#I’m sure Andrew’s proud

[emjayewrites]

Private Landing (Lewis Hamilton Fanfic)(4/?)

SUMMARY: In the high-speed world of Formula One, Lewis Hamilton subtly introduces a mysterious partner via Instagram after a slight mishap during an interview. Sparking media intrigue, everyone wants to know: who is the enigmatic figure that calls herself Mrs. Hamilton?

INSPO: this post

PAIRINGS: Sir Lewis Hamilton x Aurora "Rorie" Phillips-Hamilton (faceclaim is Justine Skye)

WARNINGS: drama, angst, sexual content, formula one b.s., pre-established relationship (with flashbacks). RATED M (18+)

TAGLIST: @queenshikongo3 @cocobutterqwueen @httpsserene @mauvecherie-writes @galatially @pausmoon @a-moment-captured @nikki01234 @yeea-nah @sirlew44 @melodichaeuxx-lacritquexx @weetjy @lewisroscoelove @hxneyclouds @questionable-behaviour @marzzrambles @lovebittenbyevans @tian-monique @alika-4466 @saintslewis @cherry2stems @mitruscity @burberryfilms @planetmimi @woderfulkawaii @d3kstar @liamundi @trinitoldyouso @scorpiobleue @pharaohanubis0 @certifiedlesbianbaddie @blveeeeeee @sugardontbesweet @omgsuperstarg @bluesole16 @serpenttines-library @peyiswriting @royallyprincesslilly @jasmindaughteroftheworld @laptiteantillaise @purplelewlew

A/N: Please let me know if you want to be added/removed from the taglist. The headers/dividers are by @inklore

CHAPTER 4: Summer Break '23

The summer break had finally arrived, and Lewis couldn't contain his excitement. After a grueling first half of the season, he was ready for some time off to relax and recharge. Plans for two trips were set: one with his best mates Miles, Andrew, Louis, and Jas as well as Rorie and some of her girlfriends for a one-week cruise around Turkey, and another with his family to Colorado for relaxation and bonding time.

He missed hanging out with his boys, but he also missed his wife. Lewis wanted her to be with him in Belgium when he finished the first half of the season, but she had an interview with Bustle to prepare for, not to mention check in with Lyric and make sure everything was running smoothly at home. He was immensely proud of her for all of the opportunities that came her way, and he was certain that there was so much in store for her.

This break from racing was much needed for him, especially since his team's performance thus far had been subpar. They were struggling to keep up with their main competitor, Red Bull, and it was taking a toll on him mentally. He thought he had left all his emotions behind on the track, but they followed him even as he escaped to the Kusadasi port with his wife as they waited for their friends to arrive.

"Is everything alright?" Rorie asked, noticing the worried expression on her husband's face.

"I just can't stop thinking about the races and how we're not performing as well as we should," Lewis replied.

Rorie placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "You're still an amazing driver, Lewis. Don't let this get to you."

"I know, but I hate losing," Lewis sighed. "I want to win another championship for my team."

"Well, that's something we can work on when we get back," Rorie said with a smile. "But for now, let's enjoy our break and each other's company."

“You’re right.” Lewis nodded and leaned in for a kiss from his supportive wife. She always knew how to comfort him and put things into perspective.

“I’m always right,” giggled Rorie as he placed tender kisses along her jawline. He grumbled an indecipherable reply and the deep timbre sent shivers down her spine.

"Rorie!!" The sound of Kiara's high-pitched made Lewis groan and facepalm.

"You invited her, really baby?" he asked, irritated, as he moved away from his wife’s embrace.

"Of course I did," Rorie replied with a scoff. "KiKi is fun, and I think she has a little crush on Miles."

Lewis's eyes widened as he realized Rorie's intentions. "Please don't tell me you're trying to set them up."

"And if I am?" Rorie raised an eyebrow before striding off to greet her friend.

"Girl!" KiKi smiled widely as she took in the luxurious multi-level yacht that they were on. "I know your man got money, but this is wild! Thank you for inviting me; I bought Casamigos!"

"Yes!" cheered Rorie as she gave KiKi another hug. "I can always count on you to get the party started."

A small smirk appeared on Lewis' face. Despite her annoying demeanor, he had to give it to KiKi for bringing the fun. Whenever Rorie drank Casamigos, she turned into a bona fide freak in bed - something he definitely looked forward to.

Maybe inviting KiKi might not be bad after all, he thought. If he could get even two minutes of “special time” with Rorie, that would certain make him feel a whole lot better.

"Hey, Lew!" she spoke to him and he replied with a friendly wave. "You spent a lot of money on this yacht, my friend. I can already tell that this is going to be a trip of a lifetime."

Lewis chuckled at KiKi's comment, knowing that she was right. He had spared no expense in renting out this impressive yacht for their vacation. It was the least he could do for his closest friends and wife, who had been by his side through all of his races and training sessions.

"Something like that. How was your flight?" Lewis asked, trying to make conversation with KiKi as they waited for the rest of their friends to arrive.

"It was good," KiKi replied with a smile. "I ended up watching movies the whole time. Where's Miles fine ass at?"

Lewis rolled his eyes at KiKi's flirtatious comment. "He'll be here soon."

"I'll be surprised if you don't have him wrapped around your finger by the end of the night," Rorie teased.

KiKi rolled her eyes playfully. "Please, I already have him wrapped around my finger."

Just then, Miles, Louis, Andrew, and Jas arrived and joined them on the yacht. Miles hugged Rorie and Lewis before greeting KiKi with a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey gorgeous," he said with a charming smile. "Long time no see."

"Hey yourself, handsome," KiKi replied, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously.

The rest of Rorie's friends arrived on the yacht - Tia, Ayesha, and Britt. They were all excited to see each other and catch up. Tia and Ayesha were Rorie's closest friends from college and Britt was her childhood best friend.

As they settled into the yacht, Lewis went to check on the captain and make sure everything was in order. Meanwhile, Rorie and her friends grabbed some shots from the bar and headed to the deck.

"Can you believe it's been eight years since we graduated?" Tia exclaimed, raising her glass. "Cheers to us still being friends!"

They all clinked glasses and downed the shots.

"I can't believe we're all here together," Ayesha said with a smile. "It's like old times."

Everyone nodded in agreement, reminiscing about their college days and how much they had grown since then. Tia and Ayesha were both successful lawyers now, while Britt had pursued her love for photography and found success as a freelance photographer. KiKi had established a catering business in New York.

"Yeah, except now we're all successful women with our own careers," Britt added. "Rorie especially - Mrs. Hamilton and budding socialite."

Rorie laughed at Britt's words, feeling grateful for all the blessings in her life. She never imagined she'd end up marrying a world-renowned race car driver, but here she was, living her dream.

"Speaking of which," Rorie said, eyeing KiKi slyly. "What about you, KiKi? When are you going to settle down?"

KiKi rolled her eyes and took another sip of her drink. "I'm living my best life as a single woman," she replied with a smirk.

"She's too busy chasing after every hot guy she sees," Miles chimed in, earning a playful slap from KiKi.

"Funny coming from the one who slid into my DMs less than a day ago," KiKi retorted, causing everyone to fall silent with their jaws hanging open in surprise.

Lewis muttered under his breath, "Wow," and shot a telling look towards his best friend.

The group burst into laughter at Miles's expense and he playfully pretended to be offended.

"Hey, I have a reputation to uphold," he joked. "But in all seriousness, KiKi is a catch. Any guy would be lucky to have her."

KiKi grinned, knowing that Miles was just trying to make up for his slip-up. She didn't want to waste any more time talking about relationships when they were supposed to be having fun and letting loose on the yacht.

"Enough about me," she said, grabbing another bottle of Casamigos from the bar. "Let's focus on having a good time!"

Everyone eventually settled in, deciding to change into their swimwear and take a dip in the crystal clear waters surrounding the yacht. They all jumped off the deck and into the refreshing sea, laughing and splashing each other. The yacht sailed further into the Aegean, the warm sun and gentle breeze making for a perfect day out on the water. The group relaxed on the deck, enjoying drinks and snacks while taking in the beautiful views around them.

Meanwhile, Britt was busy capturing all the beautiful moments with her camera. She wandered around the yacht, snapping photos of everyone enjoying themselves. Lewis noticed her from where he sat with Rorie.

"Britt's really talented," he commented.

"Yeah, she's always loved photography," Rorie replied.

Suddenly, KiKi stood up from where she was sitting next to Miles.

"Alright guys," she announced with a grin. "It's time for our next activity: never have I ever!"

There were groans of protest from some members of the group while others whooped with excitement. Lewis and Rorie exchanged a knowing look, already anticipating the chaos that was about to ensue.

"I'll start!" KiKi declared, throwing back her shot of tequila before proclaiming, "Never have I ever hooked up with someone on a yacht."

This immediately caught everyone's attention and they all looked around at each other, trying to gauge who had done it and who hadn't.

Miles took a shot and laughed. "Looks like you're out, KiKi."

KiKi shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, it was a yacht party. Things happen and I'll do it again." She shot Miles a flirtatious smirk, causing him to chuckle.

"Don't start nothing you can't finish, baby,” he teased her with a suggestive wink.

"Bring it on, Daddy," responded KiKi, causing everyone to hoot with laughter.

Rorie went next, taking a gulp of her drink before declaring, "Never have I ever went skydiving."

Lewis took a shot, causing her to laugh and give him a high five.

The game continued, with each person revealing some wild or funny experience they'd had. It was now Jas' turn and he glanced around the group with a glimmer of mischief in his eyes.

"Never have I ever kissed someone of the same gender." Jas declared.

All the women took shots, laughing as they did so.

"Wait, what?" Lewis exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise. "You've all kissed another girl?"

"Well, yeah! It's a pretty common thing," Tia replied with a shrug.

Rorie chuckled and nudged her husband. "Don't worry, babe. You're the only one for me."

Lewis grinned and pulled her in for a kiss, causing KiKi and Miles to make gagging noises.

"Okay okay, let's continue the game," Jas interjected with a laugh. "You're turn Lou."

Louis thought for a moment before saying, "Never have I ever gone skinny dipping in the middle of winter."

Everyone laughed and took shots, except for Miles who shook his head. "Why would anyone do that?"

"It was a dare from my sorority sisters in college," Ayesha explained with a grin. "I couldn't back down."

"Alright, my turn," Tia said with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Never have I ever had a one-night stand with a celebrity."

The group immediately turned to Britt who took a sip of her drink.

"Who was it?" Miles asked, already sensing that this was going to be good.

"I'm not telling," Britt replied with a sly smile.

Lewis whistled impressed. "Damn girl, you're full of surprises tonight."

Jas laughed and put an arm around Britt's shoulder. "You're definitely our wild card for this trip."

Ayesha was next, "Never have I ever tried anal sex."

The group erupted into laughter at Ayesha's unexpected declaration.

"Shit, where did that come from?" Miles asked, still laughing.

"What? It's just a question," Ayesha defended herself with a shrug.

Only Rorie and Lewis took a shot. Rorie giggled and whispered something to Lewis, causing him to laugh.

"What was that?" KiKi asked curiously.

"Just reminiscing about our honeymoon," Rorie replied with a wink.

Tia grinned mischievously, "Okay okay, let's keep playing before we all get too fucked up."

"Okay okay, my turn," Britt said eagerly. "Never have I ever had sex in a public place."

Some took shots while others shook their heads in disbelief.

"Wait, seriously? Where?" KiKi asked with wide eyes.

Britt's cheeks warmed and shrugged. "In a movie theater parking lot."

Everyone's jaw dropped at her bold confession.

"Damn girl, you're truly are wild as hell," Jas exclaimed with a laugh. "It's always the quiet ones, bro."

It was now KiKi's turn again and she turned to Rorie and Lewis with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Never have I ever been caught having sex by someone I know," she declared.

Everyone turned to Lewis and Rorie with curiosity, wondering if they would take a shot or not. With a chuckle, Lewis lifted his glass to his mouth and downed the drink in one go. Then, he picked up his wife's glass and did the same.

"You freaky bastard," Louis said with admiration.

"Y'all gotta chill though, for real," Miles commented. "You guys gonna end up having another baby."

"What? Who caught you guys?" Britt pressed excitedly.

Lewis smirked and leaned back in his chair. "That's for me to know and for you to never find out."

"It had to be almost everyone on this yacht, though," KiKi retorted, earning her a chiding glare from Rorie. "What? Don't look at me like that, mamas. You know it's the truth. I caught y'all a few times."

"Same here!" Miles concurred, raising his hand.

"Me too," noted Jas with a laugh.

"Okay okay, let's keep playing," Tia interjected with a grin.

The game eventually came to an end as everyone was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. They all stumbled back to their cabins, laughing and joking along the way. Once they were in their respective rooms, Rorie and Lewis cuddled with each other in bed.

"This has been a great night," Rorie said, resting her head on Lewis' shoulder.

"It has," Lewis agreed, running his hand through her hair. "Thank you for planning this. I needed a break from all the racing drama."

"Anything for my husband," Rorie replied with a smile.

“Really?”

Lewis felt a surge of love for Rorie wash over him. He knew that she always had his back, no matter what.

“Of course,” she responded, staring at him intently.

“What if I want you to take off this shirt?” he said as his finger pulled down the strap tentatively. “I don’t think you need all these clothes on, sweetheart.”

He leaned in for a kiss, but their moment was cut short by muffled moans coming from the adjoining room.

"That's probably KiKi and Miles," Rorie said, trying to hide her smirk.

"Yep, sounds like they're having a good time," Lewis replied with a smile. "I can't believe you actually set up my best friend with yours."

The moans grew louder and more enthusiastic, prompting laughter from both Lewis and Rorie as they listened to their friends' escapades.

“I thought you said that the walls were sound proof?”

Lewis shrugged at his wife. “Shit, I guess not.” His fingers roamed her bare shoulder, making their way downward to cup her breasts.

“How can you still be in the mood? The noises don’t bother you?” Rorie said, swatting his hands away.

“I can ignore it.”

“Well, I cannot,” scoffed Rorie as she turned over. “No snookie.”

“Baby…”

“Nope, it’s too awkward.”

Lewis let out a disappointed sigh as he glanced down at his semi-erect penis. It was straining against the confines of his boxers, aching for release, yet he highly doubt that will happen. This was definitely not how he planned on having the night end, and suffice to say, he was going to have a word with KiKi and Miles.

The next morning, everyone woke up to a beautiful sunrise over the ocean. They all met in the dining area for breakfast, still laughing and reminiscing about the previous night's game.

"Good morning, lovebirds," KiKi teased Lewis and Rorie as they walked in holding hands.

"Shut up," Rorie blushed, playfully swatting at KiKi.

"I'm just jealous," KiKi sighed dramatically. "Miles is too tired from last night to even hold my hand."

“Must be nice,” Lewis grumbled under his breath while everyone else laughed.

They settled down at the table to eat breakfast. The mood was light and carefree as they chatted and made plans for the day.

"So what are we doing today?" Louis asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Well, Lewis and I were thinking we could all go out on a boat for some water activities," Rorie suggested. "We could also explore Bodrum for a bit."

"That sounds like a great idea," Tia said.

"Yeah, and then maybe we can all have a seafood lunch later?" Jas added.

"Sounds perfect to me," Britt agreed.

"Where do we go after Bodrum?" wondered KiKi.

"We have about two days in Bodrum then two days in Rhodes. From there it's Antalya for three days and we spend the rest of the time in Cappadocia," said Lewis.

The group spent the rest of the morning getting ready and packing their beach bags. Rorie and Lewis had arranged for a private boat to take them out on the water, equipped with all the necessary equipment for various water activities.

As they boarded the boat, everyone was in high spirits, excited for a day of fun and adventure. They made their way out to sea, taking in the stunning views of the turquoise water and rocky cliffs.

They took turns jet skiing and banana boating. The group spent several hours out on the water before making their way back to shore. They were all exhausted but thrilled from their day of adventure.

"That was amazing!" exclaimed Britt as they docked at Bodrum harbor.

"I haven't had that much fun in a long time," added Tia with a smile.

"We should definitely make this an annual tradition," suggested Jas.

Afterward, they explored Bodrum, taking in the sights and sounds of the beautiful coastal town. The group settled down at a nearby restaurant for lunch, enjoying the fresh seafood and soaking up the vibrant atmosphere of Bodrum. As they ate and chatted, Miles approached Lewis with a serious expression. "Hey bruv, can we talk for a sec?"

Lewis nodded and followed Miles away from the rest of the group.

"I just wanted to say thank you for setting me up with KiKi," Miles said sincerely.

"It wasn't me, it was Rorie," Lewis replied with a smile. "But I'm glad it's working out."

Miles sighed and looked out at the ocean. "It's just been so long since I've been with someone and she makes me feel alive again."

Lewis could see the genuine happiness in Miles's eyes as he spoke about KiKi. He put his hand on Miles's shoulder in support.

"I'm happy for you, man," Lewis said.

Miles smiled gratefully at his friend before they headed back to join the rest of the group.

The group explored more of Bodrum, visiting local markets and souvenir shops before finishing off lounging on the yacht. Their time in Rhodes and Antalya was the same: exploring, eating amazing food, immersing themselves in activities like hiking and riding ATVs.

Soon, they arrived at their final destination, and the group couldn't help but feel excited and curious about what Cappadocia had in store for them. The landscape was unlike anything they had ever seen before - a surreal mix of dusty red and white rock formations scattered across the horizon.

After a few hours on the road, they finally arrived at their hotel, an elegant cave accommodation carved into the side of one of the fairy chimneys. The rooms were luxurious and spacious, with soft lighting and plush furnishings.

"Welcome to Aza Cave Hotel, Hamilton Party," the concierge greeted with a warm smile. "Please, have some tea."

A waiter came around offering Turkish tea. Each of them took a cup and sipped slowly, savoring the rich and aromatic taste.

"This is really good!" exclaimed KiKi. "Do you guys sell this? I would love to take some back home."

"Of course, ma'am," said the concierge. "I'll make arrangements to have a selection gift box placed in your room. It contains all of our popular blends."

The group thanked the concierge and took some time to freshen up before meeting in the lobby to head to dinner at the hotel's terrace restaurant. As they made their way to the restaurant, the group couldn't help but admire the stunning view of Cappadocia at sunset. The orange and pink hues of the sky reflected off the unique rock formations, creating a magical ambiance.

Once they were seated at their table, the hotel staff brought out a delicious spread of traditional Turkish dishes - from savory kebabs and dolma to fragrant rice pilaf and mezze platters. Everyone dug in eagerly as they discussed their plans for exploring Cappadocia.

"We have an early morning start tomorrow," Rorie said as she took a sip of her wine. "We're going on a hot balloon ride."

"I can't wait!" exclaimed Britt, bouncing in her seat with excitement.

"It's going to be amazing," added Jas, grinning from ear to ear.

"How early is early though?" she wondered aloud, making everyone turn to stare blankly at her.

"What? I'm just saying what everyone is thinking," KiKi defended herself with a laugh.

"Early is early, Kiara," Miles teased, nudging her side. "Why? You need extra time for some beauty sleep?"

"I mean, yeah," nodded KiKi with a grin. "Y'all have been tiring me out. I don't think I've stayed up this late since college."

"If you're getting old, just say that, girl," joked Tia, causing KiKi to hit her playfully with a napkin.

"Never that, sweetie," she retorted, "but I need some time to relax too."

"They have a spa here, y'know?" Ayesha said. "We can hit it up later."

"Say less, girl!" KiKi grinned widely.

"I mean since the girls are gettin' their massage on, I say we hit up a game of pool after the balloon ride," suggested Jas with a sly grin.

"You think we would want to play another game with you after you just cheated during basketball?" teased Lewis, reminding everyone of how Jas had cheated during their pickup game while they were sailing to Antalya.

"Oh come on, it was all in good fun," Jas defended herself with a laugh. "But seriously, we should do something active."

"I'm down for pool," said Andrew. "Or maybe bowling? I heard there’s a bowling alley here."

"We could go for a hike tomorrow instead," Louis suggested. "I heard there are some amazing trails around here."

"That actually sounds perfect," said Miles.

"Okay, so that's settled then," concluded Lewis. "We'll go hiking tomorrow."

The group continued chatting and laughing as they enjoyed their drinks and snacks. Eventually, Rorie looked at her watch and realized it was getting late.

"Guys, as much as I'd love to stay out all night with y'all, I think I’m going to head to bed soon," she announced.

"Yeah, same here," agreed Ayesha. "We have an early start tomorrow."

"Okay, let's call it a night then," said Tia.

The group said their goodnights and headed back to their rooms. Lewis and Rorie made their way down the echoing hallway, the dim light casting long shadows across the walls. Upon entering the room, Lewis wasted no time in pulling Rorie closer to him, his eyes filled with longing. He leaned in, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss that spoke volumes of the desires burning within him. Rorie could feel the intensity of his touch, the heat of his body pressing against hers, igniting a fire deep within her soul.

Rorie gently pulled away, a look of concern in her eyes. "Lewis, we really don't have time for this," she whispered, trying to reason with him. "It's almost midnight, and we need to be well-rested for our early morning balloon ride."

"I'll be quick," he says as he plants kisses down her neck.

“You always say that,” Rorie chided as she rolled her eyes. She allowed his kisses to trail downward to that special spot on her collarbone. Rorie couldn't help but let out a small moan as Lewis continued to kiss her, his hands roaming over her body. She had to admit, she was tempted to just give in, but she knew they would regret this in the morning. “You have fifteen minutes. Can you work with that?”

Lewis grinned mischievously, his hands still roaming over Rorie's body. "I can work with anything," he replied, his voice laced with desire.

The next morning, the group gathered in the lobby of the hotel bright and early. They were all dressed comfortably for their hike and ready for a day of adventure.

Rorie noticed Lewis standing off to the side, looking a little tired.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" she asked him softly.

"Not really," he admitted with a sheepish grin as he waggled his eyebrows. "But it was worth it." He added a light slap on her ass for dramatic effect, causing Rorie rolled her eyes playfully and give him small smile.

They were greeted by the hotel staff with warm towels and fresh coffee before heading out to meet their tour guide.

"Good morning, Hamilton Party!" exclaimed the guide, a friendly man named Murat. "Are you ready for an unforgettable experience?"

The group eagerly nodded as they boarded the van that would take them to the balloon launch site. As they drove through the quiet streets of Cappadocia, Murat shared interesting facts about the region's history and culture.

They arrived at the launch site just as the sun was starting to rise. The sight of dozens of colorful balloons filling up with air against the backdrop of Cappadocia's unique landscape took everyone's breath away.

"Wow," whispered Miles in awe.

"This is going to be incredible," said Lewis with a grin.

After a safety briefing from Murat, they climbed into their designated balloon basket and took off into the sky. The feeling of weightlessness and the stunning views around them left everyone speechless.

As they glided over fairy chimneys and valleys, Murat pointed out notable landmarks and answered any questions they had. The whole experience was truly magical.

After an hour-long flight, they landed smoothly back on solid ground. Everyone clapped in excitement as they made their way back to Aza Cave Hotel for a well-deserved breakfast.

"That was absolutely amazing!" exclaimed KiKi as she dug into her plate of Turkish pastries.

"I can't believe we got to see Cappadocia from above," added Britt with a dreamy smile.

"It was definitely one for the books," said Jas with a satisfied sigh.

"Did I tell you guys how much I love y'all?" Miles said with a playful grin as he wiped crumbs off his mouth.

"You don't have to say it," KiKi replied, giving him a warm smile. "We know."

“No but seriously,” said Miles. “I love you guys for real. This has been one of the most amazing weeks of my life. I truly appreciate our friendship. To friendship!” he lifted up his cup of coffee and everyone joined with their various glasses.

