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bbydoll18xx · 21 days

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I'll Be Your Temporary Fix

Paige Bueckers x Media Team Reader

Based on this request:

'Could you do a Paige x media team reader. Where Paige and reader are fake dating because Azzi is uncomfortable with the fans shipping her and Paige. Reader does it cus she owes Paige a favor (you can make something up).'

Word Count: 2.3k

I absolutely loved this request! There will be a second part posted in a few days.

Thanks for reading!

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You look up from your camera as the sounds of an argument cut through the bouncing of basketballs and squeaking of sneakers against the floor of the gym.

Azzi and Paige are at it again.

This was not the first time you had seen them sniping at each other this past week, and sure it was concerning. They were best friends.

What could possibly be the issue?

Being the head of the media team for the women’s basketball team at UConn meant you had formed some very close friendships with the girls. Today, you were attempting to finish filming shots of this week's practices to post on Instagram. The new season was soon beginning, and it was crucial that the rest of the world was able to see what you saw in these girls. However, that was proving to be a challenge with the incessant bickering coming from Paige and Azzi.

“C’monnn, just please go ask her,” Azzi whines loudly, looking over in your direction. You frown, confused as to why their arguing would have anything to do with you.

“I can’t just ask her to do that. She’s too nice, and you know it’ll make her feel all weirded out!” Paige retorts, equally as loud.

They really were not subtle.

As practice ends, you put away your equipment, feeling Paige’s eyes on you. Looking up, you see Azzi retreating back in the direction of the locker room, with Paige slowly sauntering towards you looking nervous.

That was odd. Paige never really looks nervous. She was smug as hell, pretty much always. It was something you envied and admired.

“Good job today, P,” you say as she comes to stand in front of you, eliciting a broad grin that caused your belly to do several happy flips.

“Thanks, gotta have someone to show off for,” she responds with a wink and laugh. She continues after a beat, “Listen, I have a weird request and feel free to say no, but I kinda promised Azzi I would ask.”

You nod for her to continue, wondering what the blonde could possibly need from you.

“The fans are kinda obsessed with the idea that me and Azzi are in a relationship, and Azzi is super uncomfortable with it. She has a bit of a crush on one of the guys on the men’s team, and even he thinks we’re together.”

Your eyebrows furrow at the information, trying to process what she was saying.

“Okay…so how do I fit into all this?” you ask puzzledly.

Paige bites her bottom lip apprehensively, “well we thought maybe if the fans saw me with someone else, they’d forget about ‘Pazzi’.”

You look at her blankly. “Wait, me?” you ask. “You want to pretend to date me?”

“Only if you want to. We just thought it’d be a good idea. The fans love you, you’re actually gay, and you’re not exactly bad looking,” Paige mutters the last bit, causing you to turn a bright shade of pink.

This was certainly not a good idea. It was a terrible one.

You had harbored secret feelings for Paige since showing up day one with your camera and a head full of ideas.

Pretending to date Paige Bueckers was a surefire way to fall head over heels, and that was something you had spent a generous amount of time trying to avoid.

You sigh, going over the pros and cons in your head.

“Pleaseee,” Paige pouts, drawing out the syllables dramatically. “Ya know, you kinda owe me. I did introduce you to Steph Curry that one time…”

Your eyes narrow at that. She really decided to pull that card. “Fine,” you clip, in a way that was more hesitant than you actually felt.

Paige throws herself against you in a joyous hug, whooping loudly in your ear. You giggle at her antics.

“Thank you so, so much. I promise Imma be the best fake girlfriend you’ve ever had! Why don’t you come over tonight, and we can start planning,” she smirks excitedly.

You agree and go your separate ways, your stomach already rolling at the idea of doing anything romantic with the tall blonde.

Later, you walk towards the door to Paige’s apartment feeling thoroughly fucked. You had gone over every scenario in your head just about a million times since your conversation earlier. Your pessimistic disposition could not see this ending well.

The noise levels were alarming, and as you peered your head around the corner of the door, you saw multiple girls from the team lounging on Paige’s couch. They whoop as you make your presence known, feeling grateful for a buffer. Sure, you loved being alone with Paige, but the idea of having to feign intimacy was so foreign. You weren't sure if you were capable of that.

“She’s here, P,” Azzi shouts towards Paige’s bedroom door, causing her to quickly emerge with a shy smile.

“I hope you don't mind, but I figured we could go live with the girls tonight and get these rumors rolling,” Paige explains to you.

“Course not,” you respond breezily, wanting to keep up an air of indifference. You secretly hoped everyone else thought you were chill and not at all dying at the thought of people thinking you and Paige were together.

Azzi gets up from her spot to stand next to you. “Thank you so much for doing this. It’s not going to bother you, is it? People talking about you?” She has the eyes of a puppy dog, and you immediately feel better agreeing to the scheme.

“Nah, nothing really bothers me,” you shrug noncommittally. ‘Except having to fake intimacy with the person I want most,’ you add in your head bitterly.

Considering it was Ice who was live the last time shit had gone down with Paige and Azzi, everyone thought it would be hilarious for her to do it once more. It was so fitting.

KK, Ice, and Azzi were sitting on the couch in the living room of the apartment, leaving you and Paige the small armchair in the corner. It felt like something out of a cheesy movie. The girls giggle as you realize that you both cannot comfortably sit side by side in the chair, your cheeks aflame once more as you put the pieces together in your head. Paige takes a seat first, basically manspreading, as she does, before patting her lap tantalizingly.

Shit.

Before you can protest, Paige is grabbing your hand and pulling you to sit down on your lap. Her muscular arms circle your waist in a way that has your pulse racing instantaneously. Despite her skinny build, she is so fucking comfortable, and she pulls you towards her chest, encouraging you to melt into her body. This had to look natural to work.

Satisfied with your positions, Paige gives Ice the green light to start the live with a nod.

“Hey y’all, what’s everyone up to?” Ice begins, giving you and Paige a sly nod. You struggle to hold back a snort at the absurdity of the situation you’d gotten yourself into.

KK, Azzi, and Ice take turns answering questions, showing off the tiktok dances they’ve been practicing and being straight-up obnoxious. After 10 minutes of sitting on Paige’s lap, the lack of action was making you feel antsy. The unknown of what was coming was eating at your anxieties.

Suddenly, KK reads out ‘We wanna see Paige,’ causing her to dramatically flip the phone toward where the two of you were nestled together. Paige gives a wave, smiling smugly, as if she could see the faces of the fans already.

Feeling shy all of a sudden, you bury your face in Paige’s neck, trying to disappear from the camera and the hooting girls holding it. You try to ignore the way Paige lets out a tiny moan as your lips accidentally meet the pale, smooth skin. You think you’d spend the rest of your life wanting to pull that noise out of her lips again.

Ice grabs her phone back out of KK’s grasp and continues asking questions, as if nothing had happened. You let out a breath, and come up for air, looking around at the girls.

Azzi looks pleased, watching the comments carefully and gauging the reaction of Paige’s loyal, and extremely passionate, fans. Out of reach from the camera, she sends an enthusiastic thumbs up, signaling that the first phase of the plan was a success. You just didn’t realize how successful it would end up being.

Phase two was deemed ‘Project Bow Bow Bow’ by KK. You had protested, saying, “what the hell does that even mean?” KK had just shrugged, so you went along with it.

It was decided that you and Paige had to be seen in public together, showing considerable amounts of PDA. “Ya gotta really sell it,” the girls had said with a laugh. Again, you just went along with it, but the idea of people seeing you with someone so loved by the public terrified you. What if people thought you weren’t good enough for Paige?

Foregoing your usual bar, Paige decides a house party would be a more intimate place to delude the UConn students into your fake relationship. Trusting Paige to take the reins, you accompanied her into a colossal, and if you were being honest, ostentatious, house just outside of the university’s campus. Your eyes widened at the stately staircase, its grandeur diminished by the drunk students already perched upon it. The noise of the house pounded through your ears, almost distracting you from the way Paige had intertwined your fingers together, rubbing soothing circles onto the top of your small hand. It was blissful.

The tall blonde leads you past hoards of students through the house. You’re too busy avoiding the looks you’re earning to question how Paige knows her way around so well.

A tall and muscular guy bumps into you, causing you to stumble in the heeled boots you wore. Paige glares at the kid, eyebrows furrowing harshly, and removes her hand from yours to wrap protectively around your waist. She pulls you in, making sure you are fine before continuing to lead you into the kitchen.

“Want a drink?” Paige asks, leaning into you, struggling to converse over the pounding noise of the bass.

You nod, grateful to have something to dull your overwhelmed senses. Paige pours you a drink, making you wince at the amount of vodka that ends up in your cup. She holds the cup to your lips, encouraging you to tentatively sip the beverage. You welcome the burn that slides down your throat, settling into a warm pool in your belly that makes you feel more relaxed in seconds.

As the kitchen fills up with numerous people, all looking for refills, you and Paige take solace in a sitting area in a more closed off area of the house. You are pulled onto her lap once more, a wink reassuring you that everything was going to plan.

You talk over the noise of the party, faces close together. One of Paige’s hands settles on your inner thigh, almost possessively. She rubs slow, teasing circles onto the sensitive flesh, the pressure deepening in a way that had you holding back moans of pleasure.

“I-I gotta run to the backroom. Be back in a sec,” you stutter, feeling suddenly appreciative that the darkness of the party hides your blush. Before Paige can even respond, you shoot off her lap, and run to the bathroom.

It takes a few tries to actually find the bathroom, accidentally walking on several horny couples getting it on in random rooms. As you lock the bathroom door, you sigh and slide onto the floor, feeling overloaded with the fake intimacy. It had been awhile since you had dated anyone, and stress of it all was starting to get to you.

You had to get it together. Taking a few deep breaths and giving yourself a pep talk, you walk back out into the chaos of the party. As you find your way back to where you and Paige had been sitting, you see some girl talking to her. Jealousy settles into you, before remembering you had a role to play; you were actually allowed to stake your claim on Paige.

Walking up to the two girls, you plaster a sultry smile to your face and take a seat back on Paige’s lap as if it belonged to you. Paige’s eyes widened in surprise; this week she had initiated nearly every touch between you two. Little did you know, she was secretly very pleased at this new behavior, arms immediately wrapping around you once more.

Without saying anything, the girl rolls her eyes and walks away You try desperately to keep up the act of nonchalance; the smirk that crawls over your face ruins it real fast.

No one bothers you the rest of the night, but you continue your act. You play with her fingers and she traces patterns onto your thigh. And despite the commotion transpiring around the two of you, the entire world disappears.

Paige drops you back off at your apartment that night with bright blue eyes, hazy under the spell of intoxication, but she was drunk off of more than just the alcohol. She places a small kiss on your cheek, lips grazing the corner of your mouth before bidding you a good night.

You spend the whole night dreaming about it, over and over again.

*You can now read Part 2 and Part 3

#paige bueckers #paige bueckers x reader #uconn huskies #uconn wbb #paige x reader #uconn women’s basketball #paige #fake dating #fluff

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trulyhblue · 2 months

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Baby England (Part Three)

Jordan Nobbs x Young! Reader (platonic), Leah Williamson x Young! Reader (platonic), Lionesses x Young! Reader

warnings — angst fluff, coarse language, mentions of anxiety.

A/N — Baby England’s Back!!!!! Half of this was deleted and I wanted to cry so bad but here it is. And do I have a twist for you… didn't expect it to get this long, but I have to make up for the hiatus somehow xxx

Masterlist

___________________________

It was a few days before the Semi Final, and you were sat amongst a pile of paperwork.

lionesses

Liked by yourusername, alessiarusso99 and 43, 526 others

lionesses — semi final prep with baby England 💪🏻🙌🏼

Watch our clash with Sweden on the 27th @ Sheffield Stadium — 6pm GMT 🌟

tagged: yourusername

Comments:

yourusername — ❤️

*liked by lionesess

user1 — she is so adorable

^ user2 — she's so pookie.

georgiastanway — yeah the spiky hair

^ lionesses — stop bullying your little sis

^ georgiastanway — y/n get off the account

^ user5 — 💀

chelseawfc — love to see it 🙌🏼

^ user8 — UM WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

User67 — I NEED TO KNOW WHERE SHE’S SIGNING

^ user45 — apparently Man U want her

^ user9 — atp, EVERYONE wants her

^ user10 — imagine her in a barça jersey 😋

^ user 11 — gurl pls… imagine her at UNC 😍

User12 — I really hope she starts for this game

^ user13 — I doubt it, I think she’ll be a super sub

^ user25 — she started last match??? And she got potm… surely she starts again

^ user13 — 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

arsenalacademy — absolute gun(ner)

^ user7 — lets be honest, arsenal will NEVER let Y/N leave

^ user89 — she's a free agent after the euros. They technically cannot keep her if someone's willing to pay more for her

__________________________

You had been training pretty much every day, save for the week that had been dedicated fo media roles and interviews. You were switching between teammates for a while. One interview was with Leah and Beth, another with Alessia, Lotte, Georgia and Ella.

At training, the coaches worked the team tirelessly. You were struggling to keep a straight face when you were told to run laps before you were sent back to your rooms. A large part of your weariness was mental. It had been a day full of apprehension for the days to come. Making it so far into the Euros was an achievement in itself, but a home euro was something else.

You hadn't seen your family for weeks now, and you were starting to miss your childhood bedroom. Despite the long hours spent chipping away at school work, you missed your friends at home and your teammates back at Arsenal Academy. The Lionesses quickly became your favourite people in the work. Many of them were family to you. But the subtly of your dismay and expression of homesickness proved more and more apparent as the days went by.

This feeling was not to be mistaken with ungratefulness. Being apart of your National team was a dream come true. This was what you worked for, lived and breathed for. You had finally attained your dream — this was all you ever wanted. You were eternally grateful for the opportunity, the chance to bring football home. A home tournament was a once-in-a-lifetime possibility, and here you were experiencing it. Every day you woke up wanting to pinch yourself. This couldn't be real.

But school was pretty much impossible at a time like this. When all you wanted to do was kick a ball around, catch up on sleep, and actually socialise. You know, like every other one of your teammates. It seemed as if you were the only one encapsulated by the realm of education, despite many of the girls attending University. You weren't indifferent to your current situation. Being a student and playing in one of the biggest football tournaments in the world was going to be difficult. But you felt like spending quality time with your friends would do you well. You wanted to stop worrying about your stupid equations and do something worth your while.

You had been saying this since the Euros began.

In no way did you mean for it to change for the worse.

But the universe was not in your favour.

“You should choose what makes you happy.” Jordan soothed, milking out the same string of sentences you've heard all week. The two of you sat in a cafe not far from Sheffield Stadium, sipping away at your hot chocolates, having already finished your macaroons.

Your agent had sent you the multitude of contracts you had been offered from different clubs. Tomorrow, you were playing against Sweden in the Semi-finals. Sarina thought it’d be good if everyone had the day off before the havoc set in. You had spent the morning in your room, finishing off the rest of your History Essay. Jordan had picked you up not long after noon, bringing you away from the stress chipping you away.

“It shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks,” The older woman held your hand, and you managed to feel her subtle squeeze.

“What do you think I should do?”

“Its not my—”

You cut her off, huffing in exasperation. “Jordan, please.”

Jordan’s face was impassive, a prominent knot creasing the space between her eyebrows. Her hair was flipped over one side, concealing the half of her face which she leant against her hand. She was struggling to find the words that had the capacity to encapsulate both truth and love — two things you needed to hear as you sat in the near-empty coffee shop. You wanted her to be honest, you thought. You needed her to tell it to you straight.

But this was Jordan you're asking. The kind, restful, reticent woman you had known forever — a woman while true to her word, could only speak subjectively, with emotion muddled into words. She was the personification of empathy. You loved that about her. But with your mind in a haze, despite your unrelenting apathy to stay independent, you really wanted to hear someone else’s opinion, for you had thought it over too many times to comprehend.

Your first option, of course, was Arsenal. It was your childhood club, your parent club, your home. For many years, it stood as everything you loved. You grew up watchings greats like Kelly Smith and Leah paving the way for your generation. You felt more at home at Arsenal than anywhere else. Though, it goes without saying that you haven't been anywhere else to compare it to.

And Leah would be hell-struck if you didn't choose Arsenal, even if she wouldn't directly admit it.

Spurs had taken interest in you since your youth ages when you had tried out for both North London teams at the ripe age of six. It just so happened that you chose Arsenal since it was closer to home, and you often wondered what it would've been like if you had chosen Tottenham instead.

United was next. A great club full of incredible talents like Ella Toone and Alessia Russo, two of your close friends when it came to International duties. The Manchester Reds were brilliant, tough competitors, but you never found much affiliation with them. Sure, they were amazing, but was it for you?

Lotte and Alessia both spoke to you about UNC, and you were definitely looking into playing there as a second alternative. You knew your parents thought this was the best option, but with the offers you were receiving, it wasn't at the top of your list.

You waited for Jordan’s response, already knowing her answer. There was one club you refused to think about. One club you couldn't set your mind to.

But the contract looked all too appealing.

“Chelsea.”

Three years — you’d be eighteen when it ends. Just shy of 250k a year, not including bonuses, increasing at a negotiable rate. You were a free agent after the Euros, and your contract with the Arsenal Academy was ending at the start of August. The Blues had a fantastic team and were worthy opponents for the cup title. You were guaranteed as a regular sub and promised to be looked after and rehabilitated to full strength if injuries occurred.

