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#rain needs to take a long hard look in the mirror before he says a GOTDAMN thing to sky
mineonmain · 1 year
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I had to make this before the inspiration left me lads
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Bonus:
Rain: *looking at Sky and Pai holding hands* are your hands superglued together or what
Sky: *looking at Payu hovering over Rain, constantly touching him at all times, Rain so used to being held and touched by Payu that the man is oblivious* 👁👄👁
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kookslastbutton · 8 months
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Too Late To Dream ༓ jjk (m) I Ch. VIII (final)
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✑ Summary: You did it. You married your college professor. You even bought a house together. Against all odds, everything had fallen into place. But after two years of marriage, you begin feeling something was missing. You want a baby but your husband can’t say the same.
Pairing: economics professor!jungkook x fem!artist!reader
AU/Genre: angst, smut, fluff, marriage au, age gap, series
Rating: M, 18+
Word Count: 8,618
Warnings: 8-year age gap, mentions of professor-student relationship (oc was a Masters student), first kiss, painting date, taehyung makes oc a busi proposal, jk goes back to teaching at uni, cute note, therapy with therapist!hoseok, talk of absent parents, insecurities, fear of fatherhood, jk working through personal struggles and gets clarity, jk being good hubby to oc, sexual content
sexually explicit warnings: switch!jungkook, switch!reader, f*ngering, oral (f. receiving), unprotected sex (be safe everyone!), cussing d*rty talk, penetration, b**b sucking, biting, multiple org*sms, m*ssionary;legs on shoulder, body worshipping, praise kink, impreg kink, slight lactation kink, making out in the kitchen, suggestive morning shower s*x, Kook just wanna please oc really 🥺
Now Playing: Make It Right, Tryna Be, Infinity, It Will Rain, Heaven+
A/N: This is now the most I have ever written....ngl the therapy section will be DENSE( but i tried not to make it TOO long) 😪 anyway, we have come to the end folks 😭 thank you to all of you who have stayed with me through this whole series. It's close to my heart and always will be. I'm happy to be able to share this with you all 💞
<< ch. VII ༓┃series masterlist
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Kissing you is his favorite pastime. On the lips, on your cheeks, neck–everywhere and anywhere you'll let him. He loves how squeamish it makes you. Out of all the times Jungkook's kissed you, his favorite will always be the first time in that tiny art studio of yours at your old apartment.
You didn't have much living space but you made do with what you had. And what you had was one extra room near the laundry machines.
He'll always remember how gentle your lips were against his that night. Warm as well, yet reserved. You made his whole body come to life in the most unexplainable ways.
4 years ago–
Jungkook slouches on the stool with a pout on his face and a paintbrush spinning between his fingers. This is the third time he's called you over in the last ten minutes. You've told him repeatedly that painting takes patience but it doesn't seem to make him feel any better about his artwork.
"Can you come look at this __? I don't think this is coming out the way it's supposed to be."
"Here," you set your drawing pencils on your own art desk and circle around to him, "let me see."
Jungkook scootches his stool to the side, allowing you to peer over his shoulder.
"To start, you’re using too much water if your paper is peeling and curling this much. I'd give it a few minutes before doing anything more on it. Secondly, you have water bubbles."
You reach for the blue painting sponge next to him and hold it up as if showcasing it off.
"This is going to be your best friend. It absorbs liquid so if you gently dab areas with excess water, it'll take all that water away." You demonstrate for him then hand the sponge to him. "Give it a try."
"Okay…" He takes it from you and mirrors your movements. "Isn't this called watercolor painting though? How can I be using too much water?"
You shrug. "Because it's like anything. You need to find the right balance between the paint and water or else it'll make your strokes messy. Control the need to soak your brush."
"But I like soaking my brush," he says, tongue in cheek.
"I'm going to ignore that you said that."
"You said it first."
"Not like you meant it, I didn't."
Jungkook smiles and continues dabbing his painting.
"You're pressing a little too hard Kook. The paint's smudging," you warn as he attempts to clean up the extra water spillage.
"Hm?" He doesn't seem to understand what you mean.
"It's like this," you say, carefully closing a hand over his knuckles. Jungkook's hand goes limp in yours as you guide his movements across the water bubbles. "See, the water's gone now."
When you gaze down at him, he's not paying attention to the artwork at all but to you instead.
"Someone I'm hoping to call my girlfriend soon," he mumbles back and you release your hold from his hand.
"Jungkook?" He feels you tense under his stare, eyes restlessly shifting back and forth. "What are you looking at?"
"Oh, well, um—" your mind races with what to respond. Up until now, you’ve been seeing each other for a month but no labels have been placed on your relationship yet.
"I'd really like to know what it'd be like to kiss you too.” He sets the sponge on the table and slowly leans forward to rise from his seat.
Naturally, you step backward but forget about the second art table set up directly behind you. Your hands grip the edges at the sudden contact on your backside.
"I'm sorry," he says. "I don't mean to make you feel pressured." His fingers reach out to lightly rest on your trembling hands. “I’ve just been having the best time getting to know you this past month and I’d like it if we could keep going out…as a couple.”
“I’d like that too.” You swallow thickly. “I think you caught me off guard but yeah, let’s make this official. And also, if you want, we can—kiss."
"Are you sure?" He needs to know he heard right, careful not to jump the gun. “Really sure?”
"Yes. Please kiss me.”
With your consent, Jungkook grips your hands tighter and closes his mouth over your lips. They're sweet and taste a bit like peppermint from the candy you ate earlier. He moves slowly at first, tongue swiping across the seam of your lips every now and then until you let him in.
"Jung–" you breathe a small moan yet it's only when you break apart that you're able to finish saying his name. “–Kook.”
"I liked that," he says, a smile on his face. "Any chance we can do it again?"
You nod and lean forward to kiss him again. This time firmer, holding back nothing.
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Present–
"Honey, you should go back to bed for a bit. Get some more sleep." You watch your husband button up his navy blue dress shirt in the mirror. Today's the day he has to return to the university for the new academic year and he needs to be out the door within the next ten minutes.
"I have to get used to you leaving before me," you yawn. "I'll miss you."
Jungkook runs his fingers through his damp hair, fluffing it up some before striding over to your lounged position on the bed.
"Me too. I'm going to be thinking of you all day." He bends down to peck your lips. When he does, you take in the scent of his aftershave–Old Spice. "I'll see you when we get home, okay?"
You nod. "You home at 4 tonight?"
"Plus traffic so 4:30 at the latest.”
"Okay, I should get home at 5:15. Mondays are a bit hectic so it might be later. I'll text you."
He gives you another kiss, longer than the last, and you moan lazily.
"Sounds good," he stands up straight and snatches his phone from the nightstand. "I need to head out now but I'll see you later. Love you!"
Jungkook opens your bedroom door and you shut your eyes to get more sleep before having to start the daily grind yourself.
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With about thirty minutes to spare Jungkook rushes to his office with his leather satchel. He doesn't remember the room being as bare as it is when he tosses the door open–only his desk, PhD, and some books left on the shelf. He hasn't been here since the end of June so granted, I'd be pretty dead in the room.
But there's not even one photo of you.
That's going to be the first thing to change, he mentally
notes. Right now, however, he needs to prep for his lecture that’s in—he checks his watch—shit.
Twenty-eight minutes.
Jungkook shoves his satchel on the bulky mahogany desk and swivels into his office chair. "Damn," he curses and re-adjusts in his seat. "Since when was my chair this uncomfortable to sit in?'
He shakes it off and pulls out his notes. A tiny blue sticky note falls out as he sorts the mix.
'Deep breaths today Dr. Jeon ;)! It's your first day again and I know you're always so hard on yourself :( But your new students will love you I'm sure. So keep yourself in good spirits and remember I'm only a phone call away. I love you and I can't wait to hear about your day when you get home tonight! <3'
He reads the message again, then again, and one last time for good measure.
Jungkook sticks the note on the surface of his desk, next to his computer where he can view it easily. He then goes back to reviewing his notes for his lecture, feeling a giggle creep up his throat; he really fricken' loves you.
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Well, his first class of the day was a complete disaster. The first twenty minutes consisted of him having to troubleshoot technical errors between his laptop and the projector. His students weren’t chipper either, preferring silence when he tried striking up a conversation. And the worst part? They didn’t laugh at his jokes! Like at all. Usually, he’d at least get one or two chuckles, even if they were merely out of politeness.
It was when he ended the class half an hour early that he earned a few brownie points. Thankfully he’s not a lecture on the first day kind of professor. Still, with any luck, the semester will get better and the remainder of his sections today will be smoother.
"Dr. Jeon," a low voice rumbles down the hallway as Jungkook returns to his office. He whips his head to his left to see Taehyung taking long strides towards him.
"Dr. Kim," Jungkook responds to the greeting. "What are you doing in the School of Business?"
"Just wanted to stop and say hi. I got a studio art class to teach soon but thought I'd check in with my favorite economist first.” Taehyung stuffs his hands in the pockets of his silk trousers and follows Jungkook into his office.
"My wife isn't here Tae," Jungkook teases.
“Isn’t it about time you drop that? Yes, we had a thing back in—"
"It wasn't a thing okay?" Jungkook is eager to correct. Being reminded that his wife and best friend used to hit it off a little too well back in the day makes him queasy. "It was you who kept being obsessed with her. Well, she's mine now. Understand?"
Taehyung laughs. "You need to chill Jungkook. I see the wedding ring loud and clear. Besides, I didn't come here for her alright?" He pauses and wets his lips. "Well actually…there is something I'd like to bring up to you that may involve her."
"Oh, what?" Jungkook's ears are on high alert. What could Taehyung possibly need from you?
"How often is __ painting these days?" Taehyung takes a seat in one of the spare chairs in the room.
"She doesn't have as much time these days due to work, but I know she's got a couple of art projects in the process."
"She's got a pretty big collection though, doesn’t she? Has she ever considered showcasing them off at galleries or selling to collectors?”
“Yeah, I’d say she has roughly eighty finished pieces between drawings and paintings. But she's tried the gallery route before and they've all rejected her work from being showcased. I don't think she wants to pursue it anymore. And as far as selling? Don't think so."
"Hmm." Taehyung taps his fingers on the armrest. "What if it were to be my art gallery? Over the summer I managed to form a minor partnership with that local gallery downtown. Remember, the one I displayed work at years ago when __ was in postgrad? Took a visit down there weeks ago and found out the owner is running low on funds. He's had my art displayed for a while now and I've always wanted to own a gallery. I've no shortage of assets either so I'm taking the plunge to keep it open.”
Jungkook quirks his head to the side with an open mouth and eyes wide as saucers. “You're really part owner of that gallery now? Wow, Tae. I always knew you were a free spirit but damn that's an investment."
"I guess, but hey now that you know. We're looking to expand our collection so how would your cute wife like to show her work? __ is a phenomenal artist and it’s a shame she hasn’t had the opportunity to have it publicly admired. I’d see that her work be approved immediately, of course."
“You're joking,” Jungkook sputters in disbelief. He can't speak for you but he's pretty darn sure you’re going to be absolutely tickled about this.
"I'm being completely serious. Talk to __ about it and see what she thinks." Taehyung checks the time on his phone and stands up from his chair. "Hate to cut this short but I got that class in ten. Let me know what she decides though."
"Yeah, I'll ask her. I—thank you Taehyung. I'm not sure what else to say."
“You don’t have to say anything. I’m happy to do this for her. For you both actually.” Taehyung leaves with a tight-lipped smile, a pep in his step.
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Bzzz. Bzzz.
Hobi: Hey, sorry for the late reply. Had a couple of last-minute patients to see. I’m happy to hear from you though! If you want to come in for a session I have a slot free late Thursday evening. Other than that we may need to do it next week since I have a pretty full schedule this week.
Oh, that’s right. Jungkook reads over the text. He messaged Hoseok about possibly coming in for a therapy session last night. After telling you about both his apprehension and interest in starting a family, he thinks it is best to get some professional input. And what better person to ask than one of his long-time friends?
JK: I’d really like to meet before I get loaded with papers and tests to grade, if possible. How late on Thursday? I get out of work at 4.
Hobi: I understand. Can you come right after work? Sessions last around forty minutes to an hour.
JK: Sure, I don’t think I have anything to do after that. __ will still be at work. She knows I’m seeing you too, so it’s fine. I’ll see you at 4:15-ish. Your practice isn’t far from here last I remember.
Hobi: Yup, short drive. I’ll put you on the calendar for Thursday afternoon. I’m glad you reached out, Jungkook. I’ve been thinking about you and __ lately. Heard you babysat Yoongi’s twins.
JK: We did.
Hobi: And how was that?
JK: Not bad. I’ll tell you tomorrow though. I’m prepping for another class right now.
Hobi: Got it, I’ll let you go. I’ll see you on Thursday.
JK: Thanks, man!
Jungkook sends a thumbs-up emoji and sets the phone flat on his desk. Well, he sighs, looks like you got yourself an appointment with a shrink.
He doesn’t know what to expect. But what he does know is that he needs to go in with an open mindset. Previous conversations with Hoseok have led him to conclude that it matters what you put into it.
“Therapy isn’t an answer to all your problems,” he recalls Hoseok explain years ago. “Its purpose is to create a space for you to process struggles in your life; triggers even. The goal is for you to better understand the root of those triggers and to find new tools that help you navigate through them. Whenever you are posed with said challenge, you can be better equipped to confront them so you can come out stronger on the other side.”
Jungkook takes a swig of water from his water bottle. He thinks of you as he does–he’s doing this for both of you in hopes that something beautiful might come from it.
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At 3:15 Jungkook has his last class. His afternoon students ended up being far more engaging than his morning students. They talked to him casually, asked good questions, and gosh darn it they laughed at his jokes too. They were a great bunch of kids, Jungkook hums. He’s looking forward to walking alongside them this semester.
Before calling it a day and leaving the university, Jungkook decides a brief stroll around campus would be nice. One, it gets fresh air in his lungs and two, he’d really like to stretch his legs before sitting back down in his car.
As he walks through the middle of campus, he smiles at the groups of students rushing with their book bags. It’s a good mix between undergrads and grads. Seeing all of them rush around takes him back to his days of late-night studying at the library and partying with friends on the weekends. He tried not to party too rough but well, he might have been a little too eager to finally be on his own the first year.
He dated around a little too. The chicks at his undergrad were cute and he went out with a few of them. His longest relationship lasted a year but she broke it off with him the last year–she married an architect a year and a half later. No matter though, Sana was a sweet girl and nothing drastic ever happened between them. Hearing that she was getting married made him more happy than sad because she deserved to be with someone great. Plus, if he stayed with her, he would never have met you.
Jungkook stops in his tracks when he spots two students from his 12:15 class standing behind a small outdoor table. They appear to be selling something he can’t quite make out due to the distance.
“Dr. Jeon!” The girl waves when she catches her professor looking in their direction.
Jungkook walks up to the table with a smile. “Mi-suk, Doyun,” he greets each individually. It’s at this point that he’s able to see a dozen frames of sea glass art spread across the table. “Did you guys make these?”
The pair nod in unison. “We went to the beach this summer and found a lot of glass so we decided to do something with it.” Doyun, Mi-suk’s boyfriend, holds up one of the framed pieces that are decorated with green and blue sea glass. “This one is about lovebirds. See the heart that connects them?”
The birds that he refers to are easily seen from the sea glass’s sharp edges and carefully selected clustering. The heart is also made out of sea glass and lays between both birds. It’s a simplistic yet meaningful design.
“We wanted the heart to be interpreted in all kinds of ways from love to new beginnings like–“
“A child.” Jungkook takes the words out of Mi-suk, in a low whisper. “How much?” He digs out his wallet from his back pocket.
“33000 won. ($25 USD).” Doyun responds. “Do you have a child on the way?” Mi-suk jabs her boyfriend in the side at this.
“You don’t have to tell us Dr. Jeon. We don’t want to be nosy.” She laughs it out but Jungkook shakes his head at her.
“It’s no big deal. I’m married but we don’t have a kid at the moment. My wife loves art and she loves sea glass so, I’d like to hang one of these in our home.” He hands over the cash and takes the artwork from Doyun.
“Thank you, Dr. Jeon,” Doyun remains polite and puts the money in the cash box.
“Do you have a picture of her?” Mi-suk asks to which her boyfriend says “Now who’s being nosy?”, earning him another jab to his side.
Jungkook pulls out a small, lightly crinkled photo of you from his wallet. “This is her.” He shows it to them with a proud expression–he enjoys showing you off every chance he gets.
“She’s so beautiful Dr. Jeon! You both look so good together wow.”
“She makes us look good together.” Jungkook chuckles and slides the photo back into his wallet.
“Aww, why don’t you ever say things like that?” Mi-suk turns to her boyfriend who only shrugs.
“Why do I have to be the one to say it? Why can’t you say it?” Doyun moves to fold his arms but Jungkook gives a grimace, hinting him not to follow through. “Sorry babe, I’ll do it more often.”
Young love, Jungkook thinks. “I have to get going now, making dinner before she gets home. But thanks for the sea glass art. I’ll see you both in class on Wednesday.” He waves goodbye and heads for his car.
“He makes dinner for her too…” Mi-suk watches as her professor leaves. “You’ve never made dinner for me.” She shifts her eyes to her boyfriend who’s too busy counting the money they’ve earned so far to see her distraught face.
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“Where did you get that?” You point at the new art piece hanging from the wall with your chopsticks. “It’s lovely. Are those birds?”
“Yeah, they’re love birds. A couple of my students were selling seaglass art in the middle of campus. I thought one would look nice on our wall and you like this type of art right?” Your husband takes a bite of the roasted chicken he’s made.
“I do,” you say. “Thank you for bringing one home. How was your first day back at the university?”
“Fine, my morning class is struggling but I’m hoping the energy will pick up as the semester progresses. The afternoon class is good, they seem like a fun bunch. Looking forward to the year. What about you? How was work?”
“Oh, nothing much to tell. I had a meeting with one of our business partners. Went over a series of analytical reports with him, and made suggestions on what they could do to make better-informed business decisions.”
“Yeah? Did they sound like they’d take them?” You giggle when some of the sauce from the chicken smears the corner of his mouth. “What?” he looks at you for an answer.
“Wipe your mouth. There’s sauce all over it.” You hand him a napkin and he cleans himself off. “But back to your question, they seemed receptive to my advice. We’ll see what happens in the next three months though, time will tell if they listened or not.”
“Well,” he swallows down his bite before continuing. “If they have any sense they’ll follow your suggestions. Still, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.”
You nod in agreement. “So, did anything else happen for you today? I really don’t have much else to share other than that. It was a fairly normal day.”
Jungkook sets his chopsticks on his plate and takes a drink of his beer. “There’s a few things I need to talk to you about. Oh, also,” he interrupts his own line of thought, “the note you left me was sweet. I have it on my desk by my computer.”
“I thought maybe you could use some encouragement on your first day so you’re welcome. What do you need to talk to me about?”
“First on the agenda is Taehyung. He stopped by my office and told me that he’s got a partnership with that gallery downtown. The one he displayed his work at years ago when you were in postgrad. Turns out the owner needs financial support so he’s decided to help them out as a part-owner.”
Jungkook sees that you’re just as surprised as he was when he first heard the news. “So he owns that gallery now? That man gets around well. You know that’s something about Taehyung, he’s a good networker. Never have to worry about if he knows someone or not.”
“It’s one of his strengths for sure. Taehyung’s asked me to ask you if you’d be interested in showcasing some of your artwork. He says they’re looking for more artists for their gallery and that he’d like to have your work displayed. What do you think?”
“I–what?” Getting to showcase your art has been one of your biggest dreams since a teenager. But after countless failed attempts to take your art beyond the studio, you’ve nearly given up hope that any galley would accept your pieces. “Are you shitting me Jungkook?”
“I know it’s shocking. Taehyung literally just dropped the bomb on me today and this is 100% real. If you want to get your art out there, Taehyung can pull the right strings to make that happen. Now that I think of it, he didn’t tell me when to get back to him. Probably will need to text him whenever you make your decision I guess.”
“I think I’d love to be able to do that. I don’t even know which ones to show though, I have so many to choose from.”
“I’m sure if you take a week to think it over you’ll be able to narrow down your options. And besides, this doesn’t have tp be the only set of paintings you show off. You can always switch them out from time to time. Taehyung will see that it happens.”
“Damn,” you say. “Kim Taehyung really has the whole world in the palm of his hand huh?” That man has more power in his little toe than all the world’s leaders combined.
“Taehyung is…one of a kind.” Jungkook leans his body forward, arms crossed on the dining table. “There’s a second topic I’d like to talk about too if it’s alright?”
“Shoot.”
“I have a therapy session with Hoseok on Thursday after work. I should be able to get back before 5 p.m. but we might want to order out for dinner that night.” There’s a trace of nervousness as he tells you so you reach out to sneak a hand into one of his.
“That’s fine, I can pick something up on my way home from work. I’m glad he was able to get you in this week.”
Jungkook flickers his eyes down at your hand in his, then back up to your face.“It probably goes without saying but I’m not sure what’ll come from this session. And even if it does go well, I can’t promise that we can start a baby right away. I mean maybe we can, I’m not saying we can’t but–”
“It’s okay Kookie,” you say gently. “This isn’t only about us having a baby or not you know? You’ve had a lot of challenges with your parents that I think Hoseok can help you talk through. I want you to be able to have clarity in those areas of your life too.”
“Thank you __. I love you so much.” He brings your hand to his lips and kisses it.
“I’m glad you wiped your mouth off before you did that,” you tease, playfully. Jungkook immediately lets go of your hand and gets up to walk to your side of the table.
“Come here smart ass,” he orders, grabbing your face to pepper several kisses on your cheeks.
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Draining.
That’s the one word that comes to Jungkook’s mind if he were to sum up the rest of the week. He enjoys teaching at the university but four days in he’s already feeling the stress kinks in his neck.
“Mm.” Jungkook rolls his shoulders back to stretch the tense muscles–it’s a good thing he’s seeing Hoseok today. After getting a good stretch out, he puts his car key in the ignition and heads for the practice downtown.
"Come in, come in," Hoseok greets Jungkook with a beaming smile once he arrives at his office no short of ten minutes later. His room is on the smaller side but it has a harmonious energy with the way the sun peaks through the blinds. "How's your week been?"
Jungkook takes a seat in the large, cozy chair angled across Hoseok. He leans against the back lazily and lets out a long sigh. "It's alright, tiring, but it's to be expected. You?"
"Roughly the same.” Hoseok shuts the door and takes a seat in the chair diagonal to Jungkook. “I’ve had more patients this week than usual which has made me short on time lately. But I'm happy to make time for them."
"Thank you for seeing me this week. I was surprised when you said you could given how full your schedule gets.”
Hoseok waves his hand in dismissal. “Oh, of course, it’s no problem,” he reassures. “I had an opening so that’s why I offered. You and __ are also good friends of mind; I’m more than willing to meet with you today Jungkook. So…why don’t we get started? How was taking care of Yoongi’s rambunctious twins? You’ve taken care of them before right?”
At this, Jungkook sits straight up in his seat, his shoulders back and eyes directly trained on Hoseok. He appears stiff like the tin man from The Wizard of Oz. “Feel free to sit back,” Hoseok lightly suggests. “This isn’t a test or anything so you can relax and get comfortable if you’d like.”
“Okay.” Jungkook follows his friend’s suggestion and sinks into the back of the chair. His hands relax on his spread-out thighs. “So yeah, we’ve taken care of Yoongi’s girl before. Ari and Eun-ji have no shortage of attitude that’s for sure.” He chuckles, then continues. “They’re sweet though. I had this warm, positive energy throughout that whole night. Usually, I never have a strong feeling towards being around kids. It’s always been ‘ah they’re cute but not for me’ or ‘yes hyung, I’ll be fine to take them for a day’ but it wouldn’t go any further. I told __ about it and I think she’s holding onto hope that it means I’m changing my mind about kids.”
“And are you changing your mind? Sometimes those strong emotions will come at specific moments and they can give a false narrative. You and __ have been thinking about a baby recently which may influence these new feelings. But we have to be careful that they don’t blur what you actually want.” Hoseok pauses a second to let Jungkook maul over his words.
“It’s like this,” he continues. “You want to have a baby with her because you love her but last time we met, you said you weren’t sure if you could want it naturally for yourself. Now that you know what the other wants, and you’ve had a picture of what having kids may look like with the twins, you are more welcoming of the idea of starting a family. ‘Maybe it won’t be so bad’, your mind will tell you–‘Maybe this can really happen and I’ll be okay with it’. Meanwhile, your subconscious will say the complete opposite–that you’re pressuring yourself to feel a certain way to get that ideal outcome of giving your wife a baby. Which in turn, makes her happy and gives you security in your marriage and in yourself. I’m not saying this is exactly what’s going on but it’s a possibility to consider. Does this make sense?”
“I get what you’re saying.” Jungkook gives a brief nod. “I’m trying to be careful not to go by my feelings alone or say yes to a child out of pure tolerance of it or a willingness to please my wife. I’ve had some minor hiccups with saying we can have a baby at random times to __ . It’s caused her confusion so I’m more careful to not do stuff like that so casually. But I really am thinking about potentially starting a family so I think my mind really is changing. It’s like I’m 60% there but 40% not there.”
“60% there and 40% not there,” Hoseok repeats. “Could you break those down for me? How did you come to those percentages?”
“Well, I’m 60% because after giving it a lot of thought, I don’t dislike kids so I’m open to having them, any children I’ve been around recently have oddly uplifted my spirits, and I love my wife so if there’s anyone I could have a family with, it’d be with her. I’m 40% not there because I’m afraid I’ll revert back to my previous mindset if said child were to come. I don’t know if I can trust myself.”
