#I simp for henley

[ficsilike-reblogged]

Invisible Smoke - Four

Summary: There is something going on with Jake’s favorite mechanic. And he doesn’t run.

Pairing: Jake “Hangman” Seresin/F!Reader (No Y/N)

Word Count: 10.9k

ABSOLUTELY NO MINORS ALLOWED

A/N: I do not keep a tag list!! Life is still weird but thank you all for sticking with this little story of mine. I really appreciate all the kind words you sent on the last chapter. Only one more chapter to go!

Warnings: Naval inaccuracies, stalking, bodily injury, domestic abuse, and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Also, Jake is a (stubborn) simp.

Someone had slashed your tires.

Well, you shouldn’t say someone. You knew who had done it. It didn’t exactly take a doctorate to read the context clues—but you were pretty sure your insurance would drop you if you put in another claim, so you begrudgingly prepared to pay the hefty towing fee to the nearest tire shop and fork over even more cash for four new tires. This was one of the few times you wished your little bungalow actually had a garage. And god, you were so tired of this. So tired of the mind games he thought he was playing with you. He thought he was clever. But it was all just so repetitive. You had half a mind to just wait, out in the open, to let him do what he wanted just so it would be over.

It had only been two days since the dog fight football game and the following get together at the Hard Deck. Two days since you caught Jake’s eye at the water’s edge and felt your entire chest twist. He knew now. He knew what you were hiding.

You hadn’t been able to read the look in his eyes but Bradley had taken you aside before you slipped away for the night and basically told you that Jake, for better or for worse, was wanting and willing to help. “Give him a chance, Punch. Don’t you think he deserves that, at least? And you deserve to be happy.”

“When did you become a fortune cookie, Bradley?”

But you wanted to believe him. You did.

But Luke had made you glaringly aware that you weren’t really capable of having a relationship aside from a handful of hours with someone who’d forget your name by morning. You had expected to feel some sort of relief in knowing that Jake hadn’t wanted to wash his hands of you after learning about Luke, but all it did was make you feel like you were painting an even larger target on Jake’s back. He really did want to play hero, didn’t he?

You pushed the thought away as you texted Natasha, telling her you’d be late for brunch and she was quick to tell you not to worry about the tow, she’d send one of the boys to get you to the tire shop. You were expecting Bob and his reliable GMC; he’d been invited to brunch as well anyway.

But a familiar Ford F-250 pulled up instead and Jake stepped out of the cab, looking like a GQ model in a tight Henley and jeans that hugged his thighs a little too well to be fair. He looked at your car and your destroyed tires for just a moment before turning his gaze to you. Your heart gave an answering leap but you tried to not let it show and rolled your shoulders back as he took wide strides toward you.

“Did he do anything else? Did you check your windows-”

“You shouldn’t be here.” The words tumbled out of your mouth before you could even pretend to think of a more polite greeting.

Jake arched an eyebrow before setting his hands on his hips. “Well, that’s just too damn bad, Punch. I am here and I’m not leaving until you tell me what's going on. Now, did anything else happen?”

You wanted to send him away. Wanted to keep him safe. But he was here. He was here and looking at you with those stupidly beautiful green eyes. “It’s just the tires,” you muttered, giving in. At least in this regard. You could handle everything else later.

Jake’s mouth set in a thin line before he moved to look at your tires again. He dug at one of the tears, the edge of his finger easily passing through the ruined rubber. “Jesus.”

Perhaps you should have been surprised when he turned back to the bed of his truck and pulled out a tire and then another and another until four new tires were stacked neatly beside your car. But you had a feeling Jake would always be three steps ahead of you. Infuriating.

“Please tell me you didn’t buy me new tires.”

“All right. I won’t tell you that.”

“Seresin, you can’t be serious. Tell me how much I owe you.”

Jake leaned forward just enough to steal the keys from your hands and popped open your trunk before handing them back. “I don’t want your money.”

“Well, that’s too fucking bad,” you retorted as you followed him to the back of your car. “Tires are expensive! I can afford it. Just let me pay you! You’re already saving me money by not making me take a tow truck. And I might actually make it to brunch on time because of you, too. If you don’t give me an amount, I’ll have to guess.”

Jake moved the mat in your trunk and found your jack and tire iron and then gently grasped your hand that you’d set on the lip of your trunk and moved it before closing it. He then tugged you closer with that damn dimpled smirk and stared down at you with his stupid green eyes. “I’m not taking your money.”

“I will shove money into your pockets at the most inopportune moments and ruin every conquest you set your eyes on.”

But the threat fell flat as Jake’s smirk widened. “So, you’re planning on sticking your hands down my pants…repeatedly?”

Heat washed over you in an angry wave and you pulled your hands out from under his with a grimace instead of a snarl. “Only you would say something like that.”

His smirk continued as he stepped back and set the jack beneath your car and started to twist. “I’m not taking your money.”

“I’m paying for your drinks at the Hard Deck forever.”

“No.”

As he twisted the jack, your eyes were drawn (inevitably) to how his sleeves strained with his moving muscles. That shirt was fighting for its life and you were ogling him like a piece of meat (again). This whole situation was ridiculous! The man who’d tried to kill you twice had slashed your tires and you were flirting (possibly, maybe) with Jake like you didn’t have a care in the world. All of this was wrong. And incredibly stupid.

“Whatever. I’ll do what I want,” you lamely replied, hoping it sounded stronger than it felt.

“I’m sure you will, Punch.” Each word was dripping with something you couldn’t and wouldn’t name and you hated that Jake was able to easily have you smiling when he was there to fix a problem you created.

The tires were changed out within an hour and you invited Jake inside for a glass of water and asked if he wanted to tag along to brunch, it was the last you could do, right?

“I wouldn’t want to intrude-”

“You’re not intruding. Bob’ll be there, too.” The brunch had been an impromptu plan anyway, cobbled together while you’d worked on Natasha and Bob’s jet and listened to Maverick and Cyclone berate the Top Gun students who had started another fight on the tarmac (apparently having learned nothing from the dog fight football games). You’d just been happy your pilots hadn’t been caught in the crossfire this time.

Jake looked at you over his half-finished glass of water and you had to keep yourself from shrinking away from his gaze. His glass clinked against the linoleum as he finished and you tried not to notice how he licked his lips free of the last few droplets of water. “So?” You pushed out, trying to keep your voice level. “Wanna come along?”

Jake’s silence turned at something in your stomach and Bradley’s not-at-all true observation was echoing at the back of your mind before Jake’s smirk returned. “You’re going to try to pay for brunch, aren’t you?”

You hadn’t even thought about it but… “Well, I invited you, so-”

“No.”

You groaned, snatching the glass from him and setting it in your dishwasher as Jake chuckled behind you. “You’re being a child.”

Jake rounded the corner, pushing further into the kitchen behind you, and crossed his arms over his chest (and no you weren’t looking at his arms again). “Why won’t you let me do anything nice for you?”

You frowned and matched his stance and crossed your arms, too. “I let you do nice things. You came with me to Junior’s party with me.”

“After you drove me there and tried to have me take credit for your gift and you introduced me to that group of brass to help me with my career.”

“That was a coincidence.”

“But you still did it.” He stepped closer and you hated that it was instinctual to take a step back, too. “Want to tell me why everything I do for you has to be reciprocal?”

That wasn’t the question you were expecting and your fingernails dug into the meat of your arm as you tried to keep your face neutral. “There’s give and take to everything. And I… You should just let me pay you.”

“I’m not gonna let you pay me, Punch. And you’re going to learn that not everything is a give and take. Who taught you that, anyway?”

God. You hated this. You hated these questions and the soft look in his eyes. “Does it matter?”

“Of course it matters,” Jake scoffed.

“Why?”

You could see Jake’s jaw clench, tendons working and tightening. But as quickly as it started, it stopped. He just shook his head and the tense silence in the kitchen continued to stretch until it was finally broken by Jake’s next question. “Are we ever going to talk about it?”

And you knew what he was asking. And you wanted to hate that he was connecting dots that you had tried to erase. “What is there to say? You know everything now.”

“I heard it from Rooster, not you. It is your story, Punch.”

“Rooster knows it just as well as I do, I think,” you muttered with a shrug, trying not to shrink away from him. “What else is there for you to know?”

Jake stepped forward, enveloping you in the scent of his expensive cologne and tinge of jet fuel that seemed to cling to him as he closed the distance to stand at your side and brush his arm against yours. “I want to know everything. Haven’t I told you that?”

You gnawed at your lip for a moment before stepping away from the counter. “I don’t know what you want me to say. Luke was an asshole then and he’s an asshole now. I should’ve seen the signs, I get that. I do. But he was so good when he wanted to be. And after being an afterthought for most of my life, it was nice to pretend that someone was choosing me.” This was just pathetic. Stop talking. Stop talking. If he hadn’t thought of washing his hands of you before, he was surely doing it now.

“What do you mean you were an afterthought?”

You rolled your shoulders and turned just enough to look at him before glancing at the little clock above your oven. “Doesn’t matter now. But, if we leave in the next five minutes, we’ll probably beat Natasha and Bob to brunch. So, are you coming?”

**

The ride was mostly quiet on the way to the restaurant Phoenix had picked overlooking the water. But Jake knew you were thinking about telling him something else as you sat in his passenger seat, watching the road pass your window. So, he just told himself to be patient. Again. It was a bright spot to finally know what you looked like in his truck. God knows he’s imagined it more than he’d like to admit, like some lovesick teenager.

You were picking at your cuticles without taking your eyes off the passing scenery. Jake had never seen you nervous, not like this. Even when the Daggers had to ship out for a short deployment and you had to watch them all take off from the carrier, you didn’t act like this. He watched you lean forward just a bit and your eyes narrowed and then it clicked. You weren’t watching the world go by—you were keeping an eye on the cars following the truck in the side view mirror. You were making sure Luke wouldn’t try to run you off the road again.

Jake looked in the rear view mirror and saw sedans, coupes, and a handful of SUVs, and a smaller number of trucks. But not a single black charger. It was clear for now. But you still picked at your cuticles and didn’t peel your eyes from the window.

Jake reached out and set a hand over yours, stilling your picking. You jumped under the touch and Jake curled his fingers over yours a little tighter, trying to anchor you to something else a little less destructive. “We’re okay, Punch, all right?”

You looked at him and Jake hated that he had to look at the road for safety purposes when you searched his face for something. “For now,” you said in return, once again turning to look out at the cars.

Jake squeezed your hand again and didn’t let go even as you muttered the next handful of directions to the restaurant. He awkwardly shifted into park and took the keys out of the ignition after finding a spot in the steadily filling lot. Your shoulders were slumped as you turned back to him, face unreadable except for the pinch between your brows that he wanted to smooth with a brush of his thumb.

(Maybe one day.)

“All right. We’re gonna go in there, eat our weight in overpriced waffles and then I’m going to take you home and double check your windows and locks. Okay?”

Your eyes swept up to look up at him and Jake felt that familiar warmth starting to unfurl in his chest. Your thumb swept over his knuckles but he wasn’t sure if you were aware you were even doing it. “I can’t afford to buy you your weight in waffles.”

Jake barked out a laugh and shook his head. “You’re not going to buy me brunch. Stop trying.” He had to bite back the pleased smile he felt growing when he heard your gasp after he raised your joined hands and pressed a kiss to your fingers.

“You are ridiculous.” Your voice was tight as it wheedled out from between your lips before you (slowly) pulled your hand from his and reached for the door handle. “C’mon. We need to get on the list.”

The air was tinged with the scent of sea salt and syrup as he followed you into the glass and metal building, already teeming with people. You were quick to give your name and group size to the hostess who said it would probably be a fifteen minute wait. Just as you turned to grab one of the oddly shaped bar stools near the door to it for your name to be called, Phoenix was striding in, too. She pushed her sunglasses up her hair before sweeping you into a hug with a loud kiss to your cheek. “I knew you’d beat me here.” Then her dark eyes dragged to Jake as he stood behind you. “Hangman. What’re you doing here?”

“He drove me,” you said. “I figured it would be fine.”

“Of course it is,” Phoenix said, waving it away but Jake knew the gleam in her eyes. She wasn’t quite finished. “You two arrived together?” She asked, eyes bouncing between you and Jake.

“Ken fixed my tires. Figured I could treat him to brunch as a thank you.”

Jake had to groan at that, knocking his hand into your hip and earring a halfhearted swat at his arm in retaliation. “I told you, you’re not paying for me.”

Phoenix hummed and anchored her gaze on Jake and he fought the urge to stand a little straighter. “Yeah. That was awful nice of him. When you told me that the neighbor kid slashed your tires, I thought Hangman would be a gentleman and drive you to the tire shop. Not fix them himself.”

Neighbor kid. You had lied to Phoenix? Granted, her text had just said that your tires had been slashed and that you’d needed help—it wasn’t exactly filled with details. Jake had assumed that she had known. But that didn’t matter now and he plastered his well-used smirk on his face. “Well, I’m a-”

“Don’t stroke your own ego, Bagman.” She then glanced at something over his shoulder and smiled. “Bob just got here. Bob!” She threw up a hand to grab the WSO’s attention and he jogged toward the group when he spotted her. He nearly collided with a waitress and they both apologized—profusely—before going their separate ways. By the time Bob reached their little group, his face was a vibrant and familiar shade of red.

“Nearly swept that pretty girl off her feet, Baby on Board.” Jake braced for the hit he knew was coming and winced when Phoenix’s fist collided with his arm.

The group was seated soon after and Jake had to bite back a grumble when Bob was the one to pull out your chair for you when you reached the table. When Jake went to do the same to Phoenix, she hit him again.

Bob was nearly the shade of a strawberry when he realized the woman he’d nearly bowled over would be your waitress and nearly dropped his silverware roll when he noticed her striding over to the table. Food was ordered—both you and Jake ordered waffles while Phoenix wanted to try the brioche French toast and Bob wanted eggs Benedict with steak—and mimosas (and pineapple juice for Bob) were poured as Phoenix regaled the table with her run-in with a guy at the gym on base. The Ensign hadn’t realized Phoenix a) outranked him and b) wasn’t interested in bulging muscles and whatever the younger man could(n’t) provide. The interaction ended when Phoenix “politely” challenged him to a friendly competition to see who could handle more weight while doing hip thrusters. Phoenix started out with thirty pounds more than him and he called her a dyke so she had him barred from the gym and probably had a meeting with his commanding officers on Monday, too.

You giggled and tipped your mimosa flute into Phoenix’s before you both took a sip. It was good to see you smile like that.

The waitress came by a few minutes later with the food and she was quick to divvy up the plates but Jake watched her make sure Bob’s was the last plate and she stood at his side and carefully set it down, making sure to bend down just enough to brush against his arm. “Careful, the plate is hot,” she practically purred.

(Phoenix quickly had Jake’s laugh turning into a poorly disguised cough when she sent him a look across the table.)

“I’ll be careful. I can handle it.”

Then the waitress actually giggled and stood straight, setting her hand on Bob’s shoulder for just a moment. “I’m sure you can. Let me know if you need anything else, okay?” She then turned and walked away with an exaggerated sway in her hips which Bob completely missed because he was busy unrolling his silverware.

The group watched him as he carefully cut into his meal and shoved a bite between his lips. He went to take another when he noticed the stares. “What?”

“Robert,” you started, voice strained to avoid a giggle. “She was flirting with you.”

His fork froze before it reached his mouth.”No, she wasn’t. She told me the plate was hot.”

Phoenix reached over and patted her back seater’s shoulder. “Oh, Bob.”

The other man’s blush returned and he shoved the bite between his lips. “How is telling me that the plate is hot flirting?”

Jake shook his head and fought a smile of his own. “Listen, do you like her?”

Bob chanced a glance at the waitress at the hostess booth and immediately ducked his head when she caught him and wagged her fingers at him with a wink. “She’s beautiful.”

“But?” Jake prodded, hearing a slight hesitation. He had always been good at reading people (you were an exception), and Jake had played therapist to a handful of the Daggers since he proved he could be someone other than Hangman. He wanted Bob to be happy.

