#and the song on repeat for this mini series

[medicbrainrot]

it all feels the same with your eyes closed (deep end, part 1)

A/N: This mini series needs a content warning for suicidal ideation, domestic violence, and excessive alcohol consumption. (I told y’all I was gonna throw some angst at ya.)

Things had been tense around base since the return of Task Force 141 after an unsuccessful mission. Mistakes had been made, resulting in the loss of personnel and vital intel. 

The main core personnel of the Task Force were currently in a meeting, discussing information for an upcoming mission. The meeting was already tense, but it escalated as Simon and Juliana were arguing back and forth about protocols.

“I AM YOUR SUPERIOR OFFICER. I’M THE ONE IN CHARGE HERE.” Simon yells at Juliana before backhanding her across the face so hard that she stumbles back.

The room goes silent, shock spreading among everyone as they stare at the couple.

Simon throws a vicious glare at Juliana before spitting out the final piece of the argument. “Get the fuck out of my sight.”

She doesn’t bother to grab her things before sprinting out of the room.

Simon stares at the door she left through for a brief second, before turning to the rest of the room. Tensions were high, but he was trying to remain calm after his outburst. “I’m sorry you had to witness that. I’ll handle this. We’ll continue later.” He says gruffly.

He sighed internally. What was she so upset about anyway? Simon doesn’t like fighting with her, but lately it’s been happening more and more.

“Witness that? Simon, you just hit your girlfriend, not to mention you just assaulted a fellow soldier, IN FRONT OF WITNESSES.” Captain Price roars.

Simon flinches at Price’s reaction, and tries to defend his actions without being rude. “I wouldn’t have hit her without reason. I had to do what I did. It’s not like I’m proud of it. I’ll handle it, and apologize to her personally.”

“Good luck getting her to hold still long enough to do that.” Soap mutters under his breath.

“Soap!” Simon whirls on Johnny, glaring at him intensely. “Are you insinuating what I think you are right now?”

“It depends, sir,” Soap addressed him mockingly. “What is it you think I’m insinuating?”

Simon’s voice became harsh, as he spoke quickly. “I want a straight answer, Soap. Are you implying that she’s going to be so furious, that she’s going to fight me?”

“I’m implying, sir,” Soap mocks again, “That you’ll be hard pressed to even find her and get her to listen long enough for you to say the words ‘I’m sorry’, without her bolting. There’s a reason we call her Bambi.”

Simon sighed, he knew Johnny was right. She would disappear the minute she saw him. He had to do something.

His mind raced, trying to think of a plan. He didn’t know where she’d run off to, he just knew she was angry. Very angry.

“I’ll find her. I’ll make sure she hears me out.” Simon huffs.

“You’d better get this sorted out, and fast Simon. We’re getting deployed again in a few weeks, and we need this team 100% together.” Captain Price says sternly.

Simon nods, still pissed that this even became a fight in the first place. “She’ll come around. I’ll make sure of it.”

He then turns to Johnny and Kyle. “You two keep your mouths shut about this. Especially you, Soap. We don’t need anymore drama. Are we clear?”

Johnny looks him squarely in the eye. “If she wants to fill out a SHARP violation report against you, I’ll happily sign as a witness.”

“Soap…” Simon sighs. He doesn’t want any more trouble. He just needs Juliana to understand her place in the chain of command. He needs her to understand why he did what he did. He can’t afford to lose his job because of one stupid mistake. He needs to not let his temper get the better of him. He needs a break.

He looked at Johnny, then Kyle, then Price, then back at Johnny. “Soap, don’t force me into doing something drastic over this. Understood?”

“What, are you gonna hit me too? Beat me into submission? No wonder Bambi is so banged up all the time.” Johnny spits venomously. 

Simon growls angrily. He was already on edge, and now this? He had a serious urge to hit something, but he held it in.

“You think it’s funny, making jokes about this?” He clenches his fists, setting them down harshly on the table. He lets out a deep breath, trying to get himself under control. “I’m warning you, Soap. For the last time, keep your mouth shut, or I’ll make you. Got it?”

“It’s not a joke, not this time.” Johnny growls. “This had to have escalated from somewhere. You make a regular habit of hitting your girlfriend to get what you want?”

Simon’s mind goes blank. A regular habit of hitting her? A sense of shock went through his system. He didn’t know Johnny could think of him that way.

“Don’t assume you know anything, Soap.” He says coldly. “I don’t go around hitting her all the time. I’ve only done it once. Just this one time. One. Time.”

“That’s what they all say.” Johnny sneers at him.

Simon took a deep breath trying to keep everything under control. He couldn’t believe Johnny was saying all of this.

“Soap, I swear to God, I only hit her this once. It was my fault, but I’ve never done it, and I won’t do it again. You’re only making this worse. We are supposed to be a team. Remember?”

“Yeah. Teammates are supposed to protect each other. They don’t backhand each other during arguments.” Soap retorts.

Simon knew he was in the wrong for hitting Juliana. He felt bad for hitting her, but he felt like he couldn’t admit that in front of Johnny, he was already digging himself in way too deep. 

“I’m sorry, okay? I shouldn’t have done it, you’re right. I let my anger get the best of me. It won’t happen again.”

He stared at the floor while he tried to figure out what to say next.

“Please, let’s just try to work through this. Don’t go around telling anyone else about this.”

“Fine.” Soap scoffs. “I won’t say anything. But if I catch even a hint that something is off, I’ll file the damn SHARP report myself.” Johnny stands up to leave, pausing in the doorway. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she was halfway through writing up a unit transfer request already.”

Simon watched as Johnny left the room. What had he done? How could he let his anger take control of him like that? Would Juliana really file a transfer request because of all this? Would he lose everything over this? And why was Johnny so defensive of her? 

“Damnit.” He muttered. “I really need to talk to her. Now.”

Why had Johnny been so protective of Juliana? What is going on here?

Johnny must have known something Simon didn’t, something he wasn’t telling Simon. But that wasn’t important. He needs to go find Juliana and fix all of this. 

Unless… unless Johnny really does know something. Maybe it will help Simon figure out where it all went wrong.

“Fucking hell.” Simon swore. Johnny might be the only one who might know something about what’s going on, or where Juliana went. As much as he hated the idea, asking Johnny was worth a shot.

He made his way to Johnny’s room, and knocked on the door. He just wanted to talk to the man and hear what he had to say himself. 

Johnny opened the door. “Come to take a shot at another teammate?”

Simon glared at him. “You know what, Soap?” He growled. “Quit your bullshit. I know that you know where Bambi is, and I know you know why she’s mad. So tell me. Now.”

Johnny leveled him with a cool stare. “I don’t know where she is.” He said plainly.

“I don’t believe you. Why were you defending her so much?” Simon asks. He knew there was something happening that he didn’t know about. He could feel it, he just doesn’t know what it’s about. “I need the real reason, Soap.”

“Why wouldn’t I defend her!? I’ve had family go through what she has, and I’m not about to let her go through it alone again.”

‘Had family members go through….’? What the hell? Simon’s eyes widened a bit. When it clicked, Simon was surprised to hear that Johnny had a family history of domestic abuse. He hadn’t realized that that was the reason Johnny defended Juliana so much. 

Johnny thought Simon was abusing her…

“So, you know something about her past, then?” He asks.

Johnny’s eyes widened. “You… you mean she hasn’t told… you?”

Simon frowned. Why hadn’t she told him anything about that part of her past? He was confused.

“No. She didn’t. And now I need to know, Soap. What happened?”

He ran his hands over his balaclava. Maybe this was the reason she got so upset? If this was the case, then he needed to tread very carefully, at least until he figured out more of what was going on. 

“I don’t know the whole story, just bits and pieces, but enough to know that it was bad. Like, really bad. Almost career ending bad.” Johnny explained.

Simon was slightly disturbed by that description. He couldn’t imagine what might have happened for her to be reacting like this. He couldn’t imagine what she had gone through. What did Johnny mean by ‘almost career ending’?

“Can you at least give me some sort of basic idea? Anything, Soap, please.” Simon never pleads, ever, but right now he is. He looked at Johnny, worry and concern evident in his eyes.

“Juliana had gotten into a relationship of sorts with someone on her team, and when the guy got promoted, he outranked her, he became her superior officer.” Johnny begins. “He started getting violent with her behind closed doors, especially whenever she’d disagree with him about missions or protocols.” He pauses. “I know at one point, he hurt Jules so badly she was in the ICU for six days, and she almost got medically discharged from service. That’s when she finally put in for a transfer.”

Simon’s face paled under his mask. His hands shook slightly, but he wasn’t sure if it was from anger at himself or at the guy who hurt Juliana. This was too much for one person to carry alone.

“And… she went through all of that…. Alone? She never said anything to me, ever!” Simon sighed. “I need to find her and make sure she’s okay. I’ve fucked up, and I’m the only one who can fix this.”

Johnny shakes his head. “The only reason she told me was because she overheard me talking on the phone with my sister about a similar issue, and she offered her help. Otherwise, I don’t think she ever would have said anything.”

Simon ran his hands down his face. “So… if she hasn’t told me anything about it… I guess she doesn’t want me to know… Did she ever go into any detail about what happened, or about who this person might be?”

“She never specified, she just said someone from a previous unit. Refused to say when or where.” Johnny explains.

Simon nods. “Alright. Well… thank you for at least telling me this, Soap. I would’ve never known.”

He couldn’t believe that he hadn’t ever noticed something like this. He had always known Juliana as one of the most gentle, kind-hearted people he had met. He would never have dreamt that she had gone through something like this before.

But it also made something clear. Simon could never allow anything like this to happen to her, ever again. He would have to protect Jules - no matter what it took.

Sometimes, the people with the brightest smiles are the ones who have gone through the most oppressive darkness.

“I need to find her. I have to make sure that her past won’t define who she is in the future.” Simon sighs deeply.

“It might already be too late for that, Simon.” Johnny says cautiously. 

“Do not tell anyone else about this, Johnny. You got that? We can’t have rumors spreading around right now. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.” Johnny rolls his eyes.

“Good. I appreciate it.” Simon turns to leave, and makes his way across the base, going through different areas in search of Juliana. “God damnit” He swears. “Where in the hell is she?”

A/N: Thanks for reading! Likes, reblogs, and feedback are appreciated!

Masterlist

#simon ghost riley #simon ghost riley x reader #simon riley x reader #simon riley x oc #angst #there will be angst #'deep end' by i prevail #was the title inspo #and the song on repeat for this mini series #the original version i sketched out was way way darker than how im going to write this version #let me know what you guys think #pls #i dont think i could see simon being a toxic abusive boyfriend #considering his personal history and trauma #but its an interesting concept to explore some of the darker aspects of his personality #honestly im curious to see what happens #cod mw2 #simon riley angst #i feel like i can finally use that tag lmao

[heyimkana]

24 Hours with You (Satoru Ver.) - Ep. 1

Series Masterlist Chapter Summary: The first episode of a mini-series where you’ll live through the hours you spend together with your husband, Gojo Satoru. Pairings: Gojo Satoru x Female Reader Genre: Domestic AU, Fluff, Romance, Smut, Humor Word Count: 8K Warnings: whipped, clingy husband!Satoru, sassy!Y/N, shoujo manga inspired backstory, endless sex jokes, and overall cavity-inducing fluff with a little bit of smut at the end (no actual sex scenes...yet)

Episode 1: Morning

06.02 AM

Your very much-needed sleep abruptly comes to an end the moment your husband’s alarm—not yours—begins to ring, his phone vibrating on the nightstand next to his side.  You try to ignore it. You really do. After all, he just let you go to sleep three hours ago.

Granted, yesterday was Valentine’s Day and there was no way someone as insatiable as Gojo Satoru was going to end it with just one or two rounds of normal sex, especially not after he went out of his way, spending hundreds of bucks to buy you a set of lingerie that he’d been dying to see. He made sure to dress you up (you’re his favorite doll after all), his grin plastered ever so cheekily on his face. He held his phone steady in one hand, recording the way you not-so-gracefully stepped outside the bathroom in your new lingerie, dying out of shame because—“What the hell did you buy me?!” Which he casually replied with, “A bunny suit. Now turn around and let me see your tail.” To be honest, that wasn’t even the worst part.

(The worst part was when he said, “Now is my little bunny hungry for some carrots? ‘Cause I got a real nice and big carrot for you right over he—” He didn’t get to finish his line. You punched him.)

The alarm continues to ring, playing a song that you grow to hate more and more each day. “Ugh, turn it off.” 

Satoru doesn’t even stir in his sleep, which comes as no surprise. He’s still lying flat on his stomach, facing you with his cheek drowning in the comfort of his pillow. He looks peaceful. Innocent. Even when his parted lips are still somewhat smeared with the color of your lipstick. And he’s drooling—in an adorable way, of course.

“Satoru.” You nudge his shoulder. “Sa. To. Ru.”

No reaction. It’s like talking to a dead cow. You groan, your upper body pressing against his backside as you reach out to snatch his phone from the nightstand. With bleary eyes, you turn off his alarm before returning it to the table. You fall back to the side of your bed, flinching as your body still feels sore from last night. 

A smile forms on your face. Finally, it’s quiet again. 

You still have two more hours before you have to leave for work. I can still sleep for one hou—

The alarm starts again, playing the same damn song. 

Of course. How could you forget? Satoru’s the type who sets his alarm every ten minutes just because he’ll totally ignore the first fifteen times. Are you really this tired to not remember this? Yeah, probably.

You pull your blanket over your head. Maybe you can just pay no attention to it like your husband.

Just ignore it, ignore it, ignore it.

Yeah, you can’t.

You toss away your blanket, frustrated. “Satoru, turn it off!”

Finally, the devil wakes up. He moans, his voice husky and heavy with sleep, sounding so effortlessly sexy but you’re just too irritated to acknowledge it that way. “What’s up with the loud noise..?” Sinking back into his pillow and tugging his bedcover up until it reaches his ear, he mumbles, “Honey, I’m still sleepy… Let’s fuck some other time…”

“Oh, we’ll fuck never if you don’t wake up and turn that damn thing off.”

“It’s your alarm.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Yes.”

“Toru, it’s literally Hatsune Miku playing.”

He giggles, still with his eyes closed. “I love Hatsune Miku.”

“Oh, for God’s sake.” You repeat your motions, basically throwing yourself over him so you can reach his nightstand. Satoru lets out a little oof under your weight, groaning. “Babe, what—” You turn a deaf ear to him, making sure to sink your elbow into his back because he deserves it. Once you get his phone in your hand, you switch it off—the phone, not the alarm. “There. Done.” You slap back his device to the table. “Now let’s go back to sleep.”

You’re about to jump back to your side when a pair of strong arms tangle themselves around your waist, pulling you down until you land face-first on his bare chest. “I don’t think so, pumpkin,” he simpers, nuzzling the tip of his nose against the crook of your neck. Suddenly, he’s as bright as daylight. “I can’t believe you’re being so aggressive this morning. Did we not do it enough last night?” He puckers his lips, baby-talking you when he says, “Is my little baby bunny still hungry for her carrot?”

“Satoru, I’ll say this as nicely as I can. Release me now or there will be blood.”

“How is that nice?” He pouts, jutting out his lower lip. He’s hitting thirty and he still thinks he’s adorable when he does that (he is, actually, but let’s not tell him that). 

Now, boyfriend Satoru would have insisted on holding you close, but husband Satoru? Oh, husband Satoru has gone through some pain. He knows better not to test you. He releases you with a sigh, his eyes drooping like a sad puppy as he watches you crawl back to your spot. “You’re so mean.”

“You love me that way.”

The corners of his lips twitch up again. “That I do.” 

Satoru turns around to his side, gazing at you with the bottom half of his face concealed by the blanket he shared with you. He doesn’t really tell this often, but he loves seeing you in the morning like this. That silky nightgown. Those kiss marks on your neck and shoulders. The way your hair is so messy from all the tugging and pulling he did last night. You’re his masterpiece.

“What?” You ask, unable to sleep with how he glues his eyes on you.

“Nothing,” he smiles to himself. “You’re so pretty.”

At this hour? “That’s bullshit.”

“It’s true!”

“Well, thank you for the praise, my dear husband, but complimenting me isn’t going to make me give you a blow job at six in the morning, so can you stop staring and let me sleep? I have work in two hours. One hour and a half now ‘cause you keep on yapping at me.”

To anyone else, you would sound vicious, but like you said so yourself, this is why he loves you. To Satoru, you look the prettiest when you’re annoyed, especially when you’re annoyed because of him. It makes him feel special in such a weird way. Having spent all his life being objectified by women—and men—for his looks, and treated with endless flattery because he came from a prestigious family, you, with your feisty attitude, appeared in his world like a breath of fresh air. 

(Or maybe he’s just a masochist.)

With lips curving in joy, he pokes your cheek. “Babe, babe.”

“Go to sleep, damn it.”

“I will after you answer my question.”

“Just one?”

“Just one. Promise.”

“Fine. What?”

“Do you remember when we first met?”

You open your lids, staring flatly at the ceiling above you. This dumbass is really trying to play his nostalgia card at six in the morning. You take a glance at him from the corner of your eye. He has stars in his eyes. Great. You know he’s expecting a long answer but it’s too fucking early for this. “Yes.”

“You do?” He props himself up on his elbows, his voice a pitch higher. He’s basically sparkling, giddy with excitement. “What was it like for you? What did you think about me? Did you like me from the very first start? Did the world freeze when your eyes met mine? Hehe, I bet you had a massive crush on me~ I see you’re not saying anything so is it true? You totally did, didn’t you? Oh my God, baby, that’s so cute!”

You just lie there on the bed, half-dead, half-deaf, zero energy and he keeps prattling in your ear. “You’re really not gonna let me go back to sleep, huh?”

“Nope,” Satoru replies, making sure to smack his lips in case he wasn’t irritating enough. “Hey, hey, answer me, answer me.”

Somebody kill me, please. “Okay, fine, you wanna know the truth? I used to hate your guts.”

“Eeeeeeeeh?” 

“Don’t eeeeeeh me.” You pinch his cheek, ruining his pretty pout. “We couldn’t stand each other during high school, remember?”

“I never hated you, though?” He’s sliding his arms under his pillow, hugging it close as he peers at you with a twinkle in his eyes. “I’ve always found you cute,” he confesses, followed by a girly squeal. Satoru buries his face in the pillow, his legs flapping against the bed. “Aaaaah~ Saying it out loud like that is so embarrassing~”

“I’m gonna punch you.”

“No, seriously. You’ve never heard me saying I hated you, have you? And you know me. I hold my grudges. If I hated you, I would’ve made your life a living hell. But I didn’t, right?” He takes your hand, his thumb gliding across your knuckles before he replaces it with his lips. “I made you the happiest woman in the world instead.”

“With your money.”

“With my love,” he corrects you, flicking your nose. “Do me a favor and try to remember the first time we met. Didn’t I show you enough how much I liked you?”

The first time we met?