You hadn't thought over this option much during your senior debuts. It was pretty much embedded into you that you were a Gunner through and through. You had grown up playing against your London Rivals, and the team’s hatred only intensified as the game got stronger. It stood as a testament of its time.

But there was only one more thing that was stopping you.

“What about Leah?”

Jordan sighed. She knew Leah was a Gunner through and through. She knew that Leah saw herself in you — going through the academy, debuting at a young age. Choosing a pro contract was bound to happen to you the moment you were called up. No one even thought you’d gain minutes. But with Jordan’s injury, and your inevitable image, clubs were reeling in the prospect of a prodigy.

“This isn't her career, chook,” Jordan muttered, taking a sip of her drink. “Wherever you go, you have to take different things into account. Whether you’ll get minutes, if they value younger players as much as their originals, y’know, its a lot to think about.”

“You think I’ll get minutes?”

“Maybe not as much as Spurs, or North Carolina, but it's in the club’s reputation. They're known for their attack, and so are you.”

“I don't want to be the one to tell her.” You cringed. Leah was your older sister, in sorts. You valued her opinion over anyone else. To tell her you were transferring to her rival club felt like a slap in the face to all that she's done for you, not to mention you’d verse her in the League.

“Well, it’d be worse if she found out over the media.” Jordan quipped, through light to the situation.

“How would I bring that up?” You scoffed, hiding your face in your hoodie. “Hey, Leah, I know I've played for Arsenal forever, but I think I should just betray everyone and go to their biggest rivals. Sorry ‘bout that.”

Jordan shook her head. “She’d understand.”

Your eyebrows raised. “Would she?”

“I’d be livid at her if she wasn't,” Jordan spoke, her tone much sterner. You sat back in your chair. “It's not like you're signing a life-long contract with them, anyway. It's three years. Three years where you get to improve your skills and expand your career. Leah loves you too much to be angry at you for more than an hour. In fact, that woman has never been angry at you a day in her life.”

“I guess I’ll break that streak when I tell you.” you muttered, looking down at your empty cup.

“Stop that.” Jordan huffed, crossing her arms. “You've got two more weeks to figure it out. But let me tell you this. Arsenal will always be there for you. You don't need to stick with them for your whole career to know that they will happily welcome you back with welcoming arms. That goes for all the girls… including Leah.”

“Right.”

“And I’ll tell her that straight if she even thinks about doing anything otherwise.”

________________

yourusername

liked by jordannobbs, barcelonafemeni, and 102,223

yourusername — bit of life 💙

tagged — jordannobbs, maryearps1, and yourfriend

Comments:

jordannobbs — my daughters growing up too fast 😭

^ yourusername — thanks mama 💗

jordannobbs — look at you glowing 💙

^ yourusername — all you

jordannobbs — proud x

* liked by yourusername

user1 — I'm loving Jord’s spam! She's so proud of her 🥲

^ user2 — literally mother daughter goals

wosofan — this is the first time I haven't seen leah in a Baby Eng dump

^ user9 — omg ur right

user78 — loving the blue theme

^ user8 — are you thinking what I'm thinking

milliebright — beanie gal 🤭

^ yourusername — meanie

^ milliebright — you’ll get used to it

^ user8 — UM HELLO

samanthakerr — where’d you get that jumper from in the third photo?

^ yourusername — dunno

^ user98 — HOW DO THEY KNOW EACH OTHER????????

maryearps1 — caught me off guard with that

^ yourusername — you asked me to take the photo 😂

^ ellatoone — HA! Caught.

^ mearyearps1 — 😒

user89 — WHATS WITH THE BLUE

lionesess — our put together baby 🌟

* liked by yourusername

georgiastanway — i didnt need to see the bottom of your shoes

^ yourusername — you see them all the time in training 🤷‍♀️

^ georgiastanway — dont.

chelseawfc — matching attire?

^ user78 — HUH IM SO CONFUSED

^ wowwoso — WHY IS CHELSEA HERE

^ user6 — WHAT IS HAPPENING

________________

Sweat was beading across your forehead, the nerves of half time creeping up to the steady beat of your heart.

You hadn't told Leah about the decision you came to with Jordan. You had been so caught up in how she’d react, mixed with the stress of this upcoming game, that you weren't in any stable condition to go through with it.

In addition to that, you were still making your final decision, the finality of Chelsea not truly setting in.

Beth and Lucy had already sent the ball flying into the back of the net, and Sweden had yet to take a chance to extend their stay into the finals. You watched from the wing anxiously, threading the ball to the more experienced players, staying in the pipe ways as you did so.

You had started, which still came as a surprise to you since. Your game against Spain was still fresh in your mind. You wanted to stay consistent in your performance while also keeping up with the newfound intensity of the game, but something just wasn't clicking for you.

England was doing great, up by two goals by the second half. You had kept yourself distanced from the vigour, passing out when needed, mainly staying on the wing in order to keep as much distance from making more mistakes.

You had been pretty reckless with your passing. Obviously not too catastrophic, but enough to send winces across the crowd.

Your passes weren't sloppy, but they weren't precise either. You didn't leave much opportunity for the forwards and were starting to rely on your defence too much.

There was simply something about your gameplay today that didn't mould with the rest of the team. You didn't want to be subbed off. You wanted to make an impact.

But it just was not clicking.

Ellen had just been subbed off for Alessia, who was wiping her hands over her shorts, watching the ball tread through the outskirts of Sweden’s half. You could hear the crowd’s apprehension linger when you were passed the ball by Leah, using all your strength to peel away from Blackstenius.

Your first touch wasn't the greatest, and Stina was pressuring you out near the line. In every other game, you were known for your cool persona when encountering stress. You could collectively juggle the presence of a marker while dribbling the ball down the line onto a seeking prospect.

But as soon as the Swed’s studs hit your foot, you were sent to the ground. Hot flashes of pain sprung from your ankle. It was nothing that wouldn't surpass after a few moments whining about it on the ground.

Nonetheless, the whistle blew for a free kick, and Leah’s figure was knelt beside you in an instant.

“You alright, kid?”

Leah wasn't dumb. She knew that you had been ignoring her these past few days. You were distant, passive, and overall neglectful of her efforts to talk to you.

You would usually knock on her door after dinner to play some card games or help you with schoolwork. You would squeeze yourself next to her on the bus rides, and partner up with her at training.

Leah would pretend to be annoyed, and you would act all innocent like it was second nature — because that is what it was.

But you refused to meet her lingering eyes during meals and chose to partner with Millie any chance you got. You’d sit with Georgia at meals, and Jess Carter during Bus rides. Hell, even during free time, Jordan would pick you up and take you out, and she wasn't even on the team.

Leah knew something was up, and you knew that she had caught on. Jordan wouldn't tell her. And you hadn't spoken so much as three sentences to her for the past week. So it was no wonder that you were struggling. There was so much pent up tension in your shoulders, you looked so apprehensive.

Leah pulled you up by your shoulders, holding out her hand to stroke your face.

“You tell me you want to go off and I’ll find a sub for you.” Her words were harsh, but there was good intention behind it.

You gulped, shaking your head. Leah was watching your every move like a hawk. This was the perfect opportunity for her to ask you what was wrong. She could see that you needed to get something off your chest.

“I'm fine, keep me on.” You put it soundly, sighing as Leah brushed off the grass that was left on your jersey.

“Don't think that this is the end of the conversation.” Leah retorted, refusing to let your longest interaction in days go. “You’d be barmy if you think I’d let you get away with this easily.”

“I'm not Barmy, Lee. I'm fine.” You replied.

Leah could tell by your smile that she had hit the sweet spot. You were willing to play, the injury minuscule with its attempts to shake you. Your captain kissed the top of your forehead, bringing you into a quick hug.

“Alright then, Fine. Go on and take that free kick.”

You pushed past her lightly, the uncertainty lingering in your body slowly sinking into the grass with every step you took. Everyone had taken the time to huddle together as a team, moving back to their respective positions on the field after you had collected yourself up off the floor.

As the match continued, it was as if you had a fresh set of legs. Everyone got whiplash from your sudden switch of performance that not only enhanced your gameplay but the flow of the game altogether.

You became more involved in the game, passing into your central attackers, and sprinting down the wing to create more changes for a wider goal difference. Georgia and Keira gained more traction with your involvement, and it somehow paved the way for the defenders to find a more secure backline.

The next time you found yourself marked by Stina, who had apologised for your minor Collison, you were lightning on your feet. The pace you set was incredible, and the ball was yours for the taking.

You weaved past her and one of the midfielders, glancing up to see Georgia’s figure near the box. Without thinking, you propelled the ball over the heads of both teams.

Wincing when it passed Stanway, you felt your shoulders collapse. Russo wasn't ready for your explosive play, only just managing to retain the ball at her feet. You sighed, running your hands through your hair when Alessia’s attempt was blocked.

You were about to run back, ready for Sweden’s possession, when the crowd suddenly flung off their seats. You were a good fifty metres away from the rest, Alessia’s figure much harder to find among the number of players congregating by the goal. You noticed Lessi run out near the corner, holding out her arms with a winning smile. Georgia soon clambered over the top of her, patting her shoulder with a matching grin.

You looked up at the scoreboard, catching onto the replay from one of the cameras. From what you could see, Alessia had backheeled the ball past the defenders, leaving the goalkeeper stranded, the ball falling easily into the goal.

Even years later, people always find your late reaction funny. Many of your teammates had already congratulated you on the assist before it all clicked for you. It was rare for a team to be dominating this much in a semi-final, and you weren't quite sure how you managed to pull off what you had just done.

You found Alessia’s shoulders and pushed up on them, swinging your legs around her waist and hugging her from behind. She squealed, pushing you off.

“You're incredible, Russo, seriously.” You screamed, out of breath from the seventy minutes of nonstop running. Less grabbed your arm and spun you round. “All because of that brilliant assist, Baby England!”

You were on such a high for the rest of the game that nothing you did was fully comprehended. You had so much faith in the team that everything moulded with so much chemistry, it was second nature. Three Swedish substitutions meant that you were bound to be taken off any minute. Leah had been holding you accountable at the back while Beth was pushing your talents forward in the middle. You were sure that this was the most you had ever run in a match. Your cheeks were flushed, your muscles were surely overworked, but you were running with so much adrenaline that it didn't affect you.

England was on the home stretch now. Keeping both offence and defence strong, making sure Sweden wasn't offered any thrilling opportunity. You heard Keira shouting directions from the other side of the pitch. Georgia was passing short, timeless passes to you. Rachel had her arm outstretched, ready to propel forward if the ball was coming her way.

You knew that Georgia was just time-wasting now. You just needed to win now, the goal difference didn't matter. You felt someone’s presence up behind you, forcing you to cross the ball back to Leah since both Gee and Kie were covered. You had been staying in the middle and towards the back end of the pitch all game, so it was a surprise when you burst forward past Sweden’s second-last line of defence. Leah had kicked it over to Lucy, who hadn't seen you leave. Georgia took the ball, marking her opponent while searching for your unknown whereabouts.

The only person to have seen you was Beth, who called for the ball and received it a second later. With one, quick, first touch, Mead sent the ball flailing over the top, towards where you were waiting, just outside the box. One of the defenders had caught on, and the goalkeeper hadn't prepared herself for your sudden attack. You watched the ball hurl a few metres to you left, leaving you no choice but to chase after it in a rush. Almost everyone was twenty metres behind, unable to come to your aid. You held your own, forgetting the people around you, and jumped just as the ball met your head. You had no idea how close the goal was, or if your header was even near where your direction was intended.

You winced at the contact of someone in your side, groaning with your arms cradling your head. The impact of the ground winded you, sending you gasping for air. But the crowd’s booms at Sheffield was enough to leave you breathless.

You had scored.

People piled on top of you one by one, yelling all sorts as you struggled to realise what you had done. Everyone was rounded, cheering, standing. You could hear Georgia swearing, and Leah telling everyone to keep their head on. You listened to Alessia and Rachel cheering with each other, and Beth pulling you up by your shoulders. Everyone collapsed into a hug around you, making it difficult for anyone to catch onto your tears.

You loved this team too much to ever let this moment go. Your tears were mixed with the sweat of the game, coating your cheeks, exhaustion setting into your shoulders. Your breath had caught up to you, but the daze was expressed.

You looked out to the crowd when Ella ran on to replace you. Everyone was on their feet, clapping boisterously as you waved them off. It was a tedious feeling that you couldn't quite shake. There wasn't a single person there that made you feel like you hadn't tried your best.

Nothing in the world could beat this feeling.

***

The celebrations of England’s win set off as soon as the full-time whistle blew. Fans rose from their seats, players crowded the pitch. You found your figure running towards Leah, tears already streaming down your face at an embarrassing rate. Your cheeks were flushed, and your body fell limb against Leah’s chest, eloping the serenity of her embrace with quiet sobs.

She held you close and tight, combing her fingers through your hair, breathing in the electric atmosphere that infiltrated the stadium. She could hear you crying into her, and she tried hard not to cry herself. She held a protective arm around your shoulders, sheltering you from the public eye as best she could. Leah looked down at her armband, feeling proud of her nation, then glanced at you, and felt even more emotion than ever before.

Over the years, Leah would find herself falling more and more defensive of you. She wanted to shield you away from the inevitable hate. She watched you grow into a spectacular player, a brilliant teammate, and a beautiful girl. Everything you did was at the discretion of the older woman, and Leah came to realise that you were somewhat of a daughter to her.

She was a Captain of her country and club. She was an idol to thousands of girls across the globe. But she was everything to you as you were to her, and that was more than enough.

“Played so well, Y/N.” She whispered into your ear, leaning down so that you could hear her over the chants.

You glanced up at her with watery eyes, clinging onto the woman and grinning. “Love you, Lee.”

“Love you, too, my girl.”

The two of you stayed like that for a little longer. Millie eventually pulled Leah into her own embrace, and you were making rounds across the field, congratulating your teammates and celebrating with them too.

England fans still banked up the stands, holding out their pens, phones and jerseys. Some people gave you some friendship bracelets, others asked you to take photos. Everyone was reeling at the huge win.

You end up finding yourself nearing a full walk around the field, and nearing the loop, where fans were starting to disperse. The last fan was a little girl in a wheelchair, with dark brown curls and green eyes. She was a little younger than you, but it was easy to fall into a conversation with her. She congratulated you, you thanked her for coming. It was by the end of your interaction that you slipped your shirt off, bringing the girl into a tight, gracious hug.

Many of the girls were already celebrating in the changing rooms. Champagne would've already been distributed. You wanted to make sure the fans were all aware that you were very thankful they were there to watch your team play. This was your first major tournament, and people commended you for always staying back. Though you didn't do it for the praise.

“If it isn't the Baby herself.” You heard someone call from behind you, causing you to turn.

You found Lucy and Sarina standing side by side, sharing big victorious smiles wider than you had ever seen. Lucy had already ushered you into a bone-crushing embrace, guiding your head into her chest — her arms wrapped around your shoulders. Sarina patted you on the back, mumbling something about performance and outcome, before you fumbled your balance against Lucy’s figure.

What you hadn't noticed until then was the man who was standing with the two women. He was not old, but not young either. His hair was dark brown, and he had a stubby beard. His posture was neat, his coat crowding his figure tightly for no cool air to leak in. If it wasn't for the intensity of the game you had just played, you would've agreed to say it was cold. But you were sweaty, fatigued, and starting to feel the effects of a semi-final.

The man was sporting a civil grin, holding his hand out for you to shake. You were completely oblivious to who he was, unable to decipher his identity from any of his features or appearance. It was only when he spoke that you heard the trail of a Spanish accent seeping through his endeavoured English.

“You are a talent, young lady.” He commended. Your cheeks flushed at the compliment, shaking it off with a bashful smile. “I must say, you are one of a kind, truly. That header was spectacular. A goal and an assist? Incredible.”

“Thank you but I couldn't have done it without the others.” You mumbled, trying to remember Jordan’s advice to keep eye contact when you were speaking to an adult. “My first half was poor. I don't think I deserve the recognition when my opportunities weren't used wisely.”

“Oh, shut your mouth.” Lucy scoffed, ruffling your hair. “I can remember my first Euros. I definitely didn't score off a header from outside of the box, that's for sure.”

“You're the best defender, I know.” You replied hastily, trying to reiterate the fact that you were pretty much a forward, and it was expected that you were to score.

Lucy sighed, shaking her head. “Bet you wouldn't say that in front of Leah.”

“Oh, wait!” Your mouth fell slightly agape. “Don't tell her I said that.”

The three adults chuckled from around you, making your cheeks go a little more red.

“I must agree.” The man stepped forward, shoving his hands that were once crossed over his chest into his pockets. From there, you caught sight of the Barcelona emblem embedded in his jacket.

Your face must've given away your realisation. “You're Jonathan? Barca’s head coach?!”

Lucy laughed harder than before, looking at the two coaches with the click of her tongue. “I told ‘ya she wouldn't recognize him.”

“I am,” Jona replied. You shook his hand for the second time that night. “You seem to be surprised at that.”

