#IT HAS LUMPS OF CREAM CHEESE IN IT I’M GONNA CRY

[thyme-in-a-bubble]

the brie

buttercup, chapter two

a/n: i was originally gonna go into more detail and dive into and actually write the traumatic moments, but i decided to go a little bit more easy on myself, just focus mostly on the healing part and regaining the good.

summary: “well, we’re going out to our usual watering hole, or it’s not just us, Karen, who works with us, is also tagging along. Would you wanna join? Might be fun… might tear the city up, dance all night and watch the sunrise or whatever kids do these days.”

warnings: matt murdock x baker!reader, neighbours to lovers, rape recovery, ptsd, wingman foggy, reference to croissant theft, alcohol consumption, drunk munching on cheese, kissing, crying, retelling of trauma (if it gets too much for you, then please feel free to just skip the last part of this chapter)

word count: 4978

∼ gentle reminder that feedback, but especially reblogs are the way you support writers on here ∽

previous chapter | series masterlist | next chapter

masterlist | join my taglist

Scooping one divided lump of dough closer with the bench scraper in your grasp, you put it down before first folding the bottom of the blob over itself, then the sides and then stretched the top down as well before you rolled it all up to create that much more tension in the loaf. As you plopped the soft mass into one of the nearby dusted bannetons, nippily pinching the seam and giving it a few stitches, the ingrained dance only kept on as your fingers moved on to shape the next loaf of sourdough. 

To your left, not at the central table where you worked, stood your uncle Howard, a piping bag of vanilla-flaked cream in his grasp as his rotund frame bent over rows and rows of delicate, flaky little pastries, filling the sunken centre up before he could top them off with little chunks of crimson berries. 

“Are you alright, cupcake?” you glanced up to see Walter leaning against the doorframe that led directly behind the counter, “you look like you’re about to nosedive into the dough and use it as a pillow.”

“I’m alright, just didn’t sleep much last night,” you blinked back down at your work, noting how your weary eyes stung slightly from the lack of rest, “I had a nightmare that was really, really not fun, and immediately when I woke up I started crying and shaking, like instant panic attack, so I couldn’t really fall asleep again after that,” you glanced back up at him and offered a tight-lipped smile. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“I just don’t get why it has to feel so real,” you let your hands halt their waltz as you shared, Howard too glancing over in your direction, “why my body needs to remember it so vividly when I fall asleep. It hasn’t forgotten it while I’m awake, so I don’t feel like I need the reminders… sorry…”

“Don’t apologise, it’s–…” instead of uttering the painful truth, Walter instead let a heavy sigh flow and offered, “…do you want me to make you a cup of coffee? Maybe that could be nice, just a little bit?”

“Yeah,” you exhaled, “thanks,” before clapping the worst of the flour off your hands, briefly wiping them against the chocolate brown apron that partially covered your t-shirt and jeans, and wandered around the table, shadowing Walter as he fiddled with the espresso machine, making it hum and puff, till he handed you a steaming mug that had a little heart in the frothy foam floating on the top. 

“Here you go.”

Bringing it up to your lips, you offered him a genuine smile, “thank you, Walt.”

Staying behind the counter as Walter disappeared into the back, the chime of the small bell above the door brought your attention to the pair that then strolled in. Setting down your latte and expecting it to be just any other customer, your eyes instead went wide as you saw who it was.  

“Heya, neighbour!” 

“Y/n, hi,” Matthew smiled as both he and the floppy-haired man beside him came to a stop on the other side of the stocked display case, “uh, Y/n, this is my friend Foggy Nelson,” he gestured to the friendly looking fellow, “Foggy, this is my new neighbour Y/n.”

“The pastry goddess!” Foggy exclaimed excitedly, “I bow to the.”

“Goddess?” you giggled, feeling the heat rise in your cheeks as you glanced over at Matt, secretly in hopes that he’d gotten that nickname from him, “oh, I don’t know about that. My uncle’s the one who oversees most of the pastries. He studied in Paris back in the 70’s, so in other words he’s a bit of a control freak. But, he is getting better! Slowly letting me take care of more things that I’m more than capable of doing… I’m talking a lot, aren’t I?” you sucked in a sharp breath as you noticed 

your rambling, “I’ll shut up. The point was just that he is the one who makes most of the pastries here, not me. He’s the goddess.”

“Well, I tasted one of your croissants the other day–”

“Actually,” Matt raised a hand and interrupted his friend, “you stole it.”

“I did not–”

“You came over and I turned away for two seconds and the next thing I knew you’d obliterated the entire bag.”

“That sounds more like your problem,” Foggy joked, managing to keep a straight face as Matt chuckled, “you’ve known me how many years now? You should know not to trust me with baked goods unless you mean for me to enjoy them,” turning his attention back to you, he leaned his folded arms against the tall section of the counter, “anyways, Y/n, that croissant was properly one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.”

“Really?” your face lit up with a bright grin. 

“Yes, it was so buttery and flaky and urgh!”

“Well, if you liked that, you might like today’s special…” your feet began to carry you further to the left to the very far side of the counter. 

“Oh, please do tell me,” he followed along like a magnet.

Pointing down to the pastry row on the other side of the glass, you explained, “it is this rhubarb danish that also has a little base of pastry cream at the bottom to balance out the tart compote.”

“Oh… my… god…” Foggy nearly salivated, his hypnotised gaze never straying from the treat, “you gotta be some angel sent from above.” 

Busting out a laugh, you grabbed a brown paper bag, “should I take that as confirmation?”

“Yes, please,” he nodded as you plucked one up with a set of tongs. 

“Will that be all?”

“I don’t know if it ever can be all, but slowly but surely I’ll get through your spread, and that is a promise,” Foggy accepted the bag into his waiting fingers, “but for now, yeah.”

“Matt, do you want anything?” you asked, feeling the flutter of butterflies wake up within your stomach as you returned your attention to him, “do you want me to describe the options for you?”

“No, I’ll just have the same as Foggy, as well as–, do you sell coffee?”

“Oh,” the scent wafting off your half-empty mug probably caught his attention, “yes, we do.”

“Then I’ll have a cup as well.”

“Oh, one for me too,” Foggy interjected. When you’d packed up another pastry and filled up two to-go cups, the shaggy-haired man pipped up as they were paying, “hey, what are you doing later tonight?”

“Uh, I don’t know. Properly just head home and rewatch some series for the billionth time,” you said, putting the cash they’d handed you away in the register, “why?”

“Well, we’re going out to our usual watering hole, or it’s not just us, Karen, who works with us, is also tagging along. Would you wanna join? Might be fun… might tear the city up, dance all night and watch the sunrise or whatever kids do these days.”

A laugh then rumbled within Matt’s chest, “we’re not gonna go dancing, Foggy.”

“You never know,” Foggy sang, “I’ve got moves like you wouldn’t believe!” he snuck a small sip of his steaming coffee before meeting your eye, “so, Y/n! Please tell me you’re coming?”

“…and then Karen was like what’s that? Turns out a giant piece of glass had stabbed my side,” Foggy clutched onto his drink as he told his dramatic tale, “I nearly died.”

Cutting her sip of beer short, the golden-haired woman sitting beside him at the round bar table objected, “you did not nearly die.”

“Oh yeah?” Foggy squinted light-heartedly back at Karen, “says the person who barely got a scratch. I single handily rescued both you and Mrs. C from that building and got a sick ass scar to prove it.”

Their voices faded away like grown-ups in a Saturday morning cartoon as you glanced back down at your drink and let the radiating heat of the man next to you seep into your bones. As your fingers brushed down the sides of the glass and played with the condensation, Matt suddenly reached out for his own, though in his search for the stout glass that stood ever so close to your own, his touch briefly grazed against your skin. But if that wasn’t enough to spike your heart rate, when his long fingers enveloped his short glass, the back of his hand pressed up against yours at the proximity.

You weren’t sure how long it persisted before he raised his dark drink up to his lips, but it didn’t seem like he was in a rush to let the contact fade. Your breath managed to grow ragged in the chunk of time you got to stare down at his hand, it looking so massive up against yours. Though the light in the dingy bar was low, you could still manage to make out the dizzying pattern of prominent veins that cascaded off the back of his hand like a calm rainfall rolling down a windowpane. 

For a moment there, assisted by the few drinks in your system, you let yourself dream, just for a little while, just until Foggy’s voice cut through your haze and stirred you from your fantasy. 

“… I mean, am I right? I’m right. Come on, Y/n, back me up here!”

“Huh? I’m sorry, uhm…” you blinked, in some ways feeling more drunk than you had a minute ago, “wha–what did you say?”

As Foggy then began to explain what you’d missed, Matt leaned down close to your ear and whispered, his hot breath tickling your skin and causing goosebumps to erupt. 

