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#specifically the brown ones because that’s the one i saw as a kid
whumpy-wyrms · 5 months
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i have a confession everyone. i am actually scared of caterpillars
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helloalycia · 5 months
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𝐈 𝐕𝐎𝐋𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐑 [𝐎𝐍𝐄] // 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐘 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐃
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summary: Lucy Gray has always been there for you, the only person you care for as much as you do. So much, in fact, that when you discover Mayfair's plan to have her reaped in the Hunger Games, you know you have to stop it. Even if it means giving up your own life.
warning/s: the usual warnings that come with the Hunger Games.
author's note: okay so someone requested another lucy gray imagine where reader volunteers for her, so that’s what i did but kinda did it a little bit different as the usual volunteering storyline feels very been there done that lol. Hope you all like it anyway! there’s a second part too :)
two / masterlist / wattpad
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It had been a long a day, my feet hurting from being stood up for so long and my exhaustion from working a long shift worsening by the second. But as soon as the clock hit 5pm, all my energy returned and I was quick to leave my apron behind as I left. Working at a crockery stall in the markets wasn't a terrible job, and it paid decently, but some days dragged longer than others and I only wished for it to end.
Thankfully, tonight was also a night that the Covey performed at the Hob, so I made my way over there, specifically behind it where the musical group got ready before performances in an abandoned garage they claimed as theirs. I always met before their shows, wanting to wish them luck and also because Lucy Gray, my best friend, would never let me hear the end of it if I didn't stop by beforehand.
"There you are!" Maude Ivory, the youngest of the group, called me over once I stepped in the open door. "You took forever!"
"I'm like two minutes late, Maude Ivory," I defended myself, and a smile fell on my lips when I saw her pouting. "Sorry."
"Can you braid my hair like last time?" she asked politely, already turning around and readying herself for me.
"I sure can," I agreed, smiling at the others as they got ready before moving to braid Maude Ivory's hair.
It didn't take long, just a simple braid around the crown of her head, complementing the rest of her hair that was left out in a way that made her look like a princess. Adorable.
"Oh, I love it!" she gushed, immediately looking in the mirror to appreciate it, and I watched her with a smile. "Thank you, Y/N!"
"No problem," I said dismissively.
"Wow, you look beautiful, Maude Ivory," Lucy Gray appeared beside me, smiling down at the younger girl, and then she gave me a playful look. "Favouritism much?"
I couldn't help but laugh. "All you had to do was ask."
She immediately took a seat on the chair Maude Ivory was moments ago. When I didn't move, she glanced over her shoulder at me with a knowing nod. "Well, go on then."
I rolled my eyes lightheartedly before moving to braid her hair next, squeezing her shoulder slightly in retaliation, and I knew she was smiling all the same. As I'd done many times before, I combed out Lucy Gray's curly hair with my fingers, unknotting it the best I could, before separating it into two parts and giving her two over-the-shoulder braids.
"You done?" she asked impatiently, definitely trying to annoy me.
I finished tying off the second braid before rounding the chair to take a look. Her brown eyes looked up at me adorably, and even though she did nothing special, my heart fluttered in my chest at the attention.
Okay, so maybe I liked her a little more than friends, but I couldn't help it. She was the only person I had in my life that meant something to me, the only one who truly cared. After becoming friends many years ago because we happened to play in the park together as kids, she was stuck with me, and I suppose my gratitude for having her in my life turned into adoration somewhere along the way.
The only real family I had was my father, but he had been bitter towards me since my mum died only a few years after I was born. He hated me without saying it, and I sought love in friendship with Lucy Gray. Though, it was so much more than that on my end. But she could never know, for I'd rather have her in my life like this than not at all. And I would never risk jeopardising that, ever.
"Don't move," I warned her, before leaving the garage for a moment to pick a flower I'd seen just outside.
When I returned, I was surprised to see her sat how I'd left her, though pouting. I carefully slid the flower at the top of her braid, near her ear, and stepped back to admire my work.
"You're done, Little Miss Impatient," I finally said with a stifled smile.
She gave me a disapproving look before moving to the mirror to check it out. Her facade faltered as a warm smile tugged at her lips and she admired the view.
"Okay, I'll let you off since this is pretty nice," she said jokingly.
"Wow, only nice? I thought it was much more than that," I played along.
Her smile widened as she approached me, before kissing me on the cheek and hugging me briefly. I was expecting neither, my brain short circuiting as quickly as she pulled away.
"It's beautiful, Y/N, thank you," she said truthfully, losing her humour. When I didn't know what to say, too busy trying not to think about her lips against my cheek, she said, "You're stayin', right?"
I blinked, dazed. "Huh?"
She began to chuckle, and then her question truly sank in and I cleared my throat, nodding.
"I– yes, I am," I said, giving her a small smile. "Where else would I be?"
She rolled her eyes playfully before turning to the others. "Right, guys, are we ready to blow everyone's socks off?!"
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As always, I enjoyed my evening at the Hob, cheering the Covey on and staying for all their performances as promised. It was always so lovely in there, except for the occasional fight that would break out between the miners and Peacekeepers, but none of that happened tonight. I was tired by the end of it all, as were the others, but as we all walked out together, Lucy Gray tugged my hand back.
"Hm?" I said, yawning as I looked to her.
"Are you in a rush to get home?" she asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"No, why?" I asked curiously.
Excited, she said, "Come to the lake with me."
I quirked a brow. "Now?"
Expression softening, she nodded. "Yeah, it'll be nice. It's a clear night too."
Another yawn escaped my lips and I covered my mouth before shaking my head. "I dunno, I'm a little tired and it's getting late."
"C'mon," she insisted, before grabbing my hand and forcing me to follow her, but not before looking to the others and adding, "I'll see you guys later!"
"Don't make too much noise when you're back!" Barb Azure, the eldest of their group, warned her.
"I won't," Lucy Gray mumbled, and then we were off and I just about managed to wish everyone a goodnight behind me before we were too far from them.
"How aren't you tired?" I asked as I fell into step with her, accepting my defeat and knowing I couldn't really decline her offer anyway. "You've been onstage all night."
She shrugged. "I'm a little tired, but I wanted to spend more time with you. You've been workin' loads lately."
I sighed, feeling a little bad. "Sorry, it's the house. Payments are falling behind and my dad is getting on my back and–"
"Hey, I'm not complainin'," she stopped me. "I just miss you."
A small smile crept on my lips at her unwavering honesty – that was one thing I'd always envied about her. She could say how she was feeling without overthinking how it could be perceived, whereas I was the complete opposite.
"I'm right here," I assured her, and then she glanced at me with a smile that warmed my heart.
"How is he?" she asked. "He still standoffish with you?"
"Isn't he always?" I said, a little bitterly, before shaking my head. "Never mind him anyway. Doesn't matter."
Probably sensing my mood, she said, "You're right, it doesn't. You have me."
I was glad it was dark out, otherwise she would've seen the pink dusting my cheeks.
We continued our walk to the lake, talking and trying to stay awake long enough to make it there. It was a long walk on a regular day, but tonight it felt even longer because of the constant stepping around and trying to find our way in the dim light of the moon peeking through the trees. Still, it was comforting to be around Lucy Gray instead of back home where my dad would no doubt be on my case, so I savoured the time together.
By the time we reached the lake – in particular, a spot where a cabin sat, with a dock and boat beside it – Lucy Gray and I were wide awake, any hint of exhaustion for the evening dispersing with our trek. We both took a seat at the edge of the dock, feet dangling over the side, and she nudged my arm gently.
"Look how pretty the water looks," she said with amazement, and I hummed in agreement.
It was beautiful out tonight, the lull of the water lapping over itself and shimmering in the moonlight providing the perfect view for a perfect evening. Being out here always put me at ease, but being out here with Lucy Gray was indescribable.
After a moment of quiet, she nudged me again and I took the hint, following her lead as we both lay on our backs to look up at the night sky. If the view before was great, then this was amazing. Stars filled the sky, dazzling and bright and filling me with a sense of awe. It was different than seeing the stars from my house – this was all open, isolated, peaceful. I loved it.
"How many have times have you been here at night?" I asked Lucy Gray curiously.
"Not a lot," she assured, "but enough to know that it'a perfect for stargazin', and you love that, so I wanted to show you."
I chuckled a little. "I do. Thanks."
Another quiet enveloped us, only the sound of the water, the trees rustling gently and some birds in the distance to be heard. I could have stayed like this forever. It certainly would have been an upgrade from my usual life.
"Did you see Billy Taupe earlier?" Lucy Gray asked suddenly.
Billy Taupe was her ex-boyfriend and an ex-member of the Covey, but we'd all be ignoring him for a few weeks now after we'd discovered he'd cheated on Lucy Gray with the mayor's daughter. As a result, him and said daughter, Mayfair Lipp, weren't fond of us, especially Mayfair, who seemed to hold a personal vendetta against Lucy Gray.
I nodded, glancing at her, but she was still looking at the sky. "Yeah. I avoided him, but him and Mayfair were glaring at me for sure."
She exhaled quietly, troubled.
"Did he say something?" I asked, attention fully on her now.
"He confronted me between one of my performances," she admitted, piquing both my interest and concern. "Started talkin' about how I needed to stop badmouthin' him to the rest of the Covey."
I furrowed my brows. "You haven't though. If anything, you barely mention him."
"Well, he doesn't seem to think that," she said with an eye roll.
I frowned, hating to see her upset at the likes of him yet again. "If he keeps bothering you, tell me. I'll have a word with him."
As if I'd said something hilarious, she began to smile and then laughter spilled from her lips. "You're cute, and I appreciate it, but you shouldn't get involved. Him and Mayfair are capable of a lot."
"Lucy Gray–" I started, ready to retort, but she cut me off with a serious stare, her smile fading.
"Promise me, Y/N," she said sternly, dark eyes boring into mine.
I gave in instantly, embarrassingly enough. "I promise."
Visibly relieved, she relaxed and nodded slightly before sitting up and stretching her arms. I watched for a moment, though thoughts of Billy Taupe and his foulness stuck in my mind. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Same with Mayfair? Didn't they have anything better to do?
"Say, you ever been for an evenin' swim under the stars?"
I blinked, barely paying attention. "What?"
She glanced down at me with a smirk, before standing up and beginning to step out of her dress. Realising what she was doing, I sat up and started to protest.
"Lucy Gray, it's gonna be cold and dark and–"
But she beat me to it, her dress pooling by my feet as she dove in from the edge of the dock. I wiped my face with mild annoyance as she splashed me, watching as she resurfaced with a laugh.
"C'mon, you gon' leave me hangin'?!" she exclaimed.
I narrowed my eyes at her with distaste, but as always, I couldn't say no to her. So, grumbling to myself petulantly, I stepped out of my own clothes and dove right into the water next to her. It was cold, as suspected, but as I resurfaced, my body was already getting used to the temperature. It was still the middle of summer, so it was actually quite refreshing in the evening heat, though my complaints of it being dark were still valid.
"Not bad, right?" Lucy Gray asked me with a grin.
I pushed my hair from my eyes and gave her a reluctant glance. "I suppose not."
Her grin only widened, and then she looked up, eyes reflecting the moonlight and shimmering like the water. "Look."
I looked up too, amazed by the sight of the sky yet again, but before I could say anything, Lucy Gray splashed my face with water, making me shriek with surprise.
"Lucy Gray!" I scolded, wiping my eyes as she laughed. "You did that on purpose!"
Her laughter only increased, and then I was attempting to splash her back, but she was swimming backwards and then I was swimming after her, her laughter filling the silence of the woods and brightening up the place more than the moon ever could. I eventually grabbed her and splashed her face enough for her to spit it out and cease her laughter.
"Okay, okay, you win!" she gave in, wiping her eyes before playfully glaring at me.
It was my turn to laugh and she rolled her eyes lightheartedly before swimming around me yet again.
We stayed there for a little longer, splashing about and talking about everything and nothing. It was easy to forget everything waiting for me back home, or my job that I didn't want to go to, or the reality of our lives. No, all I had to focus on right now was Lucy Gray's voice, her company, her.
But it was seriously getting late, no doubt past midnight now, and all good things couldn't last forever. We were floating on our backs, staring at the sky in a comfortable silence, and I hated that I had to interrupt it.
"We should go back," I said reluctantly, stopping floating. "If my dad realises–"
"Right, yeah," she agreed apologetically. "Come on."
We both climbed out the lake in a peaceful silence, tugging on our clothes and shoes and squeezing the water from our hair the best we could. As I was doing just that, I felt her eyes on me and looked up with a confused smile.
"What?" I asked, feeling the last of the water drip down my wrists as I let go of my hair.
She began to smile unabashedly. "I'm glad I have you. Thanks for coming tonight. For being here."
My face was heating up, but I played it off with a playful eye roll. "Weirdo."
She chuckled quietly, shaking her head, before leading the way back to the Seam.
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It had been a long day at work and the last thing I wanted was to come home to my father being grumpy, and yet that was what I'd gotten a few days later.
As soon as I walked in, I saw him home too, looking around the kitchen with a clenched jaw. He must have just got back from the mines, judging from the coal dust covering his clothes and skin.
"Hey, dad," I greeted politely, though already feeling tense because he didn't seem to be in a good mood.
"The hell is all this?" he asked me, ignoring my greeting and instead motioning to the dishes on the table.
"What do you mean?" I asked with confusion, leaving my bag by the door.
"It's a mess in here," he said with irritation. "Did you not clean up?"
"Dad, I've been at work all day," I reminded him, sensing he'd had a bad day at work, because he wasn't usually this hostile. "When would I have cleaned up?"
He raised his eyebrows, as if I'd said something absurd. "Excuse me?"
I swallowed hard, not liking the way he sneered at me. "I–," I started, but stopped because I didn't know what to say. Technically, they were his dishes. His mess.
"Y'know, I work really hard to keep us alive," he said with a glare. "And the least you could do is keep the place tidy. You do fuck all anyway!"
I clenched my jaw, frowning and trying my best to contain my annoyance. "I know you do. But these were your dishes. From breakfast. I didn't even eat, I just left."
"Oh, so it's my fault?! That what you're saying?!"
"You're not listening!" I couldn't help but shout, getting sick and tired of his behaviour. "Look, you might have had a bad day at work, but you can't just take it out on me!"
"You don't know what I get up to at work!" he shouted right back. "It's not like yours, standing there, looking pretty! It's hard labour! Something you could never understand!" Then he motioned around and added, "Clearly! This place is a tip!"
I clenched my fists behind my back, but my anger was building up. "It's a tip because of you, dad! You leave it a mess! Then you come back and you blame it on me!"
"Don't you dare raise your voice at me!" he yelled. "Have some respect!"
"Then actually try and listen to what I'm–!"
I couldn't even finish because he suddenly slapped me across the face, a sharp, blinding slap that knocked me off my feet for a second, leaving me stumbling into the kitchen table. I blinked, tears pooling in my eyes.
"Clean this place up," he snapped, before turning around to go to his room, slamming the door behind him.
I breathed out slowly, eyes burning now, and tried to ignore the pins and needles on my cheek. It wasn't the first time he'd hit me, and I should have been used to it, but it still took me by surprise sometimes. I hated it. I hated him. I would have done anything to leave, but I had nowhere to go.
Needing to get out of there as I calmed down, I left through the front door, waiting by the side of the house. I took in some fresh air and wiped furiously at my tears. He was the worst father a child could ask for, but he was the only one I had.
My face was hot and I was glad I couldn't see my reflection, knowing it would just be red on one side. As I finished wiping the last of my tears, I heard footsteps from behind me and sucked up a breath before turning around, worried it might be my father, back for round two. Thankfully it wasn't, but it was Lucy Gray.
She was smiling at first, then her eyes took in my expression and it faded instantly.
"What happened?" she asked straight away, stopping before me.
"Nothing," I assured her, though my cheek was still flaming, and she wasn't stupid.
She looked back at my house, and then back to me with a frown. "He was upset again, wasn't he?"
I looked to my shoes shamefully, not needing to answer. She knew what he was like, but it was something I hated to put on her. Nonetheless, she understood, and she touched my cheek gently, making me wince.
"You should stay with us," she muttered, trying to find my eyes, but I wouldn't look up. "We'll always have room for you, Y/N."
"I can't," I said with embarrassment. "And he's not always like this. It's– I'm handling it."
"No, you're not," she said, letting go of my cheek.
I didn't want to argue, nor did I want her pity, so I cleared my throat and looked up with the intention to change the subject. "What did you come here for anyway?"
She wasn't happy as she gave me a worried look. "Y/N–"
"Lucy Gray," I pleaded, before she could say anything more.
Giving in, she exhaled quietly. "I wanted to see if you wanted to go on a picnic with us tomorrow. You're not workin', right?"
At the sound of something much nicer, I relaxed and nodded. "I'd like that."
She seemed to relax too. "Good." Then she glanced over her shoulder at the house again, before adding, "You're stayin' with us tonight."
"I'm not–"
"You are," she insisted stubbornly. "You still have a few things left from last time."
I sighed tiredly. "I have to clean up. He's gonna be mad."
"We'll clean up together, then you're comin'," she reasoned.
"I'll do it myself," I told her, shaking my head. "You know he doesn't like me hanging around with you."
She looked ready to protest, but I shot her a pleading look. The last thing I wanted was to set him off again, especially in front of Lucy Gray. Thankfully, she seemed to get this and nodded reluctantly.
"Fine, but hurry up," she gave in, taking my hand and squeezing it reassuringly. "I don't like you in there alone."
"I'll be quick," I promised, before leaving her to clean up.
My dad was still sulking in his room, so I was able to clean up quickly and let him know where I was going. He didn't answer, nor did he stop me, so I left and met Lucy Gray back outside. She took my hand without question, not letting go until we reached her place. I was glad not to be alone tonight.
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A week later, it was another fun evening at the Hob where I watched my best friend perform and I didn't have to worry about work or my dad or anything. It was just like any other evening there, nothing out of the ordinary, or so I thought.