“There seems to be a small pattern forming–you being uplifted around children,” Hoseok replies. “Patterns of behavior can be a measurement of progress or lack thereof. If you’ve been repeatedly uplifted around kids that’s something to think about as you sort through the matter of starting a family with __. You can trust yourself more in the conclusions you come to when there is repeated behavior and action to support them. Now as far as you being afraid you’ll revert back to your old self, why did that old Jungkook not want children? Was it a lack of interest in itself or were there external influences?”
“Uh, I guess I wanted to live a life focused on my career. My parents have done the same, but I wanted to do it separately from them. Growing up was always about meeting goals, whether they were academically or socially based. My parents were pretty absent from my life outside those frames. I couldn’t know them up close, like a healthy parent-child relationship. So when I grew up the thought of having children disinterested me. I’m happy for people who have kids but I didn’t see myself in a parenting role myself. I wasn’t fit for it either, so why have a child that I can’t properly take care of? I’d do better focusing on my career and maybe having a partner when the time came. That was my mindset.”
“It starts as disinterest and shifts to inadequacy,” Hoseok thinks a moment as he processes the explanation. The wheels turn in his head as he sorts through the information disclosed to him. “Jungkook,” he slowly starts. “Do you see yourself as naturally insecure? It seems like this different life you are describing works well for you and you’re comfortable with it, partly due to how you were raised. So the thought of something new coming into your life, like a baby, risks flipping your life upside down. You’re in turn, left vulnerable and scrabbling for what the proper course of action is. This leads to my next question–do you have a fear of becoming like your parents?”
“I suppose I do, but I never put that much weight into it before because I always thought I’d do better than them. And for the most part, I have. When it comes to raising a child though, the potential of following their lead still frightens me.”
“Given the environment you grew up in, that's completely understandable. Unfortunately, your parents didn’t raise you as a child but more of an employee or predecessor that only adds to their self-value. If it’s any encouragement, you being aware that they raised you poorly and successfully becoming a person that doesn’t embody their harmful traits means you will likely not end up like them. So you can be at ease, Jungkook. You’ll raise your children with a healthy mindset–separate from your parents.”
“Just to clarify, hyun–Dr. Jung, you’re saying that I've been against having a child because I’m worried I’ll lose my comfortable lifestyle; my security in other words. And because I’m scared to become my parents which shouldn’t be a fear because I know what they did was wrong?” Jungkook struggles to wrap his mind around the logic.
“It’s alright that you still have that apprehension Jungkook, the fear of following in your parent’s footsteps. I’m suggesting that it won’t happen because you’ve become a person who actively repulses those poor choices that they’ve made. So if you were to have a child, the chances of them being raised as you were is significantly low. Also, you wouldn’t be raising the child alone. __ will be there with you every step of the way and all of us who have been your friends for ages will be more than willing to help you too. Yoongi and Seokjin been fathers for years so they’ll be the first ones to offer a proper hand.”
“So wait, does this mean I’m ready to be a parent then? Because I see your point and it’s starting to make sense. I think I am leaning towards being one but I'm unsure if I can have a child right away. __ won’t say it but I think she’ll want to get pregnant fairly soon if I agree to having a baby. I don’t want to disappoint her.”
“It’s still up to you to decide if you’re ready or not, Jungkook.” Hosoek clears his throat, leaning forward in his chair. “Here’s what I’m saying. Your aversion to having kids doesn’t seem like a mere disinterest in kids. It’s more of an insecurity in yourself that you can work through with some help. Plus, part of you wants a child because you’ve had positive experiences with them recently. I believe, with all the factors we've discussed, you will be able to better understand the source of your hesitation and openness toward starting a family. This will help you make a clearer decision on the matter instead of holding yourself back from one based on previous misconceptions–”
“So that’s it then,” Jungkook interrupts as if enlightened. “I actually do want a baby, generally speaking. I’ve just been looking at the whole issue the wrong way, holding myself back and such.”
“Uh okay, slow down there,” Hoseok eases. “You don’t have to make the decision to have a baby right away. I’m glad you’re beginning to understand your situation more but for now, let’s talk more about this subject okay?”
Jungkook nods in agreement and continues his session with Hoseok for another half hour. He feels good by the end, so good that he schedules another meeting with him next week.
And yeah, he thinks he really does want that baby. When he gets home he’s going to wrap you in his arms and tell you all about it.
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Jungkook finds you on the living room couch when he gets home. Your legs are tucked underneath you as you scroll on your phone. You're out of your work clothes and have a plain t-shirt and shorts on instead.
"Hey," you greet your husband. "How was it?"
Your husband rushes to sit beside you, the cushion bouncing due to his eagerness. He proceeds to tell you everything that Hoseok said, from his inner struggles with his parents to his own insecurities with fatherhood. By the end of his spiel, you're delighted that your husband's gotten helpful insight but are in utter shock as well.
"I–wow I'm blown away at how good seeing Hosoek was for you. I knew he'd help you a ton being who he is but I wasn't expecting you to be this enthusiastic to talk about babies." You let out a nervous laugh. "Sorry, nothing's funny. I need a minute to process everything, that's all."
You head to the kitchen for a glass of water. Jungkook follows behind you.
"You know...we met at a time that a child wasn't really in the cards, but now we're at a place that I think it could work," he says. "Hoseok helped me understand my hesitation and openness towards starting a family. And by the end, the thought of having a baby excited me more than scared me because we'll be doing it together."
"Are you–Junkook, are you really serious about all this?" You lean against the kitchen counter with a glass in your hand. "This a big step for us and I don't want you to have to make a quick decision. I know it was me who brought up having a family first, so it's no problem if we need to take more time to–"
"I want to do this with you __." Jungkook walks over to you and takes the cup from your hand to set it on the countertop. He then folds his hands over yours. "Nothing would make me happier than having a baby together. You still want to, don't you?"
"I do," you swallow hard and stare into his loving eyes. A small smile creeps on your face when the reality of the situation hits you–you're actually going through with this; you're going to start a family.
"So..." Jungkook drawls, inching his body closer to you.
"So, what?"
"So don't take your birth control tomorrow if you don't want to." He drops your hands at that in favor of cupping your cheeks instead, bringing you into a passionate kiss. You moan when the kiss deepens and you feel his muscular body press you further against the counter.
"Not in the kitchen," you mumble between kisses.
"Could be fun though," Jungkook smirks and brings his hands around your waist, lifting you up on the surface. Experience tells you to wrap your arms and legs around him so you do. And when he goes back for another kiss, he makes sure to bite on your bottom lip so he can slip his tongue in your mouth.
"Mhph–" you moan when his hands slip underneath your shirt, dragging it up until you lift your arms for him to take it off. He moves to your neck next, placing several open-mouth kisses on the delicate skin that is sure to turn into bluish-purple hickeys in the morning. "Jungkook," you tug his hair roughly.
Your husband grunts at the gesture and traces his fingers along your bare skin until they find the delicate band of your bra. He unclasps the material in seconds, leaving your nipples pebbling from the cool air.
"Is it too soon for me to say I can't wait until these are lactating?" He cups the swell of your breasts and circles his thumbs over your hardened buds. You mewl at the touch, arousal already collecting between your thighs.
"They'll be for the baby," you reply. "Not you."
Jungkook growls immediately and brings his mouth over a breast. The relentless sucking and licking makes you throw your head back in pleasure. He moves to your other breast after his teeth tug at your nipple a few times, repeating the process all over again. "Fuck–" you yelp when one of his tugs gets a little too harsh.
"Shit, I'm sorry baby." He draws his teeth back and starts licking the bud soothingly. "Feel better?"
"Mm," you whine. "Need more, please."
Jungkook knows exactly what you're asking for so he gives your nipples one last lick each, then pecks your lips. His sturdy arms lift you off the counter next and carries you into the bedroom where he lays you on the bed.
"Just a second," he says. You nod and watch him yank his shirt over his head, revealing his toned body. It's always sexy to see him taking his clothes off like this, you think to yourself. He removes his pants; leaving his briefs on, then climbs on the bed with you. "You're so effortlessly beautiful you know that? I'm gonna make you feel good tonight baby," he promises and plants gentle kisses down your abdomen.
You raise your butt a little when he starts peeling your shorts and underwear off. "Fuck, I didn't know you could get this wet," he comments, spreading your thighs apart so he can comfortably sit between them. A single finger drags up your slit, a moment after and you buck your hips at the suddenness. "How many fingers do you want? Or do you want to skip to my tongue eating you out? I'll do whatever you tell me, baby."
You moan hearing the last part. Jungkook is always quick to please. "Both, please. Your fingers and mouth," you say, gripping the sheets in preparation.
At your word, Jungkook slowly pushes a finger into your wet pussy. The initial squelch gives both of you pleasure; a shiver runs down your spine and Jungkook's underwear tightens.
"Oh god," you moan when a second finger slides next to the first one, both curling inside you just right. "One more, need one more." Jungkook pumps his fingers into you two more times, then adds a third.
"Like it?" he asks, fingers moving faster in you. "Feeling good?"
"Yes, fuck–keep going Kook."
Jungkook continues pumping his finger inside you, carefully watching you bite your lip as he does. He loves seeing you like this–getting so fucked out over his fingers. "Shit–" he grunts and leans his head between your thighs when he sees some of your pearly white liquid drip down your thighs and onto the bed sheets.
"Fuckfuckfuck," you repeat, nearly breathless as your husband starts licking a long stripe across your sex. He removes his fingers before doing it again, allowing him to dip the tip of his tongue into your folds ever so slightly. "I think I'm about to come," you warn and claw at his luscious hair with one hand.
Jungkook takes this as the perfect time to start sucking your clit, biting it teasingly until you finally have your first orgasm of the night. When he lifts his head from your pussy, his mouth and chin are both glistening with your cum. "I love eating you out," he says, using his arm to wipe his mouth and chin, "You always taste like fucking candy. And you have no idea how turns on it makes me to see you enjoying it just as much."
"I'm pretty sure I can take a good guess," you reply, eyeing his obvious erection. "Want me to suck you off?" You move to slide the band of his briefs down but he stops the movement.
"Not tonight baby," he says. "I really just want to fuck you now."
"You sure?" you ask again but he only gets off the bed and removes his underwear. His hard cock smacks against his abdomen when he does, making your pussy clench around nothing.
"Missionary?" Jungkook crawls back on the bed and guides you on your back before throwing your legs over his shoulder. "Heard this angle is good for making babies." He winks and you laugh at his sudden playfulness.
"Kook, you know it'll be a few months before I'll be able to get pregnant right? Since I've been on birth control for years?"
"Well, I guess we're getting a head start then." Jungkook wiggles his eyebrows at you flirtatiously then slowly sinks the tips of his length into your pussy until bottoming out.
"Oh fuck," you both moan in unison at the familiar stretch. You and Jungkook have had a lot of sex over the years but not like this; this is a whole new experience.
"You're gonna make such a pretty mama," he coos, slowly thrusting his cock in and out of you. You feel the pressure in your core start to build at the simple comment. "You want me to make you round with our child don't you?"
"Yes–please, I want it so bad."
"My poor baby." Jungkook quickens his pace, pulling his cock out before slamming back in. Every thrust is rougher than the last, leaving you in a moaning mess as your body bounces up and down on the mattresses. "Gonna give you as many as you want now okay? Gonna fill this pussy up so good."
"Kook!" You scream and clench uncontrollably around him as he continues fucking you at what you can only call an animalistic pace. His hair is messy, body sweating, and his teeth are clamped together in sheer pleasure.
"Fuck!" He lets out another loud groan, his tatted hand clinging onto your legs while the other presses down on your stomach. "Look at you taking me so well," he praises. "Always so good for me or do you really want a baby that bad hm? Talk to me baby, tell me how it feels having your guts rearranged."
"It–" you can barely speak as his cock beats into you messily, his balls slapping against your asscheeks as he does. "It feels so good, shit! Don't stop!" You claw the sheets, desperate to cling onto something.
"Yeah? You want me to keep fucking you like this?" He pushes down on your stomach a little more. The added pressure makes it so you can feel his cock even more.
"Oh god, oh god fuck–" your eyes roll to the back of your head as your pussy starts spasming from all the thrusting. "So close, I'm so close Jungkook..."
"I can tell baby," he grunts. "You're squeezing me so tight but you're also so fucking wet. Come whenever you're ready okay? I'm going get us both there."
The next thirty seconds to a minute consists of Jungkook snapping his hips and several of your broken moans echoing off the walls of your bedroom. Finally, after a series of long, hard thrusts, you both reach your peak and have your release.
"I love you so much," Jungkook lets go of your legs and moves to straddle you. His elbows come up on either side of your head as he leans in for a kiss.
"I love you too," you mumble and card your fingers through his hair. "You're going to make a wonderful father Kook."
"Only because of you," he whispers before capturing your lips in simultaneously the most fiery and sweet kiss you've ever shared.
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"What time is it?" You lazily throw an arm around your husband but to your dissatisfaction, it slips off him and hits the mattress instead. He's getting up for work–crap.
"It's 5:30 a.m," Jungkook replies and stands up from the bed, back muscles flexing as he does. He's still naked from last night and so are you now that you think about it. "I need to hop in the shower for work."
You reach forward to catch his wrist before he can move any further. "Let me join you."
Jungkook smiles. You're so beautiful with the way the soft sheets wrap around your bare skin. And your grip on his wrist makes him wish he could crawl back in bed with you.
"As wonderful as that sounds, we both know what'll happen if you jump in the shower with me. And we don't have enough time for that today. Sleep instead, okay?" He gives you a quick kiss and heads for the bathroom.
"Kook–" You kick the covers off your body and follow him.
"What are you doing?" he turns his head in your direction when he feels a cool breeze coming from the door.
"I need to shower too," you say and step behind him in the tub.
"Alright," he narrows his eyes at you. "I'll allow it but behave." When he turns on the hot water you grab your bodywash from the shelf.
"Mhm," you hum. "I definitely will."
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You definitely did not. Which is why your husband is about to be late to his lecture with potential hickeys on his neck. You tried to be careful not to put them anywhere visible though—the kids don't need to see that.
"I gotta leave honey," he kisses you by the front door, keys jingling in his hand. "Bye," another kiss. "Yup bye…okay I love you but if I can't get fired by not showing up to class."
You give him one last smooch before reluctantly letting him go. "Oh wait, your collar." You smooth the fabric down for him when you see the crinkles. Jungkook likes it when you groom him like this, it's cute.
"Thanks," he says. "Love you!"
Once he's out of sight you shut the door behind him and walk back to your bedroom.
oh god.
You immediately stand still when you feel a sudden throbbing in your head. You place a hand over your stomach and close your eyes in hopes it'll pass.
"I think I need some water," you say. "I'm so nauseous. This has to be a dizzy spell. No way I'm pregnant after one night of being off my birth control." You dismiss the idea at the mere thought. "It's too soon."
Despite your protests, you decide to pick up a pregnancy test on your way home from work—just to be sure.
"Negative," you read the results of the test later that night. Outside the bathroom, you hear your husband rustling about in the bedroom. "Well, we'll just keep trying."
You smile, anticipating the start of your new life with Jungkook.
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A/N: What do you think of the ending? I know oc is negative for pregnancy but she just got off bc so it'll take a few months. Still, they will keep trying ;) stayed tuned for an epilogue and hit me up with drabble ideas, as I will be writing more myself haha. Love You!! 😘
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gridfangirl · 10 months
Text
That one night in São Paulo
Max Verstappen x photographer f! oc smut
summary: they met a long time ago, but just in that rainy night things finally got real. Smut. No real plot, just vibes.
warnings: drinking, possessiveness
+18, <900 words
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That one night in São Paulo, it was raining.
The silence inside that hotel room. It was always hotel rooms for him, for both of them. 
She was always busy, registering each moment of the World Championship craziness for posterity, her post as a photographer giving her okay money and an awful amount of headaches and jet lags… but that's how they met. And kept meeting. They became friend-like acquaintances. Always saying a lot in the blank spaces. Always wanting but never asking or taking.
Striding through continents like it was a tiny neighborhood. Flying and working and flirting, until they finally got out for some drinks after the race in Brazil. It was Caipirinhas this time, not the usual paddock coffee. They slurped some cups and laughed and Max blushed.
And the drinks turned to something else entirely. 
That one night in São Paulo, somehow, time stopped.
Just stopped.
The mirrored windowpane was tinted by glowing drops of water outside against flashes of the city lights: heavy rain still pouring, thunder rumbling now and then. The lampshade lights on, his eager mouth devouring her core, sucking on her clit harshly, making her whimper, rocking her hips… He loved it so much and kept fucking her soppy wet pussy with two fingers quickly, groaning when she rubbed herself on his face… So needy for him. So horny. And he promised himself to give it all to her, to give his very best so she could never forget him. 
His hard-on was painfully untouched inside his navy-blue boxers, but he couldn’t think of himself right now; he had to give it all to the task: to ruin her for all other men. To make her cum so hard, so good, and so many times, she would never want any other guy. There would be only him occupying that place in her memory, the best fuck she’s ever had. The number one.  
And the cries of her orgasms only made him harder, swallowing on his rush, grabbing her waist with nails digging into the skin. He licked fat stripes upwards over her stomach, biting on her bones, grabbing the soft flesh, laughing at the goosebumps it made appear all over his girl… his girl, only his. And between mouthing over the curving ribcage and licking his way up, Max had only two thoughts: to cum and never to let her go fucking anywhere. He wanted to drag her with him forever—just his girl and nothing else. 
Her voice sounded weak but the tiny giggle on the end made him stop his ministrations and prop himself over his elbows to look at her face:
- We took so long to do this… 
- We did.
- Come here, Max. C’mon.
  Her grabby hands pulled his unruly hair, and he kissed her hard, red wet lips devouring hers, hungry teeth and the shadow of his beard rasping, hurting. She wanted it to hurt in a way. She needed that edge at least one time. There was too much pressure, too much expectation for them not to do it like nibbly animals. 
Max pulled away, looking flushed, sweaty, breathing through his mouth. He removed his tight boxers and opened the condom package with his teeth. She couldn’t look away from him when he slid it around his hard cock and took no time to be over her again, spreading her legs wide before sliding inside her, breathing hard… Her whimpers made his cock twitch, and she moved her hips in such a needy way like she wasn’t the woman who did just cum in his mouth. 
  But it didn’t took much time for her to come again, his rough hands on her breasts, fucking fast, pubic bone rubbing on her clit. She cried and fell limp. 
-Fuck Max, oh my god…
He didn’t stop for a second.
- What, babe?
  She couldn’t answer, not with the rhythm he caught after that, placing one of her legs up his shoulder, rough thumb on her clit, rubbing, rubbing…
- Max, babe, come with me, please?
- ‘k.
  And as soon as she cried again, spine curving, eyes shut closed, he grunted and came. It was almost painful, the way his balls twitched, but it was worth the wait. To have her so completely, to come so hard and deep inside her.
And while the rain still poured heavy outside, thunder blasting closer each time, Max held her by the waist, pulling her hot body closer, closer… Her fingers found their home in his sweaty fair mane, while his eyes still had a wild pull to them, like what he was feeling wasn’t satisfaction or affection, but some primal pulse, a desire to obliterate her needs, to have her in every way, just for himself. 
- You are my girl. Mine. 
- What?
- I don’t know where this is going but…You are mine. 
- Max, what is…
  His kiss interrupted her mumbling, stealing her breath away. But she knew him enough to see the truth. Maybe he was right. Maybe he owned her now in a weird way, a strange bond she wasn’t willing to undo too soon. Maybe they shouldn’t overthink while the rain poured outside and their bodies were still covered in each other’s sweat. Maybe nothing else mattered until his next flight in a couple of hours…
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heartbreakgrill · 6 months
Text
how you get the girl: calum hood.
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1989 (Heartbreak Grill’s Version)
stand there like a ghost, shaking from the rain. she’ll open up the door and say, ‘are you insane?’
“there’s someone here for you!”
i looked up from my computer screen, eyes trailing across the rainy window, pattering softly from the droplets that drenched the glass. my roommate passed my room, lazily shouting the sentence through the open door.
i furrowed my brows. i wasn’t expecting anybody, and i didn’t have any packages that were getting delivered- at least, not until tomorrow.
“who is it?” i shouted down the hall, towards the living room, as i stepped from my room.
“don’t know. some boy,” she replied. the television unpaused and a laughter track interrupted any further conversation we could have.
i turned back towards the front door. a blurry shadow was illuminated through the frosted panes of the door. it was a tall man. part of me worried that this was the moment at the beginning of a horror movie, when girls like me always died.
part of me worried it was someone worse.
i latched a hand around the door knob, cowering in on myself as the brisk wind gushed through the foyer of the apartment. goosebumps nibbled at my skin. i shivered. my hair wafted over my shoulders.
and my eyes focused on the figure looming over my doorstep, their black clothing dripping with water, hair soaked to the scalp.
my jaw slackened, my eyes widened. “what the fuck are you doing here?”
calum let out a heavy sigh, as though he’d been holding his breath since the last time we spoke. my eyes drug over his stormy demeanor, images flashing through my mind of a time i tried so hard not to remember.
“calum,” i insisted, “what are you doing here? what- don’t you have tour? shouldn’t you be in- in mexico right now?”
“i had to see you,” he rushed out.
rain splashed on my bare feet, against the exposed skin on my arms, as the sky continued pouring. i flinched at the cold droplets.
“what…” i couldn’t put together many words right now, but i knew, “you need to come in, you’re gonna get sick!”
i stepped aside, ushering him into the foyer. the carpet dampened under his converse and a puddle started forming on the hardwood. calum shook his hair out, spraying water across my shirt like a dog fresh out of a bath.
i huffed, “um…let me get- a towel. hang on. stay,” i gestured to him like he really was an animal.
he chuckled shortly.
say it’s been a long six months and you were too afraid to tell her what you want.
i ushered calum into my room, shoving a towel into his hands. i lay another one across the floor to clean up his mess. he shed his converse, his jacket, tossing it into my hamper.
“you still have my zeppelin shirt,” he stated, memory clear as a day.
“is that what you came here for?” i crossed my arms, a little defensive at his somewhat rude accusation.
calum dried his curls out with the towel. he chuckled again at my words. “no…i-“ he ran the towel over his face, then pointed at his body, “i’m soaked. you have my shirt.”
“oh!” i straightened up, red in the face at my lack of understanding. “yeah…i…”
i ashamedly dug through my pajama drawer, pulling out the top-big t-shirt that i resisted the urge to wear to sleep sometimes. i turned my body away from calum as he began to take off his shirt, with no warning. but, i could him in the mirror.
my eyes trailed over his body, as sure as my fingertips remember it.
say it’s been a long six months, and you were too afraid to tell her what you want.
calum spoke my name, a sound so sweet, so sacred, that my body wracked with anticipation, with a drawing want for what we had.
i looked back at him, arms uncrossing themselves. “why are you here, calum?” my tone had dropped, a saddened furrow pulling my brows together. “it’s been…six months.”
“i know,” calum stepped towards me, hands shaking before him. he lay them out like a truce. i wanted to grab them, to hit them yet hold them. to curse them and worship their fingertips.
i pressed my own fingers to my forehead, cooling the heat that sprouted there. “what- just please, say something! i don’t hear from you for six months and you just…show up, out of the blue? what’s going on?”
calum fidgeted with the ring on his finger, rolled his lips together. they were nervous habits i’d picked up on in the short time we’d spent together.
flickering memories i’d never seemed to be able to forget.
“i’m sorry,” calum shook his head, as if rejecting his own actions. “im sorry for leaving. im sorry for not saying goodbye. im sorry for…for not telling you…”
and that’s how it works, that’s how you get the girl.
“telling me what?” i could feel frustrated, angry tears welling up in my eyes. i was just so…how could he do this?
how could he come into my life, unexpectedly, make me feel things i’d never known before, then shut the door on a chapter that had gone unfinished?
then, pick back up the book after six months, as though he could just finish me off whenever he so pleased?
“telling me what, calum?” i pressed, taking a step closer.
“telling you that i love you,” he nearly whispered it, as though he was scared of the confession, as though it would shift the entire world.
i blinked.
calum stared back at me, the hood in his eyes flooding over with confusion as the silence lingered on. “i…” he tried to find some new words, tried to fill the blanks, “i love you, y/n. i’ve loved you since i saw you at the bar that night. i- i haven’t been able to forget you, and i-“
“get out.”
calum’s words stalled. his lips sat parted, the unfinished sentences lingering on the tip of his tongue. he ran it over his lips, “what?”
i crossed my arms again, tightening the clutches, as if to hold myself together, to hold myself strong. i wasn’t going to give into this.
“get out. go. leave. go back to mexico and go play your stupid little concert,” my voice was low because i was afraid that if i spoke any louder, i would crack. i’d cry.
i’d tell him that i love him too.
but i just couldn’t.
“what-?” calum went to defend himself, to try to explain the situation.
but, i was shoving his shoulder. i was gathering his shoes, tossing his coat at him, opening the front door. he battled me, weakly, sputtering out useless words, twisting around to face me, though i kept pushing.
