#after this week it’s calming down again for a week

[uranometrias]

✮ꜜ : ❛ long time coming : aaron hotchner x fem! reader

pairing: aaron hotchner x bau! reader

summary: after getting hurt out in the field, you're on leave for a month. coming back felt long overdue, that is until your plans with the team lead you to a situation that feels a bit too close for comfort after such a traumatic time. what's worse, your feelings you've harbored for your boss have no choice but to come to light when he makes the odd choice to address you as 'agent' rather than your name after one month of being apart, and years and years of back and forth will-they-wont-they.

content warnings: making out. allusions to sexual assault + r4pe (but only in the context of the case). reader has slight signs of PTSD. anxiety/panic attacks. reader runs into a few pushy men while out at the club. drinking / drunk confessions. reader has a crush on her boss, it is also implied that reader finds derek attractive, and he reciprocates these feelings. hotch is very good at calming reader down. no usage of y/n. reader is described as having shoulder length hair (can be read as a wig/weave) angry/disappointed hotch! reader has been hiding her anxiety / nightmares / memory issues from the team. mentions of vomiting. kissing. mentions of elle & the events of the fisher king. no distinct timeline, but can be read as s7 with the iconic team (hotch, emily, derek, jj, penelope, rossi, & spencer)

────────────────────────

"Okay, I didn't know we were going all out. I would've prepared better." you smile shyly as Jennifer pulls you into a tight hug. When Penelope had called you early that morning with an excited decree that you'd been cleared to return to work you hadn't been sure how to feel. You hadn't bothered to ask how Garcia of all people was privy to information you hadn't received from your bosses yet, there was no getting a straight answer when it came to the Technical Analyst.

It had been her idea for the entire team to get together. You'd been out of the office for a full month, and in that time you'd tried your hand at maintaining your bonds with the rest of the group. It of course wasn't the same, but you knew that you'd needed the time. The last time you'd joined them on a case things had gone horribly wrong. You shudder at the thought, you had been doing so good at forgetting about it all, but seeing them again made it all come back.

The unsub had been your run-of-the-mill anger excitation rapist, a creep that had been using an elaborate ruse to entice and entrap women. It had been Emily's idea for the two of you to go undercover, the unsub had been killing two women every week, women who in many ways were polar opposites of one another, a trait that you and Emily shared. Long story short, in the midst of your plan to lure and trap the Unsub, you'd been separated from Emily and cornered.

You’d been carted off by the creep who kept you stuck for three hours before the team used his mistake to find you. By then though, the damage had been done. You remember the look on Rossi's face when he and Hotch came busting in, and found you looking bruised up with a bloody face, and a gun barrel to the side of your head. You'd never seen Hotch quite as scared, at least not since everything with Foyet nearly three years ago when he lost Haley and almost Jack.

You'd been too out-of-sorts to hear the way they'd tried to reason with the Unsub. And you hadn't realized your abdomen was losing blood until a gunshot rang out, bullets whizzing past your head as the unsub curled into himself before falling to the ground. You didn't know much, you thought maybe your eardrums had exploded with the way they were ringing, and you'd half expected to smack your head against the ground and end up with an annoying concussion.

Instead, you'd been met with the sight of your boss. He'd yelled something you weren't privy to, mouth moving as he seemingly forced the rest of the team out of their stupor long enough to get a medic inside to look you over. It was like you said, the details were fuzzy, but nothing had managed to wipe Hotch's worried expression as he fussed over your safety, out of your mind. However, if you were honest with yourself for one measly second, that was nothing new.

Nothing seemed to fill up your mind the way your boss did, and it was stupid, and deplorable all things considered. But it's not like it had even been something you'd asked for. It just happened one day. You shake these thoughts of your near paralyzing emotions away, pulling yourself back to the present as you took in JJ, who despite her perceived candor looked great. "Oh come on Jaige." you huff, and you appraise her more openly. "You look amazing, as usual."

She grins, albeit shyly, and she's waiting, maybe for your approval maybe for something else. She's trying to be discreet as she sweeps your for obvious reminders of what happened, and you feel nervous. Most of your injuries had healed up well enough, and the scratches that littered your face had been covered in a smattering of makeup. You felt comfortable in your pretty girl cocoon, all done up with a bright smile on your face that was surprisingly believable.

"Can I hug you?" she asks, and you can tell she's been holding it in, waiting to ask. You nod your head, a quiet chuckle escaping you as the blonde seems to scoop you into her arms. She's careful not to squeeze too tight, but the love is felt all the same. "God, it's been so weird without you around." she hums, and while the rest of the team is already huddled inside, probably in a booth Penelope picked, you're so happy she's the one here telling you this now.

"Now you know how we all felt when they sent you to the Pentagon." you whisper back, and you hear her bemused giggle as she steps back, and she takes you in again. Your red minidress was a stark contrast to the usual business-casual attire you wore everyday to work. Your hair was curled, pinned back with a gold claw clip, hair just barely ghosting over the divots of your collarbones. You'd opted for a shorter do' following everything with the unsub.

"Never leave us again." she pleads, and you feel this warmth blossoming in your chest at the way she's staring at you, almost like she really means it. You'd joined the team back when Elle and Gideon had still been around. At one point you'd been the rookie, the new girl nobody knew what to expect from. JJ had been right there beside you, even back then. She had been sweet, assertive, your first real friend on the team. She'd welcomed you before anyone else.

In time of course, things had changed, JJ had a husband, kids, a hoard of other units that were plotting on her skills at all times, but she was still JJ. Still that same first friend that helped you to see the Behavioral Analysis Unit was the only place for you. "I'll do my best." you promise, and she grins. She links arms with you before you both head inside the bar. There was music playing, some alternative indie song that wasn't half bad.

"Here's the girl of the hour now." Emily exclaims, and it's clear they've already started tossing back shots. JJ's head is instantly shaking in mortification. So it was going to be one of those nights. Penelope meets you both, pulling JJ from your arms and leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek sweetly, before she's turning to you. She's got tears already brimming in her eyes, and you can't help but giggle at the dramatics of it all.

"I'm so happy to see you." she squeals, and you find yourself hugging back despite the sting of your abdomen. "You look so beautiful." she adds a second afterwards. "What are you looking to get lucky?" she asks, as she uses her hands to push you away slightly, hands resting gently on both of your shoulders. You feel your face growing hot at the implication, and you see the way she's looking at your facial expressions for a signal of your lies. Curse her proximity to profilers.

"I just wanted to look nice." you reply and Penelope lets you off the hook. She leads you to the table, and you're just in time to hear the group finish up their hellos to JJ. She's sitting next to Morgan, who's bright-eyed as he looks up at you. You find yourself fussing with your hair, playing it cool as you press your lips together, re-smearing your lipstick as you waved your hand.

You weren't sure why you felt like the new kid all over again.

"It's good to see you, pretty girl." he croons, and you grin. Morgan was flirty, had been since you met him, and if you weren't so disastrously into Hotch, you think he'd be all on your mind. Well, you know... more than he was. There had been times where you'd been partnered together, and it almost felt like the tension was going to cut you in half. Sexual tension aside though, Derek was your friend.

They all were, and despite what your mind tried to tell you as you sobbed yourself through nightmares during your break from work, they were genuinely happy to see you. "I'm glad you're okay." your eyes flit over to the youngest member of the team. Spence is looking relieved as he too looks up at you with eyes full of relief. He's next to Emily, and she's already downing another drink. She'd be complaining about a migraine the next day, you could hear her now.

"Thanks, Spence." you coo, and you offer him a wink as your eyes fall on the only present member of the team that hadn't addressed you. Rossi had made a point to send his hellos, but due to a previous standing appointment, he wouldn't be joining tonight. You couldn't hold it against him, Rossi was scoping the prairie for wife number four. He offers you a faint smile, the group instantly falling into chatter.

"H-Hey Hotch." you mumble, and he's closest to you, sitting on the outside of the booth as the rest of the team tried their hardest to pretend they weren't expecting this. He doesn't say anything for a moment, instead he takes you in. He wasn't blind, he'd seen you before, you'd always been beautiful, but there was something about you done up like this. Red dress, red lip, bold makeup, and heels that showed off your legs, and accented your model-esque posture.

It was obvious that you were still a bit nervous about being out and about, and you were out of practice with being around the team. He imagined after a bit though you'd be back to yourself. You, and the rest of the girls would be falling into a rhythm in no time. He stands to his feet, much taller than you, as you take a small step back to give him space. "It's good to see you up and about, Agent." and his voice is low, clearly as a courtesy to the bustling of conversation behind you.

"Agent?" you repeat, and the word is so foreign. It makes you take another step back, the bottoms of your Louboutin's clacking against the ground. You looked a bit hurt, but you played it off quickly. "Come on, Hotch. I think we're a little past those formalities." you chuckle awkwardly, and you find yourself looking towards the bar. Yeah, you were definitely going to need a drink. He seems to curse under his breath, but you're not sure if that's due to you, or some internal conflict you weren't privy to. You don't wait to figure it out either.

He doesn't have the opportunity to reply to your correction, because you're looking to Emily, JJ, and Garcia. "Wanna get some shots?" you ask, and you sidestep Aaron, making sure you don't look his way again, as the girls immediately exclaim their agreements. Penelope's sliding out of the booth first, Emily and JJ following her example as they head straight towards the bar. JJ's shooting you a knowing glance as she looks between Hotch and yourself.

"You coming boys?" you extend the invite to Derek and Spencer, who are quick to nod along, both men trailing after the others as they head to the counter to order more drinks. You prepare to follow after them, ready for the welcome respite from your mind swimming in circles.

"I didn't mean to offend you." you stop short, spinning on your heel to meet the gaze of your Unit Chief.

"Well you did." you reply, and your voice is small. "I've known you for almost seven years, and here you are treating me like a stranger." you mumble, and you find yourself tugging at your dress. "I mean, I know it's been a while, but geez Hotch, it's still me." you say and he winces. You're not sure what the last month has been like for the others, but you know what they've been like for you. Torturous. It's been Hell.

"I know." he says, and your eyebrow raises, unmoved by his words. "And again, I didn't mean to offend you." he promises, and he clenches and unclenches his fists by his side. "After everything that happened, I guess I just assumed you'd prefer a more professional approach." he mutters, and you scoff quietly. Classic Aaron Hotchner, running away from interpersonal conflict with his tail tucked between his legs. "You don't even seem comfortable with us tonight."

You blink. Okay well he had a point there, but you were trying.

"It's not that I'm not comfortable." you mutter, and you look over your shoulder at the rest of the team. "I guess I just didn't expect to feel so out of place being out and about." you shrug your shoulders bashfully. "Everyone's normal, everything seems the same." you continue, and you notice the way that Hotch's lips have pressed into a hard line. "And it's like no time has passed at all for anyone else, but for me it's like I never moved." you blink, shivering at the thought.

Hotch's eyebrows furrow inwardly as he takes in your words. "I still feel like I'm-" you trail off, feeling a wide lump growing in your throat. "It's like I never left." you course correct, eyes shutting briefly, lashes brushing against your cheekbones. "Like no matter how much time passes, it still feels like I'm there with him and I'm-"

"I understand." he cuts you off, you think maybe to salvage your pride or to keep you from having a panic attack at the thought. "And you're certain you're ready to come back to work? You know you can take all the time you need." he reminds you, and you are immediately nodding your head as you wave a tired hand his way.

"I can't stay cooped up in my house anymore." you mumble. "It's becoming counterproductive." you huff. "I'm ready." you add a second later. "Apart from this awkwardness, I'm also perfectly fine." and it's a lie, you'd been having nightmares every night. Restless, sleepless evenings full of dread, and jump scares of your own creation. "I mean, I'm here aren't I?" you offer a tight smile as you reach out and tap Hotch's shoulders twice, a tense little conversation ender.

You don't want to stay huddled up with him anymore, not while he was looking at you like he was trying to see into your soul. You turn on your heel, dress swishing side to side as you head for the group. You find yourself in between Emily and Penelope, the blonde to your left immediately sliding a drink in front of you. You down it in a second, the intense burn as the alcohol rested in your chest was a welcome reprieve from the anguish and anxiety you'd been feeling.

You forget about Hotch, and all your heavy feelings by the time you're on your third drink. Your heels feel much too heavy under your feet as you stumble into Emily, the brunette chuckling vibrantly as you hang off each other, the music playing overhead lulling you into a false sense of security. It was nice being like this again after so long, laughing at the dramatic banter between Derek and Penelope. You wondered if they'd remain purely platonic forever.

Trading gossip back and forth with Emily and JJ was always a treat, especially as Spencer tried to keep up with eyes wide as saucers while Emily finally cracked the secrets of her coveted Sin-To-Win weekends. You weren't sure what was funnier, the peeks into Emily's life outside the unit, or the horrified looks that crossed Spence's face with every new tidbit of knowledge he learned about his coworkers. You found your eyes flickering over to Hotch again.

He was stoic as ever, but looser than he would be in the office. He seemed to enjoy being a quiet observer much more than he preferred to be in the mix. He leisurely swirled his glass of scotch, and you felt that familiar buzz of warmth in your chest when you managed to catch him smiling as he quietly passed conversation back and forth with a newly drunk Penelope, and Derek, who looked exasperated.

"Are you just gonna stare at him all night?" you jump a bit, turning to face Emily with surprise swirling in your irises. "If you keep it up, he's gonna catch you." she adds a second afterwards and you tense, head nodding as you scold yourself. You peel away from the bar, drink clutched in your hand. You had to get away from the bar for a second, maybe the cluttered dance floor would be the best distraction.

"Sorry." you mutter, and Emily offers a airy laugh. "He's just usually so serious." you lean into Emily, who nods along. She'd met Hotch after you, but still she'd managed to become so close to him it was almost surreal. She seemed to always know what he was thinking, they were in sync. Unlike you, who seemed to always be on the other end of a hard stare from the man. For a while you just began to assume he hated your guts. Or better put, he was indifferent to your existence.

That was why his look, that look he'd given you as he cradled your head while he waited for backup had been burned into your skull. All that went out of the window the second he'd labeled you 'Agent' though. God, how stupid were you? Emily's amusement makes your eyes roll. "Can I be honest?" she asks, and you nod. Penelope and JJ have migrated to the dance floor, JJ grabbing the good doctor and bringing him along with them. He looks incredibly uncomfortable.

"Sure, Em. If you think it will help." you reply audibly.

"I haven't seen him this relaxed since everything went down." she admits, and you're surprised. As if somehow your presence had been enough to set the stone-serious man at ease. "The first few days after your accident he was a mess." she adds, and she's got a surprising about of stability to her tone to be as inebriated as she was. She lowers her voice some as she leans into you, "He showed up late." she mutters this like it's some sworn secret just meant for the both of you.

"I'm sure Strauss was just riding him about another mishap in the unit." you try, and Emily looks unconvinced and unimpressed with you. "He's our boss, it's kind of his job to worry about us." you finish.

"Yeah, I guess so." Emily concedes, and she looks like she's done talking about it, so you find yourself relaxing. "Still. I've never seen him go that hard against an unsub, maybe you're not the only person that's feeling something." she leaves you with that, trying to keep from tipping as she marched towards the group. You chuckle quietly to yourself, ignoring Emily's words as you focus on finishing your drink. It seemed you'd inadvertently been trying to be alone all along.

You felt some of the tension melt from your shoulders now that you were standing at the bar, away from those prying eyes you couldn't lie to. There's this sound of heavy footsteps, and then the clearing of a throat, as you turn to be met with the sight of a man. He looked to be about your age, cheeks and nose covered in a little smattering of freckles. He's got a head full of shaggy hair that hangs in his face. He takes a quick step, sliding up against the bar beside you.

Way too close.

"Hey." he mumbles, and you appraise him boredly. It's not like he was ugly or anything, but despite Penelope's words you were not looking to get lucky tonight.

"Hi." you offer a dry greeting, shuffling your weight from one foot to the other as the bar seemingly became a beacon for thirsty men. Just as you were politely stepping away from the freckled man, you found yourself bumping into another man who'd slithered up to the bar, your ass pressing against his crotch as his hands wound around your waist. A sleazy chuckle escapes the man's mouth as you gasp. "I'm so sorry." you exclaim, and you're quick to peel away.

You feel trapped though, there were at least four guys, they all seemed to be friends, they all seemed to be in kahoots.

There's a third and fourth man joining the fray, they all looked to be about the same age, height, and weight class. This was probably their routine: approach and overwhelm whatever drunk girl they might have happened upon. It looked like you were tonight's target. "Hey, what's the rush?" the guy closest to you drawls, and you wonder where all your years of training have gone. His arm raises, and it feels like he might hit you so you flinch way too violently.

"Stick around, we'll order the next round." the next demands, and his breath smells like booze. It stinks, and it's hot as it puffs across your face. You almost break your heels backing away from them, suddenly feeling self conscious a`nd way too vulnerable in your short dress.

"No, it's alright, really." you try, and you stumble again. "My friends are right over there." and you point in their general vicinity. "Have a great night though." you offer politely, and you're trying to make your grand escape. One guy, a shaggy blonde haired man is quick to grab you by your forearm, and it's like you're back to that day. Your bureau appointed therapist had been talking to you about your anxiety, how a range of things could become triggers and transport you mentally.

"That wasn't a question. Stay a while." You're stuck, absolutely frozen in place as your entire body tenses up. Some Special Agent you were, the bureau would be so disappointed in you. Your team would be so disappointed in you. All it took to turn you into a pile of nothing was a bit of confrontation. You could remember a stronger version of you, that girl would've had these men on their knees for even thinking of laying hands on you. God, you missed that girl.

His grip on your arm tightens, fingers digging into you harshly as you find yourself surrounded on every side.

"L-Let me go." you huff under your breath, and you crane your neck. You spot JJ, the blonde's eyes locked on yours as the reality of what's going on forces her to sober up. "I just-" and you jerk away, stumbling back completely. You're surprised you don't scream as your glass drops to the ground shattering as glass sprays in every which direction. You feel like your ankle's twisted as you fall back on your ass. You expect to feel the embarrassing thud that came with smacking your ass on the hard floor of a bar, but it never comes.