During one of Maude Ivory's talented solos, I got up to the go to the toilet, making it a quick one so I wouldn't miss a thing. But as I left the women's toilets, I caught sight of Billy Taupe and Mayfair chatting around the corner in hushed voices. I didn't care at first, trying to ignore they existed for Lucy Gray's sake, but then they mentioned the singer herself and I couldn't help but eavesdrop a little.
"...doesn't know when to keep her trap shut and herself to herself," Mayfair was saying bitterly.
"She's a singer," Billy Taupe reminded her. "That's what she does. Just ignore it."
Mayfair scoffed. "She thinks she has everyone in this town wrapped around her finger because, what, she can sing? And put on a little show? Well, you know what, we'll see how she sings her way out of the reaping!"
I froze from behind the wall, wondering what she meant by that.
"What?" Billy Taupe asked, just as confused but suspicious as I.
"She may have the looks, honey, but I have the connections," Mayfair continued, her hushed voice growing increasingly more annoyed as she spoke. "You just wait until reaping day. Lucy Gray won't be bothering anyone for much longer."
My eyes widened at her threat. What the hell was she talking about?
"What are you–" Billy Taupe started, but the sound of the floorboards creaking beneath my weight made him stop, and I cursed inwardly.
Before they could even consider investigating, I slipped away between the doors unnoticed, back into the main room where everybody was distracted by the singing, dancing and drinking. My head was reeling though, trying to piece together what I'd just heard.
There was no way Mayfair would do what she was implying, right? She wouldn't just sabotage the reaping because of a feud, surely? Would she? If she did, then that would mean Lucy Gray would be chosen as tribute and–
Oh, God. If she was chosen, she'd be shipped off to partake in the Hunger Games and that was it. She wasn't a fighter, she was a performer. And the Games was no place for someone like her. I'd never see her again. And her family– oh, no. No, this couldn't happen!
What could I do to stop this? Mayfair would never listen to reason, especially not from me. It wasn't fair, any of it.
Suddenly, I felt nauseous at the thought of everything playing out just as Mayfair wanted. Needing some fresh air, feeling overly stuffy in the Hob, I pushed past everyone and stepped outside, ignoring those who were enjoying a cigarette or drink and trying not to throw up.
I couldn't lose Lucy Gray like this, not because of some stupid feud. How badly could Mayfair hate her to do this? The Covey would be broken without her. She was too valuable to everyone. And she was all I had.
"Y/N?"
I turned around, seeing Lucy Gray approaching me with a concerned smile on her lips.
"What happened?" she asked, stopping before me.
I blinked, my thoughts still racing around. "What?"
"You left lookin' upset," she said worriedly. "What happened?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat, shaking my head. "Nothing. I just feel sick. Might've eaten something funny."
Her smile faded, replaced by a concerned frown. "Oh, gosh, do you wanna go home? Go to ours? I can walk you back. The others won't mind if I leave a little early."
She was watching me carefully, patiently, dark eyes flittering around my face as if she'd find the problem just like that. She was too kind for her own good and I couldn't help but think about how unfair this all was. She wasn't a bad person at all. How could Mayfair do this? Why couldn't I do anything about it? There had to be something!
"Y/N?" Lucy Gray said, before pressing the back of her hand to my forehead with concentration. "Hmm, you do feel a little warm."
It wasn't fair.
Without thinking, I hugged her tightly, promising myself there and then that I would fix this. She wasn't going to be subjected to Mayfair's wrath, not if I could help it.
"Woah, what's gotten into you?" she said with surprise, but returned the hug.
"Sorry," I mumbled, before pulling back and clearing my throat. "I just need some water. I'll be fine."
She quirked a brow. "You're sure?"
I nodded, trying my hardest not to worry her anymore.
"Okay... good," she said with relief, before a smile curled on her lips. "I've got a new song I want you to hear."
I returned her smile, letting her tug my hand and lead me back inside, but the truth of what I knew was already starting to suffocate me.
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For days I mulled it over, trying to convince myself that maybe I misheard or misinterpreted Mayfair's words. Or that, maybe, Mayfair didn't have as much power as she was letting on.
But deep down, I knew it was true, and she was just petty enough to send Lucy Gray to her death. Which then brought me to my next problem: what could I do to stop it?
Mayfair was the mayor's daughter and the mayor was the one who chose the names for the reaping. It was pretty solid, with no interference from me able to stop it. But what was I to do? Do I tell Lucy Gray? Her family? At least, if I did, it would give them time to prepare. But how exactly? Would it not be easier to just let it play out as to not ruin their last moments together?
I didn't know, and it was so much information to carry, eating away at me little by little. What I did know was that I couldn't lose Lucy Gray. What would my life even look like if she was gone? What would the Covey do without her?
Lucy Gray was loved, needed, wanted. She couldn't die, not when she'd be so dearly missed and had so much left to give. If only I could take her place... I knew I would if I could. Nobody needed me or cared for me, nobody but her. But she'd get over my death. And my dad couldn't care less. If it meant saving Lucy Gray, I would do it. After all, I loved her.
But I couldn't, because it was her name to be picked, not mine. And with her name, she'd walk onstage and I'd never see her again. How could I change that?
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rimunagenius · 3 months
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Wait For Me
Paring: Kayce Dutton x reader!
Words: 2.1k words
Warnings: Angst, fluff ending, curse words?? if that’s even a warning, mentions of branding and burning, abuse, over use of baby (i love it, i love imagining him calling me that, do nit judge me🤨😒)
Summary: Growing up you and Kayce were inseparable. You didn’t know the love you shared was more than friends until sixteen, but what happens when John pushes Kayce too hard, and your relationship hangs in the balance?
ఌ If you want to check out my other works for other fandoms and this one, check out my masterlist!!
A/n: no gender or body specification made in the story, so this could be read from any gender/personal preference. This is very self indulgent for me, I love Kayce Dutton and have since i started Yellowstone and I was deeply upset with the lack of fics for him so I had to take matters into my own hands while this godsend of an author writes my requests!!🥹 anyways, hope you enjoy!!
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not my gif!!
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You knew it was stupid.
You knew you couldn’t have him.
You can’t love someone into loving you back. You knew it. He knew it. He knew it would never happen between you; he wanted it to. He did love you, too much, though.
This summer had to be your favorite on the Dutton Ranch. Favorite in Montana. Your favorite in the world, same thing. As long as Kayce was there, it was the perfect anything.
You had loved him your whole life. Ever since you were kids anything he would do would mesmerize you. His hair caught in the breeze when you’d chase him around the arena for tag, his smile when you’d tell the same joke he was tired of but laughed because he knew it meant something to you.
Somewhere along the way, you had fallen inlove. You always had been, but this time you actually knew what it was. You knew why. It was Kayce. Any woman would be a fool to not love everything about him.
But…
He had fallen inlove too.
“Oh my god! That’s not-“ You looked at the boy next to you, absolutely falling more inlove the more you looked. Having by far the funniest conversation all summer.
“Oh, please! That’s seriously what I told him!” He laughed, his body leaning on yours, his head halfway into your lap.
“Kayce, your such an idiot.” You looked down at him, his eyes already trained on you. Your chuckle had died in your throat as you saw the look in his eyes. He’s never looked at you like this before—you didn’t see the other times he had. Those moments were just for him.
Your hand landed on his forehead, sliding it back over the expanse of his scalp, his long hair following the pattern your hand tread on his head.
“Oh, yeah?” He said. His signature small smile already creasing the corners of his lips. “I’m okay with that. You still love me, though.”
You looked up at the sky, the stars illuminating your features, entrancing the teenager below you. He was looking at you as if you had hung them yourself. “The sky is beautiful tonight, Kayce. Don’t you think?” Your eyes following and connecting the dots in the sky as his eyes never once dared to move away from you.
“I do. She’s absolutely gorgeous.” In a quick second, he started to sit up, his absence from your lap, drawing your eyes down to him.
Your eyes caught his, as he immediately pulled you into a kiss. His hand on your cheek, your hand tipping his hat off his head, carding your fingers through the growing locks of golden brown locks.
This was just the start.
You knew now was different than when you both were just 16. You had spent two years with eachother, loving eachother. You didn’t think anything would tear you apart.
Kayce had started disobeying Mr. Dutton when you two had just turned 18. Something about them always butting heads and having different life plans. Kayce didn’t want this life, he wanted you, but not at the price John had been setting.
It was either you and the Ranch, or he’d be gone and forbidden to see you. You knew it was a crock of shit, John just trying to scare his son. And you had believed it. You should’ve known the youngest Dutton. Especially now that the behavior was super out of character.
You walked the rocky path up to the main house, on the Dutton Ranch, collecting the smallest size pebbles you could find to throw at Kayce’s window.
You approached the front of the house, stopping before the porch steps and launched pebble after pebble. You had gone through the whole collection and then some. He would come to the window by now, you thought.
He wasn’t asleep, his light was on. Then you heard yelling and screaming, crashing and smashing. You had saw a small glimpse of Kayce and John, and you had heard Lee, you think.
Then you heard nothing. Just saw John’s face in the window, looking down at you as he shut the blinds. You had started on your walk back home, worried sick, right down the road from the ranch before you heard the front door swing open, John dragging Kayce by the collar of his shirt.
They ended up behind the barn, you watching from a healthy distance to not be seen by Mr. Dutton, before you saw a burning orange ‘Y’ iron. The sound of burning flesh and muffled cries and screaming followed.
You obviously didn’t see Kayce that night but you had saw him two days after, breaking a horse.
You stood up on the bottom wood log of the arena with your arms draped over the top one. “Where have you been, baby?” Your boyfriend just looked up at you. A heartbreaking attempt at a smile casted over his beautiful face.
“Talk to me, Kayc. Is everything okay?” You knew it wasn’t. You knew what you saw, not expecting that from John.
“I’m fine, darlin.’ Don’t worry your pretty little head too much, yeah?” He looked back to the horse, grabbing the reigns and walking him through the exit of the arena, signaling you to follow him to the barn.
You didn’t want to pry, you knew he wasn’t okay but you’d let him tell you about it when he was ready. You knew Kayce would.
“Okay, handsome. You doin’ anythin’ later.” You tucked a small strand of hair behind his ear, fixing his hat that’s shifted.
“Nah, you wanna come over? Watch a movie?” He asked. You smiled at him and nodded your head. You leaned in for a kiss and turned your heel.
“I’ll see you later, cowboy.” You looked over your shoulder, Kayce eyes trailing up your body, his eyes eventually meeting yours. “You like what you see, Kayce?” You laughed as you were almost out of line of sight.
“Hell yeah, I do, baby.” His smirk as he watched you, slowly dissipating. He was dreading the moment he had to tell you. He had to do it soon, tomorrow.
That was yesterday.
Your movie had gone great but you should have known then there was problem. He seemed on edge that night, and his room seemed a little less lively since the last time you had been in there.
You walked up to the main house, opening the front door. John wasn’t home so Kayce said you could walk through the house and to his room.
That’s when you saw it. His shit packed and loaded into duffle bags. He packed his whole life away in bags. “What’s goin’ on Kayce? Why are you packing?” Your eyes wandered around the room. His dresser now vacant of any picture you two had, of him and Lee. His favorite picture of him and Beth now gone.
“Everything’s okay, baby. I promise.”
“Then why’s your shit all gone? Where are you going?” You couldn’t help the dampness growing in the corner of your eyes. The small quiver in your lip.
“Hey, hey. Don’t cry. It’s gonna be okay.” He cupped your face, forcing you to look him in the eyes. His eyes meeting yours, both damp and a little bloodshot like yours. “I just gotta go for a while, okay?”
“And your just gonna leave me here? Take me with you.” You pleaded. You didn’t think today of all days would start with Kayce Dutton possibly breaking up with you, and leaving you alone in this godforsaken state of Montana.
“I can’t, baby. Not where i’m goin’. Not this time.” He kissed your forehead and shifted his hands from your face to your waist.
“Kayce, where the hell are you going that you can’t take me with you? We haven’t separated since we were kids, why now?” You wiped the tears that fell from your eyes as you couldn’t dare tear them away from Kayce.
“I’m goin’ into the Navy. I don’t know when i’ll be back. But you have to listen to me-“
“The fuckin’ Navy!? Kayce are you serious!?” You yelled at him. He never once mentioned the Navy or any interest. It must’ve been John’s idea. They have been fighting more and more recently.
You thought it had been just father and son disagreements. But the thought should’ve clicked when the iron branded his son, your bestfriend, boyfriend, forever.
He belonged to his father. He had to do whatever he asked. It had to be John. You were pissed. “Was it John?” You whispered.
“No, sweetheart. It was me. I can’t take this ranch anymore, I feel trapped. All I do is eat, ranchwork, eat, ranchwork, sleep, repeat. I can’t do it anymore, baby. The Navy would atleast set me up with some cash so I could find a place of my own.” He sniffled as he held you, you stepping away from him to pace around the room.
It was his decision…he was leaving you.
He wiped his eyes, and in all the years that you had known Kayce Dutton and held him when he was sad, because he had done it for you, you haven’t seen him this torn up and emotional about something since his mother’s passing.
“But does that mean you can’t handle me anymore? I mean if your tired of the ranch, you must be tired of me, right?” You let a choked sob escape your lips. Stopping in your tracks, your legs feeling too wobbly to move another inch.
He immediately rushed to you, embracing you into the tightest hugs he’s possibly ever given you. “No, no, baby. That’s not it. I love you, with everythin’ in me, you know that. But-“
“But what? If your breaking up with me Kayce, don’t you dare think about saying goodbye as if we’ll never speak again. They’re always the hardest and i’m not doing that with you. I do not want to say goodbye to you. Ever.”
“Baby, you know I have to.” His big eyes even frowned with his face. The sad expression crushing you even more than humanly possible.
“No, you don’t! Why can’t you just love me from over there. It shouldn’t be any different, baby.” You grabbed his face. His eyes closing for a fleeting moment. Your cries getting harder and harder to bear quietly.
“Darlin’, I can’t ask you to wait for me in hopes i’ll make it home to you. I can’t ask that of you, and you know I can’t.” He inhaled a shaken breath, evident that this was hurting him as much as it was hurting you.
“Yes you can. You know that. I’d wait a million years and more for you, Kayce Dutton. I waited 16 years, didn’t I?” You laughed quietly, that didn’t hide the audible sob that also parted your lips.
“Godammit, sweetheart. I love you, nothin’ can change that. I’d die for you, i’d do anything for you, i’d go to the very ends of the earth for you, but please for the love of god; please stop making it harder to leave you than it already is.” Tears freely streamed down his face, him not bothering to wipe them away.
He was giving himself to you. All of him, and you couldn’t have asked for more from this man. He has always done this for you. He’s never hidden who he was, especially from you.
As you held his face, you sighed. His hand holding your hips, you could feel his fingers shaking on you. He didn’t want to go. If he was ever gonna leave he was damn sure gonna take you with him. This wasn’t how he wanted it to be.
“Kayce Dutton, I love you. More than you’ll ever know and i’ll spend my whole life showing you. I’d do anything for you, all you have to do is say what. Ask me to wait for you, and i’d wait for you.” As soon the words “ask me to wait” rolled off your lips, Kayce had his answer.
“Wait for me.”
You crashed your lips onto his, the kiss fast paced and full of emotion. The devotion his body poured unto you was otherworldly. You two stumbled back a bit from the force of the kiss. Your tongue meeting his in frantic greeting as you held onto him for dear life, and he held onto you like you were his lifeline.
As you both understood what this meant, what you two were signing up for, you knew now that there was no chance either one of you would be ripped away from the other. No fucken chance.
“I’ll wait for you. When you get back, i’ll be waiting here, you know exactly where to find me, cowboy.” You kissed his lips once again, and smiled, your arm around his shoulder and one hand on his face. His arms wrapped comepletely around your waist.
“I can’t wait, baby.” He kissed you once more and that was it.
You’d be here when he got back. He was going to come back to you. Whether he had to kill or crawl his way back to you, he was going to come home.
And you’d be right there, with open arms waiting. Just like you promised.
185 notes · View notes
Text
TFA TEAM PRIME HUMAN REDESIGNS FINALLY
FUCK
+headcannons
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Optimus: gotta stay focused
looks too old compared to his bot form.
I find it impossible for Optimus to be more than a million years old in this canon. In the least, he's older than 1000 years and since we have mfs that are canonically over 70 million years old(fagatron iykyk) compared to that, he feels like a dude in his early-to-mid-30's being the group parent.
---
-I made him more youthful, gave him curly hair, and tailored his clothing to actually look like his bot form.
-workaholic
-on the cusp of barley being able to hold his liquor
-doesn't own a pair of pajamas until Sari gets some for him
-usually forgets to put them on, but appreciates the gesture
-stays active for like, 3 days until he can't fight off sleep with work brain anymore, and unceremoniously passes out on the couch to sleep for a full 24 hours
-ratchet sighs and puts a blanket over him as per routine
-frequently checks security feed
-elf on the shelf despiser
-early morning talks with jazz and ratchet over coffee (they all wake up at 6 am)
-half thrives on caffeine and a vigorous training protocol
-is a dog person, loves German shepherds to death
David sama, pls forgive me ily very much
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Ratchet: to old for this nonsense
doesn't match his body type in the slightest.
Ratchet is really old, he's got a sallow face and a gramp gut, how dare they square him. He's wayyy too angular and peachy looking.
-I gave him his luscious curves back, adding all the equipment id expect a field medic to have because he is a field medic, not a regular doctor. I changed his facial proportions, and also made his face gaunt, for that dead inside PTSD look.
---
-drinks his coffee black with brown sugar, literally drinks it piping hot
-is one of those old people who complains about noise
-confiscates bumblebee and Sari's toy cars, and puts them in a high up cabinet
-neither of them know how to bypass the child safety lock lmao
-casual clothes includes a lot- a l o t of plaid shirts, and 10 pairs of the same blue jeans
-tunes out bulkhead and prowls convos about birdwatching
-big fan of political satire dramas
-Sentinel doesn't approve
-Ratchet doesn't give a rats ass about what he thinks of course
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Bumblebee: professional smart-ass
doesn't match his body type/age.