“To friendship!” everyone toasted.

"I can't believe we almost didn't come here," Ayesha said with a shake of her head. "We would have missed out on so much."

"I know, right?" agreed Jas. "But I'm glad we took this trip together."

"Me too," Lewis added, putting his arm around Rorie's shoulder.

"This has been one epic adventure," Britt said with a sigh. "But now it's time to go back to reality."

"Don't remind me," KiKi groaned playfully. “I want to stay in Turkey forever.”

Days later in London......

Alexander sat in his office at The Sun, sifting through the documents that the private investigator had handed him. He couldn't believe what he was reading.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, looking up at the PI.

"Positive," replied the PI. "I double-checked all my sources and everything adds up."

Alexander leaned back in his chair, trying to process this information. He had been tasked with finding out any secrets or questionable behaviors of the Hamilton family, and this was certainly a bombshell.

"And how did you find all of this out?" he asked the PI.

"I have my ways," replied the PI with a smirk.

Alexander nodded, still deep in thought. "Anyone else knows about this?" he asked.

"I highly doubt it," said the PI.

"Good, we’ll be the first tabloid to break the news then. Well, thank you for your work on this," he said to the PI. "I'll make sure your payment is sent over promptly."

As soon as the PI left his office, Alexander pulled out his phone and dialed his boss’ number.

"Hello?" answered his boss, David, on the other line after a few rings.

"David, it's Alexander," said Alexander in a serious tone.

"Any news?”

“Tons. You wouldn’t believe what I’ve just found out about Rorie Hamilton.”

"Well done, Alexander," said David with a hint of excitement in his voice. "This could be the story of the year."

TO BE CONTINUED......

#sir lewis hamilton #lewis hamilton #lewis hamilton fanfic #sir lewis hamilton x black!reader #private landing #lewis hamilton x black!reader #lewis hamilton x rorie hamilton #formula one fanfiction #f1 fanfic #formula 1 fanfic #emjayewrites

[mynameismckenziemae]

can you do a bob x reader? anything w protective bob? i’m a sucker for a “who did this to you?” trope🤭 i trust your creativity and writing, take any liberties!!

Warnings: 18+ MDNI! A-hole ex boyfriends, talks of previous domestic abuse, violence, blood, (non consensual) derogatory language, a little smutty-smut at the end.

This is a bonus scene from Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone (first chapter here)

________________________________________

“We’re meeting the caterers at the venue at 5 but otherwise we don’t have anything planned for today,” you tell Bob as you brush mascara on your lashes.

You were back home in Minnesota with Bob for a long weekend to see family and do some wedding planning.

“What would you do on a cold rainy day growing up?” Bob asks, wrapping his arms around your waist and resting his chin on your shoulder.

“Roller skating, but the rink closed shortly after I graduated high school, otherwise we’d go to the mall or the movies. That’s actually where I had my first kiss with Andrew Fischer,” you sigh dreamily just to tease him.

He’s on to you though and pinches your butt. “Can I take you to the movies?”

“I’d love that. Maybe you’ll get a kiss too, if you’re lucky.”

________________________________________

“I’ll drop you by the door and meet you inside after I park,” Bob says as he pulls into the lot.

“Thanks, not sure you’d want to be seen with me if my hair were to get wet,” you laugh as you check it in the mirror. Your hair was a curly mess on a good day; the humidity was making it borderline out of control.

He shifts into park and grips your knee before you get out. “I love your hair, and there’s nothing about you that would make me embarrassed to be seen with you, Sun.”

You’d been kidding but the reassurance was always nice.

“Love you,” you smile and press a kiss to his lips. “Meet you in there.”

________________________________________

You wait in the quiet lobby, humming to yourself while you watch for Bob.

“Sunny?”

A cold chill runs down your spine at that voice.

“Hi Di-Derek,” you say, almost calling him dickhead (Bradley’s fitting nickname for your ex-boyfriend).

You haven’t seen him since you caught him in bed with another woman and were happy to see he looks awful

“I thought that was you, I thought I’d say hi since I was walking past. What are you doing here? Last I heard you were still in Cali, fucking some guy in the army,” he says casually, like what he just said isn’t extremely offensive.

“I-I’m not…we’re-,” you stutter but trail off as he keeps talking, stepping closer as your back hits the wall.

“You know, you could lose a few pounds, and fix this god-awful hair,” he says, tugging none too gently on a strand, smiling at your wince. “Otherwise you look good. I’d still fuck you.”

“I suggest you back away from my fiancé,” Bob says lowly from behind you both.

“Fiancé? Why didn’t you say so?” Derek laughs in your face before pushing away from you and turning to Bob. “I’m Derek, Sunny’s-“

“Pathetic ex who cheated on her,” Bob finishes for him.

Derek’s fuming as he laughs cruelly. “Can you blame me? I know she was cheating on me too. Always gone, always begging for other guys' attention like the slut-“

You flinch at the sickening crack of his nose when Bob’s fist meets his nose.

“What the fuck?! You’re gonna regret that. I’m calling the cops,” he sputters as he reaches for his phone, blood pouring from his obvious broken nose.

“I wouldn’t do that, Derek,” you say, finding your voice. “Unless you want to be sitting in jail too.”

“Why?! He hit me?!” He says, shaking with rage as he tries to stem the flow of blood with his coat sleeve.

“Remember that night at the Hard Deck? When you grabbed my arms and slammed my head against the wall? Not only do I have pictures of the bruises you left but Penny has the video of it too,” you say, proud that your voice isn’t trembling.

“I barely touched your arms! And I didn’t slam your head against-whatthefuckever, it doesn’t matter anyway—that was months ago! It wouldn’t hold up in court,” he argues.

“Maybe, maybe not. But Bob here is one of those ‘top 1% naval aviators’ along with Bradley and Jake-who haven’t gone after you only because I said not to. You have no idea what lengths the Navy would go to protect them and how easily things can get swept under the rug,” you saw lowly.

His face pales when he realizes your implication and scrambles to his feet, muttering a half-assed apology before running outside.

Bob checks you over before wrapping his arms around you in a tight hug. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

You shake your head, “I’m okay. I never cheated on him, you know that, right?” You murmur against his chest.

He presses a kiss to the top of your head. “I know you didn’t. Do you want to get out of here?”

You take a deep breath. “No, I’m not going to let him ruin our day.”

________________________________________

“Is your hand okay?” You ask as you take your assigned seats.

“Yeah it’s fine, I didn’t hit him that hard.”

“Hard enough to break his nose,” you laugh. “It’s gonna hurt like a bitch when they set it.”

“Good,” he says darkly.

“Was that the first time you’ve punched someone?”

“Besides when I was a kid fighting with my brother? Yeah.”

The previews start but you can’t seem to forget how hot it was when Bob didn’t hesitate to defend you. It reminded you of something.

“Do you remember the night we met and you scared of that jackass who called me a whore at the Hard Deck?” You whisper.

“Yeah, I remember everything from that night,” he responds, brushing hair off your forehead.

You smile. “Then you remember what I said after?”

His eyes darken as he recalls. “You said too bad we’d just met because you wanted to get on your knees to show your gratitude.”

You nod as you sink to your knees in front of him.

“Right now? Here?” He whispers as he looks around. But it’s just the two of you in the empty theater.

He’s already hard when pull him out of his gray sweatpants. You waste no time and use your hands with your mouth to work him over.

His head falls back with a low groan as he cums, filling your mouth as the opening credits come across the screen.

Just as you sit back down, an elderly couple enters the theater, sitting just a few seats over.

You can’t help but giggle when Bob shakes his head with a chuckle of his own.

________________________________________

Later you send a message to the group chat as Bob drives to the caterer.

Sunny: Guess who we saw today?

Rowan: Please don’t say Derek.

Sunny: It was Derek.

Bradley: *dickhead.

Sunny: Yeah…I almost called him that 😬

Bradley: Why didn’t you?

Sunny: I was waiting for Bob to park and he kinda had against the wall.

Bob parks and checks his phone.

Bob: He literally had her against the wall when I walked in.

Nat: OMG Sunny! Are you okay? Did he hurt you?

Rowan: Holy shit! Are you alright?!

Jake: What the fuck?! I’m gonna fucking kill him. I should’ve that night.

Bradley: ^Agreed.

Sunny: It’s okay. I was a little shaken up but I’m okay too.

Rowan: Thank God. How’d you get him to leave you alone?

Sunny: Bob rearranged his face with his fist ☺️

Jake: HELL YEAH!

Bradley: That’s my boy!

Nat: Just when I thought I couldn’t love you more Bob. 😍

Jake: Hey!

Nat: 😘

Rowan: Hahaha that’s awesome! Did he call the cops though? I could definitely see him calling the cops

Bob: He was going to until Sunny put him in his place.

Sunny: I brought up the pictures I took of the bruises and the video Penny sent me. I also told him how Jake and Bradley would have no problem going after him. I might’ve also said that the Navy wouldn’t hesitate to cover for them too 🤫

Jake: Fuckin ‘a right!

Bradley: I’d gladly sit in prison for that.

Rowan: ^That’s fine, but only if there are conjugal visits

Bradley: Duh 🙄

Rowan: Watch it Bradley…

Bradley: Yes ma’am 🫡

Jake: Gross…

Jake: Kidding, please go on. I wanna see how this plays out.

Nat: ^Agreed🍿

Sunny: Lolol I love you guys.

You silence your phone with a smile as Bob opens your door and offers his hand.

________________________________________

A/N: I hope I did it justice @lexixstewart

Tagging (please lmk if I’m annoying you by tagging you! I’ll take you off my taglist!):

@its-the-pilot

@dizzybee03

@sweetwhispersofchaos

@shanimallina87

@blindedbythelightt

@getmyprettynameoutofyourmouth

@phoenix-rising-starbird-one

@mrsrobertfloyd5

@charmedkim

@k-k0129

@bellaireland1981

@ingoaliesitrust

@hookslove1592

@amiets2

@nero4te

@eli2447

@atarmychick007

@vixenobrian

#robert bob floyd #robert bob floyd x reader #bradley rooster bradshaw #jake hangman seresin #top gun maverick #top gun smut #bob floyd

[faerieroyal]

𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐘’𝐒 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄’𝐒 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐒 !

— ❥ 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞: 𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 + 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

( warnings: insecurities, mentions of kind of shitty parents and past partners, one mention of food )

( note: this short was written with tom holland’s peter parker in mind, but i think it would also work for andrew garfield’s if you’d rather picture him. )

you are not a person who is used to praise. this isn’t something you say to garner sympathy or to make people feel bad for you so they’ll compliment you, not at all - it’s just a fact. your parents have never been the kind of people to vocally express approval, usually settling for an awkwardly cleared throat and a hand squeezing your shoulder, and the few romantic partners you’d had before your current boyfriend apparently hadn’t seen the need for it either. but then, you’d realized after those relationships had ended, your partners hadn’t really seemed to appreciate anything you did for them anyway, so the fact that they weren’t big on complimenting you isn’t exactly shocking.

what is shocking, however, is what happens when you start dating one peter parker. when he’d first confessed his feelings to you and asked you out, face scarlet and stumbling over his words all the while, you hadn’t really expected much of a difference from your previous relationships. sure, peter was much sweeter and more genuine than your former partners, but at that point you’d been convinced that you just attracted people who didn’t express gratitude, so you’d assumed, with no small amount of disappointment, that this relationship would turn out to be the same.

you find very quickly that you’re in for a surprise.

peter isn’t really known for being the most eloquent guy around; everyone at school is familiar with the way he tends to trip over his words, even if he can occasionally land well-placed verbal blows on bullies or anyone who’s being an idiot. but his tendency towards stumbling over his words hasn’t stopped him from praising almost everything you do since the two of you started dating - quite the opposite, in fact. almost every time you do something for him, or, in fact, even when you just do something that could be generally considered good, he’s quick to shoot a compliment your way in that sweet, slightly awkward way you’ve come to associate with him and him only.

“oh, you didn’t have to make breakfast - thank you, though, really, it looks like it’s gonna be delicious!”

“is… is that a new outfit? i mean, it’s fine if it’s not, too, obviously, but you… you look really good in it. like, wow.”

and, you’re surprised to find, even when you mess up or you’re struggling, the praise doesn’t stop coming; in fact, it seems to increase, now combined with encouragements and forehead kisses and even offers to help with whatever you’re having trouble with, something you’re even less used to than compliments.

“i know this is really hard, but you’re doing really good, okay? i’m super proud of you, no matter what.”

“is there anything i can do to help? maybe i can’t help with the actual thing, but i can get you a snack? or, are you cold, i can get you a blanket?”

“i’m really proud of you, you know. i just… i mean, i dunno, i just thought i’d tell you.”

it’s everything you haven’t had from anyone up until this point, everything you didn’t know you wanted until you and peter got together… and you’re not entirely sure you deserve it. you know your boyfriend isn’t exactly in the habit of saying things he doesn’t mean, but it’s all just so much, all the compliments and affirmations, and while it does feel good, you’re never sure exactly how to react to it at the time, and it always makes you feel like the worst partner ever when your own attempts to return the praise are always so awkward and stilted.

you tell peter all of this, one night when the two of you are curled together in bed. you’re not entirely sure where you find the courage to voice what you’ve been thinking - maybe it’s just the effect of being in the dark, the little burst of confidence to say things you’d never have the wherewithal to say in the light of day. nevertheless, you finally voice all the negative thoughts swirling around in your head, your voice quiet and shy, but the words there all the same.

the moment you’re done, peter shifts around in bed, moving so that the two of you are facing each other, your own face cupped gently in his hands. you can’t make out every little detail of him in the dark - not that it matters, when every facet of his face has been engraved in your mind and heart for months now - but you can see the way his eyes are wide with genuine concern and affection, how his mouth is turned down in a sad little frown that you’d surely think was absolutely adorable had you not just shared your most vulnerable, insecure thoughts with him.

“babe,” peter says, his voice soft and sweet and oh so gentle. “of course you deserve compliments and encouragement and all that, you’re amazing. and i mean, everyone deserves compliments and that kind of stuff, but you deserve them more than most people, because you’re amazing and ‘cause i know you haven’t had a lot of them. and it’s okay if you can’t always give it back to me, you show your love in other ways and that’s fine. i know it’s kind of hard to believe when you’ve convinced yourself of something different, but i don’t have any problem keeping on telling you until you do believe it, and i will. okay?”

it’s not the most eloquent speech ever, but it’s honest and loving and so peter that you can’t help it, a few tears well up in your eyes. but peter sees them immediately, because of course he does, and he immediately swoops in to kiss your eyelids, pushing them away. you nestle your face into the curve of his neck, so overcome, for a moment, with all the love you feel for this awkward, adorable, wonderful boy, and in return the boy in question wraps his arms around your waist and snuggles you closer to him, knowing to give words a rest for a moment and just let you hold him and process.

he’s right, of course, as he tends to be. everything you think and feel, all the effects of being deprived of praise and encouragement for so much of your life, are going to take a while to overcome, to replace with positivity and acceptance of all the things your boyfriend thinks and says about you. but you can’t help but believe peter when he says that he’s going to keep at it, with all the boundless determination that makes him such an amazing person and hero, until you really do believe him.

marvel taglist: @hiya-itsamber, @fairyofthehollow, @whiskeyswriting, @dancingwith-sunflowers, @xoalexandrarose !

general taglist: @maddipoof, @thatmagickjuju, @talkingturnedtoscreamss, @malafvma, @auxiliarydetective, @heliads, @oneirataxia-girl !

( send me an ask if you want to be added to a taglist !! )

#(.⋆꙳‧ my works !! ‧꙳⋆.) #— ❥ dolly writes drabbles !! #— ❥ valentine’s love language shorts !! #— ❥ dolly’s beloveds: peter parker !! #peter parker drabble #peter parker x reader #mcu drabble #mcu x reader #marvel drabble #marvel x reader #gender-neutral reader

[mayariviolet]

AOT Men That Are Hozier-coded.

ft. Armin and Jean.

summary: Horny and pathetic. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO YOU.

cw: slightly suggestive themes under the cut. religious guilt, specifically Catholic or Christian beliefs… obviously (y’all know me atp).

a/n: Someone who can write smut comfortably please write an armin x reader OR jean x reader fic to the tune of:

‘Take me to Church’ and ‘It Will Come Back,’ by Mr. Andrew Hozier Byrne. PLEASE

THEY ARE SO HOZIER CODED! I’m just rambling rn because I think I’m ovulating falling in love with them again. Maybe I will turn this into a series where I associate artists with certain characters… I don’t know.

✧˖°.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ ✧˖°. ✧˖°.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ ✧˖°. ✧˖°.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ ✧˖

“My church offers no absolutes

She tells me, "Worship in the bedroom"

The only Heaven I'll be sent to

Is when I'm alone with you

I was born sick, but I love it

Command me to be well.”

LIKE TELL ME THATS NOT ARMIN… HE WOULD SO FEEL GUILTY ABOUT WANTING SOMEONE SO BADLY THAT ITS BORDERLINE SINFUL. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY HE WOULDN’T CARE!

HE WANTS TO BE RALLIED AND HELD TO A HIGH STANDARD OR JUDGED BY SOMEONE HE REVERES, BC HE WANTS TO BE CHALLENGED. LORD HAVE MERCY. HE WOULD BE THE KIND OF DUDE TO HAVE IMPROMPTU RELATIONS IN A CONFESSIONAL. SURE HE WOULD FEEL GUILTY, BUT IT WOULD BE SO GOOD IN THE MOMENT! HE WOULD PROBABLY THINK HE FOUND SALVATION WITH YOU UNDERNEATH HIM. Impromptu, ‘Wrong use of a rosary.’

He probably sang in the choir or played the piano and just decided to drag you to church one day. Not in a:

‘I’m going to convert you’-way.

More like,

‘Look at this thing I’m proud of!’-way.

══════════════════

“Don't let it in with no intention to keep it

Jesus Christ, don't be kind to it

Honey, don't feed it, it will come back.”

THIS IS SO JEAN BC THIS BOY IS A MUNCH!!!

I AM TIRED OF PRETENDING HE ISN’T.

He is so pathetic in a way that is just so satisfying for both of you. THIS MAN LOVES YOU IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORLD AND IS SO ANNOYING ABOUT IT. ESPECIALLY AT THE END OF THE SONG WHEN HOZIER SAID

“Don’t you hear me howling babe?”

HE IS CALLING FOR YOU! AGHHH!

If ever he got in a fwb type of situation I feel like Jean would jokingly say,

“Don’t fall in love with me.” and you’d be like, “Okay? I wasn’t planning to…”

BUT THEN HE WOULD BE ALL POUTY AND TAKE IT ALL BACK WITH SOMETHING LIKE,

“Wait no I lied please fall in love with me-”

So when you do finally fall in love it’s kind of a:

“Last chance to back out because once we do this with emotion, there’s no turning back.”

MORE OF A WARNING FOR YOU BECAUSE HE LOVES SO DEEPLY.

Jean would not be one to go to Church because he doesn’t believe in God or a higher power. He’s open to discussing it, though, especially if you are. But if he could choose to worship something or dedicate his life to it would be YOU.

══════════════════

(Me after writing this…)

a/n: I have no idea why I’m so feral lately. Nor, why I keep writing head canons at like three am… I’m gonna finish editing the first chapter of my Geto fic tomorrow. Hopefully upload it by Saturday!

I should also clarify that I was literally raised Catholic.

══════════════════

© Please do not copy or replicate my work. Inspiration is appreciated, but credit properly! ♡

#i love pathetic men #and religious guilt #explored through power imbalances #i need them pathetic and insatiable. #aot headcanons #ilysm armin alert #Armin alert x reader #jean kirstein x reader #aot x reader #armin alert headcanons #jean kirstein headcanons #jean kirstein aot #armin alert aot #aot #modern aot headcanons #no because him and Jean are so hozier coded it’s not even funny #jean kirstein is hozier coded and I’m tired of being silenced #Spotify #hozier #mv.writing📝 #mv.creates🤍🎑 #attack on titan

[abandonedbun]

Maybe Andrew and Norton with g/n (if possible) Reader who feels very little pain? (Example: They get struck by a hunter, but they keep running until at the end of the match they are like "bro you are bleeding")

Of course! ^w^

Also just a little note:Gender neutral is always possible! Bun will default the reader’s gender to neutral if the gender isn’t specified! So everyone of any gender can read it! :3

Andrew Kreiss

Oh lord

He was worried before but knowing you have a high pain tolerance…

At first he was alright with it, you don’t feel much pain so he was happy you didn’t feel much of it

BUT WHEN YOU ARE BLEEDING DURING A MATCH-

He gets so so worried because those injuries are not slight bruises

You are literally bleeding please patch yourself up so he doesn’t faint from shock

Yeah you’re a good kiter due to your higher pain tolerance BUT CMON

One time Andrew was waiting for you at the gate, he was relieved to see the hunter wasn’t near (they changed targets due to being pissed off)

Then he saw you bleeding

It sorta went like this

“S/O, you’re back. Let’s get back to the manor- OH DEAR LORD-”

S/O who’s literally bleeding out from their head: “Andrew? What’s wrong?”

Andrew: “DEAR YOU ARE BLEEDING OH GOD”

S/O: “Oh don’t worry it’s fine, doesn’t even hurt!”

Andrew: “YOU’RE STILL BLEEDING”-

Now he makes sure you’re always 100% patched up

Please let him take care of you, he’s gonna cry soon if he sees you bleeding too much

He really cares okay?? :(

After matches he always rests with you and makes sure you aren’t hurt

He doesn’t care if you aren’t feeling the pain, he’s taking care of all your injuries

Norton Campbell

He is emotionally attached to you

He really cares for you! He absolutely loves you

At first he was proud you had a high pain tolerance, he thinks you’re so strong!

But he gets worried when it comes to hunters because they don’t take mercy on survivors unless they’re going friendly (which is rarely)

Sure you can kite for longer, which is great but you’re still getting hurt

The hunter usually changes targets because they aren’t wasting their time chasing you because you don’t go down easily

Now for Norton’s scenario

S/O: “Norton!! I’m back!”

Norton saw you while he was waiting at the gate, he calmed down seeing you safe

Norton: “Good, you’re here, now let’s get going- wait. S/O.”

S/O: “Yeah? :)”

Norton: “Are you bleeding right now? Ō-Ō”

S/O: “Oh yeah but it’s fine! I can barely feel a thing!”

Norton: “… Nope”

S/O: “What do you mea- Norton put me down!”

Norton: “Nope. Too injured, you’re getting carried now”

S/O: “But I can walk on my own!”

Norton: “Nahh you’re getting carried”

He’ll literally just pick you up if he sees you as too injured

He’s like 184 cm tall so goodluck struggling free from him unless you’re close to his height, as tall as him, or somehow taller

He just carries you to Emily and says “Please patch them up, they don’t know how to do it”

S/O: “Yes I do!”

Norton: “Didn’t see you do it, so you don’t”

He seems chill but he’s panicking inside

Please just get patched up. Just do it

#identity v x reader #idv x reader #identity v #idv #andrew kreiss x reader #Norton Campbell x reader #idv prospector x reader #idv gravekeeper x reader

[justagalwhowrites]

Lavender - Ch. 21

When someone you dread comes to the QZ, Joel takes matters into his own hands. A continuation of Lavender Ch. 1-20 found on Tumblr here.

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader

Warnings: Description of past SA, PTSD response, torture. No use of Y/N. 18+ only, minors DNI!

Length: 7.2k

Friday, April 17, 2015 - Four Years Later 

“So you’re not going to be Dr. And Mr… Fuck, what was his name again?” Andrew snapped off a bite of jerky. 