Instead you feel cocooned by a familiar scent. Strong arms are looped around you, but you suppose your lack of disgust at the action is just a testament of your comfortability. "Are you alright?" it's mumbled against your ear, and the low tone of his voice makes you shiver. All you can really offer is a tight nod as Aaron's guiding you behind him. You don't get to see Hotch in action, not when JJ, Penelope, and Emily are flocking you like Charlie's Angels.

You feel the first signs of the need to barf pricking at you, and you know that you need to get some air. You needed to breathe.

"God, are you okay?" Penelope asks, and you're not sure if you are being dramatic. I mean, it wasn't like they'd done anything really. Now you were gonna look like the freak that ruined a fun night.

"I'm sorry." you chirp, and you miss the way Jennifer and Emily share a hard glance. It's not until you're feeling brisk air whipping around your face that you realize they've taken you outside, and you haven't stopped apologizing. I'm so sorry. Penelope's got wide eyes, quickly brimming with tears as you find yourself crumbling to the ground. Your hand's quick to clutch around your chest as you try to inhale. The dramatics of it all made you even more nauseous.

You should've stayed at home.

"Hey, hey, hey..." Emily's cooing, and it seems being out like this has sliced through her tipsy stupor. She's focused just like she would be on any regular sort of day. "I need you to breathe." she instructs, and JJ's crouching down in front of you, brown eyebrows draw inwardly as she takes in your clearly frantic state. Every puff of air that escapes you is tight and sounds like it hurts. You can just barely hear the sound of a commotion taking place inside.

You do hear JJ's quiet exclamation of "I'll stay with her, go check on Hotch and Derek!" before Penelope and Emily are heading back into the packed building. She calls your name, and it takes a while for you to regain your voice. She's devoid of pity, which you appreciate. JJ knew more than anyone how much you hated being seen as a burden, or someone to be sorry for. Pride was a killer. "Can you try and take a deep breath for me?" and it's then you realize your choppy little intakes of air weren't doing you any favors.

It takes a great deal of effort for your vision to be less blurry. Your ears were full of cotton, and your head was swimming. You feel bile again in the back of your throat, and you jerk away from JJ's reach. You feel like you're suffocating, transported away from the random bar in the middle of Virginia, and back to a place you'd fought so hard to escape. You were certain you'd remember that unsub forever. His evil eyes, the way he tried to use your entrails like paint.

You remember how Elle had changed after she'd been attacked by Garner. How she had changed so much that she had no choice but to step away from the Unit. Would that be your life? You didn't want that life, but it was clear you needed something, you needed help. You couldn't focus on anything else, but what had happened. You'd ruined a night out because the act of being cornered was enough to transport you back.

JJ's still peering at you as if she's waiting for you to start panicking, and maybe you were. "I'm sorry." you huff again, and JJ's shaking her head at you.

There's a deep frown etched into her face as she sighs herself. "Stop apologizing." she insists, and your lashes are wet with unshed tears. "You didn't do anything wrong. Those assholes should've never put their hands on you." she proceeds. "You know that don't you?" she continues, and you don't know how to respond, so you don't. JJ reads you like an open book, and she smacks her teeth. "Well now you do." she says this firmly. "And I'm sure Hotch and Morgan are teaching them that lesson right now." you tense up again.

"I didn't mean to ruin the-" JJ's offering you a hard glare that shuts you up. Another bad habit you'd picked up since the incident. You were working on it, trying not to blame yourself for things you didn't cause. "I'm sorry." and this time it's not because of tonight. "I was so nervous about tonight.-" you take in a hiccupped breath. "I just wanted to prove that I could bounce back." you explain, and it's the first insight you've allowed anyone. "I figured if I pretend everything's normal, soon enough it would be, but it's too much." you huff.

"And that's okay." she promises. "What you went through isn't something anyone's expecting you to forget about in a month, alright? It's gonna take time, and there will be days where it'll hurt a lot more, and there will be days where you're feeling like your old self again." she promises. "What you need to understand is that we-" she pauses as you take it in. "are your family." she finishes, and your lips start to twitch, you're not sure if you'll smile or cry.

"I know-" you proceed, and she holds a hand up in front of you.

"Let me finish." she pleads, and you inhale before nodding. "I don't- none of us want a repeat of what happened with Elle." she says quietly. "None of us want to show up to the unit one day and see your badge and gun sitting on your desk." JJ sighs. "So if you ever start feeling anxious, or terrible, or just like you're back... there." and you wince at the mention. "I want you to call me, call one of us. Don't deal with this alone, alright? Not when you don't have to."

JJ hugs you before you have time to respond, but her words sink deep and make you feel warm inside. "Thanks, Jaige." you mumble against her hair. She squeezes you tighter, and you believe it's to make up for her shyer hug earlier.

"You're welcome." she mumbles back, and then she's pulling back. You don't have much respite, Penelope practically tackling you in a hug of her own. You hadn't even realized the rest of the team has left the bar, you were sure the mood of the night was much lower.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Penelope exhales, and you do too, breathing fine again, save for a few hiccups that escaped you every so often. She lets you go after a beat, and you're quick to take a small step back, suddenly feeling anxious once more.

"Yeah, I'm fine now." your eyes meet Derek and Emily's. "Thank you." and you're chuckling quietly as Derek pulls you into his side. He plants a kiss on the top of your head, and you warm inwardly. Spencer does hug you, and it's a shock. One of those hugs that you never take for granted, because it could be a while before you get another. Once he's pulled away you find yourself still hovering, listening quietly as they all decide the night's not over.

You respectfully bow out, you'd had enough for one day. It's then you notice that Hotch is all by himself. You quietly excuse yourself, but you find that they're not really listening now that you were safer. "Are you alright?" you ask, and your voice is very quiet. Hotch looks up from his phone as if he's been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. You take in his face, and it's clear he's been in some sort of scuffle. Most notable due to the fact he's got blood smeared under his nose.

"I should be asking you that." he retorts, and your eyebrows furrow in.

"Y-You already did." you remind him, eyes darting away. "Why are you over here by yourself?" you shoot off a round of questions, the wind whipping around, and making you crave the comfort of your bed. You maintain a respectful balance, you weren't in any rush to be all up in someone's space.

"I think I've had enough of crowds for the night." he retorts. You don't realize until it's happened though, your hand reaching up to swipe at the blood that's slowly drying on his upper lip.

"Get into a bar fight?" you ask, and you hold your breath for the answer. Hotch looks down at you, and there's this unreadable expression on his face. You realize that this is nothing new. Hotch had never been easy to read, he was one of the greatest profilers you'd ever met, one of the greatest people. But he'd always been an enigma. His emotions were an Alcatraz all on their own.

"You should see the other guy." the classic rebuttal to a question like yours. It doesn't make you smile, mostly because he's not smiling either. "Are you okay?" and he's got you by your wrist, eyes zoned in on the harsh mark the guy from the bar had left behind. "He never should've touched you." his voice lowers, and there's an annoyance attached to his tone. "I'm so sorry." you find yourself huffing.

"You shouldn't have fought him." you say matter-of-factly. Your fists fold up at your sides, your lips pulling down into a frown. "It'll give everyone the wrong idea." you say, and you wrench your hand away from his grasp.

"Everyone?" he repeats, and he looks confused, classic Hotch.

"Me." you correct, "I'll get the wrong idea." you whisper. "I might actually think you like me." you admit quietly.

"We wouldn't want that." he replies, and his tone is far from mocking. You hate that it makes you crack a smile. You hate that he's always the one that manages to get that reaction out of you.

"Hey, are you two coming? We're all heading to Mo's." Emily calls, and you snort at the fact that their alcohol riddled mind had caused them to forget you'd already declined. You take a step away from Hotch, and you hate that you stumble. You were hating a lot of things tonight. Maybe you weren't as sober as you'd thought.

Aaron looks to you as if he's waiting to see your answer before giving his own, and maybe he was. The second you're politely explaining that you're ready to head home, Aaron is offering to drive you. Derek is whistling, Emily and JJ offering you smug little smirks. Penelope is trying to keep herself secured to Earth. "He's gonna take her home." he whispers to no one in particular, and it's a horrid attempt.

"We all heard, babygirl." Derek replies to her, and you find yourself a bit stuck. The thought of spending the eighteen minute car ride with your boss make you want to scream, but you'd taken a cab. Your own car was parked in the driveway of your place. And he doesn't look like he' taking any goodbyes either way. Rounds of goodbye and see you laters are soon offered. "Take care of our girl, Hotch." Derek calls, and you hear Spencer as he starts to rant about Derek's turn-of-phrase.

Our girl. Hotch finds that the words repeat in his head like an obnoxious echo. "Why are you doing this?" you question quietly. "If you're just trying to make up for the whole Agent thing, there's no need." you proceed, and you take a small step back.

"I'm not trying to make up for that." he replies quickly. "But, you're drunk, and you've been through a lot tonight." he reminds you as if you're ditsy or something. "It wouldn't be smart to leave you by yourself." he continues, and he inhales deeply. He watches the way you watch him, like you're unsure, like you're suspicious. "That isn't a testament of whether or not I think you can handle yourself... and neither was fighting that man at the bar." he promises, and you blink.

"No?" you ask, and your tongue feels extra dry. Like you've licked a stripe of sandpaper.

"No." he reaffirms. "You mean a lot to the team. We wouldn't be the same without you." he says this bit like he means it, and you can't find any trace of a lie residing in his face. He does mean it.

"Thank you, Sir." you reply under your breath, exhaling the word. The chill of the night finally gets to you, and you shiver.

"Can I take you home?" he asks, and you know you're reading into it more than you should. You know what he means, what he's really asking, but delusion was healthy every now and again, right?

"Y-Yeah." your head nods, voice wavering slightly as you take hold of the bottom of your dress. "Yes." you say more firmly.

"Okay." you stand there for a few moments more, passing charged glances back and forth. "You never answered my question earlier." is what he says to break the moment. "About how you were doing..." he proceeds. "I've asked you twice, and both times you-"

"Deflected?" you offer, and his head nods. "I guess I'm just scared you'll see right through whatever my answer is." you admit, and you cross your arms, shifting your weight from one foot to the other. "Emily and JJ will at least humor me." you explain. "Penelope won't ask... mostly because she's scared of the answer." you chuckle awkwardly. "Derek and Spence, well I guess they're like you too... but you're here, and they're not... so here we are."

Hotch appraises you for a second, but he doesn't say much else. You're grateful for that, but equal parts annoyed that he wasn't leaping to tell you that you were harder to read than you thought. No such luck. Still, you're surprised when Hotch grabs you by your arm, much gentler than earlier, and he's slowing his stride to be in step with yours. You don't realize you've leaned fully into his side until you feel him tense up. He doesn't say anything though.

A win is a win.

You didn't know much about the inner workings of Aaron Hotchner's mind, but you did know that if he was uncomfortable with your proximity, he would have said so. The walk back to Hotch's car is silent. At least outwardly, inside you were panicking. He opens the passenger side for you, and you imagine a world where this was normal. Where it didn't take you being hit on by sleazy men at a bar to be having these moments with Hotch. But it was impossible.

"Did it hurt?" you ask, once the car is moving. He's adjusted the temperature, a soothing warm pooling from the vents. You're surprised at how quickly he drives, you'd half expected him to be one of those slow as molasses drivers. Hotch looks over at you incredulously, his eyebrows raise, but he doesn't look agitated nor annoyed with you breaking the silence again.

"You'll have to be more specific." he replies, and you hum. You pause for a second, trying to find the right words. At the last second you decide saying it straight would be just as good as anything else.

"Punching that guy?" you ask, and Hotch's lips quirk upwards, he was amused with you. In truth, he had no idea what he was thinking. As soon as the girls had ushered you away, he'd found himself swinging before he could think of the repercussions. All he knew was that you'd sounded scared, you'd sounded unlike yourself in a way that made him angry. Everyone saw how you had changed, the elephant in the room was hard to ignore. But you were trying, he could give you that.

"No." he mumbles, and that likely has a lot to do with the fact that he hasn't come down. He's still on edge, still watching you like you might at any moment start spiraling. "Besides, it was worth it." and he says this a bit under his breath, you hear it all the same. "I doubt he'll try it again." he admits, and you feel liberated. It was nice to have someone fighting for you, fighting the fights you weren't capable of.

"Thanks, Hotch." you hum, and it triggers a yawn.

"Back to Hotch?" he asks, and you look over at him confused. You kick your feet back and forth, careful not to dig your heels into the plush of the car's floor.

"Would you prefer I call you sir?" you ask, and he is tapping on the brake, the car slowly peeling to a stop as you come up on a red light.

"No." he answers sternly. "It's not like you." he admits, and the light is turning green again. He steps lightly on the gas, the car surging forward "Especially if you're only calling me Sir, as payback for me calling you Agent." he says, and even though you had tried your hand at pretending the greeting hadn't bothered you, it was obvious he had read right through you.

"Why'd you do that?" you question and your tone is a lot more clipped than you had intended.

"So it did offend you?" he retorts, and you feel anger flaring up. You swallow this feeling, hands balling up by your side.

"Hotch." you snap, and he smirks fully, eyes back on the road. "Can you be serious, please?" you ask, and you probably sound pitiful.

"The last month I've just been..." he trails off momentarily, and you wonder if he's emotional, or just being dramatic. "I should have known better." he expresses. "I should've been there to make sure that what happened didn't." he says, and you tense up. "He never should have gotten the chance to get close enough to cart you off." he completes his thought, and you're shocked. You never would have guessed Hotch blames himself for what happened to you.

"That wasn't your fault." you promise, and you mean it. You'd never once thought of blaming Hotch for what went down. "You were confident in the plan, you were putting your faith in the team."

"There is a very thin line between confidence and arrogance." He rebuttals instantly. "We got cocky, and you suffered because of it." he looks so destroyed as he says this. "And then you showed up tonight, and tried to pretend everything was fine." he notes as you remain silent. "It just reminded me that we're too close." he tightens his grip on the steering wheel. "The longer you stay in the unit, the more you become numb to the things we see. You start to ignore the signs that you're not alright." he says, and you'd never thought of it that way.

"Hotch..." you exhale.

"I called you Agent to set up a boundary, or at least I tried." he says this like he's beating himself up. "But then I saw the way it hurt you." and he looks ashamed. "And I never want to be someone who does that to you." you're warring with your heart then. "So I wont do it again." he promises, and he looks to you briefly. "I'll call you by your name, I won't deflect." he adds as your mouth drops open just briefly.

"But, it's not right for someone your age to be so closed off. It's not right for you to pretend to be okay just to keep up with the people around you. If you weren't up to being out, you should've stayed home, our opinions don't outweigh your safety." he lectures you. "They never will." he adds a second after, and he's so sure as he says this. He's slowing down, coming up on your place.

Your leg is shaking slightly, that pesky feeling of anxiety creeping back up on you. "We're here." he says under his breath as if you weren't aware. You don't budge, you can't. You have so much to say, but where do you start. Hotch has shut his car off, almost like he too has a lot sitting on the tip of his tongue.

"I just wanted to prove I could handle it." you admit, and you're crying. "I didn't want to be another Gideon or Elle... or Spence." you cringe at the memories. "I didn't want you guys to handle with me with kid gloves. I didn't want you to see me as the girl who needs the kid gloves." you express honestly, and now your tears are falling in quick precession. "I'm sorry..." you swipe at your face. "I don't know why I'm crying, this is so stupid." you hiss at yourself.

"No, it isn't." the response earns him a surprised glance. "It's good... this is good." Hotch is quick to use a hand to swipe at your tears. He hates the sight of them, but loves what they mean. Your heart's still soft, pliable. You haven't fully succumb to the horrors of the job. "Consider this me atoning." he prompts. "You have my ear, say whatever you need to say." he looks over at you again, and seems to mentally backtrack. "If it'll help you." he adds.

You sniffle audibly, hands clenching and unclenching as the car suddenly feels much too hot. "It's not your fault, okay?" you repeat, and you say it with more certainty. "I just need you to know that." you sniffle again, but your tears keep falling, even as you try to blink them away. "Hotch, you're our leader for a reason, and you were there to save me that night, and you were here to save me tonight." you remind him. "I don't want you to pull back, not when I'm finally making some progress with cracking that hard exterior of yours."

Hotch's lips quirk at your words, and he looks down at his lap. "I've never meant to pull back from you." the inflection with the last words sticks. "I thought I was doing right by you... pulling the band aid off before you got in too deep." he says. "But that was wrong of me, I can admit to that. I'm sorry." and his apologies are like kisses. They wash over you, and force you to believe him.

"Don't apologize to me." you plead, "Just promise not to leave me behind, treat me like an outsider again." you continue as his head nods, and you can trust that he's listening.

"I can do that." he promises.

That seems to be the key to unlocking the dam of your emotions. You choke on the feelings, a quiet sob escaping you as you clasp a hand over your mouth. How dramatic, and pathetic, and God awful were all these feelings. But they'd been years in the making, right?

"Are you alright?." he asks under his breath, worry palpable.

"Do you know that the only thing that kept me from losing it that day was you?" you ask, and your boldness won't leave you, clearly it was now or never. "You told me to 'keep breathing'... you said it over and over and over, and I listened." you explain, and he remembers the day too well. "Even though everything hurt like hell, and there was so much blood." you reminisce. "And I don't know, maybe I'm just crazy, but there was this look." you exhale sadly. "This look you had on your face that made me think... 'maybe it's not just me'"

It isn't. He knows that instantly. You've plagued his mind so severely for so long that he can just barely remember a time where you weren't one of the only things he thought about, worried about, cared about. But he had his post to think about, he was the Unit Chief, your boss, your superior. What would the team think? What would Strauss think? Did it matter? In the grand scheme of things, did those worries outweigh his need, his innate desire to see you safe and protected from harm? Absolutely not. So what was the real problem?

"Hotch..." you inhale deeply, voice cracking distractingly as he gives you his full attention. Something you'd dreamed of, wanted more than anything since the first time you'd ever laid eyes on him. "Aaron." you correct, and you breathe again. "I've been thinking of how to say this... i've been rehearsing it over and over again, because I wanted to get it right, and I just knew tonight would be the night I'd have to have the balls to either say it or let it go forever." you admit.