Bumblebees holoform is presented as a 10-12 year old child specifically for the fact that he's short, and the comedic relief. Total ass
I set his human age as 19-20 years old, making him more of a big brother to sari because that og model is disappointingly lackluster
---
-Bumblebee is a scrappy wisecracking punk, like an adhd kid who just got roller skates for Christmas.
-since he doesn't have wheels, I feel like he'd wear skates instead to emulate the feeling
-terrible at watching where he's going cuz he's too busy trying to show off, so ratchet makes him wear all that padding + training wheels
-legit despises the padding and training wheels
-Jealous of Blurr for mastering roller blades lmao.
-his favorite games are choose your fighter and fps
-saw ONE ancient ass assassins creed playthrough and begged ratchet to install hidden tasers in his arm bands (was denied)
-Sari used her key to do it instead
-self appointed "rizzler"
-Optimus has zero idea of what that means and thinks it's code for something dubious
-Ratchet knows what it means and thinks it's silly
-"I' was something of a rizzler myself back in my day, kid"
-bumblebee cringes
-loves summer and swimming
-wants to be the fastest thing in the sea because y'know, it's bumblebee
-is spooked from the beach for awhile cuz he saw sharks in Prowls nature documentary
-there are infact, no sharks in lake Erie
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Bulkhead: big guy, bigger heart
doesn't match his body type/aspirations.
Jesus fuck he's so wide?? And his belly migrated to his shoulders?? I'm gonna be honest, I really hate this design. I feel like it contributed to the "brute strength = stupid" take that most in the fandom associates with him.
---
-Bulkhead is a SWEET. CARING. NERD YOU FOOLS. He's like the male version of a tall goth gf-
-a tall-nerdy-farm hand-physics bf, You got me fucked up.
-Its already shown that bulkhead really likes art in Addition to creating it. He hates being only seen as the "muscle" so it wouldn't make sense for him to lean into that.
-bunny slippers that him and sari made together(she provided the buttons)
-the slippers go missing sometimes (basically considered community property unless he's wearing them)
(ratchet and prowl are the main offenders)
-frequent art museum goer
-really likes watching cooking shows, but is too shy to make food himself
-Owns a ton of star maps
-Really wants a treehouse that he, bumblebee and sari can hang out in
-pillowfort enjoyer
-casually reads quantum physics at the beach
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Prowl: draft dodger
Doesn't look like him at all.
Prowls holoform being a mustachioed,white, police officer was an actual jumpscare for 7 y/o me, I kid you not
---
- I know this bitch would not wear a helmet (you can't force him to) que windswept hair
-Not as much as starscreams, for obvious reasons but yk
-prowl is like one of those "shoes are a prison for your feet"
-emo hipster
-has a pet cactus named "planty"
-bumblebee heckles him for it
-can and has brought his cactus with him on early evening motorcycle rides
-the helmet is reserved for his cactus, bring your own >:(
-salad consumer
-him and jazz share custody of the cactus
-repeat victim of the cat distribution system
-ratchet has probably spent hours telling him they can't keep any animals at base
-frequent midnight picnics with jazz
-and beachcombing
-and roaming around antique stores cuz jazz wants to know what vinyl records are
-got a mug with an attempted pink chibi cat with big round shiny eyes painted onto it, courtesy of bulkhead trying to find an artsyle
-cherishes this mug to death
-has a shrine dedicated to it
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aliveinacoffin · 10 months
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Miguel O'Hara x Reader
Come back to bed
In which he's an asshole and you're annoying
Angst no comfort
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"She's homeless, bada dee bada doo." The sound of your humming bounced off the white metals of the spider building.
Other spiders ran or walked passed by or around you, each lost in their own spider world.
Your world was set on a mission, one even the most terrifying wouldn't dare walk. One that would even make the strongest man tremble in his shoes.
Bring Miguel lunch!
You'd endlessly talk his ear off at any given chance, and he'd sometimes would laugh at your jokes! A fair trade, you would say. Today, you had a 2099 burger packed away in a styrofoam box, with blue fries and a red drink.
You giggling while swagger walking to his office, the closer you got to his office, the less and less there were spider people. Not many people hung around his hallway, everything personalized to Miguels specific tastes. No use for other people going down here unless they specifically needed him.
You opened the door to his office with gusto, and you loudly called out to him.
"Miguelllll!! ¡Yo tengo comida para ti! It's muy delicioso!" You closed the office door before swinging up to his desk, plopping all the food down beside him.
You sit beside the food, kicking your feet up while cheesing at him. He glanced at you, then at the food, and then back up at you. His shoulders dropped, and he sighed.
"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be out on a mission." He continued to swipe and work at the red screens infront of him.
"Oh, but of course! I'm the Amazing Spiderman, I kick ass and take names. I took care of it, no sweat!" You wiped your hands like you were wiping away dust. And looked back up at him, shoving the food at him. "You weren't at the cafeteria, eat." You commanded, voice lacking all the silliness from before.
"I'm not hungry." Miguel huffed, looking back at the screens.
"Jeez I just," You held your head, looking confused and lost, "I don't remember when I asked." You made a face at him. "You didn't eat breakfast, and you already skipped out on dinner last night. You don't get to skip out on this. Plus!" Excitment flooded back into you. "It has your face on it!" You giggled, showing the burger up to him.
Miguels eyes widened, and looked inside to see his masked face on a burger with blue fries. His wide eyes looked back at you, and let out an airy chuckle. Still, his eyes went back to the red screens. Those fucking screens man, he was worse than those iPad kids.
"Miguel-"
He cut you off, huffing out your name before fully turning to you. "This is important, a new and dangerous anomaly just showed up in the timeline and I need to figure where or even what it is. I'll join you for dinner later, alright?" He all but growled out, his deep brown eyes flashing red for just a moment.
You were taken aback for a moment, Miguel has never spoken to you this way before. You knew he could be stern, but ever since you entered the realm of dating, he's made sure to try and communicate his feelings with you a little better.
"Well alright, no need to snap at me. I was just concerned you haven't eaten." You hopped back down, a lump formed in your throat as you turned away from him. You didn’t turn back when you left, and he didn't stop you.
___________________________________________
Dinner was cold by the time he ate it, you knew that because the next morning when you went to clean the dishes, the food had become hard and stuck to the plate. Angrily you washed it away. The bed was cold when you went to sleep, and it was cold when you woke up.
___________________________________________
"Helllloooo? Anybody home??? Honey, I'm home!" You called out, and bounded up to Miguels high tower.
You sighed when you saw him still working, still looking.
"Jeez, you might work yourself to death before you find the thing." You sneak up behind him and try to wrap your arms around his neck the best you could.
"As long as I find it." Was all he said.
"Oh wow Miguel, you're such a romantic. 'Thank you mi vida for dinner, gracias por lunch the other day.'" You made your voice deeper to try and mock him, walking to try and face his front.
"Thank you." Was all he said, again.
"Yes of course Master, as your faithful butler, is there anything else you need of me?" Your voice went higher, and you batted your lashes at him.
"Leave me alone. You're distracting me right now, and this is important to me." Miguel turned to you, face cold and set in a scowl.
Your heart picked up, and hurt was laced all over your face. "Well, I'm sorry I'm distracting you from something so important. I'll be on my way now." You angrily turned, and quickly jumped off from the platform and stomped out before he could say anything more.
If he even did.
___________________________________________
His dinner went uneaten that night. And when you went to check, he didn't eat breakfast. You don't think he even came to your shared space that night.
Your watched beeped with a request, how considerate of him. He won't talk to you properly, let alone sleep in the same bed as you, but he can send you out on mission. How thoughtful, truly.
You sighed and rushed to get your spider suit on before jumping into the orange portal, blindly following his orders blindly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The problem was bigger and way more difficult than expected.
A lizard to be specific.
He was huge and had pink spots all over his brught blue body. A harsh contrast to the monotone soft red world that surrounded you.
Your mind so lost in the details you missed his big talons scratching across your back, sending you flying into the nearest building. You groaned, comically sliding down.
You hit the ground with a harsh thud, your head spinning while the asshole lizard stomped towards you. It wasn't the first time the asshole landed a hit on you, but by the way your body was reacting it needed to be the last.
Fuck.
You sprung up, webbing around him before landing a fast and harsh kick to the bass of his head. The lizard was caught off guard, giving you the option to trap him in the red cell and port back to base. You checked in with Margo before you hobbled your way to Miguels office.
You don't know why you wanted to see him, but you felt pretty weak and battered (considering you actually were) so wanting to see your partner wasn't exactly a crime.
Opening the door to his office seemed more difficult than usual, you may be a spider person, but you were still human. You were hurt, physically and emotionally, and you looked up through your broken mask to Miguels high position.
It made you feel even weaker, smaller. It had been a full weak since you've been able to fully talk to him, let alone sleep in the same bed, or have him hold you after a bad day.
"Miguel?" You called out, your mask broken, your real eye open to the world while your other, unbroken and small in the spider mask. Your voice was small, your hunched over form showed how battered you really were.
You could feel the breeze on your back, blood slowly washed down your back, and you could feel the bruising forming on both your arms.
There was silence. You could see him, see him standing there just fucking, tapping away!
"Miguel, I'm hurt. All I'm asking for is a hug, or just a kiss to make the boo-boos better." You laughed bitterly, anger starting to get the best of you.
Miguel huffed, not even turning to look at you. "Then go to the nurse, I can't kiss your injures better." You could feel him rolling his eyes at you, annoyed at your childish behavior.
"I'm not asking you too, I'm just asking you to even acknowledge me!" You yelled, anger getting the best of you.
"You just asked me too, are you dumb-?" Miguel finally turned around to look at you fully, finally giving you his full attention. His eyes went wide, shock taking over his whole body at the state you left yourself in.
"Why didn't you go to the nurse? Why did you come to me first? You really are stupid." Miguel sighed, looking down on you like you were the stupidest person ever.
"Because I wanted to see you! All week, you've been blowing me off and being a dick to me! You're right, this was a mistake. I'm sorry for even wanting to see my partner." You screamed at him, voice hoarse from the fighting from earlier.
You straightened up, and turned around, rushing out of his room, leaving a trail of blood in your wake.
You don't think he even followed you.
___________________________________________
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lowkeychenle · 7 months
Text
Within the Piano Keys [ZCL] (M)
Description: For as long as you could remember, Chenle has been your neighbor and childhood best friend. That is, until one day he disappears without a word...or so you thought, since your mother hid all the letters he sent you.
Genre: Fluff/Angst/Smut triple threat ygm
Content Warnings: This fic contains letters from Chenle (purely fictional duh) but does mention things about the graduation system/the Dreamies going through a rough time just FYI! Just a brief mention. And also, smut. this has smut, but it's soft and cute smut because why not.......so literally that's it I think? Who I am these are some light content warnings
Word Count: 7,707
Pairing: Zhong Chenle x Reader (feat (briefly) Jeno & Jaemin, mentions of Mark and Jisung)
Juliet's Masterlist | Requests
Author's Note: This gif actually kills me someone send 911 emergency services sos zhong chenle is killing me AGAIN
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The ghost of the past will always find you.
There’s no outrunning destiny. Who and what you were made to be. And you sure as hell love to try—pushing yourself to change as much as possible to keep Fate on her toes. Sometimes, it’s inevitable. Sometimes, people are placed on the Earth with a specific purpose, and you were sure yours was him. At a mere seven years old, your life changed forever—in a way you never saw coming. When you think about it, you don’t think Fate saw it, either.
Because you met him then.
You remember the day in vivid detail. The soft, sweet melody of the piano drifting through the house, up the stairs, and beneath your bedroom door where you stand, looking for your butterfly hair clip you adore oh so much.
When your frustration reaches its peak and you sit down with a huff on the edge of your bed, you hear it. Your heart seems to beat along with the music, every key pressed making you wonder just who is playing downstairs.
It’s from Phantom of the Opera, a song titled “All I Ask of You.” The melody is full, transcending your body into peace the moment you realize what it is.
After taking a deep breath, you hesitantly make your way down the winding, spiral staircase, fingers tracing along the railings as if they’re too delicate to actually hold on to. Your steps echo downward, but as the young boy comes into view, you stop.
Not even your noisy intrusion breaks him from his music-induced trance. His entire body moves along with the sound, his eyes closed as he presses each note with perfection. His black hair is a bit longer than it probably should be, with a middle part to expose his forehead. His defined brows are furrowed, and even at his age, you’ve never seen someone look wiser than this boy does right at this moment.
You feel the song in your bones, deep within your soul in such an existential way, you aren’t sure if you’ll ever feel anything like it again. A silly, juvenile thought. You don’t know it right now, but you’d feel like that every time you were around him.
As the song comes to a close, he holds out the last note, inhaling deeply as if he hasn’t been breathing the entire time.
His eyes flutter open, warm brown irises immediately meeting yours. You hadn’t expected such depth, but you’d learn eventually never to expect anything with him—in the end, you would only build yourself up to fall…over and over and over again.
Here you stand, locked in a metaphorical embrace with a kid who can’t be any older than you, yet he seems…different. Like he’s seen enough in his lifetime to age him beyond physicality.
That was the day you started to believe in fate. The day he left was when you stopped.
Hours turned into weeks, and before you know it, the boy next door became your friend. Most times, you’d sit on the bench while he plays piano and watch incredulously. His musical talent always astounds you—he can sing, play instruments, write songs and compose them.
Sometimes, he’d ask you to sing the songs he played, and even though you felt nowhere near as talented as him, you did what he wanted. He’d join in with you occasionally, your voices blending together seemingly effortlessly.
Those weeks turned into years—two kids learning more and more about each other. He’d become more than a friend. You were twelve years old when you realized the connection you had with Chenle. When everything pieced together, and you understood that some hearts, some souls, are much older than you could ever fathom. Your heart, you were sure, stretched beyond your years, and your soul was kindred with Chenle’s in a way that could only mean you’d known each other in a past life. Slowly, slowly, slowly…he was everything, all at once.
“You’ve almost got it,” he whispered to you, adjusting your ring finger on the keys. “Just gotta move over a little bit more.”
You pouted. “My hands aren’t big enough, Lele.”
“Stop that.” He chuckled, shaking his head and nudging your shoulder. “That mindset is gonna keep you from learning.”
“Well, if my mindset doesn’t do it, the arthritis at a young age will,” you snipped.
His eyes sparkled with humor, crinkling at the edges as his smile widened. “You’ll get it eventually. Keep trying.”
“What if I don’t?”
“Then I’ll tell you that you suck and you should never play again.”
You snorted. “Promise?”
He held up his pinky. “I’d never lie to you.”
You looped yours with his.
“You’ll get it.”
Chenle never gave up on you. He kept pushing you to be the best you could be, and you gladly followed his direction. You never quite got as good as he was with the piano, but you’d gotten decent at least. The two of you would hang out every day, spending every waking, free moment together until your mom told him it was time to go home.
You’d never thought about love and what it meant. For you, loving Chenle was as natural as breathing, and as time went on, it only got easier.
You turned fourteen before Chenle. If you had known this was the beginning of your last year with him, you would’ve appreciated it more. You would’ve told him all of the things lingering on your mind—how you loved him, so purely and genuinely.
Just days before your life blew up in your face, you almost told him.
He sat next to you on your bed, arm wrapped around you as you rested your head on his shoulder. The soft golden light of the lamp illuminated him gently, and the movie playing in the background edges you closer and closer to sleep.
“Do you ever think about…life?” he asked.
“Hm?” You scrunched your nose, your half-asleep state not registering what he meant.
“Like…what your plans are. What you want to do and who you want to be with.” His thumb brushed your skin soothingly. “We have to figure it out soon, don’t we? We’re almost adults.”
“You’re not tired?” You sat up and rubbed your forehead.
“Nope.”
“Well.” You sighed and ran your fingers through your hair. “The only thing I’m certain about when it comes to the future is that you’ll be there. So, it doesn’t matter what else happens.”
He smiled softly, the slightest shade of red tinting his cheeks. “Even if the world ended?”
“Even if the world ended.” You confirmed.
A few months later, the world did end. At least, yours did.
He was gone.
His mom left shortly after him, but she told you what he was doing—how he was going to pursue his music career in South Korea. He was going to be an idol, and he was leaving you behind to do it.
Your world ended, but his got to go on without you.
At twenty-one years old, you’re still not sure where you went wrong. Chenle left, but his memory plagues the very walls you live within. You keep up with him, with his group and all of the things they’re doing. Even though you’re not with him, you watch him grow and grow into a more confident version of the young boy you knew.
Seven years without him should have been impossible, yet here you are: alive, well, and watching any and all Chenle related content. You haven’t heard from him, not once. Assumingly, he’s incredibly busy. Even then, you wonder occasionally if you ever cross his mind, if he ever thinks of the love he left behind.
Ever since, you’ve been sensitive over the summer months. A part of you is missing, and until you see him again, you’re unsure if you’ll ever find it. Has he changed? Is he still the boy you loved?
On days where thoughts of him overwhelms you, you like to walk the trail behind your house. It takes you through a wooded area, and the other end brings you to the end of your street. On your walk back, you see an unfamiliar car outside of Chenle’s family’s home. Curiosity gets the better of you, and you stand there to watch.
The door slides open, and you hear an unfamiliar laugh. Frowning, you cross your arms over your chest. Who the hell would be at Chenle’s house?
When the first person gets out of the car, your heart stops in your chest. You’re about eighty percent sure that’s Lee Jeno, light hair reflecting the bright sunlight above. If that’s Jeno, then—
You feel a sudden urge to run into your house, slam the door, and lock it behind you. Several other people are in that car, and if they’re here…one of them is Chenle. Your Chenle, who isn’t really yours. Not anymore.
Jaemin gets out next. His roots are dark, nearly overshadowing the pink hue on top of his head. He swats at someone behind him, laughing, and as that person comes into view, your heart stops. It shreds itself to pieces.
Jeno notices you first, a slight frown gracing his face before Chenle’s gaze follows his line of sight. When he sees you, you instantly see the recognition on his face.