Okay, a little flashback.The first time you met him, it felt like you were living the life of a shoujo manga protagonist. Remember all those corny stories you read back in middle school? When character A—a female lead who was so clumsy, it was a wonder she survived the whole trip to school—met character B—the handsome male lead who seemed aloof and mysterious but turned out to be nothing but a warmhearted kid with a traumatizing backstory—in front of the school’s gate where they exchanged long stares filled with yearning and affection even though they just met? It always happened in the spring, for some reason, at the beginning of a new term. There were cherry blossom petals fluttering in the background, the words thump thump and syalala~ scattered all over the page among her inner monologue that went something like, “What a handsome boy… He looks like Prince Charming… And he has such long eyelashes too… Oh no, what is this feeling? Calm down, my heart! At this rate, he’s going to hear it!” Remember those corny lines? Yeah, well, your story went down just about the same.

“What are you panicking about? Just climb up and jump.”

“I can’t climb—I’m wearing a skirt!”

“You’re worried that I’ll see your panties? Honey, please, I’m a gentleman. I won’t stare. Plus, polka-dot panties aren’t my thing.”

“HOW DO YOU KNOW I’M WEARING POLKA-DOT PANTIES?!”

Okay, maybe your story didn’t go exactly the same. But it’s true that you first met him in the spring, at the beginning of the school’s term. There were no cherry blossom trees swaying in the background because God hated you and He wasn’t that fond of adding pretty things into your life. Gojo Satoru was pretty, sure, but only until he started yapping. And knowing Satoru, he’s always yapping.

You had promised yourself earlier that day that you’d do better. Be better. No more running late to school, no more procrastinating on your homework, and maybe even try to socialize more with people (you shuddered at the thought). You didn’t wake up late that morning, and you went to school just on time but there was a car accident on your way there, forcing you to take a detour, so—

“I hate my life,” you grumbled to yourself, staring tiredly at your high school’s gate in your fresh uniform that was no longer as crisp and tidy as it was from all the running you did. The huge wrought iron gate was closed and locked. The students were already sitting in rows inside the hall, sleeping through your principal’s morning greeting. You had your bag slinging on one shoulder, your short, pleated skirt swaying as it was kissed by the wind. Your hair was sticking uncomfortably to your skin, glued by your sweat. So much for wanting to keep perfect attendance, you thought. This is the worst.

Little did you know that God in heaven was like, “Worst? Oh, honey, I’m just getting started.”

Because there he was, a devil sent from the deepest pit of hell. Your ‘Prince Charming’, walking out of a fancy black car and kicking the door closed without even thanking the poor driver. Gorgeous silver hair. Electric blue eyes. Piercing in his right ear and a bubblegum lollipop in his mouth. 

Gojo Satoru.

He was a second-year student just like you but that was all you had in common. He was popular, so popular, and you didn’t have to think long to figure out why. He was a prodigy, excelling in both sports and academics, never failing to rank first in every exam, and it was so exasperating because he never seemed to pay attention to any of his classes. He was just born smart. And rich. Always carrying the new iPhone, never wearing the same outfit when he traveled outside. His Instagram was filled with photos of him taking trips to Greece and outer space (not true). His socks were made of rare breed silkworm’s saliva and his shirts were ironed by a dozen crying maidens (also not true). Apparently, his father was this big CEO who worked really closely with the government so you often heard his family name mentioned on TV. And, to top it all, he was handsome. Like unbelievably handsome. Even you had to admit that. Ridiculously tall, naughty smirk, pretty voice. He was the boy that Taylor Swift would make a whole album about.

Lucky bitch.

“I know,” Satoru said, noticing the way you were staring at him as he walked closer to your spot. He pulled the lollipop out of his mouth, gazing down at you (because, again, he was as tall as a tree) with one corner of his lips raised higher than the other. “I’m handsome.”

You weren’t exactly staring at him because he was handsome—okay, yeah, maybe you did. A little. “You’re late too?”

You had never interacted with him before and you were 99.9% sure he didn’t know your name, so maybe you should’ve started by introducing yourself to him. Or telling him not to be so cocky ‘cause who the hell started a conversation like that?

“Yep.” He plopped his lollipop back into his mouth, coloring his tongue blue. “But unlike you, I chose to be late. Needed my beauty sleep, you see, but you get that.” He stretched out both hands in the air, cracking his neck. A little strip of perfect fair skin was shown above his belt but you looked away, clearing your throat. 

“So,” he yawned. “Are you going to climb first or should I?”

“What?”

“The gate, genius.”

“You want me to climb up the gate?” 

“How else are you planning to go inside?”

“Well, true, but…” You looked around. Your usual school guard was nowhere in sight. Yes, the gate was quite high and you could hurt yourself making your way down but he could lend you a hand, right? It would be easy. You could stealthily slip yourself into the student’s hall after that. No one would notice. There would be no problem.

Well, aside from one thing.

“What are you panicking about? Just climb up and jump.”

“I can’t climb—I’m wearing a skirt.”

Satoru arched an eyebrow before he chuckled. “You’re worried that I’ll see your panties? Honey, please, I’m a gentleman. I won’t stare. Plus, polka-dot panties aren’t my thing.”

You blanched. “How do you know I’m wearing polka-dot panties?!”

“Oh, I got it right?” He rolled his lollipop to the side of his mouth for the sake of putting his annoying smile on display. “I must be a psychic or something. On top of my good-looking face? God really does have His favorite, huh?”

“Probably 'cause He feels sorry for giving you such a shitty personality.”

His jaw dropped. He knew he had a shitty personality but he thought girls loved that about him. “Well, aren’t you feisty,” he muttered, and you were worried for a split second that you might have upset him—not that you cared about his feelings specifically, you just didn’t want to jeopardize your connection with him (He was rich, okay? It would be great for your future career if you were friends with someone like him). But then, Satoru stuck his hands inside the pockets of his pants, leaning close with his lips pulled back in a cheeky grin. “You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met. Wanna go on a date?”

Oh, that did it. Those little chances of you having a crush on him? Gone. “Gross.”

“Ouch, okay, that actually hurts,” he pouted, rubbing the center of his chest where you just shoved him. After taking a moment to examine your face—you really did look like you wanted to kill him—Satoru gave up with a sigh, shrugging. “Well, whatever. I’m going in.” He pivoted on his heels, making his way toward the gate. “I’ll see you never, Polky.”

“Wait!” 

He clicked on his tongue, turning around to say, “Yell louder, will ya? Our school’s guard is practically deaf but I’m sure people in China would love to hear what you have to say.”

“You’re annoyingly talkative.”

“Part of my charm,” he replied. “I feel bad for you for not seeing it, honestly. Now, what is it? First period’s about to start.”

You thought about it, your eyes flying back toward the double-door gate that was attached to the compound wall. It looked sturdy enough to maintain both of your weights. If you made the jump, you’d still have the chance of being the perfect student for the rest of the semester. But did you really want to ask for his help? He was definitely not going to let it go if that was the case. Oh, you knew he was going to be so annoying about it.

“Any day now, cupcake.”

Yeah, I’m not doing it. You weren’t the type who was so against swallowing your pride if the circumstances demanded you to, but if it involved him? You’d rather die. “You know what, it’s fine. I’ll just go home.”

“What?” He knitted his eyebrows, watching you spin around on your heels. You were truly a piece of work, huh? So stubborn to admit that you needed his help. Throwing back his head and groaning dramatically, he exclaimed, “Ugh, fine. Just give me your bag.”

“What—Hey!” 

With nimble hands, Satoru managed to snatch it away before you could let the thought sink through. He carried it with one hand, not stopping under your command. You chased after him, and you were so close to getting it back before he flung your bag to the other side of the gate—and so carelessly, mind you. 

You watched it land on the ground in horror. “Are you crazy?! I got my iPad in there!”

“Whoops,” he grinned, clearly didn’t feel sorry in the slightest. “Okay, your turn, Princess. Come on, I’ll give you a lift.” 

Ugh, why is this happening to me? Left with no choice, you made your way to him. “Don’t call me that.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” He bent his body forward, exaggerating a bow. “I meant, it is now your turn, oh her Royal Highness of the Democratic Republic of Polkaland—”

You pushed him down by the shoulders. “Shut up and get down on your knees.”

“Oooh, so demanding~” he cooed, but his flirty tone vanished instantly the moment he felt your foot stepping on his shoulder.  “Whoa, wait—dude, your shoes!” 

Okay, that was your bad. Should’ve taken them off before you did that. Now his black blazer was painted with soil. “Sorry,” you winced. “I’ll help you clean later.”

“Yeah, yeah. You weigh like a ton, by the way.” Oh, you know what? He deserved it. Actually, he deserved more dirt. “Are you rubbing your soles on me?” He gasped.

“You wanted clean shoes, right?”

“Not by using me!”

You ignore him, curling your fingers around the iron bars. “I’m going up. Promise me you won’t look.”

Satoru sighed. “Like I said, I’m not interested in seeing your—aw, aw, aw, aw!” Tears emerged in his eyes. Not only were you stepping on him, you were also using his head to maintain your balance, gripping his strands a little too tightly when you felt that you were seconds away from slipping. “Fuck—Stop pulling on my hair!”

“I’m trying not to fall!” You regained your balance. Feeling a bit sorry, you placed both hands on the bars, gripping them firmly as you stood on his shoulders. You stretched out one arm, fingers clawing against the iron as you tried to reach the top. You got it. Now, all you needed to do was pull yourself up. 

On the count of three. One… Two… Three… Pull!

Eh?

“What now?” Gojo asked, his patience wearing thin. His shoulders were throbbing in pain. You weren’t actually that heavy for him. It was the way you were stepping on him, treating him like mud that’s the issue.

You felt your cheeks growing hot, your voice reduced to whispers when you answered, “I can’t do it.”

“What?”

“I can’t pull myself up, okay?!” You yelled in shame. You had calculated everything except for the part where you barely had any muscles in your arms to carry your own weight. “I’m too weak!”

“And you couldn’t have thought about that before you used me as your doormat?!”

“See, this is why I told you I was going home!”

“But your bag is over there—”

“WHOSE FAULT DO YOU THINK THAT IS?!”

Oh, both of you were giving each other headaches for sure. “Okay, let’s try another plan,” Satoru said. “I’ll go first and I’ll pull you up.”

“Can you? You’re built like a twig and you said I weighed a ton.”

“It was a joke, Polky, lighten up. And excuse me, I have muscles, all right? You just can’t tell underneath all these clothes I’m wearing.”

“It was a joke, Twiggy, lighten up.”

“Oh, you little—”

“Enough, we don’t have much time.” You climbed down his shoulders, exhaling in relief once you were back on the ground. “Want me to give you a push?”

“As much as I would loveto use you as my doormat, I got this.” He brushed the dirt off his shoulder and tossed his lollipop to the nearest bin. “You just stand there and look pretty,” he winked. “And try not to fall in love with me too fast.” 

Before you could land a kick to his shin, Satoru made his leap, making it look so easy that it almost convinced you to give it another go. He sat down on the top rail—thank God, this gate didn’t have any finials—with his legs settled on both sides to maintain his balance. He took a quick scan of his surroundings to make sure you were alone before he tossed his own bag to the ground. “Okay, I think we’re safe.”

Satoru returned his attention to you, and for a moment, you exchanged stares. “What?” You narrowed your eyes, suspicious. He just grinned, flashing his teeth and you knew he was up to something again. “No,” you mumbled out as realization dawned on you. “You’re going to leave me here?!”

“Abandoning my princess? Of course not.” His eyes glinted with mischief. “Say that you’ll go on a date with me and I’ll pull you up.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Am not.”

“I don’t even know you.”

“Well, this is your chance to get to know me,” he smirked. “Come on, just one date. I’ll take you somewhere fancy.”

“Not interested.”

His smile slowly began to fade the more you rejected him. “You’re seriously saying no?”

“Want to hear it in German? Nee.”

“That’s Dutch.”

“Whatever.”

Satoru took a moment to himself, both confused and baffled (and a bit amused, actually). But surely, no one would reject the Gojo Satoru, right? Yet, there you were, glaring at him as you said so. “Huh,” he poked his tongue against his cheek. You weren’t sure whether he found you vexing or even more… interesting. He accepted his defeat with a heavy exhale, just for now. “Fine. Call me Your Majesty then. If you do it cutely, maybe I’ll pull you up.”

“Oh my God, why are you suchan ass, Satoru?”

“Oh, the princess knows my name!” He claimed in delight, already forgetting the shame from your rejection. “It’s about time you tell me yours.”

“Yes, it’s Miss Fuck Off from Class B. Now, give me your hand and pull me up!”

“Say the magic word then.”

Oh, this isn’t worth it. This is so not worth it. “Fine,” you said, and to his surprise, you whirled around and walked away.

“Wait, you’re leaving?” His smirk faltered. “What about your bag, Sweetheart?”

You didn’t bother to look back. “I don’t care. I’ll get it tomorrow.”

“That’s stupid!”

“I’d feel stupider if I had to kiss your ass.”

“Would you prefer to kiss my lips instead?”

“Goodbye!” 

You stomped away. For a couple of seconds, there was silence, and you thought, oh, I actually managed to shut him up. You mentally gave yourself a pat on the back. You might not have your bag with you. Or your wallet. Or your phone. And if you were really planning to go home like this then you’d have to walk for five blocks, but! At least you got to leave him speechless. That was quite an achievement, wasn’t it?

“If you come with me I’ll pay for your iPad!”

You’re back at the gate. “Would you be so kind as to lend me a hand, your majesty?”

Satoru laughed. A genuine laugh actually came out from the devil’s mouth. It almost felt strange. Somewhere deep down, you imagined that he’d have a creepy laugh, or maybe even maniacal. But no. His laugh was so, so adorable. So boyish. So…heartwarming. It was the kind of laughter that would make you smile even when you were clueless of what he was laughing about.

“You’re funny, I like you,” he said, sending tingles to your cheeks which turned you completely into the typical shoujo manga protagonist. 

Eew, what the fuck, did my heart just skip a beat? Gross.

Congratulations. You just had your first shoujo manga-worthy inner monologue.

Satoru extended his hand. “You better hold tight, Princess.”

“If you let go, I’ll kill you.”

“I’ll keep you safe, I promise.” Another smile, and there it was again. Your heart doing things inside your chest. You tried to find some excuse, blaming all of this on his looks.

Satoru pulled you up, holding you securely yet so gently by the waist once you reached the top rail. He held you close, noticing how you were shaking a little bit when you felt the fence rattle underneath your weight. This is strong enough to hold us both, right? You couldn’t help but worry. When you were finally sure you were fine, you began to notice the pleasant, intoxicating smell lingering on the little space between you. His scent… It was wonderful—sumptuous and warm, and you figured, that described him perfectly as a person. A mix of cedar woods and cypress, with a bit of sweetness to it. It almost reminded you of—

“The Last Day of Summer.”

You blinked twice. “Huh?” 

“My perfume,” he smirked. “The Last Day of Summer by Gucci. You like it?”

“What—no,” you scoffed. “I didn’t even notice it. You smell like sweat.”

“Is that so?” He was definitely not buying your bluff, but he played along, just for a moment. Satoru leaned in, his right hand moving from the dip of your waist to your wrist, his fingers covering yours. You could feel the tips of his strands tickling your cheek, your body freezing up the moment his breath grazed your neck. You found yourself holding your own, your eyes closing shut when he took a sniff at you.

Wait. Sniff?

Satoru pulled away, scrunching up his nose. “I think that’s you, Polky. Did you miss your shower this morning or what?”

“I will push you.”

“Aaw, but then who’ll help you get back down?” He tugged you toward him, his face hovering just a few inches above yours. He tapped his finger against your nose, matching the words he said, “Not. So. Smart. Are you, baby?”

“You—”

“HEY! YOU TWO!” 

The thundering voice of a man caused you both to flinch. Your gym teacher—Yaga Masamichi—was there, probably glaring from behind his sunglasses and fuming in his sweaty track pants. “What are you doing?! It’s your first day and you’re sneaking out already?!”

“Interesting point,” Satoru answered, unbothered. “We’re actually planning to sneak in.”

“Teacher’s office. Now.” He didn’t have the patience—or maybe the time?—to stay and lecture you both. He walked away, grousing under his breath.

You let out a heavy sigh. It was only ten in the morning and you already felt so tired. Unlike you, Satoru was still brimming with energy. If anything, he seemed even cheerier than before. “Well, it sucks that we got caught but we had fun, right?”

“Let’s just get this over with.”

“Okay, Miss Grumpy.” He so casually ruffled your hair as if you had been friends for years. “I’ll go first.” He hopped off the fence, landing back on earth almost as gracefully as a cat. You wished you could follow his lead but from that height? You weren’t so confident. “It’s all right, Princess,” he said, noticing your worry. “I’ll be here to catch you.” 

That was actually one of your concerns. Not because he didn’t seem like he’d be capable of doing so, but more of what would come after he caught you. 

You’d be… in his arms, right? And then what?

Fuck, it’s just Satoru. You didn’t even care about him until now. Just jump.

So, you did. Without thinking too much about it, you removed your hands from the railing, but you didn’t jump toward him as you were too stubborn—and embarrassed—to do so. The chance of killing yourself over this was close to zero, right? You’d be fine.

You could feel your feet touching the ground. You were okay. Or at least, you thought you were. Your shoes, unfortunately, weren’t made to do such a reckless stunt. Your soles were too slippery, and like stepping on ice, you lost your footing, your eyes burned by the blazing sunlight as you felt gravity pull you down.

Until a pair of arms wrapped themselves around your waist.

“For God’s sake,” Satoru said, and you felt his words reverberating from his chest since you had your face pressed against it. He sighed, removing one hand from your hips to cup the back of your head. “You should’ve jumped towards me, you idiot.” You could feel his long fingers slipping between your locks, forgetting to breathe air into your lungs when he pulled away, gazing at you solemnly. “Look, it’s cute to be stubborn and not want to ask for my help, but what would you do if you got hurt?”

It’s corny to say this (actually, everything that had happened in the last fifteen minutes was corny. You weren’t sure why your life—and yourself—had turned into this state. You were doing okay before he showed up in your life.) but you were lost in his gaze. The sky above you was brilliant blue, so breathtaking as it was painted by God Himself, and yet… When you compared that to his eyes... 

They’re so pretty… He has such long eyelashes too…

(You have got to stop reading shoujo manga. Seriously. Maybe head over to shounen. Blood, death, and eternal suffering—that would stop you from thinking about his lashes.)

Satoru was close. So, so close, that a butterfly awakened in your chest.And was it just your imagination or was he leaning even closer to you?

“Huh…” he mumbled out. Locking your eyes together, he gazed deep into yours, not romantically—though you were too consumed by his stare to tell the difference. It was more like… He was in awe. 

You fidgeted. “W-what?”

“Your eye color changes a little under the sun,” he smiled, sweet and youthful. “Pretty.”

Mush. There was only mush in your head. And Satoru. “You—You’re too close! Get off me!”

He giggled, easily catching your hand before you could shove him away. “You’re blushing? So cute~”

“Why are you two still here?!” Yaga, the same teacher from before, returned with a volleyball in hand. Apparently, he left earlier to get his equipment. “Didn’t I tell you to go already?!”

“We’re going!” Satoru released you, clicking his tongue in annoyance—maybe a habit? “I swear to God, that man needs to get laid.”

