stop drowning poor Barbara?"

Loki sighed, but relaxed his grip on the bird just enough to allow it to peak its head out from under the surface and take a deep, long breath. 

Peter put his backpack down and meandered closer, dodging the growing puddles. "Why is there an owl in the sink?"

"Because I'm not allowing any fleas into my house," you firmly stated, pushing the wings back under the water. "And I don't care how many hours we'll spend here, I'm getting all the mud and dirt out."

Barbara clung to her dirt with all her might, but was overpowered and utterly misunderstood. Loki's new form was slimmer, but held the bird with his usual strength and a big dose of satisfaction. The smirk on his face was unchanged, even if the features were new.

"What do you need a disguise for anyway?" Peter asked, looking for a towel. "Can I go with you?"

"I'm afraid that as wildly chaotic and lawless as our destination is, you'd still be age-checked," Loki cooled his enthusiasm.

Barbara rushed to the towel and clung to it, loudly exclaiming what, precisely, she thought about her caretakers. Peter tried to dry her up as best as he could through her wriggling and screams. 

"Are you sure all this soap is good for her? Did you use any animal-friendly shampoo?"

Loki shrugged. "I doubt she can get any more dead."

The boy looked at the owl. The owl looked at the boy. The ruffled and drenched feathers were sticking out in all directions, uncovering a deep and no doubt fatal hole in her side. 

"You got a dead owl…?"

"It was not my idea," Loki groaned, casting the bird a disgusted stare in the mirror where he tried to change the shape of his eyebrows. 

"You're just angry because she likes me more," you laughed while mopping the floor.

Peter did his best to become invisible and not stare too openly at the ribs poking out of the feathers. Barbara puffed them every time he moved the towel around. The boy couldn't speak owlish, but the small, crittering noises she made were definitely far from happy.

"Where will you be going?" Peter asked. The owl sat on his knees and refused to move even after he finished drying her on the couch.

"To the largest casino on the Moon."

"Wait- There are casinos up there?"

"Not for kids your age," Loki said.

Peter slumped on the couch. "That's not fair."

"We'll be back before you notice." You threw the wet rag to the sink. "Of course, as long as a certain someone FINALLY decides what to wear."

Loki ignored your pointed look, too busy with changing his hair color. No matter how many little details he changed, he still struggled with finding a form he was sure would allow him to pass through the guards unnoticed and unrecognized. It was a shame he couldn't use his own - it felt like a waste to hide a face like his. 

The owl settled on Peter's shoulder, immobilizing him with the claws buried in his skin. But even from the couch, the boy could see the remnants of a hurricane that had thrown a rather alarming amount of clothes around the apartment.

"I thought these were yours," he admitted. The owl kept on looking through his hair with the utmost scrutiny and very little gentleness.

"I've settled long ago on what I'm going to wear. As for the diva himself, though…" you gestured around.

"I need it to be perfect," Loki said. "I have an important role to play, I can't just waltz in there and be recognized."

"You could go blond," Peter suggested.

"Ew, I don't want to look anything like my brother- Wait, that's actually a great idea."

Before any of you managed to protest, a full-grown Thor stood in Loki's place, watching himself from all angles in the mirror. The clothes no longer fit, so he dropped them and dove into the closet again.

"...what have I done?"

You patted Peter's free shoulder. Barbara nested in the crook of his neck. "Nothing they can prove. Hopefully."

*

"I am not my father's servant," not-Thor downed another beer. "And if I want to relax for just one evening, I shall!"

The tankard broke into tiny pieces as he smashed it on the ground. The loud applause and waves of laughter followed the very Thor-like outburst, making Loki relieved he was playing his role well. Even in a place like this, crowded with drunkards and gamblers from all over the universe, it was common knowledge what the god of thunder enjoyed.

Loki forced his glamoured face to remain cheerful as another tankard of beer had been brought to him, disgustingly sour and rough. He knew his brother well, and was sure he'd love it, but Loki himself would rather bite off his tongue than willingly digest any more if only he had an actual choice. He didn't, and therefore swallowed another gulp to the cheering from the crowds gathered at his table. The cards had been laid out, waiting for the victors to celebrate their success, and the rest to decide how much more money they were willing to lose to the god of thunder.

Seated in a great hall of marble and gold, Loki wished he could play the way he actually wanted to, which was the very same way that got him banned from the Moon last time he had visited. But for the sake of the mission, he stayed just above the line between bankrupting and winning money, which added to the body he was wearing, was just big enough temptation to keep his table busy.

Everyone entering the biggest casino on the Moon was inclined to try their luck, or at least take a quick look. It was a perfect, if rather boring, way of scanning everyone who entered the rich complex of buildings. The few fountains set further in the back murmured as they shot curtains of water. The air was thick and warm, making crowds of people inevitably gravitate towards them in search of any cold. With the tall, lush plants artistically winding over and between the pillars, it created little areas dotting the impossibly high hall, where the pleasant breeze gathered the people looking for just a moment of relief. You occupied a spot beneath the fountains, where most people would wind up going to at some point, and used it as a second checkpoint, just in case anyone missed Loki's, or rather his brother's table.

"Come on, does anyone else want to lose their fingers?" Loki heard you call out to the crowds.

Between their never ending sessions of losing and winning the money back just to lose them again, there were many individuals in need of a drink and a quick break from the gambling. How easy it was to grab their attention with a loud voice and a dead owl.

Loki stretched his neck and looked over to where you had sat down the bird with all kinds of currency piled between its claws and a single coin shining through the open ribcage. 

"All you need is to get the coin out, what's the matter, people? Is there no one brave enough to win all this money?"

Greed has always been a major deciding factor for the living beings regardless of race and the world of origin. The queue only rose in length as everyone wanted to try their luck. 

The table under Barbara grew more and more slick with blood from cut and bitten fingers. Pure malice shone in her dead eyes.

"What an awful creature," Loki muttered to himself. 

He could sense the stolen pin somewhere in the vicinity, but the casino was a loud and chaotic place, with multiple areas each centered around a different type of entertainment. More than an hour had already passed, but whoever was currently holding onto the pin, had not yet ventured anywhere near.

The two of you were slowly but inevitably running out of time. Odin might've been old and naive, but his spies' eyes reached far and wide. Loki had little doubt he would be interested in his favourite son's apparent evening fun, especially if he had that particular son with him, in the palace. Thor was a good cover, but not for much longer.

And then, by chance or a generous turn of fate, the shadows stirred and whispered. 

Loki cast the dice, not paying attention whether he'd won or lost. His money wasn't real anyway.