"Say it..." and he's rushing you, but you suppose that's deserved. You were still stalling, dragging this out way more than you needed to.

"I'm in love with you." and it was out there, and you couldn't take it back. You stare him down, worried about his reaction, about how he would respond. "And it took me getting hurt, and being sent home, away from the team for me to realize." you inhale shakily. "I kept having these-these dreams about that night. All these different scenarios about how things could've turned out different, how I could've died had one thing been out of place." you process.

"You're the reason I'm still here, you're the reason why this team can function, and you're the reason why I- why I came tonight even though my anxiety told me it wasn't safe. Because, somehow I knew that as long as you were here... I'd be okay, and I am." you say, and it's a lot, too much maybe. His reaction is hard to read at first, face just as stoic as most times, but his eyes.... his eyes hold the truth. They melt, pools of warm honey dancing in the darkness residing there.

"And it's inappropriate... and wrong... and silly... but- I couldn't go another day without you knowing, without you hearing from me." you explain. "When you came up to the bar tonight I just... I've never felt this way before... lucky, protected, safe.... and-and I'm not asking for anything from you... I'm not expecting something in return, I just wanted to get it out there... I think we both know it's been a long time coming..." and your words are being swallowed as Aaron leans forward. The middle console is a bridge, a roadblock.

It doesn't deter him though, not from using a hand to gently cup your face, mouth slotting against yours as if it belonged there. You're dizzy, shocked, surprised, but you don't let this mess you up. You can't possibly allow anything to mess up this moment. Twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two... the seconds tick by with neither of you moving to break the kiss, hands and tongues and breaths fanning over one another as you get acquainted in the most perfect way.

Still, life dealt lots, and yours consisted of a need for oxygen. It's the only reason why you break apart with heady gasps, eyes dilated and fogged with emotions much too heavy to really explain. "Oh, you can't do that." you explain, and Hotch's bemused, eyebrows raising upwards, as his thumb brushes over your cheekbones.

"I can't?" he asks, and he sounds so much lighter now.

"No, you can't. I'll get the wrong idea, you know." you explain, and he smiles brazenly at your callback to earlier. "I'll actually believe you're in love with me or something." you say, and Hotch is slow as he leans back in, a peck being placed right on your lips as your eyelashes flutter, and your heart beats out of control.

"We can't have that, can we?" he's following your lead with the callback, and your cheek presses into his palm.

"I don't know." you answer, and your voice is faint. "I'm scared this'll be a dream." you proceed as Hotch's eyes scan over your frantic face. "I'll wake up and find out that this was all in my head, and the only memories I get to hold on to are from that night." Hotch's lips purse, head shaking in denial as you inhale shakily.

"No, not this time. an ambitious remark. "This time it's real." he promises. "This time I'm here with you to make sure that all those things you felt that night, and earlier by the bar, are how you keep feeling about me." he answers truly. "I'm here to love you back for as long as you'll have me. Is it alright for me to feel that way?" he asks, and your hand jumps up to keep his squished in place against your face.

"You can feel however you want." you reply, and he laughs, a full blown chuckle escaping him as his face seems to light up like a thousand suns. His eyes glisten, twinkling as he looks down at you, like everything was right in the world. And to him it was. Nothing and nobody could hurt you here.

"Good. Then I choose whatever this between you and I leads to, I choose the feelings that come with that." You smile grows to an almost blinding brightness as you reach across the console to hug him, and pull him into your arms. He's quick as he presses a peck to the top of your head, eyes still dancing over you as if he was seeing you for the first time. And maybe he was, that part wasn't your business, all you knew was that loving Aaron was easy, it could be.

A long time coming, but a wait well worth it. Lucky you.

#criminal minds #criminal minds fanfic #criminal minds angst #criminal minds x reader #aaron hotchner #hotch #aaron hotch x reader #hotch x reader #hotch x you #hotch x y/n #hotch imagine #hotch smut #aaron hotch hotchner #ssa aaron hotchner #thomas gibson #aaron hotch imagine #aaron hotch fanfiction #aaron hotchner smut #aaron hotchner imagine #aaron hotch x you #aaron hotchner x reader #aaron hotchner x you #aaron hotchner x female reader #aaron hotchner x y/n #hotch angst #criminal minds scenario #criminal minds imagine #criminal minds x you #criminal minds fandom #criminal minds fic

[dudeitiskarev]

It’s just you and me | Aaron Hotchner

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x female reader

Summary: Aaron misses you, and a cabin in the woods is the best place to show you how much

Word count: 1.8k

Tags/warnings: mentions of food consumption; established relationship; porn without plot (18+ only please. Minors do not interact); smut: hand job; nipple play; hot tub unprotected sex; lots of praise <3; not edited, just short and nasty.

Author’s note: I wanted to write something hot and also fluffy and I came up with this. Also thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts! They were all very inspiring (and interesting) even though I’m a very vanilla type of girl as you’ll see 😭 anyway, I hope you enjoy this little ride (ha!).

MASTERLIST

Aaron thought the best way to compensate for being away for an entire week because of a case was to take you to a cabin in the woods for the weekend. 

Cases didn’t take that long to solve, and it had affected you more than you’d like to admit. It was more than him being away, though. It was the uncertainty of not knowing if he was safe. You’d found yourself counting every hour, a clock ticking at the back of your head. Long-distance phone calls helped—they calmed the anxiety—but as soon as it ended, you missed him even more and the clock started ticking again. 

But he was here now, with you, in an outdoor hot tub surrounded by nothing but nature and lost in time.  

"Thank you for cooking dinner," you said, gripping his thigh underwater. You were sitting next to him, letting the bubbles massage your back but you missed him, so you thought it was best if you straddled him, scooting a little closer to prop one leg over his thigh.

He got your signal and helped you hop on his lap. "I had to give you the whole experience," he said, adjusting you by your thighs and planting a sweet kiss on your bare shoulder. “I wanted to,” he corrected himself.

You brushed your thumbs over his brows. He’d come back with a slight cut over his left brow.

You kissed him there. "It’s very nice, thank you.”

One of his hands rested flat on your lower spine while the other was a little higher, his arms acting as the back of a chair, almost, his lap the perfect place to sit on.

It was rewarding seeing him like this, so relaxed and surrendered to peace. You wished you could freeze this moment, for his peace and because of the way he looked. Shirtless. Wet. Handsome. It wasn’t so hard to admit that the scar added a little more to it. 

“You know what would make this experience even better?" you darkened the way you looked at him. 

He hummed, raising his brows and mirroring your smirk. He knew exactly what you meant. 

“Dirty, dirty sex,” you murmured next to his ear.

“Someone’s horny,” he laughed, scanning your face up and down. A laugh that gave you thousands of butterflies.

“I’m ovulating.” Your cheeks grew hot. “I think.” 

“That’s… good to know.” He raised his brows as he spoke. It was cute how after all these years he still got flustered.

“And that cut over your brow is not helping,” you confessed.

“That tells me that you like seeing me hurt,” he teased again. 

“Never.” You pecked him on the lips. “But picturing taking down a bad guy is… it does something to me.”

You kissed him again. Once. Twice. Three times until he parted his mouth, allowing the kiss to intensify. 

You pulled back a bit. His eyes had darkened too. 

“C’mere.” He cupped your face and brought you closer to kiss you again, this time sweeping his tongue over your top lip. 

God, the way he kissed you when no one was around should be illegal. Because it wasn’t only his tongue, it was the shameless groans he gradually let out the more the kiss intensified; the way he bucked his hips upwards so you could feel how hard each kiss made him. 

You wrapped your arms around his neck and slowly began to grind him, rubbing your heat against his, the thin fabric of your bikin the only thing keeping you apart (he was completely naked since he forgot to pack his swimsuit. Not that it mattered when it was just the two of you).

The kiss grew hotter, and so did the small waves around you as you slowly began to move your hips more rubbing yourself over his growing erection. You sneaked one hand between you two to feel him and your mouth started watering at the same time your cunt clenched over nothing.

You wanted him inside. Mouth or cunt. You just needed him.

“Mmm,” you moaned into his mouth, gripping the back of his head with one hand while the other pumped his cock up and down. 

He let go of your lips to pepper your cheeks with softer kisses, down to your chin and jaw. “Just like that. Don’t stop.” He moved his kisses to your neck and then chest, trailing them over the squishy exposed skin of your breasts. “God, I love you so much.” He bit your hard nipple over the thin fabric of your bikini. 

You smiled big, ready to let him love you. “Mmm, I love you too.”

His breathing grew heavy, warming up your skin with each breath as he used one finger to drag your bikini to the side, exposing your whole left breast, and leaving the other for later. He suctioned your hard nub and you could hold back a small whimper.

Your arousal was leaking through your panties. You were so ready to take him already, but you knew how much he liked taking his time on you. Enjoying your body. Touching you. Licking you. Biting you. He was an amazing boyfriend and an even better lover, so you were patient. 

“Let’s take this off,” he said, undoing the knot of your bikini on your back while you undid the one behind your neck, leaving your chest bare right on his face. He took the other nipple into his mouth and hummed as he did.  

You whined again, shutting your eyes to feel it. You never stopped moving your hand around his erection which was fully hard. So ready for you to sit on.

“God, I can’t get enough of you,” he panted. 

You laughed a little through the pleasure. “You and me both.”

You opened your eyes and captured the perfect image. The sun was setting, painting everything around in a pretty shade of orange. 

“Sunset,” you barely managed to say.

But he couldn’t care less. He turned your head to him by your chin and captured your mouth with an open-mouth kiss, taking your breath away. He sneaked one hand between your legs and crept one finger from the side of your bikini, massaging your folds. He smiled. You could feel how damp and slippery you were down there.

“Should we move to the bed inside?” He suggested. “I really want to feel how wet you are. The water is taking it away from me.”

You shook your head. “Here’s perfect. Fuck me right here.”

You just couldn’t wait any longer. You undid the knots of your bikini bottom and threw it away. Now he had you fully naked on top of him and the tip of his cock grazed your sensitive spot. 

He turned into a starving man and in a second he lined himself over your entrance, teasing you moving his cock up and down between your slick folds.

A soft frown took over his face as his lips parted. “Want me to fuck you now?” He pushed the head slightly inside, just to withdraw it a second later.

“Mhm,” you nodded. “Please.”

Please please, please.

“Oh, honey.” He hissed between clenched teeth, lining himself again, and with your help, he slid halfway in. 

He was so thick you let out a startled gasp that he kindly caught with a kiss. Slowly, you began to move. Back and forth. Up and down. Side to side. Everywhere just to make him fit properly until he was balls deep. 

“There, right there,” he praised you. “Oh, honey. You feel incredible.” His head landed on your shoulder. 

You lifted his head back up, making him look at you. He was the most beautiful and vulnerable creature during sex. Dark eyes. Parted mouth. Soft frown. 

“It’s like you were made for me.” He slightly shook his head like he couldn’t quite believe it. “So perfect.”

You stayed still to get used to his size, and he was patient, dotting kisses all over until you decided to move again. You withdrew your hips and bucked them back, that first pump sending an exquisite rush through you. 

“You’re so big,” you panted, clinging more onto his body. 

You found the perfect position there—heart to heart, nose to nose—and you began to move your hips up and down.  You tugged your bottom lip between your teeth to bite back a moan. 

“Let me hear you,” he said, capturing your lips into a wet kiss. “There’s no one around. It’s just you and me.” 

He met every thrust, and you couldn’t not obey. You whimpered, whined, and moaned with each delicious and violent move. He threw his head back in pleasure, closing his eyes and knitting his brows together as if he were in pain. Then he gripped your hips tight, digging his fingers into your skin to stop you from moving.

He was about to come, and he didn’t want to just yet.

“Hold on,” he breathed out, going back to look at you. There was a faint smirk on his face. “Shit.”

You didn’t move, but tightened your walls around him, just to tease him a bit. 

“Honey,” he threw his head back again in pain.

You leaned forward, kissing the side of his chin. “Look at me.”

He did, chest heaving in and out. You traced random lines over his wet chest with one hand—waiting for him to recover— and with the other you pinched your nipples. 

An evil grin tugged at the corner of his lip.

“Like what you see?” you began to rock your hips again. 

Your clit rubbed perfectly over his pubic bone, and it didn’t take much time for the pleasure to start building.

“I’m gonna come,” you leaned forward, murmuring close to his lips. “You want me to come?”

“God, yes.” He enveloped you with his strong arms. 

You bounced on top of him desperately, making the water splash everywhere. You clinged onto the edge of the tub and didn’t stop. Your hips just wouldn’t stop. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” You bit your bottom lip, looking down on him. 

He was looking up through his dark eyelashes, waiting for your orgasm. 

The pleasure lingered on your walls around his cock for a moment until you finally let go, allowing the fireworks rush through you. Your toes curled, your hips twitched, your breath shook. You came, hard. So hard you couldn’t hold back any sound. You were loud, as loud as he liked you to be. 

You leaned down and cooed onto the crook of his neck, “Fuck, Aaron, oh— mmm,”  leaving a gentle love bite there. 

“Oh, sweetheart, that’s it.” His cock began to twitch inside you and the rocking motion of his hips under you turned reckless. He laughed a little as he came, and he held you tight, so tight, cupping your face with one hand and groaning and moaning into a desperate kiss. 

His breath turned shaky as he came out of his high and you remained on top of him, with him still inside you. Looking into those beautiful coffee-colored eyes. 

“I love you,” you kissed him on the lips. “I don’t want the weekend to end,” you confessed.

Aaron smiled. “What if I told you today is only the beginning of my two-week mandatory vacation?”

A soft breeze arose around you, pebbling your skin with goosebumps. You were so ready to feel that every single night for two whole weeks. 

#aaron hotchner x reader #aaron hotchner #aaron hotchner x you #aaron hotchner x female reader #aaron hotchner fanfiction #Aaron Hotchner smut #aaron hotchner imagine #aaron hotchner blurb #aaron hotchner one shot #aaron hotchner fic #A

[pseudowho]

Papamin's Big Day

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

When your first baby was 8 weeks old, she was booked in for her routine vaccinations. You were anxious, tense about seeing your tiny baby in pain.

Kento took the event very seriously indeed. He read all of the latest medical guidance on what to expect before, during and after the vaccinations. He stocked the house with two different types of newborn pain relief. He bought your favourite snacks, certain you'd be stressed and upset.

He booked three days off work, to be there on the day, and for the potential 48 hours of fever afterwards. He reassured you, constantly; the gentle, sincere reassurance of man used to far more stressful situations.

"Darling, she'll be absolutely fine," Kento mumbled into the top of your hair, one enormous hand stroking your trembling back, while the other held your tiny daughter, asleep in her car seat, "She'll hardly feel a thing. She won't remember a thing."

The Nurse was friendly, sweet, and experienced. You twisted your hands as she handed you information leaflets, and Kento nodded, calm and impassive, as she told him all the information he already knew. As the Nurse prepared the three injections, Kento turned to you, one great hand squeezing your thigh.

"I'll hold her?" He asked, and you nodded, mouth puckered as Kento kissed your forehead again. He reached two hands into the car seat, your tiny baby looking so dwarfed in his palms as he lifted her out onto his lap, gently undressing her as she scrunched, squeaking, cradled on his thighs. Kento shushed her, lifting her to his chest, nuzzling his nose into her hair. The picture of calm.

"Alright then! All ready, mummy and daddy?" The Nurse chirped, approaching with a sterile tray of vaccinations. You steeled yourself. Kento nodded, brisk.

It was all over in under ten seconds. Three swift needles, two to one thigh, and one to the other. Your baby girl's pain reaction was delayed for a moment, before she shrieked, a confused little cry, a cacophony of appalled tiny wails.

"Oh-- oh baby, my baby, come here," you cried, your face scrunched as you scooped her into your arms, cradling her under your chin, and bopping her around the room with bum-pats and shushes.

A few moments of tiny newborn cries passed...until you heard one heaving, strangled sob behind you. You turned round to Kento.

Kento stood, shaking as he faced the window, one arm wrapped across his chest to hold his elbow, the other hand cupping his face. You heard barely suppressed sniffles, and quiet gruff breaths.

"Kento, are you--...are you crying?"

"No, no, I'm-- I'm fine," Kento wept, sliding tears away with long fingers. Another sob wracked across his broad shoulders, more tears spilling down his face, sobbing again when his daughter wailed another pained cry.

The Nurse looked from Kento, to you, to Kento, silent as the grave. You walked slowly over to Kento, whose tears began to slow, giving his daughter a watery smile when she looked up at him with a quizzical, tearstained face.

Kento scooped her into his arms, drying his tears on her tiny velvet head. You rubbed Kento's arm, squeezing it, trying to stop your heart from bursting, with a little smile.

"Kento, do you...should we...go and get you a sandwich?" Kento sniffled, giving his daughter a kiss, nodding his thanks to the Nurse.

"Yes, uh...yes. I'd like that. Sorry."

"Don't...dont be sorry."

#jjk #kento nanami #jjk nanami #kento nanami x you #kento nanami x reader #nanami kento #nanami fluff #pseudowho #nanami headcanons #jujutsu kaisen nanami #jujutsu nanami #kento nanami x y/n #nanami #nanami kento fluff #nanami kento x reader #nanami kento x you #nanami x reader #nanami x y/n #nanami x you #papamin #papamin au #the fact that Gege took this away from him is a fucking crime

[loveforsatoru]

hello !!!!!!!!!

I don't have anything specific, so idk, satoru with a five years old daughter? he would be such a cute and loving father 😓 i’m done, this life where I can't have satoru’s baby is killing me!!!!

this idea is so cute. i literally think about satoru as a dad all the time and it gives me major baby fever.

