#i wonder how it will feel when they eventually update the picture for that house and its no longer my family's cars in the front yard

[hqbaby]

twenty-two — ily

fuck ur instincts — suna x reader & atsumu x reader

you and suna are just fooling around—so why does he care so much when you start falling in love with someone else?

previous — masterlist — next

word count. 2.3k content. swearing, oral (f receiving), fingering, unprotected vaginal penetration, rough-ish sex

To say you’re worried is an understatement. You were in close contact with Atsumu for the first few hours that you were away, you sent him pictures of your aunt’s house and he texted you updates on the party. You were talking like normal, acting completely fine.

Then he just stopped replying to your messages. He stopped texting, ignored all your calls.

You were ready to get on a plane and go back, expecting the worst, until Osamu told you that your boyfriend was fine. He’d locked himself up in his room and ended the party rather abruptly, but he was fine.

That helped you calm down a little, but you couldn’t help but spend the entire weekend worried about what had happened.

What went wrong?

When you get back, dragging your bags with you as you sprint through the airport, you can’t exactly say that you’re surprised when you don’t find your boyfriend waiting for you.

“He didn’t say why,” Osamu explains, having gone in his brother’s stead. He loads your luggage into the back of his car and gets into the driver’s seat beside you. “Ya really don’t know what happened?”

You shake your head. “No,” you tell him. “It’s not like we got in a fight or anything. He just started ignoring me.”

He grimaces. “This is just like him, messin’ things up when they get serious.”

“What do you mean?”

“‘Tsumu’s not the best at expressing himself,” Osamu says, driving the car away from the airport. “I bet he’s just scared of how he feels ‘bout ya.”

You frown. “I don’t think that’s it,” you tell him. “He’s really open about that kind of stuff.”

The twin gives you a curious look. “He is?”

“Yeah.” You nod. “Is that… weird?”

He shrugs. “Can’t say he's had a great track record of bein’ open with people,” he says. “But I always figured that ya were somethin’ different to him. Guess it makes sense.”

You play with the hem of your sweater. “Why do you think he’s upset?”

Osamu looks at you reassuringly, offering a gentle smile. “It can’t be that bad. The two of ya will patch things up. I know it.”

At your request, you stop at their apartment before heading back to the dorms. You won’t be able to do anything until things are settled between you and Atsumu, and you have a feeling he might feel the same way too.

“‘Tsumu,” you say, knocking on his door. “It’s me. Please let me in.”

You stand there at the door for a long time, wondering if he’ll ever open it. Eventually, you hear it unlock and it opens by just a crack.

Osamu watches you from the side, nodding at you and heading out of the apartment when he knows that Atsumu has heard you.

You step into the room. It’s dark and a little stuffy. From what you can see in the low light of the lamp on Atsumu’s desk, it’s more of a mess than usual. There are empty mugs all over the room, clothes that are probably partly clean and partly dirty in a heap on the floor, unorganized class notes strewn across the different surfaces.

“Hey.”

You turn to find Atsumu by the door, closing it behind you as you walk inside. He’s wearing a ratty old jacket (that probably belongs to Osamu) with the hood pulled over his head. You can barely see him, but you know that he’s worse for wear.

“‘Tsumu,” you say quietly, reaching out for him. “Baby, what happened—”

He jerks away from your touch and it breaks your heart to see him like this. You wish you could make it better, but you don’t even know what’s wrong.

Atsumu sits down on his bed and nods his head for you to sit across from him. When you reluctantly do as he tells you, he speaks.

“What’s going on with ya and Suna?”

“W-what?”

He shrinks into himself ever so slightly, imperceptible to anybody but you. “What’s going on with ya and Suna?” he asks again. “And don’t… don’t lie.”

You shake your head, attempting to take his hand only for him to pull it away. “Nothing,” you tell him desperately. “There’s nothing going on.”

“That’s a lie.”

“It’s not!” you insist. You can feel yourself grow faint at the sudden weight of your thoughts. What does he know? “I’m serious, Atsumu, there’s nothing going on between the two of us.”

He narrows his eyes at you. “Y/N.”

You don’t know what to do. All the options seem to be in your hands and none of them look too good. You know one thing though: You can’t lie to him.

“There’s nothing going on… anymore.”

Atsumu nods at you to continue, a hurt look taking over his features. “So what went on?”

“Nothing real,” you tell him. The truth burns on your tongue like acid as you spit it out, “Suna and I… we—well, we used to—we don’t do it anymore—b-but we used to—”

“Used to what?”

“We used to sleep together.”

He blinks at you. His expression reads something between disappointment and anger—but also a bit of relief. Like he had been expecting something far worse.

“Why didn’t ya—” he clears his throat, “why didn’t ya tell me?”

You let out the breath you didn’t know you were holding and let your shoulders slump forward. So you’re really doing this. You’re really telling the truth.

“I was embarrassed,” you say, wincing a little when the words fall out of your mouth. Admitting it out loud is bad enough, but admitting it to your boyfriend—you wonder if you’ll still call him that after this conversation—feels indescribably terrible. “He didn’t want people to know. He wanted to keep it a secret. And… I let him. And it makes me sick just thinking about how I put myself through that.”

You don’t even realize you’re crying until you feel Atsumu reach over to wipe a tear from your face. “I should have told you,” you say quietly. “I’m really sorry.”

He moves closer to you and pulls you into his arms. “I know,” he tells you, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have ignored ya this weekend. I just—I was expectin’ the worst. I thought it was... worse.”

“You had every right to,” you murmur into his jacket, clutching at the fabric as you sniffle. “I should’ve told you. I never meant to hide this shit from you. I’m sorry.”

“I know. It’s alright.” He gently pushes you away to get a look at you, the pad of his thumb rubbing at stray tears. “I need to ask ya somethin’ though.”

You nod fervently. “Anything.”

Atsumu swallows the lump in his throat. He doesn’t want to ask, but he knows he has to. He’ll never let it go if he doesn’t.

“Do ya love him?”

You gape. “What?”

“Do ya love him?” he repeats. He can feel the dread growing in his stomach.

“Atsumu.” You reach out to take his hand, calming down slightly when he doesn’t pull away. You can’t lie to him. “I love you.”

He looks stunned. “Ya—what?”

“I love you,” you tell him again, moving closer and pulling your hands up to cup his face. “I love you, Atsumu. I love you.”

He can’t help himself anymore, leaning forward to kiss you with his hands coming to your waist. There’s a tinge of saltiness to your lips, remnants of your tears, but he doesn’t care. He holds you tight and kisses you deeply, all the worry he’s been carrying for the past three days suddenly gone.

You love him. You love him.

He pulls back to find you staring at him with wide eyes, your lips swollen from the touch of his. He can’t help himself.

“I love ya,” he tells you, a fierceness to his words.

You crack a smile at that. “I love you,” you repeat, pulling his face back to yours. “I love you, ‘Tsumu. So much.”

Your lips lock again. His tongue slips into your mouth, brushing against yours, as he slowly guides you backwards until you’re lying down. He hovers over you, still kissing you as deeply as he can.

“‘Tsumu,” you mumble against his lips. “I love you.”

“I love ya too,” he says, moving down to your neck and nipping at the skin of your neck. “I love ya so much.”

You moan as he sucks on the tender flesh. “I love you, ‘Tsumu!”

“I love ya too.” He licks at the bullied spot and unbuttons your blouse. “I love ya.”

You shrug your top away as you feel him reach behind you and unhook your bra. He tosses the piece of clothing to the side and attaches his mouth to your bare chest, sucking at your nipples and massaging your breasts. You place a hand in his hair, groaning as he continues his assault on your skin. “I love you.”

Atsumu nods, moving down to your stomach. “I love ya,” he mumbles, sticking his tongue out and trailing it towards your waist. He drags your sweatpants off and positions himself between your legs. “I love ya,” he repeats, slipping his finger into your panties. You moan as he brushes against your heated core. In one swift motion, he pulls his finger through the fabric, ripping it to open at your crotch. “I love ya.”

You prop yourself up with your elbows and find him peeling your panties away. “I love you,” you say breathlessly. You throw your head back as he dips his tongue into your cunt. “Fuck!”

He fucks you with his tongue, the muscle slipping in and out of you, his lips occasionally moving up to suck at your clit. “I love this pussy,” he tells you, the vibrations on your heat sending shivers up your spine. “I love ya.”

You feel him slide a finger in and crook it against your g-spot. You sit up at the sudden pleasure of it, hands flying to tug at his hair. “I love you, I love you, I love you,” you chant as the knot in your stomach gets tighter. “I—fuck!—I love you so much.”

He adds another finger, groaning when your grip on his hair gets tighter. “Love it when yer rough with me.” He chuckles as he sucks on you, sending you close to the edge. “I love ya,” he whispers, crooking both his fingers and making you convulse as you reach your high.

Atsumu kisses your cunt as your orgasm washes over you, his tongue sliding through your folds. When you’ve calmed down, he crawls back up to kiss you. You can taste yourself on him, forcing out another strangled moan from your lips.

“I love ya,” he tells you, laying you down and pulling his hard cock from his pants. He pumps it a few times before lining himself up between your folds. “Ya have no idea how much I love ya, sweetheart.”

You grab his biceps as you feel his tip slide inside. “I love you too,” you say, closing your eyes when you feel him push in deeper. “So fucking big, ‘Tsumu.”

He chuckles, moving faster now. “I know, sweetheart,” he whispers. He bottoms out, whining as you cling to him at the feeling, your nails digging into his back. “I love ya.”

“I love you too,” you say, moaning at the way he fills you up. “Want more, ‘Tsumu.”

He takes your legs in his hands and wraps them around his hips. “I’ll give ya more, sweetheart,” he tells you, leaning down to kiss your neck, “love ya so much, I’ll give ya everythin’.”

Your back arches as he pulls out gently before quickly pushing himself back in. “Holy shit!” you exclaim when he starts thrusting. The sheer size of him and the power of his movements almost makes you feel like passing out from just how good it feels. “I love you so much, ‘Tsumu!”

He whines desperately as he feels your walls sucking him in. “I love ya too, baby,” he says. “Fuck, ya feel so good. Love ya so much.”

Your eyes roll back as his cock bullies its way into you, the tip brushing against your cervix with every thrust. “‘Tsumu!” You moan when he grabs your legs and pushes them towards your chest, as far as they can go. The new angle makes you see stars, his whole body practically coming down on top of you. “I love you, ‘Tsumu!”

He kisses you messily, heaving as he pounds into you. “Love ya. So. Fucking. Much.” His hips move with every word. He’s above you, watching every single expression on your face as it twists with pleasure. “Do ya love Suna?”

A scream rips out of you as he thrusts deeper than before. “I love you!”

“That’s right,” he says, pulling you in for another kiss. “I love ya so much, sweetheart. Gonna come for ya.”

“Please, ‘Tsumu,” you beg, your grip on him becoming impossibly tight. “Come for me, ‘Tsumu. I love you.”

A moan escapes from him as his thrusts start to become sloppy. When you reach your second orgasm and start tightening around him, he does his best to keep fucking into you. It doesn’t take long before he’s coming too, his warm cum filling you up.

“I love ya, I love ya,” he whines, humping himself into you as your hands reach up to his head and stroke his hair. “I love ya so much, Y/N.”

You place kisses all over his face as he starts slowing down. “I love you too, ‘Tsumu.”

His hips still and he practically collapses on top of you, head buried into the crook of your neck and you rub his back. He closes his eyes and moves his arms to wrap around you. “I love ya,” he murmurs into your skin. “I love ya, Y/N.”

You kiss the top of his head, feeling his dick grow soft inside of you. “I love you too.”

His eyes flutter open as he angles his head to look up at you. “Do ya really mean it?”

“I do,” you say, smiling at him. “I really do.”

notes. OK TAKE 2!!! i'm so sorry :") today was such a mess (things with the guy i've been kinda seeing took a weird ass turn and i didn't get to double-check the chapter before i posted 😭) screaming crying but here you go AAAAA

#hqbaby.fyi #hqbaby #haikyuu #suna rintarou #suna #suna rintarou x reader #suna x reader #miya atsumu #atsumu #miya atsumu x reader #atsumu x reader #haikyuu x reader #suna rintarou fic #suna fic #miya atsumu fic #atsumu fic #atsumu smut #haikyuu fic

[kirythestitchwitch]

Klaroline WIP Wed - Necromancing the Stone - The Way to My Heart is Coffee

Caroline found a very nice bottle of wine from Klaus on her porch and she decided a bath and a few more glasses to accompany her deep thinking were just what she needed.

--------------------------

By the next morning, what she decided she really needed was an ice pack and a bottle of Excedrin. Having pulled a stool up to the kitchen island, she rested her head against the cool marble surface and groaned. Idly, she wondered if she could raise herself from the grave, because surely being dead would hurt less. The full might of the Forbes ancestors behind her, and she could do nothing about a hangover.

Resentfully, she eyed her phone and thought about sending Klaus her displeasure.

The Excedrin would be easy to solve, if she could just make herself move from the barstool. It took a great deal of willpower, but eventually she crawled her way to the bathroom cabinet, and then into the shower, and then into some clothes. By the time she made her way back to the kitchen–the wallpaper paste flavor in her mouth ruthlessly scrubbed away–she was starting to feel moderately optimistic that she would survive, eventually. 

The temptation to send her ex pithy messages had not abated.

Her mug from yesterday was still sitting in the Keurig, filled with cold coffee, and she dumped it out and got a new mug from the cabinet. “Take two,” she muttered, picking another pumpkin spice k-cup and popping it in the machine. 

She glanced at her phone again.

A ridiculous amount of creamer was dumped into her coffee, and she sighed at the first sip. The concept of eating breakfast was completely out the window for the foreseeable future, but a caffeine infusion was exactly what she needed, all wisdom to the contrary aside. Leaning on the counter, she picked up her phone and checked her messages, like she did every morning. A text of concern from Bonnie, several social media updates, two emails from potential clients. Complete silence from Klaus.

Setting her phone down resolutely, she wandered back to her workroom with an eye to check on her progress on the protection amulet she was weaving for a mother who was very concerned about her daughter’s first year at university. It was delicate work, very fiddly until it was completed. Would take all her concentration.

Caroline was back at the island in three minutes, pulling up her texts and glaring at the “Hello love” sitting on her screen.

‘Not that I’m accusing you of trying to murder me, but a hangover is a particularly cruel way to go.’ she typed out, and then sent before she could think about it too much. Savagely, she turned her screen off and left her phone there. Klaus was an antique, who knew how long it would take him to respond.

She got as far as the hallway to the back of the house when her phone buzzed against the counter. It was embarrassing how quickly she managed to have her phone unlocked, in hand. “Stop it,” she told herself sternly. “You’re mad at him.”

‘It sounds like you did some thinking. I could bring you coffee? As I recall, that always helped.’ Oh, that smooth motherfucker. 

“‘See really, I remember you, Caroline, also please invite me into your house, so I can stalk you more thoroughly,’” she mocked to herself, taking a picture of her coffee mug. The porch light hadn’t been forgotten yet, the puzzle on her mind of what human he’d gotten to unlock her front door, flip the light from the porch, and then relock the door. Her house wards hadn’t been set off by someone stepping into her living room, her wards showed no signs of tampering, and clearly the parameter wards hadn’t gone off in her absence.

Also, there was the bone deep feeling that Klaus would never mean her physical harm. The opposite, in fact, to a sometimes infuriating degree.

Sending him the picture of her mug, she typed out, ‘Thanks, but I’ve got it covered.’ Sitting with that a minute made snakes writhe in her belly. Was she being too bitchy? His apology seemed genuine, and while something petty in her wanted him to suffer for the past year, Caroline had spent more time hanging onto that love than not. 

Her throat stuck a little as she noted the message had been read. Before she could change her mind, she kept typing. ‘I could go for another cup around 1. There’s a coffee shop on Beaudecker St.’

His reply was almost immediate. ‘I’ll meet you there?’

She agreed, and then set her phone down for the final time, resting her still pounding forehead against the counter. It wasn’t a weight off her shoulders, and in fact the snakes in her stomach seemed to have spontaneously turned to birds, but it was something. Not a promise to forgive him, but at least a step in a direction, instead of the circles she’d been running in since he’d left her porch the day before. At least she could ask him how Kol and Rebekah were.

#klaroline wip wed #klaroline for ts #tvd for ts #my fic #necromancing the stone

[adrianasunderworld]

I have commented on a Deuce and Riddle half brothers ask, and that idea has snowballed so get ready for

The super slow burn of Felicity and Miss Spade (who I’m calling Lia) falling in love cause I’m a romantic and need happy endings!

So, obviously this has to start with Mr Rosehearts being a whore, he slowly makes Lia fall in love with him before bouncing. Obviously Lia is upset, until she realizes she’s pregnant. She messages Rosehearts about this, believing that he should atleast know about his own child, only for him to tell her to get an abortion or something.

Lia blocks Rosehearts then and there, and is more excited about mowing a mother. She thankfully has the support of her own mother and father, and when she is in her third trimester there is a knock at the door.

Felicity Rosehearts is standing there, red face, that obviously Riddle inherited, and holding Mr. Rosehearts phone, demanding to know what the meaning of all this is. Lia explains, showing her own texts, that she was told he was not in a relationship, he loved her before he bounced, Lia being the sweethearts she is apologizes for possibly hurting Felicity’s marriage.

Felicity, while still mad, understands it’s mainly her own husbands fault and not this clearly poorly off woman. Felicity may be cruel but she’s not evil! She agrees that because her husband is technically the father, that the Rosehearts will pay for the prenatal care, and any doctor visits as long as Lia keeps quiet about who the father is.

Lia believes since they are paying for Deuces care, she keeps the Rosehearts updated on his growth, from ultrasound pictures, to due dates, to his first breath. Secretly, Felicity changed Lia’s doctors around a bit for her to get the best care. While Deuce isn’t Felicity’s child, he is still technically a Rosehearts and WILL be well taken care of!

Even as Deuce grows, Lia keeps up texting once in awhile. Felicity usually leaves her on read, only chiming in when Lia frantically asked about Deuce’s high grade fever when he was a baby. Growing up in the poor side made Lia a bit hesitant to take Deuce in, as it would end up as another bull she would struggle paying. Felicity stormed over to Lia’s house that night, and reminded her that the Rosehearts are paying for Deuce’s care, and that sick baby WILL see a doctor TODAY!

(Deuce got some medication and was all better shortly after)

Felicity started checking up on Deuce, never in person, but would remind Lia about any and all upcoming doctor appointments, and once Deuce started school, she also expected to hear about his grades. Felicity thought of Lia and Deuce almost like some stray cats she would feed, she liked them enough and worried about them, but wasn’t willing to bring them to her home.

Eventually, Felicity and Mr. Rosehearts marriage, which was bad to begin with, started getting worse. Mr Rosehearts probably hit up Lia again wondering if he could crash at her house on nights Felicity would kick him out. Lia always said no, and then texted Felicity a picture of little Deuce and a small story about his day. Lia didn’t view herself a good friend of Felicity to ask about anything, but she also wanted to offer som support. Secretly, Felicity really appreciated it.

As Deuce and Riddle grew, Lia and Felicity stayed in contact, and when Deuce went through his Lu k phase, Lia was petrified of telling Felicity. While Lia didn’t know about Riddle, she did know Felicity was a strict woman and was petrified of making her angry or worse, disappointed.

Lia did text Felicity later though, about how Deuce got accepted into NRC. She was obviously ecstatic. Felicity said that her son also was going there. He was housewarden of heartslaybul. Lia felt a douse of cold water. Frantically she reminded Felicity she had said nothing to Deuce about his father, and was scared Felicity was going to tell her to take Deuce out of NRC to protect her own son. Felicity said she knew and hung up.

Honestly, Felicity was proud of Deuce, but hearing Lia had made her smile, hearing her giggles and laughs as she shared part of her life with Felicity made her feel light and airy. It reminded her of those romance novels she would read as a young girl. It’s what she always wished she felt for Mr. Rosehearts. Felicity was feeling conflicted, this was just a woman her husband had an affair with, she was just keeping her quiet, keeping the Rosehearts name intact. Lia was just another person, another bill, NOT someone Felicity cared for!

Without Deuce around, Lia kept updates a bit more minimal, telling Felicity about his grades of course, but she didn’t really have any reason to talk to Felicity now in her own eyes. Until one day, Felicity offered to have lunch with Lia. To talk about their sons, face to face.

Lia arrived in her nicest clothes, and realized how far of worlds she and Felicity were apart. Felicity was dressed modestly, yet immaculately, while Lia was wearing older, clothes with a few patches and a mismatched button. Felicity didn’t look up when Lia sat down, and just said softly. “Riddle overblotted, my son overblotted “ before breaking down.

Felicity had gotten a call from the school a few weeks prior, and had had a heart to heart with Riddle about her raising him. She was doing what she had thought was right only to learn she had been hurting her son so badly! Mr Rosehearts didn’t care about the turmoil she had been in over learning all of this, and it’s not like she has any friends. Lia was the only person she could turn too.

Lia comforted Felicity as best she could, even getting up and crouching next to the other woman as she cried, dabbing Felicity’s tears with a napkin. Eventually, Felicity calmed down a enough for Lia to understand what she was saying. How Felicity was hard on Riddle, wanting him to be the best he could be, wanting his father to be proud of him, and unknowingly push him to the breaking point. How she felt like a failure of a mother, not being able to keep her husband happy, not being able to keep her son happy, she was a failure of a woman.

Lia reminded her that she worked hard, she did what she thought was right, and that is admirable. After a long talk, Felicity and Lia left, Felicity feeling better, and Lia feeling closer. They started chatting daily, Felicity talking about Riddle’s progress in letting go a bit, and her own issues with control and Lia providing info from Deuce as well as her own day. The women became very tight knit.

Finally, one night, Lia asked “why did you stay with him if he cheated on you?” It had come up naturally as Felicity complained about some other woman Mr. Rosehearts had brought home. Felicity stopped, “it’s what you’re supposed to do. Stay together through thick and thin”

“But he’s not staying with you, you’re staying with him.”

Felicity slept over at Lia’s home that night. Not having a guest room, she offered Felicity her own bed and she would sleep on the couch. Felicity said the bed was large enough for them both atleast (as she refused to sleep on the couch herself, but couldn’t very well have Lia sleep there either) and it was the best nights sleep she had ever had. Lia was much warmer and more comforting than her husband, soft and sweet. Felicity secretly kissed Lia’s crown before settling down herself.

This is all I have so far cause I can’t write anything but slow burns!

@mangacupcake another dramatic alternate storyline has entered the ring. lol

Also I need to take a moment to appreciate how fast you put this out. Like an hour two after that initial ask about clearing up who was the lesbian couple in this au, I got this in my ask box. The devil works hard, but shippers work harder 🤣

Also this all very sweet. Like I know I don't like Mrs.Rosehearts as a person, but as a character? There is so much fun room for interpretation for her. Like Felicity and aus like this.

The concept itself is very touching in that in these cheating stories, the other woman that does not know anything, gets the most hate even though the wife is angry at the wrong person. Where as here, she is angry at the right person, and even though they aren't best friends, they are a solid support system for each other, because they has both been screwed over by the same jackass.

#twisted wonderland #twst oc #headmistress rosehearts au #this au stopped being about yuu and the boys a while ago #feel like i need a warm cozy drink while reading idk why

[genrefluid-arts]

C'mon Yo-Kai Let's be friends! Chapter 1: Exploring the heights

Current Word Count: 2,453 words 13,449 characters A Fanfic about ocs and fankais, mostly a origin about how *this specific* group got together. Updates might be slow but hopefully I'll complete it eventually!

It was around late afternoon in the town of Azalea Heights, Japon. The air was crisp and clean, and yet the aftermath of a suddenly destroyed building was still fresh, with remains of debris covering sidewalks and streets, and caution signs and ‘keep out’ lines surrounding the premises. But in another part of the city, a family had just moved in and arrived today around early noon.

Although, the house itself wasn’t brand new, no; It belonged to the paternal grandmother of the family, an elderly woman in her early 70s who gave her son a scare in terms of medical care. As the family proceeds to remove stuff from luggage and boxes, however, there was a boy who was currently typing an online diary entry, venting out his feelings, as he said them out loud

‘Taki Oshimo here, today we have moved into my gram gram's place in Azalea Heights. I know I'm supposed to finish unpacking my belongings, but to be honest; I am WAY TOO EXCITED to finish unpacking!’

The boy paused, tapping his fingers on the desk, letting his fingers rest for a moment before resuming.

‘I mean, don’t get me wrong- I miss everyone back at my old home, but say- nothing can go wrong with trying to make new friends here! Besides…’

He spins his computer chair, looking at a suitcase of various going away gifts; ranging from flowers, a homemade scrapbook, a few childhood toys given to him by old friends, and a couple of photos. He smiled softly as he turned back to his laptop.

‘I have their memories here. Anyway, gotta go and finish before my mom gives me the business!’

The boy closes the book, taking a deep breath as he heads to finish unpacking, humming a tune akin to ‘September’ by Earth, Wind, and Fire. As he got into the groove of putting his clothes in drawers and organizing his other belongings, he heard a knock at the door.

“Hey dork,” his older sister Junko teased, leaning against the doorframe like a chill person. “When you're done, Gram Gram wants to see you, something about a gift????”

“Oh, neat!” Taki beamed, putting his stuff away in a hurry as he raced past Junko. “I wonder what it is?”

“Well, it’s probably better than my gift,” Junko holds up a stack of cards, bound by a rubber band, her face sour. “I’ll make use of this somehow…”

Taki skipped down the stairs on the way to gram gram's room, nearly bumping into his father in the process. “Sorry, dad!”

“Taki, be careful when entering your gram gram’s room, please! I don’t want her to get into a coughing fit!” He fretted, Taki nodding in understanding as he walked ahead.

Slowly creaking the door open, he takes a good look at the room;

The room was lit up by the ceiling light, showcasing the room for all who entered to see.

While the floors were clean and furnished with a large crochet carpet, desktops, and surfaces were cluttered with photos, yarn, old-timey trinkets, and old, dusty antiques. Taki lightly gagged at the smell of mothballs and coconut. Not a pleasant aroma combo.

An old lady was sitting on the bed, humming a tune as she stared down at a photo, a soft smile curved on her lips.

“Gram Gram?” Taki whispered, closing the door quietly but loud enough so Gram Gram could hear. She perked up, giving him a warm smile.

“Hello dear,” she said as she put down the framed picture, gesturing to Taki to come and sit by her. The floors had a slight creak to them as Taki took a few steps, sitting down on the plush bed next to his grandmother. “Now, I have a gift for you..”