There - by the high palms stood the Hoarders, clad in the worn out rags and way too much jewelry. With their grey skin and long limbs, it was no wonder how easily they blended in with the shadows, using their skills to warp their surroundings and get in places others would consider highly secure. But their success was not measured in how many places they were capable of breaking in themselves, but rather how many individuals of all races they could easily befriend and bend to their will. Although, to be quite honest, Loki doubted the necromancer had needed much convincing. 

There were only three of them, each almost an identical copy of the others, but the Hoarders were encircled by both their partners for the evening and whatever scum tried to befriend them. That made it so much harder to approach them, but Loki was already thinking of a good excuse when he rose from his seat. People parted, giving him space - much more that would be granted to Loki's original form. 

The shadows whispered again. One of the ladies separated from the group, with an annoyed expression on her face.

Loki stretched, making sure to put his hands high. Once he caught your attention, he followed the lady at a leisurely pace.

"What do we do?" You asked once both of you entered the corridor and disappeared behind the corner. 

"She's got the pin."

One more turn took you in front of the ladies restroom. 

"Time for Plan C.” Loki began undressing quickly.

Holding a spare dress in your bottomless pocket was not the wisest choice, but it apparently paid off, even if fishing it out took you a moment. Your hands shook. Someone might have walked in on you at any time. While Loki would be doing whatever it took to get the pin back, you would be the one making sure no one interrupted him…

Like distracting the waiter that was now staring at both of you. Focused on the contents of your pocket, you hadn’t even noticed him approaching. Loki clad in only Thor's skin, blinked. 

The waiter turned on his heel and disappeared.

"I can already feel the gossip stirring," Loki shifted into a more feminine body, quickly putting on the dress. "They are going to eat my brother alive."

"Do you feel bad about it?"

"Oh, my heart is breaking into a million pieces," Loki assured you with a smile far too wide for that to be true. 

He kissed you quickly before disappearing into the restroom. 

Life felt amazing. Loki couldn't help but imagine the amount of trouble his brother would get once the word spread about his whereabouts.

His imagination was running wild, but the one thing Loki couldn't imagine was how, merely thirty minutes later, he'd find himself in the dungeons deep beneath the surface of the Moon, half-drowned, and viciously bitten.

[jjyusmile]

lee hyunjae - above the lights (ft. the boyz)

happy the boyz day!

pairing: hyunjae x {gender-neutral} reader x the boyz as besties

words: 3.9k

warning: mentions of food and drink! light mention of alcohol / alcohol poisoning

note: this is my present for the boyz third anniversary... I was inspired by the berlin boylog and their trip to the christmas markets last december. but I thought it would be cute for all of them to be there heheh! of course, I made it biased and a little romantically fluffy but this is to show my appreciation for all of the boyz! the romance is just to show this is a bec story :’) thank you so much for your support always!!

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

stepping out of the restaurant, the chill in the berlin air washed over each of you as you stepped through the doorway onto the cobbled streets. wrapped in puffer jackets and scarves, hoods pulled up to shield your ears from the breeze. you all huddled under the cover that lazed over the shop entryway as rain drizzled from the sky. each of your cheeks tinged pink as the frosty chill nipped at your skin. eventually, warmth cascaded over you as heat radiated off the eleven boys clustered around you in an attempt to figure out where to go next.

as they murmured to each other, scrolling through google maps to gage your whereabouts, you looked up at the bare trees lining the streets. each was draped in strings of lights to the point where you almost forgot they wouldn’t blossom for another few months. the atmosphere surrounding you was festive and cheerful.

“it’s so pretty,” kevin came to stand beside you, hands buried in the pockets of his jacket. you hummed in agreement not taking your eyes off the cascades of red and white that flickered along the street. you hadn’t noticed your hands were shaking from the bitter chill in the air.

you were pulled out of your gaze as elbows rested against your shoulders from behind; the proximity immediately warmed your body through. the comforting scent of your best friend surrounded you; sighing, your hands stilled and you melted into his chest. hyunjae chuckled as his arms came around your waist, pulling you into him. the murmurs became distant while you were distracted by hyunjae whispering close to your ear about how much kevin resembled a grizzly bear in his sherpa hoodie. shy giggles escaped your mouth as your hand shot up to cover your mouth; hyunjae hid his face in the crook of your neck to hide his own laughter.

the group had slowly moved down the street with you and hyunjae trailing behind. it wasn’t unusual. the shy touches followed by playful shoves… it had always been like that. except touches that were once familiar became more intimate. in your eyes, you were no longer just best friends. but you tried to ignore the tingles that ran up your arm when he mundanely passed you your morning coffee; the way he would pull you a little closer when you were all huddled around the small tv in sangyeon’s apartment; when your walks in the park turned into hours of sitting snuggly on a bench under the cherry blossom trees in the spring. the same way, right now, his hand brushed closely against your own. you welcomed the light touches under the chill int he air.

reaching a corner along the streets of berlin, all of you circled tightly around the fold-out map of the city, each one of you nudging the other to get a better look. how could a place so big seem so tiny on the crinkled pages that chanhee held out in front of him? eric closed his eyes and ran his finger in squiggly circles across the landmarks of the city. a squeal clouded your senses the moment changmin noticed eric’s fingertip grazing toward the oversized wooden stall wrapped in colourful lights -- the berlin christmas markets.

in a flash, changmin was running in the direction of the festivities, dragging younghoon by the cuff of his jacket sleeve; the pair were giggling like school children. seeing their energy dawned the realisation that you had been walking around all day -- your feet ached and you were overflowing in the warm vegetable soup you ate… and finished sunwoo’s bowl, too. your sleepy form was close to giving up and going back to the hotel until a figure stepped out in front of you and crouched down. juyeon turned to look at you with warm eyes and tinged pink ears that poked out from under his cap. a slight nudge of his head prompted you to jump on and then you were hugging his back as he carried you down the street. he bent down jokingly to tie his shoelaces with you still on his back. you giggled.

jumping down, rushed with excitement, you didn’t wait for wait from juyeon to finish, you pulled him up with a force that almost tore his arm off. he never got to finish tying his shoes. from behind, hyunjae wandered along the street, helping eric keep his balance as he stepped one foot in front of the other as he grazed the curb of the footpath. but his focus was trailed on you with a shy smile on his face. he couldn’t pinpoint what had shifted and when it did -- but something had definitely changed.

you skipped toward the rest of the group as you entered the markets, dragging juyeon in tow and immediately linking arms with sangyeon. he pulled you toward each stall that grasped your attention. the image of haknyeon trying to ensure the strings of cheese didn’t escape his mouth left you in a fit of giggles. the way these boys interacted with each other was like you were a big family. at one point, kevin gathered everyone in to fit on the tiny screen of his phone, your head squished under hyunjae’s arm as it wrapped around you to lift you up high enough to get in frame. a bundle of hysterics soon followed.