“You okay?”

“Mhm,” you hummed fuzzily. 

“You sure?”

“Yeah,” you glanced down and noticed how rapidly your chest was rising and falling. 

“Do you wanna go home? I can walk with you if you want,” he offered quietly. 

“Uhm…” you blinked up at him before uttering, “sure, but I don’t wanna end your night before you want to.”

“No, you’re not,” he reassured you, “I’m ready to go home myself.”

“Alright then,” you nodded before Matt turned to the others. 

“Guys, we’re gonna head home.”

“No!” Foggy boomed, “really?”

Throwing her hands up, Karen added, “but we haven’t even gone dancing yet!”

“Sorry,” Matt got up from his tall stool, “another night.”

“Thanks for inviting me,” you tugged your jacket back on, “I had a lot of fun.”

To your surprise, they both got up and hugged you in return.

“Thank you for coming!” Karen gave you a tight squeeze before Foggy took over. 

“And we’ll be seeing you for the next one, right?”

“Uh, sure,” you gave his back a light pat, “if I have time and stuff the day that it happens, then I’d love to tag along.”

Casting his glance upon the other lawyer, “bye, Matt,” Foggy then yanked him into an embrace, “I love you, you know that?”

“Yeah,” Matt chuckled, clapping his friend’s spine, “I know, buddy.”

“You love me too, right?” Foggy pulled back, though still kept his hands fast on Matt’s broad shoulders, “don’t leave me hanging, it’s bad for a man’s health.”

“Foggy, I started a firm with you. Of course, I love you,” Matt smiled back at his sloshed pal, “good night.”

“Night, night,” Foggy patted his scruffy cheek before letting him out of his gasp, though adding as you turned to exit the bar, “night, Y/n! I love you too! I just met you today, but I love you!”

Soft giggles bubbled out of you as the door slammed shut behind you. 

“So, those are your friends...” you smiled into the night, “I like them. They’re nice.”

“Yeah,” the corners of Matt’s lips turned further up till dimples bloomed, “they’re good eggs.”

As the two of you began to move along, the silence didn’t last very long at all. 

“This is really nice of you, walking me home like this,” you uttered, “I know it’s just because we’re neighbours and headed in the same direction, but–”

“It’s not.”

“What?” your eyes found him.

“It’s not because we’re neighbours. It’s just, you know, the decent thing to do.”

“Right,” you exhaled, casting your glance back down onto the sidewalk as you momentarily got your hopes up. 

“And you know how this city can be,” Matt went on, “it’s not smart for anyone to walk alone at night.”

“Yeah,” you nodded, trying to keep your tone nonchalant, “of course.”

When a street then appeared before you, slicing the path you journeyed on, and even though there wasn’t any traffic in sight, your hand still instinctively shot down to grasp Matt’s forearm before the two of you could cross.

Realising what you’d done, you quietly muttered, “sorry,” though couldn’t find the strength to withdraw your touch just yet. 

“It’s okay,” his low voice slid from his lips like silk. 

“I just didn’t want you to walk straight out into ongoing traffic...” you tore your gaze away from him and forced yourself to look at the road before you, “but there aren’t any right now, so we can cross the street…”

Guiding his palm up to the curve of your elbow, he accepted the gentle aid as you began to cross the lane. 

Once you’d reached the other side and his grasp slowly began to drift back down. When his palm reached the height of your own, you softly caught it before timidly testing, “…do you mind if we–…”

“Hold hands?” with a gentle smile, he filled in before you might wonder if he could even sense your shy touch at all.

“Yeah…”

“No,” you felt him weave his fingers with your own, “not at all.” 

His touch somehow felt even better than you’d imagined. Though surprisingly gruff, with harsh calluses all throughout, he cradled your palm with such care, like he’d held it a thousand times before, occasionally swiping his broad thumb over your knuckles, presumably just a subconscious gesture from his end that still caused shivers to trickle down your spine every time he did so. 

You wanted the latter part of your walk home to last forever, engulfed in the comfortable silence of endless possibilities. But alas, when you did reach your building’s front door and then climbed the steps all the way up to your respective apartments, you couldn’t get yourself to let go just yet. 

“Are you hungry? Because I kinda am,” you weren’t really, but anything to just stretch the night a little longer, “or maybe it’s just my subconscious taking care of me and lessening my hangover by giving me a sudden craving for cheese.”

“I don’t think I have any cheese.”

“I do,” you said maybe a bit too fast, “do you want some?”

Exhaling lowly, a soft smile twitched at his lips as he then uttered, “sure.”

As you unlocked your door, you finally let go of his hand, “make yourself at home!” you placed your keys down on the slender entry table before kicking your shoes off and peeling off your coat, hanging it up on the row of hooks, “oh, do you want me to, uh, describe the layout for you? Or just plant your down on the couch?”

“Just tell me the direction and I think I’ll be fine.”

Facing him, you haphazardly explained, “alright, the hallway goes on for a few steps and then it’s to your right–, no, wait, my right, that’s your left. It’s to your left.”

Whirling around, you delved deeper into your home till you reached the kitchen. Ripping open the fridge, you snatched up a block of half-eaten cheese before seizing a clean butter knife from the dishrack and a roll of seedy crackers from a cupboard. 

Matt was already comfortable on your sage couch as you laid the humble spread out on the coffee table and joined him. 

“I hope you like brie because that’s what I got. Unless you want a single slice of american cheese, then this is all the cheese I have to offer.”

“Brie it is then,” he relaxed into the cushions as you unwrapped the snack. 

“Here, let me make you a bite,” slicing off bits of soft cheese, you spread it both on a cracker for him and one for you. Gently picking up his hand to place his snack in his palm, you then popped your own in your mouth and nearly melted into the couch next to him, “yep… that’s the spot…” you grinned hazily out the tall windows at the night sky as you chewed, “there’s just something about eating cheese when the moon is out that’s just so right in a way I can’t describe…” 

Your murmuring conjured a light chuckle to rumble within Matt, one that swayed your gaze to train on him. Resting your head against the back of the couch, you watched as the moonlight reflected in his tinted glasses. 

When the silence stretched on, Matt eventually cocked his head, “…what?”

Not tearing your eyes off of him, you breathed, “nothing…”

“You’re quiet,” his dark brows furrowed gently, “what’s going on?”

“Nothing,” you repeated, feeling almost like you were floating in a calm sea. 

“You tired? Do you want me to go so that you can go to bed?”

“No, please don’t, I–…” you reached out and grazed his arm, “could–… do you want to go?”

Letting his body relax once more, he breathed, “not particularly…”

Gazing up at him, your bottom lip snuck its way in between your teeth, “Matt…”

“Yeah?”

“You–… you’re–… I–…” your pulse pounded in your ears. 

“Mhm?”

“I really, really wanna kiss you right now…” you uttered thickly before you had the chance to chicken out. Like a wave crashing a shore, you didn’t even think as you let yourself dive in and press your lips to his. The kiss however didn’t last too long as you swiftly drew back as soon as your brain turned back on and you realised what you’d done, an apology hastily rushing out of your lungs, “Oh my god… I am so sorry.”

“Y/n,” hearing your name on his silky tongue did not help matters. 

“I didn’t mean to just–”

“Y/n,” he repeated, trying to cut through your fog. 

“We can just forget any of that ever happened, I totally get it if you don’t–”

As he brought his hands up to cradle the sides of your face, your nervous ramble fell short. When he ghosted his thumb across your cheekbone, you swore that you stopped breathing entirely. 

“…can I kiss you?” he slowly asked, leaving you utterly dazed. 

“W-what?”

Drawing in a breath, he repeated for you, “can I kiss you, Y/n?”

Blinking back at him, you hazily hummed, “mhm,” before he leaned in and brushed his lips against your own. The kiss was soft, just as your shoddy attempt had been, but it made your limbs feel like they morphed into jelly. When the pecks soon departed, you filled your lungs with a shaky breath as you gazed back at him in total awe, “holy shit…” only staying there a moment before you had to have another taste. 

Slowly growing more confident, the intoxicating kiss gradually grew more hungry. When his fingers then weaved into your hair, you realised that up till now he’d been holding himself back, gatekeeping a kiss that caused your frame to crawl into his lap, starving for more. Your little whimpers vibrated against his tongue as he danced it against yours, growing dizzy as you melted into the heart-stopping sensation. 

But suddenly a tormenting flash stabbed your being, and you abruptly tilted your lips away from his, breathlessly uttering, “wait, wait, there’s-, there’s-, uh…”

“What,” he breathed thickly, nose grazing yours before you retracted further, “are you okay?” 

“I’m…” carefully crawling off his lap, you kept going till you were a safe distance away on your own side of the couch, “Matt, there’s something I need to–, uhm, tell you…”

Staying silent, he patiently waited as you gathered up the courage needed to jump off the cliff and tell him.