“I heard that, Satoru!”

“I wanted you to hear that, Sensei!”

“Are you crazy?!” You slapped his chest. “That’s a teacher you’re talking to!”

“Relax, my grandpa owns this school. He can’t touch me.”

Why am I not surprised? Biting back your sigh, you took a step back, only to realize, great, I bruised my ankle.

He noticed, even when you were trying your best to hide it. “What is it?”

“Nothing,” you said, doing as best as you could to walk without limping. “Thanks for the help. I’ll see you never.”

He matched your steps. “Did you sprain your ankle?”

“Just a bruise.”

“We should visit the infirmary first, just in case.”

“We?”

“I can’t possibly let you go alone.” He sounded like you were asking a dumb question. “Half of this was my fault anyway.”

“Yeah, ‘cause you threw my bag—”

“Because I’m so handsome that you felt too shy to just jump into my arms,” he spoke over you. His lips curving. “Wouldn’t have injured yourself if you just did what I said. But don’t worry. I’m sure there will be another chance.”

I hope not, you shuddered.

“Seems like you’re in pain, Sweetheart.”

“I’m fine.” 

“Want me to carry you?” He beamed at you. “Piggyback ride? I can do it bridal style too, if you want. It will be so cute, we can head toward the sunset together after school.”

“I’d rather die. And stop following me. I’m heading to the restroom.”

“Running away from me? Coward.”

“You want me to pee on you? ‘Cause I’ll do it.”

“Kinky, but maybe some other time.”

Thankfully though, he listened to you this time, returning back the privacy you’d been craving since the moment he opened his mouth. He watched you walk away, his lips slowly curving back up as a new sense of excitement and joy filled his chest. “Hey, Princess!” He shouted, making sure that you’d hear his next words even with the distance between you. “I’ll see you on Sunday!”

“For what?!”

“Our date!”

“Oh, fuck off!”

And that was it. That was how you met your husband. To sum up, he had no sense of delicacy, he talked too much, had no respect for your personal space, and the way he snickered every time he saw you? Ugh. Yes, he was pretty. Yes, he made your heart race. But you’re not that shallow of a woman to be with someone just because of their looks so nothing ever happened. Not right away, at least.

These childish banters and unfortunate meetings kept occurring during your years in high school. And as if that wasn’t enough, God reunited you once again in college. You thought you were cursed. He thought it was destiny. You still remember how you used to hold yourself back from ripping out his hair whenever he walked up to you, grinning from ear to ear while singing—not calling—out your name. But then you had this one class with him during your final year and your professor put you two on the same project together. You started getting to know him better, and you found out that Satoru had more sides to him, more complex than just a little brat who craved your attention. You got closer. You stopped rejecting his calls. You missed his cheeky grins when he wasn’t around. And when he kissed you when you were crying because your dog just died? It wasn’t that bad. It was comforting. It was warm. And sweet. It was wonderful.

(Yes, out of all the times he could’ve picked, he kissed you after you buried the precious family member who’d wiggled his tail for you for seven years)

And before you know it, he asked you to be his forever and you said yes. Immediately. Undoubtedly. Wholeheartedly. 

“Earth to wifey~” Your husband Satoru pops his head back into your vision. The ceiling that you’ve been staring at for the last few minutes turns blurry behind him. You blink, placing your focus back on him. “You suddenly turned quiet. Is it really that hard to answer my question? Babe, if you tell me you forgot about our first meeting, I’m actually going to shed some real manly tears.”

You heaved out a sigh. “Actually, it’s the opposite. I remember it all too well.”

“Aaaw, baby~” He reaches over to kiss you, only to have you slap a palm over his face.

“Now that I think about it,” you say. “You were so annoying when we first met. And disrespectful.”

He blinks, sweating. “B-babe?”

“Not to mention narcissistic, selfish, impolite—”

“Wait, hold up—What’s going on?!”

“You called me Polky. You called me fat—”

“Wait, this is not the reaction I wanted—You’re supposed to fall deeper in love with me!”

“You threw my bag without permission. You never paid back for what you did to my iPad. You kissed me on my dog’s funeral—oh wow, you were a little piece of—”

“Okay, forget the past, forget the past! Remember that you love me!”

“I think you should go back to your side of the bed.”

“Babeeeeeeee, I’m sorryyyyyyyyy!” He whines, tackling you in a hug, and rubbing his face on your stomach. “You can have my credit card for today. Buy anything you want, okay? No limit.”

“Okay, deal.”

You shake his hand, and the deal is done. Mission accomplished.

“Why do I feel like I just got tricked?” Satoru pouts.

You gently pat his cheek, smiling. “Remember that you love me, honey.”

You can’t help but think that if cupids were real, your cupid must have worked overtime cause damn, what tough work it was to make you fall in love with his insufferable ass. 

“Ah! You just thought I’m insufferable, didn’t you?” Satoru asks, squinting his eyes.

You plant a brief kiss on his lips. “I think about you that way every day, my love.”

“You are so in love with me,” he giggles, snuggling closer to you. “Baby, baby, I’m cold.” He circles his arms around your waist again, landing a cute kiss on your shoulder. You can tell he’s smiling like a child, hugging you like a child, and as much as you want to go back to sleep, you can never find the strength to push him away when he’s like this.

“Fine, we can cuddle. But keep your mouth shut. I’m going to sleep.”

“Okay~”

“I’m serious.”

He pretends to zip up his mouth.

“Okay, good. Stay like that.”

Satoru nods. He holds onto his promise. He keeps his mouth shut.

Can’t say the same about his other body parts though. 

Because your husband is now grinding his hips against your behind, not too much, not too hard, just enough to make you notice that yup, he’s hard. His hands slip underneath your nightgown, skimming over your thighs before they press flat against your stomach. He’s so warm—he’s always warm—and every touch he paints on your skin is both comforting and provoking. 

“Satoru,” you warn him. 

He makes humming noises in response, basically telling you, “I’m keeping my mouth shut, just like you asked.” He’s bratty that way.

You sigh. You decide to let him be. It will take more energy to push him away anyway. Besides, even if he’s insatiable when it comes to sex, Satoru will never force you to do anything you don’t want to. You just have to ignore him.

Which is not an easy feat, unfortunately, because before long, his hands find their way to your breasts, cupping each one fully with his palms. He makes another noise, which you easily translate to “Good morning, girls~” (You know this because he said that almost every other morning). Giddy, Satoru finds himself giggling again, squeezing them from behind but in a way that is so not sexy. It’s like a kid trying out his new squeeze toy in Toys-R-Us. 

You roll your eyes. “Really?”

“Mm-hmm.” He starts playing with your nipples this time. Again, in a totally not sexy way. He’s tweaking, pinching, poking your buds inside with his point fingers, and watching them pop back out again. He’s tittering near your ear and you should really find him annoying but you can’t help but giggle too. He’s so dumb for even finding this entertaining.

“You are unbelievable,” you say, turning your head around just enough to kiss him. You hope for dear God, you don’t smell like your usual morning breath, but seeing how he doesn’t smell like one and still tastes like the whipped cream he had eaten (off your body) three hours ago, you figure you’ll be okay.

You don’t plan to take this further than a playful kiss but when you feel your husband groan against your mouth, pleased by the way you close your lips around his so perfectly, you know you’re losing your battle, and you don’t care. Who cares if you only had three hours of sleep and eight hours of stressful work ahead of you? Satoru tastes so sweet on your tongue. He always does. And you’re addicted to him.

With a little push, you have him lying back on the bed. He has one hand resting on your nape, holding your head firmly as he kisses you deeper. “Satoru,” you sigh against his mouth, his tongue rubbing against yours before he moves down to pepper kisses down your neck. He stays mute, but only because you told him to before (though if you knew it would lead to this, you wouldn’t have said so). Your husband may have the habit of spouting out stupid jokes one after another in his wake, but he always says the right thing during sex. The things you want to hear. The things you love to hear.

You can feel him smiling against your ear, your body shivering at the sensation of his breath caressing your skin. You can’t help but expect him to whisper something, something that you know will make you curl your toes in excitement. Last night he had you begging to turn every filthy word he spoke into action. Today, he just takes your earlobe between his lips, his breathing steady but heavy. The sound of his lips parting… The little mmm when he sucks on the sensitive spot… You're losing your mind.

His touch no longer feels light on your skin, drawing out hushed moans from your lips when he kneads your breasts, his thumb gliding against your nipple from over your gown. A soft chuckle brushes your ear. He knows how much you want to hear his voice. It doesn’t feel right to you, feels like something’s missing. But he won’t do that. Not until you start pleading.

But two can play at this game.

You sit down on his lap, the strap of your nightgown sliding down your shoulder just enough to tease. The sight of the purple bruises he left on your cleavage the night before entices him. You’re so pretty. So pretty when you’re marked and bruised. 

With both hands on his chest, you nibble on your lower lip, rubbing your against his hardness. “I need you inside me.”

“Fuck,” he groans, losing his battle. He starts whining when he sees you giggling. “Baby, that’s not fair. You never said that to me before.” 

“Really?” You roll your hips, rubbing him at the right spot, the right pace. The way you move is obscene. The thin fabrics separating your body from his only add more excitement to your already burning skin. “And does Daddy like it?”

His face nearly explodes. “Oh my God, stop. You’re torturing me.” He sits up only to grab you by the waist before he throws you back to bed with one arm. 

You find yourself laughing when he blows against your stomach, treating you like a child. “Stop, that tickles!”

“I asked you to call me Daddy in the last three years we’ve been married and you always kicked me in the face, and now you’re saying it just like that?”

“What, did you want it to be special? Should I go make you a bath filled with roses, put Hatsune Miku on speakers—”

“Oh, that’s it, come here!”

You’re laughing until you can’t breathe, your leg pulled and your arm pinned behind your back. He tickles your sides, his smile playful and bright, filled with mirth. This joy you both have, you’ve never shared it with anyone else. And maybe he feels that too. Because when he flips you around, pressing your bodies together, Satoru’s gaze turns soft. He leans close, gathering your face in his hand. There’s no laughter, no giggle, no mischief in his eyes, only honesty. His voice sounds deep yet gentle when he speaks, “I love you.”

No matter how often he’s said it in the past, how much he’s said it yesterday, it always feels like it’s the first time you hear the words. And it’s rare for you to say it back to him, but he doesn’t mind. He understands that you often struggle to portray your feelings with words, too shy to say it under his overwhelming gaze, and if you ask him, it’s one of the reasons why he cherishes you so dearly. Because he knows whenever those words do come out of your mouth, you truly mean them.

Like now.

Cupping the back of his hand, you press your cheek further against his palm. “I love you more,” you whisper. “Every part of you.” And there’s so much more you wish you could say, but will your words ever be enough to describe them all? It wasn’t obvious to his eyes before as you were good at masking your emotions with sarcastic remarks and mean retorts, but reminiscing those old days you shared with him… It really made you realize just how much you’re in love with the man you’ve shared the last seven years with. You’ve grown so attached that even the thought of spending some days alone without him scares you to your bones. And with the way he’s gazing at you right now, ocean eyes filled with the same amount of passion and affection as they were on the day he confessed his feelings to you for the first time, it’s only right for you to be overwhelmed by your emotions.

Sometimes it scares me because I never thought I’d feel this way about someone.

Even the simplest thought of losing you, of not having you wake up beside me in the morning, is enough to haunt me for days.

Stay with me. Don’t ever leave me.

I love you.

Satoru.

“I just… I love you so much…” And you hate that it’s all you could say. 

But it’s enough. It’s more than enough. Because Satoru is blushing, his eyes turning round, his lips parted but no words can be found. He just looks at you, astonished by the vulnerability you display on your face. The honesty. The purity of each gesture. How beautiful you are…

“Satoru?”

He pulls you into his embrace, burying his face in the crook of your neck. Hugging you so tightly, he barely gives you a chance to breathe and yet, you only wish for him to hold you tighter. You can’t tell just how much your words paint vibrant colors to his world—and bold red to his cheeks. “Are you planning to give me a heart attack?” He murmurs near your ear, a hint of shiver in his voice. “What the hell was that?” 

You can’t help but chuckle. Embarrassed Satoru is the best kind of Satoru. “Sorry.”

“You kidding me? Say it again.” He returns the space between you, but only for an inch or two because that’s all he can bear. He strokes your face, his heart beating hard enough that you can almost feel it on your skin. “I think this is the cutest you’ve ever been.” 

“I’m maxed out for today, though,” you say, wincing. “You’re gonna have to wait another ten years before I say that again.”

“I’ll wait forever if that’s what it takes,” he smiles, gliding his thumb across your cheekbone before he kisses you. “My sweet, sweet wife. I’m so happy I kissed you that day. Sorry your dog died, though.”

You chortle. “Honestly, you couldn’t have picked some other time?”

“You looked super cute when you cried, okay? Sue me.”

“You’re so ridiculous.” But you press his lips against his anyway, both of you smiling into the kiss.

“Babe.”

“Hmm?”

“Can I have your tits back in my mouth?”

“Sure, why not.”

“Can I… also bring my carrot back to my bunny’s mouth?”

“Aaaaand we’re done.” With a little shove to his chest, you send him back to the bed. 

“Wha—” He sputters, mouth opening and closing like fish out of water. “Babe—”

“I’m gonna go make some coffee.”

“No, wait!” He shuffles quickly to his knees, holding onto your wrist. “Honey, I was kidding!”

“Moment’s gone, Toru.”

“But I’m still haaaard,” he cries, and whines, pleading at you with his pretty eyes.  “Baby, I’m sorry. I promise I’ll behave so come back to me? Please?”

You already have one foot off the bed, tossing him a look over your shoulder. “You have hands.” Tying up your hair in a messy bun, you step down, smirking. “Use them.”

“Babeeeeee~”

You lean in to kiss him on the nose, patting his cheek when you say, “Take your time.” 

As you walk away, you hear him mumble sadly behind you, “But your carrot…”

Yeah, your husband is insufferable.

And that’s why you love him.

***

Next Chapter

Shoutout to @justasketch and @princess-okkotsu for being my first readers and for not throwing up from the excessive amount of cringe in this fic. Love you, babes ❤️

#gojo fluff #gojo smut #satoru gojo x reader #gojo satoru x reader #gojo x reader #satoru x reader #satoru smut #satoru fluff #jjk x reader #jjk fics #gojou x reader #gojou satoru x reader #gojo satoru smut #gojo satoru fluff #gojo satoru #satoru gojo #jujutsu kaisen #fics.24HourswithYou

[prythianpages]

Wanna Be Yours | Rhysand x Reader

Rhysand x Reader | When the Night Court and Dawn Court strike a deal, healers in exchange for Illyrian training, you rush at the opportunity to leave your home. You plan to keep a low profile but upon meeting the High Lord of night, your efforts are futile. He takes an instant liking to you and is set on being yours.

warnings: angst, mentions of blood and injury

a/n: This can be read as a stand alone imagine :) but there will be a part two. once again, we have another mini series inspired by a song: I wanna be yours by the Arctic Monkeys. I love when the guy falls in love with the girl first and I feel like it suits Rhys. This takes place before the events of ACOTAR.

The world awakens to a gentle warmth–a tender kiss from dawn. The stars are like a fading dream, bidding their silent farewell and the first tendrils of sunlight emerge, painting the sky in hues of soft pinks and purples. The world seems to hold its breath and so do you.

It’s so beautiful. The way night surrenders to day. The way that no matter how dark it gets, the sun will rise again. It makes you miss home but you don’t miss what waits for you there.

“You don’t belong here.”

You startle and the world tilts beneath your feet. The edge of the terrace offers a daunting view of the Court of Nightmares–a harsh landscape of rocky mountains that seems to promise a swift but unforgiving descent. A hand grasps your arm, pulling you back from the brink, the force spinning you around until you find sanctuary in a pair of strong arms.

As you lift your head, the world regains its focus, but your breath hitches at the sight before you.

 A man, heartbreakingly handsome, captures your gaze. He has sun-kissed skin and short dark hair, reminiscent of a raven’s feather, that frames features that seem almost too perfect to be real. Yet, it’s his eyes that draw you in–a shade of blue so deep it borders on violet. Flecks of silver dance within those celestial irises, mirroring the stars that had bid their farewell earlier. His gaze is intense, sparkling with an allure that feels both familiar and bewitching.

“Breathe, darling.”

His voice, a velvet symphony, wraps around you like the answer to a question you hadn’t even fathomed to think of yet–a revelation that ignites a feeling you can’t quite discern but it stirs the deepest recesses of your heart. 

Suddenly, you’re pushing away from the male with a deep exhale as a delicate pink that reflects the sky above you flushes your cheeks.

“y/n!”

Your eyes widen at the sound of your name being called.

“y/n.” The male in front of you repeats to himself and you never thought your name would sound so beautiful as it does in this very moment. His lips curl into a knowing smirk.

Alette, your guide, comes into your view. She bends over slightly as her chest heaves and she catches up with her breath. She turns to the male, bowing her head in acknowledgment. “My High Lord.”

All blood drains from your face and your heart skips a beat. High Lord. You just met the High Lord of the Night Court and embarrassingly so. You contemplate whether it’s too late to bow your head or not but the thought of Alette scolding you for not doing it sooner stops you.

“I see you’ve met one of our new healers.” Alette inclines her head toward your sorry state. “I do apologize for her entering your palace without prior clearance.”

Cauldron boil you. You caught a glimpse of him pressing his lips together, as if suppressing something. Perhaps a scowl, frown or smile–you don’t know– because you're swiftly averting your gaze. You’re too scared to move, not wanting to draw more attention to yourself than you already have.

“Forgive me,” you’re saying as you drop to your knees and bow your head. “I didn't mean to trespass. I felt a little suffocated down there and I had no idea this was your home.”

“Where are you from?”

Panic steals your voice and it’s Alette who answers for you.

“She’s one of the few healers that came from Dawn, my High Lord.”

You sense the weight of his gaze upon you, an intensity that envelops you with an almost overwhelming power. Your throat tightens.

“And what of her skill?”

“The best of this year’s cohort.” Alette replies with no hesitation. There’s a subtle fondness in her voice that makes your heart swell with pride. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed.

“You may rise.” It takes a while for you to register that the High Lord is addressing you until Alette is awkwardly clearing her throat. You blink and rise to your feet but keep your gaze low. 

“You’re coming with me.”

You lift your gaze, gaping at his back. Does he—No, there’s no way he can know. The High Lord pauses. 

He turns his head over his shoulder and looks at you in an expectant manner. You look at Alette, who nods her head at you, so hesitantly, you follow after him. Your heart races as you hear him tell Alette to pack your things because you won’t be staying in the Court of Nightmares anymore.

**

Velaris, the city of Starlight, is a breathtaking haven nestled within the Night Court. It’s often referred to as the Court of Dreams. It’s a place of ethereal beauty and enchantment. The stark contrast it presents in comparison to the haunting Court of Nightmares leaves you in awe. 

But what strikes you the most is the High Lord of the Night Court–the master of duality. In Hewn City, where the air is always thick with tension, he wears a cold, stoic mask and every calculated step he takes echoes the weight of his stern authority and great power. This is the High Lord you’ve heard of. So when he told you, you’d be joining him in the city of his private residence, you were terrified.

