#he is out of sight of Sydney for like a week

[softmangoes]

how the LIs come

18+

pure!sydney buries his face into your chest, lapping at your nipple with a warm tongue. "you're beautiful," he breathes, eyes filled with adoration as he watches you roll your hips. you take him so well and yet, he is taken by you. when you place your hand around his throat, his eyes widen. "beloved," sydney gasps, clutching you as he fills you with the warmth of his worship.

"wonderful." corrupt!sydney's breath is warm against your ear as he rocks his hips into you. one of his hands is busy stroking you, coaxing breathy moans as you fuck yourself against him. your hand braces against the shelf. there are students milling around in the distance. "i can feel you clenching around me," he whispers, pushing himself in deeper. there's a note of fanaticism to his voice, an obsessiveness in his embrace that threatens to drive you over the edge. it takes all of your strength not to keen. thankfully, his fingers, so soft and smooth, slip into your mouth. "but we wouldn't want the others to know that, do we?"

"so fucking whiney," whitney curses, taking your hair in his fist as he fucks you against the desk. "you've been waiting for this, haven't you?" he sinks his teeth into your skin, rakes his nails across your hips as he comes. whitney is selfish, but his marks burn in a way you can't resist. he doesn't wait for you to adjust yourself and pulls up his trousers. you hear him fasten his belt. "better clean yourself up before the break's over."

kylar whines. he can't help it. all week, he's been saving himself for you, palming his groin whenever it got too unbearable, all because he wanted to fill you up once you were back in his arms. "you look so beautiful like this," he gasps against your neck, rutting into you with jerky, desperate thrusts. "you'll, hah, take everything that i can give you, right?"

there's a grumble that builds within eden's throat - part growl, part rolling of thunder as his hips meet yours. "you're mine," he says gruffly, his tongue licking a hot stripe along your neck. the hunter has you pinned. his massive body cages you in while he thrusts, cock twitching inside of you as he smashes his mouth against yours to swallow your moans. when he pulls away, he licks his teeth, admiring your sweat-slicked skin as his release leaks out of you. what a sight he is, your hunter. what a feast you are, his prey. "don't you ever forget that."

"we have to be quiet," robin muffles his moans by pressing his mouth against yours. he's got you in his lap, arms wrapped around your body as he thrusts. just a few minutes ago, he had been playing video games. now, his hands are occupied, sculpting your sides. your back. when you tangle your fingers in his hair and pull, he lets out a needy whine that you silence by taking his lips between your teeth.

ivory wraith hums, a sonorous thrum that vibrates the very marrow of your bones. when his pleasure crests, it is the surge of the current. the coiling of a great and powerful tide that washes over you, drowning you as he swells. "droplet," he sighs, pressing a cold kiss to your temple. the specter's embrace is gentle yet possessive, his caress carrying the promise of adoring you during this lifetime and a thousand more. "may we never part again."

#degrees of lewdity #degrees of lewdity fic #dol fic #sydney the faithful #sydney the fallen #kylar the loner #whitney the bully #ivory wraith #my writing #honestly at this point i want to write some more ivory stuff bc i find them cute #eden the hunter

[youunravelme]

slowly, then all at once

author's note: i'm going through some shit and needed to alleviate it with fluff and also it's mat's birthday (or at least it was when i started this)! EDIT: this takes place in an alternative TATGYLB universe bc went an ENTIRELY different direction with this series (because i don't plan well lolol). (stole the title from the fault in our stars because that book had me in a CHOKEHOLD at 14)

pairing: mat barzal x reader

warnings: none? cursing?

summary: the stages of mat falling in love with you

mat saw how you were with ella, the way you'd smile and talk to her like she could hold a conversation. or the way you never chided him or condescended to him when he did something completely stupid.

which is more than what he could say about his teammates.

so when he heard your piece of shit boyfriend screaming at you over the phone? or when he showed up unannounced and trying to "win you back?"

mat was livid.

he was sure jason had never hit you, because if there was any indication of that, mat would be all over it.

so while he's sure jason never inflicted physical harm, he saw the way you kept to yourself and even the way you looked surprised at his invitation to lunch or the game.

it broke his heart a little, to think that you'd never once considered yourself now a part of his life. when, in fact, the second you agreed to watch ella, it was like he'd pulled you into the fold.

he was on a mission to prove it to you.

inviting you to his game was the first step in his original plan.

well.

it was the first non intimidating step. (tito mentioned that maybe meeting his mom and sister after only knowing him for like a week was not the smartest move he'd ever made.)

you still looked out of your element when he asked, but he's positive that it was his own enthusiasm that convinced you to say yes.

and he thought it was a great idea! he got you and jason tickets, thinking that maybe you'd be more comfortable with having him around. and perhaps that was true at some point, but when he saw you, standing with only ella and sydney with water lining your eyes, something in his chest twisted.

you looked shaken, like someone had stuck you in a blender.

"where's jason?" was apparently the wrong thing to ask because sydney changed the subject almost immediately.

you wouldn't even look at him.

and when you told him about your piece of shit boyfriend leaving you?

mat wasn't prepared for the burning in his chest. no one got away with treating a friend of his that way, but seeing as you just avoided the topic altogether, he dropped it.

until you went upstairs to your apartment and didn't text him. tito would say he has a habit of hovering at times and maybe he never really agreed until five minutes passed without a word from you.

if you asked, he would've denied the intense concern growing in his chest. but how else was he supposed to react when you seemed so dissociated the rest of the night?

thankfully, you picked up almost immediately.

"hello?"

mat cleared his throat. "hey, you never texted me to say you got in alright. you okay?”

now it could've only been a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime before he heard your voice.

“keep the car running, i’ll be down in a few minutes.”

mat was ready to grab ella and head upstairs, car be damned.

he couldn't hear what else really happened on the phone, he only knew that you came downstairs, empty handed, and frazzled. the sight alone had him contemplating going into your apartment to figure out exactly what was going on, but he knew the best decision was take you back to his place.

he'd figured it out when jason showed up with his daughter's car seat screaming at you for wearing his clothes. screaming at you like you were somehow in the wrong, like he wasn't the one who cheated on you.

you.

who had to be the most selfless person he knew (don't tell his mom).

you.

who had readily agreed to take care of his daughter on a whim because he was insanely scared.

you.

who was one of the only topic of conversation his mother wanted to discuss. it used to just be hockey and how he was doing. now the thirty minute phone calls turned into hour and a half long facetimes where ella and you are regular topics for discussion.

mat couldn't comprehend how someone could look at you and want to tear you down, but after you officially broke up with jason? he was determined to show you how much you deserved.

exhibit a

"it's five sugars, right?" mat called over his shoulder once he heard your footsteps coming into the kitchen.

you paused in the doorway. "what?"

mat turned around, two mugs of coffee in his hands. "you like five sugars, right?"

ella sat on your hip but didn't seem to give a flying fuck that he was in front of her.

"you--you remembered?" you tilted your head. "you only made me coffee like once?"

mat's face heated up at the implication but smirked anyway. "i have a great memory!"

"could've surprised me from the amount of times you get hit."

mat shrugged, still not completely used to the idea of you watching his games, even if they were just highlights. he held the mug out to you in exchange for ella.

"you wanna come to a game again?" he offered.

you looked at him before breaking eye contact and sipping your coffee. "i don't know if that's the best idea after last time. i don't want to embarrass you again--"

"woah woah woah," mat sat his coffee mug on the island before holding a hand up at you. it didn't sit right with him to see you so ashamed of something someone else did. "what happened at the game was not your fault. it was his, okay? you weren't to blame."

"you weren't even there to see it--"

"and i don't need to, okay? i know you." he meant it. but seeing as the conversation was getting a little too heavy, he changed the subject. "just think about it! and let me know what game you want to go to."

you didn't say anything, but just gave him a small smile and nodded.

he'd count it as a win.

exhibit b

it'd been about four months since you'd started working with mat, three months since you moved in.

not that he was counting.

there were things that were harder with having you around. mainly remembering to wear a shirt when he wakes up in the morning, or to not adjust his junk until he was in the bathroom or his bedroom.

but--

there were many more things that were significantly easier (and better) with you in his life (and apartment).

sleep training ella was easy as hell

keeping an eye on ella who was walking now

the apartment actually smelled nice? not that it smelled bad before, but now it smelled like a home.

and who knew decorative pillows made a difference?

but his favorite thing recently?

grocery shopping.

he was currently pushing ella around in a shopping cart while you scrolled on your phone through the list.

"so what do we need next?" he asked.

"if you'd give me a second, i'd have the answer for you," you snipped.

by now, mat was used to your snide comments, knowing that you were just a bit quippy when you were focused.

"ella, is your nanny being a little cranky?" he joked, ignoring the glare you were shooting his way.

you rolled your eyes and tossed a bag of bread at his head that would've hit its mark had he not had the reflexes that gave him a professional hockey career.

"excuse me?" an older woman spoke up from behind him. "as cute as your little family is, can you move out of the way? you're clogging up the aisle."

mat blinked. time froze. he'd never fully considered the implications of the three of you out in public together. but being the comment of you, him, and ella being a "little family" had his heart stopping in his chest.

"oh of course!" you spoke up and grabbed mat by the arm. the feel of your touch alone had him directing his attention to the physical contact.

he looked at you instead of the woman, watched as you mumbled to ella as you pulled all three of you out of the way. his brain went on overdrive.

god he never wanted you to let go of him ever again. he would give anything to just be able to hold onto you a little longer.

and he must've been thinking for too long because you were snapping your fingers in front of his face?

"mat? you okay? did i lose you there?" you had a cute pinch between your brows and a small frown on your face.

that wouldn't do.

so he smiled and nodded. "sorry, just thinking about something."

you.

exhibit c

you went out for the night with sydney while he hung out with tito and anders. initially, you said you'd look for a sitter to cover you, but mat laughed that suggestion off.

he didn't say it, but you were no longer a nanny to him anymore. and you deserved a night off without the stress of finding a replacement. anders and marty suggested a babysitter that he hired for the night immediately.

"are you sure you don't want me to wait until she gets here? i can help explain ella's routine!" you said.

mat rolled his eyes as he herded you towards the door. "i'll be fine, go have fun!"

you let him gently push you out of the door but turned around and looked at him. "if you need me, text me."

mat smiled. "if you need me, call me."

the babysitter arrived five minutes early which meant mat could spend that time kissing ella's cheeks and reiterating her schedule to the sitter.

he was the last person at the bar, anders and tito were already sitting in a booth, each with a beer in their hands, an extra one on the table for him (he assumed).

"didn't wanna leave ella?" anders asked.

tito scoffed. "more like he didn't wanna leave mama bear." mat rolled his eyes while anders cackled in response.

"shut up, beau."

"ah! but you didn't deny it!"

mat shook his head and took a seat in the leather booth. "what's there to deny? we're roommates and she watches ella all the time. we're friends."

tito made a noise in the back of his throat. "you and i are friends, barzy. you make goo goo eyes at her when you think no one is looking."

"no i don't."

anders piped in. "you nearly ran into me on the ice because you were staring at her wearing your jersey."

"no," he defended. "ella was making a really cute face!"

anders blinked at him before rolling his eyes. "sure, barzy."

mat grumbled under his breath and chugged half his beer.

two hours or so had passed with the three of them talking shit about other teams. anders had hinted at leaving, checking his phone just to make sure grace didn't text him. mat found himself doing the same thing to make sure the babysitter hadn't said anything, or maybe to see if you had.

tito didn't seem to give two shits about his phone. and why would he? he was the only one without kids.

they were in the middle of a conversation about the upcoming devils game when mat's phone started buzzing.

sydney martin.

mat picked up the phone, albeit a bit confused. "hello?"

"mat! hey!" sydney greeted. "are you busy?"

mat glanced at tito and anders whose brows were furrowed. "no, why what's up?" his swore his heart stopped in his chest when she said your name. "is she okay? what's wrong?"

"she's a little drunk and crying and asking for you. i don't know if you're sober enough--"

"i'm sober," he said. "only had one beer." he was already reaching for his keys in his pocket. "what's she crying about?"

sydney sighed through the phone. "we saw jason and her old roommate out at the bar tonight. he made a few comments."

mat's jaw clenched. he forced words out through his teeth. "what did he say?"

"mat--"

"no, if he said some shit, sydney, i need to know."

"no," she corrected. "what you need to do is get over here and take her home."

mat was already standing. "i'm on my way."

sydney hung up.

"everything okay?" anders asked.

"probably something to do with mama bear," tito commented.

mat sighed. "she ran into her piece of shit ex and is now inconsolable. i have to go pick her up."

anders snorted. "right. 'have to.'"

mat ignored the comment and said goodbye, already rushing out of the bar to get to you.

it was another ten minutes before he saw you, standing outside a bar with sydney. he could see your tears from the car.

mat jumped out and hurried towards you. sydney all but pushed you into his arms.

and it felt like the world made sense again. you fit perfectly in his arms, against his chest, head tucked into his neck.

"mat--" you sobbed. "i--i can't--"

he kissed the top of your head. "let's get you home, okay?"

exhibit d

ella was saying actual words now like most babies her age. mat used to look at anders, marty, and other parents a little judgmentally, he'll admit, because while babies learning to do things was incredibly cool, he didn't fully understand the hype.

until she said dada for the first time.

it damn near made him cry.

and like for all of her other milestones, you were there beside him with your phone recording the moment. you almost missed it, but you had a sixth sense for those things, figuring out when ella was going to do something incredible.

that was two weeks ago and it still never got old to hear her say his name when he came home or rounded the corner.

he'd been known as mathew, mat, barzy, barzal, gary, and a slew of other names, but dada had to be his favorite. to belong to someone who needed you so wholly was the best feeling in the world.

that and seeing you smile at him.

he'd accepted it now, there was no denying it, not after half the team was on his case about his feelings for you. and how could he not fall in love with you? you were gentle and kind and handled the shittiest situations with so much grace (he wasn't joking, he'd wanted to fight jason the second you came out of your old apartment looking like you'd seen a ghost).

you handled his friends with ease, never letting tito's teasing affect you. you handled the "mama bear" nickname with ease, even laughing at it at times.

you just made his world so much better just by existing in it.

which is why he gave you the day off while he and tito took ella around the city.

ella was fine for most of the day, though she kept glancing around.

"probably looking for mama bear," tito guessed. "i would be too if you were the one looking after me."

mat flipped him off behind ella's back. "i'm not an idiot."

"before you met mama bear, you kinda were."

he rolled his eyes. "sorry for not knowing how to take care of a baby as soon as i find out i have one. most people have nine months to prepare for the arrival of a child. ella literally showed up on my doorstep."

truth be told, he was parroting the words you'd said to him a week ago when the guilt settled in about how much of a shitty father he was. you were quick to correct him, saying the exact things he told tito, that for a man who found out he had a child only a few months ago, he was doing a great job, and he was even better than some other fathers who left the parenting to their partner.

"i'd never leave you hanging like that," he'd said to you.

but you shrugged off his comment. "it's a little different when it's my job to take care of your kid, mat."

"you've done a great job, barzy," beau said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "there's no doubt about it. you can tell because she loves you."

ella smiled at mat and pushed his cheeks together.

"what do you say we get back to mama bear, huh?" he asked his daughter who only seemed to smile wider at the mention your nickname.

it was another fifteen minutes before they were home, rowdy and disturbing the peace and quiet you'd created for yourself.

"we're back!" mat called as tito shut the front door behind him.

they were setting things down on the floor by the door when you walked out in sweats.

"mama bear!” tito cheered.

you smiled and mat couldn't breathe. "how was my baby?"

mat was embarrassed to say he almost answered for himself. "she was great," was what he said instead. "isn't that right, ella bean?"

ella was reaching for you, making grabby hands in your general direction babbling something he couldn't quite make out.

"what'd you say, baby?" you asked.

"mama," she said.

and the room went silent.

mat's eyes kept darting from ella to you like he was watching a game of olympic table tennis. ella kept reaching for you until you finally gave in and held her. it was then he saw the tears streaming down your cheeks.

mat immediately went into defense mode.

"i'm sorry, i promise i didn't teach her intentionally, she probably picked it up from us calling you mama bear all the time and--"

you shut him up by placing a small kiss on his cheek and squeezing his forearm before turning on your heel.

"let's take a nap, ella bean."

mat couldn't speak, not even when you left the room. tito clapped him on the shoulder before heading towards the kitchen.

"you're so gone for her."

exhibit e

"are you sure about this?" you called from the other room. mat was in the living room adjusting his tie in the mirror on the wall while the babysitter was playing with ella on the floor.

to be honest, when he was complaining to beau about not having a date to some charity event the islanders were hosting, he wasn't expecting beau to suggest you. though, given how beau kept winking and nudging him after every time you and mat so much as made eye contact, it shouldn't have been surprising.

it wasn't that he didn't think of asking you, it was more like he didn't think you'd actually say yes.

"sure about what?" he called back.

"bringing me."

"i've never been more sure about something in awhile."

"you're so dramatic," you laughed.

mat would give anything to bottle up the sound.

"does this look okay?' mat turned when your voice sounded closer than it was a second ago.

he couldn't breathe.

god you looked beautiful.

"oh," you said softly. "your tie matches my dress."

if he could've he would've looked down to confirm your observation, but he couldn't take his eyes off you. your hair was perfectly styled, your makeup, flawless. the navy of your dress was perfectly matched to his tie and pocket square, something that shouldn't matter as much to him as it did.

but it was you.

so it meant the world.

you looked like you were his.

"yeah," was all he could say.

"you never answered my question," you said. "do i look okay? because if it's too much--"

"perfect," he said. "you look perfect."

you smiled. "sydney picked it out." thank you sydney. "you look handsome too mat, though, your tie..." you gestured to his neck so he turned around to see it crooked still. "do you need help?"

"yes please," he sighed. "i've looked up videos, but tito usually helps me do it."

"aw," you cooed. "you looked it up? that's so cute!" your deft fingers began undoing the knot and redoing it way better than he could've.

"how are you so good at this?"

you shrugged. "when i was fourteen, i read a book where a girl tied her husband's tie and i wanted to be able to do the same for the love of my life one day. so i asked my dad to teach me. i'm a bit of a hopeless romantic."

the love of your life.

god he'd give anything to be loved by you.

and it would be so easy just to lean forward a couple of inches and kiss you.

right there.

give in to what he'd been feeling for months.

but the babysitter rounded the corner with ella who was chanting mama and dada which somehow ruined the mood and made him want to kiss you even more.

"be good, sweet girl. we'll see you tomorrow." you made your way to the front door while he kissed his daughter on the head.

"i'm not sure how long we'll be out, but i'll keep you updated," he told the babysitter.

the babysitter nodded, which to be honest, he barely noticed because his attention was back on you and how your dress, while it had sleeves, had a dip in the back. he didn't know that skin could be so alluring, but maybe it was the fact that it was you.

mat cleared his throat and bid the babysitter and ella goodbye before ushering the both of you out of the door.

the drive lasted longer than he wanted it to, mainly because he couldn't wait to get to the event just to show you off.

was this how he was supposed to feel with all of his other exes? the desire to show the world you were his?

"you okay? you're quiet, it's unlike you," you said.

mat shrugged, mainly so he didn't immediately profess his feelings. "just a lot on my mind."

"uh oh. that can't be good," you joked. you leaned over the console and placed your chin in your hand. "you wanna talk about it?"

mat's hands on the wheel tensed, mainly to keep himself from leaning over and kissing you immediately.

"i'm good, maybe we can discuss it later."

you shrugged. "if you say so."

the both of you arrived at the event shortly thereafter with mat passing his keys off to the valet. "stay seated," he told you before getting out and rounding the car to open your door.