“His first name was Simon,” you said. “I’m not actually sure if I ever got his last name.” 

“So you’re not going to be Dr. And Mr. what’s-his-name why?” 

“Because he had a weird problem with the fact that he’d sometimes have to share a bed with my best friend,” you shrugged. 

Jess groaned. 

“He was fine with it at first when he assumed the best friend had a vagina and he thought he could finagle a three way out of it,” you said, taking a drink of water. “Got a little less OK with it when I said the name Andrew…” 

“You guys don’t even do that much anymore!” Jess said. You and Andrew both looked at her for a moment. She sighed. “You do that every time I go outside the QZ don’t you.” 

“It’s like you don’t know me at all,” Andrew kissed her temple. She sighed, leaning into him. 

“Almost like he’s attached to his wife and has a hard time coping when she’s out dealing with the end of the world,” you said. “He’s just strange that way…” 

She rolled her eyes. 

“Who knew I’d be a part of the codependency club…. Well, hopefully now that the new batch of guards are coming in they won’t need me as much,” she sighed. “They’re supposed to be getting a few other people who are equipped to go help with field psych evaluations with this bunch…” 

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Andrew muttered. “They’re only after muscle, they don’t give a shit about anything else.” 

“Isn’t this group supposed to be pretty big, though?” You asked. “We’ve got Marta coming in to help with processing for health screenings in like an hour…” 

“You say that like it’s not going to just be more goons,” Andrew said. “With all the shit that’s going on… There was a shoot out just a few blocks away the other day. FEDRA’s losing their grip.” 

“They ever bug the clinic break room we’re going to be next on the executioner’s block,” you muttered. 

“Makes me nervous, talking about this stuff here,” Jess said. “No one likes it but…” 

You were quiet for a minute. 

“Any other dates coming up soon?” Jess changed the subject. “I still liked Sean…” 

“He did stick around for a bit,” Andrew nodded. “He lasted, what, four months?” 

“Yup,” you nodded. “I liked him, too. But, you know…” 

They didn’t respond. They didn’t need to. Sean had said “I love you” and had expected to hear it back. You just weren’t comfortable lying to him. He didn’t stick around long after that. 

“Nothing on the books yet,” you shrugged. “We’ll see what happens.” 

“You’re just going to end up fucking Tommy again,” Jess narrowed her eyes at you. 

“Yeah, I don’t know if I should be proud of you for figuring out how to have casual sex or if I should be frustrated with you figuring out how to do it with just one person,” Andrew said. You glared at him. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s very on brand for you…” 

“Hey,” you cut him off. “Why are we talking about my sex life? I don’t get to talk about your sex life…” 

“Ours is boring,” Jess shrugged. “Yours is way more fun.” 

You weren’t sure if fun was quite the word you’d use for it. 

Yes, you’d managed to branch out a bit since your split with Tommy. It took a few months but, when a guy in line for rations had asked if you wanted to hang out sometime, you’d said yes. Sure, you ended up having nothing in common with him but it was a start. Something you were now comfortable doing. Now you were having dates somewhat regularly. Even if you weren’t always sure you understood the point of it. 

You’d only been broken up with Tommy a few months when he showed up at your door late one night, just before curfew. You were already in bed when he knocked on your door. You frowned. Even months later, you recognized the knock. You all but jumped out of bed and tore the door open. 

“Hey Kid,” he gave you his signature, cocky smile. His bicep was bloody. 

“Of course you’re bleeding,” you sighed, opening the door. He smiled sheepishly but came inside. “You’re always fucking bleeding.”

He sat on your bed where he always had as you’d stitched him up and shrugged out of his shirt, hissing as the fabric passed over the cut on his arm. You gathered the supplies and turned on enough lights that you could see what the fuck you were doing. 

“Who’d you piss off this time?” You asked, cleaning the knife wound. It was jagged. 

“The usual,” he said. “Believe it or not, this isn’t how I wanted to see you again…” 

“Weird that you still go out and get into trouble then,” you muttered, checking the wound before starting to suture. 

“I’ve been thinking about coming by, saying hi for a few weeks,” he said. “Missed you. Weird not seein’ ya all the time. This was just… the push I needed.” 

“Everyone else OK?” You asked, glancing up at him. 

“Fine,” he said. “Tess made it out unscathed. Joel’s leg is better. He just got decked in the face this time out, which he probably deserved for somethin’ else stupid he’s done lately.” 

You laughed a bit at that. 

“Probably did.” 

By the time you’d stitched him up, it was past curfew. 

“I can take the couch,” he said, but you waved him off. 

“We shared a bed for a year,” you replied. “Just shower first, you’re gross.” 

You were reading when he climbed into bed beside you. 

“Kind of a weird place to ask it but, think we could be friends?” He said. “Meant it when I said I missed you. Don’t expect anything else but I’d like to be friends.” 

You looked at him for a second, the shadow of familiar longing in you. You ignored it. 

“I’d like to be friends, too.” 

And you were just friends, for a while. It took some adjustment but you liked Tommy as a friend. He was funny, he shared a lot of the concerns you had about FEDRA and what was going on in the world, he was unfailingly kind. 

A few weeks after you broke up with Sean, the two of you were sitting on your couch, watching a movie Tommy had found on his last trip outside the QZ, Cruel Intentions, something you’d never bothered to see before. You liked it well enough but the sex scenes… you hadn’t had sex since the split with Sean. The scenes were making you fidget on the couch, rearranging yourself to try to get some kind of relief from the ache between your legs. 

The movie finally, mercifully, ended and Tommy looked at you. 

“Proposition,” he said. 

“Shoot.” 

“We have sex.” You raised your eyebrows, he pressed on. “As friends. We’ve already done it, I have a good time, you have a good time…” 

“You’ve just got a one track mind,” you rolled your eyes at him. 

“No,” he said. “I can just tell when you’re turned on and I’m tryin’ to be a gentleman.” 

You glared at him. 

“No strings, no pesky feelings, just sex when we both want it,” he said. “That’s it.” 

You thought for a second. Could you do that? You supposed the last time you’d had sex with Joel it had been just sex. You’d kind of hoped it would be more but you knew that it wouldn’t be. 

“Just sex?” You asked. 

“Just sex,” he nodded. 

Just sex with Tommy turned out to be pretty damn fun. It wasn’t something you did all the time but it was enough to you from being too focused on the sex part on the rare occasions you did try to date someone new. It was easy enough to cut off when he found someone he was interested in or you did and easy enough to fall back into when you were both single again. 

It was during one of the “just sex” periods that Tommy brought you to meet some of his… friends. 

He’d just gotten back from a smuggling run and had a pack full of stuff when he showed up at your door with a broken finger. 

“Figured why try to fix it myself,” he teased you. You just rolled your eyes and let him in. 

“So I’ve been thinking,” he said slowly as you set his finger. You just raised your eyebrows at hm. “I’ve got to run this stuff to a meeting tomorrow night. You should come.” 

“What kind of meeting?” You frowned. 

“Just some like minded folk,” he shrugged. 

“You’re being awfully cagey, Miller,” you said. He shrugged again. You smirked a little. “I’m not going to a swingers club with you…” 

“Damn, killing all my dreams here, Kid,” he teased back. 

The next night, he came by the clinic as you were finishing, the pack on his back, and led you across town to a building that FEDRA hadn’t done anything with yet. 

Your body tensed. It reminded you of being outside the QZ, like a clicker or a raider was going to jump you at any second. 

“You’re OK,” he said quietly, leading you down a hall. There was a firefly insignia painted on the wall where he turned.

“Tommy,” you hissed. “Are you mixed up in…” 

“Just listen to what they have to say,” he said quickly. “It’s not what you think.” 

“Don’t know what the hell kind of death wish you have,” you muttered. He ignored you. 

The meeting was informal. It was Tommy, a handful of other people and a woman named Marlene who seemed to be running things. They didn’t seem to want to talk openly with you there, but they seemed to have enough understanding of whatever the fuck it was they were doing to not need to say much explicitly. Something told you that Tommy had mentioned bringing you along before. 

After the meeting, you hung back with Tommy and waited until Marlene was alone. 

“This is the friend I told you about,” he said, nodding at you. Marlene looked you over. 

“So you’re the doctor,” she said. 

“So they tell me.” 

“Tommy says you’re doing some research,” she said. You glanced at him. “I’d be curious to learn more.” 

“Not a lot to say at the moment,” you shrugged. “I’m trying to use some preexisting research on slowing the growth of fungal infections to see if I can develop a way to stop cordycep progression after transmission. Like an emergency injectable or, maybe someday, a vaccine. So we can have time to excise or amputate the infected tissue. I haven’t found anything that works yet, though.” 

“What if you thought a little bigger,” Marlene said. 

“Bigger.” 

“Bigger,” she nodded. “Bigger like a cure. Like it doesn’t matter if you’re bitten beyond needing some stitches. Bigger like we get our fucking planet back.” 

You laughed for a moment before you realized that she was being serious. 

“You’re talking about developing a cure for cordyceps,” you looked at her. 

“I am,” she said. “And I’d like your help. You don’t have to only develop what FEDRA wants…” 

“FEDRA barely tolerates the work I’m doing now,” you scoffed. “I’m not developing this for them, I started doing this on my own and my boss was willing to let me use some facilities to do it in…” 

“But a cure…” 

“A cure is so far beyond unlikely,” you said. “We have nothing to build a cure off of. Right now, I’m looking for a bandaid…” 

“Bandaids don’t do much for bullet holes,” she replied. 

“When you’re the one patching people up, you come talk to me about bandaids,” you snapped. “Until then, let the professionals handle it.” 

She laughed darkly. 

“Didn’t think you’d be such a supporter of FEDRA,” she said. 

“I’m not,” you replied. “I’m just a realist. I wish FEDRA just didn’t exist but they do and we’re stuck in the reality we’re stuck in. I’m not going to sit here and wait for some magical cure to manifest, I’m going to work with what I have and try to do what I can to make it better.” 

She considered you for a moment. 

“If your research pans out,” she said. “Would you consider sharing the formula with us?” 

“Yes,” you said. “Of course. I plan to give it to anyone who asks for it. A hope for survival shouldn’t be a tool for power, I don’t intend on just giving it to FEDRA to leverage as they see fit.” 

“We have a lab,” she said. “Out west. We could provide you all the support you’d need…” 

“No,” you shook your head. “No, I’m not going out there with infected and raiders if I can help it. And my life is here. My friends are here, the clinic, the kids at the school… I’m not going anywhere.” 

She sighed. 

“Well, Tommy knows how to reach me,” she said. “If you change your mind. Which I hope you do. You would be an asset to our mission.” 

Tommy walked you back to your place in silence. He stopped outside your door and you just sighed. 

“You’re being an idiot with them,” you said. “Don’t let it get you killed.” 

You doubted he listened to you.

Marta poked her head into the break room. 

“Just got word from the front gate,” she said. “They’re heading our way.” 

“That’s my cue,” Jess said, getting up and stealing a kiss from Andrew. “See you when you get home. Try not to wear yourself out.” 

“I make no promises,” he said. She rolled her eyes, waved by to you, and left. 

Andrew looked at you. 

“Ready to get fucked by FEDRA?” He asked. 

“Sounds like your average Friday to me,” you replied, cracking your neck, downing the rest of your water and heading to the exam area. 

Things went smoothly at first. Marta and Andrew divided the men up, each of them handling intake for half of the 100 or so troops FEDRA was sending in from other QZs and training facilities. Then, the men went back to the exam area where you and the other doctors and nurses did quick exams and sent them on their way. You were on your 14th exam when you knocked once on the exam room door and went inside, without paying much mind to the name on the chart. “Hello,” you said, opening the file. “I’m…” 

“I remember you.” 

You looked up. Your stomach clenched. You had to swallow to keep from vomiting. Your heart pounded. Your hands shook. It took everything you had to not run. 

You looked down at the file in your trembling hands, skipping over the first name and going to the last, even though it was burned in your memory, just like his face. 

McCarthy. 

“Always wondered if you’d made it through,” he smirked at you. “You look good, hardly know it’d been 12 years. How old were you then?” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” your throat was dry. “I’m just here to do a quick exam.” 

“Oh, c’mon now, I know what we had was more memorable than that,” he said, looking you up and down. Your stomach turned. “Know it was for me. You had… Well let’s just say, been looking for a girl to measure up since.” 

“I just need to take some vitals,” you managed, getting the blood pressure cuff off the wall. 

You barely remembered taking his vitals. Everything sounded like a high pitched whine, you could hardly hear or register anything he said. You were hyper aware of the feel of everything in your body, of every blood vessel, every muscle, every function. Breathing took conscious effort. So did blinking, swallowing. All you wanted to do was throw up. 

After what felt like an eternity, you stepped back from him. 

“You’re all set, Officer McCarthy,” you said. 

“Have to look you up now that I’ll be in town,” he smirked. “Good to know that I can just start here.” 

You knew your eyes must look like dinner plates, so wide and afraid. He seemed to like that. 

“See you around, Doc.” 

He winked, closing the door behind him. The second he was out of the room, you locked the door and doubled over the trashcan, throwing up. Your body just rejected everything you’d eaten that day, coughing and choking in its rush to expel it. 

You’d spent the last 12 years pretending that McCarthy didn’t exist. That it had never happened. When he came to mind, you tried to shove the thoughts down, tried to avoid them, deny that there was anything to think about to begin with. 

You rinsed your mouth out in the sink and tried to keep your tears under control before you rushed out of the exam room to find Dr. Lee. 

Thankfully, he was just stepping out of an exam room when you did. 

“Lee,” you said quickly. “I need you to cover for me, I have to go home.” 

He groaned. 

“Come on, we’re slammed…” 

“I know,” you said, looking up at him. “But how often do I ask to go home early? I have to go home, I can’t…” 

He looked at you and frowned. 

“Yeah,” he said. “Get out of here.” 

You all but sprinted for the door and out into the sun. You took moment when you got outside, doubling over with your hands on your knees to catch your breath before starting your walk home. You needed to curl up under your blanket, feel safe in your own space. It seemed like you might snap in half if you didn’t. You’d just started to calm down, to get your heart to stop racing, when McCarthy stepped out from an alley and grabbed your wrist, pulling you back down it with him. 

You froze as he put your back against the wall, his arms caging you in. 

“Now I know you remember me, pretty thing,” he smirked. “I’m the guy who saved your life, the lives of those kids you were with, you wouldn’t forget a guy like me…” 

“You have me confused with someone else,” you could barely talk. He ran his nose over your cheek, smelling you. 

“Bet you still feel the same,” he said. “Bet I could find out…” 

“Please,” you choked. “I just…” 

“Hey!” 

Suddenly McCarthy’s body was pulled away from yours and Joel was in front of you. 

“The fuck is this?” He asked, facing McCarthy. Your hand went to your chest, clutching the fabric of your shirt, desperate to get your heart to slow down. “Because it looked an awful lot like you were hasslin’ this girl.” 

“No trouble,” he said. “Just… an old friend. We go way back, all the way back to the outbreak. Don’t we, Sugar?” 

Joel looked over his shoulder to you but you couldn’t bring yourself to look at him. 

“Get the fuck out of here,” Joel snapped. “Catch you botherin’ her again you’ll regret it.” 

“Careful who you talk to,” McCarthy tried to step up to him, but Joel had several inches on him. “Probably don’t want to piss off a FEDRA officer.” 

“I don’t give a shit who I piss off,” he growled. “Get the fuck out.” 

He stood there and watched him go before he turned to you. 

“Hey, Baby,” he said gently, reaching for you. You flinched back, your stomach turning. 

“Please don’t touch me,” you managed. 

“I just want to help…” he began but you cut him off. 

“I know,” you said. “But just… don’t touch me, please don’t touch me, just don’t touch me…” 

“Won’t touch you,” he said, hands up. “Promise.” 

You nodded quickly, trying to not hyperventilate. 

“Want to talk about it?” He asked, standing close enough that he could catch you if you fell, far enough that you didn’t feel like you needed to cower away from him. You managed to shake your head. “Want me to get someone? Like Andrew or Jess or… I could get Tommy.”

You just shook your head again, holding onto the wall, trying desperately to ground yourself. Joel hovered, watching you. 

“I’ll be fine,” you glanced up at him. “You don’t need to stay…” 

“Not going to just leave you here like this,” he said, voice gruff. “Especially if you won’t tell me why.” 

“Doesn’t matter,” you said, standing up straight and leaning back against the wall. You took a deep breath, closing your eyes and focusing on your diaphragm, pushing it low in your stomach to draw as much air into your lungs as you could. You breathed out slowly. 

“You left work early for it,” he said. You lifted your head off the wall and opened your eyes, looking at him. He shrugged. “I try to stay away from you. Usually safe over here right now.” 

You scoffed a little. 

“Didn’t know I made it unsafe for the big bad smuggler,” you tried to smile but you weren’t sure that it worked. Judging from Joel’s expression, it didn’t. “Really, it’s fine. I’m just going to go home, have a drink, put on some music. Maybe take a bath. I’m fine.” 

“Who was the asshole?” He asked. 

You winced. 

“I really don’t want to talk about it, Joel,” you said. “I just really don’t, OK? Please don’t make me. And please don’t say anything to anyone about it, I’d just rather pretend this never happened, OK?” 

“Tell me who he is and I’ll drop it,” he said. “Won’t tell anyone.” 

You searched his face for a moment. 

It had been a long time since you’d been this close to Joel. Probably since the night you’d walked him back to the QZ with his broken leg. 

It hadn’t been as complete of a shut out as the year before, at least. Not this time. You’d occasionally bumped into him when out running errands. He’d give you a nod of acknowledgement, which was better than you’d really expected. He’d come into the clinic once - you saw him in the waiting room - but Andrew put him with another doctor. You’d even seen him once at his apartment. You’d come by when Tommy said to meet him there, he’d said not to worry about Joel. But Joel came home as you stood in his living room, waiting for Tommy to grab the last of whatever it was he needed for whatever it was you were going to do - you’d since forgotten all that, too distracted by seeing Joel. He’d just stood there for a second, frozen, looking at you. You’d smiled tightly at him. He just went to his room, brushing past Tommy on his way by. 

His hair was starting to gray, but otherwise, he looked the same as he had for as long as you’d known him. His picture was still on your bedside table. You slipped it into a drawer if you were having Tommy over or you were seeing someone but outside of that, you had a reminder of what he looked like before beside you all the time. It still killed you to look at him, made your heart ache with missing him and who he was to you once. 

In spite of everything that had happened between you, you didn’t think he would hurt you on purpose. 

“I don’t know his first name,” you said, looking down at his feet. “His last name is McCarthy.” 

You managed to look back at his face. 

“Please, Joel,” you begged. “Don’t tell anyone, please don’t tell anyone. I just want to pretend like it never happened and I can’t… if people know I…” 

You were starting to hyperventilate again. You closed your eyes and forced yourself to take a deep breath and hold it for a moment before releasing it slowly. You looked back at Joel. 

“I’ll do just about whatever you want, just please don’t tell anyone,” you said quietly. 

“Won’t tell anyone,” he said. 

You nodded, relieved. 

“I’m walkin’ you home though,” he frowned. “In case that fucker shows up again.” 

You just nodded, not feeling up for fighting with him. You tried to gather yourself for a moment and then started off, Joel staying an almost awkward distance from you as you made your way through the QZ. Like he wanted to be close but not so close that he might risk accidentally touching you or have someone thinking you were walking anywhere together. He didn’t say anything, just looked over at you every minute or two like you were a bomb he was expecting to explode. 

“Thank you,” you said, stopping at the communal door to your building. “I appreciate your help with him. I wasn’t prepared for that, I will be now.” 

He just nodded gruffly. 

“It was…” you paused. “I don’t know if good to see you is the right word but… It was nice. Seeing you.” 

He paused, looking you over for a moment. 

“You too.” 

He crossed his arms, watching you. It took you a second to realize that he was waiting for you to go inside. You opened the door. 

“Night, Joel.” 

“Night, Kid.” 

***

Joel waited until you were inside to go lean against the building opposite yours, in an alcove where he was tucked away and largely out of sight. He was pretty certain this McCarthy fucker hadn’t followed you but he wasn’t about to take any chances. 

Whatever that asshole had done, it was bad. Joel had only ever seen you that horrified once, when a raider had his hand around your throat. The way you’d panicked when he’d reached for you… 

He ground his teeth. He needed to know what this man did to you so he could make sure it wouldn’t happen again. 

Joel stood sentry outside your apartment for hours. After the clinic closed, he saw Andrew go up, but he was only there for a few minutes. You must have lied to him, he doubted he would have left if you’d told him the truth of it. He waited until curfew was only minutes away and went home, making it inside just in time. 

“Out late,” Tommy observed, sitting on the couch. 

“Got held up,” he said. 

“Trade go bad?” He asked. 

“Turned out OK,” Joel replied. 

Tommy didn’t press. He wondered if you’d ever told Tommy whatever had happened. The two of you had stayed close after breaking up, you might have told him something you’d never told Joel… 

He could think of just one person who would almost certainly know. McCarthy had mentioned the outbreak. Andrew must know, must have some idea. 

Tommy went to bed but Joel stayed up. He’d told you that he wouldn’t tell anyone. You’d begged him not to tell anyone. But he needed to keep you safe and to do that, he needed to understand the threat. But what you didn’t know wouldn’t hurt you. 

The moment curfew lifted in the morning, Joel was out the door, walking quickly to Andrew’s. He had to pound on the door a few times and it took a few minutes for him to answer, looking half asleep. 

“Miller,” he said, stifling a yawn. “Thought I wouldn’t have to deal with your shit anymore.” 

“McCarthy,” Joel said quickly. “FEDRA guard. Name mean anything to you?” 

Andrew’s eyes went wide for a moment before he grabbed Joel by the shoulder and pulled him inside, closing the door behind him. 

“Where’d you hear that name,” he asked. He looked wide awake now. 

“Not important,” Joel said. “Who is he. What’d he do to her.” 

“He here?” Andrew growled. 

“Tell me what he did.” 

He looked Joel up and down before he laughed darkly. 

“God, you never even tried with her, did you?” He asked. “To busy with your own shit so she never told you…” 

“What did he do.” 

Andrew glanced down the hall, making sure Jess was still asleep and looked back to Joel, his voice low. 

“He fucking raped her is what he did,” he spat. Joel’s stomach twisted. “She’s never called it that, she never calls it anything. She likes to pretend it never happened but that’s what it was.” 

“What happened.” Joel’s teeth were clenched. His whole body was coiled like a spring. He needed to hit something, the energy and rage needed to go somewhere. 

“We came to a check point,” Andrew said. “Two guards, both armed, three of us. I was a kid, I was 18 but I was a kid and Jessica… She was trying to take care of us. They had guns and he told her the way to get through, made it clear he’d start shooting if she didn’t listen. She gave me the gun, told me to protect Jessica, he took her to the woods… She never told me what happened, she never talked about it. She just came out different. I should have fucking killed him, I should have shot him the second she gave me the gun…” 

Joel felt like he was going to be sick. He’d left you. You’d been alone with two children and his child inside you and you’d been forced…

“Where is he?” Andrew snarled. “I’m going to rip him apart…” 

“One of us needs to be there for her and it can’t be me,” Joel replied. “Needs to be you. She trusts you. You take care of her, I’ll take care of him.” 

Andrew looked like he wanted to fight him for it but eventually he gave him just a single, stiff nod. Joel turned to leave before he turned back to him. 

“Pretend you don’t know,” he said. “Promised I wouldn’t say anything but… Couldn’t protect her if I didn’t know what I was protecting her from.” 

“When are you doing it?” Andrew asked. 