the stalls that lined each side of the market were flooded with smiles and families rushing around to get a glimpse of everything. the tree that perched at the center of it all loomed over you with flecks of gold as the sun began to set. each bauble glistened under the streams of sunlight that reflected against them. specks of light danced across the stalls. the market became too crowded for the group to stick together, you decided to meet back at the tree at 10pm. hyunjae ducked down quickly to kiss your temple with a whispered “see you later” moments before he headed off in the opposite direction without sparing you a glance; juyeon and younghoon were already aiming at targets in a competition to win the abnormally large stuffed panda. the action left you slightly disorientated as you stared at his retreating figure, all bundled up warm in his oversized puffer jacket that he always joked could fit you as well. distracted, haknyeon wrapped his finger around yours to drag you toward the stall filled with an array decorations.

changmin grazed his hand along the ornaments that dangled in rows along the walls. he picked up a snowglobe from the bottom shelf and eyed it carefully.

“something has changed, hasn’t it?” he asked, not takng his eyes off the glittering flecks that danced around the ornament as he shook it delicately.

the question startled you, a sharp inhale could have been heard from a mile away. you played with the sleeves of the jumper hyunjae had lent to you that poked out of your coat. “what do you mean?”

he directed his attention toward you as haknyeon stepped beside him, voicing his thoughts for him. “you’re not just… you two anymore. you’re… you two.”

a roll of changmin’s eyes met with a chuckle at hak’s choice of words -- ever ominous with next to no clarification.

you, on the other hand… you stood there unmoving. had things changed? they must’ve done for others to notice. hyunjae had become more public with his subtle flirting -- but didn’t he do that with everyone? you had always been close, closer than everyone else in the group… it was only natural that these moments happened every so often, right? but they weren’t every so often anymore, the voice in the back of your mind shattered any excuse you attempted to make. now that you thought about it, this was one of the first moments since you began your trip around europe that you were without hyunjae by your side. your mind drew back to the last moments you saw him. hiding his smile in the crook of your neck. a kiss to your temple. your eyes squeezed closed as your heart squeezed harder in your chest.

changmin noticed the change in your moon and diverted his attention quickly to the precious decoration that he shook a little harder between his hands -- flickers of glitter and fluorescent snow swooshed around the tiny bubble. “I think I’ll buy this one.”

you were glad for changmin’s thoughtfulness -- he always understood. the conversation had diverted from you sooner than it started.

it was only when you you found yourself in line for mulled wine beside kevin that you let your thoughts slip away. he had found you wandering the stalls alone when you lost the giddy twosome to the hook-a-duck game. and now your hands were stuffed into the pockets of sangyeon’s jacket as you leaned your head on his shoulder... chanhee did the same on the other side. the temperature had dropped significantly as the sun had completely set over berlin; you noticed the puffs of condensation that left sangyeon’s mouth in clouds of fog as he zipped his leather jacket up and over his chin. his bright smile was lit up against the strings of lights along the mulled wine stall. glancing sideways, jacob wasn’t too far away, snapped pictures of the decorations and families celebrating the festivity.

the front of the queue couldn’t have come fast enough -- it felt like hours before kevin stood at the small window in the stall ordering two mugs of red and two of the ‘white angel’… it was jacob that persuaded you against the red, reiterating that you were, in fact, an angel like him.

“but we have to match!” his giddy smile reached from ear to ear-- it was too cute to turn down. you weren’t much of a drinker, apart of the odd party that the boys used to hold at one of their apartments. those nights ended in hyunjae or a very reluctant juyeon holding your hair away from your face as the events of the night came back to bite you.

“fine,” you playfully rolled your eyes as you nudged his shoulder. he came over to rest his head against your own shoulder as chanhee stole sangyeon for himself.

an extra large stein of mulled wine was placed in your hands by kevin. it felt like you had been handed the mug of a giant, it being bigger than your own head; you had to use both hands to clutch around the sides, the warmth a welcoming feeling. you noticed, as you went to draw your first sip, that the mug was decorated in silver flecks as the words ‘white angel’ flicked in cursive against the liquid; your eyes drew back to jacob who grinned at you with a wink.

you didn’t miss sangyeon coaxing chanhee into trying a sip. his sweater paws gripped at the bottom of the stein as he tipped the liquid toward his mouth, sangyeon holding the burgundy liquid to make sure chanhee didn’t take an unfair shre. a loud bellow erupted from your stomach when chanhee’s expression morphed from curiosity to sheer disgust at the kitten lick of a sip he had taken. he turned to glare at you while taking the bottle of water from jacob’s rucksack to wash away the taste.

“I told you -- I don’t drink!” he exclaimed, playful eyerolls could be seen from left and right, even strangers in the queue enjoying the show.

“it’s not like we held you hostage and forced you to try it!” sangyeon countered, taking a large slurp from his drink. his eyes crinkled in slight disgust before his eyes widened as he stared at the liquid with fascination. a light giggle bubbled in your throat as you went to take a sip of your own.

you were perched on the end of a wooden table beside the tree, knees drawn to your body as you clutched the quickly evaporating warmth in the mug. you hadn’t even saved any for hyunjae. of course your thoughts would go straight to your best friend. you smitten fool.

your eyes became heavy with drowsiness as you watched kevin take pictures by the tree. they had found changmin and haknyeon as they wandered around aimlessly, stuffing their faces with powdered sweets. haknyeon stretched his arm out slightly to hold a candied strawberry in front of your face; your eyes widened slightly at the site and you took the sweet gratefully as he skipped back to the boys. the muffled silence drowned you as you sat by yourself, chin perched against your palm. you couldn’t help but let your thoughts wander to the boys that brightened your days.

in the distance, you noticed juyeon and younghoon giggling at the same game they hadn’t left since you arrived. not far behind them were eric and sunwoo; the redheaded boy looked around as if there were stars in his eyes… hood up to brace his features from the cold. eric chatted excitedly in his ear about one of his old family christmas traditions but his attention was focused on the strings of warm lights that hung above. distracted, you didn’t notice the first few toasted chestnuts that headed in your direction. it wasn’t until one landed softly in your lap, your gaze wandered your surroundings to find its owner. the rest of the boys were crowded around the tree, gleefully grinning as jacob captured their gentle expressions on his camera. kevin held his wine in front of the tree, phone camera at the ready to snap the perfect shot. but, none of them wanted your attention. your gaze shifted to the left where you noticed a familiar figure hiding behind the candy floss stall.