Casting your gaze up to the tall and dark ceilings above, you felt your limbs begin to tremble, “okay, alright… I have no idea how to, uh, say this, so I’m just gonna do it,” and like a band-aid, you uttered, “I-, I was raped,” your eyes squeezed shut, not daring to risk glancing at his reaction, “a little over a year ago… and I haven’t–, uhm, done or tried anything with anyone since… so yeah, I just thought that was a good thing for you to know since even though I hope for there not to be any problems, I just don’t know, I don’t know what it will be like for me, if my body will suddenly freak out, but I just wanted to tell you so that in case something does happens, that you know not to automatically take it personally...” drawing in a shaky breath, you fluttered your gaze open and waited for his response, “Matt?”

“Yeah?” he answered carefully. 

“Please don’t say that I’m scaring you away right now…” you shifted your position, turning to face him once more.  

“You’re not, you’re not,” his head softly shook from side to side, “I just–… I really, really sorry.”

“Yeah…” you exhaled slowly, feeling tears sting the corners of your eyes, “me too…” staring at him a moment, you then bared your all and uttered, “I really like you, Matt,” a faint smile accompanied the declaration, “I think you might be the only guy in all of New York that I’m not scared of,” every other man you could think of had all had at least a second, a little flicker, of something that over the past year had terrified you, “and I don’t want you to think that I’m made of glass, that’s not what I want, that’s not why I’m telling you this. Please trust me when I say that I want to, I wanna do–…” a weighty exhale flowed from your lungs as your lips remembered his taste, “I wanna do everything with you… if–, if that’s something you’d like as well… but if we do, even though I really, really want to, I think it’s probably smartest to go slow, no pressure, you know, just in case, so that my body doesn’t freak out. Also, I’d really appreciate it if I at any point indicate for you to stop or even just pause a moment, that you’ll do that, that you’ll listen to me,” you briefly glanced down at your fiddling fingers, “and you know, I’m not saying let’s only do PG things, there are so, so many wonderful steps on the way that we can have fun with… I just–, I wanted to let you know now, before, so that we wouldn’t potentially have this conversation when something did happen.”

Only parting his lips when he was sure you were done, he uttered, “thank you for telling me. Are you–… are you okay? Was what happened before too much?”

“No…” you shook your head gently, “no, it wasn’t,” taking his hand in yours, you shared, “and I’m okay, I think… I mean, some days it still feels like it just happened, and others I notice something, something small, that I’ve gotten back, that I’ve regained…” absentmindedly tracing the lines of his palm with your thumb, you asked, “do you–… do you have any questions? Is there anything you wanna know?”

“No, I–… I just want you to tell me however much or little you feel comfortable with sharing.”

“…can I tell you? About it?” you asked slowly and he swiftly offered you a soft nod. Drawing in a deep breath, you began, “It, um, it was a Saturday night… I’d just gotten back from the bakery super late, maybe close to midnight… and when I was getting ready for bed, my roommate came home, he’d been out drinking as he usually spent his weekends. I remember we stayed up a while, just talking about the mundane stuff we always did. It was like any other Saturday, really. That was until I got too tired and went to go to bed, but he didn’t wanna stop talking, so he followed along into my room while I got ready and stuff,” averting your gaze, your bottom lip began to tremble, “we were just talking, it wasn’t anything special and then the next thing I knew, he was kissing me. It just–… it happened so fast… his hands were all over me… I remember he pushed me up against my closet so hard that my back was bruised the next day, and I don’t bruise that easily. He was just so wasted that I don’t think he realised or maybe even cared what he was doing. I tried to say something, tried to make him stop, but he didn’t listen to me. If he heard me, then I don’t think he understood what it was that I was saying… I would have pushed him away, slapped and hit him, but I couldn’t, I couldn’t move my body, not even a little, I just froze…” 

“I can still feel what he felt like… like my skin won’t let go of the memory…” tears rolled down your cheeks as you squeezed your eyes shut and tried to ignore how your palm tingled with recollection, “how he forced me to touch him and held his hand over mine, making it move as if he just thought I didn’t know what to do… he was my friend, you know? He wasn’t just some stranger who dragged me into an alley and held a knife to my throat. He was my friend. He would always make offhand jokes about seeing me as just a little sister and how he wasn’t attracted to you at all. Made such a big deal of it that I never thought he’d try anything… I have no idea how long it actually went on… I don’t even remember when it was that I landed on the bed, if it was before or after he–… after he–… did stuff, t-touched me… I just remember I was laying there when it happened. The masked man, the devil of hell’s kitchen, he ripped him off of me…”

“He’d somehow heard… I think maybe if I hadn’t opened the window that night to air out the room, he wouldn’t have saved me… he beat him up... knocked him out… he told me to call the police, but I couldn’t, so I instead asked my uncle to come get me… my body’s never shaked the way it did that night… I remember I was so confused because I wasn’t cold, didn’t get it till the masked man said I was in shock… it didn’t stop till the next night… when he was about to leave, I asked what if Mi–,” you couldn’t get yourself to utter Michael’s name out loud without feeling as if your whole world would crumble around you, “what if he woke up before Howard arrived, and so he just stayed there with me, right till he somehow heard my uncle walking up the stairs and then he slipped out the way he came in, right before I heard the front door unlock.” 

Letting out a long and unsteady breath, you raised a trembling palm up to wipe your cheeks. 

For a while, the silence got to encompass the space completely, your left hand still shaking in Matt’s as you eventually heard him ask. 

“Did you ever go to the police?”

“No. In the small window that I had to do one of those kits, I was just way too overwhelmed and confused and I just couldn’t think straight, I couldn’t do anything but relive that moment over and over again, so I didn’t do anything in time. But the longer time that passes and the more it sinks in what he did and the ways that I’m still paying for it, the things he ruined inside of me that I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to get back, the more I wish that I had gone to the police. But it’s too late now.”

“No, it’s not,” his fingers squeezed slightly around yours, “I could help you, I’m a lawyer after all.”

“No, Matt,” you said firmly, “it is. I don’t wanna sit there and hear them go oh, it’s your word against his, sorry, and have them think that not enough happened technically for them to take it seriously. Enough happened, trust me. I’m eternally grateful that Daredevil saved me from whatever else he could have done to me that night, but enough happened. Just because he didn’t stick it in me doesn’t mean nothing happened. That is the kind of belief that only belongs to people who think that the only sexual act that counts as sex is when a penis is in a vagina, and that is just so incredibly wrong,” an enraged laugh tumbled out of you as you fumed, “they are the kind of people who think that someone queer, disabled or just someone who isn’t into that sexual act isn’t actually having sex when they are. Sex is about connection, it’s about pleasure and there are endless amounts of things that can give a person pleasure,” clenching your jaw, you let out a heavy sigh, “I wish it could be different, I wish many things, I wish it hadn’t had happened at all, but it did, and I hope that at the very least he learned something from it, that he changed, that he wouldn’t do it again to someone else.”

© 2024 thyme-in-a-bubble 

#lea’s writing #buttercup series #matt murdock x reader #matt murdock imagine #matt murdock fanfiction #matt murdock fanfic #matthew murdock imagine #matt murdock x y/n #matt murdock x you #daredevil x reader #matt murdock series #matthew murdock x reader #matt murdock fluff #matt murdock angst #matt murdock hurt/comfort

[spooderboyandtincan]

I just came here to say I love your writing and it's so amazing!!💕💗💖💙 Also I have a small prompt? With bio son Peter and Uncle Happy/ Rhodey and for some reason Tony's not there, and they have to protect him? Thank you!!!