—

you never once thought that you could ever be this happy. what did you do to deserve it? maybe it’s the universe paying you back for all the times you’ve suffered in life both alone and your relationship with satoru. you’d been dating since high school, but it wasn’t easy. there was so much ache, time spent apart, and issues that you didn’t know if you could overcome. sleepless nights, occasional arguments and interference from your jobs drove your relationship into rocky paths, but at the end of the day, he never forgot to tell you he loved you even when you felt like the most unloveable person alive. through all the difficult times, the highs and the lows, he was always there and never once intended on leaving, so he sealed that promise with a ring and his vows.

you got married a couple years after high school. you were only 22, but your life couldn’t have turned out more perfect. it’s been 10 years and the love never died down. if anything, it grows with each passing day. now that you have a five year old daughter together, there’s only more to look forward to in the days to come.

satorus been away on a mission for a few weeks and you still have no idea when he’s going to come back. it hurts your daughter just as much as it hurts you. everyday, she asks when he’s going to come home and it breaks your heart to tell her, “i don’t know, but it’ll be soon.” when you weren’t even sure yourself. thankfully, satoru could never forget about the two most important people in his life and remembers to call in the morning and before your daughter goes to sleep, never missing a day.

besides today. your phone hasn’t rang once and it’s making you uneasy, your head racing with the worst possible thoughts. you have faith in satoru and his strength, but you can’t help but worry about him. he works a dangerous job and coming home is never a 100% guarantee.

you’re snapped out of trance when you feel a tug on your dress and little voice. your daughter is looking up at you, small hands tightly balled around the fabric of your dress while her blue eyes, identical to her fathers start to well up with tears.

“what’s wrong, baby?” you ask, picking her up into your arms and brushing a strand of white hair away from her face.

she doesn’t say anything at first and just buries her face into your neck where she begins to cry.

you attempt to calm her down, patting her back and getting her to look at you once more, “please dont cry… tell me what’s wrong and i’ll make it better.”

she speaks through uneven breaths, chubby cheeks now stained with tear streaks, “i called daddy but he didn’t answer.” speaking these words only caused her to cry again and it breaks your heart.

“don’t worry, he’ll come back. he’s okay and he’s safe. he’s just busy.” but the words are a form of consolation to you too. you’re trying your best to remain strong for your daughter, but it’s hard. being a mom is hard.

you walk over to the couch in the living and sit down, setting her on your lap while you wipe away her stray tears.

“listen to me for a second, okay?”

she rests her head on your chest, her breathing still ragged, but she’s no longer crying.

“your dad works really really hard for us. he wants us to live a good life, so he can’t always be home and he can’t always pick up the phone, but he tries as much as he can. we just have to be patient and wait for him to come home again. but he loves you very much. if he doesn’t answer the phone, it’s because he’s busy, not because he forgot about you, okay? the last thing he wants is for you to think he’s forgotten about you.”

she nods her head in understanding before asking one last question, one you don’t know the answer to.

“but when will he come back?”

now, you’re the one who has tears prickling in the corners of your eyes as your throat begins to sting, “i don’t know.” you wish you knew. you wish you could tell her he’s coming back today or the day after, but the uncertainty nips at your thoughts constantly.

what you don’t expect is for satoru to be standing right outside the door to your shared home, overhearing everything you just said. it tugs at his heart strings, but he’s here now.

he digs through his pocket and pulls out his key to unlock the door, the familiar jangle echoing through the house and your daughter immediately runs up to the door, squealing when he makes his way inside.

he scoops her up into his arms and litters her face in kisses, holding onto her tightly, “i’ve missed you so much, munchkin.”

you stay frozen in your spot on the couch, going wide eyed as another tear falls down your cheek and you don’t even notice it.

he gives you a smile from across the room while your daughter babbles on and on to him about what he’s missed. he listens intently, cherishing the moments that she’ll be little for as long as he can.

“and at school, we went on a field trip to the park and i found a butterfly but it flew away,” she pouts, “daddy, can you get me a butterfly?”

he chuckles and nods his head, “of course i can.” he would never say no to her. she could ask him for a piece of the moon and he’d do it.

you watch as he tickles her belly and she erupts into laughter, grabbing onto his shoulder for support.

“i have a surprise for you,” he whispers, giving her cheek another big kiss.

she claps her hands together, “what is it?” excitement laced in her voice which makes satorus smile grow wider.

he shifts through his briefcase before pulling out a small box of munchkins, “munchkins for my munchkin!”

she lets out a near scream and takes the box in her grubby hands, already popping one in her mouth.

“daddy, say ahhh,” she says with a mouth full of munchkins.

satoru does as she tells him to and opens his mouth enough for her to feed one to him, “thank you, munchkin!”

your heart swells watching them interact. he’s a good dad. you both talked about being parents together so many times and now that it’s happened, it still doesn’t feel entirely real, like you’re dreaming, but if this were a dream, you wouldn’t open your eyes.

you stand up and walk over to him, wrapping your arms around his torso, tighter than usual, inhaling his scent which you’ve spent all this time missing. you feel whole again and your nerves have eased up.

he leans down and presses a chaste kiss to your lips, “hi, sweetheart.”

“i missed you.”

he wipes your tears away with the pad of his thumb before wrapping an arm around you, the other holding your daughter, “i missed you more. both of you. gosh, i felt like i was gonna die if i had to be away for another day.” it may sound like an exaggeration, but to satoru it’s nothing less than the truth. it was agonizing to be apart from his wife and the mini version of him. he missed waking up next to you, missed helping your daughter with her homework and reading bedtimes stories before bed.

but you’re together again and that’s all that matters. you’ve never been more relieved to watch a familiar face walk through the door.

#gojo satoru #jujutsu kaisen #jjk #gojo fanfic #gojo x reader #gojou satoru x reader #gojo x you #gojo x y/n #gojo satoru x you #dad!gojo #fluff #jjk fluff #gojo fluff #satoru gojo fluff #parent au #jjk angst #angst to fluff #angst to comfort #gojo angst #satoru gojo x reader #gojo satoru x reader #i love gojo #satoru gojo #jujutsu kaisen x you

[feyreswaterybowels]

⭒The Silent One⭒

Azriel x Fem!OC

⭒ Part 1 ⭒ Part 2 ⭒ Part 3 ⭒

Word Count: 3.6k

Summary: Azriel finds the guy that sold Cassandra. Lots of bonding happens with Cassandra, Azriel and other members of the IC. Slight cliffhanger.

Warnings/Tags: mentions/implied rape. Mention past sexual abuse. Slow burn. Violence. Brief victim blaming. Found family. Protective!azriel. Protective!IC. GRAMMER ERRORS—I plan on going back to edit this please don’t judge me too hard I’m gonna have a busy week and just really wanted to get this posted for y’all🩷

Authors Note: all reblogs, likes and comments are welcome, appreciated and encouraged! Let me know if you’d like to be added to the tag list for the next chapter. Regular italics are inner thoughts and bold italics are mental communication.

Azriel stands in the darkness of night watching. Waiting. Body thrumming with anger. Calm cold anger. The kind that got people killed if they didn’t give him what he was looking for.

Only moments after Cassandra’s departure had his shadow returned to him. Telling him where to find this Vale. This horrid male who was taking females away from their family and selling them off—profiting off of them like livestock.

He sees the male, recognizes him from the briefs flash of memory Cassandra let slip at dinner, the one where this mad had choked her, slammed her against the wall just for needing to use the restroom.

The male is loading something up in the back of a wagon, the building behind him dark and dingy. Azriel let his shadows take him closer. Closer. Until he was standing in the alley between this man's house and another. The smell was horrid, small creatures scurrying about looking for their meal for the evening.

The male retreats into the building and Azriel lets a shadow loose to follow him—to be his eyes inside of this building. Inside is just as dark and dingy and piled high to the roof with…stuff. The blue skinned male navigates the maze of boxes and bins and trash with ease. He seems to be the only one here but Azriel knew better so he waits following the man through the seemingly endless maze.

That’s when he hears it, his shoulders going tight, his jaw clenching. Crying—no sobbing. A girl begging to be left alone as the male grabs her and pins her down to the floor.

“Fuck,” he growls. He pounds his fist against the outside of the building, taking chucks of the stone out. It’s loud enough to distract the man, to get him away from that girl as he rushed from the room under the floor, locking the locks and coming out. Looking around wildly for the source of the sound.

Azriel winnows, leaning against the wagon the man had been loading before, whistling to get the man attention. He whirls around, black eyes narrowed in anger, freezing in place when they land on him.

“Shadowsinger?” He grunts, narrowing his eyes at Azriel. “What brings you to these parts?”

Azriel looks him over, the smell of shit, piss and rot was overwhelming even from this distance.

“Vale,” Azriel says, to let the male know he knows who he is, rightfully see the fear in his eyes. “I’m looking for something and I hear you’re the one to help me.”

“I ain’t got nothing you need, pretty boy,” Vale sneers, crossing his arms, looking Azriel over. Trying to come off as tough but it’s actually laugh-able.

“Are you sure?” Azriel asks, pushing off the wagon. Letting his wings spread wide, walking closer, towering over the male. “See, I’ve got this female telling me you bought her from her dad and sold her to a pleasure house. I mean, tell me I’m wrong, man. I’ve just gotta check on these things. It’s a pretty serious accusation and all.”

“That chick’s got the wrong guy. I would never do something like that. These bitches are always trying to get us males in trouble,” Vale said, seeming to relax. Big mistake.

“You think so? Just tell me if you know her man. About this tall, really pretty, tan skin, white hair. Wings.” Azriel growls the last word, the man’s eyes widening again, taking a step back.

“Look, man, it’s not like that. Her dad owed me money, so he gave me her instead cause he couldn’t afford to pay me back, okay? So I didn’t technically buy her,” He stammered out, trying to explain himself.

“Oh,” Azriel said, nodding his head. “Well, I mean, if you didn’t technically buy her then no law was broken.”

“That’s right!” The male nods, sighing in relief. “No law was broken, man. I wouldn’t—I wouldn’t do that—”

“Yeah. I get it,” Azriel nods, shifting. Looking towards the building, then back to the low life in front of him. “And that female inside? Did you buy her? Is she here of her own free will allowing you to rape her daily?”

“Fuck,” Vale whispers, turning and running down the cobble stone road. Azriel stands there watching, a grin stretching his lips as he lets the male think he’s getting away.

“Send Morrigan,” He calls out to Rhys as he watches the male.

“She’s coming.”

Then he's gone again, just as Vale looks over his shoulder to try and spot him, only to smack hard into a body that came out of nowhere. He looks at the shadowsinger towering over him, swallowing thickly.

“What do you want from me?” The male nearly cried out as Azriel grabbed him and pulled him up, slamming his face first into a stone wall. The resounding crunch of his nose breaking is ever satisfying.

“Her name is Cassandra,” Azriel snarls into the man's ear. “She told us what you did to her. What you did to that female you have locked in that disgusting building. We know there’s more girls. We will find them all and when we do, I’ll let each one take a turn with you. Their weapon of choice. And you’ll feel exactly what they felt.”

“Ple-please. Please, just kill me,” The man begged, fighting in Azriel’s grasp but he was no match for Azriel’s strength.

“And what kind of justice would that be? Did you stop when those girls begged you to? Did you give them death with they would have preferred that over you using their bodies?” Azriel asked, scenting the smell of urine as the man pissed himself. “You deserve everything you’ve got coming to you.”

Before the pathetic excuse of a male could beg or plead any more Azriel grabbed the back of his head, smashing it into the wall, letting him fall unconscious to the ground. He left him there binded and hidden by shadows, stalking back to the building where he spotted Morrigan easily.

“Don’t tell me this is where he’s been keeping those poor girl?” She asked when she spotted him approaching.

“Unfortunately, I think it is. She said under his house but he could live here. I’ll question him more. I know there’s at least one female inside,” Azriel explained, guiding Morrigan into the building. Be could get the female on his own but he knew it was safer to have a female companion—after all they’d been through the least he could do was make sure a female was the one to comfort them.

They get to that basement floor, unlocking the various locks and pulling the hatch open. It’s as dark and dingy down here as it was in the rest of the building. Morrigan enters first, taking Azriel’s hand to steady herself on the old wobbly stairs.

“Your wings won’t fit down here,” She said, hushed. He nods at her. “Send a shadow if I call for help.” It’s said jokingly but he knows she’s serious. He’d rip the floor from this building to help her if she needed it.

Mor squinted her eyes in the dimness of the sellar, resisting the urge to plug her nose from the horrid smell.

“Hello? Is anyone down here?” She calls out, looking up from at Azriel when there’s no reply. “Hello, my name is Morrigan. I work for the High Lord. The male keeping you here is—”

Morrigan’s cut off when I body slams into hers, knocking her to the ground. She cries out in surprise when a sharp sting slices across her cheek.

“Stop, hey, stop! I’m here to help!” Mor calls out, trying to catch the hands of the female fae on top of her.

“Mor!” Azriel’s deep voice calls.

“I’ve got it!” Mor calls back, grabbing the girls wrists. “Please, stop! Vale is gone! He can’t hurt you, please, stop!”

The girl stops fighting then still tense where she’s straddling Morrigan’s middle section.

“He’s gone?” She whispers and Mor nods.

“Yes, he’s gone. He can’t hurt you any more. I swear,” She promises. Eyes finally able to take in the sight before her.

A fragile, naked, malnourished body sits atop her. Eyes not only shut but scarred as if they’d been cut—maybe by the same person that took Cassandra’s tongue. But what really got Morrigan, what had her ready to lose the contents of her stomach was the rounded belly attached to that nearly skeleton body. Her eyes welled and she helped the female to shift off of her body.

“Are you pregnant?” Mor whispers, trying to keep her voice from breaking as the female nods.

“Please, don’t let him take this one too,” She cries, reaching out to find Morrigan’s hand, squeezing it tightly. “Promise me I get to keep my baby.”

“I promise, no one is going to take your baby away from you,” Morgan swears, a single tear falling down her cheek. “What’s your name, sweet girl?”

“Neema, my name is Neema,” She answers and Mors eyes widen. The girl Cassandra told them about.

“You and your baby are safe, Neema. We’re gonna take you away from here, okay?” Morrigan says, standing and helping the pregnant female stand as well.

“I have my friend Azriel here too, he will not touch you, he’s only here to make sure no further harm comes to you. He’s handing me a cloak for you to wear,” Morrigan explains so the female doesn’t feel uncomfortable. She nods, allowing Mor to wrap the cloak around her.

“Are there any other females here?” Azriel asks gently, wishing he hadn’t with the way she clenched at the deep mess of it.

“Not—not that I know of. The females come and go. There’s been no others for months…” Neema answers, grasping the fabric tighter around her body.

Azriel and Mor share a look the last females had to have been Cassandra and the other two she mentioned.

“I’ll stay and check the building before I head back,” Azriel informed, consciously softening his voice so as not to scare the female again.

˖ ݁𖥔.☁︎.𖥔 ݁ ˖

Morrigan winnows away with Neema and Azriel searches every inch of the building with his shadows. No signs of any other females. He leaves the building, needing to relieve himself of the horrible stench.

He retrieves the still bound and unconscious male, winnowing him to his dungeon. He strips him, places a gag in his mouth, dumps him into a chair and binds him to it. He would be dealt with later.

The sun would be rising soon and he wanted to be there when they informed Cassandra they found the male and the female—her friend?

He enters Rhys' study, Cassian and Mor there too.

“How is she?” He asks, glancing at Morrigan then his brother.

“Resting,” Rhys answers. “Madja looked her over. Thankfully the baby seems healthy, Madja’s main concern is getting Neema to gain some weight and begin healing herself.”

“We offered her to live amongst the priestesses in the library, she agreed,” Morrigan said, her brown eyes bloodshot and cheeks flushed.

“Good, that’s all good, they’ll help her heal,” Azriel nods his head crossing his arms. “I have the male in my dungeon.”

“Have you gotten any information out of him?” Rhys asks, standing from his desk.

“Not much. He admitted to knowing who Cassandra was, receiving her from her father and holding her. He never admitted to selling her but that information won’t be hard to get out of him,” Azriel explains and Rhys nods in agreement.

“You get whatever information you can out of him and then he’s dead,” Rhys orders, Azriel doesn’t need to confirm he already knew what Rhys decision would be.

“Are we telling Cassandra?” Cassian asks, the first words he’s said the whole time.

“We are. She needs to know he’s here, it may bring her some comfort knowing he’s locked away and Neema is safe. I think you should be the one to talk to her, Azriel,” Rhy says, turning his attention to the shadow singer.

“Me? Not Mor?” Azriel asked, a bit confused.

“Yes, you. She’s comfortable with you. You’re the one that apprehended him. I believe she would prefer to hear it from you,” Rhys nods.

“Okay, I can do that,” Azriel agreed.

“You handle that, I’ve got some business to attend to with the priestesses. We’ll all meet up in a few hours to discuss further action.” Rhys stepped around his desk, patting Azriel’s shoulder when he passed by him.

˖ ݁𖥔.☁︎.𖥔 ݁ ˖

An hour goes by before Azriel tracks Cassandra down. Finding her in the library, flipping through a book where she’s sat in the large window seat that overlooked the city below. A steaming cup of tea next to her.

“I thought you couldn’t read?” Azriel asks, leaning against the door frame, grinning when those green eyes meet his.

“I can’t. I’m looking at the pictures,” She said, holding up the book, some romance book from the looks of the two people in a colorful garden.

“Ah,” Azriel says, walking further into the room. Trying not to focus on the way her eyes track up and down his body the closer he gets. He holds his hand out for the book, flipping it over the read the title, snorting at it. “Secret Garden Romance, huh?”

She shrugs, taking the book back.

“I asked the house for a book with a lot of pictures, this is what I got,” She said, a small sweet breathy laugh escaped her lips and he couldn’t help his own smile.

“Did you end up getting some sleep?” He asks, watching her set the book down and grab the warm mug.

“I slept but not great,” She shrugs. “I can’t stop thinking about my sisters.”

“We’re gonna do everything we can to find them, I promise you that,” Azriel said, not even waiting for a beat. He would find her sisters and he’d beat the shit out of her father too.

“You know I took my older sister's place. It was supposed to be her he sold off but the way she had cried when he told her. I couldn’t let him do that to her so I told him to take me…I didn’t really know what he meant when he was selling me. I thought I’d be a servant like the ones we had when I was a kid or something. I never thought…” She trailed off, taking a deep breath.

“You’re not to blame for what happened to you. You were protecting your sister. You did a very selfless thing. You're safe now and your sisters will be, too,” Azriel said, resting his elbows on his knees as he leaned towards her.