"you didn't have to--"

"i know," he smiled. "i wanted to." mat offered you his arm and you took it, wrapping your hand around his bicep like it belonged there.

the two of you spotted marty and sydney first; the latter all but shrieked when she saw you.

"you look amazing!" she said before tugging you out of mat's arm and into her own. "i told you this dress was the one."

"you didn't say i would've matched mat," you mumbled, though he still heard it over the buzz in the room. he was always listening to you.

marty nudged him. "you seem pleased with yourself."

mat smiled. "i am."

you were laughing at something sydney said when tito came up and clapped him and marty on the shoulders. "let's get you a drink, barzy. you look thirsty." he leaned in. "in more than one way."

mat shoved him off and leaned towards you, gently touching your arm. "i'm going with beau and marty to get a drink, but i'll be back."

you smiled and nodded. "okay, don't worry about me, mat. i'll be fine in your absence."

he let himself be whisked away from you and towards the bar where a drink was placed in his hand pretty quickly.

"so," tito started. "you two match."

"it was syd's doing," marty explained. "she orchestrated the whole thing. picked out the dress based on the tie mat wears every year. it was her new project."

mat flushed but did his best to brush it off.

"i don't know how you did it barzy," tito continued. "she looks good. if i were you i would've--"

"watch it, beauvillier."

"i was gonna say--"

"i don't care what you were gonna say, i probably wouldn't have liked it."

"well then, maybe you should take a chance and ask her out finally. the pining was cute at first, now it's bordering on pathetic."

mat rolled his eyes while marty laughed into his drink.

"look, you have a good thing going, you brought her here as your date, ella calls her mama, you two are as good as locked in and committed. you just have to do the hard work of officially asking her out!"

his gaze travelled to the other side of the room where you were laughing along with sydney and grace. you looked like you belonged in his world.

effortlessly.

mat made a move to go over to you, but marty caught his arm. "this is not the place to ask her out," he said. "as much as you want to, you don't want her thinking it took a pretty dress to get you to take her out."

"that's not the case here--"

"does she know that?"

mat rolled his eyes and took a sip of his drink.

it was another thirty minutes before he made his way back to you. he found you standing alone on the balcony with a glass of champagne in your hand.

"you okay?" he asked. "no one's bothering you or anything, right?"

you looked over your shoulder and snorted. "i'm not important enough to be bothered by the donors, mat."

"don't say that. you're important."

you rolled your eyes. "not what i meant, mathew."

god he loved it when you said his name.

"i just meant that the donors don't really pay attention to me, so i've just been hanging out with the wives all night since my date ditched me," you teased.

"okay to be fair, tito pulled me away, i would've stayed with you all night if i could've."

you blinked. "really?" you asked in a small voice.

he nodded until he found the words to speak. "i love spending time with you. you're one of my favorite people."

within a split second you were closing the distance between the two of you and wrapping your arms around his waist. your arms snuck under his coat so that the only thing separating your skin from his was the thin material of his dress shirt.

it only took him a split second to react to the hug and wrap you in his arms.

you mumbled against his chest. "you're one of my favorite people, too."

in conclusion:

in the end, there was nothing special about that day. it was a saturday in the middle of july back in coquitlam. by the grace of god, he'd convinced you to come to canada for him, not that you could really refuse as he was the one signing your paychecks, you'd joked (though he made it clear he'd continue paying you even if you didn't go).

and maybe he regretted it a little bit, seeing you bond with his family was another nail in his coffin of falling deeper in love with you. there was no way out now, not that he'd ever want one.

it was one particularly hot day in the summer that mat dragged you and the rest of his family to the beach. and maybe that was a mistake (seeing you in a red bikini in public should be illegal).

you sat in the sand with ella building castles, or at least attempting to, while he tried to drown liana in the water. it wasn't until liana finally dunked him, that he trudged back to shore, bent out of shape and irritated.

"you can dish it out but can't take it?" you teased as he plopped onto the sand next to you.

mat glared instead of saying anything mainly because ella was starting to pick up more and more words and she'd say "fuck" too many times thanks to his mouth.

speaking of, when she saw her dad, ella immediately called him before throwing herself into his lap, completely forgetting about you. it was funny to see mainly because it was a new trend of ella's, ditching you for him. it was even funnier because how put out you'd be about it.

just like now with your lip poked out and your eyes rolling.

"oh don't be a sore loser," mat said. "she used to love you more than me."

"well that makes sense, i'm way more likable than you are."

"i can't argue that."

liana came running into their direct line of sight with a polaroid camera in her hand. "i wanna get a picture of the happy family," she said as her explanation. "say cheese!"

mat froze but you didn't bat an eyelash at the idea of being called family. sure, he'd considered you a part of his ever since you agreed to watch his child, but he didn't know you felt the same.

"smile, mathew," you nudged him in the ribs.

he turned his head towards you, ignoring his sister's groans and chirps. he ignored the sound of a camera clicking and the subsequent flash that followed.

his focus was on you.

"mat, what're you looking at?" you asked. he could vaguely register liana walking away as your eyes searched his face for any hint of what could be going on, but all he could think about was you.

you wearing his jersey and holding ella at the stanley cup finals.

you in a few years with a ring on your left hand that he put there.

you with a newborn baby that was the perfect mix of the both of you.

you, old and crinkly, holding his hand on the couch as you told your grandkids stories.

you.

you.

you.

before he could even stop himself, he leaned forward and captured your lips with his.

you responded not a beat later.

and maybe it was embarrassing, how eager he was or how his hand felt like the perfect fit against your cheek. but he couldn't give a shit.

not when he'd waited so long for something like this. for someone like this.

and when you both pulled away, much too soon in his opinion, your eyes were wide.

"why'd you do that?" you whispered.

he shrugged and adjusted ella in his arms. "because my life is better with you in it. because i love you." he cleared his throat. "why'd you kiss me back?"

you smiled and leaned into kiss him again. this time though, instead of pulling fully away, you stayed close so that your lips brushed his. "because i love you too."

#mat barzal #nhl imagines #nhl imagine #tatgylb #mat barzal imagine #mat barzal x reader #my writing

[allfearstofallto]

Initiate

Male (Pure) Sydney x Fem! Reader

Word Count: 1.2k

TW: 18+ MDNI, dub-con, exhibitionism, chastity cage, oral (f. receiving)

An initiate who hasn't been seen in the temple in weeks, Sydney wonders what happened to you. Your visits to the church lessened and lessened, until one day you just stopped showing up. Your presence wasn't forgotten quickly, not just by him, but by all other members of the church. Whispers would flow through the walls, whispers of impurity, of falling into lust.

At school you were the pinnacle of kindness and popularity. Loved by all, and sweet even to those who aren't to you. He finds it hard to believe what the other initiates say. Yet you still never visited the temple.

Sydney knows it's wrong to follow you, he asked the goddess for forgiveness, but curiosity gets the better of him. What would keep someone formally so committed to the church away from it? And what it was, was a strange building. Only a few streets away from the shop his father had purchased, he watched you enter that unmarked place, the filthy metal grey door closing behind you. It was in an awful part of town, and sketchy as well. After hours went by, his worry for you grew.

Grasping at his cross, Sydney followed you inside. He was met with an awful scent, similar to the communion wine, but stronger, loud pounding music, and worst of all, a plethora of people, none of them looking as if they had good intentions. In the middle of the room was a stage, and on the stage was you. In a state of undress, you were only covering your modesty with a pair of underwear. So thin it could barely be called fabric, more like strings on your groin, not leaving much to the imagination.

He flushed beneath his thick glasses, wanting to say something, but also finding himself entranced with the crowd of people. Your dancing was mesmerizing, your body…Sydney gulped and gripped his holy pendant tighter. Your body was heavenly, even as sweat soaked between every crevice of it. Your plush thighs gripping the polr in front of you, your heel clad feet making you twirl, showing off all your assets.

The voice in his head that's telling him to leave is drowned out by the feeling in his shorts. For the first time in his life, his chastity cage holding his cock is uncomfortable, it's too tight, it's painful as his hardening length presses against the confines. He tries to leave, but he can't. Not when you're on the floor of the stage dancing, money cushioning the hard wood as more wads of cash are thrown at you.

The people around the stage are like ravenous animals, hands clawing for just a touch of your skin. Their lips spew such venomous words of what they want to do to you, objectifying your body in ways he's never heard before. Some are even…fondling themselves. It's a sight that makes him gasp in shock, turning his head away before forcing himself to look back. Sure enough it's true, as you dance lewdly across the floor, they're touching themselves. It's disgusting. But he doesn't feel himself growing softer in his pants.

You sit with your legs open, already towards the crowd with a mischievous smile. Your finger dips inside your thong, hooking around the fabric. Slowly, tantalizing, you pull it down your body, down your thighs, down your shins, and last your heels. You hold the thong up with your legs still spread, your pussy dripping as you toss it out into the crowd, where they practically tackle each other to take it.

Up on that stage where you sit naked, body bare for everyone to see, money being tossed at you left and right, you finally lock eyes with him. It's be hard not to notice him, clearly out of place in a grimy area such as this, and still wearing his neat school uniform. A look of shock forms on your face when you see him there, shock and shame, but it's gone before any of your patrons can notice. You're back to being a temptress, an erotic dancer of the night, you curl your finger at him, beckoning him closer. Like his body has no mind of his own, he steps to you.

You ease yourself closer to the edge of the stage, the height of it meaning he's face to face with your dripping core between your legs. He's never been so close to something like this before, not outside the church. It's glistening beneath the flashing lights and only getting wetter as his hazel eyes look upon it. The smell is intoxicating, sweet like honey, he wonders if your nectar tastes the same.

“C’mon, lick it,” your voice so sultry it's like a song, you gesture for him to come even closer, until he can feel the what of your cunt against his face, “Give them a show.”

He looks around at the room of peopy, all eyes on him. They're hungry. They're ravenous. They're waiting patiently. With shaking hands he reaches up to spread your folds, begging the goddess for forgiveness once again. His hesitant tongue slithers from his mouth and he traces a reluctant lick all the way from your hole to your slit. The taste is…delectable.

Sydney pulls away from a second, thinking about what he'd just done, but when he looks up and meets your eyes, your cheeks flushed as you pant, he can't find it in himself to care. He dives back into your cunt, lapping away at your folds messily. His tongue finds it's way inside you, his hand reaching up to rub at your clit. If you're putting on a performance, it's a good one, moaning and squirming against his ministrations.

He can hear the way the crowd cheers, hear their filthy words and disgusting comments. He can hear it all, but if sounds like nothing to him. Nothing matters to him. Not when you're tangling your fingers in his hair and dripping down his chin, coating his face in that delectable, honeyed wetness. His glasses grow foggy, but it doesn't matter. His fingers dig into your thighs as he sucks at your clit, making your hips buck off of the stage.

“Ahh…yes…yes Sydney, just like that,” you moan for him, body trembling beneath his touch.

You cum for him beautifully, a sense of pride filling him as you yank your body away from his touch to spasm on the stage. Your twitching cunt dripping down on all the bills below you. The crowds burst into cheers as Sydney’s mind looses it's cloudiness, as realization hits him. You pick up your clothes to leave the stage, but he's already rushing out the door before you can even dress. Our the door and down the street, he pants while wiping his mouth, trying to collect himself and think of what he did.

He'll have to stay on his knees for hours to pray for salvation and hope for forgiveness, it's only fair that he does. His chest heaving he looks down at his shorts, they're damp to the touch. He steps in an alleyway to the side to check on himself, opening his pants he sees his caged cock, covered and smeared in a white fluid.

#degrees of lewdity #dol #dol sydney #degrees of lewdity sydney #sydney the faithful #sydney the fallen #dol x reader #sydney x reader #smut #mdni

[ashersanity]

Just what you fucking deserve.. filthy slut.

Might as well clean up my shitty drafts one by one, starting with this one. Wrote it while on 2 hours of sleep a few weeks ago. Expect a mumbling mess of nonsense.

Expanding on my other post depicting a jealous Whitney.

Pairings : (A possessive, jealous M!Whitney x gn!PC)

Summary : (PC has a bad time with Whitney in the alleyway..)

Content warning! : (dub-con, non-con if you squint hard enough, physical violence as in slapping, semi-public fucking, lazy writing, lots and lots of degradation, whitney being whitney as always)

“How many times?” Whitney gritted out between breaths, skin slapping against skin resounding lowly in the sketchy alleyway. The one that you usually took to get home, in plain sight of the bustling street where anyone could just walk in on your ass getting destroyed. “How many times did that bitch fuck you?” He repeated, and honestly you didn’t know exactly to who he was referring to. Robin, Kylar, Sydney..? There were too many to count and your silence filled with gasps only seemed to further piss off the delinquent, grasping at the back of your hips and using it as leverage to fuck you harder.

“I-I didn’t—“ You had barely manage to get that one out only to be interrupted by a squeak and a whine, feeling like your legs might give out at any moment if it weren’t for the other holding you up right now. He only took it as encouragement to quicken his movements, hips meeting your rear with every sharp thrust.

“Liar.” He muttered, his face close to yours, this position way too intimate for what was going on. “You fucking lying bitch.” He snarled, rough hand grasping at the back of your head, keeping your limp body in place as he fucked you raw against the wall.

“How. Many. Times? I bet it’s because you flashed your ass again, huh? Didn’t you? Fucking whore!” Smacked you clean across the face, your cheeks burning red from the slap and having your hole stuffed full with Whitney’s cock, the familiar sensation of his length moving in and out of you that you squeezed oh so eagerly around. Fuck, you were seeing stars from how fast he was going, no way were you going to manage walking past the bathroom tomorrow.

“Yeah, that’s right.” The bully hissed, his pace momentarily slowing down for a second to spread your cheeks and look at your tight little hole squeezing around his dick, pink and puffy from his daily treatments. “No one can fuck you like I do. I just need to pull out my cock and you’re lapping at my knees like a dog. Don’t even need to put it in, you just cum from sucking it, don’t you?”

A blush crept up to your face from his words, remembering the embarrassing moment where you had come undone in front of him and his friends just from sucking him off in the boy’s bathroom. He really didn’t have to mention that part, trying to deny it even if it was half-true.

“N-no, I d-don’t—“ You hitched out, body slowly easing into his rough pace and relaxing against him, arms coming up to wrap around his neck. Your compliance had his pissed off tone slowly shift into his usual one, low and husky whenever he was horny.

“Fuck, there’s my good whore, my slut.” He cursed under his breath, threading his fingers through your hair and tugging gently. “Only l get to see you like this. Fucked dumb and stupid, no one else. Not some bastard, not some whore. Me. Got it?” Whitney sighed out, burying his face in the nape of your neck and biting down. Hard. Hard enough to draw blood and elicit another whine from your mouth that you desperately hoped wasn’t heard by any passerby, lest you wanted to get arrested again.

“You’re all mine, right? Cmon. Say it. Say who you belong to. Who’s my fucking slut?”

“M-me, Whitney.” Voice shaky and slurred, answering him back without second thought.

“That’s right, that’s it. Shit..” The blond groaned against your skin, grip tightening on your hips and angling his cock to go in deeper, pressing down on the visible bulge against the skin of your stomach, clear outline of his entire length fully inside you. “Cum for me, bitch. Let me see how much you love having my dick inside you.”

That was all you needed, body reacting on its own and cumming hard, making a complete and utter mess of yourself. Watched on with a smug smile as you came right around his cock, hips bucking up and hands reaching up to grasp at the blond strands of hair on his head for support, the same ones you’d twist and pull at in math class whenever he teased you under the desk.

It took a while to come down from your high, shaking and twitching all the while, gasping for air before looking back up at Whitney’s grinning face, pressing an uncharacteristically soft kiss to your forehead.

“That’s right. I own you.” He stated plainly, lips possessively pressing against yours, murmuring once more.

“And don’t you fucking forget that, slut.”

#what the fuck did i just write #well more like wrote weeks ago #asher regretting his actions.. #the jealous and possessive whitney saga continues #yandere whitney #dol #degrees of lewdity #whitney the bully #whitney dol #whitney degrees of lewdity #brief mentions of #robin the orphan #kylar the loner #sydney the faithful #sydney the fallen #asher writes #badly

[wardenparker]

Hummingbird Has Landed, ch 8

Marcus Pike x female reader Co-written with @absurdthirst

After the debacle of his failed engagement and relocating to Washington to take charge of his task force, newly minted Special Agent Marcus Pike is ready to get back out into the dating pool once more. A slew of bad dates has him feeling a little down, and he takes an old friend up on an invitation to get away and get his head on straight. Imagine his surprise when he finds not only fresh air, but his soulmate as well - hiding in plain sight but in the unlikeliest of places.

Rating: E for Explicit! 18+ Word Count: 11k Warnings: *Blanket warnings for this series: occasional mention of American politics, pregnant character, food/alcohol consumption, mentions of clothing/regulated dressing for occasions, mentions of therapy because we believe in self care here, reader is in a previous relationship, love triangle, reader is mentioned as turning 30 during the course of the story* Teasing, flirting, nudity, bathing together, fingering, a smattering of dirty talk. Summary: This wedding night is special for more than just the happy couple. Notes: A little light smut for your Sunday! Thanks for sticking with us this long, but these two are finally starting to get to know each other. 🧡 As always, please remember that the gif choice at the top of the chapter is not meant to represent reader's physical appearance. In this case, it's for Cameron and Wiley!

Ch1 ~ Ch 2 ~ Ch 3 ~ Ch 4 ~ Ch 5 ~ Ch 6 ~ Ch 7

Not even the nonstop amount of work you’ve been doing for the wedding can stop how much you’ve been thinking about Marcus since he left early on Thursday morning, and obviously Sydney isn’t going easy on you. The merciless, good hearted, happy-for-you teasing started the second you and Marcus came downstairs together the morning after the rehearsal dinner and has kept going through the texting and when you appeared for the actual wedding looking like you had paid a great deal of extra attention to your appearance for tonight. Not even to take away from the bride of course, but enough to look special for the occasion.

It had been so hard to not go back to your apartment after leaving the office yesterday. He had wanted to. So badly. To pick up the conversation and possibly do more than that kiss on the cheek he had thought about the entire time he was on the golf course and in the office. Now, getting ready for the wedding, he pays special attention getting ready so he can look his best for you.

The greenery that has been brought into the gardens, the subtle lighting accents, the clover-shaped place cards, and even the Kelly green silk shirt and matching heels that you picked out to wear with your most flattering suit are all festive for the St Patrick’s Day wedding. Each time you have checked on Joyce and her bridesmaids they have been jittery with excitement but doing well, and the florist was an astonishing ten minutes early to drop off the flowers, so everything is moving along perfectly.

By the time guests begin to arrive, the groom, ushers, groomsmen, and father of the bride are all in place. Considering the chaos this wedding was thrown into just two weeks ago? It might be the best organized night you’ve executed by yourself in years.

He has no problem not being in the wedding party anymore, however, Marcus escorts Joyce’s mother down the aisle to her seat with pride. The accents of his tuxedo had been the same color as the bridesmaids, but he had willingly given them up for her father, deciding on a classic grey accent to contrast for the vest, pocket square, and bow tie.

The only two things that save you from crying during the ceremony — which you always, always do — are how busy you are and how damn good Marcus looks. Through the ceremony and photos you catch glimpses and share smiles, but it takes until cocktail hour before you get a chance to sneak up in his side. “You know it’s bad manners to show up being more handsome than the groom.”

“Don’t think that I did that.” Marcus immediately warms from the inside out at just hearing your voice as he turns towards you. “And you look like you stepped out of a fashion shoot.” He compliments. “Upstaging the bride.”

“I would never.” Just hearing his voice in person instead of over the phone practically makes you giddy, but you demure. “Thank you, though. I will pass the compliment along to David, who is my fashion consultant.”