“Today,” he said. “I’m going to hers now, make sure he doesn’t show up. I’ll get her to work OK and take care of him, dump him somewhere tonight.” 

“He shows up at the fucking clinic and I’ll kill him,” Andrew said, his voice eerily calm. “I don’t give a shit.”

Joel nodded once. This was the first time he remembered ever really liking Andrew. He could leave you in his hands at the clinic and you would be safe, that he knew. 

He all but ran to your apartment, leaning against the building across from yours, waiting for you to come downstairs. He’d been waiting for about an hour when he spotted you. You’d French braided your hair, like you were expecting a long day. You hadn’t put on ribbons. 

He caught you quickly. 

“Good morning,” he said, falling into step beside you. You nearly jumped out of your skin. “Sorry, wasn’t tryin’ to scare you.” 

“What are you doing here?” You asked, frowning up at him. 

“Making sure you get to work safe,” he said. You clearly hadn’t slept, you looked exhausted. 

“I’m fine, really,” you said, continuing on. Joel walked beside you. You frowned at him again but didn’t argue the point. He walked you to the front door of the clinic in silence, you just giving him a tight smile and a small wave before going inside. Joel found a spot near the door he could wait, make sure McCarthy didn’t come in before Andrew got there. 

Andrew spotted him on his way in, stepping over to him and keeping his voice low. 

“He probably came in with the transfer guards that showed up yesterday,” he said quietly. 

“Temp housing,” Joel said. 

“Exactly,” Andrew replied. He looked Joel up and down. “Good luck, Miller.” 

With your friend on site, Joel finally felt safe leaving you. 

Moving to hurt the man who hurt you quickly eased the tightness in his chest. He may have failed you 12 years ago but he wasn’t going to fail you now. 

He went home and got supplies. He didn’t intend to make McCarthy’s death easy. He needed to make sure he had what he needed to make it worthwhile. 

Joel stood at the edge of the small market that was near the temporary housing for FEDRA employees. He figured McCarthy would need to come through here at some point. He was right. 

Shortly after noon, McCarthy came through the stands, pondering what there was to buy. Joel waited until precisely the right moment, reaching out and grabbing the man by his collar and pulling him into a darkened alleyway. He yelped but it wasn’t loud and it didn’t take the man long to recognize Joel. 

“You again,” he smirked. “Here to apologize?” 

“Here for information,” he growled. “What did you do to her.” 

“To who?” The man smirked challenging him. 

It was a dumb move. Joel was so mad he couldn’t see straight. He grabbed the man by the throat and thrust him into the wall, hard enough to make him cough and choke. 

“Tell me,” he demanded. 

Now, the man just looked scared. He punched McCarthy hard across the face, enough to knock him out, and slung him over his shoulder, moving quickly for the abandoned building he’d spotted earlier. 

He ducked inside, going for an interior room where his screams wouldn’t be heard. 

There was a chair in the room, and old folding one. He tied the man to the chair and smacked him to bring him around. 

“What the fuck?” He looked around, straining against his ties, his eyes wide. “You don’t know who you’re fucking with…” 

“I know exactly who I’m fucking with,” Joel said. “I think it’s you who doesn’t know.”

He pulled out his knife and took the second chair and pulled it up close to McCarthy’s, getting right in his face. 

“Tell me what you did to her,” Joel said. 

“Look,” he said quickly. “It was the outbreak…” 

Joel sighed, opening the knife and shoving it into the man’s thigh. He screamed, doubling over as well as he could given his bonds. Joel smiled. 

“You’re going to tell me what you did to her,” he said. “I want to know it all. Tell me what you did to her.” 

“Please,” he whimpering now. “I swear…” 

Joel pulled a pair of pliers from his pocket. He held McCarthy’s head still as the man started begging and pleading. It fell on deaf ears. He pressed the pliers around his one of his middle teeth and pulled. 

It felt good, expending energy this way. He was taking action, doing something. It didn’t even feel like he needed to pull that hard. 

McCarthy screamed, blood pouring from his mouth. Joel gave him a moment to catch his breath, watching him bleed. He liked his blood. He wanted to see more of it. 

“What did you do to her?” He asked through clenched teeth. 

“She wanted it!” He sobbed. 

“Wrong answer,” Joel ripped the knife from his leg and thrust it into his shoulder. The man screamed again. “What did you do to her.” 

“Took her into the woods!” He screamed, panting for breath. Joel gave him a minute to pant. He could wait. 

After a minute he spoke again. 

“How did you get her to the woods, McCarthy?” He asked. The man’s eyes glistened with tears. 

“I…” his voice cracked. “I told her I could give them a code to get through the other checkpoints in exchange…” 

“In exchange for what?” Joel patted the man’s knife wound on his leg. He cried out again. 

“In exchange for sex!” He cried out. “I told her I’d trade sex for safe passage, said I didn’t know the next time I’d see a woman, I didn’t want to waste it…” 

“Did you have a gun?” Joel asked. The man looked confused. He grabbed his face, holding his cheeks harshly in his fingers, forcing him to look at Joel. “When you told her you’d trade for sex, did you have a gun?” 

“Yes,” he sobbed. “Yes, I had a gun…” 

“So you threatened her,” he said. “You threatened her and the children she was with.” 

“No,” he man moaned. “That’s not… I swear, it wasn’t like that…” 

Joel sighed and pulled the knife from the man’s shoulder before he thrust it into his uninjured leg. McCarthy wailed. 

“I threatened her!” He panted, gasping. “I knew what I was doing, I wanted her and knew how I could get it so I threatened her…” 

“And you took her into the woods,” Joel said. The man nodded. “With your gun.” He nodded again. “What did you do then?” 

“Told her to get undressed,” he groaned. “Told her she had great tits… once she was naked, told her to lie down…” 

He choked and cried. Joel sighed, reaching over and smacking his face, forcing him to look at him. 

“Then what,” Joel’s voice was harsh. 

“I…” he swallowed. He looked terrified. “I got on top of her…” His voice broke. “Please….” 

“What. Next.” 

“I put my dick in her,” he groaned. He was crying now. “I fucked her…” 

“That’s not what you did, is it?” Joel grabbed his hair, holding his face close to his own. “Call it what it was McCarthy!” He screamed it. “What did you do to her!” 

“I raped her,” he sobbed it out. Joel released his hair. 

“Where’d you touch her,” he asked. He looked confused. “You touched her when you raped her, right? Where.” 

“Her chest,” he sniffed. “Hips, waist…”

Joel remembered the parts of you that made you freeze when he touched them, parts of you that never made you freeze before. He wasn’t sure you even knew you did it. Now he knew why.

“That it?” Joel asked. He nodded. “You cum in her?” 

“Please…” 

Joel pulled the knife from his leg. 

“You don’t seem to fucking get it,” he growled, getting in his face. “I like hurting you. I want to hurt you. I don’t need much reason to but you saying please? Makes me want to hurt you more. I want to fucking flay you alive every time I hear you beg. So answer the goddamn question,” Joel thrust the knife into McCarthy’s other shoulder. “Or I will do what I want.” 

“Yes!” He cried it out. “I did, I came in her…” 

Joel sat back, panting for breath for a moment, looking McCarthy up and down. He was covered in blood. He was weak, slumped over like he couldn’t hold himself up.  

Joel wasn’t done with him. 

“You know she was pregnant when you did that?” He asked. McCarthy lifted his head just enough to look at Joel. He shook his head. “Well, she was. With my kid.” 

He stood up, rolling his sleeves up to his elbows. 

“I wasn’t there to protect her then,” he said, flexing his fingers before curling them into fists. “But I am now. Can’t let you live with what you did, McCarthy. I have to kill you for her. But when I make it hurt? That’s for me.” 

He swung, punching him in the middle of his stomach, knocking the air out of him. 

“And I’m going to like it.” 

***

The clinic had been fairly quiet that day, quiet enough that your mind wandered to places you didn’t want it to. 

Andrew was no help. He was oddly withdrawn, only really responding when prompted, not initiating much conversation himself. But he didn’t fight you when you put on Joni Mitchell, so you were taking what you could get. You were dreading going home but didn’t have a reason to tell Andrew you wanted to sleep over, either. You were debating about how up front you wanted to be when there was yelling outside the clinic. 

“Help!” Someone screamed. You looked to Andrew for just half a second before running for the doors. 

Two FEDRA soldiers were hauling in a third man, holding him by his underarms and knees, the man’s body totally limp. He was so covered in blood you were almost certain he couldn’t still be breathing. 

“Jesus Christ,” you said before yelling over your shoulder. “Kristen! Trauma!” You turned your attention back to the men. “What happened?” 

“Don’t know,” one said. “Just found him like this, he transferred in with us there’s no way someone here hates him enough to do this yet…” 

“Let’s get him back,” you said, Kristen running up to you as you headed back toward the exam rooms and the surgical suite. “We need O-, a lot of it…” She glanced around you to the injured man.

“Not sure that’ll make a damn difference,” she said but she ran to obey. 

“We’ll start him in an exam room,” you said quickly. “Want to try to maintain a sterile area in the OR but I’m sure we’ll need it…” 

They carried him into the exam room and lifted him onto the table. You quickly washed your hands and gloved up before diving in, looking the man over. Kristen ran in with the O- and quickly hung it as you cleaned up a place on his arm to start a transfusion. 

“Do you even know who this is?” You asked the men who carried him in. The man’s face was beaten beyond any kind of recognition. His lower lip was barely hanging on, eyes swollen shut, nose crushed. 

“He had his dog tags,” one man said. “It’s Lewis McCarthy…” 

You froze, your stomach twisting. Your head spun. 

“Doc, I don’t think we can do much here,” Kristen said from McCarthy’s side. “He’s lost so much blood…” 

“We should try,” you said, on autopilot. You tried to find the worst injuries on the man. He was missing teeth. He’d been stabbed numerous times. His whole body was covered in blood and bruises, not a single inch of him left unscathed. You swallowed before pulling down his pants to see what might be on his legs when you saw it. 

“Oh my God,” you jumped back from the table and into Andrew, who’d come into the exam room at some point and you hadn’t noticed. He caught you. 

“What?” Kristen asked before looking herself. “Oh!”

She jumped back, too. 

Where McCarthy’s penis had been, there was nothing. Just an open wound. One of the men who brought him in gagged and ran for the trash can, throwing up. You stared at it, the place where the part of him he’d weaponized against you had been torn away. Andrew held onto you. 

“We’re losing him,” Kristen said, her hand on his neck. “Doc, I don’t think… there’s nothing we can do here, there’s nothing we can do with this.” 

You nodded, shaking as Andrew kept you upright. He looked to the men. 

“You should go,” he said. “Don’t need to see this.” 

They nodded, trembling as they left. 

“I’ll go get a bag,” Kristen said, staring wide eyed at him. “Stuff to start clean up…” 

She left you and Andrew alone with the body. 

“Andrew,” you whispered. “Did you talk to Joel?” 

“He had questions,” he said, voice flat. 

“Oh my God,” you stared at the body. “What did he do?” 

“The right thing,” he said, squeezing your shoulder. “The right fucking thing.” 

A/N: AHHHHHHH THE McCARTHY CHAPTER. I've been waiting for Joel to go off on him since chapter 8 and we finally got here. So satisfying to write, hopefully satisfying to read!

There is a taglist for this story! If you're interested in being added, comment below. If I've missed you in the past, please comment and let me know!

Thank you, everyone, for reading and commenting! It's been a dream to see how people feel about this piece while I'm writing it. Love you all, thank you for taking the time to read my work <3

Taglist: @paleidiot@ayamenimthiriel@ginger-swag-rapunzel@drewharrisonwriter@flugazi @pedropascalsbbg@taoyuji@starstruckmusiciansartghost@splendsay@bigboiseason123@jpbplvr @ashleyandring @mrsyixingunicorn10@sloanexx@ninaminaromina @lady-bellyn

#joel miller x female reader #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #fanfic

[lostgirlfandom]

Mother Dearest

Part Two

Pairing: FP Jones x Female!Reader

Warnings: None, afab reader

Words: 958

Summery: Mama Jones meets Betty

Previous | Next

The next couple of days were spent in bliss. While you hated living in a trailer, it was home. Your family was home. You made sure Jug and JB were going to school, especially after getting Jellybean enrolled in school in Riverdale. You had officially moved back home.

You even got your old job back while FP was working with Fred at Andrews Construction. You got back into the habit of helping Jug with his writing.

One day, when you picked up JB from school you went ahead and headed to the high school to pick up Jughead. You stood in front of the school, leaning against the truck with JB sitting in the passenger seat playing with her Nintendo DS.

As you stood there, you kept getting glances from other students as school was let out. You had your hands in your pockets of your jeans as you crossed your legs with Timberlands on your feet. A flannel was over an old band t-shirt, which you were sure was your husbands from when you first started going out. You also had a jean jacket over that to keep you warm.

You then saw Jughead step out of the school with a pretty blonde girl, a raven haired girl, and a red headed boy. You were pretty sure that was Betty and Archie. Betty you vaguely remember from a couple times she played with the boys when they were younger. You and her mother, Alice, did not get along. Alice was ex-serpent which didn’t settle well with you as you had been a serpent since around the same time as FP. You didn’t trust her after she refused to acknowledge the fact that she came from the Southside.

While you were proud of the fact that you were a Serpent.

“Mrs. Jones!” Archie yelled loudly as he rushed to hug you. You laughed as you hugged him back. You always saw him as a second son and he always saw you as a second mother. You were always supportive of anything the kids did.

“Archie! You’ve gotten taller since I last saw you.” You told him as you let him go and patted his shoulder.

“That’s what happens when you get older.” He sassed with a grin on his lips.

You smiled and smacked him on the back of the head, making it jerk forward and him to scrunch his face up in a grimace. You always hit hard.

You then looked over at Jughead and saw him with his arm around Betty’s waist. You raised an eyebrow and Jug rushed to introduce the two girls. “Mom, I don’t know if you remember Betty, but this is Betty Cooper. My girlfriend.” He said kinda slowly as if he didn’t want you to know. “And this is Veronica Lodge.” He introduced the Hispanic girl on the other side of him.

“Hi, Mrs. Jones.” Betty said with a smile on her face. You smiled back and shook her hand that she held out.

“Hi, Betty. Yeah, I remember you. You sometimes played with the boys when you guys were younger. You guys can just call me Y/N. I don’t mind.” You turned to Archie. “I think I’ve told you multiple times.” He shrugged with a innocent smile. You laughed.

“Jughead, you didn’t tell me your mom was a badass.” Veronica said as she reached out her hand to shake.

You smirked and narrowed your eyes at her playfully. “Well that’s because she’s my mom. Although she has been my role model since I was maybe 5.” Jug said with a tone of sarcasm at the begin. “Not that I don’t love seeing you Mom. What are you doing here?”

You grinned. “You want a ride home, Jug?” You asked.

He made an ‘oh’ face as he threw his arm around Betty’s shoulders. “I was gonna walk Betty home.”

You smiled. “I can drive you both. Come on.” You then turned to the other two as Betty and Jug headed to the truck.

I think Betty was trying to be quiet but I heard her as she whispered to Jughead. “She is so much easier to talk to than your dad.” He chuckled.

“You two good?” You asked the other two high schoolers. Wanting to make sure they got home safe.

Veronica answered first. “Yeah, I’m at the Pembroke and it isn’t that far. Bye guys.” She then made her way in the direction of the Pembroke. You then turned to Archie.

“You good, kid?” You asked him.

“Yeah, dad should -” He was cut off as someone spoke up from behind you.

“Y/N?” You both turned around and saw Fred standing there.

“Hey, Fred!” You smiled. You missed your best friend. You had been friends with Fred and FP since you were all kids.

“Hey, dad.” Archie said as he walked over his dad. Fred patted his shoulder as he glanced at Archie before looking back at you. You smiled as you shoved your hands in your pockets of your jacket.

“Y/N. You’re back.” Fred smiled big at you.

“Yeah, hopefully for good.” You told him. He went to say something else but JB decided it would be a good time to honk the truck horn loudly.

Archie and Fred jumped at the loud sound while you set your face in a grimace of agitation.

“MA!!!! HURRY UP!”

You turned around with raised eyebrows. “Forsythia Penelope Jones!” You said sternly.

She shrunk down back into her seat as Jug laughed at her.

You sighed as you turned back to Fred and Archie who were chuckling.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you guys later.” You turned to the truck and went to the driver’s side with a wave over your shoulder.

#fp jones x reader #fp jones imagine #fp jones one shot #fp jones fanfiction #fandom imagine #reader insert #riverdale imagine #riverdale one shot #riverdale fanfiction #female reader #skeet ulrich imagine #skeet ulrich one shot #jughead jones imagine #jughead jones one shot

[misshoneyimhome]

i have more of a cute ask then a smut one but going back to the interview will did in sweden, what if it was him getting asked if he’s single and he starts talking abt his gf and how much he loves her and it’s all cute

Bb, you had me at cute ask ❤️ I’m all with you on this one, because let’s face it, that boy may not fall easily, but when he does, it’s deep 😉

・✶ ｡ﾟ

Cause All of Me, Loves All of You

William had grown used to being in the spotlight.

As a star player for the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team, his exceptional talent had consistently garnered attention. However, in recent years, he had found himself in the spotlight even more.

Currently on a global series tour, the team had the pleasure of playing in what he considered to be his hometown of Stockholm. Despite his birthplace being in Calgary, Canada, Sweden had always felt more like home to William. His familial roots lay in Sweden, and everything from the language to the traditions and homey cuisine resonated deeply with him, reflecting his strong connection to Swedish culture.

And as the team arrived in Stockholm, the media naturally focused their attention on the charming 27-year-old. Interviews, signing sessions, and a flurry of media engagements ensued.

Yet, none of this could have prepared him for what was about to unfold next.

William had been asked to appear on a national Swedish talk show hosted by the charming Bianca, to which he’d graciously accepted. It was nothing like he’d ever done before, but since he’d done numerous of interviews, he figured it might be enjoyable to give it a shot.

And as he sat comfortably in the make-up chair, nearly ready for the show, you quietly peeked in to check on him.

Him. Your boyfriend. William Andrew Michael Junior Nylander Altelius.

**

You had met him several months back, and casually dated for weeks before deciding to elevate your relationship to a more serious level.

Though he had shared snippets of his life on social media, he had never directly mentioned you. During interviews he’d deliberately avoided any mention of girls or dating, focusing solely on hockey, as instructed by managers. Not that you minded at all.

The spotlight belonged to him, not you. And you respected his desire to keep his private life just that - private - and to shield his loved ones from the unpredictable nature of the media.

At first, it had stung a bit, the thought that he might be embarrassed or not serious about you. However, following a heartfelt conversation after a minor disagreement, you came to understand his reasons for keeping your relationship private – he wanted to shield you from potential scrutiny.

And as time passed, your relationship evolved, and eventually, neither of you fretted much about others' opinions.

**

With a gentle stride, you approached him, a smile gracing your lips as you glanced at him through the mirror, feeling immensely proud of your remarkable man.

"Ready for the big spotlight?" you teased lightly, eliciting a soft laugh from William.

"Sure," he replied nonchalantly.

"Feeling okay, darling?"

William nodded gently. "Yeah, I suppose I'm just a bit nervous... I've never done anything like this before."

"You'll be brilliant, Willy," you reassured, leaning against the make-up stand, gazing down at him with a tender expression. "Everyone will adore you."

"What if I mess up?" he asked timidly, despite knowing he had been well-prepped and having years of experience in media work. Nevertheless, a faint sense of uncertainty lingered within him.

"Come on, babe, you've practically aced situations like this a million times," you reassured him with a comforting smile. "If they start digging into your personal life, smoothly turn the conversation back to hockey. And if they bring up anything negative about your career, family, or anything else that makes you uneasy, just flash them that stunning, confident smile of yours and throw in a cheeky comeback."

Your words seemed to soothe William; his tense muscles gradually relaxing as he regained control over his racing heartbeat.

"And in the worst-case scenario, use the political strategy - answer a question with another question. Journalists hate that," you chuckled, your unconventional communication advice amusing William.

"Wow, babe, you should be in PR," he jested, earning a playful huff from you.

"Yeah, right. Dealing with people and the media all day? No thanks, I'm good sticking to my desk," you retorted with a wink, teasingly.

And amidst your shared laughter, the crew arrived to usher William away and prepare him for the interview.

"See you later, babe," he murmured, planting a gentle kiss on your lips as he rose from his seat. "You'll be backstage the whole time, yeah?"

"Of course," you replied with a soft smile. As William exited the dressing room, your gaze lingered on the man you deeply loved, observing him getting ready for the show, a profound sense of pride and happiness filling you.

And as the stage lights prepared to illuminate and the show was set to commence, William felt the heat more than expected. The temperature seemed much higher than he'd anticipated, so despite his initial confidence in his casual attire for the night, the loose jacket gradually became too much. Eventually, he opted to ditch it, appearing on stage solely in a white tank top.

Your eyes fixated on him as he shed the jacket, causing you to gently bite your lower lip at the sight. "Fuck, he looks good," you thought, simultaneously feeling a twinge of disappointment as he exposed his impressive physique to the world.

But quickly shaking off the feeling, you reminded yourself that you'd be the only one appreciating his body later tonight. That is until Bianca remarked on his toned physique, and Marinna, sweetly and slightly embarrassed, delicately touched his upper arm while praising his defined muscles.

And she wasn't wrong.

William did indeed possess an impressive physique. His body bore the results of elite sports training - muscles finely sculpted and defined, with a hint of thickness that hinted at his love for food, almost rivalling his passion for hockey.

Among his many physical attributes, his thighs stood out, at least in your opinion. They were solid, strong, and defined, and overall, your favourite spot to snuggle up against.

Then there was his torso - a well-built frame adorned with a light smattering of chest hair that you often playfully ran your fingers through.

And those arms, strong enough to envelop you in a tight embrace, effortlessly lifting you as if you weighed nothing at all.

You understood precisely how the two women felt, sitting next to your boyfriend, their eyes lingering on him with a hint of desire. And a slight smirk danced on your lips.

The show went on smoothly. William handled each question with professionalism, infusing his responses with his trademark laughter, showcasing both his expertise and his enjoyment.

However, it was the subsequent line of questioning that caught you completely off guard. Bianca, far from being subtle, dove straight in with her probing questions.

"So, you're single?" Bianca inquired, obviously aiming to captivate the attention of anyone eager to hear that coveted 'yes' slip from William's lips.

And though you half-expected that response, considering he'd never publicly acknowledged your relationship, his words proved you wrong.

"No… No, I'm actually not," William chuckled.

Your heart sank at his announcement of his relationship status, fully aware that this would be broadcasted worldwide, potentially sparking a flurry of quotes and discussions across the internet.

"Aha, and who's the lucky person?" Bianca inquired, maintaining her professional tone.

William paused, contemplating how much to reveal. He understood that you preferred a low-profile existence, and his management had advised keeping his dating life discreet for as long as possible.

Yet, an overwhelming urge surged within him to pour out everything he adored about you. He wanted the world to know; how you crossed paths, seamlessly integrating into his chaotic life, adjusting effortlessly to his roller-coaster schedule. He yearned to shout out his love for you, to express how incredible you were for standing by his side through every high and low, and to proclaim your stunning beauty, kindness, and unwavering care. He wanted everyone to know it all.

However, composed he tried to remain, a broad grin crossed his face as he began, "She's this wonderful person who entered my life a few months back, and luckily for me, she decided to stick around," he added a casual jest, though he could feel his heart racing and his cheeks turning a faint shade of pink, by the mention of you.

"So, you've been together for a while?" Bianca probed.