“Well, what about you?” Cassandra asked, gently changing the subject. “Did you ever get any sleep?”

Azriel sighed with a head shake. “No, actually. That’s kind of why I came to talk to you.”

Cassandra fixed him with a curious look, leaning forward as if to give him her full attention for whatever he needed to say. He looked into those glowing green eyes, filled with curious concern.

“We found that male. Vale. We found him,” Azriel said, watching the vast range of emotions flash through those emerald eyes.

“He’s here?” Is what she asks, fear tinging her voice. Azriel straightens his back.

“He will not touch you,” he declared, holding her gaze. “He won’t even come near you.”

I’ll fucking kill him if he does. He thinks but doesn’t add it out loud.

“He can’t get out of…wherever he is?” She asks, and he wants to reach out so badly to comfort her. The ache in his chest drawing him to her.

“No. He’s being held in a very secure place. I promise you’re safe here. You’re safe with us.” Azriel promises. You’re safe with me.

“Were there any females with him?” She asks and Azriel nods.

“The girl you told us about, Neema. She was the only one there—it had been only her for months.”

He watches as her eyes fill with tears, offering his hand for her to hold. She takes it, thumb tracing his scars unconsciously.

“Just her…alone with him for months. Gods, is she…I feel like okay isn’t the right word for what I want to ask,” She says, sadness written all over her face.

“She will be okay,” Azriel said. “She’s in bad shape. Pregnant, malnourished but we have an amazing healer and a library below the mountain. Many priestesses live there. Many of them have experienced similar traumas. They’ll help her heal.”

She looked thoughtful for a moment. He wasn’t sure what was going through her head as she sat there silently, grasping his hand and tracing his scars.

“I want him to die.” It’s fierce. Heated. Emotional. And it does something to Azriel��s heart, to his brain. He squeezes her hand. “I want him to feel everything we felt. To know the fear he put us through. I want him to suffer and then I want him to die.”

“He will die. I swear to the Mother. I’ll get every drop of information from him and when it’s time his death will be painful and slow,” Azriel swore, gently swiping a tear from her cheek.

˖ ݁𖥔.☁︎.𖥔 ݁ ˖

The next day is a day Cassandra would remember forever. She hadn't slept much the night before but Morrigan had practically begged her to have lunch.

Cassandra wasn’t entirely sure she was ready for a day out in the city but she felt safe with Morrigan. She nearly asked if Azriel could come too until she learned he would be spending the day collecting information from Kamari and Vale.

Morrigan picked out her outfit for the day and it was one of her favorites she’s worn since being here. A flowy silk top that tucked into a dark pair of slacks that raised high on my hips. They emphasized her longer legs in a way she had never noticed before. She had also pinned Cassandra’s hair up and out of her face.

She liked the way Azriel smiled at her when he saw her dressed this way. She blushed but was quickly rushed away by Morrigan, shouting something about wanting you to herself for the day for girl time.

Their first stop was a place she called the River House. A beautiful home that her mother would have loved. Morrigan had only had them stop here briefly to grab a few tote bags, wanting to shop while they were out but promised to bring her back and give her a proper tour of the house.

The city was even more beautiful when you were in it. The sun was shining bright in an endless blue sky. Better than any dreams she had ever had about it.

They went to bakeries, where Cassandra single handedly filled half a tote with various pastries.

Then a clothing shop where Morrigan helped her pick out some new clothes. A few everyday pieces. A gorgeous gown she wasn’t sure where she would wear it but Morrigan swore she would need it sooner or later. And then the softest, satin, dark blue nightgown—it had reminded her of the stones that glowed atop Azriel’s hands. Morrigan herself had picked out quite a few outfits and gowns of her own and a lace set that looked like something the girls in the pleasure houses would wear but she paid no mind to it—she was sure it would look gorgeous on Morrigan wherever she planned to wear it to.

Then they went to a place near the river for lunch, the glistening river was the perfect view while they ate.

“Do you feel like you’re settling in okay?” Morrigan asked, sipping on some kind of iced fruit tea while they waited for their food.

“I’m still…adjusting. I enjoy the company of everyone. I feel like I can trust you all. It’s just odd.” Cassandra says, taking a drink of her tea that was just slightly too sweet but she wasn’t complaining.

“What’s odd?” Morrigan asks gently.

“Trusting strangers more than I’ve ever trusted anyone else,” She says it like a confession, like she should be ashamed for feeling that way.

“I don’t think that’s odd,” Morrigan shrugged. “You’re around people like you, people you can relate to and get to know. It’s easy to feel safe with us in turn, causing your trust. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Cassandra smiles at Morrigan.

Their food comes soon after and they talk the whole time. Morrigan gives her the rundown of how Rhys, Azriel and Cassian all knew one another. She explained more about their titles and what each one of them did as a member of the inner circle. She told her about so much that Cassandra could believe she’d spent her whole live knowing practically none of it.

When they go to a bookstore Cassandra looks at a few before putting them back. Morrigan grabs them and tells her they’ll teach her to read—that she’ll love these books and so many more.

And when they finally get back to the House of a Wind it’s late. She's exhausted from carrying around nearly overflowing tote bags and eating more muffins then she can count.

A top the house where they have to land they’re greeted by the three males. Their solemn faces wiping the smile off your face. She caught Azriel’s eyes, sees the look of pure death there—a look that she just knows means he wants to kill someone.

And just like that, her perfect day with Morrigan took a turn straight down hill.

Tag List: @aelinwya @starlightandsouls @fullmoon-94 @aetherl0l @caticorn61 @lilah-asteria @blackgirlmagicforever @div94 @purple-writer8 @little-missbookyworm @saltedcoffeescotch @namelesssav @slytherintaco @whatsupb @little-missbookyworm

#azriel playing games with that male in the beginning lives rent free in my head #I just know he enjoys fucking with guys like that #thinking they could be all buddy buddy making them feel safe then bam he fucks them up #az and Cassandra got a bit of bonding in #as did Cassandra and Morrigan #besties for the resties #acotar #azriel #azriel fanfic #azriel x reader #acotar fanfiction #slow burn

[jaelvr]

Peach eyes

Home |  NCT 127 masterlist |

Requested : no

Prompts ; 34. “You keep that photo of us in your wallet?” + 106.  Waiting until they get to the door / get inside before driving off

Pairing : best friend! Haechan x reader

Pronouns : you/yours

Type : fluff

Word count : 500

Warnings : mutual feelings, friends to lovers, idol!au, fluff, slightly ooc

Have a great day !! 

——————————

"I got it." he interrupted, gently pushing your hand away as he handed his card to the server, paying for it before you could. "Hyuck! It was my turn!" you scolded, pouting at him. He chuckled, shaking his head as he handed you your cup of churros. "It's the least I could do after being busy for weeks." he shrugged, wasting no time in beginning to eat his cup. “You keep that photo of us in your wallet?” you asked, a soft look on your face as he nodded. He'd been busy with a bunch of promotions over the last month, so the second he'd found out he'd had time off, he'd insisted on taking you out, both deciding to go to the theme park for the day. The day had been fun, full of roller coasters and shy glances between the both of you when you thought the other wasn't looking.

"Hold on to me." he instructed, voice low as he intertwined your hands, keeping a firm grip on yours as he led the way through the crowd, carefully manoeuvring through the crowd. "You alright?" he asked, checking over you once the pair of you had gotten through, exiting the theme park. You hummed softly, earning a chuckle as he took in your appearance, gently running his thumb over the corner of your lips, brushing away the sugar that had stuck. Neither of you let go, continuing to hold hands as you walked back to his car, and got in.

He put the heating on and the music as he drove through the streets, occasionally singing along with you to the music. Every time you two went somewhere, he made sure to play the playlist you'd made together, a lovestruck grin on his face as he listened to you sing along. "We still on for lunch tomorrow?" you asked as he pulled into the driveway of your house. "You know it, sweet." he assured, squeezing your hand. Neither of you wanted the moment to end, your seatbelt off but making no movement to get out of his car. "Thank you for today." you whispered, your forehead gently resting against his. His face softened, cheeks warming up. "Anytime, peach." he reminded, earning a giggle as he used the nickname he had given to you ages ago.

"I'll see you tomorrow, sunshine." you responded, a playful smile on your face. Before he could say anything, you'd leaned forward, placing a quick and gentle peck on his lips before you got out. "Goodnight, Hyuck." you smiled, winking and shutting the car door behind you, quickly heading up the stairs and to your door. He stayed parked, watching you with a stupid grin on his face as he waited for you to go inside, making sure you were safe as he tried to calm down his rapid heartbeat. He pulled out his phone, sending you a quick message before he started his car again, pulling out of the driveway and going home. You picked your phone up, grinning as you saw one message from Sunshine.

'Goodnight, peach. Can't wait for our date tomorrow ;)'

#haechan #haechan x y/n #haechan x reader #haechan x you #haechan x male reader #haechan imagines #haechan imagine #haechan fluff #haechan fic #haechan fanfiction #lee haechan #lee haechan x reader #lee donghyuck #lee donghyuck x reader #lee donghyuck imagine #lee donghyuck fluff #donghyuck #donghyuck imagines #donghyuck fluff #nct haechan #nct donghyuck #nct #nct x reader #nct x you #nct x gender neutral reader #nct x y/n #nct imagines #nct fluff #nct fanfic #nct 127

[scarlet-ancunin]

omg BATSTARION, please can you please write about Tav being a druid ( a cat or dog whatever you like) who visits a cave just to visit Batstarion, and then one day Astarion is normal sitting in the cave waiting for the cat to visit and when they do it is Tav and that is the first time they see each other as there normal self.

A/n: heh sure okay, and because Astarion is a cat person and we purr for him i will make our gn Tav a cat but they will also be a druid for obvious reason. Enjoy~

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧

We Meet Again

Tav made it a tradition to visit a cave near the beach at Baldur's Gate it was secluded and did have a pretty sight of the ocean and the sunsets. Today was just like any other day, small black paws trailed along the familiar path towards that cave entrance.

Being a druid came with perks and this certainly was one of them since said cave wasn't exactly big it was small so by rights of being this size Tav deemed it a cave to them.

The question was, why did Tav visit this cave? They always seemed to come three times a week when they had business near this part of the city. Well as they crawled into the falled rubble they walked along until they hopped on top of a large but smooth surface.

"Meow" Tav called out softly and after a few moments They could hear the familiar flap echoing before a white bat with a unique curl of fur on top their head, with red eyes and cute little fangs of course their perception failed since they didn't had a red flag seeing them.

The bat simply plops on Tav's cat body and squeaks loudly flapping his wings as if happy to see them. The other perk of being a druid a special ability to speak to animals without spending money on animal speaking potions.

"Hello darling its been to long" The white bat squeaks at the end and flops dramatically on Tav's furry back. They rolled their eyes lays carefully as to not disturb the moment. "It was only a day ago i saw you" "still long as far as im concern, now say your sorry"

Tav's ears twitch lightly before saying sorry which seemed to brighten his mood once more. In truth Tav felt bad to be deceiving the cute little white bat since they can shift to human but they was thinking about taking them home where they can see the sights instead of being stuck in a cave. Sometimes they would bring him something to eat insects. He appreciated the kind gestures but Tav noticed he would look dazed whenever it was brought and they seemed sad on those days so Tav rarely does it luckily Astarion informs they he does eat.

Tav also had a odd infatuation with this dramatic Bat, sure it wouldn't be normal but they always wanted to be with him whenever they can and spend as much time as possible.

Tav decided to do something different today "when the sunsets can we sit at the beach" the bat scrunch his tiny face "thats new why?" Tav ears went back their paw lightly pushing a stray pebble Astarion found it cute seeing that meant they was embarrassed.

"I wanted to see the stars with you. Thats what your name means after all" Astarion was surprised by this squeaking cutely and flapping his wings before crawling over cutely and climbing unto Tav's back once more "only if you carry my last thing i want is my nails getting dirty by sand" he complains and They purr loudly as if happy. Luckily no one mentioned it.

The calm waves was soothing to hear whole the stars seemed to give them a beautiful scenery twinkling away like a person that is carefree.

Tav sat on the sand looking at the Moon slowly rising reflecting nicely on the ocean waves while Astarion was resting on top of there head squeaking happily. "Your right this is nice" he sniffs the air making his little nose twitch before looking down at Tav having the sudden urge to bite them. So he does and nips their ear making the black cat yelp low and hiss "Astarion you promised you wouldn't do that", "At that time not now so it doesn't count" he turned his little bat head to the side slightly and squeaks.

They stayed they way until Astarion slowly fell asleep on top of Tav while they curled up. Of course Tav woke up in time to gentle wake Astarion to head back inside since they had to go there was a sad look in his eyes if the sudden wetness around the cute red pupils didn't say anything. He made his way back inside whole Tav ran back to the city tiny paws left behind.

There was a week since Astarion last saw Tav. He missed them he also felt bad for lying to them because this was not his form. He made up his mind to take Tav home with him so she won't live on the streets anymore. His home wasn't big but it was in the corner of the city and blocked the sun a little better.

When the wall of the cave he was in crumbles more and a human crawls in now they both stare at each other shocked "your-" Astarion says at the same time Tav says "your not"

Now they stare at each other Tav slowly feeling a blush growing since the man before them was very handsome. "So your not an actual bat" Tav asked suddenly after they realized they was staring.... Respectfully. "Clearly not darling, but your not an actual cat so i suppose we both are full of surprises"

Tav chuckles and suddenly hugs Astarion which surprised the man but he slowly responds to it slightly awkwardly but he surprisingly welcomed it to it felt nice. Upon agreement Tav wanted Astarion to stay with them so they wont be alone and possibly make more money together then separate. Which Astarion agreed to after informing them he was... well a vampire Spawn which Tav didn't mind oddly. "I figured it out finally when you keep nipping me on those occasions and the bite mark on my cat ear left two tiny holes"

"Its sunny outside i cannot-" "turn into a bat and go inside my cloak" Tav said this to happy and almost as if they hoped he would. "Uh. Okay" he ignored how they whispered yes happily before shifting into a white bat with that same unique curl before slipping into their cloak tiny head peeking out which They happily pet the top of earning a content Squeak.

"Im truly happy i met you Astarion"

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧

Narrator: Little did Tav know the small creature in their bossom was just as happy to have met them.

Hope you like this~

BTW your welcomed to send me Batstarion and im oddly interested in Astarion being a father he deserves to be happy so you can send me those as well yep :)

#astarion baldurs gate #baldurs gate astarion #unhinged astarion simp #astarion #astarion ancunin #astarion bg3 #bg3 astarion #druid tav #tav and astarion #astarion x tav #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #astarion x you #astarion x reader #astarion x oc #astarion approves #astarion needs a hug #vampire spawn #spawn astarion #astarion romance #batstarion #thank you for the support #thank you anon #send request #request open #batstarian requests open #dadstarion request open

[sidesplashofsainz]

Invisible 2

I’m so sorry that this took me ages to finish, here is the original ending that the anon asked for

Here is the link to part one 🎀https://www.tumblr.com/sidesplashofsainz/747013673029189632/hiya-could-you-write-something-with-charles-x?source=share

here is the link to the angsty alternate ending 🎀

https://www.tumblr.com/sidesplashofsainz/747104615177273344/invisible-2?source=share

680 words around 3370 - 4381 characters 🎀

Charles was a dick—a proper dick. He had promised that he would never make you feel small or insecure around him, yet he had made you feel that way.

If the old Charles could see himself right now, he would have probably smacked himself hard on the head. 

He really didn’t know why he didn’t just talk to you, giving you the time and opportunity to explain why you said what you said. He knew it wasn’t your words that hurt him; it was the truth behind them that had smacked Charles in the face.

Charles lived in this delusional world where Ferrari were still the world champions and believed that he could bring the Scuderia back to its former glory. How silly of him to think that.

His wife’s words were the last straw; her words had shattered his whole perception of the team. He went back to all the failed races and championship opportunities.

Charles knew he had messed up big time; luckily for him, he knew how to make up big time as well. He started off by driving to Paris just to pick up your favorite pastries; he followed that up with picking up your favorite flowers. Black Red and white roses mixed with tulips—you said that they reminded you of Monaco and Charles; that’s why they were your favorites. Charles shakes his head and laughs faintly, his heart feeling heavy. He couldn’t wait to make it up to you. He was willing to hear you yell and curse at him; he was willing to endure the hits that your fists would throw at his arms and shoulders. He just missed you—your voice, your happy smiles, your eyes, everything about you. 

He played your favourite song on his drive back, wishing that you were next to him. 

Your soft cries welcomed him home, waking him up to the mess he had created for no valid reason. He was scared. For the first time, he was scared to see you.

Never did he expect to find you in the state you currently were in, shaking and trembling hands all red from the scratches you inflicted on yourself—a crying mess. Little sorry being muttered in between the shallow breaths you were taking, Charles felt his eyes water, knowing he was the cause of all your pain and anguish. 

His watercolored eyes were all it took for you to collapse into his arms, just wanting the warmth and comfort that only he possessed; it was intoxicating his heartbeat; his scent was his presence; it was overwhelming for you.

Everything that you had tried to hide came bubbling up to the surface. Charles was all you needed; he will always be what you desire, regardless of what he does to you. 

Charles was shaking; his eyes were wet and closed with regret. He started muttering incoherent apologies into your soft hair; all you could hear was “mon ange” over and over again. It took him an hour to calm both himself and you down. 

What followed after that hour was Charles apologising over and over for what felt like an eternity. You didn’t let him forget how he made you feel. You made sure to set boundaries and make sure that you’d never let him bring you down such a dark path again. The rest of the day was spent with Charles making up to you in every single way known to mankind, from hugs and kisses to soft intimacy, breakfast in bed, long shopping sprees, hundreds of flowers, and what felt like millions of love letters. All of that was followed by devoting the whole week to fixing everything he had destroyed, both physically and mentally. 

It took weeks for everything to go back to the way it was, for you to feel like you were finally seen by your husband, and for you to not feel invisible. Everything took time and effort for the both of you to rebuild your relationship. Everything worked out in the end; you were no longer invisible. 