“Well, the linen suit is perfect with the vivid emerald green.” He smiles as he motions towards the reception. “It’s wonderful and they are beaming.” He smiles at the now family pictures being taken with Joyce’s parents and a large bouquet. While Michael’s parents hadn’t shown, they had sent a flower arrangement so it had made the couple hopeful that they would be accepting of things down the line.

“As long as they’re happy, that’s all that matters.” So far nothing has gone wrong, and you’re keeping your fingers crossed that it stays that way. Or at least, that when something finally does, it will be either small or insignificant enough that you can fix it without the couple even realizing.

“You have a gift.” Marcus praises softly. “Which do you prefer? Running the inn or planning? I’m assuming the day to day for the inn.”

“I do prefer the day to day of the inn,” you admit, looking around the garden filled with reception guests. “But I think I’ll be broken-hearted if I don’t get to help my siblings plan their weddings. I do like it.”

“I can see that.” He reaches out and slides a hand around your body, resting on where the tattoo sits in the small of your back. “You are wonderful and you’ve created a day they will never forget.”

“I won’t take an ounce of credit.” Looking up at him, though, you do smile. Just about as broadly as you can. “I will steal a dance from you later, though.”

“I think we can manage that.” He nods, smiling just as wide as you are. “Let me know when you are free.”

“I’ll come and find you when things are under control enough for me to slip away.” Not that you think it will take long, but there is always potential for things to happen. That’s why you have the radio in your ear, after all. A discreet Walkie talkie on your belt is hidden by your suit it makes you reachable by the whole staff working tonight. It gives you the luxury of stepping away to say hi to Marcus without worrying about a major disaster breaking out.

“Let me know if I can help.” He tells you, knowing that you would never ask, but he will offer anyway. “I can carry a case of champagne or something.”

“You’re a guest.” Never in a million years would you ask him to do any work when he’s attending an event in space you control, and you shake your head. “Relax. Enjoy. Eat and drink. Dance. I’ll come and find you later, handsome.”

He rolls his eyes and grins at you. “I knew that would be your answer, but my offer will stand.”

“Noted and appreciated.” You lean into his side for a brief hug before slipping away again, shooting a teasing wink his way from halfway across the garden as you go.

The garden lights are on. White mixed with green to match the theme of the wedding party and Marcus has danced with the bride and her mother by the time you come back to his side. More than a few glasses of champagne in, and relaxed with his bow tie untied now.

“Having fun?” You may have snuck over to the deejay to ask him to play a slow song, but no one needs to know that you planned it.

“Enjoying myself, but now…” he turns and gives you a slow smirk. “It’s even better since you are here.”

“Oh yeah?” That has you beaming at him as the next song starts.

“Yeah.” He hears the slow, sweet strains of the song and lifts a brow. “Are you here long enough to dance before you flit away, hummingbird?”

“I’m all yours.” It sounds a bit more like a pledge than the playful thing it had sounded like in your head, but that’s okay. You still mean it. “For at least a song or two.”

Humming happily, he holds out his hand for you, watching you with almost tender affection. “We seem to be good at this.”

“Those lessons that our parents insisted on have paid off.” Those lessons don’t dictate how well you fit in his arms, though, or the way you feel drawn into him like a magnet.

“It’s like they knew.” He chuckles.

“We can never tell them,” you snicker, leaning into him a little more as the song goes on, and resting your head comfortably on his shoulder. “We’re still their children, after all. Can’t let them know we think they were ever right.”

“Never.” He had already received a call from his parents after the photos of the State dinner were published, only a case of mild humble bragging allowed before they changed the subject.

“You’ve never told me if you have siblings or anything.” The thought occurs to you almost belatedly, as the world is hazy around the two of you and you like it that way.

“Only child.” He chuckles. “Although I am possibly the only case of single child syndrome in my extended family.” He tells you. “I have twenty-seven first cousins.”

Your head nearly snaps back, wide eyes and a laugh of shock making your face look comically surprised. “I’m gonna need flash cards, aren’t I?”

He laughs, making several others look towards you, curious as to the amusement. “No.” He promises. “Most of the time, we all wear name tags.” He grins. “My family has six sets of identical twins in mix. They decided to make it a family traditional to tag us so no pranks were played.”

“Criminey.” Even on a low huff, you shake your head in wonder. All his poor aunts! “So an only child but plenty of playmates, then?”

“Always.” He laughs. “Always felt like I lived in a zoo when family was around.”

"You must have had hellacious games of Hide and Seek." The huff is replaced with a giggle, imagining little Marcus with all those cousins and all the chaos they must have gotten into. "It sounds amazing."

He agrees with you. “It was a competition to see how long we could last.” He tells you. “Had to stay on the property though.”

“Big family house?” You guess, figuring that his grandparents must have at least had a little bit of land. That’s the image you have in your head of Texas, anyway.

“Ended up having like a family compound.” Marcus admits with a chuckle. “For the summers together.”

"That sounds like so much fun." As the first song bleeds into a second, you don't move an inch from his arms. There's nowhere you would rather be than right here. "My parents are both only children, so I have absolutely zero first cousins. That's how we all ended up with best friends that basically got adopted into the family."

“There’s nothing wrong with that.” Marcus smiles at the image of your family adopting friends over the years, collecting them.

"Don't get me wrong, it's great." It's how you have kept Sydney in your life, and her sister, and your other best friend from college. It's how Alex and David got so close so young, and how Junie and Kiley became so close. "It's just different, that's all."

“I know.” Marcus would never put down your experience. “You might be overwhelmed by my family and think we are all insane.”

"Or I might have a blast." You raise an eyebrow at him, wondering if he's really saying that he wants you to meet his family or just postulating that someday down the line it would happen. Probably the latter. "We'll find out when we're ready."

“I’m going home at the beginning of April.” He informs you, wondering if it’s too fast. “You could always come with me.”

From intrigued to bewildered at the drop of a hat, your face morphs into something soft and your head tilts in a gentle awe. "And I thought I was always the one running headlong into relationships with my heart out there on my sleeve," you murmur, realizing that Marcus must be very much the same way. "I—I would absolutely love to."

You don’t have to come of course, but he thinks you really mean that you would want to. “No pressure, of course.” He adds. “We don’t have to be press official or anything. My family is tight-knit, they wouldn’t breathe a word.”

“There is already speculation,” you admit, though you have to shrug about it so it doesn’t upset you that people are speculating about your life at all. “We…didn’t do a great job of not looking enamored with each other at the State dinner.”

“I understand that.” Marcus has read the speculation and seen the photos. Both of you are photographed looking completely taken with the other. “However, when you decided to confirm is completely up to you.” He reminds you softly. “You owe no one anything before that. Not even as the First Princess.”

“It’s more important to me that you know I want to be with you. And that we tell our families when we’re ready. The nation can wait, it won’t kill them to not get gossip right away.” You bite your lip though, leaning into his side again as you dance. “My family is probably going to be very enthusiastic tomorrow.”

“You plan on telling them tomorrow?” He asks, slightly surprised that you would be so willing to say something so quickly. It’s not that he’s been viewed as undesirable, but often the women he dated were more cautious.

“The only thing that would stop me would be if you don’t want me to.” Otherwise, sharing this new step forward in your life with your family is just one more thing to celebrate.

“You’re my soulmate.” Marcus reminds you, smiling softly at the reminder himself. “I don’t mind telling a stranger on the street, let alone people you love.”

When Juan had told you what a romantic Marcus is, you had almost taken it with a grain of salt. A friend talking up his friend to the girl who likes him. But it hasn’t taken long at all for you to see the truth of it shining in Marcus’s eyes, or widening his smile. And a man who wants love is exactly what you have always hoped for. “I’m glad we agree,” you murmur, swallowing around the first time your heart has burst with those words. You’re not going to come out with that full-scale declaration before you’ve even gone out on your first few dates. Before you’ve even kissed.

He smiles even more, his fingers pressing into your hip and lower back, pulling you closer to his own body. It’s not possessive, more protective over you and the moment that is unfurling between you. “Just let me know if I come on too strong.” He asks, knowing that it could annoy some and he doesn’t want to do that to you.

“That’s…usually the warning I have to give.” The striking similarities between the two of you aren’t lost. The way your wishes and dreams and treatment of your partners all lines up…it makes sense why they always say that your soulmate is your ideal fit. Especially in this moment, as your arms tighten around each other and the world seems to stop around you.

He chuckles softly, leaning in and pressing his lips to the edge of your hair. “You will never have to worry about that with me.” He promises.

The way your heart stops completely for a moment at the bare touch of lips to skin before starting back up at double the speed is so telling, and so overwhelming that your fingers dig into his jacket to keep him close. “You don’t have to worry either.”

The moment is perfect and it’s one of those moments that a first kiss is almost required. Like it’s the Hallmark movie it feels like. Marcus stares into your eyes and his gaze flickers down to your lips for a moment before there’s a snort beside him.

“You two look like the newlyweds.” Joyce teases, a broad grin on her face as she leans into the arms of her new husband.

Thwarted for the second time in as many days, you swallow the disappointment but have to appreciate the irony of who’s pointing it out. “That’s your job, today, I think.”

“No way we would want to upstage the happy couple.” Marcus adds, sending them a smile.

“No reason it can’t be a happy day for more than just us,” she hums, grinning again when they turn away to keep dancing.

Marcus laughs quietly as he continues to dance with you. “I think they suspect something.” He teases softly.

“Like I said,” you laugh quietly, beaming at him impossibly brighter. “We’re not very good at hiding it.”

“No, we aren’t.” He agrees, deciding that now is the perfect time to dip you like he had during the State dinner.

The same joyful shout of laughter bubbles out of you that had then, drawing some attention again but this time you revel in it. Marcus’s soothing presence is there to let you enjoy yourself without fear, so that when you wrap your arms around his neck again on the upswing — this time there is no hesitation in following your natural impulse. Your lips find his like you’re coming home again, in a kiss as sweet and bright as the rest of this moment.

He expected the kiss, had anticipated kissing you so it’s a shock to have you initiating the kiss. Eyes widening for a split second before he closes his eyes and leans you down even more. The brilliancy of having him lean into the moment is wonderful, and you suddenly don’t know if your head is swimming from being dipped or from him. Not that you care. Not that any of it matters. Because the electric spark of it is so brilliant you could sing.

Marcus has kissed women, lots of them. Some of them women he had loved, but nothing compares to this kiss. He had always heard that soulmate intimacy is beyond description and that is exactly what this is, indescribable.

The buzzing seems to start at the top of your head and go all the way down to your toes, making you hum against his lips when you finally have to pull away. Can’t be making out in the dance floor. That will definitely be noticed. Marcus slowly pulls you upright, his lips tingling and his heart feeling like it is soaring through the clouds.

“I wanted to do that so badly at the State dinner,” you whisper, beaming at him and glowing in the moment. He knows that. You told him already. But you’re too lightheaded to care about repeating yourself.

“I did too.” Marcus confesses just as softly. It’s impossibly amazing to have someone that feels the same way and he absorbs it like it’s oxygen to breathe.

There’s a giggle in your throat, but it’s small and feels like a hiccup, making you grin even more. “But that was better than I imagined.”

“Same.” He looks around the dance floor, aware that you weren’t at a soulmate wedding before he leans in to whisper in your ear. “I had never thought touching my soulmate would be so exciting and soothing all at the same time.”

“No exciting touches while I’m working,” you chide, knowing it isn’t what he meant but unable to resist teasing him.

He snorts quietly and arches a brow mischievously. “And if I do?”

He is a tease, and he said as much to you with pride, so you just quirk a smile up in the corner of your mouth and stroke one thumb along the line of his neck. “Then you’re not staying on the couch this time.”

“Am I staying?” He asks softly, not wanting to presume anything and he grins at your huff.

“Only if you want to.” You have no intention of pressuring him, but if he wants to spend the night you will welcome him with open arms.

“I don’t think that’s a question in my mind.” He chuckles. “I just don’t want you to think that I only want to take you to bed.”

“If I thought that, you wouldn’t be invited.” Enough years of second guessing and wondering have made an impact on you that way, and you certainly aren’t going to entertain any kind of advances from someone who isn’t interested in you for the right reasons. Not anymore.

“That’s good.” He admires your spirit and self-assurance. They are traits that he always likes in a woman and he’s happy to find that his soulmate is aligned the same way. Reaching up, he smirks slightly as he touches an earring. “So what time do you get off work, beautiful?”

"As soon as the reception's over." Subtly turning your wrist on his shoulder, you check the time and press a kiss to his cheek when your heart flutters at the end of the song that had been playing. "Just a couple more hours, handsome. I hope you're one of those G-men who keeps a change of clothes in their car."

“I do.” He nods, butterflies swirling in his stomach like he’s untried all over again, even though his virginity is long past gone. “The other night was an odd thing because of just coming back.”

"I'll let my temporary roommate know you're coming up." That's not exactly the kind of thing you can spring on Agent Bailey, even if she is at the end of her shift. Her shift relief will need to know there's someone spending the night so they don't hear noises and burst into your room.

“If it’s not convenient, we can always plan something out.” Marcus immediately assures you. He knows that it has to be a little stifling at times with the agent there and he doesn’t want you to stress if there’s some reason he can’t stay.

"I just don't want an agent interrupting us," you assure him quickly. "That's all. I want you to stay."

Marcus grins. “Afraid of a shift change and the agent thinking you’re being attacked?” He jokes.

"Stranger things have happened." Unfortunately, the ear piece you're wearing to stay connected to your team crackles to life with the voices of servers get ready for the cake cutting. "That's my cue," you hum, tapping your earpiece with a slight frown. "Save me one more dance later, okay?"

“Absolutely.” Marcus lets go of you reluctantly, although he knows you are still working to make the night magical for his friends.

The wedding is as close to perfect as any event that you've organized in possibly your entire career. By the time the last guests are trickling out of the garden and the wait staff is bringing in the last trays of glasses to be washed, your work is fairly well done for the night. The overnight manager can oversee the rest of the cleanup, and you've already sent Sydney home to her comfy bed after freaking out with her over the fact that Marcus has agreed to stay over tonight. Joyce and Michael left straight for the airport to be off on their honeymoon after many, many hugs. Agent Bailey looks positively relaxed compared to some other events you've held at the inn, but you can tell she's ready for a cup of coffee and a crossword to wind down with before her relief arrives.

"Hey." You find Marcus on the porch when you step back outside, and your face splits on a big, beautiful smile.

“Hey.” Marcus turns to find you watching him, your jacket discarded somewhere and you look softer, a little worn. “I have to just give you a round of applause.” He hums, clapping silently. “You made this look so easy, even though there are a million balls up in the air at one time.”

"I'm exhausted," you admit without shame. After two weeks of basically working nonstop, you would feel like you're about to drop except that you have the promise of the rest of the night ahead of you. "Thank god I took the whole weekend off. We can sleep in tomorrow."

Marcus frowns, not liking that you’ve overworked yourself and he is immediately pulling you close and rubbing your back. “Why don’t we go upstairs and you let me take care of you?”

“Because that will require an entire reprogramming of my personality?” The attempt at a joke just makes him raise his eyebrows at you and deepens his frown, and you know instinctively you’re going to give in to him. You may not be good at letting other people be in charge of you ever, but the warm and fuzzy feelings you get from being the sole focus of Marcus’s attention outweighs it. “Okayyyyyy.”

At the almost petulant tone, Marcus smirks slightly. “Good.” He nods and pulls you closer. “You deserve to let someone do for you.” He whispers softly. “You’ve done so much for my friends tonight. Let me return the favor.”

There isn’t any use protesting, and you like the gentle security of his arms too much to leave them right now, so the two of you make your way to the elevator wrapped around each other as though there is nowhere else you could possibly be. “Did you have fun tonight?” Aside from Joyce and Michael — who had thanked you profusely before leaving for the night — his opinion of things is the only one you care about.

“Probably the best wedding I’ve ever been to.” Marcus isn’t just saying that. The staff milled around, wearing happy expressions that weren’t painted on, even when they were busy. The entire event flowed smoothly and the atmosphere was one of celebrated joy. A lot of that comes straight from the top, how you treat your staff and the environment you’ve created. “I’ll say it again, you are amazing.”

“You may have noticed by now that I’m not very good at taking compliments.” You up at him, though, warm cheeks and broad smile making you look bashful. “But…thank you.”

“Well, I plan on giving them to you often.” He admits, admiring your beautiful face. He’s always believed in giving compliments, but he never says something he doesn’t mean.

“Then I will try to be better.” Having only kissed him once so far, the tantalizing closeness of where he hangs his head as you step into the elevator together beckons you, but you resist if only out of manners. Agent Bailey doesn’t need to be made to feel awkward in such a small space.

He can tell that you want to kiss him, but he can also see how incredibly worn out you are. Marcus shifts slightly, moving behind you so he can let you lean against him. The small, nondescript duffel bag in his hand brushes your leg, and you smile gently at the idea of waking up beside him tomorrow morning. As tantalizing as taking him to bed is, it’s the soft, domestic dream of waking up to see his sleep-mussed face that has you weak in the knees. When the elevator stops upstairs, you pause to let Agent Bailey work and then go in when she gives you the signal.

“Are the threats bad enough she needs to check the apartment every time?” He asks softly, frowning at the idea that you would be in so much danger.

“Mom is slightly overprotective,” you explain, dropping your jacket on the coat rack by the door when you come in. “I give it another month of all-clears before she stops insisting the apartment be checked every single time.”

“She loves you.” It’s not hard to see why but he also doesn’t want to minimize its effect on you.

“Oh, I know.” Turning around again, you reach for him even though he isn’t far away. “And I love her. Which is why I’ve never fussed at her for anything reasonable she’s ever asked of me. Including letting my agent check my apartment before I go inside. If it eases her anxiety to know I’m safe, that’s fine. She’s got plenty else to deal with right now.”

“It’s probably because you live alone.” He murmurs, sliding his arms around you. “When I first moved away, my Mom called every night to make sure I locked my door. And I was not nearly as pretty as you are.”

“I don’t believe that for a second.” His chin weighs on your shoulder and you cover his arms with your own, wrapping them around your own waist. “You’re much prettier than me. But you’re right that it’s about me living alone. When I lived with Syd she never worried out loud. But she also wasn’t president then.”

“Maybe we will have to get you a roommate.” Marcus isn’t pushing for anything, only teasing out loud. “And a really protective dog.”

“If you want a review of how I am to live with, Syd will tell you everything, I’m sure.” Though neither of you believes in pushing the other, it’s obvious that a fully functioning and committed relationship is on both of your minds. “And you know I’m dying to have a dog, we talked about that. I just can’t do it here. There’s nowhere near enough space.”

“There is if you build a cottage behind the inn.” Marcus suggests. “Gives you space for the family and keeps you close enough to your work to still pop in whenever you need.”

For a second you just stand stock still, shocked at the idea, before you slowly turn in his arms and look up into that sharply angled face with the gentlest eyes in the whole world. “I had never thought of that,” you admit, astonished now at your own lack of imagination.

“Maybe now you will.” He smiles, happy to have offered a suggestion that might be of use to you. “It’s a perfect compromise, and then you could turn your apartment into another suite for guests.”

“It’s a perfect compromise as long as it’s something my partner also likes the sound of.” Thinking of him as a partner — a long term one, the long-term partner of your life — sends that tingle out to all your extremities all over again and you find yourself smiling even brighter. “I guess we’ll have to think about what kind of cottage we would want, if that’s something we decide to do together.”

“Stone.” Marcus immediately says. “Designed to fit in. Perhaps an old carriage house design.”

The way he offers such unfettered support softens you, and you reach up to press a gentle kiss to his lips. “Have you thought about it before, or are you just brilliant with improvising ideas?”

“Haven’t thought about it before but I hate when I see a historic building and some addition that’s completely modern or doesn’t match the style.” He admits with a sheepish grin.