“What? Oh! No, um.” You became a nervous wreck. “I just, oh my god, does that mean you know Alexia Putellas?”Despite your North London spirit, there was no doubt that there was a fangirl within you at the knowledge of the Spanish team. You had grown up with the greats in Barca, and almost everyone in the England squad knew of your explicit crush on a certain Spanish captain, who just so happened to play for Barca.

“I mean, she is the captain, so you’d hope so.” Jona chuckled. “In fact, I was talking to her just a few hours ago. We were discussing the transfer season and some new contracts coming up.”

You instantly looked up at Lucy, who rolled her eyes at your oblivion. Sarina shook her head, glancing at you knowingly while Jona sighed in deliberation.

“I'm sure you have mulled over some of the offers you have been given from some of the clubs, no? I heard from somewhere that Chelsea are outbidding Arsenal.”

“Oh.” The thought of a professional contract, and making a denounced decision was long a foreign concept to you at that moment. You were presented with the complexity of the question, and could only shrug in response.

Jona reciprocated your affliction. “It is always a tough decision to make. But you have a very bright career in front of you. Everyone is expecting great, great things.”

“I'm tossing up between Arsenal and Chelsea.” You admitted. “They are my best offers.”

“You think so?” Jona looked complex, his eyebrows rising. When you nodded, he tutted, his head low. “Sarina and I were just questioning the fee being offered… or lack thereof.”

Your back straightened. “What do you mean?”

“300k for a three-year contract is hardly reasonable for a player like you.” He stated, rolling his sleeves up with a grin. Lucy and Sarina were in quiet conversation to the side, still active in what you were discussing but in their exclusive bubble.

“If I were to put in my bid, it’d be at least 800 thousand.” He continued. Your eyes nearly budged out of their sockets, unable to reply. “But it’d end up being just short of a million with the transfer fee.”

“My academy contract ends in two weeks.” The money Jona had just described was unattainable from your perception. “I'm just glad I got the offers in the first place. Your bid is too generous.”

There was no way you, a youth player, and academy girl who wasn't even had a club debut, was expected to be worth that much. He must've been pulling your leg, taking the piss like Tooney often did. It was not in the slightest chance that you began to unravel the weight of Jona’s words, and his intention behind the conversation you were just having.

“Are you saying you wouldn't accept it?” He asked.

You were so fucking dumbfounded that you started to laugh.

“You could offer me a job for nothing and I would take it.” There was a joking tone behind your statement, but you knew that there was an entire truth planted within your declaration. “Not that you would, but yeah, of course I would. The only thing I’d contemplate is learning the language.”

“I can get you a tutor.” He responded. “And the girls are lovely.”

You swooned just at the thought of the Barcelona team. “You're just being mean now.”

Jonathon looked at you in confusion. Lucy had overheard the last of your conversation, with Sarina off to find someone else. She scoffed, finding your idiocy a painful trait of yours. You glanced between the two of them, waiting for them to continue the blasted joke of you joining the best team in the world. You waited for them to ask you how Chelsea Blue was going to look on you, of if Academy was where you wanted to stay. Hell, you were expecting them to ask when you were moving into your own apartment due to the absurdity of Jona’s hypothetical posing.

But they stood there looking at you in silence. They were waiting for you to catch on.

And you did. Even if it was after several long moments of pause and silence. Even if you had dropped your jaw to the floor in utter shock, simply not believing that what was happening was actually happening. The thought of playing for a single minute was eradicated from your mind, instead replaced with a newfound excitement that left you jumping up and down.

There was no way, you thought. Nothing could've prepared you for this.

All thoughts of Chelsea, of Arsenal, were gone. Letting the news transfer to Leah was a distant memory.

You were no longer hesitating about what anyone else thought about where you would go. There was not an ounce of regret in your body that screamed out to you, telling you to think this over for even a second. You were not want to wait, to talk, to act, you were just waiting for this all to be a dream.

You knew that this was an inevitable choice. A feeling so right, so just, full of hope and solidarity, clung to you as you shook Jona’s hand yet again. Not filling registering his words, skimming over the implications of it all, aimlessly giving him your Agent’s number. It was all a blur from there.

It did not matter the money that went into the contract, or the financial gain that would equip you throughout the three years you were about to live in Barcelona. Nothing else mattered except the smile on your face, and the righteousness in your chest.

With the win of your National Team, you home, and the club you were bound towards, there was nothing stopping the bounce in your stride.

_________________

arsenalacademy

liked by babyengland, milliebright, and 207,367 others

arsenalacademy — After a standout performance in the Euros so far, Arsenal Academy Star, and England’s youngest, Baby England has signed a record-breaking fee of $3 Million, for a three-year contract with reigning Champions, Barcelona FC.

“I'm excited for this new opportunity. The Euros are massive, and winning with the girls against Sweden was a privilege I still can't put into words…

I have to thank Arsenal for making me the player I am, because they have taught me so many things, and I wouldn't be standing here today if it wasn't for them.

I also want to thank Jordan, Leah, and all the Lionesses for helping me with this. They have always wanted the best for me, and I couldn't have done it without them.”

The fifteen-year-old will begin training with the Spainish Team for the 22/23 season effective immediately.

Congratulations on this new chapter!

Tagged: yourusername

Comments:

soccerdonna — New Update: Chelsea had outbid Arsenal by $150k, and Barca by an extra 200k, as well as an increase in salary, which is negotiable.

User7 — I THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA ANNOUNCE IT AFTER THE EUROS

^ user8 — WHEN HAS MY GIRL HAD TIME FOR THIS

^ user112 — FR MY GIRL’S FIFTEEN, A STUDENT, A FULL TIME ATHLETE, AND A BABYGIRL LIKE PLS

User5 — JONATAN WAS AT THE GAMES AGAINST SPAIN AND SWEDEN!!!! MAYBE THATS WHEN

^ user90 — THAT’S SO SOON THO HOW COULD HE HAVE DONE IT

ingridengen — welcome 🩷

*liked by yourusername

racheldaly — no villa talk 🤣 see you on the pitch soon chook 🩷

^ yourusername — thank you Rach 🙃

user6 — FIRST LUCY AND NOW BABY ENGLAND! WHO’S NEXT, KEIRA????

alessiarusso — big things!!!! proud of you like crazy 🙌🏼

^ yourusername — love you lessi bear 🧸

user1 — are you fucking kidding me? ARSENAL WHY DIDNT YOU KEEP HERRRRR

^ user67 — THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ONE OF THE LOWEST BIDDERS UGH

alexiaputellas — Bienvenido, guapa!

^ yourusername — omg ily

^ user77 — shes so real

user23 — I'm in mourning.

user8 — WHAT ABOUT LEAH

^ user4 — AND JORDAN

^ user7 — SHE WAS OUR ARSENAL BABY

jordannobbs — big things coming! So proud of you! 💙❤️

* liked by yourusername

user37 — the fact that we all thought she was going to chelsea

^ user27 — she really had us all fooled

leahwilliamson — smash it, my girl!

^ yourusername — love you lee 🤍

^ user78 — screaming into my pillow I cannot deal with this hurt.

^ user99 — I need to know if she told Leah before or after she signed 😭

^ user12 — the edits about to go crazy

^ user8 — “let's not forget, that no matter where she goes, Baby England will always be Arsenal.”

barcelonafemeni — Stargirl 🌟

^ user4 — you don't deserve her.

^ user90 — SALT IN THE WOUND

^ user3 — Idk about the rest of you, but I cannot wait to see her in the home jersey

^ user6 — ur the only one.

Lionesses — baby england growing up too fast 🥲

user5 — I'm still so confused on how she signed a contract in the middle of the fucking euros

^ user64 — it practically meant that Barca would've not only had to pay her the contract, but also pay Arsenal a transfer fee

^ user65 — I might be crazy but wouldn't that make her the most expensive transfer? With both the transfer money and the contract

^ user5 — it adds up to be just under $1 million 😀

georgiastanway — congratulations!!!!!!

^ yourusername — thanks gee!

ellatoone — you would've looked better in Manchester 😒

^ ellatoone — jkjk look at youuuuu 🩷

*liked by yourusername

____________________

A/N — HA! You thought she’d go to Chelsea… yeah right. Hope you enjoyed!

415 notes · View notes

ghostlychief · 4 months

Note

I gasped really loudly when I saw your post, can I request a thing with our baby girl, Master Chief? Like something cute with him reuniting with his s/o, or just something with him getting all the love?

i'm so glad we are on the same page about master chief being baby girl <3

goodnight n go

(you should listen to the slow version of goodnight n go by ariana)

master chief, John 117 x gen!reader

wc: 1473

warnings: none, just excruciating fluff

~*~*~*~

You were used to the wait.

You were used to the constant pining and apprehension that would seep through you every time you watched John walk into those battle ships, never knowing if the glimmer of his armor would be the last thing you would see of him.

Every time he left, you would just hope that he would return, and that you would be in his arms sooner rather than later. You could say that it has gotten slightly easier over the years, since John seemed to be made of luck. He always came back in one piece. Maybe a couple of scratches here or there, but he always came back to you.

Typically, when John was on his missions, you would keep yourself busy by overworking yourself in order to keep your rambling thoughts at bay. At first, your supervisors were wary about how much you were working yourself. But over time, they either gave up trying to convince you to go home, or realized how much it helped you to stay busy, to stay moving. You had to, otherwise you would go crazy just thinking about all of the danger John puts himself in every day. It didn’t matter if he was gone a few days, a week, or even a month. The time he spent away from you always felt like an eternity.

You were now standing in the loading dock, rocking back and forth on the balls of your feet, hands clasped behind your back, looking out at the runway.

Homecoming days were always your favorite, and you always arrived at the dock much earlier than needed in order to greet the Blue team just as they arrived back on Reach. You’re pretty sure the other Spartans poke fun at John for it, but you couldn’t care less.

You’ve probably been waiting for a little over forty-five minutes when you finally see that familiar pelican flying towards you. You know it’s him and his team because of the bright red Firebird painted on the nose of the ship.

The ship starts to land and gusts of wind make your hair ruffle, ruining all of the time and effort you put into it to look presentable. You quickly forget about your hair state when the door of the pelican slides open and those familiar Mjolnir shoes peak out, and begin descending the ramp.

John is always the last to exit, so as the other Spartan start to pass you, you briefly acknowledge them with a slight nod, but your eyes never leave the ship. They’re only looking for him.

Finally, finally you see the gold tint of his helmet’s visor and the infamous green glint of his armor.

Your feet have a mind of their own when they start moving towards him, breaking into a light job. Your face breaks into a breathtaking smile and when you finally reach John, you basically crash into him, wrapping your arms tightly around his neck. You hear him slightly laugh through the comms from his helmet, and he returns your hug, lifting you off the ground with ease as he holds you tight.

“Hey, bug.” He sets you down gently, and runs a gloved hand down your head, cupping your cheek. His thumb softly moving back and forth on your warm skin.

You bring your hand up to his, and grasp it as you smile up at him, “Hey, you.”

~*~*~*~

A few hours later you find yourself in front of John’s door, waiting for him to let you in. It’s been a few hours since he touched down on Reach. You gave him some time to un-suit from his armor, debrief HQ, among other things. He’s a busy man, and there’s always at least one official that needs to talk to him.

Luckily for you, the mission he was just on wasn’t super long, and also not as critical as his past missions. Therefore, the debriefs didn’t take up the whole day like they usually do, and he was back at his apartment at a reasonable time (for once).

Which leads you to now, standing at his door, once again rocking back and forth on the balls of your feet.

The door finally swings open, revealing a smiling John, and he ushers you inside. He places his hand on the small of your back as you walk into his living room, making small talk about your walk over to his place.

It’s evening now, and John has the low lights turned on in his living room, giving the impression that his home is glowing. The comforting atmosphere wraps around you like a blanket as you go to sit down on his couch.

“So, what do you want to do? I have dinner made for us, but afterwards is completely up to you.” You run your hand down his arm, touched that he thought to make dinner for you. He was surprisingly a great chef, something you weren’t expecting when you first started dating.

“That’s an after-dinner worry, let’s eat then figure it out.” John lightly laughs and agrees.

You spend most of dinner asking him about his mission and he tells you all that he can (seeing that most of his missions are classified). It’s one of your favorite pastimes. He’s been all over the galaxy, to so many different planets and places and you love to hear all about these adventures through his eyes. You sometimes wish he would take you with him to these far-off places, no matter how unrealistic that is.

You guys decide to keep it simple and watch a movie after dinner, so you wrap yourselves under two big blankets, and John tucks you under his arm, your head resting on his chest. You can feel the rhythm of his breathing as his chest moves up and down. His steady heartbeat thrums through his chest, once again reminding you that he’s real and not a figment of your imagination. The laundry detergent that lingers on his clothes makes a feeling of ease wash over you because it always reminds you that you’re safe and that he’s here with you and that he’s okay, alive.

Your hand rests on his upper abdomen, and you can feel the taught ridges of his abs underneath his black t-shirt. You absentmindedly trace circles on him with your fingers and you feel his hand do the same on your shoulder. Your leg is thrown over his lap, and there is no inch of you that is not pressed up against John. You are completely and utterly wrapped up in each other, not even a piece of paper could fit between you guys. His hand comes up to rub your hair, and you feel him kiss the crown of your head.

“I missed you a lot, you know.” His chest rumbles as he confesses this and your heart warms at the sentiment, a slight smile pulls at your lips.

You squeeze him, and feel his arm tighten around you. You move to sit up straighter so you can look at him and your hand cups his face, your thumb brushing over the slight stubble that’s grown since he’s been gone.

You confess, “Me too,” then lean in to kiss him.

He deepens the kiss as his hand gently cups the back of your head. You and John exist in this diminutive pocket of time where it’s just you two, and nothing else. You find yourself slipping into this space whenever you’re with him, and never wanting your time here to end. Never wanting to enter the reality in which he leaves again. You push those thoughts away for now though, and just continue to exist as you are with him.

You finally break away from each other, and you smile at him, taking in every detail of his face. Your thumb traces over the scar that starts above his left eye, and continues down the side of his temple. You leave a kiss there.

Next, your eyes flit over to the jagged scar in the hollow of his cheek. Your lips softly press down there, tracing the line of the wound he got many years ago. When you reach the end of it, your lips are at the corner of his, and you place one last kiss there.

You break away, and quietly say, “I’m glad you’re here.” He gives you a longing look, his eyes flitting to yours and his hand smooths down your hair as he replies, “Me too.”

~*~*~*

You and John spend the remainder of the night wrapped up in each other, getting lost in each other’s touches and confessions, finding simple pleasure in just being able to be close to one another.

You think to yourself, the wait is always worth it for moments like these.

229 notes · View notes

clangenrising · 1 month

Text

Month 14 - Newleaf

“It’s almost time,” Fogkit muttered to herself. She enjoyed muttering, especially if there was no one there to listen. It made her feel like she was five steps ahead. And today, she was. She had spent all week making spells out of prey scraps and mud and moth wings and such in preparation for today.

Last night, Goldenstar had told her and Slatekit that they would be apprenticed at dawn. She had risen early to groom her fur and scatter feathers around the camp for good luck. Now she sat hunched in the dark, hidden in the grass near the nursery, waiting for dawn. The sky was starting to turn a soft, pretty pink.

A few cats were up and about, likely waiting just like she was. She watched as Floodpaw slank out of the apprentices’ den and arched his back in a long, lanky curve, and she brightened. She bolted for him and slipped underneath him to poke her head out between his forelegs so she could look up at him.

He jumped and said, “Yikes, kid! What are you doing up so early?”

“Um, I’m gonna be apprenticed,” Fogkit rolled her eyes. “Duh!” He rolled his eyes in return and sat down on top of her. She squealed in delight and thrashed wildly.

“Huh,” he said, “where did Fogkit go?”

“I’m here!” she screamed, kicking with all her might. He winced but stayed where he was.

“Fogkit?” he called. “Oh, Fogkit! Man, that’s a shame. She’s gonna miss her ceremony.”

“No!” she giggled. “No, I can’t!” She rolled onto her back as best she could and kicked hard with both legs. Floodpaw gave a grunt of pain and tumbled off of her immediately. She laughed and sprang on him where he lay curled in a pained ball.

“Take that!” she declared, swiping at his ears.

The apprentice simply wheezed, “Good kick…”

Fogkit laughed and sat down to smooth out her fur again. Floodpaw was so much fun. Sparrowpaw and Barleypaw poked their heads out of the den and Fogkit waved her tail at them with a chipper smile.

“Everything alright out here?” Sparrowpaw asked, raising a brow.

“Yep!” she purred.

“Mhm,” groaned Floodpaw.

Barleypaw laughed and sat down next to her brother to purr against his side. “She must have got you pretty good.”

“Only ‘cause he sat on me,” Fogkit said.

“Oh, then I guess he deserved it,” Sparrowpaw smirked.

“Go hug a badger,” grumbled Floodpaw, finally managing to uncurl his body.

“Fogkit!” Slatekit’s voice squeaked from across the camp. Fogkit turned to smile at her sister and waved her over. Slatekit hesitated but crossed the distance to huddle beside her.

“Hey!” Fogkit said, “You excited?”

“Mm,” Slatekit whimpered in lieu of an answer.

“You’ll do great,” Barleypaw said. “I was super nervous at my ceremony too but it’s really not that scary.” Slatekit whimpered again.

“It’s okay,” Fogkit said confidently. “I’ve been doing spells all week to make sure we get the best mentors.”