“leave me alone.”
remind her how it used to be with pictures in frames of kisses on cheeks.
i locked the door. calum’s shadow lingered on the porch, blackened against the light. i reached a finger up towards the button and shut the porch light off. i heard calum groan.
the tears fell down my cheeks.
i had spent the last six months getting over him.
i had spent hours in therapy, wondering why he had never picked me in the first place, why he had abandoned me like an unwanted path of his life.
i had grieved a relationship that never even got to exist, i had gotten over somebody who i never even had in the first place. i had rebuilt myself, i had redownloaded the dating apps. i was starting over.
i was moving on.
and now he was here and i felt like that naive girl from six months ago.
i went back to my desk. i crossed my legs, balanced my chin on my fist, and stared at my computer screen, blankly. my mind spurred with unwanted thoughts, my heart palpitating with emotions i had been used to not feeling for so long.
i typed out a few words for my essay, hoping it would stimulate the academic side of my brain. maybe if i focused on something else, i could pretend like tonight never even happened.
i continued on my assignment, until i reached a pass. there was a section of the reading that referenced another book. i needed to get it from my closet.
of course, while i was reaching for the textbook, a box, tucked far into the corner of my closet- the corner of my mind- came toppling down onto my head. i helped at the impact, rubbing the minor injury as i reached down for the shoebox.
my brows furrowed at the sight. when it rained, it poured.
i slowly lowered myself to my knees, shaking hands reaching out for the spilled contents of the box. pictures, ticket stubs, receipts, dry flower petals, a pop can tab, candy wrappers, a ring, and a thing of red lipstick.
calum and i, at the state fair, riding the carousel like we were just kids. kissing when we hit the top, and we could see the entire town. us at the diner, two straws for one milkshake, a plate of fries, and a song on the jukebox that we’d dance to every night he stayed over. in the recording studio, on the couch, sprawled out like old friends, listening to ash and luke argue over a single beat of a song, and discovering a pair of lyrics calum had written about me.
concerts, comedy shows, basketball tournaments, high school football games, recitals we had been to.
a print out of a plane ticket to australia for next month, now refunded in my bank account. a promise for a visit that would never come to fruition.
red roses for my birthday, red roses for my grade of an a in a hard class, red roses for a friday night dinner, red roses for a late night visit. red lipstick i’d wear when we went out, just to leave vibrant, still, stuck lip prints on his cheek.
tell her how you must have lost your mind when you left her all alone and never told her why. that’s how you lost the girl.
i gathered the items back into the box with hands that would not stop shaking. it took longer than it should have because i ruminated on every detail. i held every photo like a piece of glass, examining its contents like i could renter the moment and fix things before they broke.
i set the box on my bed, gently sitting down beside it. i didn’t know where to go, what to do. i needed to work things out, i needed to find an answer.
because i loved him, too.
i found myself reaching for my phone, dialing his number. i found myself under an umbrella, headed towards that old diner.
“thanks for meeting me.”
i wrapped my frozen fingers around the steaming cup of coffee, grateful for the radiating warmth. the air conditioning was still sputtering above us and i shivered.
“y-yeah,” i barely nodded, still unsure of what to say.
calum took a sip of his own coffee. he gulped. he licked his lips. he prodded at the ketchup bottle on our table with a stray straw. his eyes trailed over to the colorful machine on the table. “they raised the price of the jukebox.”
i followed his gaze. so they had. it used to be 50¢ per song. now it was $1.00.
“hm,” i remarked, staring at the dollar sign. “strange.”
“you didn’t know?” calum inquired, looking to me with a raised brow.
i shrugged, “i haven’t been here since…”
“july,” he filled in my gap. “it’s been…since july.”
“ah,” i nodded once. “seems like forever ago.”
“i know.”
a thick pass of silence sat stale in the air.
i nursed a few sips of my coffee. if he wanted, then he should talk. i would not be the one figuring this out. i would not beg him to make up for the loss he’d made me grieve.
eventually, he whispered, “i had to go.”
i flicked my eyes up to his before pulling them back down to the table. he dropped his head, chin against his chest, defeated. “i’m sorry. i’ll say it a million times- i’m sorry. i had to go. we- we decided last minute to announce the tour. there was a lot of bullshit we had to handle before starting it. and i, i don’t know…i didn’t want you to get caught up in the drama of it all. i didn’t want the world to get its hands on you…”
“so, you ghost me? you leave with no letter, no text, nothing?” i blinked back a tear. “wow…my knight in shining armor. thanks, calum.”
he huffed at himself, “no…i- listen, please-“
“no,” i denied him, “no, you listen, okay? i devoted myself to you for six months. i centered my whole life on you. i fell in love with you and i- gave you everything. because you were everything to me. and, i fucking waited and waited for you to say something, to tell me you wanted me, to ask me to drop everything and come with you because i would have! i would have gone to the ends of the earth with you because i loved you.
“and you left me,” i quickly brushed away tears as they rushed from my eyes, pattering against the table like the raindrops outside the diner window.
calum didn’t respond. he shuffled in his seat, leaning back, head dropping again.
and you know that i don’t want you to go. and say you want me.
i couldn’t handle it anymore. i’d given him a chance. i’d heard him out. his explanation just wasn’t enough for the heartbreak i’d had to handle.
so, i pushed up out of the booth, tugging my purse strap over my shoulder, my hood over my head. i veered for the door, passing our waitress with a half-hearted, “excuse me.”
i cursed the diner for being so big, for the exit to be on the other side of the building from where our usual table sat. i cursed that friday evening for drawing in so many customers to watch me, mascara blackening my cheeks, snot on my nose, storm like a baby from the restaurant.
just as my hand reached the bar on the door, the jukebox wound to life. the regular radio had been playing from the louder speakers because no one really paid for the old sound machine anymore. it didn’t have any modern songs, and it cost too much, apparently.
a familiar sultry beat came from the rusty speakers. my sneakers squeaked against the linoleum floors. i pushed the strap of my purse further up my shoulder. my heart tugged itself back towards the table, but i grounded the soles of my shoes.
i turned my head, caught his eye. he smiled, sadly. his hand had been cranking the knob on the quarter insert and it slowly dropped to the table. i glanced my eyes over the back of the diner, near the bathrooms, where a space sat for dancing, abandoned by the modern years. i saw two people dancing, consuming one another, lost in the thrill of it all. lost in the music.
and then you say i want you for worse or for better, i would wait forever and ever.
i crossed my arms over my chest and slowly walked back to the table. i slid back into the booth, dropping my purse down beside me.
“why did you leave?” i whispered, that heartbroken disbelief still heavy on my chest.
“i was scared,” calum admitted. he reached a hand across the table.
i leaned back, away from it. “of what?”
“of you,” he let out a breathy laugh. i didn’t smile. calum frowned again, searched for words, “i was scared of what loving you might mean. when we were here to record the album, we got to pretend like we were normal people for a while. i didn’t have to care about the pressure from the fans, staying sober, being a good person. life just came easy and naturally. but, if i left here with your heart in my hands- things would get hard. i wouldn’t be able to keep you distant from my real life. i wouldn’t be able to keep you sacred. nothing would be normal for us ever again.”
i understood it, now. i didn’t like it- i was still angry about it. but it made sense.
he wanted a peaceful love, but life made it so everything was rocky. not even i could prevent the world to taint this.
“i couldn’t…” calum trailed off. he reached out his hand again. “i can’t do it with out you anymore. i don’t care…”
he lost his words. i set a hand upon the table, fingers inching near his. he gratefully pressed his fingertips into mine, opening my palm. i stared at our hands. electricity crackled under my skin.
“i want you and i don’t care about the rest of the world. we’ll deal with it. we’ll figure it out. if it means losing you…these past six months have been hard. i’m sure you know what i mean…”
i nodded with a hopeless chuckle. “yeah, i do.”
broke your heart i’ll put it back together. i would wait forever and ever.
“i struggled with staying sober cause i just…i felt so stupid and worthless. i know i put you through so much pain. i know leaving was wrong and awful and i’ll never forgive myself for not even explaining it. i never want to…i never want to leave you again,” he was crying.
“calum, i…” i took his hand in both mine, “i don’t know. i’m just…you took so much of me with you. i had to learn how to exist without those parts of myself. i had to relearn who i was. i had to grieve her- us. it was so hard- you just left me. but…i don’t know. i need time. i need time to think and…”
“i know, i know, i know,” calum nodded quickly. “no, i know. i don’t expect…i don’t expect any answers. i don’t expect you to confess your feelings for me. i just…i needed to tell you that i love you. i couldn’t go another day without you knowing it. i needed to tell you and…and try to get you back.”
“well,” i glanced up from our hands, meeting his eye with a hopeful smile, “i think you got me.”
and that’s how it works. that’s how you got the girl.
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dwntwn-strnlo · 7 months
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OPIA matt sturniolo
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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 𝓈𝒾𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓁𝓎, dwntwn-strnlo.
↳ 𝐀/𝐍. this will contain a glossary at the end bc mark twain is hanging in my head rn and he needs to get out of here before I destroy his bloodline (I'm literally his bloodline) and he's making me feel very writer esk rn
PLEASE excuse the spelling errors LMAO i wrote this at 2am
↳ 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆. matthew sturniolo x reader
↳ 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘. not everyone is going to hurt you
↳ 𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃? no!
↳ 𝐂𝐖! use of 'y/n', crying, mentions of someone walking out of a relationship, unresolved ending, not proofread
walking out of your bedroom, you're met with a knock at the front door. startling your dazed state.
you rub at your eyes, harsher than you had intended. pulling your hands back to leave your vision blurry for several long seconds.
you don't want to answer the door, but you know if you're going to play this 'im fine' role, you can't ignore the gentle tapping.
more hurried knocks ring throughout your living room, finally sending you up to the wooden door. checking yourself in the mirror, you quickly pull your hair out of a claw clip and look through the peephole.
finding matt on the other side, hair wet from the light rain. his face shows worry, and slight panic.
letting out a hushed breath of air, you unlock the door and pull it open.
matts eyes immediately flash to yours, but you look at his car, avoiding his gaze. "are you uh- fuck." he mumbles, running his hands down his face. "I heard what happened with troye."
you shrug, switching your eyes to the ground. staring at the metal piece under the doorframe that separates your home from the world. "im fine. i knew he was gonna leave anyways."
when his breath hitches, you finally meet his eyes. he looks at you with a look that isn't intended to be hurtful, but it does. 'do you think im a dumbass?' his face read. but you aren't surprised that it hurt you. everything's hurt you the last few days.
"can i come in?" he queries, "or do you want space?"
shaking your head, you bite down hard on your lip. meeting his eyes when you unintentionally bring a metallic taste to your tongue. "don't give me space, please." you say softly, "space is that last thing I need from you right now."
his eyes glow for the split second it takes him to forget the circumstances in which he stands here right now. he nods gently, taking a step into your home.
you can't describe the rubatosis that floods your brain. the utter feeling of your heart pounding echoes in your brain and in your blood. threatening to burst out and let you hit the floor. you feel nervous. ready to fall to your knees with nausea, nervous.
shutting the door slowly, you search for the euphoric sensation of the rain pattering against your window, and your best friend standing in your living room.
turning to look to matt, his eyes soften as he finally gets a good look at you. rain no longer clouding his vision.
"tell me how i can fix this," he intoned, taking a cautious step towards you.
you bite back a laugh, you felt pathetic. you didn't even call matt, but yet here he was. coming to rescue you from your mentally draining ex boyfriend.
"you can't." you mouthed. your voice hushing itself to a heartbreaking whisper, barely audible over the television playing at a low volume.
watching the heartbreak in his eyes, you couldn't stand it. you were trying so hard not to cry in front of him but the opia was so frustrating.
he felt such an aenonic love as he stared at you. watching you make your way to the couch. sitting down with your knees tucked tightly up to your chest.
it hurt him to know that the person he loved so deeply felt hurt in the air of her own home.
"you deserve more," he whispers. "you look so run down, y/n."
"im fine, matt." you mumble. your voice still low and tremulous.
"lying is gonna get you no where." matt shakes his head, stepping towards you and kneeling down on the floor. taking your hands in his equally shaky ones. "you can look at me," he smiled reassuringly. bringing your knuckles up to his lips. "i promise you it's gonna be okay."
you met his eyes hesitantly. not sure how long you'll be able to maintain eye contact with him. "I can't do this, matt." you breathed. tears finally escaping and trickling quickly down your cheeks.
his eyes widen at your sudden sobs, pulling you close to him. "shh," he hushes lightly, rubbing circles into your neck with his thumb. "im sorry," he whispers. "im so, so sorry."
you couldn't bring yourself to speak. knowing your voice would break halfway through the first word anyways. you hugged matt as tight as possible; never wanting to let go.
"not everyone is going to hurt you," matt insinuated, pulling you deeper into his arms. carefully holding your head in his neck in an attempt to keep himself from crying too.
the boy stared tiredly up at the ceiling, biting his lip to keep himself from saying too much. keeping himself from telling you how much he hated calvin and how he knew he would hurt you, but he couldn't do that. he also couldn't mumble out the three words of affection. which hurt him. "im sorry," is all he could muster up, mumbling into your hair.
"please-" you husked, "please don't leave me too."
and that's all it took to break matt.
he tensed up in your arms, tears finally fighting their way out of his eyes. "I won't," he mouthed, you could barely hear him, but it was enough. "I promise I'll never leave you. you're my best friend, I'll love you forever."
he winced at his own words, only making himself cry harder.
he hated that stupid kid and his stupid face and the stupid way he made you fall in love and the stupid way he left you for a stupid girl. he hated the way calvin made you happy and not him.
"it's all going to be alright." matt hushed, pressing a soft kiss into the top of your head.
GLOSSARY
rubatosis - the feeling of ones own heartbeat
euphoric/euphoria - happiness
opia - the ambiguous intensity of looking someone in the eye
aeonic/aeonia - internally everlasting
TAGLIST
@thetriplets3 @stxrniqlo @ifilwtmfc @iha8you @oneirophobic @20nugs @gracietaylorsversions @fenoy7 @mlimmm @prettysturniolo @ssturniolo @gabbylovesreading @oh-toseewithoutmy-eyes @matthewmurdockswife @jellybeanbby
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luci-in-trenchcoats · 11 months
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If I Love You Too (Part 1)
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Summary: It’s been six months since the accident. Six months and Jensen can’t stand feeling helpless anymore. He knows he needs to start figuring out how to work again while being a single parent and juggling his concerned family. He absolutely doesn’t want it but he needs help in the form of a live-in nanny to help with the day to day. As much as he didn’t want that nanny or her help, she’s going to make him feel things he never dared to again and in the process, discover that some people in life get more than one soulmate...
Masterlist
Pairing: Jenssen x nanny!reader
Word Count: 9,500ish
Warnings: language, angst, death of a spouse, lying, mentions of injury/death of a spouse/death of a parent, internal turmoil
A/N: Please enjoy the first part of this Jensen POV series! I am SO excited to be sharing this story with you from Jensen’s side! 
______
“Hey buddy,” I heard as the door from the bedroom to the private balcony opened. I didn’t move from my seat, stayed still and quiet as the door shut behind me. A hand ruffled my hair and I turned away from the touch. “Want to come downstairs and watch Christmas Vacation with everyone? Kids are down for the count.”
“No thanks,” I said quietly, waiting for my brother to leave me alone again. The hand didn’t leave my hair and I closed my eyes. “I’m a little beat after a long couple days. You guys go ahead without me.”
“Thanks for the new toolset. I really like it,” he said. 
“You’re welcome.” I opened my eyes slowly, staring at the wood decking, Josh still playing with my hair. 
“Next year won’t be as hard. I promise.”
“Well it was a little hard to try and accommodate my children asking for their dead mother for Christmas,” I said. I held my breathing steady, pulling on all of those little acting strings tucked away in the back of my head to stop myself from saying more. “Maybe we can take all the kids ice skating tomorrow.”
“Sure. Mom and dad would like that,” I said. “Maybe get a real smile on that face.”
I stared dryly at the decking, overdue for a power wash but then again, what did it matter. A little bit of must and dirt didn’t bother me.
“I’m not saying six months is enough time to get over what happened. But find a better therapist for me. This one isn’t-”
“Josh I’m tired. I set up everything all by myself this year. I’m just tired is all. I had fun today. I promise,” I said. 
“Alright. Get some sleep then baby brother,” he said, ruffling my hair one last time.
“Not a baby,” I mumbled.
“Hey,” he said. I looked back and up at him. “You’re my baby brother no matter what, understand?” I nodded, Josh returning it. “Sleep in tomorrow. I’ll handle breakfast.”
“Maybe,” I said, turning away, glad for when the door slid open and shut once more. I looked back, Josh gone, before leaning forward in my seat. I looked up at the dark cloudy sky, rubbing my palms together. “Honey if you’re up there…”
I squeezed my eyes shut, quickly forcing them open, scrunching up my face.
“I don’t want to feel like this anymore. Nothing. Numb. But it’s been too long and everyone wants me to be better and...I can’t let ‘em down. It’s been six months. I should be better. But I just don’t...help me. Please. You have my back. I don’t know what to do except pretend the rest of my life and I’m scared what’ll happen if I do. It’s been six months and I can’t take it anymore. Tell me what to do. Please.”
A gentle breeze stirred through the air, a quiet rumble of thunder off in the distance.
“Dee?” I glanced up only to be hit in the face with hard droplets of rain, the sky opening up and pouring down. I blinked the water away, staring down at my lap. “You’re not up there. You’re just fucking gone.”
It took a moment for me to make myself rise, bringing water into the bedroom. I locked up and ditched my wet clothes in the bathroom, standing in front of the shower absently. I caught my reflection in the glass, turning to the floor length mirror, tracing a finger over the scar on my hip. I narrowed my eyes, breathing deeply. I caught my reflection, quickly looking away.
But I forced myself to look back, to meet the hard green eyes, meet the pink edges to them, to look down at the scar and then back up.
“The one fucking time you’re not driving…” I grit out, clenching my fists. “I fucking hate you. I fucking hate you you worthless son of a bitch. If you were driving you could have saved her. You could have stopped it.”
I slammed a fist against my thigh, hitting the scar again. I forced myself to stop, release my hand and instead step in the shower. I turned the water to warm and stepped under the stream, closing my eyes. My skin warmed after a few minutes and I got out, changing into a fresh pair of briefs after I was dry. I stood in the closet, almost reaching for a shirt to sleep in when I went to the other side, flipping on the light. It was mostly empty, a few boxes in there but most of it was given away to family and friends or donated. 
I stopped at the items still on hangers, grabbing a gray oversized fleece hoodie. I tugged it on, still too big for me even now. Definitely too big when I was a little twenty five year old. I grabbed the collar and tugged it up, taking a deep inhale, narrowing my eyes when all I smelled was a bit of dust. I hit off the light and went out to the bedroom, crawling into the middle. 
I hadn’t worn the sweatshirt in a decade, not long after I started dating Danneel. I pulled up the hood and plopped down, sliding under the covers, turning to face her old side of the bed. It wasn’t too long after that I heard the door crack and hushed whispers filled the room.
“I told you he said he was tired. I mean, he did prep for everyone by himself. I’m tired and all I had to do was drive down here,” said Josh quietly. “Let him sleep.”
I shut my eyes, feeling a blanket be pulled over top of me.
“Sleep good, sweetie,” I heard mom say softly. The door to the room shut a few seconds later and I glanced back at it, plopping back down. I was exhausted. That much was true. I’d been exhausted the past six months. First it was the accident but trying to keep up with different projects and the brewery and suddenly being a single dad was fucking hard.
I rolled over and grabbed my phone, typing into google.
“Ten easy steps to finding a nanny,” I mumbled to myself. “If it’s so easy why’s there’s ten fucking steps…”
I sighed and exited back out, scrolling down the page, finding a more promising one.
“I’m thinking of getting a nanny,” I said the next day while I finished a cup of coffee with my parents and siblings, getting a few stares. “Okay. I see y’all have opinions on that.”
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Jared, smiling as he walked in with some bags in his arms. “You could do with the help.”
“You’ve had nannies before. You have a nanny now,” I said, Jared setting the bags of gifts down by the tree.
“Yeah so I know how useful they can be,” said Jared, getting some quick hugs from everyone. “I need to steal him for like ten minutes. Be right back.”
“Coffee,” I whined, Jared grabbing my hand and dragging me after himself. He pulled me over to the front door, letting me slip into some sneakers before heading outside. “What?”
I was pulled into a bear crushing hug, waiting a beat before I returned it.
“How’d it go, Christmas eve and Christmas and all that,” asked Jared. 
“It was great.”
“We don’t lie to each other.” I rested my chin on Jared’s shoulder and closed my eyes.
“Hard,” I said quietly. “Dee’s parents are coming in today.”
“I know they are,” said Jared, rubbing my back.
“You’re supposed to be down at your parents place with your family.”
“I’m supposed to be with my brother. Don’t start your defensive shit. I thought you and your therapist were making some good progress on that.”
“I know,” I said. I hated that stupid lie I’d told. Hated every time someone brought it up. Especially hated when Jared did. 
A small piece of me wondered if Jared would leave me too if he ever found out. 
“Hey, hey,” said Jared, tugging me around the corner of the garage, holding me up when I started to cry. 
“Don’t tell them or anyone,” I said, wiping the tears away with the backs of my hands. Jared caught my arms, my bottom lip wobbling. “Please. They treat me...if they see me get upset…please.”
“I won’t tell,” he said, wiping off the rest of my face while I cleared my throat. 
“I good?” I asked, rubbing off my face. I blinked a few times, Jared nodding. He caught my shoulder, gnawing on his bottom lip. “Jared you promised.”
“I’m not gonna tell. I just hate that you’re afraid to let your family see you cry.”
“To be fair I hate to let anyone see me cry.”
“What makes me so special?”
“You’re you,” I said, a small smile on Jared’s face. “Our asses our stuck together forever whether we like it or not.”
“Oh I’m gonna annoy the shit out of you in the afterlife, don’t worry about that,” he chuckled. I nodded, glancing down. “I think the nanny idea is really good. You need help getting the kids to school and daycare and running errands. I mean your parents came up when you went out to LA for your suit being built but...you’ve got to be in Canada for The Boys in February. You’re gonna need help working full time again.”
“I know. I’m so tired all the time. I know that’s why I’m upset. I just need some sleep man.”
“How about tomorrow once everybody’s headed home, you guys come hang out at our place. We can help with the nanny stuff. We’ve been through it. We know the good agencies in town. Gen’s got a whole file on all that stuff.”
“I was thinking of a live-in nanny?” I said. “Is that weird? I feel weird enough having some stranger come in.”
“It’s not weird. I mean you got the guest suite near the garage. If anything you don’t have to stress so much. Someone’s right down the hall. It’s a great idea. I’m proud of you.” I raised an eyebrow, Jared rolling his eyes. “What, I can’t be proud of you?”
“Why? I have to hire a nanny because I can’t figure out how to do it alone when there’s only a gajillion other parents on the planet that don’t have a choice of-”
“You’ve been shitty at asking for help since I met you you know,” said Jared. I shrugged, Jared catching my arm. “I know this is the last thing in the world you want to do, admit you need help, but you’re the one that decided you need a nanny. No one talked you into that. You did that even though you don’t want to. That’s why I’m proud of you, jackass.”
“We were going to get one before…to help Dee out more. When I was away,” I said. I nodded, taking a deep breath. “Next year will be better. I’ll get back to acting, things’ll feel more normal.”
“Don’t go and turn into an optimist on me Jackles. I need my grumpy old man,” chuckled Jared.
“Old man my ass,” I said with a smirk. “You headed back?”
“Nope. Sadly your ass is stuck with me all day,” he said. I smiled, heading back around the front of the house with him. 
“Mind giving me some back up in there with all the nanny questions I’m about to get?”
“Duh,” he said. “But first let’s finish your coffee before you bite someone’s head off.”
It’d been three days and I had narrowed it down to three nanny agencies in town. I’d gotten about fifty applications to sort through for interviews, rubbing my hands over my face after reading through most of them.
“Dad! Can I have sugar cookies?” asked JJ, skipping into the office. I glanced at the clock on the wall, an hour past bedtime for all three of them. 
“Gettin’ kind of late kiddo. Why don’t you head up to bed and brush your teeth. I’ll be up to read in a minute, okay?” I said, forcing a smile. She stared me down, a look I recognized all too well. “JJ.”
“I know how to read,” she said with a huff.
“Well I guess you don’t need me for anything anymore huh?” I said without thinking, watching her face fall. “Honey-”
She took off running and I sighed as I sat back and stared up at the ceiling. I shook my head and got up, wandering upstairs, surprised to find the twins in bed asleep. JJ was in the middle of her bed, angrily holding her dog. She shot me a dirty look, a perfect match to my own.
I sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching out and tucking her hair behind her ear. 
“You put your brother and sister to bed for me?” I asked. 
“Yes,” she grit out. 
“You don’t have to do that, sweetie. That’s my job.”
“You have to do everything by yourself now. It’s not fair.” 
“No it’s not. You’re too young to learn that life isn’t fair, even if you do everything right.” She scooted over into my lap, burrowing herself into my arms. 
“We were good. Why didn’t Santa bring her back?” she asked. I tucked her head under my chin so she couldn’t look up, closing my eyes and scrunching up my face.
“Santa can do a lot. But he can’t do that. No one can,” I said. I stroked her hair, holding her tight. “It’s okay to miss mom still.”
“I know it is. I’m just scared.”
“Scared of what, munchkin.”
“I don’t want you to go.” I looked up, swallowing down the lump in my throat. 
“I’m not going anywhere,” I said. I kissed the top of her head, wrinkling my nose. “How about we save that cookie for a snack tomorrow, okay? I promise we can spend the day playing. I just have to do a little more work tonight.”
“Okay,” she said. She didn’t move and I didn’t have the heart to do it myself. It was one of the rare moments when one of the kids crawled in my lap, crawled all over me playing and poking and kicking, diving into my bed, waking up to one or all three of them having stolen my covers in the night...I could forget for a few seconds. Things were okay.