Seven years is a long time. Hell, even though you’ve seen all of Dream’s content, you’re still shocked to see how different he looks. His face is more defined. He’s grown a bit taller, too.
He sees you. He’s looking at you for the first time in years, and all you want to do is forget all this time of no contact, all the ways the two of you hadn’t reached out to each other. A lump forms in your throat, and before you do something stupid, you let out a shaky breath, turn away from him, and make your way into your house.
You shut the door behind you, your back thudding against it. Glancing over to your right, the grand piano—old and loved—is blurred by your tears, and for the briefest of moments, you swear you see your younger self sitting there, endlessly playing the songs Chenle taught you before he left.
A knock sounds, and each one echoes throughout your house, feeling like a hole-puncher on your heart. You’re barely able to breathe as you prepare yourself to be face-to-face with Chenle for the first time in almost a decade—for the first time since he up and disappeared on you without a word.
“(Y/N)?” His voice. So familiar but so distant, all the same as it was.
You don’t answer. You can’t.
“I’m coming in, okay?”
You brace yourself against the solid wood of the piano, doing your best to calm yourself. The last thing you need is to make a fool of yourself in front of him.
A hesitant creak fills your ears, and the tap of his shoes on the hardwood flooring has your eyes clenching shut.
“Why’d you run off like that?” he asks, voice so soft that it’s barely audible.
“I didn’t.”
“You still sound the same,” he says it quietly, as if he’s the only one meant to hear it. He raises his voice so you can hear him. “It’s been a long time.”
You scoff, whipping around to face him. “It’s been a long time? That’s all you have to say to me?” Anger bubbles in your gut, quickly replacing the hurt lingering.
You have to stop yourself from admiring him at a time like this. His oversized T-shirt somehow compliments him in the best ways, his hair is a tinted shade of purple, and when his fingers run through it, you have to look away. Sure, you should’ve expected to see him again at some point, but you never imagined you’d feel the same. It’s a bit different now that you’re older. You’re able to see him in a different light.
His eyes widen and he recoils. “I…I’m sorry, I don’t know what else I’m supposed to say. It’s not like there’s a textbook on how to do this.”
“What are you doing here? Why now?” You cross your arms over your chest, doing your best to avoid his eyes.
“We’re here on a schedule.” He slides his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. “I told them about you, in case you were wondering.”
“Oh, right.” You let out a sarcastic laugh. “I suppose that makes it all okay, right? You tell your friends I exist and that’s supposed to change how you up and left me without a word?”
He frowns. “Without a word?”
“Yeah, Chenle. Without a single fucking word.”
“That’s not true.” His tone sharpens to match yours. “I wrote to you. A lot. And if you didn’t want to read them, that’s on you. That doesn’t mean I left without a word. There were a lot of words, actually.”
“Why didn’t I get them?” Your voice drops into a whisper, moving one of your hands to touch your forehead.
“I…I don’t know. I didn’t know your address so I sent them to my mom, and she told me every time she gave one to your mom—”
A jolt of electricity rages up your spine, and you immediately turn away from him and run up the staircase. Your mother’s out of town for the week. If she’s been hiding letters from you, they’d be in her room somewhere—and you’d tear that place apart if it meant you had all those words.
“Where are you—hey!”
You’re already in your mom’s closet when Chenle follows you in.
“You shouldn’t be in here—”
“Says you,” you interrupt him, mindlessly shuffling through anything that looks like it could hold letters. “How many?”
“What?”
“How many did you send, Chenle?”
“Um.” He pauses, shifting on his feet. “I don’t know. A few? I stopped after a while because I didn’t hear anything. Figured you didn’t want anything else.”
“My God,” you mutter, blinking rapidly to fight off the tears. “And you swear your mom gave them to mine?”
“I—yeah, she didn’t have a reason not to.”
“And my mom had a reason not to give them to—shit. When did you send the first one?”
“(Y/N), it was seven years ago.”
“Was it right when you left or afterward?” You haphazardly dig through the closet, searching high and low.
“I left it here. I told my mom about it after a week or so. What the hell is going on?” Chenle runs his fingers through his hair again, gulping. “We really shouldn’t be in here.”
Your heart sinks. There’s nothing in here. You’ll never find Chenle’s letters, and the mystery will always be just that.
“I…I’m so sorry.” You drop your head into your hands. “I’m acting like an idiot right now.”
“Don’t be sorry, I’m just confused. This whole time, I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me…that’s why I haven’t been back in a while.” Chenle takes a step closer to you, reaching out to touch your arm. “I would never leave you.”
You finally look at him. Really look at him. The worried furrow to his brow, the slight downturn of his lips, concern clouding those beautiful irises of his. Standing in front of you is the reason you are who you are today.
“You just…Okay, I need a while to figure all of this out.” You glance up to the ceiling, closing your eyes and taking a shuddering breath. “Can you go? I don’t really want to see you right now.”
Hurt plays out on his face, but after he blinks a few times, he nods slowly. “Yeah. Sure. Um, I’ll see you later. If it helps any, I probably could’ve tried to call or something.”
“We were kids.” You sigh. “It wouldn’t have changed anything.”
You say that, but it would have. The entire trajectory of your life may have changed if Chenle was still in it back then. As much as you want to be pissed at your mother for hiding things from you, maybe she was right.
Chenle takes his bottom lip between his teeth, looking you over one more time as he nods. “Right. I…I’ll see you around.”
Before you respond, he’s turning away from you and disappearing down the hall. You feel a lot of things—overwhelmed, confused, sad. But you also almost feel naive for listening to him—for believing that your mother hid things from you. Your brain stops being logical when Chenle’s around, and you know it’s a mistake to bring him back into your life. The hurt has passed, but that doesn’t mean it won’t rear its ugly head if you’re in such close proximity to him.
You go back downstairs to grab your phone, and the first thing you do is dial your mom’s number. She picks up after the first ring.
“Hi, honey! I was about to text you. New York is fascinating! You’d love it—”
“Did Chenle write me letters?”
“Oh.” She clears her throat. “Where is this coming from?”
“He’s here,” you mutter. “He told me he sent me letters, mom.”
“(Y/N), you have to understand where I was coming from.”
“Where are they?” You slap your hand to your forehead. “Where?”
“He still left, you know. I understand he’s important to you, but he still chose a career over you. And you would’ve thrown everything away for him without a second thought.” Your mom takes a deep breath. “You needed to live your life for you.”
“Where are they?” you repeat. “If you threw them away, I will never forgive you.”
“Of course, I didn’t throw them away. They’re in my closet in a little gold box on the floor. When you read those…don’t get any ideas. He lives far away and he’s even less available for you now than he was before.”
You hang up without saying another word and run back up the stairs. It takes you only a few seconds to find the box she told you about. When you open it, your breath shudders at the stack of letters in there. Some are aged and crinkly, but the ones toward the top are newer. Your hands shake as you grab them, mouth dry as you see the dates listed across the front of the envelope.
You start with the one on the bottom, the oldest, and ever so carefully opening it. Blinking back tears, you take in the painfully familiar handwriting that belonged to your Chenle.
(Y/N)
This is probably the worst way to do this, I know. I’m leaving to follow my dreams, and while I wish I could take you with me, it doesn’t make sense. Your mom would never agree to let you come. Thinking of going through all of this without you scares me more than I care to admit.
I don’t have a phone yet, but as soon as I get one, I’ll send you a letter with the number! It’ll be nice to hear your voice again. I’m writing this early, so I actually spoke with you earlier today, but it’s funny how quickly I miss you.
You’re probably going to be really mad at me, and that’s okay. I deserve it. The reason I didn’t tell you isn’t very simple, but I hope you understand it. Saying goodbye to you would feel so permanent. Goodbye itself is too permanent for my liking, so I’ve never liked them.
If I looked into your eyes and told you I was leaving, I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to go. Or that I’d sneak you with me in my carry-on. I didn’t want to hurt you. You mean so much to me, (Y/N). I don’t ever want to make you upset, and I know you’ll eventually understand why I had to do it this way.
Just know I’ll be thinking about you every day. You’re the reason I’ll have the strength to get through this training period.
Talk to you soon,
Your Chenle
You trace your finger along the bottom of the page. Face wet, you clear your throat as you delicately set it aside to grab the next one. According to the date on the envelope, it’s from a few months after the first one.
(Y/N),
These past few months have been so hectic. I think I almost died a couple times, but here I am. I debuted last week! I’m in a group called NCT, but I debuted in the sub-unit NCT DREAM. It seems surreal, and it happened so much faster than I thought.
I think you’d like the other guys. They’re nice and loud and friendly. Honestly, they seem like they’ve been working together for a little bit of time already, so I’m the newest one here. I heard someone say they’d been training for a while…
Anyway, I said in the last letter that I’d give you my phone number. I realized after I left that you didn’t have one either, so…I’m not sure how that’ll work. And I wasn’t expecting a response to these at all, but if you want to write back, it’d give me something to look forward to after all this hecticness.
But yeah…honestly, I was a bit worried about moving here and being in a group. I’ve been learning a lot of Korean though, and another member named Jisung has been helping me a lot. He’s a few months younger than me, can you believe it? Everyone treats him like a baby, but I think he likes it. I told them about you, and they all kept teasing me.
Maybe they just don’t understand. You’re my favorite person, of course, I’m going to talk about you and tell them stories about all the fun we had.
Sorry this one is a bit long. I hope you’re not too mad at me. And I also hope that you’re keeping up on me. I think you’d like Chewing Gum…
I’ll talk to you soon! I’ll write my number down at the bottom of the page.
Your Chenle
You have to take a break. You rest your head back against the wall, closing your eyes and imagining how hurt poor, young Chenle must have been when you never responded to his heartfelt letters. You don’t know much about Jisung—besides the obvious, public information—but you’re happy someone was good and helpful to him.
After that, you wonder what it would’ve been like to be there for him through all of that. Based on what you know about his group, he’s been through a lot of ups and downs over the years. You wonder if he wrote about some of the harder things, too.
You read another one that’s about their promotions, how he’s getting closer with the other members. Then one about how he performed with twenty-two others. The next one you grab is dated from 2019. You open it.
(Y/N),
I didn’t think this year would be as hard as it has been. We all expected it, you know? We knew it was going to happen, but it doesn’t change how scary it’s been. I’m sorry it’s been a while since I’ve written. Maybe you just throw them away at this point, which is fine, but I wish I could hear from you. Especially at a time like this.
Dream has a graduation system, and Mark’s been gone for months now. Things have been continuing ‘as normal,’ but without Mark, we don’t really feel complete as a group. We see him as often as we can, but performing without him is…it feels wrong.
I wish I could see you. You’d make everything better in an instant, just like you always did. Sometimes, I feel terrible because the others get sad about the situation, and I can’t figure out any good words to say. You’ve always been so good at comforting others, I wish you were here to help me.
It’s been two years since I’ve seen you. That’s so weird to think about, because I swear I still hear your voice in my head. Your encouraging words, how you always believed in me. I need that now more than ever.
I’m not sure if you know much about Mark, but he’s our rock. We kind of fail to function without him. But in the spirit of missing both you and Mark, I’ll tell you a little story about what happened when I asked Mark for advice.
I asked him about you—about what I could possibly do to make all of this up to you since you deserve it. And not hearing back from you makes me think you might hate me.
Anyway, his question in response was interesting. He wanted to know what you were to me. How I felt about you. At first, I thought he was crazy. I mean, it was obvious—you’re my best friend. I can’t live and function without my best friend.
He asked if that was all.
I vividly remember scrunching up my face and pushing his shoulder. Not too hard, by the way.
But the more he told me about what it felt like to be in love, everything clicked into place. I’m in love with you, (Y/N). I have been for so long that it started feeling like second nature instead of a conscious idea.
I guess it doesn’t matter now. Maybe I’ve failed you too much for it to mean anything to you.
Loss sucks. Losing Mark in Dream has sucked, losing you before I even realized the extent of my feelings sucked, but at the end of the day, I have to keep pushing forward. I’m sorry for any hurt I may have caused, because this situation with Mark also made me realize how much it must have hurt you for me to up and disappear the way I did.
I’m so, so sorry. I hope you can forgive me.
Your Chenle
You wipe angrily at your tears, unsure if you should be mad at yourself or at your mother. She stole this from you. Chenle figured out his feelings for you long before you figured out yours for him, but it feels like a new revelation—to know he felt the same way, even after years without you.
You remember this time where Mark had ‘graduated’ from NCT Dream. And because you knew Chenle well, you could tell he was struggling, even when he put on a happy facade. He needed you, and you weren’t there for him.
No matter how much it hurts, you can’t stop. You grab the next one. His writing became less frequent after that. He wrote to tell you when NCT Dream became a fixed unit, and how happy he was to be reunited as seven. The next was from their first full album. You find the last one, surprised to find how recent it was. There was a large gap between this one and the one before it.
The letter was addressed from a few months ago. The one before had been from two years ago.
(Y/N),
I’m sorry it’s been a while. Honestly, we’ve been so busy, I’ve barely even had the time to sleep. I got news today that we’ll be going to China for an event. I’m coming home, but I figured I should tell you in advance. Give you some time in case you really don’t want to see me.
I still think of you every day. All I want is to hear your voice again, but I won’t ask you to do something you don’t want to. If you have no intention of seeing me, that’s fine. I know I messed this up, but I figured it wouldn’t be right to give up when I’ll be so close.
We’ll be arriving in the next few weeks. I wish I could give you more detailed information, but I won’t even know it until the day of.
If this is it for us, thank you for the time I had with you. I love you, (Y/N). No matter what, that’ll be true, but this will be the last thing I send. I hope you understand.
Love,
Your Chenle
At this point, you’re bawling your eyes out. You aggressively wipe away the tears, cursing yourself for not knowing about these damn letters. All the pain you could’ve helped him through, all the hurt it could’ve saved you from.
You sniffle, grab your phone, and dial the number at the bottom of the second letter. It’s been years since he gave it to you, so there’s a good chance it’s different now. But you don’t exactly feel like going over to his house while his friends are there and making a fool of yourself.
“Hello?” That’s definitely his voice.
“Chenle,” you breathe out, closing your eyes. “My Chenle.”
“Yeah.” His tone softens. “Yeah, yours. Always yours.”
Running your fingers through your hair, you sigh. “I found them. All of them. I’m so fucking sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he says. “It’s not like you even knew about them. Give me one second, I’m gonna go upstairs. Jeno and Jaemin are still here.”
You nod even though he can’t see you, and you hear him say something to the other guys. They reply, and then you hear the tell-tale sound of the stairs creaking beneath Chenle’s feet. Once he makes it up to his bedroom, he closes the door behind him.
“Are you okay?” he asks. “That’s a lot to read all at once.”
“I don’t know. I’m so mad, Lele. How could she hide those from me? If I’d known you didn’t just leave me, it would’ve hurt so much less. And seeing all this pain you went through all by yourself…I’m so sorry.”
“Stop apologizing,” he tells you. “We know the truth now. I don’t want you to hate me.”
“I could never hate you,” you whisper, burying your head in your palm. “Not even if I tried.”
There’s a brief silence, only filled with the sounds of you sniffling and Chenle breathing. He’s right next door, but the idea of being with him is too real. You need time to process all of this, and bringing him around while you do isn’t the best idea.
“You said you loved me.”
“Love,” he corrects you. “Present tense. I never stopped.”
“I kept up with you.” You play with the seam of your jeans. “With everything you did with Dream and all the accomplishments you’ve had so far. I’ve been so proud of you with no way to say it.”
“I almost stopped writing letters. Mark convinced me not to give up, but after seven years I was pretty sure you wouldn’t change your mind,” he admits.
“If I’d been receiving them I would’ve called you the second you gave me your number.”
“That’s what I’d been hoping for.” Chenle takes a deep breath. “We have to go soon for a schedule, but can I come see you later?”
Later wasn’t really definitive. The thought of him in your house and in your space is scary, terrifying even, but this is Chenle. The boy who used to play piano with you and sing to his heart’s content. From what you’ve seen, this version of him doesn’t seem too different than that boy.
“Please,” you whisper. “Will you be hungry? I can make you something.”
“It’ll be late. Don’t worry about me. I’ll see you soon, okay?”
Not too long after your conversation, you hear the three boys clamber into the van. You try to busy yourself throughout the day, cleaning in order to distract yourself. Eventually, you sit down at the piano and play whatever song comes to memory. One of the ones Chenle taught you back when he was here.
You taught yourself a few of Dream’s songs as well, like Rainbow, My Youth, Puzzle Piece, Teddy Bear, and most recently, Like We Just Met from their newest album. You play the last one, the darkness cascading around you as the sunset fades away from view. It’s only you and the starlight now, a gentle melody flooding through the air around you.
The door creaks open, and Chenle walks through when you’re almost done with the song. You stop playing, standing up to greet him. There’s an odd moment where you stand there staring at each other, admiring the way the starlight reflects off his skin. His eyebrows are furrowed, like he’s trying to decide what to do next.
You don’t hesitate anymore. Moving forward, you wrap your arms around him and bury your head in his chest. He immediately reciprocates, shaky breath passing by his lips as he holds you closely. His heart thrashes, the sound more than similar to yours.
“I missed you,” he says.
“I missed you, too,” you reply easily, tightening your grip on him.
You pull back slightly to look into his eyes, wetness gathered beneath them. With shaky hands, you reach up to wipe it away. His gaze travels over your face.
“You love me.”
He nods hesitantly, palms pressing into the small of your back. “Always have.”
“I’ve always loved you, too.” Before you talk yourself out of it, you’re on the tips of your toes to kiss him. It starts gently, your mouth barely brushing his before his breath catches in his throat. Then it’s real—he pulls you flush against him, lips fitting with yours like he’s made for you.
You move your hands from his cheeks to his hair, leaning into him. His fingers latch onto the fabric of your shirt. Next thing you know, he’s walking you backward until he’s pressing your back into a wall.
“We have so much to talk about.” He rests his forehead on yours. “So much air to clear up.”
“Yeah.” You nod, but your stare is focused directly on his lips.