“Then I’ll just call you brilliant and you’ll have to live with being positively adored.” He blushes at that declaration, and you end up smiling all over again. “And it’s very Sabrina of you to think of living in a carriage house. Which makes it thematic, of course, and now we have to.”

“Now we have to, huh?” He chuckles quietly and leans in to press a kiss to your hair. “Then I guess we better start designing a carriage house worth of the First Princess.”

“I don’t care.” Even though you’re shaking your head, you’re transfixed, looking up into his eyes. It’s too soon for these things you’re feeling — too quick and too untried — but they’re so honest that they catch in your throat and bubble over. “As long as you’re there, too, I don’t care about anything else.”

It’s a loaded comment and it’s one that would have him searching your eyes to see if you are being truthful but he doesn’t have to. He feels that you are. “We will decide when the time comes.” He promises. “Where we live.”

“I’m just grateful you don’t think I’m crazy,” you admit softly. “For feeling so certain already.”

He snorts and pulls you close. “When I realized that you knew we had to be soulmates, there was another reaction that I needed space from you because of.” He admits. “Do you know what that was?”

“Not a clue.” Whatever it was, he’s here with you now, so you aren’t afraid of it. “Tell me.”

“So I didn’t beg you to run away with me and get married.” He flushes slightly and bites his lip.

“Oh god…” The breath of disbelief that leaves you is as disbelieving as it is giddy. “I would’ve said yes and we would’ve been doing text message breakups from the car on our way to the nearest soulmate chapel.”

“And we are better than that.” Marcus agrees, “so it was a good thing that I left for London.”

“Long distance so that we were forced to not be impulsive.” In a very real way, he’s right. You would both have jumped headfirst into this and being on separate continents forced you to calm down. You do smirk, though, and hold him a little closer. “It didn’t stop us from bathing together, though.”

Your smirk is tantalizingly wicked and innocent, making him return it. “I was trying very hard to be good while we were on the phone together. To not think about you naked.”

"I admit," you aren't embarrassed or shy about it, though. "I was decidedly less well behaved..."

“Oh yeah?” He arches a brow curiously. “What— were you touching yourself while we were talking?”

"After." It's not something you expected to admit tonight, but you have no intention of keeping the truth from Marcus at all. "I...wasn't confident I could keep quiet if I actually did it during one of our conversations."

“So you are vocal.” He hums softly, starting to get an idea of what might be a perfect ending to the night for you.

"Maybe a little." It's definitely something you have to control to be considerate of the other person in your apartment at all times.

“That’s good.” He’s aware that Agent Bailey has disappeared around the corner, trying to give you the illusion of privacy. “I like vocal.”

Instantly, your eyes snap up to his. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He hums, pressing a little closer to you with a weighted smile. “Why don’t we run a bath? Soaking sounds like a good idea for you, doesn’t it?”

“Thank god my tub is big enough for two people,” you huff, immediately grabbing his hand and heading straight for your bathroom.

He hadn’t actually meant for him to soak, but it’s obvious that’s what you want. Allowing you to guide him into your bathroom, he looks around the room. He hadn’t really paid attention to the tub when he had spent the night or when he was here for the game night, so it was a charming surprise to see that the tub is big enough for two.

"Are you a bubbles or salts guy?" You have a whole shelf dedicated to bath things that you've actually started working through thanks to the frequent phone calls you shared while he was away. Before that, you barely made time to touch them.

“Either one.” He shrugs slightly. “Depends on the mood, but I’m thinking bubbles tonight. What about you?”

"Sweet Surrender or Heart of the Ocean?" The two yet-untouched bottles on the shelf have abstract names but smelled amazing in the store when you bought them, so you give him the choice. Either way, the light and airy scented candles in the room will add ambiance more than anything else.

“Sweet Surrender.” He likes the sound of it and shrugs off his tuxedo jacket to drape over the counter.

“Honey, almonds, and pomegranate,” you read from the bottle as you turn to plug up the tub and start the bath. These first moments of intimacy are so delicate, and even though you have both verbally confirmed your shared marks — this will be the first time you see them on each other.

“That sounds like the perfect scent to relax in.” He doesn’t glance up at you, slowly starting to undress in case you change your mind.

“Hey.” As soft as your voice is, your hand reaches out to touch his arm. He isn’t looking at you and you just want to be sure that he doesn’t feel pressured. “If you want to wait, we can wait as long as you need.”

“No.” He laughs at the irony of you voice his own thoughts. “But I also know you are tired. Why don’t we soak without any expectations?”

“No expectations is good.” You nod, appreciating the way he already looks like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. “There are a lot of different kinds of intimacy.”

“My idea was to get you into a bath, maybe make you feel good, and wrap you up in my arms to sleep.” Marcus voices softly.

“Is that what you want to do?” He’s only undone two buttons on his shirt, and you rest one hand lightly on his chest to ground yourself in him and give him your full attention. You said it earlier in the night — you are both just out of relationships. If he wants to take things between you physically slow even if they are moving at emotional light speed, you’ll honor that and make sure he feels comfortable and safe.

“The romantic in me wants to wait for your birthday tomorrow night.” He admits, huffing at himself. “For sex. Not for making you cum.”

“Honey.” Your hand goes to your mouth instantly, stifling a witheringly heartfelt sigh, and you step into him immediately with a sort of lopsided smile settling into your features that tells him exactly how sweet you find that idea. “That is…quite possibly the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. And I adore you for wanting to make it special.”

“You don’t think it’s silly?” He’s been told he tries too hard or overthinks in relationships a lot and it’s something he’s worked on.

“No.” Shaking your head just once, you run your thumb over one of the buttons of his shirt and nearly sigh again. “I think it’s romantic. And it tells me you’re a thoughtful partner.”

“What do you want?” That is equally as important in this scenario as his own wistful flights of romantic fancy.

“I want to wake up with you tomorrow.” It might sound odd or even a little creepy to anyone else, but you’re confident that Marcus will understand. It’s not possessive or obsessive, it’s domestic and romantic in its own right. “Find out what you look like sleep mussed and bathed in sunlight all tangled in my sheets. Anything else that happens is a bonus.”

“Then let me take care of you tonight?” He asks softly, leaning in and kissing your forehead. “I can wait, and I want to make your weekend special.”

It’s impossibly romantic and probably the first time in your entire life that the man you’re romantically involved with isn’t clamoring to fuck you as quickly as humanly possible. Instead of making you feel less desirable, like it might have at earlier points in your life, it makes you feel special. Cared for. Like the fact that you have his focus means more than anything else ever could. “Okay,” you murmur, nodding once before you turn to shut off the hot water filling your bathtub. “If you prefer, there’s a little stool next to the sink. “You don’t have to get in with me unless you want to.”

“I don’t mind getting into the bath with you.” The idea of pressing his body against yours is incredibly erotic and sensual. “You can lean against me.”

“Okay.” Even as simple as a word is, the acknowledgement is important. Right now it’s just as important as the mounting hum of tension between you, and His your fingers prickly with the desire to continue undressing him. How you’re dying to press your bare skin to his, even if it doesn’t come with sex just yet.

He wonders if you are disappointed, if you are wanting him to just jump you and take you to bed. He wants to, but he wants to celebrate what is between you more.

"There's only..." Your hands go to your own buttons. Undressing yourself is not pressuring him, but just offering. Offering to deepen this connection and share this part of yourself. "Only one thing I want to ask...that's all. If it's okay with you?"

“Anything you want, sweetheart.” He’s willing to whatever you want to make you happy. “What do you need to ask of me?”

It seems silly, all things considered, but when you bite your lip it feels like asking permission to smile. "I just want to see the marks we share. On both of us."

Marcus chuckles and nods, finishing the buttons on his shirt and he slips it off his shoulders. “The most obvious one first, I think.”

"I hope you don't hate it." His shirt lands on the stool you had offered him, and yours follows it.

“I don’t.” He promises, smiling at you. “Your explanation makes complete sense, now that I know that it’s you.” He tells you. “A Hummingbird for my little hummingbird.”

"And you know why I was never on Mate Marks now." It was something he had pointed out at the State dinner and you had felt awfully about the way he took it. Thinking that you never wanted to be found, when in fact it's the opposite that is true. It's just that it was considered unsafe for you. Now, though? Now that you have him right in front of you? You can turn around and show him your back and let him see the hummingbird for himself.

Your bra is still on, but he doesn’t mind that, watching as you slowly turn to let him see the tattoo on your lower back. The hummingbird that has marked his own skin, the exact same one. “Does it look different on someone else?” You ask, suddenly afraid to see his reaction.

Reaching out, his fingers brush over the skin, feeling the slight rise in it where the ink has been pushed underneath. His own is flat, not raised and it’s a wonderful little contrast between your tattoo and its counterpart on his own body. “It looks beautiful.” He murmurs softly.

"If I had been older than eighteen, I might have had it put somewhere else," you admit with a wry laugh. "But I don't care as long as it helped us find each other."

“It’s discreet.” He snorts, still tracing it. “If you want it to be.”

"I tend to tuck my shirts into my pants these days." His fingers are burning hot but not in an unpleasant way. More like the tension and promise of them is scorching your skin with eagerness. "Or just wear a longer top layer. No bikinis, ya know?"

“That’s why there aren’t pictures of it out there.” He huffs slightly, amused that if you had been photographed it would have been splashed in some kind expose or something.

"It doesn't matter anymore." Before, discretion had been something that was agreed upon. You didn't want someone claiming to be your soulmate falsely and your parents considered it a safety concern. But now that you have Marcus? Any claim would be an obvious lie and easily taken care of. "You're what matters."

Marcus turns so you can see the tattoo on his skin, verifying the same design to you. “You matter too, sweetheart.”

You never thought it would be such an emotional moment, but it’s only in the last few days that you realize how silly that assumption was. Of course this is emotional. This connection goes far, far beyond any that you’ve made otherwise. It is, just like the ink marking both of your bodies, under your skin. The tears are more than you were expecting, and you wipe one away on your thumb after a pause. “Holy shit,” you laugh after a second. “It’s real…”

He lights up at the giddy excitement in your voice. The yearning has him turning around and wiping away another with his own thumb as he caresses your cheek. “It’s real, sweetheart. We’re real.”

When he turns to you fully you can see the scar from your childhood surgery on his torso, the line of healed flesh where the doctor cut into you as clear as day on his otherwise smooth skin. “I’m sorry,” you murmur quietly, tracing it with your fingers. “We were so young to have to carry this and know what it means…that we were always connected…”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Marcus shakes his head, frowning at your apology. “I was worried about you.” He admits softly. “If I had known you, I would have been visiting you in the hospital.”

"I told you." A thin smile brightens your face, reminding him of what you said at the State dinner. "Appendicitis sucks."

“I will take your word for it.” He chuckles quietly and his fingers brush your scar. “Were you scared when it happened?”

"Terrified." You nod slightly, eyes transfixed on his fingers touching your skin. "I was six and I had never, ever felt that kind of pain before."

“Poor thing.” Kneeling down, he leans in and presses his lips to the scar.

You swallow hard as he reaches for the button on your pants, skin singing at every little bit of contact. It’s only a second before he pulls the zipper open that you frankly try to remember what panties you put on for today, but it doesn’t matter. Every stitch of clothing will be gone soon, and you’re okay with that. Losing the last barriers between the two of you is exactly what you want for this weekend.

He continues to kiss along the length of the scar, watching you looking down at him as he slowly opens your trousers. Finding it incredibly sexy that you are already breathless.

“Just had a mini panic,” you admit, raking your fingers through his short hair. “Can’t remember if I put on presentable panties today or not.”

He can’t help but laugh at the very normal fear. “I don’t care about what kind of panties you wear.” He promises with grin. “But I did wear my good boxer briefs.” He jokes. “Keep it all contained properly.”

“Can’t have you letting it all hang out.” When you laugh along with him, it comes out like a snort. “Very undignified.”

“Very.” He joins you in the laughing, his fingers running along the edge of your panties. “No erections allowed in wedding photos.”

“Fully permitted later in the night, though.” He’s still on his knees in front of you, and despite being nervous you reach behind yourself to unhook your bra. “In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s encouraged.”

“Well, of course it is now.” He huffs playfully, hooking his fingers into the band of your panties. The last scraps of fabric fall away, leaving you naked in front of him, and you shiver slightly without knowing if it’s the chilly bathroom or nerves that are doing it. Marcus debates, seriously debates, if he should just lean forward and bury his face into the pretty, neat little patch of hair. To use his tongue on you. When you shiver, he knows he needs to get you into the bath, so he stands quickly and unbuckles his belt.

You aren’t a virgin. You never claimed to be. At one-day-under-30, you’ve had your fair share of sexual and romantic partners, and not everyone in those two categories overlapped. Still, when Marcus pushes his boxer briefs and trousers away in one go, you inhale sharply at the first glimpse of his half-hard cock. If you hadn’t promised to let him take care of you, you might be reaching forward or dropping to your own knees — but you did. You promised. And you can barely hold back a smothered groan of regret at that fact because he’s stunning.

If it weren’t for the lusty, glazed look on your face, he might have thought something was wrong. As it is, his half hard cock twitches and hardens even more as he guides you towards the tub. “Get in, sweetheart.” He urges. “I’ll get us some towels.”

“The cupboard behind you.” They’re big, fluffy, soft things that you count as an indulgence, but they won’t be anywhere near as comfortable as having him in this bath with you. Still, you step into the hot, sudsy water without him, knowing he’ll follow in a minute.

Marcus grabs the towels and sets them close before striding back over to the tub. He’s not some Greek god, but he’s in good enough shape that there’s no reason to slump or hide as he walks towards you naked.

“Fuck.” Just one word groaned softly, but your eyes stay on him with every step. “You’re gorgeous.”

“Are you stealing my lines?” He teases, flashing you a grin as you sit in the sudsy water. “Because the only gorgeous thing I see is you.”

“We can both be gorgeous to each other,” you point out, still transfixed by him.

He had never really thought of it that way and shrugs slightly. “If you say so.” He bites his lip and watches you lean forward to give him room behind you.

The water is just a tiny bit high with both of you settled into the tub, but you don’t care. It’s not in danger of flooding the floors so you’ll just revel in being warm and comfortable with your soulmate for as long as the hot water holds out. You lean back against him, making him sigh softly in your ear and his arms come around you.

“Is this okay, hummingbird?” He murmurs quietly. “Can I touch you?”

“You know you can call me Birdie.” Settling back against him, you guide his hand around you and under the water to let him start exploring. “Hummingbird is my Secret Service call sign. Don’t wanna start accidentally moaning as a Pavlovian response whenever Agent Bailey says it.”

He chuckles quietly, a warm sound in your ear as he splays his hand over your stomach. “If you want me to.” He slowly starts to stroke your skin. “Hummingbird sounds a little more intimate, I thought.”

“Whatever you want, gorgeous.” The way he laughs and the way he touches you? You’d probably agree to anything right about now.

“Is that how I get my way?” He asks teasingly. “Get in a hot bath with you and I get what I want?” His hands, both of them, slide up to fill his hands with your tits and squeezes gently, enjoying the way your nipples harden against his palm.

“Apparently.” Sighing lets your body loosen even more in his arms and you rest heavily against his torso but your back arches to press your chest into his hands. “And ya know what? I’m okay with it.”

He laughs again, squeezes and then massaging the flesh before his thumbs brush over your nipples. “That’s right?” He asks. “You enjoying this? Feeling relaxed already?” Flicking your nipples again lightly before he cups your tits again.

“Mmmmm, it’s perfect,” you hum, letting your eyes slip shut to just enjoy the sensations.

“Good.” He’s slow to explore, letting the moment expand naturally and taking his time as he listens to your soft moans. Wanting to learn what makes you hum and purr like a kitten in his hands.

“Are you going to make a Goldilocks joke if I point out what big hands you have?” You ask, humming again when his large hand spans what feels like your entire thigh.

“The better to feel you with, my dear.” He growls into your ear playfully, squeezing your thigh slightly and massaging it gently.

The giggle you let out is low and deep, but cut off sharply by a gasp when his fingers ghost over your core. He hums, more of a raspy growl as he slides his fingers through the wet curls and into your folds. Groaning at the slickness that has nothing to do with the bath you are in.

“Fuck.” One syllable, repeated as many times as you want to tonight, and you drop your head back on his shoulder with a moan. “Feels so good and you’ve barely touched me.”

“That’s it, beautiful.” He coos softly. “Just relax, I’m gonna take care of you.” The water ripples as he slowly starts to caress your folds, rubbing and stroking the velvety skin as he listens to you moan again.

Pliant is an understatement as Marcus starts to explore, gauging your reactions and keeping his other hand busy with your tits now that he’s figured out how much you love having them played with. The itch in the back of your mind that you’re neglecting him is very real, but this is what he wants tonight and what he’s ready to share with you, so you’ll just make tomorrow twice as good for both of you when you can share the sensations.

He keeps the motion of his fingers slow, sensual as they dance over your sensitive clit. “Does that feel good, sweetheart?”

“So good—” So good that your breath is coming short, shallow pants already and only occasionally punctuated by longer and deeper ones. It’s like he can read you as easily as a book. “So fucking good.”

He hums softly, keeping the pace up and his cock is throbbing against your lower back now that he is fully hard. He ignores it and squeezes your breast again before teasing the nipple. “That’s good, baby girl.”

Your hips tilt, searching for more pressure and trying to show him where to focus his attention, but Marcus is exploring. He’s learning. And as much as you love it, it’s making you twist and pant and rub against him in ways you’re sure are not helping the hard on pressed between you.

“Ohhhh my soulmate gets eager, hmmm?” He coos, chuckling at the way you are grinding against him. “What do you need sweetheart?”

"More." You aren't above begging and he's already professed to being a tease so you just bask in it when his husky voice is right by your ear. He doesn't mind that you're eager and you don't mind that he's a tease, which means there's going to be a whole lot of fun ahead of the two of you. "Please, baby? More?"

“I’ve got you.” He knows there is a fine balance between being a tease and tormenting someone. He turns his hand, his thumb pressing against your aching clit so he can push two fingers deep inside you. “Fuck, you’re so tight.”

"Oh fuck." The whine that comes out of you is something unrestrained and probably louder than you meant it to be, but it hardly matters when he's stretching you out on two thick fingers. Your hands scramble for purchase, one clutching his arm against you and the other holding on to the side of the tub as he begins to finger fuck you slowly but determinedly.

“Gotta stretch you out.” He croons in your ear, his breath washing over your skin. “Get your tight little pussy ready for me tomorrow.” He curls his fingers up and continues the slow circles on your clit.

"Knew those fingers would feel amazing inside me." And after thinking about it for about two weeks solid, you're thrilled to find out exactly how right you were.

“Been thinking about that a lot?” He asks, deciding your ear lobe needs to be nibbled on.

"So fucking much." Every time his fingers dive back inside your cunt you give another wanton moan. "Almost as much as I've been thinking about your cock."

“Now that you’ve seen it, what do you think?” He’s curious because he knows you wouldn’t lie to him, he knows enough women have enjoyed him to not be too self-conscious, but you are his soulmate. Hopefully you will be pleased with the body the universe chose for you to share.

“I think I my imagination didn’t do you justice.” If it weren’t for his fingers moving inside you, you’d be riding that cock, but you can’t find it in yourself to be disappointed when he’s so fucking good with his hands. Instead you twist around, chest having as you claim a demanding kiss.

He groans into your mouth, cock twitching against your back as your tongue slides into his mouth. You taking control of kiss is incredibly sexy to him, and he pumps his fingers into you faster.

If you were flexible enough to reach in between your bodies and wrap your hand around his hard on, you would have done it ages ago. The angle you’ve twisted into to kiss him almost makes it work, but still not quite. It leaves you whining into the kiss as your legs quake, feeling yourself move closer and closer to that peak that he has aimed you toward.