you were drawn in that direction.

you knew it was him before you even saw his face.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” you shouted, pretty much into the void, at the group. a barely visible thumbs up came from sangyeon who’s attention didn’t falter from the camera.

a chuckle escaped your lips as you wandered slowly toward the hidden rascal. he was delicately removing the shell of the next chestnut. you snuck up behind him, a cheeky grin washed over you automatically as a plan formulated in your head. tip toeing forward, your fingers stretched out as you neared his hoodie clad back, the fabric resting lightly against the top of his head. a quick countdown found you clinging tightly onto his back in an attempt to frighten him; a yelp sounded from your best friend as he dropped the remaining chestnuts from his clutches.

his hands flew up to clasp around your wrists. you didn’t miss the way his tense form faded away the moment he inhaled… did he recognise your scent? the same way you did his…

“you got me.”

his eyes crinkled as his head turned to face you, a smirk forming on his lips. the moment his eyes laid on your own they glistened in the most overwhelming way. each time you looked at him, with your face in such close proximity, you couldn’t help but feel warmth spread through your veins.

“I got you…” an intensity clouded his irises like the sweetest chocolate. your words had more of an impact than you had  originally implied.

steadily, you unclasped your wrists from hyunjae’s warm fingers as you stepped down, feet placed firmly on the ground as you shyly grinned up at him.

“hi,” you chriped, the smile not leaving your lips for a moment.

“hey,” he whispered, eyes melting into yours.

without much thought, he intertwined your fingers snuggly with his own. leading you behind the stalls and into the unlit alley. you knew by the confidence in his walk that he had a plan up his sleeve. trailing behind him, your gaze was fixed on the smile that hadn’t left his lips. you couldn’t help but let your mind wander to the idea that he was enduring a similar inner conflict to your own. you weren’t just best friends any more.

you approached a dark, abandoned stall with a small ladder leading up to the roof. he stopped abruptly and looked down at you expectantly. his eyes flicked up to the roof and back to you… after you, his eyes said. his hands gripped lightly at your waist as he helped you up the ladder, fingers grazing delicately at the tshirt that rode up along with your sweater…  his sweater.

it was the little things by now. years of small gestures that lit up the blood in your veins added fuel to the fire.

he wasn’t far behind you as you settled in, feet dangling over the edge of the unfinished stall, hyunjae settling closely beside you. your knees knocked against his, whether it was on purpose or not was a question left unanswered.

your eyes took in the sight before you; smiling children stuffing their faces with bratwurst, couples snuggled cosily in their pods on the ferris wheel -- the prime spot for a romantic evening -- and then  your best friends. your eyes fell on all of them, messing around with eyes lit up like children on christmas morning. a smile washed over you subconsciously. they were the loves of your life -- every single one of them.

but your face was burning. the person that stole your heart without even realising wasn’t focusing on the flickering lights from below. a golden haze washed over his face, his features accentuated under the shadows. his eyes were boring into your own -- your skin of your cheeks could’ve melted at the intensity. his eyes were full of musical wonder.

“hey,” he whispered, again, face crinkling as his smile met his eyes.

“you’ve said that already,” you taunted, cheekily. a nudge against his shoulder to accentuate your joke.

“I know,” he paused. “my mind can’t come up with much more right now. I’m a little breathless.”

“right!” your focused drifted toward the festivities below you. “isn’t it incredible!”

it was his turn to pause. his fingers reached for your hand, intertwining with your own as he drew them into his lap. “yeah… it is.”

his tone brought you back to reality. you were sat here side by side, fingers intertwined delicately as his thumb grazed over the back of your hand. you noticed him exhale a shaky breath. your free hand lifted to brush the fallen strands away from his eyes as the wind blew softly. before you could withdraw your hand, hyunjae quickly clasped your wrist, pulling you closer to him, your noses brushing.

“jae?” it was your turn to release a shaky breath. you had tiptoed over “the line” for years now -- subtle touches, flirty jokes and much needed cuddles. but you had never been in this close... close enough to see the delicate bead of sweat that formed on the side of his neck. the lights from below highlighted his cheekbones in a subtle glitter.

he hummed in response, his attention focused not on your eyes, not on the fair below, but on your lips. his own plump lips forming a pout in temptation.

“jae…” you tried again.

his eyes fluttered closed at the plead in your voice. you didn’t know yourself whether it was an attempt to stop him, or, more likely, an urge for him to continue.

“I’m sorry,” his voice was strained, his fingers squeezing a bit tighter to reassure him that just because he closed his eyes, it doesn’t mean you disappeared.

you gravitated toward him. it wasn’t the holiday season, it wasn’t the subtle loneliness that sat with you throughout your unclaimed adolescence. you were never alone, because he was always there. even though it had shifted from being platonic, despite your hesitance, he was the one who you were drawn to no matter what.

his sweet gestures held more weight now. the way his eyes poured into yours lit a bundle of nerves that sat close to your stomach, releasing butterflies each time his eyes flickered between your own.

“don’t apologise,” your own eyes closed for a moment, inhaling deeply.

a brush of his nose against yours drew you back to reality, your eyes shooting open, blinking rapidly as your heart jolting in your chest. his breath fanned against your lips, your own doing the same.

a smile washed over his lips, eyes crinkling. “did you drink?”

“blame kevin, he bought it.”

he let out a chuckle as he nuzzled his nose against yours once more. comfort washed over you as you inhaled his warm scent, hints of cinnamon and musk.

“I’ll remember to thank him.” his smile was permanent now, it wasn’t disappearing for good.

“thank him?” you questioned, eyebrow quirking. the proximity heating your cheeks by the minute.