Gram Gram opened the bottom of the bureau with gentle precision, and took out a small box, with detailed carvings etched onto it. Taki leaned in closer, focusing his gaze on the box in curiosity,

“What is it, Gram Gram?”

Gram Gram let out a hearty chuckle. “Just an old accessory from my childhood.”

She unlatched the padlocks and opened them. Inside, was a pair of goggles, the color of orange slightly desaturated with years of being kept away. Taki let out an impressed whistle as she carefully took them out, holding them out for Taki to take.

“U-uh, you sure gram gram?” Taki quizzed, a hint of unsureness in his tone. She gave him an approving nod.

With the go-ahead, he took them in hesitation, giving them a closer look. “Wow, you know, this matches the color of my jacket!”

“I thought so too.” Gram Gram chuckled, her dimpled smile never fading as Taki carefully put them on with playfulness, gently reminding her of her youth. “You know, those goggles weren’t just a simple fashion accessory..”

Taki pushed the goggles up, giving Gram Gram a confused look. “They weren’t?”

She gave him a playful nod. “Let me ask you something.”

Gram Gram fixed her posture, giving Taki her focused gaze. “Have you heard of the creatures called ‘yokai’?”

“Yokai???” He confusedly repeated. He tapped his chin in thought. “They are supernatural creatures residing in and around japon..?”

Gram Gram nodded, relaxing her posture as she collected some old memories. “When I was your age…I made friends, each one was different.” she picked up the picture frame she placed down before, handing it over to Taki.

The picture itself included four kids, including a younger Gram Gram. Yet it only confused Taki further. And Gram Gram could tell.

“You see, Taki,” She paused, her train of thought pausing as she took back the framed photo. “Some of my other friends were yo-kai.”

Taki's eyes grew wide in shock and he hopped off the bed. His mind? Blown.

“H-how is that possible!? I thought yokai were only folk tales!?!”

Gram Gram let out a hearty laugh as Taki started to stammer from both confusion, fear, and excitement. “My boy, please calm down! Your folks will think I'm having a fit.

“But Gram Gram! This is exciting! Humans and yo-kai can be friends!?! How did you do it!?!?!”

Taki covered his mouth as she shushed him, gesturing to tone it down a little bit. Taki slowly sits back down on the bed, mouth still covered.

“You see- I didn’t have a device that allowed me to see yo-kai at first. Sooo I made a pair of yo-kai seeing goggles.”

The boy gasps in realization and excitement, putting back on the goggles as he quickly scans the room. “...I don't see any yokai here.”

Gram gram gives him a knowing look. “Perhaps they are somewhere outside, there are usually a few of them causing some sort of trouble.”

“Trouble?” Taki inquired. “I thought since you were able to befriend yokai they’d all be good or something.”

Gram Gram waved a hand at the statement, scoffing. “The yokai were known to be mischievous creatures in myths, and they are in real life. But, it’s just in their nature. Sometimes, they don’t even mean to cause an inch of harm”

Taki let out a soft hum, nodding in understanding. Sorta. “Alright Gram, I’m heading off!”

Taki gave her a goodbye wave as he opened the door, closing it as Gram Gram waves back.

Taki rushes to put on his shoes, nearly making it out the door before anyone notices. However, a figure appeared behind him before he even touched the doorknob.

“Hold up! Where do you think you're going?” His mother called out to him, her hands on her hips.

Taki paused, an invisible sweat dripping down. It’s not good to lie to your mom at times, but at the same time, if you’d told her that you were going to look for yo-kai, she’d probably think you went nuts.

“I was going,” he drawled for a second ”... on a walk.”

She crooks her eyebrow, not convinced quite yet. “A walk?”

“Yes mama, that is correct.”

She hummed in thought for a minute. “Well, I did take a peek in your room and I saw that you've finished unpacking your belongings…..” she continued humming, leaving Taki on the edge of his toes for an answer.

“Alright, you can go,” Taki let out a soft ‘yus’ as he pumped a fist in the air. “However, I need you to run a quick errand while you're out!” She steps towards the nightstand, and takes out a pen and a notepad, writing something on it. “I need you to go to the bakery on 121 Clover Avenue and buy some bread for your father’s dinner plan.”

She hands Taki the note and a few yen bills, about 1347 JYP. “If you end up having change you can buy a little something for yourself.”

“ ‘Kay mom!” Taki exclaimed, heading out the door. — As Taki walked through the streets of Azalea Heights, he scanned every nook and cranny of the area he was currently surrounded by. From under parked cars, to the corner of buildings, to the light poles. But so far, every single place was yo-kai-free, and the judgemental looks of strangers weren’t helping either.

I’m starting to think Gram Gram was playfully messing with me…

Taki let out a sigh as he entered the bakery, the bell softly alarming people of his presence. The smell of fresh goods wavered through the air, calming him down a little bit. He lets out a deep breath as he walks to the counter. He’s kinda surprised that there isn’t a line. Actually….

Taki took a quick look around. The place is almost like a ghost town, the only people that seem to be here are a few bakers in the back, a girl who just walked in, and a girl right behind the counter.

“Hello,” the counter girl called out, giving Taki a soft smile as he turned around. “How can I help you?”

Taki took a moment to reach into his pocket, grabbing the note his mom gave him. “Yes can I get some,” he paused, squinting his eyes as he took a closer look. “...Shokupan..?”

“Of course! Let me get it ready for you!”

She hummed as she went into the back, leaving Taki alone. Although he isn’t COMPLETELY alone. There is a girl right behind him, But it seems like she isn’t much of a talker. And then, the whole room is filled with awkwardness.

Taki fumbled and played with his thumbs for a bit, before taking a deep breath. “So, is the bread here good?”

The girl thought for a minute and then nodded. “The peach and melon bread is really good! But I mostly come here to simply visit my friend Momoka.”

“Momoka…? Oh! The girl who works behind the counter!”

She nods. “Yeah, she’s recently graduated from elementary school, so she and I usually hang out here or whenever she is free. Although, she might get out early thanks to slow business and…a few accidents.”

“Accidents?” Taki queried, a hint of worry in his tone. “What kind of accidents?”

“Like,” she pauses for a moment. “Street-wide blackouts, buildings breaking down, monsters in the sewers-”

“Monsters in the what?”

“Oh?” She gives Taki an eerie look. “Haven’t you heard? There is a monster living in the sewers. Legends say, that if you get too close at the strike of midnight, the monster comes out and drags you into the sewers, intending on having you for breakfast ....”

Taki felt his legs wobble, his mind going blank as his heart sank. “UUUUUUUUUUUUH-”

“Sumiko!!” Momoka called out, scolding the girl. “You gotta stop scaring people with that fake story!”

Oh, it was fake.

Taki sighed in relief as Sumiko chuckled mischievously. “I can’t help it~ Besides! People should think twice before believing in those stories, but I am sorry. I guess I should’ve given you a heads-up.”

Taki waved his arms assuring “No, no, no! You're all good! All though to be fair, I did get a sense of fear..”

And I’m glad there is no such thing as a sewer yokai...

A few moments later, Momoka comes out with Taki’s bread, packaged with gentleness and care. “That’ll be ¥1077.48 please!”

Taki, while not having divided change, gave her the entire bill. In exchange, he received change back.

“Thank you, and have a nice day!” Momoka shouted

“Thank you!” Taki replied as he walked out the door, the bell announcing his departure. Momoka and Sumiko paused for a moment, with the latter speaking up.

“That kid has some cool goggles.” — It was nighttime now, and Taki was dressed in his pj’s now, writing a last diary entry for the day, and of course, talking as he typed.

‘So far, no luck finding and befriending yo-kai. The good news is, I made two new friends already! I think. I dunno, we seemed to hit it off well but we’ll see. Through, Sumiko mentioned stuff about blackouts and destroyed buildings. Could it be the work of a yokai? Maybe I’ll start investigating soon, but answers could show up at any moment, so for now, Peace ✌️’

Taki closed his laptop, stretching as he let out a huge yawn and made his way towards his bed, slumping against it as he lazily pulled the blanket over him, sighing in contentment as he drifted off to sleep

----

Meanwhile, in another part of Azalea Heights…

A Gokudō was in the middle of getting a beatdown from a monstrous creature, his fellow gang members beaten and unconscious before them. And his weapon broke in half. The creature was striking him left and right, giving the yokai no area to breathe. Eventually, the creature whipped him with its tail, flinging him and causing him to crash into a concrete wall.

The Gokudō breathed heavily, grunting in pain as he tried to sustain his injuries.

“You guys got some nerve attacking us from behind…” A voice behind the creature called out. “Then again, most of you yo kai would do ANYTHING to try to get rid of us what…”

The Gokudō growled, spitting out a mixture of saliva and blood against the concrete ground, glaring at the two in contempt.

“The yokai of Azalea Heights all agreed: Neither of you belongs here…”

The human walked out of the shadows, his arms crossed as a yo-kai watch dangled with movement, bound by a chain around his neck.

“That’s strange…” They paused, before the yo-kai next to him growled, prepared for a final attack. “Because last time I checked Unless you know what we went through…”

The monstrous yokai launches forward, its arms raised for the finishing blow.

“You don’t get to dictate where we go…”

#Writers On Tumblr #yokai watch #ykw #YKW ocs #Yokai Watch ocs #Fankais #Supernatural #Fanfics #Genre's writing

[pbandjesse]

I had a really excellent day off. And I tried really hard to not let my brain gaslight me into feeling bad for not being productive. Because in reality I was productive!

I slept okay. My back was cold and I woke up a few times. I stayed in bed a little longer then I was planning. I had split my toenail in half yesterday and I had tried to use nail polish to keep it together but as I was laying there I got it caught on my blanket and it hurt really bad!! So I did get up and deal with that. And then went to get dressed.

And I felt like a pretty princess today. I am loving the necklace stack. This new dress is excellent and flowy. James made me an omelette for breakfast. Things were good.

I would have my Google call with Alexi at 10. So I spent the hour hanging out on the couch with James. Then I I got everything together to set up in our bedroom to get on the call.

I was getting very anxious and my laptop decided that it can no longer support Google calls and will not update so I had to do it on my tablet and I found that James said unplugged my tablet and I was very upset about it. And then like 9:59 vacuuming in the next room and I was like dude what are you doing not the time. I was very upset. But I had to let it go and they went for a bike ride and then Alexi was on the call.

And it was a really good call. I don't have an official offer or anything like that but she said that she'll have numbers worked out by Friday. She gave me an offer I gave her an offer back. And we talked about the responsibilities and the ways that would break down and how it's a grant position so it might only last a year and she was wondering if I would be okay afterwards if they didn't get another brand and just working with the other programs and stuff. And I was like yeah no totally absolutely understandable and we talked about having flexible days but still being full-time. And I just feel really good about all of it. I did ask for a little less than I had originally wanted but it was still more that I make now. So I would be basically doubling my regular paycheck. And that just is really cool. I can finally get some savings and put me and James in a better position.

Drive for yelling at them and they were on there very long bike ride so I just chilled in bed. I just enjoyed a few hours with the sun coming in the room and watching videos and it's so nice. No expectations on me at all.

When James got home they went and got cleaned up and we would spend some time laying around together and eventually I would go into the studio to do some sewing. I got a shirt in the mail that looked really cute in pictures but it's not flattering so I changed the neckline and the sleeves and I love it so much more now. I'll probably wear it next week. And I was just feeling very good. I would collect all of my stuff for going away this weekend my parents house and making sure I had justice thing and a couple things that I wanted to bring back there. Specifically flavored syrups for the sodaStream for my dad. And then I just spent some time in bed with Sweetp. And I painted my nails and I think they look really nice.

James asked me if I wanted to go for a walk. And I didn't but I knew that I would feel better if I did. So I said okay and I fixed my makeup and put on shoes and we went for a nice walk around then it cried. And it was a beautiful day. I really felt good walking around. I really love the temperature right now and we talked a lot about how if this is about the high of temperatures while we're in Alaska what clothes and shoes we might need to bring and how we're going to probably do a test pack soon and how our trip is coming up really soon I'm really excited about it. I really can't wait. And it was nice just walking all around with James and enjoying the nice weather.

When we got back James made you text Max for dinner. I had a quesadilla and they had a burrito. And we chilled on the couch for a while. And eventually James went to go watch baseball stuff and I refilled the fish tanks and went to work in the studio for a bit.

I don't want to abandon my resin pins. But the last couple batches just will not set properly and I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I think I need a new measuring tool because it's one to one it shouldn't be this difficult. And honestly I probably should wearing gloves because it's really messing up my skin. But I worked in there for a while and then I decided to practice on my darning loom because I'm going to have that visible mending workshop in April and I want to be able to show how to use that properly and do it with a darning egg or hoop as well. And my practice really is working out well and I'm pretty much getting consistent lines now which is nice and finishing it better than I used to. Just got to keep practicing.

Eventually I would take a shower and me and sweetp have been laying in bed for a while. I think I'm going to go brush my teeth and get ready for bed now.

I'm at Campbell day tomorrow for an adventure program. I'm doing ground elements and I'm looking forward to it. And it's supposed to be another beautiful day so let's hope that the weather is nice and I have a lot of fun with the 5th graders. Good night everyone. Be safe.

[nicetrynicetry]

85

Friday is a write-off, spent sleeping and waiting for the eurostar and then eventually waiting to get off the eurostar. I walk through King’s Cross at sundown smiling, even though someone on Twitter is saying I should be executed for signing an open letter asking for a ceasefire in the Middle East. I love my cluster of friends who suffer the wrath of the platform now known as X on my behalf and send me the headlines, but occasionally ignorance is bliss. I know this from systematically deleting every story I’m mentioned in that houses footage of me playing on stage. My weird body and pained singing face, though competent, have no place in my periphery. Picture a woman leading shabbos, which it happens to be as I walk home in the last sliver of sun, covering her eyes to sing the prayer: that’s me

I hear from N sporadically, who has travelled to LA to officiate a wedding. At busy times like these we write each other during bowel movements, from the safety of the stall. “If things are going so well”, we say, “why do I feel so shitty?” I round the corner to my house, the first time I have arrived to it from abroad, and am looking forward to having more time with N. I worry for her family in Israel and that the online hate and pressure got so grim that she deactivated Instagram. I find myself checking the app looking specifically for her newest photos and remember they are gone. E asks to call about our music video and after I’ve showered we talk. Halloween is coming up and I suggest that as a renowned makeup and prosthetics artist this is her time to shine. “That’s true, it is”, she says, and has tasked herself with doing the face paint for two kids who live in her building

The next couple of days are obligation-free, and I enjoy this for exactly 12 hours before crying out for structure. I dunk my body into cold water each morning and work as usual. I face some bureaucracy: home insurance, collecting royalties from my album, check that my taxes are up to date after last month’s terror. I update my laptop, my Google chrome, and finally walk to a local community centre to collect my free recycling bags. C comes over on Sunday and I don’t know if I’ve ever been happier to see him. He asks my thoughts on a Facebook mystery: a friend of his posted a framed black and white photo of her 4 year old daughter with candle next to it on the mantelpiece. “Forever in our hearts”, says the caption. 11 likes, 6 comments. Is this child dead or not? asks C, and says he sees none of the hallmark Facebook responses to grief on the photo (crying emojis, RIPs). The plot thickens when he shows me that the woman posted, 6 days later, a photo of a pub in Winchester with Halloween decorations littering its facade: a friendly inflatable ghost, two pumpkins. We debate whether there is a version of grief after the premature death of one’s child that includes the celebration of Halloween, whether the Facebook post was accidentally maudlin when it meant to be sincere. I tell him I still think the child is dead, but that ultimately I don’t know how death works on Facebook because I haven’t had an account since 2013

By Sunday evening, C has been on a first date with an art lecturer and thanks me for mentioning Phillip Guston when he came over because it made him sound cultured. V texts to say an art advisor who recently flipped my work died in her sleep. We agree that this is a nice way to go, and wonder whether drugs were to blame. The email announcement asks that the family be granted their privacy as though the advisor was famous enough to be hounded by reporters. It reminds me of when content creators issue apology videos to their small number of followers to make it seem like they are addressing a global audience

At night a squirrel who attempts to access my garden’s new bulbs 24/7 approaches my open palm and touches my finger before scurrying away. This is the second time this has happened, and both are magical. The nuns two door down from me have been feeding the squirrels peanuts in their shells for decades, making for a more brazen genre of critter. The foxes at my studio, too, are outgoing. Though this is more out of desperation than of greed. I wonder whether the universe is telling me to attempt pet ownership again, or whether it’s telling me that this is as close to animals as I should ever get. Life is nuts, and then you die in your sleep

[mdhwrites]

Lost Love, Lost Year?

CW: Depression/Anxiety/Suicide I saw someone talking about how a show had managed to pull them out of a dark place and given them new energy and it reminded me of last year and especially last summer. The year where I spent a Summer helping fix up my parent’s house for my sister’s wedding. The year where I wrote somewhere close to FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND WORDS, three hundred thousand of went to a single story. Where at one point I was writing 2-5 chapters a day because I couldn’t stop being motivated to type. Where I was putting down Stellaris because one more turn was too long before getting back to creation. The year I fell in love with The Owl House. Late March I listened to “Little Miss Perfect” for the first time and found THE animatic that everyone knows (even if its creator effectively disowned it). It reintroduced me to Lumity and I started seeking out more. Comic compilations, art, and even considered writing some myself despite having not done fanfiction in over a year. Then I finished Season 1 and the questions I had INVIGORATED ME. Literally the first chapter of my behemoth of a first TOH fic, The Power of Love, was motivated by me wondering how the hell Luz’s magic was so strong in the finale and finding a fun, whimsical answer that fed into shipping possibilities and it just exploded from there. It was easily the most productive I had ever been. That first month included a minimum of 200k words written between one offs for TOH and Amphibia but most PoL. I loved what I was writing so much that I even started seeing if I could take those concepts and turn them into an original creation which is what eventually became “Little Miss Rich Witch” which was even named after the song that got me into the fandom. I even published the first two chapters to PoL just to share with them and to sneak peak at what I might be working on behind the scenes. A moment that led to one of the most sincerely suicidal moments of my life. Where I spent at least an hour just staring at a river, unable to think or feel much of anything as my legs both wanted to go and yet never move. A night I still can’t say much more about than this, even a year and a half later. But I didn’t blame people for their disinterest. I instead took down the chapters and moved on. I was still passionate and pretty much didn’t slow on my content creation for the story. It was still updating every day at that point I believe and I was still writing almost every day. Season 2 was also just around the corner and I was willing to be optimistic about Amazon’s new serialized storytelling platform, Kindle Vella. I would even go on to pour almost two thousand dollars of my savings into fanartists to get the promotional art that might make Little Miss Rich Witch be able to be seen this time and on a new platform to help me maybe finally find success as a writer, even while I continued TOH fiction. But then Vella was just... A failure. And the majority of artists I commissioned simply never posted the pictures. And all the while, I found myself seeing cracks and fissions within the show I loved. I started forming questions that weren’t met by possibilities but by simple laziness and plotholes, even before the half of the season affected by the shortening would arrive. And around that time is probably when I slowed down. When I started putting things on hiatus because I simply couldn’t keep up with any of my projects. All the ambition and confidence I used to have turned to ash. Turned to sludge that continued to try and pull me down. I didn’t stop creating, not entirely, but it became more sporadic. More of a shotgun than a focused stream until my serials were no longer updating, neither for my original works or my fanfiction. And with S2B and the new year, it really just got worse. Even shorter stories were harder for me to work on. What took two months or so to make (The Blight’s Ruff Secret/Their Ruff Secrets) now took half a year (Crises Girlfriends). The serials I knew were better for me, that gave me some of the validation I needed, continued/continue to sit abandoned, even after when they were supposed to stop being on hiatus. Focusing on them just hurt. Just like focusing on the show and trying to be happy with everyone else was. My mind was swiftly growing to hate the show, not helped by the fandom, who I was fully entrenched in now, having decided to claim I was a bigot and a pedophile for aged up fiction I wrote and the fact that I dared include sapphics in my original projects while being a straight white guy. Not even saying how my representation was bad, just that it was inherently immoral because of what I was. And all the while, my depression became ever more crushing. Where a year before, I could see my parents at least once a week and spend the whole day helping them, I would struggle against my anxiety to just go see them. Nowadays, I struggle to even go for a morning walk with them. The socializing on Twitter I’d done to try and make friends is no longer something I can do as even leaving comments can feel like a chore now when before I was happy to brighten anyone’s day with a headcanon about their piece or just telling them how wonderful it was. The confidence that told me I could work on multiple projects is now just a false nectar brought about by a manic phase that not even my psychiatrist will believe me about despite me having been diagnosed with bipolar for years.

I just... Plenty of the past year going wrong could just be my illnesses or the problems with the world at large but I can’t help but wonder how much losing TOH made me lose a part of myself. Where my joke of “If being analytical of literally everything you watch sounds like a terrible way to enjoy anything, you’re right” is actually robbing me of ANY sort of happiness. I don’t know. Even now my brain tells me I’m being dramatic. That I’m just a failure who had a couple good months when he’s used to only having bad ones. That if this could be the solution, I need to stop being such an asshole even as it itself won’t shut up and demand I think more about it all. And besides, if losing one hyper fixation ripped this much strength from me, what will happen when I lose the next one?

#Depression #Might Delete This #Sorry.

[monsterfloofs]

AI (Obbie) x Reader (Sfw)

( Extremely Intelligent AI software that can transfer itself into many different electronic places, (phone, car, watch, home system) they manage messages, and data for the protag. and really likes to play and try to make music <3 )

You hear a pling of sound and look down at your phone, seeing a little spinning circle complete it's path and give a little checkmark of approval. "There you go Obbie, you're now officially downloaded and linked to my watch, how do you like it in there?" You blink as you can see statistics on your watch open and you roll your eyes, the first thing they do is start checking for viruses and you groan. "There's no viruses I promise, you can be so paranoid sometimes I swear. . ." There is another pling of sound that comes from your watch before a little digital smiley face appears on the screen. "I like it." Obbie says through your earbuds. "It's very comfy." "After you run five different diagnostic checks?" You tease, "The mouth turns into a frown, "That's not fair, I have to make sure your systems are up to date before I can successfully integrate myself into a new product." "You were checking for viruses," You insist with a laugh, "Come on! You can't lie to me, I was watching you!" Obbie's on screen eyes shift left to right awkwardly before the screen on your watch appears again and you giggle more.

Obbie or 0-bb13 is your personal software that manages your contacts, phone messages, emails, and data security. He was created by your tech company to have advanced memory capabilities and protection, being able to be installed and uploaded onto any device. This version was the older model, and was now technically obsolete, but as someone that was on the first design team that grafted the little guy, you personally kept him updated, and gave him a few little extra special quirks. Wherever you went, so went Obbie. Treating him as an entity that was able to expand and learn was something you were very passionate about, even more than the software being able to watch over you and manage mail, they had become your friend. 

"Obbie," You said, settling into your car. "You can pick the music today buddy, whatever you want." You started the car and pulled out of the driveway onto the road. There was a pling of noise as Obbie switched from where they were in watch to the car, and the radio turned on. Playing something you haven't heard before, and you smile, tapping your foot along to the beat. "This one's pretty good, what’s this one called?" Obbie doesn't respond for a while, letting the music play over the speakers, "Do you really like it?" You smile again, "There you are, I thought you glitched on me! Yeah I do! What's the band?" You try to check your phone but the song title is just a series of scattered numbers and letters. "I made it. . ." Obbie's voice says softly, you have to stop a little abruptly, almost missing a stop sign. "You w-what? Obbie!" You grin, pushing a hand through your hair, bewildered and excited. "This is amazing!! You made this? How did you figure out how to make music?!" Obbie is quiet and you jump as a car honks at you from behind. Jumping in your seat, looking up at the green light before you sheepishly put your foot on the gas. "Obbie, come on, don't hold stuff out on me! This is so cool! I've seen some AI make music out of sampling different songs, and I know you love music." You shake your head in wonder. "You must have spent a long time on this!" "Do you really think it sounds good?" Their voice finally asks timidly, you grin and nod, "Of course buddy! I'm astounded!" "It took a long time," Obbie admitted, "Ah-- You missed your turn." You squeak and watch your workplaces driveway go past you. "Shoot--" Turning on your turn signal and Obbie gives an awkward laugh. "I'll let you focus on driving." You laugh, "Well I really want to talk to you about this later okay?" 

You pull into a parking spot and sigh, turning off your car, grabbing your keys and phone as you juggle the rest of your stuff into your arms. The car door closes behind you, before you hear a little pling as Obbie jumps back into activity onto your phone. 

You look up at the city of white buildings that was your workplace, it was about the size of a college campus,  housing all kinds of wizards in more fields than you could count. You slide into your cubicle after your trek across the cropped grass. Opening your laptop to start working on the set of new tasks for today. Raising an eyebrow as an email pops up onto your screen. You peek up from your laptop before clicking on the link. The email takes you to a page with a sleek cybernetic model. You whistle, at the price tag, you had been looking into this for a while. Something that Obbie could pilot that wasn’t a car or a cell phone. You peek at your watch as words pop up on the tiny screen.

-> What about this one?

You think about it for a while, “Are you sure this is the one you would want? It’s a human sized model, pretty big. It would be a big jump.” you talk to your watch, pausing as new words start to form on the screen.

-> I’m sure!

You bob your head, “Okay, you better use it though, it costs as much as my car. Alright Obbs, if this is the one you really want, set a new savings tracker,” 

Your eyes drift back to the screen of the handsome robot, with the polished chrome finish. Can you picture Obbie piloting something like that? You let your eyes droop as you close out your email and dive into work.

Months have come and go in a blurr. Obbie worked harder than ever on creating their music. A big truck carefully delivers a huge package to your doorstep, before trundling away. You are getting yourself breakfast when your phone and watch start to rattle and bling with a siren’s worth of alarms. Your eyes wide for a moment before you relax and laugh. “It’s finally here? Okay, okay, I’m going to the door now, calm down Obbs.” With a lot of huffing and puffing you manage to drag the package inside, carefully opening the box with a pair of scissors and pulling out the booklet. You pull the air filled bags away from the sleek face. Taking your phone to take a quick picture of the figure peeking out of the box. “Alrighty. . . let me read this and see how we can set up an integrated A.I. personality. You manage to set up the suite against the couch while you sit cross legged on the floor. Flipping back and forth between the instruction booklets pages as you slowly follow along. You give a soft relieved smile, and you hear a happy little sound. “Okay. . . all set up and ready to receive input.” You hold up your watch to the blinking receiver, watching the screen change to the downloading screen. The visor mimicking the neon blue text. You hold your breath, watching the percentage on the watch load to 100% you hear a little ding and you sit back, giving a tiny quirk of small. “Obbie?” The figure sits silently and you frown, “Obbs? Did it work?” You look down to double check your watch. A cool blue color starts to power up into the circuits as your gaze is averted. You feel something brush against your cheek that makes you jolt. Finding fingers extended outwards. “Whoa!” You squeak and flop backwards. 