"Um, only a couple of months… It took me ages to ask her out and convince her to go on a date with me," he chuckled, lightly rubbing his slightly sweaty hands together, excitement coursing through his body.

"Wait, she didn't want to go out with you at first?" Bianca chuckled lightly. "Wow, she must be out of her mind - how did that go?"

William couldn't hide his pure excitement as he started talking about you. "Oh, she definitely is! I mean, she's just so amazing and wonderful, probably way out of my league," he blurted out, his words running ahead of his thoughts. "She's intelligent, funny, and initially, she kept laughing whenever I asked her out because she thought I was joking. But on my fifth attempt, she finally agreed to give me a chance."

"On your fifth try? That's keeping a man on his toes," Bianca remarked, intrigued by the unfolding tale.

"Oh yeah, she definitely didn't make it easy, but it only made me want to get her to say yes more," William confessed, his eyes reflecting the nostalgia of those initial weeks after meeting you.

"So, what changed her mind about you?" Bianca inquired, observing William as he pondered his response.

"Honestly, I'm not sure - perhaps someone convinced her that I'm an alright guy and she should give it a shot," he answered, his words not far from the truth.

In reality, when William had persistently pursued you, and you had turned him down multiple times due to his overly confident yet enticing demeanour, it was Auston Matthews who convinced you to give William a chance. With his own charm, Auston had convinced you by highlighting how much William desired not just a physical connection but found your energy and personality irresistible.

"And things worked out in the end?" Bianca probed further.

"Well, somehow, yes," William continued. "I managed to take her out on a few dates, but relying solely on charm didn't work. I had to prove that I meant everything behind my words and eventually express how I truly felt."

As William delved into a more emotionally charged aspect of the conversation, his voice gradually relaxed. Expressing deep feelings had never been his forte, a pivotal moment in your relationship when you had urged him to be straightforward and honest because you couldn't read his thoughts.

This nudged him to make a genuine effort to articulate his innermost feelings, leading to heartfelt conversations about your emotions for each other.

Bianca smiled, noticing the interview taking on a more romantic tone, and then Marianna joined in.

"Did she make you ask?" she sweetly inquired. "Did you have to ask her to be your girlfriend?"

"Oh, absolutely," William chuckled again. "Yes, I had to ask directly, otherwise, she said it didn't count."

Laughter and smiles filled the studio as William's infectious laughter resonated once more.

The situation had unfolded just as William described.

He hadn't initially considered discussing labels, content with enjoying your company. But you, well acquainted with boys like him, knew their tendency to keep a girl around until they grew bored and moved on. So, you diplomatically and casually laid down the options: either you were dating with a view to be serious or simply good friends with benefits - exceptionally good benefits, of course.

So, realizing that to keep you exclusively for himself, William needed to take a more direct approach, and eventually he asked you directly, to which you naturally responded with a 'yes'.

As the interview gradually drew to a close, you found yourself unable to contain your amusement. Though slightly taken aback by William's sudden honesty and directness in discussing you, you couldn't help but smile.

Amidst the final applause and the cameraman calling "cut," William stood up and made his way backstage to join you before meeting up with his friends and family.

A smile graced your lips as you welcomed your man with open arms, both of you enveloping each other in a deep, affectionate hug followed by a tender kiss.

"You were amazing, babe," you gently praised after parting from the embrace, gazing up at him with sparkling eyes.

"Yeah, you think so? I hope I didn't share too much - I felt like I just kept talking and talking, and-"

"Willy," you interrupted his rambling. "You were perfect, love - I'm just surprised you said all those things about… us."

"Well, I just wanted everyone to know how much I love you… and," he exhaled softly, as if it were a relief to finally share his deep thoughts. "I can't stop thinking about how much I want you around all the time and… I never want you to leave me."

In that fleeting moment of profound tenderness, your heart quickened at his heartfelt words.

"Willy… I'll never leave you. I love you so much, and I'll always be by your side," you whispered gently, still wrapped in his embrace, feeling the reassurance as his arms tightened around you, drawing you closer.

"Promise?" he softly asked, his eyes reflecting a hint of concern.

"I promise," you almost breathed out, drawing him into another deep kiss.

For a moment, it felt as if the world had faded away, leaving both of you lost in the intimacy, until Calle's voice abruptly shattered the intimate bubble.

"Jeez, Willy, you might as well have proposed on stage with that speech about your girl," he chuckled loudly as he and the other Swedes joined you.

"Oh, please don't give him any ideas," you laughed lightly, with a hint of seriousness, gently pulling back from William's embrace, though his arm remained securely around your waist.

"Don't worry about that," Calle teased further. "He's already got it all planned out."

William chuckled along with his friend's playful banter, knowing that there might indeed be a hint of truth in it. At least in his heart, he was set on making you his completely one day, ready to offer you half of what he owned and all of his heart.

#my asks #william nylander imagine #toronto maple leafs imagine #nhl hockey imagine #wn88 imagine

[gothicwidowsworld]

Christine L.H

Lewis Hamilton x Christine Daaé!Reader

Liked by lewishamilton, yourbestfriend and 286,715 others

y/nhamilton Think of me, think of me fondly

view all 3,942 comments

y/nfan3919 OMG OMG OMG THIS IS NOT A DRILL Y/N TAKING UP THE ROLE OF CHRISTINE!!!!

theatrebrooke are we sure it’s Christine tho because if so I might cry from happiness

| y/nhamilton We’ll have to see 😉

theatrebrooke going to die happy now THE Y/N HAMILTON saw and replied to my comment!

lewishamilton very excited for you, the role was made for you.

Liked by y/nl/n, mercedesamgf1, pierregasly and 513,581 others

lewishamilton Opening night, I am so incredibly proud of you my darling. I might have missed you during the long rehearsals, gotten sick of hearing Andrew Lloyd Webber practically every day for months on end… but this makes it all worth it. Seeing you shine like the star you are.

view all 14,371 comments

y/nhamilton Thank you Lew, I honestly don’t think I could have accomplished this without your unwavering love and support 💗

hamiltonhugs3818 Lol Lewis upgraded Nicole sang as Christine Daaé once but Lewis got the real Christine in Y/N with her beautiful voice for the rest of his life

yourbestfriend you’re going to kill it girlie

georgerussell63 And where is my opening night ticket @y/nhamilton hm?

Liked by lewishamilton, cullen_ angela, killiandonnelly1984 and 87,056 others

y/nhamilton Say you love me every waking moment

view 8,491 comments

lewishamilton Then say you’ll share with me one love, one lifetime

y/nhamiltonfan1 🥹 not Lewis commenting one of the next lyrics… excuse me while I just ✨pass away✨

charles_leclerc tu vas être incroyable je dois prendre un billet pour quand je serai à Londres (You are going to be amazing i need to get a ticket for when I’m in London)

| y/nhamilton tu me flattés Charlie (you flatter me Charlie)

y/nhamilton posted to their story

lewishamilton posted to their story

#gothicwidow #lewis hamilton imagine #Lewis Hamilton x reader #Lewis Hamilton instagram au #f1 instagram au #Lewis Hamilton x Christine!reader #Lewis Hamilton x wife reader #lewis hamilton x you #formula one imagines #formula one x reader #f1 x reader #f1 imagines #instagram au

[royallyprincesslilly]

Title: If This Is Love, You Gotta Ride For Me {4}

Title: If This Is Love, You Gotta Ride For Me {4}

Lewis Hamilton x Reader

Warning: Heavy Angst, Cursing, Violence, Heartbreak, Blood, TW: Cancer Talk, TW: Murder, TW: Cancer Death, TW: Mentions of Sexual Assult, TW: Mention of Attempted Sexual Assault (Not graphic nor successful), PLENTY OF WORDS, Plot Heavy

Words: 9.4k

Summary: They say the truth will set you free but these truths can kill. Will revenge be enough?

Note: We're almost there. 1 more part to go.

As always, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy.

If you enjoyed this, please, LIKE, COMMENT, REBLOG!!

****NOT Edited/Proofread****

Previous: If This Is Love, I Don’t Want It {1} | If This Is Love, You Need To Prove It {2} | If This Is Love, You Need To Mean It {3} |

-Lewis-

That was it then. He’d lost you. He could see it in your eyes. Those damn expressive angel eyes that always bored into him, always haunted him, always crippled him. He guessed they’d haunt him for the rest of his life now. He’d dream of them, envision them, and miss them. He didn’t know how he’d move on; he didn’t see a way to, but he also knew that when you’d made up your mind you made it up for good, and rarely if ever was it changeable.

His phone sounded with another notification. He expected it to be Aleeza, but it was the fellas group chat.

MSG Miles: I feel like we should be there when you tell old bitty to kick rocks.

MSG Andrew: Or to make sure she don’t tie your ass up and have her way with you. I totally see her being a Mrs. Robinson on 1000.

MSG Daniel: Things any better with Y/N? If you want I can put in the good word.

He sighed feeling more than thankful he had them. Throughout his life, they’d remained loyal and never fake. He was grateful they were there for mostly all the highs and even more of the lows. This low though really felt all-consuming.

MSG: Nah, I can handle the old bitty. I’ll show y’all the security footage later if she gets outta pocket.

MSG Miles: For entertainment purposes I kinda want her to get outta pocket and get shamed. Can’t wait for this cold dish of revenge Y/N is planning on serving.

MSG Daniel: She was def wild for all that shit she’s done. You don’t ever try to take anyone’s life for stupid reasons like dick.

MSG Andrew: Guess you can officially say you got these chicks wildin’ the fuck out over yo’ dick.

He knew it was a joke and any other time he probably would have laughed at it, only right now, it was too fresh—too raw. He was right though. Before he’d had situations with fans and groupies who’d done some wild shit to get his attention or even get close, but this took the cake. He wasn’t proud at all.

MSG: Shit’s wild.

MSG Daniel: How’s Y/N? frfr.

MSG: Not good. She’s not taking care of herself, avoiding the situation when it comes to us, and pushing me away. Shit’s not good. She looks at me and it feels like I’m looking at a stranger.

MSG Miles: That’s tough.

MSG Daniel: You gotta understand tho. Imagine finding all this shit out which changes things but still being on the receiving end of all that hurt. She must feel betrayed.

MSG Andrew: The whole virginity thing too is crazy. Give her time. It’s fresh right now. She probably hasn’t registered it all.

He knew Andrew was right, he could even see Daniel’s reasons too, but it didn’t make it any easier for him. The worst part for him was that he was trying to protect you the best way he thought of at that time, he was trying to protect you from any more danger after your accident and instead, he’d ended up shielding you from nothing. He’d caused the damage, but he couldn’t contain the fallout.

The self-loathing part of him wanted you to run away from him and never look back. He’d always worried that he’d only bring heartache to anyone he truly loved and here he was doing just that. Groaning, he rubbed the back of his neck trying to take away the pounding that had settled in since you walked into his bedroom in Monaco. He didn’t know how he was going to make it through the rest of the week.

MSG Daniel: Did she tell you the plan?

MSG: Nope.

He wanted to support you in this but rather than inserting himself he decided to let you take lead. If you wanted him to be involved you’d tell him. He knew better than to hold too tightly because it would have the opposite effect.

The sound of his doorbell rang throughout the house, and he knew who it was. He’d expected her. Even though he’d texted her his decision he knew she wouldn’t stand for it. He pulled up the security app on his phone and sighed seeing her standing there in a matching white pencil skirt suit. Her professionally dyed hair reflected the sun until it shined. She looked irritated and he decided then to irritate her some more.

A minute stretched and she waited. Before 2 minutes passed, she rang the bell again and again and again. She was really beyond getting on his nerves. He’d had enough. Tapping the microphone he began.

“What do you want Aleeza?”

Her head spun around before looking up right into the inconspicuous camera there. His security team thought it was the best spot to catch people unaware.

“Really Lewis!? Open the fucking door. You’re really pissing me off!”

He scoffed, “Why would I care? You gave me an ultimatum, actually, my blackmail options and I promptly gave you your response in the allotted time, swiftly go fuck yourself, lady. My dick isn’t for sale, lone or rental.”

Her jaw dropped. “Lewis! I suggest you think this through and think about your future and career. Think about everything you’re putting at risk.”

“Fuck! Shut up! No matter what you say or do my answer won’t change. It’s a no. I don’t want you in any way. You disgust me.”

She looked like she could blast off into the air any minute. He could actually see the steam coming out of her ears. Either she wasn’t used to being told no, or she’d really expected him to agree.

“You’re going to regret this come Friday. I swear it! Her blood is on your hands.”

He saw red! “Shut the fuck up! I swear to everything I value in this world, her being a primary one, if you touch her or hire someone else to touch even one skin follicle on her I will make you regret the day you ever put Jordan Y/L/N in your sights. I hold grudges and have a lot of money at my disposal and those two things spell trouble for people like you. Leave before I call my security to escort you off the property. Also don’t come back.”

She shoved her middle finger in the air while glaring at the camera then she stomped off. He watched her get into her car and slap and punch the steering wheel as she jerked back and forth. She must have been screaming and losing her shit. She’d played her ultimate hand—the four of a kind but he’d outplayed her with his royal flush.

As she rolled off his property he pulled up his messages with you.

MSG: From this moment be extra careful. She’s livid and feels she has nothing to lose. People like that are wild cards and wild cards are dangerous.

A few minutes passed before you replied.

MSG AngelEyes: Let the bitch come.