It was a short lived fear because the High Lord you’ve heard of is not the High Lord you’ve come to know over the past couple of weeks. In Velaris, he sheds the shroud of shadows and reveals a different side to him. A softer side. A leader built from genuine warmth and kindness. 

You’ve come to understand he has a complex role as High Lord of the Night Court. He is a blend that is both harsh and dangerous, yet undeniably beautiful and remarkable, constantly navigating through the delicate balance of power and compassion. 

There is one unchanging thread that weaves through both cities. A thread of charismatic arrogance. He carries it effortlessly, employing it in a charming grace. One that he directs skillfully, particularly, when he turns the full force of his charm on you. You’d be lying if you said you were immune to it.

Upon your arrival, the High Lord–or Rhysand as he prefers you to call him– introduced you to the city’s healer. Madja. Though you’ve undergone extensive training in your home court, it felt little compared to the years of experience Madja carried with her, leading her to take you under her wing as her apprentice. You were a fast learner and given the nature of Azriel’s–Rhysand’s spymaster– and Cassian’s –Rhysand’s general commander– jobs, you had a lot of practice and challenges to hone your skills.

A tired yawn escapes from you as you navigate the halls of the infirmary to Madja’s study with the intention of wishing her a goodnight before retiring to your room. Your stops falter when your ears pick up on the distinct voices of Cassian and Azriel and suddenly you’re wide awake.

“–was ambushed by dark forces–”

“–never seen so much blood–”

“–I should make haste then–”

“–he only wants y/n–”

Shadows slink out from the corners, momentarily dimming the faelight in your hand in a silent greeting. The voices, once animated, hush and then cease altogether. Madja is the first to emerge from the study, with Azriel and Cassian trailing behind.

"The High Lord requests your presence.”

**

Not much can unsettle you, given your role as a healer. You’ve tended to a variety of injuries, seen tremendous amounts of spilled blood and have had to navigate through the sorrow of heartbreaking losses. But this. This feels different. This isn’t just anyone. It’s Rhysand. The male, who despite his shameless flirting, has consistently shown nothing but kindness to you. Though the nature of your relationship is uncertain, the mere thought of him being harmed sends a sharp pang through your chest, an ache that transcends the usual clinical detachment you maintain in your profession.

There’s an urgency in your steps as you approach Rhysand’s weak form on the infirmary bed. His body is extremely pale and shivering. A thick layer of sweat clings to his skin. There’s blood everywhere. On the floor, on the bed. It continues to seep out of the wound at his abdomen.

His lids are heavy, laden with exhaustion but he still manages a weary smile when he spots you. “You’re here,” he breathes in surprise, his words carrying a blend of relief and vulnerability.

“I’m here,” you confirm with a reassuring smile as you brush back the dark tendrils of his hair from his face. Though your touch is gentle, the lines on his face seem to deepen.

The air around you begins to shimmer with a soft, golden light. You cast a keen eye over his abdomen, the golden light dancing around you as you assess the full extent of his injury. The wound is deep and not healing as it should and your nose crinkles as the pungent smell of poison drifts up at you.

Rhysand winces as your healing touch meets his wound. Despite his blood staining your hands, you move with practiced grace, drawing upon the healing energies within you. Each movement is deliberate, an intricate crossing between magic and skill as you strive to counteract the effects of the poison.

Rhysand sucks in a sharp breath. He feels like he is dying but he won’t admit that to you. He doesn’t want to scare you. “It hurts.”

“I know,” you respond, your brows furrowing in concentration. The quicker you work, the less pain he’ll have to endure altogether. “It’s the poison.”

His eyes squeeze shut and his face contorts with agony as you press further into the wound. A strangled whimper escapes from his lips.

“I’m sorry,” you frown, halting your movements. You turn your head toward the double doors, where you know Madja waited in her study despite the late hour, in case you required assistance. “Should I go get Madja instead?”

“No,” his hands weakly grasps yours to keep them from leaving him. “I–I’m okay. I only need you.”

You nod and take a deep breath, urging your powers to continue surging through your bones and veins. Charged with vitality, they embody a tender current, eager to breathe life into every fiber of the recipient’s being. You sense the poison recoiling at your touch, prompting another cry from Rhysand. Though you know the poison will put up a painful fight, there’s a sense of relief as you realize it is one you can win.

“It’s going to feel worse before it gets better,” you say, your eyes darting to your makeshift table. “I don’t have anything for you to bite down onto. I’m sorry.”

 “Tell me a story,” he pleads, his voice desperate and raspy. “Anything. Please.”

“Anything?” You say in contemplation, falling into a thoughtful pause as you search your mind for a story to tell.

“When I was a little girl and my parents were separating, my uncle would take me to the countryside,” you begin to share, your voice softening with the weight of the fond memory and in the intimate space between you and Rhysand, a subtle shift occurs. 

“It was my favorite place in all of Dawn. The flowers were always in bloom and the grass was tall and green. We would wake up early to watch the sunrise together. Those were the moments where the world felt so still yet so gentle.”

“One night, as the moon gracefully surrendered its space to the emerging sun, I cried. The realization of the sun and moon being eternal strangers gripped my little heart. The sun, in its golden glory, would never know the tender glow of the moon, and the moon, adorned in silver brilliance, would remain untouched by the sun's warm embrace. It made me sad.”

“My uncle, at first, laughed. He teased me, which made me cry harder. He realized the genuine depth of my sorrow and that’s when he shared something with me,” you continue, a nostalgic smile plays on your lips as you recall the moment. 

Unbeknownst to you, Rhysand’s gaze warms in the gentle embrace of the shared memory. He’s momentarily distracted from the stabbing pain.

"He told me that the moon's glow is but a reflection of the sun's radiance," you explain, the magic of your tale intertwining with the magic of your healing touch. "How beautiful, he said. That the love of the sun for the moon is so pure that he sets down so that people can admire the beauty of her.”

"I was still sad, holding onto that stubborn desire to witness the sun and moon together. That's when my uncle introduced me to the magic of an eclipse—a rare celestial dance where the sun and moon finally come face to face. When the next one arrived, my uncle whisked me back to the countryside to witness it, and for the first time, I felt such overwhelming joy. Tears welled in my eyes but they were tears of happiness. I didn’t know one could cry tears of joy until that moment.”

Still aglow, your hands continue their delicate work. You observe a subtle relaxation manifesting in the features of Rhysand but there’s a weariness that settles over you. You know all traces of the poison are gone because its toxic essence was absorbed by you in your haste to protect him. It takes its toll on you, wearing you down and leaving you feeling slightly unsteady, but all you care about is him.

The gaping wound on his abdomen gradually yields to your skillful touch, and a peaceful serenity settles over his face. His eyes flutter shut, and in the hushed atmosphere, Rhysand's words pierce through, lingering like a delicate whisper in the air.

"I think I might be in love with you." 

The confession tugs at the strings of your heart, urging it to soar, but you swiftly quell the rising emotions. You attribute Rhysand's words to the delirium induced by his pain, knowing he’d forget all about it. You wouldn’t be surprised if he forgot your story as well. You swiftly clean him up and use your magic to replace the bloody sheets with clean ones before taking your leave. Exhaustion tears at your bones and you can only muster a meek smile to Azriel and Cassian, who waited anxiously outside the infirmary doors for an update. You head straight to your room after and collapse onto your bed.

The following night, as you retire to your room from another day of endless work and studying, you find a carefully wrapped gift at your door. There’s no name on it but as you read the note attached, you have an intuitive inkling as to who the thoughtful gifter was. 

To the Sun, in your golden glory, may you always feel such overwhelming joy.

A beautiful embellished trinket box lays beneath the wrapping engraved with two cosmic entities–the sun and the moon. As you open the small keepsake, you're greeted by a soft, ethereal glow that radiates from within. It casts a warm and gentle light and you watch as a projection of the moon and sun dance around you before finally converging into a mesmerizing eclipse. 

**

Rhysand's POV

Like clockwork, Rhysand wakes at the break of dawn with the tendrils of a persistent dream lingering in his mind. A dream that has possessed his nights for weeks. As sleep releases its grasp on his eyes, he reluctantly rises from the bed and decides to get ready for the day, knowing that if he tried, he would not be able to fall back asleep.

He navigates through the familiar halls of the Moonstone palace, mindlessly making his way toward one of the terraces. His steps falter.

There, amidst the soft hues of the awakening city below, stands a feminine silhouette–a vision bathed in the tender light of dawn. You. A sense of cautious curiosity courses through him, eclipsing the remnants of his restless dreams. His gaze lingers on you. There's a nuance in your presence, a fine radiance that hints that you are not from here and though he should be concerned over an unannounced visitor in his home, he can’t bring himself to do so.

 A subtle flutter dances in his chest. He’s speaking before he could even properly think.

“You don’t belong here.”

You startle and lose your footing. You’re about to fall but before gravity claims its toll, he moves with swift determination. He reaches forward and grasps your arm, pulling you from the dangers of the edge of the terrace and into the safety of his arms instead. You lift your head and a gasp escapes your lips. Your eyes widen as they look up into his.

“Breathe, darling.”

His mind is searching yours with a quiet desperation but all you are thinking about is how devastatingly handsome he is. He doesn’t perceive you as a threat. Yet, there’s something hauntingly familiar about you.

He hears a name being called. Yours. And then it hits him like a sudden gust of wind. You’re the girl from his dreams. The one he’s dreamt of nearly every day this week and as he repeats the name, his lips curve up into a smirk.

He found you and realization dawns upon him like the morning sun. You don’t belong here but not because you’re from a different court. It’s because you belong with him.

a/n: this part came out a lot softer than I thought it would. The quote I used about the sun loving the moon so much came from something I saw on pinterest. I am a sucker for the sun and moon and stars lol

#rhysand x reader #rhysand x y/n #rhysand x you #acotar rhysand #rhysand imagine #acotar imagine #acotar x reader #acotar x y/n #acotar fanfiction #rhysand angst #rhysand fluff

[hellodarling1357]

Tiny Toes: Part 6.2 - Cassian x Reader

Here's the second installment of the Ottie-Calling-Y/N-Mum mini-series

Summary: Birthdays + Surprises + Big Changes 2.0

Word Count: 1.7k

You can read the previous part here

A small commotion on the other side of your bedroom door had you tossing in your sleep, somewhat aware of the fact that something was going on but not conscious enough to fully bring yourself to care. However, it was the wafting smell of pancakes, and waffles, and eggs, and bacon, and toast – basically all the breakfast foods you could possibly think of – that had your eyes blearily blinking open.

Now that you were properly awake, you could clearly make out the hushed voices of Cassian and Ottie; knowing that they were there had an automatic smile tugging on your lips as you rolled over and pulled the blankets tighter around you.

“Ottie,” you could just make out the sound of Cassian opening the door, “I think she’s still asleep, so what do you need to do?”

You were certain that Cassian knew you were awake purely from the teasing tone in his voice, yet, you remained still, eyes closed, as Ottie bounded across the floor and, with a determined flap of her wings, landed on the bed beside you.

“Happy Birthday!”

You opened your eyes, coming face to face with a grinning Ottie who was excitedly jumping on the bed next to you. Once she saw that you were awake, she let out a squeal before attacking you with a hug and countless kisses to your cheeks.

“Oh, hello.” You mused with a sleepy smile, arms wrapping around her as she fell against you, making room for Cassian to sit on the mattress beside you.

“Happy Birthday!” Ottie repeated again.

“Thank you, sweetheart. How did you know it was my birthday today?”

“Daddy told me.” She looked over at Cassian with a conspiratorial nod.

“Did he just?” You shot a glare at Cassian who was smiling at you, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He was well aware of the fact that you didn’t want to do anything to celebrate this year, after a few hundred years the excitement eventually wore off. But if Ottie knew it was your birthday…

“- we have lots and lots of things planned for you today,” she excitedly said, going back to bouncing on the bed as Cassian silently shifted to lay next to you, his fingers lacing through yours. “We’ll do presents, then after presents we have breakfast, then after breakfast we get ready for the day, then after we’re ready… oh no.”

Cassian looked up from you, midway through pressing a kiss to your cheek. “What’s wrong, princess?”

“I forgot to get my birthday card.” Spreading her wings, Ottie was, once again, in the air before landing with a soft thud on the floor. You huffed a laugh as you felt Cassian tense beside you, watching her every move with trained efficiency.

“Cauldron, I’m still not used to her being able to do that,” he said aloud before turning back to you with a soft smile, “Happy Birthday, love.”

You hummed as Cassian moved to hover above you, arms wrapping around his neck as he leant down to slant his lips over yours. The kiss was cut off as quickly as it started as Ottie ran back into the room and flew up onto the bed again.

“Birthday card, birthday card,” she said in a sing-song voice, basically pushing Cassian off of you so that she could have your full attention. You shifted up the mattress so that you were now leaning against the headboard, Cassian settling beside you and slipping an arm around your waist so that he could tug you closer against him.

“Is that for me?” you asked Ottie as she sat on your lap, excitement radiating off of her as she constantly shifted as though unable to keep still.

“Yep, I made it all by myself.”

“Oh, it’s beautiful. Thank you so much, Ottie” your heart lit up at the positively delighted look on her face as she took in your complement.

“You have to read it,” you smiled at her again as you opened the homemade card, taking in the swirls of colours that were spread out across the page. “No,” Ottie was quick to interject, “you have to read it out loud, silly.”

Cassian peered over your shoulder at the card, sharing an amused look with you as you both tried to decipher what the scribbles meant.

“Ottie, you know what would make this card even more special? If you read it for Y/N.”

“Oh, okay.” Ottie seemed to contemplate the idea for a moment before grabbing the card from you with a determined little nod as her eyes scanned over the paper.

You shifted slightly so that you were now leaning against Cassian’s chest, his arms tightly wrapping around you with his chin resting on top of your head as you waited for Ottie to begin.

“Dear Y/N, daddy wrote that bit to help me get started but I did the rest, I promise,” you gave her a reassuring smile, prompting her to continue.

“Dear Y/N, happy happy happy birthday. You are going to have a good day, no, the bestest day, because… because you just will. And because Daddy and I planned lots and lots of surprises for you, because it is your birthday.”

You let a smile light up your face at Ottie’s words, based on the way her eyes switched between one specific spot on the paper, then to you then to Cassian and back again, it was clear that she was just saying whatever came to mind, but, truthfully, you found that even more special.

“Ummm, thank you for giving me lots of cuddles, and for making cupcakes with me, and for always reading me a bedtime story and tucking me in. And… oh! Thank you for making Daddy laugh and smile. And thank you for being my mummy and I really, really love you. I love you this much,” she flung her arms out wide, seemingly straining to create even more distance between the tips of her fingers. “And thank you for having your birthday today because it means we get to eat lots of cake – which was supposed to be a surprise.”

Ottie finished with a proud grin as she looked between you and Cassian with a sense of finality. She was quick to lean against you to point out what each drawing on the card was, completely missing the way your eyes teared up and the emotion filled glace you and Cassian shared.

“Daddy?” Ottie asked in an overemphasised whisper, pulling the two of you out of the trance you had been in. “Can we go downstairs and open presents now?”

“I – uh – Sorry, Ottie, yes of course. Shall we eat some of the secret pancakes we made at the same time?” Cassian asked, tearing his gaze away from you as a brilliant smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“Oh! Yes, please! Come on, mummy…Y/N, umm,” Ottie cocked her head at you, fumbling over her words whilst trying to make sense of them. “Come on, I want you to open my present first because it’s going to be your favourite. Daddy said I can’t tell you what it is yet...”

You were stuck, frozen against Cassian as you watched her jump off of the bed and wait for you by the door, jumping excitedly from foot to foot.

Cassian squeezed your shoulders as he pressed a kiss to your shoulder blade, your neck, then the top of your head. “Come on, love, we’ve got presents to open and pancakes to eat, don’t we Ottie?”

Climbing out of bed together, Cassian was quick to lace his fingers through yours, giving them a reassuring squeeze as you followed Ottie out of the room.

“Cass…” you started, still at a loss for words.

“Are you okay?” he pulled you to a stop while Ottie leapt down the stairs, softly singing to herself and completely oblivious to the weight her words held over you. “I can have a chat with her, tell her not to–”

“No, it’s fine,” you said softly, cupping his face as your eyes scanned for any flickers of emotion that would give you insight into what he thought of the situation.

“You don’t mind?”

“No, I – I don’t think so.” You smiled at him, feeling a shift as the implication of this next step took hold.

“Good.”

“Good?” That was all he had to say? Good?

“Yeah, good. Now hurry up, we’ve got presents to open.” He said with a wink.

“Cassian?” you said, still rooted to the spot despite the calloused hand that tried to tug you further down the stairs. He turned back around, a soft smile gracing his handsome features as he stepped closer to you.

“As long as you’re okay with it, we’ll figure the rest out later, alright?” You nodded in response, a smile pulling at your lips to ease the sudden tension and doubt that creased between Cassian’s brows, already feeling more at ease now that you knew he was alright with what happened.

“I love you, Y/N. Just so you know in case I hadn’t already told you that today.”

You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him down so that his face was level with your own, “I love you,” you murmured back before pressing your lips against his.

Once again, you were interrupted as Ottie reappeared at the bottom of the stairs. “Y/N,” she yelled up to you excitedly, “you were taking forever, so I already opened a present for you. Look, it’s a book.”

Cassian scoffed, ready to chastise her as she ran back into the living room, leaving a trail of wrapping paper and ribbons behind her. You pressed another soft kiss to Cassian’s lips, unable to fight off the smile that you were sure matched the one spreading across his face.

“Come on, I don’t want any more surprises ruined for me today.” You said with a laugh as you held Cassian’s hand and continued down the stairs.

“Don’t worry, love. There are plenty of surprises left in store.”

*****

Read Part 6.3 now!

*****

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#cassian x reader #cassian acotar #cassian x y/n #cassian x you #dad!cassian #rhysand acotar #azriel acotar #feyre acotar #cassian imagine #cassian fluff #marley writes

[bimbobaggins69]

Fooled round & fell in love (part five)

Eddie Munson X Female!reader

summary: you’re in love with your best friend but your best friend thinks love is for losers, choosing to sleep around rather than settle down. You’ve had enough and you’re ready to move on from your feelings, luckily you find someone who might make that possible but does Eddie really hate love as much as he leads on?

warnings: angstttt, hurt/comfort, allusions to depression, mention of reader having a ponytail, reader has some self doubt, cussing, fluffff

A/N: This took me a little longer then I wanted, I had this chapter almost completely written out but didn’t save it so when I went to change a song on Spotify and went back the whole app refreshed and everything was gone, yes, I had a mini break down lmao but wow I’m so proud of this series and I so glad to finally get the finale posted 🖤 Thank you to everyone who took the time out to read it! Also extra points if you get the twilight reference.