“Spells?” Sparrowpaw blinked in surprise.

“Yeah!” Fogkit brightened. “Mystique told us all about how wild cats do magic spells to help their friends and curse their enemies. She didn’t know how to do them but I figured it out, I think.”

“Is that so?” Barleypaw seemed apprehensive. Floodpaw laughed.

Slatekit nodded. “Yeah, she said that wild cats are magic. We’re wild cats, right?”

“That is what the city calls Clan cats, yes,” said Sparrowpaw, “but-”

“Yeah!” Fogkit said, eager to share with them. “Magic is easy, you just have to get the right stuff and then think really hard about what you want to happen and sometimes put the stuff in a special place or something! I can show you guys sometime.”

“I’m good,” snorted Floodpaw.

“Maybe…” Barleypaw laughed awkwardly. “We’ve got to train for our final assessments though.”

“Oh, yeah,” Fogkit frowned. “You’re not gonna be in the apprentice den with us for very long…”

“Yeah,” said Sparrowpaw, “but you’ll be warriors before you know it. Time flies like that.”

Goldenstar’s voice rang out through the camp. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Stoneperch for a Clan meeting!”

“It’s happening!” squealed Fogkit, bouncing on her toes. Slatekit whined nervously.

“Come on, lets go sit closer,” Barleypaw said, wrapping her tail over Slatekit’s shoulders. The group of them moved in to join the other cats who trickled out of their dens and settled in a semicircle around the Stoneperch. Goldenstar sat atop the stone, her fur glowing under the creeping light of dawn. Fogkit kneaded the ground in anticipation.

“Today,” Goldenstar began, “we name two apprentices who have been waiting eagerly for this moment. Fogkit, Slatekit, you have reached the age of six moons and that means it’s time for you to start your training towards becoming warriors. From this day on, until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as Fogpaw and Slatepaw.” Everyone cheered, chorusing their new names. Slatepaw blushed and tried to stand up tall. Fogpaw didn’t stop looking at Goldenstar. She wasn’t going to be satisfied until she heard who her mentor would be.

“Slatepaw,” said Goldenstar, “for your mentor, I have chosen someone who has proven himself to be a kind and gentle mentor in the past. I entrust your training to Pantherhaze and hope that you will be able to rely on him when times are tough.”

Pantherhaze stepped out of the crowd, smiling softly. Slatepaw swallowed and stepped up to meet him. Fogpaw could see her trembling as they touched noses. He whispered something to her and she nodded. Fogpaw was happy with the pair. It seemed her spell had paid off.

“Fogpaw,” Goldenstar’s voice brought her back to attention. “Your mentor will be Scorchplume.” Fogpaw’s jaw fell open in surprise. She hadn’t realized that was an option. “Scorchplume, while this is your first apprentice, I am confident you will be able to teach Fogpaw how to excel at any pursuit she puts her mind to.”

Scorchplume swished her big, ginger tail up over her back and strode into the circle to meet Fogpaw. Fogpaw was frozen for a moment, unsure. Was this really what her magic had decided was the best mentor for her?

She glanced around at the other cats, the ones without apprentices. Branchbark, Aldertail, and Ospreymask all sat together near the edge. Ospreymask looked especially disappointed. Fogpaw realized that she wouldn’t want any of them to be her teacher. She looked back at Scorchplume who had raised her brows expectantly and tried to see through her expression to her aura. Scorchplume was bold and sharp and pretty. She was the only cat to have gone to the city and come back safely. Yes, Fogpaw decided, this was the perfect mentor for her.

Grinning, Fogpaw stepped up and presented her nose for Scorchplume to touch with her own. The warrior gave an amused humm and did so. The touch sent an electric shock through Fogpaw’s nose and she recoiled to rub at it with her paw. Scorchplume wrinkled her nose at the sensation. That had to mean something, right?

“We’re tied now,” she mumbled to Scorchplume, “you and me.”

“Really, now?” Scorch whispered back.

“With that, our meeting is concluded,” Goldenstar said. “Congratulations, Fogpaw and Slatepaw!” Another round of cheering went up for the both of them. Fogpaw looked around the circle and felt tears swelling within her. All of their will, all of their passion, was behind her now, driving her forward. She could almost feel StarClan’s presence on her back. I promise, Mama, she vowed, imagining spellwork being woven into every word, I’m going to become the best warrior there is. I’ll make you proud.

UPDATES: - Fogkit and Slatekit are made apprentices. Fogpaw is apprenticed to Scorchplume! Slatepaw is apprenticed to Pantherhaze!

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ghostlynachopanda · 1 year

Text

Study date

a/n: I failed tf out of all my exams this week. at least it's spring break though. I'm SUPER tired and didn't read this so tell me if it's good. Here's this one pals, enjoy