“This isn’t going to be easy,” he warns you. “I don’t get to come here often, so unless you were to come to Korea, we’d pretty much never see each other. My schedules are so packed, I’m practicing all day and half-dead by the time I get home. I can be a real asshole when I’m tired, and sometimes I might take jokes too far. This life is not easy, (Y/N). I need you to know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“What am I even doing here?” you ask. “I can come with you.”
“I can’t ask you to give up everything you have for me.” He shakes his head, tucking your hair behind your ear.
“You’re not asking. Chenle, I spent years thinking you were gone without a word. All I want is to be with you as much as possible.”
“At least think about it for a little bit first, okay? I don’t want you to do anything you’ll regret.” He gulps. “That goes for a lot of things.”
“I’ve had seven years to think about all the things I wanted from you.”
“You can’t say things like that,” he mutters.
You’re painfully aware of what it feels like to have him pressed against you, warm in all the right ways and, despite being so thin, he’s firm to the touch. The ache you feel to be closer to him is overwhelming.
“I spent years thinking everything was a lie,” you tell him. “That I couldn’t possibly have mattered to you if you could just disappear without a word.”
His fingers play with yours, discomfort at the idea plastered across his face. “Never. I never would’ve done that. You’ve always meant so much to me.”
“I’m just happy I finally get to tell you all of the things I wanted to tell you after I found out you were gone.” You give him the smallest smile, and he reaches up to trace along your bottom lip.
The simple touch sends sparks flying down your spine, and you’re sure you’ll crumble to dust right at his feet from the forceful impact of it. An odd tug occurs in your chest, one that has you questioning if you’ve ever experienced it before. It pulls you toward him, and despite being flush, your mind dips to dangerous places that could get you so, so much closer.
You’re not sure what’s gotten into you, but this is Chenle. Your Chenle. And if you’re having these feelings for him, there’s no need to hide it.
“I…” you trail off, clenching onto the fabric of his shirt, right above his heart. “Do you feel it, too? Everything is…different now.”
“Under other circumstances, I’d say different is bad,” he whispers. “But there’s nothing bad about the way you’re looking at me.” 
His arms wrap around your waist tightly, and simultaneously, you both lean in until your lips are locked in a gentle battle. The warmth of his touch finds your hip, where your sweater rose up enough to reveal your skin. You let out a shaky sigh, and he squeezes you.
“Come upstairs with me?” Your invite is airy, suggestive, and he analyzes you while his gaze darkens.
“If that’s what you want,” he says.
“Is it what you want?” You tilt your head at him, voice quiet since he’s so close.
He pauses and wets his lips. “Of course, it is. I just don’t want you to regret anything. Losing you once was enough, and I refuse to go through that again.”
 Instead of answering, you intertwine your fingers with his and lead him toward the stairs, through the blackness of the night casting through the windows. You take one step at a time, your heart thundering and blood pulsing through your veins. One look at your shoulder, and for a second, you almost swear you see the younger versions of you and Chenle sitting by the piano. Caught up in the music. In each other.
He follows you, entranced by the way you move and how you’re so willingly guiding him. Everything happens in slow motion for you. Too fast but too slow at the same time, somehow the moment you’ve waited for your entire life while simultaneously the thing that’s scared you the most.
Your Chenle.
He said it himself. Why is it so foreign to think about? That maybe, even after all this time, he loves you even an ounce of how much you love him? Endless devotion with no contact. But he did the same—he waited and waited for your response much like you waited for any contact from him. You were both physically and metaphorically in the dark.
The door to your bedroom creaks as you push it open, embarrassed by how little it’s changed since the last time he was in it. The walls are still the same color, faded and paint peeling in some of the corners. Your bed has been swapped from twin-sized to a queen, but everything else is virtually untouched.
No more words are spoken.
They’re not needed.
You don’t need anything. Not when you have him.
He presses your body into the mattress, climbing over you gently. His touch is tender, sweet, not too much pressure. You’re halfway certain you’ll wake up from this dream any time now, and you’ll once again be without him. Without his touch and his love and his truths.
Kissing him is like touching the sun. It burns, nearly enough to make you combust into flames, but magnetic. He is your sun, and you are the Earth. You revolve around him.
Normally, anyone else taking your clothes off would make you nervous, but you know you’re in good hands with Chenle. Your shirt is tossed aside first, his mouth instantly dipping down to explore every inch of exposed skin. His tongue drags along the swells of your breasts, over your collarbones. He nips, teeth leaving shallow indents on your soft flesh.
Your whines are soft, delicately slicing into the silence of the air. The first time he hears you, he freezes, his eyelashes fluttering against your neck as he takes in the way you sound. Quiet cries of ‘more’ escape you while your hands explore beneath his T-shirt.
Never before in your life have you wanted someone with such despracy. Your body aches for him, and the tug in your chest that pulled you closer to him has finally revealed how. As his fingers pop the button on your jeans, you lift your hips.
He pulls his lips away from your chest, gaze honing in on yours. There’s something swirling around in his irises, and you’re sure yours reflect the same. He doesn’t have to ask the question on the tip of his tongue. Not verbally. You nod, guiding his mouth back to yours.
The heat of his touch dips dangerously low, past your jeans and the hem of your panties. You gasp, appreciative of how he catches the sound. You’ve been touched before, but nobody has ever compared to the way he feels. When you’ve met your soulmate, nothing could be better.
He rubs slow circles on your clit, eyes hazy from knowing he’s the one who made you feel this way. Normally, you’d need more. A simple touch wouldn’t be enough to have you squirming in someone’s grasp, but there’s so much more behind his movements than lust.
And he takes it a step further, sliding his long fingers inside you. His gaze focuses on you the whole time, watching your face for any sign of discomfort as he thrusts his hand. He nudges your sensitive bud with the heel of his palm every time he’s knuckle deep.
Your stomach feels elastic, as if you’re stretching a rubber band, and it’s taking everything you have not to let it snap back. It’s too good. Too intoxicating. Too early for it to be over. He swallows your short moans, picking up his pace. You lean up, yearning for his kiss. He doesn’t need to ask, and the second your lips meet, you tighten around him, and it’s over.
Warmth spreads all over your body, your insides boil, and butterflies swarm deep in your stomach. Your eyes shut, and your head falls back against your pillow. He kisses all over your face, humming quietly.
He pulls away from you to help you remove the last of your clothing, the fabric of your panties sticking uncomfortably until he tugs them down your legs.
You reach down to feel him through his pants, unable to stop the shuddering breath that escapes you when you touch his length. He grinds into your hand, taking his bottom lip between his teeth.
Finally, nothing separates the two of you anymore. The tip of his cock presses against your entrance, the initial pressure already making you crave more. You need all of him, so you wrap your legs around his waist and dig your heels into his back to tell him to push in further. Your whole body tingles with pleasure, the type enough to make your toes curl, and your chest heaves as you adjust to his size.
His forehead drops against your shoulder, grasping one of your hands in his own to squeeze. He takes you slowly, his throbbing length stretching you to your limits and rubbing your walls perfectly. You were made for him, you’re certain. He fits so well, so completely, there’s no other explanation for it.
He curses under his breath, eyes threatening to flutter shut from the pleasure. Sweat clings to you tighter than Chenle does, but you relish in the way you react to him. His eyebrows pinch as he looks at you for any sign of discomfort.
His name slips past your lips. In that moment, you truly become his, and he becomes yours. Bodies meld together, each one of his thrusts sliding so pleasantly inside you. There’s no sound from either of you besides the brief exchange of names, moans from both of you, and the slick of your wetness.
He kisses you, thrusting at a steady, mind-crumbling pace. His chest brushes against yours, breathing uneven as he clenches the bedsheets next to your head. You quickly realize you could do this forever. The feeling of him so deep inside you would never subside, and you find yourself never wanting to separate from him.
Starlight gleams off his skin, the blue shine accenting the sheen of sweat clinging to him. His muscles contract as he holds himself over you, and his hair hangs over his eyes. All you can do in your current state is push it back, basking in the softness of it.
Picking up his pace, he slides one of his hands down your body, his thumb connecting with your clit. You’re a moaning mess, clinging to him as the familiar sensation returns to the pit of your stomach.
His trembling breath fans across your ear as he leans close. You’re unsure of how to handle all of the pleasure, your body spasming. He presses a kiss on that sensitive spot.
“I love you,” he whispers.
And that’s all it takes to have you shatter around him, your back arching as you grip onto his shoulders for dear life. He moans loudly, hips stuttering as your walls clench. When he spills inside you, it’s as if the last piece of you two finally comes together.
In bliss, you tell him you love him, too, over and over.
He kisses you passionately once more before gently pulling out of you, reassuring you that he’ll be right back so you let go. Grabbing a towel from your bathroom, he cleans you up, gaze drinking up every part of you. Once he’s finished, he crawls next to you in bed, pulling you to his chest.
You’re still certain you’ll wake up, and all of this will have been a dream, but until then, you’re going to enjoy it. Burying yourself in the warmth of his chest, you hum in content when he pulls the blankets over the two of you.
Finally, he’s here.
He’s no longer a memory trapped within the piano keys in your foyer.
He’s your Chenle, never to leave your side again.
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kiss-me-muchoo · 10 months
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𝐇𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐦𝐞, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲 || 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐎’𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐱 𝐅𝐞𝐦! 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫
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part one || part two: so many signs
𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲_ When Miguel fell so hard for an anomaly that ended up being another one of his canon events; a soulmate. Only that it was late, very late.
𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬_ fluff, angst?, reader is a hot Hispanic sunshine, plot twist at the end, age gap? (How old is Miguel?, like 28, early 30's?, reader is like 20 not specified) I'm 19, so in my head reader is 20, fuck it <3.
𝐀𝐍_ hellooo, this is my Ist fic for this fandom, I've been trying to hide this crush for weeks, I can't anymore.
♪ ♫ 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙊𝙍𝙎𝙏 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙞𝙜𝙪𝙚𝙡 𝙈𝙤𝙟𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖.
<3,𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙭 (+fics)
_________________
[11 months before the events of SPIDER-MAN: ATSV]…
Nothing is perfect; nothing can be that special. But somehow, you ended up being that, at least almost. 
Because this is how everything starts; you were stressing out for college sophomore year finals when in the middle of your room, a portal opened and absorbed you. 
Sounds incredibly ridiculous and cringe… Right?. Sorry, but it’s about to get worse.
The portal only left you there, hanging between random universes, and out of nowhere, a spider bit you. And seconds later, you were back at home stressing over the finals.
Yeah, you didn’t think it would be a problem, only that it increased your phobia of spiders. Later, you accepted that Los Angeles would have an arachnid vigilante. 
Yeah, Los Angeles. No shit, you wouldn’t fly to save New York in your universe just to fit the stereotype. Besides, they already had one, the most significant and original anomaly, Miles Morales.
That’s for later, by the way.
You had your suspicions that the multiverse existed but no curiosity. You only cared about your sacred California and, to be more specific, your friends and family. 
So it goes; you were a sparkly spider-girl with glitter webs and fantastic hair, saving people from the crime on Skid Row, abusive elites in Downtown, corruption in Glendale, and extortions from Santa Clarita. 
Your family knew about it, and your friends too. They helped to pick out your surname; Aragmatica.
So you had everything; no pressure from being the spider-girl Aragmatica, wonderful friends, and family. A transcription remote job and a firm college pathway to be a writer and teacher. 
Except for one thing; love.
You didn’t have anyone to hold, anyone who made you laugh like never. Someone who made you feel the scarlet blush and raced heartbeats.
Nah, fuck that. You don’t need a man. 
________
Warm day in Hollywood Hills, 12:00 pm. 
Finally, your official transcript from that year was carefully sealed in an envelope. Summer break was yours, starting with a good ballet class.
Your spider senses weren’t fully developed because you never saw 4 pair of eyes watching you.
The class was fun, though. All the music was from the most famous plays, and having the opportunity to wear a tutu was always accepted. 
You didn’t care coming out of the building wearing it after the friendly teacher gifted you the fluffy piece of clothing.
You also didn’t care to sing slightly aloud as you walked towards your car. 
And that’s when 4 individuals interfered with your way; Peter B. Parker, Hobie Brown, and Gwen Stacy.
“Uh… nice cosplays. But the Comic-Con is more to the south. In San Diego…” They looked at each other. Only the older guy stepped further, laughing.
“Oh, you’re funny. There’s also one in my universe, but it’s celebrated in Coney Island and-“ only that Gwen pinched him. The older man frowned.
“She’s leaving, Peter,” Gwen said. 
“Hey! Wait!” Peter stopped you from closing your car door, and you looked more confused than ever.
“Dude, back off. There’s a kid between us. You don’t want to do this…” Hobie giggled. He had remained leaning against a mailbox during the whole interaction.
“What? No-, I-. We need to talk to you… we’re also spider people” Rolling your eyes, you just rested your head on the steering wheel.
“Yeah, your suits are too good to cosplay. I like your pointe shoes though” Gwen blushed but said thank you for your flattery. 
“I’m Peter Parker. The guy with the cool outfit that’s Hobie Brown. And the girl with the pointe shoes you liked is Gwen Stacy” They looked lovely. Hobie and Gwen, probably your age, but you were running late for dinner. You had to drop the transcript for validation in early registration for a master's program.
You didn’t have time for this Have you heard of the Avengers initiative? moment.
The best you could do was politely turn them down. But they were already inside your car. 
“Hey!. Okay, if this is some spider intervention, I don’t have time to travel between universes and that stuff” Hobie started playing your radio. Again, you rolled your eyes.
“This is good music, girl. Nice…” he said, making you smile a little. He seemed nicer.
“Thanks, but…” Then Gwen interrupted you.
“You could be dangerous or cause a massive disaster for the canon. You are a rare case between spiders” For the first time, you were quiet. Maybe that omen was this, that not everything could be perfect.
“You felt it….” Peter said because your silence was loud enough to tell him. 
“You knew about us then?” 
“The multiverse and variations are not a thrill in this universe. I wasn’t expecting this on a random Friday afternoon,” you explained.
“Our boss wants to meet you. We need to know what type of anomaly you are” They all heard you sighing. You had too many questions but were tired, so you wouldn’t be annoying. 
“Okay.” Peter shrugged in disbelief.
“That’s it?. No questions?” Gwen passed you a blue band, probably to travel between universes.
“She’s not energetic nor annoying. Miguel will like her,” Hobie stated, comfortable in the passenger seat. 
“Just don’t smile too much, avoid questions, and you’ll be fine” Humming in agreement, you waited.
A portal of bright colors and blinding flashes appeared seconds later from your car's windshield. It was different from what you expected. In the movies looked easier.
“Okay, here we go…” Peter announced. And with fast blood pressure, you followed them. 
The first thing you felt was the urge to complain on the ground. Laying on your stomach, with your hair in a now disheveled bun. 
Everyone turned to look at you, finally noticing you were wearing a tutu and leotard in grey and black colors. 
“Lost your hoodie?” Gwen asked, being the first to start giggling, followed by the others.
“Could any of you have alerted me to prepare for this type of landing?” You asked anyone in particular. Then you analyzed Gwen’s question. 
“MY hoodie!. Damnit, it was new!” And that’s how you lost 75 dollars. But soon, you stopped thinking about the new tour merch you lost.
It was a bright earth, futuristic and agitated. And as soon as you entered the giant building, you noticed it was full of spider people. 
From any size to any color, but… no one was similar to you. Well, you didn’t have a suit yet, but… you couldn’t feel a spider sense with anyone.
“Surprised?” Gwen asked, walking by your side. 
“Well. I’d rather say disturbed,” she giggled.
“You’re unlike any spider I’ve met,” the blonde added.
“I can’t be special. I must be the most boring spider-girl….” Bored or not, you were missing dinner. Your family would be worried if you didn’t come back past midnight. Hopefully, your first interaction with another universe will be quick.
“That’s why you must be here…” said a new voice.
A pregnant spider-woman?. Could you feel any weirder?.
“Yeah…I’m y/n. No suit yet, but I have the name of Aragmatica” She nodded. Her yellow glasses were very cool, you liked her look in general.
“We know that. But let’s go. Miguel needs to see you….” and officially, that was the beginning of everything.
The HQ was futuristic, wide and full of people. Everything was so weird that edged being ridiculous. Until, the group of spiders lead you to a dark room. Full of technology and chemistry stuff.
For the first time, you felt a tingle when he finally faced you; Miguel O’Hara. And to be honest, his broad and tall figure intimidated you. 
He said you were a bizarre anomaly. You were the only spider person who had been bitten between universes. Meaning that you were an accident, nobody was like you. 
Unconsciously, your own canon was building up as every day passed. So your actions were vital for everyone. 
He offered you a place in the group to keep order among universes. Suspicious, but seemed honest at the same time.
“I appreciate the offer, but I have a degree to finish. And I got enrolled for summer ballet classes….” you said, ambling towards the exit.
“No. You need to be a responsible spider girl and do what you’re expected to do,” the man said, intimidating you more as he towered you. Beside getting lost in his amazing hair, intriguing brown eyes and sharp jaw, your thoughts were running. Maybe you were being selfish. Most of the people in the room had lost a lot. You didn’t.
“You just said I’m an accident. There are no expectations from me. I can’t break canon. I’m making my own….” you dared to say, avoiding looking into his brown eyes. 
“You want to find out?” a little closer, and you would touch his chest. Besides, the tingle was back. Miguel also felt it, but he called it on you being angered by this new phase you would enter.
You knew he was going to be hard to deal with. But deep inside, you liked the feeling he had planted on your stomach.
“No…” you admitted. Slightly afraid of losing what you had. He smiled but for less than a second. 
“That’s what I thought” After that, it was history. 
________
Two months. And things were… okay.
You made a great friendship with Peter and Hobie. Something inside you was stopping you from trusting Gwen at all.
Then, Jessica was good but slightly challenging. Even Pavitr was good.
And then, it was Miguel. 
Fucking Miguel O’Hara. He was dead serious every time. Still, you refused to show he could intimidate you.
Like right now, or… at that moment, whatever. 