#charles leclerc x wife reader #f1 imagine #f1 scenario #f1 x reader #mafia!charles leclerc #mafia!f1 #charles leclerc #dad!charles leclerc #formula 1 #fanfic #fandom #charles lecrelc

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for leaving my friend groups Discord server?

💐💐💐 So I can find this later. For context, I was in 2 servers that were friend groups, where my friends would all interact with each other, play & stream games, etc. However, recently we had a situation where someone, let's call her Sasha, would send many vent messages in the general channel, then delete said message before we could respond or even look at the messages, & get mad at us for not responding. She'd also complain about everything that happened in her life, school, in games, & she'd always repeat the same things, over & over again. In the end, we got tired of how she was forcing everyone to stop being as active in the server because of her behavior & actions, so we all made another server, without Sasha, so we could interact with peace without her interrupting conversations. This all happened 3-4 months ago. Then 3 of the people in our new server got a game on Roblox, Deepwoken. Another person, let's call him Kevin, already had the game for a while, so they all got the game & started playing all together. They were incredibly passionate about it, it would be the only thing talked about. One of them got me the currency to get Deepwoken, so I could play with them all. A while later, I got a hang of the game, then when I asked if any of them could play with me, one of them, let's call him Tim, would keep telling me that "Oh, you have to play the game alone to get the real experience, & to learn things better." every time I would ask. Sometimes, rarely, they'd answer some questions I had about the game that I didn't quite grasp yet, & a lot of the time i'd just, not receive any answer. After a while, I got tired of how they didn't respond to me at all, so I just stopped playing. Keep in mind, I don't have any other friends that have the game, so I didn't have anyone else to talk to about it. I love my friends but I felt ignored & was hurt, so I passed ownership to another friend of mine, & left. About a day after leaving, I ended up feeling extremely depressed & overwhelmed with schoolwork, eye appointments, a random limb & joint pain that I had no idea why I was having, & I accidentally unfriended Tim. With my being extremely overwhelmed, thinking it was a good idea at the time, I sent him a message saying "accidentally unfriended u mb. u could also not accep, that works too" Then another message after that one, "okay well um, im gonna assume that you arent going to accept it again so thank you for all youve done for me before you say that im making it sound like i gave up; i have given up i gave up a little while ago" After that, I got a message from him saying that I needed to calm down, that my friend request wasn't the most important thing in his mind right now, & that he's allowed to put it on hold for at least a day before I start telling him some "nvm shit". I sincerely apologized & told him that I needed to take a break, that I hope he's doing okay, & that I hope college goes well for him. I did indeed, take a break, for only 2 weeks because I felt extremely guilty, stupid & reckless. Those weeks felt like forever because that whole thing was on my mind 24/7. It was eating me alive. & No, I am not saying to gain pity. Just trying to explain what I felt. Tim answered, told me that I should grow & change as a person, & that he doesn't mean it in a condescending way, that the server was meant to be a safe space, that in order to make everyone comfortable, there's some things we need to just not say or some things we need to think about a lot before saying them. It's the reason Sasha got booted, & that we give as much as we get. I'm reading back on his messages, & I didn't say anything in the server to make everyone uncomfortable. Am I the asshole?

What are these acronyms?

#aita #am i the asshole

[thatdammchickennugget]

White Lie

PART FOUR

pairing - lorenzo berkshire x fem!reader

summary - After accidentally telling your mom you have a new boyfriend, you have to resort to your last option and ask your old friend turned enemy for help.

warnings - fake dating trope, cursing, mention of cheating, some bullying, grumpy x sunshine vibes, university au set in the states, only one tent trope?, mention of blood and injury, hospital

wordcount - 3.4k

series masterlist

As Enzo and you arrived at the campground where your family was celebrating the Fourth of July, the familiar sights of tents and picnic tables greeted you, members of your family flitting around the space as they set up decorations and prepared the grill to get dinner started. 

You had been driving, lost in your thoughts for the last half hour about the surprisingly pleasant car ride. Both you and Enzo were in a weirdly good mood today, playfully bantering instead of shooting insults at each other for once, and it made the journey feel lighter and more enjoyable than the other times you had found yourselves alone in a car together recently.

Reflecting on the recent changes in your dynamic with Enzo, you couldn't help but acknowledge the shift that had been happening in these last ten weeks. The tension that had once filled the air between you two seemed to dissipate slowly but gradually. 

At school, you noticed a huge difference - you were a lot less hostile towards each other. You even found yourselves exchanging greetings in the halls, sometimes even sending each other a funny TikTok that reminded you of your chaotic families, a far cry from the days of complete avoidance over the last years.

A particular incident came to mind, one that had surprised you greatly. Last week in the library, when Enzo's friends had been getting rowdy once again, distracting you and the other occupants of the tables near the group, you had shot them a pointed glare. To your amazement, Enzo had stepped in, telling his friends to quiet down, offering a small awkward smile in your direction. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes about the changing dynamics between you.

As you drove into the tranquil campground, the sun casting a warm golden glow over the lush surroundings, your excitement grew palpable. The scent of pine trees filled the air, and the distant sound of a bubbling stream provided a soothing backdrop. You did not care about the holiday, to be honest, but the annual camping trip was something you found yourself excited for every year. 

You parked the car and stepped out, greeted by the familiar embrace of your mom and dad. Their smiles were infectious, and you couldn't help but return it tenfold. The anticipation of spending some quality time with your family in such a serene setting was a feeling like no other and you couldn't wait to find your brother to discuss what trail you were going to hike this time.

"Come on, hurry up and set up your tent before dinner is ready!" your mom chimed, her eyes twinkling mischievously. She pointed to the edge of the lot, right next to the trees marking the entrance to the forest. You couldn't help but notice the spot was nowhere near the other tents. "We saved you a special spot. I thought you might appreciate a little privacy."

You shot her a glare as you blushed at the implication. "Mom, stop being weird," you tried to laugh off your embarrassment, shouldering your bags to get away from her teasing. Meeting Enzo's eyes, you playfully rolled your eyes when he wiggled his eyebrows at you.

With a shared laugh, you made your way to the spot they had saved for you. As you began setting up your tent, the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves provided a calming soundtrack to the evening.

Enzo got right to work on the tent as you watched in amusement. He was struggling to figure out the poles, looking confused enough that you almost took pity on him. But you decided to see if he was able to figure it out on his own.

As he wrestled with the tent poles, you couldn't resist a teasing remark. "You know, I've seen Caleb build sand castles with more finesse."

He shot you a mock glare, his lips twitching with a smirk. "Oh please, like you're the Bear Grylls of camping. I bet you're secretly hoping I'll figure this out so you don't have to do any actual work."

You raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "Oh, of course not. Because clearly, you've got everything under control. I'm just here for moral support and to witness this epic battle of man versus tent."

Enzo's jaw tightened but his eyes flashed teasingly. "You know, if you spent half as much time helping as you do running that mouth, maybe we'd actually get this done before the food is ready."

You smirked, leaning against a nearby tree. "Ah, but where's the fun in that? Watching you struggle is the highlight of my day. Besides, I wouldn't want to steal the spotlight from your riveting tent-building performance."

Enzo shot you a playful scowl, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "Remind me again why I agreed to fake date you?"

You chuckled, enjoying the banter. "Uhm, you were the one to propose the idea, remember?"

Enzo's expression shifted to one of mock horror. "I must've been temporarily insane."

You couldn't help but chuckle at his dramatics. "Oh, come on, Enzo. It's not that bad. I only make fun of you every now and then."

He shot you a playful glare. "Gee, thanks for the mercy. I don't know how I'll survive with such generosity."

Rolling your eyes, you retorted, "Well, someone's got to keep your ego in check. Can't have you thinking too highly of yourself, now can we?"

ੈ♡˳

Later that day, as the sun began its descent, casting a golden hue over the campground, you sat on a log in front of the the crackling campfire. You sat shoulder to shoulder with Erica, the two of you sharing a blanket with Enzo’s mom, Michelle, on your other side. Across the fire on another log sat your own mom, next to Jenny who was cuddled up to her fiancé. With marshmallows roasting and laughter in the air, the atmosphere was cozy and relaxed, the noise of the other men and Caleb setting up fireworks down by the lake a gentle backdrop to the scene.

However, the mood shifted as the conversation turned to you and Enzo. Your sister Jenny, seemingly still trying her hardest to make you uncomfortable, leaned forward eagerly. "So, spill the beans, y/n. How's it going with Enzo?"

You felt a flush of heat rise to your cheeks as all eyes turned to you. Erica grinned, squeezing your hand, while your mom and Michelle exchanged knowing glances. You cleared your throat, trying to gather your thoughts. "Uh, well, you know, it's going... fine," you stammered, attempting to keep up the façade. After a – not to toot your own horn, but – stellar performance this afternoon, you had let your guard down, almost forgetting that you were meant to act all lovey dovey with the annoyingly tall boy.

Jenny leaned forward, her expression skeptical. "Oh, come on. You can't expect us to believe that. We all know how you two used to be like cats and dogs. Are we supposed to believe that all of a sudden you're in love?"

You shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. Apparently your little talk on mother’s day hadn’t gotten her off your back after all. "Well, people change, Jenny. Enzo and I have just... matured," you replied, hoping to deflect her suspicions. “Maybe you should try that too.”

Jenny's eyes narrowed. "Matured? Please. I've seen more chemistry between a rock and a hard place. If you ask me, this whole thing seems fishy."

You bristled at her words, trying to maintain your composure despite the growing unease in your gut. "What's that supposed to mean?" you shot back, your tone sharper than you intended.

Jenny shrugged nonchalantly, her gaze steady. "Just that it seems a little too convenient, don't you think? It sounds like a load of bull to me."

Your jaw tightened as you fought to keep your temper in check. "Well, believe what you want, Jenny. But the truth is, Enzo and I are together, whether you like it or not," you replied, your voice tight.

Your mother, sensing the tension, finally interjected with a gentle tone, "Come on, girls, let's not ruin the mood. We're here to have a good time, remember?"

You took a deep breath, trying to calm your racing thoughts, but before you could respond to her, a pained yell echoed across the lake, cutting through the air like a knife.

The yell was unmistakably Enzo's. Your heart skipped a beat as you turned towards the direction of the sound. There, on the edge of the lake, you saw him lying on the ground, his leg bent at an unnatural angle, a look of agony contorting his features.

"Oh my god!" you shouted, the panic evident in your voice as you sprinted towards him, your feet pounding against the dirt.

Erica and Michelle followed closely behind you, their faces etched with concern. Jenny and your mother trailed behind, their voices a distant murmur amidst the rush of adrenaline coursing through your veins.

When you reached his side, you dropped to your knees beside him, your hands trembling as you assessed his injury. His leg was clearly broken, and he winced as he tried to move it.

"What happened?" You asked urgently, your heart pounding in your chest.

Enzo gritted his teeth, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "It hurts like hell," he managed to choke out, his voice strained with pain.

You glanced around frantically, trying to think of what to do. "We need to get you to a hospital," you said, looking around to find the closest adult. Michelle nodded in agreement, her hands shaking. Frank, Enzo’s dad, was already fishing his keys out of his pockets but he was stopped by your own dad putting a hand on his shoulder.

“You can’t drive him, you’ve been drinking all day,” your dad told him firmly.

“We’ve all been drinking, Will. Come on, it’ll take ages for an ambulance to get out here,” Frank tried to push past your dad.

Jenny's voice cut through the tense atmosphere. "Y/n hasn't had a drink yet. She should drive him," she pointed out, her tone surprisingly calm given the circumstances.

You blinked, momentarily taken aback by her suggestion. It made sense though; you were the only one who hadn't indulged in any alcohol since arriving at the campground, afraid that the alcohol would have you spilling your secret.

Your mother's expression softened as she looked at you, her eyes filled with gratitude for your sister's observation. "Jenny's right," she agreed, her voice steady despite the underlying worry. "Are you okay to drive, sweetheart?"

You nodded, even though it might have been the last thing you wanted to do right now. As Mason and Frank helped Enzo into your car, your heart pounded with worry. The adrenaline was coursing through your veins, making you feel hyper-aware of every detail around you. Without another word, you hurried to the driver's side of the car, sliding into the seat while trying not to look at the bleeding gash running down Enzo’s leg.

Michelle started to climb into the car as well, but Enzo stopped her with a strained smile. "Mom, I'll be fine. You guys should still enjoy your night," he insisted, trying to mask the pain in his voice.

Michelle hesitated, torn between her concern and her desire to let him handle the situation. After a moment, she relented, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Alright, honey. But please, call us if you need anything. We'll be right here," she said, her voice filled with love and worry.

Enzo managed a weak nod before closing the car door, wincing as he adjusted his position to find a comfortable spot. As Mason and Frank stepped back, you wished Michelle would be tagging along.

With a deep breath, you focused on the task at hand. Starting the car, you carefully navigated out of the campground, your mind racing. The nearest hospital wasn't too far away, but every minute felt like an eternity as you drove.

Enzo remained surprisingly calm during the drive, his breathing steady despite the obvious pain he was in. You stole a glance at him every now and then, fighting hard to keep your nausea in check.

Enzo, wanting to lighten the mood, attempted a joke. "Well, this wasn't exactly how I planned on spending the Fourth of July," he said with a weak chuckle.

Your nerves were already frayed, and his attempt at levity grated on you. With a sharp tone, you snapped, "This isn't the time for jokes, Enzo."

Something looking awfully close to hurt flashed in his eyes, and he fell silent for the rest of the drive. Guilt gnawed at you as you realized you had lashed out at him when he was already in pain. You wanted to reach out, to apologize, but the words caught in your throat. The rest of the drive was tense and silent, broken only by the occasional direction from him as you navigated the unfamiliar streets to the hospital.

ੈ♡˳

Enzo's demeanor was subdued now, the pain medication and sedation taking its toll. As you sat beside him, you couldn't shake off the guilt for snapping at him earlier. Watching him wince as the doctor stitched up his wound only intensified your feelings of remorse. But he seemed to be in a preppy mood again, the drugs clearly doing their job, his words slightly slurred as he tried to make conversation.

"Hey, you know what's funny?" he mumbled, lips stretching into an almost cute looking grin.

"What's that?" you asked softly.

Enzo's eyes twinkled as he met your gaze. "I was just thinking, this is the most action I've ever gotten on the Fourth of July," he joked, nodding down to the doctor focused on closing his wound.

You couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. "Well, you certainly know how to make the holiday memorable," you replied.

Enzo's grin widened slightly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Hey, I aim to please," he quipped, surprising you when one of his hands reached out to grab yours. Weirdly enough, you didn’t feel the urge to pull away.

As the doctor finished up with the stitches, Enzo let out a relieved sigh, his body visibly relaxing. You stayed by his side, as he discarded his gloves, explaining that a nurse would be with you soon to put on his cast.

As the doctor left the room, leaving the two of you alone, a palpable silence settled between you. You sat there, still holding his hand, unsure of what to say next. It was then that Enzo spoke up, voice still slurred.

"Why do you look like that?" he asked, a finger coming up to poke at the frown between your brows.

With a sigh, you pushed his hand away from your face. “Like what?”

“All pouty,” he told you, this time attempting to tug at a strand of your hair. “Shouldn’t you be happy about seeing me all miserable.”

“Miserable? You’re high off pain meds right now, I think you’re actually having a blast,” you laughed, but he was still looking at you questioningly. “But I have to admit it’s pretty entertaining. I just hope we can get out of here soon. I hate hospitals.”

His brows furrowed as his eyes wandered away from you, falling to the poster’s around the walls of the room. “Do you know what I hate?”

Enzo's question caught you off guard, and you couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in curiosity. "What do you hate?" you asked, intrigued by the sudden shift in conversation.

He let out a sigh, his gaze returning to yours with a mixture of frustration and determination. "Your cheating cunt of an ex,” he stated bluntly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Your breath caught in your throat at the mention of your ex-boyfriend , surprised by the intensity of Enzo's words. "Brad?" you echoed, unsure of where this was coming from.

Enzo nodded, his jaw tightening with a sense of resolve. "Yeah, Brad. I hate him," he repeated, his voice tinged with bitterness.

You blinked in surprise, taken aback by his sudden confession. "Well, then we have that in common I guess,," you mumbled, caught off guard by him bringing this up. Maybe he was even more out of it than you had thought.

Enzo let out a humorless chuckle, his expression darkening. "I always have," he continued. “He never deserved you. He never did.”

Enzo's words hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over the otherwise quiet hospital room. You couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions swirling inside you - surprise, confusion, and even a hint of gratitude.

"Thank you?" you said, still trying to process Enzo's unexpected revelation. The idea of him harboring such strong feelings towards your ex-boyfriend was a revelation in itself, considering the tumultuous history between you. But he was probably just saying random things now. He hadn’t cared about you for years, so why would that suddenly have changed over the last year?

Enzo's expression softened slightly, his gaze meeting yours with a hint of vulnerability. "I need you to know that," he affirmed, his voice carrying a weight of sincerity that caught you off guard. "I never thought he was good enough for you. And what he did..." Enzo's voice trailed off, his jaw clenching as if holding back more words.

You swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in your throat. Memories of the pain and heartache he had caused flooded back.

"I know," you assured quietly, feeling a surge of emotion welling up inside you.

Enzo's eyes softened as he gently squeezed your hand. A ghost of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and for the first time in a long while, there was no trace of the usual teasing or sarcasm in his expression.

Before you could dwell on it further, the door creaked open, and a nurse bustled into the room, interrupting the quiet moment. She greeted you both with a warm smile, her cheerful demeanor a stark contrast to the heaviness that had settled over the room.

"Alright, let's get that cast on, shall we?" she chirped, bustling over to the bedside with a tray of supplies.

Enzo nodded, releasing your hand reluctantly as he shifted his attention to the nurse. You watched in silence as she expertly went about her task, mind still reeling as you thought about what just happened between the two of you.

ੈ♡˳

As the gentle glow of the lantern outside cast soft shadows against the walls of the tent, you sat there in the quiet darkness, the events of the day replaying in your mind like a broken record. Enzo lay beside you, his breathing steady and even as he slept soundly, unaware of the turmoil raging inside you.