“Hey baby” rings out in your ears, your stomach drops at the sight in front of you, your feet feel stuck to the floor beneath you

“What are you doing here?” Eddie says to the blonde hanging off of his neck

“You called me and told me to come over, remember?” She says as she furrows her eyebrows

“I, what?” Eddie grits out while his jaw tenses

“Cmon baby, let’s have a repeat of the other night? I can’t stop thinking about you” she wines out

You’re still stuck, so silent the girl in front of you doesn’t even recognize your presence

But once those words leave her mouth, Eddie’s looking over at you with sullen eyes, and a look you couldn’t quite place, as he does, she finally realizes they’re not alone

“Who is she?!” She spits out

“Look you really need to go!”

“What the fuck Eddie? I said who is she?” The girl growled

“Get the fuck out!” Eddie yelled out

The girl turns to look at you while she clenches her jaw

“He’s just using you! I bet he said a bunch of crap that made you feel real special, huh?”

Eddie’s eyes widen at her words

She turns around rushing out of the door slamming it, almost making the whole trailer shake

“Y/n” Eddie says taking a couple steps towards you, he can see the tears brimming in your eyes

“Babe, please let me explain that” he says trying his best to be calm

Finally you snap out of whatever daze you’re in

“I can’t believe I actually fell for your bullshit, Eddie. What was she suppose to be your round two after I left?”

“What? No, no please I don’t even know what she’s talking about!”

“Yeah, okay, I’m gunna go” you grab your keys and head for the door

“Baby-“

“Don’t call me that, I’m not your baby, we’re not even friends, I wish I never let you touch me!” You say as tears roll down your cheeks

“Y/n don’t say that, please”

You race to your car and jump in slamming the door, as you peel off, you hear Eddie yelling your name, but you couldn’t even bring yourself to look at him in the rear view mirror. On your drive home you can barely see through the tears in your eyes, it’s late so luckily the streets are dead, and all you want to do is get home and curl up in a ball and cry yourself to sleep

How could Eddie tell you all of those things knowing he invited another girl over, like you were nothing but another notch on his belt, You really felt like you two connected on a different level, you thought maybe since Eddie has known you for so long that you would be different, you would mean more to him.

The blonde girls words kept playing back in your mind

“Repeat of the other night” “I can’t stop thinking about you” “he’s just using you” “I bet he said a bunch of crap that made you feel real special, huh?”

Okay yes he dropped the L word, yes he said you were his dream girl but is that just shit he says in the throes of passion?

You felt physically sick to your stomach, but apart of you wished you heard him out, listened to what he had to say.

You weren’t sure what to feel in this moment, so many emotions pulling you in different directions, you just wanted to scream

Finally you pull up to your drive way, and make your way inside. Luckily your mom’s asleep or else she would definitely ask questions about the mascara and tears staining your face, and you just couldn’t bring yourself to talk about it. As you trudge upstairs, you make it into your room shutting your door and yanking your clothes off, all of them smelling like Eddie and you just wanted them as far away from you as possible, you throw them in your hamper and pull on a big shirt as you slide under your covers turning out the lamp on your nightstand

You toss and turn, trying your hardest to fight back tears but you can’t they flow out of you like a stream

You cry so much your chest starts to physically hurt, and in that moment you promise yourself after you get this agonizingly painful cry out, you won’t shed anymore tears for Eddie

You continue to cry until you eventually drift off to sleep.

The next morning you wake up to your phone ringing off the hook, you look at your clock on your nightstand, the big red numbers making your eyes squint a bit before they eventually adjusted, reading 12:42 pm, you sit up and stretch as the memories of the night before play like a movie reel in your head, your stomach twists as you remember every little detail of last night, you decide to ignore the phone and head to the shower wanting to scrub the nights events off your skin.

As you wrap a towel in your hair and put your black silk robe on tying it securely to your body, you make your way back into your room, you hear the phone go off for what seems like the 5th time, as much as you just want to shut down and lock yourself inside never having to deal with anyone again, you know thats just not realistic so you hesitantly walk over to the white house phone sitting on your desk.

You clear your throat as you answer

“Hello?” It comes out way more hoarse then you would’ve liked

“Sweetheart, please don’t hang up! I need to talk to you, please” Eddie let’s out in almost a panic

“Eddie, I have nothing to say to you, lose my number” you say as tears threaten to spill again, guess that promise you made to yourself is tougher then you thought

You slam the phone back down not wanting to hear another word from him.

As you make your way to your closet to pick out some clothes, your phone rings again, and now instead of tears you’re seething “can he not take the fucking hint?” You think to yourself

“I said leave me alone!” You bark out

“Woah, what did I do?” Robin says while removing the phone from her ear and looking at it in confusion

“Oh my god, Rob I’m so sorry, I thought you were someone else” you say as you let out a deep breath and let your tense shoulders deflate back to their normal position

“And who would that be?” She says as she laughs

“It’s not that important, anyway what’s up?” You say trying to change the subject

“Well, you never called me back after the other night, and I was just wondering how everything went with you and that Randy guy? But now i’m not so sure I should’ve brought him up” she says

“Oh, yeah me and Randy aren’t really talking anymore, we just kind of decided we weren’t for each other, I guess” you say trying to sound as convincing as possible

You didn’t wanna lie to Robin, she’s your best friend but you just couldn’t go into detail about the whole situation, god you were still humiliated enough by saying Eddie’s name while Randy made you cum, but also Eddie’s friends with Steve and Steve’s friends with Robin so you didn’t wanna create awkward tension between anyone, knowing Robin would have your back if she did run into Eddie. You’ll tell her eventually but now is just not the time

“I’m sorry, babe, well you know what they say, there’s more fish in the sea and all that” she says trying to be as empathetic as possible

“Yeah, well lucky for me I don’t think I’ll be exploring the sea for a very long time” you laugh out

“Hey, how about we hang out today? Maybe go to Benny’s and grab some burgers and shakes? Forget about the burdens of our failing love lives?” She says as she wiggles her brows up and down, like you can see her through the phone

“Um, yeah that actually sounds nice, I wouldn’t mind stuffing my face with some fries and a strawberry shake” you say almost excited

“Okay, I’m gunna tell Steve and we’ll be on our way to pick you up, say around 3:30?”

“Kay, I’ll see you then”

As you hang up you start to overthink, what if Eddie shows up, what if Eddie’s already told Steve, what if, after what if, and now you are almost tempted to call Robin back and cancel, but you know you can’t, you already made plans

Finally you walk back over to your closet and pick out your outfit for the day which consisted of high waisted jeans, a white tank top and a cropped leather moto jacket, you make your way into your bathroom to throw on as little makeup as possible just a little something to cover up the redness from a night of crying, you decide to just pull your hair into a ponytail on top of your head, leaving bangs and some face framing pieces out, you slip some sneakers on and after your finished you make your way downstairs, to watch some tv until Robin and Steve get there

After about an hour of mindlessly flipping through channels and finally landing on music videos on MTV, you hear a car pull up in your driveway, you walk over to the window peaking out, to see Steve’s bmw. You grab your bag, turn the tv off and head out the front door.

“Hey, there she is” Steve says with a smile

“Hey guys, thank you for picking me up” you say as you slide in the back seat

“Don’t mention it” Steve and Robin say in unison

“It really creeps me out when you guys do that” you say as you stifle a laugh

Steve shoots a playful glare at you in the rear view mirror, and you can’t help but to giggle, which in turn makes Steve laugh

“So” Robin says “do you need me and Stevie here to beat this Randy guy up?” She says as she looks back at you, and you wonder if she can tell you’ve been crying

“No, Randy’s not my problem” you say without giving that statement much thought

“You sure?” Steve says looking at you again in the rear view mirror almost trying to read your face

“Guys, I’m fine can we just go pig out, please?” You beg

“Fine, fine let’s go” Robin says as Steve puts the car into reverse and backs out of your driveway

Once you walk into Benny’s with Steve to your right and Robin to your left, you are greeted with a waitress who tells you to sit any where you’d like, so you all opt for your usual booth in the back. its pretty big as it almost wraps around the whole table, being able to sit up to at least 6 people.

You all scoot into the booth and begin talking about god knows what, it’s more Steve and Robin talking while you get lost in thought but pretend to listen as you nod your head to the little words you catch here and there.

But your ears perk up when you hear Steve mention Eddie’s name, Robin asked where he was and that we should’ve invited him, but Steve says he had some business to take care of, whatever that means.

Before you’re able to get back to your thoughts the waitress is asking if you’re ready with your orders, she’s tapping her foot and chewing her gum as she waits for Robin to decide whether she wants fries or onion rings. Once the orders are put in, Steve and Robin go back to their normal chatter and banter, while you butt in every once in awhile. You’ve never felt like this before almost too stuck in your head, like it’s almost impossible to follow through with a whole conversation. After everyone’s done eating, you’re ready to head back home and maybe hide out in your room for another couple of days, this was too much human interaction for you and you just wanted to be alone with your thoughts. Once you all are finished eating you split the bill and head back out to Steve’s car, as Robin gets in the front seat, Steve stops you

“Listen, Eddie told me what happened and as a friend to a friend I really think you should hear him out y/n” he says with doe eyes you almost feel like he’s trying to play this up for Eddie, make you feel bad so you’ll talk to him

“I really don’t have anything to say to him Steve, I mean I don’t know what he told you but what he did was really fucked up”

“Yeah he told me” he says nodding his head

Your eyes widen a bit

“Like everything?” You say as you look down

“Well I mean he didn’t go into detail if thats what you’re asking but I mean I know enough” he says

“And you don’t think thats fucked? Telling me he’s in love with me and then inviting another girl over? Like who does that?”

“I don’t think that’s exactly what happened y/n”

“Okay so what did happen Steve?” You say as you start to get annoyed

“I don’t know but Eddie wouldn’t do that to you, I’m just saying you should hear him out” he says as he heads back to his side of the car, opening the door and getting in, leaving you there as you stair at the ground, lost in thought. After a few seconds you make your way to the car and slide into the backseat

“Is everything okay?” Robin says as she looks from you to Steve

“Yup, everything’s fine” you say as Steve nods in agreement

Once they pull up to the curb in front of your house, you thank them and tell Robin you’ll talk to her later. You head inside greeting your mom who’s just got home from work, you tell her about your day and listen to her latest work gossip, and then you head up to your room, once inside you take off your jacket and jeans and leave your white tank top on and slip on some black cotton shorts. As you sit in bed you realize how exhausted you feel and decide to take a nap, and maybe deal with the whole “listening to Eddie” situation later

As you drift off to sleep you can’t help but to dream of Eddie, his face, his hands, his lips, god you wanted to hate him, but this was physically taking so much out of you, you were still so irrevocably in love with him

The sounds of tapping wake you up from the best nap of your life. Once your eyes open and adjust to the darkness you hear the tapping again, as you sit up you realize it’s coming from your window, you stand up making your way over but as you look down into your driveway your breath hitches as you see Eddie releasing another rock into the air, as it hits the glass you flinch and back up, debating if you want to shut your curtains and go back to bed, but the conversation with Steve is still fresh in your mind, so without giving it a second thought you open your window

“Eddie, what are you doing here?” You hissed

“Come outside, please!” He yells back

“Eddie go home!” At this point you want him to beg before you hear him out

And almost like he read your mind, he yells back

“Please y/n, five minutes just give me five minutes!”

You close your window and go downstairs, throwing on the sneakers you wore earlier, as you head outside you see Eddie leaning against his van with a cigarette perched in his mouth, when he sees you he looks at you with the saddest eyes, as you get closer it almost looks like he’s been crying

“Your five minutes start now” you say as you fold your arms over your chest

“Okay, well what happened last night was not what you think, I never invited Becky over” he cries out

“Oh that’s her name” you think to yourself

“She said I called her and invited her over, and that was bullshit” he says as he fiddles with the cigarette in his hand

“Okay so enlighten me Eddie, what did happen?” You say a little condescending

“I spent all fucking day trying to figure that out, and after talking to a few people, I found out Becky and Randy are friends, like they definitely run in the same circle and what I believe happened is Randy asked her to come over and say that I invited her, how he knew you were there I don’t know, but I promise you sweetheart, I would never do some shit like that, not to you, everything I told you last night, I’ve been wanting to tell you for years but I was too stupid and too pussy. But that aside, I would never do anything, anything to lose you! Fuck y/n I mean I’ve never felt this way before and after last night I can’t even imagine being with anyone else. I don’t think my dick could get hard for anyone but you, now”

You roll your eyes at that

“Real romantic, Munson” you retort

“I’m serious” he says as he takes a step closer to you

You don’t move as he takes a couple more steps closer now standing directly in front of you, you’re looking up into his eyes trying to scan it for any bullshit, but all you see is sincerity and that makes your stomach flutter

“Okay, your five minutes are up” you whisper up to him as he looks down at you starring into your eyes

“Cmon y/n you have to believe me” he whispers back, as the hand without the cigarette comes up to cup your cheek, he’s surprised when you don’t make a move to pull away

“I do believe you” you whisper back as tears fill your water line

“But I don’t know, eddie” you say as you shake your head “I mean if we do this, what if you realize I’m not enough? What if you get bored? I can’t compete with all those girls, and that lifestyle” you say as the tears begin to fall

Eddie wipes them away with his thumb as his own tears threaten to spill

“Baby, you’re so much more than enough, you don’t have to compete with shit, because there is no competition, I want you, I’ve already had that and now I just want you, I want you to be mine”

“I have one more question” you spit out almost not thinking before you said it

“Yeah, anything?” Eddie says while nodding his head

“What did she mean by, I bet he said some crap that made you feel special? What did you tell her?” You say almost too nervous to hear the answer

Eddie let’s out a deep breath before he begins talking

“I’m gonna be honest with you, absofuckinglutely nothing, we barely talked I fucked her for a total of maybe four minutes, before I pretended to cum so she could get the fuck out of there. The only reason I went home with her was because I wanted to see if you’d get jealous maybe show me some kind of reaction but you were too busy cozied up to Randy boy, and then when I took her back to my place, I regretted it cause all I could think about was you. I really wanted to pull you off of his lap and drag you back home and teach you fucking lesson, god when I showed up to your house and seen you in that little outfit I had an instant hard on, I wanted to tell you how I felt then, but when you told me you were seeing someone I didn’t wanna ruin it for you no matter how jealous I was”

His words make your heart soar, you can’t believe you spent all night crying over something you shouldn’t have been crying over, now you felt like it was your turn to grovel

“I’m sorry, Eddie. I should’ve heard you out instead of assuming the worst” you say as you wrap your arms around his waste and put your chin on his chest

“S’kay baby, I’m just glad we’re okay, I’ve been a fucking wreck since last night”

“Me too” you say as you both laugh at each others sheer stupidity

“Hey do you wanna go for a drive or something?” He says looking at you with a glint of hope in his eyes

“Mm, I don’t know if I should” you say as you look back at your house, debating whether it’s a good idea

But when you look back into his doe eyes you can’t say no

“You know what, fuck it, yeah let’s go” you say with a smirk

“That’s my girl” he says back with his signature mischievous grin

my girl

I could get use to that.

epilogue

THANK YOU FOR READING

PLEASE COMMENT AND REBLOG 🖤

•tag list•

@sidthedollface2 @ajeff855 @i-h4temyself @tlclick73 @mmvnsons @emma77645 @saramelaniemoon @big-ope-vibes @vulgarfuckinvirgo77 @melaninjhs @manda-panda-monium @vulcrum332 @bambi-munson @arioneway @daleyeahson @demeterlindavis @seventhlevelofhell @aysheashea @marvelcasey05 @twirls827 @kittykaylat1987 @user12875671 @sznofdawitch @81rain @starrywhitenight @supercali20 @eddielives1986 @micheledawn1975 @erinsingalong @f-me-reid @ladydragon4890 @ireidsmut @hllfrclb @harrys-tittie @loritate7311 @yogizzz @sammyunicornpoop-blog @ilovecupcakesandtea @gingertimelord @ladysteddie @fancyghosttrashhero-blog @lelenikki @trikigirl271 @silasforest @joekeeryswife @lechera-con-leche @bebe0701 @megaeternallove @smilechannie @lokiofasgard616 @eternal-fangirl l @hargrovesswifee @celest-fox @hiscrimsonangel @adreamaway08 @thickiesixx @eddies-puppet @luceneraium @jenisnotlost @bryceisalegend @avobabe87 @eddiesprincess86

#eddie munson #eddie munson smut #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x reader #eddie x reader #eddie munson angst #eddie munson series #eddie munson x female reader

[malarign]

missing home

IN WHICH? enhypen helps you feel less homesick

INCLUDES! bf!hyungline x gn!reader / fluff / established relationship, homesick reader, mentions of food / 459 words

☆ LEE HEESEUNG

learns some basic expressions in your native language

mans tired of not being able to communicate well with your family basically

plus he doesn’t really like it when you talk to them on the phone and can’t understand a single word

you catch him repeating after you random phrases sometimes and can’t help but smile at his efforts

and let me tell you that’s what makes him want to know more and more

after a while basic expressions turned into some basic conversations and stuff

whether he knows or not it makes you feel so warm and at home

well, he knows and that’s the main reason he decided to buy more textbooks and listen to songs in your native language <33

☆ PARK JONGSEONG

cooks your favourite dishes

man he even contacted your family to get as authentic a recipe as he could

before he even let you try it he had to cook it a few times just to make sure it’s GOOD good

at some point all of the members knew almost whole cuisine and were threatened to not spill a single word

though you kinda knew since the dorms smelled like your family home for a good few weeks

when he finally decided to tell you and let you eat it, it smelled and tasted practically exactly like when you ate it before leaving to Korea

your happy reactions and expressions made him cook only dishes from your country

☆ SIM JAEYUN

watches TV series from your country

watching TV series with him was already your tradition, whenever you finished one series you started a new one

what ignited an idea to watch something from your country was a small cameo of a character from your country in one of them

something switched in his brain and when it was his time to suggest something he chose a title you knew well

insisted on watching it with just subtitles or sometimes without them, even if it meant he didn’t understand a single word

thanks to that he picked up some words and says them in completely random moments making you laugh </3

☆ PARK SUNGHOON

surprises you with plane tickets every chance he gets

well, it really depends on how far your country is from Korea

but every time he gets a couple of days off he just doesn’t waste a second to book your flights

usually tells you in advance since traveling as an active idol is a logistical nightmare

but still possible!

but sometimes he just feels goofy and breaks into your apartment in a rush panting as if some tragedy happened

and just when you want to ask him what’s going on he takes tickets from his pocket and says with stone serious face

“we need to leave the country as fast as we can, don’t ask any questions”

did he just cause you a mini heart attack? well, yes but is your happiness worth it? definitely yes

#kflixnet #enhanet #enhypen #enhypen fluff #enhypen fic #enhypen headcanons #enhypen imagine #enhypen x reader #enhypen x y/n #enhypen x you #heeseung enhypen #heeseung headcanons #heeseung x reader #enhypen jay #jay headcanons #jay x reader #enhypen jake #jake headcanons #jake x reader #enhypen sunghoon #sunghoon headcanons #sunghoon x reader

[bloatedandalone04]

Wrapped Around Your Finger - Part 1.1

Series Masterlist | Original Fic

➪in which you pack your bags for paris, still unsure of whether or not you’ll return to london for anything other than the rest of your belongings, and anakin is forced to reach out to liz after she crosses another line.