“He’s going to kill you…” Lyla whispered, moving in circles around you.
“He won’t if someone no va de chismosa,” she frowned.
“He’s going to kill us both, y/n,” she almost yelled. Following you to the briefing of a new case.
“He can’t kill you, Lyla. Be serious…” you stated, shrugging.
“I don’t want to know…” 
“Me neither. So just shush….” The room was almost empty. Only Peter, Hobie, and Jessica were inside.
The sound of the door captured everyone’s attention. Miguel sighed. After that, he stopped talking.
“You’re late….” Of course, he would remark on your irresponsibility.
“Traffic on Venice. What can I say, handsome?” he rolled his eyes and indicated you sit down. 
Earth-238, neon venom, evacuated civilians, blah blah blah. The mission would be easy, and you’d be leaving the room.
“not you, y/n….” Miguel’s voice caught you off guard. When you turned around, Lyla was still whispering to him.
“Bitch…” you whispered.
“Hey, I’ll wait for you,” Hobie said, indicating that he would wait outside the room. 
You nodded at him, smiling as he left.
“Why did you send the evidence of last week’s mission to Jessica instead of me?” He asked, arms crossed. 
“She’s also my boss,” you admitted, avoiding his judgemental brows and gaze.
“I’m in charge. She’s second in command. So?…” you pinched your nose, anxiety creeping over.
“I-…” It was useless; you had to be honest.
“Because uh-, I didn’t want you to see the anomaly recording” he was right. He knew you would be afraid of his reaction. Something inside switched to be softer. 
“I almost killed that girl. It was an accident, but… I can’t control this new ability. And I want to do a good job” Your anxiety was evident. Miguel had to suppress a smile.
“You have a big responsibility on your shoulders. The power to retain or doom canon” a lecture was coming. And you wished he wore his mask because you could see his whole features. Making it prone to capture any negativity from him. 
“And that’s why you must be on missions with me, not Jessica. I’m training you, not her” To be honest, you were surprised. 
“You make me nervous all the time. I’m afraid I’ll make something stupid on any of these days, and you’ll send me home” He kind of chuckled, and it made you beyond surprised.
“I thought you were working on the English degree and summer ballet classes.” 
“You remember it?” Could your heart beat any faster?. His eyes were deep-fixed on yours, and it was killing you in a good way.
“Madre mía, stop giving me that look. I’m gonna piss myself off from nervousness.”
“Don’t be that of a perfectionist. You’re doing good, kid” The pat on your shoulder made you explode.
Right there, you knew it was over. You had a crush on Miguel O’Hara.
____________________
Was it possible to see everything in pink shades and heart sprinkles? That’s how you were looking at every universe. You were starting your lover era.
“PETER! PETER!” You yelled, running towards the man, heading out of the cafeteria. Most spider people on the headquarters looked at you, but you didn’t care.
“Woah, calm down, girl,” he said with a smile.
“I need to tell you something” he couldn’t describe your excitement but happily took your hand when you pushed him inside an empty conference room.
“I have a crush on Miguel,” you said with an evident blush.
“YOU WHAT?” He asked yelling.
“I know, I know. But… he’s so sweet to me. He said I shouldn’t be nervous about him and that I was doing good. He remembers my career and that I’m doing ballet classes. Oh, and today he opened the door for me TWICE!” You explain excited, pinching your suit, in pearl and iridescent tones with a sparkly spider resting on your chest. 
“This is insane. Are you insane, y/n?. We’re talking about Miguel. Our grumpy and snarky boss that gets stressed over the tiniest detail and doesn’t know how to smile” You nodded, rolling your eyes.
“It’s not like he’s the love of my life or destiny, Peter. It’s just a crush….” you tried to convince yourself.
“No, no, no. I disapprove of this. Isn’t he a little older for you?” You sighed.
“Oh, c’mon. MJ is younger than you, Mr. No age gap”
“This is serious, y/n. I’ve known Miguel for a long time. You know what happened to him. I don’t think he’s emotionally ready for this” he was right. But you were confident that this crush wouldn’t be a big issue.
“I know. The least I want to do is hurt him. But once again, it’s just a crush, Peter,” you started coming out of the room. And, like a big coincidence, Miguel was walking through the hallway with Lyla talking to him. 
“Hey, is it okay if I go to your office at lunchtime?” you asked the broad man once he was walking near you. He had his mask, that if you stared too long, it was a severe and scary gaze, but he nodded once. Neither you nor Peter noticed Miguel was actually looking at you. Causing him to feel a weird pricking.
“Sure,” with that, he left with the female IA giving you a bad look.
“What?” Peter asked in disbelief once again.
“See? Nothing to worry about, love,” you said,
_____________
“Don’t be so late, mija. There’s no crime tonight for you to take that long,” your grandma told you from the kitchen. You entered the room being greeted by the smell of mole and ponche.
“With this food waiting for me. Yeah, sure, the city can rest a night without me, abuelita,” she giggled as you kissed her cheek. 
“I’m just going for a stretch. And maybe a flan for dinner” Your favorite part of the day was starting. So happily, you left the house. AirPods on with your favorite music blasting through them, and it felt like heaven.
Swinging from palm to buildings and watching the crowds of the traffic of LA. Until you were in the Fashion District Downtown. You stopped at your favorite rooftop to see the last minutes of the West Coast sunset. 
And it was beautiful. Orange, pink, yellow, purple, blue, and black. Like a firework evaporated in the sky. 
The air feels perfect for taking a long breath, and you feel thankful for having a good day.
“Hey..” you nearly fell from the building, but a well-known bright red web caught you in time. 
When you turned around, you had Miguel watching you.
“Miguel?. What are you doing here?” The surprise and shock were eating you alive. Maybe an emergency happened, or he exiled you from the Spider Society. Who knows?
“Just checking on you…” lately, he had been more close to you. Giving you a hand on missions, being willing to have more extended conversations, and softer pieces of advice.
“Why?” You ask, arching a brow.
“Last week, you were a little slow…” he hears you giggling, and as he walks closer, he sees you hanging your toes on the edge. He sees your hair freely fly as you laugh. Cute, he thinks.
“I was on my period. We’re good now…” he thanked, wearing the mask because his cheeks were burning. 
“Don’t be silly, Miguel. It’s… normal,” you said after he stood there quietly.
“Come, seat with me…” he obeyed, establishing some distance with you, but not too much. 
Then he removed his mask, and you confirmed that his hair always looked gorgeous. 
“Your universe is interesting,” he said finally.
“We are very fixed; little surprises us. And capitalism is leading us to ruin, but yes... it's interesting” Miguel wasn’t expecting that answer but smiled. Only because you didn’t catch it.
“You are spending too much time with Hobie,” you laughed, nodding.
“Yeah, I’ll take that…” This time, you noticed his smile. And you wanted to keep the moment a little longer.
“Can we talk?” 
“We are talking, y/n…” he let out a brief chuckle again.
“No, I know, but…I’m afraid. Of hurting someone in the process of creating a disaster with all of this being an anomaly” For weeks, you tried to avoid the thoughts of insecurity. But this was a good moment because Miguel had been training you, and he was the right and worst person to talk about this. 
“And it frustrates me that I don’t understand at all what I am….” you said, covering your face, letting all the intrusive thoughts out. Because even on a good day, anxiety could sneak in.
“Being a spider person means being afraid of many things. Keep in mind that you’ll constantly worry, but it’s part of the job. You don’t sign for it; it just hits you” his words were profound. Enough to soothe some of your panics.
“I wish I could be straight to the point like you….” Miguel was urged to touch your hand or strands of hair that brushed his forearm. But he resisted, only looking at your profile. 
“No. It’s good to be honest and worry too.” 
“And you’re something bigger than an anomaly. You’re special” Maybe his tone made everything sound softer.
“Well, I don’t feel special,” you admitted. “I feel like an accident. Not meant to be here, but nothing else to do.”
“You don’t need to feel it. I just see it…” when you turned to look at him, it was his soft look that made you realize, you were falling in love with him.
As your smile grew, Miguel completely ignored any thought of fear. He was just feeling, letting his heart warm and reciprocate your smile. 
“You have to come and have dinner with my family and me,” you blurted excitedly.
“No.” 
“SI!.”
“Por Dios. No, y/n!” He said, rolling his eyes.
“They’re not annoying or nosy, I promise,” you pleaded. He knew there was no problem because they knew you were a spider girl and the Spider Society. But… Mexican families could be nosy when a girl arrived home with a man. 
“Please, as a thank you for listening to my bullshit. Por favor, ándale. Di que sí…” he couldn’t say no. He didn’t want to reject you.
“Está bien, pues….” 
He smiled again, watching you celebrate as you started balancing between buildings. Soon he followed you, happy to feel the way he was doing.
________________________
The shock on everyone’s faces only increased the more you talked.
Pavitr, Gwen, Hobie, and Peter had their mouths open.
“And then, we went to get a flan for dinner. A kid asked for a selfie with us, and it was so silly,” you narrated.
“When we arrived home, he was so sweet. Only speaking Spanish, and he told mi abuelita I was doing great in job” Peter decided it was time to cover his mouth with one hand. Soon, everyone followed, keeping the shock.
“Dad was slightly judgmental but soon changed his mind because Miguel accepted a beer from him.” 
“Oh, and we spent hours in my room” That was enough for Peter.
“WHAT?… EXCUSE ME?”
“NO, PETER!. Jesus… we spent hours in my room because I was explaining to him some of my analysis from literature classes” The color returned to his face. Nodded understanding, and everyone else laughed.
“I can’t believe this. I simply can’t…” Pavitr confessed. “Love can come in strange ways…”
“Who’s talking of love, Pavitr?” Hobie asked playfully.
“Well…” you whispered.
“What else?” Gwen almost jumped, needing to know more. You were starting to like her more.
Once again, both of you were back on a rooftop. It was almost 2:00am.
“I-, I liked this…” Miguel managed to say. Looking down at you, trying to regain his neutral and serious tone and look. But after spending hours with you, it seemed impossible.
“Me too. You were so sweet, and thank you for being so comprehensive” Your excitement didn’t match your words, not that Miguel cared. But he realized you had jumped and grabbed both of his hands. And before you pulled away, he was caressing your knuckles.
“It was nothing…” 
“Are you coming tomorrow?” He asked.
“I think I stopped being a half-time employee some time ago…” he nodded, smiling.
“True.”
Hands were still holding. And none of you wanted to break the touch.
“Till tomorrow then….” you said, sad to break the touch but happy for everything that happened that night.
And with that, you saw Miguel opening a portal, and you left. 
You accidentally dropped a notebook when you entered your room through the window. Cursing between whispers, you hoped you didn’t wake up your family.
“Te dió un beso?” your grandma asked, opening your room door. You smiled deeply.
“No. But we hold hands for a long time, abuelita.”
“Creo que lo amo….” you admitted, very afraid.
“I think he loves you too,” she said.
“NO - FUCKING - WAY!” Gwen yelled.
“Are you sure you weren’t dreaming of drunk?”
“No, Peter. I only drink in Mexico, and I had a dream of the last episode of The haunting of Hill House I watched” he snorted as if he had heard something incredible. Gwen couldn’t stop taking time to digest the information, Pavitr too, and Hobie was… being Hobie.
“Dude looks nice with her. I heard him laugh the other day,” Hobie stated. 
“Me too. And he canceled a meeting to go and train her,” Pavitr added.
“He’s, like, the last person I imagined you would say you had a date with.” 
“It wasn’t a date….” you said.
“IT WASN’T A DATE?. Girl, he had dinner with your family, listened to your boring old books for hours, and held your hands for… five or eight minutes?” 
“Okay… maybe it unconsciously turned into a date.” They all nodded. Even Mayday seemed to nod. 
“Oh, my god… Was it a date?”
_______________________
Peter sighed as he watched you laugh with Hobie. 
“… y/n is very happy. Did you two have fun last night?” He asked Miguel once he entered his office. 
“I’m not discussing this with you,” the broad man approached to say.
Peter loved you like a sister. He wanted you to be happy and safe. 
He trusted Miguel after years of knowing each other. But he wasn’t sure if you two had a bright future. 
“I don’t want to discuss this with you either.”
“So?”
“Look, she’s like Mayday’s aunt. I want her to be happy. And you too, man. But… I want you to think… Is it correct?” Miguel stopped looking at the screens. 
“We can’t lose her. And I don’t want to see another era of pain and collapse” It hit him.
What was he thinking? Letting all of his feelings take over him. He couldn’t be in love; it wasn’t meant for him. 
Your canon was unsure, delicate. And his… was doomed.
He imagined having to see you gone, and he wasn’t ready to find out. 
He wasn’t ready to go through that pain again. 
“Just think… because maybe it’s meant to be, but-“
“No. You’re right…” Miguel accepted. 
Peter grew quiet. 
“After y/n leaves tonight. Call the others, except Hobie…” 
Miguel made a decision. Losing you was going to save both of you. Or so he thought. 
_____
Weird.
The cafeteria was quiet.
Then a piece of your suit ripped off. 
And spider-cat was absent!!! 
Then, you didn’t see Miguel the day before. When you asked Lyla, she said he was swamped with his job, so you would not make him stressed. Plus, having some space after spending the night together would be great. 
“Hey!” You called Hobie when he sat next to you on a bench. He was used to visiting you in your universe. He liked the food and how the people complained about something new daily.
“Something feels weird,” he blurted, tilting his head.
“RIGHT?. I thought I was the only one” he nodded and sighed. That was also weird; Hobie never hesitated to spit the words out.
“What?”
“Yesterday. After you left, Peter called everyone except for me. It seemed weird that just as you left, he called everyone to get a lecture from Miguel,” Another weird thing. Why you and Hobie would be excluded?
“Miguel stopped wasting his time with me, But a meeting without you?” Maybe it wasn’t anything. Perhaps a simple meeting. There had been some occasions where you had not been present.
“Do you wanna go and find why?” you asked playfully. He nodded with a gentle smile.
“Hell yeah…” Both of you left in seconds.
Spending time with Spider-punk was always fun. Hobie made you remember things like; fuck it, just do it. 
And he liked spending time with you because of your honesty. 
But for the first hour, you didn’t find anyone. Even when the headquarters of the Spider Society were big, you thought it would have been easier. 
By the evening, you find yourself eating an empanada, thinking of Miguel. Accepting you started missing him. 
“Guys!…” Gwen called you and Hobie. As she walked towards you two, Hobie said something quick.
“Don’t ask anything yet…” you nodded to him. 
“We were busy getting scolded by Miguel. But there’s a new mission we need to go to. And he wants all, let’s go….” The punk man and you exchanged looks, not buying Gwen’s words.
You got too carried away, forming possible explanations for her weird behavior. Why you hadn’t seen your friends the day before?. And why you and Hobie were excluded from the last meeting?. 
You didn’t even look at Pavitr taking Hobie away. 
As soon as you entered the room, Jessica, Peter, and Miguel were inside.
“Where’s Hobie?” He asked.
“He was right here…” Gwen mumbled, looking around, making Miguel sigh tired. 
He didn't look at you for the first minutes of the debriefing. The more he ignored your presence, the more your questions emerged.
“Everyone get ready… except for y/n,” he announced with his neutral and cold face.
“Why?”
“You’re going home.”
“WHAT?” you screamed.
At the end of the day, Miguel wasn’t ready for this. But he was doing his best, even if it meant lying to you.
“Your canon is changing, constantly glitching. We can’t risk anything happening. I’m sending you home…” he explained like nothing.
“No, please. You have to stop seeing me as a danger. Look at me as your talisman, like a ghost in the multiverses. If it was something bad, it would’ve happened already” he kept looking straight at the doors, not even moving.
It hurt you that he was still unsure of you, especially after everything he said in your home.
“It’s for the best.”
“Can we talk… In private?” You whispered, taking his forearm. He slowly moved away, making you feel the pain grow.
“There’s nothing to talk about”
“Oh really?. I think we do. What about the other day?”
“It was. All this time, it was. It wasn’t a coincidence that you appeared after someone tried opening portals in your earth,” you gasped in shock.
“I did it for the Spider Society. I needed to know you were not a threat.”
“You said I was special…” he managed to hear you whisper. And it was tearing him.
“You are. But a potential danger too. Which is why I’m sending you home…” you shake your head, fighting the tears rapidly forming in your eyes.
“All of you knew about this?” You asked, looking at Peter, Gwen, and Jessica. 
The pregnant woman bowed her head while Gwen looked like she wanted to say something but couldn’t.
“We do this because we care for and want to protect you…” 
“Really? This is not what friends do. All you do is lie and lie to me!” you said with a broken voice.
“I’m sorry,” Miguel admitted looking down.
“GOD, STOP LYING” you yelled. 
“Tell me I meant nothing to you. Or admit you might be scared of the possibility of falling in love with me….”
“You meant nothing to me. It was all a lie” he broke you. You swore you heard your heart decreasing its heartbeats. 
“For one minute, I thought you… loved me back” As he stood there quietly, you started crying. 
To everyone’s shock, it was the first time they saw you crying. Gwen tried to reach you, but you stepped back, moving away from all of them.
At the same time, Pavitr and Hobie entered the room.
“Something weird happened. You might want to see this, boss,” Pavitr announced. 
“It was dope….” Hobie admitted leaning on the door frame. But stood quiet after watching you crying.
The moment turned uneasy, debating whether to go or stay with you.
“Please, let’s go, and then we’ll talk with tranquility about this,” Peter told you. Giving a look that he wasn’t happy with seeing you cry. 
Slowly, you followed them. Ignoring Miguel’s look. 
Then you thought, What was the point of following them? If they would send you home after that?.
Anger wasn’t a good feeling, but it was blinding you. All the fantastic facade they sold you of good friends. The months Miguel lied to you. He could have done it differently. But he even dared to agree to have dinner with your family. 
He held your hands and made you believe there was a chance. 
So you stopped following them and turned to the lower plant of the building.
___________
Your web was tiny, like a baby’s. It glitched a lot, but when Miguel entered with the others, he noticed the glitch was even more aggressive than ever. 