Caleb, lying between you, stirred slightly in his sleep, mumbling something incoherent before settling back down. He had insisted on sleeping with you tonight tonight, and you had happily agreed, eager not to be alone with Enzo.

You couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air, the memory of his's pained yell echoing in your mind like a haunting refrain. The image of him lying on the ground, his leg twisted at an unnatural angle, sent shivers down your spine.

But even more unsettling were the words he had spoken in the hospital room, the unexpected converation stirring up a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. The sincerity in his voice, the vulnerability in his eyes - it left you feeling unsettled yet strangely comforted, a confusing mix of thoughts swirling inside you.

As you sat there in the quiet darkness, the rhythmic sound of Enzo's breathing filling the air, you couldn't help but wonder about the shifting dynamics between you. The tension that had once defined your relationship seemed to have softened, replaced by a newfound understanding and a tentative sense of connection.

You glanced over at his sleeping form, his features softened, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. Despite everything that had happened, there was a sense of peace in this moment, a fleeting moment of calm.

But amidst the uncertainty and confusion, one thing remained clear - there was still so much left unsaid between you and Enzo. So many questions left unanswered, and so many wounds left unhealed.

Series Taglist - @iamaslytherin0 @bath1lda @hereticdance @ohmaigwad @wordsarelife @pinkposttragedy @allshitsangiggles @hoeforvinniehackerrr @aheadfullofdreams @mildly-delulu @h3artz4soph @sunasbbie @marsbars09 @vcosette @meepycheep @aglady13 @rinalouu @floswife @ariensversion @agent-tempest @s0urw00lf @thebiggestnaturaldisaster @pinkestfloyd @xlinxdax0704 @kennedy-brooke @iamaconfusedpan @keira-kaz2y5 @chulabeans @l0v3do11 @acourtoflostandwanderingstars @catiwinky @istill-dream-ofyou @pinktreee @ceehance @lizhub @iamgayforyourmom1501 @feistyfox47 @i-think-you-are-gr8 @bigbobass @cas-planet @csmt_m @selyselyselyse @mrsriddles-blog @the-sylver-dragon @poppysrin @camille-1019 @laniirackssss @slvtfortheo @chaoticweirdloyalroyaltrouble @chosenoneslver @txzii @c0rnf1akessss @itsarajr

Masterlist

Requesting Guidelines

Get Added To The Taglist

#enzo berkshire #enzo berkshire x reader #enzo berkshire x you #enzo berkshire imagine #lorenzo berkshire #lorenzo berkshire x reader #lorenzo berkshire imagine #harry potter #slytherin boys #fanfiction #fanfic #fic #mari writes

[yetanothersparrowofthedawn]

Happier than ever

Pairing: Jake x Reader

Genre: Angst, hurt, ex!Jake

Extended Masterpost

Context: Y/N is so so so perfectly happy *practiced smile* yay marital bliss.

Disclaimer: English isn’t my native language, so I apologize in advance for mistakes and awkward wordings to come. Also, I guess this fic could be triggering for some because it’s kind of sad and angsty.

Word Count: 2.5k

Previous Track: Honeymoon (3 months prior)

Chapter soundtrack: Happier than ever – Billie Eilish

When I'm away from you, I'm happier than ever. Wish I could explain it better. I wish it wasn't true.

The London night hung heavy outside the windows of the elegant townhouse YN now called home. She sat at her desk, surrounded by scattered sheets of lyrics and half-empty coffee cups. Despite the late hour, her mind refused to rest.

Ever since returning from her honeymoon, YN had been trying her best to bury herself in work. As she sifted through the papers, her phone buzzed insistently, breaking the silence of the night.

She glanced at the screen, the number displayed unfamiliar once again. Another anonymous call, just like the countless others that had become a regular occurrence since her move to London three months prior.

With a sigh, she hit the decline button and tossed the phone aside, frustration bubbling beneath her calm exterior.

At first, she dismissed it as a nuisance, perhaps a misguided fan or a random prankster. But the calls persisted. She had tried blocking the numbers, changing her settings, everything she could think of to put an end to it, but to no avail. The rare times she’d picked up, silence had greeted her before the caller abruptly disconnected.

That night, though, she noticed something. The International dialing code seemed different from usual. A quick google search informed her it was Brazilian.

Her thoughts drifted back to a short conversation she’d had a few weeks prior. Josh. He’d mentioned the band's upcoming tour in South America.

No, YN thought, there’s just no way. She brushed off the thought.

Still, she found herself lying in bed a couple hours later, checking Greta’s Instagram account. There was just no way. Only, she was met with a photo posted just an hour before. The description read, “Thank you for a remarkable show. See you soon, Sao Paulo.”

Fuck.

--

A week later, the glow of her phone illuminated the dark bedroom. Another call, another unknown number, another international code.

With a quick glance at Harry's sleeping form beside her, YN slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb him. She tiptoed towards their bathroom and quietly locked the door behind her.

The girl leaned against the sink, her fingers trembling as she answered the call. Silence greeted her on the other end, a heavy weight pressing down on her chest.

Enough of this.

"Jake?" she tried, her voice barely a whisper. But there was no response, only the empty void that seemed to stretch on endlessly.

"Is that you?" She tried again, desperation creeping into her voice. But still, there was nothing, only the echo of her own words bouncing back at her.

Frustration bubbled up inside her, mingling with the deep-seated concern that gnawed at her from within.

“Jake, I know it’s-” the call abruptly disconnected. Her heart sank, an uncomfortable feeling settling in the pit of her stomach.

--

For the following three weeks, YN found herself in a semi-constant state of anxiety, her eyes darting nervously to her phone at every passing moment. Nights offered no respite, each small noise in the house sending her heart racing as she scrambled to check her phone.

Finally, on yet another sleepless night, her phone lit up. American dialing code. The boys might have returned to the States before embarking on the European leg of their tour.

Silently slipping out of bed, she made her way to the kitchen and answered the call. Without surprise, she was once again greeted by silence.

After a brief moment, she spoke into the void. "Are you alright?"

There was no immediate response, only the sound of uneven breaths on the other end of the line.

"It's late," she stated firmly. "I'm going to hang up now—"

"I wanted...” the caller suddenly spoke. Her breath was caught in her throat. She’d been right. “I wanted to hear your voice," his voice was rough, his words slurred. YN sighed.

“Are you drunk?” she asked, her tone annoyed. But there was no reply, only the quiet of the night surrounding her.

Suddenly, a noise erupted from the other end of the line, a distant car horn echoing through the darkness.

"What was that?" YN's voice rose with concern. "Was that a car? Have you been driving?"

She knew too well of Jake's reckless habits, the demons that had haunted him like a shadow. The thought of him spiraling out of control in some far-off corner of the world sent a chill down her spine.

"Fucking say something," she snapped, her frustration boiling over. But before she could receive an answer, the call abruptly ended. She winced.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Panic began to gnaw at the edges of her mind as she struggled to make sense of the situation.

“Love,” a voice broke her train of thoughts, “what are you doing up?”

Harry.

“It’s Patty” YN said, turning to face him. “Go back to bed, I’ll be right behind you.”

Harry's brow furrowed with concern. "Is everything alright?" he asked, his eyes searching hers for any sign of distress.

"Yeah," she replied hastily, attempting to brush off his concern with a forced smile. "Just... schedule stuff." She shocked herself with how quickly the lies kept on tumbling out.

“Okay," Harry nodded, turning to head back to bed.

YN couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that ate at her conscience as she watched him leave the room. She hated lying to him, but she couldn't bear to burden him with the truth of her worries, not when she didn't even know how to confront them herself.

When the bedroom door clicked shut behind Harry, YN wasted no time. With trembling fingers, she dialed a number and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" Josh's voice, groggy with sleep, came through the line.

"Do you know where he is?" YN's hushed words rushed out.

"YN, it's like 1am over here, what—" Josh started to protest, but she cut him off.

"Do you know where he is?" she repeated, her tone insistent.

"Where is wh—"

"Jake," she interjected, her voice trembling. "Do you know where Jake is?"

Josh paused for a moment before responding, his voice serious. "At his place, I assume. Why? Wh-what's going on?"

YN struggled to find the words, her mind racing with a million thoughts at once. She quickly explained the situation, knowing that Josh would understand without needing further explanation.

Josh fell silent for a moment. He, too, knew the root of her concern, and understood what scared her to death.

"I'll take care of it," he assured her, his voice firm with determination. "Don't worry."

Relief flooded through YN as she hung up the phone, though she couldn't bring herself to return to bed. Instead, she sat on the sofa, her nerves on edge as she waited anxiously for an update.

 The minutes stretched into hours, and the first rays of sunlight began to filter through the window when she finally received a text from Josh.

"He's okay," it read.

Exhaustion gave way to mounting frustration and anger. That’s it? She thought. She’d been staying up all night for this shit; lying to her husband for this shit. She sighed heavily; biting the inside of her cheek so hard she could taste blood.

Fuck this.

YN texted back, “Thanks. Tell him to leave me alone.”

__

After a couple of weeks of silence, with no calls disrupting the uneasy calm, YN began to hope for long-lasting peace. She almost felt guilty for her earlier frustrations, often wondering whether Jake was doing better.

However, any hopes of tranquility were shattered when a storm erupted in the Greta Van Fleet online fandom.

A fan's comment on one of Jake's posts caught fire, igniting a frenzy of speculation. The comment read, "Okay, I was at last night's concert and let’s just say, it was not it. I feel like that's been happening a lot recently. So, what is it my man? Trouble with the fam? or did some bitch do you dirty?"

To everyone's shock, Jake had replied to the comment.

 Two words.

 "The latter."

The internet exploded, and although Jake deleted the comment an hour later, the damage was done. The news reached YN like a punch to the gut.

She couldn't believe it. To have Jake talk shit about her on the internet was a new low. Though no one outside of their inner circle knew he was referring to her, the mere implication cut deep. And there was nothing she could even do or say. Especially from halfway across the world.

YN stood on the balcony, gazing out at the sprawling London skyline, but instead of feeling captivated by its beauty, bitterness flooded her senses. Jake had somehow managed to make her hate this city. Worst, he’d made her resent Harry for simply asking her to move there. The constant rain felt like a mockery, and the distance from where she truly belonged only amplified her sense of displacement.

And the most infuriating part? She had let him. Her thoughts were blinded by anger as she put pen to paper. Even after all this time, she had allowed Jake to ruin everything good. Perhaps it was a good thing she found herself far away from him. All he seemed capable of doing was bringing her endless sorrow.

Harry, on the other hand, was the epitome of reliability. He always showed up on time. Got along with her friends, got along with Patty. Did everything right.

So why was Jake the one occupying her thoughts day and night? It was like a poison, slowly corroding the good in her life until all that was left was the bitter taste of regret and anger.

As YN stood on the balcony, her phone suddenly lit up. Jake's name. He finally had the guts to call her with his own phone.

She reached for the device, her fingers curling around it tightly. She stared at it for a moment, considering her options. She could let it ring. Or she could reply. For what, though? She thought. Some half-assed apology? Telling her how it’s all some big misunderstanding?

Without a second thought, she clenched her jaw and, with a determined flick of her wrist, let her phone drop over the railing, watching as it plummeted towards the ground below.

The sound of shattering glass echoed through the night as the device met its demise on the pavement.

It was a stupid but cathartic gesture. With a sense of finality, she turned away from the balcony, leaving behind the remnants of her broken phone and the memories it held.

--

Two weeks later.

Jake stumbled along the hotel hallway. The band had just wrapped up a show in Glasgow, which had gone rather well considering the blinding hangover that had been clinging to their lead guitarist throughout the tour. Jake had therefore rewarded himself with a local treat, that is, the now half-empty bottle of scotch in his hand. When in Rome, right?

Feeling for his keycard in his pockets, Jake cursed softly as he came up empty-handed. He decided to try the room across from his, hoping his baby brother hadn’t gone to bed just yet. He pressed his ear against the door and breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of a TV playing inside. Bingo.

With a drunken knock, Jake announced his presence before the door swung open to reveal Sam. "What's up?" he greeted.

"Lost my key," Jake mumbled, brushing past Sam and collapsing onto the nearest bed. " m’tired," he added, his words slurred from the alcohol.

However, amidst the haze of his drunken stupor, Jake noticed something amiss.

 It was too quiet.

“Why d’you turn it off?” Jake asked, curious.

“Mmh?” The bass-player replied.

“The TV” Jake specified. He had a feeling something was up.

"Oh, uh, nothing good is on right now," Sam replied nervously, his attempt at nonchalance falling flat. "British TV sucks ass," he added hastily. The youngest Kiszka had never been much of a good actor. Jake stared for a moment and Sam knew he could see right through him.

“Jake-” Sam tried protesting, but his brother had already snatched the remote and turned the TV back on. The bright light of the screen suddenly lighting up their features and the sound of laughter filling the hotel room.

There she was. Seated elegantly on the talk show couch. YN exuded confidence as she engaged in conversation with the host.

“So, tell me something,” the host leaned in, a glint of excitement in his eyes, “when are we going to get some new music?” A ripple of anticipation coursed through the audience, and a mischievous smirk danced across YN’s lips.

“Well, I actually just finished recording a bunch of tracks, so—" Before she could finish, the audience erupted into deafening cheers, their excitement palpable. “I know, I know, it’s exciting,” YN continued, her voice barely audible over the enthusiastic applause, “I can’t wait to get back on the road.”

“Back on the road?” the host raised an eyebrow, a playful tone in his voice, “Have you grown tired of Hubby already?”

YN chuckled. "Well, who says I'm not packing him in my suitcase?" she quipped. The audience laughed at her comeback.

"Talking about Mr. Harry Styles,” loud cheers exploded at the host’s mention of YN’s husband, “a little birdie told me you two just purchased a house in our fair capital, is that right?”

“Uh,” YN looked slightly surprised, feeling a pang of discomfort at the invasion of privacy, “yeah, we did get ourselves a little nest-”

“-a 9-million-pound nest” the host joked, eliciting laughter from the audience.

YN let out a polite chuckle. “Yeah, it is ridiculously grand, actually.”

“Is it your first time owning a place?” the interviewer asked.

“It is, yes, see, I’m originally from New York, so renting appartments has always been the way for me.” Jake’s mind drifted to their little apartment back in Nashville.

“Must be quite a change” the host declared.

“Kinda, yes,” she added, “it’s got a bunch of rooms that I haven’t seen in a while, like an actual laundry room, who knew that was even a thing?” the audience laughed, “and a foyer, whatever that is, and a-”

“-Nursery?” the host filled in. The audience leaned forward in anticipation.

“Well, aren’t you curious?” she said, maintaining a playful façade at the interviewer’s lack of tact, “But no, no nursery,” the audience could be heard huffing in disappointment.

“Ah well,” the host remarked, “someday soon.”

“Sure,” she replied with a forced smile, “someday.”

As Jake listened to the conversation, a thought crossed his mind: YN had always been unequivocal about her reluctance to have children. Then again, she had also once been adamant about her aversion to marriage. And yet, here she was with a ring around her finger. The bile rose in his throat.

“Well, we’re running out of time here,” the host abruptly announced, glancing at the monitor. “It’s been a real pleasure, and I think I can speak for everyone here when I say that the world is thrilled to see you embrace this newfound happiness, is that accurate?”

“Oh absolutely,” she replied with a tight smile. “I’m,” she paused, something unseen briefly flickering in her eyes, “happier than ever.”

--

YN never knew why but, after that night, the calls stopped.

--

Next Track: The Bomb

Extended Masterpost

Hope you liked it! Once again, I am begging you all to interact and leave comments it makes me so happy to get feedback and reactions xxx

Also, this is only the beginning lol. I have a billion drafts for other chapters so stay tuned, peaceful army.

Taglist

@aintthatapity

@sinarainbows

@vanfleeter 

@gretavanhockey

#gretavanfleet #greta van fleet #greta van fleet fic #greta van fleet fanfic #greta van fleet fanfiction #greta van fleet imagine #greta van fleet imagines #greta van fleet x reader #jake kiszka x reader #jake kiszka fic #jake kiszka fanfic #jake kiszka fanfiction #jake kiszka imagine #jake kiszka imagines #greta van fic #jake gvf #jake kiszka #danny gvf #gvf #josh gvf #sam gvf #sam kiszka #josh kiszka #danny wagner #greta van smut #greta van fleet fan fiction #jacob thomas kiszka #jtk x reader #gvf fic #gvf fanfiction

[writingsofwesteros]

Childbirth took a toll on the princess. And a northern midwife suggested something strange. That she should nurse the babe herself in the beginning. Swearing she knew a woman who had a hard labor, who nursed the child after and bounced back wonderfully.

This concept confuses the princess. She’s used to wet nurses. But… then again she isn’t exactly a princess anymore. So, with the instruction of the midwife, she holds her baby and gets him to latch. He takes to it easy, thankfully. And stays fairly calm.

The feeling is odd, but she soon finds herself staring at his little face as he drinks. Maybe she’s biased because she’s his mother, but he looks like the most lovely child she’s ever seen.

His pale hair and eyes make him look like he’s a creature of snow.

“You really are a northern boy, aren’t you?” She smiles affectionately. To her surprise, the little creature looks to her as she speaks. He’s still fairly small. And she isn’t sure how well he can see her. But…. It’s nice to imagine that he’s looking at her because he knows she’s his mother.

Even after the weeks the midwife suggested she do it herself are up, she might decide to continue. She’s grown genuinely attached to the little baby. And any excuse to care for him, she wants to take. Her husband does mention even northern ladies use wet nurses, it’s still common. But once, he happens to see her while she’s feeding the child. She’s watching him with such an adoring smile, and his little hand clutches her finger. It’s the most happy he’s seen her since she arrived. He doesn’t say a word against the practice after that.

One night, the child did exhaust her. And her insistence on managing it herself is tiring. She rocked him to sleep, but fell asleep herself. Her husband sees the sight and sighs. Stubborn girl. Carefully he picks up the child, carrying the babe to their cradle and laying them down. No one is around to see the smallest gesture of affection. As he carefully brushes the little boy’s face, almost smiling at him.