A few seconds later though she moved and I was biting the inside of my cheek. I put on a smile, tucking her in and turning on her light in the corner before hitting off the overhead one and shutting the door. I went back to my office, staring at the screen. I reached a hand over to my phone on the desk but stopped myself. Jared had spent the whole night before with me.
“You’re fine, you’re fine, you’re fine,” I breathed out quietly, clicking through to the next nanny profile.
Y/N Y/L/N. 29 Years Old. Home Pair Consultant 3 years. Nanny Core 2 years. Nanny Core Consultant 3 years. Independent Contractor Nanny Services 3 years.
“Certified in CPR and first aid. Homeschool certified K through 2nd grade. You sound like a little over achiever, don’t you,” I mumbled, reading through the rest of the page. “Specializes infants to age ten. Okay what do your ex-employers have to say…”
I found similar comments to some of the previous women, all nice things, got along with kids great, very easy going, etc. But one made my eyes go wide and chuckle.
She didn’t sleep with my skank of a an ex-husband when he pursued her. She brought this news to my attention discretely and regularly took on additional time with the kids while I met with divorce lawyers. It was unfortunate that I could no longer afford to employ her on a single income but she truly cares about the family she works for. My daughters cried for a week when we had to end our services with her but I was very grateful she didn’t brush the incident under the rug.
“Yeah, I think you’re getting an interview for that alone,” I said with a tiny smile. “But what the fuck is a consultant…”
It took a few days but eventually I had the eight prospective nannies lined up for interviews on Saturday. So far all seven were very nice ladies but I just could not stand the thought of occupying the same room for more than an hour let alone have them live in the house. The issue must have been with me if none of them seemed like a good fit. I really didn’t want to be doing this and I must have been putting off some strange vibe. 
“Maybe I don’t need a nanny. Maybe...maybe I just don’t need a nanny. I can do this. I can do this on my own. If I just manage work around the kids schedule...and mom and dad come down and watch the kids while I’m up filming and if I fly back and forth every week and mid week...I can do this. I can do this. I don’t need a nanny. I got this. I so got this.”
I sighed when I recalled the same pep talk two weeks ago I’d given myself. The one that led to contemplating quitting acting that night and then proceeding to lay in bed crying half the night.
“Nope. Nope. We just have to calm down. Calm down. It’s not you. Just didn’t find the right one yet. That’s all,” I said to myself, breathing quietly. I rubbed my eyes and yawned, looking over at the coffee maker. “Oh coffee. At least I’ll always have you.”
The doorbell rang and I sighed. 
“Great. You’re early,” I groaned. I threw my head back and went to the front door, tearing it open. A woman stood there in a pair of dark jeans and sneakers, a plain light gray t-shirt on, hair pulled back in a ponytail, a few strands falling loose and framing her face.
Oh well she was definitely the cutest by and far.
I realized I was staring and blinked, rubbing my face.
“Hi. You must be from Nanny Core,” I said. She smiled and cocked her head.
“I’m Y/N Y/L/N from Home Pair,” she said. I closed my eyes and rested my head against the side of the door, contemplating just slamming it right against it. 
“The last girl was from Nanny Core,” I said, opening my eyes, shaking my head. “I’m so sorry. Yes, Y/N. You’re the one that’s a consultant, not firmly associated with Home Pair, right?”
“Correct,” she said, stepping inside when I let her past. She looked around and smiled, seemingly used to a larger sort of home.
“May I ask what the distinction is?”
“Mostly it has to do with benefits,” she said. “Consultants pay out of pocket for their own or negotiate with their client for those to be covered.”
“Gotcha,” I said with a yawn. Great I looked like a fucking asshole. She looked ahead past the front hall towards the back of the house where the kitchen and family room was. I wiped a hand over my face, a pit already in my stomach, the poor girl already probably already waiting for the interview to end so she could leave. “I’m sorry. I must seem like an ass.”
“You seem tired is all Mr. Ackles. Not a crime,” she said with a smile. I wasn’t expecting such a genuine answer, not a bullshit I’ll pander to you cause I want this job, kind of answer. She was different than the other applicants for sure. Something warm and caring to her. I nodded and found myself smiling, probably the first genuine one I’d had in months.
“Mind if we do the interview in the kitchen over a cup of coffee?” I asked.
“Wherever you like, sir,” said Y/N. I started to head over to the table, pausing when she was trying to kick off her sneakers, one of them tied a bit too tightly to go off easily. She hopped once, nearly tripping and I looked away, chuckling quietly before she was by my side again. 
“Uh, for the record, call me Jensen. None of that sir stuff. They must teach that at nanny school or something huh?” I said. I led her over to the table, pulling out a chair. “I noticed all of you do it.”
“Something like that,” she said. She took a seat and I stifled another yawn, turning and blinking my eyes, heading to the coffee machine. I reached for the cap to put some grounds in, the thing falling and bouncing across the counter, straight into a dirty bowl in the sink. Naturally. I leaned over the counter, holding the edge tightly, squeezing my eyes shut. “How about I make the coffee and you take a seat, hm?”
“I’m okay,” I said, popping my head up and turning around with a smile. She looked me up and down, something gentle about her.
“Well making you coffee is probably going to come up in my job quite a bit so consider this part of the interview. It’s alright, really,” said Y/N. I stared at her, a little smile forming on her face. She wasn’t sucking up or trying to kiss my ass. There was a kindness to her that was incredibly attractive. Something in that little smile causing the tiniest little flutter. I blinked, slipping past her.
“Thank you,” I said. She started to make a cup, keeping my back to her. I put a hand on my chest, the flutter dissipating. After a moment I sat down, turning back just as the cup started to fill up. She watched it carefully but with an ease that said she was used to working with that kind of maker. Her hand slipped into her back pocket as she shifted on her feet, her ass rounding out amazingly in her jeans.
What the fuck was wrong with me? God she was only making a cup of coffee for fucks sake.
“I’m gonna ask you the same question I’ve asked all seven other women I’ve talked to today,” I said, forcing a smile when she picked up the mug. 
“Yes?”
“Why should I trust you to watch my children?”
“Honestly?” she asked. I nodded and she had that look on her face again. Soft. Slightly concerned. Still smiling. Beautiful. She set the cup down in front of me, a look to let it cool, the barest glimmer of a smirk when I reached for it anyways. There was another flutter in my chest and I took a long sip, burning the tip of my tongue. Part of me hated it, hated that it was possible to develop an attraction to anyone else. But that other part...it was so happy to be feeling something again, especially something good. “You shouldn’t.”
“I shouldn’t. That seems counterproductive.”
“I wouldn’t trust any stranger with my child. Trust is earned, not given. I think the real question is do you believe I’m capable of earning that trust with you and that’s something intrinsically only you know.”
“How so?”
“You meet a lot of different kinds of people with this job. My gut reaction to you is stressed, overwhelmed, sleep-deprived father who doesn’t really want any nanny at all but is forced into this situation. It’s going to be impossible for you to trust any of the seven woman from earlier or me off the bat, Jensen. You should be thinking of who will you come to trust. Who can you count on.”
“This is why my wife should have been the one doing this,” I said. I took a sip of coffee, biting back a small smile.
“We could always re-schedule for when she’s available.”
“Oh, we’d have to wait a very long time for that,” I chuckled. She looked lost and I realized it was time for that part of the interview again. I smiled, hoping she wouldn’t feel awkward. “She passed away unexpectedly six months ago. Car accident.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” said Y/N. I nodded, pursing my lips, catching her open her mouth after a beat. “My mom died kinda unexpectedly. I know it’s…harder.”
“You’re young. How old?” I asked. She shrugged, glancing down.
“Turned thirty today,” said Y/N. She was cute, still young but she was starting to click. Her kindness, that air about her. Maybe she could sense something going on but was too polite to ask. I let out a small laugh, shaking my head when she started to frown.
“Well Happy Birthday. I meant with your mother though. If that’s okay with you I mean.”
“It’s fine. I was sixteen,” she said. I dropped the smile and took a deep breath. No one deserved that. Especially not a kid. I was a grown man and I could barely handle a loss that close. But she seemed...okay. 
I just wanted to be okay again. It’d been too long though and I cleared my throat.
“That…fucking sucks doesn’t it?” I said.
“So does losing your wife,” said Y/N. I nodded and offered a soft smile.
“Yes it does. I’ve grieved. We all have. The kids are small. They’ll be okay.”
“Is dad okay?” she asked. Not really but that was far too much to put on anyone, especially a stranger.
“Yes. Ready to start moving on with life again,” I said, looking her up and down once. I hope she accepted the offer. She didn’t have to be perfect. She didn’t have the most certifications out of all of the applicants but she was the only one I genuinely enjoyed being around and that was the most important thing at the end of the day. “You’re kind. Not in a I’m trying to get this job kind of way. Just kind.”
“Well being cruel doesn’t sound like very much fun.”
“You’re not trying to impress me.”
“The first rule of nannying, Jensen. You think you’re interviewing us when in reality we’re interviewing you too.”
“How am I doing so far?” I asked, realizing after the words were out how flirty it sounded.
“Nice coffee choice,” she said with a smile. “You respect people. You’ll employ me but won’t treat me like I’m second class. You’re checking the boxes so far.”
“What if I don’t check all the boxes?” I asked.
“You don’t get to know the luxury of knowing the answer yet, Mr. Ackles,” said Y/N. “Interview isn’t over.” It wasn’t arrogance in her voice when she spoke though. Almost careful, protective.
“You got fucked over by somebody, didn’t you.”
“Also perceptive,” she said, rubbing her arm absentmindedly. “Like I said, I don’t tolerate being treated unkindly anymore. It’s why I left my last position.” 
“I have one more question. Would you treat my children like they’re your own?”
“Again, asking the wrong question,” she said. I sat back and crossed my arms, smirking at her. She gave it right back and I nodded.
“What exactly should I be asking?”
“Will you treat my children kindly and with respect but take charge when required?”
“What’s the difference?”
“One is me doing my job and the other is me doing yours.”
“How old did you say you were again?”
“Thirty today.”
“Right. Well I think I know where I stand. Do you have anything for me?” I asked. Hopefully she just accepted the pay offer without a fuss.
“Can you show me a picture of your kids?” she asked. I stared for a brief moment before reaching back and taking out my wallet. “You answered my question.”
“I didn’t show you anything yet.” 
“You’d be surprised how many fathers I’ve met don’t carry pictures of their children in their wallets. That one is just a me thing.”
“Your dad do that?” I asked, putting it back. She made a face, looking away.
“Maybe,” she said with a shrug. She didn’t look back for a long moment. Dead mom at 16 and distant dad. It wasn’t a stretch to see how a girl like that wound up nannying straight out of high school. “I think I know where I stand as well.”
“I’d like to hire you,” I said. She smiled and I instantly relaxed, aside from a few flutters stirring again.
“Assuming our negotiations go well, I accept,” she said. We shook hands, hers small and soft, but the grip was solid. Kind but she’d kick your ass if she had to. I smiled, flutters going off stronger now that the nerves of finding someone were dwindling.
“I did come up with what I thought was fair for salary and benefits. Let me go grab the paperwork and hopefully settle on something,” I said. I went down to the office, grabbing the pile of offer papers off the desk and a notebook. I froze when a pleasant chill ran down my spine. 
I was happy because I’d found a good fit. I was excited over a lot of stress being gone. 
That was it. That was it.
I swallowed and went back out to the kitchen with a smile.
“If I’m missing anything let me know. I-”
“This is my weekly rate?” she asked when she reviewed her pay sheet. 
“Oh no. That’s your daily,” I said as I sat down. I swallowed when she put the paper down. “So I think that’s-”
“Jensen. I have to ask, things like insurance, are those coming out of your pocket or mine?”
“I’ll cover the expenses of your health, dental, all of that. You just choose and I’ll subsize it as part of your paycheck.” 
“This is for a live in position. Um…can you just…explain what makes up that daily rate number?” she asked. I cocked my head. I thought I’d spelled it out in the paperwork but I probably missed something.
“It’s simply your base pay. Obviously I pay for housing, utilities, gas obviously. I will get you a credit card to make purchases with for the kids and all of that so it’s simple to keep track of. You’re free to any of the food in the kitchen. I’m guessing the salary is the sticking point here.”
“Jensen,” she said, scratching her head. 
“I can go up fifty more dollars a day,” I blurted out. 
“Jensen. This is way, way too much money. Way too much,” she said. “The average rate around here is about twenty five an hour or two hundred a day. Jensen this is double that. Are you factoring in like time and a half for additional nights and weekends?”
“No. That’d be on top of that. I thought that was a fair value based on the fact you are going to be taking care of the most valuable things in my life. It’s gonna get taxed too so it’s not like you see all of it.”
“You’re sweet, Jensen,” she said, writing down a number at the top of the page. “The average in Austin is twenty five an hour. I would be very happy with that.”
“You have to literally be the first person in existence to negotiate their salary down from the offer,” I said, shaking my head. She was watching my kids. She deserved to be paid well for doing her job well.
“Are you rejecting my offer?” she asked. She stared and I took the paper and crossed her number out, jotting down thirty five and spinning it back. “Jensen.”
“Y/N,” I said, crossing my arms. Why couldn’t she just accept? She scowled and I huffed. Of course she had a stubborn side. “I came down. Now it’s your turn. Do you accept?”
“I will accept on the condition that you get four hours of what we’d call evening or weekend at the normal rate every week.”
“I can agree to that,” I said with a smile, writing that down, happy when she signed the page. “So medical plan. Single, plus one, family?”
“Single for all that.”
“I should mention that there is an in-law suite off to the other side of the garage where you’ll be staying. It’s just down the hall but it has its own small living area and kitchenette. There is a separate entrance to it. If you have guests over I just ask you keep them to your area of the house.”
“Absolutely. I don’t tend to bring people over much anyways while I’m on the job,” she said. “Alright. Everything looks good to me.”
“Awesome. Are you available to start Monday?”
“Sure,” said Y/N. “It gives me plenty of time to move in things tomorrow so I can jump into the kids routine first thing Monday.”
“Perfect. I’ll show you around. We can start with your side of the house.” 
I got up and Y/N followed me down to the guest suite in the front corner of the house. I opened the door for her, Y/N slipping inside and looking around. It wasn’t large but it was decent enough for one person.
“Like I said, I know it’s small. Please like, seriously watch TV out in the family room at night if you want or hang out wherever or the yard or pool. This is just your own space when you want to be away from us.” I said. I got a hum out of her and showed her the rest of the space, Y/N running her hand over the bedding. “If there’s something obvious I’m missing please let me know. A cleaning service does come by every two weeks on Tuesdays at around ten in the morning. They’ll do in here too. Otherwise you can keep after yourself. Cleaning stuff is in the laundry room. Oh yeah. Um, this is probably the last time I’ll like, ever come in here unless you need help moving things in since this will be your space.”
“Thanks. I don’t have too much. I do have one request before we sign all the paperwork.”
“What’s that?”
“I’d like to meet the kids if that’s alright. There’s not much point in hiring me if they hate me.”
“Fair point. We’ll get ‘em over here and then get you all squared away,” I said. “One second.”
“Of course,” she said. I stepped out of the suite and ducked into the garage, Jared answering on the second ring.
“Get through all the interviews?” he asked. 
“Yeah. I uh, hired the last girl. She’s great. Super qualified, really get along with her,” I said.
“Good man. I’m glad you found one. When’s she start?”
“Monday. But she wants to meet the kids, says if they don’t like her there’s not much point in her doing this.”
“Smart lady,” chuckled Jared. “I’ll drop ‘em off in ten. You can tell me how it went when I get there.”
“Sounds good,” I said. I shoved my phone back in my pocket, smiling for a moment when I stepped back in the hall and caught a whiff of her perfume. I went back to the doorway, Y/N fumbling with the curtain in there. “Uh so is there anything I can get you? For your room?”
“No, this is great. Can I check out the rest of the house?” asked Y/N. I hummed and followed her as she wandered around the downstairs a bit, poking her head in the office and home gym, spotting the laundry room and humming. 
“The playroom is downstairs, kids and me are up,” I said. “There’s a loft and little reading room up here too if you like that sort of thing.”
“Your home is beautiful,” she said, walking up the stairs, following me down the hall. She smiled when she entered, looking at the bookcase. “You read these.”
“Hm?”
“Some people buy pretty books for their home libraries. But these are all random, a little messy. You read,” she said. She stopped at the sliding door out to the small balcony, looking out at the yard. “Your house feels homey for how large it is.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Anywhere besides my room is free to use.”
“Of course. I take it you do your own laundry then?” she asked. 
“I’m a big boy. I can do my own laundry,” I said. She hummed, spinning back with a soft smile. “Um. Y/N. Chores and things like that...those are my responsibility, not yours. You’re here to-”
“I have to do some chores. It’s part of taking care of kids. My job is to take care of them but also make dad’s life easier. If I have to wash a bedspread or go get juice from the store or whatever it is, I’m gonna do it. I’ll hang back but I’ll also do my job.”
“Understood. You’ll let me know if I’m stepping into your territory?” I asked. She shook her head and hummed, walking past me and out to the hall, going down to the kids rooms. “I miss the joke?”
“I’ve worked for one other single parent before and three divorced ones. They couldn’t do jack shit for their kids. They barely knew them. I don’t think I’ll have that problem with you Jensen,” she said.
“To be honest I’d rather not be doing this,” I said. She didn’t seem disappointed in that strangely, more, sad almost. “But I’ll get the hang of it.”
“Yes you will,” she said, stopping outside Arrow’s room. “Youngest daughter?” she said, pointing inside.
“I’m sorry. We were looking for what is youngest daughter,” I said. She rolled her eyes and smiled, following me inside. “This is Arrow’s room. She and my son Zeppelin are twins. He’s across the hall.”
“I’m going to guess four years old?” she said.
“How’d you know?” She smirked and pointed at a birthday card sticking out from the bookcase, a large 4 on it. “You’re very observational.”
“I’ve nannined a lot of 4 year olds. Their rooms tend to be organized chaos,” she said. She looked out the window, back to the room.
“Can I ask why you do that?”
“Fires,” she said with a shrug. I blinked, not even considering that for a second. “Never hurts to be over prepared. I’ll learn the house soon. This is your son’s room?”
“Yeah,” I said, following her across the hall, Y/N popping out after a moment. “My oldest is next door. The kids have a bathroom they all share across.”
“What grade is she?” asked Y/N, stepping into the room. 
“First. Second. Second,” I said. “She’s seven.”
“What’s her name?”
“JJ. Well, Justice Jay, but she’s always JJ.” 
“What was your wife’s name, if that’s okay.”
“Danneel,” I said with a quick swallow. She smiled, laughing to herself.
“Should have known with names like that mom had to have something unique too,” she said. “So JJ is in school. What about the little ones? They have daycare?”
“Yeah they go to daycare normally five days a week but sometimes if it’s a quiet day I don’t have them go. Or one goes and I spend some time with the other. They already know how to do shit I didn’t learn until first grade,” I said.
“This one’s a reader too,” she said, picking up a book from the nightstand. “She’s ahead for her age.”
“That’s what the school tells me. If only she was as good at her math,” I said.
“It’ll click for her eventually. She’s smart. Probably a visual learner. I used to draw problems out myself,” she said, setting the book down. “Any after school activities? Sports? Clubs?”
“I have a calendar I’ll show you. It’s the only way I keep it straight,” I said. She went past and to the hall, glancing down the long stretch of hallway, a pair of double doors on the other end. “That’s my room.”
“Okay then,” she said. 
“I mean...you can look if you want.”
“I’m going to give you the same courtesy as well. I won’t be going there unless there’s an emergency.” I nodded, turning to head back downstairs, accidentally bumping her. 
“I’m so sorry,” I said, Y/N giggling and shaking her head at me.
“Dude. Relax. My job is to make you more relaxed so get on that, okay?”
“Okay,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck.
“What am I gonna do with you Jensen,” she teased, heading back down the hall and her feet on the steps down after a moment. I glanced down and put a hand on my stomach, sliding it up to my chest. I shut my eyes, taking a deep breath.
I was nervous. Or excited. Or something. Happy to have found a nanny. That was all. That was really all.
“Y/N I’ll be down in a minute. The kids should be here soon,” I called, quickly ducking into my room and closing the door. I sat down against it, staring ahead blankly. “It’s a crush. S’just a crush.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, pressing my palms against my head.
“Jensen,” said Jared and I jumped, the door pushing open. I looked up, Jared quickly shutting the door and kneeling down. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Where’s Y/N?” I asked, blinking a few times.
“Playing with the kids in the yard. They kinda love her already. What is going on?” he asked. I held up a hand before shrugging. “No no. You’re not getting off the hook that easy. What happened?”
“She made me coffee,” I said, Jared making a face. 
“I don’t understand what you’re-”
“Do you remember when you met Gen? You couldn’t get her out of your head for weeks. That feeling when...some part of you knows something you don’t?” I said. 
“Jay. What are-”
“Do you remember?”
“Of course I do. Why?”
“I just had it for the second time in my life,” I said. Jared sat down on his bottom, crossing his legs. “I’m kinda freaking out.”
“Y/N?” he asked. I nodded, Jared sliding over next to me. “I mean she’s pretty. She’s beautiful. You might just have a crush. I mean you don’t go anywhere anymore except the store or work or doctors appointments. Maybe it’s just cause she’s new...and you know the difference between a crush and something else. You’re sure?”
“Not to be a complete fucking sap but I only ever felt like this once in my life and that was after that first real conversation with Dee I had when we carpooled. It took me a week to figure out what it was but I knew and it’s that same…” I said. Jared nodded, throwing his arm over my shoulders. “I barely know the girl. It’s a crush. It’s a crush. That’s it. That’s all it is. That is all that it is.”
“Not to be a complete fucking sap myself but when you know dude you fucking know. You’ve been through it once and you know what it feels like. Maybe...maybe it is just a crush. But maybe she’s the one that’s gonna get you to be fucking happy again. Maybe get you back out there at least. Maybe she’s just a jumpstart huh? Not saying you’re gonna marry the girl or she’s your soulmate but maybe she’s what you need right now, right?”
“Jared. I was never going to date again. Ever. Pretty women...I didn’t care about them. I don’t think I’ve even gotten off since the accident. I just wanted to be a good father and be good at my job and that was all that was left for me,” I said. Jared sat up and shook his head but I shook mine right back. “I know that’s not what I told you but you just wouldn’t shut the fuck up about that shit so I told you what you wanted to hear.”
“Ignoring that fucked up shit, which we’re gonna fucking talking about,” he said as I rolled my eyes, “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I swore off women forever and now my stomach is doing flips like it’s my first middle school dance but it’s…”
“It’s what?”
“I talked to her for half an hour. That’s the best fucking half hour of my life these past six months. Easily. I don’t feel like shit around her and right now, I don’t feel like shit and I forgot how fucking good it feels to not feel like shit. Do you understand?” I asked. Jared nodded, pulling me into a hug. “What do I do?”
“Not feel like shit,” he said. I groaned and he rested his chin on my shoulder. “Jared.”
“If she makes you feel good and happy when you actively were against those things, what do you think she’ll be able to do for you if you give her a real chance?”
“I’m her boss. And Dee-”
“Dee doesn’t want you to spend the rest of your life being a good father and good at your job and feeling like shit and nothing else. She wants you to fall in love again and fall as hard as the first time.”
“It’s just a stupid crush,” I said. I stood up, walking across the room, putting my back to him. Only a second passed before I felt him behind me, a hand on top of my head.
“Maybe it’s a stupid crush. Maybe she is the start of your life again too.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I said, his hand sliding down to my back.
“Remember the first time I helped you shower after the accident?” he said, curling his fingers around my waist. “Bit my fucking head off the entire time while I helped you stand up.”
“Yes I remember,” I grumbled. I crossed my arms, still not turning around. 
“That was the first day I saw you after the accident that you weren’t loaded up on pain killers and you were different. You’ve been different.”
“Gee golly Jared. I wonder why?”
“Past six months...you’re still that guy in the shower yelling at me that he doesn’t need help.”
“Just because I don’t want to date again doesn’t mean I’m fucked up. I’m forty two with three little kids. There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to fall in love again,” I snapped, spinning around. He nodded, smiling to himself. “What.”
“You make it sound like you’re gonna have a choice in whether you fall in love when you meet the right person.”
“I’m not gonna fucking fall in love with some girl I just met. There’s a million reasons why it won’t happen.”
“You’re not gonna have a fucking choice.”
“It’s all my choice,” I grit out. Jared shook his head and I clenched my fists.
“I’ve known you over sixteen years. Better than any other human being. I haven’t seen a real smile on your face in over half a year. Except when I came in here and you were sitting there with the stupidest grin on your face talking about Y/N. It works out, it doesn’t work out. Either way, you’re along for the fucking ride so you might as well enjoy it.”
I swallowed, glancing down.
“Have you ever lied to me in the past six months about how you’re doing? How’re you feeling? Anything?” asked Jared. The therapist lie shot to the front of my mind, logic coming in and screaming shut up, more logic coming in to say it’s Jared, it’s okay. “I’m guessing by the mental gymnastics you look like you’re going through, that’s a yes.”
“Jared-”
“I could have done a lot more to help you. I let you fester on your own and-”
“I don’t need you to take care of me. I’m an adult.” I frowned and walked in front of him, Jared pursing his lips. “Leave.”
“Jensen.”
“Leave.”
“No.” He shook his head, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I get to take care of you because I love you. If you don’t like that well tough shit.”
“Get the fuck out of my house and stay out,” I growled. Jared looked down, shaking his head and walking away. He was out of the room when my skin prickled, the happy flutter feelings gone, a pit opening up instead. “Jared. Jared.”