There were only two canon moments; you getting bit and joining the Spider Society. But a new one was forming. And from the shiny dot, a new line grew.
“What the hell?” Peter asked in disbelief.
The line started moving until it was connected to another: Miguel’s.
And from that connection, a new canon event was officially established.
You and Miguel were together. Dramatically holding hands and facing each other.
“Holy sh-” Gwen almost said but couldn’t finish the sentence. 
“Does this mean…” Jessica started.
“She’s part of your canon,” Peter confirmed.
Miguel was in shock; his eyes remained on what the model displayed. You were really meant for him. He hadn’t need to worry about it ending in disaster. Still, it didn’t soothe him.
“Uh-boss? Our pretty little y/n started a countdown to return home and temporarily block the entrance to her earth,” Lyla announced, appearing beside Miguel. He turned to look at her, worried. 
“What?”
“I tried stopping her, but I believe she’s growing her cosmic powers?” the day couldn’t get more complicated for Spider-Man 2099.
“Cosmic powers?” Peter asked, running when Miguel started heading towards the exit.
Lyla, crossed her arms looking at everyone starting running. She couldn’t admit it to anyone. That if your issue wasn’t fixed, something darker could happen. The AI couldn’t throw salt in Miguel’s wound.
“Jessica, send help. Lyla, stop her,” he demanded. Jessica nodded, and Lyla disappeared.
“There’s no spider with cosmic powers. But y/n was a bit between universes. So maybe she has some of them or….” 
“Peter shut up!. I just can’t lose her!” If you were Miguel’s destiny, he would do things right. And he regretted setting up all of the secret meetings and lies. 
He rushed to get to you faster than anyone. He wasn’t even sure the blocking earth thing worked. 
Maybe he was exaggerating, but he was willing to set the alarms so everyone would try to stop him. 
If he had waited a day, none of this would’ve happened. But he had understood once that things happened for a reason; canon. 
So as fast as he was running, something inside told him it was already late.
Peter and Gwen followed close to him, ready to find you prepared to leave. 
The panic finally settled when they entered the dark room, and you were already behind the colorful barrier. 
“NO!. Please, y/n” You turned to hear Miguel’s voice calling you. 
Your look was empty, but the anger was there. He kept calling for you, but you didn’t say a word. 
All of you wanted was to leave. Sleep and forget you were a spider girl. Ease the pain of your broken heart. And accept that no matter if you were the only variant of yourself in all the universes, you were meant to end up without love. 
Because when he had you face to face, you were gone. 
Confused, you appeared on a random street in Downtown LA. Your suit was ripped, your hair was a mess, and the tears didn’t seem to stop. A wave of cold air hit you, making you shiver and hug yourself. 
Feeling broken and in shock, you found yourself stepping on a broken glass bottle. Your left foot instantly started bleeding, making you fall to your knees.
That’s when you no longer held the tears; you just let all the sobs take over. 
You shouldn’t have accepted to join the Spider Society; you shouldn’t have pushed your crush for Miguel. 
I hate this. I hate this. God, I hate this…
With no more strength, you stood up. And tottering, you started walking towards home. 
It was okay; it would be okay. 
________________________
Cringe in general? Maybe… part two?
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chronicbeans · 1 year
Text
Wally and a Puppeteer Reader (part 9)
Our sister is a bit of an upsetti spaghetti rn but she's trying her best.
TW: Mentions of Stalking, Obsessive Behavior, Idol Worshipping, Scopophobia/Eye Imagery
🎥 You knock on Angela's door, calling out "Angela... Can I talk to you? If you are too upset right now, I understand... But I am very concerned about something Henry said to me earlier..." Through the door, you hear her shout "Fine! But if you have that creepy puppet with you, leave it outside my room! Its eyes seem to stare into my soul... I can't see how you can stand working with it."
🎥 You step inside, seeing the muted brown walls of her room. Paintings of forests and corner side diners fill the walls, all of which were made by her deceased husband. She hasn't really been able to let him go, which you understand. They were very close. You sit on her bed, next to her. She's curled herself up into a ball, almost like she is trying to protect herself from danger.
🎥"I'm guessing the diary contains a lot of stuff about... him, right? You never really get this upset unless it has to do with Henry's dad. Last time I saw you like this was when the frame to one of his paintings cracked from falling off the wall." You watch as she nods. She sniffles her nose, before looking at you "Yeah. The page it was opened to was... well, the day he died. It was about the accident. I don't know why Henry would want to read about that! I have been trying to hide the specific details from him. He knows his dad passed away, but not how. I wrote about how in that entry... I just feel like he shouldn't know that much until he is a little older and can understand it a bit more, you know?"
🎥 You nod, trying to stay as comforting as possible. You don't really know how to help people out in situations like these, but you try your best. Right now, though, there is a pressing matter at hand. So, you quietly say "I understand... I know now is probably not the best time, but I feel like I have to ask this. Did you tell Henry about my job? Possibly about the letters I have been getting? You know, the ones from..." You trail off as she slowly shakes her head. "No, I haven't. I gave up on telling him the truth about that stupid puppet show after you kept stopping me. The letters shouldn't even be mentioned to him, in my opinion. A little kid shouldn't be burdened with the knowledge that a family member is being harassed and stalked! Why do you ask? Did he say something about it?"
🎥 You nod, before explaining what he said to you about Wally. About how Wally, according to Henry, spoke to him about you being a puppeteer and said things similar to the letters you have been getting. You finish it off by saying "I know it might sound a bit crazy, but look... I'm desperate for answers here. What if it's the puppet that's after me? You didn't tell Henry about any of that and I certainly didn't. I don't know, I might just be going crazy..."
🎥 Angela holds her hand up to stop you. Once you are quiet, she takes a shakey breath, then says "I HATE puppets... If you are right, this is something right outta my worst nightmare. I'm just going to roll with what you said, though, because it does seem very shady." She then looks down at her lap, before continuing "I mean, I do feel like I was a little harsh on Henry. He has never done anything like going through my room or reading my diary, before. It just doesn't seem like him to do that sorta thing. I should go say sorry. I'll talk to you in a little bit."
🎥 With that, Angela stands and leaves the room. You decide to go, too, and check on Wally. However, when you check where you left him, you find that he isn't there. A chill rushes up your spine as you walk around the house, searching for him. Eventually, however, you hear a little yelping noise, before some thumping by the kitchen. It sounds a bit like something falling...
🎥 You rush over, seeing that the basement door by the backdoor of the house is wide open. In the darkness of the basement, you hear a little "scuttle, scuttle" noise against the concrete floor. You flick on the lights and, at the bottom of the stairs, you see Wally lying flat on his face.
🎥 You slowly step downstairs, keeping your eyes locked on the puppet, before you find yourself at the bottom of the stairs. Angela and Henry are both still upstairs. You can tell because Henry is very loud when he is upset, so you can hear him crying from all the way down in the basement. So, someone must've brought Wally here, or if he IS alive, he must've walked down here on his own... Or fell... He does look like he fell down the stairs. His legs are all twisted, along with his arms...
🎥 You grab him, a bit harsher than you did the last few times you have grabbed him. Then, you march upstairs and place him on the couch. Then, you wrap him up in a blanket, tightly, as you say "Now, I don't know what is going on here... But you keep moving. Maybe that will help..." Then, you tie a knot tightly in the blanket, intending for it to keep him still. You don't have high hopes that it will, but at least it is something.
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gtgbabie0 · 1 year
Note
Hi agian I hope you’re doing well! this time I have another idea a cute one I thought about when I was in the shower lol so probs shower thoughts but I saw a post saying Leon dyes his hair and I think he does because it went from the light colour all the way too dark.
For this I was thinking maybe RE4r Leon or RE2r Leon which ever one you think will work best and then the reader comes back home from work and calls out for him and he mentions he’s in the bathroom but when she does go inside his hair is all sectioned up with small ponytails almost like you’d see on a little kids hair and to find he’s dying one of the many sections he’s created and then asks the reader for help as he can’t do the back properly lol idk where this is coming from
Also I am totally in love with your writing it’s soo cute and beautiful as I’ve probably commented on a lot of posts but you leave me in awe every single time so please do keep it up ❤️🫶🏼
See you soon ✨
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-Leon Kennedy x reader
{You help Leon dye his hair}
So cute!! Thank you for requesting as always lovely!! 💕
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It’s been a long day. Your coworkers decided they were just not going to help with anything at all, the entire day you had to do everything by yourself with little to no help, so to say you were stressed was an understatement.
You couldn’t wait to get home, to see Leon, more specifically. He was the highlight of your day and he never failed to make you feel better. Normally when you walked into the house he’d come rushing to you with a happy smile, helping you with your bags and coat, but today he was nowhere to be found, which was a little strange.
“Baby?! I’m home!” You shout, curious as to what he was doing as you kicked off your shoes before making your way up the stairs.
“Oh! I’m in the bathroom angel!” He says, your eyebrows knit together with genuine confusion as you walk towards the door. It’s only when he pops his head out do you burst into uncontrollable laughter.
His hair is pulled together in separate sections, little hair ties parting his hair and he can’t stop the chuckle that bubbles out from him as he watches you clutch your stomach with laughter, “What are you doing?” You giggle.
“I’m trying to dye my hair- but I- I can’t reach the back” he tries to explain through a fit of giggles, showing you the darker shade of brown box dye.
You can practically feel the stress melt from your bones, Leon didn’t even know how much he made everything feel so much easier, he meant to world to you.
“Oh- here let me help,” you tell him, walking into the bathroom as he hands you the plastic bowl of dye.
He watches as you follow the instructions carefully, “Thank you sweetness” he says, as you start to apply the product to his hair and in all honesty you couldn’t wait to see this new look.
You look down at him smiling proudly at your work as you study the dark brown dye that’s mixed in his hair, “You’re going to look so handsome” you tell him cupping his face in your hands as you pepper his face with gentle kisses.
His hands rest on your hips as he chuckles at the ticklish feeling, “I hope so because this is permanent” he says. You set a timer on your phone before cleaning up the bathroom with the help of Leon, although he doesn't help much instead he chooses to distract you with his kisses and gentle touches.
The timers soon goes off and you smile at the excitement that flashes through his eyes before he runs upstairs to wash the dye out from his hair.
Leon comes back down with an almost shy smile, his hair a much darker shade of brown than what it was before and there’s something about his new look that makes your chest feel all fluttery.
You walk over to him, threading your fingers through his soft, freshly washed hair, “Am I still handsome?” He asks, watching the way your eyes sparkle with love, and the sight makes his stomach all warm as he goes giddy under your gentle gaze.
“Yes, very handsome” you smile pressing a kiss to his cheek and then another to his lips. His hands settle against your hips, “Do you like it?” You ask your fingers still playing with the ends of his hair that sit on the nape of his neck.
“Yeah, it’s not bad,” he says, enjoying the way your nails lightly scratch at his scalp sighing at the relaxing sensation. You smile at the way his eyes softly shut.
“Oh! Baby I’m so sorry, I forgot to ask how your day was” he panics slightly, his eyes shooting back open as you giggle at his worry.
“It’s alright, my day is much better now,” you tell him, watching how his face softens at your gentle words, he pulls you closer to him pressing a kiss to the corner of your mouth as he whispers a quiet ‘I’m glad’ against your lips.
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hunterbunter3000 · 1 year
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I'm thinking of sweetheart being the mother of task force 141 when laswell isn't there like in the middle of the night when sweetheart is sleeping and just wakes up when she hears the door creaking and looks at the door and sees one of the boys looking like they were crying and they ask if they could cuddle with then because they had a nightmare and sweetheart just coos at them pats the empty spot so they can lay on and sweetheart spoons them making on of the boys feel safe and falls asleep immediately while sweetheart is slowly scratching their head
And then sweetheart falls asleep and when she wakes up of the cod boys are in her room, asleep and she just laughs and gets out of bed and go make some breakfast and coffee or tea for them
Like AHHODHDHEBR like if ghost was the one he would have slight tears in his eyes or konig I know damn well he would be holding a tiger teddy-
Fucking sobbing on the floor for this shit
I AM TOOOOO WTF THIS IS SO ADORABLE 😭😭😭 König holding a tiger teddy that he's had ever since he was a kid is making me ferallLLLLLLAAHHHH
LIKE MY MATERNAL INSTINCTS ARE JUST KICKING INNNNN
And I'm sorry- all I saw was König and tiger stuffy and now this whole thing is just about him AHAHANA
Brown Palace and Grey Oceans
--
(Help this got so long-- it always starts off funny and then i try to be an actual writer smh YOU'LL SEE WHAT I MEAN)
(I honestly don't know what König looks like... even the wiki lore isn't saying anything so I kinda just made him up myself 😅 like how everyone does LOL)
Süße Torte = Sweet Pie
Cw.: FLUFF FLUFF FLUFFY FLUFF
Word count: long. (IDK HOW TO DO A WORD COUNT)
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Yk damn WELL König would open her door as quietly as possible and tip toe to her. He would second guess waking her up cause she looks so damn peaceful sleeping. Her eyelashes laying gently on her soft cheeks, the moonlight shining on her brown skin, making her look ethereal. But he needs comfort right now. The nightmare he had, he can't deal with that by himself.
So he would gently shake Sweetheart's shoulder. And she would SO wake up like a parent would: gasping for air, wide eyed and jerking back. He would step back and apologize. He thinks this was a bad idea but Sweetheart stops him.
Sweetheart, wiping her eyes and sleep in her voice: What's wrong hun?
König, holding his tiger to his side: Uhm... I had a bad... very bad dream.
He breathes in deep, tears welling in his eyes.
König, voice shaking: Can I please sleep with you...?
Sweetheart could hear her heart break. Seeing such a unit of a man be dwindled down to this... (I WANNA HUG HIM)
Her eyebrows knit together, sad that he feels this way. She scoots over and pats her bed. König sniffs, hand rubbing his nose under his home hood. (The brown embroidered hood Sweetheart made him for the base)
He squeezes in there, both of them getting situated in her already small bed. Sweetheart has most of the blanket, but König doesn't care. As long as he's with someone. (Sweetheart specifically)
He turns to her body, face now in her bosom. His eyes go wide, and he looks up at her. She smiles warmly at him. Her eyes go to the little tiger teddy he's holding in his hands. She coos at him.
Sweetheart: How long have you had that?
König feels embarrassed. He kinda forgot he even brought it with him, as it's his comfort companion. (His grandma found it in the attic and sent it to him)
He curses as he hides it behind his back, but Sweetheart grabs his arm. She holds the stuffed tiger, a cute tiny smile and round ears with stripes loosely sewn on the fading base. A big black button for the eye, but the other one is missing, it's just an opening. It's missing a tail, and some tears are on the body. A very old stuffed animal, but Sweetheart can tell it's loved.
Sweetheart: it's so cute... what's the name?
She's not judging him. A grown man, standing at a whopping 6'10, owns an old tiger stuffed animal that he has had ever since he was a child. And she's not judging him. Not laughing in his face and kicking him out. She's asking what his name is, with curiosity in her eyes. How is she real?
König, whispering: ....Hobbes.
Sweetheart: Pardon?
König, speaking a bit louder: His name is-- is Hobbes.
Sweetheart, gasps: Like from Calvin and Hobbes?
König, perks up: You know of those comics?
Sweetheart, giggling: Hell yeah! I used to read them constantly when I was younger. I still have them actually at my home! You could read some if you want when I go back.
König, getting excited and feeling better: I would love that, Süße Torte. Thank you.
Sweetheart, smiling and giving Hobbes back to him: No problem. Are you feeling tired?
He nods his head, about to take off his hood but stops himself. He looks at Sweetheart, eyes asking 'Should I take this off? Will you be uncomfortable?' She looks back him. 'The real question is, will You be uncomfortable if you take it off?'
König thinks on this. He looks back at her brown eyes. Her soft, dark eyes. Eyes that suck him every time he looks at them, entering the smoky quartz palace he would stay in forever. Eyes that always make him feel safe, wrapping him in the darkest color of silk. Eyes that hold many stories and love. Sensual, trustworthy eyes. He can trust her.
König: I trust you.
He takes it off and places it on the floor, face bare and open to the world. He could have sworn Sweetheart's eyes sparkled with actual stars when they got wide. His messy, auburn brown hair is swept back. Thick, soft angeled eyebrows nervously twitch under the hard stare from the woman.
And his eyes, oh, his round, gentle eyes. The ones that light up and shine when she looks at them. The grayish green tint reminded her of clear ocean water, wanting to swim in them forever. Eyes that hold many stories and many secrets. Beautiful eyes. He's beautiful to her.
With his crooked and scarred nose, he has broken many times over the years. Pink downturned lips, curtained over with a thin brown beard on a sharp jaw.
König gulps, eyes still focused on hers. They're staring into each other's color, too far gone to come back to reality. Sweetheart breaks it after what it felt like hours. She starts to laugh quietly, making König confused and a bit self-conscious. She looks back up at him.
Sweetheart, scoffing in disbelief: Who would've thought you were so pretty under those hoods...
He can't breathe.
Sweetheart, still shocked: I mean I never would've guessed. You're... wow.
She places her hand on his sharp cheek. Skin on skin. Warmth. He can feel it. Finally.
Sweetheart: You're really beautiful, Y'know that König?
He can't-- this- it's too much. Overwhelming. Her warm hand, the soft awe look in her eye, her scent, her words, her eyes-- it's too much.
He dips into her neck, hiding his face as his hands wrap around her.
König, beet red: Can we please just- go to sleep? My heart... my heart can't take much more of this.
Sweetheart giggles, wrapping her hands on his head.
Sweetheart: of course.
Her long nails scratch the nape of his neck, almost making König purr. He relaxes into her, molding his body against hers, as they finally give themselves to the night.
König woke up on an empty bed. The sunlight poked at his eyes, telling him to start his day. His hand feels the cozy sheets, where Sweetheart's supposed to be. Sweetheart. Where is she?
He rolls over but falls on the floor with a huge thud and a yelp, and her items shudder from his clumsiness. He grabs his hood as he gets up, stretching his sleepy body. How long was he asleep? It felt like a coma. But nonetheless, he feels extremely well rested, with Sweetheart in his arms and Hobbes-- wait a minute...