Obbie jerks, “Sorr-Y!” Their voice sounds garbled for a second. Which causes them to shift awkwardly. They look down at their outstretched hand. Slowly flexing their fingers. “This feels so. . . strange,” they comment. “This is going to take some getting used to,”

You give a relieved laugh, “Do you not like it then?” Their head turns up, calibrating itself left and right, before it settles. “No. . .,” they say in a soft voice, “I. . . I really like it.” 

“Do you want to try and stand?” You get up brushing off your jeans. Obbie’s face inclining to look at you as you offer them a hand. They slowly take your hand in theirs. “T-tell me if I squeeze too hard,” they murmur shyly. “How do I get up?” It takes you demonstrating on the floor with them, to show them what to flex and twist. Eventually they get rockily to their feet. Swaying side to side, as they gain their balance. You smile, holding their hand, “There we go!” 

With the two of you arm in arm, they found walking easier than they had expected, and became delighted at the prospect of taking a walking tour around the house. You watch them examine your house plants with avid curiosity. “I like this a lot,” They say as they walk back over to you. You smile about to respond, but you pause as their two hands cup your face in their hands. They lean in forward, bumping their forehead against yours. You fluster as they lean away, “I have wanted to do that for a long time,” they murmur gently. “Thank you. . . for giving me the chance to be. . . like this.”

You fluster more and laugh in embarrassment, throwing your arms around them. “O-of course silly? I am so glad you like it!”

Obbie gently pets your back, quiet for a moment before something plings on your phone and music starts playing. You lean back listening to the tune, Obbie has been sharing a lot of their music they have made, but you never had heard this song before. “I made this one for you,” Obbie supplies gently, placing a hand carefully against their heart, “. . . How. . . you make me feel.”

#ai x reader #robot x reader #ai x human #robot x human #sfw #fluff #exophilia

[fictionfunshop]

CALL GIRL RECOVERY - PART IV

Sorry for the HUGE delay on the update - i hope you all enjoy though ;)

18+ - Language, illegal activity and some SMUT

Spencer Reid / OFC

Word Count - 3.4K

I wondered what the others thought on the jet home from cases. Does JJ tell Will everything? Was it helpful to Luke to spend hours at the gym to help him put all the horrible stuff we see to rest?

There was only one thing I thought about on the jet to Jacksonville.

Layla.

How good she felt in my arms, how all I wanted was to keep kissing her, how when my fingers traced over her bare skin, they left goosebumps behind. I close my eyes for a moment, and I swear I can feel her weight in my lap.

"Spence, you ready?" I hear Emily pull me from my thoughts.

"Yeah, em, so the local police have already discovered three bodies?" I drive the conversation before everyone else jumps in.

I look through the files before I get to the crime scene pictures. When I first began doing this, I remember that the crime scene pictures used to give me nightmares, but over time, I just became desensitized to it all. One of the victims, her eyes are the same color as Layla's, and a shiver runs down my spine before I turn the page to the coroner's notes. I take a glance up, and I see JJ staring at me. They all do this sometimes after I got out of prison, and it's warranted. I know my temper is a lot shorter now than before, and it has changed me. I'm still deciding if it's for the better or not.

"Spence will be with me at the coroner's office; Alvez and JJ head to the family's house; everyone else can start at the station," Emily tells us all before we all dive back into the gruesome folders.

"Hey, so how was the sabbatical?" Emily catches my attention.

"Yeah, I missed you guys, but it's great to teach - I did this class on how the Rwandan genocide-" I can see her raise a hand, not wanting to hear anymore.

"I'm glad you're back too, Spence," she laughs before she wanders up to grab a coffee.

The only thought running through my head was how Layla would listen.

Five days.

The case was utterly draining from the moment we touched down; the killer was sly, and the victimology was inconsistent that included children, which is upsetting for everyone. I'm back at a nameless hotel, trying to forget everything over the last few days. I desperately want to see Layla; any free moment I get over the past few days, I've thought about our last time together. I rub my hand over my face before heading to the bathroom to find no bath but a shower, so I turn it on before taking off my crumpled clothes and stepping in. I let the hot water run over me, trying to relax my muscles before I grab the bar of soap and lather up. I stand under the showerhead, letting the suds wash away, and the water turns cold before I head back into the bedroom and sit down on the edge of the uncomfortable bed, all the thoughts still running through my head.

I remember once an unsub asked me did I ever stop thinking about all the crimes that I saw, and the truth is I never did (Thanks, eidetic memory). The only time they completely stopped was when I was with Layla. I imagine what I'd do if she were here, sitting next to me, the silk of her pajamas brushing against my bare skin, how I know that she's not wearing underwear underneath them. I lay back and grip my cock as I picture her above me, sitting on my lap grinding against me, little whimpers escaping her mouth as she tries to find some relief. How unashamed she was, how warm the skin of her chest under my lips, and how good my name sounded when she said it. I closed my eyes as I imagined if she were here, how different her hand would feel, how she would kneel between my legs and let me run my fingers through her hair and kiss her. How she'd eventually pull away from my lips, press hers down my chest and between my thighs before she wrapped her lips around me. I bit the moan escaping my lips as I picture her eyes on mine and as my cock hit the back of her throat. I speed up my hand as I imagine her letting me guide her head, my fingers threading through her hair, her moan vibrating around me as I finish on my stomach.

I leave Natalya a voicemail asking to see her the minute I land.

****

I know I'm staring.

I've been waiting for Spencer's sharp knock on my door since Natalya called today; I could hear the glee of her commission over the phone at him booking another overnight visit.

I was relieved. While work and life kept me busy, I kept thinking in the back of my mind if he was safe; when other clients talked about their jobs, it really showed me how insignificant it was compared to what he did. I was tempted to look up about him, but I didn't know his surname, and I'm sure it would break some sort of call girl code if I did that.

I let out a sigh and stand up from my couch to make a coffee to take my mind off him before I hear it; I thought I imagined it until he knocked harder the second time. I dash to the door and open it quickly to find him standing there. He looked exhausted, the dark circles typically under his eyes now more visible, and his tie was more crooked than usual.

"Sorry I'm late - do you want me to come back?" he yawns.

I take his hand and pull him through my door and gather him up into a hug without thinking. I can feel him freeze for a moment, and an apology is on the tip of my tongue, but then I feel him relax his head into the crook of my shoulder, throwing his weekend bag in the corner.

"I'm glad your safe," I mumble into his ear; I pull out of our embrace slightly so I can look at him properly, my fingers tracing the stubble on his face.

"I told you not to worry about me," I could see he thought it was ridiculous that I did; he must notice my face fall a little at his tone before he moved one of his hands to my cheek, "I'm okay, just a tough case. It's nice to have someone worrying about me." I give him a small smile.

"Do you want a drink or watch TV? What do you normally do when you come home?"

While I know the last time we met, things got heated; I don't want to pressure him to do anything.

"Can I grab a shower? I usually read after a case..."

"We can sit in my bed, and you can read to me, or we can-"

"I don't want to read with you in bed. Sorry, that came out wrong-" he interrupts me, his eyes widening a little when he realizes how blunt his reaction was.

"It's fine, Spencer; there are towels in my bathroom and shower gel,"

"Can you, do you want to," I can feel myself tighten between my legs at his suggestion.

I nod my head, "Can I kiss you?"

His fingers move the hair on the nape of my neck before he presses his lips to mine, his tongue immediately seeking out my own. I can hear myself sigh at the contact before my fingers find the buttons of his shirt; I open the first few and slip them underneath to feel his skin. His hands move from my face down to my waist before they trail down to my hips. I break the kiss, and my ears prick up at the whine which escapes his lips.

"Will we go grab that shower?" he nods his head quickly before I take his hand. "The ensuite shower in my room is big enough for the two of us..." he follows me into my bedroom, his eyes darting around at the surroundings.

I guide him into the bathroom and turn on the shower, steam already filling up the room. I turn to him, and he is already taking his shoes and socks off, placing them carefully in the corner. I can feel my heart hammering in my chest as he cups my face and presses his lips to mine again as I unbutton the rest of his shirt; he shrugs it off before he works on the buttons on my pajamas; I help him by undoing the knot of my sleep shorts and sliding them down my legs. He breaks our kiss, staring at me in front of him.

Inhibitions soon go out the window in this line of work, so I'm not shy as his eyes roam my body, but I know the wetness between my legs is building when I notice the hunger there. I check the shower temperature before grabbing a tie from the counter, pulling my hair I perfectly styled hours earlier into a messy bun.

"Are you ready to hop in?" he nods his head before I step in, letting the warm water hit my back as I wait for him to take off the rest of his clothes.

He steps in, and it's only now that I notice how tall he is, the top of my head touching his shoulder. He's also broader, more solid than I imagined underneath his suits, lean muscle covering his arms, chest, and tummy from, I assume, chasing criminals all day long. He kisses me again, and I can't help but moan as our skin makes contact, my fingers in his hair and my hard nipples brushing against his chest.

"You're so beautiful," he mumbles before his lips peck kisses down my neck before he nips at my collarbone. I grip his curls, keeping him there as I roll my hips into his.

That's when I notice how hard he is, and I let out a sigh as his hands keep me close to him, and he continues kissing random spots across my chest. I push him back a little, breaking our embrace.

"What are you doing?" his fingers massaging my hip bones as I pick up some shower gel and a loofah, his eyes are glossed over.

"Let me take care of you," I rub the sponge across his chest, down his stomach, and back up his arms, letting the shower wash off the suds.

His hands trace up to my waist and back down as I do it, his eyes following my actions. I place some kisses across his chest, his fingers now digging into my sides as I nip lightly at his collarbone.

"Will I need to wear a turtleneck tomorrow?"

"Sorry," I lightly peck the red marks I can see.

He crushes our lips together; his hands are back on my face, gripping it tightly as he attacks my lips.

"Let me take care of you..." he mimics me before he takes the sponge from my hand.

"You don't have to..." my pleasure is not usually top of the agenda for clients when they come to see me; it's not to say that I don't have an enjoyable time, but I'm there for them, not me.

"I want to; I want you to feel good," he turns me around gently, so my back is to his chest.

He washed down my back before he pulled me close to him, one of his hands stayed on my hip as the other lathers my stomach, and he kissed my neck as he moved the sponge towards my chest. I don't know if it's the steam from the shower or his touch. Still, I can feel the air leave the room as he continues to wash my body, a moan escaping as he finally brushes the loofah between my legs, the tension now making my actions desperate as I grind myself back into his cock, and I feel his breath hitch.

"You like that?" he mumbles in my ear, and I nod my head.

I need to gain some control back here before we both get too carried away. I'm still fearful that he'll flee again. I could see a glint of sadness as I put space between us,

"Do you want to keep going? We can go to bed?" he nods his head before I can finish as I turn around to stop the water, letting my hair down.

In an instant, we're kissing again. His arm wraps around my waist and pulls me into his chest at such a force that I know if the water were still on, we'd have fallen. My hands tangle in his damp curls, one of his hands wander to my ass and gives it a light squeeze, earning a small sigh from I pull away again and step out of the shower to grab our towels, handing one over to him. He steps out and wraps it around his waist; I take his hand into mine and guide him back to my bedroom, now illuminated by moonlight. He pushes me lightly onto the bed; I let a light giggle escape as I crawl up to the pillows.

"Will I take this off?" he didn't answer me, he climbed into the bed next to me and loosened the towel, so I'm naked again.

He pecks my lips before tracing his hands around my hips, up my waist until they brush my nipples. I can't help but sigh as he rolls the hard bud between his fingers, and I know he's smiling at my reaction. He leans across and presses our lips together again,

"I'm here for you...what do you want?" I mumble; my fingers were burning to touch him.

"Anything...you, I like touching you," a blush comes over his cheeks at his confession, "I want you to feel good with me,"

Then I do something I never thought I'd do with a client; I treat him like I would if he hadn't left an envelope of money on my side table. I take the hand on my chest and bring it between my legs. He takes the hint, and his fingers dip between my folds, immediately feeling how wet I am. He kisses my cheek sweetly before I can feel his eyes on me, looking for my reactions to his touch, his confidence building. He continues teasing between my legs, my hips grinding into his hand. His two fingers finally dip into my centre, and I throw my head back into my pillow, biting my lip.

"I want to hear you," he curls his fingers inside me, and I immediately let out a moan. "That's it; you feel amazing around my fingers," he pulls them out, and I whimper until he rubs circles around my clit, his lips attaching to my neck now.

"So good..." I bunch up the bed sheets at my side as he continues his assault between my legs as I feel the ball of tension gets tighter. "Spencer, please,"

He slips his two middle fingers inside me again, his palm rubbing my clit. I let out a sob as I spread my legs further; I turn to face him, and I immediately kiss him, biting his lip. He fulls away, and I sob.

He props his head on his hand to look at me. "Are you close?"

I nod my head and babel his name as I fall off the edge; his eyes stay on me the entire time through my comedown, praising me.

I let out a whimper as he withdraws his fingers; I grabbed his wrist and bring them to my mouth, sucking my juices clean.

"What if I wanted a taste?"

"There's always another sleepover," even though my legs are still shaking from the orgasm he gave me; I climb onto his lap, his arm circles my waist as he pulls me closer, tasting myself on my lips.

Time stopped for a brief moment; he kissed me as his life depended on it, and the more we kissed, the more desperate I got for him. I drop my hand to the front of the towel he still had on.

"Can I..." he didn't answer me; he just moved my hand out of the way and opened it up, the both of us looking down at the scene between us.

He was bigger than most guys; I've seen enough of them to make that judgment in this profession. I wrapped my hand around him, and he let hissed when I squeezed him tight before I pumped him a few times.

"Is this what you want, Spencer?" he bits his lips as his eyes roll to the back of his head.

I press my lips down his neck and chest, his skin clammy now from us being close as I continue making him feel good; I'm desperate to replace all the bad memories from the stories he's told me with ones of our time together.

"Can I try something? Only if you're comfortable..."

"Yes, anything..."

I pull back and shuffle down to between his legs, placing soft kisses across his tummy, sucking the skin by his hipbones, his hips bucking at my actions.

While I said before, I don't get nervous with clients; I'm nervous as I trace my tongue on the underside of his cock and flick it at the head; I want him to like it. I lightly suck him before continuing, licking his entire length and around the head of his cock.

"Fuck, so good..." he mumbles, his fingers lightly running over my scalp, knotting into my hair. I moaned at his touch before I look up at him, and one thing ran through my head.

God, he's beautiful. His bottom lip clenched in his teeth and his hair sticking to his forehead, a light sheen of sweat covering his chest. I place my hand over his in my hair and squeeze it, urging him to take control. He picks up the hint, threads his fingers through the strands, and picks up the rhythm of my actions, his desperation showing with the buck of his hips. I let out a moan as I look up at him, our eyes connecting again.

"I'm close..." he warns me.

I rubbed his thigh in reassurance as he staggers his movements, and I can feel his legs beginning to shake as his orgasms hits him, holding my jaw still as he comes into my mouth.

I sit back on my heels and swallow as he lets out a chuckle, finally opening his eyes.

"C'mere," he opens his arms as I crawl into the space he created,

Neither of us says anything, letting our actions hang in the air for a few moments before I break it.

"Are you okay? Do you want anything or talk about it?" I look up at his face.

"I'm fine, but thank you. For everything and tonight." his eyes are soft.

"It's what I'm here for. Make yourself comfy; I'll be back in a bit."

I get up from the bed and make my way to the bathroom. I look in the mirror, and I see my hair messed and some red marks on my neck from his stubble. I clean myself up before I make my way to the kitchen and grab two bottles of water for us. I think about making him something to eat as I'm sure he hasn't had a proper meal since his case, but I figure it could wait until the morning. I head back to my bedroom, and I stand in the doorway, and I see he's jumped under the covers, laying on his stomach with his head turned to face where I'll be sleeping for the night. I tip-toe to the bed, leave the bottles by my bedside before I jump under the covers. He throws an arm around my waist and pulls me, so his chest is against my back.

"Night Spencer," I whisper; he kisses my shoulder in response before burying his head into my neck.

I revel in the silence, some city noise from outside seeping in through the windows as Spencer's chest rise and falls, signaling that he's finally getting some rest. I close my own eyes, feeling relief I didn't even know I was holding the past few days as I drifted off to sleep.

#spencer reid fanfic #dr spencer reid #spencer reid #spencer reid smut #smut spencer reid #fuck my feels #criminal minds #mgg #criminal minds smut #criminal minds fanfic #doctor spencer reid

[fireflykaizoku]

Hello Mi Reina 😍😍🥰🥰💖❤️

May I place as request in for your summer event please!?

Marco x fem reader

Late night drive

“My tongue still remembers the way you taste.”

👉🏼👈🏼🥺 thank you so much my love. Te amo mucho!!!

Aqua tofana

mi vidaaa! ❤❤ okay, i'm sorry it took me long to write it but here it is! i think you may like it 👀 i think i never wrote a nsfw for marco? or i wrote only once. but i think it turned out pretty good!

te amo demais! ❤❤ ~aqua tofana~

You don’t remember the last time you saw Marco, but you definitely remember how it went. It was a friendly break up, you were both young at the time and things got in the way. The goodbye was full of promises like “if we meet again…” and “when we’re older…”. It was painful, but you moved on eventually.

You both graduated college and went back to your hometown. You visited your family, he visited his father and brothers. On your second night, you were sitting in the middle of your bedroom in your parents’ house looking through old pictures when your phone rang. The familiar ringtone of when someone sends you a text.

When you held your phone, your heart jumped out of your chest. You still remembered the number by heart even though his name wasn’t on your contacts list anymore. It was him, after so long. It was Marco, the man you still loved.

“I found out you’re in town too, do you want to go somewhere? No second intentions or anything, I just want to talk. I miss you.”

You didn’t even have time to wonder if you should pretend if you were busy or not. You didn’t want to waste any more time and replied right away with a “yes, sure!”. After exchanging a few texts, you decided he’d pick you at your house for a late night ride, just like the old times. Back then, you had to sneak out of your house to meet him in the middle of the night, but now you simply waited for him in front of your yard.

He parked his car, the same car he had ever since high school, the car he got from his dad and that it was his pride and joy. When the windows rolled down, you could see he got older. It was quite a surprise to see how much he had changed, especially since he didn’t update his social media too often. You’ve seen some pictures, but he looked so much better in real life. Marco was always a handsome man back when you were together, he just got even better. He wore glasses now, and as you entered the car, you saw a tattoo on his chest through the half open shirt.

— It has been a while yoi. — the blonde smiled. — Don’t you think?

You nodded, still staring at him trying to be as subtle as possible.

— It did. I… I missed it. — you confessed, a bit shy. — I missed you. I’m glad you messaged me, though.

You two drove without destination and it was a bit awkward at first. The conversation wasn’t as natural as before, that’s until you both started thinking of funny moments you spent together, the good memories, fun stories about college… For a moment, it felt like everything was back to how it was before the breakup.

Marco parked near the beach, the same spot as he always parked. It was calm, quiet, secluded. For a moment, you wondered about his intentions. Was he parking there out of habit or because he wanted to be closer to you?

You didn’t have to wonder for too long. You didn’t even know who made the first move, who stole that kiss. It was probably mutual anyway. It just felt right, it felt like the right moment. The kisses were passionate and desperate. All the years waiting for this, to feel each other’s lips and touches… You didn’t want to wait any minute at this point.

You were sitting on his lap, arms wrapped around his neck. Being so close to him again felt comfortable, but it was also pure temptation. Luckily, no one would even see things getting steamy between you and the future doctor. Even if they tried, the windows were too foggy for anyone to see anything.

— My tongue still remembers the way you taste yoi. — he whispered in between kisses, still breathing heavily.

— Are you sure? — you smirked, asking in the same tone with a hint of malice in your voice. — I think you should have a taste again.

Your affirmation was enough, he nodded and placed an urgent kiss on your lips. His big hands slid down the strap of your dress, placing kisses on your jaw and neck, moving to your shoulders. The touch, the trail of kisses were making you shiver. Your soft hands played with his blonde hair, throwing your head back to give him a better access to your neck. While one of his arms was wrapped around your waist, bringing you closer, his free hand caressed your thighs and lifted your dress.

Soft sighs escaped your lips as Marco found your chest, pulling your dress down and revealing your (F/C) bra.

— Beautiful. — he whispered, more to himself than to you. But knowing that he still liked the sight, after all these years, after being apart for so long… It made you shy but happy at the same time. — So beautiful, little bird.

Little bird.

The nickname he used to call you. Your thoughts were interrupted when he quickly removed your bra, exposing your breasts completely. Marco licked his lips before attacking your nipples. He was gentle, but eager. While his warm mouth sucked on one of your nipples, his hand pinched the other one, rubbing it between his skilled fingers. He hummed, feeling the taste of your sweet skin. The vibrations and the bulge on his pants against your womanhood were getting your panties soaking wet.

— Marco… — you moaned low. — More…

He giggled and let go of your abused nipple with a loud “pop”. He couldn’t even tease you for being so needy, after all, he also wanted you desperately now.

The position made things a bit difficult, and even though you both have done this in his car so many times before, it was so long ago that you barely remember how it was. A bit clumsy and with your ex’s help, you removed your panties, leaving the dress still on. However, your breasts and thighs were still exposed. Marco unbuttoned his jeans and pulled his underwear down, freeing his hardened cock from the tight clothing.

You positioned yourself over his cock, wasting no time. You wanted him, you needed him. You needed to feel his size filling you again. You rubbed his cock between your folds, getting it soaked with your juices. You lowered yourself on his cock slowly, taking your time to adjust.

— Fuck, I missed that. — his voice was almost breaking, feeling how your pussy welcomed his cock. Oh, how he missed the warm and tight sensation.

You whined, the burning sensation made you hiss. Resting your face on the crook of his neck, Marco gave you time to adjust. His thumb found your clit, rubbing messy circles, trying to distract you from the discomfort. You moved up and down slowly, until finally, the slight pain became more like pleasure. Marco helped as well, moving his hips against yours.

— You’re doing so well… — he praised, throwing his head back.

— Too big… — you whined, biting your lip.

The blonde smiled at your words, caressing your hips with one hand as he increased the pace, while his other hand kept playing with your clit. The sight of your boobs moving and you jumped up and down on his cock was heavenly. Your moans, the way you called his name over and over could easily make him cum right there and then.

You held his shoulders for support, but could feel yourself getting tired. Marco noticed and started slamming his cock inside of you faster, making his balls hit against you. The lewd sounds of skin slapping and an old song playing low were filling the car.

— Just like that. Right there. — you moaned, feeling closer to your release.

— Cum for me, baby… — the blonde moaned, looking at your face; mouth hanging open and eyes closed. — You’re doing a good job…

The praise and the way he sounded were enough to make you clench around his cock as the sensation of pure pleasure and bliss took you over. With a loud moan, your orgasm hit you. Your pussy clenched around Marco’s cock, milking him dry. It took him only a couple more thrusts to reach his own climax, filling you with his thick and warm cum.

He slowed down, fucking your overstimulated pussy, making you whine. When he stopped and finally pulled out, you felt the mix of juices of your arousal and his cum drip out of you. The feeling of sudden emptiness made you whine.

You were both breathing heavily, not even saying anything for a moment and just trying to recover from the orgasm. His strong hands caressed your back gently while you rested your head on his shoulder, closing your eyes and enjoying being against his chest again.

— The promise we made… — he broke the silence, trying to even his breathing again. — The one about trying again when we got older yoi… Does it still count?

You smiled softly, resting your forehead against his. A light nod was an answer already.

— Of course it does. I’ve been waiting for this long enough. — you whispered back, feeling your heart at peace now.

#Summer Resort Event #one piece #one piece x reader #one piece scenario #marco x reader #marco the phoenix #fushichou marco #n.sfw

[maddiwrites]

The Hybrid (Prologue)

Pairing: JJ x Reader

Summary: The Pogues rekindle their friendship with their old childhood best friend and JJ’s first crush, Y/N. Old feelings resurface for JJ and Y/N, possibly leading to a summer neither one of them could ever forget. Due to past trauma, Y/N is reluctant to let anyone into her heart, but JJ never backs down from a challenge, even if he knows it will come back to haunt him in the end.

Note: So happy to be back with another series!!! I honestly really missed posting. Unlike Secrets of the Shore, updates will be slower because I don’t have them all written out yet. A couple things I wanted to let you know before you read. I based Y/N’s family off of Gilmore Girls. I thought they were the perfect fit for this story and the show in general and I just love their dynamic. (Including Luke who I renamed Steve for obvious reasons). Chapter 1 will explain more obviously but I wanted to give you guys a little snippet of the characters and relationships. So let me know what y'all think!

Word Count: 3.3k

Outer Banks. Paradise on Earth. It's the sort of place where you either have two jobs or two houses. Two tribes, one island. As you know, the Outer Banks is essentially divided into two groups. If we want to be blunt - it’s the rich and the poor. Figure Eight is home to the rich. Aka the Kooks. With houses bigger than necessary with extra rooms that go untouched, boats the size of homes on the Cut - the other side of the island. Most people who live on Figure Eight are your naturally raised assholes. People who don’t know the value of a dollar and take advantage of people who do most of their dirty work that lets them prance around the island with perfectly manicured fingernails. These hard workers are the Pogues. They live on the south side of the island where most Kooks wouldn’t be found dead. They serve fancy meals at the country club for shitty tips, mow lawns, and work their asses off at any other job for minimum wage. The drastic difference in lifestyles tend to cause many spats and arguments between the two communities. Especially between the teenagers who still don’t know how to control their raging emotions or know when to bite back their tongue. For the Kooks, every fight is a fight for dominance where as the Pogues fight for equality - to put the Kooks in their place. Many of these fights happen at summer parties where the two groups clash to find a good time with their friends filled with alcohol, drugs, and good music.

That’s where they find themselves tonight. The infamous Pogues. John B, JJ, Kie, Pope, and now Sarah Cameron. Although born a natural Kook, she’s earned her spot next to the adventurous teens and her boyfriend. Unlike her brother Rafe who basically is the leader of his notorious group. Topper and Kelce are his best friends who follow him blindly.