I went to the door, catching him halfway down the hall. 
“Jared.”
“I’m going.” He turned the corner, beanie out of view. Fuck. I ducked back in the room, sitting on the bed, toes curling into the fabric. My head was face down in my knees when the door opened softly. My eyes darted over, Jared walking back inside, pulling his beanie down over my head. “I wasn’t going anywhere. Just had to see if you’d ask for help.”
“I’m not very good at it. Obviously,” I said. 
“No. No you are not. But what’s in the past, we can’t change it. Just what’s in front. And for you that is the cute nanny that you may or may not end up falling in love with.”
“Jared I can’t love her.”
“Why not?”
“I love Dee. She was it.”
“I’m not saying to stop loving Dee. Shit she’d never want you to do that. But honestly, does she want you to be like this for the rest of your life? Or does she want you to laugh and smile and find a best friend again?”
“I know she wants me to be happy. I know what she wants. You don’t get it.”
“Then help me get it.”
“Say I fell in love again. Say I managed to find the right person and I fell in love. I gave her everything I have left and I’m happy. Then she gets in an accident one day or she has an aneurysm one day or she gets mugged one day or whatever it is. Say she doesn’t come home one day. I can’t put myself through that again. I just can’t. It would destroy me. I can’t do that again.”
“I won’t tell you what to do, Jay. I’d never say that. But you have a choice to make then from what I’m hearing you say.”
“What?”
“Stay single, be afraid of being hurt again and get by. Or risk being hurt again and maybe you get hurt, maybe you don’t, but you’ll be out there living again. Dude if you never want to date again that is completely your choice. But don’t not date because you’re afraid. It’s like I said before, like you were saying, if you find that girl, the right girl, you won’t have a choice at all.”
“She’s my employee,” I said, shifting my legs, sitting cross legged. “Not to mention I don’t even know if she’s single. You saw her. No way is a beautiful woman like that on her own. Then there’s the age difference and the kids thing and the whole I’m an actor thing and-”
“Didn’t say to propose to her. Just...put out some feelers. Maybe if the topic comes up and she’s single, mention you got a friend that’s like you, see if there’s interest.”
“God I hope she’s single,” I said. He smirked, bumping my shoulder. “Shut up.”
“Tell me about her,” he said.
“I don’t know a whole lot,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. 
“But you like her.” I nodded, getting another bump. “I think you’re gonna marry that girl.”
“What?” I laughed. “We don’t even know if she’s single!”
“Nah, you’re gonna marry her. I got a feeling.”
“Oh I see. A feeling.” 
“I’ve known you over sixteen years and haven’t been able to get through that thick head. She’s known you half an hour and she got in without even trying. I wonder where I got that idea from,” he said. I lifted my head, Jared’s face relaxed. A lump formed in my throat and he reached out, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Jensen. I heard it in your voice when you called me just now. Something’s different.”
“I don’t want to be in a relationship,” I said. “I honestly don’t.”
“Maybe she’ll be the one to make you change your mind on that.”
“She’s not even interested in me. I’m a widow with 3 small kids. I’m away from home a lot. I’m the worst person in the world to date.”
“Maybe. But you’re a pretty good person to love and be loved by. Might just be enough, even for a grumpy Ackles.”
“She did make me coffee,” I said quietly, lip twitching up.
“Coffee?”
“I know. But it’s...I don’t know. Something...changed. She was pretty when I opened the door but when she made me coffee, that’s when I noticed that feeling.”
“Maybe she’ll make you coffee again,” he said, smirking as he stood up. “Outside.”
“Hm?”
“Outside with the cute nanny. Let’s go,” he said, dragging me off the bed to my feet. He pulled off the beanie and pushed me out of the room, being a little shit and trying to pick me up. I kicked my feet up and we both went backwards, Jared grinning and giving me that look.
“Oh you’re on little shit,” I said, flipping my leg around, Jared yelping as he got pulled down to the side. I jumped on top of him, Jared rolling me back. A spark of pain shot down my hip, Jared instantly up and off. “I’m alright.”
“You stretching it out still like you’re supposed to?” he asked. I rolled my eyes and he helped me to my feet, waiting as I did a few wide circles with my leg. “Do your at home physical therapy ya idiot.”
“I”m perfectly fine. Just save the wrestling for the rug next time,” I said. “You want to say hey to Y/N?”
“No that’s cool. I’m sure I’ll properly meet her when you’re ready for me too,” he said. “Oh and Arrow and Zeppelin ate way too much candy at my house so have fun with that.”
“I hate you.” He grinned and let out a chuckle. “Hopefully they burn off some running around out there at least.”
“It wasn’t that bad,” he said. “Do you want to grab a drink later? Maybe hit up the brewery?”
“I don’t know,” I said, rubbing my arm for a moment. 
“Do you want to be on your own tonight?” I blinked, Jared shrugging. “Might as well be point blank about it. Since you’re never lying to me again, right?”
“Let me call up the neighbors, see if the girl next door can watch the kids tonight. I wouldn’t mind a little fun,” I said. 
“Shoot me a text and I’ll swing by around eight,” he said.
“Jared.” He stopped turning to leave and I sighed. “I’m sorry I lied to you. I’m...we rarely fight. Rarely. But this is kinda big and I want to tell you the truth but I’m scared if I do you’ll walk out that door and never look back.”
“We can fight, Jensen. I’m sure we’ll have more someday. We can get pissed as hell at each other. But your ass is stuck with me forever and I’m stuck with yours. I know you and I love you and you’re my big brother. We’re not supposed to agree all the time. We’re gonna hurt each other sometimes. That’s just part of being a family though. I’ll never walk out on you just like I know you won’t do that to me. It’s different right now. I know. I don’t want this to stress you out. You got enough of that going on. Tell me when you’re ready okay?”
“I never saw a therapist. I lied to get everyone off my back when I was still...like this after a few months. I thought I could handle it on my own. I’m sorry for lying, especially to you.” Jared nodded, biting his bottom lip for a moment. “You’re angry.”
“Angry at myself, not you. I know what it’s like to feel alone, that alone. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I’m sorry you’ve felt that alone Jensen. I didn’t realize you felt that badly and I should have. That’s why I’m upset. Not at you.”
“You’ve grown up more,” I said quietly.
“If we can get back to me being the one freaking out over shit and you being the adult I’d prefer that,” he chuckled. He put his hands on my shoulders and smiled. “I got your back. Always.”
“I don’t want to go to one.”
“You’re a big boy. You can decide on your own. Just...call me when you feel shitty next time?”
“I will. I promise.”
“Or to talk about Y/N,” he teased. I rolled my eyes, Jared giving me a quick hug. 
“Dick.”
“But I’m your dick. I’ll see you tonight.”
“See ya.”
______
A/N: Read Part 2 here!
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Text
Glimpse of Us
Summary: Years after the faithful night, reality brings the two back together, with all the years of unresolved pain, feelings and comparisons
Warning: Angst is all the warning I can think off ehehhe, Hard core Angst
Note: ehehehehe the long awaited sequel to She use to be mine is finally here! After what? nearly 2 years. its finally here! I'm so sorry for the long wait and thank you to those who encouraged me to continue on with the next part. I won't dawdle on and let you lot enjoy the concoction i seem to have mustered on. ehehe again sorry for the months delay.
oh and i almost forgot, the italics are best imagined as her singing
P.S. I drafted this post 7 or 8 months after the first part and dear god, how time has passed. Looking back at the story, I'm not really too proud of this one and ended it because I really have no idea how to continue it. I have an idea for a next part (dangerous words coming from me) but I'm not gonna set a date for when I post it because we all know how the last part turned out. Anyways enjoy
😊❤️💛💚💙💜🖤😊 -T
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‘Hey, you’re up in five’`
‘Yah sure, just touching up’ you say as you smacked your lips after applying a bit of lip gloss.
‘You don’t need it’ he replied.
‘Still. I can’t believe I agreed to this’ you scoffed, fiddling with your hair for the hundredth time.
‘You’ll do great’ he smiled ‘Now your hair is fine, you look amazing, and I have to go. Break a leg’ he bid before getting on stage to rouse the crowd. Admittedly, you are nervous. You wouldn’t call yourself a singer, but you do have a good enough voice and can hold a tune. You knew it was a mistake singing in front of Harvey and you were only doing this as a favor. God. You checked the mirror one last time before finding it was good enough.
‘Now for tonight’s performance, A very dear friend of mine has agreed to perform tonight, though with a little bit of persuasion.’ Harvey mumbled the last part, getting a laugh from the crowd and a chuckle from yourself ‘She has a voice made by the gods above, though I don’t remember Thor being much of a singer. She can lure you in better than a siren, but I think that’s the other mythology’ he said cheekily.
‘Now, without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome a dear friend of mine, Y/N Y/L/N!’ he introduced, that being your cue to emerge from the curtain, you stepped on staged and made your way over to the middle where he and the mic was, the spotlight following your movement. You waved and smiled at the crowd, glad there wasn’t much. Grasping the mic, you chuckled as the small crowd continued to clap.
‘Hi everybody’ you began, getting a hello in response from the crowd ‘Wow, thank you for the warm welcome and thank you Harvey for that unrealistic introduction’ you chuckled with the crowd, turning to Harvey who waved you off.
‘Now, taking something off of Harvey’s speech, I am made by no god or am one. Nor am I a siren from the Greek mythology. It did take some persuading to get me to do this and hopefully I don’t regret it.’ You laughed sheepishly.
‘I don’t normally sing on stage or in public really unless it’s karaoke with friends, which by the way is how I got tricked into doing this, so pardon me if I seem a bit nervous’ you smile shyly. Glancing back at Harvey, with a smile on his face, he nodded, pushing you to continue. Pulling out the rest of the confidence you still had stored, you turned back beaming at the crowd.
‘Now to not keep you waiting any longer, Paul if you will’ you gestured to the man on the piano and he nods before gliding his fingers along the keys, playing the start of the song. Letting out a breath, you closed your eyes, feeling the rhythm of the piano before singing the lyrics. Grabbing hold of the mic, you opened your eyes and began.
He'd take the world off my shoulders
If it was ever hard to move
He'd turn the rain to a rainbow
When I was living in the blue
You let your eyes flutter to a close as you gripped the mic firmly. Swaying your body occasionally to melody.
Why then if he is so perfect
Do I still wish that it was you?
Perfect don't mean that it's working
So what can I do? Ooh
Opening your eyes, you scanned the crowd, completely surprised by how the much you can see of the crowd seemed entranced.
When you’re out of sight
You saw you’re your friends in a booth over on the corner, the people entering the establishment.
In my mind
Then the bar where you found him, staring at you. You locked eyes with those beautiful ocean blue orbs that you love loved so much. Stumbling over your words, you nearly forgot about the song but once the piano keys hit the right note, your lips continued in autopilot.
Cause sometimes I look… in his eyes
And that's where I find
A glimpse of us
Eyes leaving contact, you scanned his entirety. The grey streaks at his temples have grown longer since the last time you saw him. The old clean-shaven face he used to don had a goatee. Prominent lines and creases were evident in his features and really the years have aged him well. He wore a suit, complete with a vest, a red handkerchief in the breast pocket and everything. A glass of whiskey at his side and he was still as handsome as the day you left. 
You closed your eyes once more, willing this to just be another trick or hallucination by your imagination. Though it was a horrid idea as memories of the day came back crashing onto you, you let them stay shut as you continued.
And I try to fall for his touch
But I'm thinking of the way it was
There you stood, as beautiful as the day he met you, if not more. In all your beauty, and the signature grin you adorned, you were radiant. Though the spotlight might have something to do with it, you were still a ray of sunshine through the darkest of clouds.
The rest of the world faded out to him and his mind finally faltered. There you were. Standing a few feet away as you introduced yourself. Your hair’s cut short, or at least shorter than the last time he’d seen you. Earrings hid behind your curls and the lightest bit of make-up was applied to your soft features. Though that didn’t hide the blossoming pink tint gracing your cheeks. Your lips glistened with the lip gloss you had on just like you use to. Smile lines drew at the corner of your eyes as you chuckled over your own words, explaining how you ended up in your current situation.
You always smiled, even when you were feeling down, you always smiled. Whether to hide what you were truly feeling or to just be nice to people, you always smiled. He nearly forgot how beautiful that smile was, with only his dreams used to recall that charming grin, since it has been a rarity for him to look you up or even open the box full of pictures during your years together. Even with the picture he kept in his nightstand, he rarely opened the drawer. Funny how this photographic memory of his nearly forgot the most beautiful piece of art he’s ever seen.
He listened to every single word you uttered as he looked and committed every single detail he could of you to memory. Your hair curled into soft waves, parted and pinned on one side. Your frame, fuller since the last time he saw your thin, nearly skeletal figure on that fateful night. You wore a wine-red wrap top that reached down to your wrists, paired with simple jeans and boots, you looked divine. The dip in the neckline of your shirt revealed the top of your cleavage but the gleaming gold necklace is what caught his attention. It was a simple gold bar plate though engraved with a heartbeat on one side. Common and a bit of a cliché now adays but what was special about that was it was an actual heartbeat. His. He gifted it to you when you both got accepted at Metro General. He explained that it was how his heart beat whenever he thought of you. As you tried to find the words to thank him, he made you turn it over to the other side to another engraving. You know I love you so, it said. A line from one of your favorite songs. He remembered how tears brimmed your eyes as you leaped to him, capturing his lip with yours.
What came as a shock to him now was that you were still wearing it. As he continued to look you over, the sound of your chuckle registered in his ears. God, he loves that sound. A sound he hasn’t heard long before you left. Looking back up to your face, he sees the girl he met all those years ago, buried under piles of books in the library on campus. The very same girl that chuckled at his horrible attempt at a flirtatious first introduction. A small smile tugged at his lips both at the memory and the sound. He hasn’t heard that sound in so long, it was a wonder when he heard it last. He just knew it was long before he fucked up and just chose to relish in the sweet sound now.
Now focusing and giving his undivided attention to your voice now, he listened.
‘I don’t normally sing on stage or in public really unless it’s karaoke with friends, which by the way is how I got tricked into doing this, so pardon me if I seem a bit nervous’ you laugh timidly. A chuckle bubbled at his throat as flashes of you singing whilst cooking in the kitchen of your tiny apartment came into view. Wearing nothing but his shirt as you flipped pancakes, singing from Coldplay to Queen at the top of your lungs or humming to Ed Sheeran whilst you worked and studied case filles.
He knew you enough to know that you were nervous, you didn’t have to say it. After all these years he still knew you better than the back of his scarred hands, heck better than he knows himself.
He saw you look to the side and his eyes followed, landing on the host from earlier. With a smile on his face, he nodded, giving you the reassurance you needed to continue with your performance. And it did, he saw how you pulled the last of your confidence before turning back to the crowd.
A pang of jealousy shot through him as he watched. I mean what did he expect, for you to be alone after all these years. A stupidly selfish part of him even hoped that you’d be waiting for him. To get his act together and you’d be back together. It was incredibly stupid; he knew that but that didn’t stop the creeping grip of jealousy from grasping his heart. As much as he knew how selfish the thought is, that didn’t stop the pain and hurt he felt seeing you look for reassurance in another man. Even after all these years.
The smile he had drawn up earlier had faded to a look of melancholy. It was good you had someone, he thought. Someone to be there for whenever you needed them the most, unlike him.
He watched as you turned and gestured to the pianist who nodded and started to fiddle with the keys. He watched as you took a breath, closed your eyes and began to sway to the smooth melody of the music. A small grin was itching at your lips. You were always more comfortable whenever listening to music and this was evident, unbeknownst to you.
Then you started to sing. You opened your eyes, took a firm grip at the mic and the lyrics just came dripping smoothly from your lips. That melodic voice of yours that he loves so much reminded him of the early mornings in the kitchen, the concerts in the shower and the lullabies to the kids under your care. Little did you know but the sound of your sweet voice always comforted him during the hardest times. He didn’t ask you to sing directly but he always listened whenever you hummed a simple tune or sang a song from some Disney movie to calm the kids in peds ward.
He took in every word that came from your lips. From what he’s heard so far from the first verse, it was about how the man lightened and took away the burden and sorrows the singer felt. The way you sang the song, it was beautiful. It was as if you were truly meaning the words that left your lips and he couldn’t help but feel the envy creeping back up at him, though at the same time, he’s conflicted with relief. He didn’t know if you’ve had someone during the past couple of years but as hurt as he is at the prospect of you with somebody else, it sort of gave him a sense of comfort thinking that you were getting taken care off. It eased some of the weight he felt and often times he thought maybe it was good that you separated. All he'd done with you the last few months of your relationship was hurt and neglect you and if you ever found someone that remedied that, maybe it was for the best that you left.
He watched your eyes flutter to a close again. The way your body moved to the melody of the music completely hypnotized him that his drink was deemed long forgotten.
Why then if he is so perfect, Do I still wish that it was you?
At those words, for some reason that gave him hope. He didn’t know if it was just the song but really, just the way you sang it made it seem all too genuine. He still loves you; he knew that very well. He also knows that he had a better chance in coming up with a new strategy in defeating Thanos (despite the many but one failed attempts he saw using the time stone), than ever getting back in a relationship with you.
You are the most kind, caring and understanding person he knew but you were also stubborn. He might have the chance in getting to apologize and to ask for forgiveness, but a relationship was a billion to one cosmic fluke. Though that didn’t stop him from wondering if you meant those words.
You opened your eyes and continued with the song. He noticed you looking at the growing mass of people watching. From the corner booths to the door, he knew from that growing look at your face that you were surprised to say the least at how many were captivated by your performance.
Then you met his gaze. Those soft blues meeting that beautiful shade of your own eyes. God, how much he loved those shining y/e/c orbs could never be put into words. How they twinkle in the light. The comfort and understanding they held and how they always seem to know he felt.
When he woke up from the crash, the first thing he longed to find were your eyes. The warmth, comfort and security they held, he ached to see those beautiful orbs because for the briefest moments he forgot everything but you. You were his main thought. He forgot about the fight, the neglectful months before, the pale, emaciated figure of yours that haunts his dreams, everything. Only the kind, gorgeous face of the woman he fell for all those years ago stayed in his mind because whenever he thought of comfort, the only thing that formed in his head was, no… is you.
He was hurt, in pain, his body ached, he could barely see let alone open his eyes. He needed comfort, he needed you. But when was life ever nice.
Instead, he was met with the fluorescent lights of the hospital room and the horrific sight of the mangled hands that once led a successful career in medicine. There was no warming gaze to be greeted with, only the sad sympathetic ones he now knows to be from the wrong woman and a cold, sterile room.
Cause sometimes I look… in his eyes
You stumbled over your words as you continued to look at each other. You continued singing but your eyes were locked together. Neither of you could look away. Your mouth moved on autopilot as your eyes lost the spark of a flame you had earlier, just like that night all those years ago, replaced by a reflection of the pain and grief he caused. The very same one that haunts his dreams.
A glimpse of us
You finished, your voice fading as the lyrics came to an end. As soon as the piano tuned out, you smiled and gave a little bow at the crowd who erupted in applause before leaving the stage in a hurry. Welled up tears spilled down warm cheeks as emotions and memories continued to riot your mind. After all these years he still managed to make you cry. Why can’t you move on?
You were quick on getting your belongings from the small prep area behind the stage however your plans of a speedy getaway were quickly ousted by the very same gentleman that perpetrated this whole ordeal.
‘You were amazing! The emotion you put in the performance…’ He continued to ramble on, looking past the curtain and to the roaring crowd cheering on for an encore, completely oblivious of his friend’s distraught state. ‘I mean the teary eyes, come on. Doctoring ever not work for you, acting could be something to con…’ he paused after finally getting a glimpse of you, swiftly wiping away tear streaks that ran down your cheeks but the growing redness in your eyes were dead give aways. ‘Shit’ finally piecing things together, he cursed, his attention fully set on you now. ‘It was real. Fuck, are you okay?’ he asked, finding it difficult figuring out what to do, yet a hint of urgency too as he still had to go back on stage.
‘Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.’ You swallowed, lying through your teeth. ‘I just… have to go’ you mumbled quickly, giving him a grin in hopes to resemble something as composed as the friend he knew. Though he knew you enough to know you were not ‘fine’, with great reluctance he let you go, rushing to the stage shortly after exchanging goodbyes and promising to check with him later.
As your friend went back on stage, you quickly took a survey of your appearance on a nearby mirror, making sure you didn’t look as dreadful as you felt. The bit of makeup you had on survived, however your eyes weren’t as forgiving being red. Nevertheless, you sped out to leave.
Considering your options, your only available exits were the front or back door and wanting to avoid individual who has left you in this state (just by being present), you turned to the corridor that lead to the back door but as unfortunate as you were, the exit was blocked by men hauling in delivery shipments and by the looks of things they weren’t going to be done any time soon.
You were antsy enough as it was and waiting by the second for them just added to your agitation. You really needed to leave now.  A lump was lodging itself on your throat and the air around you seemed to be thinning. You need to leave NOW.
Swallowing all the anxieties you had, you had no choice but to rush out the front. You stayed on the side, avoiding the patrons and the one in particular perched up at the bar but unlucky you (your luck really seemed to have vanished really), the man saw your abrupt departure, unbeknownst to you.
You made it out to the street and the open air was a fresh welcome, letting you finally breath, whereas the establishment you had left felt suffocating.
You thought it was done. That the lump in your throat would finally dissolve as you walked down the street, thinking that you had successfully avoided the now famed sorcerer of New York. The hero, Doctor Strange…
but when was life ever good to you.
‘y/n…’ he breathed out, catching the sight of you sprinting toward the doors he entered only moments before. It pulled him out of his reverie, wondering if he should talk to you, what he’d talk to you about, an apology perhaps, contemplation of your years together, however the sight of you pulled him out like it always did, especially in the beginning. He sometimes had the tendency to be too deep in thought, he’d ignore everything and everyone in his surroundings, but he always caught you. Your scent, your voice, let alone your image, it always drew him from his stupor. 
Now the sight of you cemented his thoughts.
Downing the last of his drink, he pulled a bill from his wallet and slammed it down the counter without so much as a look onto how much it was before he scurried out, chasing after you. (Like he should have done all those years ago)
He called out your name once he reached the sidewalk, turning left and right in search for you. The street wasn’t crowded much so it was easy to spot the figure stood still a few yards away to his right. With the last few rays of the dying sun and dim streetlight, he made out the curled head of hair the same shade as yours the figure had, and he just knew it was you.
‘Y/N!’ he nearly shouted, causing a few heads to turn in his direction but not yours. You kept your back to him as he sprinted your way. He knew you heard him. You would have kept on walking had you not.
It only took a second to reach you and when he did, he hesitated, not knowing what to do. He wanted to reach for you and plead for forgiveness. On his knees if he had to. Instead, he opted for another call for your name, hoping you’d finally face him.
And you did, after dropping your hands to your side, he heard a small sniff before you turned to him with your gorgeous smile and said (in a somewhat forced cheer in your voice)
‘Stephen. Hi’
‘Hi’ he replied densely. You idiot, he thought at how stupid his response was.
A silence fell over you both as Stephen canvassed your entirety now at a closer distance. He took in every graceful line, freckle and strand of hair he saw to memory. Every little detail he took in was as important as every breath he took. How bloodshot your eyes were didn’t go unnoticed though. Puffy around the eyelids from crying, red possibly from -he guessed- how hard you were rubbing them just before he reached you.  
Surprising thing is, it still broke his heart seeing the distress you so clearly were trying to hide. The thought of tears running down your cheeks, was illegal. They had no business in gracing your face yet, he can’t help but realize that he just keeps being the reason you were left in that state. Where were all these sympathies back then? He asked himself, the very night flashing through his mind.
‘Stephen’ you said again, taking him out of head again. He missed that though. His name coming off your lips. It brought him back to all the mornings with you in bed, tangled in sheets as the morning glory woke you up and you woke him up with that honey sweet voice with the say of his name. Stephen
‘Sorry, um…’ he coughed, trying to piece a sentence, words, anything really that didn’t end in three syllables.
‘You were wonderful’ he finally managed, okay that’s five ‘Back there at the bar…. you were amazing’ like always, he wanted to add but stopped himself, pointing back to where he just left.
‘Thank you’ you muttered, nodding your head before leaving it down to look at your shoes. The way you responded lacked any sort of confidence, as if you didn’t believe his words or yourself. Truthfully, you were never really the most confident, even back then but always did step up when the situation needed. Either that’s the reason or you didn’t believe him, which considering his case, why should you.
Your hands were fidgeting, he noticed. Running and marking the bones of one hand with your fingers tips before your nails would start to pick on skin. This was something new to him. A new nervous habit of yours he hadn’t known before, so it was most likely picked up after your separation.
The person in front of him wasn’t the same one he knew all those years ago yet, still so similar and the same. He remembers everything about you, so if anything of the woman he knew back then was still in there, he knew by how you were acting that you were uncomfortable, agitated.
‘Really, you were amazing’ he affirmed, really wanting you to believe him, or at least to believe how wonderful you really are. ‘Truly, but are you okay?’
He’d done it. Ask that stupid question and that’s what broke the dam, causing the river to run past it with no mercy.
He heard a laugh at first, your hand raising towards your face. The sound bordered on maniacal, nothing like the one he loved but familiar enough to know he has heard it before. Slowly, your head rose, your hand half covering your mouth, half wiping away the rivers that flowed down your cheeks. The sight finally triggered the memory he was looking for. It was all too similar to that night, it felt like déjà vu.