“I don’t think you would’ve agreed to have been here with me right now if you didn’t have a little liquid luck.”

you hummed, a giggle greeting your lips as they brushed over his. his eyes hadn’t flickered from your lips, waiting for the perfect moment. but as the wave of confidence took over, he realised that any moment with you was the perfect moment. as long as you were there, it would always be perfect.

he closed the small space and captured your lips with his in a delicate kiss. emotions that you had both swallowed throughout your friendship poured into it with such intensity it made your head spin. his head titled to deepen the kiss, his arms sliding up as his palm cupped your jaw tenderly, yours wrapping around his neck; your thoughts couldn’t wander far from your reality. as he pulled you to fit snuggly against him, your body moulded perfectly against his. his once cold fingers now sparked at each touch against your skin.

he pulled away for a moment only to place gentle kisses along your jawline to the sweetspot below your ear. he peppered kisses on every feature that he loved about you, careful to remember that you were still in the public eye, even though you were flying high in the sky at this moment. his forehead pressed against yours as he sighed in content. the moment you had been waiting finally became a reality; your hands coming up to hold his face in your hands, echoing his sigh.

your thoughts drew back to the inquisition of changmin and haknyeon earlier this evening, “they were right.”

he drew back slightly, careful not to let your palms drop from his face, with a questioning eyebrow raise, “who was right?”

you grinned widely at his jealous tone as you pulled him back in for another kiss. faint echoes cheers came from below as you moved away from his lips to find the commotion. your best friends were pointing and brightly squealing at what they had just witnessed, beaming smiles prevalent on all of their faces. a low groan escaped hyunjae’s throat as he attempted to hide in the crook of your neck, a familiar feeling washing over you as the shy smile made its way back onto your lips.

it didn’t stop his fingers from intertwining with your own again, though. and once the commotion had subsided, he pulled out a festive box filled with heart shaped chocolates, popping one into his mouth before giving in at your childish pout.

neither of you had felt as whole as you did in that moment... just above the lights.

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

TO. the boyz

thank you for everything. you are the best thing that ever happened to me -- you are the reason I smile daily, along with so many other theb. you are a family that welcomes anyone with open arms. I hope it stays this way forever. 

you deserve every happiness and I hope you know how much you mean to us all. always remember deobis love you.

I love you all so so so much.

A/N: thank you for celebrating the boyz third anniversary with me! I hope you enjoyed :’)

#오래도록_빛날_더보이즈의_3주년 #3YearsWithTHEBOYZ @WE_THE_BOYZ @Creker_THEBOYZ

[spirits-n-giggles]

I thought he turned back because he liked her petting his snout and he didn’t want to do anything to give that away. Or he was surprised he liked her touching his fur. Not gonna lie that sneeze threw me. Why did he sneeze? Side out: I know he’s a dog not cat, but does he make any purring noises? Like a dogs pur sound kind of? Some wolves can purr. Inquiring mind here 😉

Okay! FINE! I give up! 

Here you go! 😍

Fully fledged, and with art at the end to boot.

Enjoy!

The First Time Rin Met Doggy!Sesshy

So, you want to know about the first time Rin ever saw Sesshomaru in full Doggy!Sesshy form, eh?

Hmm.... It would have to be at some point during the original series, yeah? So Rin would still have to be what demons would call a tiny human. It would happen in the evening, after the night would fall. The camping party of misfits would consist of Lord Sesshomaru, Jaken, Ah and Un, and the tiny human, Rin. They would all lay at their own leisure in a safe area to camp, complete with shade to stay hidden in the large bushes and trees.

They would have sat for a while, whilst the toad demon and the tiny human would feast upon the catch they would have made earlier on in the day. With bellies filled, it wouldn’t be long before Rin would finally find herself in a sleeping state. This would be a queue for Sesshomaru to go and hunt for his own food, as he would order Jaken to stay behind and keep guard over the camp. He would only travel as far as he needed to in order to obtain his food, but that would vary depending on how far away camp would be from his preferred diet.

What does he eat?

Use your imagination.

That’s not what this oneshot is about. :)

Something would happen while Sesshomaru would hunt, and it would most likely be a huge giant big-headed demon of some kind that would have smelled the dwindling campfire from not too far away. Careful to guard itself with its own personal demonic energy, this pathetic waste of space would cleverly hide its scent as it would happen upon the camp while the moon hung high in the sky. This stupid demon would believe Sesshomaru to be rather small compared to it’s large stature, and unfortunately for this idiotic demon, it would soon find out what happens when one assumes.

This filler episode demon would have waited until all was clear to attack the camp so he wouldn’t have to try very hard for his own dinner. With the larger demon long gone, this moron would emerge from the trees in the night and spot the sleeping girl and pathetic goblin-looking toad and see them as nothing more than a nice midnight snack. This causes Rin to release a blood-curdling scream. All this stupid demon would know was that the bigger demon was gone so these little tiny nothings be ripe for the picking. Sure there was still a dragon but surely he could handle one and be done with his business before the bigger demon would return, right?

As Sesshomaru would make his one and only kill to eat, he would immediately hear the cry of Rin. It would take naught but a hop and a jump for him to get to her, only to see that she would be lifted into some giant’s mouth. Ah and Un could only do so much while muzzled, and stupid Jaken would get himself caught, again. Sesshoamru would arrive to see the size of such a spectacle, and figures that it would just be easier to settle this the old fashioned way.

He would sigh at such a pathetic excuse of a demon, and he wouldn’t even have have to think as he would suddenly -- *- BAMF -* -- transform into full Doggy!Sesshy. Doggy!Sesshy would be a big vicious beasty, and poor Rin wouldn’t have even been able to see the transformation since she’d be too busy with almost being eaten, and all that.

The dumb demon would have had no time to react to the sudden giant-ass dog demon that would suddenly come lunging towards him. Doggy!Sesshy would swiftly kill the vermin, with little to show for it since his blood would taste absolutely disgusting to the Demon Lord. After mere seconds, both of the demon’s arms would separate from the rest of its body (cause duh) , and Sesshomaru would catch Rin (and Jaken) on the safety of his back to guide them down to safety.

It would take a few moments for the damsels to come back to their senses. “W-what happened?” Rin’s voice would speak as she’d subconsciously hold onto whatever she had landed on. She would look up to see that she’d be in the sky, flying as if she were on the back of Ah and Un, but she would see her two-headed friend as he would anxiously await her back on the ground. She would then look down to see white fur under her as they would glide in the air, and the fur would feel somewhat familiar, but not enough for her to directly understand what had just happened.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" She would scream for his attention. She would know that he’d sometimes leave the camp to eat, but a demon was just killed by another in front of her. "Lord Sesshomaru where are you?" He would usually hear her cry. It wouldn’t be like him not to show up to a fight like this.

She would be eager to get off this random.... demon and search for her lord.

"You fool!” Rin would hear Jaken’s voice from behind her. She would look to see her friend desperately trying to hold on to any kind of fur under him. This IS Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken would berate the tiny human and her ignorance while holding on for dear life.

“Hold on Jaken! I’ve got you!” She would be close enough to be able to pull him up to safety by his unique looking staff.

Jaken would be thankful, though he wouldn’t want to be. “Meddlesome girl. I could have made it on my own.”

“What do you mean that this is Lord Sesshomaru?” How would she have known? This would be her first experience seeing him this way, after all. Doggy!Sesshy would take this time to slow them down and eventually come to a smooth landing.