“But I don’t know. She looks like she’d eat me alive.” He fiddled with his fork. “Can we talk about something else?”

Jake was the one who shifted the conversation to the insufferable group of Top Gun pilots that would thankfully be leaving soon enough. A friendly bet was placed on who everyone thought would actually get the trophy and Jake tried not to smile too much when Bob knocked his foot into his as a quiet thank you and you, seemingly unaware of Bob’s quiet gratitude, set your hand over Jake’s arm for a moment in your own show of appreciation. As soon as it happened, it was gone again.

That was okay. Jake was determined to have it happen again.

Brunch continued on and finished after another round of drinks and splitting a funnel cake that the waitress insisted they try. Jake was sure the woman pouted after not receiving Bob’s phone number when he signed his check but he wouldn’t mention it. Jake liked this strange bit of normalcy. With you. He even if both Bob and Phoenix made vague threats against his life if he hurt you. Jake was determined to have more of these moments with you. Even if you grumbled about Jake hustling to get to the truck before you so he could open your door.

The tension in the cab on the way to brunch was absent now and Jake didn’t even care when you teased him about his choice in radio stations—calling him a cliche for listening to early Tim McGraw. But you said it with a laugh and Jake had to laugh, too. He liked that it was you who brought up Bob and his interactions with the waitress.

“I want Bob to be happy. And he’s mentioned once or twice that he’d like to have a family.”

Jake thought for a moment before the perfect person popped into his thoughts. “I know a girl.”

“No, you don’t. I don’t trust your taste in women.”

And Jake had to laugh at that. Had to. You were his taste in women. But the person he had in mind for Bob would be perfect. “She’s a CPA. Wears glasses. And she only drinks ginger ale despite helping Penny with the Hard Deck’s taxes. And she’s the only person outside of Texas that I trust with my tax return.”

Your face scrunched and Jake knew you were thinking it over. “Just because they both wear glasses and have an affinity for Seagram’s doesn’t mean they’d be a good match.”

“Just trust me. It might take a minute to get her to look him in the eye-”

“She’s shy?”

“So shy. It’s adorable. And just what Baby on Board needs.”

You scowled at him but he knew you didn’t really mean it when you knocked your shoulder into his over the center console a moment later. He eventually pulled into your driveway and threw the truck into park before turning to you but you were scrambling out of your seat and up to your front door before he could even get a word in edgewise.

Oh.

Jake wasn’t sure if he’d ever been rejected as soundly as that before. But then he saw you waving him forward from your front stoop and Jake nearly clocked himself in the face with the seatbelt buckle as he hurried to follow you inside. He shut your door behind him, engaging just two out of the five locks as you hurried toward something just down the hall.

“Punch?”

“Just a moment!” You yelled in return.

Jake resisted the urge to settle on the couch again, like he’d done weeks ago. Everything seemed different now. You weren’t trying to push him away and he could hear you shuffling something in the other room and he was suddenly struck with a daydream of coming home to you, waiting for you to notice his presence and smiling when you saw him. “You’re home!” As soon as the vision came, it was gone, and Jake shook himself a little as if that would help him forget what he’d conjured up. What he’d wanted since the moment you first called him Ken, even if he never admitted it out loud.

You walked back into the living room and slapped something down onto the small table you had lining the back of your couch.

“Whatcha got there, Punch?”

Your answering smile was all teeth, like a cat who got the cream and Jake saw that it was a fifty dollar bill as it peeked from between your fingers. “Well, I added up how many miles it is from base, to my house, to the restaurant, then back to my house and then guessed on how many miles you get per gallon. And, you use premium gas, right? Either way, this should be enough for gas, but if you use diesel, this should cover it.” You slapped another fifty atop the first after pulling it from your back pocket.

Jake looked at the stack of cash and then back at you before he sighed, a long put-upon sigh that he knew was obnoxious but it was worth it when he heard you try to stifle a laugh. God. You were relentless.

“First, I don’t know how to break this to you, but you’re awful at math. Like, so bad.”

“Hey!”

“And second, I’m still not taking your money.”

“You’re being stubborn.”

“I’m being a friend, Punch. Friends drive each other around and help them when they need it. And I’m willing to bet-“

“I’ll take that bet.”

Jake continued on, ignoring you, “-that you wouldn’t expect to be paid back if our places were switched.”

You pulled your lips into your mouth for a moment and drummed your fingers against the money. “I lost that bet. Guess you’ll have to take the money.”

Jake groaned but he could feel a laugh starting to bubble in his chest. “You’re impossible.”

**

It was too soon to call this a victory, but you were sure you were closing in on one. He would take the money and then you could pretend to feel fine about everything he’d done for you. Sure.

“Actually, I have something you could do if you’re so hellbent on paying me back.” Before you could ask what he meant, he was unlocking your door and jogging out to his truck and pulling something out, tucking it behind his back as he returned. “Can you sign this for me?”

Then he dropped a purple book in your hand and your stomach dropped to your feet as you looked at the gold lettering across the cover. “You snooped!” You said, too embarrassed to be angry. You held the book up to your chest as if that would guard you from his knowing look or the embarrassment starting to churn your stomach.

“You knew I would! Why’re you surprised?” His smile was back and he took a step toward you. You took a responding step back until he was crowding you against your bookshelf, hands landing on the shelves on either side of your shoulders. And it could have been a threatening stance, an unnerving cage, but all you felt was safe. Safe as he blotted out the rest of the world and it was just you and him and your books in the quiet of your home.

You should not feel like this, you knew that. It was stupid and dangerous and you couldn’t stop it. What had happened to your resolve that you had just yesterday for keeping him at arm's length?

Your fingers drummed against the paperback and you hurriedly flipped it open when your eyes tracked down to his mouth. Oh. “Should I sign it ‘To Ken?’ Or-”

“Could you actually sign it for my sister Mia? She reads your books in her book club.”

“Oh.” Was all you could say. That was…that was actually really nice to know. You knew people read your books; Danny had framed a newspaper clipping showing your second book reaching a top ten spot one of the Best Sellers lists and had gifted it to you for your last birthday. They were mildly popular, you knew that. But to actually be confronted with the fact that someone you vaguely knew was reading your books was something else. You reached back and grabbed one of the pens you kept in a cup on the shelf. “Mia? She’s your oldest sister, right?” A quick glance up at Jake had your heart twisting. His look was too soft. Too happy.

“Yeah, Punch. That’s her.”

You took the time to write your pseudonym with extra flair and then added a heart next to Mia’s name, too. “Is this for her birthday or anything?”

“She’s…” Jake paused for a moment. “She’s just going through a rough patch right now. Your books make her smile.”

The pen stalled on the page for just a moment before you shoved at his chest to get him to back up just enough to grab at your ARC for your newest book and quickly scrawled, Wishing you expensive champagne and good memories! Happy reading! You then signed your name again and added a half dozen hearts next to Mia’s name at the top of the page. You slapped both books against Jake’s chest with a frown. “That book hasn’t been released yet, so I may get in a bit of trouble with my publisher if she tells anyone.”

Jake’s hands covered yours on the books and the toe of his shoe knocked into your socked feet as he moved closer, dragging your attention back to his stupidly handsome face again. “She won’t tell anyone but I know I’ll probably get an earful about how I got them.” His thumbs brushed against your knuckles and you would swear that you could feel it behind your ribs. “Where’d you get that name anyway?”

You almost snorted at the way he phrased that question, like you found it on the side of a cereal box. “My parents were obsessed with Stephen King—they actually met at a book club specifically for King’s books. My sister, Georgie, was named after the kid who got their arm ripped off at the beginning of It. And my brother, Danny, is named after the kid in The Shining, Danny Torrance.”

“And you? I don’t think I’ve read your name in his books.”

It was a fair enough question. King had dozens of books and Jake didn’t seem like the type to clamor for the newest release. “I was named by my grandparents after they discovered the reasoning behind my sister’s name. If my parents wanted to stay in the will, I had to have a name they picked. Of course, when my brother was born, my parents picked something a little more innocuous so they wouldn’t rock the boat again. But, anyway, to actually answer your question; I took my siblings’ names as a sort of thank you to them. Georgie became Georgia and I took Danny’s literary counterpart’s last name. And Georgia Torrance was born. I wrote most of my books when I had downtime on deployments. I took a chance and sent it off to an agent and I got a nice contract with a moderately respectable publishing house. It isn’t Stephen King money by any means, but I can upgrade my plane ticket to Business Class if I wanted to once or twice a year.”

“Your parents must’ve gotten a kick out of that.”

You tried to fight the sigh you felt growing in your throat but lost. You also lost the wherewithal to keep a single secret from him. “I don’t know. I don’t really talk to them.”

“What?”

“After Danny got sick, all of their attention was on him, which I understand. I do. But I was still just a kid who needed her parents every once in a while. But it was like I ceased to exist to them until they remembered I could help with the hospital bills. Georgie was already out of the house and getting her degree and would call but it wasn’t the same. I kinda gave up on having a relationship with my parents after they forgot about my rowing meet and I waited to be picked up for three hours before eventually just walking home.”

“Punch-”

And once you started, you couldn’t stop, like a can of pop shaken and bursting. “Danny was hooked up to like six different machines and was high off his ass and he apologized for all the…all the bullshit. I told him it was unnecessary. He was sick. I’m just happy he’s healthy again.”

God. You really knew how to ruin every moment, didn’t you?

Jake set the books on the shelf just beside your shoulder but was quick to lean over you again and you hated how Jake really was a certifiable blueprint for a romantic literary hero. You could write a single description of him in your next book and you’d know it would skyrocket to the top of the Best Sellers lists but you had been actively avoiding trying to piece together a story from your life. And, as if he knew you were debating something, the bastard actually propped his other arm up on the bookcase and leaned over you. Oh god. He was doing the lean and was going to ask you something about your fucked up childhood.

Shit.

Alarm bells were ringing in your head, letting you know that this moment could be disastrous. So, you decided to not let it go on any longer. “Jesus. Sorry. I really know how to kill a good time, huh? I think I’ve taken up quite enough of your time for the day. Let me know what Mia thinks of the books, okay?”

You ducked beneath his arm, intent on leading him to the door, but Jake grasped your hand and pulled you to a stop. “No, c’mon, Punch. Don’t do that again. Don’t shut me out. I’m happy you feel like you can tell me stuff like that, that you’re comfortable enough to trust me with that. Don’t pull away again. Not from me.”

You knew that if you looked at him right now, his green eyes would be wide and pleading. So, you just didn’t look. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do right now. I don’t know why you’re doing this, Jake.”

“Doing what?” He asked softly, as softly as his hand on yours.

“Buying me tires? Driving me around? Being…being this fucking nice to me all the time when I’ve only been a dick to you?” You asked as you felt your chin wobble. “Why?”

Jake was quiet for a moment. Just a moment. “You know why.”

“No! No, I don’t because…” You couldn’t finish the sentence because then it was real, it would be real and you didn’t know how to deal with that again. You looked up at him and tried to remember what you were protecting him from. Pulling your hand out of his, you set your hands on your hips. “Because you can’t.”

Jake’s shoulders rolled before his lips set in a thin line. “I do. And I know you feel the same.”

You scoffed and tried to ignore the warmth in your chest that he was right. He felt the same. Wouldn’t that just be the worst? “You really think that highly of yourself? You’re so sure that I-”

Jake leaned closer and the rest of your argument stalled. You could smell the mint on his breath from the stupid toothpick he was chewing on in the truck just beneath the warmth of his cologne. God. He was intoxicating. You almost hated him for a moment because every ounce of fight you had drained out of you. “Ken.”

“Tell me to stop and I will.” He moved closer. Closer. Closer.

His warm hand skirted up your arm until it settled against the gentle arc of muscle between your neck and shoulder and the other settled on your hip. You could feel each of his fingers pressing into your skin like a brand. Every breath he took brushed against your mouth and you licked your lips without a thought as he leaned even closer.

“Last chance.” You could feel his smile against your mouth, growing with each syllable.

And you had to smile. Had to because he was your Ken and this felt inevitable. Jake was inevitable. “Do your worst.”

He kissed you and it was instantly all consuming. Surely, he could feel your smile, too. You actually laughed against his mouth as your hands pressed against his chest. Jake pulled back just enough for you to see his smile before he kissed you again, catching your bottom lip between his and tugging to have you gasping. His stupid, perfect teeth nipped at the skin and he was quick to soothe the sting with a flick of his tongue.

Then you were moving backward, guided by his gentle movements, until your spine went flat against the wall beside your bookshelves. The kiss was all smiling lips and searching tongues as Jake held you tight. Everything was warm and tinged with the mint on his tongue and Jake Jake Jake.

His thumb pressed into the hinge of your jaw and he sighed against your panting mouth. “So fucking good.” His voice was hoarse and you could feel it curling in your stomach.

But your entire body seized when you felt his hand move to wrap around your throat as his mouth continued to work against yours. You couldn’t help it; you flinched. The kiss ended abruptly as you pulled back despite you not wanting it to end. But it couldn’t be helped. Not yet. You watched an array of emotions flash across Jake’s face before it settled on despair.

“Fuck.” The single syllable was wrenched from his throat as he took a step back and his hands fell back to his sides and left you cold. “Fuck, Punch, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking, I-”

“W-wait…I just…” How could you even phrase this without sounding unhinged? “I just need a moment.” Your next breath rattled in your lungs but you still reached for his hand and raised it again, moving it just enough for his fingers to encircle your throat once more. The roughened planes and angles of his hand had you shivering but you managed to drag your eyes up to his and tried to not show how nervous you actually felt. “It… you can, if you want. I’d actually prefer to have some good memories of something like this instead of-”

The rest of your rambling was cut off as his lips pressed against yours. The grip on your throat grew a little more insistent, a little heavier, but nothing stronger than just a simple weight, an anchor at your pulse. His other hand smoothed up your arm to curl over your cheek just as he pried your lips apart, delving into your mouth to steal the building whine from your throat.

Your heart hammered behind your ribs as you felt the warmth of Jake’s hand bleed through your shirt as his palm brushed the side of your chest. He moved forward and your legs instinctively parted to accommodate the thigh he was shoving between yours and your next breath caught in your throat when the denim brushed against the crux of your thighs.

“Fuck,” you hissed when Jake’s lips seared a path across your cheek and down your throat to bite at your thrumming pulse. You hadn’t even remembered when your hands had dropped to wrinkle his shirt again but you still pulled him closer as every nerve ending sparked. And then-

“Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeen!”

Immediately, you pulled away from Jake with a grimace as ABBA’s song continued to fill the air. “Oh Jesus, that’s Natasha’s ringtone. She never calls.” You ducked beneath his arm for the second time tonight and pulled your phone off its perch on the kitchen counter and answered it as you heard Jake sigh. Turning to look at him, you saw his head drop to his chest for a moment before standing straight again and following in your footsteps toward the kitchen.

“I asked Rooster out and I think he thinks it is just as a friends thing and I want to bash my head against the wall.” Tasha screeched, words running together in a rush. She continued on, explaining that somehow she and Bradley had been roped into helping Penny restock the Hard Deck before opening today and Natasha had (finally) acted on her (reciprocated) feelings after Rooster had been his usually flirty self the entire time and then dragged Natasha to the piano and made her sing along to Elton John’s Your Song. Jesus.

You looked over at Jake to see him looking at you with another soft look on his face and a bit of pink in his cheeks. “I’m sorry,” you mouthed to him.

He waved it away before stealing a quick kiss, too, that had your heart rate picking up again.

“Punch? You there?”

You pushed out a breath and shook your head as you pressed a hand to Jake’s chin, keeping him from doing it again. You could feel his self satisfied smirk against your fingers. “Yeah. I’m here. And, um, I don’t know. I think you’d be surprised with Bradley. He’s probably picking out his nicest Hawaiian shirt in preparation.”

Tasha groaned but you had to smile because Jake nipped at your fingers. “You think?”

“I do. It is gonna be great. I know it.”

She sighed, crackling the line, but eventually agreed. “He can’t be that oblivious right?” She asked, making you both laugh. “Also, don’t think I’m forgetting about you and Hangman coming to brunch together. We’re gonna talk on Monday.”