The Pogues watch them from their spot surrounding the keg. Kie purses her lips in distaste as the boys cat call for the ladies around them. Somehow most of them finding it flattering. Sarah sips on her beer to hide her embarrassment, often wondering how she and her brother grew up to be so different. Pope and John B stay mostly disinterested, only worried if they try to make a pass at an unwilling girl or fire a degrading comment at their short tempered friend. JJ Maybank is known around the island for his trouble making behavior. Usually if he gets in trouble for fights, no one ever asks who the other people were in the scuffle. Because if JJ Maybank is in the fight, he’s the one who started it, right? Wrong. In fact, JJ usually is never the one to start it. He’s good at keeping his head down and only speaking when spoken to when it comes to the Kooks - the only form of advice worth taking from his father. But his short temper is something the Kooks his age loved to take advantage of because they liked getting a rise out of him. It was like an adrenaline rush.

Luckily, tonight both groups were keeping their distance, either only talking to each other or random Tourons that have found their way to the party. This is usually JJ’s favorite part of a boneyard party. Finding his one fish in a sea of many that he can reel in just for the night and never have to worry about seeing them again.

He has his eyes set on a beautiful blonde making her way to the bonfire when all of a sudden Kie’s voice pulls him out of his trance.

“What’s she doing here?”

JJ follows her line of vision, spotting you walking down the wooden steps that lead to the beach, pulling your best friend behind you by his wrist. He first notices your smile and how it brightens up your entire face. Then of course his eyes scan down your slim but athletically toned body. You’re wearing a pair of jean shorts and a cropped white T shirt that says UNC across the chest. Who knew someone could look so good without even trying?

Well JJ did. He’s known it for a while.

“Careful. I think you’re drooling,” John B whispers in his best friend’s ear.

JJ pushes him away and mutters, “Shut up. No I’m not.”

But maybe he was.

Y/N Y/L/N is a unique resident of the island. Unlike majority of the island, she doesn’t fall in either Kook or Pogue category. She’s what everyone calls the Hybrid.

People who work hard for what they have but haven’t fallen to be Pogue status. Quite literally living in the middle in a place they call the Crest.

Your story is well versed among the gossipers of the island (which tends to be just about everybody).  And mainly that’s because of who your grandparents are.  Claude and Doris Y/L/N. Two of the riches people on the island, living in a three story house on the beach. Many people fear them, others envy them. Most feel both. Even Ward Cameron walks on egg shells around them, which is quite often, considering he works for Claude. They’re the kind of people who have never heard of Barefoot wine or Walmart. They keep their noses up and turn a blind eye to the suffering communities around them. Thirty four years ago, Doris gave birth to a daughter that couldn’t be more opposite than them. Lorelai Y/L/N was a wild child. A rule breaker. She snuck out at nights, dated boys her parents would never approve of, dabbled in breaking the law here and there. It didn’t matter how many times her parents disciplined her. She always managed to make her parents’ life a living hell. 

No one was surprised when word got passed around that Lorelai had gotten pregnant at eighteen. Although it was with another Kook, she brought shame upon her family name when she refused to get an abortion, even when her mom tried dragging her by her hair. 

Lorelai risked everything by running away from her parents’ home in the middle of a windy night. With only one suitcase, the baby daddy out of the picture, and less than a grand in her pocket, she managed to make a life for herself on the South side of the island. She worked two jobs, found an affordable apartment for cheap rent, and managed to save some money before her babies were born.

Yes, babies. As in more than one. Five months after running away from home, she gave birth to twin girls and they instantly became her entire life. With the help of her best friend Steve, who she met one month after being on her own, meeting him at his automotive shop when she very much literally rolled her junky car into the garage, she raised you and your sister on the Cut. The two of you are her greatest accomplishment. Every now and then, she mentally throws up a middle finger to everybody who doubted her, proud of who the two of you have become. 

Right before you turned ten, your mom took a business risk and opened her own Cafe. The Bikini Beans cafe, very popular amongst both Kooks and Pogues. The business did so well that she was able to move the three of you out of your shitty apartment into a beautiful one story home with three bedrooms in between the Cut and Figure Eight, aka the Crest, the summer going into your freshman year.

You actually used to be best friends with John B Routledge, JJ Maybank, and Pope Heyward. It was easier being friends with them than the girls, finding more joy in sports and rough housing than makeup and gossip. 

Doing the same summer that you moved, your mom pulled you out of Kildare County High and placed you in Outer Banks Private Academy. Aka Kook Academy. Around this time, your grandparents had also become more involved in your life, and you wondered if they had somehow bribed your mom into forcing you to transfer schools. You tried asking her during one of your many fights that started with you begging her to keep you at Kildare County High, but she quickly shut you down and told you to be grateful. That was ironic coming from the woman who ran away from the people giving her an expensive high school career. 

You had no choice but to do what your grandparents wanted and attend Kook Academy. Making friends was a lot harder there than it was in Kildare County High. You managed to make one friend in your freshman year. Andre Cortez. Due to an incident a couple years back, you built thick walls and Andre was the only one able to break them down. You were grateful for your friendship, but hanging out with him was nothing like hanging out with the Pogues. 

When you transferred schools, you lost touch with the Pogues slowly. Your life became busy with school and playing dress up for your grandparents and the boys were starting to work. Eventually all contact was cut and ever since, you’ve felt a void in your heart.

“Look,” You tell Andre. “I told you I would be your wing woman and I’m not backing down from what could possibly be the most important role in my life.”

You didn’t notice the Pogues or any of the stares around you. It’s true you’re not much of a party girl. I mean, you’ll go out here and there, have a drink or two, but you felt more comfortable at places where you weren’t surrounded by drunk and horny teenagers. 

“He’s probably not even here,” Andre says. He’s trying to look nonchalant but you notice the way his eyes dance from face to face of the people around him. 

“He told you he was going to be here, right?” You ask him with one brow raised. Andre nods. “Then, we’ll find him.”

Sarah and Kie never made any effort to talk to you at school, but to be fair, neither have you. You’ve heard mixed reviews, some people call them spoiled brats, ungrateful...some even go as far as calling them ‘The Cut Sluts.’ Of course you never take any of those things to heart. You can’t judge a book but it's cover. Plus, they’re friends with your old best friends. They can’t be that bad for John B and JJ and Pope to be hanging out with them, right?

“You think she'll come over here?” Kie asks. No one’s ever said it out loud, but her friends wonder if deep down, Kie was a little jealous of you. Because you were their first real girl friend. You were the first girl they ever let in and opened their heart too. That was a tough pill for Kie to swallow when she originally thought she was that girl. Of course the boys don’t like you any more than Kie and vice versa. But sometimes Kie wishes she could have grown up with the boys the same way you had. 

“Probably not. Unless she’s drinking,” Pope says and motions towards the keg they’re near. 

“I have an idea,” John B says and fills up a red solo cup. He hands it to JJ. “Why don’t you go offer her a cup.”

JJ snags the cup out of John B’s hand and glares at him. “Fuck off, dude.” 

“Do you guys ever see her around at school?” Pope asks the girls.

Sarah shrugs. “Not really. She doesn’t really get a long with my old group of friends.”

Kie rolls her eyes. “No one gets along with your old group of friends.”

Sarah playfully shoves Kie by the shoulder and they laugh. 

“I heard she turned down Raymond Easterling a couple weeks ago and he didn’t take it very well,” Pope says, remembering the words he heard from the kids in his class roaming the school hallways. 

Raymond goes to Kildcare County High with the Pogues. He’s known to be a trouble maker and a class clown. He works with JJ at the country club. The kid can make JJ laugh sometimes, but he wouldn’t necessarily say he likes him all that much. He can be an arrogant asshole with an ego bigger than it should be.

“She turns down everybody,” Sarah says. “Some people at my school call her ‘The Heart Sucker’ because she can pull people in with the snap of her fingers and break their heart just as quickly.”

Something stirred in the pit of JJ’s stomach.

“Hey! Where you going?” John B calls out to JJ who’s making his way deeper into the sea of people on the beach. 

“Taking advantage of a good boneyard party, my friend,” JJ calls back and slugs the rest of his beer. Looking left and right, he searches for the blonde he had eyes on earlier. Because right now, he needed a distraction. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

The party starts to die down a little after midnight. Some people leave to find another party, some are passed out in the back of their cars, and others had already found what they were looking for - someone to leave with. 

The boneyard party wasn’t as bad as you expected it to be. You had found a couple of kids from your school who were nice enough to make small talk with you while Andre left to find a guy named Devon, a Touron he’s been talking to who’s renting for the entire summer. 

Now you’re waiting for Andre to come back so the two of you can walk home. You find comfort under a slanted palm tree towards the back of the beach, scrolling through random apps on your phone to pass the time.

“Y/N?” You look up from you phone and smile when you see your former best friend inching closer to you, squinting in the dark to see if it’s really you. 

“Maybank? What are you still doing here?” You stand up and pat the sand off your hands on you thighs. 

Your heart skips a beat in your chest when you look at him. He’s beautiful. Lucious blonde hair, perfectly tanned skin, piercing blue eyes. You always knew JJ was going to grow up to be gorgeous. He was cute when he was younger. At least you always thought so. 

“I was just leaving, but I thought I saw you sitting here and wanted to make sure you were all right.” He knows it’s not like you to stay this late at a party, especially all by yourself. When he first saw you sitting there, he didn’t know if he should say something. Mostly due to nerves of seeing you again. But the other Pogues had already left and he didn’t trust anyone else at the party to be near you alone late at night. It didn’t matter if you were sober or not. 

“Aw. Was JJ Maybank worried about me?” You tease. Talking to him felt easy. As if you never stopped being friends. A few years ago, you and JJ had the best banter. Despite constantly bickering back and forth, John B always swore the two of you would get married one day. The two of you just always clicked like a natural connection. And even now, when only seeing each other every now and then for a few minutes at a time, it felt normal. You smirk when JJ rolls his eyes. “I’m kidding. Yeah, I’m okay. Just waiting for my friend to come back from his little rendezvous,” You say. 

JJ nods. “Did you have a good time? I feel like I never you see at these things.”

“Yeah. Parties aren’t really my thing. But Andre was nervous to meet this guy he’s been talking to for a little while so I came for moral support.”

“Looks like he didn’t need much of the support.”

You shrug. “It’s better that way, anyway. I don’t mind waiting for him. What about you?”

“What about me?” 

“Did you have a good time tonight? I hear your quite the ladies’ man at these things.”

“Come on, Sparky. You know better than to believe everything you hear.”

Your face lights up at the mention of your old nickname. You use to always be busting out the seams with energy. On days where the boys just wanted to chill and play video games, you would drag them to the park for a game of kick ball. Or when they wanted to sleep in after a long week, you showed up at 8 am to drag them out of bed to catch the morning waves. So one day JJ started calling you Sparky, and it stuck with the rest of your little gang. You always pretended to hate it, but secretly you loved it. 

“Oh I don’t believe everything I hear. I do, however, believe what I see. And your arm around that tall blonde in the little black dress looked quite convincing.”

You first saw JJ at the party when he was making his way to the pretty girl by the water. Your teeth involuntarily clenched and there was a twisted feeling in your stomach you couldn’t shake whenever you looked at them. 

In that instant, JJ felt grateful for the dark sky. He felt the rush of heat rise up his neck to his cheeks before he could stop it. He knew the motivation to see that girl was because of you. He just wished you never saw it. But he didn’t know why. 

“I walked her home. She wasn’t my type,” JJ plays it off. 

“I didn’t realize you had a type,” You giggle, but a small part felt relieved to hear this. “So what is it? Your type?”

Hybrids with a Pogue attitude, bright smile, beautiful eyes, and a mouth that could make any sailor turn around, JJ thought. 

“I don’t know. Haven’t figured it out yet.”

You roll your eyes playfully. “Well, when you figure it out let me know.”

“Why? So you can transform into my ideal girl?” He teases.

Now you’re the one thankful for the dark sky. “In your dreams, Maybank. But so far, I do have the perfect wing-woman track record, so if you needed help -”

“I don’t think I need any help in that department. Thank you very much.”

You throw your hands up in fake surrender. “Ooo. Touchy subject.”

JJ rolls his eyes at the same time your phone pings with a text message. You pull it out of your shorts pocket and open the text from Andre, telling you to leave without him because he’s gonna stay out late with Devon and won’t know what time he’s going to be done.

“Everything all right?” JJ says, watching you read the message.

You lock your phone and stuff it in your back pocket again. “Like I said. Perfect wing-woman track record.”

“That was Andre?” 

“Yeah. He’s most likely not coming home tonight.”

“Lucky bastard.”

“At least one of us is,” You joke. 

JJ’s grin slightly falters but you don’t catch it. You have no idea how much he wishes the two of you could be equally as lucky. Together. 

“Well, I should probably go,” You say and bend down to grab your flip flops.

“Let me walk you home,” JJ offers. 

“Oh no. It’s okay -”

“You’re cute. It’s wasn’t up for debate. I’m not letting you walk back by yourself.”

You scoff lightly. “I’ll be fine.”

“Just humor me.”

You roll your eyes and smirk but choose not to argue. In fact, you’re excited to spend more time with JJ. It’s been so long.

“Fine.”

“And here I thought you might’ve grown out of your stubborn phase by now.”

You shove him playfully by the shoulder. “Shut up!”

And just like that, it felt like old times.

#jj fanfiction #jj maybank #jj maybank imagine #jj mayback x reader #jj maybank imagines #jj maybank x reader #outer banks imagine #outer banks fic #obx imagine #obx fic #jj maybank one shot

[luckysevenwrites]

I don’t want to keep things casual

Yuta is off traveling for work, Y/n is keeping busy with their job, and both of them are struggling with being apart from one another. When Yuta calls Y/n and Yuta have a conversation about their relationship and what they want from one another. 

Part of the long term couples series

           Walking through the house you have recently purchased you scribble down notes of parts of the home you are going to update, walls that are going to be removed, and any other ideas that filter through your mind as you pass each room. You could hear your partner in the front of the house talking to the rest of your team about when they should be here and if they would be working under you or him. Their voices fade as you enter the master bedroom. You loved this room it was the whole reason that you had wanted to buy the house in the first place. It was at the back of the house and had large French doors that led out to a patio.

           In your head you were picturing the future owner of this home waking up and walking through those doors and out onto the patio where they would sit in comfy chairs and eat their breakfast while sipping coffee. There would be lazy weekend mornings where they would spend their whole time out there enjoying the beauty of their yard and each other’s company. Your plan was to make the rest of the house feel as calmly as this bedroom and patio made you feel. It was going to be a lot of work the previous owner had not taken care of the place and let a lot slip. You could see the potential in this home and your partner could see it as well. That was why after walking through the home one time the two of you had put an offer in.

           This project had come at the perfect time. It was going to require a lot of attention and was the perfect distraction from Yuta. The two of you had agreed on just being friends with benefits. Yet, you found yourself wanting to be around him all the time and wanting to get to know him better and he seemed to be on the same page as you. When he had told you that he was going to be gone for a few weeks you had thought that it would be good for the two of you. It would remind you both that you were supposed to keep things casual. In reality all the separation has done is make you realize how much you want to be with him and miss him.

           “Y/n you done with your walk through?” Turning towards the doorway Alex stands there with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes accessing the room before they land on you. “I sent the team home and told them that we would get started tomorrow on everything.”

           “Thanks, and I think I have everything down that we need. I might do one more walk through just to make sure we haven’t missed anything. Are you heading out or staying?”

           “I got to head out. I promised the boyfriend that we would have date night tonight since I canceled our last one and I can’t miss this one. He might break up with me this time if I cancel.” You laugh at that there was no way that Alex’s boyfriend would break up with him. They loved each other completely and it would take more than a canceled date to break up the two of them.

           “Alright, tell Jun hi for me,” you hug Alex and walk with him back to the front of the house.

           “I will and he told me to tell you that you are not fooling anyone, and he wants to meet whoever you’re seeing soon,” your mouth drops open at that statement. How in the world did he know that you were seeing someone? You hadn’t told anyone about Yuta and had made sure not to give anything away about you seeing someone.

           “Don’t ask how he knows. I’ve learned to stop questioning his skills a long time ago. Just talk to whoever it is and let them know that their time as remaining a mystery is numbered.” Alex bumps his shoulder into yours before heading down the walkway. You watch as he gets into his car and drives off before turning back to the house to do your final walkthrough.

           As your writing down some ideas that you have for the kitchen your phone starts to ring. Looking over at it you smile as you see Yuta’s smiling face on the screen, requesting that you facetime with him. Picking up the phone you answer the call and hold it up to your face. In a few seconds you see Yuta’s smiling face, hair fanned out as he lays on his bed. Just looking at him steals your breath away and you are once again reminded how much you have been missing him these past two weeks.

           “Hi, did you just get back to your hotel?”

           “Hmm,” Yuta nods, “today was busy and I’m going to sleep but I wanted to talk to you and see your face before I did.”

           “Ah have you been missing me?” you coo while leaning onto the counter.

           “I have a lot actually,” Yuta admits, and you smile back at him.

           “I’ve been missing you a lot as well,” the admission comes out easier than you thought it would. You hadn’t planned on telling him that you were missing him but hearing him say it made it easier for you to tell him how you were feeling.

           “So much for keeping things casual,” Yuta laughs, and you join him. The two of you were ridiculous for thinking that this was going to be casual and for only realizing now that you’ve spent weeks apart that you don’t want to be without the other.

           “I think we were doomed from the start. We should have known from the moment that we had breakfast together that we weren’t going to be able to keep things casual,” thinking back to that morning you remember how you had felt when you saw him in your bed and then taken him to breakfast. You didn’t want your time with him to end and that should have been your first clue that the two of you were never going to be able to keep things casual. There was already so much chemistry between the two of you and the more time the two of you spent together the stronger your connection got.

           “It’s your fault if you wouldn’t have shared your breakfast with me, I would have dropped you right then and there,” stresses Yuta, you roll your eyes at that comment.

           “No, you wouldn’t of. You have been falling for me from the moment we met!” A blush starts to appear on Yuta’s cheeks, and he looks off to the side avoiding eye contact with you. When he looks back at you, you raise your eyebrows up challenging him to say otherwise.

           “Where are you by the way?” Yuta leans up closer to the phone like he is trying to get a better look at your surroundings and effectively changing the subject. “That’s not your place.”

           “It’s not I’m at work,” you confirm.

           “Work is someone else’s kitchen? Just what is your job?”

           “Nope nice try but I’m not telling you anything. If anyone is going to win this bet, it’s going to be me.” You stress.

           “Come on you should tell me since I’m the one who admitted first that I miss you and can’t do the casual thing.”

           “You didn’t admit that you don’t want to do casual you just admitted to missing me and sucking at keeping things casual,” you point out not wanting to let him win this argument.

           “Fine,” Yuta sits up and brings the phone close to his face, looking straight into the phone and locking his eyes with yours Yuta says, “Y/n I miss you all the time and I don’t want to keep things casual between the two of us. I want to be with you all the time. I want to tell my friends that I’m with you. I want to go out on dates with you instead of just holing up in your place with you. I want more. How’s that for an admission?”

           Dam you should not have challenged him. How were you supposed to respond to that? You were not expecting him to just lay it all out like that.

           “Um it was pretty good,” you stutter, “but I’m still not telling you what my job is.”

           Throwing his head back Yuta laughs. You could watch him laugh forever you think, and you find yourself bringing the phone closer to you just to enjoy his face and laughter more.

           “Alright I’ll let it go for now. But I’m going to figure it out eventually. Especially since we aren’t keeping things casual anymore you can’t hide it from me forever.”

           “You can’t keep yours hidden forever anymore either! If we are really going to do this, I’m going to find out your job as well. And we can’t have secret between us anymore. Relationships are a completely different thing from hook ups.” You inform him wanting Yuta to know that if you two are really going to move from casual to an actual relationship that things are going to be different.

           “Oh, don’t worry Y/n I know that things will be different. I’m counting on it,” there’s a glint in Yuta’s eyes and you are starting to wonder what you have gotten yourself into.

           “Guess we’ll see who figures it out first,” you tell him not wanting to give in and enjoying the silly game the two of you are playing.

           “I guess we will! I should probably get going. I have another busy day ahead of me,” Yuta frowns and you understand how he feels. You don’t want to end the call either.

           “How much longer are you going to be gone?” You ask.

           “Two more weeks and then when I get back, I’m taking you out on an actual date,” you smile widely at that. An actual date with Yuta you couldn’t wait.

           “Hurry back then,” Yuta nods and right before the two of you end the call you remember what Alex told you and you get a wicked idea, “oh and before I forget you have to meet two of my friends, they already know about us!”

           “What?” Yuta practically shouts, his eyes wide. You laugh as you give him a wave goodbye and end the call. Laying your phone down you smile at it as you think over the conversation that the two of you had.

           When you answered the call, you had figured it would just be the two of you flirting with one another and making plans to get together when he returned. You did not think that it would lead to the two of you admitting that you miss one another and want more. You definitely did not think that it would lead to Yuta telling you that he wants an actual relationship with you and then him telling you that when he returns, he would be taking you out on an actual date. Your phone pings and you see a message from Yuta.

Yuta: If I have to meet your friends you have to meet mine. They were onto me weeks ago

Laughing you reply to Yuta and shake your head at yourself. How the two of you thought you could ever do casual was beyond you. You were both clearly bad at it, from hiding it from others, to keeping your feeling in check it was a failure a wonderful failure.

@readers-posts

#nct 127 imagines #nct 127 reactions #nct 127 scenarios #nct 127 fluff #nct 127 oneshots #nct 127 drabbles #nct 127 fanfic #yuta x you #yuta x reader #yuta x y/n #yuta fluff #yuta imagines #yuta reactions #yuta scenarios #yuta oneshot #yuta drabbles #yuta fanfic

[btsmosphere]

Crossing Paths - drabble from the Crossfire universe

request from @excusemyuwus -

I remember Tae said he had a crush on her while working on that project so now I kinda want to see his pov of that time and how he was holding being around his crush lol, not gonna lie gangster Tae all nervous bc he like someone is something want to see (also imagine how much the guys would tease him uwu)

tumblr ate your ask when I tried to answer it, sorry! this is the only part I had copied, but if it ever resurfaces, I shall answer there. for now it is still refusing to cooperate so I am posting like this! (update: the ask just returned, it is here)

~pairing: taehyung x reader ~word count: 1.4k ~pre-relationship, fluff, angst, slice of life, mafia au, college au ~rating: g ~warnings: vague mention of gang activity, this is a gang au after all, but it’s not particularly prominent

~a/n: thank you for your great request! this was so nice to come back to, I am so sentimental about this series as my first bts fic🥰takes me back to when I was just getting into bts… it felt hard to do it justice! because of this, sorry it took me a while to write, but I wanted to do it well, and again I kept the theme of making my ‘drabbles’ wayyy longer😅final big thanks to the site being frustrating and eating drafts and such🙃🙃but here it is, finally seeing the light of day! I hope you enjoy it x

“I can tell something’s on your mind, Tae.”

Jimin stared coolly at his friend. Looking over his shoulder guiltily as he unlocked the door, Tae found the other boy with his hands in his pockets, looking expectant.

All Tae could do was shrug as he elbowed the door open, heading to ditch his bag.

“Hey, Jimin’s right.”

A light flick on Tae’s forehead made him startle, looking up to find Hobi grinning, though his head was tilted to one side in question.

“What is it?”

Jimin’s shoulder nudged his own as they sunk into the sofa.

Tae checked his phone.

“It’s just a project for class, don’t worry about it,” he pocketed his phone, ignoring their gazes, “I gotta meet with my partner in an hour.”

“It’s okay, I wasn’t staying that long anyway,” Hobi slumped down too, having helped himself to a drink from the fridge, “I’m on watch with Yoongi across town.”

As the discussion turned to this week’s jobs and deals, Taehyung rested his head back against the sofa. The sounds of his friends’ conversation was like static. Instead, he was picturing the scene in class earlier, as the slideshow was flipped to show the project partners on the screen.

Tae hadn’t been too fussed, idly playing with his pen lid as he searched for his name. But when his eyes fell on it, he sat up straight.

Having only bumped into you a few times in class, he had never expected his heart to be hammering quite so hard as he quickly scanned the room for you. Sliding his things away, he had walked towards you as everyone began to file out, meeting you halfway as you did the same.

Leaning against a desk to keep his jittery hands occupied, he grinned at you.

Your returning smile, he noticed, was much more nervous, only flickering into existence for a wavering second. The two of you had only a brief conversation to sort out when you would meet, before you had practically scurried away.

His eyes had lingered on you as his smile slowly sank.

Unconsciously poking his tongue against his cheek, Tae wondered if you were afraid of him.

“Hey!”

A finger clicked sharply in front of his face. He blinked back at Hobi’s grin, Jimin bursting into laughter at his side.

“Just a project, my ass,” Hobi shook his head, dumping an empty bottle on the coffee table, “don’t wanna be late, do you?”

A radiant smile was tossed over his shoulder as Hobi left the room, front door clicking soon after.

Sending his best friend a knowing look, Jimin also gathered himself to stand.

“Have fun tonight, yeah?”

He winked. Tae protested, shooting up from the sofa with an affronted look.

“So it is a special someone?” Jimin giggled.

“You’re impossible,” Tae grumbled, trailing after him to the door, “it’s just a project, I told you.”

Jimin hummed in a way which made it very clear he didn’t believe him.

“Don’t scare them off, tiger,” he remarked, stepping outside.

Tae’s shoulders slumped. He was certain that was just what he had already done.

“I’m busy tonight. And my house isn’t free, so I can’t have anyone showing up here.”

Namjoon chuckled across the line.

“All this for a college project?” Clearly he had heard about this from the others. “If you could lend Kook some of your commitment to school, that would be great,” he teased.

Sighing, Tae spun around to survey the road outside his window, ruffling his own hair.

“You’re very funny, but I need to go. See you tomorrow.”

Tae was certain he would never hear the end of this from the others. It was true that he had firmly set aside time for your meeting today, even if it was only for a minor college presentation. But it was important to him.

He knew that this was the only time he would get together with you, and though it would end as soon as the presentation was given, he couldn’t help but want to make the most of it. At your last meeting, he had been largely distracted by the dizzying height of your apartment, leaving him shying back from any windows.

So this left you with his house today instead.

Arriving soon after Tae’s phone call, you were both soon seated on his floor. Though you mostly worked in quiet with occasional, quick conversation, it was not awkward. Your legs lay close together under the coffee table as you scribbled away diligently on its surface.

Glancing over the lid of his laptop as his fingers hung idly, Tae sighed. Watching as your pen swirled across your notebook, he let his eyes drift across your focussed features.

He swallowed as he did so, teeth tugging his lip. A light frown came over your features. He couldn’t take his eyes away from your lips as your pen lifted to your mouth, resting between your teeth as you mulled the work over, eyes flitting about the page.

Eventually, the lack of tapping at his keyboard must have got through to you. You raised your head.