Thanks, love! 💗💖 This sort of went off course and it’s kinda really angsty,    

¯\(°_o)/¯ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

~~~~~

When Tony had asked Rhodey and Happy to babysit Peter, they were delighted to oblige. They both loved the little toddler with all their hearts, and would give their lives up for him in an instant. (Though Happy would never admit it)

And of course, Peter adored his two uncles.

The minute they walked into the penthouse, they were met with the sight of an eager, excited little boy, wiggling in his father’s arms.

“Uncle Whodey!! Uncle Happy!! Hi!!” he greeted cheerily.

“Hey, kiddo,” Rhodey replied, smiling. “Hey, Tones.”

“Hi, boss. Hey, kid,” Happy muttered.  

“Hi!!” Peter cried, kicking his little legs. “Hi!!”

“Whoa, munchkin,” Tony laughed. “Excited?” He set the boy on the ground, who immediately dashed over to Rhodey and held up his arms.

Rhodey picked him up and settled him on his hip.

Tony looked at the boy lovingly, slightly worried. Peter had pretty bad separation anxiety, and while this wasn’t the first time he had left, it was the longest. A three day conference call, in fact. He and Pepper had argued for hours about going, but she insisted it was important for him to go and maintain their reputation.

He knew Peter would not be happy about it.

So he made a deal with him. His two uncles would come over to babysit visit, and when he got home he promised cuddles and ice cream. Neither of them liked him having to leave, but it was a good deal.

But now that he actually had to say goodbye to Peter, he was surprised to feel a heavy pain in his chest.

He took Peter from Rhodey’s arms. “Hey, Petey? Remember how I said Daddy has to go away for a few days?”

Peter tilted his head slightly, then nodded.

“I have to go now, Pete, but don’t worry.” He kissed his forehead. “Your uncles will be here the whole time, and I’ll call you every chance I get, okay? Remember, you can go to them for anything, and if you need me, I’ll come right back.”

Peter put a few fingers in his mouth. “But I miss you, Daddy!!”

There was a lump in Tony’s throat, but he smiled past it. “I’ll miss you too, baby, but I’ll be back before you know it!”

Peter’s eyes were watery and he sniffed a few times, but didn’t cry. “Otay, Daddy.”

Tony grinned and attacked his little face with kisses. Peter was shrieking and giggling, just like Tony knew he would be.

Happy and Rhodey watched this endearing scene with smiles on their faces. With Peter, Tony was probably the happiest, luckiest man in the universe. It had been so long, before Peter, since they had seen him laugh or hug someone. And now he openly displayed his affection and enormous love to the little boy.

Tony kissed Peter firmly on the forehead one last time and stroked his soft cheek. “I love you, Peter. I love you, so so much, sweetheart.”

“I love you, Daddy.” Tony’s chest swelled with love.

It was so hard to say goodbye, even just for a few days, but eventually Tony was on the tarmac, boarding the jet. Rhodey held Peter, Happy standing next to him; all three were waving.

“Bye-bye, Daddy!!” Peter cried. “Love you!!”

“Love you, Peter!” Tony shouted back.

~~~~~

Both Happy and Rhodey immediately noticed Peter was a little down. He wasn’t interested in much and wasn’t hungry.

It was worrying, yes, but Peter had acted like this before when Tony left, so they had expected it. Luckily, Rhodey brought a tin of soft ginger cookies, compliments of his mother.

And Peter loved them.

~~~~~~

While eating their cookies, Peter had insisted they watch Lilo and Stitch. It had always been his comfort movie, whenever he was sick or lonely. 

By the time they finished it, it was about time for dinner. As per Peter’s request, Rhodey had cooked some homemade mac and cheese, along with apple juice and banana slices. 

When Happy lifted Peter into his high chair, he grinned. “Mac an’ cheese!! T’ank you, Uncle Whodey!!” 

Rhodey ruffled his hair. “Thank your dad, squirt. He insisted I make whatever you wanted.”

“T’ank you, Daddy!!”

This kid was too adorable.

~~~~~

To Rhodey’s great surprise, Happy offered to read Peter a bedtime story. Happy Hogan. Happy was reading to a toddler?!

He shook his head. He guessed that Peter had changed them all. For the better. 

He snuck a few black mail pictures of Peter sitting on the man’s lap, sucking his thumb and listening to him read Bear Sees Colors.

Rhodey sent a few texts to Tony, letting him know that they would call him soon, and that Peter was doing just fine.

Happy set Peter on his bed, who sat back up and draped a blanket over his head. He cuddled Iron Bear in his arms, smiling. “Can we call Daddy?”

Peter looked kind of like a worm and Rhodey snapped a quick picture of him. “Of course we can, Pete.” 

“Jarvis? Can you call Tony?” 

“Of course, Colonel Rhodes.”

It only rang once before Tony’s face appeared on a hologram. 

“Daddy!!” Peter cried and squirmed forward in his cocoon. “Hi!!”

“Hey, Petey! How are you, baby? Having fun?” Tony looked worried, even after what was probably seven hours. He was such a mama bear, Rhodey thought.

“I’s good, Daddy!! I miss you!!” the boy mumbled, crawling out of his blankets.

“Oh, Pete, I miss you too.” He looked a bit sad. “I’m sorry I had to leave, sweetheart.”

Peter shook his tiny head. “’S’okay, Daddy!! Not your fault!!”

Oh, you precious, pure little angel, Tony thought.

And then to his great horror, Peter’s side of the screen started flashing red. The boy whimpered, clutching his teddy bear. 

“What the hell-?!” Happy began, before the entire penthouse shook violently. 

“Rhodey?!” Tony yelled. “What’s happening?!”

“I don’t know-”

“Sir, it appears there has been a malfunction somewhere in the building, though I am unable to detect where. I would suggest evacuating immediately; I have already called in the appropriate medical services.”

Tony gasped. What?! No no nonono Peter was supposed to be safe. Nonononono!! 

“Get Peter out of there!!” he screamed frantically. “Get out!!”

Happy scooped up Peter and sprinted out of the room. Rhodey turned to the screen, where Tony’s pale, terrified face was still displayed. “It’s okay. Listen, Tones, we’ll get him out of here.”

“Rhodey-” But he was already gone. 

Leaving nothing Peter’s empty room for him to see. 

Until the penthouse burst into flames. 

And all Tony could hear was Peter’s scream.

~~~~~

Happy awoke to a tall man kneeling next to him, pulling the kid from his arms. Instinctively he yanked him back. 

“Mr. Hogan! We need to help Peter. Give him to us!” the man said urgently. Happy blinked. Peter...? Oh god. Oh god. Oh no ohnoohnoohno. 

Peter was in his arms, limp and still.

Nononononononono 

The man pulled Peter from his arms, sprinting off. And then Happy realized the room was on fire.

Suddenly, Rhodey was there, hauling him up and throwing his arm around his shoulder. “Come on, Hogan,” he groaned. “We need to get out before this place blows!”

“But Peter...”

“They have him outside, they’re gonna help him. We’re the only ones left. Come on!!” 

They hobbled to the window, where there was a tall ladder. Rhodey went first, ready to try to catch the man if he fell. 

They both reached the bottom without any issue, just in time, because when they looked up, glass shattered out of the windows as the inside of the penthouse exploded. Rhodey winced. 

“Where’s Peter?”

Both men looked up in fear, then raced to the ambulance.

Peter was in the back of an ambulance, his tiny body on the cot. Cho, to their surprise, was there, hurrying around and giving orders. The little boy had an oxygen mask, heart monitor, and wires taped to his bare chest. His eyes were closed. 

Bandages covered his left thigh and both his hands, one wrapping around his belly. Rhodey walked forward and placed Iron Bear on a bench, sitting next to him. When he woke up, he would be glad to have his beloved stuffed animal by his side. 

Happy joined him, and then before they knew it, they were speeding to Tony’s private medical facility.

~~~~~

Rhodey had tried to call Tony seven times while they waited. No answer. He even tried to get Jarvis to push the call through. He knew Tony must be terrified- so why wasn’t he picking up?

He found out, twenty minutes later, when Tony, still half in his suit, burst through the doors, cracking the walls.

He looked like he was about to pass out.

“Peter?!” he screamed. “Where are you?!”

“Tones-” he began. Tony turned a murderous glare on him.

“Where is he?!” 

“I don’t know, Tony, we just got here-” 

And then he lunged forward as his best friend collapsed to his knees, sobbing hysterically.

“Peter!!”

 ~~~~~

Tony cried into his friend’s arms for almost an hour, struggling to breathe. Rhodey worried they would have to sedate him, but then finally, finally Cho walked in. 

Tony gasped and choked, turning to her. “Peter?” he asked in a broken voice. 

She smiled. “He’s going to be okay, Tony. He’s okay.”

The father sobbed, then staggered to his feet. “Please, please, Peter!” he cried. “I need him!!” 

“I can take you to Peter,” Cho said calmly. “He’s in the first door to the left-”

Tony was already up and sprinting to his boy.

~~~~~

Peter looked even smaller, lying alone in the big unfamiliar bed. Iron Bear was on the table by the bed, next to a pitcher of water and a small cup. 

Tears flowed freely down Tony’s face as he fell onto Peter’s bed. 

Bandages, wires, oxygen mask- he couldn’t even breathe right. This was all his fault all his fault allhisfault

Peter Peter Peter

I’m so sorry, baby

I never should have left

It’s all my fault

~~~~~

@imissyoutoo

~~~~~

/DO NOT TAG OR REBLOG AS ST*RKER/

#hahahaha #sorry #not really #i think i'll continue this #i mean i'll try #bio son peter #biological son peter #biological dad tony #bio dad tony #anonymous #ask #prompt #angst #hurt #fire #baby peter parker #hurt peter parker #worried tony stark #scared tony stark #peter parker #tony stark #happy hogan #harold hogan #happy #rhodey #james rhodes #hurt hurt hurt #fluff #then angst #no st*rker

[spookysanta]

point break. (g.d.)