“You don’t forget anything, Tasha. I’m well aware.”

You eventually said your goodbyes after promising her you would talk to her on Monday and then dropped your phone on the counter again and your hand from Jake’s mouth.

“I never thought you’d be a tease.” His tone let you know he was joking but you also could have guessed with the smirk pushing at his mouth, too.

Your jaw dropped for a moment before an embarrassed giggle rippled out of you. “I said I was sorry! I was worried!” Biting your lip as you looked at him, you shook your head. “I didn’t mean to ruin the moment.”

“It was quite the moment, huh?” His smirk had fallen to a soft smile despite his self assured words.

“Yeah, it was.” You didn’t even want to tease him now but then a small voice whispered at the back of your mind that it wasn’t a moment to him. After all, who would want-

“Steak or seafood?” He asked, knocking the rest of your thoughts right out of your head.

“What?”

“I have a list of restaurants that I want to take you to, if you’re willing to let me pay and bring you flowers.” The usual bravado that bled through all of his words wavered now. Was he nervous?

“Sounds like you’re asking me out on a date, Ken.”

“I’m trying here, Punch. So? Steak or seafood.”

Hope and happiness were blooming and twisting and growing within the confines of your ribs now. He wanted to take you out on a date. “I’m allergic to shellfish,” was all you could say through your smile.

“Steak it is. I’ll update my list when I get home.” He reached out and swept his thumb across the slope of your cheek and you found yourself leaning into the touch a little more. Jake seemed content to just hold your face in his hand for a moment before he leaned forward to press a kiss to your temple. “I should go. I want to do this right with you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I want to wine and dine you, darlin’. Want to earn those lips of yours again,” he said as his thumb moved to press at the heated skin of your bottom lip. “You deserve it. And I want to be the one to give it to you.”

For just a moment, you worried that Jake would hear how hard your heart was beating. No one had ever said anything like that to you before. “Oh.”

This was different. Jake was different. You just had to give him permission to show you.

“I’d like that.”

He smiled and stepped back, hand dropping back to his side. “You’re a good friend to Phoenix, by the way. Bradshaw, too.”

You smiled again. “They’re good to me. All of you have been.” Slowly, you herded him toward the door, knowing he had a plan.

He stopped at the door, just after you undid the locks. “Does Phoenix know?”

You shook your head, knowing exactly what he was asking. “It’s hard enough to be taken seriously in the Navy as a woman. She had her own battles, Luke was mine. I always thought she was so strong and, for a while, I thought she’d just see me as weak if she knew what I’d put up with. But I know now that is an unfair thought. Tasha is and always has been one of my best friends and staunchest supporters. I should tell her, right? And maybe I will, after all of this is over. I don’t…I don’t want anyone else I care about to be wrapped up in this. I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me.” And you tried to ignore the sinking feeling that you had once again put Jake in Luke’s crosshairs.

But this time had to be different. It had to be.

Jake shook his head and cupped his hands at the back of your head before touching his forehead to yours. “We’re going to finish this, okay? We will.”

You nodded and smiled despite it all when he pressed another quick kiss to your forehead—it was like he couldn’t stop kissing you. And you weren’t about to complain. “Get home safe, Ken.”

You watched him get into his truck and waved as he pulled out and you knew he was telling you to lock your doors through the windshield. Your phone rang again just as he disappeared down the road and you knew by the way Jerry Lewis blared that it was now Bradley calling.

**

It had only been two days since Jake kissed you and had promised you a date. Two days and it was like the entirety of Top Gun was trying to keep you apart. You barely saw each other after he got roped into helping Captain Mitchell and Admiral Simpson into looking over the files of the next hopeful batch of aviators who could be called to San Diego. But it was fine. Sure. It wasn’t as if you could walk in holding his hand; you were still in the Navy and there were still protocols and rules you needed to follow. You had a feeling you and Jake would be breaking a lot of them.

You were kept busy with repairing Harvard’s jet after he managed to land safely after a bird strike. Your lunch breaks and evenings were spent talking to either Natasha or Bradley about their upcoming date-not-date while not revealing that you knew what the other was thinking. You did, however, mention to Bradley that Rueben and Mickey had started a betting pool about how long it would take Bradley to admit who he was in love with after Mickey spotted him with a pad of paper during lunch which was apparently filled with a speech about loving someone for years. You then spent the next hour workshopping the speech he was going to say to Natasha. It was beautiful and heartfelt and filled with analogies you tried to trim down (gently). He was still, annoyingly, assuming that their dinner on Wednesday was not a date in Natasha’s eyes but he was still going to try to confess his feelings and hope for the best.

You knew he’d be over the moon with how Natasha would react.

As Wednesday bled into Thursday, you were nearly dead on your feet but you’d been watching Natasha and Bradley all day, trying to decipher how their date had gone by their body language. You drove home that night without many answers but your phone rang just before you pulled down your street and quickly answered when Natsha’s name flashed on the screen.

“Hello?”

“He said he’s in love with me!”

“Hello, Tasha. How are you? I’ve had a great day. How was yours?”

“Oh, shut up!” She laughed. “I’m freaking out! He said he was in love with me—has been for years, apparently—and all I did was kiss him afterward. That’s not fair, right? I also need to have a speech. I can’t let him win this. I want to do a PowerPoint.” You had to mute your phone at that so she wouldn’t hear you snort. Everything was a competition. “Do you have that picture of me and him from Mav’s birthday last year?”

“I do,” you said, knowing exactly which one she was referencing. It was of Bradley and Natasha at the piano. Bradley had just led everyone through a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ for Mav and there was still a flush on his cheeks. Natasha was right next to him in a stunning blue dress and smiling at him. It was the picture you promised to yourself that you would show at their wedding. You rushed inside, pinning the phone between your ear and shoulder and hurriedly shut the door behind you before darting toward your bedroom without bothering to turn on any of the lights—you said you’d drop it off at her apartment as soon as you’d found it. You were going to be in and out. You flopped onto your stomach, overturning the small mountain of pillows you had at the headboard, before grabbing at the storage container beneath the bed frame. You hauled it up and onto the bed and flipped the lid. To your chagrin, your “filing” system was essentially nonexistent when it came to photos and you started to sift through them as Natasha continued to talk, telling you about the date she’d planned and laughing about how much Bradley had stumbled over his speech.

God, it was so nice just to hear her laugh. They were going to be happy together. You knew it.

A door opened and closed slowly in the distance—your neighbor must’ve finally sprayed his door with WD-40 because it didn’t creak. Good. It only took him three years. But your heart nearly stopped when you heard your neighbor’s door open a few seconds later and its distinctive creak filled the night air. Something thumped down the hall and your spine went rigidly straight, still holding the phone to your ear as blood roared in your ears. You hadn’t locked the door. You had been inside for less than five minutes and you hadn’t thought it was necessary–you would have been leaving again soon anyway.

But you should have taken the time. A careless, stupid mistake.

The noise came again and sat up on bed, spilling the pictures in your hold onto your blankets. “Punch?” Natasha asked, pulling your focus. “You still there?”

“I…I think there’s someone in my house,” you whispered. Every part of your body was telling you to run. Right now. But where could you? Your house had one door and the person was in your living room.

Natasha was quiet for just a moment before whispering, “I’m gonna call the cops, okay? You hide.”

“N-no,” you hissed. “Don’t hang up. Stay with me.”

“Okay. Okay. I’ll stay on the line with you, but-”

The line went dead with three terrible beeps and you wrenched the phone away from your ear to see ‘Call Lost - Try Again?’ written across the screen. No matter how many times you tried to call or text, nothing went through. The little icon at the top where you usually saw the lines denoting your network was now just a terrible X. The network was either down or whoever had come into your house had turned on a jammer. And you knew which was more plausible—but god, you had never wished for a network outage more.

Slowly, you slid off the bed and into the hall just as you heard the distinctive sound of a boot hitting the corner of your coffee table. Someone was in your house.

**

Mia had loved the books. Apparently her book club had ooh’d and ahh’d over the signed book but she had, as Jake knew she would, kept the copy of your newest book a secret but had rattled off her opinions to Jake. “And I can’t believe you know her!” She squawked on the other end of the line. It had been so good to hear the smile in his sister’s voice again. It was priceless. Jake had also evaded any questions as to who you were–it wasn’t his secret to tell–but he hoped that you’d be the one to tell Mia sooner rather than later.

It had been a good day. For the most part, anyway. He would have preferred to have had more than just a small smile and wave from you for the last few days, but he could be patient.

When Jake’s phone chirped with a new message, he’d expected something from Javy, keeping him up to date about the conversation he was hoping to have with his girlfriend’s father. The ring Jake had helped Javy pick out was burning a hole in his pocket and Jake hoped that his best friend would be able to plan a cool as fuck bachelor party and then make sure the whole wedding goes smoothly.

And maybe he could ask you to be his date. He could dance with you and make you smile and-

Any happy thought he had evaporated when he looked at his phone.

Someone broke into Punch’s house! I’m calling the cops!

Jake was in his truck before he could even think to type out a response and sped toward your house as the group chat started to explode with a barrage of texts he didn’t read. He knew who had broken in. There was only one possible answer.

Jake just hoped he’d get there in time.

**

You needed to get out of the house…or at least get to something you could use as a weapon. The baseball bat you kept near the bookshelves could work, right? Slipping further down the hall, you tried to tell yourself that you could get out of this.

Creak.

You clapped a hand over your mouth as you pressed your spine to the wall, trying to quiet your breathing.

Step.

Step.

Step.

He was in your kitchen. You knew the sound of hard soled shoes on the uneven tiles. Could you make a run for it? Could you trap him in the laundry room? That had to be your only option. You turned the corner into your living room and your stomach fell to your feet.

Luke was standing in your kitchen. Knife in hand. Waiting for you. He looked almost exactly the same as he did the last time you saw him. His brown hair was still cropped short. His brown eyes were still narrowed and cold. His clothes were rumpled designer brands. He hadn’t changed. And that was terrifying.

You dove for the baseball bat, curling your hands around it before you turned and swung blindly. The bat cracked against his arm and Luke yelled, low and guttural as he staggered backward for a moment. But then he was lunging forward and grasping at the bat to wrench it out of your hands. He threw it across the living room and it smacked against the wall, shattering the glass in two frames before knocking them to the floor with a terrible crack. You couldn’t go for it again. There was no way past him now.

You should have aimed for his head.

“It’s been a long time, hasn’t it, baby?”

You cringed at the nickname but didn’t take your eyes off the knife in his hand.

Luke didn’t wait for an answer to his question before barreling on. “And look what you’ve done. Got all those nice pins on your shirt, moving up in the ranks, and…” he paused as a smirk slithered across this mouth, “you got my dad’s money. A nice little nest egg.You’ve done well for yourself, haven’t you? And you didn’t have to work for any of it.”

He took a step forward and you took one back, ankle colliding with your coffee table.

“And what about me? I’m so glad you asked!” He snarled. “I’ve been dishonorably discharged. And you want to know why?”

“I had nothing to do with that, Luke. W-we had an agreement, remember? I keep my mouth shut and you…you were supposed to stay away from me.”

Luke’s tongue clicked against his teeth before he waved the knife. “You had everything to do with it. That LoA in my file was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I could’ve been given another chance if you had just kept your mouth shut when I told you to back in the-“

“I didn’t say anything. You were going to get Bradley killed!” The words bubbled out of you before you could think of the repercussions.

Luke was on you in a flash. The tip of the knife pressed over your sternum and you could feel it with each labored breath you sucked in between clenched teeth.

“He would’ve been fine! I know how to do my job! You ruined everything and then took my dad's money!” The knife pressed closer closer closer. It started to tear through the thin material of your shirt and shallowly cut your skin. The whimper you felt blooming in your throat died when you saw the gleam in Luke’s eyes.

Before you could even stop to think of an alternative, you threw your hands up and caught the knife. The edge sank through the delicate skin between your fingers and into your palm but you didn’t recoil. Couldn’t. You were only able to drag the knife down, the tip cutting against the skin just above your stomach.

Fresh pain bloomed across your face and it took you a moment to realize that Luke had slapped you. And then he did it again, making sure to send your head flying backward to slam into the wall hard enough and have stars dancing in front of your eyes. Your grip almost fell, loosening a fraction, and just for a moment everything was silent.

Just a moment.

You’d never be able to describe the pain that bloomed as Luke moved and drove the knife in, slotting it between your ribs and twisting with a vicious flick of his wrist. Your next breath stalled just behind your tongue as every nerve ending exploded with heat and teeth and a terrible popping sensation bubbled beneath your skin. “L-Luke…”

He pushed the knife deeper as he pressed his cheek to yours in an echo of the hugs he used to give you. “I used to miss you, you know. Did you miss me? I treated you so well. I was good to you. So good. I gave you everything.” The knife rocked back and forth and you felt the ridge of it with each movement. You felt all of it. Your grip faltered against the knife gain but you knew you couldn’t drop your hold.

He would kill you.

“And you had to ruin it. You ruined my life.”

“L-Luke…”

“I need to hear you say it, baby. Tell me you know what you did. You had this coming. All of it.”

“I didn’t,” you wheezed. Your chest was collapsing in on itself like you had a boar sitting on your sternum.

“Say it! You don’t get to play victim this time. You were the one who ruined my life.”

“You were a d-drunk! I did all that work for you until you told me you’d kill me if I made you l-look bad again!” Each word was a crack against your ribs, sharp and biting, but you couldn’t stop. This would be your only chance to say this, you knew it. If you were going to die tonight, you were going to let him know what you really thought of him. “You…” You sucked in a breath that only served to make you ache. “You only got through basic because your daddy bribed someone. You only got into the Navy at all because he made a phone call to someone after you failed the ASVAB. You…you fail at everything you do. You were a shitty AD. And you couldn’t kill me.” Blood dribbled out of your mouth and you felt it slid down your chin. “Twice. So you better make this count.”

Luke’s teeth glinted in the low light and he ripped the knife out only to plunge it back in. You felt the blade scrape against the edge of your hip as you let out a scream that fizzled out to a gurgle as more blood filled your mouth.

“I’ll make it count!” Luke seethed as he drove the knife deeper and pushed you into the wall.

Everything burned. Everything ached. And all you could do was scream as your knees knocked together, strength dribbling out of you with each frantic pulse of your heart.

Luke leaned forward to press his forehead against yours and the knife twisted. “Do you feel it, baby? Do you feel me inside you?” His breath smelled of the expensive cognac you knew he liked to guzzle and rolled your stomach.

“Luke.” You didn’t want to die looking into his eyes. You didn’t want to die at all, but you weren’t going to have your last earthly memory be of Luke and his cold eyes, so you shut your eyes as the tips of your fingers started to tingle.

The screech of a siren broke through the haze of your mind. You had to laugh but that, too, was cut short when Luke pulled the knife out and rushed toward the window to see the night sky filled with red and blue lights. You crumpled. Your hands slapped against the floor for just a moment before you slumped in a heap against the carpet as your arms gave out.

You vaguely heard your front door slam against the wall and knock another picture from its perch. There was an answering sound of glass shattering before warm, rough hands gently grasped at your shoulders. You struggled for just a moment when your scrambled brain thought Luke had come back to make sure you were dead. Unfocused eyes barely registered Jake kneeling above you.

“Punch? Punch, c’mon darlin’. There you are.” His voice was muffled but you felt yourself smiling anyway as everything started to prickle like you’d pinned your limbs beneath your weight for too long. The smile quickly died when Jake’s hands clamped down over your wounds and a surprised yelp punched out from between your teeth. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, but I gotta stop the bleeding.”

“I-it hurts.”

“I know. I know it does. But it’ll only hurt a little longer, all right? You gotta stay awake for me. The cops are almost here.” His grip tightened. “We’ll get you fixed up and-”

“Where’s…Luke?” Was he still in your house? Would he hurt Jake?

“I don’t know, darlin’. He’s gone. We’ll find him, okay? We’ll find him and he’ll never do this to you again. But I need you to stay awake.”

Black dots were pushing their way into your line of sight, blotting out Jake’s worried face. “Ken…Jake…I wanted to get steak with you.”