‘um’ you started, finally managing to say after that little fit ‘I could lie but what’s the point? No. I’m not. I’m not okay because you’re here. Fuck, I actually thought that I could get away from this but no, evidently not.’ You tried to reason, looking him straight in the eyes ‘Christ Stephen, I was okay. I was okay when I was singing, I was okay ten minutes ago but then you just came out of no where and now I’m not okay. I’m never okay whenever it comes to you. Not anymore.’ You spit like venom, unrelenting in your streak to get out all your pain because of him. ‘I thought I could be civil but… I-I’m tired. I’m sorry, I’m gonna go. Enjoy your night’ you hurried, saying your goodbyes and turning your back to him to walk away. You would have gone had he not called you back in such a pleading tone.
‘please’ he begs and for some reason and it compels you to listen. You halt your steps, you don’t turn around, but you do wipe away your tears and he takes that as his chance to apologize for everything. 
‘I’m sorry.’  He starts, his own eyes teary ‘I’m sorry for everything. You didn’t deserve what I did to you and it…’ he swallows that lump in his throat, trying to get the rest of his words out ‘it haunts me every day. You’re the kindest person I know, and I took you for granted. I was an arrogant piece of shit, too self-absorbed to even notice that the woman I love was working herself to death.’ You start to turn around ’You were the purest thing I knew and you didn’t deserve the monster I was. And I am so sorry for who I was then. I’ve changed or I’m trying to change, to be better than- than that monster that hurt you and I could only hope for your forgiveness because, you were always someone I never wanted to lose, and I did. By a stupid mistake and horrible decisions.’ His tears start to run, and you finally face him ‘I never wanted to let you go but I was hurting you more than I was loving you and I understand if I don’t get your forgiveness but, I am sorry. I am so sorry for hurting you. For taking you for granted. For not treating you how you deserved to be treated. For everything. You didn’t deserve what I did to you and hearing myself admit this… really just proves I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I need you to know that I am sorry. I’m really sorry for what I did and that… that you deserve.’
You stare at him with tears running down both your eyes and he sees the same urge to wipe them away, in you. The hesitant twitch of your arm as if by instinct, to move and act on the need to clear away his tears and comfort him. At least that’s what he interprets the move of your arm because that’s exactly what you would have done, that’s exactly your character and he wants to do the same. To dry away your tears and take you in his arms in respite.
But you act against those thoughts, only balling your fist as some form of control. You stare into him, as if gauging to find the lie in his words yet there is none and he sees something in your eyes that he can’t explain before they dart away. He watches as you scan your surroundings, looking at the people likely to be watching you both but he didn’t care for them. He only cared about you.
When your eyes turned back to him, you closed them immediately, face scrunching as you desperately tried to hold back to tears but to him, it was as if you were so pained by the mere sight of him. He’d be lying if he said that it didn’t chip away a piece of his heart. 
Your head bowed for a bit as you tried to compose yourself but the words that left your lips once you rose again, only broke more of his heart.
‘You’re forgiven’ you were quick to say before turning back and walking away from him. He watched with wet cheeks, as you sped away from him, and he kept his gaze on you until you disappeared around the corner and then you were gone.
For what seemed like forever, he kept his eyes on that street corner, hoping for something that won’t happen. He knew that whatever he wanted wasn’t going to happen, but a man could hope, right? Though hopes are as easy to diminish as they are to ignite. Grief and disappointment, they tend to last.
The sun had set and streetlights and buildings are all that lit the side walk where Stephen stood. A man well known to the people and thus, there were those who were bound to watch the spectacle put on by the hero. Small crowds had formed over time as they watched the powerful sorcerer confess to the dreadful things he’s done to some doctor from before his fame, asking for forgiveness to all the terrible things he’s done.
To new passersby, they’d wonder why a hero of the city stood so stiff, looking at oblivion. They’d wonder for a minute without context before walking away with a shrug, figuring much more important things to think of.
Eventually, the crowd thinned to a trickle, til the lone man was all that remained the lone street, wondering what he had done to deserve you.
A/U: I've read this way too much to do a final proof read so sorry for all the grammatical mistakes and spellings and all that. Thanks for the read though
I'm hoping that the people who asked to be tagged don't mind me tagging them this late in the game and I hope you liked it. Hopefully it was worth the wait @strangesweetheart @evelynrosestuff @vesta-ro @doodle-cat16 @nabiilahadid @evansmusk @circe143 @dracoflaco
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shig-a-shig-ah · 1 year
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everything i’ve ever let go of has claw marks on it
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Before the League of Villains, Tomura took you. Before the final war, he let you go. Still, moving on proves difficult for you both.
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» pairing: Shigaraki Tomura x afab!reader » word count: 4.2 » notes: Idk what this is, really. Divorce Ghuleh was in some kind of mood. » contains: gn!pronouns, post-canon, angst, exes (kinda), unrequited love (kinda), soft Shigaraki, ostensibly yandere Shigaraki, referenced kidnapping, oral sex (f!receiving). 18+, minors DNI. » ao3 mirror
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"You got a new place."
Anyone else might be alarmed by that casual interjection when you were, until a moment ago, alone in your apartment, no company save for the pile of moving boxes beside you and no sound except the patter of rain against the roof. But you? You don't so much as flinch at the sudden appearance of that raspy voice. You only continue placing books neatly on the shelf before you as you reply, "And you found it."
"I always do, don't I?"
There's a shrug in Tomura's voice, the words spoken as a simple matter of course. It's followed by footsteps reverberating across the hardwood, and even without turning around you can picture the scene perfectly in your mind: him pacing behind you, head cocked and hands shoved lazily in his pockets as he surveys your fourth apartment in fifteen months.
"Why'd you move?" His question is followed by the telltale creak of a cabinet opening. "I thought you liked your last place."
"I did, but they raised the rent."
The cabinet, empty, thuds shut. There's a weight to the brief silence that follows, and when it's broken it's by the drag of fingernails raking over papery skin. Then, "You know you don't have to worry about that."
It's true, and it isn't. You could afford any place you wanted with the money Tomura insists on putting in your name—money that you refuse to touch. On principle, you tell yourself, though you often wonder the difference between that and spite.
You don't argue, though. Only deflect. "It wasn't worth what they were asking. And I like this place, too."
You're not lying. The unit is smaller, admittedly, and further from the city center, or what passes for one these days when so much is still in ruin. But it's also quiet. Quaint. There's a picture window that looks out over the shared courtyard, and rows of built-ins lining the walls. More built-ins than you could possibly need, really, for the meager possessions you've accumulated over the last year and some, but you tell yourself that's a good thing. That you'll grow into the space in a way you never managed at your last apartments.
Not that this is a promising start.
You wipe your dusty hands on your jeans and finally stand, sighing as you turn to face Tomura. "You said you were going to stop coming by like this."
He looks as you'd expected, on first glance—loose black clothes and slouched posture, carmine eyes watchful behind the spill of white hair that hangs longer every time you see him. But you also catch the subtle shift your words bring—the brief press of his mouth into a tight line, the quick drop of his gaze.
There's a long silence as you stare at him and he stares at the floor.
When he starts pacing again, the echo of his footsteps hangs heavier this time.
"It's hard," he says, chewing at his cheek. "Everyone else has moved on. Toga has her girlfriend, Dabi's with his family. Spinner's turned the Liberation Front into some heteromorph rights movement, if you can believe it." He lets out an incredulous laugh, as though he can't. "Even Kurogiri is busy. Figuring out his old friends, his old life."
"Kurogiri left?" You try to force aside the unwanted tightness that revelation spurs in your chest. "I thought he'd stay with you."
"He offered. Would have if I'd asked, but it's not like I need him. I'm just..."
"Lonely?"
"No." And then, with mirthless huff, "Maybe."
That admission hangs in the air longer than you intend to let it—long enough for your memory to take you back to places you'd rather not be. To waking, years ago, in a strange bedroom in a strange apartment. To long night after long night with Tomura curled against your side and your own mind refusing sleep, preoccupied as it was with the question of why.
The answer, it turned out, was deceptively simple.
There's a pile of takeout menus on your coffee table—ones that were waiting in your mailbox when you moved in. You sigh as you reach for them, already knowing he'll stay for dinner if you offer.
And already knowing you'll offer.
"Well," you say, not missing how Tomura's eyes darken guiltily at the trace bitterness you can't quite keep from your voice, "it's not like it would be the first time."
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"You go out now."
Tomura's words have you pausing with a piece of katsu lifted halfway to your mouth. The two of you have been silent the last ten minutes; were mostly silent before that, too, as you waited out the vast-seeming span of time between the placing of your takeout order and the reprieve of the delivery person's arrival. But now he's looking at you from behind his hair as he scoops up threads of soba.
You finish taking your bite. Swallow. "What?"
"I came by your old place a few days ago and you weren't there." He says it reluctantly, like he's ashamed despite the current circumstance. "Last month, too. That never used to happen."
Of course it didn't: you barely left your old apartments in the weeks and months after Tomura let you go, though you've been trying to remedy that as of late. Two years sequestered from normal life left you overwhelmed in public, oddly claustrophobic any time you found yourself in a crowd. And even once that tendency towards panic abated, there was hardly anywhere to go outside of earning your meager living. No family to miss you, and certainly no friends to reconnect with. Much like Tomura now, everyone you knew seemed to have moved on.
Not that you hadn't, because whoever you were before Tomura, it's not who you were after. And you know the same is true of him—that he's not the person he was when he took you. An incontrovertible truth, if only because you're sitting here. Free.
More or less, anyway.
You take another bite of katsu. Chew carefully before saying, "I was on a date, actually."
The way Tomura stiffens slightly at your answer sparks a vindictive stab of satisfaction in you. It only grows when he asks, with forced casualness, "What kind of date?"
"A first date."
A good date, too, by objective standards. One where your suitor did all the right things, and where that effort seemed genuine. They didn't even try to come up at the end of the night—only kissed you on the cheek and said they would call.
"Is there—" Tomura wavers, for a moment. Lifts one hand towards his neck only to drop it just as quickly, and then slurps down a hasty spoonful of broth instead. When he swallows, it's harder than seems necessary. "Is there going to be a second one?"
You think again about the end of that latest attempt at romantic connection. About the blank indifference you felt as your date stood there smiling, and about the memory of crimson eyes that haunted you in that moment, the same way it had in the few attempts before. About the voicemail your suitor left the next day. The one that still sits on your phone, unplayed.
Whatever petty satisfaction you felt a moment ago slips away.
"No," you say flatly before lapsing back into silence.
There never is.
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"Do you ever regret it?"
It's a question that again comes after lengthy quiet, though this time you're the one to speak first. Dinner is long over, takeout containers and disposable chopsticks left in a pile on your scuffed kitchen table, and you've spent the last couple hours in silence on your sofa. You're in one corner and Tomura's in the other, his foot propped up on a couple moving boxes as a sitcom neither of you are really watching plays out on screen. He frowns at the abrupt inquiry.
"The war?"
It's telling, you think, that that's the first place his mind goes. To that final confrontation with the heroes, and a battle he'd more or less won. But it's not what you meant.
"Letting me go." After a moment's consideration, you add, "Or taking me in the first place."
That question has festered in the back of your mind since the day Tomura chose power over the dwindling comfort of your presence, and you couldn't say why you ask it now. Couldn't say, either, why it was left unspoken for so long, save that some discomfort always stopped you. A fear, you suppose, that whatever response he gave would reveal as much about you as him. That you'd realize too late there was some specific answer you wanted.
Even now, your eyes stay fixed uneasily on the television as you await a response that takes several long moments to come. In the interim the quiet is filled with nothing but grating laugh tracks and the telltale rustle of nails scraping over Tomura's throat. You wonder when he resumed that anxious tick. Wonder, too, how bad it's gotten. If you brushed back those tangled locks, would you find mere reddened skin, or deep scores?
You distract yourself with that wondering, and eventually Tomura gives his answer.
"Sometimes," he admits.
"Sometimes for which one?"
The subsequent silence is longer this time. Then the sound of scratching abates, and from the corner of your eye you see his hand drop.
He leans forward for the television remote. Turns the volume up a couple notches.
"Both."
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"Are you asleep?"
"No."
Tomura's answer is the one you expected. You've spent the last who-knows-how-long doing nothing more than staring at the dim black of the ceiling above your bed and somehow, despite the dark and the polite distance left between you, you knew he was doing the exact same thing.
He doesn't stay over, usually. Doesn't come by that often at all, truth be told, though every time he does it feels like an inevitability. Like there could never be any world where the two of you part for good.
On your good days, you know why that is. Understand the technicalities of trauma bonding or Stockholm syndrome or whatever one wants to call it. You know, too, that you're lucky in some ways. That this thin attachment you can't shake could be far stronger after two years of forced proximity.
On your bad days, though? On days like today, when his presence reminds you that there was something almost comfortable about this, once?
On those days, you can't help thinking that sense of inevitability might mean something.
You shift. Roll onto your side to look at him, and preoccupy yourself studying the outline of his silhouette, so different now from when he first stole you into his bed. He looked so young, then, with his owlishly wide eyes and that shaggy mop of dirty white hanging chaotically over his features. Now, his stark hair falls heavy back from his face, and his cheeks have lost some of their surprising roundness. Those more chiseled angles match the cut of meaty shoulders, and the swell of a chest that wasn't always so broad.
Several long moments pass, and then Tomura turns to face you.
"Why?" he asks. His brow is knit slightly, the rest of his face placid. It's a look you used to find strange—too dispassionate and untroubled for someone whose blood so often ran hot. But even in the earliest days he rarely turned those mercurial moods towards you.
No, with you he was always calm, or calm enough anyway—no demands or expectations beyond your stolen company and the tug of your head to his chest so his face could bury into your hair. It's that weight of expectation that makes it so different with everyone else, you think. Every job you take, every date you make, comes with the realization that something is wanted of you. Then, and always.
It had seemed intolerable when you were living it, but those long years with Tomura were still the only time in your life you were allowed to simply be.
And whether you want to or not, sometimes...
Sometimes you miss it.
You scoot closer to him. Ignore the way he stiffens in surprise and lean in, pressing your mouth to his.
It's not love. It never was, you're certain of that—not for you and not for him, either, even if it took so much time and growth for him to realize it. But it is familiar in a way that nothing else is, and tonight you don't much mind that when he feels like home it's in the exact wrong ways, like a place to which you would never want to return for good but that you might sometimes long to visit, if only because nothing else will ever be yours in quite the same way.
And because you'll never belong to anything else in quite the same way, either.
Tomura's arm extends to settle around your waist, tugging you closer. The gesture is far more practiced than the clumsy movements of his lips, but it's no surprise to you that he's more well-versed in the mundane affections. They were a constant in the hundreds of nights you once spent close against him, his hands in careful fists and his body curled into your side, each passing minute proving that he wasn't lying when he whispered what you thought were reassuring falsehoods. That he just wanted to be close to you.
It was hard to believe at first that he held little interest in carnal endeavors, at least beyond what they might represent when given willingly. But in the end you were convinced of it.
And in the end, when some combination of conscience and necessity finally led to your parting, you gave it willingly.
Now here you are. Again.
You deepen the kiss. Let your tongue trace over Tomura's scarred lower lip and sigh when his arms tighten around you. There's not passion in it, not exactly, but he's steady against you. Warm. Easy. And whether it's him you want or merely a familiar body touching you, that's enough to have a faint spark of heat stirring between your thighs.
Tomura doesn't protest when you pull back to tug him atop you, your hands already pressing at his shoulders to guide him where you want him, settled between your thighs. In the dim light you can just make out the stigmata-like scars that mar his palms as he shoves your shirt up, and you find yourself contemplating those pale, shiny marks. They're two among many, those hints of old wounds serving as counterparts to all the strength and muscle that lingered even after All for One left him.
It must be unsettling, you think, to inhabit a body so different from the one he started with—to wear the evidence of his ascent to godhood even after all that power was stripped away, sacrificed in the name of something as basic as self-preservation.
You think, too, that in the wake of all that it's no wonder he's lonely.
And then Tomura plants an open-mouthed kiss against your clothed mound, and you can't think of much except the desire blooming in you. His fingertips hook under the band of your underwear, tugging them down over your hips so his thumb can tease at your exposed sex, and the delicate touch has a faint gasp slipping past your lips. Tomura's cheek comes to rest against your bare thigh, his hot breath tickling flushed skin.
For a long moment he simply stares up at you from that prone position, gaze intent and eyes heavy-lidded with a want that seems deeper than mere lust. When your hips buck impatiently, however, he's quick to answer; a shuddering exhale slips past his lips and he drags his tongue over the length of your cunt.
His mouth is warm, the velvety pressure enough to have you lifting a hand to tangle in his hair. He groans in response, tipping his head to nuzzle briefly into that touch before he resumes his work, one finger tracing again over your entrance. It tests your wetness and then slips inside you, pressing and curling experimentally until it earns the delicate whimper he was seeking.
He repeats the motion, his tongue continuing to lap at your sensitive apex all the while, and you whine again, throaty and frustrated this time as the heat that's been building levels off. As good as it feels, it's not enough, the soft strokes of his tongue too gentle to approximate what you're accustomed to—the buzz of toys or the firm press of your own fingers, but never someone else's touch. Your grip on his hair tightens as you grind yourself against him.
"More," you gasp. He's quick to respond, another finger slipping inside you and the flat of his tongue dragging more firmly over your clit. Your back arches in response, your eyes fluttering closed. "Mmhmm," you gasp. "Like that."
Even with your own eyes closed, you can feel Tomura's unfaltering gaze, can sense him watching raptly as you respond to every persistent touch. Your head is starting to go fuzzy, everything beyond the friction between your thighs receding into a haze. When Tomura's lips latch around you, sucking lightly, your free hand clutches at the blankets as your legs start to tremble.
Tomura stops his efforts just as quickly, planting a kiss against your inner thigh as you let out another choked noise of dismay.
"Say my name," he pants. Those words are accompanied by the faint rustle of the sheets beneath him, and when your eyes blink open you can just make out his hips rutting against the mattress, some reflexive bid for friction. His voice is thick as he repeats his request. "Say it, when you—"
You're already nodding, clutching at him again as you guide him back to where you want him. Where you need him. There's a pleasant ache at your center, throbbing as you hover on the edge of release, and you whimper when Tomura's lips close obediently around you.
"Fuck," you swear as the flat of his tongue starts to work in tandem with that suction, the sensation heightened by each rhythmic stroke of his fingers. "Fuck, 'm close."
He speeds up his movements, tongue working more eagerly against you, and you can feel yourself beginning to tense, your hands and your hips conspiring to shove Tomura's face more firmly against your cunt. It's a heady sensation, to be touched at all and especially to be touched like this after so long without. When those waves of pleasure finally crest it's almost overwhelming, some strange melancholy swelling in your chest even as your whole body goes taut and a cry rises in your throat. It nearly sticks, lodged behind the unwanted lump that's formed there; in the wash of your tumultuous orgasm you barely manage to give him the one thing he asked for in exchange for that peak.
The words come out a hoarse, broken whisper. "C-coming, Tomura."
He groans gratefully, coaxing you through your release and not stopping until you force him away, overstimulated. Even then he only turns his head to mouth at your thigh, his hips continuing to grind against your mattress as his breathing grows more ragged. His lips work fervently over you as he does, sloppy, open-mouthed kisses punctuated by strained exhales. Then he's stuttering and shuddering, letting out one last desperate gasp against your skin as he comes.
He claws his way back up beside you almost immediately, cheeks flushed and eyes wide, uncertain in a way that contrasts sharply with his usual demeanor these days. It has you reminded once again of early on in all of this, when he was so different. When you both were.
That uncanny nostalgia only intensifies when he asks, hesitantly, "Can I...?"
You nod. You know what he's asking for—the only thing he's ever really wanted when crawling into bed beside you. The moment you acknowledge his plea, he's pressing himself into your side, arms wrapping tightly around you and his face burying in the crook of your neck.
Tomura doesn't move after that. Only relaxes into you slowly as you stare again the ceiling, willing yourself to feel some shame or guilt for inviting him into your bed. Not because of what it might mean to him, after all this time, but because of what it might mean to you. What it might mean for you.
In the end, though, you fail to summon that remorse. Another part of the inevitability, perhaps, because what is there to be ashamed of when it feels like things could never have been any different?
So, you only lay there listening as Tomura's breathing evens into the telltale rhythm of sleep, and sometime in the hours after you doze away too.
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Tomura wakes to the warmth of your skin against his, and for a moment it's as if all the months since your parting have been erased. He blinks his eyes open expecting to find himself in his room at the bar, and to rise and make you tea under Kurogiri's watchful eye the same way he did so many times before. It isn't until he's met with the sight of bare walls and morning light streaming through the window that he orients himself.
Muscle memory still carries him to your kitchen after he slips from beneath your sheets; it's only when he finds coffee instead of tea among your sparse pantry items that he pauses. Remembers that he's well past such persistent efforts to win you over. All he's doing now is acting out a script for a performance that's long since ended.
He leaves the stove unlit. Puts your kettle, half-filled, back where he found it, and stands uncertainly in your kitchen, surveying the stacks of half-emptied moving boxes that surround him.
It doesn't mean anything, he knows. That you asked him to touch you, or that you asked him to stay at all, those casual invitations thrown out not with reluctance, exactly, but with resignation: Why don't you stay for dinner? And then, when you'd retreated to bed, the simplest, Are you coming? And even if it did mean something, it would be nothing more than what it always means when you fail to turn him away. That the consequences of his early thievery extend far beyond what his younger self could have imagined. That what he's done he can never take back or undo, no matter what paltry efforts he makes to set things right.
There is no right, here. Not for the two of you.
Tomura's halfway through slipping on his shoes when your voice interrupts him.
"You're leaving."
He turns to find you standing in your bedroom doorway, your face still bleary with sleep and your expression otherwise indifferent. The skin at his throat prickles, the way it seems to do so often lately.
He was. Leaving. Had been intent on slipping out the door before you rose, and before he had to wonder if you would ask him to stay.
You don't ask him to stay.
"It's funny," you say instead, and with no real amusement, "I woke up at some point last night, and for a second I thought..."
That sentence hangs in the air, half-finished, but Tomura knows what you thought. He thought it himself, after all, when he first stirred to the rise and fall of your chest under his cheek and was transported back to a time when things felt far simpler. A time when after was a problem for others to contend with, so abstract and disconnected from his goals that it seemed the future couldn't touch him.
Tomura finishes tying his shoes. Straightens up to look you in the eye—a feat that seems to grow harder every time he sees you. Fingertips lift to rub at his neck as clears his throat.
"I won't bother you again," he says.
He means it, but then he always does. Always tells himself this time is the last time, and believes the lie until the moment that unshakable pull has him slipping through whatever unlocked door or window he can find.
You spare him the indignity of skepticism, though. Only nod and move to open the front door, watching silently as he accepts that unambiguous disinvitation. He takes two steps out into the hall before pausing, a question he doesn't want to ask hovering on the tip of his tongue.
He asks it anyway.
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"You asked me if I regret it," he says. He keeps his eyes firmly fixed on the carpet in front of him. "Do you?"
The question is met with silence at first. When Tomura finally turns to face you, you're staring at him with your brow slightly knit, your mouth twisted into something a little too wry to be called a smile.
After another moment, you sigh. Your gaze drops, briefly, and then rises again to meet his stare.
"Goodbye, Tomura," you say, almost gently.
You shut the door.
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Just some thought NSFW
@boomclowntown as I told you I would. Part two of two @mammaonii @mangos-other-corner
Imagine teasing rain all day on to pin him down and out a vibrating cock ring on him and then loving fucking his cute ass till he practically begs to cum, tears running down his face, cock angry and red from being denied that lovely high, only to pull his hair and snatch his head back and tell him to beg hard. Unfortunately you break a table but my gods when you do let him cum it thick and theres so much of it. Even better is you used the cock ring to tease him thought out the day before bending him over the table. Even better if he reminds you once he's collected and after care has happened that this is a two way street. Your turn next, round 2? Fight.
Also don't imagine biting his shoulders, making hand prints on his ass or biting his back just to hear him actually moan and not hide his voice. "say it louder zef~fee~ro, I can't hear you darling. Stop hiding that pretty little face sweetheart in want you to see your own face and hear the wonderful voice." It just a mirror in front of whatever you decide to fuck him on so he can see how fucked out he looks, at just black pupils staring, now brown in sight, he might have just cum from your teasing just now but he's no less hard then when you started this game.
Imagine adding someone else to amp it up.
"look at you all you had to do was behave, now you get to watch as I fuck the good boy over there. Now stay still and keep this warm for me."
He would try to behave but he just can't seem to. Acting out for your attention. Even if that means your strap/cock is in his throat most of the time. He knows he needs to keep it in his mouth but sometimes he's a brat the keeps only the smallest bit in cause technically it's still in there.
Better yet when you treat him to body worship and force him to look you in the eyes as you kiss, nip and bite every part of him, just to hear him hold back his whimpers and moans. You could break him doing this till he's a begging mess for you to just touch his cock or something then the little kisses he's receiving. "Darling please I... Need more, anything please, I can't take much more." His cock would be leaking something fierce. If you do give in and end up jacking him off it doesn't take long for him to cum, it will spill everywhere, if you blow him, its gonna leak out the sides. No joke his hands will be gripping the sheets, not your head cause he knows you don't like that but it'll be tempting.
This man imo is a switch, that being said he would look so damn good riding your strap as you lay back and guide his hips up and down, possibly in a circular motion just so it hits different points. Honestly might be the loudest you'll ever hear him is when he gives in and up to your will and accepts all the love you have for him. Bonus points if you have one of the one that do fake cum son you can fill him too. Maybe asking to keep all inside him as he goes about his day.