It’s not as slow as Marcus had wanted. Expecting to coax you into a languid, drawn-out orgasm that leaves you boneless, you are insistent. Not that he could deny you, the entire point is to take care of you how you need it. Kissing you back with just as much fervor as you give him as he pushes you towards that pleasurable cliff.

It probably would have been more like the slow, sensual climb he had intended if you weren’t so hungry for him. So addicted to the way he tastes after barely the smallest sample that you just want to drown in him. It’s passion, and the kind of attraction that makes you feel like you’ll go crazy if you can’t have him burrowing under your skin. In the moment your hazy, pleasure-centric mind is wrapped solely around how he helps and tastes better than perfection, and how you never want it to end.

The kiss tangles deeper, winding through to his soul and squeezing it tights. Grunting into your mouth gently as he feels like he is home.

The whine in your throat gets tighter as you near that peak, glorious tension in the pit of your stomach flooding every other sense you have as you start to cum, except the unerring surety that this is exactly where you’re supposed to be. Right here. With your soulmate. Home.

The way you fall apart for him is breathtaking. Marcus moans in tune to your own cries, eyes closed as your walls tighten around his fingers and pulse with a throbbing tempo of pleasure. The water sloshing around you both as you shake for him.

The words stick in your throat, and whether it’s the soulmate connection or the post-orgasm bliss, or what, they hang there as you relax backward against him in a slump. Is it really that easy? Or has it been building since we met? You aren’t sure, but it’s there. Regardless of how or why.

He feels the second you soften, body relaxing against him and his fingers slow down. Drawing out the pleasure but not forcing any kind of overstimulation. Winding down until they are still inside you as he kisses you softly before pulling back to smile at your glowing face.

“You have very good ideas.” A soft laugh tumbles out of you as you work to suppress the instinct to declare yourself to him. This isn’t the right time. Or, at least, you’re afraid that it’s too soon despite the dreams you’ve already shared with him.

“Good.” He hums softly, kissing you again. “Relaxed, sweetheart?”

“Amazingly.” You can still feel him rock hard at your back, though, and your eyes search his. “Are you sure you don’t want a hand? Or any other part of me?”

He snickers the innuendo and leans in to kiss you again. “You don’t know how badly I want you.” He murmurs softly. “But your eyes are exhausted.”

“I hate that you’re right.” Wanting him so badly that it physically hurts doesn’t make you less tired, but it does make you more determined than ever to make sure tomorrow is incredible.

He chuckles softly and kisses your forehead. "You now know how I felt a couple of days ago." He reminds you softly. "It doesn't matter how long it takes, love." He promises. "We will get there and it will be amazing."

“Tomorrow.” The tone of your voice is absolutely certainty, it the yawn immediately after does put a pin in the point. “We will get there tomorrow.”

"Tomorrow." He agrees and shifts you forward slightly as he pulls his hand away from your core. "For now, we need to get some rest so you can party tomorrow without falling asleep."

“What do you want to do tomorrow before the party?” Standing on wobbly legs in the bath takes a second, but when you wipe all the suds away and step out you’re steady enough.

"You have the day off." He hums, getting out beside you and wrapping a towel around you. "We could start off with brunch if you wanted to. Or whatever you want to do? Go to the famer's markets around here?"

“I switched my day off this week to make sure the wedding would go smoothly,” you explain. He’s large and warm and strong, and the feeling of safety doesn’t elude you. “So we have the whole weekend together if we want it.”

"I want it." He immediately tells you, frowning slightly as he towels you off carefully. Ignoring the water dripping off his own body so he can attend to you. "If you do, of course."

“Of course I do.” Grabbing the second towel off the stool, you start to dry him in turn. “Just…didn’t want to be clingy. That’s been a point against me in the past.”

"You don't have to worry about me being upset." Marcus assures you. "I have that same problem sometimes too."

“Jump in head first and get too clingy and it overwhelms them?” To find out he’s the same way is an odd sort of relief and solidarity, if you’re honest with yourself.

Marcus snorts and gives you an embarrassed wince. "I did propose in the hallway at work?" he offers. "Not some of my best romantic work, and after reflecting on it, I was feeling like the relationship was slipping away and I was desperate to save it."

“This was Teresa?” He had told you a bit about his exes — just little tidbits — during your phone calls and you hum when he nods. “No offense, honey? But it doesn’t really sound like she had her shit together in that relationship. That was not your fault.”

"No, but I held on even harder when I should have just let go." He admits, sighing softly. "Too quick to jump in, to give my heart, to plan for the future."

“You’d think I would have learned my lesson when I got cheated on.” You shake your head, drawing your towel around yourself and shrugging. “Oops.”

"I can't fucking believe someone would be dumb enough to cheat on you." He snorts, rolling his eyes at the idiocy of his sex.

“The only good part of the whole thing is that I managed to cut his cheek when I threw the ring at him,” you huff, shaking your head again as the two of you move into your bedroom together. The age-old cliche of finding your partner in bed with someone else had been your horrible reality just a few years ago. “Asshole. I hope he has a scar.”

"Me too." He huffs, "but you don't need to worry about that with me." He knows it's sounding like a complete line, but it's the truth. "I would never – I went to break up with Vanessa because just knowing you were my soulmate, I couldn't give her what she deserved."

“I…I felt like I needed confirmation,” you admit. After giving it a few seconds of thought you simply discard your towel in the laundry basket and climb into bed naked, pulling back the sheets to invite him to join you bare. “Just knowing we both had tattoos in the same place wasn’t enough. It could have been totally different designs, and then I would have been the idiot who jumped to conclusions and ruined both of our relationships for some unfounded crush. And then…at the State dinner…finding out you have my scar, too? I knew that was it. Everything I already felt for you in that moment was more than I had ever felt about anyone else.”

"I understand now." He had been hurt, deeply hurt, but he won't tell you that now. He doesn't want you upset about that, when you needed to take time for yourself to accept the possibility.

“I’m sorry if I…if I did things wrong.” Waiting for him to get in bed makes you a little self conscious but you swallow the idea that you might deserve it. “I don’t really know how to walk up to a person and tell them that the universe thinks they’re my perfect match.”

"Don’t' worry about that," Marcus slides into the bed beside and you and gathers you into his arms. Wanting to fold you against him and hold you close. "All that matters is that we know now."

“I love you.” You might have held it back before, but when you exhale this time the words come out all on their own. “I know that’s a lot, and don’t feel like you have to say it back until you’re ready. But I — I’m very grateful it’s you.”

He stares at you for a moment and then starts to laugh. Leaning in and nudging his nose against yours. "Sweetheart, I love you too." He promises softly through the chuckles. "I think I fell in love with you over board games that first night." He admits. " I just didn't let myself believe it."

Exhaling deeply, you burrow into his side and bury your face, just letting the right release of relieved laughter roll through you. Watery eyes and sniffles are nothing now. Not compared to the elated smile on your face. “You looked like a dream when you came into the inn that day. Like you’d stepped right out of my fantasies.”

"I wanted to ask you out." He confesses. "Until I learned you were seeing Sam."

“It’s all okay now.” It’s perfect now, as far as you’re concerned, and you press your lips to his with a smile curved up at the corners. “We’re where we’re supposed to be.”

"In bed, where you are fighting sleep so you can talk to me?" He teases gently, smiling back into your lips.

“Yes,” you huff at him as adorably as you can.

He laughs again, settling back into the pillows and pulling you with him, humming when you settle down onto his chest like you belong there. "Go to sleep, hummingbird." He urges quietly. "I'll be here when you wake up. I'm not going anywhere."

______

Master Tags: @pixiedurango @chattychell @winter-fox-queen @lady-himbo @artsymaddie @princess76179 @paintballkid711 @missminkylove @pedrosbrat @ew-erin @sarahjkl82-blog @sharkbait77 @justanotherblonde23 @lv7867 @recklesswit @mylittlesenaar @f0rever15elf @gallowsjoker @steeevienicks @athalien @sherala007 @skvatnavle @thatpinkshirt @jaime1110 @girlimjusttryingtoreadfanfics @goodgriefitsawildworld @greeneyedblondie44 @littlemousedroid @harriedandharassed @churchill356 @ajathegreats-blog @haylzcyon   @beardsanddetectives @kirsteng42 @ladykatakuri @adancedivasmom @madiebear @tanzthompson @emilianamason @bigsdinger @xocalliexo @pedr0swh0r3 @avaleineandafryingpan @charlyrmv @avidreader73 @iceclaw101 @loveslide @elegantduckturtle @becsworld @julesonrecord @its-nebuleuse @itsrubberbisquit @mikeyswifie @guelyury @lizzie-cakes @for-a-longlongtime @vabeachazn @purplerain04 @weho2kcmo @madnessofadaydreamer

HHL: @haileymorelikestupid @anoverwhelmingdin @storiesofthefandomlovers @missladym1981 @babeincolor @angelofsmalldeath-codeine

My Masterlist!

#Pedro Pascal #Pedro Pascal character fanfiction #Pedro Pascal fanfic #Marcus Pike #Marcus Pike x you #Marcus Pike x reader #Marcus Pike x female reader #Marcus Pike x f!reader #The Mentalist #soulmate au #First Daughter reader #Juan Badillo #Graceland #Juan Badillo x f!OC #Juan Badillo x OC #love triangle

[siempre-bucky]

Hi!!! Can I request "You know damn well, for you I would ruin myself" with Hangman?

Jake 'Hangman" Seresin x Reader

Summary: Jake's been hiding something, you suspect cheating, but it's not what you think.

wc: 986

a/n: I hope you like it!!!!! :)

Join my blurb weekend :)

You were almost asleep then the creek of the front door opening took away the glorious feeling of slumber. Groaning against your pillow, you opened one of your eyes to read the small clock on your bedside table. This was the third night this week Jake stumbled home after midnight. Unfortunately, it's become a recent common occurrence and you were struggling to keep your mind at ease. 

Just out with the squad, you kept reminding yourself, turning to face his empty side of the bed. "Are you awake, darlin'?" he asked calmly as he entered. 

"We need to get that door fixed," you responded, sleep heavy in your tone and avoiding the questions you wanted to ask. Where were you? Who were you with? 

Jake crawled into bed and pulled you close to his chest. You took in his scent, clean and earth—-that wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Suddenly you squeezed your eyes shut harder, mentally scolding yourself for even assuming he was with another woman. "I love you," he whispered before sleep overtook him. 

Your mind was terribly good at deceiving you. 

You started to notice the little things like how often he'd check his phone and the tone in his voice when he spoke to you. Doubt had started to creep in, slowly and dangerously. 

He'd begun to go out more, long trips to the Hard Deck with friends. Maybe it was because you two were getting older that going out as often as you did became a thing of the past. Maybe he wanted to reclaim his youth. 

So much to his surprise, you started to join him on the nights he didn't claim were 'boy's night'. You were too tired by the second drink to notice the new faces he hung around with. But you noticed every feminine face. 

You stood in front of the mirror a few weeks later, fighting off the tears. If you lost a few pounds and colored your hair maybe your husband would stop being so secretive. "Shut up," you hissed at yourself before leaving the room to reclaim your spot in his arms on the bed you've shared for years. You didn't have to change yourself for him, but then again, for Jake you'd ruin yourself a million little times. 

Two days later at lunch, Jake kissed your forehead and placed his phone on the dining room table, "I forgot the knife," he mumbled against your skin. 

"Forgetful in your old age Seresin,' you chuckled, tapping him on the arm. 

"Not even forty, baby," he winked back before heading into the kitchen. 

You smiled at yourself, letting his charming smile burn into your memory. That process was cut short when his phone started to vibrate on the table, shaking the plate beside it. 

Sydney Hadley. Her name lit up in bright white and you almost lost it, rage sparking in the pit of your stomach. "Jake!' You seethed. 

"Where's the fire, sweetheart?" He chuckled, waltzing back in. His million-watt smile faded at the sight of your enraged face with his phone clutched in your hand. "What's goin' on?" 

"Who the hell is Sydney Hadley?" You asked evenly. 

His skin was suddenly white as a ghost, "No one," he answered. 

"No one," you mocked, tossing his phone to him. Jake put it in his back pocket and tried to take a step towards you, but you only stepped back. "Are you having an affair?" 

"An affair?" He shrieked, his eyes opening wide as saucers. "You've got it all wrong!" 

"Then explain the late nights! The phone calls! It just screams affair!" 

Jake wanted to put the screaming to an end. He didn't think his time away would lead you to think this way, he just had a hard time talking about it. The blond glanced down at his watch and checked the time. "Come on," he said kindly, "I wanna take you somewhere.'

He drove you to a small quaint white building near the VA and you were instantly hit with confusion. "Jake?" You questioned as he parked the truck. 

Jake held your hand as you two walked up to the glass doors. "I'm sorry I haven't been honest with you," he started, "I didn't want you to think I was weak—wasn't taught to talk about this shit." He brought your hand up and kissed the back of it lovingly before he led you inside. 

There stood an older woman, around sixty with a clipboard in her hands as she talked to the receptionist. "Honey, this is Dr. Sydney Hadley, my therapist. Dr. Hadley, this is my wife."

Therapist? He'd been seeing a therapist this whole time. "Therapist," you spoke your thoughts out loud before shaking her smooth hand. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant Commander. Your husband won't shut up about you," she complimented. "I'll see you after while, Jake." 

You tried to turn to him, but he pulled you away to your next destination. "Jake, I'm-," 

"-Don't apologize. I should've been honest,' he dismissed. "I just remember how my brother was treated for  wanting help after Iraq and I-I didn't want that same heat." 

You peered in the small classroom and recognized some of the men and women from the Hard Deck sitting around and laughing. The blue plastic chairs positioned in a circle made it all clear. He was attending group sessions too. "This is where you've been," you chuckled at yourself. 

"Javy made me do it. I even got Slow Ride to come with me a few times, we stay and talk afterward. It's nice to have people to connect with," he explained, releasing your hand so he could face you. 

You reached up and put your hand on the side of his face, "You could have told me," you sighed, "I'm so proud of you, my love." 

Jake bent down and kissed you softly, "Wait for me?" He asked. 

"Always."

#siempre buckys blurb night #jake seresin x reader #jake seresin x you #jake seresin imagine #hangman x you #top gun maverick #top gun #hangman x reader #hangman imagine

[wasawattpadkid]

YOUR WORKS ARE SO AMAZING IT'S UNREAL, i love how you write for the boys and how you can make it so wholesome and heartwarming without losing their essence and characterization, i don't know how to explain but the vibe of your writing is like being in woodsboro with them, ughhh how can you be so good?!! loll

so, i was wondering if i could request the boys (separately) with a Y/N who loves to spoil them, and i mean it, it doesnt need to be only with payed gifts but she loves to cook for them, to clean, to cuddle and even to dress them up like babies, URGHHH THEY NEED LOVE AND I NEED TO SPOIL THEM OUT OF THEIR MIND

still, remember to take care of yourself and to drink water, feel free to deny!! love uu ❤

First of all this made me so happy you are the sweetest person ever thank you so much 💕 and I absolutely live for the fluffy requests so here ya go!

Billy

"Excuse me!" You shouted politely as you walked through the sea of children with your hands full. The lunch bell had rang, so naturally all hell broke loose. Making your way to the water fountain Billy's eyes seemed to light up at the sight of you. "What is it today?" Randy asked a little disappointed he never got anything. You handed Billy his lunch box while the group of friends waited to see what's inside.

Billy never went without and you made sure of it. There was chicken wraps, grapes, pretzels and a slice of the pie you made him the night previous. "Babe, it's great. Thank you." Billy looked up at you his eyes squinting from the sun. You leaned down pressing a kiss to his forehead. "You're welcome." You chirped setting next to him. "You know Y/n you're supposed to be his girlfriend not his mom." It was a sore subject but Stu never understood how to shut his mouth. Billy turned his head not being able to take the smile off his face. "Yeah and where are your parents Macher?"

Stu laughed. "That's fair man." Billy cut into the pie first taking a bite of the dessert. Before he could even taste the food you asked if he liked it. He nodded trying to quickly chew the food. "It's amazing." He grabbed your hand squeezing it with a smile. Tatum and Sydney thought you and Billy were the cutest couple at Woodsboro. Stu and Randy however had never seen Billy act this way. Everyone in a five mile radius could see you had him wrapped around your finger. You stayed hugged up to Billy's arm as you and him finished his lunch. It was a mandatory rule at this point that if you made him lunch you had to eat with him. Most of the time he quickly ate the dessert leaving you with baby carrots or whatever healthy food you packed him.

"I've got to get back to class I'll see you at my place tonight?" You double checked. "I'll be there." You kissed Billy's cheek before standing up. "Make sure to get the movie before you come over." You reminded him as he smirked wondering what sort of spell you had over him. "What movie are you two love birds watching tonight?" Randy asked as you started walking. "Ghost with Patrick Swayze!" You practically bounced with excitement as you walked back into the building. Oh they were so going to make fun of your boyfriend.

Stu

Stu waited patiently on your couch as you ran off to go grab something. Being in a relationship with you he knew you had something to give him every time he came over. Last week you brought him flowers and he almost cried. He could hear you enter the room. "Keep them closed!" You scolded making the boy scoff. "If I close them any tighter I'll swallow my eyeballs." You took another look at the gift making sure everything was perfect.

"You can open." Stu blinked trying to get rid of the splotches that covered his vision. The silver charm bracelet in your hand caught his attention right away. "That's for me?" He asked picking it up gingerly like he was afraid he'd break it. "Yep. If you look it's got our initials on it like when you carved them on that tree." He grabbed the small heart charm looking at the engraved letters. You watched him struggle to latch it on his wrist so you helped.

"Do you like it?" You bit your lip nervously. Stu would wear rings and a necklace occasionally but he didn't seem like one for bracelets. Stu grabbed you pulling you on the couch. He growled like a dog as he playfully bit your neck. You screamed with laughter as he continued tickling the life out of you. "Do I like it? Of course I like it. Are you crazy? He asked still abusing your sides as you squirmed around laughing. "I'm crazy." He said stopping to let you catch your breath. "Crazy for you." He added making you look at him funny. "That was the sappiest shit I've ever heard you say."

It was pretty bad, Stu agreed with you but he saw the way you got flustered by his words. You cuddled up with him on the couch as he inspected the new piece of jewelry. "This is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me." You shook your head. "You say that every week." Stu leaned over kissing the top of your head. "Well you just keep getting better and better."

#billy loomis #scream #ghostface #scream 1996 #billy loomis x reader #ghostface x reader #scream fanfic #stu macher imagine #stu macher fluff #stu ghostface #stu macher x reader #stu macher #billy loomis ghostface #billy loomis masterlist #billy loomis imagine #scream fluff #ghostface fluff

[imaginingaustin]

homebodies

summary: living in ohio with austin while he's on location filming for the bikeriders.

austin x female!reader

a/n: i got this idea after this interview, while he was talking about what he does at night once he gets home after filming. hope you enjoy!

being a celebrity's housewife was something that you never saw for yourself. especially to the beautiful blue eyed, sandy brown haired angel on earth that you got to call your husband.

of course, you still did work remotely for the marketing firm you'd worked for for years. you loved your job, and getting to work from home was even better for you. this allowed to travel with austin while he was on location for work, getting to spend time with him and explore some of the most beautiful places in the world.

you were with him in sydney while he was filming elvis, london while he was filming masters of the air, and budapest while he was filming dune. 

now, you and him had a cute little rental home in the suburbs of cincinnati while he was working on his next film, the bikeriders.

shortly after you arrived in ohio, you and austin settled into your routine pretty quickly. you would get up to have breakfast together before austin would leave to head to set. while you were at home during the day, you would work your hours in the morning, and once you were done, you would run errands around town. the first few days, you were exploring as much as you could to find restaurants and coffee shops, and other local places that you would make mental notes of to take austin to on his days off. 

about once a week, you would join austin on set for a quick lunch when he had particularly lighter days and was only filming a few scenes.