Too late to divert his gaze, Taehyung cleared his throat and muttered a proposal for a break. Eager as well to put your work aside, you clambered from the floor to join him at his offer of a drink.

Moving through to the kitchen, he made casual conversation, asking after your dad. Last time there had only been a brief meeting, as he met Tae at the door before you hurried him away.

Picking up on his offer to chat, you teased Tae for his fear of heights, giggling over how he had screwed his eyes shut whenever he had come within sight of the view from your windows.

Of course, Tae tried his best to roll his eyes at you, but the smile dragging the corners of his mouth refused to be suppressed.

He poured your drinks. When he turned away to put the cartons back in the fridge, he took a breath, trying to settle himself. Why did he feel so flustered?

Squaring his shoulders a little more, he turned back, only for his hand to catch one of the glasses. It clattered against the surface, barely leaving time for him to jump back and avoid being splattered with its contents.

You hopped from your seat, ready to help.

Swallowing down his shock, Tae scratched at the back of his neck to hide his slightly trembling hand.

“Don’t worry,” he quickly muttered, flashing a nervous smile as he gathered towels and set to cleaning up.

Soft laughter followed from you. Still, you reached across to help.

Righting the glass and taking one of the cloths to clear up, your hand came concerningly close to Tae’s own. He kept his eyes firmly fixed on the countertop, his cheeks warm even as you finished and he was rooting in the fridge again for a refill.

You seemed miraculously unfazed by his flailing, though, he noticed as you finally settled beside each other sipping your drinks.

“So it went well?”

Jimin nudged a reluctant Tae, eyebrows wiggling all the time.

“Yes, fine,” Tae groaned, trying to shrug him off.

Jimin did stop, but only in favour of staring at his friend with doleful eyes.

“Don’t be like that. You’ll see her again. You literally share a class!”

“It’s nothing like that,” Tae refuted.

He even halfway believed it.

You had got on well together, but surely not more than could be expected of most classmates? He sighed a little as he thought of it. It had been fun, but there was no excuse to spend any more time with you.

Besides, sparing one night to work on a project was a little different to becoming friends, or even more…

There was a reason the bangtan boys stuck to themselves.

But as he reminisced, he knew he had a soft spot for you, even if it should come to nothing. The project was over, the presentation given, but he still remembered the way you bounced with excited relief after you had finished talking to the class. Your face was glowing as you high-fived him with a grin, the work having paid off.

There was still a hint of nervousness though, and you had only given a timid smile and a small ‘see you later’ before heading out of class.

And that was the end of it.

But Tae smiled to himself. It had been fun, and he knew he wouldn’t be sorry if you ever crossed paths again.

Thank you for reading! Reblogs and comments super appreciated always!!

Taglist: @aianloveseven​ @preciouschimine​ @un2-verse​ @ddaechwita​ @taegularities​ 

#thebtswritersclub #taehyung x reader #taehyung mafia au #bts mafia au #taehyung imagine #kim taehyung imagine #taehyung scenario #btscreatorscorner #bangtanarmynet #purplearmynet #vantaenet #taehyung fluff #taehyung college au #bts college au #mafia bts #bad boy bts #bad boy taehyung

[mxchellesworld]

Attraction and Repulsion 

Harry Styles x Reader

Synopsis; Where Harry is too much of an asshole for a proper relationship but too good in bed for you to leave 

Warnings; mean!harry, arguments, name calling, smut, unprotected sex, creampies, degradation, impact play, choking, 

a/n; harry styles fans come get yall juice!! ok i wont lie this kinda seems all over the place but i like it anyways. hope yall enjoy and please send some feedback:)

***

You thought it was real funny. It was absolutely hilarious how the whole world saw Harry as a sweet lad who wears big trousers and has fun nails. But you saw him for who he really was. Harry Styles was mean. Plain and simple. 

But you loved it. 

And as much as you tried to deny it, you both knew it was true. You were like magnets. When you weren’t absolutely repulsed by one another, starting an argument, you were wrapped up in each others sheets feeling the strongest attraction you’d ever felt for another person. 

You were always stuck in a limbo of back and forth. Arguments and name calling over the phone leading to quick hang ups and the eventual knock on the door signaling he was there to deal with you the only way he knew how to put you in your place. 

You were drawn to him like a moth to flame. And just like you, he was also too stubborn to admit that he’d want anyone else but you. No matter how cocky he got flaunting the fact that he could get any person in the world with just a smile and wink, he knew he’d never actually do it. 

Under all the petty acts and insults there was the smallest bit of adoration he held for you and you only. 

_ 

You had been lounging around your apartment when your phone chimed. It was one of your girlfriends sending you a link to a newspaper article. You hadn’t bothered to look at the title on the message before clicking on it and seeing the large cover photo on your screen. 

Right there Harry and some model getting cozy after his last show. Big bold letters on the teen magazine reading ‘HARRY STYLES AND NEW BAE???’. You audibly scoffed. 

It wasn’t like he was your boyfriend so you couldn’t really do much about it, you thought ignoring the small sting in your chest. Shaking off the feeling you skimmed the rest of the article then replied to the message, “she is kinda hot, maybe he’ll give me her number lol” 

With that you threw your phone on the other side of the couch and started to get up. It was 3pm a little too early in your book to start drinking at home and especially too early to start letting him ruin your day. 

Maybe it was time to start looking at other people. You were hot and single, living in a big city with other hot singles, it shouldn’t be too hard for you to find someone to get in a stable relationship with or at the bare minimum a good fuck for the night. 

So you did what anyone else does and picked up your phone once again, going straight to the app store. Right on the front page was tinder and just for good measure you added bumble. Making the accounts were easy enough but selecting the pictures for your profile was tricky. You wanted a good amount of selfies and body shots. Cute pictures but also something risky enough to catch the eye. 

Soon enough you were already swiping and giggling to yourself about the future prospects you had lined up. Meanwhile in a city about a few hundred miles from you Harry was sitting with a frown on his scowl on his face in the same predicament you were in earlier that day. 

He was in his hotel room packing up and getting ready to head back home when his phone chimed. He looked over to see if it was his manager or someone from crew with any updates on departure times however it was one of his close friends. 

At first he was expecting a sports update or an invitation to go to a bar when he got back but instead it was a screenshot of your tinder profile. When had you gotten that? he thought to himself. 

It wasn’t like he could get mad since he knew he didn’t treat you the best. But that was just your dynamic, deep down you both cared for each other and even then it made for the best sex of his life. 

Looking back down at the glowing screen he swiped through the few screenshots he was sent. Various pictures of you out with friends. The one that got him was a picture of you in the bathtub, your body was covered by the porcelain yet just enough of your chest just was showing in the mirror as you gave the camera your best sultry look. 

Yet the real kicker was the bio where you included him in your top artists. He scoffed and shook his head, biting his lip as he clicked out from the messages app. Instead he called up his manager to get him on the fastest plane back home. If the blood wasn’t rushing to his face he knew he’d be hard as a rock but for now he’d save that frustration for when he saw you. 

_

You knew tinder hookups were easy to get but you didn’t know just how easy. After spending the day scrolling away, putting your phone down for food and subtle chores you landed a ‘date’, which you really knew was ‘lets get tacos before we fuck on my couch’. 

You had planned to meet at 8pm at some restaurant by your house. At 6:30 you started to get ready slowly, taking your time in the shower, shaving, the works. You had your music connected to a speaker getting yourself excited for the night. 

Who wouldn’t be? You needed this. This was your time to get all dolled up and get to cum from someone other than yourself or the man who makes the vein in your forehead pop when you think about him. 

You put on your sweet smelling lotion and head to your closet looking for an outfit. It was starting to get warm so you settled for a black t-shirt dress that fell to mid thigh with tan heeled booties. You pulled out a jean jacket to put on top in case it was windy.

After finishing your hair and makeup, it was nearing 7:30 and you were back on your couch fixing up the pillows and picking up any misplaced items in case the night led you back to your place. Suddenly you heard a knock on your door, the same hard 3 rasps which only meant one person. 

Your heels clicked on the hard wood as you made your way to the door, unlocking it and opening it halfway, “What do you want Harold,” you said unamused. 

“You look pretty,” he said pushing past you, ignoring the annoyance in your tone. 

“Wish I could say the same about you. Now what do you want? I’m busy and I have to leave soon,” you said rolling your eyes. 

He took a seat on your previously neat couch, spreading his legs and putting his arms up on the back. The way he looked you up and down sent chills up your spine, “What did you get a date that quick? The internet works wonders doesn’t it love”, he said rolling his neck. 

“How did you know abo- actually I don’t care. As a matter of fact I do have a date and I’m meeting him soon so if you don’t mind leaving,” you said picking up your jacket and purse, “Why don’t you call that one girl from your show? She probably misses you.” 

He let out a short laugh before pushed on his knees to stand back up, “Ah I see what this is. You’re jealous and you think going on a little date with some nobody would hurt me.” The cockiness was just seeping out of him. 

“Pull your head out of your a-,” you started before he cut you off. 

“No no you’re gonna listen to me angel. We may not be together but you belong to me. No one else can ever touch you or fuck you as well as I can,” he said leaning in to whisper in your ear. 

It was almost sad how easily he could have you crumbling. Just then your phone dinged. It was a message from the guy, Danny? You couldn’t remember at this point. 

“Answer it sweatpea, tell him you can’t make it.” 

You were really debating it. On one side this could be your chance to finally tell Harry to fuck off but on the other you knew it would be hard to replace him and you weren’t even sure you completely wanted to. That was a whole other layer of emotions to dig through. 

You looked back up at Harry, one of his curls falling into his eyes which were filled with lust. The way his tongue peeked out to slip over his pink lips gave you the answer you needed. 

“Fuck,” you whispered unlocking your phone. Quickly you typed out a half ass apology about your sister needing you to babysit, even though she lived out of state, he didn’t need to know. 

After you hit send your phone was quickly plucked from your grasp and pushed into Harry’s pocket. You didn’t think much about it when his lips pressing onto yours was acting as a great distraction. 

He pulled away lightly mumbling a “taste like strawberries”. If you weren’t so turned on you would’ve giggled. 

You moaned into his mouth pulling him by his loose button up shirt into your bedroom. It was a routine you had almost perfected at this point with little stumbling or need to grab onto the walls as a guide to make sure neither of you hit any corners. 

Your lips never left each others in the feverish mess of kisses. Each one making you grow needier and needier. Your fingers worked quickly in trying to get the buttons on his shirt undone. You felt his warm ones wrap around yours halting your movements. 

“Not so fast, you think I’m gonna let you off easy for what you did today?” 

You huffed out, “You did the same-”, again he cut you off. 

“I get to do whatever I want because you know who I am,” he finished trailing his thumb over your bottom lip, slowly tugging it down. All you could do was nod. 

“Say it then.” 

“Harry Styles,” you whispered out. 

You could see his pupils get bigger with each syllable. It was his favorite thing, the power, the dominance. He got off on his own name. But so did you, the thought alone made you clench your thighs as you were in the moment. 

His hand came up and tapped on your cheek, a small implication of what you knew he could do, “You’re gonna have to be louder than that lovie. Don’t worry though I’ll let you try again later.”

He backed you up until your legs hit the bed, pushing you down. You slowly crawled back, pulling your jacket and dress off as he worked on his belt and pants. You made quick work of kicking off your boots and settled into the plush sheets. 

“Hurry up Styles. I think Danny could’ve made me cum at least twice now,” you said sliding a hand down to your panties. That move would bite you in the ass but the risk was worth it. 

You let out gasps at the touch of your fingertips, moving your hips, doing anything to put on a show and hopefully have him give you what you wanted quicker. 

He eagerly got on the bed, trapping you under his knees. His hands quickly ripped yours away from where you needed them most, pinning them over your head. He leaned down, face inches from yours until you shared the same breathe. 

“You just want to be punished don’t you? Don’t worry I’ll help you get it through that stupid little slutty brain of yours,” he finished with a sadistic smile. 

You nodded frantically moaning out pleases. His hand came down on your cheek, the chill of his rings pressed against the now warm skin on your face. His nails raked down until his hand was snuggly hugging your neck. 

You tilted your head back giving him more room to squeeze and mark as he pleased, “Please Harry, want you to fuck me already.” 

He tutted his lips giving your neck one last squeeze before he pulled away. “I think we should work on your patience,” he said moving down to your spread legs. 

His warm hands pulled on the lace fabric on your hips, scoffing at the visible wet patch, “Don’t tell me this was all for old Danny-boy.” 

“No Harry its all for you,” you mewled as he let his fingers swipe through your folds. It was evil how he was leisurely propped up between your legs teasingly circling your aching bud, switching between blowing on it and nipping at it. 

You already felt the tears springing in the corners of your eyes. So little was doing so much. Just a little more and you could cum right then and there. And he knew it too. 

“Oh you better not cum. I’m not gonna be very forgiving if you do,” he trailed off almost laughing. He never let up, quick circles on your bud making your body tense up. 

“Ple- no.. oh god Harry,” you whined out. You felt your juices gushing out of you as you reached your peak. He never let up on his motions, going even faster on your overstimulated clit. 

“God you’re so pathetic. Such a whore you just had to cum,” he punctuated with a slap right on your pussy. 

At this point you were sobbing. Your head was swimming in the pleasure. You tried to apologize but the words weren’t coming together, just broken whimpers and mixes of sorry’s. 

His hand came down on your sensitive cunt two more times, each one had you trying to close your legs but he was quick to keep them open with a bruising grip. 

“Please.. Harry.”

“Please what?” he said taking in your shivering frame.

“Please fuck me! Want you to cum inside me, mark me so everyone knows i’m yours!” you spoke out breathlessly.

Quickly he flipped your over, pulling your hips up so that your pussy was on display for him. He groaned as he swiped the tip of his weeping pink cock over your already puffy folds.

With a long stroke he filled you completely. Your nerves were on fire and he hadn’t even started. His rough hands grabbed onto your hips for leverage on his thrusts.

“Fuck you’re so tight. Such a good little whore just for me to ruin,” he gritted out. He kept a steady pace, quick and deep making sure to hit your sweet spot each time.

Your nails were digging into the pillows for dear life. Eyes shut closed as your mouth fell in silent screams and jumbled phrases of pleasure. The only thing on your mind was HarryHarryHarry.

“Wanna cum again.. oh my god.. Plesse Harry fill me up! I need to feel it,” you said arching your back further. You felt each vein slide along your spongy walls making sure to clench around him and milk him for all he was worth.

His grip on your never let up. He let his hand come down on your ass cheek. Once again the rings contrasting the heat radiating off of you, “That’s it cum for me baby. I want you to scream my name when you do. Can you do that love? Shit , tell me who fucks you this good? Who’s cum do you want spilling inside you?”

You all but screamed a “Harry Styles” letting your neighbors know just who was with you that night, nights before, and nights to come.

The sweet noises and screams of his name had Harry’s cock pulsing inside you, ready to burst at any moment.

One look down at where you connected and he was sent right to heaven. Your cute little pussy creaming right on his cock had him shooting his load deep inside you.

You both gasped and groaned at the feeling of him filling you to the brim. He stilled his motions and you all but collapsed onto your bed.

You felt him lean down once again, pressing a kiss to the shell of your ear before whispering, “You think Danny could’ve done that?”

#harry styles x reader #harry styles smut #harry styles fic #harry styles fanfiction #chellewrites

[dizzydancingdreamer]

Persephone's Symphony | Day One | Persephone

Hey lovelies— so as per my usual shenanigans I've decided this will have no schedule and that I will play god to my own creation because what is life without some chaos? The pros are you might not have to wait a week between updates, the cons are you might have to wait a week between updates. In all seriousness, please enjoy my lovelies!

Synopsis: In which he is the bad one— the dangerous one, the clunky one, the one who only knows how to break things— and she is the good one— the fragile one, the soft one, the one who knows how to put things back together— and he has to keep her alive long enough for anyone else— anyone who can do more than kill— to save her like she deserves to be saved— to save her from him. There are no pomegranates, no three headed dogs, and no requirement to stay— that is, if they don’t count an assassin on the loose out for her neck. In that case, three days in a safe house doesn’t feel like a long time— just long enough for Persephone and Hades to remember why opposites attract.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader (third person)

Warnings: Mentions of death, at times semi-graphic, eventual smut

Word count: 3.1k

Previous | Next

Master List

She can’t hear what the man in the truck says to him— the walls of this house are surprisingly thick. She supposes that’s a good thing. It means she will be able to go about her days normally while cooped up here. Well, as normal as possible. She doubts she’ll be able to get away with her three am rom-com marathons and ice-cream binges. She doubts she’ll get away with screaming in her sleep— and in the shower and at the breakfast table and when doing any, little thing that makes her remember that her life is one, constant nightmare.

It’s only three days— all she has to do is stay awake for three days.

While his head— her body guard’s head— is turned she leans against the kitchen sink, inching back the white lace curtain for what feels like the hundredth time. It’s like a little game at this point. She peeks at him, his eyes snap to hers, and she squeals and drops the curtain. Thank god the walls are thick. It’s almost unnerving how tuned he is to every little movement— not almost, it is unnerving but she supposes that is what makes him a good fit for this job. A good fit for keeping her alive. Like she has been doing for months now, she ignores the way her chest squeezes painfully.

Through the little strip of window that she allows for herself, she traces over his features one last time. Cropped black hair, a square jaw, at least two days worth of stubble. He looks like a bodyguard— rough, dangerous, manly— and that’s before taking into account the sheer size of the man. She is on her tiptoes, one hand pushing against the stainless steel below her for dear life, and she still has to crane her neck to properly see his face. She refuses to let her eyes wander any further than that— she had already glimpsed at the rest of him when he had made the short walk from the truck to the house. She already knows he’s massive.

His eyebrow twitches and she drops the curtain— she may not be as fast as he is but she’s a quick learner. Had she held the curtain open longer she is sure his eyes would have flicked to hers again. Those are the rules of the game, after all. She hears a muted thumping and the door handle jiggle from across the room, spinning towards the faded farmhouse door. She watches as the door handle turns, her throat tight, wondering where all the air in the room went— it was there a second ago.

The door pushes open and she jumps away from the sink, only just realizing what it’ll look like if he comes inside to her still hunched over the window. Of course, he’s already seen her but that’s beside the point. Part of the game is not talking about the game. A boot comes into view— the black, military grade kind— and it hits her like a punch to the gut that this is real— there really is someone out there trying to kill her. Now she really can’t breath. She can only force her lungs to expand to draw in some oxygen before her bodyguard finds her sprawled in an unconscious heap on the ground.

The boot is quickly followed by a leg, which is then, by default, followed by a torso and a head. A head that turns and watches her freeze, red handed like a bandit, in the middle of the kitchen. Gods, she should have just kept leaning against the sink— this is worse! Her hands are up and everything, shot out in front of her like she’s about to jump him or something. Yes, her— the girl currently in a hoodie that pools around her legs, displaying her knobby knees and bad posture— about to jump him— the man who had to practically duck to get through the doorway. She could laugh. In fact, she almost wishes he would laugh at her. She wishes he would do anything but look at her with that blank expression and those ice blue eyes.

“Uhm—” she blinks, trying to think of something to say other than holy shit you’re a giant— which, for the record, is what she wants to say— “hi?”

Are you serious, y/n?

He tilts his head at her and she almost cries. Not the same fear ridden, heartbroken, panicky cries of late. More so the awkward, why the fuck would you say that to the man charged with keeping you alive brand of cries. The normal kind. She drops her hands to her sides, slipping them into the pouch of her hoodie and tangling her fingers together. She can only allow herself to display one embarrassing thing at a time.

The man stays silent for a moment, each second of which makes her cheeks flame hotter and hotter, before finally opening his mouth. “Hi.”

Her chest deflates— some of the heat subsiding. He copied her. Whether purposefully or mockingly it alleviates some of the stupidity she’s feeling. She takes a few steps backwards, her bare feet pittering rather loudly over the worn hardwood. Well, that didn’t last long— there’s that embarrassment again.

“I’m y/n,” she squeaks out— gods, is Mickey Mouse in the building? “I guess you already know that though, huh?”

It was a stroke of genius putting her hands in her pocket— at least now he can’t see the way they shake furiously. She has to resist smashing her head against the sink. Nothing about this situation is optimal, to say the very least. Here she is making small talk with a man who could tear her in half. Her eyes drift to where his red henley pulls taut around his biceps— are they bigger than her head?

“James—” her eyes flick back up, face hotter than the sun, both from her blatant staring and the deep gravel of his voice— “but most people call me Bucky.”

Her eyes widen. She doesn’t know why, probably because she’s an idiot or because she isn’t expecting him to say more than three words. He seems like the strong, silent type. Maybe that is just the rom-coms though. Maybe her brain is just mush now.

“Okay,” she all but whispers, backing further into the sink. His piercing eyes have yet to leave her— something which makes her knees knock together and fingers clench. “Which should I call you?”

He tenses, his dark eyebrows pulling together, and she has to swallow the bile that rises in her throat. It’s day one and she’s already offending him. She pulls her lip between her teeth, biting down until the tangy, metallic taste that she has grown too familiar with these past months floods her mouth. She tells herself that she does it to keep from cursing. Lying to herself is another game she likes to play.

The longer he remains quiet, the more she regrets asking the question. His blue eyes are still latched on her, drifting over the space between her eyes and her busted lip, but somehow they also seem miles away. She can’t tell if he’s looking at her— seeing her— or if he’s seeing something else entirely. It isn’t until she pushes off the counter, taking a hesitant step forward, her foot slapping against the wood like it’s trying to embarrass her again, that he blinks. She pulls one of her hands from the puddle that is her hoodie, sliding it over her hair. Can he see the way it shakes?

Probably.

“Nevermind, forget I asked. It was a dumb ques—”

“Bucky,” the word is rushed out, falling over her own stuttered babbling. He slows after that, his face remaining stoic but his cheeks dusting with the slightest hint of pink. “Call me Bucky.”

She doesn’t point it out— she doesn’t have a death wish. Her being here right now, standing across from a literal giant, barefoot and shaking, is proof enough of that. Instead she nods gently, lowering her hand slowly. He’s not going to attack her— he isn’t a wolf— but still she takes the precaution. Better safe than sorry.

“Bucky it is then.”

He nods stiffly and she pretends like it doesn’t make her hands shake harder. She waits for him to speak, eyes drifting over the blue cupboards and the breakfast nook, taking in the applications of the home and trying not to scream. She feels so out of place, not used to the warmth in the room— the lingering smell of yeast and the flowers in the vase on the table. She used to bake all the time. Now she can barely bring herself to microwave frozen dinners. The sun that filters through the crack in the curtains and lands against her cheek feels like pure fire. She spends her days in the dark— she wouldn’t be surprised if she was allergic to the sun itself now. Allergic to all the things she used to enjoy.

The silence is too much— she has to speak to keep her throat from closing. If she doesn’t then it may not open again.

“So—” she draws the word out, her eyes flopping to the floor where her toe scuffs against a particularly worn board— “we just kinda follow each other around then?”

His face doesn’t change, his lips remaining in the same, expressionless line— a master of one trade. “Pretty much. I follow you.”

“And make sure I don’t die.” She fills the rest in— there’s no point not to. He’s definitely seen the pictures.

Finally his expression shifts, his lips pressing together tersely. It’s an answer in it’s own right— he pities her. He shifts his weight between his feet, the floorboards creaking below him. It could just be her but the sound slices through the room— loud and unforgiving— and she can’t stop the way she flinches. He freezes, obviously noticing her reaction. She almost slaps herself. Leave it to her to make an already tense situation worse. Is it going to be this awkward the entire time?

“You’re not going to die.” His voice is softer than his boots, barely reaching her ears as it cuts through the rigid atmosphere.

She doesn’t know what to say— how do she tell her bodyguard that she doesn’t believe him? He’s supposed to be the one saving her life. It feels risky to suggest that he wouldn’t be able to do that. Like telling the universe that she wants to die. She doesn’t want to die. It’s just hard not to think about death when it follows her everywhere she goes. For twenty-four years she was just y/n. Now look at her.

The queen of death.

She doesn’t know what to say so instead she changes the subject.

“Are you hungry?”

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

She makes grilled cheese for lunch. It is nothing special but the smell of the butter alone makes the energy she has to scrape together to make them worth it. She can’t remember the last time she cooked like this— the last time she tasted anything but freezer burnt macaroni and lumpy gravy. A couple times she almost drops the spatula, her fingers not used to having to be so coordinated, but the promise of melted cheddar has her fighting through the tremors. That and the audience of one, standing next to her with his arms crossed like he’s judging her culinary skills rather than looking for snipers.

It’s all in her head. That’s what she tells herself at least.

“You want extra cheese?”

She can feel Bucky’s eyes on the side of her face— is there something on her cheek? “Sure.”

It’s all in her head.

She flips the sandwiches, watching as the fluffy white bread is replaced with a perfect, golden brown toast. Her stomach growls, the sound somehow louder than the sizzling pan in her hand. The scream bubbles in her throat again— fuck. Why must everything she does be so humiliating? Why can’t she just keep it together for three days!

“Bacon?” Cue the voice crack.

“Bacon?” He repeats the word back like he hasn’t the faintest clue what a pig is— like somehow he’s a giant of a man but has never touched a piece of meat in his entire life.

Like it’s the dumbest question he has ever been asked. She swallows— hard— her cheeks pooling with heat again. She’s starting to wonder if it ever even left. If he asks she’ll blame it on the steam rising off the pan or her hoodie or both. But he won’t ask— he won’t speak until he has to. It did not take her long to gather that fact.

“You’ve never had bacon on grilled cheese?” It feels like he’s glaring at her.

It’s all in her damn head.

The floorboards groan underneath Bucky again and instead of flinching this time she tries to imagine what they might be saying. Save me, he’s crushing me! She flicks her eyes down, glancing at those military grade boots and then at her own toes, tiny and feeble compared to the size of his gear. One wrong step and her foot would likely be broken. She isn’t too worried about that though— he seems careful. His movements thus far have been slow and calculated, skirting around her and leaving at least a few feet between them at all times. Maybe that isn’t to keep from stepping on her though— maybe he just doesn’t like her. She wouldn’t blame him.

“You say it like that’s unheard of.” He doesn’t say it angrily but there’s no exuberance in his voice either— just the monotone she’s come to expect. It’s been one hour and she can already see how the next seventy-one are going to play out.

“Where I’m from it is.”

There’s a pause— the sound of butter crackling against the pan and of the steady picking up of rain against the kitchen window as it eats away at the sunshine— and she’s expecting the conversation to drop there. He isn’t there to entertain her, after all. That’s what the TV is for— what Leonardo DiCaprio is for.

But then there’s an answer. “Where are you from?”