Jake pressed harder and you could only whimper. “We will go get that steak. It’ll be the best date.” His voice was muffled, like you had shoved your head under water. And you struggled to hear him at all.

“Promise?” You asked, blood on your teeth.

“I promise.”

You smiled, despite it all. And then you were gone.

#Jake seresin x reader #jake hangman seresin x reader #hangman x reader #jake hangman x reader #jake hangman seresin #tgm #female reader

[no1frogfan]

Picking Tsukishima up from the airport

Tsukishima Kei x fem reader Some sexually suggestive language Word count: ~600

Note: It seems a crime to be a Tsukishima simp account but only have one Tsukki post, so here’s a second. My first world problem/cross to bear is that I have the hardest time writing him

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

He catches your eye right away, his agitated scowl looming over the flood of people pouring out of the terminal. The 6’ 4” blond has never blended in. He wades through the crowd with his headphones perched squarely atop his head, flattening some of his tousled hair. One hand clutches a duffel bag slung over his shoulder while the other nudges his glasses up. A black tracksuit lightly hugs his lean, athletic frame. The jacket is halfway unzipped, revealing a henley with its buttons undone. You unconsciously lick your lips at the sight of his neck and collarbones peeking out as thoughts of leaving fresh hickies and bite marks on his exposed skin flood your mind. Kei would have a fucking field day if he found out that you were ready to rip his clothes off over a couple of buttons, you think as you struggle to rein yourself in.

Tsukishima doesn’t seem to hear (or more likely pretends to not hear) Koganegawa and his other teammates as they yell their goodbyes. He’s too busy dodging wayward bags and unruly children to notice you either as he breezes past on his way to the exit.

You dart out behind him and wrap him in a hug. He leaps out of his skin, yelping like a wounded seal.

He whirls around and sees you doubled over in laughter, gasping as you try to catch your breath. “Wow, who knew you could make a noise like that! Is somebody scared of a little bitty hug from their girlfriend?”

He glares at you, one corner of his lip slowly curling upward. “Sorry miss, you must be mistaken.” His smirk widens. “My real girlfriend is very thoughtful and would never try to scare the shit out of me at the airport when I’m clearly exhausted.”

“By real girlfriend do you mean your right hand?” You fire back. “And I know. I am pretty thoughtful. I could’ve just let you take the train home but here I am picking you up.”

He scoffs as you enter the elevator together. “That’s a pretty low bar. Thoughtful would be more like getting your boyfriend a welcome home present. You know, like a nice coffee or maybe a slice of his favorite cake.” A few people walk in behind you before the doors close, taking all of you down to the parking garage. He takes your eye roll as a sign to keep taunting you. “So how long until we get home to my real girlfriend?” You grab his arm to pull him down, and he flashes you that shit-eating grin. “What, jealous?”

You bring his ear to your lips to coyly whisper, “And here I had my own welcome home present for you all planned out. I was going to put on that outfit you like so much and get down on my knees for you…” You sigh dramatically and pull away, “…but I guess you’ll be too busy with your real girlfriend.”

He straightens up in an instant, lips taut and golden eyes smoldering as he grabs your hand. He keeps his eyes trained on the digital display as it counts down each floor. The elevator dings. As soon as the doors open, he takes off, dragging you through the parking garage. The red on his cheeks and the bulge in his pants growing more noticeable as he sputters back at you, “Hurry up, I want my present.”

You stumble behind him laughing. “Slow down you horny idiot, you don’t even know where I parked!”

#tsukishima kei #tsukishima x reader #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu #haikyuu fluff #tsukishima #froggy scribbles

[randomwriting-misc]

Endangered | Chapter Ten

Paul Lahote x OFC

Endangered Masterlist

Summary: Vampires and wolves are not the only supernatural creatures to walk the earth, and they are certainly not the only ones in Forks, Washington when Charlotte Annabeth Swan, "Anna", moves in with her uncle after the unfortunate demise of her parents.

Some may misidentify her as a witch, but that’s fine, she would rather them think that anyway. But the Volturi know the truth, and they are closing in on her.

A/N: We are getting spicy here friends. 18+ warning for the end on this chapter

Warnings include: penetration, fingering, oral (fem receiving), cursing, Paul being a simp

MINORS DNI!!!!!

Charlie made me cry one more time that morning, by ordering pancakes from the diner and bringing them home for me, continuing the tradition I was sure would be forgotten since Bella’s birthday. It was just us at the table, but that was okay, it was always just the two of us nowadays.  

It's now almost 11:30, and I’m in front of my mirror, staring intently over the clothes I had on. I didn’t want to wear my usual jeans and t-shirt, but the corduroy skirt I was wearing hugged my curves in a way I hadn’t exposed in a while. I was more inclined to be bundled up lately, still not acclimating well to the cold. I had tights on, and after debating for a few more minutes, I figure that if I really get cold, Paul’s 108-degree body heat could help. Sliding an oversized beige sweater over my head, I tucked it into the skirt. Satisfied, I adjust Paul’s bracelet, so it wasn’t under the sleeve, I liked being able to see it.

I added a gold pendant on a long chain that belonged to my mother. It was a sun stamped into gold, and the protection magic in it was actually hers. I am pulling on wool boot socks when I hear Paul knocking on the front door.  

I rush to open it, but as I open my bedroom door, Bella walks out into the hallway at the same time, stopping me in my tracks.  

“Hi,” I say as she looks me over quizzically. She nods, about to walk past me to the bathroom when she stops.  

“Where are you going?” She asks, surprising me. I couldn’t remember the last time I heard her actual voice.  

“Oh, uhm... I’m going to my birthday party.”  

She flinches at the mention of birthdays, and I move to head downstairs, not wanting to cause Charlie more strife tonight by reminding her of the last time she saw the Cullens. As I reach the top step, she calls my name.  

“Anna? Happy birthday,” there’s a tinge of regret in her tone, and I force myself to smile and say thank you.  

Charlie has beaten to the door where Paul stands in jeans and a Henley shirt. They are engaged in what seems to be a meaningful conversation, Charlie’s hand on Paul’s shoulder. Charlie is speaking lowly so I can’t hear, and Paul’s face is void of any telling emotion. I clear my throat to announce my presence.  

“Ready?” I ask. They both turn to face me, and I can feel the relief Paul feels from my interruption, followed by another emotion I can’t discern as he looks me over.

“Yeah,” Charlie says, “I hope you have a good time Anna, be safe, be responsible, no peer pressure and all that.”  

“Got it, Uncle Charlie. No intravenous drugs, just the tame stuff,” I say, walking over to Paul in the doorway, putting an arm around him.  

“Haha, very funny,” he says dryly, “Happy Birthday kid, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Nodding, I grab my bag that was already by the door. I’m not sure how Paul got Charlie to agree to stay overnight with everyone, but I’m sure Emily had something to do with it. I say goodbye as we walk to Paul’s truck.  

“You look gorgeous as always,” he says helping me up into the passenger seat, that same discernible feeling thrumming through my chest.  

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

“Happy Birthday!” A chorus of voices greets me as I enter Emily’s house, making me shriek back in shock, then laugh. Sam and Jared are in front, with Emily and Kim by their sides, and scattered around the room are some of my friends from school, Mike, Eric, Angela, and Jessica. With Bella isolating herself so much, we had all banded together, bonding over our concern and feelings of abandonment from the other Swan. In her absence, Mike had even turned some of his flirty attention on me, I’m shocked Paul invited him.  

Emily’s house has a gorgeous open concept, with large French doors leading to the backyard, where everything is decorated. Smiling faces crowd me one by one as they take turns giving me hugs. On the table, Emily has laid out an array of food, I can smell something on the grill in the backyard.

I thank everyone and they shortly break off into smaller groups, Sam and Jared go back outside, and to my surprise, Eric and Mike follow. I turn to Paul, wrapping my arms around his neck in a hug.  

“Thank you,” I whisper, “You were right, I would have been sad without celebrating today.”

“Of course, love,” he says lifting me off the ground for a moment. When he puts me down, he tells me he’s going to check in with Emily and Kim, making sure there wasn’t anything else they needed help with, and instructing me to go see my friends, and to not lift a finger.  

Jessica and Angela are giggling on the couch, and they pull me between them when I approach them.

“Anna, you have been gatekeeping,” Angela says.  

“Yeah,” Jessica chimeds in, “At first, I was kinda pissed when you kept blowing us off, but now? If I was surrounded by multiple tall, darks, and handsomes, I wouldn’t be hanging out with us either.”  

I throw my head back in a laugh, “It’s not like that. I love you guys. I just don’t get to see Paul all the time with his schedule.”

“Mhm, sure, do any of them have single friends or brothers?” Jessica asks.

“Not that I know of, but if I meet anyone who fits that description, I’ll let you know,” I wink, sending them into another fit of giggles.  

Paul steps out of the kitchen talking along with Emily and Kim, when his eyes land on mine, he winks, and I know he heard our conversation. Rolling my eyes, I lean back as Emily and Kim join us as he walks outside.  

“Like I said, "Jessica whispers, “I get it. I don’t know what is about you Swan girls seducing the hottest people in town, but I would like some of it.” A small surge of jealously runs through me, but I laugh it off. Excusing myself, I go out to see the boys surrounding the grill.  

“Are you all supervising?” I joke, pushing Jared away to stand next to Sam. Jared playfully shoves me back before letting me into the semi-circle the boys had made.  

“Well, who else is going to make sure Sam doesn’t burn anything?” Jared says sarcastically.  

“Are you doubting his mad skills?” I say, feigning shock. Paul's arms wrap around my shoulders from behind me, kissing my head.

“We would never,” Paul says, a smile evident in his voice. Eric and Mike agree, and I’m happy to see everyone is getting along. Soon, the food is ready, and everyone comes outside as Jared starts a bonfire.  

It’s a perfect afternoon, full of laughter and joy, something I was worried I would lack today. In the middle of Eric recounting a story about how Mike tried and failed, to surf a storm surge on La Push Beach, Paul nudges my shoulder, getting my attention.  

“Come with me,” he whispers. Helping me up, I follow him to the front of the house.  

“Where are we going?” I ask.  

“One of your birthday presents just got here,” Paul says like that would explain everything. Before I could ask what he could mean, Jacob steps out from behind a car, and I freeze. I had missed him so much in the last few months but wasn’t willing to let him continue to act like that towards me.

Looking at Paul skeptically, he nods, and I break out in a smile.  

“Hey Anna,” he says timidly, “Happy Birthday.” I run to hug him, catching him off guard and he grabs onto me, the breath knocked out of him.  

“Hi Jake,” I mumble.  

“I owe you an apology,” he says sincerely, and I pull back from him.  

“Yeah, you do, but later? I’m just happy to have you here as long as you can play nice.” I poke the center of his chest.  

“Scout’s honor,” he says holding up his hand. I smile and grab his hand leading him back to the fire to introduce him to the new faces. Paul follows beside me, and I open a connection to him briefly.  

This means the world to me, thank you so much.

Anything to see you smile, he replies.

Jacob is just in time for Emily to bring out the cake, and I hope that this will show him that there isn’t anything nefarious going on in our group. The rumor that Sam started a gang was absolutely ludicrous.

The “Happy Birthday” song is loud and terribly off-key, but somehow it just makes it better. I laugh so hard I almost can’t blow out my candles, as cheers erupt around me at the table. Paul kisses me on the cheek and leads me away from everyone as Emily passes out pieces to everyone.

“I wanted to give you your present,” he says softly, holding out a small, wrapped box.

Curious, I open it, trying to not rip the paper, which makes him chuckle.

Opening the box, my breath hitches, revealing a necklace. There’s a dainty gold chain, a singular pearl in the middle.

“I wanted to give you a little piece of home to keep with you,” he says showing me the name of the company, located where I grew up.

For the third time that day, a few tears fall down my face.

“Thank you,” I whisper, “This is more than I could ever ask for.” He silences me with a kiss, taking the necklace out of the box. I turn around and lift my hair up so he can secure the clasp, before turning around. My hands find the sides of his face and I pull him in for another kiss, his soft lips against mine, he holds me close. His lips part slightly, deepening it as I run a hand through his hair.

“I love you,” he breathes, breaking the kiss, peppering small pecks across my cheeks and nose. Suddenly, the discernable feeling from before clicks, love. I knew on some level we loved each other, but to hear him say it made my heart soar.

“I love you too,” I admit, giggling as his lips ghost over a ticklish spot on my neck. Picking me up, my legs lock around his waist as he kisses me feverishly, hands steadying my hips. The feeling of love pulsing between us.

I whisper his name as little breathy moans escape me, his lips making their way down my neck.  

“Would you like to stay the night with me? At my place?” he asks, switching to kiss the other side of my neck, I lean my head back in a gasp.

“What about-?”

“He’s gone for the weekend, it’ll be okay.” He reassures.

I nod and he lowers me back to the ground as rowdy noises from the living room are heard.

“Let’s go back before the start wondering where you are.”  

Flustered, we walk back to the group. I sit on the couch, and Paul walks over to help Emily. I pout at the distance, but Jacob sits down next to me.

“Hey Jake,” I smile.

“Hey, how ya holdin’ up?” He puts an arm on the back of the couch behind me, and I lean my head on him, turning to face him. His skin is warm to the touch. I wonder how long it’ll be before Jake is put through the change.

“Surprisingly well, it would have been a lot worse without them,” I say, looking over at my friends. Sam is messing with the frosting, getting some on Emily’s nose as she tries to chase him off, Paul is talking to Eric and Jared, laughing about something I can’t hear. Jessica, Angela, and Mike are talking to Kim, with smiles on their faces.

“You really like being around them?” He asks skeptically.

“Yeah, I love it. They are really amazing Jake,” I say, crossing my arms and lowering my voice, “I don’t know why you seem to hate them so much.”

“They just act like they are in control like the Reservation is theirs and only theirs,” He says, “But hey, whatever makes you happy.” He throws his hand up in defeat. I can tell he’s still not happy about it all, but it’s better than having him hold animosity towards me.

“Paul makes me happy,” I say confidently.

“Well, let me know if he fucks up, I’ll defend your honor before saying anything snarky.”

Laughing, I push him away, and he falls back dramatically.

“Sure, I’ll keep it in mind Jake.”

He laughs, and my heart warms to have Jacob back in my life, even if it might be a tentative process.

As the sun sets, things wind down and people start to leave, saying goodbye to everyone on their way out. I try to help Emily and Sam clean up, but she shoos me away.

“No, we got it. Go, I’m sure Paul wants some time alone with you,” she says with a grin.

“Are you sure?” I ask again.

“Positive.”

“Thank you so much for everything today, Em,” I hug her, “it really means a lot. I love you all.”

“We love you too sweet girl, I’m happy we got to help make today special for you,” she squeezes me again.

Paul is leaning against the doorframe, silently waiting as I say goodbye and thank you to Sam. Paul has already gathered the presents, I haven’t opened yet in his truck from everyone at the party, and even Charlie.

The couple waves us off as Paul pulls out of the driveway.

------------------------------- 18+ -----------------------------

The air is thick with tension on the drive over, and the radio playing lightly is the only sound. Paul’s hand is on my thigh, the other on the steering wheel. My thoughts are chaotic, ranging from innocent to lustful. There had always been an unspoken intimacy with Paul, one of us was always touching the other without thinking about it too much.

It’s not like either of us were particularly virginal, but it felt like first kisses, first dates, first anything held more weight with him. I didn’t want anything to be rushed, and we both had been so busy, that sex was something that I was comfortable waiting for until we were both fully present, with no distractions or worries to call us away.

It was at the forefront of my mind now though, every touch of his thumb grazing my thigh felt like electricity through my body. There was a knot in my lower stomach, and warmth between my thighs. I was focused on breathing, trying to not make it so obvious how much he was affecting me.

Paul’s emotions seem to match mine, but there’s a distinct feeling of anxiety that worries me. Pulling up to his house, he gets out and opens my door, just like always, but I stop him before he steps back, pulling him close. My breath stutters as my knees settle on either side of his waist. Something flashes in his eyes before he closes them, taking a deep breath.

“Hey,” I whisper, “Everything okay?”