Pairing: Wednesday Addams x reader

words: 1.9k

~~~

Wednesday had offered to help you study for the upcoming exams. Knowing it would be better to study with someone who will hold you accountable, you easily agreed. Wednesday knew she would ace her exams, she also knew you would do just fine without her. Nonetheless, she wanted to be the reason you came up to her with a breathtaking smile while showing off the grade you got. There was just one problem, you were late.

Wednesday didn’t know if she should be annoyed or worried. You were never late, not when it came to Wednesday. Your punctuality never went unappreciated, though she never outright said anything. All Wednesday could do was count the minutes go by as she awaited your arrival.

10 minutes had passed and you still hadn't come knocking with an apology already spilling from your lips. 10 minutes of sitting in an empty dorm, the only sounds being her breathing and the shuffling of her clothes. Wednesday decided she would reprimand you for being late, for making her waste her time waiting. She sat at her desk, contemplating what exactly to say to you to get the point across in the most efficient way.

Another 10 passes and Wednesday’s anger fades into worry. She had no idea where you are or what you were doing. She cannot fathom what could be more important than getting here on time, studying for your exams, and spending time with her. Except, there’s a possibility you’re injured somewhere and unable to reach her. The thought alone sends an unknown feeling to her stomach, settling uncomfortably. She waits, ashamedly hopeful you'll show up and relieve her of this feeling.

5 minutes pass with the uncomfortable weight in her stomach. The feeling is starting to get too much, Wednesday decides enough is enough. She abruptly stands from her chair, knocking it back a few feet before walking to the door.

Wednesday yanks the door open to find you. You reel back in surprise and bring your hand back down to your side. You both stare at each other for a moment, both too shocked to say anything. You part your lips to say something, but before any words come out you are hauled into Wednesday's dorm by the collar of your shirt.

The silence that follows the door slam is eerie. Wednesday hasn't said anything to you, just taking time to examine you. The first thing she notices is the cut on your lip and the bruise on your jaw, both look fresh and not something someone could get from themself. Second is your clothes, covered in dirt and some holes that definitely weren't there before. The last thing is the apprehensive look in your eyes. As much as she savors that same look from everyone else, she doesn't like the way it looks on you. She takes a brief moment to calm herself, letting the feeling in her stomach fade away before speaking, "You're late."

"Yeah, I'm sorry," you replied softly, not wanting to make her angrier. Wednesday looks at you before saying, "Sit on the floor, I should have an ointment for your lip and jaw."

You do as your told, moving to sit on Wednesday's side of the room while she searches for her first aid kit. You are mesmerized by the way she moves graciously around the room, momentarily forgetting about the ache in your jaw and throbbing of your lip. She walks back over with a tube in her hand, kneels beside you, and tenderly grasps your chin. She angles your face to give her the best view of your jaw, seeing the already bruising skin.

"Who did this to you," she asks feeling her blood start to boil. Whoever did this will face appropriate punishment.

"No one important," you respond, appearing unaffected by the injuries and whatever events led to it. Wednesday sends you a pointed look, making you sheepishly avert your eyes. "It's really nothing important, Wednesday." you tried to explain, making her sigh.

Wednesday knows she won't get anything from you, not when you think it isn't worth talking about. She gently starts applying the ointment, careful not to press too hard on the bruise, not wanting to hurt you. She feels your eyes on her, she locks eye contact, wanting to see if she accidentally hurt you. All Wednesday can see is a fondness in your eyes, making her quickly avert her eyes and say, "You look good like this,"

"Like this?" you ask, confused about what she meant. But, she doesn’t answer, content with leaving you confused.

Once she finished applying ointment to your jaw she angled you to look directly at her. Once again, Wednesday is caught off guard by the look you're giving her. Still had the same look from moments prior, but still made that fluttering feeling appear in her stomach. She focuses in on your lips, and an urge to kiss them washes over her. Barely able to refrain from kissing you, she starts applying the ointment.

Wednesday forces herself to stand when she's done, putting ample space between you two before saying, "Grab your textbook, we'll be starting on chapter 5." making you groan.

------

You two had gone over almost everything you needed to review for your exams. It alleviated some of the stress you were feeling, after a quick review of the notes you decided now would be a good time to leave.

Sitting up straight and relaxing the muscles in your neck and shoulders, causing you to release a sign of relief. Fatigue caught up with you faster than you thought, causing you to slump down to the floor. Wednesday looked at you, seeing goosebumps on your exposed skin and how tired you looked.

"You're going to get dirt on more than one part of my floor," Wednesday said, making you turn your head to look at her.

"Are my clothes really that dirty?" you asked

"That is the reason we are studying on the floor, yes."

You groan lightly, unhappy dirty clothes were the reason for sitting on the uncomfortable floor for the last couple of hours. Despite the fatigue you feel, you sit up and look at her before saying,

"I think now is a good stopping point. I'm going to head back to my room,"

"You’re leaving already?" she asked incredulously, though her voice was even. First, you had the nerve to show up late, injured, and refused to tell her anything about what happened, but now you're trying to leave?

"Yeah, I'm really tired and it’s almost curfew. Could we do this again another time?" you asked with hopefulness littering your voice. Wednesday always found it hard to say no to that tone.

"Will you be late?"

"I'll try my hardest not to be," you reply with a small smile. It makes Wednesday pause, she didn't want you to leave yet. She hadn’t spent enough time with you today, and not only that, you’re wounded. She just wanted to make sure you took care of your injuries.

"Stay there," Wednesday said, standing up and walking to her closet. Leaving you to sit and watch her, this time confused as to what she's doing. You peek at what she's doing and see her riffle through her vast choices of black clothing.

"Wednesday?" this situation confuses you. All you wanted to do was sleep in your warm bed. The holes in your shirt provide the cold air a chance to nip at the exposed skin. She doesn’t answer, instead silently walking in your direction with neatly folded clothes in her arms.

When she reaches you, she puts her arms out and looks at you expectantly. When she realizes you're unsure what to do, she says, "Change into these."

"Whatever you want, Wednesday" you respond, still confused about what's happening but too tired to even comprehend what she's implying. You grab the clothes and just look at them, where exactly does Wednesday want you to change? You look up at her and see her steadily looking back, she says again, "Change into those,"

"No, I know what you want me to do. But, uh," you trail off, looking away to hide your reddening cheeks. "where exactly do I change?" you ask, glancing at her.

Wednesday didn't think that part though, truthfully you could change anywhere you wish. Enid was not coming back tonight so anywhere was acceptable, but did Wednesday expect you to just take your clothes off right in front of her? The thought of seeing more of your skin, seeing what is hidden under your clothes makes her cheeks warm. She quickly turns away and says, "go change in my closet, but do not touch anything or get dirt on anything other than the floor."

You nod and quickly go to change, giving you both a chance to calm yourselves. When you start putting on Wednesday's clothes your fatigue is washed away. Realizing you will be wearing Wednesday's clothes makes you want to squeal, but you stop yourself. You take your time gathering your clothes and taking a deep breath before going back into the main room. Walking over to your bag to see all your stuff already neatly put away just the way you like. Gently placing your clothes on the floor next to it, you turn around.

Wednesday has been staring at you since you walked out of the closet. She never could have predicted how good you looked in black, how good you looked in her clothes. A wave of possessiveness overwhelms her. It’s unfair what you're unintentionally doing to her, what you’re making her feel. The work she put in to make her flushed cheeks go away was for nothing, the red coming back tenfold. Wednesday decides then she's fond of you wearing her clothes, just like she is to your kisses.

Wednesday can't stop herself from walking over to you, taking you in with every step she takes. You somehow look even better up close. She steps into your personal space, looking at every inch of you. "You look beautiful," she says breathlessly, not bothering to hide the endearment in her eyes or the red on her cheeks.

You look down at yourself, and eye the clothes before quietly asking, "you think so?"

"Undoubtedly" she replied sincerely.

Your breath hitches, your brain becoming useless at her compliment. You want to return the compliment, want to say she looks gorgeous. But the way she's looking at you makes any coherent thought fly out the window. Your mouth opens slightly but closes shortly after, words are failing you miserably. Your lips tremble with unsaid words and Wednesday can't take it anymore.

Wednesday moves to smash her lips against yours, taking pride in the hum and exhales you let out. Both of you moving in sync, the feeling of your lips on hers is still as addictive as the first time. She moves her hands to clutch at the black shirt you wore, pulling you as close; not wanting any space between you two. You do the same by placing your hands on her jaw, not letting her pull away. You both hope what you're feeling is expressed.

Breaking the kiss only when air becomes a necessity, placing your forehead against hers. Slightly breathless from the intensity of the kiss. Wednesday watches your eyes travel across her face before settling on her lips again so she whispers, "Let's head to bed, my love"

tags: @alexkolax @rainbow-love4ever @o638 @tundra1029

#wednesday addams x reader #wednesday x reader #wednesday addams #wednesday netflix

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nikethestatue · 4 months

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Greetings,

I’m a baby elriel. I’ve like never really “shipped” any characters before in my life — and after the last few weeks of looking at the historical/ongoing ship war clusterfuck that is the ACOTAR fandom I don’t think I’m ever going to set sail again anywhere. You and all the other elriels who have been in the trenches from the get go have my respect 🫡 Anyways, your blog is super swaggy and you’re like the chillest elriel I’ve seen, so it is to your inbox that I shall share my testimony, my come to Mother moment if you will.

I didn’t really start giving any serious thought to the two them being a legit thing until I was already done with ACOSF. And it’s wild because it was the “‘I don’t see you spouting poetry, brother.’ ‘I don’t need to resort to it.’” bit in ACOWAR between Cassian and Azriel that triggered me to reevaluate.

When I first read that part I was like damn okay I see you Rizzriel, and I just kept on thinking about it and coming back to it cause it was so funny and entertaining but one day I was like yo hold up, don’t need to resort to it?? Okay, Mr. “Born Hearing the Song of the Wind.” Okay, Mr. waxing poetic about “The Naphelle Philosophy.” Like don’t get me wrong, it is definitely, first and foremost, a subtle flex for his third unspoken title; he is Azriel — shadowsinger, spymaster, and rizz master of the Night Court. However, I am a firm believer that he doesn’t need to resort to poetic words as some sort of attempt at flattery or being charming because the right situation/person naturally draws out that part of him.

✨Walk with me✨

When Elain and Azriel first meet in ACOMAF, even though there’s not a whole lot of interaction between them, it’s definitely a case of two people having a connection simply off vibes alone (yay for those of us who don’t have loud personalities). He puts her at ease with a smile and by acknowledging her fears and apprehension about their presence, about how much of a mindfuck it was for her to be dining in her home with those she was raised to believe were horrific creatures that would kill her if given the chance.

So like because of this, I think Elain is driven by a deeper curiosity that came from her unexpected comfort when she asks “Can you truly fly?” cause ngl asking the dude with massive wings if he can fly is certainly a choice 🧍🏽‍♀️ Like, there’s more to it than that, more than just attempting to transition from a tense situation into conversational small talk which could’ve been done just as easily with the likes of “Tell me about yourself” or a more confrontational “So what are you?” — which is essentially what Nesta asked immediately after 💀

Elain doesn’t know anything about these guys, but she sees Feyre trusts them, and Azriel’s small expressions of gentleness towards her amidst the escalating interactions made her willing to attempt connecting with him further. So I think her asking a ridiculously simple question with an obvious answer was her way of softly inviting him to share something about himself — not necessarily through what he responds with but rather how he responds — because something, if anything, unique to his answer beyond a simple yes or no would offer her a glimpse at him. And what does he do? Stone-faced, cold ass — doesn’t open his mouth except to give the shortest answers possible or to make some sharp sassy retort — Azriel spouts poetry for her about his and Cassian’s heritage.

So after my revelation slapped me in the face and then bonked me over the head for good measure, I went back and sought out all their interactions and was like dang bro became horrendously down bad for her in the most quietly romantic way possible and she’s feelin something too I can’t believe I didn’t pay attention to this before. I love love love that they just seem to be at ease in each other’s presence, that the vibes between them are so immaculate they don’t even need to bother with many words. Existing in comfortable silence with someone is like my favorite way to spend time in relationships whether it’s familial, platonic, or romantic so it makes me feel all fuzzy that we see them like that quite often.

So now I’m here and am looking forward to eventually reading about them and discovering more about Elain’s gifts because the whole creation story with the Mother + the Cauldron always gave me Gaia-type vibes and with Elain being invested in gardening and then being made a Seer by the cauldron because it thought she was so lovely I’m like Elain Archeron — the absolute goddess that you are, light and life flowing through your Made veins — we haven’t even seen all you can do yet and you’ve got this angelic fae male of death and darkness ready to worship you on his knees and I’ma be right there with him yes ma’am 🛐

WOW baby Elriel. You smote me with this beautiful post.

(first of all, you should write fanfiction. You reminded me of the greatest Elriel (or otherwise) writer that ever graced this hot mess of a fandom with their presence)

But I can't agree more. I think SJM actually pays attention to them, as a couple. Not something she does with many others. That relationship just flows so beautifully in the background, calm and poetic, even with the language she uses around them. There is so much imagery of death and life and decay and rebirth and beauty and flowers and blades and warmth and baking and loneliness and despair and searching for love and for home.

I don't know what she'll do with them, but it could be her Magnum Opus if she is careful, thoughtful and steady in crafting their story. What she already put down deserves special treatment when the story actually comes to pass.

Also, welcome to the fandom.

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moodymisty · 21 days

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(This isn't a request, just some Konrad daydreams driven by 4am insomnia that had me screeching and I just have to share with someone while I wait for my meds to kick in!!)

Your recent post about the stinky rat man got me thinking of something truly, hilariously awful: Konrad's favorite meow meow is a PERPETUAL.

Maybe he watches her die. Maybe he accidentally kills her himself. Whatever happens, he'd probably be losing. his. fucking. mind.

..And then she comes back. Oh god, I'm loving imagining at how truly deranged he would be over that. I know he tortures Vulkan SUPER HARD after finding out he's a perpetual, but that seemed driven a lot by "You think you're good and noble(and sane)? I'll drag you down to my level."

I wonder if he'd mistake her as some kind of phantom/delusion brought on by grief and madness at first. Extra comedy: he accidentally(purposely?) kills her again while freaking out over her showing back up alive LMAO. Meow meow can't catch a fuckin' break with this man.

Now I'm wondering how a few other primarchs would react to something similar though

Sanguinius and his sons in mourning and his dead wife just shows back up like "Why did you bury me alive?!" completely unaware she DIED.

Perturabo's shitass sons being like "I told you it was a waste of time!" and then the horror of realizing they didn't escape their step-mom after all.

I'd assume all the primarchs would try to find out what the fuck happened, and maybe go to Malcador for information once they start drawing blanks? Idk.

Fulgrim would so cute, just hyped as fuck. "I have a wife? That won't get old and die before me?? I don't have to lose this one???" Bonus points if she's the last one he was going to marry because he got too heartbroken seeing his wives get old and die over and over 😫 the queen and her corgis vibe forreal

I can't really figure out Mortarion even though he's one of my faves. On one hand, WITCH!! On the other hand,he'd be so relieved the One Good Thing in his life isn't actually gone forevet..

Oh my g o d. Lorgar. Thefucking goddess shit would go CRAZY. Kor Phaeron slamming his head against a wall because he thought he finally WON. HOW DID SHE DO THAT? Some of his followers getting spooked about being rid of her because s u r e l y it was the Powers who orchestrated such a miracle... So maybe she is meant to be here? Uh oh.

Guilliman is another one I'm just like ????. All I can think of, is he'd quietly go find Emps/Malcador and be like "whattheFUCK? explain?please?how?"

It might be because I'm heavily sedated but it's all sO funny to think about. Some legions quietly rejoicing because The Distraction is gone and shejust. Comes back 😭

But can you imagine the parties thrown by the ones who really loved their legion mothers?! And you thought theFUNERAL was extravagant..

Im not sure what time it is there but I hope you slept well and have a good morning! Sorry forcthis stream of consciousness garbage by theway LOL but you always have such cool takes on things I couldnt help muself

This a joy to read friend, I have nothing to add.

Lorgar in particular with a perpetual beloved would be fucking INSANE. His whole religious trauma would be going wild as well as even some of the more apprehensive Word Bearers might be a bit more, respectful.

Imaging Vulkan's wife ends up coming back a few weeks after they desperately mourned her loss, and it's time for the galaxy's largest hug. They form a line.

#Misty's book club #jesus finding out you're a perpetural and in love with Konrad would be AWFUL you can't escape him lmao

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leejeongz · 1 year

Note

just something super fluffy for enhypen please 🖤

how enhypen tells you that they love you

pairing: boyf!enha x gn!reader

genre: fluff, Heeseung’s reaction is the TINIEST bit angsty

warnings: mentions of food, illness, the opticians and pet names

summary: different ways that enhypen tell you that they love you (other than just saying “i love you”)

Heeseung ･:，｡★ﾟ

“Did you manage to speak to your lecturers?” Heeseung asked, your head tucked under his arm as you wiped your tears.

“Yeah, they were really nice, actually,” you admitted with your last snivel. “So I decided to change.”

Not wanting to press you for information, Heeseung didn’t ask a follow up question. Instead, he waited for you to open up. He sunk further into the chair and managed to rest his head on yours, sighing.

“I already applied for the college that we went to look at last year, do you remember?” you felt his head nodding against yours, his face got warmer too. “I know it's a few hours away but, I think it's for the best. You're not mad, right?”

Heeseung picked up his head and you followed, looking at him apprehensively.

“I’m not mad, y/n,” his eyes filled up and a weak smile grew on his face “I support you, no matter what.” His hand reached out for yours and shook it endearingly. “How can I be mad when all I want is the best for you?”

You mirrored a small smile back to him, a thank you for being so understanding. “It was selfish, I know, but we can still talk on the phone and I’ll be back here for the holidays!”

“It wasn't selfish, y/n, and I'm proud of you for doing this.” this was the most sincere you'd ever seen or heard heeseung. His words were comforting, almost making you regret the decision to leave the city, but you knew he'd never let you feel bad about doing that. “I guess that means we’ll have to finish watching The Office quicker than we expected,” he laughed, leaning forward and grabbing the remote to hide the tears welling up in his eyes.

Others include:

“Have you eaten today?”

“I love your laugh”

“I miss you”

“Bring a jacket”

other members below the cut

Jay ･:，｡★ﾟ

Almost missing your phone ringing thanks to the massive coughing fit you just had, you reached for the bottle of water on your bedside cabinet. Empty.

“Hi babe,” you croaked out.

“I just finished work, is it okay if I come over?” your boyfriend asked, the road noise behind him almost taking up all of your attention as it drummed in your head.

“I don't want to make you sick, jay.”

“You won’t, I’m not like other guys.”

You laughed as well as you could as Jay ended the call. It wasn't long before Jay had let himself into your apartment and into your kitchen, not even caring to let you know he was here. You heard the microwave beep a few times and, following that, a few of Jay’s favourite curse words. You waited anxiously as he entered your room holding a microwaveable tub and a fresh, ice cold bottle of water.

“I made you soup,” he greeted you with a sympathetic smile. You grabbed the tray table that you'd been using for the past few days, only then realising how many times Jay had broken into your apartment and made you food just this week.

“How do I know it's not your food making me sick?” you asked him jokingly as you watched him place the food onto the table.