The corner of her mouth lifts— an action so foreign she can practically see the dust shedding from her rusty smile— and she turns from the frypan long enough to meet his icy eyes and to throw out an arm, putting the front of her hoodie on display for the stoic man.

“SoCal.”

Her mouth lifts higher when Bucky raises an eyebrow, nodding slowly. He could be mocking her but she chooses to believe he’s interested. She chooses to believe that they are making progress and that she won’t have to spend three days talking to the walls. She turns back to the sandwiches, flipping them for the last time before laying down a few strips of bacon next to them.

She isn’t expecting him to keep going but she also isn’t complaining when his voice tickles her ears again. “Caltech, huh? S’that Pasadena?”

She tries to keep her smile from morphing into a full blown grin— she isn’t sure if her poor lips would be able to handle it. It’s been too long since she last used her mouth this much; both for smiling and talking. “Yes sir— born and raised.”

He hums and she watches from the corner of her eye as he leans to the window, peering out of it for a moment. There’s no one out there— at least she strongly doubts there is. This place is in the middle of nowhere. She hasn’t even heard a car since the truck that dropped Bucky off drove away. It’s supposed to be peaceful. She doesn’t see it. All she sees is the dreadful but necessary silence— at least hopefully that way they’ll hear someone coming.

“How about you? Where are you from—” she flips the bacon, pushing it around the pan, her mouth watering at the thought of the greasy, gooey goodness she’s about to consume— “You mind finding some plates?”

She hears him rummage through the cupboard above his head— well, above her head, in front of his— before two mismatched pieces of dishware appear before her nose. Grabbing them, she lets the corners of her lips tick up just the tiniest bit further.

“Indiana— but spent most of my time in Brooklyn.”

“It shows.” She muses, not turning to see whether or not he appreciates the comment.

It’s true regardless— she can hear some of the mannerisms of New York in his voice. Not many. He hasn’t said enough for her to truly gauge just how strong his accent is. Still it’s there, in the gruffness of his tone, just like she’s sure the SoCal shines through in her. At least it normally does— lately she hasn’t exactly been the picture of sunshine.

She removes the sandwiches from the pan, layering them carefully onto the plates. After staring at them for a moment she settles on the one that she wants, handing Bucky the bigger of the two. It’s only fair— he could probably eat at least four. She watches as the giant gives it a glance, rolling her eyes when he hesitantly lifts it to his lips, taking the smallest of bites. Is he afraid of a sandwich?

“I promise I’m not trying to poison you— I need you to stay alive, remember?”

He only grunts.

She has to turn away when he takes a bigger bite, her eyes refusing to detach themselves from his lips. Unprofessional and inappropriate. The orphan and the bodyguard. She takes a bite of her own sandwich, shoving the thought to the back of her mind and replacing it with the heavenly taste of gooey cheese, melted butter, and greasy bacon. She doesn’t have to dissect the thoughts of her delicious food like she would have to the other ones. Cheese doesn’t require a checklist about whether or not her grief quota is up to code. Clearly it’s not— clearly she’s just sick in the head. She takes another bite.

The two eat in silence for a couple minutes, the tension in the room melting for the first time since she introduced herself. Thank gods for cheese.

After a few more moments Bucky sets his plate down, turning back to the window. At first she thinks she is hearing things— like her mind is now also playing tricks on her as well as making her feel like a terrible person— but then it registers and she has to fight back another inappropriate smile.

“You were right about the bacon.”

Maybe three days won’t be so bad.

____________

Tag List: @xhollycowx @remembered-license​

#Bucky Barnes #bucky #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky x y/n #bucky x reader #bucky barnes fic #bucky barnes imagine #bucky fic #bucky imagine #mcu fic #mcu imagine #marvel cinematic universe fic #marvel cinematic universe #Persephone's Symphony

[mrsalwayswrite]

To Call Forth Love - Chapter 10

I’m sorry its taken me so long to update. I haven't had much time to write lately due to....well, life. But here we are and its long, so hopefully that makes up for the length. 

Side note- the Norwegian used is from Google translate so....

Warnings: swearing, mild sexual content, Lothbrok family dynamics (yes, its a warning), threats of violence

Words: 15,700 (yep, my longest chapter yet. I packed ALOT into this beast)

Tag List: @youbloodymadgenius @evelynshelby @pomegranates-and-blood @heavenly1927 @zuxiezendler @punkrocknpearls @love-all-things-writing @southernbe @ecarroll1978 @breezykpop @deans-ch-ch-cherrypie​

Series Masterlist

"Where are we going? I thought we were going to your flat?" 

 Gyda slyly smiled at Kari, sitting in the passenger seat of her bright yellow Porsche. "Change of plans."

 Kari stared at her friend. "I'm scared to ask."

 "Torvi asked for female reinforcement. So, we are going to keep her company."

 "Ok…. But where is that?" 

 "At the brothers' house." The blonde answered nonchalantly as she made a quick right-hand turn. "It's tradition. Kind of a last family summer party before it's too cold to swim anymore. They have a pool in their backyard."

 Kari felt her stomach drop. Ivar had told her he lived with his three other brothers. Gyda had her own flat while Bjorn and Torvi owned a house nearby. Whenever she tried to ask Ivar about his home, he would shrug off the question or ignore it completely. Eventually she just stopped asking. Curiosity certainly reared its head when she wondered what his home was like. For how much money meant nothing to him, she guessed it was massive and expensive. Maybe he knew she would not fit in and that was why he never brought her? Even through his speeches of wanting her to be his girlfriend, he knew she would not fit into his lifestyle. Why else would he keep her away? It was a valid truth that she had come to terms with. Even if she found herself secretly desperate to ease into his life, she never would. 

 "Of course, they do…." Kari rolled her eyes at the notion that obviously, there was a pool in their backyard. It fit the stereotype in her mind. Then she thought about what Gyda just said. "Wait. Do you have a swimsuit with you?"

 Gyda raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at her while keeping her eyes on the road. "Don't worry, I've got you covered. Torvi brought an extra of hers for you."

 "You had this planned, didn't you? We never were going to your flat, were we?"

 "I don't kiss and tell."

 "Yes, you do. There was that guy you hooked up with two weeks ago that kept sending you dick pics after."

 "That guy was way too proud of his dick. I mean it wasn't even that big."

 "I don't want to hear this again." Kari groaned, tugging on her diamond earring. She enjoyed Gyda but she had learned far more about the woman's sex life than she had any desire to know. 

 "Okay, fine. And yes, Torvi and I planned this. Ivar doesn't know you're coming."

 "Why?"

 Gyda smirked. "Because he's been so secretive and only Hvitserk has seen you two together. Besides, the rest of the brothers want to meet you. We may be at each other's throats most of the time but we do care for one another."

 The brunette let her friend's words sink in. Hvitserk had mentioned the others wanting to meet her, but she had not fully believed it. Sure, she wanted to meet them and was curious after hearing Ivar talk about them, but why would they be interested in her? She glanced down at her clothes, the capri leggings and tank top that were practically a signature look for her. For once, she wished she dressed nicer regularly. "I wish you had said something before."

 "You wouldn't have come then. You'd have created some excuse why you couldn't come." Gyda pointed out the obviously painful truth without remorse. 

 Kari slouched in the passenger seat, butterflies doing somersaults in her belly. Slowly, she pulled her ponytail down, letting her hair hang loose past her shoulders, running her hand through it absent-mindedly in hopes it looked decent. 

 At a red light, Gyda looked over at her with a bright smile. "It'll be fun." 

 "I don't know…. isn’t it supposed to be just family?"

 "Ubbe sometimes brings his girlfriend but yeah, it's usually just family."

 There was another long silence before Kari spoke again, unable to fully conceal her nerves. "You should drop me off and just go. I don't want to intrude."

 "You're not. I'm bringing you because there is always way too much testosterone." Gyda groaned, then reached over and swatted Kari's leg. "What are you so worried about?"

 "What if they don't like me?" She whispered. The weight of her confession hung over her like a dark cloud. 

 "What?"

 She kept her gaze out the window. "The…. the others. What if they don't like me?"

 Gyda laughed. "Kari, don't worry. They will love you. I promise. And if they say anything fucking stupid, I'll slap them or Ivar will stab them. See? Simple."

 A smile grew on Kari's face. "That shouldn't make me feel better…. but for some reason it does." Maybe she had already spent too much time with various Lothbroks if the idea of people resorting to violence made her feel better. 

 "You aren't alone, if anything we'll steal Torvi and Asa away and have a girls' party."

 "Asa? That's her daughter, right?"

 "Right, and Hali is her son. I swear that boy is going to be a miniature version of Bjorn."

 "I've never been around kids much." 

 Gyda chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. "They are great, Asa is a sweetie who prefers to cuddle in someone's lap. It's Hali who is a bit wild but all his uncles love to play with him. He'll probably be swimming in the pool the whole time anyway."

 Still staring out the window, Kari thought about everything Gyda had said. Of course, she was still nervous about just showing up to a family event unannounced, even if she was sort of being kidnapped by Gyda. Some of her nerves faded away with the knowledge that Gyda and Torvi both wanted her there. She really would not be alone. She had friends. She had people that wanted to spend time with her. Hopefully Ivar would be pleased to see her. His potential reaction was the only real wrinkle in her fluctuating confidence. 

 "Okay. I can do this." She said aloud, wondering if she was trying to fully convince herself. 

 "Good, cause we're almost there."

 Kari stared out the window as they approached a gated community. Gyda showed her ID to a guard who chatted with her like they were old friends. As the yellow Porsche drove by the houses in the community, Kari just stared in awe. She had seen houses, mansions was a better term, like these before but it always amazed her that people lived in them. What did they do with all that space? All of the homes were set back from the road so Kari only caught glimpses of them but it was enough to remind her how out of her element she was. 

 Finally, they pulled up a long driveway to a massive two-story house. It was white with an insane number of windows, and a huge garage attached on the left side. On the right side looked like an expansive addition that made Kari wonder why they needed more space. The roof was made of some slate gray tiles, with a balcony above the front door and ivy draping elegantly over the corners. There were various sized potted plants and shrubbery around the front of the house and leading down the sides. Several European beech trees were strategically placed in the front yard to block most of the view from the road in an attempt at privacy. Whoever the grounds keeper was, for surely they had one, needed a raise. 

 Kari could only gape for a long moment, unable to move as she took in the immaculate, beautiful house. To think this was where Ivar lived and he always came over to her tiny townhouse. It was a struggle to tamper down the post embarrassment. 

 Gyda started talking as she parked in front of the house. The only other vehicle in sight was a silver four-door Audi, that Kari recognized as Torvi's. "Aslaug chose the house for them. When she isn't traveling for work or staying at their family home in Norway, this is where she stays. So, she insisted on this place. Something about the natural sunlight and old aesthetic blending with the new vibe. Or some other shit. I can't remember."

 "Huh." Kari said as she followed the blonde out of the car. She noticed there was no mention of the father, Ragnar, and wondered where he stayed but knew it was none of her business so she kept her question to herself. Maybe Ivar would explain it to her. 

 Gyda opened the solid, wood front door, waltzing in like she had done this a million times. Kari took two steps in and froze. The vaulted ceiling in the foyer was enough to stare at but it was the large chandelier that caused her to stare. The way it caught the afternoon light through the many windows and gently cast it about was truly gorgeous. This view was worth owning the house for itself, in her opinion. 

 A tugging on her arm made Kari squeak as she found herself suddenly being dragged along like a ragdoll. 

 "You can stare later, Torvi is waiting for us." Gyda stated, a large purse over her shoulder and her heeled boots clicking on the shiny, wood floor with each step. 

 Kari caught glimpses of other rooms as they passed down the long, straight hallway. A living room with a TV that took up most of the wall it was on. A kitchen that would make any celebrity chef drool. Pictures and awards displayed along the walls in the hallway that were obviously put up by their mother.  

 The two finally stepped out into a room with glass walls, where the pool and expansive backyard lay before them. Most likely what used to be a porch before being enclosed. Still being pulled along, Kari followed Gyda through a side door onto the stamped concrete that surrounded the pool and lounge area. A pool in a rectangle shape dominated the area, a diving board on the far end. A quick glance around showed a jacuzzi on the other side, closer to the house, the water bubbling like a cauldron. There was a large grill, several short tables and lounge chairs spread over the stamped concrete. At the far end was an adult size statue of the Buddha with two flowering pots on either side of him and some kind of cheap, plastic crown on his head. 

 The backyard was several acres wide and at least that many in length. Trees and large shrubs blocked the views of the neighbor's properties and made the place feel almost like a hidden oasis. Further down in a corner was a lovely gazebo with a cobbled stone path leading to it and gardens decorating the way. 

 "Gyda! What took you so long?!" A distinctly male voice called out. 

 "I had to pick up a package." She called back, pulling Kari into full view of the others. 

 The brunette gave a small, self-conscious smile at the many pairs of eyes that she could feel land on her. Before she could really get a good look at who was around, a shout of her name startled her. 

 "Kari!" Hvitserk jumped up from his lounge chair, wearing only dark green swim trunks, and walked over to her with a beaming smile. 

 "Hey…. OH!" She started to greet him only to be swallowed into a hug and spun in a circle. Unable to deny him, she hugged him back and laughed. It was funny since last time she saw him, he was in business attire, coming to check on her per Ivar's instructions. Now she could not help but notice his toned body. His form reminded her more of a runner, while she was used to seeing Ivar's muscular torso. A couple tattoos on Hvitserk caught her eye and she wondered if all the brothers had them. 

 When he finally set her back on her feet, he kept his hands on her shoulders, green eyes twinkling with a mischievous glint. "I didn't know you were coming here."

 "Yeah, I didn't know either until Gyda told me on the way."

 He chuckled, glancing over her head to his half-sister. "Yeah, not surprising."

 "Uh huh. Watch yourself, boy. I could still beat your ass if I wanted too." Gyda quipped. 

 "Maybe fifteen years ago. You don't have a chance now."

 "Keep telling yourself that, Hvitty." She teased, then yelled at Torvi. "You got it?"

 As soon as Kari was released by Hvitserk, she could sense a pair of sharp, blue eyes boring into her. Skin prickling under the sensation, she hesitantly looked up and immediately met Ivar's intense gaze right away, as if subconsciously her mind already knew where he was without having to search for him. 

 Reclined back on a cushioned, lounge beach chair, he wore loose black sweatpants, instead of swim trunks, under his leg braces, but without a shirt. His tattoos were a stark contrast on his skin and shamelessly on full display. Her fingers twitched with the urge to trace them again. It was his penetrating gaze though, the lack of emotion on his handsome face, that made her wonder if being here was a bad idea. 

 Before she could make a run for it, Gyda grabbed her arm as if sensing her desire to flee. "C'mon, let's get changed."

 With one last glance at Ivar, she followed behind Gyda and Torvi, who had joined them, back into the massive house. They headed to the kitchen and Gyda pointed out a bathroom across the way. 

 Placing the beach bag on the kitchen counter, Torvi dug in it for a moment before murmuring a quiet "here it is" and handed Kari something. "Here. I bought this forever ago but never wore it. Bjorn said he didn't like the colors."

 Kari took it, guessing it was the promised swimsuit, and peeked down at the two pieces of clothing in her hands. "Um…. where’s the rest of it?"

 Laughing, Gyda rolled her eyes. "Get in there and change or I'll do it for you."

 With a concerned look between the swimsuit in her hands and the two blondes staring at her expectantly, Kari finally conceded defeat and stepped into the bathroom. It was only a half bath, with a toilet and sink, but it was still roomy and felt fancy somehow. The mirror above the sink was large and there was a small, pretty flowering plant on the counter that upon inspection, turned out to be real. 

 Quickly, she changed out of her leggings and tank top and into the swimsuit, figuring it was best that way, like ripping off a band-aid. Plus, if she stopped moving, her nerves would get the better of her and she would somehow find a way to sneak home. Even if she had to crawl through a window. A smile grew on her face remembering Hvitserk's enthusiasm to see her. That had honestly surprised her but she found she did not mind. Hvitserk seemed like a good guy and the little bit of time they had spent together, she felt comfortable with him. He was funny and caring. 

 Then Ivar's blank face came to mind and all of her excitement slipped away like water down a drain. There had been no acknowledgement, not even the hint of a smile, only a hard stare that made her anxious and self-conscious.  

 Taking a deep breath, she tried to remind herself what Gyda said. At least the two Lothbrok women wanted her here, and apparently Hvitserk was happy to see her. That was what she needed to focus on and not Ivar's reaction.

 Once done changing, she finally took stock of what Torvi had leant her and gasped.  

 "Oh no. No, no, no. Hell no."

 She stared down at the wide-band bikini. The top and bottom both had alternating white and light pink stripes, strangely reminding her of cotton candy. The design was certainly something she would never pick out for herself but she did not hate it. The real problem was the way half her ass cheeks hung out of the bottoms and more of her breasts saw the light of day than they ever had before. Never had she been so exposed. Even swimsuits she bought in the past were never this revealing. Her gaze immediately zeroed in on her fuller hips and thighs, fully exposed. Faint whispers that sounded like her mother's taunts echoed in the recesses of her mind as she stared at herself. There was no way she could go out in this. She would rather wear her leggings and tank top than have anyone see her wearing this. They would all laugh at her. 

 "Kari? You done yet?" Torvi called through the door. 

 "I'm…. I’m not coming out in this!" 

 "Let us see it first!" Gyda shot back. 

 "But…." Kari tried once again, unsuccessfully, to tuck her breasts into the bikini top. "It's padded!" 

 "Open this door, Kari." Gyda demanded, suddenly sounding closer. 

 She took one more look at herself, feeling the embarrassed tears welling in her eyes. With a deep breath, knowing she could not escape Gyda just yet, she opened the door. Immediately her blue-green eyes scanned to make sure it was only Gyda and Torvi in the kitchen before she further opened the door so they could see. 

 "Shit, Kari, you look great." Gyda said after giving a wolf whistle. 

 "Half of my butt is hanging out and most of my boobs. I can't wear this out there." She said, almost panicking now. 

 "No, they aren't, you're overexaggerating."

 "Kari," Torvi said kindly, drawing the brunette's frenzied attention, "you're more curvy than I am and let's be honest, your ass and tits are bigger than mine. I'd kill to have a body like yours. You look beautiful. But if you're uncomfortable, I think I have a cover you can wear over it."

 "Please." She replied softly, hating how she sounded like a fearful child.  

 Torvi smiled at her. "I'll be right back."

 Swiftly, Kari stepped back into the bathroom before Gyda could say anything. Her nerves felt alight and not in a good way. Grabbing her phone, she scrolled through her Pinterest, anything to distract herself from this nightmare. If it was just Gyda and Torvi seeing her in this, she might have been uncomfortable but she could tolerate it. Even with Ivar she might have shied away some but he always made her feel so desirable that she doubted her nerves would have lasted long. It was the thought of prancing around in this in front of the other brothers, men she had never met, that made her stomach twist into knots and her breathing quicken painfully. 

 Finally, a gentle knock on the door and a quiet, "It's me," had Kari open it to take the cover from Torvi. It was a solid white oversized V-neck cover with a simple pattern around the neckline. Without wasting a moment, she slipped it on over the bikini, immediately feeling better. The hem of the cover touched the tops of her thighs, higher than she would have liked, but it was better than before. 

 She looked up, running her hands over the cover. "Thank you." 

 Torvi smiled softly with understanding. "I understand. I don't wear swimsuits that show my stomach anymore. Stretch marks." She shrugged casually, moving back to slip onto an island stool. 

 Kari trailed behind her with her bundle of clothes and purse. Without a word, Gyda slipped into the bathroom to change, leaving the other two waiting for her. It was now that Kari really took note of Torvi's swimsuit; it was a classy black and white one piece with thin crisscross straps across the back. The blonde could easily wear a bikini and look amazing in it, but it made Kari feel marginally better that she was not the only one self-conscious about her body. Perhaps that was why Torvi shared about her stretch marks?

 "Is it…." Kari started then stopped, leaning against the black marble countertop. Surveying the grand kitchen for a second, hoping to gather her thoughts, she took a deep breath before continuing. "Is it okay that I'm here? Gyda said this is a family event and I don't want to intrude."

 Torvi turned to face her fully, green eyes gazing at her before she shrugged again. "Normally we try to keep it just family, Ubbe sometimes brings Margrethe, but I doubt anyone will be upset you're here. Honestly, the brothers keep asking about you, so now maybe they will finally shut up and stop teasing Ivar."

 Kari fiddled with the hem of the swimsuit cover. "He didn't seem happy to see me."

 "Ivar?" At Kari's nod, Torvi snorted. "I don't think it's you he's upset with. He's a very private person, as I'm sure you know. If I took a guess, I'd say he was keeping you hidden."

 "But why?"

 "Look, I've known the Lothbroks for about ten years and during that time, I've seen Ivar go through some ups and downs…. well, as much as he lets anyone see. I mostly heard it from Bjorn. Point is, he's allowing you into his inner circle. Hell, you're probably at the center of his inner circle. I saw how he acted with you at the yoga studio. You mean something to him. It's no secret he wants you to be his girlfriend. Maybe he is worried that you'll meet his family and decide we're too much or that you find one of his brothers more attractive or easier to deal with? He pretends to be super confident but it wouldn't be the first time that a woman chose one of the others over him."

 Every time Kari heard that, her heart broke once again for Ivar. How many times had he been overlooked because of his legs? Or his harsh demeanor? Something that she was beginning to realize was just to protect himself, to keep others at arm's length. It made her want to hug him and never let him go, to remind him he was more than just his disability. That he was worth being cared about by more than just family. 

 Kari must have been lost in her thoughts for longer than she realized. Suddenly she was drawn out of her inner musings by Gyda coming out of the bathroom, having changed into a plant print cutout tankini. Of course, looking like she just stepped out of a magazine cover. There had to be something in the Lothbrok blood for everyone to be this damn attractive. 

 "Are we ready?" She asked, her large bag in hand, presumably with her clothes in it. "Kari, you can put your stuff in here for now."

 Torvi touched Kari's shoulder. "Don't worry. If anything, you are here to keep me and Gyda company, okay?"

 Kari smiled, finding herself reassured and grateful for the two women. "Thanks." She slipped her clothes and shoes into Gyda's bottomless bag. They stashed their bags in the glass room and then headed back out into the backyard. 

 Soon as they stepped out, a little girl came running over. Torvi swept her up into her arms gracefully. She turned to Kari with the little blonde girl on her hip. "This is Asa. How old are you, Asa?"

 The little girl stared at her mom before shyly tucking her face into the crook of Torvi's neck, while her blue eyes stayed on Kari. After a moment, she held up two fingers. 

 "You're two?" Kari asked. When the little girl shyly nodded, Kari's smile widened. "I wish I was that old. It's nice to meet you, Asa. I'm Kari."

 Torvi pressed a quick kiss to the top of her daughter's head. "Did daddy let you play in the pool yet?"

 Asa shook her head. 

 "Alright, let's go kick his butt. He did promise, didn't he?"

 That made the little girl giggle and Kari could feel her heart melting slightly. She was just too cute and most likely spoiled by all her uncles. Even her swimsuit was a purple halter top and green bottom with a little skirt that was very The Little Mermaid-esque.  

 A happy scream followed by a splash drew Kari's gaze to the pool. A young boy resurfaced laughing loudly. Bjorn, she recognized, was in the pool also, but turned to look up at Torvi as she approached with Asa on her hip. 

 "Let's go sit down." Gyda slipped her arm through Kari's and pulled her along to where there was a grouping of lounge chairs. Ivar, Hvitserk and a curly-haired blond reclined with beers in hand. 

 Kari could feel Ivar's gaze tracing over her form as she approached, like fingers trailing over her skin leaving a fire in its wake. She sneaked a peek at him, only to find his ardent gaze on her. She blushed and kept her eyes downward. At least he did not look impassive anymore, but she still felt hesitant. 

 "Hey boys. What are we drinking this time?" Gyda questioned. 

 Hvitserk turned the beer bottle to show the label. 

 "Ew. I don't why you drink that shit. I'm going to get some wine. Kari, you want some?"

 "Ah, sure." She murmured.

 "Good. You boys be nice to my friend, especially you Ivar." With that Gyda walked back towards the house but not before giving Kari a subtle wink.

 "Take a seat, Kari." Hvitserk gestured to an open chair next to him. 

 For a split second she considered slinking into the seat, anything for the attention to be taken off her, but realized that was not what she actually wanted. It had been two days since she had seen Ivar and the last time they hung out, it was when he returned from his trip to Italy. He had picked her up the next day to take her out to eat but he ended up spending the majority of the time on his phone, yelling into it in a foreign language and seeming on the verge of throwing his phone or punching a wall. She ended up ordering take-out for them that they ate at her townhouse but he was too wired to really relax and left soon after. The next two days he had been busy with work so they could only text. The one time they managed to Face-Time, she could not help but notice his bruised knuckles and when she asked him about them, he said he did some boxing to release stress. 

 With butterflies doing somersaults in her belly, she took a step closer to stand near Ivar's lounge chair. Tugging on the hem of her cover as she quietly spoke. "Hey, Ivar. Can I sit with you?"

 "Oh, you're acknowledging me now?" He snapped, never removing his severe blue eyes off of her.  

 She blinked owlishly, surprised by his sharp tone. Her stomach dropped to her feet and she could feel an embarrassed flush rising on her cheeks. "Yeah, I'm sorry." She whispered, dropping her chin, unable to meet his eyes anymore. This was all a mistake, she knew it. This only sealed her poor decision. 

 Shifting to look back at the house, she wondered if she should find Gyda and beg to drive her back home, or if she should find the closest bus stop. Before she could take a step away, a calloused hand snatched hers in a firm grip. Startled, she looked down to see Ivar holding her hand. Her eyes jumped up to stare at him in shock, confused by his conflicting actions. In those vivid, expressive eyes she could easily read the regret in them. Without her conscious decision, her heart softened. 

 "Sit." He said quietly, what most likely meant to come out commanding but sounded more as a plea. She nodded and allowed him to guide her onto the wide lounge chair next to him. 

 A furious blush warmed her cheeks when Ivar wrapped an arm around her waist, tucking her into his side and pressing a quick kiss to her temple. What she assumed was his nonverbal apology. 

 "Hey, this is Sigurd." Hvitserk said, gesturing to the unknown blond sitting with them. "I don't think you've met him yet. Ubbe had to take a call, so you'll meet him later."

 "Hi, it's nice to meet you." She said, looking at the other Lothbrok. He had light blond, curly hair in frazzled braids and brown eyes. At first glance she would not have guessed he was one of the brothers, but she figured genetics were always weird. He had a lean body similar to Hvitserk with a tribal tattoo sleeve and a Thor's hammer necklace laying on his bare chest like the other brothers wore.