He nods, forehead leaning against mine.

“What are you thinking about so hard,” I question quietly. It takes a minute, but he finally admits his concerns.

“I love you,” he starts, hands sliding up my thigh, over my skirt, “I want… this, but I don’t want to hurt you.” His eyes won’t meet mine with his confession out in the open.

I tilt his head up, making direct eye contact, “You won’t break me,” I say.

“You don’t know that.” His brow furrows, but I hold him steady, caressing his cheeks.

“I do Paul, I trust you implicitly, with every part of me.” Lowering my hand, I guide his to my waist.

“Anna,” he whispers.

“Paul,” I whisper back, moving closer to him, the fabric of my skirt bunching up my thighs.

“You don’t understand how much I want you,” he admits.

“Then show me.”

One arm wraps around my waist, lifting me out of the truck like I weigh nothing, as the other slams the door shut. He carries me into the house, and I’m too focused on him to really notice my surroundings as he pushes my back against a wall.  

“Promise me you will tell me to stop if I hurt you.” He pleads with me.  

I hold his face in my hands, “I promise, but you won’t.”

I roll my hips into him slightly, and he groans at the friction, his head rolling back, giving me access to kiss down his neck. At his moans, I slightly nip at his shoulder as he emits a growl.  

“Anna,” he says breathily.  

“Yes?” I say, continuing to kiss his neck, hands slipping underneath his shirt.  

“You’re killing me,” he moans.

“Tell me to stop.”

“Never.”  

I lift his shirt, and he raises his arms, letting me take it off all the way. He catches my lips in a passionate kiss, holding me gently as he moves from the wall to what I assume is his bedroom. I kick off my shoes as he lays me down on a bed. I rest on my forearms, looking up at him.

“God, you’re hot,” I sigh, making him smirk. Kneeling by the edge of the bed, his hands slide underneath my skirt, he pulls off my tights agonizingly slowly, kissing the exposed skin from my thighs down my legs. I swear I can hear my heartbeat.

“And you,” he says, pulling my shirt up, kissing my stomach, “are absolutely perfect.” I lean up to take off my top, and once it’s over my head, he kisses me again, this time more passionate and needy. I wrap my arms around his neck and part my lips, inviting him deeper. I moan into him as his fingertips run up my sides, giving me chills, as he unhooks my bra and I let it fall off my shoulders.

I trace down his chest with my hands, his hardened abs underneath them, down to his waistband. Unbuttoning his shorts, I feel him straining against his boxers as he takes a sharp breath when my hand slips underneath the elastic, wrapping around him.

“Fuck, Anna,” he rasps.

I smile, his reactions forming a tightness in my core. He takes a step back off the bed, letting his pants and boxers fall, and looks at me with hungry eyes. Pulling off my skirt, I can’t help but stare. It really was unfair how attractive he was, and my heart leaps when my eyes trail down to his hips, his impressive length hard against him.

“Oh, fuck me,” I mutter, head falling back on the bed, “You’re unreal.”

He lets out a small laugh and comes back to the bed leaving sweet kisses on my ribs and chest.

“Are you sure?” he asks.

“I’m so sure,” I say, running a hand through his hair.

He grasps my hip tightly, and in response, a gasp rips through me, and he looks up in concern.

“It’s okay,” I say, “I’m not that fragile.”

Nodding, he kisses down the valley between my breasts, thumbs ghosting over my nipples, hardening them as his hands trail down, making me arch my back in a moan.

“Rude,” I whisper as he continues down, nipping at my hips. Spreading my legs slightly apart, I inhale as his finger glides in between my folds, eliciting a moan from both of us.

“You’re so wet me for, baby,” he whispers as one finger enters me slowly, all my words are lost as his tongue laps at my clit, sending a shock through my spine. I bucked my hips against him, and he moans, his voice deep, sending vibrations to my core. He steadies my hips with his other arm, pushing them into the bed.

“Oh, fuck Paul,” I moan, and I feel him smile as his tongue moves in circles, and I continue to struggle to move for more connection. My hands run through his hair, and I’m pleased with myself when he moans when I tug at it.

Pressure builds, and I feel myself tightening around his fingers, holding onto his hair, he’s relentless as the pressure breaks, waves of pleasure rocking through me. I’m breathless as he kisses back up my body.

“I love you,” he says, biting my neck gently. I finally catch my breath, hands running down his back.

“I love you too.”

He kisses me gently, and I can still taste myself on his tongue. I can feel the tip of his cock, rubbing up and down the length of my entrance, and moan.

“Please,” I beg, and a growl slips from him. He nods and moves to retrieve a condom from the bedside table, I take it from him, and he stands upon his knees. I slowly pull the condom over his length, purposefully taking my time as he stares down at me, biting his lip. Then, he lightly pushes me back on the bed.

Slowly, he pushes in, stretching me out with every inch, I arch to pull him closer, bottoming him out in me with a gasp.

“God, Anna,” he groans, “this is unfair.” He holds still for a moment, breathing deeply before moving out and back in one time.

“It should be impossible for you to feel this good,” he says, an arm reaching underneath my back to pull me close to him, skin to skin.

“I think that’s all you baby,” I say, my thighs already trembling around him.

With slow movements, he finds a rhythm, whispering encouragements into my ear as he picks up speed.

“You feel so good.”

“Such a good girl for me.”

“My pretty baby.”

His words strike a chord with me, not only arousing me, but warming my heart, and once again he pushes me to the edge. I can feel how he feels even more now, bliss running through my body and his.

I’m a moaning mess when his hand slips between us, his thumb brushing against the sensitive bundle of nerves, unraveling me.

“Paul,” I cry, “I’m – I-” I stutter.

“Fuck baby, me too.” He says, keeping the pressure on my clit, gasping when I tighten around him rolling my hips one last time.

He collapses against me, breathing hard. Gasping as he slowly pulls out of me and laid next to me.

I lay my head against his chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat.

He kisses my head, hands lazily running up and down my back.

“Are you okay?” He tentatively asks.

“I’m amazing,” I say pushing his hair back, “You’re amazing.”

He smiles, relieved.

“Have I told you I love you?” He asks and smiles.

“Maybe, but I don’t mind hearing it again.”

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

Taglist: @abaker74 @sunsetevergreen

#paul lahote #wolf pack #paul lahote x oc #paul lahote x reader #paul lahote x ofc #paul lahote imagine #paul lahote smut #twilight #twilight saga #twilight fanfiction #twilight new moon #new moon #twilight smut #sam uley's pack #sam uley #emily young #multi chapter fic #mike newton #angela weber #jessica stanley #eric yorkie #jared cameron #randomwriting-misc #rwm #randomwriting_misc #clh

[hournites]

Girlie you KNOW the iceskating has been a priority for us (28)

JSA on Ice

Courtney places both hands on their lunch table the first Monday after the holiday break. “In the spirit of the new year, friendship and reconciliation, Cameron has offered us to join him at his new ice rink after school today. Unless you are grounded or dying, I decree presence is mandatory.”

Beth and Rick blink at Courtney. 

Yolanda sets down her sandwich. “I dunno Court. Ice-skating? Do you seriously trust me with knives on my feet?” 

Rick scoffs. “Do you seriously trust Cameron not to slap me with a restraining order from the Mahkent Estate?” 

The three turn their heads to Beth. She twirls her spoon into her steaming leek soup. “Why am I always the deciding vote?”

Rick straightens in his chair, looking like he wants to stuff the words back into his mouth. “She’s right,” he says. “We always do this to her. It’s not fair.”

Yolanda coughs, covering her mouth with the back of her palm. “Simp.” 

“I never said this was a vote.” Courtney sat down in her seat. “Instead of patrol, we’re skating. All of us. And we will be on our best behaviour.” She uncaps her apple juice and takes a swig. “It’s gonna be fun.” 

“Okay. Whatever. One problem, Court? I don’t have skates.” 

“Me neither,” Yolanda chimes in after Rick. 

Courtney pauses mid-chew. “Oh.” She wrinkles her nose and swallows. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Cameron will take care of all the details.” 

~.~ 

The rink is already in use when Beth, Rick and Yolanda are shown to the backyard by a hobbling Sofus Mahkent. The three stop in their tracks. The big box beside the Mahkent gardens is a state-of-the-art newly-installed ice rink;  with aluminum bleachers, giant lamps overhead it and an installed kiosk with dozens of skates in many sizes. Cameron is on the ice, twirling around in quick succinct twirls like he’s trying out for the Olympics as Courtney watches in her gold puffer jacket on the sidelines. 

“No way,” Yolanda breathes out. “How much did that cost?” 

Beth twists the bag of skates in her gloved hands. “A pretty penny, I’d guess.” 

Rick scowls. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” 

Courtney’s sixth sense must’ve gone off because she turns around and lights up at the sight of her friends. She pulls them towards the rink and dumps their stuff on the bleachers, talking a mile a minute about how happy and proud she is of Beth and Yolanda but most pointedly Rick coming. She explains that she had gone over the missing skates issue for Rick and Yolanda and had been reassured that he’s got plenty of skates in every size in anticipation of this skating party. 

“Isn’t that sweet?” Courtney drops the ones intended for Rick in front of him. 

He fixes her with a pained grimace. “The sweetest.”

Courtney doesn’t hear him, too busy helping Yolanda lace up her skates. Her Stargirl high-top boots have made her easily the fastest with laces. 

Beth scoots closer to Rick, nudging his arm with her mitten. “Be nice.” Rick side-eyes her but doesn’t reply. 

“What are you doing?” she asks when he turns the skates over, inspecting them in the winter sunlight. 

He grips the top of the guard to see how firm it is. “Making sure they’re not defective.” He gives them a knock against the bleacher and inspects them again. 

“I don’t think Cameron is going to give you defectives skates.” 

Cameron comes to a well-timed glide on the smooth ice, stopping right at the edge. He’s dressed in a woolly black scarf over his long-sleeved grey henley. He nods at the crew with cautious optimism. “It’s nice to see you guys.” 

Beth goes the polite route, sticking her hand out to shake his like this was a business meeting and not a group of classmates hanging out after school. Cameron rolls with it. “Thanks for inviting us. This looks really cool.” 

“I’m glad you’re here, Beth. Really, my grandpa was happy to hear you’d be here.” 

She smiles. “I’m happy he seems to be doing better too.” 

Yolanda stands up once Courtney is done. She holds onto the banister and wobbles down the steps. Cameron reaches out and helps her glide onto the ice. Within a few uncoordinated strides, she gains her footing and takes off. 

“You look like you have a problem,” Cameron says to Rick once they’re all on the ice. He tries to hold in a smirk but it doesn’t seem that it’s working very well. 

Rick’s gripping the border for the life of him, inching at a snail’s pace. “Yeah, I have a problem. You’re telling me you have ice powers and instead of touching the ground with your hand–something that would take 5 seconds– you went and installed a thousand-dollar ice rink?” 

Cameron pursed his lips. “I couldn’t make an ice rink in my backyard. It wouldn’t be regulated.”

Rick groans, completely ignoring the way he’s seconds to wiping out on his ass to continue his anti-Mahkent campaign. “You have so much money and you’re wasting it!” 

“You’re wearing a $400 dollar leather jacket that Mr. Chapel gave you.”

He scoffs. “No, I’m not!” 

Beth circles around, helping Rick stand up straight. “Yes, you are.” 

“.....oh.” 

Cameron reaches over the edge and pulls out an orange construction cone. “Think you need this, man.” 

Beth accepts it as Rick scowls. 

On the opposite end of the rink, Yolanda tries to attempt a toe loop jump. She lands in a check position and throws her hands at the success. Courtney claps, and Cameron joins them, performing double axels on his way like it’s nothing. 

“That’s pretty good, Yolanda.” 

She shoots him a half-smile. “I didn’t think it would be this easy, but I guess after a year in the wildcat suit, I’m more agile than I thought.” She glances at Courtney. “That makes sense, right?” 

Courtney shrugs as if to say Beats me. I don’t know how the wildcat suit works. 

“How long have you been a skater, Cameron?” 

“Uh…” Cameron scratches the back of his neck. “Two weeks?” 

Yolanda’s mouth parts in an O-shape. “Why’d you go and get this then?” 

“He wanted to practice his powers,” Courtney explains, looping her arm around his. “Safely,” she adds, in case that wasn’t clear. Cameron smiles at her, and Yolanda silently wonders if she’s going to be stuck being a tragic fifth wheel for the rest of her life. 

“Rick!” 

A crash sounds from the other end of the rink as the orange cone speeds toward them.

“...Should I help him?” Cameron wonders out loud as the three turn around to watch Beth struggle to haul Rick back up to his feet. 

“Rick’s not accepting your help,” Yolanda says plainly. She skates towards Rick and Beth, grabbing onto his right arm as Beth takes his left. With the two of them, they manage to get Rick off his ass. The scowl is permanently etched onto his face now as he wipes frost from his pants, sulking. “I hate skating.” 

Beth’s face brightens into an endeared pout. Rick clearly did not expect that reaction, surprised when Yolanda and Beth share a glance of amusement. Yolanda puts her hand on her hip. “What’s the matter, Rick? Can’t handle being bad at something that Cameron is good at?”  

“What happened to you thinking you’d slice someone with your skates?” Rick mutters, betrayed. 

Yolanda shrugs, skating backwards around Beth and Rick. “I got over it. You can too. It’s fun.” 

Cameron laps around them, doing another complicated twisting jump as if to show off Yolanda’s point. 

“That’s what I told him,” Beth tells her. She reaches forward and takes Rick’s hands. He looks up. “Forget Cameron’s figure skating moves,” Beth says. “And forget the orange cone. Don’t be embarrassed that you’re a beginner. You’ve never skated before. It’s normal. Why don’t you just hold onto me?”

Rick doesn’t pull away and doesn’t move to the bleachers, so it seems he’s willing to give it another try. 

Yolanda holds in another eye roll and swiftly spins away before she can witness more Teen Romance On Ice.  She grabs onto Courtney as she passes her by, tugging her sleeve. “Want to explore Cameron’s kitchen with me? We can get hot chocolate.” 

“Yeah, I have lots of hot chocolate.” Cameron nods over to his huge house as his eyes turn white. He flicks his hand and forms an ice kiosk hot chocolate booth. Courtney and Yolanda gape at it. “You girls stay here, I’ll go get them.” Cameron doesn’t even remove his skates, leaving the rink and continuing to skate on freshly created ice underneath him. 

Yolanda pinches her fingers together. “You have to admit, Court. Rick’s a little right. He is a show-off.” 

“I don’t blame him! His powers are cool!” Courtney leans against the rink wall. “I think everyone deserves to show off once in a while.” 

“I forgot who I was talking to,” Yolanda replies, but her voice is laced with affection. Finally, finally, Rick and Beth manage to get themselves over to the side where Courtney and Yolanda are talking. 

“So?” She tries bouncing on her feet but the skates make it difficult. Courtney grins at her friends instead. “Wasn’t this a great idea?” 

“It was,” Beth is quick to reply. 

Yolanda nods. 

Rick sighs. “It’s going to take a lot more than an overpriced ice skating party for me to be okay with Mahkent but…if you three are happy, I’m happy.” 

Beth squeezes Rick’s hand. “You’re a good sport.”  

“Yay!” Courtney rushes in for an awkward group hug, then tags Yolanda and bounds away. “Last one to the hot chocolate stand is on Pit Stop clean-up duty after our next JSA meeting!”

#stargirl #hn fic #camney #hournite #holiday fic #prompt

[modernmanblues]

I just realised I’ve never actually shared my mains (as of recent) and since 2022 is almost over, I’d like to rank them from my most listened to the least, so here it goes:

1. 10cc: i am forever grateful for discovering them by accident, they’ve changed my life 🥰

2. Paul McCartney and Wings: thank you Eric Stewart for getting me back into Wings. i have this weird thing where i’m really not into Paul’s stuff as a Beatle, but i’ve always been a big fan of the stuff he did with Wings. anyways, love their vibes and the fact that i recently found out Eric worked on some stuff with Paul in the early 80s and even co-starred in a Paul film 😍

2. Chicago: i love how i spent half of 2022 obsessing over them lmao. i love their vibes tho and they’re my childhood band so they’re pretty special to me.