“It might be,” he backed away again and shrugged, “maybe I’m doing it just so I have an excuse to come visit you every day.”

You laughed again, it scratched your throat so much that you were annoyed at yourself for falling in love with someone so charming and funny.

“Just eat the soup, y/n, i don't want it to go cold again like yesterday when you fell asleep,” he rolled his eyes and you copied while bringing a spoonful to your mouth. “Should I feed you, aeroplane style?”

Others include:

“Tell me more”

“I'll make you breakfast”

“Text me when you get home”

“You should read this”

Jake ･:，｡★ﾟ

Your arm slipped out from Jake’s as you arrived at what was supposedly a beach picnic with a couple of friends. There were tons of people there, most of whom you didn't even recognize. You gulped as Jake’s hand tightly engulfed yours.

“Jake! Y/n!” A friend of your boyfriend called over as he jogged towards the pair of you, “listen,” he started as he got closer, drawing the two of you in to form a small circle as if to discuss something secretly, “Jay “accidentally” invited his whole contact list, and his friends are pretty enthusiastic when it comes to free food. I can introduce you to some of them. But yeah, there’s gonna be way more people here than we planned.” As soon as he finished, he left to greet some more people, leaving you and Jake to mull over the, frankly, awful news.

“Let's go watch the sunset instead, hey?” Jake asked after some thought, tugging on your hand. “I saw the cutest bench on the way here that overlooked the ocean and now would be the perfect time to take it before anyone else does.”

You smiled at your boyfriend and agreed, following his lead back along the path you'd just walked on. It was only a short walk back to the bench and Jake didn't lie, it was the perfect scene. You sat and Jake shuffled closer to you, resting his head on your shoulder sweetly.

“Thank you,” you uttered as you looked down to see your boyfriend smiling at the view in front of you.

“Of course, baby,” you felt both his arms snake around you, embracing you in an innocent side hug, “anything for you.”

Others include:

“Proud of you”

“Have a great day”

“Stay a little longer”

“You deserve the world”

Sunghoon ･:，｡★ﾟ

Less than 12 hours before you needed to leave for the airport and you were panicking… big time. Sunghoon was busy taking a nap in your room, or so you assumed, while you threw all the “vacation clothes” clothes out of your suitcase for the first time in years. You looked at the pile you'd just created, if you had time to sob and cry, you would, but you couldn't afford to do that right now.

“Washbag,” you scurry through the clothes in hunt for the bag, “come on, where are you?” Your hand reached the coldness of a zipper and you yanked at it mercilessly, “there you are!”

“Why are you still up?” Sunghoon’s sleepy voice called out from behind you, somewhat snapping you out of distress. “You told me you packed weeks ago.” You turned to see him already sitting on the edge of your sofa, his palms coming to rest on your shoulders and give you a gentle massage.

“Well, obviously I didn't.” he laughed at your snappy response before you asked him a question. “What are you doing up anyway?”

“I came to see if you were okay, sounded like things were getting pretty intense in here,” his attempt to make a joke didn't land well with you, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

You looked at your boyfriend with apologetic eyes, “could you make a list of everything that I pack, please?” your eyes softened more as you watched him slowly nod his head. “Thank you.”

He grabbed a notepad and pen from out of your room and sauntered back to you, still a bit sleepy. He took his place on your sofa once again but opted to stand up instead so he wouldn't doze off.

Others include:

“Thinking of you”

“I'm your biggest fan”

“I had a dream about you”

“I'll leave the lights on for you”

Sunoo ･:，｡★ﾟ

“What appointment did you book for tomorrow?” Sunoo rolls onto his stomach on your bed, checking your shared calendar.

“The opticians,” you let out a sigh as Sunoo pouts to himself. “I really don't want to go but they rang my work phone so I picked it up without even thinking about it,” you explained, “and they said they had an appointment tomorrow so I thought it's probably best to get it over and done with because-”

“y/n, you’re gonna cry, are you that nervous?” he asked, genuinely concerned. By this point he was sitting upright, his hand on your knee. You nodded and bit your lip, remembering all those times you were forced to go as a kid. “I’ll come with you, don't worry,” he said, as if it was nothing.

“You don't have to.”

“I want to.”

You took his hand from your knee and engulfed it in your own hand with a thankful and relieved smile. He lay back down again, on his side and let you play with his fingers for a while as he admired you with a sweet grin.

“You're cute,” he giggled. “I can't wait to see you with those silly glasses on.”

“No pictures,” you thought back to your last birthday when he posted the most embarrassing photos of you online, but knowing one in those glasses would top them all, “please.”

Others include:

“I have so much to tell you”

“I believe in you”

“I got you something”

“Don’t forget to put on your seatbelt”

Jungwon ･:，｡★ﾟ

Once your head hit Jungwon's shoulder, you were out like a light. Jungwon’s gaze drifted from the TV to his shoulder, a small smile creeping to his lips when he noticed you were sleeping. His hand came up to cup your face and gently move your head further onto him, careful not to wake you.

A tiny snore escaped and Jungwon couldn't help but laugh. Honestly, he found it adorable, but he knew you'd never speak to him again if you found out so he agreed to keep that secret to himself.

“Hm, what happened, what did I miss?” You woke up, jolting yourself away from your boyfriend, eyes darting around the room, “did they kiss?” You asked, pointing to the screen in shock.

“Oh, um, yeah,” Jungwon responded with what was most likely a lie, he couldn’t really be sure since he was too focused on you. “How did you sleep?” You slid into a smaller position on the couch after hearing his question, a little embarrassed. “You had a long day, huh?” Jungwon outstretched his arm, inviting you to cuddle with him again.

You nodded, snuggling back into your boyfriends’ side, “I didn’t sleep that well last night either.”

Jungwon sighed, resting his head on top of yours. His hand quickly found yours as he began to play with your fingers in front of him, “should we head to bed early tonight? You can be the little spoon…”

Others include:

“How are you, really?”

“Have a safe flight”

“You inspire me so much”

“Drive safe”

Niki ･:，｡★ﾟ

Exam day, the day you've been dreading for a whole year. Your boyfriend and classmate, Niki, hadn't even touched any revision materials, but everyone knew he'd pass with flying colours anyway. You, on the other hand, had used every technique under the sun: flashcards, mind maps, power points, you'd even tried listening to podcasts before falling to sleep, and yet you still didn't feel prepared enough.

“Just sit next to me, I’ll give you the answers,” Niki boasted, popping the collar of his blazer jacket as you queued to enter the exam hall.

“We have assigned seats,” you rolled your eyes, how could he be so ill prepared, you wondered.

“I’d probably be too distracting anyway,” he winked, before shuffling closer to the entrance.

You let out an anxious, heavy sigh, catching his attention. His eyes filled with worry as they searched yours. “You're gonna be amazing.” His hand caressed your upper arm, his smile meaningful and sincere.

“I hope so,” you bit your lip, staring down the invigilator on the door before giving Niki one last nod. “You go in first.”

“Remember y/n, stay calm, you're going to do great,” he started, giving his name to the invigilator before saying one last thing, “but I'm going to do better.”

You rolled your eyes once again, scoffing at your boyfriend with a hint of genuine laughter.

Others include:

“I have a surprise for you”

“I’ll go if you go”

“Is this okay?”

“Text me when you land”

#enhypen #enhypen fluff #jungwon #sunghoon #jay #heeseung #jake #sunoo #niki #enhypen reactions #enhypen imagines

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thealluringj · 1 year

Text

Joe Burrow.......Tooth Fairy?!

So I have been enjoying this fandom for the longest on Tumblr, and working on some fics for the longest but hesitated to release any of them. However, after I saw that photo of Joe and Taylor Rooks from this weekend, I said, yes, lets give this a shot. This one-shot is written more to be part of a long-term series with many one-shots and a full length chapter story, than a stand alone. But my decision on that does depend on what you all think of the fic here on tumblr.

So PLEASE drop a note of what you think below!

Typically, the early afternoon was the calmest time of the day in the Burrow Household. At least on the weekdays, anyway. Ava was typically at some after school activity or just getting home. Which is why the wailing and screaming caught Joe off guard as he walked through the door after a jam-packed day of meetings, press conferences and practice.

Your 7 year old, Ava, rounded the corner at a speed that made Joe think she was running from one of the monsters she claimed lived under her bed.

“Daddy, save me! Mommy is trying to pull my tooth out!” Ava dramatically and tearfully said, plopping herself on the floor by Joe’s feet and wrapping her limbs around his leg.

“Joe, your daughter’s tooth is loose. She complained about it all day at school. The teacher literally called me about it because Av could not concentrate and was being disruptive to the other kids in her class. One of us needs to pull that sucker out, ASAP.” You told him as you walked to where your husband and daughter were.

“No, no one can touch it!” Ava cried, clamping a hand over her mouth.

Sure, your daughter had her dramatic moments, but this was a new level. Seeing as her teething stage went down like a sleepless horror film, you two expected nothing less when it was time for those same teeth to fall out.

“What if I hug you really, super tight while mommy does it? I promise it won’t be that bad, bug. And we can go get ice cream afterwards. And also, the tooth fairy, remember?!” Somehow in this situation, Joe took your chosen role of good cop right from under you.

“Can we get ice cream without her?” Ava asked, narrowing her eyes as she accusingly pointed at you.

“Excuse me, her has a name, ma’am. And she also happens to be my wife, which means she goes wherever I go. Ice cream included.” Joe told Ava with a raised eyebrow.

It’s a good thing your daughter was in the room because that last sentence alone had you ready to jump his bones. For the third time that day. Trying to conceive a second child was hard work and you and Joe had dedicated the last 5 weeks of alone time to ‘putting in the hours’ to make it happen.

“Fine. Mommy can come. But I would like 2 scoops instead of one this time. I think I earned it.” You were proud to see your own negotiating skills as a second-generation lawyer had rubbed off on your daughter. Even if your father stopped speaking to you when you left his firm one year in to join Joe in Cincinnati and start your own there. He was also not happy about the fact your choice of spouse was white. He’d always imagined you to be one half of a black power couple to one of his colleague's sons.

After a handshake to seal the deal, the three of you moved to the kitchen to complete the task at hand. Joe sat at the island with Ava in his lap, holding onto her tightly. You and he shared a look of apprehension, unsure of how Ava was going to handle this experience. Your daughter was a unique mix of strength and sensitivity, just like her parents. You washed your hands and grabbed a paper towel while you readied yourself mentally. There was gonna be screaming and crying, that would indeed break your heart; but you had to push through and pull the very loose tooth out.

Having checked it before now, you knew exactly how to grab the wiggly tooth and with one fluid motion it was out before Ava even realized.

“Mommy, NO, leave it alone!” Ava screamed, holding her mouth and turning to bury her face into Joe’s chest.

“Got it!” You cheered, gleefully doing a little dance and showing it to your husband, who took one look at the bloody thing and gagged. “that’s disgusting.”

“Oh hush boy, you saw way worse than this when she was born.” You quipped back, still beaming with excitement that you got the thing on the first shot.

“I don’t love how excited you are at pulling out our daughter’s tooth, if I’m being honest.” Joe flatly told you, but the smirk on his face kinda cancelled out the attempt at seriousness.

You simply rolled your eyes playfully at him.

“Whatever. Now are we getting ice cream or not Av?” You reached over and kissed the little girl on her cheek.

“I wanna see it first!” Ava answered back eagerly and excitedly, shocking Joe.

“Who are you people and what is wrong with you?” Joe loudly asked as Ava examined her own tooth in excitement.

“Daddy, we are Ava and Mommy.” Ava told him, turning in his lap before grabbing her dad’s face between her palms and looking at his eyes.

“What are you doing, cra-cra?” Joe asked her through squashed cheeks.

Ava giggled, “My name is Ava, not cra-cra. You are daddy and I am checking your eyes for signs of concussion. The paper said not remembering stuff and big pupils, the black circle inside the color of your eyes, are signs of them. And you DID get sacked twice on Sunday.”

Joe glanced up at you as Ava continued her examination, wondering how Ava knew more about concussions at the age of 7 than most adults.

You shrugged, “You did bump your head slightly on the last sack and had to leave the game for a few downs. And I told you not to leave paperwork laying around. She is reading way above grade level, possibly higher than the teacher said in her report card. She started reading some files I left in the backseat on the way home today.”

“Ave, I’m fine. Go get your shoes on, please.” Joe stood up with Ava and turned her toward the direction of the foyer.

“I’m starting to think we should stick to what we know. Nothing wrong with growing up as an only child. Or we do it like my dad did and we have the second when she is 16 and almost out of the house. I think two of them at this point might just be the end of us.” You giggle and settle into Joe’s arms as he pulls you into a hug.

You leaned up and peaked him on the lips, “Considering I legit blinked was pregnant with Av, might be a little too late for that, big guy.”

“I’m waiting!” Ava called from the doorway, interrupting your playful conversation with Joe.

Over the years, you all had learned how to keep a low profile and the places and areas you could go where pretty much everyone treated your little family like normal people. After Ava was born, you’d settled into a nice upscale suburb of Cincy, with a park, restaurants and stores within walking distance and everyone treated you all like normal everyday neighbors. Bengals fans were incredible grateful for what Joe had done and continued to do for the organization and team they loved. So, in return, they mostly respected his desire to live unbothered with his family. Tourists weren’t really a thing there, either.

The three of you got your ice cream, played at the park a little before heading home to work on homework and dinner.

It was 8, dinner dishes were done, Ava was in bed with her tooth under pillow awaiting the tooth fairy when you walked into the living room where Joe was watching game film.

“I’m gonna go take a bath and then do some work, put this under Ave’s pillow before you come up for bed, please.” You kissed his cheek and placed a folded up $5 dollar bill in Joe’s hand.

He glanced at the money in his palm before looking up at you with a stank face, “Doesn’t 5 seem a little cheap?”

“I got a dollar per tooth and turned out fine, blessed baby boy of Robin.” You playfully poked at Joe being a spoiled momma’s boy.

Getting her approval was something you felt like you were still working on, even though she’d welcomed you with open arms years ago when the pair of you met at LSU while you were there attending law school.

Joe squinted at you, “ha, ha. I’m just saying if I got $5 in 2003, our daughter should be getting more than that in 2029. Inflation is real, my love.”

You smirk, unable to form words and kiss his forehead, “I can’t with you. Give her as much cash as you want. Just make sure she’s asleep when you do it. Her figuring the tooth fairy thing out is the last thing we need, especially after she spent half of Christmas dinner telling your family we were liars cause we wrote from Santa on those gifts.”

“Well if little Caleb Smith had kept his god damn mouth shut, she would have thought they were from Santa!” Joe spitefully spoke of the little boy that connected the Santa-not-being-real dots for Ava during their class Christmas party.

Joe waited till way after 10pm to slip the $10 under Ava’s pillow. He could tell by the shallow breathing she was asleep but called her name a few times to be sure. When he got no response, he knelt next to her bed. Softly lifting her head and the pillow, he quickly swapped the tooth for the money and slowly placed her head and the pillow back down.

“Love you, bug.” Joe whispered, kissing her forehead and walking towards the door.

“I knew it. You and mommy are the tooth fairy.” Ava’s voice rang through the quiet room just as Joe reached the threshold.

Joe panicked, “Av, your dreaming, go back to sleep.”

Ava sat up, arms crossed and a smile on her face, “I’ve been awake since you and mommy tucked me in so I could meet the tooth fairy. You and mommy are Santa and the tooth fairy, aren’t you? What about the easter bunny? Are you him, too? And don’t lie, daddy!”

“No. Absolutely not.” Joe scoffed, taking a little too much interest in studying her door frame.

“Mommy is right, you are a terrible liar.”

#joe burrow fanfic #joe burrow fan fic #joe burrow fanfiction #joe burrow x reader #fluff

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bananasofthorns · 2 years

Text

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Bdubs doesn’t linger very long after Gem leaves even though he clearly wants to. As soon as Etho’s sure he’s not coming back, he sits down cross-legged next to the fireplace and pulls Joel’s note out of his inventory. The paper has the distinct feel of something handmade; it’s nice, but not as perfect as it would be if it had been mass-produced at a farm or something. Etho likes the rough feel of it beneath his hands.

For a moment, he just stares at it.

He’s not scared. It’s just...okay, maybe he’s a little apprehensive. He probably shouldn’t be; Joel’s nice. And he clearly cared enough to send a note with Gem all the way from...wherever he is now. Empires, Etho thinks? He’s not sure.

That’s not the important thing here. What’s important is that the last time they saw each other, they were soulbound even as ghosts, and even now, weeks later, Etho still finds himself glancing over his shoulder or calling out a warning before he catches himself. Which is weird, right? He barely knew Joel before all this.

...but also, he reasons, all this is kind of a big deal. Probably. He feels like other people would consider a third run of a death game a big deal. And he’s currently holding a paper that Gem said was from Joel, so—

He opens the letter.

Etho, it starts, in Joel’s scrawled handwriting that Etho recognizes from the few notes he’d left around their base before it burnt. Hi.

This is weird. I don’t write letters very often. Gem said this would be easier than just telling her something to tell you. She’s probably right.

Don’t tell her I said that.

How are you? I’m doing pretty well. There’s a part that was scribbled out; Etho squints, but he can’t make out more than the word “you.” Next to it says, Been building lots.

I was going to message you the other day before realizing I never saved your contact. I’m guessing you don’t have mine, either. Well, now you do! Congrats. There’s a short line of code written out that Etho guesses is what he’ll have to enter into his comm to get Joel’s contact. He doesn’t think he’s ever actually done that with anyone before. Huh.

Hopefully that works. If not, you can just send another letter along with Gem or something and we’ll figure something else out.

Talk to you soon, I hope.

Beneath that is a scribble that Etho’s pretty sure is Joel’s signature. He assumes that’s what it is, at least. It kind of just looks like a long scribble. He can kind of make out a J, or maybe an S. Joel has a really bad signature.

Etho stares down at the letter.

“Well,” he says, lips curling into a soft smile.

He enters the line of code into his comm. It only takes a handful of seconds for it to load, but he doesn’t exhale until Joel’s name appears in his contacts.

Etho whispered to Smallishbeans: hey hey Etho whispered to Smallishbeans: did it work?

It only takes a few moments for Joel to respond.

Smallishbeans whispered to Etho: holy hsit

A second later, Etho’s comm starts buzzing. He picks up the call before it’s rung twice.

“Hey,” he laughs.

“That actually worked,” Joel breathes, delighted. “Oh my gods.” He pauses. “Hi, by the way.”

Etho smiles, leaning back against the fireplace with his comm tucked against his ear. “Hi. How’re you?”

Joel hums. “Good. Busy. I’ve got an entire empire to run, you know.”

“Really?” Etho was right about Empires, then.

“Mhm. Stratos. I’m building floating islands this time, which is super annoying to do. But it’s coming along really well so far.” Joel pauses. “Oh, and I’m a god now. Super strong and powerful and sexy and tall.”

“Really?” Etho repeats. “All that.”

“Why’d you say it like that?!”

“I don’t know about tall,” he teases, trailing off to let Joel’s indignant noises fill the silence. “I had at least six inches on you, last time I checked.”

“Well now I’m eleven foot. Beat that. I bet you can’t, huh?”

Etho laughs. “Are you serious?”

“Wh— of course I’m serious, Etho! Why would I lie about being eleven foot?”

“I don’t know....” he says, grinning when Joel yet again sputters at him. “I’ll believe it when I see it, man.”

“Come visit Empires, then.”

Etho blinks. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“I’m not whitelisted,” he points out. Joel scoffs.

“So? I’ll just get fWhip to whitelist you, then. We did it for Grian last world, it was fun. Except for the time where they killed me.”

Etho hums. It isn’t a hard decision.

“Okay,” he says, warmth curling in his chest when Joel cheers. “When...when are you thinking?”

“Dunno, I’ll have to convince fWhip, first. Give me a few days...? We’re kind of on rocky terms right now, but he’ll get over it. Especially if I bribe him.”

Etho laughs. “Oh, nice.”

“Yeah.”

The conversation lapses into silence for a moment. It’s nice. It reminds Etho of late nights on The Relation. He’s distantly surprised to realize that he misses Double Life. Parts of it, at least.

Maybe he just misses Joel. That would make more sense. Double Life was fun, but also, objectively, a lot of it was bad.

He’s pretty sure he just misses Joel. Man, I’m going soft, he thinks.

Joel clears his throat. “What’ve you been up to?”

“Well, I’m back on Hermitcraft, which is nice,” Etho starts. “I’m living in Bdubs’s basement right now.”

Joel laughs. “Are you really?”

“Mhm. He already had a staircase leading down here, I think it was some sort of worldbuilding thing or something—”

“Lore,” Joel says sagely. Etho grins.