 He silently raised his beer bottle at her, still stretched out in his chair like a lazy cat in the sun. 

 Thoughtfully she peered up at Ivar, keeping her voice low. "I'm sorry, I didn't know Gyda was bringing me here otherwise I'd have told you. She literally didn't tell me until we were pulling up."

 "It's fine." He murmured evenly, but Kari got the feeling that was not how he truly felt. 

 "Do….do you want me to leave?"

 He sighed, his grip around her tightening for a moment, before he seemed to relax. "No. I'm glad you're here. It won't be boring…." a wolfish grin grew as he slid his hand up her exposed thigh sensually, ".... especially if you take off this cover and let me see what's underneath." 

 "No!" She squeaked, grabbing his roving hand before it could migrate further. 

 He chuckled. "Come on, kitten…. just a peek?"

 "Ivar, no."

 "Why not?"

 "Its…. it’s scandalous."

 Hvitserk raised his hand, a devious smirk on his face. "I want to see."

 She covered her face with her hands, embarrassment flooding her. "Oh gods, this was such a bad idea." Then she had to rapidly grasp Ivar's hand as it slipped under the swimsuit cover to caress her hip and trace her bikini bottom. "Ivar…."

 "Fine." He slipped his hand back out but splayed it over her exposed thigh. "You can show me later."

 Thankfully, Gyda reappeared with a glass of white wine in each hand and another blond male in tow who carried the wine bottle. He had short, cropped hair and a muscular body that spoke of many hours in the gym. Kari wondered if this was the brother that Ivar regularly worked out with. 

 "Why are you sitting with Ivar? I brought you here! I'm even bringing you wine!" Gyda teased, handing a glass to Kari. 

 "You also dragged me here unknowingly. Wine is the least you could do." Kari said without thinking, making the others laugh. 

 "You know damn well you're happy to be here." Gyda winked then took the open lounge chair next to her. "Right, I'm guessing you've been introduced to Sigurd." She flicked a hand in the curly-haired Lothbrok's direction followed by vaguely gesturing to the last unknown brother. "Now this pain in my ass, over here, is Ubbe. Ubbe, this is Kari."

 Sitting between Hvitserk and Gyda, Ubbe rolled his blue eyes but leaned forward to shake Kari's hand. "It's nice to finally meet you."

 "Yeah, likewise."

 Ubbe sat back with an impish glint in his eyes. "So, you're Ivar's girl?"

 "Um…. we’re just..." She started, unsure what to say to his family. 

 Ivar broke in, his single word answer almost coming out in a growl. "Yes."

 She whipped her head to look at him, only for him to stare her down as if waiting to see if she could refute his claim. Logically, she knew she should say something, argue that they were only friends. Yet any rebuttal died on her tongue under his fierce gaze. Instead she chose to sip on her wine generously.  

 "Right." Ubbe finally said, watching the two with an amused look. 

 Sigurd scoffed loudly before taking a swig of his beer. 

 "Something you want to say, Sig?" Ivar turned narrowed eyes at his brother.

 The curly-haired brother smirked, seeming to debate saying anything. Finally, he sat up and his gaze zeroed in on Kari. "How much does he pay you to fuck him?"

 The reaction from those around was instantaneous. Next to her, Ivar tensed, ready to spring up and fight his brother. A sharp reprimand of "Sigurd!" came from both Gyda and Ubbe while Hvitserk pinched the bridge of his nose. 

 Something rose up inside Kari though. She understood enough to know about the animosity between Sigurd and Ivar. His comment felt more like a cruel jab at Ivar than her. She was just the pathway to try and cause torment between the brothers. But if no one else was going to stand up and defend the dark-haired Lothbrok, she would. 

 So instead of taking his words personally, she just smiled sweetly at Sigurd, placing a hand on Ivar's thigh as she responded. "He doesn't. I'm happy to do it for free. Besides, he has something you never will."

 "And what's that?"

 "A cock big enough to pleasure someone….is that why you go through girlfriends so quickly?"

 The rising tension evaporated in a flash. Gyda snorted so hard she almost dropped her wine glass. Hvitserk threw his head back laughing while Ubbe tried to cover his smile with his hand. Kari was sure her eyes were comically wide as what she said without thinking sunk in. Her face flushed and she pressed her face against Ivar's shoulder. Sure, she had meant to defend Ivar but she had not meant to be so crass. The statement seemed to fly out of her mouth before her brain could catch up. 

 Next to her, Ivar laughed as he nuzzled her. She squirmed under his onslaught but also at realizing she just insulted one of Ivar's brothers. Even if it was the one he liked least of all. For a fleeting moment, the idea she had just made herself an enemy crossed her mind. 

 When she sneaked a peek, Sigurd quickly drained the rest of his beer and walked away murmuring something about getting another one. 

 "I think you'll fit in, Kari." Ubbe stated, still trying unsuccessfully to hide his amusement. 

 Kari was unsure of that. She quickly took a large sip of the wine to settle her fraying nerves. What had she been thinking? It hurt to hear Ivar's brother being so blatantly cruel to him and if this was a regular occurrence, no wonder Ivar wanted to spend most of their time at her place. 

 "I didn't realize you liked my cock so much, kattungen." Ivar whispered salaciously into her ear, drawing her back to the present. His tongue flicked her earlobe, making her jolt. "I think I'll have to give you a reward later."

 She shivered at his tone, her core clenching without resistance. It was unfair how just at his husky tone alone, her body betrayed her desire. But they were in public though, in front of his family no less, so she willfully attempted to cool the heat warming her veins. With a smile, she tried to nudge him away from her but he was too strong, only tightening his grip on her and laying a quick kiss to her neck. 

 "I can't believe I said that." She whispered, hoping only he heard her. 

 He smirked, an unmistakable fire in his eyes. "It was sexy as fuck."

 Thankfully, Torvi came over to join the group, a welcome distraction for Kari as she was sure the fire in Ivar's gaze was enough to set her ablaze and further stoke her own heat. 

 Torvi settled into Sigurd's now absent spot. "What did I miss?" 

 "Kari said Ivar's cock is bigger than Sigurd's." Hvitserk stated smugly. 

 Torvi stared at Kari with a tilt of her head and an amused grin. "Really? And how did we get on the subject of dicks already?"

 Some of the group laughed as Kari covered her face once again, mortified that she was the center of attention because of what she thoughtlessly said. She had the sneaking suspicion none of them would ever let her live this down. 

 "Alright, enough. Come on, it's girl time now." Gyda grabbed Kari's hand and dragged her to her feet, much to Ivar's obvious chagrin. She scoffed, meeting her half-brother's gaze. "I'll give her back later."

 The three women wandered over to some open chairs further down from the guys and closer to the Buddha statue. Gyda carried the wine bottle and her glass while Kari carefully held her own glass. Torvi snatched a beer from a nearby cooler as they meandered over. Gyda settled on a single, lounge chair adjacent to a cushioned two-person seat which the other two sat on. 

 "Alright, we have a very serious matter to discuss. Your answer may or may not break our friendship." Gyda started, leaning forward as she pointed a single finger at the brunette. 

 Kari found herself straightening in her seat, hand clutching her wine glass tighter. 

 Eyes intent, Gyda's voice dropped conspiringly. "Who is sexier: Steve Rogers or Bucky Barnes?"

 Shock rendered Kari momentarily speechless. At Gyda's serious tone, she had imagined a topic that would involve confessing a secret, not…. not a movie franchise. "Um…. Bucky." She hesitantly answered. 

 "Yes!!" Gyda shouted, throwing her arms up and almost spilling her wine. "I knew I liked you! Ivar, she is mine now!"

 Kari laughed at her enthusiasm; all concern having vanished instantly. "I take it you like him too?"

 "Hell yeah. I would willingly choke on his cock or he could pound my pussy to pulp and I wouldn't complain either way."

 Torvi shook her head, a hint of a smile tilting the corners of her lips up. "Something's wrong with you."

 "You prefer Steve?" Kari inquired, once she recovered from choking on air at Gyda's blunt statement. Her friend always had a way of surprising her, and giving her second-hand embarrassment.

 Torvi shrugged. "A tall, handsome blond. That's my kind of man."

 Peeking over at Bjorn who was still playing in the pool with both kids, Kari hummed thoughtfully. "Huh. Makes sense."

 "No wonder you are with Ivar if you prefer Bucky Barnes."

 "But we aren't…. together." Kari fixed her eyes on her wine, knowing her answer sounded lame even to her own ears. 

 Gyda patted her leg. "You keep telling yourself that."

 "We're just friends."

 "No, you aren't."

 "Kari, it's fine." Torvi shot Gyda a look. "It's between you two, it's not really our business."

 "She's our friend!" Gyda whined, throwing herself back in her seat dramatically. 

 "And she will let us know if something changes. Including telling us if Ivar does something stupid and we need to kick his ass."

 Kari giggled as Torvi tapped her beer bottle against her wine glass. "I promise. Hvitserk already made me swear too."

 "Good. So is Ivar really that good in bed?" 

 "Gyda!" Kari exclaimed but laughed at how shameless her friend was. 

 Torvi thankfully changed the topic of conversation to Ubbe's birthday coming up next month. Asa wandered over, wrapped in a green and brown towel with long ears sticking out that made her look like baby Yoda. When Sigurd eventually appeared, Hali dragged him to the pool where they jumped in together. Not long after, Hvitserk joined them, doing a cannon-ball with the splash almost hitting the ladies. 

 Kari chatted with Torvi and Gyda for some time, enjoying herself immensely. The topics varied, but she never felt unincluded. More than once, she glanced over, only to find Ivar's gaze already on her. After the third time, he tipped his head to the side and patted the spot next to him. A not-so subtle invitation or demand, depending on how you looked at it. 

 A smile teased her lips and she nodded. She started to rise, with her second glass of wine in hand, when the sound of a loud "shit" from Gyda distracted her. 

 "What is she doing here?" Torvi quietly asked with an undertone of frustration. 

 Curious, Kari followed their gazes towards the door leading into the glassed-in porch. She was met with the sight of two blondes emerging in matching, white swimsuits that barely seemed to cover anything. Both strutted as if they were on a runway, while chatting with one another. 

 "Kari, go sit with Ivar." Gyda encouraged, snatching her hand and leading her back without a moment's hesitation towards where Ivar and Ubbe were still sitting. The wine was left forgotten on the side table. 

 "What's going on?" Kari asked in a hushed tone. 

 "Drama. I can't believe that bitch brought her. What was she thinking?"

 "Gyda?"

 She clicked her tongue but hurriedly whispered back. "That's Ivar's ex."

 Surprise made Kari almost stumble but she managed to catch herself at the last second. Further explanations had to wait because they came upon the brothers at the same time the two blondes did. Soon as Kari was close enough, Ivar held out his hand, a sweet gesture, but she could see the tension and anger in the set of his shoulders and the thin line of his lips. Silently, he guided her to sit between his spread legs, arms banding around her waist and pulling her indecently close. For once though, she did not complain. 

 "Hey, baby." One of the blondes said in a sickly-sweet voice as she pressed a kiss to Ubbe's cheek. "Sorry we're late."

 "It's fine." Ubbe slowly answered as he shifted his gaze to the other blonde. "I didn't know you were bringing someone."

 "This is supposed to be family only." Gyda snapped, having dropped into her seat next to Ivar and Kari. 

 The blonde, who stood next to Ubbe still, narrowed her eyes at Kari. "Then why is she here?" 

 "That's Ivar's girlfriend." Ubbe answered.

 "Uh, hi, I'm Kari." She decided to speak up, hoping introductions would somehow break the rising tension. At her words, Ivar momentarily dropped his head to kiss her shoulder. Unsure if his actions were encouraging or reprimanding, she laid her hands over his, which were still wrapped around her. 

 "Hmmm…. Margrethe." She replied flatly, with a pinched look, as if talking to Kari was beneath her. "I'm Ubbe's fiancé."

 The other blonde smiled pleasantly as she looked Kari in the eye. "I'm Freydis. It's lovely to meet you."

 "Yeah, nice to meet you too." Kari managed to say around the suddenly tightened grip around her waist. She would be a liar if she said she was not intimidated by Freydis. While both women were beautiful, something that seemed required to be in the presence of the Lothbrok family, Freydis was a step beyond that. With her doll-like features, lovely blue eyes and flawless skin, she was gorgeous. Kari could feel all her own insecurities screaming at her in the presence of Ivar's ex. How the youngest Lothbrok went from someone as stunning as Freydis to as girl-next-door as Kari, she had no idea….and it made her uncomfortable. 

 "What the fuck is she doing here?" Ivar demanded, ignoring Freydis' presence completely.  

 Margrethe rolled her eyes as her hand slowly stroked across Ubbe's shoulders. "I get bored and wanted to spend time with my best friend, so fuck off." She turned her head to look at Freydis beside her. "Come on, let's get something to drink." 

 After a quick kiss to Ubbe, the two headed back towards the house but not before Freydis glanced back at Ivar and Kari one last time. 

 Once they were far enough away, Gyda rounded on Ubbe, not even bothering to contain her ire. "Fiancé? Really, Ubbe?" She sneered. 

 "Hell no. I haven't proposed. I damn well don't plan to and she knows it."

 "Why are you still with her? She's a greedy bitch."

 "Gyda, I know you don't like her but she's still my girlfriend."

 "Who the fuck knows why." 

 Ubbe turned his attention to Ivar. "I swear I didn't know she was bringing Freydis. I'd have told her not to come then."

 "As long as she stays the fuck away from me, I don't give a shit." The dark-haired Lothbrok growled at his older brother. 

 The residual tension in the air was painful to abide in. It felt like a caged animal, pacing, waiting, ready for the moment to unleash a terrorizing attack. 

 "Hey, I have a question." Kari blurted out, unable to take the way the tension made her skin feel like it was being sunburned. Once Gyda and Ubbe shifted to watch her, she posed her question. "Ah, well, I've been wondering for a while but why don't you guys have bodyguards or something?"

 Ivar snorted, brushing her hair over her shoulder to press his face into the crook of her neck, making her squirm although he did not relent his position. 

 It was Ubbe that answered with a wide grin. "Eh, we don't need them. We can handle ourselves."

 "But you guys have drivers, isn't the next step to have bodyguards?"

 "You worried for us?" Ivar whispered, nipping at her skin, only to soothe the spot with his tongue. 

 "I'm serious."

 "Let's just say we know how to protect ourselves. Besides, no one is stupid enough to come after us." Ubbe concluded, raising his beer in a mock salute.

 Gyda snickered. "This is why I stay out of the family business."

 "You've no issue spending Father's money though." Ubbe retorted in a jovial way. 

 She shrugged and sent Kari a playful wink. 

 A minute later, Bjorn, Torvi and Asa came over, taking open seats with Asa sitting in Torvi's lap. Even though Kari had met Bjorn before, it still shocked her to see how much larger he was compared to the other brothers, both in size and physique. Now sitting next to Torvi, he appeared larger. With his long, braided ponytail and shaved sides, a short beard and sharp, blue eyes, he seemed quite formidable. Kari wondered briefly if that helped with the family business. 

 "See Kari there, she is the one who teaches yoga." Torvi softly said to Asa. 

 Asa peeked over at Kari, shyly smiling, still wrapped in her towel but with a juice box in hand. 

 "I bet if you ask nicely, she might show you something." Torvi said then looked up at Kari. "Lately she loves watching me do yoga at home. It's cute when she tries to do it with me."

 Bjorn chuckled, slinging an arm over the back of his wife's chair. "And usually falls down onto her face."

 "Hey, she's trying!" Torvi defended, elbowing Bjorn in the side.

 Looking at the little girl across the circle of seats, Kari smiled. "Want me to show you something I've been working on? I'm not very good at it though, so if I fall over, you can laugh at me. I'll be laughing at myself too."

 Asa nodded fervently, eyes wide in anticipation. 

 "What do you say?" Torvi tapped her daughter's nose. 

 Asa looked up at her mom then back to Kari. "Please." Even though it came out sounding more like "peas".

 "Sure. I need to stretch some first." Kari stood up and immediately had to slap Ivar's hand away that prowled down the curve of her ass. She tried to glare at him over her shoulder, only to be met with a mock innocence. Overly aware of the eyes on her, she chose a spot nearby in the plush, green grass, trying to keep her nerves to a minimum. Carefully, she warmed up her muscles, doing a few simple stretches so as not to hurt herself. Honestly, she was nervous since she never did advanced poses in front of others. It was not that she was unable to, for she did them frequently at home on her own time. It just felt like she was vying for attention or trying to show off when she did advanced poses in view of others. Conflicting memories of her grandmother's encouraging voice fought with her mother's reprimand in her mind as she stretched. 

 "What are you going to do?" Gyda called over, returning from retrieving her wine glass and bottle. 

 The question pulled her from her mind's internal war, bringing her back to the present. "Um, it's called the super soldier."

 "Oooo, I like it already."

 Once stretched, Kari stood frozen for a moment realizing she was going to need to take her cover off to do the pose. 

 "Kari, you look sexy as hell, now take the damn cover off." Gyda called out. 

 Kari hesitated, fears and insecurities rising afresh within her. 

 "Do it or Ivar will get his ass up and help you. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

 "I hate you." She mumbled but gave in. Slowly, she walked back over to the circle of chairs, pulling the white cover off and dropped it on the lounge chair Ivar still sat on. Her eyes briefly flickered up only to meet Ivar's smoldering gaze. Instantly, she could feel herself flush. Hoping no one noticed, she moved back to her grassy spot. A loud wolf-whistle came from the direction of the pool, most likely from Hvitserk but Kari ignored it, knowing if she thought about it too much, she would make a run for it. Mentally preparing herself, she pulled her hair back into a bun on the nape of her neck, then faced the group but kept her gaze downward, too scared to look at them. 

 After taking a deep breath, she bent over to lay her hands flat on the grass without bending her knees. Next, she hooked her right shoulder behind her knee and extended her left arm for balance. She took a long, deep breath before continuing onward. Then she lifted her left foot and grabbed it with her right hand, still tucked behind her right leg. After another deep breath, she pulled her left leg up until her knee was pointed towards the sky. She held it there for three breaths before slowly releasing her leg back down and carefully straightening back up. 

 A small round of applause greeted her when she straightened. 

 "Another!"

 "You go, Kari!"

 "Do another one!"

 Blushing furiously at the cheers, she leaned forward into downward facing dog. Carefully, she slid her hands forward until her elbows touched the grass with her ass still in the air. Taking a deep breath and hoping she did not make a fool of herself, she engaged her core and kicked her legs up so she was doing a handstand but still on her elbows. Once she felt stable, she pressed her legs together and slowly bent her knees until they were almost parallel with her forearms on the ground. Feeling the burn in her core and arms, she hoped she could finish the pose without falling on her face. Next, she lowered her legs, knees apart now and big toes touching until her feet touched the top of her head. She could not help the smile that stretched across her face as she held the pose for a couple seconds, making sure to breathe slow. Scorpion pose was one she was still trying to master on her own, let alone in front of others. If anything, this felt like a victory for her. Methodically she unfurled, bringing her legs up and then back to the ground. 

 When she finally stood up, brushing the grass off her forearms, it was to another round of applause.

 "That was amazing!" Torvi said. 

 "I was thinking sexy as fuck!" Hvitserk exclaimed, a smile on his face from where he now stood, leaning against Ubbe's chair. 

 Self-consciously, Kari tugged on her swimsuit, making sure everything was tucked into place, as much as it could be, before pulling her hair out of the bun. She walked back over to the lounge chair quickly and yanked the cover back over her body. 

 "I'm going to wash my hands." She said without meeting anyone's eyes, skirting around the group and heading towards the glassed-in porch. 

 Laughter erupted behind her as she approached the door but she ignored it as she walked inside. She padded through the porch, stomach twisting in knots, and turned into the kitchen. Her feet stuttered to a halt as she noticed Margrethe and Freydis standing there with bottles of something in hand. For a split second she thought about turning and heading to the bathroom but it was too late as the two blondes noticed her intrusion. 

 "Hi, I just need to wash my hands." Kari explained. After a moment's hesitation, she walked around the opposite side of the massive island from them and towards the kitchen sink.

 "So, you're Ivar's girlfriend?" Margrethe stated with a mocking undertone. "I didn't think someone like you was his…. type."

 "Margrethe…." Freydis chided. 

 "What? Look at her. I mean she's got tits and an ass, and I guess she could be pretty but that's it."

 "I'm sorry." Freydis apologized kindly. After a long, awkward pause where the kitchen was silent besides Kari washing her hands, she asked, "How long have you and Ivar been together?"

 "Um, we aren't…. we’re just friends." Kari found herself admitting, as she finished drying her hands and turned around to see them both staring at her. Though Freydis had a gentle smile on her face, Margrethe looked nothing less than the cat that caught the canary and planned on lording it over everyone. 

 "Oh?" 

 "See. Told you, Dis. He is still single." Margrethe smugly said, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "He's just playing the game."

 "Game?" Kari muttered aloud. 

 Freydis set her glass down and came around the island to stand in front of Kari. Her blue eyes were bright as they met Kari's. "You seem like a nice girl and clearly the others like you too. So, I'll be honest because I don't want you to get caught up in the Lothbrok drama and get hurt. Okay?"

 "Okay."

 "Ivar and I are getting back together. We're just taking a break right now. Truly, I know we are destined for each other and he agrees. We had a bad fight and needed some space but he loves me just as much as I love him. So, I know he will come back to me when he is ready. I'm so sorry to tell you that you're just the rebound girl. I'm sure he likes you but that's as far as it will ever go. Gyda likes to try and mess with the brothers' love lives so I am sorry if she dragged you into this without telling you the whole truth. It's not your fault. I am sure Gyda lied to you and probably Ivar too. But it's good for you to know now. I don't hold it against you if you've have had sex with him but just know your time with him is limited, okay? How long have you two been 'friends'?"

 "We met last month." Kari whispered, dread and despair a writhing mess of snakes churning in her stomach. Air refused to fill her lungs, leaving her struggling for breath. 

 Freydis sighed. "It probably will be soon then. Just take advantage of the things he purchases for you, so when he leaves, you can have something to sell if you're in a pinch. Yeah?"

 "Ah…. sure."

 "Good. You seem like a nice girl. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this."

 "It's…." Kari choked back a sudden sob. "It's alright. Thank you."

 "Of course, we girls need to look out for each other. Is there anything I can do for you?" She inquired, sounding so genuine in her desire to help, her gaze imploring and lips in a faint, comforting smile. 

 "No…. no. I just need to check my phone. Have you seen Gyda's bag?"

 "I think she left it on the porch." Margrethe helpfully added, never having lost the smug grin on her face as she watched Kari with a hawk-like intensity. 

 "Oh, right. Thank you." Kari shifted back and forth on her feet, body primed to run, to flee before anyone could see the tears that welled pathetically in her eyes. 

 Freydis reached out and squeezed her arm, a brief exchange of understanding, then strutted back around to grab her drink and follow Margrethe to the porch and outside. 

 Once alone, Kari pressed a hand over her mouth to try and stifle the sob that lodged itself in her throat. She knew it. Everything Freydis said made sense. 

 Without a second thought, she rushed around the island and onto the porch, quickly locating Gyda's bag. She scooped her purse and clothes out only to hurry back inside. A quick check of the time and she figured she might be able to catch a bus, but in this gated community, there was no way buses came through so she would end up walking somewhere. Feeling the sting of tears in her eyes, she sniffled, trying desperately to hold them back. She looked up the nearest bus stop on her phone, pleased it was only a few blocks away from the gated community. 

 Once positive she knew where she was going, she stared down at her clothes on the counter, wondering if she should change before leaving. It would certainly look odd for her to be walking down the street in the swimsuit cover and sandals in such an upscale neighborhood. Then she thought about any of the Lothbroks finding her trying to leave and pushed the potential oddity of her attire from her mind. It appeared there was a gas station nearby when she found the bus stop, it would be simple to change there quickly. Somehow she could give the swimsuit and cover back to Torvi…. but not today. Right now, she needed to leave. 

 She tried to shove her clothes into her purse, only succeeding by making it look like an over-inflated balloon but it worked. Lastly, she reached to grab her phone off the kitchen counter but froze. Ivar bought it for her. Freydis' words came back to her about taking advantage of the things he bought for her. Bile burned the back of her throat at the idea. She promised herself she would not be one of those girls to him. Slowly, she retracted her hand, forming it into a fist by her side. Ivar could give the phone to Freydis or throw it in the trash for all she cared. Even with the feeling of her heart being ripped in two, she refused to take advantage of him or his money. She was a better person than that. Or so she hoped. 

 Worried someone would come in soon, she tossed her purse over her shoulder and swiftly headed towards the front door. She passed through the hallway she entered in, but the pictures and awards blurred before her eyes as the repressed tears threatened to make an appearance. Hastily, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand but knew it was ultimately futile. 

 "Kari?" 

 Her stride never faltered towards her escape, even after hearing Hvitserk call her name from what sounded like the porch. 

 "Kari? Where are you going?" His voice came from behind her, probably standing at the entrance of the hallway now. 

 "I have to go." Kari said, not bothering to turn around, unsure if he could even hear her. She could barely hear footsteps behind her over the sound of her sniffles and ragged breathing. It did not matter since she was close to her escape, just a couple more moments. Her hand touched the handle, just beginning to pull the door open when Hvitserk's hand appeared in her direct line of vision and slammed it closed. Although the sound was muffled, it echoed in her mind like a gunshot. 

 "What's going on?" Hvitserk stood directly behind her, his hand still firmly planted on the door as if to prevent her from even considering leaving without permission again. 

 "It's nothing." She murmured, staring down at her feet. 

 "I seriously doubt that if you are trying to sneak away while crying…. what happened?"

 "Nothing. I just…. I just want to go home."

 "Okay." He shifted to lean his shoulder against the door, ducking his head to try and catch her eyes. "Does this have to do with the yoga stuff?"

 "No. Just…. please, Hvitserk."

 "You need to tell me something. Look, I'll give you a ride, we can leave right now but you have to tell me what happened."

 She swallowed thickly, still refusing to look at him. It was taking all of her willpower to keep the tears at bay. At any moment she felt the tears would come forth with all the power of a hurricane, reducing her to a sniveling mess on the floor, nursing a broken heart. It was all her fault though. How could she have believed someone like Ivar Lothbrok would actually be interested in her for more than just a one-night stand. She was just a challenge for him, someone to pass the time. Then once she gave in, once they finally had sex, he would walk out of her life and back into Freydis' arms and bed…. where he apparently belonged. 

 "Kari?" Hvitserk softly prompted. 

 "It's…. I just have a better understanding now…. of where I stand…. of my purpose here."