Summary: they’re headed down a path to destruction... and on GiGi’s birthday, of all days.

Pairing: Grayson Dolan x Reader

WARNINGS: angst, swearing, mentions of divorce

i wrote this in one day sorry if it sucks but i may do a separate little fic for gigi’s birthday just bc i can :)

SLIGHTLY EDITED

*****

The two of them don’t really fight anymore.

And it used to be the only way they would communicate.

But now, unfortunately, Grayson and (Y/N) are on a break—Gray even packed some clothes for a couple days to stay at Ethan’s house in the guest room. But a couple of days turned into a week, and one week turning into three.

Obviously, they don’t want it to be this way, but the constant fighting and bickering would get to be too much. Especially for their daughter; she may have been a daddy’s girl at heart, but her mama was her best friend. So, the toddler now felt that she had to choose, which was a lot for an almost three-year-old to handle.

They’re cordial toward each other, only really interacting when GiGi wants to talk on the phone to the other parent, or when they’re dropping her off during the week.

But it was GiGi’s birthday today, and their sweet angel was now three years old.

The phrase of the day was “wow, time flies”. (Y/N) woke up this morning almost in tears because she was reminiscing of her life over the last three years and the blessing that this little girl was. Everything was so different back then—and now it seems like everything’s shifted in a negative way.

Her phone rang. Where it used to say “Hubby <3”, it now just says “Grayson”. She answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Hi, Mama! It’s my birthday!”

“Hi baby! Happy birthday, my favorite girl.” Her tears dried immediately, and a smile formed on her face. “You excited for your party?”

“Yup! I wanna wear my dress.”

“The pink one?”

“Mhm.”

“Yeah, you can wear that. Is that with daddy or is that here at home?”

“I don’t know.” Her voice changed and she sounded a bit sad.

“Well, that’s okay,” she reassured her daughter, “we’ll look for it; and if we can’t find it, you can wear your tutu and tiara, okay?”

She sighed dramatically, “yeah.”

“What’s wrong, bug?”

“Nothing, mama,” she managed to lie. “here’s daddy.”

(Y/N)’s heart sank to her stomach. This always happens when she sees him or hears his voice nowadays—she still gets nervous like she used to when they first started dating. “Hey.” She heard him say.

“Hi.”

He was quiet for a moment, trying to figure out what to say to someone who doesn’t like making small talk. “Um… I just wanted to say, that I’m gonna bring her back around ten-thirty.”

“That’s fine.” She shrugged, feeling a lump form in her throat. This was the conversation that she was having with the man of her dreams? “Are you coming to the party?”

“Yeah, of course.” He cleared his throat. She didn’t know it, but a lump was forming in his, too. “It’s at home—I mean, your house, right?”

My house? She thought. Last I checked, both of our names were on the lease. “Mhm. Noon to three.”

“Cool. I’m gonna pick up my mom, your parents, and Cam from the airport after I drop Cookie off and then I’ll be back in time for the party.”

“Okay.”

“See you later?”

“Yep, see ya. Tell GiGi that I love her.”

“Will do. Bye.”

“Bye.”

The doorbell rang, just as (Y/N) was trying to decide how much liquid courage it would require to survive the afternoon. “Ding dong!” she heard GiGi’s excited voice on the other side of the door. She opened it, seeing Grayson for the first time this week, and boy, did he look a wreck.

Good, she thought.

His eyes had bags under them, and they were puffy; his hair was styled but still disheveled from, what she can assume to be, him tugging at it in frustration; and he wasn’t as confident as he usually is—his stance was more contracted, and he looked insecure.

“Hey.” His voice came out hoarse, as if he’d cried all night long.

“Hi.”

“Hi!” exclaimed the little girl in his arms. “Hi, mama!”

“Hi, baby!” he passed her to (Y/N) and GiGi wrapped her arms around (Y/N)’s neck, laying her head on her shoulder. (Y/N) pressed her nose against the little girl’s head, smelling her hair that always smelled like baby shampoo. “Missed you, birthday girl.”

“Missed you, mama.”

“Did you have fun with daddy?”

She felt the little girl nod slowly. “Mhm. Baked cookies.”

“You and daddy baked cookies?”

She nodded again.

“She’s a bit sleepy but clearly very excited still,” Grayson spoke up from the doorway. “she was sleeping in the car.”

(Y/N) hummed. “I can tell. I’ll let her lay down for a few before I get her dressed.”

He nodded, eyes darting around the house. He opened his mouth to say something but shut it in fear of triggering an argument on GiGi’s special day. “Well, I’m gonna head to the airport.”

“Okay. Say “bye, daddy”.”

“Bye, daddy.” GiGi waved, already almost asleep.

He took strides over to them, leaning down and kissing the little girl on the cheek. He could faintly smell the remnants of (Y/N)’s body wash. “I love you…cookie.” He caught himself. “Be good while I’m gone, yeah?”

“Kay.”

He looked at his wife and gave her a thin-lipped smile. “I’ll be back by noon.” He said simply to her, letting himself out.

***

“Nooo, mama, I want this dress.” GiGi whined.

“I thought you wanted the pink one.”

“Uh-uh,” she shook her head, holding a frilly baby blue dress close to her. “wanna wear this one now.”

“Okay, then. Give it to me so I can help you.” (Y/N) held her palm out.

“Nooo.” She whined again, “I can do it.”

“Okay, okay! You can do it.”

The toddler stepped into the unclasped dress, pulling it up her body, and putting her arms through the sleeves. “Can you do this?” she asked, referring to the clasps on the back of her dress.

“Sure, bunny. Come here.” (Y/N) clasped the dress, then helped GiGi into her sandals—much to the little girl’s dismay—then carried her downstairs so she could have something to eat. She set GiGi in her highchair. “What do you wanna eat? Grilled cheese?”

“Yeah.” She said in excitement, because the Dolans rarely—if ever, anymore—eat cheese, or dairy in general; but right now, it’s just her and GiGi, and she thinks they can have a cheat day every now and again. “And ranch.”

“Gross.” She muttered to herself, making what she wanted anyway. “Gia, are you excited?”

“Yessssssss. Super-duper excited.”

She let out a laugh at her response, “I can tell.” She finished making GiGi’s sandwich and cut it in half, putting some potato chips on a plate with it and a small container of ranch. “Here, beans.”

“Thank you, mama.”

The doorbell rang, and (Y/N) looked at the clock on the stove. 11:49 am.

She went to the front door and opened it, “Hey, mom!” She greeted her mother with a hug happily. “How are you?”

“That’s what I should be asking you, right?” She nodded behind her, where Grayson was helping (Y/N)’s dad get the luggage out of Ethan’s Jeep. “We’ll talk.” She patted (Y/N)’s shoulder, moving past her and into the house.

Lisa Dolan walked up the porch afterward. “Hey, honey.” She took (Y/N) in an embrace. And wow, was (Y/N) putting on a brave face—she didn’t think today would be this emotional for her already. Of course, she knew she would be an emotional wreck at some point throughout the day, but she didn’t think it’d be before the party even started. “How’s everything?”

“He told you?”

She just nodded. “Yeah.” She sighed. “I know you don’t want to talk about it right now, but you know I’m always here, no matter what happens, okay?”

“Yes. Thank you, Lisa.” They hugged again, then she went inside. (Y/N) stayed by the door and kept it open so that her dad and Grayson didn’t have a hard time getting the luggage in.

Once they got everything inside, she greeted her dad. “Hey!” he beamed. They exchanged words, then he went into the kitchen to take GiGi out of her chair and swing her around like she was on an airplane.

“So, we can put all of the cups and plates and stuff outside on the present table, and when Ethan comes, he’ll put up the pinata. Does that sound okay, (Y/N)?” asked Lisa, who was helping (Y/M/N) gather all of the utensils in a bag to be set outside. “Then that way, all you and Gray have to do is get her ready and bring out the cake and ice cream.”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

“Mama,” GiGi said from her grandpa’s lap. “I want chocolate ice cream.”

“We got the swirly kind, bunny.” Grayson replied before (Y/N) could. “Chocolate and vanilla.”

“And my own cake?” She asked. “Don’t wanna share.”

(Y/N) laughed. “Yeah, baby. You have a little cake all to yourself.”

She clapped her hands in delight. “Yay!”

***

Once the festivities began, all of GiGi’s friends came from her daycare and around the neighborhood; Grayson even invited Austin, Catherine, Elle, and Alaïa to join in on the fun. All (Y/N) wanted to do, though, was cry (and drink). She managed to step away from the party while the kids played in the bounce house—that was supervised by Ethan, the self-proclaimed bodyguard—and sat in the kitchen at the island, laying her head in her crossed arms and letting out a much-needed sob…which turned into a wail.