"god, you're handsome." you said softly, watching as he started to slip back into his costume before having to go back to film. "i really like this rugged look." you said, placing your hands on the lapels of his jacket. he smiled down at you and pressed a soft kiss to your lips, the scruff of his mustache tickling your nose. he wrapped his arms tightly around your waist as you deepened the kiss. your moment was quickly interrupted by a knock on his trailer door, his PA calling him back to set.

“i guess i better get back.” he said with a deep sigh. “i shouldn’t be home too late tonight.” he said, kissing you again.

“no worries. ill see you when you get home.” you said with a smile. you walked with him out of his trailer and back to set, saying a quick hi to everyone before sharing your goodbyes with austin.

“i love you.” he said softly as his lips met yours.

“i love you too.” you said with a smile, kissing him again. you let him get back to work before heading back to your car to make your way back home. 

while you waited for austin to come home, you started to make a plan for dinner. deciding on a simple meal, you ran to the grocery to store to pick up your ingredients, immediately starting to cook once you returned home. you turned on some music and got lost in your own little world while you danced and sang around the kitchen. 

you were so distracted by the music that you didn’t hear when austin came in, kicking off his shoes and setting his bags down by the door. he stood at the edge of the counter, watching you dance, his heart swelling in his chest at the sight of his beautiful wife. he was obsessed with you, in every way. 

you finally turned around and your eyes landed on his. your heart jumped, startling at the sight of him, but you quickly melted in his gaze. you moved over to him and he wrapped you in his arms, spinning you around the kitchen, quietly singing along to the words of the love song that played. 

“dinners almost ready.” you said, pressing your lips to his. he nodded and let you go, moving to take his things to the bedroom. he came back into the kitchen and started setting the table. the two of you moved around the kitchen quietly while you prepared to eat. you poured two glasses of wine and sat down with austin to start eating. 

you listened intently as he talked about his day. he told you about the scenes he filmed and how well everything was coming together. they were almost finished filming the movie, and he was excited that they were close to being able to release it. 

“im excited to see it! you always come home raving about your scenes and the people you get to work with. im sure that will come across in the final product.”

“i just never thought id get to this point of my career, where i’ve been able to work with people that i’ve admired since i was just starting out. im still honestly kinda start struck every day.” he admitted, a redness rushing to his cheeks. 

“you’re a superstar, babe. you deserve this. and im so proud of you.” you said, and he smiled widely at you. 

“i cant tell you how much your support means to me. you’ve always been here for me, and i love that get to share this life with you.” he said taking your hand in his. 

“this is for life. through thick and thin.” you said, running your thumb over his wedding band. “i love you.”

“i love you.” he repeated, leaning over to press a kiss to your cheek. “for life.”

you finished dinner and cleaned up the kitchen, settling into the couch once you finished. you watched as austin scrolled through the tv, searching for a movie to watch. you leaned deep into the cushions, tightening your arms around austin as he leaned his back into your chest as the movie started. 

you sat there watching the movie, and after a while, your fingers mindlessly began playing with austin’s hair. 

“mmm, thats gonna put me to sleep.” he laughed. you looked down at him and his eyes were already starting to fall closed. 

“movie’s almost done, we’ll go to bed afterwards.” you said, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. 

as the film concluded, you muted the tv before the credits started, knowing the music would be loud. austin had fallen asleep in your arms and you didn’t want to jolt him awake.

“aus, babe. the movie is done. let’s go to bed.” you said as you pushed him up. he sat up slowly and he swayed away from you, catching his balance before standing off the couch. he stretched his arms out as far as they could reach and let out a loud groan. you stared up at him, watching his every move. your eyes landed on the frame of his face, his facial hair glowing in the dim light of the living room. 

“what? why are you looking at me like that?” he slurred, eyes barely open.

“i just think you’re really pretty.” you smiled.

“i think you’re prettier.” he said, leaning down to press a kiss to your lips. he laced his fingers with yours and pulled you up from the couch, leading you off to the bedroom. 

#austin butler #austin butler imagine #austin butler imagines #austin butler fanfiction #austin butler fanfic #elvis 2022

[lil13]

pov: you and calum have been best friends for nearly 20 years, feelings for each other arrived about a year ago. so, after not seeing your best friends for over a year, you plan a visit to surprise them.

warnings: some language (that’s literally it, it is all fluff)

•

“Are you sure it’s okay?” You spoke into your phone as you walked down the streets of Sydney.

It was late-afternoon and you’d finished a day of school a couple hours prior, you taught a music class for the older kids at the school you’d once attended. You’d just finished a term for school and about to have an over two week break.

“Of course it is!” Crystal’s perky voice flooded the speaker, “I wouldn’t have planned this with you for the past month or so if it wasn’t, Y/N.”

She was right, there’s no way the plan would’ve gotten this far if it wasn’t plausible for you to join the boys for the last couple stops of tour. You’d grown up with the boys of 5 seconds of summer, attending school with them when you all were young. While they’d gone off to become a world-famous band, you finished your schooling and then went off to America for university.

Luckily for you, you’d chosen a university in Los Angeles, keeping you around the boys when they lived in the city between tours and while they wrote albums. But then, after graduation, you returned to Sydney, knowing that being a music teacher at your school was what you’d always wanted to do. There was no amount of protests from the boys that would stop you, you’d made your mind up.

You were always very sure of every decision you made and once you’d made your mind up there was no changing it. And they knew that.

“The boys are coming off stage at any minute now so we need to make this quick, but when does your flight get in?” Crystal had successfully confused you, then it clicked, you’d forgotten about time zones. It was late-afternoon in Sydney, but nearly midnight the night before in Los Angeles.

You let out a breathy laugh, “11:00 on the 23rd.” Which was tomorrow for you, but two days from now for them.

“Perfect! Love you, thank you.”

And the call was over.

You couldn’t believe it, you were essentially only a plane ride away from seeing your boys.

•

“They’re going to lose their shit.” Crystal laughed as she drove down the interstate.

You were nearly at the venue where the boys were rehearsing for their show that night and couldn’t stop shaking. It had been well over a year since you’d seen any of them in person. Your communication had never lacked though, especially with Calum.

Calum Hood was your best friend in the entire world. It didn’t matter how close you got to any of your friends, Calum would always rank higher. The two of you would do anything for each other.

And maybe that’s why neither of you could keep relationships.

If you called Calum, he’d drop everything to answer? and vice versa.

The two of you had became friends the first day of year 1 when Calum asked for part of your snack and the rest was history. You two had been attached at the hip ever since.

Eventually, you arrived at the arena, Crystal urged you to keep your luggage in her vehicle and you’d think about it later. She was probably more excited about this surprise than anyone. She’d mentioned that Luke’s wife, Sierra, had wanted to come to the airport too, but the boys would’ve gotten too suspicious.

Crystal gripped your hand tightly, “Go wait in the green room and i’ll tell them I brought them a surprise.” She urged and shoved you toward the room.

The next 5 minutes were brutal, dragging on.

But then they entered the room and it was like everything was right in the world again.

“YOU’RE FUCKING KIDDING!” Michael exclaimed, being the first one in the room.

The other three were confused because Michael’s rather large frame had blocked you from their sights. He ran to you, enveloping you in the biggest hug possible.

A sigh of relief, you were so happy to be back in their presence.

“Holy shit, that’s Y/N!” Luke yelled, turning to look at Sierra and Crystal, “Were you two in on this?”

They both smiled and nodded.

Luke was the next to you, his hug lifted you off the ground. Aside from Calum, you were closest to Luke, knowing him longer than you did the other two.

Ashton gave you one of his famous hugs, kissing the top of your head, before moving out of the way. Everyone knew what for.

Calum stood dumbfounded in the doorway.

He was shocked. There was no part of him that could believe that Y/N Y/L/N was standing in front of him and wasn’t an ocean away. He’d clearly forgotten Australia’s school calendar because he forgot you were on break now. It didn’t matter that you had reminded him of your upcoming break on your weekly facetime with him the week before, he couldn’t really remember anything right now.

“Am I gonna get a Calum hug?” you teased, trying to mask how nervous you were to be in the same room as him.

You two were always close, but you hadn’t realized you developed feelings for him until the last time you’d seen him in person, realizing after he got in the uber to the airport that you wished you could’ve kissed him goodbye. And now, you’ve been harboring feelings for over a year.

Your eyes crinkled when you saw the tears welling in his. He finally moved, crossing the last few feet between you. Calum squatted down just barely, enough to wrap his arms around your waist so he could pick you up in your hug.

His presence was overwhelming.

Your arms hooked around his neck, one hand holding the back of his head to keep him near. You even tucked your head in close.

“Holy shit, Y/N/N, I needed this bad.” you wanted to cry at his whispered admission.

Because it was true, you needed this as much as he needed it.

Without you realizing at first, until the door clicked shut, Crystal and Sierra had ushered the other 3 boys out of the room. Everyone knew that this moment deserved to be private.

Everyone knew the feelings the two of you felt for each other, except for the two of you. Neither knew that their feelings were reciprocated.

Calum had come to terms with his feelings for you around the same time you had and he hated that he felt the need to hide this from you. You two never hid anything from each other.

His hands sliding from your waist to your thighs, urging you to wrap your legs around his torso, brought your attention back. You stayed tucked into him while he blindly walked over to where he knew a couch was, sitting down with you on his lap.

Your heartrate skyrocketed when you sat up, allowing yourself to look into his beautiful brown eyes.

“Hi.” you whispered, not trusting your voice to go any louder.

The cutest smile stretched across his face, one he only showed when he was genuinely happy. You knew the difference between all of his smiles.

His hands sat on your hips, thumbs caressing the bare skin of your torso that had only been exposed during your hug. “How long has this been a plan?”

“A couple weeks.” you responded, your normal voice holding strong.

Calum’s eyes never left yours. “Did you somehow telepathically figure out that I really needed my Best Girl here with me?” Your stomach always went wild when he called you that.

Best Girl.

“I’m just that good, Cal.” you faked your confidence because you truly felt like a little girl with the biggest crush on the inside.

He stared at you instead of continuing to speak. Your eyes, your clothes, your lips.

Your stomach continued to run wild.

When you noticed him starting to lean in, you panicked, quickly sliding your hands from around his neck to holding his shoulders tight. His gaze switched to the utmost concern, “What’s wrong, Y/N/N?”

The self-doubt was running wild in your head, feeding you such false information of Calum’s opinion of you. “If you’re not 100% sure of what your intention is in the follow up after what you’re thinking about doing, please… don’t do it.” You’re not sure why you were essentially telling him not to kiss you.

But it kind of made sense. You’d had intense feelings for him for over a year and you didn’t want one kiss to leave you pining for someone who will never give you what you want.

A slight chuckle fell from his lips, the boy smiling as he shook his head. It had just clicked for him that you felt the same.

“I’ve never been so sure of something in my life.”

And then he connected his lips with yours.

Fireworks exploded in your stomach as your eyes fluttered shut. Your hands now sliding back to their original position, pulling him as close to you as possible.

This was not only the best kiss of your life, but the happiest moment of your life thus far.

#5 seconds of summer #5sos #calum hood #calum imagine #calum 5sos #calum hood fluff #calum hood x reader

[ohtobeleah]

Amilia and Jake are just so cute in the beginning. I love them. But it hurts to know how messed up they get.

For me, Amilia is my comfort character. You guys get the reader. I get Amilia

Side Series to Terms of Endearment

Terms of Endearment // Jake Seresin

Tattoos & Broken Hearts //

For what it was worth—Amilia didn’t know how to feel when she came face to face with her ex in the waiting area of her place of employment on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales. It was a shock to the system she’d been clawing her way back to the surface to protect. Jake Seresin was a long way away from Fightertown. 

Amilia had been bedridden for weeks, depressed beyond belief. She knew her worth and she knew her value but fuck Jake had really done a number on her. It probably didn’t help that she left Australia in search of something more—that more turned out to be Jake. As she stood before Jake in the waiting room of the gym, Amilia knew that in hindsight, placing all her value and all her worth on the shoulders of one man probably wasn’t her best decision in life. She should have just gone to the Queen Mary like she wanted to—in search of a good ghost scare. But no—she shacked up with Hangman.

Who, shockingly, left her hanging. 

“I know I fucked up—but please just let me talk?” Jake had been a broken record ever since that moment where Amilia learnt the fate of what happened to Jake’s wife. She’d been annulled. But there was something inside her that was telling her not to give him the time of day. 

He didn’t deserve it. He didn’t deserve her and Amilia was absolutely adamant that she deserved a hell of a lot better than Jake. It didn’t matter if she had his stupid callsign tattooed on his hip, she was getting it removed. It didn’t matter if she still loved him. She wasn’t good enough for him, that’s why he married someone who was. 

Right? 

“Yeah—no something tells me that if I let you talk I’ll listen and I’m not sure if I’m stable enough to deal with whatever repercussions come with that.” Amilia laughed at herself as she walked to the front desk, Jake trailed behind her like a lost puppy as all her coworkers on reception watched on like they were the first viewers of a new reality TV series. Starring Amilia herself and the American Psycho. 

“Amilia please, I just need to talk with you—“ As she put the keys back to the sound system in the cupboard at reception, Amilia cracked it at the man who broke her heart. She loved him still—oh so much, but she wasn’t a second choice. “I’m here, I came all this way to see you and—“ 

“I don’t wanna talk, Jake!” She raised her voice loud enough that the people on the nearby treadmills turned their attention away from their workout to the fuss going on at reception. “I’m sorry you came all this way but I don’t owe you anything.” 

“Oz—“ Jake pleaded, but it only fell on deaf ears. 

“Don’t call me that!” Again she raised her voice a little louder than she should have. Amilia felt all eyes on her as she ran her hand through her sweaty hair. Just fresh from teaching a class. “It wasn’t commitment  you were afraid of it was just doing it with me that scared you—and don’t stand here and lie to me Seresin because you got hitched!” Jake watched as Amilia fixed her gym bag over her shoulder and tried to keep herself together. She turned to her colleague and faked a phony smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow Michelle, sorry about Flyboy here he must have left his manners at customs.” 

“Amilia—“ Jake was on her tail, following her out the automatic doors that swung open at the sight of people. “All I’m asking for is five minutes—“ 

“Four hours south will get you back to Sydney and seven and a half hours north will get you to Brisbane CBD—but you aren’t staying here, not in my hometown where I live and work and people know me.” It was beginning to dawn on Jake that he may have flown all this way for nothing, perhaps there was nothing left to salvage, no love left to reclaim. But he wasn’t about to let Amilia Fisher slip through his fingers again. 

“I already booked a hotel.” Jake had begun to slow down, he placed his hands in the pockets of his jeans and came to a standstill as Amilia kept walking. She didn’t even turn around to see if Jake was still following her or not. But after a few seconds of regulating his breathing—Jake pressed on and met up with the only love he ever knew as she placed her gym gear into the boot of her car. 

“You’re right you know—“ Jake sighed as he waited for Amilia to slam his fingers into the groove of her two thousand and eighteen Honda Accord. But she didn’t. She just stood there with the saddest eyes Jake had ever seen and a quivering bottom lip. He could see she was shaking just by the way her hand trembled around the clasp on the boot. “You don’t owe me a single thing.” 

“I loved you—“ Was all Amilia could muster the courage to say. 

“I loved you too, I still do.” Jake replied with enough conviction in his tone that for a split moment Amilia could have believed him. But how could she when Jake let her go so easily just to turn around and marry someone else. “I came here to see you, I needed to see you just to tell you how sorry I am for messing this, us, up.” 

“Well I’m glad you got to get that off your chest.” Amilia pressed her lips together in a tight line as she pushed your hand against Jake's sternum to will him away from her car. He moved with ease because he wasn’t about to stop her from leaving. “Go home, Flyboy, just go home and leave me the hell alone.” 

“I’m here on an extended leave of absence.” In a last stitch effort to get Amilia to listen, Jake told her the truth. “I couldn’t focus at work because you were all I could think about day in and day out and I was grounded. Until I can sort my shit out I’m on a leave of absence.” He sighed as he watched Amilia clip in her seatbelt and start up her car. She hadn’t shit the door yet. Jake lowered himself down, resting his hands on his knees. 

“You are so not going to put that you couldn’t pull yourself together enough to do your job on me.” Amilia scoffed out loud. That wasn’t fair. “I had to drag myself out of bed, me, I showed up for me Jake, so show up for yourself.” He could hear it in her voice how hurt Amilia truly was. 

“I never meant to hurt you Ozzie—and I’m sorry, I just wanna talk.” 

Amilia didn’t respond straight away, she simply sat there wondering if she’d ever get over the American Aviator who stole her heart and never gave it back. She thought she was crazy as her internal monologue kicked in and begged her not to do it. Not to let him back in. 

But she did it anyway— 

“My flatmate is working the dinner shift at Sails, if you come by we can talk.” Jake could have jumped up and punched the air he was that thankful. “My address is 40 Crescent Street, apartment 17.” 

“Can you do me a favour and unblock my number so I can at least text you when I arrive?” Jake sent Amilia the cheekiest grin he could conjure up and for a split second he heard it, her laugh, the laugh he heard in his wildest dreams and fantasies. 

Amilia simply smiled back as she watched Jake step away from her car and shut it for her, he watched as she rolled down her window. Slowly but surely pulling out of the car park. 

“I’ll consider it.” 

She wasn’t getting that tattoo removed. 

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~**

Tags: @a-serene-place-to-be @lilyevanswhore @thescarletknight2014 @blindedbythelightt @averyhotchner @emma8895eb @blairfox04 @caitsymichelle13 @oxxolovemelikeyoudooxxo @teacupsandtopgun @aemondssiut @feltonswifesworld87 @akalei349 @notjustsomeblonde @americaarse @avaleineandafryingpan @phoenix1388 @xoxabs88xox @je-suis-prest-rachel @pono-pura-vida @rosiahills22 @starset21 @anarchyrising @caidi-paris @starkleila @criticalroleobssedperson @enchantingdreamergothprune @flrboyd @emma8895eb @endofdays56

#terms of endearment // jake seresin #jake hangman imagine #jake seresin imagine #jake seresin fic #jake hangman seresin #jake seresin #Jake Seresin x oc #terms of endearment// bradley bradshaw

[daydreamgoddess14]

Aspirations pt.1

Hopefully you can look past the rubbish title and summary enough to give this a go!

It started as me coming up with a 'one bed situation' but I've expanded it a little to probably 3-4 chapters in total.