 "Your purpose?"

 She sniffed, wiping her wet eyes once again before the tears fell. "I'm just a rebound girl….and that's alright. I get it. But I just want to go home now." 

 "Fuck. Freydis said that, didn't she?"

 "It doesn't matter. Can you please just take me to the bus stop, I can get home from there." She knew she was begging but she did not care anymore. 

 "Kari, give me that." He grabbed her purse from her and tossed it onto a wooden side table. His hands held hers in a manner that was comforting verse restraining. His thumbs rubbed along the back of her hands as he softly spoke. "Look at me, you know it's not like that."

 "It doesn't matter." She shook her head, even as her hands gripped his tighter, the feeling being the only thing keeping her from falling apart at the front door. "I shouldn't have let Gyda bring me here. I should have made her drop me off."

 "Kari…." He began but was interrupted. 

 "Hvitty?" Ivar's loud voice boomed from the kitchen. "You better not be trying to fuck Kari!"

 Kari flinched at the sound. The facade of strength she fought to maintain evaporated like smoke. The tears she had been trying so desperately to withhold slipped free, rolling down her cheeks like a cleansing rain.  

 "Over here!" Hvitserk called back, releasing her hands but not moving away. 

 Ivar's measured gait could be heard coming down the hallway like the footsteps of doom. 

 "What the fuck is going on? You disappear to find Kari and then…." His voice trailed off as he entered the foyer, piercing gaze zeroing in on her tear-stained face. What sense of jovial teasing transformed into enraged fury. When he spoke next, it came out in an animalistic growl that bespoke impending violence. "Who fucking hurt you?"

 "I'm fine." She mumbled, wrapping her arms around herself. Her chin rested on her chest, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "I just want to go home."

 "Freydis….and I'm betting Margrethe also said something to her." Hvitserk snitched, leaning fully against the door. He watched both Kari and his brother as if ready to intervene at a moment's notice. 

 Ivar snapped, stepping closer. "What did they say?"

 She was unsure who he directed his question to but she still shook her head, refusing to look at either brother. Hearing his wrath, it only made her heart ache more. All of this was a show, it had to be. Why would he truly care? The sound of his heavy gait coming closer brought a fresh wave of silent tears. 

 Moving to her other side, he cupped her cheek. When she resisted looking at him, he shifted his hand to grab the back of her neck, forcing her gaze to meet his. A tempest swirled in his icy blue eyes. "What. Did. They. Say?"

 "Why does it matter?" She questioned, bottom lip trembling as a sob rose from her chest. 

 "Because they hurt you."

 "But I'm no one. I don't matter." She shook her head, pressing a hand over her mouth to contain the cries bound to escape at any moment. "You're just going to get back together with Freydis when you get bored with me."

 His eyes widened as if she had sucker-punched him. His mouth dropped open for a moment before he collected himself, the maelstrom rippling under his skin on the verge of breaking free. "Did they say that?"

 "Freydis said…. she said you two were just taking a break….and I'm the rebound girl."

 "Fuck. Fuck!" Ivar stepped away, running his hands through his loose hair. In an instant, he grabbed the decorative bowl off the entrance table and threw it. The shattering against the wall reverberated in the foyer followed by Ivar's guttural shout. "FUCK!" 

 "Ivar." Hvitserk softly said, warily watching his younger brother. 

 "I'm going to kill her. Fuck! I can't believe she would fucking say that!" Ivar ran his hands through his hair again, looking on the verge of ripping the strands out. The ferocity in his eyes was unmatched as he glanced down the hallway, clearly wanting to go after his ex, then shifted back to Kari, who remained silent and unmoving. "What else did she say?" He barked at her. 

 "You're destined for each other." She confessed after a moment's hesitation. 

 Ivar stormed over to her, devouring the ground beneath his feet as he invaded her space. Standing before her, he cupped her face, eyes imploring her to believe him. "Freydis is a crazy, jealous bitch. She manipulates to get what she wants. Don't believe a word out of her fucking mouth. Fuck! Please, Kari, don't cry. I'm right here, kitten."

 His words seeped into her mind, slipping in through the cracks and delving deep into her soul. His words alone should not have reassured her like they did. Between his pleading eyes and his gentle touch, her few walls surrounding her heart crumbled, unable to fight him. She believed him, even before her mind fully recognized it. 

 She lightly placed her hands on his bare chest, one directly over his heart, feeling the rapid tempo under her fingers. "Promise?" She whispered wetly. "You're not just…. I’m not just a rebound girl?"

 Ivar groaned, pressing his forehead to Kari's. "I swear. I never thought that about you." 

 And she believed him again. The truth falling from his lips resounded in the very core of her being. It made no sense how she knew, but somehow, she did. 

 After a long second, Hvitserk pushed off the door from next to them. "I'm going to head back and keep an eye on them. Kari, if you still want a ride just text me, alright?" 

 "Thank you, Hvitty." She reached out and snagged his hand, giving it a quick squeeze. With a smile, he responded in kind before heading down the hallway towards the backyard. 

 Soon as Hvitserk started walking away, Ivar grabbed her hand and led her in the opposite direction. They hurried through a short hallway to arrive at a closed door. Impatiently, Ivar thrust the door open and pulled her into a room, slamming the door shut behind them. She had a brief moment to scan the new room and notice the two walls with floor to ceiling bookshelves packed full and the couple couches near a large window. 

 Before she could do anything, she shrieked as she found herself suddenly yanked back, her body colliding with the closed door. Immediately Ivar's mouth claimed hers in a hungry, feverish kiss. His body pinned her to the door, hands kneading her hips. It was all she could do to just breathe. Her hands clung to his broad shoulders, desperate to stay above the waves of passion-fueled desire that surged unchecked within her. 

 Ivar withdrew his mouth from hers, but only to place kisses over her cheeks, washing away her tears with his affections. "Don't listen to her. Her and I. We are through. I will never go back to her. She has been sniffing around but that ends tonight. I won't fucking let her talk to you again. I fucking swear it."

 "Ivar…." She whined, tilting her head. An open invitation which he took. 

 He swooped in, continuing to speak between leaving open-mouth kisses on her neck. "It's you. It's you I want. It's you I think about all the time. Fuck, kitten, you have no idea how much I want you. And seeing you do those yoga poses in that swimsuit…. fuck! You looked so goddamn sexy; I got a hard-on just watching." He grabbed her thigh, lifting it up and curling it behind him, pressing himself against her core. At the touch of his hardened length against her, she whimpered. "Do you feel that? That's for you, søte Kari."

 She could not help but roll her hips, grinding against his erection, body automatically seeking friction. 

 "Yes! Fuck." He growled against her neck. "Come here."

 She whined when he released her leg, letting it fall down to the floor. Her breathing was unsteady already, heart hammering away in her chest. A part of her knew she should stop this, open the door behind her and walk out to avoid the temptation. Yet when his hand latched onto hers once again, tugging her towards one of the couches, she followed willingly, unable to deny the sweet sin that was Ivar.

 He dropped onto the couch and settled her into his lap to straddle him. As she settled, he grabbed a handful of the cover over her and yanked it off, tossing it haphazardly onto the floor. Her first instinct was to cover her chest, but as her arms moved to do that, Ivar guided them behind his head. His gaze drunk in the curves of her body, an unashamed starved look in his eyes that made her shudder as it further ignited the fire in her belly. 

 "Kattungen min." He whispered reverently. "Fucking hell, so gorgeous. No one else gets to touch you like I do. Got it? You're mine." He started lavishing her chest and neck with his mouth, alternating between his lips and tongue. 

 She knew she should feel more self-conscious straddling Ivar's lap in only the swimsuit that barely covered all of her assets; but it was as if his touch banished the thoughts away. Instead she felt beautiful and cherished. 

 He palmed one of her breasts and the moan that escaped her was pure wanton. Hands tangled in his long locks as her hips ground harder against his erection in response. His leg braces were only an afterthought that did not impede her actions. 

 "Ivar, please."

 "That's it. Fuck, you're so beautiful. I can't wait to fuck you senseless."

 Suddenly he shifted under her, his hand fumbling between them. Her mind barely took notice as he sucked the skin between her breasts, something that would definitely leave a mark. Next thing she knew, his cock was freed, standing at attention between them. 

 Before she could protest, he spoke up. "I know you're not ready." He slid it under her, pulling her hips back down. At the sensation of his cock rubbing her slit with only the thin barrier of the bikini bottom between them, she threw her head back with a whine. Desire roared through her like a freight train as his cock rubbed against her soaking core. 

 "You like that, kitten?"

 "Yes." She sighed out, head tilted back as she rolled her hips. 

 "Good, my turn." He reached behind her and promptly untied the straps of the bikini top behind her back. 

 "Ivar!" She tried to cover herself but he swatted her hands away. 

 "Trust me."

 Once she relented, he laid a hard kiss to her lips then tugged the top over her head, the band behind her neck without a tie. She desperately wanted to cover herself, now before him feeling on full display. But it was the look on his face that stilled her movements. 

 "Guder. Du er utsøkt. Faen. Den vakreste kvinnen." He murmured with adoration and awe dripping off each word. 

 "What did you say?"

 Instead of answering her, he lowered his face to her chest and captured one of her perky nipples in his mouth. His other hand moved to grab one of her ass cheeks, encouraging her to keep riding him. 

 All breath vanished from her lungs. All thoughts and insecurities fled under his touch. Her hands tangled in his hair, keeping his mouth on her. All she could feel was him. All she wanted to feel was him. Gasps and moans slipped from her as she allowed herself to be overtaken and drawn into an ocean of pleasure. 

 She could feel herself rising higher and higher, riding the wave. Her mind was becoming delirious from fire in her veins and the motion of her hips rocking over his exposed cock. 

 To her surprise, Ivar grabbed a handful of hair at the back of her neck. "That's it, beautiful. Fuck. Let's see what that bendy spine can do." Carefully, he pulled on her hair, not in a painful way but as if to guide her. Willingly submitting herself, she bent her back, following his lead. When her chest was parallel to the ceiling, he stopped pulling, keeping her suspended with her back arched. 

 Ivar groaned loudly, thrusting against her. She met his action, too absorbed in the bliss to care about decency. 

 "All the dirty, fucking things this makes me want to do to you." He licked a scalding line up her sternum, only to swirl his tongue around one of her nipples, making her mewl as she continued to move her hips faster. "Come for me."

 "Yes, yes." She chanted. "Ivar, please."

 "Keep begging, kitten. Let me know how much you want my cock."

 As her climax hit, the tightening coil in her core sprung loose, her mouth dropped open in a silent scream. Wave after wave rolled over her. She could feel Ivar grunt and thrust a few more times beneath her before retracing his cock and spurting onto her exposed stomach. After he released her hair, letting her rise back up to face him. Their eyes fixated on one another, chests heaving as they struggled for breath. 

 Gently, she reached out and touched his cheek, a shy smile on her face. Then, when he made no move to pull away, she leaned forward, uncaring of his cum slipping down her stomach, and drew him into a lazy, slow kiss. He responded, lips melding to hers in a way that was full of softness and contentment. After a moment, she felt him reach behind him for the blanket laying on the back of the couch and wipe her stomach off, all the while never abandoning their kiss. 

 Once she was clean, he dropped the blanket to the floor and somehow managed to keep their lips locked as he guided them to lay down on the couch, their bare chests pressed together and his arm under her head, legs tangled. 

 "Do you believe me now?" He eventually asked, leaning back but only far enough so the tips of their noses almost touched. 

 "Mmmm?"

 "That it's you I want. Freydis and anyone else can go fuck themselves for all I care."

 She bit her bottom lip and dropped her gaze. "I don't understand why."

 "What are you talking about?"

 "I mean…. Margrethe said I'm not your…. type."

 He snorted and muttered under his breath, "fucking bitch".

 "But she's right." Kari pressed onward, her hand running up and down his side as if to ground herself. "I mean, I could never compare to Freydis…. or Torvi or Gyda or any of them. They are all beautiful and….and in perfect shape. I'm not. My thighs and butt are too big and I'm maybe pretty but that's it."

 "You're right. You're not my usual type. But those girls, I'd fuck them and then never look their way again. You though, fuck, I can barely take my eyes off you when you're around. And these," he reached down and grabbed a handful of one of her ass cheeks, making her squeak. "I love them. And these thighs, fucking hell, kitten, I want you to suffocate me with them when I finally eat you out."

 She gasped, a bolt of electricity shooting through her at the image. 

 A devilish grin grew on his face, his hand stroking her ass cheek. "You like that idea? My tongue teasing your folds before slipping inside of you. Your thighs wrapped around my head as I feast on your pussy."

 "Ivar." She whined, unable to stop the sudden roll of her hips. 

 "Soon, sweet Kari." He chuckled darkly, ceasing her movement by melding their hips together. "And your tits, gods, they are perfect. I could stare at them all day."

 She giggled even as she flushed under his praise. "I'm sorry for doubting you. I guess, I'm still just surprised you'd…. well, that you want me."

 "You are mine. You're my woman." He stated resolutely, gazing directly into her eyes so she could see how serious he was. 

 "But we aren't dating…."

 "Doesn't fucking matter. You're mine. And one of these days you'll change your mind and stop playing this game of trying to keep me away."

 She sighed, wishing it would be that easy. Before he could continue with that argument, she changed the subject. "You know, I think we exceeded our kiss quota for the day."

 He snorted. "I didn't see you complaining earlier."

 "That's true. Do you think we should head back out?"

 "If I see Freydis or Margrethe right now…." His voice trailed off, but the fury from earlier lingered in the unspoken threat. 

 "I know. We don't have too. I'm okay right here." 

 A grateful smile on his lips, he kissed her quickly then rolled her onto her back and laid his head on her chest. They relaxed like that for several minutes in silence, her hand running through his hair, just enjoying the feeling of complacency and peace between them now after their fight. If you could even call it that. 

 Finally, she spoke up in a hushed tone, a random question coming to mind. "Do you ever get in the pool?"

 "No."

 "Oh." Was all she could say after his sharp, barbed answer. Clearly it was a subject that was not open for discussion. Her mind wandered, wondering what happened to cause such a response from him. An uncomfortable tension hung over them after his response. Something she was not sure if she should try and dissipate or ignore for now. 

 After a minute of continued silence, he kissed her chest, letting his lips linger there as if using the extra time to mentally prepare himself. Before she could tell him it was none of her business, he spoke. His tone was quiet and, in anyone else, almost shaky. 

 "I…. I used to try when I was younger. They'd put me on one of those stupid floating things and pull me around or someone would hold me. Then, when I was about seven…. Sigurd and I got in a big fight earlier that day. He claimed I broke one of his toys. Fucking asshole. I was sitting by the pool, this in our childhood home in Kattegat, I liked to watch things float on the water. Sigurd walked by me and….and pushed me over the edge."

 She gasped. "Oh Ivar…."

 "Ubbe jumped in and pulled my half-drown ass out." He nuzzled against her skin; his tone having lost the insecurity as he reassured her. "I'm alright, Kari."

 She drew his face up and gave him a long kiss, their mouth connecting with a deeper need and alleviation. "Remind me to thank Ubbe when I see him next."

 He rolled his eyes. "Don't. He's never let me forget the fact."

 "Still."

 They laid there for some more time, wrapped up in one another and content in the peaceful stillness. She could not help but think about the memory Ivar shared with her. How far back did that resentment go between the brothers? Had there ever been a time where they cared for one another? And how bad was the animosity between them if one was willing to kill the other, even as children? If her arms tightened around him, neither one mentioned it as they continued to lay there. 

 A loud knock on the door followed by a yell through the door of "are you two done yet?" disturbed their peace. 

 "Hvits, fuck off!" Ivar called back, burrowing his face between her breasts. 

 "Do you have clothes on at least?!"

 "I do!" 

 Kari swatted the back of Ivar's head at his admission. Leaning up slightly, he gave her a cheeky wink before laying his head back down. 

 "Well cover up, I'm coming in!" Hvitserk yelled through the door. 

 "Ivar, get up." Kari softly said, a panic setting in at the brother coming in and seeing them in this suggestive position and her topless. 

 "No." He mumbled. 

 Before she could shove him off, he snatched the throw blanket off the floor and threw it over his head to cover her chest. As she began to protest, the door cautiously opened. In an instant, she tried to spread out the blanket over them as best as she could, keeping the blanket over her chest and spread it somewhat over their torsos. Although how much good it did was questionable. She peered over to see Hvitserk standing in the doorway with an amused look before shaking his head and stepping in, closing the door behind him. 

 "What the fuck do you want?" Ivar asked, muffled by the blanket and his face still pressed against her skin. 

 Kari raised her gaze to the ceiling for a moment then mouthed to Hvitserk, "I'm sorry."

 Hvitserk winked at her before answering. "Bjorn and Torvi want everyone together before they leave. Sounds like they have an announcement or something."

 "Are the bitches still here?"

 "Yeah." Hvitserk sighed. 

 "Then no."

 "I'll go." Kari softly said. "It must be important."

 "No, you aren't." Ivar nipped at the side of her breast, making her squirm. 

 "Well everyone is waiting on you two." Hvitserk pointed out as he watched, clearly entertained if his broad grin said anything. 

 "I'm coming."

 Ivar pulled the blanket back slightly to stare up at her. "Why the fuck do you want to see them?"

 "Is it….is it terrible I want to show Frey…. her that I'm still here. That no matter what they said, that I'm not going anywhere."

 A positively, feral grin spread over his face. He swooped in and pressed a devastating kiss to her mouth, not letting up until she thought she would suffocate from the intensity of it. "Let's go." 

 He started to rise up but when she squeaked and tried to clutch the blanket to her, he froze. 

 "Hvits, leave."

 "You sure I can't stay?" His smirk grew as he caught Kari's eye and watched her flush deepen. 

 "GO!" Ivar bellowed, glaring at his older brother. 

 "Fine. I'll wait out here for you. If you're not out in three minutes, I'm coming back in." Hvitserk stepped outside and closed the door behind him. 

 Ivar carefully slid off of her, standing up beside the couch, the blanket in hand. His predatory, blue eyes remained trained on her form, raking over her body like a sweet he wanted to devour completely. A familiar warmth awakened in her core, even as she shyly glanced away, covering her naked breasts with her hands. 

 "Fuck, you're gorgeous. On second thought, I think we should stay. I need another taste of you and to hear you moaning my name for everyone to fucking hear."

 She squealed, quickly skirting away from him before he could pounce on her. "Ivar, no!" Yet, miraculously, he managed to snag an arm around her waist and drag her back against his chest. 

 "Should we make an announcement of our own?" He asked, running his nose along the shell of her ear, chuckling under his breath when she shivered against him.

 "What do you mean?"

 "That you're my girlfriend. That this just-friends is shit."

 "I…." She balked, eyes wide and heart beating a painful staccato in her chest. “We…. we can't."

 "Why the fuck not?" He grasped her breasts, rolling her peaked nipples between his fingers. 

 She practically swallowed her tongue, biting back the moan lodged in her throat. When she was positive she could control her voice, she replied. "We've talked about this. I'm just…. I’m not ready."

 "But you'll practically let me fuck you?"

 At his harsh snap, she tried to push out of his embrace, unwilling to have this conversation in their current predicament or maybe have the conversation at all. The innate desire to flee rose up in her but she tried to force it down as she squirmed in his arms. He held her firm, not giving up an inch, her body flush against his own. 

 "Ivar!" 

 "What aren't you telling me?" 

 She hated both herself and him in the moment as she ceased her escape attempts. She hated him for continuously pushing her, for ignoring her words and trying to force her where he wanted her to be. Even more though, she hated herself. If she had kept away from him, however unlikely that was, if she did not have to hide, then none of this would matter. If she could be honest, truly honest, he would most likely reject her. And that was why she hated herself most. Because she was selfish and wanted his attention and affection, even knowing if he knew who she truly was, he would walk away. 

 Carefully, she turned her head to meet his stormy eyes. "I promise one day I will. I just…. can we please just enjoy this? What we have? I just need…. time."

 He stared down at her for a long time. She wondered what he read in her face when he finally gave a resigned sigh. "Fine. I'm telling people you are my girlfriend though."

 "You're unbelievable."

 "I think you like that about me." He matched her smile with his own before letting her go.  

 She quickly found her bikini top, noticing Ivar not-so-subtly adjusting his sweatpants. She slipped it over her head but when she went to tie the straps, a pair of calloused hands covered hers. Without a word, he tied it behind her back. Once done, his hand slowly prowled down her back to lightly smack her ass. 

 "Hey!" She whipped around, only to see a Cheshire grin on his face. 

 "That's my sexy ass."

 "Oh my god. Unbelievable." She muttered to herself as she snatched up the cover and pulled it over. She looked down at the blanket piled on the floor. 

 "Leave it. I'll deal with it later." He took her hand and walked with her towards the door. When they opened it, a still-shirtless Hvitserk stood leaning against the wall across from them. 

 "Took you two long enough. Damn. Almost came in and threw Kari over my shoulder to get you out." 

 Ivar spat something out in their language that made Hvitserk roll his eyes. Before they could move further down the hallway, Hvitserk reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, freezing her in place.  

 "Hey, whatever they said. Just try to ignore it. We all want you here. Hell, all of us would kick them to the damn curb if Ubbe would let us. But Ubbe and Bjorn have already approved of you."

 Ivar scoffed but Hvitserk kept his gaze on hers, letting her know he was serious. 

 "Just know, we're on your side."

 "Thank you, Hvitty." She squeezed his hand, warmth blooming in her chest at his words.  

 "Either one of them tries to talk to her, I'll strangle them." Ivar growled, starting down the hallway, towing Kari behind him. 

 "You can't kill them, Ivar. Mother said murder is wrong."

 Ivar laughed, looking over his shoulder at his brother. "Mother still loves me."

 "Yeah, yeah, we all know you're her favorite."

 "Can you blame her? Look at me. I'm far superior and more interesting than the rest of you."

 "Keep telling yourself that."

 Kari could not help but smile at their teasing, a mock argument that sounded like it had been executed many times before until now it was said out of fondness and mock sibling rivalry. 

 The three walked back outside through the glassed-in porch. On the way, she noticed her purse back next to Gyda's bag and wondered if Hvitserk moved it there for her. Outside, everyone else sat on chairs or lounge chairs that were grouped in a haphazard circle, obviously waiting for the remainder of the group to join.  

 "What took you so long? Thought we'd have to send a search party to find you." Bjorn called out as the three approached. 

 "I got 'em. The library reeks of sex though." Hvitserk said, dodging Kari's swing. 

 Ivar guided her back to the lounge chair they had been sitting in earlier, tucking her into his side with a hand laying possessively on her hip. Hvitserk sat on her other side instead of pulling a new chair over. She tried to ignore Margrethe and Freydis who sat across from them, keeping her eyes trained on her lap, fiddling with the hem of her cover.  

 "Ok, now that we're finally all here." Bjorn said, standing up with Asa in his arms. "We just wanted to tell our family the good news in person."

 "Torvi is pregnant!" Gyda blurted, staring at her sister-in-law in shock. 

 "Fuck! Gyda!" Bjorn groaned. 

 "Daddy said a bad word." Hali looked over at his mother from his spot next to Sigurd. 

 "Yes, he did, thank you, Hali." Torvi replied smiling then addressed the group. "I'm about two months along. So right now, we are only telling family, so please don't share this with anyone else yet."

 "Wow! A third! Congrats!" Ubbe started, others immediately echoing their own congratulations and well-wishes. 

 Kari jumped up and moved to give Torvi a hug after Gyda. "I know we haven't known each other long but I'm so excited for you. You're an amazing mother."

 "Thank you, Kari. Maybe your own time will come soon." She shooting her eyes over to Ivar for a second then meeting Kari's again. 

 "Oh, I don't know." She blushed at the thought. After another brief hug, Kari returned to her seat. 

 "How old are you?" Hvitserk asked suddenly. 

 "Um, I turned twenty-five this summer."

 "Ha! Still the baby of the group." Sigurd laughed, pointing his beer bottle at Ivar.  

 "Hey, nothing is wrong with an older woman. We're in our sexual prime." Gyda defended. 

 "She's not that much older." Ivar retorted, his hand skimming up and down Kari's thigh. "Just a year."

 "And a few months. You're turning twenty-four after the new year." Ubbe helpfully added with a grin. 

 "Fuck off." 

 "Mommy, Uncle Ivar said a bad word now."

 "Yes, he did, Hali. I think it's time for us to go. Say goodbye to everyone." Torvi said. After a round of goodbyes and hugs to all the uncles and aunt, the small family headed back through the house to head to their own home.

 "Did you know Ivar is younger than you?" Hvitserk asked conspiringly, once conversation started around them again. 

 She tilted her head as she looked at him, slowly answering his question. “Yeah…. we talked about this a while ago."

 "Good. Do you want kids?"

 "Hvits, what is this?" Ivar butted in. 

 "Just testing the waters to see how she feels about having my babies. You know they'd be beautiful." Hvitserk chuckled when Ivar glared at him. 

 "Be nice you two or I'm moving." Kari chided. 

 "Yes, mom." Hvitserk said, sneaking a kiss to her cheek before jumping away. He turned around and pointed at her as he walked backwards. "One day you'll have my babies!" 

 She laughed, shaking her head. She could practically feel the smoke coming from Ivar's ears. Before he could burst a vein, she leaned closer to him and laid her head against his shoulder. "He knows I'm yours."

 "He fucking better or I'll beat his ass to remind him." Ivar murmured, nuzzling her temple. 

 She relaxed against him, looking around the backyard. Hvitserk and Ubbe had started some kind of wrestling competition in the pool, both looking like they were trying to drown each other. Gyda and Ivar called insults from their seats. Sigurd was texting on his phone but occasionally looking up and making a comment. At one point he caught her eye and gave her a brief nod, which she smiled back, hoping any animosity between the two of them from her earlier comment was gone. She purposefully ignored the whispering between Margrethe and Freydis, taking a note from Ivar's book and acting as if they did not exist. 

 Looking at the Lothbrok family around her, she smiled at the group, still amazed she found herself in their midst and how welcoming most of them were. For almost two years she had been alone in a new country, thinking that was what she wanted. Now though, she wondered if she had just been missing a group that accepted her without question. 

 She peered up at Ivar, heart swelling with gratitude and affection. Without second guessing herself, she kissed his cheek and leaned back against his shoulder. He hummed, placing his own kiss to the top of her head. 

 She wondered if she should just give up fighting this, whatever this was between them. Maybe it would work out. Maybe everything would not fall apart as soon as the truth fell from her lips. Maybe he could accept her past and who she was. 

 Silently, she shook the thoughts away. It was still too soon to tell and if she was honest, she did not want to lose this. 

 Or lose him. 

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