He then walks to the child’s mother, and takes her in his arms. To carry her to her own bed. Her devotion to the little one is endearing. And their arrival seems to help her settle well into her role here. The princess is actually…. content.

The cutest babe ever, she is not biased..at all ;)

She adores having him close; all her feelings onto him as she gets through the harsh colds of her new home. He is such a mommy's boy as well, which her Lord husband pretends to be annoyed at.

She snuggles into his side when he lays her on the warm bed; her hold incredibly tight and he just sighs. He leans back with a book in his lap before sleep finds him

#dreadfort targaryens

[prettyrainsstuff]

Cuddling with Nikolai? :3

OKAY!! thanks for the request, I barely get any anymore :D

-

-

-

-

-

Cuddling with Nikolai Gogol! (Female aligned DNI)

Contents:Headcanons/Scenario of Nikolai Gogol from Bungo Stray Dogs Cuddling with a male reader.

Warnings: Mentions of crime (Murder), physical touch(?) drugs (Benadryl(?) Cussing/Swearing(?)

-This silly dude😭

-It will be 12 in the fucking morning and he will be bouncing off the walls

-This silly guy is NEVER calm

-the chillest you’ve ever seen him is when you two are sleeping

-But thats basically it.

-Whenever he wants to cuddle he WILL make sure you know it.

-Give him a fucking Benadryl and hopefully he will calm down /hj

-After a long day of murdering people he’ll jump right into your arms

-“[Name]..! Carry me, Please…?” He would whine

-Wow even a long day at work he’s calmed down

-when he’s usually energetic you’ll have to be the one to take him to bed (and tie him to the bed post so he won’t run away /j)

-But when he’s ACTUALLY a bit tired he’ll be the one to pull you into bed and cuddle with you

-his head is gonna be nuzzled into your stomach as you gently or sleepily play with his white hair as you both fall asleep

Scenario

You were currently writing a document for work as Nikolai was nagging you to come and do something with you.

“[Name!] Come on! Just ditch the whole document already! You can finish it later can’t you?” Nikolai whined

“Sorry Niko..I can’t right now.”

“Haven’t you been working on that one for weeks? Come on! Come and do something with me!”

“Nikolai, I already told you I can’t. Its to late..Its 12 in the morning.”

“Its also too late to be writing stupid documents for your stupid work!” Nikolai closed your laptop, with his hand teleporting through his cape

You were about to scold him but Nikolai was right.

You looked at the time again. The clock showed ‘12:52 AM’

You sighed softly. “You know what. Alright. Its getting late, how about we just head to bed?”

Nikolai squealed in absolute joy.

“Yay! Lets go!” Nikolai pulled you toward the bed and gently pushed you on it before laying on top of you, his face nuzzled against your stomach.

You smiled and started to sleepily play with Nikolai’s hair before turning the lamp off and you both drifting to sleep.

#bungou stray dogs #male reader #bungo stray dogs x male reader #bsd fanfic #bsd x reader #nikolai gogol x reader #nikolai gogol #nikolai gogol x you #nikolai gogol x male reader

[ggukkiedae]

notes: hannah tries her best to send taeyong off to the navy. (dialogue written in italics are spoken in english)

setting: jeju international airport, 240415

wc: 1,175

content warning: taeyong’s enlistment

“You good, Hans?”

Mark’s voice pulled Hannah back down to earth. As soon as he sat down next to her, she leaned into his side and glanced at Donghyuck, who stood a few steps away on the phone with Taeyong. She was the last of the three of them who’d be on the phone with him since they decided to go by age.

She groaned while pulling her hat down by the visor. Next to her, Mark was shuffling in his seat until he had his arm around her, lightly patting her shoulder.

“This isn’t fair,” she ran her hand down her face. “Is it so hard to say no to even just one event so we could have all come home yesterday?”

She could feel the 99-liner squeeze her shoulder, “You know how it is, Hans. Hyung knows, too.”

“We tried so hard,” she slumps further into his side, “and we don’t even get a glimpse of him in real life before he leaves!”

The two of them could only sit in silence after that. The three 127 maknaes had taken it upon themselves to rearrange their schedule in order to reach their leader’s send off, but they were beat.

That’s how they found themselves in Jeju.

The stress of trying to make it in time was something she didn’t think she’d ever go through. Months ago when their leader first told them he was enlisting, she thought she’d be right there with the rest of 127 (and maybe all of NCT) to send their leader off.

She didn’t expect to look at their managers’ itinerary only to find they wouldn’t even be in Korea on the day of.

“Hyung wants to know why his princess is pouting.”

“I’m not pouting,” Hannah looked up to glare at Donghyuck until she realized who was on the small screen looking at her. “Oppa!”

The older 00-liner snickered while handing her the phone and placing the bluetooth headphones over her ears. In her excitement to stand up, she elbowed Mark in the ribs.

“I gotta take this,” she jogged over to the isolated corner for a semblance of privacy then looked at the smiling man on the screen. “Boss! How are you? Are the oppas treating you okay? Did you get my present? Have you met any other people you’re entering with?”

“Calm down, Haeeunie,” Taeyong chuckled, “breathe. I’m alright, missing you kids. Everyone’s treating me the same, I haven’t really met anyone yet, and what present?”

A grin made its way to her face, “I snuck something into your backpack last week when I helped you pack some stuff.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” he smiled at her.

Seeing him smile pulled at something in her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut, slipping her sunglasses on. She did not want to cry in front of Taeyong, but it felt impossible to do. She went for the second best option: not letting him see.

“Hey,” Taeyong held his phone closer to his face so she could only see one of his eyes on the screen, “I want to see your face before I go.”

That did it. A tear escaped.

“Oh,” she sighed while taking off her hat and moving her sunglasses up her head to hold her hair back, “I hate that we’re not there with you!”

He gave her a sad smile once he held his phone at a normal angle again, “Don’t worry about it. We know how hard you three worked to get here, and I love you for it. You did everything you could, and that’s what matters, alright?”

“Alright,” her voice came out as a whisper. “I’m really sorry, Oppa.”

“Nothing to be sorry about, Haeeunie,” he reassured her. “I promise. And you know I don’t take my promises lightly, especially not with you.”

She bit her lip, nodding instead of talking. Talking would just make her cry harder. But Taeyong wasn’t done talking.

“You know what?” His tone brightened, “I’m going to make you another promise right now. After basic training, when I get my phone back, you’ll be the first person I call after my mom and my sister. Sound good?”

“Sounds great,” to her luck, her voice didn’t shake, “and I’ll have Hyuck and Markie with me.”

“Good, good,” Taeyong nodded.

Hannah smiled, “And you bet I’ll drop any schedule I have then and there and drag those two with me so we can talk to you.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t expect any less.”

“Unfortunately?”

“As your leader,” he shrugged with a mischievous smirk, “but, as one of your big brothers, I say have at it, Boss Lady.”

Laughs slipped past her lips, in time with his. “You better look out, oppa, because I’m planning on doing something to anger the company for not having the balls to reschedule or say no to one event.”

He grinned at her, “Can’t wait for you to tell me all about it. Don’t give your oppas too much grief.”

She was about to retort when a muffled voice caught Taeyong’s attention. His frown told her all she needed to know.

“How much time you got there?” she asked him.

“Not a lot,” he admitted, “but I’m gonna tell you what I need you to hear right now before I leave, okay?”

“Okay.”

“First of all,” he began, “it’s not your fault, okay? We can put the blame on the weather. Second, I miss you, and I’m going to miss you, but this’ll pass and either you’ll be able to visit me or I can go on leave. Watch over the boys, you know most of our brain cells rest in you. But also don’t forget to allow them to take care of you. I love you, Haeeunie, a lot.”

“I love you, too, Oppa,” she smiled at him, wiping away the tears that were starting to fall. “You stay safe. Don’t get sick, don’t get hurt.”

“I’ll try my best,” he nodded, “now go and get the other two with you so I can say bye to all of you!”

With a nod, she walked back to the two boys with her, sitting on Donghyuck’s lap and throwing her legs over Mark’s. She handed the phone to Mark, who turned the bluetooth off.

“You kids take care of each other,” Taeyong began with a smile. “I’ll see you when I see you. It won’t be too long.”

The three 127 maknaes said their goodbyes and watched as Taeyong clicked out of the call. They sat in silence for a few seconds, staring at the black screen.

That was it.

That was them sending their leader off. That was the first time they were sending off one of their big brothers, and this was how it ended.

“This isn’t fair,” she muttered, leaning her head on Donghyuck’s shoulder.

Her twin flame sighed, “It really isn’t.”

“It’ll be okay,” Mark gave her knee a squeeze. “Hyung knows we love him and that we’d do anything to be with him right know. He’ll be okay.”

taglist: @1-800-enhypennabi @strwberrydinosaur @sunflower-0180 @caratinylyfe @1-800-minji @one16core @kimhyejin3108 @chansols @akshverse @world-full-of-roses @stopeatread @allthings-fandoms

drop an ask or a dm if you wanna be added or taken out of the taglist 🥰 requests are also open!

#hannah.drabble #i will hate sm forever for what they did #i cried just thinking about how frustrated and upset mark and hyuck might have been #but anyway i miss taeyong already #i really hope he'll stay safe and unhurt #and i hope he thrives #i know he will #hannah #lee hannah #nct female member #nct female addition #nct 127 female member #nct 127 female addition #nct 127 10th member #nct 127 11th member #nct 27th member

[hiwelcometothemonstersancturary]

How do doctor appointments normally go for the toys?

Depends!

The hospital visit post-rescue went better than expected due to just how exhausted most of them were. Even Catnap didn't have the energy to do much, although he did growl at the doctors and nurses. However, after that, Angel quickly realized the toys hated how similar the hospital was to Playtime Co.'s laboratories, and if they wanted the kids to cooperate, they would need to get creative with it.

Whenever it's possible, Angel has doctors and nurses going to the house instead of the other way around. Lessens the anxiety and helps the toys get used to other humans, but most importantly, starts making them trust said doctors.

Mommy Long Legs is usually agressive. Tells the doctors she's doing better than she is, and is deadly afraid of any injections or taking meds. It takes months for her to not have to get a day or two of emotionally getting ready for an appointment, and some more before she can feel like these strangers won't hurt her.

Catnap is similar to MLL, but he only behaves because his savior (Angel) trusts these people. When he drops the savior thing it's when he finally has a panic attack over an appointment, and when he realizes that yes, he's afraid of the hospital. Dogday is the one who helps him the most with this.

Speaking of which, Dogday is surprisingly calm. He knows these are good people trying their best to help him, and after getting an emergency surgery the same day he left the factory he assigns himself the role of helping the other toys calm down. He treats appointments like a necessary evil, even if sometimes he still flinches.

Miss Delight almost cries every single time a doctor or nurse is kind to her. What do you mean there's genuinely good people out there who don't think she's a monster?! Although a bit fidgety from time to time, she doesn't panic.

Huggy, Boxy, PJ and Kissy are wary at first, growling at the humans when they approach them, but with enough talk and patience, Angel convinces them to trust the medical team. They all get free lollipops and this is their favorite part of any doctor appointment.

Poppy is weirded out, fidgety, and doesn't understand why when she KNOWS she won't be hurt, but then it hits her that she doesn't have to shut herself up and just follow along if she doesn't feel comfortable to. Doctors respecting their patients? Now that's crazy!

KickinChicken is trembling the entire time he's at the hospital, not cooperating at all. He refuses to say it, but after a few weeks Angel finds out he doesn't even understand half the things the doctors are doing. He needs it explained to him in detail and why they're doing the procedures they're doing. After a few months he becomes less aggressive, but he needs someone with him at all times or else he will have a panic attack.

TRIGGER WARNING FOR SELF DESTRUCTIVE TENDENCIES AND SELF HARM FOR THIS PARAGRAPH. Picky is strangely lethargic. She lets the doctors and nurses do whatever, thinking that if they are doing something bad for her, it's because she deserves it. Can't believe anyone should help her after what she did to her friends. Becomes better with therapy, and is a very cooperative patient, although quiet.

Bobby is so scared, asking questions and begging that no one hurts her or touches her without warning. It doesn't take too much time for her to get used to other humans, and she easily gets attached to the medical staff. Loves all of then, but is easily hurt if anyone is mean or uncaring.

Hoppy is grumpy. She actually did hit one or two doctors during her rescue, but after that it's a series of "oh how fucking great, what are you going to do to me now, uh? Uh?", almost challenging the strangers to do something drastic. Also doesn't understand what they're doing to her, but only gets grumpier as she knows more and more. "Is this actually necessary?", she asks, time and time again. Only after months to a year she starts cooperating more, and that's only because Dogday or Angel are there following her to a doctor appointment.

Crafty is completely non-verbal for the first appointments, refusing to say anything that could potentially be used against her. That, or she straight-up lies and/or makes up stories for her injuries and how she's feeling. Needs to be explained the procedures, but doesn't care too much for the details, and stops lying after warming up to the other humans.

Bubba knows and understands the majority of the procedures, and is very calm. He uses logic and facts to calm himself down, and is the one that explains what the doctors are doing when a toy asks. Despite his calm exterior, however, he did have more than one flashback or episode during an appointment, and thought he could just tank through it, as if its a normal thing to happen. Needs to be reassured and calmed down, but also demands others to treat him like he didnt just have a flashback or episode.

Bunzo and the mini toys are screaming their lungs out. He's crying and sobbing and clinging to Angel for dear life, afraid they're going to give him away to the scientists Long Legs always told him about. Needs to be calmed down and gently reassured, and refuses to leave Angel's side. After getting used to the idea of doctors not experimenting on their patients, he's very cooperative!

#the sillies have the hurties #tw self harm #poppy playtime #poppy worldwide #save everyone au #catnap #dogday #mommy long legs #kickinchicken #hoppy hopscotch #craftycorn #picky piggy #bobby bearhug #bubba bubbaphant #bunzo bunny #huggy wuggy #kissy missy #ppt poppy #poppy playtime poppy #miss delight #boxy boo #pj pug a pillar #smiling critters

[miracles-and-butterflies]

For silenced: Is anyone going to try to stop Dolores?

Dolores is halted in her action. It gives her a moment to breathe and for her temper to cool, as her eyes find the source. Mirabel’s hand gripping onto her arm. Her primita is panting (as quietly as she can), clearly out of breath from chased after her on such little legs, but trying to keep calm and internally plead with Dolores.

They’ve done this before.

Staring each other down until the other gives in? That has happened a lot. It comes with being intellectual equals and awfully stubborn, the adults use to say. But more specifically, in relation to the miracle and her gift, Mirabel once caught her on her way to blow out the candle.

It couldn’t have been too long after Camilo’s ceremony, where his role of being an entertainer came to fruition and suddenly noise increased tenfold in Encanto. She had tried to do her best to deal with it. She’d adapt in time. That’s what they said, that’s what they promised her. But each minute, each hour, each day, each week, proved them to be nothing but excuses. This wasn’t something a child could bear.

And it’s not something a child should have to bear either. Most children, those who are fortunate or unfortunate enough to not be born Madrigals, have no gifts. No blessings or need for such responsibilities. Having a miracle was not a normal thing and perhaps, for the first time, Dolores was at an age where she fully understood that. Perhaps that’s why she tried to blow the candle out at the time. She doesn’t quite remember now.

The days before Mirabel’s ceremony seem like dreams. They could be real, they are real, but it doesn’t feel like it.

The adults were busy in the garden at the time, entertained by Camilo’s impressions of them. Isabela was sat in front of Abuela, who carefully braided pink flowers into her hair, and Luisa was helping her father not get his fingers caught in one of the foldable chairs.

Dolores tiptoed her way quietly through Casita, hands clasped in prayer - asking that God, in his kindness, would grant her this one blessing. Let her blow out the magical candle and lose her gift. Let her be free of this burden.

No sooner had she reached for the doorknob of Abuela’s door, had Mirabel suddenly grasped her hand. Smiling, the almost-five-year-old was giggling with excitement about having learnt the “C” scale on the piano and if Dolores would be kind enough to listen, to see if she was any good like her or Tío Agustín.

If Mirabel had appeared only a second later, she would have gotten in and been able to make things right. Hell, she would have saved her cousin all the trouble of her gift ceremony going wrong in a few weeks time. But God had decided not to let her do this. She was bitter. Every chance she had was always ruined, similarly.

And now… she has her chance.

Mirabel, for her part, doesn’t say a word, just stares imploringly.

By this point, the rest of the family have also appeared, gathered amongst the crowd of townspeople. Camilo and Isabela are still floating nearby each other, Luisa a step or so behind them. Abuela looks apologetic to the silent voices asking for her to help them. Tío Bruno looks to be mouthing “sorry” to Señora Pezmuerto and Padre Flores, which might be ironic giving their history. Antonio has been entrusted to the care of Tía Julieta and Tío Agustín, allowing her parents to once again try to reach her.

Mirabel presses her thumb gently against the pulse point in Dolores’ wrist, refocusing her attention on her. Grounding her.

Where’s your mind at, Lola?

I don’t know… Strange. I don’t like it. Everything is so silent.

It is quiet.

…For now.

I don’t think it counts when nothing has the choice to be quiet, incapable of noise.

I never got a choice. They never gave me a choice.

I know. I’m sorry.

It’s not your fault. You didn’t either.

But we have one now. Long overdue but it’s here.

I don’t.

You do. Think about your choices, you won’t gain anything this way. You admitted yourself the forced silence is uncomfortable.

I… I can’t take that risk of trusting them again.

I know it’s hard, but I will help you through it, I promise. Dolores, you can do it.

There’s a rattle through the crowd. Like an itch in the back of her brain, her ear, that needs to be scratched. They need to be silent.

Her little cousin glances around, panicked, when she starts to hear it. She looks like she’s internally praying for them to be quiet too - how wonderful that she can make that happen for the both of them!

…Dolores?

No.

Don’t think about them. I know they are frustrating; but don’t silence them.

No. I can’t.

Dolores, no, please—

I can’t and won’t stop. This is my gift, I will use it however I see fit. I can finally hear, now that they’ve stopped talking. I can finally hear me!

#encanto #encanto silenced au #my writing