“Don’t you know anything?” Jaken would screech as he would jump off of his Lord’s back. “Lord Sesshomaru is a Dog Demon. This is his true form! The look of a human is an optional one, but it does keep his true form rested and at bay so he doesn’t go crazy and kill the entire world with his vicious power and anger!” Jaken would cower at the very idea of the story.  Rin would follow and slide off of Sesshomaru’s side, but he would stand there for a moment in full form. Rin would be shy about her movements, but she would be careful as she would slowly come to see the front of his dog-like face.

This would be the face of a great beast. He would be large and white. His snout would be pointed and vicious, and his sneer would hold a look of what most would consider to be pure evil. He would growl as he would refrain from releasing any of his poison around her, and such a sound would resonate within her ears. He would be fully aware, watching her intently, waiting for her every move. He would only imagine what his horrid form would look to her. ‘Surely, she must be frozen in terror. Look at how still she stands.’ He would believe it to be fear that he’d see in her eyes.

Nothing about his true form would be recognizable to her, except the familiar markings on his face. His two stripes on each of his human-like cheeks would morph into one jagged one on each in this form. The moon in the center of his head would make Rin wonder if the moon somehow helped his power in some way. Her disposition would calm as she would eventually be able to see him through his demonic form. "Lord Sesshomaru?" She would ask, looking into one very large red eye.

It would seem to be him after all, as he would shortly transform back to his usual form- the form that she'd be most familiar with. She would shield her eyes of the wind that would flow out of him.

He would stand, calm and emotionless, as per usual, but he would carry a disposition that would somehow be more quiet and standoff-ish. There would be no voice from Jaken, this time, and Ah and Un would always prefer to be the silent contenders in these situations. Sesshomaru would be waiting for Rin to scream and run from him in terror after what she had just seen. He would have just transformed into a vicious beast and murdered in cold blood right in front of her. In a way, he’d be no different than the one that just tried to kill her, so she must be terrified...

Right? ‘I really am a monster.’

Rin would not notice the trepidation in his movements. “Wow...” She’d whisper. Her eyes would grow wide with a smile to match. "Can you do that again?" She'd suddenly ask with hopeful eyes.

Sesshomaru’s eyes would widen at her sudden request... and for just a moment, Sesshomaru’s voice would be caught. ‘...What?’

"HOW DARE YOU REQUEST SUCH A THING." Jaken‘s voice would screech in her ear, scurrying over to the tiny human. "Lord Sesshomaru does not waste such valuable demonic energy to entertain the witless demands of a pathetic little human like you."

"Silence." Sesshomaru's voice would only have to utter a single word to get the demon toad to quiet himself.

“Y-yes milord.” The servant would do as he was told, sheepishly hiding behind the tiny human Rin in the process.

Sesshomaru would be the Great Demon Lord of the West. It would take naught but little energy for him to do something as simple as transform into his full self for a second time. The air around him would start to pulsate once again, as would the echo of his heartbeat. The wind would ripple through the tall grass and the leaves in the trees. Rin's eyes would grow in awe as she would watch his hair start to freely dance with the wind. Before she’d know it, a dangerous red color of his demonic eyes would return as the usual soft amber color of his eyes would fade away. His gaze would land directly on her.

Rin would stand completely still, wanting to see the entire transformation. There would be a certain something inside of her that would never want to look away. Rin would be an empathic human being, and this power could be very valuable in the future, should she desire to continue down the path of divinity. But for this moment in time, it would be able to help her see the beauty in such an extremely wild and dangerous moment as showing one’s true demon form like this. This would speak to her heart, though her mind would still need to develop a little more before she would be able to fully understand this power. For now, she would just be able to enjoy this moment.

Oh, what magic this would be to her- but Jaken would be smart to grab her arm as he would run from the blast that he knew would come. The human would watch in awe as Sesshomaru’s human-like being would become wrapped in the fur that would usually stay at his side, right before fully transforming in size with the power of his demonic light.

Clad in his full beast form, Sesshomaru would stand tall and mighty. The hiss in his growl would even scare away the sleeping birds that nest high in the trees, but Rin would pull herself away from Jaken's hiding spot and make her way towards this new Demon Lord Sesshomaru. This full transformation would be the raw and natural state of a creature that would call himself the Demon Lord of the West, and this would intrigue Rin to no end, no matter what age she might be.

He would actually be a... dog.

Her eyes would be directly on him as he would gently turn to see her with one very large and perhaps a little bit of a timid eye, as well. She would take her time making her way towards him, but she wouldn't hesitate to take the first step as soon as possible. His growl would come from deep within his throat, as if warning her not to get too close. This would be a recurring theme in Sesshomaru’s character, whether he’d notice it or not. This would just be another way for him to push her away, and to remind her that he is not good, he is not kind, and he is definitely not nice.

He is a monster, and he would always be a monster.

She would pause, but she would not be afraid. He would be in a defensive stance, but his body language would eventually simmer down to a calmer state, as she would grow even closer. Her mind would only be on Sesshomaru with youthful eyes of her own, but not with fear of him hurting her, but with fear of him being frightened of her footsteps.

The closer she would get, the more his growl would dim. Jaken's eyes would be large, as he would observe Rin’s courage. Even he wouldn’t dare to get so close to such danger. His jaw would seem to hit the ground.

Sesshomaru would then lower his snout down to Rin’s gaze. He would only be able to see her with one eye, but one would be enough. Rin would eventually be close enough to gently, yet gradually feel the familiar fur at the side of his nose. She would know the soothing familiarly of his fur, for it would be thickened with his wild nature, and warm to the touch. Here she would come to the understanding that his Moko-moko would be a part of him somehow. as she would continue petting the bridge of his nose.

This gentle action of hers would cause his eyes to gently come to a close. He would feel her kind touch, and it would be a foreign feeling. It would almost seem as though he... might... actually....

His eyes would suddenly pop open wide, and he would yank his face away from her, which would frighten the poor girl and she would end up falling back with a small scream. Her fear ridden voice would cause him to immediately transform back to normal as if nothing happened.

After a moment of defining silence between the small camp of beings, none would dare make a sound. They would watch Sesshomaru as he would slowly, but surely raise his (only) arm (at the time) . The silence would remain until the smallest ... *sneeze*...? would suddenly come from their Demon Lord of the West.

Did... Did Rin just make Lord Sesshomaru... sneeze?

"Let's go." Sesshomaru says as he turns away from the camp. "Since you're all awake, we might as well travel on."

She did! Rin made Lord Sesshomaru sneeze...

Well...Sort of.

He had to think of something, didn’t he? She was PETTING him like a DOG. That was unacceptable... right?