PSA: strongly suggested to read the warnings before proceeding.

WC; 3.2k | Do not repost this anywhere, reblogs are fine ♡

Guilt had followed Anakin all week.

He talked to you for a good hour over the phone on Wednesday, and not once did he mention the fact that Liz had kissed him. He knew the longer he kept it from you, the worse it’ll be for him, but he was terrified of your reaction. 

Anakin had been faithful for nearly five years straight, and the one time he’s away from you for more than a few days he lets another girl get close to him. Close enough for him to break that streak in a single night. 

He knew that as soon as he told you, it could very well be over, and he never wanted to lose you, let alone because of something so out of character for him. 

Still, it wasn’t fair for you to be kept out of the loop, and though he hated to do it, he’d rather tell you in person. He could only hope that you saw it from his perspective, and how hard he’s been trying to get rid of her. 

Anakin was sitting on the couch, the passing scenery doing wonders at keeping his mind busy. He wanted to call you, but you told him that you needed to sort some things out today, and he’d just have to wait until you were able to talk. 

He had headphones on with the track Vinny and Theo had recorded during all the time Anakin spent with Liz, and he felt like the worst excuse of a friend and band member ever. 

They were actually trying to get music out while he just went out and partied. But he wouldn’t be doing that anymore. 

If one good thing came out of that whole club situation and the wake up call, it was that Anakin was finally inspired to write. Theo had come up with the idea to create a slower song rather than the loud and intense songs they’ve been playing for the last year and a half. He was sure it was because the bass player was feeling down a lot lately and needed a way to vent, and Anakin and Vinny were more than willing to agree to it. 

He listened to the track on repeat as he thought about possible lyrics, and Anakin was happy that Vinny had decided to try his luck with a piano. He played it for about four years before he switched to drums, but he clearly still knew how to play the string instrument as it sounded amazing through his headphones. 

Before long, he had a whole page done and was starting his second when Vinny emerged from the back of the bus. His hair was a mess, signaling to Anakin that he had just woken up from a nap. 

Anakin could probably use a few more hours of sleep, too, but he knew it would never come. He’d just end up tossing and turning and wasting time, so he didn’t even bother. 

Vinny sat down next to him with a huff, taking the notebook out of Anakin’s hands as he did so. Anakin scoffed at him, taking off his headphones and setting them aside as he turned to face his friend. “Is this for a new song?” Vinny asked with a yawn as he read over the page.

“Yeah,” Anakin answered, grabbing his phone and sending you a quick text. 

Vinny set the notebook aside after reading it over. “Sounds good,” he mumbled. “Glad to see you got your inspiration back.”

“Yeah, but at what cost,” Anakin muttered.

“Anakin, Y/n will understand,” he tried to reassure him, but probably knew that it was pointless as Anakin would continue to feel like shit until he knew for sure that he wouldn’t lose you because of the mistake he made with Liz.

So when he didn’t respond, Vinny just shook his head and stood back up. He rummaged around in the mini fridge before grabbing two water bottles and heading back to Clara, leaving Anakin to finish up the song he had titled ‘Falling’.

-

“I feel like I’m wasting everyone’s time,” you confessed as you sat on the grass in the Quad. “I completely messed up that last assignment. I didn’t even try.” 

Evan gave you a pointed look as he sipped from the straw of his smoothie. “You’re not wasting everyone’s time, Y/n,” he stated, making you roll your eyes. “I’m serious. Kenneth would’ve sent you running on the first day if he thought you were wasting his time.”

You shrug and look at different flights on your phone. “Maybe, but I still accused him of favoring me when he was literally just trying to be nice,” 

“Y/n,” Evan called out to you, making you look up. “You’re a good writer. You’re one of the best in the class, don’t think that you’re not. One bad piece doesn’t make you a bad writer, you know that.”

You shrug again, sipping on your own smoothie. “Yeah, I guess,” 

Evan set down his drink and moved closer to you. “I mean it. You’re going places…if you decide to stay, that is. While it’ll certainly give me a better chance at getting published, it’ll still suck to lose you. But if you’re no longer happy here, then you deserve to do something that does make you happy.”

You give him a smile and lean over to hug him quickly. “Thanks, Ev,” 

He returned the hug before standing up. “Are you coming to class today?” 

You think about it for a few seconds then shake your head. “No, I have some thinking to do,”

He nods and gives you a reassuring smile. “Okay, I’ll just see you later then,”

You nod back and watch as he makes his way to the building the class is in before pulling out your phone. 

Ani: I hope you’re having a better day today, baby. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. I love you. 

The text brings a smile to your lips as you stand up and throw away your garbage as you reply to him.

So far so good. I can’t wait to see you, too, Ani. I love YOU.

You head in the opposite direction of your class, planning on going back to your room and packing your bag for Paris. Maybe you’d even start packing up to go back home. While Evan’s attempts at reassuring you were nice, you still didn’t feel confident in yourself anymore. 

Anakin had even tried to reassure you, but he also said that you didn’t have to force yourself to stay if it wasn’t what you wanted anymore, and to have that support from him had your head feeling clearer than it had in weeks. 

If all else failed, you still always had him, and that was enough for you to know that you’d be okay. 

You pack the essentials and set your bag down next to your desk before sitting down on your bed. Grabbing your phone, you begin to look through more flight options. There was one for three in the afternoon, meaning you’d be able to be in Paris by five thirty at the latest. You’d have to swing by class tomorrow to talk to Kenneth, and to possibly say goodbye to him. 

You really weren’t sure if you were going to come back for anything other than the rest of your belongings once Anakin and the guys leave France and you’d have to say goodbye again. Maybe you could just pack the rest of your things and meet him at the next location. You wouldn’t mind sharing that small bunk with him for the next two months, and you knew he wouldn’t mind either. 

Without another thought, you buy the ticket and set your phone down, pulling out your laptop and continuing to write the rough draft of your short story, despite your plans potentially dropping the class.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur, and before you knew it, it was the next morning and you were packing last minute things and making sure you had your ticket ready. You set everything on your bed, excitement pulsing through you at the fact that you’d be seeing Anakin in less than nine hours.

His text had you feeling the happiest you’ve been all week, and you had shamelessly read it more than once. 

Ani: I can’t wait to see you tonight. I’ve missed you so much, princess.

He was the sweetest, and you were shaking with nerves at the thought of feeling his arms around you again after four weeks of zero physical contact.

You leave your dorm and make your way to class, well aware that it had ended at nine and it was now nearing ten. With a quick inhale, you enter the classroom and meet Kenneth’s eyes from across the room. He was sitting at his desk, his brow furrowed as he looked back down at the papers he was reading. “Miss Y/l/n,” he greeted in a monotone voice. “Glad to see you could make it to class today, though you are an hour late and the class is already over.”

Giving him a forced and embarrassed smile, you step into the room. “Yeah,” you trail off, playing with your fingers as you stand by the door. “I’m sorry I missed the last two classes, it’s just….I don’t know if I’m cut out for this.”

Kenneth didn’t look up from the papers as he said, “Well, you’ve certainly done a great job at trying to prove that,” 

Your face heats up and you look at the floor. “Yeah…I’m really sorry, Kenneth,” you murmur, glancing down at the A on your wrist. You feel the smallest bit of comfort from just looking at it, and you lift your head with a newfound confidence. “I didn’t mean to waste your time. That was the last thing I wanted to do.” 

That had your instructor looking up at you. He studied your face for a few seconds before sitting up in his chair. “You didn’t waste my time, Miss Y/l/n,” he stated. “In fact, I quite enjoyed reading your previous pieces, so I don’t know why you think you wasted anyone’s time.”

You shrug at him and avoid eye contact. You just needed to get through this, then you could go to the airport and be with Anakin again after a month of not seeing him. 

“I assume you came here to tell me that you’re dropping out?” Kenneth asks and you look over at him.

“Do you think I should?” You ask.

“That’s not up to me,” he says. “It’s your choice.”

You huff, “Do you think I’m…..good enough?”

Kenneth raises his brows. “Do I think you’re good enough?” He repeated your question and leaned back. “I think you’re a great writer, Miss Y/l/n, and it would be  unfortunate to lose you before I got to really see what you can do. But, it’s your decision, and I can’t make it for you.”

You give him a small smile and nod. “Right. I guess that’s a good answer,” 

He returns the smile before asking, “Are you going somewhere?”

“Yeah, I’m….my boyfriend is performing at a few venues in Paris, so I’m going to meet him there,” you tell him. “I’m sorry, but I’ll be missing a few classes next week.”

Kenneth nods. “It might be best for you to take some time to figure out what you want to do,” he says. “If you decide to stay, there’s always a spot for you in my class, but if you want to go then I can’t stop you. But just know that one bad piece doesn’t make you a bad writer, and you shouldn’t let it have that much control over you.”

Your smile fades a bit at how similar his and Evan’s words are. Maybe they were right. “I’m trying,”

He shrugged, “That’s all you can do,” 

A few seconds pass before you nod. “Well, I should get going. I don’t want to be rushing to the airport,” 

“Before you go,” he called out to you just as you began to turn around. “I want you to know that, whatever you decide to do, I support you.”

That had a genuine smile forming on your lips. “Thank you, Kenneth, and I’m sorry for…everything,”

Then you were off. You headed back to your room to grab your bag, finding Evan leaning against the wall next to your door. Your look of surprise had him raising his brows, “What, you thought I was gonna let you leave without saying goodbye to me first? Especially since I might never see you again after this?”

You laugh and walk into his open arms. “I haven’t decided if I’m dropping the class or not, Ev,” you say and rest your head against his chest. “And I’d say goodbye to you before I left, anyway.” 

“How generous,” he teased and pulled away. His eyes flickered all over your face before he met your gaze. “Have fun, okay? Go spend time with your famous boyfriend, and don’t worry about anything else, alright? You deserve it.”

You smile and nod, “Okay,” you agree. “I’ll see you next week, Evan. Promise.”

He squinted his eyes at you. “You better,” he said back, giving you another smile before leaving. You grab your bag and look around your room one last time before setting down the note you had written to Bailey. She was still at her parents house since there was some family emergency, and you didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to her. 

You leave it on her bed before locking the door and ordering a ride to the airport, the stress of everything finally beginning to lift once you’re seated on the plane. 

-

Anakin could not stop pacing the length of the small hallway on the bus. 

He was shaking, he was so excited to see you. 

He couldn’t think about much else other than your sweet scent, your kind smile, your achingly pretty face, and the way your body fit perfectly against his own. He was craving your touch and the sound of your voice. He couldn’t believe he had gone a month without you.

Vinny was watching him with a tired expression, his arm draped over Clara’s shoulders as she slept next to him on the couch. “Dude,” he grunted after watching him pace a few more times. “What are you doing? Why are you pacing?”

Anakin flexed his fingers as he shrugged, passing by the brunet once again. “I can’t help it,” he answered. “I have to leave in less than half an hour to pick her up and bring her back here. Half an hour, Vin, then she’s here.”

Vinny let out a laugh of disbelief, glancing down at his sleeping girlfriend. “I hope she’s this excited to see me at some point in the future,” he muttered to himself as Anakin tried to calm himself down. 

“I missed her so much, Vin,”

“I know,”

“I can’t wait to see her,”

“I know, Anakin,”

“Please tell me that you and Clara are doing something tonight,” Anakin was powerless to stop the desperation from coming through in his voice.

Vinny smirked up at him, “Is that your way of asking if the bus will be empty tonight?”

“I need to be alone with her,” Anakin groaned. “I need it to be just the two of us, so we can talk. I need to clear a few things up with her.”

Vinny laughed. “I understand, man,” he said. “I’ll take Clara out for dinner or something and we’ll tour the Paris nightlife.”

Anakin gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you,” then he checked his phone and nearly dropped it when he saw Liz’s newest Instagram post. “Fuck.”

It was a close up picture of Anakin on stage a couple nights ago, his hair damp and his skin sweaty as he finished the last song of the set. He remembered feeling the high of that night, and he would’ve been happy to see that Liz had captured a photo of it, but right now all he felt was rage as he read the caption. 

elizaphotography: Thought you’d all enjoy a hot, up close and personal shot of the sexy lead singer of Screaming Whispers ;) 

She added a bunch of stupid hashtags and even tagged him, and Anakin wanted to throw his phone at the nearest wall. Vinny must’ve sensed the sudden change as he sat up a bit and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“She- I can’t fucking believe her,”

Vinny reached forward and grabbed his phone, his gaze hardening once he saw the post. “Wow, this bitch won’t quit,” he muttered, reading the caption over and over again. “She must think she’s invincible or some shit, because- what are you doing?”

Anakin had swiped his phone out of Vinny’s hand and clicked on Liz’s contact as he left the bus, hoping that the air would cool him off at least a little. It rang for a few seconds before the call connected, “Ah, I knew that would get your attention,”

“Back off, Liz,” Anakin rasped, leaning against the side of the bus as he felt his heartbeat quicken. “I mean it.”

“You’ve been avoiding me like the plague, Anakin,” she stated. “You’re acting like a prick. I thought we were friends.”

“You thought wrong,” he said and tried to take back control of his breathing. “Change that caption, or better yet, delete the entire fucking post.”

Liz hummed, “Thought I was allowed to post you? In fact, it’s on the contract that I get your image out there for the world to see,” she laughed. “Well, it says something like that, anyway.”

“I’m not joking, Liz,” he muttered under his breath, and her annoying voice had his body heating up in rage.

“I’m not joking either, Anakin,” she said back. “You led me on. I can claim that. Don’t piss me off, Anakin, or I’ll tell Y/n myself that you cheated on her.”

“I didn’t-”

“But you did,” she cut him off. “I’m living proof.”

“What do you want, Liz? Huh?” Anakin asked in frustration as he tugged on his hair. “Why do you insist on being such a-”

“A what, Anakin? What?” She pressed. “Call me anything other than my name, and I’ll message her right now.”

Anakin bit his tongue, holding back on calling her every bad name he could think of, because it really wouldn’t help much at all. “Keep her out of this,” he said as calmly as he could. He didn’t like her holding you over him like this when she had no fucking clue about anything involving yours and his relationship. She was just the fucking tour photographer, why did she think she had such an important role in his life? 

“Yeah,” she hummed. “Maybe I’ll do that.” 

Then she hung up and Anakin cursed under his breath as he opened the Instagram app. He deleted all the photos she took of him from his account, wanting nothing to do with her at all anymore. Sure, the photos were great and he actually liked them quite a lot, but he refused to be associated with her in any way. 

Before he got off the app, he clicked on Liz’s account and saw that she did actually change the caption, but it still didn’t settle the anger brewing within him. Without a second thought, he blocked her and pocketed his phone after calling a ride that would take him to the airport and to you.

-

They reunite soon :') (but is that a good thing?)

#hayden christensen #hayden christensen imagine #hayden christensen edit #hayden christensen gif #anakin skywalker #hayden christensen icons #anakin skywalker imagine #anakin skywalker x reader #star wars anakin #anakin star wars #anakin x reader #anakin fanfiction #tcw anakin #sw anakin #anakin x you #anakin skywalker imagines #anakin skywalker smut #anakin skywalker fanfiction #rocker anakin #rocker anakin skywalker #wrapped around your finger au #wrapped around your finger #screaming whispers au

[holllandtrash]

The way my Spotify wrapped top songs this year are just…songs that inspired f1 fics

1. Haunted (Danny ric fragile line series)

2. Long live (fragile line epilogue)

3. Now that we don’t talk (Charles - Say Don’t Go mini series)

4. Afterglow (on repeat because of the lover x 6 to 1 series)

5. A little bit yours by JP Saxe (writing inspo for both red flags and 6 to 1)

#f1 fics #lando norris fic #daniel ricciardo fanfic #driver scenarios with em #spotify wrapped

[ao719]

…Sometimes Not (Part 4)

Watching, Waiting Patiently

This is a submission for @choicesflashfics, using prompt #2, “Pretending to be happy is pretty damn exhausting.”

Song inspo: Let the New Begin - CHPTRS

A/N: This is an au mini series to my Always You story. Not beta’d. Please excuse any errors.  

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x OC (Reyna)

Rating: T • Warnings: None but some mild language.

Word count: 2500

Catch up here

Sitting inside his home office, Gideon flipped through paperwork on an early Saturday afternoon; the penthouse, which a few hours earlier consisted of Catherine and his sister Elsie chattering loudly over breakfast before going to meet Reyna, was now quiet.

Hearing his phone, Gideon kept his eyes on his papers as he blindly reached for it, lifting the receiver to his ear. “Hello?”

“Hello, old friend.”

Gideon smiled as he leaned back in his chair. “Constantine,” he said with amusement in his tone. “Isn’t it past your bedtime there?”

“It’s only 7:30, you ass.”

A rumble of laughter erupted from Gideon. “As I said …”

Constantine chuckled. “How are you?”

“I’m good. Trying to lessen my Monday workload by doing some today. How are you and Regina?”

“I can’t complain, and Regina is well,” Constantine replied. “How’s Catherine?”

“She’s good. She and Elsie went out with Reyna this morning.”

“Ah,” Constantine said. “Wedding planning, I gather?”

“Trying.”

Constantine heard the shift in his friend’s tone. “Why do you sound bothered?”

Gideon sighed. “I’m not bothered. Reyna just seems to be … stalling.”

“How so?”

“They went to look at a venue today because she needs to choose one in order to choose a date,” Gideon explained.

“She hasn’t set a date yet?”

“No. And today’s visit will be the fifth place they’ve gone to look at over the past few months. They’ve already been to The Plaza Hotel, The Pierre, the Cipriani Wall Street, and — the groom’s top pick, probably because he’s not paying for it — 620 Loft & Garden, all of which are undoubtedly the most high-end and sought-after wedding venues in the city … but she has said no to all.”

“And her reasons?”

“She says ‘they don’t feel right,’” Gideon said, repeating his daughter’s words.

“Hmm,” Constantine hummed in thought. “Perhaps she wants something less … grand.”

“Well, the place they went to look at today, Blue Hill At Stone Barns, is still high-end, but more … laid back.”

“I’m sorry … did you say barn?”

“It’s not an actual barn,” Gideon scoffed. “Think of it more like … one of your fancy countryside estates. It sits outside the hustle and bustle of the city, a very nice venue. But I have no doubts that Catherine will be back soon and will say that Reyna found something wrong with it.”

“They’ve been engaged, what, nearly a year?” Constantine asked.

“Yes,” Gideon answered. “Which isn’t that long. Luca, however, seems to be growing a tad impatient as of late.”

“Has Reyna said what kind of place she’s looking for? What would make it feel right to her?”

Gideon sighed. “I think you and I both know that the venue has nothing to do with it not feeling right.” Constantine fell into an agreeable silence. “Speaking of … how’s Liam?”

Constantine and Gideon had monthly phone conversations, keeping each other up to date on their lives and that of their children. They never shared the updates with Liam or Reyna, however, per their requests.