Your confidence and rage came through each word and though he was worried he also fell deeper in love with you because of them.

~~~~~~~~

-Y/N-

Rage is a quiet beast. It was one of the trickiest motherfuckers out there. There’d be times you think you’d tamed it and found a way to simmer it down only for a fragment of a word or a look made it flare. Rage was something familiar to you. You’d felt it when your mother passed, felt the crushing and suffocating feeling of it coiling within you, felt it trying to take over everything until it had. That rage changed your life.

This was the second time you’d dealt with it. You thought you had a better handle on it, but you’d come to realize that it was in your veins, in your blood, embedded in you. Shit, you were rage. when you least expected it the beast raged, and it took everything to rein it in. You had to because it wasn’t time to fully unleash it yet.

So Monday passed in a whirl. You worked, took meetings, did interviews, made plans for the team, and even the last-minute foundation event that you were in charge of planning. You were surprised no one saw the difference in you. It was your father who looked at you with an extra layer of worry. You had to assure him you were fine while making a note to make it up to him Friday night. By Friday night, he was going to see the scales of the chimera he’d married.

Tuesday came and mirrored Monday. You piled more and more on needing a constant distraction from the war in your head and the ache in your heart. This week was extra torturous because you were supposed to be at one of Lewis’ races to stand in for your father and you had no idea how you were going to make it through. Looking at him had become next to impossible, being anywhere near him was too much. You had no hope it would go smoothly.

When Wednesday came around and you landed in Barcelona, you told yourself to just get through the rest of the week. You were practically shutting down already. It took everything in you to get through the interviews. Took all of your composure and high media training to smile and laugh for the cameras. It took even more strength to take pictures with Lewis with his hand at the small of your back.

Your body still remembered him, still craved him, but your brain and heart were at war, leaving you in a chaotic state of panic. He must have noticed because he tried to put you on the end with George in between you as often as he could. Even that small action made your heart reach for him though your brain scoffed at it claiming it was the least he could do.

As you watched his race, you felt dead and suspected you looked it too. You noticed his distraction during the race, noticed he was driving very unlike himself but rather than not caring you found yourself getting upset about it.

“Maybe it’s time for Jordan to think about ending his contract if this is the quality of racing he’s giving us.”

Aleeza’s voice had the impact of nails running down a chalkboard. Instantly you reared around at her. She stood there in a mini skirt that was several decades too young for her and a blouse that was almost see-through. Trashy, you thought. You envisioned yourself Naruto running to her to then headbutting her then slamming her face into the cemented floor of the paddock and jumping on her back with your knee between her shoulder blades while placing her head in a headlock until she took her last breath.

It was then you realized you hadn’t tamed shit. It was in full control.

“Uh hello! What the hell is wrong with you, Y/N?”

Snapping back to reality, you saw she stared at you with confusion and amusement. Your head twitched with the effort it took to contain this beast you wanted to unleash in every way.

“See, I told Jordan that giving you too much responsibility wouldn’t be good for the brand or the family.”

She sighed and watched the screen.

“He definitely doesn’t look to be doing well today. Any idea why?”

“Oh, how would I know that now Aleeza? However—you don’t look to be doing well either. Your skin looks quite—dry.”

Aleeza gasped and clapped her hand on her cheek.

“Maybe you should make an appointment with my esthetician. She’d never let me go out looking like this.”

Aleeza glared at you then she took one step too close. It was a step you mirrored. “I can also give you the number to an age-appropriate stylist who won’t have you out here looking foul.”

You gave her the once over furthering her humiliation.

“When your father isn’t around the real you comes out.”

“Says the scaly slithering snake to the human.”

She looked as if she wanted to hit you and you prayed she did.

“I wish you would bitch. Make my fucking day.”

Aleeza must have seen you really didn’t give two fucks because she backed off a few seconds later.

“Enjoy this week, Y/N. Enjoy it well,” Aleeza said before she walked off.

The effort it took to flip back to the unbothered professional should have been huge, but it felt like lite work and that scared you a little.

“Don’t allow anyone, man, woman, or child, but especially a man turn you into something or someone you are not!”

Your mother’s words came back to you then and you clung to them more fiercely than you’d ever hung on to anything before. Her sage words held new meaning now. Was that how she’d taken the high road when it came to Aleeza back in the day? Was that how she’d remained so classy? You missed her even more now than ever.

By the time Friday came around and the fundraiser event arrived, you were back in London and more than ready to get the night over with. You looked yourself over once more then nodded at your reflection. This was as good as it was gonna get, you said to yourself. A message from your father told you of his arrival then you quickly made your way down to the waiting limo.

Once you got in, you smiled adoringly at your father.

“Wow, you look absolutely beautiful darling.”

“Thanks dad. You’re looking very debonair too.”

He smiled then straightened his tie and posed. You giggled and shook your head.

“The ladies won’t know what hit 'em.”

He chuckled but Aleeza’s hating ass cleared her throat exaggeratedly.

“Really?!”

You rolled your eyes. “Figure of speech. Really Aleeza, since you like to dress so young you’d think you’d keep your vocabulary just as young too.”

A small hiss escaped her. An actual hiss. The bitch was showing more and more of her true form with each passing day, you thought.

“Ladies,” your father warned.

You raised your hands up in defeat. “Kidding dad, you know I joke a lot.”

Aleeza glared at you from across the limo, clearly not interested in pretending anymore. Good, you thought. Tonight was going to be her big reveal.  Once the three of you stepped out of the limo in front of the flashing cameras you smiled, waved, and portrayed the perfect family. The majority of the photographers wanted pics of you and your father together sans Aleeza and that suit you fine. It was the perfect beginning of the night, starve the bitch of what she craved most—attention.

As the event went on, you smiled, took interviews, joked, and dazzled always remaining the center of the group discussion. Plenty of attendees complimented you on not only how beautiful you looked but how knowledgeable you were about a plethora of things not only F1 related. Those compliments were what brought you the most flattery. You’d always prized your brain over your beauty. Your mother taught you that beauty could fade and be taken away, but your intelligence was always yours.

More than halfway through the event your back was turned to the crowd as you guzzled another glass of champagne. They weren’t helping with anything really.

“Look who cleans up like an actual princess of F1.”

You turned to the teasing words and smiled at Miles. “Ha ha, funny.”

“You look great, Y/N,” Andrew said leaning in to kiss your cheek.

Miles and Daniel mirrored his actions and sentiments.

“Thank you.”

Lewis came into view, and he looked good—too good. The black tuxedo he wore looked made for him and probably was. From the look of it, you could tell it was probably a McQueen piece. He always could cut a good suit and Lewis loved how they fit him. You got lost scanning his attire for a few moments before you looked away and grabbed another glass of champagne from a passing waiter.

“Hi,” he quietly said.

You nodded and looked around the room.

“Glad you guys could make it,” you said.

“Of course. We said we had your back and if she really plans on making her move tonight then nowhere else we’d rather be,” Daniel said.

Being the amazing hacker—no information investigator he was, Daniel had been able to tap into her phone and clone it. Whenever she got a message so did you and she’d gotten plenty of messages over the week. She was very busy making plans for your downfall. It was insane how she moved. It was like she was highly intelligent or had bouts of it but was basically a basic dumb bitch. Who made illegal plans through cellphones? Who tried to off someone more than once? Who used the same person the 2nd time as the 1st? It was confusing as shit. Was she smart or stupid?

“I think she will. She’s said plenty of shit that hints at me not making it past this week.”

Lewis turned to the bar giving the group his back as he hung his head. You glanced at them hoping they could fill in what that was. Daniel, Miles, and Andrew all solemnly shook their heads. You wondered if he was still beating himself up about not placing in the last race. The race he practically had the worst finish in his entire career. He was always the hardest on himself.

A thought hit you then. Was he putting everything on his shoulders and beating himself up?

“This is dangerous,” Lewis said before he sighed. “It’s too dangerous.”

“I’ll be fine,” you dismissed.

“You can’t use yourself as bait.”

“There are so many of my guys on her tonight, no one will get near her. I promise bro.”

You felt safe knowing Daniel had assigned an additional 8 guys to bodyguard you. They were guys he’d personally chosen so you knew he trusted them and their ability to get the job done. A message came through on your phone and you knew it wasn’t for you. It was a message to Aleeza from whoever “Dom” was.

MSG Dom: Everything is ready. You sure you want sharp.

MSG Aleeza: Definitely. I want it to be excruciating.

MSG Dom: Such a waste. She’s hot. Maybe a little fun before it’s done?

MSG Aleeza: I don’t give a shit what else you want to do. Just get it done by midnight.

MSG Dom: Consider it done.

Your stomach rolled as you showed them the message.

“Wow,” they said in unison.

‘Yep. Anyway, enjoy yourselves, fellas. Seeing as it is my actual death day, I intend to live it up.”

You walked away and joined a group of faces you knew while trying to put the very disturbing facts in the back of your mind. When you made your speech to the crowd no one could tell anything was wrong. You were the picture of calm, grace, and professionalism. Your father oozed pride while Aleeza oozed her usual disdainful slime. It was more fun to fuck with her now so you did taunting her with glares, smiles and waves as a loving stepdaughter would. She hated it but the photographers loved it and ate it up.

Once business was finished you mingled and even allowed some of the attendees to swirl you around the dance floor. How you got through it, you had no idea. The sheer will of the heavens was not enough, it took everything above and in between. Twenty or so minutes after your father left, you looked at your phone and saw it was nearing 11:30. Deciding it was time to leave you shot Daniel a message letting him know.

As soon as you stood, Lewis approached you. The sad puppy dog look in his eyes made your belly flip and heart beat out your chest to him.

“If I don’t ask you now I’ll regret it. Can I have this dance?”

He held his hand out to you and you hesitated. So many urges filled you. Walk away, run away, slap him, stomp on his foot, crash your lips to his, and even accept his hand. You stood there unsure what to say but when a camera flash caught you from the right you realized the only thing you could do was accept it.

You placed your hand in his and tried to ignore the instant static shock that coursed through you. Sticking your finger in a socket had nothing on this feeling. Lewis led you to the sparsely spotted dance floor then wrapped his arm around you holding you firmly bit gently. He led you in a demure dance that drew the eyes of the remaining attendees. They smiled and raised their glasses to you as if blessing the possibility of this union. If only they knew, you thought.

You danced in silence for a long while as you battled the feelings bubbling within you. You couldn’t afford to fall apart now. The finish line was within sight, and you needed to remain objective.

“Can I say something?”

“What? Y—you just did.”

“Something else then?”

You nodded.

“You—ehm, you look absolutely breathtaking tonight.”

Your eyes locked and just like that, you felt yourself being sucked in. They were simple words that should not have elicited this reaction but that had, nonetheless.

“I’m so proud of the amazing job you managed to do tonight. You never cease to amaze me, but I am always blown away by you.”

You felt the tear roll before you could stop it and that tear led to another. Lewis’ features softened and he pulled you closer wrapping his arms around you. “Angel eyes,” Lewis whispered against your ear.

You buried your face in the crook of his neck, seeking refuge, and allowed yourself to cry. The way he held you tightly but so damn gently made you want to climb into his skin and allow him to comfort you until he’d erased every bad thing about the last few weeks. You wanted it so badly that it made you cry harder.

“I’m sorry,” he added voice rough with emotion.

His large, strong hands slipped lower from the middle of your back to the small apex at your tailbone. It was a small action, but it had a major impact. The erratic beat of your heart steadied and the tears that were flowing like a torrential downpour slowed to trickles. When he held you tighter against him so there was not even a microscopic speck of space between you, everything else faded.

A soft sigh fell from you as your body relaxed for the first time in days.

“I’m so sorry angel eyes. It kills me to see you like this, it kills me to know I’m the cause that had I made a different decision this may not have been such a colossal clusterfuck.”

You’d thought that same thing many times. In hindsight, it was easy to put the blame on him. If he had told you or your father from the very beginning maybe things would have been different. Or maybe Aleeza’s tight hold on your father would have made things convoluted and more complicated, maybe it would have made things worse. Maybe you would have lost your father’s trust. There were so many possibles, maybes, mights, and should haves but none of it was certain.

Your logical mind underneath all the rage, pain, and distrust knew this. It’s just when it all comes back, logic disappears and that was what happened. After blotting your tears on his fancy designer suit, you slowly took a few steps back from Lewis. His arms were reluctant to release you, but they did and when you were an arm’s length away, his hands fell to his sides.

Your eyes met and instantly you knew he had so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted you to hear but his lips remained sealed. A message on your phone brought your attention back to the task of the night. Revenge.

“I gotta go.”

With that, you slipped past him allowing your fingertips to graze his as you passed. Still, his touch sent jolts of electricity through you to rival the joules sent through a lightning strike. Forcing any thoughts that weren’t about the plan out of your head, you waved to others as you left then slipped outside. Though it appeared you were alone, you knew there were at least nine pairs of eyes on you and the panic button that was in your purse which tracked your location while recording every sound around you.

You slipped a pair of sunglasses on and then began swaying.

“Ms. Y/L/N? Are you waiting for your car?”

“M—My—car. It shoulda been ‘ere,” you heavily slurred.

“Let me find out for you. Lean against here so you don’t fall,” the attendant said.

“No, no, that won’t be necessary, Ms. Y/L/N, we are here. Right this way,” an unfamiliar voice said.

“Are you her driver?”

“Of course. Come, Ms. Y/L/N, your father has already made it home and wishes to see you.”

The man’s arm wrapped around your shoulder as he began leading you to a legit looking black car. You knew this guy wasn’t your driver and suspected it was that Dom person that Aleeza had been planning with. You allowed him to slip you into the back of the car and you immediately slumped sideways and started singing the first song that came to mind.

Why was it Britney Spears? Maybe because it was the easiest thing to sing off-key or because kidnappers and murderers wouldn’t think someone singing it would be dangerous. You had no idea but since you were running on pure instincts now, you did your best to drunkenly sing “Hit Me Baby One More Time”, you worked the panic button out of your purse and slipped it into your cleavage just in case they took your purse. The man who’d put you in the car got into the passenger side then looked back at you and laughed.

“She is hammered out of her mind. Aleeza really had her number. Are you still heartbroken sweet ‘art? Still missing someone or something between those thighs? Don’t worry I’ll fulfill all your desires in a little while. I’ll fix your loneliness.”

Your stomach churned and fear gripped your heart but again instinct kicked in and you belted the next line as loud and off-key as possible.

“My loneliness is killing me, and I!”

The men in the front laughed.

“Nah, your loneliness isn’t the one that’ll be killing you. Just wait.”

You don’t know how you did it, but you managed to be the best drunken socialite ever and the Daily Mail wasn’t around to see your Oscar-worthy performance. The whole time you tried to keep your mind off where they were taking you and what they planned to do. You focused on the fact that Daniel and his guys were tailing you and Miles had his detective friend on standby to apprehend these assholes.

When the car came to a slow rolling stop, you pretended to be passed out. As you were pulled out of the car you heard the men laughing with each other.

“Easiest job ever.”

“Tell me about it. I almost feel bad for the girl.”

“Your sister really has it out for her huh.”

“My sister is bat shit crazy and doesn’t know how to let shit go, but she is right about one thing with this bitch out the picture more money for her and to split with us.”

These guys were fucking idiots, you thought to yourself as you got all the inside information about what was going on. Worst criminals ever. Who talks about all this with the victim within earshot and alive?

“Come on it's almost midnight let’s have some fun then off her.”

“What a pity.”

You heard the clinking of belt buckles and the rustling of material, and you knew shit was about to go south. You sprang up and looked around.

“Where am I?”

“Detour,” the man you now knew as Dom and Aleeza’s brother said.

You let your head lol forward as if it were too heavy to hold.

“She’s still drunk,” the other man said snickering.

“That’s good, it’ll make this easier for you to accept.”

You saw his pants drop and you panicked, well sort of. Your heart raced wildly but your head was calm. You took in the men and looked to all the points you knew would cause the most pain. Throughout your life, you’ve gone through plenty of training and classes. Dance, piano, flute, gymnastics, media training, etiquette training, and even self-defense.

Your parents thought it was important that you knew basic survival moves in case you were ever the victim of an abduction or home invasion. What started as basic moves turned into detailed mixed martial arts training by the one man your father trusted, Hammond, your personal bodyguard, and trainer. He’d gone deep into your training and because of it, you knew how to take someone down in 6 moves or less.

Thankfully you’d never needed the use any of the in-depth moves on anyone. Kicks to the nuts and flying five fingers to the throat worked all the time. You knew you could take these idiots in under 5 moves. Before either could lay a hand on you, a phone rang.

“Goddamn it,” Dom grunted before he dug the phone out of his pocket. “OF course it’s her. What!”

You strained to hear who was talking on the other end, but nothing came through.

“I was just going to have some fun. Come on Leeza you promised. What’s it so fucking important that she’s dead by midnight? What the fuck is this some fucked up Cinderella reenactment? It’s bullshit. I’ll kill her after we’ve tried her out. A virgin with one fuck under her belt is still practically a virgin.”

He chuckled and his lackey joined in as his beady eyes looked over your body ready to pounce given the ok. You should have pressed the panic button then so Daniel and his men could be there within a minute, but you didn’t. That rage that was silently bubbling within you was no longer silent.

“Fine!”

Dom pushed a button on the phone then shoved it to you. You sat there expectantly waiting for something.

“I bet you’re wondering what is going on right now, huh? Trying to understand who they are and even why I am on the phone now.”

Aleeza giggled as if she’d won the biggest prize in the world. Yeah, laugh now bitch, I’m coming for you, you said in your head.

“Who—who is this? What’s happening?”

“Oh that’s right, you’re drunk off your ass because the man you thought was a diamond turned to be nothing but trash. The man you fell for used you and tossed you out like the trash you are.

She giggled again. “My god, it was such a good show to watch as your heart shattered into pieces on the floor and Lewis didn’t give one flying fuck.”

You were getting tired of her laughs. She sounded like a demented Cruella DeVille.

“A—Aleeza? Is that you?”

“Fucking right it’s me. I told you to enjoy this week. Did you? I hope you did because you won’t be seeing next week.”

“Wa—What are you—what do you mean?”

“For the life of me I don’t know how Jordan put you in charge of anything let alone the board, you’re as dumb as a box of nails. You didn’t see this coming at all, did you? My god, I don’t know why I’m surprised, neither did your whore of a mother.”

Your heartbeat picked up making your ears ring loudly. For a few moments, you couldn’t hear anything but the sound of your own body fighting.

“Hello? Dom, for fucks sake tell me you didn’t kill her.”

“I didn’t touch her. She looks like she’s about to pass out though.”

Again Aleeza cackled. “Your drunk brain won’t be able to put it together but don’t worry I’ll tell you 2 secrets, because you’ll be dead after you hear them and ya know dead whores tell no tales.”

You clenched your jaw and tried to control your breathing.

“I was behind your whole Lewis break up. I blackmailed him into breaking your heart in a precise way that you’d feel that pain for the rest of your life. I was there when he did it too, it was a good show. I told him either break your heart or end his career. Can you really be surprised he chose his career over you?”

She laughed.

“Is she crying? Please tell me the bitch is crying.”

The lackey bent down and looked at your face then smiled.

“She sure is.”

That only made Aleeza laugh louder. She thought you were crying tears of sadness when in fact they were tears of rage. Before, you were going to let the police handle the justice part of your revenge, but the decision was now made that your hands would deliver justice.

“So weak. If that made you cry then my 2nd secret might actually kill you. Get close, Y/N.”

A few tense moments passed in silence before Aleeza spoke again.

“I—killed—your—mother,” she whispered stretching out each word.

Your world came apart then. Your body shook as your head tried to understand. It made no sense. How was that possible?”

“How? You’re lying. My mother died from Cancer.”

“Oh, I know. Did you know that arsenic compounds can cause cancer? Matter of fact it’s classed as a group 1 carcinogen. That means science has proven that it conclusively and all the time causes cancer in humans. When I read that it only took me a few days to come up with a better plan. See I was just going to slip her some arsenic and wham bam she’s dead, but she didn’t deserve a quick death after stealing Jordan from me and living my dream for decades. So me and my big brother Dom committed to the slow game. If you give this compound little by little every day in small enough dosages that won’t harm right away but build up to kill. I was surprised it only took a year for her to actually get cancer. By then I’d run out of patience and upped the amount and well—she was gone 3 months after her diagnosis leaving your father all alone and ready for me. The rest well—is history.”

Your tears of rage were now tears of despair. This crazy bitch was so venomous, so evil that she planned and killed your mother. What the fuck was this? This couldn’t be real life. There was no way normal people went to these lengths to get what they wanted. How? Your breathing hitched and within seconds you were hyperventilating.

“Fuck Aleeza, you might have given her a heart attack.”

She only laughed louder. Your world had just fallen apart, and she was laughing as if it was the world’s funniest comedy series. This woman had single handedly ruined yours, your mothers and your father’s lives. She’d taken your mother from you leaving a chasm within you that would never be filled. Suddenly what you’d had planned for her didn’t seem like nearly enough. The bitch had to die.

“I can’t believe we got away with it. Now it’s your turn. Anyway, don’t worry about your dad, he’ll be following soon, and I’ll take good care of Lewis for you. Very good care. Bye-bye. Dom, get it done, kill the bitch.”

“You got it little sis.”

The phone beeped, ending the call and you sat there in disbelief. In your head your mother’s final day played in your mind. She’d been in so much pain, but she still kept a brave face on never giving anything away. You knew though and watching her say goodbye to you and your father broke all of you. She’d died holding both your hands her final words being, “I wish I had more time, but I love you both.”

Fresh tears filled your eyes, and you wailed feeling a whole new sense of loss. She’d taken everything from you.

“Aww, sad bitches aren’t any fun in bed,” the lackey said.

Dom however didn’t seem to care, he approached you then gripped your shoulders with both hands. As he began pushing you backward trying to make you lie down you snapped. Suddenly your knee raised and connected with his nuts. He shouted out then collapsed on top of you. Shoving him off, you bolted up in time to see the other man running toward you. You lifted your leg and connected the pointed tip of your heels under his chin in the spot where his windpipe began. The man instantly began coughing as he struggled to get air.

You jumped to your feet keeping your eyes on both of them. Dom came at you with a metal pipe swinging wildly wanting to connect with any part of you. Bobbing and weaving, you did just as Hammond taught you all those years ago. When he realized he wasn’t going to accomplish anything, he charged you taking you by surprise. His hands wrapped around your throat and squeezed.

“I was going to make this quick but fuck that. I’ll make it slow and painful. Ever been fucked in your ass gorgeous?!”

His smile was sinister and disgusting. You lifted your knee again and kicked his in his nuts for the 2nd time. Dom dropped to his knees holding his crotch.

“You’re as dumb as your sister.”

You picked up the metal pipe then smiled.

“Have you ever been fucked in your ass gorgeous?”

He looked at you in all seriousness. Before he could get one leg up, you swung the pipe and hit him right in the face. His body dropped and he writhed in pain. From the corner of your eye, you caught the other guy coming at you, but his fist connected with your cheek before you could react. It hurt like a motherfucker, but you didn’t focus on it, instead, you swung the pipe again and whacked him at his knees taking them out and sending him to the ground. You then stomped on his crotch and hit him in the back as he rolled over hoping to protect his equipment from any further attack.

You turned to Dom to give him another hit, but it was then Daniel and the bodyguards he’d assigned came running in. As you watched them overtake Dom and his partner, you saw Lewis swing the hardest punch right to the center of Dom's face breaking his nose and knocking him out completely. A true one-hit quitter. That wasn't enough though, Lewis then kicked him in the gut twice.

"You fucking wanker! You're gonna do what to her? Fuck out of here!" He finished on another kick.

Seeing the blood gushing from Dom's face only made you even more berzerk. You screamed out and turned whacking the shit out of anything that was nearby. Soon you were a raging maniac screaming, crying, and hitting what you could as the emotions ran through you.

Strong arms wrapped around you stopping you from bringing the metal pipe down on or into anything else, then the pipe was gone as Miles yanked it out your hands.

“It’s okay Y/N, I have you. It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay.”

Lewis’s voice tried to break through the haze of rage and everything going on in your head, but it was barely making it through. His grip tightened and slowly the ringing in your ears stopped and his voice could be heard.

“It’s okay, I have you. It’s okay, I have you. It’s okay, I have you. It’s okay, I have you. It’s okay, I have you.”

You turned to him and saw sympathy in his eyes. One look around the room told you that they’d heard.

“You—you—you--,” you stuttered.

“We heard.”

Standing beside Daniel you saw Hammond with a solemn look on his face.

“We heard everything, Sparkle,” Hammond said.

The nickname he’d given you when you were a kid broke through everything.

“Hammond.”

You ran to him and crashed your body into his. Hammond hugged you tightly.

“It’s okay Sparkle. We’re gonna take care of this.”

He led you away and you let him because you trust him completely.

Twenty or so minutes later you were sitting outside your house in the limo with Hammond, Daniel, Miles, Andrew, and Lewis. On the ride over, Hammond had filled you in on how he’d cornered Daniel at the event thinking he was planning to do you harm only to be looped into the whole Aleeza mess which led him to take point with Daniel to make sure you were safe. You thought he was still on his vacation with his wife Yulee.

You were staring at the mansion you grew up in with so much going through your mind. Right now, you were sure your father was waiting in his office for Hammond after he made a call telling him there was something important to discuss. The plan was to present him with all the evidence without Aleeza present then call the cops to come in to haul her ass off to join her brother.

As you walked through your house, it felt like you weren’t walking at all. When you looked down you found Lewis’s hand engulfing yours. You looked over at him and found his eyes boring into you.

“I have you.”

His voice was muffled almost distorted as if this was real right now. However, you knew it was because you would never dream this up. This was a nightmare. Hammond led the way into your father’s office and when he saw all of you, he immediately stood.

“What’s going on? Y/N, are you all right?”

He must have seen the forming bruise on your cheek and your split lip. He came over to you cupped your cheeks and examined your injuries.

“Who did this to you?”

His eyes roamed around until they landed on Lewis beside you who was still holding your hand. Your father’s eyes dropped down to take in your clasped hands. The only reaction was a raised eyebrow. You wiggled free from Lewis’ hand then put yours behind your back.

“Hello, Mr. Y/L/N,” Lewis said.

“Hello. What’s going on? Why are you all here this late?”

He looked at Hammond who sighed.

“Old friend, I wish I were here under better circumstances but I’m not. You should sit down for this.”