A-and it’s not like he actually enjoyed it or anything... right?

Never.

That would be considered affection.

Affection?

What is that?

Unfortunately, he would have absolutely no idea of what affection would be, so he wouldn’t understand why he would feel something ... positive in her gentle touch to his demonic form. And he definitely didn’t use the excuse of a fake sneeze so he could..... touch... the spot that she touched in his own state of shock.

Please.

This Sesshomaru? Have feelings?

Ridiculous.

Rin would scurry on up as everyone would continue on. ‘Lord Sesshomaru....’ she would think to herself. ‘You truly are beautiful. Inside and out.’ She would smile a smile that would be felt by the entire group.

‘I am a monster,’ he would think to himself, ‘but... perhaps I can be a decent one.’ Lord Sesshomaru, too, would hide a vague grin as they would venture on with their adventure.

Art and story by: Me :)

[babylooneytoonz]

Summary: Your first meeting with Sergeant Barnes wasn't exactly charming, hell, it was a disaster. And the only adjectives that came to your mind when you thought about him were words like prick, bastard and a jackass. He made your life hell, and you lived to make sure you made him suffer. And neither of you realized, how your sole mission of tormenting each other became the most important part of your life.

Warning: Language, implied sexual innuendos, reference and non descriptive sex // A hattrick by Bucky Barnes in being a dick // Sexual tension begins

Coffee Stains - Masterlist

A bright hue of orange yellow filled your room, a ray of sunlight seeping through a crevice in your curtains. It was too bright to keep sleeping soundly any longer, and besides, you had an alarm set up for 7 in the morning, so you could go out for your morning run, and get back in time to get yourself a nice breakfast.

You sat up in bed, grumbling and groaning at the soreness you were now feeling where you had felt Steve's hard blow. Your eyes moved down, as you rolled up your t-shirt, and stared at the bluish bruise that had seemed to form over your abs. It was only then when you realized, when your eyes fell on the clock, that you had slept in, and it was already ten minutes past 9. You hopped out of bed, almost managing to fall face first to the floor, as your foot was still entangled in the sheets.

Dressed in your PJs, without even bothering to run your hands through your hair, you slid your glasses over the bridge of nose and walked out of your apartment. You needed coffee, and you needed food; you were starving, and your stomach was rumbling loud enough for the entire towers to hear.

When you entered the recreation room, a wafting aroma of waffles and bacon filled your nostrils, making you almost lick your lips.

"Morning, Y/N," Wanda greeted in a chirpy voice, causing your head to snap towards her. She was sitting on the dining table, her plate of food kept in front of her, her fingers curled against a glass of grape juice as she brought it up to her lips and took a sip, her eyes fixed on you. "Good sleep?"

"Not really. I feel like shit. I need an effing coffee first."

Wanda hummed in agreement and went back to relishing her breakfast while you lazily tumbled into the kitchen, where Tony was already brewing himself one.

"Morning, junior. Had a good sleep?"

"Junior? I'm no one's junior, Stark." You hissed at him, almost ready to snatch the coffee that he had made for himself but he was swift, he pulled it off the slab before you could grab it.

"Well, you've replaced Wanda as our new junior, until our next recruit decides to join us," he chuckled, reaching out and ruffling your hair, ending up making you even more grumpier than you had been before. You kept watching him with a scowl as he walked out, leaving you alone to brew yourself your mug of coffee.

╞═════𖠁𐂃𖠁═════╡

Bucky stormed through the seventh floor hallway, having just stepped out of his apartment that happened to be next to yours but you still had no clue about that. He was angry, his shoulders were tense and his mind was occupied; he kept playing the events of yesterday like a movie at the back of his mind. You stepped closer, splashed him with chilled water and he could do nothing, rather, although he could have done a lot of things, he just kept watching you until you had left.

A war was waging at the back of his mind, and he was already working on ways he could get back at you, after what you did.

He ran his calloused hands through his loose strands, as he made his way towards the gym to work out and get this damn thoughts out of his mind. But this definitely wasn't going to happen for his eyes fell on you the minute he entered the gym.

You hadn't seen him yet, for you had your ear pods on, and you were running on the treadmill, with Sam lifting weights a few steps away from you. Bucky cleared his throat, causing Sam to look up into the mirror and then towards you, wondering if you had seen him yet.

By now, probably the entire Stark Towers knew that you were on a cold war with Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes.

You had seen him through the mirror, but you were ignoring him. As long as you had your music on, he couldn't invade your privacy and make your life hell so you decided to ignore him, and continue running on the treadmill, although you kept following his movements, with your eyes. You watched him as he made his way to the bench press and sat down on the bench. You could see his lips moving, which you assumed that he was either speaking to Sam, or to Friday, to get the song changed, which was actually the latter one. Finally, he laid down flat on his back on the bench press, gripping the bar, his fingers coiling securely around it.

He slowly brought the bar down to his chest, as he breathed in. You didn't realise you were gawking at him for some reason through the mirrors, and wondering how effortless this whole thing looked on him. You also didn't realize that Sam was staring at you staring at Bucky in the mirror, giving you a side smirk until you abruptly removed the gaze from Bucky and slowly started unwinding yourself to get off the treadmill. You stepped off the treadmill when it finally came to a halt, and made your way to where the dumbbells were. Fixing yourself in front of the mirror, you started working on your arms.

Bucky had by now moved to the cross trainer, and you were waiting for Sam to get done with the deadlifts so you could get a chance. While you were waiting, you decided you would go get yourself a quick drink.

"Sam, don't let anyone take over. It's my turn next." You visibly said it out aloud, noticing Bucky almost roll his eyes at you through the mirror.

"Sure, I'm almost done anyway. What weights do you want? I'll do it for you while you're gone."

Your workout routine comprised of two twenty five kg bumper plates and the fifteen kg bar. You told Sam the same, not noticing that Bucky was also listening in on the conversation. You then turned away, your shoes flapping against the wooden floorboards until you had disappeared.

This was Bucky's queue. He quickly hopped off the cross trainer, tossing a plain white towel over his shoulder and round his neck. He walked up to Sam who was placing the twenty five kg bumper plate on the left side of the bar. Giving him one quick glance, he walked towards a cabinet, pulling out the tiny sticky notes and a marker, roughly scribbling the words 15 kg on two of them.

He walked back again, and bent down next to Sam, who raised an eyebrow, giving him a suspicious look.

"What on earth are you upto?"

"Just wait, and watch the fun."

Bucky placed the sticky notes on top of the 25 kg, changing it now to 15 kg, repeating the same for the other bumper plate as well.