I've only done a couple of very short pieces for this fandom so far so I'd love to know your thoughts! Be kind! 😘

Sydcarmy Masterlist

Full Masterlist

Sydney Adamu / Carmy Berzatto

Syd is 12 months deep in a crush, Carmy is 6 months into a relationship he doesn't want, The Bear is 4 months open and Nat is 2 months into motherhood....

~~~~~~~

Syd didn't know why she'd said yes. Nat had asked, and while her brain went to say 'no thanks', her heart saw the look of desperation on Natalie's face, and a 'yes, of course' popped out instead. Nat even had her minor guilt trip lined up. 

"... I mean, I haven't had any real adult company since the baby was born, and I just -"

"Nat, I said yes."

"For real?"

"Sure, why not. Wait - is Claire invited?"

"Oh god, no. Just us and Tiff."

"Richie's ex?" Nat nodded. 

"Yep. Just some drinks at home, so I'm around if I'm needed. Maybe a couple slices of Marcus's cake?"

"I'll bring you some food."

"You're an angel. Does Carm know you've been keeping my fridge stocked for the last 3 months?" Syd shrugged,

"If he does, he hasn't said anything." They sat in the closed restaurant, Nat feeding baby Mikey while Syd went through the books with her. Carmy was… late. "Where the fuck is he anyway?" Nat clipped her bra back into place and lifted the baby to her shoulder. Every Friday between lunch and dinner service, they did the books together.

"Good question." Syd murmured, eyes on her calculator. "We need to start putting some money aside for Thanksgiving and Christmas promos."

"On it. I need you guys to confirm the festive menu by the 15th, please. We go to print on the 19th, delivery by the end of the month ready to take bookings throughout October."

"Wow, you are still, like, smashing it." Syd says, impressed. 

"I gotta do something during those 3 am feeds other than shopping." She reasoned, heaving the baby over to her other shoulder. 

"Here," Syd stood and held out her hands so Nat could gratefully pass him over. She'd not been around too many babies and was terrified the first time she'd held him. Richie had ribbed her about it in the weeks prior - so much so that she hadn't actually held the baby in company other than Natalie. She rocked gently from side to side, hearing little Mikey's snores in her ear. Nat read through the books and the notes left by Syd and/or Carmy.

"Hey, did I tell you what Uncle Jimmy did?" Syd didn't stop her gentle movement but turned to face Natalie better,

"No?"

"So we each own 33%, right, and Jimmy had the 1% leftover? Well he's gifted it to Mikey. The baby bear is already earning."

"That's dope, I'm still gonna make him do the dishes as soon as he's old enough though. He's gotta earn that paycheck." Syd smiled down as Mikey's eyes drifted shut. 

*

"Hey, fuck, sorry I'm late." He pushed through the swing doors, stopping at the sight of Syd swaying with the baby in her arms. 

"Too late, Carm, we're fucking done now." Nat teased, "good job someone is pulling their weight around here. And giving my arms a break." 

"He's asleep, where'd you want him?"

"You've got the magic touch." Nat took him carefully and transferred him to the car seat. Carmy squatted down for a closer look, 

"I missed out."

"Shoulda been here in time," Nat warned, "I've got a night shift going if you're -"

"No. No thanks sis, I don't get enough sleep as it is."

"Makes two of us."

"Makes three of us." Syd laughed. Carmy kissed Mikey's forehead and stood to pull his sister into a hug while Syd knelt down to tuck the blanket around Mikey and brush a finger over his milk drunk cheeks. 

"I'll let you know when's good?" Nat confirmed to Syd with a hug before letting Carmy lift the heavy car seat and take it out to her car. "Bye Uncle Bear, bye Auntie Syd!" She singsongs. By the time Carmy has returned, Syd is making sure the paperwork is filed correctly and clearing the table they've used. 

"Coffee? Probably too cold now."

"Unlikely, no such thing." He takes the mug and finishes most of it in one go making her grimace. 

"That's gross."

"You ate doughnut off the floor." He counters, she has no argument. "You and Nat planning something?" 

"Just Thanksgiving and Christmas."

"We need a menu."

"We do. I have some potential dishes down but I gotta link them with the theme or some shit." He raises an eyebrow, "Nat's idea. I'm not naming dishes after reindeer or any bullshit like that." 

"Got it. Wanna work on it Monday?"

"You got time?"

"Always." This time, Syd looked incredulous. "I mean it." She nodded slowly, 

"Heard, Chef."

"What'd you make for them this week?" He asked, holding out his hands for the paperwork folder. Syd froze, "C’mon Syd, you think I don't know you've been batch cooking for Nat and Pete for months?" She breaks into a smile, 

"Just easy stuff, chilli, casserole."

"Let me know when you're makin' more and I'll do some as well."

"Oh, I got it under control. You're busy with… like, Claire and this place. I only have this place so…" She trailed off with a limp shrug. 

"Well, you don't have to do it either -" He tried to interject. 

"Nat's been good to me. She's the only other voice of sanity around here." At that, Carmy feigned a look of hurt which made Syd snort with laughter. "Do not - do not - try and claim otherwise!"

"And here I thought we were partners."

"We are. Which is why I can't complain to you about you." She grinned and Carmy returned it with ease. Over a year of working together, 4 months since The Bear had opened, and she'd finally gotten to a point where she only felt awkward approximately 60% of the time, which was a solid win. With time, communication between them had significantly improved. The only downsides currently were his time management when it came to Claire and the raging crush Sydney had developed on Carmy over the course of the last year. The crush was the main/only reason her awkwardness level remained so high. 

"You can, y'know. I want to know if there's something I need to do better. I told you, you gotta let me know if I'm fucking up." She caught her lower lip in her teeth. He was doing that thing again, standing frustratingly close and looking at her with those ocean eyes. 

"You need to stop being late. That's the second time Nat and I have had to go through the books alone, and there's stuff in there that you're closer to than us. I'm the shit, Carm, but I can't read your mind. No matter how hard I try." She jokes. He nods sincerely. 

"Heard. I'll do better, I promise." He paused, "when'd you start holding the baby anyway?"

"Literally the first time I didn't have you and Richie watching me like a hawk." She laughed, "If you'd been around, you'd know that I am his number one Auntie."

"That so?"

"I get all the smiles, all the giggles. Me and baby Mikey are like that -" she holds up her crossed fingers, "you can't compete with a love like ours." She teases.

"Nat likes you better too, s'ok maybe the Fak's will take me in. Or T."

"Dude, T would mother the shit outta you!" She exclaimed.

"Already does. You two gonna be OK tomorrow?"

"So you and Richie can play fucking hooky? Yeah, yeah, I remembered. We all good."

"Sure?"

"Yes, Chef."

"Syd?"

"Carm, babe, Tina and I will be fine. We have everyone else here, I got Nat on front of house, we're gonna smash it." He was about to call her out on calling him babe, but they'd finished clearing up just as everyone else started arriving for dinner service and chaos soon descended. The rest of the day passed without incident. The following morning, Syd and Tina had the crew prepping for a busy lunch service while Richie and Carmy flitted in and out of the kitchen, filling up the car for their catering event. Syd took her break outside while they finished off, 

"I'm gonna get some smokes." Richie called out, already halfway down the alley. Carmy moved towards Syd,

"If you ask one more time if I'm sure, I'm gonna give you a black eye." She warned. He held his hands up, 

"Just checking in."

"You've already done that. We'll be fine."

"I'll keep my phone on. You need anything, you'll call?"

"What're you gonna do from across town?"

"Yo, cousin!" Richie shouted from the sidewalk, "bring the car down." 

"Call me."

"Just fucking go, we're good." She hopped down from the pallets with the intention of pushing him as he continued to hesitate. 

"Carmen!" Richie bellowed again, turning to talk to Natalie who'd just arrived out front. 

"Festive menus Monday?" He asked, 

"Yes, Chef. Go!" He nodded once, took half a step closer and kissed her gently on the lips before turning and running to the car. He was pulling out onto the street before she'd had time to register the kiss at all. 

*

Two miles down the road, Carmy stopped at a red light and his brain reactivated. 

"Holy fucking shit." He muttered, staring straight ahead. 

"What'dya forget?" Richie asked, looking up from his phone. Carmy thought fast,

"Uhh napkins." Richie tsked,

"I picked em up you fucking dipshit." He laughed, shoving Carmy's shoulder. "Good job one of us knows what the fuck is goin on cuz. You gotta stop thinkin bout Clairebear all the time, man." Carmy barked a short laugh,

"Yeah, Claire." He agreed, still thinking about Syd's easy smile and soft lips. 

~~~~~~

#the bear fx #the bear #the bear fanfiction #the bear fanfic #syd x carmy #sydcarmy #sydney x carmy #carmy x sydney #carmen x sydney #syd adamu #carmy x syd #syd x carmen #sydney adamu #sydney x carmen #carmy berzatto #carmen berzatto

[fluentmoviequoter]

Hidden Gifts

Day 10 of 12 Days of Ficmas

Pairing: Victor Vale x fem!reader

Summary: You sneak out to buy Christmas presents, but when Victor wakes up to find you missing, he inflicts pain until he finds you.

Word Count: 1.1k+ words

Warnings: angst, fluff, it's somewhat implied that the reader is an EO. This could be platonic if you ignore 1 little thing.

A/N: The hot chocolate gif is based on 1 line from the fic bc none of the (far too few) Vicious gifs matched this. Sorry this is kinda short, but I will be working on the Victor series over the next few weeks! Feel free to send me ideas, requests, or feedback! :)

You sit up slowly, willing the bed frame not to creak as you stand. Sydney’s door is open, but she’s asleep, her arm wrapped around Dol as his snout rests against her neck. Smiling at the sight, you continue sneaking down the hallway, glad that Victor’s door is closed and Mitch is sound asleep. Pulling your coat on, you slip out the door, away from Victor Vale.

The streets of Merit are busy, last-minute shoppers milling in and out of stores. Christmas decorations make the town seem brighter than in broad daylight, and the Christmas spirit feels tangible.

Finding the perfect gift for Sydney, you put it in your basket and continue shopping. Victor is the hardest to shop for; you’re not sure what he would want. Another trench coat? World peace? Who knows.

✯✯✯✯✯

Victor rolls over, his eyes fixed on the ceiling as he wakes. His pale brows furrow as he realises something feels off. The pain dial in his mind always has at least three outward connections: Sydney, Mitch, and you. Occasionally, there are more, like when Dom is around, but now he can only feel two.

He gets up and walks across the hall, the steady sound of Mitch’s breathing alerting Victor to his presence. Moving toward Sydney’s room, his concern grows as he wonders how and why she would be gone at this time of night. She’s curled in her bed, wrapped around Dol, though. Which only means one thing: you are gone.

Victor approaches Sydney’s bed and lays a hand on her shoulder to shake her. He says her name, whispering an apology to Dol when he stretches awake.

“What?” Sydney asks, her eyes still closed.

Victor says your name, and Sydney’s eyes open.

“What about her?” she asks, sitting up.

“She’s not here. Do you know if she went somewhere?”

“No, she didn’t say she was going anywhere. Are you sure she’s gone? Maybe she’s just in the other room.”

“I can’t feel her, to control her pain I mean. She’s not here, Syd.”

Sydney gets out of bed, maneuvering over Dol, who is content to go back to sleep, aware of Sydney’s anxiety but too tired to care. No one blames him.

“Mitch!” Victor says as he enters the bedroom.

“Too early,” Mitch grunts.

Victor ignores his complaints and asks if he knows where you are. Mitch rubs his eyes before rolling over to look at Victor.

“She’s gone?”

Victor’s jaw clenches before he walks to the front door. Sydney and Mitch follow him, wondering what his plan is.

“I’ll find her,” Victor vows, pulling his coat on. “Stay in here. I can’t wish a good night to all.”

The door slams shut, and Sydney looks up at Mitch.

“Was that a Christmas quote?” she asks quietly.

“Yeah,” Mitch answers, his eyes on the door. “He cares about her, so…”

“He’s going to find her no matter what.”

Mitch nods, directing Sydney to the kitchen as he gathers the ingredients for hot chocolate.

“Do you think she’s okay?”

Mitch smiles as he says, “She can handle herself. And I don’t think we need to be concerned about her safety or well-being, not with Victor out there.

✯✯✯✯✯

As Victor walks down the street, he turns the dial up more than necessary. What should be causing people to turn away from him is instead making people fold in on themselves and collapse in pain. Victor notices that nearly every person in Merit has a shopping bag, so he starts looking into stores. He wonders why you’d be out shopping without telling anyone, even as he searches a store window for you.

The next store he approaches has too many Christmas decorations in the window to see anything, so he sighs before walking in. Tired and dealing with an anxiety he isn’t used to, Victor turns up the dial as he walks down the centre aisle. Several people groan with pain, and Victor ignores everything as he tries to focus on finding you with the pain.

“Vic,” you whisper harshly, somewhere in the store.

He turns down one of the aisles and finds you staring at him, holding your shoulder like it’s in pain.

“What are you doing?”

The pain immediately lessens, and you drop your hand, several shopping bags falling by the full basket beside you.

“You left without telling me,” Victor explains, “what was I supposed to think?”

“You were supposed to stay asleep! It’s midnight, why are you here?” you argue.

“Why are you here?”

“Because I’m buying Christmas gifts. Believe it or not, Sydney and Mitch, even you, deserve Christmas. We don’t have to hide anymore, Vic. Well… now we do because you knocked out half the people in this city.” You add the last part sarcastically, but Victor knows you’re right.

The people in the store recover and begin shopping again, in just enough nudging pain that they don’t look at you.

“Let’s go,” Victor demands, turning away from you.

“I need to pay for this.”

You see Victor’s shoulders rise and fall with his exasperated breath, but he gestures for you to lead the way. He stands behind you, glaring at the young cashier until he finishes ringing up your purchases and begins gift-wrapping them. Victor silently opens the door for you, taking some of the bags and turning everyone away as you return to where you should have been all night.

Victor opens the door and follows you inside before setting your bags down. He turns to face you, tossing his coat onto a nearby chair.

“You can’t just leave like that. Those gifts aren’t the only ones that need to be hidden, and you know it,” Victor says.

“And you know that I can take care of myself, Vic. It has been a terrible year and I just wanted to do something nice, make this Christmas special, is that so bad?” you respond, crossing your arms.

Victor sighs and drags his hands down his face. “I care about you, as much as it pains me to admit,” he pauses as you stifle a laugh, waving a hand to make him continue. “When I woke up and you weren’t here…”

“You assumed the worst.” You place a hand on Victor’s shoulder and promise, “I’m not going anywhere, Vic. I care about you, too, and Sydney, Mitch, and Dol. You’re stuck with me.”

Victor looks at your hand on his shoulder, then grabs your other hand, pulling you into him before he tilts your chin and kisses you.

“I knew I should have gotten mistletoe!” Sydney whines as she walks in. Her attitude changes when she sees the bags, approaching them to ask, “What’d you get?”

You gently slap her hand away and reply, “You have to wait ‘til Christmas morning.”

“Yeah, kid,” Victor teases.

“You do too,” you tell him.

“Just for those gifts, right?”

You roll your eyes, smiling as you walk away with the bags.

“Just for those, right?” he yells after you.

#fluentmoviequoter12daysoffics #victor vale x reader #vicious #victor vale #vicious ve schwab

[thebirdandthebee]

Easy As

A Carmen Berzatto Universe

Vanessa Monaghan is the breath of fresh air that Carmen had been gasping for.

Page 2: Sugar Mama

Vanessa checked her watch as her heels clicked down the street, a Cartier tankard that was a gift from her father for finishing undergrad. The Bear was just closing down between lunch and dinner service, and she was sure she’d be able to catch Carm for a few minutes.

Her meetings had wrapped up early that day, and after sending her employees home to enjoy the beautiful weather, she thought she could swing by and see her favorite chef for just a short while. He’d no doubt be at the restaurant until late, and their schedules hadn’t lined up in a few days.

Late night and early-morning kisses seemed to be the current pattern. He’d schlep over a few nights a week to sleep in her bed and watched as she got ready in the morning. She hoped the two coffees in her hands would sweeten her odds.

Peeking her head inside the glass door, she couldn’t hear much outside of the kitchen, which had The Fratellis playing loudly – a sure sign the crew was cleaning up between shifts.

“Nessie girl!” She was spotted immediately upon pushing through the half door to the back of house.

“Hi Richie,” she greeted with a warm smile.

“Nessie, how come we never see your angelic figure gracing our doors anymore?” Richie asked, pretending to take an arrow to the chest as he ambled toward her.

“I know, work’s got me so busy these days,” she replied, leaning into his side as he squeezed her in a tight hug. Richie was always overly friendly with Vanessa, mostly because he knew it made Carmen’s skin prickle, but also because he found her incredibly attractive.

“Hi Ness!” Sydney called from the other side of the expo.

“Hi Syd,” Vanessa called back. She loved Syd – a lot. Syd cared about Carmen in a way that he really needed at the restaurant and she firmly believed they pushed one another to be the best they could be. That, and Syd was usually the reason Carm would get a few nights off each month.

“Nessie, when you gonna stop it with this corporate bullshit and come join us in the mud, huh?” Richie asked, walking her through the kitchen and further from Carmen’s office.

“Come on, Rich, you know I’m the sugar mama in this relationship,” she winked. It was true, Vanessa made a very comfortable living as the Vice President of Marketing for a well to do firm in the city, but she also came from family money – something she never took for granted. “Someone’s gotta keep my baby in those vintage Levi’s and stocked with Wusthofs,” she joked – she only learned what Wusthofs were after meeting Carmen over a year ago.

“I’m just saying, business is booming, the new spot is burnin’ up the review pages,” Richie shrugged. “Maybe we could use some new marketing, huh?” He asked.

“You know what, you make an excellent point,” she said as they rounded the corner, Carmen’s office door in sight. “Let me bring it up with the big boss and see what he says,” Vanessa winked, hip-checking the office door and only mildly surprising Carmen at his desk. He thought he could hear his staff singing his girlfriend’s praises.

“Miss honey, you’ve been talking to the big boss,” Richie spread his arms. Vanessa wiggled her finger at the tall man just before the door could close behind her.

“Hi baby,” she greeted. Carmen had abandoned the few items on his desk, his chair turned to face her with a smug grin on his face. Vanessa clicked right over, settling herself between his spread legs, perched to the side on one of his thighs. “Coffee?” She offered, holding up the paper cup. Black, just like he preferred.

“How lucky am I?” He asked, taking the cup, but kissing her first. “What’s Richie on about now?” He took a long pull of the hot coffee.

“Wants me to quit my job to come be a topless server,” she replied casually, taking a sip of her caffeine-free tea.

“What?” Carmen’s eyes popped open, Vanessa let out a tinkling laugh.

“Just kidding,” she grinned. God he loved her smile. He nipped at her side with his free hand.

“Finish up early today?” He asked. She crossed her outer leg over the other, leaning fully against his upper body.

“Yes, the weather was too stunning to be at the office,” she sighed. “Wanted my team to go enjoy it for once.”

“What a nice boss lady,” Carmen replied.

“We’re not curing cancer, it’s marketing,” she shrugged. “Soon we’ll be in the hell of winter and cutting out early won’t be nearly as fun.”

“Maybe we can take a trip this winter,” Carmen said, brushing an errant bang away from Vanessa’s face.

“A trip?” She asked, eyes lighting up. In 15 months of dating, the pair had yet to take a trip together and she was dying to get him out of that apron for more than 24 hours. Though she did really love the sight of him in that blue apron. “To where?” She asked, raking a hand through his curls.

He loved when her nails were freshly manicured.

“Somewhere warm? We can drink out of coconuts and get sunburns on our ass?” She suggested excitedly.

“I’d never let you burn those cheeks, baby,” he grinned. She tightened her hold on his hair, tugging his head back just harshly enough to send a warning bell down to his cock.

“Want me to plan something?” She asked, batting her eyelashes at her boyfriend, who, at this time, would do just about anything she asked.

“How about February?” He suggested, “that’s usually about the time I start really hating winter.”

“Valentine’s Day,” she grinned viciously. “I’d just die to be on a beach with you for Valentine’s Day,” Vanessa simpered, running a hand up his chest.

“Book it,” he grinned, blue eyes scanning her stunning face. He loved seeing her happy. “I don’t care if I gotta pay Syd triple, we’re going.” Carmen insisted.

Vanessa tucked her heels under her, dragging her hand back down Carmen’s chest as she stood to her full height.

“I’ll go book the trip,” she said airily. “You enjoy dinner service…” She trailed, “and I’ll send you some pics of which bikinis I plan to bring with me.” Leaning down, she pressed a long kiss to the corner of Carmen’s mouth before collecting her coffee cup and pulling the office door open.