Your father looked at you and you could see the worry and alarm etched on his face. You took his hand and led him to his chair then stood beside him and let the chips fall. Lewis was the one to lay it all out. You didn’t think you could get through it without turning into a completely different person. As he calmly explained everything beginning with Aleeza’s first approach to him you kept your father’s hand in yours. You watched as Lewis blew up his contract and possibly his own career to tell everything.

Your father shot up to his feet. “You did what to my daughter!”

He lurched forward to Lewis, but you squeezed his hand hoping to reign in his anger and bring his eyes to you. “I’m fine.”

“Fine? Honey--,” He began cupping your cheek with his free hand.

Tears pricked your eyes, but you fought them off. Now was not the time to fall apart.

“I’m all right.”

“This is crazy. Aleeza did this?”

“Yes, and there’s more and it gets crazier,” Miles said.

Lewis placed his phone down on the desk as your father sat back down. Then he pressed play and the recording from his place with Aleeza admitting everything and even propositioning him for sex while blackmailing him with his career played in its entirety. Your father’s hand went limp then.

“Oh my god,” he muttered weakly.

When the recording went silent he looked back at you. “Oh my god, sweetheart I had—I didn’t—oh god.”

He turned back around and dropped his head in his hands.

“Old friend there is more.”

Silence stretched again and they looked at you expecting you to take the lead but you couldn’t. You were so tired. Daniel stepped forward and explained the new information you’d found about Dom and their plan to kidnap then kill you. Your father’s top popped then. His anger was so evident that Hammond had to brace his arm around him to try to calm him down. When Daniel went on to tell him the plan you’d concocted and the precautions he’d taken, you could tell that your father was even more anxious.

Hammond took over to finish the story with how the night ended but placed the voice recording on the desk so your father could hear everything from when you were put in the car to when they’d shown up. In a matter of minutes you watched a man who’d always been your hero, a man who you loved more than anything, a man who’d been your crutch since your mother passed, a man who you saw as a pillar of strength crumble before your very eyes. His legs gave out and he staggered to the set of leather couches on the other side of his office and the minute he sank into the couch he was bawling with the weight of his anguish.

He was no longer this strong indestructible man and father; he was a distraught and broken husband riddled with guilt for the signs he didn’t see and the life he’d led with his wife’s murderer.

“Noooooooooo!”

He began punching the coffee table before him with no thought of injury to himself. You knew this, it was rage. The same rage that was overflowing in you, the same rage that you feared would consume you unless you let it out. However you knew if you did there would be no stopping it. Miles, Andrew, Daniel and Hammond did their best to restrain him so he couldn’t hurt himself any further. Lewis stepped in front of you peering into your eyes.

“I know you’re not okay right now so tell me how I can help.”

You bit your bottom lip which you’d just realized was shaking. After a few moments, your resolve crumpled as did your face. You tried to formulate words, but nothing came out, just a wail. Lewis instantly wrapped his arms around you pulling you into his strong arms. You were content releasing your despair until the office door swung open and you heard her voice.

“Jordy bear,” she sing-songed.”

Once she’d stepped into the office she stopped in her tracks holding a tray with one glass of dark liquid. Her words from earlier filled your head.

“Don’t worry about your dad, he’ll be following soon.”

What was a quiet beast before turned into a thundering monster. You tore yourself from Lewis and locked eyes on your prey like a predator. Once Aleeza’s eyes landed on you, you watched every emotion in the book wash across her face. When it settled on one, “Oh I’m fucked”, you pounced.

“Y/N, don’t,” Lewis shouted.

It was too late though. With speed you’d never had before you crossed the room to Aleeza who let go of the trey and shrieked. She made an attempt to turn and run but she was too slow. You yanked the bitch back by her hair then took out her legs bringing her to the floor right on her face. Keeping her disgusting hair wrapped around your fist, you pulled more while keeping your foot in the center of her back.

It was then you felt several pairs of hands pulling at you trying to get you off of her but you must have possessed the strength of a hundred men because you didn’t budge.

“Let her go!”

“No!”

Aleeza screamed louder as the voices behind you shouted even more for you to let her go. Fuck that you thought. You’d let her go when she’d departed to hell. A hand managed to yank you back so your knee came off her back, but your hand remained gripped in her hair. The force of you going back meant she came along for the ride which made her scream even more.

“Let her go!”

Suddenly all that was in your hand was the hair that was wrapped around it. It took a second or two to realize you’d yanked the bitch’s hair right out of her scalp. The bloody ends only fueled your anger making you see red completely. The hands that were holding you suddenly felt like a hindrance and you fought against them. You sent an elbow into someone’s gut, the back of your fist into someone’s nose, the back of your head into someone’s forehead then your forehead into someone’s forehead.

You then took off where Aleeza was running, a hand grabbed you, but you turned and shoved them before getting back to the scheduled program of beating this bitch into the grave. She screamed wildly as she ran. Seeing she was getting close to the steps you grabbed one of the vases in the hall and threw it at her feet. Aleeza screamed as she came crashing down. Before she could get up you jumped on her and began hitting her over and over and over. You didn’t stop for nothing and no one.

The more she screamed and begged you to stop the harder you hit her.

“Y/N, stop. You’ll kill her,” Lewis shouted as he tried to pull you back.

“Good! Like she killed my mother! Like she tried to kill me!”

Lewis grabbed your hand giving Aleeza a chance to squeeze out from under you. You elbowed him not caring where it landed then lunged for her again. As you wrapped your arms around her neck, you both toppled over the top step and then tumbled down the spiral staircase.

“Y/N!”

You were a bundle of legs and arms as you tumbled over and over. You felt the pain of every collision with the flat surface and blunt edge of the steps, but you didn’t care. Finally, your fall ended, and you lay there dazed and dizzy on the cold marble floor trying to catch your breath. As you breathed you ached but as you breathed it sounded more like a wheeze than a breath. Staring up, you thought you saw your mother’s face hovering above in the painted ceiling—her painted ceiling. You tried to raise your hand to touch her, but you ached too much. Her voice sounded then.

“Don’t allow anyone, man, woman, or child, but especially a man turn you into something or someone you are not!”

She deserves this,” you rasped. “After eve—everything she’s done to you. She killed you. She deserves to die.”

“Don’t allow anyone, man, woman, or child, but especially a man turn you into something or someone you are not!”

You bawled as you battled your wrath and the need for mercy. You didn’t know how to draw the line; you didn’t want to. You wanted her to bleed. You screamed loud and long then suddenly the all-consuming rage you’d felt the last week slowly left you as if it had found an opening to release itself.

Lewis came into view then. His mouth was moving but you heard no words. What you did hear though was a raspy “please.” As if possessed you turned toward the sound, ignoring the pain you felt. There was Aleeza crawling to the front door still trying to escape.

“Fuck—no!”

You flopped onto your belly then slowly inched toward her. It took forever but you managed to crawl over her and flip her onto her back. Her face was bloodied and bruised with both eyes swollen. She looked almost as ugly on the outside as she did inside.

“P—lease.”

“Look at me.”

Her pupils met yours through the tiny slits the swelling would allow and you saw her fear. Good you thought.

“I could kill you if I wanted to and no one here would bat an eye. They would help me dispose of your body and no one would ever think of you again because you are a pathetic, vile, and evil person who deserves to rot in hell for eternity. You spent so much fucking time hating my mother, hating me because you knew she was better than you. You knew that you were nothing but a speck of dirt on her shoe and you couldn’t stand it. She had what you never will, class and the love of so many people. You ruined so many lives. For what!!”

You raised your hand ready to hit her, but your hand was caught. Looking back, you saw your father.

“Don’t. Your mother wouldn’t want this for you. She wouldn’t want you to do this.”

“We’re never going to know what she wanted because she killed her!”

“I know. I know your rage honey, I feel it too, believe me, it is taking everything in me to not do what you’re doing but I won’t allow her to take anything else from us.”

His words were filled with so much pain, so much hate.

“I don’t know if I can daddy.”

“You can. Just take my hand,” Lewis said coming to stand beside your father.

You stared at him then looked at your father then back at Aleeza. Long moments passed with you not making any move until you saw your mother’s painting on the wall. Somehow the painter had managed to capture everything about her; her class, her beauty, her gentleness, her calm, and the pure peace she emulated. That peace washed over you and you knew it was her, it had to have been.

You took Lewis’ hand and allowed him to pull you up to brace yourself against him. As if sensing the fragile peace in the air, the police burst through the door.  You watched them grab Aleeza and haul her out. The police there took statements from everyone and confiscated the recordings for their evidence and samples of the brown liquid Aleeza was bringing in for your father.

After an hour, the foyer only had the seven of you. No one knew what to say.

“You need a hospital,” Lewis said to you.

“Please this is nothing. Hammond has put me through worse during training.”

“She’s tough,” Hammond replied with a proud smile.

Lewis nodded slowly but you could tell he was still worried.

“Tell you what I’ll get them both to the hospital for a proper exam,” Hammond compromised.

Lewis nodded with more enthusiasm.

“You gentlemen should be on your way,” your father said.

You looked at Miles, Andrew and Daniel and saw for the first time how banged up they looked.

“Oh my god, are you guys okay?”

They all backed up. “We’re good.”

It hit you then that you’d done this.

“Oh god guys I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re good. We’re going to head out,” Andrew said.

“Thank you guys for—everything.”

You locked eyes with each of them for a few moments and saw they understood just what you meant.

“That’s what fam is for,” Miles said.

You smiled then nodded. As they made their way to the door you noted how slowly Lewis walked.

“Are you okay?”

“He took an elbow to the chest, a headbutt, and a kick to the thigh,” Andrew listed.

Your jaw dropped. While he deserved maybe the headbutt for what he’d done, you felt bad about how you’d beaten him.

“I’m--,” you began.

“Don’t say it. I deserved it. It’s cool.”

“Ehm, speaking of what you deserve. I will see you bright and early in my office come Monday morning,” your father said.

Lewis took a deep breath and nodded. “Understood sir.”

The door closed and your eyes drifted back to your mother’s painting. You felt your father’s arms around you.

“She’d be proud of you. And so disappointed in myself.”

You turned to him. “Dad, you’re a victim in this. How were you to know? She played everyone.”

“I’m afraid to meet her again because I told her I’d protect you and look, I couldn’t.”

“Mom raised me with enough sense and all the tools to protect myself, plus with Hammond’s training, no one stands a chance—unless you’re a staircase. I think I may have broken a rib.”

Hammond laughed. “Let’s get you checked out. Come on,” he said as he got on your right with your father on the left. The two helped you hobble to the door.

“Lewis Hamilton, huh.”

You groaned totally not ready to have this candid conversation with him about your love life.

“He’s a little on the pretty side compared to your tastes. I have to admit I did not see that coming.”

You snorted then groaned as pain washed over you, “Neither did I, dad. Neither did I,” you said as you walked through the door and to the waiting car.

You knew this trip to the hospital was not going to be a quick in and out. You were close to crashing and honestly, you needed the rest. You were tired, your heart was tired—your soul was tired and ready to lay its burdens down.

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

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#lewis hamilton #lewis hamilton fanfiction #lewis hamilton fanfic #if this is love you gotta ride for me 4 #if this is love series #black fanfiction

[asterdisaster06]

Strawberry Pie

Simon "Ghost" Riley x gn!reader

summary > The four times Simon helped you, and the one time you helped him.

word count > 2.5k

cw > Serial killer AU. Inaccurate police information + procedures for plot reasons. Allusion to murder + getting away with crimes, yeah, that’s the kind of help (:<

a/n >  inspired by hannibal + “strawberry” by andrew montana

ao3

“How does it look?” A simple twirl following the words accompanying the small smile. Lips painted blood red with a new lipstick. 

“Beautiful love, absolutely stunning,” Simon says with a slow blink, a cat-like behaviour to express his adoration for you.

“I found this sundress while out shopping. And I got my nails done while I was at it! I followed your recommendation,” You answer with a smile as soft as the blanket beneath your rosy fingertips. 

“And the lipstick?” Simon asks, tilting his head. 

“Something I found in college. It’s served me well all these years,” You send a grin filled with sharp teeth towards Simon. His sweet little vixen. 

“Others would call you crazy,” Simon mentions, the teasing tone trailing off as he stares at you intently.

“But?”

“But, I admire your gumption, sweetheart,” Simon says, cupping your face gently in his hands; laying a tender kiss on the tip of your nose.

“You missed,” You remark with a twinkle in your eye.

“Oh did I now?” His voice softened from its usual gruff timbre. 

Simon RIley leans in to kiss your forehead, and then one corner of your mouth to the other, and then finally landed home onto your lips. He didn’t seem to mind the transfer of dye nor the chastising you did because of it. It was messy, it was sweet, it was entirely and so wholefully the two of you with the only disturbance being the gentle breeze shifting the pastel curtains. The ones that Simon insisted on keeping open to let the precious sunlight in - he claims that the way it brushes against your skin is a look into heaven itself. 

“Okay, okay, I really have to go this time. You’ve kept me trapped here like your little Rapunzel for far too long, Simon,” You urgently get out between fits of laughter and giggles alike. 

“So satanic, the way you plan to simply leave the love of your life here to die alone,” Your boyfriend sighs, sagging back into the comfort of the mattress you both were now laying on. Of course, he was being dramatic. As per usual. It would be endearing if it wasn’t so humorous to see the giant of a man turn into a feeble ghost of the soldier he usually is. Price would be proud to see that his subordinate does in fact have some humanity left within himself. 

“Don’t panic. You’ll live, I’m sure of it,” You reply, giving him a sympathetic kiss on the cheek, before getting up.

“Hey love?”

“Yes, Simon?”

“You missed,” Was all he could get out before you rolled your eyes and gave him exactly what he wanted - despite the fact that it made you a minute late. 

. . .

“Welcome to our humble abode,” You smile, giving a sweet little twirl and a flourish of your arms. The team had to admit that it was a cosy little thing out in the sticks. The interior design was no doubt your doing, a cottagecore vibe, considering the fact that Simon was limited to plain walls being his entire experience. Plants here and there, sunlight streaming through the glass paned windows, and pots and pans hanging with their herb friends. 

“Thank you for having us,” Price responds.

“What he said,” Came from the other two. 

“Where’s your lover?” Soap asks teasingly.

“Oh, he’s out in the garden gathering a few last minute spices,” You say, a gentle expression taking over your features at the thought of your love doing so much for you. You see the group share a knowing look and a few chuckles were heard from behind you. A soft reminder is all they need to stop with their shenanigans while you’re cooking. Of course, Gaz offers a helping hand with chopping up various vegetables for the stew and Price had called dibs on doing the dishes. He claims it was the least he could do for the host. Soap on the other hand insists on being the taste tester. A gentle ring of a bell alerts you to Simon coming in from the outside, completely drenched. 

“What happened to you? You look like a stray dog,” You laugh, leaning against the counter. 

“In my defence, it started as a drop before it ended up pouring a minute later,” Simon grumbled, 

“We’ve needed a good shower, wouldn’t you say? Good for the fertiliser,” You say, sending your lover a wink as you scoot over to allow him access to the sink.

A playful eye roll is what you earn in response as he says, “This is what I get for agreeing to hide out in the country.”

“Bite your tongue if you know what’s good for you,” You nudge him good-naturedly. 

“You know I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world, love,” He says, facial expression softening into pure adoration. He sends you this look even as he’s scrubbing his hands of the dirt and blood from the garden. The scent of decay quickly running down the drain, tainting the water black. 

“I know. My saviour day in and day out, wouldn’t you say?”

Before Simon got the chance to answer, the timer - the one in the shape of a chicken because Simon just couldn’t say no when you held it up to him with those puppy dog eyes - went off. 

“Your world famous strawberry pie? Again?” You click your tongue and shake your head with a sly smile.

“It’s world famous for a reason, love. And, we have guests that have yet to taste my creation,” Simon grins back at you. 

“Whatever you say, Simon,” You huff out with a laugh. 

Laughter filled the air as the dinner party continued later into the night before it all quieted down with the departure of the boys. A simple contentment washes over the two of you left on the couch, a fleece blanket encasing your figures. Something about it warmed your beating heart as you listened to the rhythm of Simon’s long after you drifted off into unconsciousness. 

. . .

“Simon, you wouldn’t happen to be busy right now, would you?”

“Of course not, love. What do you need?” Simon answers over the phone.

“There was a roadkill accident, and my car isn’t in tip top shape anymore. Do you think you could come pick me up? I’m about two klicks down the road from our house,” You say, your phone tucked in between your ear and shoulder as you slide latex gloves over your hands. 

“As you wish,” Simon’s voice rumbles in your ear, sending shivers down your spine. 

You drag the corpse into the bushes and thank whoever was listening that the only evidence left was the blood pool. It would be quite a shame if any innocent had to feast their eyes on the remains of the carrion. Vultures would have to find another meal elsewhere - this one was yours. Right on time, Simon’s car reverberated down the gravel lane. 

“I didn’t think you would become so reckless, angel,” Simon chuckles, hopping out of his truck to help you lift the body into the back of his car. 

“I like the word hasty more. It sounds better, don’t you think?”

“Whatever you call it, just remember I’m always here to help clean up your messes.”

“And I you, darling,” You nudge Simon as he opens the car door for you. 

“I should’ve seen it in your eyes when we first started seeing each other. You were trying to warn me,” Simon chuckles, humour lacing his words. 

“I always wanted to be able to see you in the morning, Simon,” You begin solemnly. “I don’t wanna be alone, it’s quite boring, isn’t it?” You shrug. 

“Oh, baby, let me finish. I’m keeping you, you menace. Until the day one of us kills the other,” Simon smiles, giving your hand a tight squeeze. 

“That would be how it ends, wouldn’t it?”

“Of course, there’s no other way,” Simon says, a simple grin on his lips. A rare sight, but a common one with you. And just like the rain, it was washed away just as quickly.

. . .

“Shit, love, did you go after a military man?” SImon asks as he gently wipes away dirt and grime from your face. Your clothes were receiving the same treatment in the washer after you took a shower.

“I somehow doubt her boyfriend got into the military with that weak of a punch. He just got the jump on me. . . and had a pocket knife,” You explain, wincing when Simon brushed over your wounds. 

“That would explain all these lacerations, now wouldn’t it?”

“Actually those were from the girl clawing me half to death. The guy did jack all if I’m being honest. Tried to run like a pussy too,” You laugh, your ribs protesting at the act. 

“Sounds like you did her a favour, showing her the real colours of her boyfriend. A shame she isn’t alive to make a change,” He hums, confidently bandaging your arms and face like he had done a million times before. And like he would continue to do a thousand times over. As he does that you down a cheap whiskey from the bottle to ease the pain. 

“Quite a shame. Almost as much as the fact that I have some cleaning up to do later. They were surprisingly bloody for how little it took to bring them down,” You sigh, raking your hands through your hair before realising your hands were still stained metallic red.

“You just take a shower and leave the rest to me,” Simon says with a quirk at the edge of his lips. 

“What would I do without you?”

“Probably end up in jail.”

“That’s both true and insulting.”

“Whatever you say, love.”

. . .

“Simon? I think it’s time for a change.”

“What colour?”

“You know me so well. I was thinking something colourful this time around, really make the sight a seemly one before they meet their end,” You say, looking in the mirror and preemptively mourning for the identity that would be no longer. 

Not if Simon had any say in it. He had a surprising knack for disguise; although, you suspect that a few missions would require a little bit of magic to make it work. Odd, though, considering it’s doubtful that anyone would be left to tell the tale of the infamous Simon “Ghost” Riley. 

“You just get into the bathroom, I’ll be there soon with the dye,” Simon calls out from across the house. 

“Have I ever told you how much I love you?”

“Not today,” Simon answers.

“Well, I love you very much for all that you do for me,” You say, expressing your thanks.

“I love you too, sweetheart,” Simon chuckles, entering the bathroom with all that you could ever need for an identity change. “Although, have you ever considered wearing a mask? Speaking from personal experience, it does make a wonderful impression alongside shielding you from the public eye.”

You hum thoughtfully before responding with, “I have, although I’ve discovered the personal touch makes it all the more better. That, and, I think between the two of us, you pull it off way better than I ever could.”

“If you insist, love,” Simon laughs, the sound reverberating throughout you. 

“It’s the truth, now which colour would suit me better?” You ask, alternating two dyes in your hand and in your favour. 

“Tough question. I fear we might need a second opinion,” He teases. 

“You know me too well, get the team on the phone,” You grin, practically bubbling over with excitement. Some may say you were too enthusiastic given the circumstances, but not Simon. He always supported you in your little hobby and dinner parties - much to your surprise. He was everything that you could’ve ever asked for, and more.

. . .

“Hey, love, are you busy right now?” Simon asks over the phone - a surprising event considering that he was never one for calls. They irked him, verbatim words that make you giggle at the absurdity of all.

“No, of course not, Simon. What do you need?” You ask, slightly busy with cooking dinner but Simon always came first. You did put him on speaker though to make it a little easier. 

“Could you come down to the station? Some stories need to be set straight, if you know what I mean,” Simon almost growls out.

“I’ll be there in five,” You reply, dropping the pleasantries as a dark look overtakes you. 

. . .

“What seems to be the problem, Officer?” You ask, acting the part of an innocent victim.

“Can I get you some water?” Fake pleasantries. Nothing upset you more.

“No thank you. I’d prefer to get this cleared up as soon as possible, sir,” You spit out, decisive and curt with your words. 

“Of course. There appears to be significant evidence that forty-eight hours ago your significant other was put at the scene of a crime near the Lincoln bar. Likely as a perpetrator,” Is what the officer tells you, much to your chagrin. Despite the calm facade that you were putting forth, you were fighting the urge to roll your eyes. You know exactly what happened, exactly who was killed, and the reason behind it was all because of a jealous spat between Simon and a man who had the misfortune of hitting on you in front of the infamous Ghost. He just couldn’t control himself when it came to you.

“I find that highly unlikely,” You say brusquely.

“And why is that?”

“He was at the Lincoln bar, but both myself and three other people were with him the entire night. Here, I’ll write their numbers down,” You say, quickly uncapping the pen on the table. 

“We’ve already checked the surveillance, but thank you for these witnesses. There is a gap of time between 9:31 PM and 9:39 PM that we are awfully curious about.”

“From what I remember, he went to the bathroom,” You answer genuinely.

They continued their line of questioning, asking if you had any connection to the victim, if you had seen anyone suspicious, along with other interrogations that all ended with the classic ‘if you think of anything else, notify us.’ You had high hopes that Simon would be released almost immediately and you were proven right when he walked right out of the building over to where you were on the curb. 

“There’s my saviour,” Simon says, embracing you tightly.

“You haven’t forgotten our promise, right?” You ask with a smile.

“Of course not, love. I simply wanted to show my appreciation, as per usual,” Simon chuckles lightly.

“Be your alibi, and never ask why,” You say, interlocking your pinky with Simons.

“Never ask why,” Simon whispers back, promising it like a vow. 

“The boys invited us out to dinner at Price’s, angel. You feeling up to it?” You ask.

“Always if it involves you,” Simon flirts.

You roll your eyes, replying with, “You menace.”

“You know you love me,” Simon laughs. And you did. So, very, much. 

#ao3 #cod fic #cod mw2 #fanfic #mw2 141 #cod 141 #mw2 #simon ghost riley #john soap mactavish #simon ghost x reader #john price #kyle gaz garrick #domestic fluff #fluff #drabble

[kookieswan]

Red Light - Silent Smile

Nightmare!Hoseok x Psychologist!Reader

Word Count: 2.2k

Genre: Horror AU, Monster AU, Psychological horror, Angst, some Fluff though too. Kind of.

Warnings: Yoongi. Technically talk of cannibalism, death, mentions of blood/bodily fluid. MC is injured but not too seriously. It should be noted that this story will contain themes of horror/psychological horror and also explore obsessive behaviors and codependency. Many characters are morally gray. Please be warned!

Summary: Nothing can ever go your way. All you wanted was a calm morning and instead your office door got ripped off its hinges.

Notes: Back at it! I hope you all enjoy. This takes a good few days after Tea and Crumpets, it might be beneficial to go reread as much as you can heh.

This is Part 29 of the Red Light series. Find the Masterlist here ♥️

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There’s a rapt knock on your door, arrogantly enough to draw you away from the paperwork you’ve been diligently doing for your… Superiors. Usually a distraction would be welcome, but in this case you know it’s no one you care to see. Letting out a quiet sigh, you fold your hands and call out regretfully for whoever to enter.

“Yes, come in!” The door opens promptly and in steps Williams… Along with another man you’ve never seen before. He’s taller, younger, and his smile is bright enough to blind you. Perhaps an aspiring new hire? Certainly no one with experience down here, no. The excitement is far too displaced. Williams marches straight up to your desk with the man, eyes wide as he gazes down at you.

“Good morning Dr._____.” You murmur a good morning back, bringing your cold coffee up to your lips for a sip. Honestly, you have so much work to do and such a tight schedule to do so. Playing Williams silly little games is always a nuisance, especially since he’s the one piling on the work. He tilts his head to the side toward the new man, an odd little smile on his face. It repulses you ever so slightly.

“I’d like to introduce you to Doctor Freeman. He transferred from this facility to another, but has decided to return after Andrews’… Unfortunate passing.” You nearly laugh out loud, something you’ll certainly have to reflect on later. Freeman extends his hand outward to you, and you shake it mindlessly. His grip is firm, nearly too tight as his hand engulfs yours.

“Dr. _____, I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s nice to finally put a face to the name.” His smile has been turning sharper by the second, eyes carefully hiding something away as they remain blank. It’s happening slowly, but with each passing minute you like him less and less. Clearing your throat, you manage to plaster on a fake smile.

“It’s nice to meet you as well. I’ll take it you’ll be filling Andrews’ position then?” He nods his head as Williams looks… Proud? Smug? You’re not quite sure. Is it possible you know this man? No, you’ve never seen him before, you’d remember the dumb way his head bobs as he nods enthusiastically.

“Correct! I’m excited to be stepping into my old shoes and taking off. I’d also like to work closely with you given the chance.” He steps impossibly closer and you feel the need to sink through the walls. There’s a sudden bang down the hall, the men ignoring it as you peer toward the door. Choosing to ignore it as well, you decidr to address the odd man.

“Closely with me…?” He hums as the banging continues, and you swear you hear a gunshot in the distance and… Screaming…? Perhaps it’s nothing to worry about. Perhaps it’s everything to worry about. The only thing you can currently worry about though is the way Freeman’s eyes nearly bug out of his head.

“Yes; I didn’t study psychology much during my schooling days but I find it quite… Interesting.” Interest is fine but his interest unsettles you wholeheartedly. Tapping your pen against the table a few times, the banging becomes louder steadily, and then stops. The three of you look toward the door, both men flinching as the loudest boom yet echoes from somewhere down the hall. You can’t even describe it; like some sort of guttural scream mixed with metal being torn.

“What was that sound…?” And then comes the screaming. The desperations echoes its way down the hall, the voices frantic enough to make you uneasy. It’s pretty clear what’s going on, but Williams just clears his throat and shrugs his shoulders like it’s nothing to worry about.

“I’m sure it’s nothing. Now, I wanted to ask you about that paperwork-“ He doesn’t get to finish his sentence before your door is ripped of its hinges and thrown into the wall, a blur flying through the room and onto Freeman. You catch a flash of silvery hair as both bodies fall to the ground and oh.

Oh. Oh no.