"Hey! That's not right! Why you doing that for?" Sam pointed out, trying to reach for the sticker but Bucky just swatted his arm away.

"Shut the hell up, and dare you open your mouth when she comes back."

"This is dangerous, Bucky. She can break her back," Sam mumbled.

"10 kgs more ain't gonna break her damn back, Wilson. Besides, if she can't lift another twenty, she really doesn't deserve to be here." Bucky stood up finally, and slapped his hands together, moving away from it and towards the bench where he had now lowered himself and was waiting, his elbows resting on his knees, as he started scrolling through his phone. He only looked up when he heard footsteps approaching the gym, and he glared at Sam, eyeing him, and warning him not to open his mouth.

You stepped back in, ignoring Bucky as you twisted the cap of the energy drink and took a few sips before closing it again and letting it rest next to the weights.

"Thanks Sam," you winked at him, and watched him look at you, with a weird look on his face that you couldn't decipher. However, when you noticed the stickers on the bumper plates, a frown creased on your forehead, "Sam, you forgot, I had asked for a twenty five, not fifteen."

Sam almost opened his mouth to speak, but Bucky gave him such a glare, he just sheepishly ran his palm through the back of his head, and gave you a nervous chuckle, "I might have forgotten."

"Nevermind," you gave him a tight lipped smile and bent to grab two bumper plates of ten kgs each, quickly rolling them over the bar. You took a deep breath, and slid your ear pods back on into your ears, positioning yourself next to the deadlifts. You sat back, pushing your bum out, as though you were going to sit on an invisible stool, your knees and hips bent as you reached down to grab the barbell.

A loose grunt escaped your lips, and Sam's eyes widened while Bucky almost snorted, but tried to cover it up with a cough. Your hands were fiercely gripping the barbell but you could feel a bead of sweat trickle down against your forehead. You had been lifting 75 kgs for a long time now and today you were feeling that something wasn't right.

Yet, you took a deep breath, and steadied your stance once again, finally grunting and puffing up your cheeks, you stood up, bringing the bar up with you, the bar dragging along your shins on the way up. It was difficult, but you were able to do it.

A sharp exhale shot out of Sam's mouth, causing Bucky's attention to snap from your form, that he didn't know he was literally now staring at. He had wanted you to fail, but now, he didn't know anymore. He was actually enjoying watching you like this. He didn't realize he was staring, at the same time, moistening his dry lips with his tongue when Sam distracted him. When his eyes fell on Sam, for some weird reason, his eyebrow twitched. Sam was watching you, his eyes trained to your ass, as he was watching you work out.

"Sam. I thought you were done?" Bucky's voice suddenly filled the room; at the same time, you let the barbell drop to the mat with a loud thud, gasping for air as you moved away from it.

"What?" You asked, eyeing both Sam and Bucky as they were looking at you, and the both of them just shrugged so you ignored them and grabbing your energy drink , propped yourself on the bench where Bucky was sitting at and started chilling.

╞═════𖠁𐂃𖠁═════╡

Bucky stared at the blonde in front of his eyes; she was one of the agents that worked here, but all she did was the paperwork. She had been throwing these glances towards him recently and he had been rolling his eyes at her, annoyed to be even getting that attention from her. He didn't consider them his type but for some reason, he licked his lips this time, when his eyes raked over her slender frame, causing him to let out a soft gush or air from his lips.

Clearing his throat, he walked up to where the agent was standing, hunched over a desk, until she heard his voice, and a scarlet hue took over her cheeks.

"Sergeant Barnes–"

"Uh, I just wanted to check if –" Bucky mumbled, but his brain froze, and he couldn't come up with a good excuse. He frowned at himself, mentally cursing himself at how great he used to be in picking up girls back in the 1940s.

"–If, uh, Natasha Romanoff is back from her mission?"

Yeah, how pathetic was that? He thought to himself.

"Miss Romanoff isn't coming back for another week now," Bucky could note the way she was curling her index finger around a loose strand of her hair, which was a clear indication that she wanted him to ask her out. Who was he kidding, he was literally fighting an urge to grab her with his metal arm and pin her against the wall, tearing her clothes apart.

"Uh, I also wanted to ask you if you wanted to –" Bucky couldn't say it out loud, and he had no idea why.

It was only when the girl suddenly threw herself on him, her lips slamming ferociously on his, did he finally wrap his metal arm around her waist to hold her securely.

"Let's take this to my apartment, doll."

After your workout, you had retired to your apartment, snuggled up under your covers, with your favourite book in your hand. You didn't have the training for another five hours now, and you had the time to chill. You didn't realize when, while reading, your eyes fluttered shut, and you dozed off into a deep slumber, snoring lightly until a sudden thump from the other side of the wall woke you up.

You felt dizzy and disoriented, but you crept out from underneath your covers and stood up, stretching into a wide yawn when a high pitched moan reached your ears. Your nose scrunched up in annoyance, and since you had no idea who stayed in the apartment next to you, you shook your head wondering who this person was, who couldn't even wait for the night to actually have a little time of fun.

Maybe out of spite, and out of jealousy at the lack of an active sex life; hell you didn't date anyone ever since your nasty divorce almost two years back with Wallis, you strode up to the wall and banged your palm hard against the wall, screaming at the top of your lungs, "Hey, can you bloody keep it down there? I'm trying to take a nap."

You had only stepped away now, and were making your way towards the bathroom, smirking to yourself in victory, that the noises had died down when suddenly, the voices were back again, and this time, they were even louder than what you had heard the last time.

Frustrated, you huffed in defeat, slamming the bathroom shut.

Almost half an hour later, you stepped out of your apartment, having decided to go out and explore the city a little, maybe meet a few of your friends and have a drink when at the same time, the door to the next apartment opened and your eyes widened, when you saw Bucky step out, his hair disheveled, and his slacks hanging loosely from his hips. He didn't have a tshirt on, and the metal on his arm was looking even more prominent, because of which you couldn't help but let yourself take a good quick glance of his body.

He was an arrogant bastard, a cocky motherfucker, but he was really sexy, you couldn't deny it.

You couldn't deny that you had thought about him, while working out at times, imagining yourself positioned underneath him, as he did his push ups on top of you.

You groaned due to your thoughts, a little too loudly, and Bucky turned your way. The edge of lip was slightly shot upwards as though he had been smirking, and you swear you saw a hickey just at the nape of his neck. Just then, a strikingly beautiful blonde stepped out of his apartment straightening her outfit, giving you a quick, nervous glance before he darted away.

"That was fun, doll. See you soon." Bucky called out, his voice barging through the hallway, before he shot you a quick glance and disappeared into his apartment, his door slamming shut.

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