3. America: another childhood favourite of mine. i became really obsessed with them early 2021 and if i’m gonna be brutally honest, i only got into them bc of that hot blonde named Gerry Beckley lmao i still listen to their stuff here and there. love their vibes also ✨

4. Eagles: so halfway through 2021 i went through a short Eagles phase (i cringe at the thought of me simping for Don Henley around that time 🤮). saw them twice in concert, and i gotta say them and Chicago and America are among the bands i would wanna keep seeing live in concert. their shows are such a vibe 🤩

5. The Beatles: my forever faves 💙 even though i only listen to them occasionally now, i will always have a special connection with them. 10+ years of being a Beatles fan and still going strong. i almost feel like they’ve always been there for me through every major milestone in my life since my teens. they comforted me through my awkward teenage years when i expressed a lot of self-loathing and hatred for the world, and have given me reassurance throughout my young adult years that life isn’t all that bad, and that i should learn to just love others despite their flaws. and they’ve also taught me to have more self-confidence, and for all these reasons i am forever grateful for them 😌 Beatles 4ever 💗

#my top faves #bands that have changed my life

[peoplecallmelucifer]

ok First of all this is not my poem (just putting a disclaimer to be sure) BUT It is one of my favourites I've read so far. And this might just be me but I can read this on so many different ways. I really suggest you try reading this to yourself but pretend to be angry the first time, than pretend to be fully in control of of your surroundings, like someone who just beat cancer and than pretend to be in utter despair while reading this.

I have done this so many times now and It's just amazing how well this poem can make me feel https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51642/invictus

#invictus #william ernest henley #IFL POETRY #I simp for henley #maybe i'm just a nutcase #but the point still stands

[birdberdburd]

I am now at episode 10 of campaign 1 and I am loving it but I keep getting distracted by how good Liam looks this episode

Sir?

#listen I am a Liam simp first #and a human second #the beanie! the Henley! the arm bracelet! #critical role #cr #cr liveblog #liam o’brien #1.10 #part of me misses the long hair #but the other part of me is like “never again #also apologies for the quality

[hobis-hope94]

~I’m Supposed to Call You That~

AN: weekly fic! I’m simping hard for beefy!Bucky, my beloved 🥺

Summery: Y/N has many a nicknames for their beefy super soldier boyfriend, but one day they call Bucky something that catches him off guard, but he loves it.

Paring: beefy!Bucky x GN!Reader (Bucky refers to reader as doll but no set pronouns are there!)

Characters: Sam Wilson & Natasha Romanoff. Tony Stark is mentioned.

Warnings: pure tooth rotting fluff.

(gif not mine):

You had many a nicknames for your stunning boyfriend, James Buchanan Barnes. He had just the one for you and it made your knees weak every time he called you it. A simple; doll.

It was the first nickname you’d hear in the mornings and last you’d hear at nights. It was the way he said it made you happy.

Any nickname you’d call Bucky made him incredibly happy as well. He melted anytime you called him one of your many nicknames for him.

——

You two were sitting together, you cuddled up next to your beefy super soldier boyfriend, arm linked with his metallic one, your legs over his lap, he gently ran his hands up and down your legs.

Your head on his shoulder, his on yours. One of your hands were tangled up in his hair.

“You two are so in love it makes me wanna puke,” Sam grumbled from the other chair.

“Leave them alone, it’s cute,” Natasha said, giggling at Sam being jealous.

“Hey, Sam. I can set you up with one of my friends,” you offered, not moving your head from Bucky’s shoulder but looking towards Sam.

“…a..are you gonna suggest Charlie? She was definitely flirting with me at Tony’s last gala,” Sam said hopefully.

“Yes, dumbo. She hasn’t shut up about you since she met you. She’s nuts about you,” you giggled, Sam’s face lit up like an over excited kid on Christmas Eve.

“Well. I wouldn’t say no to that,” Sam said, playing it cool as he left.

“Dork,” you smiled, forcing back a yawn.

“Come on, doll. It’s getting late,” Bucky said, kissing the top of your head as Natasha bid you two good night and made her way to her room.

“Not tired. This moment is too perfect to disrupt,” you muttered, hooking both your arms around his metal one and cuddling further into your beefy boyfriend.

“Come on. You’ll get a bad back and then you’ll complain,” Bucky said gently, smiling at you being a dork yourself.

“I don’t complain!” You whined, looking at him.

“You suck at lying,” Bucky smiled, you poked your tung out at him. “I was gonna offer to carry you to bed, but after that…not so sure now,” he teased, gently shoving you off him.

“Noooo!! Carry me baby!!” You whined, making grabby hands to him.

“Your wish is my command,” Bucky smiled.

Almost effortlessly, he hooked one arm under your legs and the other one supporting your back, and he lifted you up as you snaked your arms lovingly around his neck.

“I love you,” you mumbled into his neck as you snuggled into the crook of his neck.

“I love you too,” Bucky smiled, kissing your temple.

He carried you to your shared bedroom. He gently put you down as you both got into your jammies - your pyjamas consisted of Bucky’s red Henley and some sweatpants.

Bucky’s pyjamas were typically him topless but also in sweatpants.

You got in bed first while Bucky finished up in the bathroom. When you spotted him, standing in the doorway of the bathroom, taking his top off, he literally took your breath away.

“You’re so beautiful,” you breathed, he turned to face you.

“I’m supposed to call you that, doll,” Bucky smiled, a slight blush went about his cheeks.

“But you are. You’re just so beautiful….how did I get so lucky?” You breathed, clutching your heart.

“I ask myself that every day,” Bucky said gently climbing into bed next to you.

You latched onto him as soon as his body hit the mattress. He smiled as you cuddled into him, your head lying right above his heart, the gentle rhythm soothing you as you felt two strong arms wrap lovingly around you.

“I love you, my beautiful, beefy super soldier boyfriend,” you sighed contently, kissing his chest.

“I love you, doll,” Bucky smiled, kissing the top of your head lovingly.

#beefy!bucky x reader #bucky x gn!reader #beefy!bucky x gn!reader #bucky x reader fluff #bucky x y/n #bucky barnes #sebastian stan #mcu #marvel #avengers #new writers corner

[l-r-christian]

Can I requests a Ploy!Mikaelson boys and Platonic!Rebekah x Black!Reader? Where reader owns her own business and spoils them and Hayley is surprised because she thought Elijah was single.

Oh yes powerful rich black woman are my fucking favorite!

Warnings: Mikaelson boys being simps, Fluff, Y/N ain't having any of Hayley's pettiness,

A/N: my girls with natural hair please remember to wrap your hair in a silk or satin scarf because I forgot one morning and spent hours untangling my curls.

Y/N had came home after being a month away for work and as soon as her heels clacked against the stone floor and her sweet scent hit the vampire's noses. The boys were gone leaving behind a confused Hayley with a smirking Rebekah who got up to follow with the hybrid.

Hayley saw the Mikaelson men helping a gorgeous woman with her bags as Hayley saw the woman had glowing light chocolate skin, loose long curls down her back. The woman was dressed in a short pencil skirt with a navy blue botton up tucked into the skirt that showed off her curvy hips with white heels that made her ass look even great in the skirt. Elijah was helping her remove her coat and Kol was bringing in her bags with Klaus.

From what Hayley could tell the black woman was working for a company of some sort and didn't miss the way the three men shamelessly stared at the woman's ass when she bent over digging in her bag for something.

"Rebekah, who is that?"

"Y/N L/N, their lover and my best friend." Rebekah said noticing how her brothers were staring at the hem of Y/N's skirt that rode up a bit giving them a peek of the garner belt straps holding up her thigh thighs.

"Wait what?" Hayley choked out staring at Rebekah as Y/N had stood straight walking pass her loving men to Rebekah.

"You know they are pouting now?"

"They can wait or else they won't see the little lace number I am wearing." Y/N said making the three stand straight. Y/N giggled holding up a small bag to Rebekah.

"A gift?"

"I got something for each of you as an apology for being gone too long." Y/N said as Rebekah peeked in the bag smiling seeing it was a new pair of earrings. Y/N looked at Hayley smiling at the hybrid before returning to her men pulling gifts out for them too.

Hayley couldn't believe what she was seeing watching the Mikaelson men become somewhat submissive. No scratch that...the men were submissive to the woman seemly bending them to her will. Hayley watched them follow after the dark skinned woman as if she was the only women in the world.

"Rebekah, are they always so....submissive with her?" Hayley asked frowning when Y/N paused to kiss Elijah who responded back right away.

"No. But to keep that black beauty they worship her." Rebekah says walking away leaving a jealous Hayley behind. For the next few days whenever Hayley was at the Abattoir the hybrid saw how the Original men followed Y/N around getting her things or just sitting with her.

It was a chilly morning when Hayley came by and saw Y/N sitting in one of Klaus's Henley's and pajama pants with a clay mask on typing away on her laptop. Hayley noticed that she was on speakerphone talking to someone and Anderson.

"Just be sure that the work gets done." Y/N said hanging up her phone as Hayley stepped in as Y/N got up and cleaned off her face and sat back down.

"Can't do your own hair?" Hayley made a off hand comment looking at Y/N's hair wrapped up in a silk scarf as if she had just gotten out of bed.

"I can but it relaxes Elijah when he does my hair so I try not to."

"Where is Elijah? Out doing your dirty work like Kol and Klaus?"

"Ran out of hair products and as for Kol and Klaus. They said something about helping Davina ring in a few witches."

"I am surprised they are with woman like you." Hayley said making the black beauty look at her.

"I'm surprised that Klaus and Elijah even slept with a woman like you." Y/N said not in the mood for Hayley's petty comments. Y/N was no fool as she saw how Hayley looked at Elijah even though she was married.

"I am back my love." Elijah said before Hayley could say a word walking in kissing Y/N's cheek and placed down the bag.

"Hello Elijah.....you went overboard with buying products didn't you?"

"No. Just made sure you weren't going to run out." Elijah says taking off the silk scarf and got to work with her hair.

"Don't you think it is a bit worrisome that they drop everything for that woman?" Hayley asked Camille one night as she was having drinks at Rousseau's. Camille huffed as she met Y/N and found the woman gorgeous and cute how the Original men followed her around.

"Well no. I mean they are really really in love with her."

"But Elijah was going to wait for me." Hayley said as Camille frowned pouring the hybrid another drink.

"A hundred years is a long time to wait for a woman. Don't forget Elijah would have to wait until you are done mourning for Jackson."

"So him being with a woman that won't most likely live to 80 is better?"

"I was planning to turn but go off I guess." Y/N said walking in placing her bag down on the bar and Camille smiled at her. Hayley looked Y/N over seeing her dressed in a every professional dress with red bottom heels her hair in braids.

"Your usual whiskey?"

"Yes please Camille."

"Long day?"

"I have been dealing with the board of directors all day." Y/N said as Hayley frowned wondering why secretary would deal with a board of directors.

"Well you are an C.E.O and you can't hide in your office all day." Camille said shocking Hayley as her head snapped to the woman next to her.

"If I knew that I wouldn't have accepted the position."

"Then I wouldn't get brag that my wife is a powerful woman that could bury my enemies." Klaus's voice reached Hayley's ears as the Original hybrid walked in.

"Nik, I don't have a ring yet so why call me your wife?"

"That I am sorry for but Elijah insists that it be prefect." Klaus teases back before kissing the woman. Y/N giggled against his lips as Klaus hands rested on her hips.

"PDA? Is it because the guy at the end of the bar?" Y/N teased running her fingers though Klaus's hair pulling a deep groan from the back of his throat as he buried her neck. Hayley was surprised with how affectionate Klaus was to the human woman.

"Maybe." Klaus muttered letting her turned around to talk to Camille. Hayley just couldn't believe what she saw of Klaus just being a loving boyfriend.

"Hayley is quite the woman." Y/N said to Rebekah as both women were watching guests of the ball that Klaus and Elijah was throwing for the Factions. Y/N was dressed in a strapless and backless mermaid dress of a color that made Y/N's skin glow as she looked gorgeous.

"She is. I am still surprised Hayley managed to wormed her way into their beds."

"Hmm she stills have a thing for Elijah even though she is married." Y/N said sipping her drink watching Hayley with Elijah who was only being polite.

"Oh you noticed too?" Kol's smooth voice reached Y/N's ears as his arm wrapped around her waist placing a kiss on her bare shoulder.

"I did. Need something Kol?"

"Yes, I would like to dance." Kol said as Y/N chuckled letting Kol take her out to the floor to dance knowing Elijah would get jealous.

"Exuse me Hayley." Elijah said walking away headed over to Y/N and Kol asking to cut in which you allowed. The more Hayley hung around the more she saw just how much the Mikaelson men loved Y/N and saw how the woman spoiled them.

"Rebekah where is Elijah?"

"Den but I would recommend to be quite." Rebekah says walking out the Mikaelson home to meet up with Marcel. Hayley walked into the den finding Elijah asleep on the couch with Y/N asleep on him and Kol sleeping his face buried in her back and Klaus sleeping in a chair. Hayley frowned leaving not before noticing the ring on Y/N's hand as the hybrid didn't want to hear nor see the happy news when they woke that they were marrying.

#L.R writes #mikaelson x reader #mikaelson family x reader #elijah mikaelson imagine #klaus mikaelson imagine #kol mikaelson imagine #rebekah mikaelson imagine

[stanzoeywade]

QUEEN B GIRLS pt 3 (feat. Zoey Wade)

She is the moment, she is a masterpiece, the one and only Zoey Wade. Anyone who disagrees probably needs to wash their eyes out with bleach because by God, have you seen her? Perfection.

Now I know you're all curious as to who she is so let's get to it.

Who exactly is Miss Wade?

First of all, if you don't know who this fashionista is then you seriously need to get updated, like this isn't the 1800s boo-boo, you gotta get with the times. She's literally Belvoire's darling girl. The epitome of elegance and grace. Like, I'd kill to look like her.

She's campus royalty, the woman behind all the looks worn by her ride or die bestie Rosie Hughes. If it weren't for her, Hughes would still be donned in her tragic and ill-fitting Henley shirts. Everyone, thank Zoey for saving our souls.

Speaking of style, Zoey has never been seen wearing an attire that wasn't both classy and functional. I'm envious because her outfits look like she put it no effort yet it's still so mesmerising. Vogue could never. (calling Anna Wintour because it's an injustice that Zoey isn't a stylist for the magazine yet.)

Whilst brands are worn by the wealthy in Belvoire, I'm sorry to say that luxury items doesn't equal a sense of style, but, with Zoey, we get the best of both worlds. Everything is on point. New money or not, no one can deny her way with clothes. I mean, she's on par with her bitchiness, Poppy, who has admitted that Zoey is the only one she sees as competition on the fashion front.

In comparison to her counterparts, Zoey is the most sociable, majority - if not all - of the students know her. She's seen around campus speaking to others, and genuinely just being kind and compassionate to the others, despite her popularity. She just genuinely cares for others.

Do not mistake her kindness for patience because she's ferocious, the calm before the storm. Despite her anger, she'll kill you with kindness and even then you'll be terrified. She'll shoot you the sweetest smile that will no doubt make your skin crawl. If you're a dunce and still continue pressing her buttons then God bless your soul, and I'll see you in the pits of hell. She won't downright insult you like Poppy or Rosie. It's much more terrifying, her words will cut deep and next thing you know you're on the floor crying your eyes out. Do not mess with her or be prepared to face the consequences.

Yes, she's terrifying but her loyalty is unmatched, no one will have your back like she does. An absolute angel that Belvoire sure as hell doesn't deserve.

It's no secret that she's got an eye for fashion, but it seems like that isn't the only thing she excels at. It seems that Belvoire has a future Mozart in the making. She's a musical prodigy, a virtuoso, who has been noticed by global artist Lil Nos F himself. If you haven't heard the song by now, then what are you even doing with your life?

It's unfair, like God really seems to have his favourite and Zoey got all the good things. I either want to be her or be with her. You can hardly blame me though, she's beauty, she's grace and she can slap me in the face and I'd still say thank you.