“Yes, exactly. So I just dug into the wall where he didn’t have anything and built my own little area. It’s coming along pretty nicely. I’ve got my chests, and an enchanting area, and a few small farms for flowers and things. Working on getting caught up, since I joined late and everything.”

“It sounds nice. Maybe I can visit someday.”

There’s something wistful in Joel’s tone that says he doesn’t actually think he’ll be able to visit. Etho frowns even though he’s probably right; Hermitcraft has always been pretty closed off from visitors. That doesn’t mean there can’t be exceptions, though.

“Maybe,” he agrees, trying to convey more hope than what Joel had had. He clears his throat. “Bdubs and I had to get a Warden out of here the other day.”

Joel laughs, any trace of disappointment or resignation gone. Etho smiles. Success.

“What was a Warden doing in your base?”

“Impulse put it there!”

“Ah, I see. fWhip and Pixlriffs tried to do the same thing to me a few days ago. It didn’t go very well.”

“How so?”

“Well, it killed fWhip. And me, a few times. And then I killed Lizzie by accident. It was stuck underground, so they blew up part of my landscaping to get it out. And then we killed it.”

“Oh, nice.”

“What did you do with your Warden?”

“Dropped it down a hole,” Etho says. “It’s still down there, I think. I hear it grumbling every once and a while.”

“Well, that’s one way to do it. Have you tried a fishing rod on it? I tried it on mine, but I’m not sure it worked very well. I couldn’t really see, so.”

“I didn’t, no. Maybe if I want to bother Bdubs one day I’ll see if I can get it back up here. He’d probably kill me, though.”

“Eh. Just kill him first,” Joel points out. “Have the Warden do it for you.”

Etho laughs. “Sure, man. What if he kicks me out? I’d have nowhere to go, it would be so bad.”

Joel scoffs. Etho can perfectly imagine the eye roll that goes with it. “He wouldn’t do that. Are you serious?”

He smiles. “No, I know he wouldn’t.”

The conversation lulls again. Etho is about to say something else - he’s not even sure what, just that he doesn’t want the call to be over yet - when Joel swears suddenly.

“Lizzie!” he shouts, voice distant like he’s away from his comm. “Why are you up here? Stop shooting me!”

Lizzie says something too indistinct for Etho to decipher. Joel groans.

“Sorry, Etho,” he says. “I’ve got to go, Lizzie’s threatening to trample my crops again. Look, I’ll talk to fWhip in a bit and see what he says, okay?”

“Okay,” Etho agrees, ignoring the pang of disappointment in his chest. It’s not like Joel’s leaving forever, he reminds himself; they can still text whenever they want, and they are actively making plans for Etho to visit him. “Say hello to Lizzie for me.”

“You can tell her yourself, she’s right here. Hey!”

Etho pulls the comm away from his ear with a slight grimace as there’s a scuffle.

“Hello!” Lizzie says.

“Hi."

“Joel says goodbye,” she tells him. “I’m going to go steal his comm now. Where should I hide it?”

There’s a distant shout of protest from Joel. Etho laughs.

“I dunno,” he muses. “Maybe somewhere small where he can’t reach. Since he’s so...big and strong, or whatever.”

She snorts. “Oh, is that what he’s telling you? Right. I’ll go do that now. Thanks for the idea!”

The call disconnects. Etho sets his comm down, unable and unwilling to fight a smile. It was nice, getting to talk to Joel again.

Yeah, he’s totally gone soft. Bdubs is never going to let him hear the end of it.

#ethoslab #smallishbeans #boat boys #smalletho #aywth au #banana writes things #banana made a post

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honeyjars-sims · 6 months

Text

1.49 The Sweetest Thing

Solomon: Welcome! Everyone make yourselves at home. Cece: Hey, this is still our home even if we don’t live here anymore! Chantal: Pops is just trying to be a good host. We have a guest, you know.

David: Lexie, it’s wonderful to see you again, especially under the circumstances! I have to say, Solomon and I were really happy to hear that you and Johnny started dating. You’ve always been so lovely when we’ve come to visit Cece. Lexie: Thank you, Mr. Owens-Haim! You’ve raised some really great kids. I’m pretty fond of this one in particular! Johnny: Oh, stop! You know how I hate being fawned over.

Solomon: I see you’re starting with the jokes already! David: Alright, I’m going to go ahead and get the first movie started. Feel free to change into your pajamas if you want to be more comfortable. We have popcorn and other snacks, and Pops is going to make his famous hot chocolate in a little bit.

Johnny: He makes the best hot chocolate you’ll ever taste. Lexie: Mmm, I can’t wait!

Everyone settles in and begins their movie night. The sun starts to set as everyone fills up on savory snacks and good conversation.

Sisters reminisce about holidays past and share their hopes (and fears) for the coming year.

Longtime lovers find solace in each others' arms as they always have, even when an uncertain future looms around the corner.

Apprehension fades away as a new relationship blossoms into something more substantial.

The lonely feeling dwelling within Lexie over the past couple of weeks begins to subside. It’s comforting being surrounded by a warm and loving family, even if it’s not her own.

In the morning, the family exchanges gifts and then gathers for a holiday breakfast before they start heading their separate ways.

Lexie: I really want to thank you all for letting me intrude on your family tradition. I’ve had a really great time. Solomon: It’s no intrusion at all! We’re glad we’ve been able to get to know you better. David: You’re all welcome to stay a little longer if you’d like. We don’t mind the company.

Cece: I think Dad is trying to tell us that he’s not ready for us to leave yet. Chantal: I can stick around for a while. I don’t have anything else planned for today.

Johnny: Lexie and I would like to stay, but we have a few things to do. We still need to exchange our gifts with each other.

Solomon: Well, don’t let us stop you from having some alone time. David: You’re both welcome to stop by any time. Lexie: Thanks again for such a warm welcome!

Later, Johnny and Lexie arrive back at Johnny’s apartment and begin exchanging gifts.

Johnny: Thanks, I love the hoodie! It’s super soft. I’m sure I’ll get a lot of use out of it. Lexie: You’re welcome! I’m glad you like it. I wasn’t sure what to get you, but I figured I couldn’t go wrong with a hoodie. Johnny: You know me well! Thanks, baby. Now it’s your turn.

Lexie: I’m excited to see what you got me. I have no idea what it could be. Johnny: I’d be surprised if you guessed. It was hard to track down. Lexie: My curiosity is piqued…

[Lexie opens the box and peers inside. As she pulls the gift out, she can’t quite believe what she’s seeing.]

Lexie: What? Is this…? It's Snowflake! H--how did you even find this?

Johnny: Like I said, it was hard to track down. The company hasn’t been producing them for over a decade, so I went searching on some auction sites. I lost out on a couple until I finally outbid someone on this one at the last minute. It’s not exactly brand new, but it’s in pretty good condition all things considered.

Lexie: [eyes filling with tears] Johnny! This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. And all I got you was a hoodie! I don’t know what I did to deserve something like this. Someone like you.

Johnny: Hey, you’re worth it. You make me happy, so I want to make you happy. And I love my gift. It's special because it came from you.

Lexie: Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me.

Johnny: You have no idea how much you mean to me.

Lexie: You know, I can think of one way we can show each other how we feel. That is, if you’re ready.

Johnny: I definitely am.

[Lexie and Johnny head to Johnny’s bedroom. I’m sure you can figure out what happens next…spicy PG-13 pics below]

Previous | Beginning of story | Beginning of chapter | Next

See you in Chapter 2!

#ts4 #the sims 4 #sims 4 #simblr #ts4 story #sims storytelling #sims story #stksafeharbor #sh:chapter1 #sh:cecelia #sh:cecilia #sh:chantal #sh:david #sh:johnny #sh:lexie #sh:solomon #sim spice #sims spice #safeharborstory

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mrsbuckybarnes1917 · 1 year

Text

FINDING YOU Chapter 5

Summary: You're in a relationship with Steve Rogers, but his best friend just always seems to be around!

Word Count: 2.7K

Warnings: angst, angst and more angst really

MASTERLIST

CHAPTER 5

You’d taken up running since leaving S.H.I.E.L.D.. It was strangely freeing in a way you’d never experienced before. Cardio was one of the worst parts about training when you’d joined the team. But now, ever since you’d gone through terrigenesis you’d noticed that the physical things in life just came a little bit easier. The burning in your lungs when you put one foot in front of the other no longer seemed to bother you, in fact, you’d found that you could use your abilities to push yourself. You could run faster and further, your stride longer and pace quicker than you’d ever managed before.

Since you met Steve, the two of you had started running together. Not that you could keep up with the super soldier speed and endurance, but it had been fun to try. He hadn’t always run off without you, so many times, he would slow to a jog, giving you the opportunity to match his pace. These were the only times when you’d felt you were being pushed to your limits and the endorphins were exhilarating. When Steve was away, you’d carry on without him. The wind rushing across your face, through your air, your feet hitting the floor at a steady pace; it all made you feel free, leaving behind your problems for those quiet moments of escape. Or maybe you were just running away from your problems?

In the last few weeks, that’s exactly what you’d been doing. Pounding the pavements every morning before work, trying to run away from the grief, the anger, the soul crushing loneliness following Peggy’s return. You tried to spend as little time in your apartment as possible, the thought of bumping into the newly reunited couple was terrifying. So you ran.

Prospect Park was practically on your doorstep, an easy 3 miles, through Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch, past the beautiful boathouse, through Quaker cemetery. It was your place to escape. But for some reason, today your run felt different. Something made you feel uncomfortable. The tiny hairs on the back of your neck were standing on end and your breath came faster than expected. Why did you feel like you were being followed?

You kept running, surreptitiously glancing around for someone who looked suspicious. It wasn’t that you couldn’t handle yourself in an altercation, but the unknown was always slightly unnerving. Glancing around again, you saw nothing, but you picked up the pace, just to be safe. The next day, you felt apprehensive about going out again, but you told yourself the worst that could happen is that you got to kick some perv’s ass, and with that you went about your daily routine. The days turned into weeks, and your feeling of being followed didn’t quite leave you, but you learnt to suppress it and kept running.

It was late April and you had had a late Friday night helping one of your students through a tough time. Even the rising sun had struggled to coax you out of bed and when you did eventually rise, you felt sluggish at best. You dragged your feet down to Prospect Park where you started your morning ritual with a slow jog. You'd barely covered half a mile, reaching the Endale Arch when you spotted a familiar figure.

"Bucky?" you called out.

The supersoldier spun around at the sound of his name.

"What are you doing here?" you demanded, unsure of why you suddenly felt so angry.

"Walking," he shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant but very much had the air of someone who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Then everything seemed to click. "It's you!"

"Yes, it is." Bucky smirked.

You started walking away from him, infuriated. "You're the one who's been following me!"

Bucky strolled casually behind you, catching up with little effort. "I don't know what you mean."

"You just happened to be here when I am?"

“Why would I be following you?”

That question stumped you a little. He had a point. Maybe it was a coincidence. Or maybe Steve had sent him to keep an eye on you. Your inner mind laughed derisively at this thought, Steve had moved on, he didn't have time to organize a tail for you.

Bucky noticed the change in your features as the dark cloud over your head grew larger.

"Do you come out here often?"

“Oh we’re going to keep up this charade, huh? Ok, fine, I’ll bite. Yes, I come here often.” You rolled your eyes in irritation.

Bucky decided to drop his pretense. “I’m sorry I scared you.”

You stopped in your tracks, turning to face him with a glare on your face. You ignored the voice in your head which was telling you to punch him. “So why are you following me?”

“It’s not safe-”

“Seriously?”

“Dr Raynor suggested that I get some exercise, that it would be good-”

“Wow, you’re a terrible liar.”

“How are you doing?”

The 180 degree turn in the conversation caught you off guard. “What do you mean?”

He shrugged. “Peggy.”

You stopped walking from pure shock. Was Bucky Barnes showing real concern for you?

“Why do you even care?”

“I-” Bucky opened and closed his mouth a few times before continuing his sentence. “I was worried about you.”

“I thought you hated me.”

“Why would you think that?”

“Because you never talk to me, you barely sit in the same room with me for more than five minutes.”

“Dr Raynor suggested I have more friends.”

“And Steve is too busy for you now?” Your voice dripped with sarcasm but you suspected there was a little truth to your words when Bucky’s smile faded slightly. “Sorry.”

Bucky started walking again and you followed.

“I know I didn’t make it easy for you and Steve. Always being around.”

“I’m sorry for being a dick about it.”

“You weren’t. You’re allowed to want to spend time with-”

“Not my boyfriend anymore.” You finished for him.

It was a dismal topic of conversation. You didn’t come to the park every morning to dwell on the pain of your loss, or to ruminate on your insecurities. Bucky didn’t offer up much more conversation after that, but the two of you walked the entire circuit of the park in silence.

As you reached the Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch, you lingered for a moment, before Bucky turned to make his way home.

“Hey Barnes, you leaving without saying goodbye?”

He turned back, smiling and you could see why he had been quite the lady’s man back in the 40’s.

“If you’re serious about the friend thing. I’ll see you tomorrow morning, zero six hundred hours.”

“What?”

“Don’t be late!” you called over your shoulder as you jogged off in the other direction, not giving him any time to refuse.

Bucky was punctual. You hadn’t expected any less. He was a lot like his best friend. You sighed, you didn’t want to think about Steve. But how could you not? He consumed your every waking moment and many of your dreams too. You’d planned your day with a very specific aim in mind.

Many moons ago, you and Steve had talked about things you wanted to do together, that you would both enjoy. One of those things was a trip to the Catskills Mountains. You’d had time to reflect over the last few months since Peggy’s return and if you didn’t do any of the things you’d planned to do with Steve, you’d never have any fun ever again. You’d picked Sam’s Point in Minnewaska State Park and invited Sam to come with you. Unfortunately for you Sam had bailed on you last minute by way of accepting a mission specifically for the Falcon. That wasn’t going to stop you, you’d do it alone. It was something you needed to get used to, you thought, it felt like you would be alone for the rest of your life.

Bucky followed you to your car, wordlessly. He was dressed in an aquamarine henley, dark jeans and gray jacket. His footwear was suitable for what you had in mind, so you remained as silent as him. Soon you were merging onto the NY-27 to take you into Manhattan. It was only when you were driving across the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey that he felt the need to ask about your destination.

“Where exactly are we going?”

“He speaks.”

“Ha ha.”

“Minnewaska State Park. It’s going to be a couple of hours before we get there.”

“And you assumed I’d be fine with this?”

“You got in the car.”

“What if I don’t want to go?”

“I can pull over?” you glanced over at him. “Want me to pull over?”

“In New Jersey?” he asked, voice filled with disdain.

You couldn’t tell from his expression or tone if he was joking or not. Either way, you kept driving and he fell silent again.

You were surprised to find that Bucky didn’t make you uncomfortable. In fact you found his quiet presence to be quite the opposite, almost consoling. As confident as you’d felt when you had planned this trip on your own, as the date crept close, your resolve lessened. You’d been on the verge of calling the whole thing off when you’d run into Bucky.

As comfortable as the silence was, another two hours of silence wasn't on your cards. So you turned on the radio.

“I'm sorry, Steve listens to this?”

You scoffed, “no!”

“But you like this?” he questioned.

“Yeah, is there a problem?”

“No.”

"Sort of sounds like there is."

"No. It's good."

"Wow, Sergeant Barnes actually likes something!” you laughed.

He didn't answer you, distracted by the large national park sign you’d just passed and the change in scenery. Bucky sat back in silence soaking up the breathtaking beauty around you. It wasn’t long before you’d pulled up the car and unpacked your bag and slung it across your shoulders. You jerked your head to one side indicating for Bucky to follow you.

“We’re going up to Sam’s Point. It’s supposed to have some good views.”

“Lead the way,” he motioned for you to walk ahead.

He didn’t speak. Not that you minded, you were too busy taking in the openness of the space around you. It was so different from Brooklyn and even though you spent a lot of time in Prospect Park, you could hear the traffic noises not far off. But here, you felt a calm that you didn’t feel in the city.

Even Bucky looked more relaxed, his shoulders didn't seem as tense. You wanted to know if he liked it.

"What?" he asked when he saw you looking in his direction.

"Nothing." You suddenly felt flustered by being caught staring.

“You’re staring.”

“What makes you say that?” you tried to feign innocence.

“I’m sort of an expert in the sport.”

“I won’t deny that.”

“Well?”

“Well, I was wondering if you were…. I’d use the phrase ‘having fun’ for others, but I’m not sure it applies to you.

“You think I don’t know how to have fun?”

“I think you haven’t done it in a long time.”

Bucky sighed. You weren’t wrong.

“It’s peaceful here. So, yes I like it here.”

There were times when the blue eyed man looked at you when you felt like he could read your mind and it was a little frightening. So you decided to keep going.

After ninety minutes of hiking, you sat down on the ground, sweating slightly, your stomach rumbling. You pulled a sandwich out of your pack. Bucky sat down beside you, eyeing the slices of bread in your hand. You could feel his eyes on you, but you wanted to make him work a little harder on his communication skills.

"You know, it's not polite to stuff your face in front of people who are also hungry.”

"It's not polite to treat people like they are invisible but you manage that pretty well."

Bucky huffed at you.

"Here," you pulled out another sandwich and tossed it at him."

His serum enhanced reflexes enabled him to catch the package with ease. He smirked at you.

“Thanks for sharing.” His voice dripped with sarcasm.

“That one’s yours. I don’t eat meat.”

Bucky pried apart the bread to peer at the contents of the sandwich. “How did you know that I’d like this?”

“How do you know you like it? You haven’t even tried it?”

“Why are you being so abrasive?”

“Oh you’re one to talk, Mr ‘I’m too good to speak to you’.”

Bucky rolled his eyes and took a bite of his sandwich. His eyes closed slightly as he savored the taste.

“Is this aioli?”

“Yeah.”

“My ma used to put this on our burgers when we were kids,” he smiled. “It wasn’t as good as this but…”

“I’m glad you like it. I hoped you would.”

“Thank you,” Bucky munched the rest of his meal in silence and you wondered if you would ever get used to his silences.

“So, why did you think I’d like this?”

You’d gone to the store the previous evening to specifically buy something for Bucky. You explained to Bucky how you’d noticed that there was always a packet of the sliced beef in Steve’s fridge, but you’d never seen Steve eating it himself.

“Yeah, I don’t think Steve has ever gone back to eating the stuff since-” Bucky didn’t finish his sentence, too busy chuckling at his own memory.

“Since?” you prompted.

“When we were kids, I dragged Steve to Coney Island. I’d always wanted to go but my dad was always away at Camp Lehigh and Ma would never let me go alone. She only let me go after I met Steve. Because he was ‘responsible’.” Bucky rolled his eyes. “I was older and bigger, I can’t believe she thought Steve was the responsible one.

His tone made you laugh. “Not surprising.”

“So we went.”

“What did you do?”

“Why do you assume I did something?”

“Because out of the two of you, you seem like the trouble maker.”

“You say this knowing that Steve was the one who let a German scientist experiment on him just so he could get into the army?”

“I stand by my original statement.” You pointed at Bucky, “troublemaker.”

Bucky sighed but continued his story. “Well we didn’t have much, so Steve’s mom made us sandwiches to take with us.” He held up the wrapping that was still in his hands and you knew that Sarah Rogers had given them the same contents.

“Well all I wanted back then was cotton candy. So Steve had his and my sandwich. Of course, after that I insisted that we go on the Cyclone. It was the only reason I had wanted to go there anyway.”

You groaned. “This story does not have a good ending.”

“No, he definitely didn’t enjoy the Cyclone and Steve definitely threw up those sandwiches.”

“Thanks for telling that story while I’m still eating.”

“My pleasure. He hasn’t eaten them since.”

You sighed, lost in your thoughts of Steve as a young man, how he and his family had struggled. Captain America had been the only man you’d known but the man behind the shield was the one you loved and your soul ached with missing him.

Bucky noticed the change in your demeanor. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up…”

“It’s alright. Steve is the only thing we have in common anyway. What else would we talk about?”

“I guess your taste in music isn’t completely terrible."

“You're incorrigible,” you rolled your eyes, getting up. “Come on, let’s get going so we can complete this trail before it gets dark.”

You bent down to pick up your bag, but Bucky was already on his feet, bag in his hands, loosening the straps to fit his broader shoulders. You smiled, maybe this wouldn’t be as bad you’d originally anticipated. Steve wasn’t so fond of him for no reason. You wanted to know what the fuss was about and you were determined to find out.

#steve rogers x reader #bucky barnes x reader #steve rogers x you #buckybarnes x you #steve rogers x female reader #bucky barnes x female reader #steve rogers fanfiction #bucky barnes fan fiction #finding you

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hamofjustice · 23 days

Text

Julinemo Week, Day 4: Rest