It had been two months since Liam’s divorce had been finalized. Gideon’s initial inclination was to tell Reyna after Constantine shared the news, but he reluctantly agreed when Catherine said they couldn’t; she told him that if she was going to find out, it needed to be on her own and not because he was trying to meddle.

Meddling. It was a fair accusation.

Gideon made his concerns about Reyna’s decision to accept Luca’s proposal no secret to his wife. To him, it felt rushed and for all of the wrong reasons. And despite knowing that learning of the changes in Liam’s life could potentially alter her decision, he knew she needed to see things differently on her own.

Reyna had said she didn’t want to rush the engagement, but after nearly a year, Luca seemed to be pushing her to set a date, just like he pushed her to put that announcement in the Times. And she was going along with it as best she could, looking at multiple venues over the last few months, even caving and buying a few bridal magazines to make herself appear more interested than her father believed her to be, but she had yet to make any actual decisions.

Gideon wasn’t upset that Reyna had yet to plan any of this wedding; his frustrations stemmed from knowing that deep down, she was stalling for a reason, one she refused to acknowledge because she felt guilty and, in a way, obligated. He and Catherine both knew it, but they also knew she needed to navigate this on her own. He would step in when he needed to — if he needed to.

According to the updates from Constantine over the last two years, Liam, like always, had been a mask of stoicism; even after what happened with Drake and Riley, he carried on as a paragon of emotionless perfection. That was up until a month ago when Leo pushed his brother to finally open up about how he was really doing. Liam completely broke down, not about his divorce and what had led to it … but about how much he missed Reyna. According to what Leo told Constantine, he’d never seen Liam that upset before.

Knowing that Liam was still affected so much by the absence of her in his life more than two years after the fact tugged on both of the fathers’ heartstrings. And Gideon knew, even though he was the one thing she never talked about with him or anyone else, that Reyna was still affected by Liam’s absence as well. He knew not only because of his fatherly instincts but because he happened to stumble across a journal while helping her move into her apartment; he never spoke of the pages he glimpsed when it fell open on the floor from a box of books he’d been carrying.

Both Gideon and Constantine knew that the things Liam and Reyna had gone through would have been easier had they had one another to lean on, and in hindsight, probably wouldn’t have happened at all. Yet here they were, over two years with no contact, and both internally miserable.

A while after ending his call with Constantine, Gideon was sitting in the living area of the penthouse. The elevator doors slid open, and Catherine stepped out. “Hi,” he said as he stood to greet her.

Catherine smiled as he kissed her cheek. “Hello.”

“Well …?” Gideon asked as he drew back.

Catherine shook her head. “It was a no.”

*******

•Three Months Later•

Gideon stood in front of the elevator as Catherine, Reyna, and Elsie piled inside with their luggage. They were headed out of town for a girls’ weekend after the two elders deemed that Reyna, despite insisting she was fine, needed some time away from the city.

“Have fun,” Gideon smiled. “And be safe. Call me when you get there.”

“Stop being such a worry wart,” Elsie playfully scoffed before the doors started to close.

As soon as the doors slid shut, Gideon turned on his heels and hurried down the hall to his home office. He picked up the phone, quickly dialing the number.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Constantine,” Gideon said as he sat in his chair. “How are you?” The two briefly caught up on their busy lives in the few weeks since they last spoke. “And how is the family?” he asked.

“They’re well.”

“How’s Liam been?”

“Pretending to be happy is pretty damn exhausting, but he’s pushing through, like always. How’s Catherine?”

“She’s well,” Gideon answered.

“And Reyna?”

“She’s good,” Gideon replied, then there was a pause. “She’s one of the reasons I called. I have news …”

“Has she finally picked a date? Is this my official invitation?” Constantine chuckled.

“Quite the opposite, actually.” Gideon fell quiet for a moment. “She ended the engagement …”

“Oh?” Constantine perked up. “Did … did something happen?”

Gideon explained how last week, Luca had taken it upon himself to look into a destination wedding without talking to Reyna about it … until after he booked it. He went on to say that he was tired of her “dragging her feet” and that he wanted to marry her “sooner rather than later.” That seemed to have snapped something into place for Reyna, realizing that nothing felt right because it wasn’t right, not for her at least. She ended both the engagement and relationship.

With a box of her favorite gourmet cupcakes in hand, Gideon stopped by her apartment on his way home from work the following evening. While picking at a decadent red velvet treat, Reyna told him she should have ended things sooner, that she never should have accepted the proposal to begin with. When he asked why, she said that she’d not been fair, that he was a consolation prize, and it was guilt that made her stay.

Gideon didn’t ask who he was second runner-up to. He didn’t need to.

“How is she holding up?” Constantine asked.

“Good, all things considered,” Gideon replied. “She seems … lighter than she has in a while, no longer holding onto that guilt.”

“Good … that’s good to hear.”

The two men fell silent, each able to tell the other’s wheels were turning just as their own were. Finally, Gideon cleared his throat. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Indeed. It’s time.”

********

Constantine drummed his fingers against the mahogany surface of his desk, staring at the door to his study as he waited.

It had been five months since Constantine and Gideon decided to secretly conspire. They waited a month or so, allowing things for Reyna to settle a bit before they began trying.

At first, it started with phone calls, purposely phoning the other for “casual conversation” when Liam and Reyna were around. They hoped that it would ignite some spark of curiosity, enough to get the two of them to talk. It seemed to rouse something; Constantine would catch Liam staring at him while he spoke to Gideon, and Gideon would catch Reyna lingering when she would normally excuse herself to give him privacy. The two fathers quickly realized, however, that the almost three years that had passed since they last saw or spoke had created a barrier of awkwardness that stopped them from reaching out.

They thought about telling them about the changes the other had gone through — Liam’s divorce and Reyna ending her engagement — to maybe help coax them into that first step. They couldn’t, though, not without drawing suspicion from Catherine and Regina should they find out. They wouldn’t be pleased with the two of them meddling.

After a couple of months, when the phone calls failed to make headway, Gideon and Constantine shifted their plan to try to work out an “impromptu” visit. Schedules had not been aligning, however. With both Liam and Reyna constantly on the go, it seemed nearly impossible without making it blatantly obvious.

Until now.

When Catherine fell ill with a bout of the flu, unable to attend a charity event in Paris as a member of its board, Gideon convinced Reyna to go in her stead; she’d done it before.

Now the ball was in Constantine’s court. He needed to get Liam to Paris, and the timing with his schedule couldn’t have worked out better.

A knock on his study door had Constantine sitting up straight before calling for them to enter. A moment later, Liam stepped inside. “Hello,” he smiled. “You asked to see me?”

“I did,” Constantine nodded. “How’d the council meeting go?”

“Good,” Liam answered. “I was given the last of the budget reports from the duchies. Now, I’m officially on vacation.” He’d taken a much-needed two weeks off.

“About that …” Constantine smiled sheepishly. When Liam’s expression fell, he held up his hands defensively. “You can say no.” I’m really hoping you don’t. “The Cordonian Art Gallery opening is in a few weeks, and there is a French dignitary who has a piece he’d like to donate.”

“Ok …” Liam furrowed his brow. “And?”

“He wants to donate it to you … directly. In-person … in Paris. And this week is the only time he’s available before the opening. The piece … it’s an original Monet. I don’t think I need to tell you how prestigious that could be for the gallery to have on display.”

“Why does he want to donate it directly? Why can’t he just draw up a promissory note?”

“I think he wants to use the opportunity for a photo op with the King, but you didn’t hear that from me,” Constantine chuckled. Liam sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “I know you were looking forward to doing nothing. But you can still do nothing in Paris. Who doesn’t like a little getaway to The City of Light?”

Liam met his gaze; the art gallery was a project his father had taken on after he found out he was in remission two years ago, wanting to keep himself busy. He knew how important this opening was to him, and what a big part the pieces it displayed would play in its success.

Constantine’s phone rang, and he looked down. “That’s him now …” He glanced back at Liam with a hopeful flicker in his eyes.

“Fine,” Liam sighed. “When can he meet?”

“Let’s ask,” Constantine grinned before reaching down and lifting the receiver to his ear. “Mr. Moreau! How are you?” His eyes flickered to Liam and he waved him over. “He just walked into my study. Hold on.”

When the call was placed on speaker, Liam leaned against the desk. “Hello, Mr. Moreau.”

“Bonjour, Votre Majesté!”

Liam startled; the man’s greeting was loud and … enthusiastic. “My father tells me you have a piece you’d like to donate to his gallery?”

“Oh, oui oui! Ze most exquisite! I promise, eet eez really worth eet!”

Liam’s gaze snapped up to his father and his eyes widened at the now thick — and strange — French accent he spoke with. “Uh … yes, so I’ve heard.” He cleared his throat. “Is there a particular day that works better for you to meet?”

“You come tomorrow and I let your papa know! Au revoir pour le moment!”

The line went dead.

Liam stood upright. “You’re joking, right?”

“He’s just … eccentric,” Constantine said.

“What the hell was wrong with his voice?”

“Don’t be rude,” Constantine admonished. “It’s just how he talks.”

“He didn’t even give me an exact day!” Liam scoffed.

“So, just go tomorrow … take some time for yourself, enjoy Paris, and I will be sure to be in touch with him and let you know, no later than the middle of the week.”

Liam sighed as he turned. “You owe me.”

Constantine held back his smile until Liam disappeared into the hallway; he stepped around his desk and moved to the door. When he peered out to make sure Liam was gone, he spotted his eldest son coming down the hall.

Leo tipped his head to him in greeting, and Constantine returned it. “Mr. Moreau.”

“Bonjour!” Leo snorted. “I can’t believe he actually bought that bullshit. He really does need a vacation.”

Constantine chuckled as he slipped back inside and shut his door, hurrying to his desk; he reached for his phone and dialed the number. When Gideon answered, Constantine quickly brought him up to speed, letting him know Liam would be heading to Paris sometime tomorrow.

“Reyna left this afternoon,” Gideon said. “I set her up in the hotel across from the one you said Liam normally stays at when he’s there.”

“So, what’s the plan now?” Constantine asked.

“We did our part. Now it’s up to nostalgia and fate …”

***************************************

Perma Tags (if you’d like to be added or removed for this story, please let me know): @zaffrenotes​ @cocomaxley​ @emichelle​ @sweetest-marbear​ @indiacater​ @gibbles82​ @the-soot-sprite​ @esmckenzie​ @dcbbw​ @burnsoslow​ @deb-1106​ @bbrandy2002​ @txemrn​ @charlotteg234​ @kat-tia801​ @neotericthemis​ @foreverethereal123​ @choiceskatie​ @sirbeepsalot​ @gnatbrain​ @openheart12​ @sincerelyella​ @superharriet​ @queenrileyrose​ @aestheticartsx​ @kingliam2019​ @indiana-jr​ @bascmve01​ @rainbowsinthestorm​ @emkay512​ @marshmallowsaremyfavorite​ @forallthatitsworth​ @walker7519​ @iaminlovewithtrr​ @amandablink​ @mainstreetreader​ @mom2000aggie​ @princessleac1​ @21-wishes​ @appleone​ @tessa-liam​ @pixelatedpassion​ @malblk21​ @queen-arabella-of-cordonia​ @lovingchoices14​ @nestledonthaveone​ @forthebrokenheartedthings​ @nomadics-stuff​ @differenttyphoonwerewolf​

#the royal romance #trr #choices trr #choices the royal romance #liam rys #king liam rys #liam x oc #trr liam x oc #choices liam x oc #king liam x oc #trr liam #king liam #trr fanfic #trr fanfiction #trr fan fic #trr fan fiction #choices trr fanfic #trr au #choices trr au #trr au fanfic #cfwc fics of the week #choicesflashfics

[shawnxstyles]

overthinking alert!

DATE: NOVEMBER 10, 2022

summary: while overthinking as per usual, peter bumps into you. or you bump into peter…

request: yess

song: She Will Be Loved- maroon 5 

words: 1.3k

warnings: implications of sex, vulgar name-calling (slut, whore, etc.), and peter being an overthinker

note: part four! is this a mini-series guys… here’s my main masterlist

gif= not mine!

—

“and then she put her hand in my hair,” peter’s eyes widened excitedly as he talked, waving his hands crazily for emphasis. “i repeat, her hand in my hair.”

“i always believed in you, peter. i never doubted you for a second,” ned nods surely, while taking a bite of his sandwich. this was the most thrilling lunch period ever. his english class was the most dramatic thing that’s happened to peter in a while (minus the whole spiderman thing).

“i’m almost positive you’re lying, but i’m too high on serotonin right now to care,” a smile decorates peter’s face that stays there the rest of lunch.

the remainder of peter’s day moved pretty slow. his mind pondered nearly every possible outcome for tomorrow, when he returns to english, so he can be prepared. you’re just so cool and relaxed, and peter wishes he could be that nonchalant sometimes.

peter doesn’t hate who he is; he is fine with being the lonely nerd who gives last-minute homework answers to his seat partners. he didn’t focus on himself enough to hate too much (he would probably die in a bottomless pit of insecurities if he did). peter did spend a lot of his time daydreaming and wishing he was spiderman though. yes, technically he was spiderman, but peter and spiderman were not the same.

peter believes that spiderman is cool and relaxed, similarly to you, and he wonders if you would like him if he was who spiderman was. as this thought comes to his mind, he begins to think, did he create spiderman’s persona as someone he thought you’d like?

did he make spiderman for you?

—

“fuck,” you mumble as you struggle to adjust your clothes. you impulsively decided to indulge in some football moron during the last period. you are regretting your choices because you didn’t even come. and he didn’t even care.

“you are welcome, sweetheart,” he winks and simply walks out of the bathroom without a care in the world. you roll your eyes, nearly puking at the nickname. you didn’t believe the narcissistic words that left his mouth because he begged you, but he would never admit such a thing. he didn’t care about you and you tried not to care. you never developed any feelings for the guys you hooked up with, but it would be nice for them to be decent to you.

although you hook up a lot (yes, there are repeats, your body count isn’t that high), you do hope to find a boyfriend. it gets tiring being an object to horny teenage boys because you know they don’t care, but deep down, you hoped they would. you’re not a sex doll that boys can just use and throw away. it made you feel like shit because you still ran back those idiotic boys. you had to.

you were done being treated like you were worthless.

you use the restroom for safety measures before checking your tangled hair in the mirror. you sigh loudly to yourself as you snatch your bag off the floor, exiting the bathroom.

your head throbs as you stress yourself out with all their words: “slut”, “whore”, “school’s glory hole”, “cumslut”. there are so many other ridiculous insults that shouldn’t have got to you, but did. if you didn’t hook up with those guys, like the football moron, they would spread even crazier rumors and insults. you felt obligated to do it.

god, you were such a pushover.

—

peter’s own mind distracts him so much that he doesn’t see where he’s walking when he bumps right into you.

out of instinct, his hands squeeze on your biceps, tightening on you, so you don’t tumble. when his brain comes to the realization that it’s you he’d bumped into, his normal, mild heart rate shoots up into the clouds, far too high to be healthy.

“oh! peter! sorry, i didn’t mean to run into you. i was… kind of out of my mind to be honest,” you shrug your shoulders as peter releases his grip from you. his hands were warm and his fingers were rough; the second he caught you, you felt instantly safe. peter smiles empathetically, knowing he was just as much in the wrong, and for the same reason.

“no no, don’t be. i was kind of out of my mind, too,” peter nervously licks his lips. the school hallway was empty, since it ended about ten minutes ago. everyone always tries to leave as fast as possible and so does peter, but he forgot his calculator in ap chemistry, so he had to run and grab it.

if you ask why he’s so breathless, he can use running across the school as an excuse…

peter was trying his best to restrain his rapid breathing. the space around you both was so quiet, you’d definitely be able to hear it.

peter got chills. he didn’t know why or how, but he had got the smallest bit of courage to look you in the eyes. anxiety probably screamed from his eyes, but when looking at you, he pushed it down. your eyes were always beautiful. you were always so beautiful. even thinking that felt like an understatement; a glistening, glowing, and radiating beauty sounded more accurate. peter really did believe the eyes were windows to the soul, and he was looking right at yours. they shined, even under the shitty school ceiling lights.

you got chills. you forgot your jacket today, and your outfit was simply a t-shirt and jeans, so the weather was most likely why. but you were inside a decently air-conditioned school hallway. and  you were a little heated from the bathroom…

so, why were you standing here, sharing out of mind thoughts with peter parker? of all people?

what is he thinking? probably something important like his science homework or his aunt...

how did you get here?

 “i, um,” you randomly uttered, trying to think of something to fill the silence. you hate silence, especially ones as intense as this.

his eyes were soft. they are what one would imagine a teddy bear to be… in eye form… if that makes sense. an aesthetically pleasing, soft, and squeezable teddy bear was the kind of comfort you found in his eyes. you wonder if peter was decent to girls. he was probably more than decent. he was definitely the type to buy a dozen roses on valentine’s day. or remember all the little details, even the forgotten ones. now, you could be assuming way too much. he was nice to you, and that’s the bare minimum. “i gotta go. see you tomorrow, parker.”

and then you slipped away from his loosening grasp. like you usually do.

those longing few seconds you two held eyes, felt like hours. peter thinks he saw something in you that was different from earlier today. you seemed different; avoidant and distant? yes, peter has had the fattest crush on you since the seventh grade, but he was the last person that would really know you. he bet you had loads of friends outside of school that knew you like the back of their hand, while peter admired you from a distance. he wasn’t a stalker, but if you were there, he’d look at you. it was hard not to when you radiated such a captivating essence.

but catching you made peter feel like he climbed the next stair, beat a level, and unlocked the next door. he caught people all the time, saved people twenty four seven! but just the smallest action of catching you in the hallway was nearly equal to all of his greatest accomplishments as spiderman.

he would be spiderman for just you if he could. your spiderman.

he was stuck standstill in the hallway with a wistful smile until he finally decided to use his brain to leave. hopefully, he doesn’t run into you again because he almost died of a heart attack (...again).

but he also wasn’t opposed to the idea of “saving” you again.

—

thanks for readingggg sorry it took so long i’m going through it right now

tags: @rafecameronsbadussy

#shawnxstyles #peter parker smut #peter parker #peter parker fanfiction #mcu peter parker #spiderman #mcu spiderman #tom holland #tom holland smut #tom holland fanfiction #request

[ezdotjpg]

forgive me if it's been asked before but alt. hobbies for your bonus links?? would guess mage has a thing for gardening and fishing because of his uncle's apple orchard with a nearby pond but i'm curious!

ooo I like that for mage! he also spends a LOT of time reading. Like anything he can get his hands on. He’s reading the driest tome abt the history of hyrulean property taxes ever put to paper

ok I have more some of these might be repeats sorry

Loft really loves woodcarving but he hasn’t been able to do it as much since he has tremors in his right hand now. he’s getting better with his left though! I feel like he might have also liked other crafts like knitting or crocheting but encounters the same problems with those. do death-defying stunts with his loftwing (safe for the loftwing, batshit for him) count as a hobby. he jumps off cliffs for fun. if u asked him what his favorite hobby is he would say it’s sleeping

Mask loves fishing too! for some reason I feel like he’d also be good at like. idk. weaving shit out of grass. he’s basket weaving. he’s making bracelets. he makes flower crowns for the cows. I like to imagine he and malon come up with a lot of games to play together with their own elaborate sets of rules. does that count as a hobby

Wolf likes to bake! he also reads a lot tho I love the headcanon that it’s like. 95% garbage romance novels. love that for him. Also fishing! I think he would also like gardening

War dances! Mostly only when he’s by himself if it’s not in formal setting like a ball. He has no other hobbies <- desperately needs them

Mini builds machines out of garbage. most of them are harmless. sometimes he’s an evil mastermind. I think he’d like sculpting things out of clay too

Mirror makes jewelry but that’s more of his profession. He’s taken up drawing and painting! noting the irony lol. he always has a sketchbook on him. i think he likes watercolors. He really likes fashion! He can sew and embroider.