“Bye, chef,” she blew a kiss, the door closing behind her.

Carmen ran his hand down his face before dropping his head back against the chair.

February felt a lifetime away.

#carmen berzatto smut #carmen berzatto #carmen berzatto x reader #carmen berzatto x you #carmen berzatto x ofc #the bear hulu #the bear #carmy the bear #carmy smut #carmy fluff #carmy berzatto #carmy x oc

[bluebellhairpin]

Bakugo Katsuki X Reader

A/N: I just like Pacific Rim. And Bakugo. Also please excuse all errors in grammar, spelling or formatting; I have to do all this on my phone. My computer is shit when it comes to writing now apparently :/ - Nemo

Summary: In a world with monsters from the Pacific, and monsters made by man, two people try and find a way to help humanity reclaim it's world. They do it through each other's eyes. They do it through a Jaeger.

Warnings: AU-typical themes. A character in-passing has a blood nose. I wrote this with a Fem!Reader in mind, but GN pronouns are used. Not edited; we die like men (proud and ignorant).

Listening to: 'Lesson Number One' from Mulan II - "Sound and silence, dark and light. One alone is not enough, you need both together."

Masterlist || Ko-fi

You’d always been drawn to power. 

From the way you’d try to pull your fathers fingers out of their sockets when you were a toddler (apparently as you do as a toddler), to now, how you’d stare out at the open ocean as its waves crashed into the coastline (apparently as you do as someone with nothing else to do). 

But now, the oceans hold a new danger. One that no one had seen in any lifetime before yours.

You still remember when the first Kaiju attacked San Francisco. 

You’d come home from school and find your mother watching the news. The anchor still reporting about the giant creature as it rampaged across America’s east coast. It lasted almost a week. It only ended after their weapons went nuclear. Everyone thought it was a one-time thing. But it wasn’t. The monsters from the deep kept coming back. 

A year later, they hit home harder. Literally. 

The attack on the city of Sydney was what spurred humankind to find a less nuclear way of dealing with the Kaiju. One less destructive, and less damaging to the human population. 

You were in that city when it attacked. 

You saw that beast and how it destroyed everything in its wake, and for the first time in your life you weren’t drawn to its power.

You were afraid.

You remember the screaming of the people around you, and how your tears made dust stick to your cheeks. You remember losing sight of your parents in the crowds and thinking that they’d died. 

Thinking that you were going to die. 

Katsuki Bakugou didn’t think he’d ever find anyone to pilot a Jaeger with.

He was too temperamental. Too angry. Too selfish. Only two people had even come close to drifting with him.

The first was his childhood friend, Izuku, who apparently could drift with just about anyone. The second was some guy from his cadet days, Eijirou, who was friendly with everyone but admittedly could match his own stubborn nature. 

However, just because you got along didn't necessarily mean you were drift compatible. Only the people with the strongest bonds in the drift were made Jaeger Rangers. Only the duo's with the biggest chances of success were put out to fight.

You could love your mother to death and still not have a good enough drift capability with her for the PPDC to say "go out there and pilot that giant mech so you both can save the world". 

Bakugou had made the rounds trying to find a co-pilot, and both his options and patience was running thin. He only had one place left. His last chance.

The Sydney Shatterdome. 

He'd landed in the city two days ago, early and jet-lagged. Today was the day he'd venture from his temporary housing to (hopefully) a more a permanent dorm at the Shatterdome. He'd even caught wind of a new jaeger taking residence there, and much like him it had been through the ringer when it came to pilots. 

Apparently none of them had lasted very long in her cockpit. 

Slinging a duffel bag over his shoulder, he let out a throaty scoff, smirking. If anyone would pilot it, he thought, it was gonna be him. Even if he had to wrestle a co-pilot into the spot next to him.  

You'd been waiting for this guy for months. Actually it was less than two weeks, but it sure felt like an eternity. 

You'd been stuck here for too long, and as your fellow cadets graduated two months ago, you were stuck without a partner. The uneven amount of people your year didn't help, and the fact that no one ever really felt… right. 

You still graduated, obviously. The best and brightest of your whole class. You were the first person on the Marshals list to try compatibility with one Katsuki Bakugou. And boy, looking at him now you were glad that while you were first on the list, others sure had tried their hand at him before you. 

Hearing of him by word or mouth wasn't hard; a hot-blooded Ranger-to-be who literally drove any potential partner into the ground. By the bloodied nose of the engineer that passed you as you entered the combat room, he wasn't going easy on anyone. 

Beside you, you could hear the clack of wooden staffs as Bakugou crossed off another potential partner. Then a grunt and a thump, and someone letting out a loud sigh as you toes off your shoes. 

"You need to stop fighting them." You called, Bakugou’s last opponent rubbed the back of their head as they passed the staff off to you. Bakugou’s eyes landed on you, fierce and widening. 

"What?" 

"You keep fighting your partners like they're Kaiju. Not like they're your co-pilot. You need to stop fighting them." 

"Oh and why's that?" Your stare narrowed. 

"Because it's not a fight. It's supposed to fluid, not stunted like you keep making it out to be. So stop fighting and start feeling." 

His cheek twitched in either a frown or a smile, the fleeting motion gave way to a neutral expression once again. He readied his stance. 

"Fine." 

He didn't know what else to say.

You hadn't even introduced yourself and you were already telling him what to do.

Usually when people saw him, their eyes lowered, shrinking in on themselves. His permanently plastered sneer didn't help that, he knew it, and his size didn't help either. Eijirou had an intense training program while they were both training in Japan, and Bakugou was nothing if not competitive. His piled on bulk like a kid with access to too much icing for a cake.

But you hadn't let his looks or attitude bother you.

Admittedly, he liked that.

Pretending to get comfortable to catch him off guard, you made it look and feel like he should've seen it coming. He blinked and there was your staff right in front of his eyes.

"One." You said. You didn't hesitate to mark yourself one point.

He liked that too.

Bakugou found himself distracted throughout the whole session with you. Not in a bad way, not in the way that meant he failed or couldn't get marks on you like you were getting them on him. No he… he was having fun. He was enjoying himself.

Usual sparring sessions like this would end quickly. Best out of four. But not this one.

A half hour passed and 50 points landed between you both.

He stood panting. Sweat was running down his brow and throat and he so badly wanted to chug a gallon of water, but you just kept going. As if he was going to back down.

He never did.

Every time a point was marked you'd keep the game moving. Pushing through. Flowing movements. You were fluid and feeling just like you told him he needed to be, and he soon found himself mimicking you.

Brute strength wasn't quite cutting it, so it was the only way he could keep up.

Even he could feel it. They way that even though you'd both only just met you could read each other with barely speaking. He wanted to try drifting with you, and he didn't even know your name.

"You better not be this jittery in an actual Jaeger." Bakugou said.

"We're practicing for a reason. I won't be nervous in a Jaeger so don't get your panties in a twist."

"I'm not wearing panties dumbass-"

"Marshall on deck!"

Yours and Bakugou’s bickering stopped, giving way to straightened posture and an insane silence.

After your sparring session the day before, everyone involved agreed to an attempted neural handshake between the two of you. However Bakugou wasn't making himself very likeable.

You had to admit though, that he was a welcome distraction. You were a bit nervous.

The PPDC's Marshal - Toshinori Yagi - was well respected. He was the best Jaeger pilot his time had ever seen, with more kills under his belt with his jaeger All Might than anyone before him - nor anyone after. A injury out in the field left him unable to pilot, but his knowledge was kept close at hand. Why he was here, in Sydney of all places, had you standing to attention just as well as an order.

"What are you doing here?"

Of course Bakugou had to open his mouth again. Luckily the Marshal took it in his stride.

"It's not everyday we have two people with such potential. I'm here to make sure you are both exactly who we are looking for to pilot a Jaeger."

"The Jaeger they moved here a few weeks ago, she's for us?" You couldn't help the awe in your question. Not only a co-pilot, but your own Jaeger? This day could be the best of your life.

"If you both drift well enough together, yes." You smiled at the Marshal's answer.

Looking over at Bakugou, though, your joy faded. His shoulder tensed, and jaw firmly locked into place. He certainly didn't look happy.

"But we need to find that out first. Suit up. She's waiting for you."

"The Jaeger? You're putting us straight in?" Bakugou asked. The Marshal smiled.

"Where else?"

Your mind was quiet. The glimpses of memories he saw were fleeting. They were supposed to be.

Rangers do not chase the RABIT. 

Bakugou took deep breaths as he steadied himself in the drift, opening up a headspace to let you in. Like he was supposed to. Then he felt you. 

Pushing and prodding into his brain like you owned the place. He guessed at this stage you might as well have. He heard you scoff beside him, looking over to see a glint of a toothy smile under your helmet. 

"You're going to have to let me in more than that, you know." 

He sighed. Deeply. 

He tried venturing into your mind first, but you blocked him out, flinching. 

"Hey, works both ways babe. I'm only gonna let you in if you let me in."

"Guys," the LOCCENT coms crackled, "you two need to relax. The neural handshake isn't lining up very well yet. Try and focus." 

Bakugou grumbled, deciding to be the bigger person in the relationship for once. He felt how you followed his lead. He felt how his barely-there trust paid off, and how you let him in just the same. 

He felt how you let him be the right hemisphere of the Jaeger, and felt how you took control of the left. 

"That's it! You're lining up almost perfect!" 

He could feel your amusement flow through him, rippling against his chest like water at the sand of a beach.

"Don't say it." He said with gritted teeth. 

"I'm not gonna say anything," you said, your joy overwhelming him like a flood, and he found himself smiling a little too, "I certainly would never say anything about how easy that was, right Kacchan?"  

The mess hall was almost always full of people. Right now was no exception. Everyone was buzzed about the two newest Jaeger pilots, and frankly so were you.

You'd been excited since Marshal Yagi told you you would be drifting for the first time, not in a simulation, but in your possible future jaeger. You sure had every right to be now.

Having such a successful bridging on your first go was rare. You could only think that there was a reason you had never found anyone you could do this with so well until now.

You'd just fare-welled a group of engineers from your table, they were the group in charge of maintaining your Jaeger's core, and you definitely are keeping them as friends. You were hoping to finally get to your dinner, when a food tray slammed down onto the steel table beside you.

"Excalibur Blue." Bakugou announced, leaning back against the table from where he sat himself down on the bench. "She sure sounds badass."

You turned to him, taking him in.

From his undercut and ear piercing, to the slither of a tattoo peaking out from under his shirt as he crossed his biceps. He sure did look like a powerhouse. But looking closer, at the tuffs of blond hair, and his eyes which colors matched more like that of a cherry than blood, you could tell he wasn't as sharp as he looked.

The glimpse in his mind today was enough for you to believe he was softer than he let on. You liked that.

"Think our legend can match the namesake?"

You smiled as you shovelled a fork-full of mashed potato in your mouth.

"We can be better."

You didn't catch his smile as he said that you were damn right.

#bakugou katuski x reader #bakugo katsuki x reader #bakugo katsuki x you #boku no hero academia x reader #bnha x reader #bnha x you #mha x reader #mha x you #my hero academia x reader #my hero academia x you #pacific rim au

[ncisfranchise-source]

It doesn’t take a team of federal agents to figure out that if you picked up this magazine, you’re probably one of the 300 million people from around the world who watched some version of NCIS last year. That’s just a smidge under the entire population of the United States.

The massive fandom around the military procedural, which reigns as the most watched drama on broadcast TV, began in 2003 with a spectacular series premiere from cocreators Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill. The episode, inspired by the 1997 movie Air Force One, introduced what would become the show’s signature recipe of action, emotion, and a dash of humor when agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard (David McCallum) investigate a mysterious death aboard the presidential plane.

We fell in love with Gibbs’ gruffness (OK, his good looks didn’t hurt either) and Ducky’s intellect. We were intrigued by the twisty case and fascinated by an agency we’d never heard of: the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which solves crimes involving the Navy and Marine Corps.

The distinct characters back at HQ sealed the deal. The original cast included a roundup of agents with lovable quirks: by-the-book profiler Caitlin Todd (Sasha Alexander), flirtatious Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly), and tech geek Tim McGee (Sean Murray). In the lab, we got the unexpected goth/nerd forensic specialist Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette) and Ducky’s dedicated and sensitive assistant Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen).

Over the years, NCIS built a reliable world that we could return to every week. It was governed by “Gibbs’ Rules,” practical guidelines for successfully solving cases and living life (new ones popped up all the time). We got to know our beloved characters better through eye-opening backstories, sometimes revealing tragic incidents. There were in-office rivalries and romances. (Tony and Ziva [Cote de Pablo] forever! — their story will continue in a new spinoff) Recognizable baddies kept coming back for more until the agents took them out—as we cheered them on from our sofas.

And those agents handled it all with the qualities expected at the real-life U.S. Naval Academy: “competence, character, compassion.” In a tumultuous world, it was a comfort to hang out at Navy Yard HQ in the bullpen, aka “the big orange room,” with decent folks like that.

As with any workplace, people have come and gone. Some we lost tragically. Others opted to move on. Saying goodbye to Gibbs when he retired in 2021 was the hardest. But NCIS has a way of reinventing itself. The new team leader, Alden Parker (Gary Cole), is more gregarious than the taciturn Gibbs, but as we’ve learned since he arrived, like his predecessor, he’s got plenty from his past that haunts him.

Bringing to life the multilayered characters of NCIS are writers, producers and crew, many of them with the show for decades. (Some even worked on JAG, the military legal drama from which NCIS spun off.) They’ve expanded into multiple spinoffs: NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans and NCIS: Hawai‘i. The latest, NCIS: Sydney, debuted in November 2023.

Speaking to the deep staying power of not just the format but the characters, a forthcoming prequel, NCIS: Origins, will tell the story of a young Gibbs. Mark Harmon’s son Sean played the junior Leroy in NCIS flashbacks, but the new series will cast a different actor. Both Harmons will serve as executive producers.

The possibilities for the future of NCIS are endless. Bring on the milestone 1,000th episode of the franchise, coming in April!

#ncis

[artemiseamoon]

Cherry Blossoms in Chicago

Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto x f reader | The Bear masterlist

Week 20 @writer-wednesday

Words: 1,162

Warnings: brief mention of stress and his brothers death

An: it’s happening! I though I would start with Michael cause you know, Jon. But here we are! It’s blue eyes over here first.

It’s been four months since you reunited with Carmen. He was quiet in school, shy, he didn't really have any friends and he stayed to himself. You weren’t the most extroverted person in the world, and the two of you eventually bonded over senior year.

But there was only so much you knew about Carmen, you only got so close. When you left college, you and Carmen didn’t keep in touch. He wasn’t the best communicator and anytime you tried to reach out to him, he took a long time to reply or didn’t reply at all.

Any hope for you and Carmen reconnecting finally died when he moved away, and you didn’t see him again for a long time. Though, his accomplishments outside of Chicago were a big deal, especially in the culinary world. The lack of communication from him didn’t sour how proud of him you felt, you hoped he was proud of himself too.

Over this time, you lived your life, graduated college and had boyfriends. Your crush on Carmen made its way to the back of your mind as you moved through your life without him. You didn’t think about it again until he came back home, after Michael's death to run resturaunt.

Carmen was in town for two months before you visited and ordered some food. You could tell he was stressed, tired, overwhelmed. Still, at the sight of you, Carmen’s brilliant blue eyes lit up. You could tell in that moment, your short lived-friendship stayed with him too.

From there, you would visit a few times. Carmen never really had time to talk and didn't seem to live a life outside of the restaurant. You didn’t have your first real conversation with him until the both of you ended up on the same train one morning.

When Carmen sat next to you, you initiated a conversion. You led most of it, Carmen still didn't say much, just like he did in high school, but he was slightly more relaxed and seemed happy to sit next to you. He listened closely to everything you said.

Carmen didn’t want to talk about himself, and even when you asked how he was doing, he said fine and ran his fingers through his wild hair. You didn’t push the topic any further.

Over the next few months, you and Carmen continued to have little interactions like this. Though they never lasted more than 10 minutes. Whenever you came into the restaurant, Carmen gave you something for free. Or something he made for you.

Carmen may not have been the best communicator, but he did it best though food, you could feel all the love and attention to detail he put into it.

Feeling hopeful and energized by the start of a beautiful Spring, you decide to get Carmen out of the restaurant for a couple of hours. You wanted to see the cherry blossoms in the park for a few days now and figure it could be a nice thing to do with Carmen. A peaceful chill activity that could bring him out of his ball of stress, perfectionism and anxiety.

A few days ago you saw the sign that the place was closed for renovations, so if there was any time to successfully get him away, it would be now. When you show up, he's inside with the crew and lets you in. You follow him back to his office.

“Hey. You're hungry, want some food?” He asked.

“Not yet but I’m here for you.”

“For me?”

“Yeah, you.”

His blue eyes remain locked on yours as he tries to figure out what you mean by that.

“Take the apron off, we’re going out.”

“I can’t. I have too much to do.”

“The place is closed. Right?”

“Right. And we're doing renovations. I have to be here.”

“Carmen, you practically live in this place. You can take an hour or two. Trust me. It will be worth it. Maybe grab some food to go.”

Carmen grins, “what are you planning?”

“It’s a surprise. Come on, apron.” You point at it. Looking past him, you see Sydney walking by.

Sydney smiles at you and mouths, “please. Take him. He needs this.”

You chuckle to yourself and point at the apron again. Carmen shakes his head, he’s still not sure about this. But he eventually takes off the apron. You take it and put it on his desk.

“Good. Now, how about we take two sandwiches and some drinks.”

Carmen laughs, “okay. Okay.” He leads the way out of the office.

The relaxed walk through the park is just as calming as you dreamed it would be. At first, Carmen was still tense, but as you walked, you noticed him relax little by little. You even stopped to smell the flowers, which he refused to do at first, then gave in.

“Nice right, see.” You grinned at him.

One of the cherry blossom flowers falls off. Carmen catches it and awkwardly offers it to you. You take it and tuck it in behind your ear.

“Guess that one was for you. '' He slides his hands in his pocket as he observes you.

“Thank you tree,” you start walking again, he falls in step with you. Your eyes drift to his arms. His biceps were distracting. In his left hand he holds the bag with your sandwiches and two soft drinks.

“How about this spot?” You point to a bench under one of the trees. Carmen answers with a nod and you both take a seat.

He uses the space between you to set the food and drinks out, using the bag as a barrier between the food and the bench. As he does this, his hair falls into his face.

“This is nice. Thank you.” He said, his eyes still cast downward.

“My pleasure.” You wait for him to look up, he doesn’t yet.

“Um,” he glances up and runs his hand over his mouth, “we’re having family style dinner later, if you want to come.” He breaks eye contact. “You could uh, bring your guy, if you want.”

“I don’t have a guy, not anymore.” Carmen’s beautiful blue eyes dart back to yours. “It's done, mutual clean break. No drama. It just wasn't…the connection wasn't there.”

“Shit. damn, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be...It’s a good thing.” You pause, Carmen stares at you. “I feel fine.”

“Okay. Family dinner then?” The flower falls away from your ear where you tucked it, Carmen catches it. After a moment of hesitation, he places it back.

You smile warmly at him, “I’ll be there.”

Carmen smiles shyly. His eyes land on your outfit as he hands you a drink. “You look nice.”

“Thanks. It's gorgeous out today, figured why not wear my favorite outfit.”

“It looks good.” his eyes continue to burn into you and that school girl crush of yours grows tenfold. Carmen looks away and hands you a sandwich. “Let’s eat.”

Thanks for reading!

More writer Wednesday

More The Bear

#Carmen Carmy Berzatto #carmen berzatto #the bear fx #the bear hulu #Carmen berzatto x f reader #writer wednesday #artes moodboards #The Bear Moodboards #Carmen berzatto fluff