Grayson walked inside, grabbing a bottle of water, but stopped as he heard a cry. He turned his head and saw his wife laying against the kitchen island. “Hey,” he said quietly, taking a seat next to her. “what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She choked out, sitting up and wiping her eyes. “I just had to let that out.”

“Is there…something going on?”

She shook her head, saying, “No,” and hoping he’ll go away.

“C’mon, there has to be something going on with you…with us.” He fought the urge to comfort her by rubbing her back like she liked. “I just want answers.”

“Well,” she said, really just wanting him to go away. But not really. She’s not sure; but she does know, two weeks without him constantly questioning her was something that she was starting to enjoy. “I do, too.”

“Huh?”

“I just want to know what you’re thinking, since you want to be inside my head so damn bad.”

“I just want to come home.”

“So come home, you do pay half the mortgage.”

“It doesn’t matter what I want though, because you don’t want me here.”

“I never said that.”

“But that’s what it seems like.”

“But that’s not what I said.”

“Okay,” he stood, going into the refrigerator and getting the bottle of water he came into the house for initially. He took a big gulp, leaning against the stove across from her. “so then what?”

“What?”

“Do you want me to come home?”

“Of course, I do.”

“But...?”

“But all we’re gonna do is fight.”

He nodded tightly. “So you’d rather me leave and us drift apart than for us to work it out.”

“I never said that!” she exclaimed. “That’s what pisses me off about you; you always twist my fucking words. If you’d stop trying’ to be right all the time, maybe we wouldn’t fight as much.”

“Maybe if you didn’t say dumb shit all the time, I wouldn’t have to twist your words to make sense.”

“This is the shit that irks me.” She huffed.

“Let me ask you this, though,” he cleared his throat. “are we done?”

“I don’t know, are we?”

His demeanor changed back to how he was when she saw him this morning. “I don’t want us to be.” She could tell, though he was putting on a brave face, he was hurting. “I just…I just don’t want us to give up.”

“Well, what do you want me to do?”

“Fight me!” he shouted, making her jump slightly. “Scream at me, call me names, yell at me, anything! Literally anything is better than how we’ve been lately.”

“I don’t want to fight, though.”

“But we gotta get it out. So here we are—right now. Why are you mad at me?”

“Grayson, not right now—”

“Yes, right now. Gia’s being supervised and we have thirty minutes until it’s time to cut the cake. So we have thirty minutes to fight.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes.” He confirmed. “You want me to go first?”

“Sure.”

He sighed. “I thought you were sleeping with your boss, but I was too afraid to ask.”

“What?” (Y/N) exclaimed. “Are you fucking dense?”

“No, I’m not. I thought you were fucking him because you kept getting promoted; so I figured he must like you for a reason outside of your job performance—”

“Probably because I’m a good person.” She retorted. “Or, maybe, I’m just really good at what I do.”

“So you weren’t sleeping with him?”

“No. God, no.” She shook her head. “But while we’re on the subject, I was told by one of the other moms at Gia’s daycare that Miss Rodriguez wanted you to leave me for her.”

“Huh?”

“Yup.”

He thought for a moment, his mind racing. “Our daughter’s teacher wanted me to leave you... for her?”

She nodded tightly.

“I literally didn’t know about this until just now—but wait, is that why you didn’t fight me when I left?” He asked lowly, almost scared to ask.

“Yeah.” The lump formed in her throat again. She choked out, “I thought you’d made your decision.”

“Hey.” He rushed over to her, sitting next to her as she started to cry again. This time, he didn’t think twice about pulling her into his arms, feeling her body shake. “Honey, listen to me…I would never, ever leave you. Okay?”

“But you did.”

“Yeah, I did. And I regret every second of me being gone. I just thought you’d wanted space, or you realized that I wasn’t what you and Gia needed.”

She rested her forehead on his shoulder and she really thought she was gonna die because of how deprived she’d been of his scent. “Of course, you’re what we need, idiot. I wouldn’t be anywhere without you.”

“That’s not true.” He snorted. “You’re the most independent woman I know.”

“But you convinced me to move out here after us doing the whole long-distance thing. You, for some stupid reason, persuaded me to elope with you—”

“—but it was fun, and you loved it, so shut up.”

“—and I came back pregnant. But you gave me our little cookie. And in between all that, you built me a house for us to live in, you bought me a car, and when I asked for a puppy, you were more than willing to get a puppy just because I asked.”

“And I really would’ve, if I didn’t like to live.”

She laughed. “I say all that to say,” she sat up and took a moment to really look into his eyes. “you’re the reason why I am who I am.”

“I could say that about you, y’know. I could say that before I fell in too deep doin’ shit I knew wasn’t in my best interest, you showed up and you saved me.” He let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding in. “I’m sorry.”

“Me, too.”

“I love you, okay? A lot. And we have to get better at telling each other how we feel. Because I’m not leaving again, and divorce is not an option.”

“I love you, too.” She wrapped her arms around his neck like she used to, running her fingers through the short hairs at the nape of his neck and pulling slightly. “A lot.” She leaned in and kissed him.

He grinned like a teenager with a crush—which, some would say, he still is—kissing her again, grabbing her by the face. “We’re not doing this shit again, ma’am.”

“Yes, sir.” She winked.

“Do not get me started.” He kissed her again. He pulled away. “So what are we gonna do about Miss Rodriguez?”

“I’m gonna beat her ass.” She shrugged. “She almost ruined my marriage.”

“Or, we could just take Gia to a different daycare.”

“Whatever.”

Lisa walked into the kitchen. “Whew, there you are! C’mon, she wants you guys.”

The couple got up and made their way to the patio, him opening the door for her like he used to. But before she could leave, he grabbed her gently by the forearm. “Hey,” he mumbled. “I love you.”

She smiled. “I know.”

#dolan twins #dolan fandom #grayson dolan #dolan tuesday #dolan imagines #planet dolan #grayson dolan smut #grayson and ethan #grayson dolan x black girl #grayson dolan x poc #grayson dolan x reader #grayson dolan imagines #grayson dolan fic #dad! fic #dad!fic dad!grayson dolan #giavanna brielle dolan #giavanna dolan #baby gigi

[kaunis-sielu]

Guns and Roses: End

Steve can’t believe it’s almost been two weeks since your shop had been destroyed. He’s irritated that it took so long for your shop to be finished but he still hasn’t told you he took care of everything and it’s been a challenge to keep you in the dark about it. Thankfully Clint, Natasha, May, Peter and Bucky who seems to be somewhat smitten with May, have been able to keep you out of the shop and convince you to just worry about saving some money. Steve can not wait to show you your new space.

“Hey Doll?” He calls from the top of the stairs, Clint just gave him the green light to come and show you the space. He’d also assured him that no one would be there so you could have privacy when you see it.

“Yeah?” You call back as Steve starts down the stairs.

“Wanna go out for dinner? I’ve got a surprise for you.” He asks, the cement floor cold on his bare feet as he makes his way toward you. You’re wearing one of his sweatshirts and god he likes you in his clothes.

“Uh, I’m looking a bit rough to be going out.” You tell him gesturing at the messy bun on the back of your head, and the clothes you’re wearing.

“I was thinking about somewhere real private. More of a picnic than a restaurant.”

“You know,” you muse as you continue to work on the bouquet on the table in front of you, “knowing you’re a mob boss and you saying you’re going to take me somewhere private to take me out really doesn’t sound like a good thing.” Steve laughs softly as he rounds the table and moves behind you. He wraps his arms around your waist and presses a soft kiss to the swoop of your neck and shoulder You sigh happily and rest your head back on his shoulder.

“You gonna let me take you to your surprise dinner or not?” He murmurs against your skin.

“That entirely depends on what kind of food you’re going to serve.”

“I was thinking to start spinach artichoke dip on toasted baguettes.” He presses a kiss to your jaw, “A side of pasta salad, Italian dressing with salami and fresh mozzarella.” He coos pressing another kiss under your ear. “Pulled barbecue chicken sandwiches, with Swiss cheese.” He kisses your neck, “and some strawberry brownie skewers for dessert.”

“Fuck,” you breathe, “that’s a picnic?”

“Only the best for you Doll.” Steve can’t help the smile that pulls at his lips, you turn into him and press a soft kiss to his jaw. Steve smooths your hair, tucking some of those wild bits back behind your ears. “Can I coax you away from your flowers for that?”

“I mean, I guess so.” You say dramatically, Steve can’t help but chuckle.

“You’re such a brat you know that don’t you?”