“Yoongi! Yoongi, hey, come on-“ You’re up and around your desk in seconds, torn between keeping your distance and trying to calm the obviously very pissed off Nightmare. It’s a fifty-fifty toss up between him going on a killing spree and coming down from his blood-lust, but you’ve got to try something. You slowly step closer, Williams distractedly taking something out of his pocket and paying no kind. There’s a rattle and so you glance up, and not one, but three of the frames on your wall fall to the floor in a crash as not a single soul disrupts them. It can’t just be a coincidence..,

Looking back quickly to Williams, you gape as pulls out a taser of all things, the oversized object clearly trying to make up for something. Stepping between him and Yoongi, eyes blazing as the Nightmare continues to snarl down at the newest Doctor with malice. Williams tries to sidestep you, but you continue to use your body as a sort of wall between them. It’s shocking that none of these absolute morons have figured out how to deescalate a situation like this. What does he think he’s going to do? Taze him and not die horribly?

“Do not.” He scoffs but turns his back, clearly not willing to risk his own precious life. It’s curious though; it’s more than he ever would have done for Andrews… Turning back and taking a step forward, you stand directly behind the Nightmare, hovering with an outstretched hand as he drags the other man off the floor. Something else moves around in the corner of your eye, crashing to the floor yet again. Still, you don’t pay mind.

“I’ll fucking rip you apart. Skin you alive, gouge your eyes out and eat your insides for a fucking snack and string the rest up on the walls. Would you like that?” He snarls his words darkly, spit flying as he chokes out Freeman. The doctor is starting to turn a shade of purple, his head cracking against the wall as Yoongi shoves him into it again. You can only begin to guess what he’s done to make Yoongi so angry in such a short amount of time. How long has he even been here?

“Please, Yoongi,-“ Finally touching his shoulder lightly, you try not to gasp in pain as a hand shoots out to grip your wrist violently. He drops the man and turns toward you, likely ready to kill, but thankfully gives pause. He stares, and you stare back quietly, eyes gentle and trying desperately to convey that it’s okay. That he’s okay.

Fully taking in his appearance, it’s obvious he’s already caused some sort of chaos. He’s covered in blood, splashes of it littering his face, some of it smudged as if he tried to rub it away. His pupils are blown, nostrils flared, but otherwise he looks like himself. Blood drips off his hand and onto your jacket, staining the perfect white a crimson red, but you don’t falter.

After comprehending just whose wrist he’s about to snap, a litany of emotions wash over his face before he settles on something grim. He looks anywhere but at you, his hand loosening and letting go slowly. Not thinking much about it, you grab his hand as he tries to draw away, his eyes snapping up towered yours, the shock there evident.

“I-Doctor I didn’t mean to. I didn’t mean to.” It’s quiet. It’s apologetic. Hell, it even sounds a little desperate. You wish he could tell how important all of them have become to you, that you know that they’re people too, that they matter. You nod your head, tightening your hand ever so slightly to try and sooth any remnants of his anger as pain twinges up your wrist.

“It’s okay, it’s alright. You didn’t mean to, I know that.” He continues to nod, composure growing slightly more anxious as he hunches into himself. You understand; vulnerability in front of these assholes isn’t something he desires, and so you try not to lean into that. But, you do need to get him out of here, and quickly.

“I need you to listen to me though, okay? You’ve got to come with me so we can get you washed up.” Looking him directly in the eye, you try to tell him. Try to tell him he’ll go down there, try to tell him that you don’t want that. You don’t want him to be tortured, you don’t want him to lose himself. You don’t want him to rot.

There’s a sudden rustling of clothing, a groan from the sad mess on the floor. Yoongi lashes out relatively often but there’s always a reason. Always. So, you’re sure Freeman’s broken face is somehow justified, especially as he starts to speak.

“No, I’ve missed 061309 quite a bit. I would love for him to join us down below instead after an episode like that.” Freeman’s voice is raspy, gross, absolutely grating on your poor ears as he cuts in. Glancing down toward the floor, you try not to giggle at the poor excuse of a blob laying there. You knew you were right about him. You knew, and you’d like to know more. You’ll have to speak to Hoseok on the matter; it’s been too long away no anyway.

“Well Doctor Freeman, I don’t really care what you would love. He’s my patient, he’s staying on this floor and he’s taking a nice hot shower. Also, I would appreciate if one of you would call to have my door fixed.” Taking the Nightmare by the arm, you start to drag him toward the door unceremoniously. There’s a shuffle as Freeman stands up, his whole body covered in grime.

“I wasn’t done talking to you.” It’s hard to take him seriously with his eye nearly swollen shut, and so you don’t. Not even turning back fully to acknowledge him, you finally enter the hallway with Yoongi on your heels. He doesn’t try to run or cause chaos, apparently having no issue with following you. You’re glad he’s in his right mind to understand the consequences of doing so.

“And I was quite done talking to you. Now, if you’ll excuse us.” Ignoring that you’re leaving those two alone in your office, you lead Yoongi down the hall, dead set on getting him cleaned up. You know he doesn’t like the mess when things die down, when he has time to calm, and something tells you he wasn’t very excited about this particular massacre.

“I didn’t mean to.” It’s quiet as he whispers it out, the almost desperate tone coming back. Stopping in the middle of the hall abruptly, you turn him toward you slowly. He won’t look you in the eye, staring past you but not with a hint of malice. Keeping your hands on his arms, you allow your voice to be the gentlest it’s ever been with him; with any of them.

“I know Yoongi. There’s really nothing to apologize for, though I do appreciate the gesture immensely. I can tell you’re not fond of Freeman so lashing out isn’t an uncalled for response.” You think that perhaps mentioning Freeman wasn’t a good idea as Yoongi’s face morphs in disgust. He takes deep breaths, clearly trying to control himself but not altogether able to.

“He’s disgusting. He should rot. I should have slaughter-“ Before he can fully fall into his anger again, there’s a soft call of ‘Yoongi’ from the other end of the hall. Glancing that way, you spot Jungkook standing there and looking immensely worried, still in civilian clothes and not his usual uniform. Once he catches your eyes, he starts to jog over.

“What happened? Are you okay?” The man actually grabs Yoongi’s jaw without hesitation, softly turning his face from side to side as if to examine him. You let the Nightmare go, fully allowing for Jungkook to take over the situation. You don’t think he realizes just what a blessing he is in situations like this; the nightmare certainly would have ripped off anyone else’s hands.

“… He’s back Jungkookie. I’m sorry, I almost ripped him apart for you, I wanted to make a pretty picture but-“ Jungkook blinks owlishly, wide eyes lost for a few moments but like a snap, they harden. He doesn’t let go of Yoongi as the man nuzzles into his hands, now likely feeling safe and yet still distressed.

“Freeman is back, huh?” Jungkook directs it at you, and you nod hesitantly at his correct guess. Clearly the man had some sort of reputation around here, and clearly it’s very, very bad. But as much as you’d like ask more questions, you have to get Yoongi to the showers. Holding a hand out, you gesture that you have to keep going.

“Ah, yeah, hold on. Come on Yoon, we gotta get you cleaned up. That’s a lot of blood ba-“ He cuts off, clearing his throat as he drops his hands from the Nightmares face. Yoongi whines, whines, and grabs the other man’s hands, gripping it tightly as Jungkook starts to tug him along. You hide your silent smile well.

“Jungkook, I trust you can take care of this yourself…? I have some matters to attend to. If any issues arise please come directly to me and I’ll handle them accordingly.” You give he man a knowing look, taking a few steps back to take your leave. After your little talk with Dr. Kim a few days back, you know it’s in your best interest to check in. Jungkook looks torn for a second but gives as Yoongi practically shoves his face into his neck.

“Yeah I got this, but. Uh… I think you and I need to talk. Later?” You give a curt affirmation that that’s fine because really, you want to know what’s got one of your Nightmares in such a tizzy. So much to do, so little time… Hopefully Hoseok is faring better. You have more than a few questions for him now.

“Yes, later. Be safe you two.”

#red light ♥️ #hoseok x y/n #hoseok x you #hoseok x reader #hoseok angst #hoseok fluff #bts x y/n #bts x reader #bts x you #bts fluff #bts angst

[ninjamelissajulien]

No matter how Crystalized ends, I want to say that I am very proud of how Andrew Francis stepped up as Cole. It’s a hard legacy to follow in Kirby’s footsteps but we should be proud of him. And I’m very sure Kirby is proud of him too.

#ninjago

[cevansbrat0007]

Hello Mr. Barber, I wanted to ask what are some qualities we ladies should look for as our deal breakers in finding a perfect match? I'm not very lucky in the dating sphere and I'm quite ready to give up. You and your wife are very lucky to have found each other and worked on your relationship. Obviously every person is different in what they look for in a partner, but do you have any suggestions or advice?

Summary: Andrew Barber returns to answer even more of your burning questions about love and marriage. Written from Andy's POV. Also check out Volume I and Volume II, as well as an Interview with Mrs. Barber.

Warning: the following response contains mature themes, including references to oral sex and cursing. Minors DNI.

A/N: For more insight into Andrew Barber and his Baby Girl, please check out my ongoing Growing Pains Series. All mistakes are my own. Likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated.

___

Well hello again, everybody! First let me say that it’s nice to be back. My wife and I have really come to enjoy these questions. However, this time I felt the need to consult her as I wrote this response. This is in addition to letting her review my answers before hitting “publish”.

I just wanted to make sure that my answers made sense. Lucky for me, Baby Girl is a very honest creature. So, without further ado, here we go.

Allow me to begin by saying that there’s no such thing as a perfect match. Although I initially disagreed with this, my wife helped break it down for me so that I could better see her point. That’s one of the many things I love about this woman, you know? She’s willing to challenge me and the ways I see the world.

And sometimes that’s exactly what I need.

Now, that’s not to say there’s no hope of ever finding the yin to your yang. That’s absolutely possible. I just mean that perhaps you ought to consider tweaking your perspective a little. 

Maybe reframe it in terms of you’re seeking a partner. Because that’s what you’re looking for, right? That’s the goal – the endgame. You’re searching for someone to do life with, together. Forever. 

And in order for that to happen, you need an effective partner. Someone who sees you for who you are. Who loves you the ways you need to be loved. Someone who enhances instead of detracts. 

You want someone who’s willing to meet you where you’re at with the intention of helping you grow.

With that in mind, I would implore you not to lower your standards. Maintain your values. Know your worth. Don’t ever compromise any of that for another person. I’d also advise you to be immediately wary of any man or potential significant other that ever asks you to do so. 

One of things that really attracted me to my spouse is that she expected to be treated a certain way from the very beginning. She’s the type of person who commands respect from everyone wherever she is. She’s always been that way. And it’s because she knows her worth.

Case in point, when I almost blew it on our very first date. To this day, I’m grateful that I found the balls to chase after that woman when things went south at Cibo Matto. This man right here “ain’t too proud to beg”, I can tell you that much.

And yes, I know that’s a song by The Temptations. I was actually just serenading Baby Girl with it the other night. If memory serves, she was pissed at me for eating the last of her homemade cinnamon rolls. So, I did what any good husband would do when their lady threatens to run away to the grocery store and never come back. I swooped her up as she was stomping out the door and carted her off to my office so that I could apologize for my actions.

Besides, I’d much rather eat her any day. I mean can you blame me? My woman is the sweetest thing I’ve ever tasted. The stories I could tell you about all the ways I’ve convinced her to forgive me for the stupid things that I’ve done…

But that’s not what this was initially about, is it? My sincerest apologies. Where was I? Oh, that’s right. Knowing your worth and refusing to lower your standards. 

During our first date, my girl refused to settle for being treated as an afterthought. So she left. Just straight up walked out on me. Because she deserved better than how I was treating her. 

That evening should have been about us getting to know each other better. Instead, I unknowingly allowed my ego to get in the way and almost derailed everything before it had the chance to start. Which meant that I almost lost out on something magical. 

Which brings me to my next point. Everyone makes mistakes. This can be especially true when nerves are involved. I’m fortunate in that my Baby Girl eventually forgave me, and with that also came a second chance. But only because – and she explained this to me again last night – I had enough sense and maturity to apologize.

And fucking mean it. 

So, I’m going to suggest that you be willing to grant any of your potential suitors some grace. But only if they’re worthy of it. Meaning that if he’s not willing to apologize – especially if he’s done something to accidentally hurt or disrespect you – then walk away.

Because that’s a sign that you’re dealing with a boy. Not a man.      

The only other thing I would encourage you to do is to keep yourself open to love. Magic tends to find us when we least expect it. It likes to sneak up and knock you square in the face. And when that happens, I think you should embrace it.

Run with it. Cherish it. Be thankful for it.

Treat that relationship like a seed and water it daily. You’ve got to pour into one another and tend to that love. Cultivate it gently with tenderness and patience. And hopefully one day you and your partner will look up and be utterly amazed by what has blossomed.    

Thank you for your question and never forget that Mrs. Barber and I are cheering you on from the sidelines. 

Best Wishes, Andrew Barber

#cevansbrat007 asks #chris evans imagines #andy barber imagines #chris evans smut #andy barber smut #chris evans x fanfiction #andy barber fanfiction #chris evans x you #andy barber x you #chris evans x reader #andy barber x reader #chris evans x black!reader #andy barber x black!reader #chris evans x wife!reader #andy barber x wife!reader #chris evans x brat!reader #andy barber x brat!reader #chris evans x woc!reader #andy barber x woc!reader #chris evans x poc!reader #andy barber x poc!reader #chris evans x female!reader #andy barber x female!reader #chris evans x fem!reader #andy barber x fem!reader #cevansbrat0007growing pains series #chris evans x black reader #andy barber x black reader

[fr3sh-tragedies]

Overprotective

[Attack On Titan] Modern! Annie Leonhart x Fem! Reader

Word Count: 2.6k

Proofread: Yes

Content Warnings: Physical fighting, blood, violence, derogatory terms, strong language

[A/N]: I plan on doing three stories in a row for each character I write for, and then when I finish writing for all the ones I have planned, I’ll likely start over with the same characters. Also, if you have any requests, feel free to let me know! Please let me know if it’s a preference, imagine, or one-shot. I also plan on making a masterlist and pinning it so you can find things easily that way.

Enjoy!

“Alright. Have a good weekend, Annie. I’ll see you on Monday.” Annie gave a small smile and waved, slugging her bag over her shoulder as she headed out the classroom door. She pulled her phone out from her hoodie pocket once she was halfway down the hall and clicked [Y/N]’s contact. She sent a quick text to let her know that she was on her way. [Y/N] responded quickly, then Annie stuffed her phone back in her pocket. She let out a heavy sigh and rubbed her eyes. This week had been hell on her–physically and mentally. Finals for the end of the first semester were coming up, and even though she usually never studied for anything, [Y/N] had been urging her to so she did well. After some convincing (promises of donuts if she did well on the exams), Annie agreed and started staying after school and staying up late to study.

It’s not that she hated the idea of studying–she actually enjoyed the thought of improving grades with just a little extra effort. She just never had the time or energy. Her father always had her train each night, save for Fridays, which always left her utterly exhausted. Her headaches grew worse each day, both due to the lack of sleep and the constant studying for classes she struggled in, but she wanted to do well. Sure, the donuts would be a nice reward for her hard work, but in reality, she wanted to make [Y/N] proud–she wanted her to see that she could do well with the right amount of encouragement. [Y/N]’s view of her was much more important to her than her father’s. She loved this girl. She wanted to make her happy and help her get through every hard day.

She’d stay up late in her room studying for algebra and chemistry exams, and any time she felt the urge to fall asleep or get on her phone to distract herself from all the equations, she’d think of how [Y/N] would smile if she even passed these tests. She’d think of the warm, comforting hug that she was so addicted to. She just wanted [Y/N] to be proud of her.

[Y/N] was perfect in her eyes. She was her muse–her reason to keep going. She was–

“--A prude.”

Annie halted her movements and listened to the conversation taking place just around the corner. “C’mon, Andrew. [Y/N]’s not a prude.” Annie’s heart dropped at the mention of [Y/N]’s name. She stepped silently against the lockers to get closer to the two boys talking. “Yes, she is! Damn bitch is too worried about her grades. She should’ve let me help her feel good at that party. She wouldn’t have been able to walk for weeks.” “Yeah, and if you keep talking like that and Annie finds out, you won’t be able to walk for weeks either. It’ll just hurt way worse.” “Pfft, whatever. I could kick her ass with ease.” “You know damn well she’d flip you within a second. You’re not impressing anyone with your big talk.” “Either way, [Y/N] shouldn’t have turned me down.”

“Well, looking at you, I can see why she did,” Annie retorted as she stepped into view. Both boys froze and turned towards her. “A-Annie! Oh god, how much of what Andrew said did you hear?” She didn’t reply, but they could tell by the cold, darkened look on her face that she had heard pretty much everything. The boy who had been defending Andrew readjusted his bag on his shoulders and started walking the other way. Andrew tensed. “What do you–Hey! Marco, where the hell do you think you’re going?” “I’m gonna get out of the way. You have fun getting both of your legs broken.” Andrew scoffed and looked over at the blonde with his arms crossed.

“So, you’re gonna try to break my legs, huh?” Annie shrugged, her expression now eerily calm. “I was just gonna beat the shit out of your hideous face, but breaking your legs sounds more fun.” “Excuse me?” “Oh, don’t worry, I’m still gonna break your face. After you look in the mirror, you should finally see why my girlfriend won’t sleep with you. Or any girl, for that matter.” Andrew scoffed again and dropped his bag, getting himself into a very poor stance. Annie rolled her eyes and shrugged her bag off and onto the floor, not caring that her laptop was still inside, then rolling up her sleeves and getting into a much more refined stance than her opponent.

They stood there for a while, neither one wanting to make the first move. Andrew smirked after a moment. “What’s the matter, blondie? Too scared to throw the first punch? Afraid I’ll knock out your teeth?” Annie’s eyebrows furrowed. “No, just thinking of the best way to kick your chest through your back. Shouldn’t hurt too bad. Doesn’t seem like you have a heart for me to hit.” Andrew laughed. “You don’t need to project your own insecurities on me. I don’t understand why your girl won’t leave you for someone better. Guess she’s even dumber than I thought.” That sent Annie over the edge. She snapped, quickly stepping forward and thrusting her leg forward against Andrew’s calf. He stumbled back a bit but didn’t fall. Annie huffed.

Damn it, you need to calm down. Every time you get worked up like this, your movements get clumsy.

She got back into her stance, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm her increasing rage. “I thought you were supposed to be good at fighting, Leonhart. Doesn’t seem like you’ll be able to protect that bitch you call your girlfriend.” Annie felt her teeth grinding against themselves as she clenched her jaw. Her gaze quickly flickered down to Andrew’s knees, knowing she needed to kick the back of them to get him down. She tried again to step forward and kick, but he caught her leg this time. Her eyes widened as he threw her leg up and tossed her down onto her back. She grunted as she came into contact with the ground, her mind screaming at her to get up and get him back. Andrew reacted before her though, standing over her and crouching down. He grabbed the collar of her hoodie and pulled her upwards as his fist came down fast. He struck her repeatedly before standing and kicking her hard in the stomach.

Annie groaned in pain, her nose, lips, and a part of her right cheek bleeding. Her skin had already started to bruise. Andrew stood there for a moment, watching her before walking over and grabbing his backpack. He slipped it on his shoulders and began walking away. “I told Marco I could kick your ass. Maybe when [Y/N] sees what I did to you, she’ll finally realize I’m the one she should be with.” Annie coughed, straining her entire body as she propped herself up on her arms. “She won’t date you, you bastard. You’re a horrible person.” Andrew stopped and turned to her, a cocky smirk painting his lips. “Well, unlike you, at least I can actually protect her.”

Adrenaline pumped its way through Annie’s veins, finally allowing her to get back on her feet. Andrew had already started walking away again, so he didn’t realize Annie was running towards him in time. Just as he turned around at the sound of her rapid footsteps, her fist had already come into contact with his head, sending him spiraling to the ground with a thud. He groaned and caressed the spot she had struck. “Ugh, you bitch!” He got into a stance once he managed to stand again, but Annie had already lunged forward. She swept her leg to the side as it made contact with the side of his leg, allowing her to hook her foot around and catch the back of his knee. She kicked with all of her strength, breaking his leg with an inhuman force as he cried out in pain and fell to the floor.

As he curled into himself on the ground, Annie rolled him onto his back. He opened his eyes and looked up at her weakly. “Take back what you said about [Y/N],” the blonde huffed out, her shoulders slumped. “As if. She’s a prude no matter how you spin in. And you’re disgusting for stealing her from someone who’s way better than you.” Annie growled and lifted her leg high in the air before bringing her foot down directly onto Andrew’s nose at full force. He cried out in agony. Before his hands could fly up to shield his face, Annie stomped on his face again, and again, and again. Finally, she stepped back with a pant, her nails almost digging into her palms hard enough to make them bleed.

She wanted so badly to say something–to threaten him to leave [Y/N] alone, but exhaustion had overwhelmed her body. She weakly grabbed her bag and shrugged it onto her shoulder. She stumbled down the hallway, limping as she made it a few feet from the exit. She panted for breath, leaned against one of the lockers as she rolled one of her sleeves back down and used it to wipe away the blood from her nose and mouth. She pulled her arm back to look at the stain, wincing at how much of it there was.

She carried on, her muscles growing weaker and feeling heavier as she made her way to [Y/N]’s house. Thankfully, she had already made plans with the girl to stay with her for the weekend, meaning she wouldn’t have to hear her father lecture her on her fighting abilities until Monday. The walk to her house felt like it was stretching out forever. By the time she finally made it to [Y/N]’s doorstep, Annie was on the verge of collapsing. She knocked on the door weakly. She waited a while, not sure if she had knocked hard enough for [Y/N] to hear, but just as she reached for the doorbell, the door swung open.

“Annie, holy shit! What happened to you?” Before Annie could respond, [Y/N] yanked her inside and took her bag. She dropped it to the floor and turned to close and lock the door. After the second lock had been turned, she spun on her heel and stared at the blonde who couldn’t meet her gaze. “You wanna tell me what happened this time?” Annie started to sway unsteadily, her face growing pale. [Y/N], upon seeing this, stepped forward quickly and grabbed her arm, leading her to the couch and letting her sit down. “Woah, hey, hey…just rest for a minute, okay? I’ll go get the med-kit from the medicine cabinet.” Annie could only nod as the [h/c] girl rushed to the hallway by her parents’ room. She returned a short moment later with a small white box.

“Is it just your face that got hit?” Annie didn’t speak, her hand trailing over to rest on the part of her stomach that had been kicked. [Y/N] sighed as she sat down beside her and took out some ointment and bandages. She cleaned off the partially dried blood smudged against the blonde’s skin before applying some ointment to a cotton pad and dabbing the small cut on the side of Annie’s cheek. The blonde hissed and turned away. “I know, hun, I know, but if I don’t clean it, it’s gonna have a higher chance of getting infected. Do you really want that to happen?” Annie stayed silent for a moment before shaking her head and turning her head back. [Y/N] smiled at her, though she couldn’t meet her eye, and finished treating the small wound.

She grabbed a bandage and gently placed it to cover the treated area. She smoothed it down with the pad of her index finger, then took a different kind of ointment out. “This will help your bruises heal a little quicker. And if it doesn’t, it’ll at least ease some of the pain.” Annie nodded. [Y/N] unscrewed the cap and scooped up a bit of the gel with two of her fingers before bringing it up to the blonde’s face. She gently applied it to the already bruised patches of skin, massaging it in until it was nearly dry to the touch. “Alright, now do you want to rub some of this on the spot on your stomach, or do you want me to?” “You…” “Okay. Lift your hoodie and shirt a bit so I can see it.”

Annie did as told and lifted her clothes up just far enough to reveal the nasty bruise forming on her abdomen. “Jesus, Annie. What the hell did you do? I’ve never seen you get beat up this badly before. Usually, you don’t even have a scratch.” “I know, I just…I lost my temper.” [Y/N] hummed and scooped up another small amount of the ointment before bringing it down to apply it to her stomach. Annie shivered at how cold it was. “You seem to be losing your temper a lot recently. What’s going on with you?” The blonde shrugged and looked away, guilt rising up in her chest. [Y/N] had asked her multiple times not to get into any more fights, and each time Annie said she wouldn’t, but the second she heard anyone making fun of the [h/c] girl, she went into a blind rage.

“I’m guessing that, based on your silence, it was about the same thing as usual?” Annie nodded. [Y/N] sighed, letting the ointment dry before pulling the articles of clothing back down to cover it. “Annie, you know I don’t like it when you fight for me like that.”

“Well, I’m not just going to let them talk badly about you like that, [Y/N]! It pisses me off so much that people can’t see what a great person you are, and then decide to assume things about you!” [Y/N] froze, the two of them staring at each other. Neither one of them had expected that outburst. Usually, Annie was the one listening to [Y/N] scold her or rant to her. It was a rare occasion to hear the blonde get so worked up over something, even though they’ve known each other for years. Annie sighed after a moment, looking down at her hands that were resting in her lap. “I’m…I’m sorry. I just want to protect you.” [Y/N] smiled softly, sighing as she shook her head. “It’s okay, Annie. I’m really grateful you do everything you can to protect me. I just wish you wouldn’t get physical about it all the time. I hate seeing you so exhausted and hurt.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

They sat in silence, not really sure what to say. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable though. They both often enjoyed just being able to sit quietly together, simply enjoying the other’s presence. [Y/N] broke the silence this time though. “Did you win though? You kicked his ass for me, right?”

Annie chuckled, a smile finally making its way across her lips. “Yeah, I did.” [Y/N] grinned and put everything back in the med-kit before placing it on the coffee table. “Good.” The quietness returned to the room. At length, [Y/N] gently nudged Annie’s arm with her elbow, prompting the blonde to look over at her finally. “Hey, I’m proud of you. You know that, right?” The blonde’s heart fluttered. A deep, crimson blush dusted her cheeks as she smiled uncontrollably. She nodded. “Yeah.” The [h/c] girl snickered at her expression and leaned forward, softly pulling Annie into one of those warm hugs she enjoyed so much. Annie stiffened momentarily before melting into her embrace and hugging her back tightly–even though it hurt like hell to force her muscles to move that way.

“I love you, Annie. Even if I scold you a lot for getting into fights. I truly do love you.” Annie smiled even wider and nuzzled into the crook of [Y/N]’s neck. “I love you too.”

They stayed like that for a long while before finally leaning back to look each other in the eye. [Y/N] gently rubbed the blonde’s arms. “Can you please promise me that you won’t get into any more fights for my sake?” Annie smiled. “I don’t think I can promise that entirely. I’ll try not to pick fights when people talk shit, but I want you to know I won’t hesitate to sock someone in the jaw if they lay a hand on you.” [Y/N] giggled, and oh, how Annie adored that sound. “Alright, fine. But just know that if you show up on my doorstep like this again, I’m not gonna baby you and treat your wounds. You’ll have to do that yourself.” The blonde rolled her eyes, though her smile never faltered.

“Fair enough, I guess.”

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[villagesmartass]

last night while taking the backroads to drop off Andrew’s dad I was in the back seat dead tired and had a stream of thoughts that was so wide and new and circled right back to how I came to be and was sitting right there and opened my eyes and looked out the far window and there was a bright white light across a big field through peoples long low mobile homes following me and it felt nice and hazy and I felt so happy to smile at it like it was proud of me. I’m not sure what it was but it was a moment of pure joy