Spirit also invents contraptions but that’s also his job. Knowing everything about trains is also his job. I think maybe he does not have many hobbies that aren’t also his job. Hm. Actually he really likes playing his flute I think he makes up his own songs on it. If u asked him I think he would also say his favorite hobby is sleeping

I think. Wake likes to collect weird stuff he finds in the ocean or on beaches lol. Like salvaging? It’s weird seashells. It’s cool pieces of driftwood. It’s rusty swords that wash ashore. it’s objects from another time. He taught himself to play the trumpet. He loves to sing and he’s so bad at it. If he spots a piece of rope he’s tying an elaborate series of complicated, artful knots

I think Slate really likes climbing. Like yeah he does it to get around but sometimes he just climbs giant cliffs for fun. Lots of active stuff like shield-surfing and sandseal racing! He treats riding horses as more of a hobby than a means of travel. He loves hearing stories from ppl a stables, if that counts. Game nights w the locals in Hateno. He grows different plants he finds in hyrule in his room in Hateno and Zelda does experiments with them when he’s not home lol.

#wish I could come up w some more specific stuff lol but my head is empty #bonus lore #all links #askdotjpg #bonuslinksdotjpg #long post

[planeteroticaaa]

obviouslyy there’s isn’t a “no” option because i plan to do this anyways because the amount of idea’s i have when listening to these songs on repeat is driving me fucking crazy—

like i’d probably have it like my last gojo drabble, but a forming situationship of two ig “players” who almost know nothing about each other, but still want each other for themselves though refuse to settle down (making it a BIT toxic) in more depth than i had it last time (of course that’s not it, but that’s the basics)! might even throw some x geto in there to piss of gojo like what are we thinking??

and if yall think THAT’S a good idea, this is totally random but, just wait till i put my kiss land oneshot collection idea in plan for the aot men. it’s the same concept as my eren yeager oneshot inspired by the weeknd’s kiss land song, but it’s different scenerioes with different characters, inspired by each song in the album! oh i can’t wait until i have a long ass break from school and a new computer. . .

is it a bit TOO obvious i’m an XO girl😓

#jjk #jjk x reader #jujutsu kaisen #jjk smut #jujutsu kaisen smut #aot #aot x reader #jjk x reader smut #attack on titan #jujutsu kaisen x reader smut #jujutsu kaisen x reader #aot smut #attack on titan smut #aot x reader smut #attack on titan x reader smut #jujutsu kaisen satoru gojo #jjk gojo satoru #jjk satoru gojo #gojo x reader #satoru gojo x reader smut #gojo x reader smut #satoru gojo x reader #the weeknd #abel tesfaye #weeknd #triology #satoru gojo #satoru x reader #satoru smut #kissland

[noona96n]

Hi....If you don't mind, can I ask, what are your top 10 (or top 7) favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series)? Why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Thanks....

no worries, im happy to answer. and, if i happened to already answer sth, I'll link u to it.

so, fav medias... hmm...

book(s): the radiant emperor duology

ik it just came out and was only recently finished (like, finished Sept 2023 lol) so this is probably bias speaking but i am extremely taken by She Who Became the Sun and He Who Drowned the World, these books are fckn phenomenal. the gender-fuckery, the exploration of gender and sexual performances, the hidden message of embracing ourselves in all our ugliness and 'deficiency' and making a place for ourselves and ppl like us when others shun us. these books are just!!!

documentaries: immortal egypt (Joanne Fletcher)

i really really love documentaries and this mini series hold a special place in my heart bcs i love history and I've always been fascinated by egypt and Joanne's enthusiasm is just so joyous and infectious, i love it. i put this on repeat in the background when i was doing my graduation project in 2018 lol yea, just me listening to egyptian docu while working my ass off on AutoCAD lol

anime: sarusuberi/miss hokusai

idk how to explain but there's just a quality to this animated film that got me going... like, i adore howl's moving castle but miss hokusai is sth else. it's so peaceful but also deeply profound and visceral somehow.

tv series: aircrash investigation

i love planes, i love the Concorde in particular, but it has nth to do with how cool planes are but with how child-me saw riding planes as a thing that only ppl with money could do. it evolved from there.

i also love mysteries and aircrash investigation is both lol

i remember watching it on tv when i was an adolescent and i was fascinated with the mystery and problem-solving of it all ever since.

movie: the prince of egypt

it's a story about love; love that forgives, love that creates hate, love that divides.

drama: nirvana in fire (c-drama), beyond evil (k-drama), kluen cheewit (thai soap opera)

bl-specific: old fashion cupcake (anime AND manga)

the plot of these dramas is impeccable (tho kluen cheewit is extremely dramatic so pls beware lol), the character developments are fckn amazing, and what's even more important is the platonic relationships between the characters!!!

also, special shout-out to thai bl soap opera khun chai/to sir (with love) as well! the drama is off the charts, the characters are flawed & human & infinitely relatable & Tian & Yang's brotherhood is EVERYTHING

just one of the best bls out there and I've consumed A LOT of BLs/yaois... ALL SORT of em lol

the story is really grounded in reality, the plot is so mundane and relatable, the characters are mature but extremely flawed, and the art (in the case of manga) and the acting (in the case of the series) are amazing.

song: queen bee by vannda (contemporary music from my country)

i DO NOT agree with the lyrics AT ALL but i adore the melody. i absolutely love, love, LOVE how he blends traditional khmer music with the modern one. it's not a necessarily modern take but it's sth different. this artist is very good at blending the old w/ the new and i applaud him for that. his music is so pleasing the ear but the fkcn lyrics... urGH

well, a song of his with message that i completely agree with is time to rise with master Kong Nay... though the mixture is too in my face lol which is why i prefer queen bee

#the radiant emperor #she who became the sun #he who drowned the world #shelley parker chan #miss hokusai #howls moving castle #howl's moving castle #ghibli #studio ghibli #the prince of egypt #nirvana in fire #beyond evil #kleun cheewit #old fashion cupcake #noona96n

[gglitch1dd]

OK but the song "When I was your man" by Bruno Mars is the embodiment of the entire Cheating Dilf Izuku mini series 😭😭

Heard it while on commute today and immediately thought of your tumblr fic!

OH HE WAS SOBBBING TO THIS SONG!

On his hands and knees CRYING IN THE SHOWER. You can't convince me this song wasn't Number 1 on his Spotify repeats and he listened to it in the shower after YN confronted him.

#he deserves it tho #lowkey

[howlsmovinglibrary]

Thank you @nellasbookplanet! 😊😊😊😊

Last song/piece I listened to: It was Too Sweet by Hozier lmao :') this is not the current on-repeat ear worm song, but I'm trying to cultivate it as the next one

Last book I read: Last book I finished was The Prisoner's Throne by Holly Black, but the last book I read was A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske (we are now 60% in and waist deep in sex scenes lol)

Last film I watched: Encanto! I rewatched it over three days, like damn why did I do that to myself I was crying 9am before a train journey.

Last TV series: Last TV series I finished was Big Mood (with its Tim Downie jumpscare) but last TV show I watched was Fantasy High Junior Year

Last thing I googled: ...'Strahd and Tatyanna'. I feel like that's the response a ChatGPT version of me would give as well. How about I just go throw myself off a bridge huh?

Last thing I ate: A chocolate crispy cake with mini eggs for Easter lol.

Sweet, Savory or Spicy: Sweet :')

Amount of sleep: standard anxiety haver of 'attempt for 8 hrs, typically lie awake staring at the ceiling for 1.5hrs standard while the brain plays either the top 5 concerns in your life or the Distraction Movie on repeat' (6-7hrs last night lol)

Currently reading: Oh damn I didn't realise this was the question coming up. A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske and then after that either a birthday gift book or The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo depending on when my pre-order arrives. Also still on Sunshine by Robin McKinley but it's slowed down and I've lost interest, and I've just joined a Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell reading group!

tagging @violacae, @imscissorbladez, @bookcub, @eldritchcow and anyone else who fancies it, no pressure though!

#personal tag #tag games

[captainsimagines]

pretty woman, this is me trying || finale

Summary: Bucky Barnes does not like to be touched. He’s completely ready to live a distant life and give up when the time is right. Until Stark hires him his own personal pretty woman. Over time, Bucky Barnes begins to learn how to touch again. How to feel again. How to love himself again.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female SexWorker!Reader

Trope(s): Holiday Fanfic ; Slow-Burn ; Friends to Lovers

Based on the Song(s): sweet nothing by Taylor Swift and Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls

(14/14)

Mini-Series

Warnings: explicit language; reference to past SA; heartfelt confessions

Word Count: 2,000+

Author’s Note: Now, to be honest, I really hoped to make these chapters longer. But I wanted to published on Christmas Day and I haven’t had time to write all month. I truly hope I wrapped up this story well, and who knows? It could have epilogue next year or next month. I love you all. xxMoni

~

     The day after Christmas was no better. Three times you had dressed and undressed, debating whether to leave your apartment and go speak with Bucky. You were both overthinking this and you were both in the wrong. Bucky shouldn’t have kept treating you like a flaky friend or kept his initial indecision a secret, and you shouldn’t have stormed away without hearing him out first.

You needed to see him. But your body wouldn’t let you get in your car and take matters into your own hands.

You flopped face-down onto your bed, releasing one long groan. When your lungs ached with the need for air, you sucked in a breath and repeated the process. Groaning until your throat was sore. You rolled over, instantly regretting it. You had washed your sheets, but not the pillowcases.

That heavenly mixture of snow and Starry Night. No swirling irises to accompany it, though.

“Do you want to come back the day after Christmas and show me how to jump?”

He chuckled, “It’s a date.”

You snapped up, replaying the words in your head.

Rockefeller Center, ice skating, the date.

Would Bucky remember? Would he even go?

You had to try. You missed Bucky, you missed Axel, you missed who you were when Bucky was with you. You missed the feeling of companionship. Of choosing who to spend that time with.

You didn’t want to be lonely anymore. Lainey would have kicked your ass all the way to Rockefeller by now, you bet.

After throwing on your winter jacket and boots, you sprinted out your front door, tripping only twice. Then turned back to your apartment, grabbed Bucky’s present, and repeated the tiring process of putting the key in the lock.

Stopping at Lainey’s old door, with absolutely no regard to whoever occupied it now, you declared, “I’m going to win him back. Because I love him, and I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

~

    “Are you sure she’ll be here?” Steve asked as he opened the car door for Bucky. Rockefeller Center looked to be even more crowded than the last time he had come. It was like a cruel joke, making the search for you that much harder.

“She was the one who suggested it,” Bucky explained. “And if what you said is true, she’s not mad at me.”

“Oh, she was mad. Maybe not with you entirely, but she was mad.”

Bucky scowled at his friend, though he was grateful to have a second pair of eyes aiding him. Bucky was grasping at straws. Either you remembered that you had suggested this date and had the same idea as him, or you forgot and he was here when he should be at your apartment.

Or—the worse option—you had remembered and chosen not to come.

Bucky hadn’t really thought about what he would do if that was the case. He was a big boy, and although it would hurt him to bits, he would have to survive. Your time teaching him how to receive touch again would not be wasted. He promised himself that.

“You take one side and I take the other?” Steve suggested, adjusting the baseball cap. “Or do you want to stick together?”

“We can cover more ground separated,” Bucky replied. “Don’t worry. I’m okay.”

Steve studied him for a moment, then took his word. “Text me when you find her.”

Bucky nodded, watching as Steve blended into the crowd.

Step one: Pass through this chaos.

Taking a deep breath, Bucky prepared his mind. None of these people were out to get him and self-defense was not necessary. Most people were here with their family and friends, not plotting the end of the world with his metal fist in mind. He clutched your gift as he held it in his jacket pocket, then moved.

Bucky pushed through the crowd, apologizing for shoving people too hard and smacking his shoulders against them. Most people moved out of his way, allowing him some air. He searched every visible face, every occupied bench, every person exiting from the buildings. He guessed you would be near the ice rink considering that’s where the date was going to take place, but he still focused everywhere.

Someone’s shoulder brushed across his shoulder blades, paralyzing him for a moment. It was a quick touch, one that was over before he could truly dwell in it. His body told him to run back to the car, to find refuge in his mountain of blankets. That behind his apartment door is where he would be truly safe.

Though his body craved that comfortable feeling of safety, his idea of safety was no longer the loneliness found behind a closed door. His safety was encased in your touch, in your bedsheets, in your presence.

So he continued to push and shove through the crowd, counting his breaths and picturing your face. This was for you. It would always be for you.

His heart stopped as he took in your face for the first time since you walked away from him. You had painted your lips red and thrown on the same cardigan and jacket that had been hanging on the hook beside your front door for the entire month now. You caught his line of sight, freezing in place.

He pushed through the last of the crowd, stopping a few feet from you. You had your hands in your jacket pockets, but you were still shaking in your boots. Bucky wanted nothing more than to run to you and provide you some warmth, but there were words that needed to be said. Things that needed to be addressed.

“If you want to leave me, I will fight you.”

Your eyes widened a fraction at his unexpected declaration.

“When Stark told me to find a date, I refused because I physically could not swallow that reality. I said no, but I had no choice.”

He continued quickly when your face fell. “But I told Stark that I trusted his judgment. He gave me an out, but I had already met you. You were loud, and inappropriate, and reminded me of me from when I was young.”

“Bucky—”

“A part of my innocence was stolen from me long ago. And as much as it kills me, I know I’ll never get it back. I didn’t deserve to have it ripped from me. I deserved happiness, and a home to return to, and soft hands and soup and a little corner store to call my own. But life fucked me over, and I got none of that. I got tortured, and wiped, and… assaulted, in a thousand ways. And for the longest time, I thought they stole the whole of me. I thought there was no hope. That there were no soft touches left in the world. But you… You make me want to try again. You make me believe that people can still be good in this world. Because you’re good, and you’re good to me, and I love you. I love you more than hot chocolate, more than biscuits, more than the Santa Clause movies. I love you. And I want you. I’ve wanted you since the moment you threw your arms up and introduced yourself. I’ve wanted you since our first picnic. I’ve wanted you since the first touch. I want you, I love you, and I just pray that you want me, too. That you love me, too.”

Multiple tears dripped from your eyes and down your cheeks. And when Bucky reached up, he found his cheeks were wet as well.

“I don’t expect you to quit your job or be solely mine. But I find myself running under your sweet nothings and I don’t want to abandon that feeling just yet. So I declare, the day after Christmas and surrounded by strangers, that I choose you too. I am scared of the world, and what they think of me, but I am not scared of you.”

“Bucky.”

Bucky sucked in a wobbly breath and pulled the bracelet from his pocket. It was handmade, green, and had a little L carved into the stone.

L for Lainey.

You stopped in front of him, turning the bracelet over in your fingers. Then you let him put it on your wrist. You cupped his cheeks with your surprisingly warm hands. Bucky whimpered sweetly, chasing the heat.

“I think you are courage incarnate, Bucky Barnes. Believe it or not, but you make me want to be strong. I have been lonely for so long and you showed me that friendship was still a real thing. I thought I had lost it forever, doomed to be stuck in a world that did not appreciate me.”

Bucky laid his forehead against yours, nearly hiccuping as your words pierced through his burning heart.

“I am yours. Only yours. And I’m sorry for being in my head too often.”

You pulled out a pair of fancy, leather gloves in his size, blushing. “It’s not as sentimental as the bracelet, but—”

He pressed a deep kiss to your mouth, holding you close. His chest warmed against yours instantly. His knees only needed to bend slightly to reach your lips. Your pinkies curled perfectly around each other.

How had he not noticed this before?

“Take me home,” he whispered, using his thumbs to wipe your tears away.

You nodded against him. Then, you giggled uncontrollably, melting against him.

“What?”

“Don’t forget Steve.”

Bucky shot a surprised look down at you. “How did you—”

“I know what his eyes feel like boring into my back by now.”

Sure enough, Bucky glanced up to see Steve watching your exchange with a genuine smile on his face.

~

     “Do you trust me?”

Steve huffed, his knuckles turning redder as his grip tightened against the railing. When Bucky had mentioned that Steve had always wanted to come to Rockefeller Center with him in the 1930s, you had assumed Steve knew how to ice skate. You didn’t expect a trembling Captain America scared to find his balance and refusing to let go of the support.

“I trust you, but if I fall then you’re going down with me by default.”

“Fair. Now let go of the railing,” you ordered, holding out your hand for him to take. You hadn’t told him you were a beginner ice skater yourself. But you figured, since Tony rented out the rink for private use for the next six hours, it was the perfect time to test this out.

Steve murmured a curse under his breath before reaching out his left hand. His right still held onto the railing, so he began stretching and involuntarily splitting his legs. “Help! Help!”

“Let go!” you laughed, taking his extended hand in your own. He slunk back together rather comically, wobbling as he gripped both your hands. “Now close your eyes and skate!”

“Wha—Why should I close my eyes?”

“It’s the only way to truly trust yourself!” you lied, sounding creepily authentic. You pushed off, taking him with you. He argued twice more before finally shutting his eyes, allowing you to lead him anywhere.

“There we go! You got it! Keep those eyes closed!”

He thankfully listened, unaware of where you were leading him. You would think his super soldier hearing would alert him of a new pair of skates on the ice, but his anxiety probably clouded his thoughts.

With a quick nod, you expertly exchanged Steve’s hands into Bucky’s.

Skating away but still at a close enough distance, you called out, “You can open your eyes now!”

Steve nearly tumbled, but his expression was one of pure elation. Uncontrollable, joyous laughter spilled from his mouth.

“Buck!”

Bucky only smiled, tugging Steve closer. Hand in hand, flesh on flesh, they skated the perimeter together. Not once did Bucky drop Steve’s hand.

It may have only been a battle won for Bucky, but this was an entire war won for Steve Rogers.

He was touching his best friend again. If it wasn’t for you, for Bucky’s determination and strength, it wouldn’t have been possible.

You skated to the railing and watched the childish men for the next hour, wiping away tears whenever they dropped from your eyes. Lifting your hands up, you snapped an imaginary picture. To save for later. To think about whenever you thought something was impossible.

Then you snapped another, a real one using your phone, for safekeeping.

~

#Bucky Barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes/reader #bucky barnes fanfic #bucky barnes x y/n #captainsimagines #finale #pretty woman finale #pretty woman au #marvel fanfiction #by Moni #holiday fanfic #holiday smut