Nemona lay awake in the dark, hair and limbs spread out like a snow angel, despite how dead tired she said she was when she went to bed. Her first night in Kitakami didn't go the way she expected at all, to say the least. Everybody had tried to shake off the weird vibes of that whole ordeal, but they could only play games in the community center to take their minds off of it for so long before Kieran and Carmine went home and left Nemona, Juliana, Arven, and Penny to sleep in their provided rooms.

Nemona jumped a little when she heard a quiet knocking on her door-- the kind that she'd probably only be expected to hear if she was already awake. She gingerly lifted herself back out of bed and made her way over, speeding up a bit when the knock repeated itself. She opened the door in such a way that she could slam it shut again if it was another super-creepy Pokemon…

… But it was just Juliana.

"H-hey… you having trouble sleeping too?" she whispered.

Nemona's apprehension melted away with a sigh and she stepped out from behind the door. "Yeah. You okay?"

"Not… really. Nightmare. I really didn't, um-- Can I stay in here for a bit?"

"Of course, Jules. Really didn't what?"

Juliana slowly stepped into the room properly, shaking a bit.

"You cold? C'mere." Nemona added before Juliana could answer, holding her arms open for a hug. She staggered a bit when Juliana very eagerly accepted it. "H-hey, easy, I'm still pretty sore…"

"Sorry. I just…" Juliana began, but needed a moment to slow down her breathing. "I just… I thought I lost you. I had to turn my back on you tonight, when we heard Arven and Penny were in trouble, and you kept running off… and… I really didn't think… I'd ever see you again… I thought you'd be gone forever, and… it'd be my fault…" she said, muffled by Nemona's pajamas.

"Oh, Julie, you poor thing… I'm kinda lucky for not having any idea what was goin' on tonight, huh?"

"Haha… maybe. Feels like tonight could've been a lot worse if that little pink weirdo wanted it to be. I just… I felt so powerless."

"Hey, that's the last thing I'd call you. You saved the day, didn'tcha? From what I hear, me and the others put up more of a fight than it did."

"Yeah, but I mean… it could've really hurt all of you. I mean, it fed you guys p-poison… poison we're hoping doesn't… do anything else…"

"Hey, you've got the little fella in your storage now, it's probably fine…"

"And… having to choose who to help… not knowing if I chose wrong… I'm sorry…"

"Sorry? Sorry for what?"

Juliana squeezed her tighter. "I should've picked you… I… left you… I don't deserve you… I'm--"

"You left me to help out other people we care about, Jules. C'mon. What if you'd gone chasing after me and I was fine, while they were getting hurt?"

"N-not helping…"

"Really, though! It… doesn't sound like you really had any good options, chica."

"Me and Kieran could've split up…"

"Pffft! When has that ever been the right answer in a horror movie, Jules? C'mon now."

Juliana smiled up at her and sniffled. "Yeah, okay, I guess…"

"I'm prouda you, and I know you have my back. Everything's good now! Give yourself a break for once."

"… Oh, I'm supposed to take that advice from Nemona of all people, huh?"

Nemona snorted. "Oh, callate! We both need to hear it sometimes. But yeah… I'm not chalkin' this up as you lettin' me down."

"Okay, okay…" Juliana relented, before burying her face back into the taller girl's shoulder. "Oh, Mona, I'm so glad you're okay…"

Nemona patted her back. "I'm sorry I put you through all that just 'cause I saw a free sample, heh! I coulda been helpin' you instead of the bad guy…"

A muffled sniffle. "Hehehe… yeah, better watch out for those from now on."

"And another thing, Julie…" Nemona began, as she brushed back Juliana's hair a bit. "If I DID think you did the wrong thing, we'd talk about it. It'd be okay."

"… Does that mean you do?"

"No, or I'd say that. You know I don't do that kinda double speak. On purpose."

Juliana hesitated a bit, then nodded. "Alright…"

"… Uh… you wanna sit down? My legs are killin' me." Nemona admitted sheepishly.

"Oh, sorry, yeah, sure."

Juliana released the hug, but Nemona was quick to put an arm back around her when they sat on the bed.

Nemona rolled her neck a bit. "I can't sleep either. Having missing time in my night, where I apparently did stuff I had no control over, is really… oogh… creepy…" Nemona said with a shiver.

"Yeah, I bet…"

"Like, I've suddenly got rare, super-strong Pokemon on my team now that I don't remember catching, and I used up a ton of supplies I'd been saving up…. and judging by how worn out I am, I was either dancing really hard, or ran a lap around Kitakami… I really got pushed beyond my limits, here…"

"Maybe a little of both. You were just THAT excited about going out and catching new Pokemon, I guess?"

"Guess so! Wish I'd just rode my Cyclizar instead for more of that, heh… ouch."

"Kieran said he heard rumors that, uh… the curse makes people mindlessly act on their most basic desires, or something…"

"Really? I… Oof, I don't wanna think I'd just ditch you guys the second I was let loose. I don't like what that says about me at all…"

"Hmm… yeah, yeah you're right, maybe not. Maybe Pecharunt just wanted you to be as strong of a bodyguard as you could be, and thought Kommo-o was cool?"

"Heh! A Pokemon that trains Trainers. Maybe? I'll have to get to know my new Pokemon properly tomorrow, I guess. Can't wait to have a rematch with you that I actually remember properly!"

"Yeah… and we can go on some nice new adventures together, too. I get to be the one showing you around, for a change! Even if Carmine'll probably wanna be the tour guide…"

Nemona's eyes sparkled even in the dim light. "That… sounds really nice, now that you mention it! Plus all those new Pokemon I've never caught! We'd better get to sleep so we're all energized for that, heh!" she enthused, finally laying back down. "Hopefully I can walk tomorrow…"

"True. And hopefully we can sleep now… ah, as if sleeping away from home wasn't already hard enough, right?" Juliana responded, having turned to look back at her.

"Yeahhh… seriously. I think it'll be a little easier now, though."

"Definitely."

They gazed at each other for a moment before glancing away, but then… "… Hey, Jules?"

"Yeah?"

Nemona patted the bed she was borrowing. "Do you wanna stay here tonight?"

Juliana's eyes widened, but she nodded vigorously and bounced right in next to her rival-for-life without much hesitation.

"At this point we may as well hug it out for the rest of the night, right?" Nemona joked, wrapping her up close again.

"Yeah. I knew we should've gotten three rooms, but it felt weird to share after Penny and Arven were so insistent that they wouldn't."

"Heh heh, yep! Well, it's fine, it barely cost anything 'cause everybody knows you. Especially now..."

"True. Hehehe… I probably won't have any more nightmares with you helping me fight 'em."

"Heh! And… I'll feel like I never left home if I'm in my hero's arms."

Juliana's brows shot up as she grinned with apple-red cheeks. "Wow. I-- That might be the sappiest thing you've ambushed me with yet."

"… And we weren't even in public this time!"

As the girls giggled quietly, their embrace grew warmer and closer than ever despite the night they'd had, like a campfire in uncharted territory.

"G'night, Jules."

"G'night, Mona. … Love you."

"… Love you too."

#julinemoweek #pokemon scarlet and violet #julinemo #juliana pokemon #nemona pokemon #nemona #pokemon sv #hamfiction #nemonaposting #julinemoweek2024 #if you saw a grammar error no you didn't

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mandos-mind-trick · 1 year

Text

Instinct - Part 9

Summary: Omegas were rare. Some even thought them extinct. So when Boba contacts Din saying he has a gift Din can’t refuse, the last thing he expects to find is an omega in need of an alpha. Din has to make the hard decision, but what else was he really doing anyways? But naturally, there’s more to this omega than meets the eye.

Pairing: Din Djarin x female!reader

Warnings: Some violence, PTSD, Boba being Boba.

A/N: Wow, two in one week. I’m super inspired so maybe more?

< Previous | Next > | MASTERLIST | OC Version

You grunt as you hit the ground once more. You're covered in dirt and grass stains, your muscles aching with every impact. Training with Fennec on Tatooine had been hard, even with her pulling her punches.

Din doesn’t hold back.

“No one’s going to go easy on you just because you’re a woman.” He says, circling you as you push herself back to your feet. You're tired and sore, the sun close to setting. You’ve been at this all day. “If they want to hurt you, they will. That’s why you need to learn to defend yourself. Why you need to learn to tap into those omega instincts.”

“I told you I don’t know how.” You say, pushing yourself up to stand, brushing grass off your pants.

“If you feel threatened, your omega will defend you.” He stills, facing you, your back to the ship.

“Well, maybe I just don’t feel threatened by you.” You huff, getting tired of his constant warnings, his constant reminders that your omega should protect you.

You can practically see the change in him with your words. His shoulders tense, squaring up, hands clenched into fists at his sides. He looks ready to spring at any moment. This must be what his quarries see when he’s hunting. A prime alpha ready to catch its prey. Your omega shifts inside you, telling you to turn tail and run.

You make it around the side of the ship, heading for the treeline when he reaches you. His arms slip around you, lifting you feet off the ground. You let out a yelp, your back hitting the grass once more.

He drops over you, caging you in with his arms. “Running’s good, but it only helps if you can get away.”

You make a face. “I told you, I don’t know how to do this.”

He leans down, pressing his helmet against your forehead. “You need to know. What if I’m not there to protect you?”

You give him a grin. “Then you’ll just have to make sure you are.”

You squeal as he wraps his arms around you, lifting you off the ground with ease.

****

His fingers brush your side again, running over the blaster tucked under your shirt. There’s a vibroblade tucked into your boot, and another up your sleeve. He’s a bit apprehensive about bringing you along, but he knows he can’t keep you shut in the ship all the time. Plus, this should be an easy hunt. It’s a decently sized city with plenty of eyes. It’s not a place where things like this happen often, so he’s less worried about something happening to you.

“Don’t engage unless you have to.” He says, eyes sweeping over the busy street. “He likely won’t be alone.”

“I don’t even remember what this guy looks like.” You say, warily looking at every passing face.

“Hopefully he doesn’t remember you.” Din says, making his way towards the cantina where his quarry is said to frequent.

He stops in an alley facing the cantina doors, leaning against the wall. You lean next to him with a sigh. You’re a bit nervous. You’ve never been on a hunt before, much less one that’s for someone that has a history with you. It’s exciting, but it’s also terrifying.

“How long do you think?” You ask, looking up at Din. His gaze is turned towards the cantina.

“Don’t know.” He answers. “He’s either inside already, or he’ll be arriving soon.”

“And so we wait.” You say. It’s not much of a question. You know going inside would be too much of a giveaway. The man would likely bolt as soon as he saw you two. You have to be sneaky about this. The less of a scene you could cause, the better.

You sigh again as you lean against the wall, fiddling with the hem of your shirt. It was going to be a long wait. If he was already inside, he’d likely be there for a while. Din is practically unmoving next to you, like a predator stalking prey. He could stand for hours doing nothing. You were not used to that. You feel antsy, like you need to do something.

Din tenses next to you, a subtle movement, but you pick it up. You stand up a little straighter, peeking around him. “There.” He says, nodding towards a group that’s entering the cantina.

“That’s a lot of them.” You say, counting six total. “What do we do?”

“Wait.” He says. “Give them time to settle in.”

You let out a sigh, leaning against the wall once more. “Is every hunt like this?” You ask.

“No.” He says, still facing the cantina. “Not all of them are this easy to find, either.”

You look up, studying the blue sky. It’s nice to be outside, breathing fresh air. You take in a deep breath, letting the exhale extend as you close your eyes.

“Everything okay?” Din asks, glancing over his shoulder at you.

“Yeah.” You say, opening your eyes once more. “Just nice to be outside. I do miss Tatooine sometimes, but I don’t miss the heat.”

“We could go back.” He says, facing the cantina once more. “Just say the word, and we’ll leave this and go back.”

You stare at his back for a long time. Part of you wants to say it. Part of you wants to go back, be with Boba and Fennec where it’s safe. You know, though, you can’t give up yet. These men did horrible things to you and you can’t be the only one. You won’t be the only one if they don’t stop them.

Din tenses again, hand falling to his waist. You peek around him again, five of the men that had entered the cantina with their target have exited, blasters in hand as they look around.

“Someone must have tipped him off.” Din says, gripping your arm. “Get back to the Crest. Comm me when you get there.”

You want to argue, but you know you’ll only be a liability in this fight. You can’t fight. You’re a decent shot, but that won’t do much good here.

“Go.” Din almost commands, his alpha creeping into the edges of his voice.

You have no choice but to turn, making your way down the alley. You keep your pace quick, but you don't run, not wanting to draw attention to yourself. The last thing you needed to do was draw attention, causing more trouble than Din probably was.

The sound of blaster fire has your pace stuttering a bit. Those still on the street look around, looking for the source.

Things like this don’t happen here.

Din had told you that when he’d said you could come with him. This was a decent place, where fights didn’t break out constantly on the street. Perfect cover for someone looking to hide something dark.

You pick up your pace even more, trying to calm your breathing. The quicker you could get back to the ship, the sooner you could relax. You could comm Din, hear his voice, make sure he’s alright. You trust him and his abilities, but five against one...those weren’t exactly favorable odds. He’d been in worse situations, though. He’d told you a bit about his adventures before he’d met you. He’d made it with worse odds.

Maybe they should go back to Tatooine. Maybe this was a bad idea.

You turn a street corner, picking up your pace even more as you see the spaceport in front of you. You’ve given up calming your breathing, feeling something tickling in the back of your mind. There had only been five that came out of the cantina. Where was the other one?

You stop dead in your tracks as you approach the Crest. Leaning against the side of the ship is a light-haired man. He’s leaning casually, like he was waiting for someone to arrive. Your stomach clenches, your breath catching in your throat. Your hand slowly lifts, reaching for your blaster.

“This isn’t what I was expecting.” He says, tilting his head at you. “When the bartender tipped us off that a Mandalorian was looking for us, I didn’t expect it to be because of this.” He looks you over, making your skin crawl. “You probably don’t remember much. You were drugged out of your mind, but I remember you. You’ve grown up since then.”

He pushes himself away from the Crest, taking a couple steps towards you. Your hand is on your blaster, ready to draw it, but you can’t seem to.

“Still a scared little omega.” He says, the title coming from him making you shudder in disgust. It feels wrong, hearing someone like him say it.

Run.

Your brain is screaming it. You can’t fight, you can’t even get your hand to draw your blaster. Running was what omegas did. It was their first defense. You’re in an open space. You can get back to the exit quickly. There’s people on the streets, crowds you could hide in. Wait until Din found you or found the man.

You turn, ready to run. He’s faster than you are, your back slamming against the side of the ship as he grips your chin in his hand. He leans into you, his breath washing over your face. You’re starting to panic a bit. You feel trapped, stuck.

Your hands close around his wrist, fingers trying to dig into his skin. “Let go.” You’re panicking, feeling closed in as his other hand rests on the ship beside your head. “Let go!” You yell, struggling against him, but he doesn’t let up.

Suddenly you're not in the spaceport anymore. You're not staring at a stranger. You know him. You remember him. You can see him, you can see all of them. The faces of every man who had hurt you, every one of them that had taken advantage of you. You can remember every single one of them, all of them flashing through your mind.

A sudden, strange calm feeling begins to wash over you, your panic abating. You feel warm and light, almost like you're watching everything unfold from outside your body. It feels good. You feel safe.

It surprises both of them when you rear back, driving both of your feet into his chest. It’s a strong enough hit to have him stumbling back. You drop on your side on the hard ground, but it doesn’t seem to phase you. You're on your feet almost instantly, rushing at him. He doesn't have time to block you or move, your shoulder driving right into his stomach. He grunts, hitting the ground hard.

He barely has time to roll away from your elbow as it drops, aimed for his neck. You grab a handful of his hair, yanking him back onto his back. He yells out, hands scrambling for his blaster, but you're faster. You're on top of him, a blaster pointed right at his face. He doesn't have time to react, can’t even get a word out before you fire.

Your name draws your attention away from the man. You lift the blaster at the approaching figure, firing. It takes him by surprise, bouncing off his helmet.

“Stop!” He calls out, but you fire again. He’s ready this time, dodging it.

He rushes you, doing the only thing he can think of. He tackles you to the ground, your back hitting the ground hard, but he doesn’t have time to think about that. He wraps his arms around you, trying to keep you still.

“Stop.” He says, putting as much of his alpha in his voice as he can. “Enough.”

Your fighting stills, your body shuddering before going lax in his arms. Your head falls back, baring your throat to him in submission. He hates himself as he watches you, removing his hand from the back of your neck.

Boba had been right. Your omega is strong. Strong and out of control.

He gently strokes the back of your head as you whimper quietly, nuzzling against him, trying to reach his neck. “It’s alright.” He soothes you, trying to push as much of his scent forward as he can. He hates doing it, but he had seen the intensity of your gaze when you’d looked at him. There was no one there but your omega. Nothing but pure instinct driving you forward.

He wishes he knew more about omegas. More about how to help you.

There still are some who could help.

He pushes the thought from his head. It would be a risk. He knows he’ll have to face it eventually, but he doesn’t want to do that to you. Not right now, when you were in such a delicate space.

He stands, holding you in his arms. The sun is setting, painting the sky above them a bright orange. You're limp, riding the wave of calm he had forced into you. He ignores the body behind him, carrying you into the ship, closing the ramp behind him.

He lays you in the makeshift nest, wrapping you in his cloak. You reach for him as he pulls away, mumbling incoherently. “I’ll be right back.” He says, squeezing your shoulder gently. He climbs up to the cockpit, not letting his shoulders relax until they’re in hyperspace.

He climbs back down to the hull, stripping off his armor. He tries not to think about all the things that had gone through his head when you didn’t comm him. He had been terrified, thinking maybe you had been taken again, or worse. He feels sick to his stomach at the thought. He strips out of his flight suit, crawling into the nest beside you, wrapping his arms around you.

****

“I saw them. I saw all of them.”

Din wakes abruptly, disoriented. He didn’t remember falling asleep. He hadn’t meant to. The spot next to him is vacant, but still warm. The blanket is still tossed over him, but his cloak is missing.

“I remember their faces.”

His gaze is drawn down towards his feet, towards the end of the nest. You're sitting there, wrapped in his cloak. The faint blue of a holoprojector is lighting the hull of the crest.

“How many have you found?” Boba’s gruff voice reaches his ears.

“Just the two.” You say, sniffling. “I killed him.”

“He would have killed you just as quickly. Or worse.”

You sniffle again. “I shot him.”

“You did what you had to. You’ve saved a lot of lives by doing it. People always get what they deserve eventually. Sometimes it’s a blaster bolt to the head. You did good, ad’ika. Let me know when you get where you’re going next.”

You nod. “Okay.”

Your shoulders slump a bit as the blue glow of the holoprojector disappears. You set it down with a clank on the metal floor, letting out a shaky breath.

“It’s quite a feat, you know,” He says quietly.

You turn to face him, red rimmed eyes meeting his. “What?”

“When I started bounty hunting, I heard stories about the famed hunter Boba Fett. How ruthless and bloodthirsty he was. How sometimes his quarries would turn themselves in to avoid having a run in with him. Yet here you are, just a little omega, turning him soft.”

You scoff. “I don’t think he’s going soft. I think he’s just getting old.”

Din wraps an arm around your waist, tugging you back so you're lying next to him. “We’re close in age, you know.”

You poke his cheek. “Then that means you’re old too.”

He playfully grumbles, wrapping his arms around you. You settle into his hold, nuzzling your face into his neck. He rubs your back gently, tilting his head back a bit to allow you to scent him.

“Are you okay?” He asks, not wanting to bring up anything that you might not be ready to talk about yet, but he needs to ask.

Your body stills, a shaky breath fanning across the skin of his throat. “I saw them. I saw all of them. Somehow...somehow I remember...”

He tightens his hold around you. “I’m sorry you had to do that. I didn’t think...somehow he found out.”

“The bartender at the cantina tipped him off.” You say. “Found out somehow.” You press closer to him. “What if they all know? What if someone’s told them?”

“That’s a risk we have to take.” He says. “They do have connections, or at least they all did at one point. Eventually they’re going to start taking notice.”

You are quiet for a moment, so quiet he thinks you’ve fallen asleep. Your breaths are steady against his skin, your own skin warm where it’s pressed against him. “Would you really go back?”

He hums, pressing his face against your hair.

“To Tatooine?”

“All you have to do is ask.” He murmurs against the top of your head.

You should ask. You know it. You should stop this now, before it really gets dangerous. Still, there's something in the back of your mind, something telling you to keep going. Something telling you to wipe them all out, once and for all.

Taglist:

@donttamethebeasts, @unicorntrooper, @spacecluster, @hugmedin, @hungrhay, @fic-for-readers

#star wars #star wars fic #the mandalorian #the mandalorian fic #din djarin x reader #din x reader #mando x reader #mandalorian x reader

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