“You love it Rogers.” You tease and he wants to be annoyed but you’re right. He loves that you’ve got fire that runs through your veins. “Do I still have time to shower and change?”

“If you want, but I think you look just fine.”

“Just fine huh? I’m gonna have to up my game I guess.” And this time it’s Steve’s turn to groan dramatically. You laugh softly and Steve grins down at you, pressing a soft kiss to your nose.

“Come on you.” He says wrapping a hand around yours and pulling you up the stairs behind him. Steve grabs the basket from the counter and you let out a surprised laugh.

“Someone was confident I’d say yes.”

“Better safe than sorry.” He says with a grin over his shoulder and you roll your eyes fondly at him.

You follow Steve to his car and as he makes his way back to your shop the hold you have on his right hand gets tighter.

“Steve I’m not ready to deal with this tonight.” You tell him anxiously.

“We’re just here to water your plants Doll. Then we’ll go.”

“Okay,” You say hesitantly as Steve unlocks your front door. He reaches over and clicks the lights on and is rewarded with a gasp from you. He’s gotta admit, Clint did a fantastic job. Your hardwood floors have been restored, you’ve got top of the line fridges to store your flowers. Three of the five are full of flowers already, in the center of the room is a new register and front desk. It’s perfectly decorated, cream colored trim with light blue walls, a quote about flowers on one of the back walls.

“Steve,” Your voice cracks and when Steve looks back at you he’s surprised to see the tears running down your face.

“Oh Doll, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He suddenly panics do you not like it? But his fears are immediately quelled.

“This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.” You tell him as you take in your surroundings with wide eyes. “Thank you. How can I ever repay you?”

“You don’t need to repay me Doll, this was a gift. Besides it wouldn’t have been destroyed if it wasn’t for me.” You wrap your arms around his waist and Steve hums softly.

“You are such a good, sweet, soft, wonderful man Steve Rogers.” You whisper and a lump rises in Steve’s throat, you’re too good to him. He swallows thickly before murmuring,

“Don’t tell anyone you’d ruin my rep.”

“We wouldn’t want to do that would we?” You tease back and he laughs softly. “Thank you Steve, I don’t know what else to say.”

“Remember how I said I still wanted to be able to spoil you? This is what I meant. You don’t need to say anything else Doll. I’m just glad it made you happy.”

“You make me happy.” You tell him with a squeeze of his waist, Steve eases your face up toward his and kisses you softly.

“You hungry Doll?” He asks pulling away from you. You hum up at him and give a little nod so Steve places the picnic basket on the counter and pulls the food out before placing it on the counter too. “You have a blanket we can lay out?”

“Yea, you haven’t remodeled my home too have you?”

“Nah Doll, I think you’re place is pretty perfect for you already.”

“Mmm me too. Your place needs more greenery.”

“Whatever you want.” Steve smiles at you as you make your way upstairs. When you get back with the blanket Steve has everything out and ready to go. He helps you lay out the blanket then places everything down on the floor.

You’re halfway through dinner and Steve is telling you a story about him and Bucky as kids when he glances over at you and sees that you’re looking around the space in awe. Steve trails off as he watches you take in your new surroundings. You suddenly realize that he’s not talking anymore and he sees you start before looking over at him with wide eyes.

“Oh Steve, I’m so sorry I got distracted.”

“Please don’t be sorry. You really like your new space huh?”

“It’s absolutely perfect Steve. Honestly it’s like everyone was in my brain and pulled out my dream shop.”

“Clint and Nat love you and they know you well.”

“I’m very grateful to have them in my life. Honestly, knowing that I have them and don’t have to hide anything about this from them is a huge relief.”

“I’m glad Doll.” Steve says softly.

“Can we spend the night here tonight?”

“Yea, do you want me to stay?”

“Yes. I always sleep better with you.” You admit and a little pink colors your cheeks, “I feel, safer, when you’re there.”

“I’m so glad Doll.” Steve breathes and you give him a shy smile. “I-I know we’ve only known one another for a little while but I’m fallin’ in love with you Doll.”

“Thank god,” you whisper, “I’m for sure falling in love with you too.” You admit before burying yourself into his side.

Three years later

“Doll? We gotta get going!” Steve calls from the bottom stairs of your shop. You don’t stay there often anymore, only on those late nights when neither of you can be bothered to make the drive back home.

“Keep your shirt on Rogers I’m hurrying!” You call back, you’re a little testy at the moment because of the large delivery on its way to the capitol building where T’Challa is preparing to swear in as Governor. You come storming down the stairs, you’ve got on this white dress, lace covers the arms and comes down onto your chest with see through over your shoulders and to your waist. There’s gold mixed in with the lace on your arms and chest the moves down to your hips before stopping at the mid-thigh of the right side. The left side of the skirt is slit open to mid-thigh, with a gold belt at your waist and gold shoes on your feet.

Goddamn do you look good in white.

“Shit Doll.” Steve breathes and you smirk up at him as you saunter over.

“Worth the wait?” You purr resting your hands on his chest.

“Absolutely.” He presses a kiss to the back of your hand just above the ring he’d put on your finger. “If this is any hint at that wedding dress you won’t let me see I’m done for.”

“You can’t see the dress before the wedding! It’s bad luck.” You admonish, “now I thought we were going to be late?”

“Fuck em, we can be late.” He says wrapping an arm around you and capturing your lips in a kiss.

Tag list:

@memyselfandmaddox @thefanficfaerie @achishisha @patzammit @abschaffer2 @dsakita @dramadreamer14 @killcomet @thinkwritexpress-official @thesassmisstress @andahugaroundtheneck @loving-life-my-way @thefridgeismybestie @kayrhodes-stark @dumblani @silverkitten547 @im-just-another-monster @emotionallysalty @kaylaphantomhive @aurorawitchcraft @isabelcrichards @proudhufflepuff77 @biskwitmamaw @golddustwitches @bookgirlunicorn @imdiegohargreeves @scuzmunkie @beckastark @cal-ifornication @megan-queen-of-dragons @fivefeettwopyt @mywinterwolf @nerdiecutie666

#imagine #mob boss steve rogers x reader #imagine mob!au #mobster!steve rogers #mobster!steve #mob boss steve rogers #mob boss captain america #mobster steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x reader au #mob steve rogers x reader #mob au #avengers au imagine #avengers mob au #mobster au #mobster steve rogers x florist!reader #mob boss!steve rogers

[katsucookie]

WHY IS THIS ICE CREAM LUMPY

#—the baker speaks 【🍰】 #HELP?? #IT HAS LUMPS OF CREAM CHEESE IN IT I’M GONNA CRY #HOW DID I MESS IT UP I FOLLOWED THE RECIPE PERFECTLY #I’LL MAKE A YAS VS THE KITCHEN TAG LATER AIYAAAAA

[katrinawritesthings]

Jonghyun/Taemin; Strawberries; PG

 hi i love jonghyun

“I, um,” Jonghyun says. “I wanted to. Like. Remember, last year, when you said, um. Like. Just--okay.” He takes a deep breath and shakes his head quickly. “I forgot everything I wanted to introduce this with,” he mumbles. “I’m just gonna. Show you.” He takes another deep breath and tugs the tarp away, walking with it to the other side of the fence and hopping to tug it off the hook there. Taemin glances at him as he goes passed, and then watches the corner of the yard unveil in front of him.

ao3

Taemin leans with his hand on the closed fridge door, puffing his lips out in a little pout. He’s hungry. He thinks. He’s not sure if he feels rumblies in his tummy or if he’s just cranky. He does know that he hasn’t eaten in a few hours, though, which logically leads to the option where he’s hungry.

He doesn’t know if he wants to eat anything that they have, though. It’s hot but not hot enough for ice cream but too hot for a grilled cheese and he doesn’t even know what else they have. They don’t have strawberries, that’s for sure, which he’s really grumpy about because he forgot to buy some last time he was at the store. He’s been waiting all year for May to come and for the good big in season strawberries to show up and they finally did and he just forgot about them. Bluh.

“Hey.”

“What?” He turns at hands quickly papping his shoulders and looks at Jonghyun, who’s quickly bouncing up and down on his toes, pink hair bouncing with him. He continues to pap Taemin’s chest excitedly, eyes all big and bright and smile all tiny and eager, and Taemin raises his brows. This should be something. “Yes?” he asks, taking Jonghyun’s wrists and letting Jonghyun pap on his hands instead. Jonghyun squeezes his hands excitedly.

“Can you come outside with me?” he asks. “I gotta. Show you your birthday present.” His smile curves up wider as the words leave his mouth, like he’s excited and peppy and proud of himself.

“My what?” Taemin asks, a startled laugh falling from his lips even as he lets Jonghyun tug him through the house. “My birthdays in, like, two months,” he says. Jonghyun covers his eyes with his free hand in his quick little embarrassed gesture.