That is all for now I'll add more later reblog it with more spicy.
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ghuleh-recs · 6 months
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So many wonderful writers were born this week!! Happy B @mac-and-thefox! I have lovingly gathered some of my favorite mac fics in honor of her special day. She is a total ray of sunshine and you can always count on her to spread positivity and good vibes in the Ghost fandom on top of contributing some wonderful writing. Check these out if you haven't already and leave a comment!
recs under the cut.
Elixir of Life - Phantom x Rain
Phantom had been fascinated by Rain the moment he had stepped out of the summoning circle and set eyes on the water ghoul. Water ghouls were basically non-existant in his circle of Hell. The fact that Rain had elemental power over water, could just summon it and influence it at will, was something Phantom marveled at and still struggled to wrap his mind around. Rain, with his creamy skin, long graceful limbs, dark soft curls, and eyes so strikingly blue it made Phantom's heart ache to look into them. The young quint had longed to...just touch Rain, to twine their tails together and run his claws through Rain's hair. To run his thumbs over his soft, perfect skin. While Rain was perfectly friendly and had welcomed him with open arms into the pack, Phantom had simply been too shy and nervous to do anything about it.
Soft as Silk - Rain x Swiss
His eyes travel upwards, following his other hand as it snakes its way up his body, stopping to skate along the lace covering his chest, fingering the delicate flowers that perfectly match the color of the flush spreading across his cheeks and collarbones. Rain watches his hand travel up towards his neck. His fingers wrap around his throat and he moans as he squeezes his own throat lightly, still fingering himself under the slip with his other hand. His cock grows hard under his soft ministrations, kicking in his hand. He moans again, voice pitching up as he slides a finger tip along his gills, squeezing his own throat again. “Hey Rainbow, I was wondering if you wanted to go for a walk with me—Oh…” Swiss stands there, mouth slightly open as he takes in the sight before him. Rain fidgets with the hem of the slip as Swiss slowly approaches him, dropping his coat on the ground and pulling his shirt over his head. Swiss stands behind Rain, settling his hands on his shoulders as he looks the Water ghoul up and down in the mirror. “What…is this?” Swiss asks, words falling slowly, haltingly, out of his mouth.
Lay Down Your Burdens - Dew x Mountain x Swiss
"What's on your mind, Dewbug?" "I'm....worried. About Mount." Swiss nods and hums in reply. He hadnt wanted to admit it, but he too had been noticing how rundown Mountain looked when he thought there was nobody around. As a Multi he too could feel the sluggishness of his earth element with the cold of the season approaching. He couldn't even imagine what Mountain must be feeling as a full earth ghoul. "We need to help him, we need to do something before he burns himself out." Dew swirls the coffee around in his mug as he considers how to word his thoughts. "He does so much for every one and never really rests, I'm worried he's going to hurt himself trying to be everything for everyone all the time." "We need to give him a chance to get away from the abbey and reconnect with his element. With no expectations of having to do anything for anyone." Swiss muses, his tail coming up to his folded hands as he rests his chin on the spade. Dew contemplates Swiss's words. "I think I have an idea."
Listen to the Bees - Mountain x Rain
"Hi Tadpole, I was wondering when you would make it out here to find me this morning," Mountain says contently, eyes still closed. His tail snakes out and wraps around Rain's ankle. "You knew I was coming?" Rain asks bemused, sitting down next to Mountain in the grass and softly stroking the spade of the tail wrapped around his ankle. "They told me you were looking for me, so I thought I'd gather up a few things to have a little breakfast in the field with you." He offers Rain a small container containing mixed berries and some granola with honey. "Mounty...who is 'they'?"
Strong for Somebody Else - Mountain x Dew, Aether x Dew
co-written by the amazing @autumnblooms Terzo is missing, and has been since the band returned from tour. After being dragged off stage at their last show, the ghouls have not seen or heard from their beloved Papa. Aether and Mountain have put in inquiry after inquiry with the Clergy, only to be turned away dismissively. Omega is beside himself. The ghouls are back at the Ministry, and the change can be felt with Terzo's absence. Yes, the man was arrogant, sometimes dangerously impulsive, but the abbey had been bright and full of music under his direction, being the hedonist that he was. Now, it is cold and dark. Siblings scurry along the corridors, heads down and shoulders hunched. The ghouls, where once recieved warmly, are now thrown fearful sideways glances, like the siblings know something that the pack doesn't. It is the transition from fall to winter, the ghoul's elemental powers are lulling, as they tend to wax and wane with the change of the seasons. Mountain, Dew, and Aether huddle together most days for protection and comfort, feeling the changes in their pack and the absence of their Papa. They have each other, they can keep each other safe. But the Winter Solstice is coming. The longest night.
𖤐 you know the drill--bookmark, read, and leave kudos/comments!
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80pairsofcrocs · 9 months
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baby scarab || 64
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masterlist - marvel masterlist - series masterlist
A/N : THERE IS NO MORE SCHEDULE, IM SORRY also thank you all sm for the support and requests :)))
please enjoy, and don't be shy if you want to be in the taglist, just ask <3, sorry for the long wait
pairings : steven grant x (platonic)reader, marc spector x (platonic) reader, khonshu x (platonic)reader, jake lockley x (platonic)reader, layla el faouly x (platonic)reader
TW : medicine (pills), spidey stuff, violence, language, angst, kinda rushed? angst, more angst, yelling, mentions of past child abuse, let me know if i missed anything.
~~~
you were sat at the table in the kitchen the next morning while slowly picking at a muffin steven had made earlier.
marc sat across from you, and layla had left earlier as well.
it was silent. too silent. you could hear every drop of rain that fell on the ground a couple stories down.
that was until you decided to speak up.
"so... am i still grounded?" you ask uncomfortably.
marc sighs a runs a hand through his hair. "yes. but.. for less time. and i know this will.. absolutely break your heart but.. but..... oh motherfu- jake you do it"
"no"
"darling listen.." steven takes over. "we decided as a group.. and your mother and even khonshu agrees but... we've decided that you won't be able to be arachnid until you're eighteen.." your heart drops at stevens sentence.
"what..?" you ask shakily and marc sighs.
"i know it's hard to hear, but we really mean it this time. we can't have you out there getting hurt-"
"but you do it all the time!" you interrupt. "jake knows how important it is to me- he agrees that i should have freedom! right jake?" you look to him in the mirror and he gives you a sad look.
"wha- jake?! you too?! seriously- i- you've seen what i can do- i-" you cut yourself off, tearing up and putting your head in your hands, allows resting on the table.
steven sighs sadly. "it's okay darling, we're sorry but- you need to focus on your school work, i mean it's the beginning of march and you're failing almost all your classes! you haven't even been in school all too much either!" he raises his voice and you look up at him.
"you can't do this- it doesn't matter if i graduate i don't even know what i'm going to do in life- all i have are these stupid powers!" you tell back at him and a stern look takes over stevens face.
"no, you listen. you need to graduate, i'm not letting you throw your life away-"
"why not?! you're already taking away everything else!" you cut him off again.
steven scoffs, which is something unlike him to do. "excuse me? we are taking away one thing- and it hurts you don't you understand? it's gotten you kidnapped!" he raises his voice another notch.
you groan out of annoyance. "steven just stop- im not giving this up, i can't" you start. "there's people out there that need my help-"
"they have us, kid" marc says and you look to the mirror where he looks at you. "you aren't invincible! you're just a kid, you shouldn't be out there risking your life-"
"neither should you! what if one day khonshu can't heal you?! what- what if one day i just sit here like an idiot waiting for you to come home and you never do?!" you stand up from your seat.
"y/n we will always come home- but you however are young and inexperienced. you are more likely to die out there than we are" steven answers. "we can't lose you. we are doing this because we love you, i need you to understand that" he quiets his voice and you sigh, sitting back down.
"but that's why i-" you're interrupted by khonshu appearing in a thick fog before he turns to steven.
"we must go!" he shouts and you look to steven in a panic.
"no! i- i just got back-"
"darling listen, we will continue this when we get back but you have to promise me you'll stay here-"
"don't just leave! what's wrong with you?!-"
"casper is coming over to make sure you stay put- now we really have to go-" steven  continues to talk over you while his suit forms onto his body.
"steven this isn't fair-"
"don't talk to me about 'fair', now i love you, just stay here" steven days before leaving out the window, making you stare with wide eyes at all that just happened.
"great job 'dad'. sending my fucking boyfriend to come babysit me" you mutter under your breath as you speed walk to your room and slam the door shut, falling onto your bed face first.
that's when you immediately hear a knock at the front door and you groan out of annoyance.
"yeah okay- can't even get a fucking minute of peace" you mumble, swinging your door open to march to the front door.
you open it to see casper with a sad smile on his face. "are you okay?" he asks quietly and you sigh, dragging him in by his sleeve and shutting the door.
"i'm fine. it's not like you came here just to babysit me" you say sarcastically and sit down on the couch with your arms crossed.
casper sighs and goes to sit next to you. "i came here to make sure you're okay. and because i love you" he says honestly, and you look over to him.
"and to make sure i don't leave" you add and he shakes his head.
"even i know that i couldn't stop you if you really wanted to leave" he says and you nod. "that's true-"
"but you wouldn't. i can tell how exhausted you are right now" casper tells you and you look away, biting the inside of your cheek.
"i'm not even-"
"come on, marc told me everything that happened. have you even tried to sleep since then?" he asks and you stay quiet.
casper sighs and stands up in front of you, offering you a hand. "come on" is all he says before you take his hand.
he takes you to your room and pulls the blanket back on your bed.
you get the message and sit down, looking up at casper as he slips his shoes off before joining you.
"just get some sleep, okay? i'm worried about you" he pushes you down so that your head hits your pillow.
"i'm really not in the mood to sleep right now-" you try sitting back up and casper moves behind you to put his arms around your waist, keeping you from sitting up.
"casper-"
"you're not getting out of this and i'm not leaving until you fall asleep"
"how about you just don't leave at all"
"deal"
you smile to yourself before turning around in casper's arms to face him.
"and for the record, i love you too" you lean to press a kiss to casper's lips before burying your face in his neck.
casper sighs in content and hugs you closer, feeling almost just as tired as you were.
i'm not even two minutes both of you were fast asleep in each others arms, not a care in the world about anything that has ever happened.
meanwhile a few hours later you were still asleep, but in a different position.
you were on your back, head to the side while casper was still hugging your waist but with his face buried in your stomach.
and that's what jake had come home to.
he smiles as and shook his head before closing your door and quietly cleaning up the dried blood on his face.
it wasn't his by the way.
another hour passed and marc was extremely stressed about how tense them and you were before they left, and was almost scared of the next conversation you were going to have once you woke up.
he heard your door open a moment later and thought the worst.
that was until he realized it was casper and not you. he unknowingly let out a sigh of relief as casper approached him.
"how was she?" marc asks quietly and casper sits down next to him.
"justifiably angry" he starts. "i know that she understands why you're taking away arachnid, but it is a part of her now" he explains and marc sighs.
"i know but she's my kid.. she should be focusing on school, not listening to the news and going out to risk her life everyday" marc rants and casper nods.
"i miss her" casper confesses. "the real y/n. she used to try, like actually try. she had a job, and she tried her hardest in school but now.. she's changed so much" he takes a breath. "and i get that she's been going through things lately, like being kidnapped and- and taken by the police but- i need her back" he looks tearfully to marc, who gives him a concerned look.
"i can't let her destroy herself, i just can't" casper hides his tears behind his hands. "i love her marc. i would do anything to make her happy again"
marc puts a gentle hand on his shoulder. "i.. i know how that feels" he starts. "i'm glad she found someone like you.. and i hate that i just admitted that" casper smiles slightly at marc's comment and wiped his tears away.
"thank you, sir"
"call me marc.. you've earned it" marc mumbles and casper nods before marc furrows his brows in thought.
and that was when jake fronted, and casper noticed a change.
"you guys didn't actually have sex did you?" jake questions and casper quickly shakes his head
"no- no. we didn't..." he says.
"but?" jake adds and casper sighs.
"she.. she tried to get something started and i could tell she didn't want it" casper starts. "i.. i stopped her before anything actually happened.."
jake looks down at the ground. "..are you both okay?" he asks and casper nods.
"yeah, i.. i know she wasn't in the right headspace.... and i knew she was hurting" he finishes and jake nods.
"thank you"
casper looks confused. "for what? i just did the right thing- anybody would've done it-"
"no i.. we thank you for protecting her. even though she's technically a 'superhero' she still needs someone" jake starts. "someone like you" he admits and casper smiles slightly.
he's about to say something when you come wandering out, yawning and wiping away the tear stains from your cheeks.
nobody said anything. you just stood looking at them.
"you guys were talking about me.. weren't you?" you ask, already knowing the answer.
"all good things" casper tells you. he thought that one little lie couldn't hurt, as long as you didn't use all your energy up again from crying and being overall angry.
"does this mean you have to go home?" you ask him, not even bothering to acknowledge jake.
casper sighs. "i believe it does.. but we will see each other at school tomorrow, and i can help you get caught up" he offers while standing up.
you simply nod and tiredly walk over to him, wrapping your arms around him waist in a hug.
casper hugs you back and when you let go he heads to the door.
"i'll see you tomorrow, y/n. take care of yourself for me" he says before leaving.
you stare at the door for a moment before looking hesitantly at jake.
there was an awkward silence before either of you said anything.
"are you still mad at us?" jake asks which earns a scoff from marc at his bad choice in starting a conversation.
you furrow your brows and cross your arms in front of your chest. "what do you think, dip shit?" you retort and jake stands up with his hands on his hips.
"disculpe?" jake responds and you look away from him with a shake of your head.
"hey- look at me when i'm talking to you" he says sternly so with attitude, you look back at jake, who seemed to switch.
"don't call him that" steven starts, taking his hands off his hips to put them in his sweaters pockets. "you don't get to swear at us like that-"
"yeah? but what stopped me before?" you interrupt and steven takes a deep breath.
"don't interrupt me, and when you did it before it wasn't to hurt us- you better apologize to him or so help me-"
"so help you what? what are you going to do? send my boyfriend back here to babysit me while you go fuck around in your stupid suit?" you start angrily. "how about taking my phone- oh wait! you already have! god knows when i'll fucking get it back!"
"you watch your tone-"
"i'm not finished 'steven'" you say his name as if it's a curse in your mouth. "bet you're regretting adopting me now, huh? it's all been shits and giggles up until you took everything away from me! first my phone- and- and then arachnid- what's next?! are you going to starve me?! resort to beating me, because i damn well deserve it!"
stevens eyes widen at your words and the fact that your angrily yelling at him, marc and jake are just as shocked but can't find anything to possibly say.
"why did you even adopt me?! why bother trying- you've never been around kids before- and marc's had a bunch of trauma associated with it so why?!" you yell in stevens face and he hesitates in putting a hand on each of your shoulders.
"listen. we love you y/n, please just tell us why you're so worked up" he offers quietly and calmly and you stare up at him confused.
"..what...- you- answer my damn question!" you shove his hands off you you.
"we adopted you because we all saw part of ourselves in you.." steven starts.
that's when marc fronted. it was getting to be a bit too much for steven.
"even before jake.. me and steven both saw a part of ourselves in you. and you were hurting. you were overworked with school and your job, and you were being bullied at school- we had to at least help you" he starts and you calm down enough to listen.
"we.. grew attached. we became protective over you because we saw you as our kid. i have always had trouble expressing.. feelings... and so have you now please, please just tell us what's bothering you" he takes a breath. "please baby, i know you're hurting just tell us how we can help you" his voice breaks at the end of his sentence and you look down at the ground.
it's silent for a minute while you try and hold back tears.
"i.. if i can't help then what's the point..?" you start slowly, still staring at the floor. "i don't want to just sit here and do nothing... nobody else knows what's going on out there with harrow- and- and all that shit- i just want to stop it. it's my fault" you take a deep breath.
"i should've died out there where my mother left me.." you manage to rasp out before marc looks at you in absolute terror.
he moves his hands to each side of your face to lift your head up so he could look you in the eyes.
"don't you ever say that again, you hear me? nothing is your fault- and we're sorry for being so hard on you when you got home but you need to learn. you need to have a life outside arachnid, where you can get a job you love- maybe have a family of your own one day but you can't do that it you're constantly being hurt physically and emotionally" he pauses. "you need a break"
you don't say anything but your eyes gather with tears as you take in a shaky breath.
"..i'm sorry...." you manage to squeak out before tumbling into full blown sobs.
"i'm so sorry- i didn't mean to yell at you guys! i know why you do these things and i shouldn't take my anger out on you it's not fair! i'm sorry- i'm so so sorry-!" you get pulled into marc's chest, and your arms fall around his shoulders as you cry your heart out into his shirt.
"shh.. it's okay, we know you. we know you don't mean those things-"
"no marc you don't understand! i've been a horrible person to you guys and you didn't even do anything-"
"no. stop thinking like that, okay? i only want to hear you say good things about yourself, none of this self deprecating bullshit" marc rubs your back as you calm down, and you refuse to look up at him.
"i'm sorry.." you wipe your face. "stevens suit isn't stupid.. it's great" you sniff.
"it's okay darling, are you feeling better?" steven speaks up through the mirror on the wall.
"i shouldn't have yelled at you.." you say quietly, and wipe at your wet cheeks again.
"it's alright, you were just blowing off steam.. but next time just talk to us okay?" steven requests gently and you nod.
"good, now you seriously need to eat something, you're going to pass out from exhaustion" marc says and guides you back to the kitchen table where your muffin still sits from earlier in the day.
"if you want something else-"
"no.. it's fine" you cut him off and start taking small bites of the muffin.
you eat your muffin while marc sits across from you at the table, trying to decide if he should say anything.
he overall decides to, with the help of steven and jake.
"is there anything else bothering you..?" he asks and you look up at him and nod slightly.
he tilts his head at you as if asking you to go on.
you sigh and look down at the table, specifically the empty muffin wrapper.
"i just.. i miss how we used to be. i've been a terrible girlfriend to casper too.." you voice your worries and marc sighs.
"i miss you too. you lost yourself for a while and we are all here to help you, you know that" he starts. "and don't worry about casper. that kid loves you so much, i've seen it"
you look up at him and nod, slowly standing up from your chair, making marc do the same.
you slowly walk over to him to snake your arms around his waist and rest your forehead on his chest.
marc gently puts a hand around the back of your head and the other around your shoulder.
"it's okay. you'll be okay, kid" he tells you, which makes you tear up again.
you stood there with him for what felt like hours, and he didn't mind one bit.
steven and jake let him have this moment with you, letting him hold you while you calmed yourself.
who knows what the future would bring from here?
would you turn yourself around? would you go back to being an angst teenager?
but more importantly, would you lose someone close to you..?
i guess we won't know until later.
much later.
you thought this was going to be the end of this little chapter of your life didn't you?
tsk. you should know me better than that by now-
anyways, now, you're doing much better. it was now middle of april and you've gotten your grades up to C's, you get your phone for the day, and your dads take it at night and charge it in the kitchen.
your cats are no longer kittens, they have matured to the point where they fight for a spot on your bed, and whoever loses has to usually sleep with marc.
you'd gone on a couple dates with casper, who had gotten his first job at an ice cream parlor about 5 minutes away from his house.
so of course, he had to spoil you and take you to a fancy restaurant.
with a live quartet too. he wore the nicest clothes he had, and you did as well.
layla lent you an old dress of hers for the occasion, it was dark red with gold accents around the trim.
casper thought you crash landed there from heaven that night.
now back to present day, casper was walking you home from school while you fidgeted with your phone.
casper noticed the nervous tick, so he spoke up. "hey, you feeling alright?" he asks and you nod slightly.
"yeah.. just.. evie asked me to go to a party with her tonight and i'm nervous to ask my dads" you voice your worries and casper hums.
"well the worst they can do is say no" he points out and you turn your head to smile at him.
"i know. i guess i just needed reassurance, so thank you" you say kindly and casper opens the door to your apartment building for you.
"it's no problem. do you want me to come up with you?" he asks.
"no, that's okay. you should get home and get your brace off, i know it's been itching lately" you offer and casper chuckles.
"well i'll see you tomorrow then" he smiles.
you nod and lean in to give him a quick peck on the lips before backing up to the elevator.
"i love you, see you tomorrow" you smile and he waves before leaving.
you get a bit nervous in the elevator, watching the numbers rise as you reach your floor.
'the worst they can do is say no' you chant in your head before unlocking the door.
you walk in and leave your bag by the door while steven made tea at the stove.
"hey darling, how was school?" he turns to you for a second with a grin.
"it was good.." you say and steven turns to you with a confused look on his face.
"and..?" he asks and you fidget with your fingers before looking up at him.
"evie invited me to a party tonight.." you say quietly and steven looks over to the mirror on the wall.
"but it's fine if you want me to stay here i understand-"
"how much homework do you have?" marc asks and you blink a few times before answering.
"casper helped me finish it all during lunch"
marc sighs before nodding to steven.
"you can.. you can be out until 11 at the latest. and we will drive you there and back. you're lucky it's a weekend" he jokes and you smile at him.
"you mean it? i can go?" you ask excitedly.
steven nods. "you've been doing better, i think.. we think it'll be a nice reward for you, to keep you motivated, you know?"
"thank you!" you rush to hug steven and both marc and jake smile at you through the mirror.
steven reluctantly pulls away as jake speaks up. "now go clean your room"
"okay!- thanks dads!" you yell as you run to your room to begin cleaning.
i mean, what's the harm in letting you go to a party with your friend?
you've pulled yourself together and began focusing on school and your relationships with your loved ones.
you were finally you again.
what could possibly go wrong?
~~~
A/N : omg this took way too long, but IM BACK!! i have more time to write now and im back in my baby scarab mindset lol. hope you enjoyed, and ill see you later!!
~~~
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tatakaetime07 · 2 years
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༘✶ ⋆。˚ ੈ♡mine,just mine e.m.
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A/n-Jealous Eddie is literally my favorite thing istg
Pairing: Eddie munson x Gn!Reader
Summary:After learning of a not so subtle suitor trying to ask you out,Eddie realises he needs to share his feeling before it's too late
Warnings:Cursing,jealousy,bit of angst that ends in fluff
Word count-936
*Not edited
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“Eds!”You shouted,making your way through the many people trying to get out the school doors.
“Ah,there's my favorite idiot.”Your long-haired friend teased while he turned to smirk at you.
“Says you.”You roll your eyes while chuckling.
He lightly punched your shoulder before narrowing his eyes at you ,he slung his arm around your shoulders.
“Someone seems happy today,what,did you finally get a date?”Eddie joked,but when you scoffed while blushing a little he started to feel little knots in his stomach.
“Actually..yeah.”While you were focused on trying to get out your car keys,Eddie's eyes almost bulged out.It wasn't that he couldn't believe you got asked out,no that wasn't it at all.
In fact,he was surprised on how little guys hit on you,but he guessed it helped that he was literally standing behind you glaring at any boy who approached you.The thing he was surprised about is that you actually seemed excited about it.He supposed he had no right to be jealous,due to you being just friends and nothing more,but that little green bug inside him didnt seem to think so.
He tried to play it off cool,cause,y'know that's how he was is.He wasn't some awkward middle schooler anymore who got jealous over the smallest things..sorta.
"You got asked out?Well,today must be a miracle."
"Oh shut up,I dont even know if I'll go."Eddie nonchalantly leaned on your car as he watched you get in.
"You don't?"
"Well,I mean the guy's cute but I don't know.Anyways,I'll call you later about it."You responded while shutting your car door and smugly looking up at Eddie.
"If anything,you seem a bit jelly Eddie."
Eddie felt his cheeks heat up as his heart hammered against his chest.Oh how he wanted to wipe that stupid look off your face..and then maybe make-out.
"As if.See ya,loser."He saluted while you just shook your head at him with a glimmer in your eye.
He watched as you drove out of the school parking lot before gripping the part of his shirt that covered where his heart.As if he was actually squeezing it.
"Pfft,jealous.Yea right."He mumbled under his breath.But he knew that he just had to do something.He didn't know what but y'know..thoughts take time.
---
You stared at your mirror as you adjusted the outfit you had picked.Truth be told when the random guy from science asked you out to the theater later that night,you initially wanted to say no.Reason being you thought it would be unfair,why you ask?Well,you were currently in love with your best friend, Eddie Munson.But after so many years of giving him hint after hint,you thought maybe it was time to move on,and,besides you would never have the balls to actually confess anything to him anyway.
You jumped slightly when you heard a bang on your door.You were confused since you and your date agreed to meet up at the theater.And your parents were out of town.The only person it could be was him,but why would he be at your house?
You walked to the door suspiciously,looking through the doors peephole.You were surprised to see who it was,there standing outside in the rain was the boy you had fallen so hard far.
You immediately opened your door,motioning for him to come inside and out of the pouring rain,but he just stood still as he nervously shook his head.
"No,no,its fine I won't be here very long."You noticed how he shoved his hands into his pant pockets.You were starting to become worried.In all the years you knew him he had never turned up at 8 pm to just 'talk'.Something was up,and you couldn't help but crease your eyebrows.
"Eds what wrong-,"You started but Eddie quickly interrupted.
"I love you.Like,I'm in love with you."Eddie confessed as desperately tried to keep your gaze,you however were speechless.From what you knew Eddie only ever thought of you as a friend,so where was all of this coming from?Though,you had to admit the though that the thought of him actually liking you back made your heart go crazy,you honestly thought you were in a dream.
"Are you like..fuckin' with me..?"You asked,it was to good to be true.Eddie stared at you before letting out a laugh.He stepped towards you,gazing at you with a look of adoration.