In terms of romance, there's been rumours about her and Veronica Lombardi, Belvoire's resident influencer/heartbreaker. As much as I hate to admit it, they look like the ideal couple. Both have beauty and brains, they contrast, yet complement each other.

Can you imagine the star power from the two of them? I'd be deceased from all the bright lights shining, but it makes sense, they're always together due to their cliques merging. Romance does tend to bloom at the most inopportune times.

Overall, if you were looking for a genuinely sweet girl that will have your back no matter what, Zoey is exactly the kind of friend you need. Be careful though, you might fall, and once you do, there's no getting out.

Laters,

The T

Taglist: @somewillwin @uhh-the-green-thing @jmojellybae @simp-pony @made-me-deep-blue @uselesslesbianfr @it-lives-in-braidwood-manor @belvoiresqueenbee @alexlabhont @samanthadalton @crazzyplays @sparring-hyena @baexpoppy @cloakanddaggerthings @thepotatobleh @somin-yin @narierei2709 @shows-simp-card @thatwhorefromnextdoor @ashleyfenner @cloud9in @calraquin   @wolfietheduckyou @promisedneverwrite

A/N: tumblr u filthy whore, there's no option for gold font wtf. zoey, I'm so sorry tumblr is a bitch and didn't let me match the font with the colour used for your edit 😔 the audacity, ugh it fills me with sheer rage 🤡 anygays lol here u go zoey simps

#playchoices #queen b #choices #choices stories you play #pixelberry #queen b zoey #zoey wade #veronica lombardi #choices edit

[promisedneverwrite]

Nightingale

Poppy x Mc

Masterlist

Taglist:@ashleyfenner @veenast @simpforolderwomen @shrzdm @maskedalienfreak @plutoscape @shows-simp-card @baexpoppy @iamsimpforpoppy @dreamofyouu @feliiix @thescarycatishere @xryu-minx @tragic-tm @stanzoeywade @sister-solaris @starofeden @kamilah78taeko @calraquin @t4nuk1 @soft-round-bees @mysel08 @noixngn @readerlovers @camisstee @somewillwin @wolfietheduckyou

Previous Chapter

Chapter VI

They just stared at each other for a tense moment then Bea smiles, raising her mug of cocoa and returning her attention to the view. Poppy had to thank that at least Bea had the decency not to aggravate her in such a setting. 

It took her a bit longer to get back to her own writing just looking at Bea in contemplation.

Since coming to Belvoire, Poppy felt like she was on a whole different plane of existence. She didn’t seem to care about what she wore around school, her same henley being her signature look no matter the importance of the venue. She didn’t seem bothered about what the gossip said about her, and she didn’t retaliate with revenge when she was wronged, even when she was practically handed ammo for the job. Something about that pissed her off, the lack of reaction. Poppy shook her head and returned to her notebook, she didn’t want to spend time thinking about this.

They stayed till the sky turned dark and the cafe was illuminated by the hanging lights, getting refills of their hot cocoa and writing in their own journals. 

Bea looked up when Sam sat across from her with a growing smile on her face. Bea chuckled.

“Let me guess, you want a cd?” Sam nodded. 

“So Crystal told you already.”

“Yeah.” Bea took a sip from her hot cocoa in contemplation.

“Of course if you don’t feel comfortable, Crystal had said you were dealing with something.” Bea clenched her fist under the table but smiled. 

“It’s fine, I can have it done on Monday. I just don’t want this being passed around, my secret identity is on the line.” Sam’s smile returned and she zipped her lips.

“Like it never happened.” Sam patted her shoulder with a smile and left. 

Poppy finished up writing in her journal, putting it away and spending the rest of her time sipping her hot cocoa and eating cookies. Her eyes took in the view accompanied by the soft cafe music. She looked around and thought about the music from yesterday trying to imagine what it was like if she had been there to witness it.

Looking around, there were elderly and young couples alike and some people were alone and watching the view like her. The couples here acted nothing like her mother and father, or her fake father more like. Poppy hadn’t had the pleasure of getting to meet her real father, but her mother always spoke about him in their native tongue when she was younger. And when she was old enough to write she sent letters to him which he responded back to praising her accomplishments and sending her words of encouragement. It made her feel warm and loved. Not like Piers.

“Excuse me.” Poppy waved down a woman who had been wiping tables who came over a small smile on her face. Poppy glanced at the name tag to see it read Alex.

“What can I do for you?” 

“I was wondering if the cafe started doing a live band. I’ve passed by this place almost everyday and yesterday was the first time I ever heard it.” Alex smiled.

“Ah you must be talking about our cafe’s 25th anniversary. We were lucky enough that Robin agreed to sing, and she even sang us some originals.” Robin, so the singer's name was Robin. 

“Do you know where I can find her?” 

“Oh she’s actually-”

“Darling.” Another woman came by which got Alex's attention. The name tag on the other woman read Sam. Poppy couldn’t hear what she whispered to Alex but then she nodded. Alex turned to her apologetic.

“It seems that Robin would like to remain anonymous.” Poppy was a bit disappointed at that.

“I just overheard her singing from the street and I just wanted to get a recording of the songs. I recorded it yesterday and it helps me sleep.” Poppy didn’t really know why she was exposing herself to these people but she guessed it was because she’d never interact with them other than here. Sam gave her a soft look.

“Well we had asked for a copy of the songs, she agreed to bring it Monday so if you want you can make a copy of it and return it. Though Robin had asked that this was for personal use only, she doesn’t want any publicity.” Poppy smiled genuinely. 

“Of course, thank you.” Sam smiled. Alex went off to continue wiping down tables as Sam stayed behind. 

“Is there anything else I can get you hon?”

“I’ll take the check.” Sam nodded and left to get that as Poppy finished the last of her cookies. She glanced over to Bea, finding her hunched over a notebook, eyebrows pulled into a look of concentration. 

Poppy called Albert to come and pick her up, her face furrowed as it went straight to voicemail. She sent a text and found that Albert was driving her father and he would be unavailable. 

Poppy bit her lip as she saw the sky already dark, she didn’t have a ride home. And taking a cab was out of the question. Poppy looked around and saw the shop looked like it was starting to reach closing time as well with the people starting to leave.

“Here’s your check.” Poppy’s mind snapped back and took the receipt. Another server came to take away her dishes, taking her credit card to the cash register and then came back. Poppy signed the receipt and took back her card. 

“Thank you.” When the server left she still sat thinking just how she would get home when Bea rose from her seat.

Bea sipped the last of her cocoa and bought some cookies to take home to Zoey. She closed her notebook and stretched looking out to the view of the city lights against the dark of the night sky. 

“Are you heading out?” Alex handed her the receipt and Bea took out her wallet giving her the exact change which Alex took. 

“Yep, thanks for the cocoa and cakes, they were delicious as always.” Alex chuckled and started putting away her dishes. 

“Always a pleasure, you have a good night ya here.” Bea laughed and nodded as got up and glanced at Poppy who seemed to get up as well, eyes on her. Bea rose a brow at that shrugging on her jacket but didn’t think much of it as she walked back inside and headed towards the stairs saying her goodbyes to Sam. 

Poppy got up as soon as she saw Bea do the same quickly following after her. She was not going to be standed out here. 

“Wait.” 

Bea was about to cross the street to her bike when a voice called out to her. Bea turned around to see Poppy shivering while looking a bit reluctant.

“Yeah?” 

“I need a ride.” Bea tilted her head a bit before nodding. 

“Okay.” Bea watched as Poppy looked to be waiting for something but was met with nothing and her eyes widened a bit. 

“Really that’s it… no favors?” Bea snorted.

“Do you want me to add a favor?” Poppy huffed which made Bea smile. “I’m not going to leave you out here Pop. Come on.”

Poppy let herself be escorted to the other side of the street and did a double take as Bea walked towards a motorcycle. 

“Oh no, nevermind. I’ll call a cab.” Bea took the spare helmet and handed it to Poppy who looked at it like it was diseased. 

“Don’t be such a baby Pop, it’s just a bike.” Poppy grimaced, reluctantly taking the helmet. 

“If I so much as get a broken nail you're paying for my next appointment.” Bea grimaced this time.

“Oof give me a break, I’m still recovering from booking Zoey’s surprise nail appointment gift.” Poppy scowled.

“No.” Bea rolled her eyes glancing as Poppy looked at the helmet in her hands warily, discreetly smelling it. Bea raised her brow as Poppy looked surprised like the thought of it actually smelling clean was a foreign thing for her.

“You done, inspector?” Poppy scoffed.

“At least you keep it clean.” Bea chuckled a little as Poppy struggled to put the thing on.

“Here.”

Poppy felt hands gently move her’s away, and helped her put the helmet smoothly on her head. From behind the tinted visor Poppy just watched Bea fix the strap under her neck watching her face pull in concentration before she smiled at her. She felt a weird twinge in her heart but stamped it out in panic.

 Bea couldn’t see behind Poppy’s visor at least to her knowledge so it wasn’t likely she could see her heated cheeks. 

“You good?” Poppy bobbed her head and it made her feel a little like a bobble head. Bea seemed to agree with the way she lightly laughed. 

Bea took a second to look at Poppy, she was trying to remain in her signature power pose but looked cold, arms wrapped tight to her midsection. Bea removed her jacket and went to put it on Poppy’s shoulders when she raised her hand.

“I don’t need it.” Stubborn.

“This is for protection, it’s padded so if we do somehow get in a crash you’ll be less likely to become a skid mark on the street.” Bea was lying a bit, but Poppy didn’t need to know that. 

Poppy all but shoved her arms though the jacket zipping it up. Bea just smiled.

“One word and I’ll escrivate you.” Bea raised her arms in surrender, putting on her own helmet and strapping it and getting on her bike. Poppy blushed as her skirt was pushed up her thighs as she got on clenching the sides of Bea's jacket. 

“You better hold on tighter than that Pop, you might fall.” 

Bea again gently removed her hands from their death grip on her sweater and wrapped them around her middle. 

“Hold on tight okay?” Poppy just tightened her grip which gave her the okay to start the engine, the low rumble echoing on the street as they drove towards Belvoire. 

They arrived in one piece though Bea could argue bruised ribs with how tight Poppy seemed to hold her whenever they turned a corner. 

Poppy had taken off her helmet and fluffed her hair as soon as the engine turned off, pulling her skirt down and smoothing the wrinkles. 

Bea put Poppy's helmet away in the compartment and was about to take off her own but was stopped. 

“No, leave it on. I’d rather not be seen walking with you bringing me back to Zeta house like we were on a date.” Bea pursed her lips inside her helmet, if anything it did look like it as Poppy was still wearing her jacket. 

“Is it really necessary?” 

“Yes, because I’m already dating Bradley, and that would cause… problems.” Poppy cursed her step-fathers' need for keeping appearances.

Poppy pursed her lips and scrutinized her. She looked about the same height as Bradley if she stood up like a normal person. The helmet would add some extra height, and it looked like she was wearing a sports bra which made her chest look flat in the sweater she wore. And Bea had pretty broad shoulders, the frame was almost the same. 

“You could pass as him with that on so keep it. Fix your posture, hunchback!” 

Bea sighed and stood straight. Poppy hummed approvingly.

 “It will have to do, let’s go Bradley.” 

Bea rolled her eyes as she walked by Poppy with her helmet on, walking in complete silence. They arrived at Zeta pretty quickly as Poppy seemed to almost drag her faster as she put her smaller hand in Bea’s larger one as they got closer to Zeta. Poppy opened the door to Zeta and saw some girls still bustling around. Veronica came into the foyer on a video call with someone and looked about ready to snap but saw Poppy then turned back to her phone. 

“Sorry to cut this short, I have business. Byeeee.” She ended a call and then smirked looking at the two of them. “Have fun on your date?” Poppy scoffed and Bea remained silent. 

“It’s none of your business Veronica.”

“Well it looks like it might be and everyone else’s if you brought him home Poppy.” Veronica even glanced over and Poppy and Bea turned to see some girls peeking from the hall but then hiding as they got caught. 

“Ugh, harpies all of them.” Veronica leaned on her hip and waved a hand, a growing smirk on her face. 

“Well whatever, try to keep it down won’t you? I want to try and not get my videos demonitized by your loud moaning.” Bea snorted and got an elbow in her stomach from Poppy who glared at Veronica.

“Screw you Lombardi, now I’ll be sure to be extra loud. Come on Bradley.” Poppy grabbed Bea’s wrist and all but dragged her upstairs. 

“Was that an invite for a threesome?” Veronica called out only to be met with a middle finger. 

Bea chuckled as she was pulled into Poppy’s room and the door shut behind them. Poppy locked the door with a sigh.

Poppy watched Bea remove her helmet, her hair falling onto her shoulders, no trace of helmet hair as she ran her fingers through her hair. 

“So am I stuck here?” Poppy pursed her lips. 

“Only until they fall asleep.” Bea grimaced. 

“And how long will that take.” Poppy shrugged and removed the jacket Bea had given her, placing it on her desk chair and putting her purse on her desk. 

“Depends, but there’s always the balcony.” Poppy motioned to it and Bea squinted her eyes at it. 

“You’re not going to push me off it are you?” Bea looked at her suspiciously. Poppy smirked as she leaned back on her desk.

“That’s not a bad idea actually, but I’d rather not have your dead body close enough to me to be a suspect.” Bea backed up from her vicious smile. 

“You’re scary I’m out.” Bea went to take her jacket as she was leaving but was stopped once more. 

“Leave it, it’s evidence that Bradley stayed the night.” Bea frowned.

“But that’s mine.” Poppy rolled her eyes. 

“Suck it up, Farmsville. It’s not even that great a jacket and I can’t have my reputation lowered any further when they realize that Bradley left before it got good. These walls have ears.” Bea made a face of disgust. 

“Gross, but you owe me a new jacket if you're keeping that one, that’s my favorite biking jacket.” Poppy rolled her eyes and shoved her to the balcony. 

“Whatever, I’ll mail you a better one. Now shoo, I’d rather not have you listening when I give the girls an audio visual.” Bea was shut out onto the balcony with her helmet. Bea put it back on and climbed down the veranda, it was harder than it looked and with the helmet, she 10/10 would not recommend. She had slipped and fallen and maybe sprained her wrist, she winced as she experimentally moved it.

“Shit.” Bea quickly ran off before anyone could catch sight of her, shielded by the shadows. That was going to hurt in the morning

Next

#queen b #poppy x mc #poppy min sinclair #bea hughes

[manet-boleyn]

The Spanish Princess Top 5 Characters

Back at these Top characters list again. This is my second, the first one I did was The Tudors. That had Top 10 characters, however since there is a smaller cast of characters since TSP is much more shorter, I will only be doing 5 characters. This show was actually enjoyable to me much more than The Tudors since it was shorter and I knew the cast of people much more thn idk... Gardner (I don’t really interested in Parr’s time as queen, planning to change that) and that musician boy from the first season. I will go on more of this in a different post how The Spanish Princess does better with characters than The Tudors in a different post. Anyway, these are my 5 favorite characters in TSP, let’s take a look. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS-

Mary “Rose” Tudor

Cardinal Wolsey

Charles Brandon

Bessie Blount (before TSP made her nasty since they realized she was too nice to go against Catherine)

Oviedo

Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham

5. Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales

Before I even watched TSP, I was already interested in this portrayal of Arthur. A few months, in fact. I always commented on his silly hair how it made him “Willy Wonka”, but from all those jokes and comments, he definitely become very close to the start of this account by just making fun of the wig. So when I was watching The Spanish Princess episode 1, I absolutely fell in love with this dork. The actor is also cute and I feel like he is a good Arthur, Angus Imrie makes Arthur very timid and unsure of Catherine, which I mean I would too since Catherine is an awful character. But each time Arthur appeared on screen, I was so happy since his character was just amazing and he gives off so much bookworm vibes. I definitely relate with this character since I’m really awkward too. I love how he interacts with Margaret Pole’s children and with Margaret herself, it is like they have a little family. I love how he tries to be tough against his brother, but automatically failing since he is very shy while Henry is very full of himself. I hate to say it but the sex scene with Catherine also shown his character as well, a fucking sex scene.  Heck, ever scene he is in shows his character well. From the start you can tell he wouldn’t be that good of a king by just how awkward he is, while his brother is straight forward. You can say Arthur is an oddball and that makes me love him even more. This was one of the best acting in the show, props to Angus Imrie.