“Okay, yeah, well, it’s an early birthday present,” he says. “They ca--I finished it a little early.” He looks away guiltily at that little slip of the tongue. Taemin lifts a brow and leans closer to peep at him.

“What came early?” he asks. He didn’t hear anything come in the mail lately. Jonghyun scrunches his nose as he pulls open the back door.

“You’ll see,” he mumbles, and tugs Taemin out onto their tiny fenced-off lawn. Taemin grins and follows him silently, looking around on their little picnic table for whatever it is that Jonghyun has to show him. He’s mildly excited. He’s not really one for presents but he is one for snuggling Jonghyun and telling him how well he does and how good the presents he gives are.

Jonghyun leads him passed the table, though, and to the right corner of their yard. The corner area that he blocked off with his neon pink tarp like, almost a year ago and forbade Taemin from entering. Taemin pauses, looking up at the tarp strung up between the two sides of the fence, looking back at Jonghyun.

“It’s--in there?” he asks, pointing. “In your secret project corner?” He’s been doing shit in that corner of the yard since he sectioned it off. First it was with shovels and fancy landscaping pebbles, then it was weeks of wood and sawing and hammers and nails with Minho to help, then it was a lot of paint, and then he got extra secrety sneaky bringing something else in, and he’s gone in and out of there at least once almost every day for months. Taemin figured it was just some Jonghyun stress relief project that he wanted to be private about, like how Taemin doesn’t like people to know he writes music sometimes.

“It, um,” Jonghyun says. He scuffs the grass lightly with his toe and looks up at Taemin with a soft little smile. “It is my secret project,” he says. Taemin blinks at him.

“Oh my god,” he says. He looks back at the tarp. “It is not.” What the fuck. “You did not spend like a year and hours of manual labor on a birthday present for me,” he whispers. What the hecking fuck. That’s so much work. He’s feeling emotions inside of him already. Jonghyun squishes his cheek gently.

“I mean, it was fun for me, too, to do, and it’s not like I had anything else to do,” he says, “but, yeah.” He takes a step back, holding his hands out to get Taemin to stay. “Just, wait a sec, okay?” he says. Taemin nods blankly. He doesn’t know what else he would do, honestly, besides continue to stand here being baffled and slightly overwhelmed.

Jonghyun backs up until he reaches where the right side of the tarp is hooked up to the tall fence. He struggles on his tiptoes for a moment to reach it and tug just the corner down. Then he turns to Taemin, free hand rubbing the back of his undercut, and shuffles nervously.

“I, um,” he says. “I wanted to. Like. Remember, last year, when you said, um. Like. Just--okay.” He takes a deep breath and shakes his head quickly. “I forgot everything I wanted to introduce this with,” he mumbles. “I’m just gonna. Show you.” He takes another deep breath and tugs the tarp away, walking with it to the other side of the fence and hopping to tug it off the hook there. Taemin glances at him as he goes passed, and then watches the corner of the yard unveil in front of him.

Low along both sides of the fence are planter boxes filled with leafy green plants. They extend diagonally to almost meet, making a triangle out of the corner. There's a small space left as an opening to get into the middle of the area, where a cute table is set up with two of what look like the most comfortable lawn chairs in existence on top of fancy landscaping pebbles.

The planters are painted a nice warm yellow--Taemin’s favorite yellow--and are decorated with tiny, tiny paintings of eggies and ducks and leaves and other cute things. At each corner a long pole of wood extends up to make a second layer above the ground where more leafy green plants spill out of hanging pots.

It’s beautiful, gorgeous really, a whole construction project completed with precision and care, but what really gets Taemin is the bright splashes of red color he can see in all of the green.

He steps forward slowly, reaches up to gently follow the closest hanging plant up until his fingers stop at a fat strawberry.

A strawberry.

“Jonghyun,” he says, rubbing his thumb over the bright red fruit. “Jonghyun, oh my god.” His heart swells in his chest as he gives it a little squish and a little pull and it comes right off of the vine, perfectly ripe in his hand. He looks up to find Jonghyun still standing by the fence, small hands twiddling nervously in front of his stomach as his lips twitch up into the tiniest smile.

“Because, um,” he says. “You said, last year, that you really wanted your own strawberry plant, but you wouldn't have, you know, the energy to take care of it,” he says. “So I, um.” He gestures vaguely at the many, many strawberry plants in front of them. “For you.”

“Oh my fucking god,” Taemin breathes. He’s never been more in love in his life. He’s a fucking egg that forgot to put the milk back into the fridge this morning after pouring it into his cereal and Jonghyun did all of this for him because he said he liked strawberries one time a year ago. Every nerve in his body right now needs to be touching Jonghyun so that’s what he does; he walks right up to Jonghyun and wraps his arms around his waist in a tight hug.

He squeezes Jonghyun, not too hard to make him squeak but almost that much because he feels like he’s going to explode from how emotional he is. With their bodies pressed so close he’s sure Jonghyun can feel his heart beating in his chest he nuzzles his face into Jonghyun’s neck, nosing against his skin and breathing deep, heavy breaths. Holy fucking shit. Jonghyun’s arms wrap lightly around him as well and give his back little pats.

“And, um,” he says. His voice is warm and quiet into Taemin’s hair. “I can, you know, keep up with the gardening, but. You can too, if you want, because you’re really skilled at it, you know, and I know it’s hard for you to remember and get spoons, but when you set your mind to something you’re really really good at it, and.” Taemin feels him shrug, like all of that was no big deal, but with every word out of Jonghyun’s mouth he felt his emotions growing bigger and bigger inside of him. “I know you can do this,” Jonghyun says quietly, and a shaky breath shuddes out of Taemin’s lungs.

“Oh my god, and now you’re validating me too,” he breathes. Within seconds he can feel all of the emotions inside of him filling him up, pressing up on his organs, forming a lump in his throat, a burn behind his eyes, and then he’s crying.

Like, full on weeping, ugly sniffles and shaky breaths against Jonghyun’s neck. Validation is his one true weakness. Jonghyun chuckles softly by his ear and pets his head gently. Taemin feels a tiny kissie as well nad squeezes him minutely tighter.

“Do you want me to pretend you’re not crying?” he asks. Taemin sniffles grossly and nods. He’d like that, yeah, and he loves how Jonghyun knew to ask. He loves how Jonghyun knows him so well and always knows the right thing to do. He loves everything about Jonghyun. Jonghyun gives him another kissie and a pat on the booty.

“Do you want to look at it more?” he asks next. Again Taemin nods, taking a deep breath as he pulls away from Jonghyun and pressing his palms into his eyes for a moment. He’s an emotional overwhelmed mess but he wants to look at his new plant friends. When he lowers his hands Jonghyun is still there, smiling all soft and proud, and he takes one of Taemin’s wrists and tugs him to the center.

“I thought about putting another plant here, in the middle of the table, but I figured that would take up, you know, snack and laptop space,” he says, tapping the little round picnic table with his nails. “And, I got two chairs, in case you ever wanna take me out on like, a romantic backyard date.” He flutters his eyelashes at Taemin as he sits daintily in the lawn chair on the left. Taemin laughs softly through his stuffed up nose and sits in the chair on the right. Rubbing wetness from his cheeks, he leans heavily over the table and reaches for Jonghyun’s hands.

Jonghyun gives them to him easily, palms warm and fingers little and wiggly against Taemin’s. Behind him, bright red strawberries sit in beautiful patches of green and Taemin feels his heart melting all over again. He wants to say something, to tell Jonghyun how wonderful this is, to tell him it’s the best present he’s ever gotten, to tell him that he’s wonderful and amazing and incredible and the light of his life, but he can’t find the words to express the emotion filling up his entire body and soul.

Instead, he just puts his head down and squeezes Jonghyun’s hands tight, holds them in his and doesn’t let go for a long, long time. From the way Jonghyun leans over and kissies Taemin’s head and murmurs “I love you too,” Taemin knows that he understands.

#jongtae #jonghyun #taemin #fluff #pg #oneshot #me always for no reason: taem is a strawberry gremlin #i dont think ive ever seen taemin consume a strawberry #anyway jong is lovely and kind and bright and wonderful and gorgeous and incredible thank u for ur time #ydw #they sit out there for a while and taem weeps and then stops weeping and sniffles and then gets all : ))) #and looks at all of his strawberry pals #jonghyun takes care of them mostly so he can have someth to do and taem helps sometimes when he has spoons #they make lots of strawberry stuff #and even taem has to admit that maybe its. Too Many strawberries #so they sell some and give some away and plant different things instead #taem always wanted mint and jong just grows some lil snapdragon friends #and they never have to Buy strawberries again which is rad #🌙