"No,I think this is actually the most serious I've been in my life.I know your like supposed to be on a date and I know this is selfish of me,but I just couldn't sit thinking about you with some other dude."
You raised your hands,moving wet pieces of his hair out of his face,and then cupping his face with your palms,your faces being inches apart.
"So..this definitely isn't a joke?"He once again chuckled before laying his forehead against yours.
"Definitely not."
"Well then Eddie Munson,I'm in love with you too."You could just see the way his eyes lit up.
"Oh thank the lord."He sighed to no one in particular.You continued staring into each other's eyes while listening to the sound of the rain pelting onto the roof of your house.
You then felt as he lifted your chin upwards to him,and your heart had completely melted.
"Tell me the word and I'll stop."
You didn't,and with that he passionately pressed his lips against yours,you doing the same as you wrapped your arms around the back of his neck.
"God I love you."He muttered into your kiss.
You pulled back,making Eddie let out a little groan.
"I should probably cancel that date."
"Oh right,cause now you're mine,just mine."
"Yeah,yeah,whatever dingus."You both smiled before continuing with your little make-out session,later just ending up watching a movie together on your couch.Not before calling your science partner of course.
812 notes · View notes
stxrmylxve · 10 months
Text
Synopsis: Sae and Rin Itoshi have never been on good terms. And while all of his friends know it too, Rin is normally extremely cold — and he is no different with you. Sae knows that as clear as day, so, he comes to the rescue for your love, just not in the way that you thought.
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NOTES: Nicknames (doll), mentions of drinking, intoxication, cussing, mentions of a shitty relationship, this chap is mainly just plot
01. The Meeting
You brushed through your hair as you glanced over yourself in the mirror, your mind in a foreign place wondering what would happen today. But your mind quickly came running back as Rin opens the door, his intimidating aura filling the room and making you gulp as he walked past you.
“Hey, babe.” you say, setting the brush down on the marble counter as you turn to eye his figure.
“Hey.” is all he has to offer back as he lazily washes his hands, not even bearing a glance into the mirror, muchless your way at all.
“Bad day?” you ask after the long stretch of silence, his eyes glancing up at you before returning back to the towel where he was drying his hands.
“Yeah, basically.” he says as he walks out of the room, leaving the bathroom with complete emptiness. You frowned to yourself as you put your brush up, taking one last glance at yourself in the mirror before returning back to the bedroom.
You tugged your clothes off, slipping on more comfortable ones — a hoodie and some shorts — before going back out to the kitchen to grab some popcorn and a soda for a movie. Though movies were supposed to be a couple’s thing, you had been planning them for yourself for the past year. But you didn’t mind, it was a nice time to decompress from life’s shit.
Rin eventually emerged from elsewhere as the popcorn continued to pop, walking right past the kitchen to the front door before waving and shutting the door behind him. Was it really so hard to say where you were going? Or even just a “bye”?
You sighed to yourself as you rumaged through the fridge, furrowing your brows when you came to the realization that there was infact nothing really in there to drink. Ah, that’s right. Rin had friends over and hadn’t bothered to go to the store.
Another audible sigh slipped past your lips as you rubbed your temple, grabbing the grocery list off of the side of the fridge before wandering back to your bedroom. You kept on the same shorts, deciding to instead change into a comfortable crop top since the weather was fairly nice out, and laced up your shoes before heading out the door towards the store.
“That will be $19.79 today, ma’am.” the store clerk says as you hand her a $20 and grab your bag, heading out of the convenience store in a sort of rush in order to hopefully beat the rain.
Your shoes audibly patted against the concrete, small rain drops falling all around you. As you looked up, you were only met with a hazy sky filled with mean looking clouds, ready to shower all of their angry tears onto you in an instant.
The rain continued, picking up with every second as it drenched you. You eventually started shivering from the cool water, deciding to head under the covering of a nearby building.
“We must have had the same thoughts, huh?” a man beside you chuckles as you glance up at him, wondering who could come off as so casual so soon.
“Oh, Mr. Sae, hello!” you say, surprised to find such a high businessman under a raggedy roof with you.
“You don’t have to be so formal, y/n. You’re dating my brother, it’s not like I’m your boss.” he gives a playful smile as he averts his gaze to the rain again.
“..yeah.” you reply, not even truly wanting that title as his girlfriend at that moment. But that’s all you were, just a girlfriend. Someone he could come to whenever he needed something, but someone he could leave in an instant.
Noticing your discomfort, he awkwardly clears his throat as he instead glances as the bag in your hand.
“Movie night?” he asks, pulling your thoughts out of its’ warzone as you quirk your brow.
“How did you know?” you laugh as he shrugs, his smile growing a bit wider with your upbeat personality coming back.
“Lucky guess. I’ve heard it’s kinda your thing.” he says as he checks the time on his watch, tapping his foot against the pavement below. Your eyes racked over his slim figure, taking in all of his form.
He was breathtaking, as cheesy as it sounds — Even though he had on only a hoodie and sweatpants, you were already imagining the things he could do with such muscles. Hell, even his legs were built as if they had been sculpted perfectly.
His eyes caught yours as your eyes continued up his chest, forcing you to awkwardly turn away to act like you were checking your phone. You didn’t have time to notice the shit-eating grin that came over his face as he glanced at your blank home screen.
“So what are you doing out in this weather? Is Rin out again, leaving a doll like you to do the work?” Sae asks, the nickname making your cheeks flush as you nodded slowly.
“I don’t know where he goes, but I do know he will be gone for a while. Probably a day or so, he normally comes back in the afternoon sometime.” you say, a weak smile forming on your lips.
“I’ll talk with him ‘bout that later.” Sae says as he pursed his lips, a small frown forming soon after.
“No no, it’s fine, really. I’ve gotten used to the loneliness and now it’s actually quite nice.” you say with a bit of a more genuine smile.
Sae watches your expression carefully, looking for any sort of doubt or weariness in your smile, but he found none. He glanced over your body at what you were wearing — you couldn’t have been warm wearing thin articles of clothing like that. And as if to prove his point, his eyes landed on your perked buds, your tits blatantly giving you away that you were infact cold.
He bashfully looked away towards his car, watching the rain drops seep off of the sleek doors.
“Hey, do you want me to drop you off back at your place? My car is right over there, and I’m sure you’re cold.” he asks, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Oh, sure. Thank you.” you say, a faint blush creeping onto your cheeks. He takes the bag from your hands, holding his hand out with a small smile as he stands out in the rain.
You take his hand, a speck of warmth being shot though your hand as he quickly drags you through the rain, unlocking his car with a *beep* before opening the door for you to crawl into.
He jogs to the other side, setting the convenience store bag in the backseat before hopping into the drivers seat. He huffs after he sits down, a small laugh leaving his chest as he ruffles his hair.
“Quite the storm, huh?” he asks, pulling out of the parking spot and turning back onto the road.
“Yeah.” you say, leaning against the center console as your eyes became heavy. You really needed to start getting more sleep soon. He glances over at you, putting his eyes back on the road to hide the soft smile on his face.
The drive was nice — nothing more than a soft purr of the engine as the rain patted against the windshield, never picking up to a complete downpour at all. Eventually, he flips on the radio as he pulls into your neighborhood, humming to the song as he drives past the other houses.
It was nice, really, and you longed to continue the moment. But it came to a stop as he pulled up in front of your house, the realization that you would be alone again coming crashing down upon you. You shuffled around awkwardly as you grabbed the bag, saying goodbye as you got out of the car and walked up the driveway.
Though it was rather embarrassing to do, you turned around and walked back to the car, leaning down through the window with a shy smile.
“Want to come inside? There’s no one here anyways...” you ask, watching as Sae glanced down the road as if to gather his thoughts before shutting off the car.
“Sure.”
“And he really asked me if I was drunk. I was like dude.. of course I am.” you giggled, setting your wine down on the table as you stabilized yourself, the true intoxication showing itself coursing through your body freely.
“You were at a bar, of course you were.” Sae says as he shakes his head, a smile plastered on his face wide as he sets his beer down next to your drink.
For the past few hours, there had been nothing but chuckles and laughs from sappy stories, something you often enjoyed to talk about subconsciously when you were drunk — but it was never something Rin accompanied you with. He never drank with you anyways, so it was nice to have a good drinking buddy to talk with. Not to mention Sae’a full attention trained on you the whole time.
The subliminal and accidental touches sent sparks through your body, just like the way his laugh was lighter and more high-pitched than his voice, the way his hair slightly fell past his eyes, it was all perfect. He brought true warmth to the room, and compared to the room being as cold as the South Pole whenever Rin came in, you would gladly take in the heat.
You didn’t hate your boyfriend. Really, you didn’t. You hated the way he treated you, yes, but you didn’t hate him persay. But it didn’t take a fool to see that you always had a fake smile on if you were introduced to someone by him, as if you were forced to act well, which in a way you were. But you played by the rules, being an Itoshi was great enough as is, and it was considered an honor to be with one.
However, Sae didn’t seem to care. He seemed too casual, as if the name was nothing more than… well, a name. He didn’t talk overly proper to others like Rin did, nor did he like big interviews. He dressed highly when needed, sure, but he sure didn’t put himself out there as much as Rin did.
“So… you’re an Itoshi, right? Why do you act differently?” you ask, rubbing your arm as a sudden chill comes over you.
“Differently?” he asks, a quizzical look taking over his face as you roll your eyes drunkenly.
“You’re an Itoshi, Sae. That’s a big name. Rin fuckin’ dresses to the nines, and you just sport a hoodie and sweatpants, like right now.” you say, ushering to his causal clothes as he glances down before furrowing his brows.
“Just because I have a high name doesn’t mean I like it, doll.” he says as he finishes his beer, getting up to throw it away in the kitchen. Your face heated up at the name again — you have never been called a nickname like that before. And somehow, even though you knew it was wrong, it sounded so right.
“You don’t like it? The name, I mean.” you ask once he sits back down, shifting your thighs. Though he might not have realized it, there was a clear print of his… well, you know. And it wasn’t exactly subtle.
“No. Everyone thinks it’s something great, but all it entails r’some broke bitches flocking over me,” he starts, glancing over your figure as he wetted his lips with his tongue, “which obviously you are not, you’re different than them. Much better than they could ever measure up to anyways.”
You shifted again, the compliment going straight to your heat unexpectedly as you looked everywhere else but to him. It was like you were almost greedy for his attention, though it was probably because you never got much from Rin.
“Oh, thanks.” you say, not really having anything much to reply with other than that. If it wasn’t obvious enough before, you continued to rub your thighs together under the table, hoping he wouldn’t catch on, but it just got to you too damn much to bear.
Silly, yes, but you could be turned into a bitch in heat with a simple compliment, if it came from the right person, of course. And it seemed as though he was the right person, huh?
And even through all of the silent hopes that he wouldn’t catch on, his eyes flicked down to your waist as he watched it slowly grind against the chair. His lips turned up at the corners as his eyes flicked back up your face.
“You seem to be lonely up in here, yeah? Always wishing your white knight would come back home to give you even an ounce of attention.” he rambles, choosing his words carefully to push some of your hidden buttons.
“Mhhm.” you say, nodding your head lazily. You don’t know whether it was the foreign buzz still in your head from your one too many drinks, or whether you were just flat out horny today, but the sparks came quickly as a small coil began to form in your gut.
“Need some help with the.. loneliness?” he asks suddenly, catching you off guard as you tried to interpret what exactly he ment. When you couldn’t figure it out, you simply blatantly asked “What do you mean?”
He chuckled at the question, as though it was a bit naive to ask, as his lustful eyes raised up to meet yours.
“Well, by bringing me over every once in a while, of course.” he replies, the lusty gaze dissolving suddenly and being replaced by a small glint.
“Well, you’re over right now. Make yourself at home.” you reply as you look away again, your breath quickening as the room’s air became much heavier.
He eyes you, almost primalistically, as he lickes his lips again. Pushing himself off of his chair, he wanders elsewhere in the house, disappearing momentarily outside to his car before coming back again. In his hand was a rather large bottle of vodka, the liquid sloshing in it like candy as he held it up.
“Wanna take a few shots with me?”
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ghoulodont · 10 months
Text
A few days ago @crimsonclergy got a really cute ask about Aether and Rain helping transmasc Dew with his hormone shot. I ended up writing a little ficlet about it. 900ish words of fluff below the readmore:
Dew seems to work himself up about this every time, irresistibly drawn towards what he must already know will make him more and more nervous.
Aether, the saint that he is, prepares the shot beforehand, locked in the bathroom so that Dew can’t peek, and then keeps it hidden as long as possible. As he files into the bathroom now after Dew, Rain literally doesn’t know where it is. There are only a handful of possible hiding places, but it could be in any of them.
Dew sits on the toilet seat with a huff, clad in a t-shirt and boxers. Rain sits nearby, within reach, on the edge of the bathtub. Aether is at the counter where he has everything — or, everything else — set up.
“Hey big guy, you ready?” he asks. He knows Dew won’t answer, or will waffle about it, trying to stall, so he proceeds to the next step anyway. Dew seems to generally prefer being allowed to say stop than being asked to say go. And he’s familiar enough with what’s happening that he doesn’t need to be told about it. It’s a lot of trust he’s putting in Aether, now that Rain thinks about it.
Aether tears open a little alcohol swab packet. Dew wrinkles his nose. He’s said a million times before that hates the smell, but it’s not hard to imagine it’s less about the smell itself and more about what the smell represents, what it’s associated with.
Rain reaches out and pinches Dew’s nose between his thumb and index finger. Dew squawks, batting his hand away. Aether wipes the alcohol swab over Dew’s thigh.
Aether takes his time throwing away the swab and fussing with the stuff he has on the counter, waiting for the alcohol to dry. Rain knows what comes next. He takes both of Dew’s hands and coaxes him to twist his body a bit, facing a little less towards Aether and whatever he’s doing.
Rain isn’t sure what it is about the shot that gets Dew all stressed out, whether it’s the feeling or the pain of it, or just the idea of it, or something else entirely. He knows Dew did the shots himself at some point, which is kind of difficult to imagine. Maybe something changed. It doesn’t feel like his place to ask — and he doesn’t need to know in order to help.
Aether opens the mirrored cabinet above the sink and retrieves the shot from one of the shelves inside. He pulls the cap off the needle with a little pop. Dew cringes at the sound and turns his head to look toward it.
“Hey,” Rain prods. He says it like he’s about to say something else, but he doesn’t actually have anything to say. Dew looks up at him expectantly. Rain doesn’t say anything.
Dew laughs at him, just barely, a halfhearted snort. “Hey,” he responds.
“Doing it now,” Aether reports. It’s all the warning Dew gets before he sticks him with the needle.
Dew inhales sharply and scrunches his eyes shut. Rain squeezes his hands.
Slowly, he watches the crease between Dew’s brows relax, his eyelids uncrinkle, his eyes start to open, and he knows for certain that Dew is about to look. He can’t help it, like a train wreck or however the saying goes. It’s inevitable.
Rain leans forward and places a tiny kiss on Dew’s cheek, the one closer to where Aether is standing, placing himself between Dew and what he doesn’t need to be looking at. He puts another next to it, and another, sprinkling over his temple, his jaw, his forehead.
Dew tips his face away from the onslaught. What he says is “gross,” but he smiles slightly, preening under the attention.
Rain continues, relentless. He focuses on his favorite places, picking little spots he loves — the outer corner of his eye that wrinkles when he laughs, the pointed angle of his jaw, the arch of his eyebrow, the tip of his nose.
Dew whines. Rain kisses the upturned corner of his mouth. Dew squirms. Rain kisses the middle of his cheekbone.
In his peripheral vision Rain can see Aether look up at him and shake his head. No wiggling — Dew needs to hold still. No fun allowed. Oh well.
Rain slows down and refocuses. “You’re being so brave, you know that?” he murmurs.
Dew breathes a little sigh out his nose in response.
“You’re doing such a good job.” Rain kisses his forehead. “So brave.”
“Done.” Aether has already removed the needle. He places it in their makeshift sharps container, and it’s gone.
Dew’s shoulders sag, tension visibly oozing out of the places he was holding it in his upper body.
Aether sticks a band-aid on Dew’s thigh. It’s covered in little sea creatures, dolphins and turtles and jellyfish. It’s cute — probably made for kids, but who cares. Dew extends his leg experimentally, sliding his foot over the tiled floor.
Rain squeezes Dew’s hands again, two short pulses, a question.
Dew looks up at him and nods. “Thank you,” he mumbles, and Rain lets his hands go.
Dew stands and pulls Aether into a hug, melting into his arms. “Thank you,” he says, again, to Aether this time, his voice muffled against his shirt.
Aether rocks their hug gently from side to side. “Of course,” he says. “Anytime.”
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auroraborealyss · 2 years
Text
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐋 | 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞/𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫.
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⊹ pairing: morpheus x reader
⊹ summary: how the past hundred years have been for the wife, the king of dreams, and the nightmare
⊹ warnings: cursing, description of graphic violence
⊹ word count: 788
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⊹ up next: prologue/teaser
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a wife is on the run, and has been for the last hundred years.
she stopped briefly in boston, and now she pays the price. she looks on at the scene as two women and one man recreate the painting she stopped for to admire. 𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴**, was the name of the painting. 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳, **will be the name of the crime when news of it breaks out.
she can’t take her eyes away. even when she whispers at them to stop, they continue. the man still lies there, lifeless eyes boring into the wife’s for help she can no longer give. the woman is still hacking away at the man’s neck, and she won’t stop until the head is completely severed. the third woman is still holding the man down, as if he’s still resisting and not dead.
“i’m sorry,” the wife whispers. her words have no effect on any of them. not anymore. she hears voices start to shout. alarms begin to blare.
she takes a step back, trying not to throw up as she steps right into a puddle of the man’s blood. as she flees, her right foot leaves behind bloody prints on the floor.
this all happened because of her, of course. all because she thought she could rest for two seconds and stop running. she won’t make that mistake again.
she’ll keep running and won’t stop, as that’s what he last asked of her.
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the king of dreams is trapped, and has been for the last hundred years.
in a basement in london, trapped in a glass bubble built by an amateur magician that was rodrick burgess, and confined by his pathetic son, alex burgess, who’s only act of freedom from his father had been to follow into his father’s footsteps, the king of dreams is breaking free.
he has more pressing matters to attend to, but his wounded pride, his ego, and his anger at being kept away from his wife, brings him to bestow a gift upon alex burgess so he may feel a fraction of the despair he had been forced to endure. only when he is done, then he returns home.
the black sand is cold and hard underneath him. this is the first touch of comfort he’s felt in a hundred years. lucienne, his ever so faithful librarian, rushes to his side and breathes in relief at the sight of him. he won’t admit it, but seeing there brings relief to him.
but it is _her _name he whispers first. he doesn’t need lucienne’s verbal answer to know. he is the dreaming, and the dreaming is him. he can feel the ghost of her touch over his kingdom, just as he can feel that she is not there. the mere thought that someone has taken her is enough for him to swallow an inch of his pride and accept lucienne’s help in standing. he is too weak now, but he won’t be for long.
he is coming for her, as that’s what he last promised her.
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a nightmare is free, and has been for the last hundred years.
he sits in the apartment of his current lover. rain drips down the window, but the view of the new york skyline at night is just as visible as ever. the city is big and crowded, perfect for him.
“he’s free,” he says, slightly disappointed. has a hundred years passed that quickly? “he’s out of his cage.”
he wipes away a drop of blood trailing down from his eyes before standing. in the corner of his apartment, the news is on. tonight’s headline: insane women murders stranger. like all the past victims of this serial killer, they were driven insane, causing them to harm themselves and others. the nightmare smirks at the only mark the killer left behind: a trail of one right footprint in the same shoe size as he sent her last christmas.
“so, i’m afraid i’m gonna have to go,” he tells his lover. he moves to the mirror and buttons up his shirt. he needs to look his best for what was to come. for _him _and her. “and i’m not gonna stop until i’ve reshaped this world to look just like me.”
a flash of lightning outside illuminates his reflection. this nightmare, rather than possessing eyeballs, have mouths in their place instead. the nightmare slips his shades on before brushing his lover’s cheek as he walks past. his lover stares ahead without moving, his eyes missing from his sockets.
he will do whatever it takes to be free, as that’s what they made him to be.
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𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲: 𝗂𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗆𝖾𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝖻𝖾 𝖺 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾𝗋, 𝗐𝗁𝗒 𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗍 788 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽𝗌? 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖽𝗈𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗆𝖾𝖺𝗇 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗌??? (𝗂’𝗆 𝖺 𝖼𝗁𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗂𝖼 𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝖾𝗋, 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍’𝗌 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗂𝗍 𝗆𝖾𝖺𝗇𝗌.)
𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾𝗋 𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗋𝖽 𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗈𝗇 𝗌𝗈𝗅𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖽𝗋𝖺𝗆𝖺𝗍𝗂𝖼 𝗉𝗎𝗋𝗉𝗈𝗌𝖾𝗌. 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖻𝖾 𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗇 𝗂𝗇 𝗌𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖽 𝗉𝗈𝗏 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 ���𝗂𝖿𝖾'𝗌, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖺𝗅𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗇𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝗉𝗁𝖾𝗎𝗌.
𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘧!
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chaikachi · 9 months
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Hey radical spicy hot take but Trapdoor is 100% a ruby song. And. Trapdoor is 100% a oscar song. They are a mirror to each other. They are put on the same pedestal. They bear the same weight. They occupy the same space, simultaneously, impossibly. Do you see my vision?
anono... how does it feel to have such a big brain. all songs are rg songs if you try hard enough. 😤
Yes, Trapdoor is first and foremost a Ruby song, but her and Oscar are 100% mirrors living such similar character arcs. I could talk about all those parallels in a post all their own (one day), but for now a really good example is actually comparing Trapdoor to Sky is Falling (thank you @greenteaandtattoos for pointing it out first).
I'm gonna ramble a bit
Trapdoor is a song about the weight Ruby has been carrying. How she has tried so hard and how it's seemingly done more harm than good. It talks about how she doesn't feel seen or heard or needed, let alone wanted. How she's losing herself. How she feels like a trapdoor, part of the floorboards being walked on and unnoticeable. How one more step is all it might take for her to break and fall further into the depths below. And simultaneously like a trap that will lead all her friends to ruin.
And Sky is Falling (in my opinion) is a song about the weight Oscar has been carrying. How he's struggling with moving forward in light of everything he's been through and everything they've lost. The song itself is cited as referencing the original Henny Penny (aka Chicken Little) fairytale since it's a story that uses the song's title as a cry wolf for fearing the end of the world. But that feels a bit like a red herring to me. Or at least not like the whole picture.
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The original myth of Atlas and the weight of the world isn't actually about the god holding the world on his shoulders. It's about him holding up the sky. So whether you read it as Oscar struggling with what to do given Atlas is falling... or struggling with how to move after Ruby falls, (Ruby, who was holding Atlas on her shoulders. So when she fell, so to did the city in the sky) is up to interpretation.
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Some examples of how the songs mirror each other a bit tho:
Trapdoor
Though I try to keep the hope alive
Sky is Falling
Lost all my hopes and dreams
Trapdoor
Watch it all Unfold As I Cascade below Frozen In the darkest moment I can't bear the weight I hold
Sky is Falling
Starin' at the casket, hopin' to move past it Knowin' things will never be the same, and that's it Cold soaked as I'm standin' in rain Feelin' nothin' but pain until I see you again
Both of them struggling to hold onto hope. Both of them struggling with the cold of grief. The water imagery in "cascading" and "rain". The feeling of drowning. How to keep moving in the face of it all.
Also just on the topic of them being mirrors, it's interesting how many of these songs can so easily link back together. Trust Love's "open up your eyes" to Sky is Falling's "cover up your eyes". Then Sky is Falling's direct parallel, Touch the Sky. In my opinion, this song talks about both of them. The first verse is very Oscar "Little Prince" Pine, but especially this part:
I'm soarin' like I never have before Flying self-assured and free And I somehow feel I finally feel like me I looked in the mirror and I gotta say It's been a long, long time since I felt this way Right now, I'm just a bit surprised 'Cause I feel just fine and I might just touch the sky
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And then directly towards Ruby's ascension in the second verse:
Open doors and so much hope in front of me Full of confidence, every challenge crushed My heart's electric, racing endlessly Feeling like the stars have all aligned Illuminate the darkness that was blinding me Now I'm positive that it's my time to shineI will explode, you'll see me rise You may not even recognize I just can't wait for this reveal
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But also... very strong argument can be made that both verses apply to both of them. Finally feeling like themselves, the people they've wanted to be, the ones they're meant to be. These kids and their identity issues... But especially cause, um, Ruby isn't the only one that explodes.
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So to summarize, Oscar looked in the mirror - not the mirror that showed Oz's reflection, but the mirror he sees in Ruby - and he became more like himself. Influenced by the hope she inspires.
And Ruby, like Alice, fell through the looking glass. But in the Ever After the only Oscar that was there to stare back at her wasn't a reflection of hope, it was was one of fear.
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So she had no choice but to fall further and looked inward. Until she found the hope that was always inside her. The hope Oscar always knew was there because he sees her.
And the fact that Ruby's hope, her motivation, has always been "the people she hasn't lost yet". And how Oscar is the only living companion Neo 'kills' to hurt her. I'm getting so off track here but...
The Parallels. It's CINEMA.
They make me UNWELL.
Edit: I ended up just talking a bit about how they're mirrors through song and not so much Trapdoor from an Oscar lens. It is so strongly a Ruby song to me that it's hard to apply to him, even if it does fit him in some ways as well. All alone in crowded rooms and all that.
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