4. Lina de Cardonnes

Obviously, most of Lina’s story is made up since the real Lina was a servant and not Catherine’s closest lady-in-waiting. However I am guessing Lina is supposed to replace Maria de Salinas, the real Katherine of Aragon’s closest best friend. However, I still love the character of Lina. She still supports Catherine throughout the show, however will tell her if the thing she is doing is wrong, say like lying about how Catherine bedded Arthur and other things. However, she will still help Catherine no matter what. This kind of disappointed me, that Lina is so kind to Catherine in some points even though Catherine is a huge dick to her sometimes. It was so great to see her finally leave England in the last episode, it’s like a big “F U to Catherine for me”. But not fully though, Lina still comforts Catherine the last few moments she has with her. I started to understand that was her character though. Rosa did really risky stuff (of that time period) that Lina told her not to do, and she had to suffer the consequences, Lina still decided to help her. Lina is the character that will comfort anyone who is need of it. that is what i like about her character, she is an extremely sweet character and I am so happy that she got out of England before it started to go down to shit. She had suffered to much and finally got her happiness by leaving with her family, and I am so glad she got a happy ending. Stephanie Levi-John played her very well. 

3. Margaret Tudor, Queen Regent of Scotland

First of all, I want to make it clear that out of Henry VII’s four children, I know about Margaret the least. I knew she was married to the King James of Scots and had a son who would become the next King of Scotland and had a daughter named Margaret Douglas. So obviously, I really do not know who she is. However, the Spanish Princess made me really want to research about her. I have not done that yet, but I will since it made me feel interested in her. I thought she was going to be one of the most boring of the characters since I watched a review of The Spanish Princess Season 1 and it said she didn’t do much. Which is correct, she wasn’t present that much in the first Season. However, from all the characters that i wasn’t familiar with that much (Elizabeth of York, The King’s mother, etc.) she was quite, interesting, Then Season 2 happened. In Season 2 she becomes much more important to the story and her acting is so great. She looses a husband that she loves, whom at first she was scared to not even like. She looses her sons to her terrible husband and becomes somewhat mad that she has to stay with him. Before i watched the last two episodes of TSP, I saw a post on Tumblr where it stated she welcomed Anne Boleyn in full arms and watching TSP and how it portrays her struggle with trying to get an annulment, I can understand why she did it and I think Georgie Henley played her very good. She made Margaret very complex and at the end where she absolutely hates her brother and his wife, it makes so much sense. Plus, she loved Mary Tudor and said “ a girl is still a child and she is so beautiful” while Catherine was just like, “it’s a girl, ew”. She definitely is one of the really great characters in the show and I’m interested if they will show her character in Becoming Elizabeth. 

2. Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire

First of all, I just like his character? I don’t know? I really liked it when he said that daughters was also a blessing just like a son? I think i just like him since i really do not like Thomas Boleyn portrayals. Many portayals make him look like a pimp that pimps out his daughters. Thomas also does this too somewhat, but I genually see that he loves his daughters, what many portrayals of Thomas Boleyn lack of. We don’t see him get angry at his daughters at all, when he tells Anne to get the king’s interest, I feel like it just isn’t forced. We don’t see Anne ever get angry at his father at all. You can say she has barely any character in this like other portrayals, but just seeing Thomas not be angry to his daughters just is different for me, I don’t know why. Plus, he is one of the people I’m very sure that is very stand offish of Margaret Beaufort after she literally orders a man to die even though the King is dead. he is in the background a lot but he makes his presence, I really hope he is in Becoming Elizabeth, this character needed more of a presence since he was an utter joy to watch. He’s also high on the list since I am a simp. I’m sorry. It’s just like Thomas More. 

1. Rosa de Vargas

Yes, very unexpected, right? Rosa is so underrated and I wish more people talked about her. She was one of the main characters for Season 1 and shown up two times in Season 2. I used to be kind of annoyed with her. She takes a lot of risks by becoming Edward Stafford’s mistress and I somewhat agreed with Rosa that she was being dumb. But when you see her in Season 2, she is different. She is more mature and looks more mature and that is when I realized that she was only a teenager in Season 2. Or young adult, but she is still young still. Then everything made sense, of course she took those risks since when someone is a teenager, they take risks, not matter the cause. I started to like Rosa when she is pregnant , the utter worry she got made me really sympathize for her. She decides to keep the baby and I grew more and more in fear as she tries to get Stafford a home for her for the child and Stafford constantly ignores her. But then Rosa sadly has a miscarriage and she is destroyed by it. You can really feel how upset she is, she really wanted to have a life with her child. She is so compassionate and it is s shame that she is only a young adult having all of this horrible things happen to her. Yet, she still has the happy girl vibe, she cares for her friends and I was quite upset that she had to leave, I grew close to her character and I didn’t want more time of Catherine. But then we see her in Season 2. She’s older now, she has a family of three daughters. She went through so many hardships, she finally gets her happy ending. She also has a loving husband, you can tell how happy she is as a mother and wife while Catherine really isn’t. Rosa is the character that actually fully convinces Catherine that she could care for her daughter, even though she is not a boy that will become king. And Catherine takes that information. Rosa, the girl who lost her child when she was a teenager, teaches the one of the most bitter characters in the show to actually become a mother and love her daughter. In my opinion, Rosa has most impressive character arc of the show. We barely see her in Season 2, but she has changed so much, in a positive way too. She used to be so timid and sad, but now she if a confident mother that shines. She even accepts the apology form Stafford and the way she does it the watcher can see so much growth. And in the end, she helps Lina leave England to go to the Ottoman Empire. Rosa at the start got help from Lina, but now she is the one that helps. She finally sets Lina free from the painful state of England. To me, Lina is the one that got the true happy ending in The Spanish Princess. She went from an awful beginning into a character that i respect so much and I wish people see her growth. Rosa is a minor character, yes, but she is the one to make Catherine become a parent, she is the one to make Mary actually have a parent that cares for her well being, and she is the one that helps Lina escape. She is so beneficial to the plot and easily should be loved by the fan base just like Margaret, Mary “Rose” Tudor, and Anne Boleyn. I really hope Nadia Parkes has a successful career soon. 

Anyway, that’s my Top 5 characters in The Spanish Princess, what is yours?

#tw miscarriage #the spanish princess #Katherine of Aragon #thomas boleyn #rosa de vargas #margaret tudor #lina de cardonnes #arthur prince of wales

[vadergf]

Alright Rey we know you simp for Tom Holland and Anakin (affectionate /g) bur would you be so kind as to list some women you simp for? My gay ass has gone too long without simping for someone and I usually agree with your taste :)

OOOH OKAY. So most of the time I simp for women I see on Instagram so I will be listing them.

Ruby Rose!!!

Emma Mackey from Sex Education (god I love her)

Kristen Stewart!

My queen Emma Langevine

Loey Lane

Rihanaa

MEGAN THEE MFING STALLION

Halsey!

Okay this person is on Instagram and tiktok but they're like my first legitimate girl crush lmaoo @kyso_lo

Margot Robbie

@laysieee shes so pretty🥺

@jaslenewhiterose

Valkyrae!!!!! How did I forget her

Georgie Henley ngl (lucy from the narnia movies)

@anyang_deng

@gigiitheblackbarbiee

Quenlin Blackwell!!! (Shes also like really funny)

@officiallizsanchez

Avril Lavigne

Lucy Liu!!!!

Olivia Rodrigo 😳

Nora Fatehi (dont @ me)

MEGAN FOX!!!!!! (Her and mgk are just bi panic)

That's all I can think of right now!!

#rey answers <3 #anon

[modernmanblues]

i get nauseated thinking about my Don Henley simp days 🤢

#why did i ever #at least it was short lived

[teen--marvel]

i assume you simp for men who wear henleys, especially men whose names start with dyl and end with do...i mean lan

You are so correct

anonymously tell me your assumptions about me

#answered #anon #hey kyrstin #hahahaaa

[promisedneverwrite]

Nightingale

Masterlist

Taglist:@ashleyfenner @veenast @simpforolderwomen @shrzdm @maskedalienfreak @plutoscape @shows-simp-card @baexpoppy @iamsimpforpoppy @dreamofyouu @feliiix @thescarycatishere @xryu-minx @tragic-tm @stanzoeywade @sister-solaris @starofeden @kamilah78taeko @calraquin @t4nuk1 @soft-round-bees @mysel08 @noixngn @readerlovers @camisstee @somewillwin @wolfietheduckyou @calraquin

Previous chapter

Chapter VII

Like she predicted, it hurt. Zoey had taken her to the ER the next morning, her wrist had swelled really bad and she was given a cast and some pain medicine for it. 

“I left you for a day with Poppy and this is what happens.” Zoey had coddled her making sure she drank her medicine before leaving to meet up with Poppy again. 

“I didn’t do it on purpose Zo.” Zoey frowned and pulled her into a hug petting her head. Bea snuggled into the affection as they sat on the couch.

“You need to take better care of yourself babe, are you sure she didn’t push you.” Bea shook her head. 

“No she didn’t, said something about not wanting to be a culprit to my demise or whatever.” Zoey snorted and patted her head. 

“Of course, the queen never gets her hands dirty. The convenience of minions." She sighs squeezing Bea in a hug one more time squishing her cheek on the crown of her head. "Try not to strain yourself, and text me if she tries to pick a fight, I'll come running.”

“Yes mum.” 

Bea gets to the shelter a bit early to play with the little cuties. Bea didn’t know if it was her meds but when one of the shelter workers handed her one of the puppies Bea felt like crying. 

“I’m so happy. But I don’t have enough hands to hold them.” The shelter helper had laughed holding the other animals for her. Bea sniffled pressing her face into the soft fur of the puppy. “Thank you.” 

Poppy was waiting for Bea to arrive having gotten there on the dot to see if everything was set. She had gotten up early today smirking at the girls who caught her gaze as she went down for breakfast, who blushed and avoided her gaze. Veronica had grimaced at her as she sipped her coffee, she had the room on the left of her to her so of course she had heard. Chloe had the one on the right of her and she still didn’t show her face to her. 

“Nice to see so many new additions. I guess that means a lot of these little guys are being adopted?” 

“Yes, Ms. Min-Sinclair. We have a ten percent higher adoption rate than last year.” That was good, these babies needed a good home. Poppy looks down at the little puppy in her arms softly scratching its tummy. 

“I’m glad to hear it, Julian. Hopefully, this project we’re doing will get us some good press for you, and we’ll get that rate up to 20 percent this year?” 

Poppy catches Julian looking behind her and she turns finding Farmsville and her expression sours marching over to her. 

“You’re late.” Bea gives her an infuriating smile.

Poppy glances at her outfit and like always wearing that same,  but different, colored henley her eyes however stop at the cast wrapped around her arm and her eyes narrow. “What happened to you?” Bea looks down to where she was looking. 

“Oh this? Turns out you didn’t need to push me off the balcony to kill me, I’m perfectly capable of doing it myself.” 

Bea snorts at Poppy’s disturbed look as she stares at her.

“There’s something seriously wrong with you.” Bea just shrugs. “You’ll be okay with holding a puppy though right? You won’t drop them?” Bea purses her lips.

“So long and they don’t squirm.” Poppy’s brows furrow.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Bea hums as Poppy leaves. She didn’t know if concern was what Poppy was exuding but it could be a possibility. Not concerned for her mind you, but maybe for the puppies. She couldn’t really be sure with her given the mixed signals she was feeling.

Poppy raised her brow, impressed by Farmsville as she watched from the sidelines. Farmsville was a natural charismatic on camera, even adopting a little pupper. In the end Poppy was just happy that this would bring publicity to her little shop that could, that’s all that mattered to her anyway. 

“Congratulations on not being completely useless today.” Bea turned to Poppy seeing a look of appraisal in her eyes and Bea smiled.

“Thanks, you too.” And just like that the look was gone in a split second after she said that. Poppy sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. 

“I’ll see you in class, Bea. Champ, come.” Bea just watches her go looking down at the little pup in her arms. She still had to find a name for the little bug, maybe Zoey could help name him. 

“I think she’s a real softie don’t you?” Her puppy barked cradled in her arm. “For sure, let’s go home and see your auntie hm?” Bea had called a cab as she wouldn’t be able to drive for the foreseeable month or so.

Bea had sprained her left wrist so she wouldn’t be playing at the port club, she had called Crystal about it. There was some argument about her to just sing but Bea declined. She also called the cafe owners and they understood and wished her well on her recovery. It was a small blessing in disguise for her to relax and distance herself from Crystal. But while she injured one of her playing hands, her writing hand still had other work to do, like grading papers and such. 

Bea had gotten home midafternoon to Zoey screaming excitedly at the dog carrier all but hogging the little dog to her just as the little pup waddled out of the carrier. 

“Wait, this isn’t a therapy dog is it, you didn’t sprain your wrist that bad did you?” Bea blinked. 

“They have those?” 

Suffice to say, when she got the text from the professor, Zoey kicked her out taking the newly named Beppy on a shopping trip to the pet store. Zoey though did make sure Bea took her pain medication before kicking her out. 

Bea stayed late grading papers diligently in silence with her earbuds in to concentrate and focus on anything else other than being in the same vicinity to a teacher who had almost kissed her at the bar. It was awkward as hell, and she didn’t do well with awkward confrontations. 

“Thank you for your help Bea.” Bea just nodded as she packed her things and quickly left. It was around 12:47 when they finished up and Bea trudged home tired and hungry. She silently opened the door to the dorm and went to her room finding Beppy in her room napping on a doggie bed surrounded by many toys, Zoey had already gone to sleep it seemed. Beppy seemed to wake up from his power nap sensing her as he skidded to her legs jumping up and whining.

“Hey buddy.” Bea dropped her bag by the foot of her desk and scooped up Beppy and brought him to the bed as she changed her clothes before laying down on it. Beppy seemed content to lay flat on her stomach looking at her, tail wagging as she pet him absently. Such a sweet boy, Bea remembers the dogs she raised in the farm to shepherd the sheep. The puppies always dug into her hair when she laid down and all but ripped her hair out, they did grow up to be obedient though it was just the beginning stages that were the struggles. 

Bea laid there for a moment just thinking over the past two days with Poppy. When a text alerted her and made Beppy jump and look to the ground tapping in place. Bea let him down and he went to his toys rough housing them. Bea chuckled then looked at her phone seeing a notification from Poppy. Must be awake scheming, Bea chuckled at her own idea of what that looked like as she opened the text.

Poppy sat lounging on her faint couch while listening to her recording of Robin’s songs in the security of her room. She had been planning since the start of Chloe’s reign, and made up her own plot of killing two birds with one stone. She would be the mastermind, Bea would be the stone, and Chloe and Bradley would be the birds. It was no secret that Farmsville had a heart of gold, she could use that to her advantage to make the blow to Chloe less hurtful knowing Bea would take pity and warn Chloe of her impending doom. But it was up to Chloe to trust her or not. Bradley could die in a ditch, she didn’t really care for him.

With Bradley sliding into Chloe’s dm’s for the past week she’d think he was into her. Chloe was a sucker for romance, well any romance really so she’d fall for Bradley’s attempts at flattery. By Friday she’d have Bradley tell Chloe to meet up at Club Malibu and to wait for a special announcement. Poppy and Bea would keep tabs on Chloe with Poppy taking the left and Bea the right, knowing that Chloe, for some reason, liked being on the right since shes known her. Bea would work her Farmsville charm and hopefully Chloe would listen, and take charge of the situation. And Bradley would be labeled a dick giving her the means to break up with him from the bad PR he would get from an attempt at humiliating a St. James. And viola, problem solved. She’d regain her status and get rid of that ass kisser fake boyfriend of her’s. It was fool proof.

Next

#queen b #poppy min sinclair #bea hughes #zoey wade #poppy x mc