Where's Hobbes?
His heart rate picks up as he speeds walk out of her room. Are the others awake? Is she showing them? Making fun of him? No, no please no.
He gets out of his head when he Sweetheart in the living area alone, repairing Hobbes. She hums as she works with a smile, bonnet still on her head, wearing a big sweater and leggings with her legs crossed. She ticks up and sees König.
Sweetheart, waving at him: Good morning, baby! How'd ya sleep?
Baby?
Baby. She called him baby.
König stumbles back a bit. He shakes his head and clears his throat, an overwhelming feeling replacing the over-thinking.
König: yeah. I mean- fine! Good. Wonderful. I slept wonderfully. It was... I needed that. Thank you.
Sweetheart, chuckling: Of course! By the way, there's coffee and some eggs I made you in the kitchen. If you want it.
König, feeling his heart melt: Oh, thank you Süße Torte. I appreciate it.
She nods her head, continuing back to repairing Hobbes with her needle and thread. König relishes this feeling. The feeling of them being the only ones awake, the feeling of having breakfast made, the feeling of enjoying one's presence. It felt right. It felt domesticated. It felt...
Like they were together. In a relationship. Boyfriend and girlfriend. Husband and wife.
He shakes his head, almost spilling the sugar he was pouring for his coffee. He looks back at Sweetheart, still in her own world, being her. Being perfect.
Boyfriend and girlfriend. He scoffs, mixing his coffee. Please, that will never happen.
You're really beautiful, y'know that König?
He stops.
You're... wow.
His heart beating fast yet sinking at the same time. A small sick feeling in his stomach but butterflies in his chest. He collects his eggs and coffee and places it on the table before heading to Sweetheart on the couch. He sits across from her, watching her working hands, nimble and caring to Hobbes' tears. She sees him and smiles, showing her work.
Sweetheart: Look! I'm almost done sewing up his little scars. I also fixed his eye and tightened his ears and limbs! I need to wash and refill him, though.
She went on and on, rambling on what to do for Hobbes. König smiles. He hasn't done that in so long. He takes off his hood and places his hand on her knee. Their eyes meet, hers sparkling again from seeing his face.
König, sincerely smiling: I thank you for all that you have done for me. In just a short time... I feel like I found myself again.
Sweetheart beams. She's so glad she could help him out. Seeing König in that state last night makes her heart feel heavy, but none of that. He's happy. He's relaxed. He's grateful.
Her hand rests on top of his, and he moves his into hers, Sweetheart's now perched atop of his. The sun smiles on their eyes, their different colored crystals gleam bright.
Sweetheart: You're welcome.
They stayed like that, enjoying each other's company until they were sucked in.
Her Brown Palace and His Grey Oceans.
--
Lil Bonus.!
Sweetheart: Have you noticed that Hobbes doesn't have a tail?
König, snickering: Yes, I know. When I was little, Krueger would fight me over Hobbes. And one day, he pulled on it so hard that he ripped off the tail. I cried for days.
Sweetheart:
Sweetheart, getting up: Imma choke him out.
König: Sweetheart no that was years ago!
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Reblogs and comments are highly appreciated! Thank ya for reading ♡🙏
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vantaesfairie · 1 year
Text
𝔭𝔦𝔠𝔨 𝔞 𝔠𝔞𝔯𝔡 : 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔦𝔯 𝔩𝔞𝔱𝔢 𝔫𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱 𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔰 𝔞𝔟𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔶𝔬𝔲 (𝔯𝔬𝔪𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔦𝔠)
atlty’s tarot readings - dm for paid readings and prices!
choose a picture below:
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pile 1, group of pigeons:
they want to give to you emotionally. they think of you as someone who they really want to woo. it’s heavy ‘i’m going to take a boom box and play love songs under your window or send you handwritten poetry’ vibes. they want to show passionate emotion towards you. this sounds like a very very kind and romantic pile. they want to start a family with you, be loved and supported by you. they think about being happy with you and watching the sunset and the rainbows with you while your kids (children or animal depends) play around beside you two. they think about achieving non material fulfilment with you, you’re perfect in their eyes. they seem like a creative and romantic person, this is so sweet 🥹 and they also think of you as someone who’s very queenly. they want to live a life of comfort with you. watch you succeed and blossom. definitely see you as someone with financial independence or budding. they look at you like this self sufficient, abundant person who will be successful in their older years. this is very traditional feeling, like they want to get you, meet your family, start a family, and watch you become this queen in their eyes no matter your age. lucky pile 1 tbh
messages: “let’s start a family” “you look so damn good” “please let me show you” “i want you, only you” “draw with me?”
pile 2, dark brown pigeons:
they definitely have some sort of sexual thoughts when they see you. they’re a passionate person and gets excited (wink wink) when they see you. definitely enjoys the chase. they think of you at night, and definitely fantasises about your body and your looks. they feel so hopeful when they think about your connection in the future, like they would do anything to keep it going and devote their emotional energy into it too. they think of you as someone who’s angelic, optimistic, innocent in a way that feels very fresh. it feels like they’re quite optimistic and enjoy being with you. i got a specific message they may enjoy or you may like stargazing. it’s a new infatuation, adolescent crush energy and it’s very playful. they want to show you that they really want you and they may express that artistically. they keep coming up with new ways to impress you and they may act cute to get you to smile. if you were guided towards pile 1, read it too, because this sounds like a more nsfw version of pile 1.
messages: “i love your body” “come on, let’s go” “do you want to watch me?” “your eyes are really pretty”
pile 3, light brown pigeons: 
this person is in a bit of a dark time now. especially at night, they get kind of depressed and unhappy. it feels like they might be in a bit of an emotional or financial rut. they feel despair when they think about you, like you two just fought and nobody won so both parties are just upset at each other even more. there’s an inner conflict and an outer one (the fight). they feel like there is nothing in common about you two, and that they are having a hard time to try and get to you in all aspects. however they really want to reconcile with you, there’s definitely a hidden mutual bond and attraction. they want to initiate the reconciliation and even though you two might not end up romantically, they at least want to be friends with you harmoniously without fighting. they think a lot about how to do that, and how to be compatible with you and both have an equal exchange of efforts. they miss you, they want to stop this unhappiness. they just feel like you’re an outcast to their life now, you don’t know them and vice versa. they crave that partnership with you deeply.
messages: “i’m so tired” “can we please stop” “we can start again” “do you want to try again?” “i’ll be the first one to initiate”
i’m so sorry for those who saw an empty post lol 🫶🏻
likes and reblogs are heavily appreciated! check out my paid readings if you’re interested. have a nice day!
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py-dreamer · 24 days
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WOAH! 2 UPLOADS BACK TO BACK?!
Don't get too excited but yea, I've had these two in my back pocket for a long time now, just didn't really have the motive to finish them per say
Commission for designs for a fic my friend is writing so go check it out!
vvvv
I know it looks very different from the tight spandex miraculous designs but I definitely wanted to incorporate that LMK style with like armor and extra....like fabric on the sides? Just extra bits and bobs to make the designs interesting
But for me the most important parts were to make the purpose of the miraculous obvious, make them look cool and hide their identity (I think they'd look quite different from their human civilian forms)
Oh! And in case you haven't noticed, the miraculouses aren't animal themed anymore. Mainly because especially for the monkeys and dragons, it didn't make sense for them to have multiple miraculouses with the same animal. But it still keeps the theme of magically specialised powered jewels with one specific power outside of enhanced natural abilities with the akumatisation process
(spicynoodles of course)
(my friend and I developed so much brain rot behind the scenes, someone gets impaled, have fun guessing who!)
I'm gonna be honest, never really liked the sleek spandex polkadot suit that much so decided to go in a different direction
I do really like how Mk's design came out with the fluffy jacket and everything. I was wondering how to include like the feathery bits on top when I saw this fanart of Wukong wearing a cap and the two bits were sticking out like that and just stole that lol. I personally do really like the mask, again inspired by wukong's opera makeup
Red son was more tricky though, his design specifically the top area needed a lot of finessing and I saw this one other fanart of his fiery hair being blue at the end and man! it looked cool but I could not for the life of me figure it out, I did steal the bull mascarade mask from my the cat returns piece but hey it looks cool! And I didn't have a lot of ideas for other masks. Fun fact, the brown prayer beads are inspired from his days as a disciple under Guanyin.
Even though I'm not doing that tight spandex bs, I still wanted the two to look cohesive, and look like a team unit, I hope they do
Let me know any opinions! I'm very curious, the new style yay? Or nay?
(Also my friend wrote the 2nd chapter after I showed her the designs, Mk ISN'T meant to have a yellow cape. NO CAPES FOR THIS LAD)
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bwabys-scenarios · 2 months
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Heya! Just thinking about Kurapika cuase he my fav. Since Kurta culture is such a big deal to him, how would he try to teach his significant other about it? Would he try to teach them as they go along or would he try to distance himself from his past culture? Thanks for writing these Headcannons, they get me through my busy work week lollll
Kurapika and his culture, thoughts and HCs
!!REBLOGS APPRECIATED!!
A/N: This is less of an x reader and more of Kurta tradition HCs! Also, these are all made up and not inspired by anything specific, so any likeliness to actual cultural practices is not intended. The only tradition that is inspired by real culture is the last one, which is inspired by Dia De Los Muertos(which is obvious but I wanted to give credit where credit is due!!)
Thoughts
Absolutely! As the only Kurta left alive, he’s the only one that can keep his culture and traditions alive. It’s one of the reasons he wants children so badly, he wants to have his clan again!
I think Kurapika isn’t the type to force you to learn or expect you to participate in his culture, after all it’s not your own, but he’d very much appreciate it if you did. You’re his everything, all he has left in this world and the future mother of his children, and he’d be over the moon if you wore the traditional tabards on special holidays and practiced the traditional dance that the Kurta people would preform on their wedding nights.
He also won’t be overbearing with having his kids participate, but will be filled with joy when the little ones ask why daddy is wearing something different and praying on certain days.
Kurapika will bully his friends into celebrating with him, though. Gon and Killua have their own Kurta tabards that they have to wear when then come over during holidays. And no, Gon’s isn’t green. You’ll see why later on in this post.
HCs
-I think the Kurtas had many different traditions, which I will list here.
-One tradition I already mentioned, which is the bride and groom performing a specific dance on their wedding day. It’s a sign of devotion and love that lasts a lifetime, so it’s one of the only things Kurapika really wants you to do.
-Another is celebrating the coming of fall and harvests, alone with spring, summer, and winter. Each season has a different celebration and traditions, like dancing in the snow and leaving your favorite preserved fruit in the windowsill as an offering.
-You give that fruit during winter, a time where the fields are barren so when the fruit is ripe again, the gods give back tenfold.
-In spring, there are always flowers decorating doorframes, most families represented by a specific flower(marigolds for Kurapika’s family!), which is said to strengthen the spirits of each household.
-During summer, the children all made little dolls out of straw(or clay if their family works with it) and fill them with sweets, then leave them in the forest. This is an offering to the forest spirits so they can continue to coexists amongst each other. The Kurta people have a lot of respect for nature, always giving back what they take.
-The most important tradition takes place during late fall, right before winter. It’s a day to remember your loved ones who have passed, and obviously this holiday is especially rough for Kurapika. Before the massacre, it was a day that was spent celebrating the lives that once were, but now it is full of grief. He wears all green. Brown and earthy tones are used for grieving too, like for widows that are in states of mourning, but green is reserved for funerals. The earthy times symbolize the deceased giving their bodies back to the earth, and the inevitably of returning to dust.
-Because their scarlet eyes are treasured in the clan and green is opposite to red, red is seen as a color of mouthing. Fun fact, the first time Kurapika saw Gon, he assumed he was in a deep state of mourning because he was wearing an entirely green outfit. Of course he soon learned that the Kurta way of mourning was different than the rest of the world, but that didn’t stop him from being more gentle with Gon for a while.
-Kurapika prefers to pray alone when he’s in mourning. He gets choked up and cries sometimes, and needs time to collect himself and process the tremendous loss he feels.
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riddlerosehearts · 5 months
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i am so tired of seeing this screenshot about wish's ending reposted everywhere and used to make fun of the movie:
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and this is coming from someone who didn't even like the movie very much, but this is misrepresenting what happened. yes, there is a thing where asha wears a cloak resembling that of the fairy godmother and at the end star makes her a magic wand and the kids say she's like a fairy godmother, king magnifico does get trapped in a mirror, etc, and the movie was absolutely filled with easter eggs and references to previous movies--yep, when i saw the movie i did in fact take these scenes as just easter eggs! after all, think about this logically, if all currently existing movies in the disney animated canon were meant to take place in the same universe, and asha canonically grows up to be cinderella's fairy godmother, then...
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how can you explain such a drastic difference in appearance? how can you justify asha, a brown-skinned afro-hispanic girl with a face full of freckles and long brown hair, and this old white woman being the same person? you can't, because they're not!!!! if i recall correctly asha doesn't even wear that cloak at the end when they're calling her a fairy godmother, she just wears it during one scene when she's a fugitive and has to sneak around. also...
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the creators of the movie have directly confirmed that they were not trying to set up a disney multiverse and that it's not meant to be taken that seriously. rapunzel and eugene's cameo in frozen also wasn't meant to be taken anywhere near as seriously as everyone took it. neither were any previous cameos like belle in hunchback of notre dame or aurora in oliver and company (and if aurora being in oliver and company was canon, she'd be over 600 years old!). and, back to wish specifically, the little easter egg earlier in the movie where magnifico sees a wish bubble from someone who wants the perfect nanny to take care of their kids and says he's "poppin' that one" also doesn't mean the banks family from mary poppins canonically lives in rosas. the scene at the end where a boy named peter who wears all green and dreams of creating a flying machine goes to work with a girl in a blue nightgown whose wish is to fly doesn't mean peter pan and wendy actually somehow lived together in rosas and knew each other before the movie peter pan ever happened. it is literally impossible for all of these movies to take place in the same time period and universe, so it's a good thing that they, uh, don't, and were never intended to. please, if you don't like the movie, that's perfectly fine, but don't say disney is trying to create some convoluted multiverse and "MCU-ify" their movies when that just literally isn't true.
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sherifftillman · 1 year
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Firsts
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Pairing: Tom Grant x f!Reader
Genre: fluff, angst, smut
Tags: Make Up (film), 18+ (minors DNI), slow burn, underage alcohol content, virgin! tom and virgin!reader, protected sex (if tom can wrap it, so can you), just the fluffiest smut i've ever written tbh, oral (f receiving), fingering, p in v,
Summary: A boy you met in the playground has a far greater effect on your life than you could have imagined.
Word count: 12k
A/N: Ugh, hopefully this signifies the end of my writer's block. Thanks for hanging in there, gang! Enjoy my first Tom fic &lt;3
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Age 4
You sit on the roundabout cross-legged, indignantly pressing your hands into your cheeks. You look over at some of the other kids, playing with their friends. You wish you could have friends here too. Even though your parents took you here on holiday, and there’s loads of stuff at the holiday park specifically catered to kids your age, the most they’ll do is bring you to the park for half an hour or so before dragging you along to all the stupid, boring things that they want to do.
A boy with curly hair that sticks out in all directions and brown eyes that glisten when the midday sun hits them saunters up to you. “Hiya. Are you waiting for anyone else?”
You sigh, shaking your head. “No, it’s fine. You and your friends can have it.”
“Oh, I’m here by meself, too! Well not by meself, me mam’s here too, but I thought we could take it in turns!” He outstretches his hand, “I’m Thomas!”
You snort out a laugh. “Like the tank engine?”
“Shut up,” he frowns, making you giggle again.
“My dad’s friend’s name is Freder-eder-ded- Fredrid- Frederick, but we just call him Fred ’cause it’s easier. Maybe I can call you… Tom.”
His eyes light up. He has the most beautiful face you’ve ever seen. “I’d like that. Tom. Yeah. Thanks.”
“Your voice is weird,” you point out.
“Shut up!” he repeats. “Yours is the weird one.”
"Well, I've never heard one like yours before so that makes it weird. Now c’mon, you can spin me first,” you tell him, and with that, he wraps his hands around the metal pole of the roundabout and runs as fast as his tiny legs will take him.
Age 13
Another year, another caravan holiday. The older you get, the less tolerance you have for your parents’ boring excursions. But you absolutely love the downtime in between where you’re just at the caravan park. Because it means you get to hang out with your best friend.
As sad as you are to see your tradition go, of the pair of you picking out postcards for each other to spend all your holiday pocket money on to send to each other throughout the year, you are very excited to show him your birthday present since the last time you saw him.
“Hiya,” comes a familiar call from behind you as you sit at the roundabout that you first met Tom on. You run to him, with his arms outstretched wide, flinging your own around him as soon as you can reach him. His face buries into your cheek as you hug each other, his laughter filling your ears. “Got summat to show ya,” he says as you’re still embraced before pulling away.
“Oh, I have something to show you, too!” you grin, both of you fumbling through your pockets before you both brandish your mobile phones to each other.
With excited gasps, you recite your own numbers that you've memorised to each other, and immediately text each other, despite being feet away. You read your messages on each others’ screens as though it’s the most amazing thing you’ve ever come across.
The two of you walk down to the beach together, babbling on about school life and home life and everything in between life. You notice that Tom goes quiet after a little while, which isn’t like him. You sit down on a log you’d both claimed a few years ago, and Tom picks up a branch from the ground near it and starts drawing absent-mindedly in the sand. You ask with a frown, “Everything alright?”
“Yeah!” he lies, but you glare at him.
“Liar,” you shove him, and he laughs softly. “You think I can’t tell by now? What’s really wrong?”
He sighs, “Well… You know my best mate, Jake?” You nod. “Well, he got a - got a girlfriend last year.”
“You make that sound like that’s the worst thing in the world,” you laugh.
“Obviously it’s not,” he pulls a face at you. “But, like… I’m gonna have to… Kiss a girl at some point soon, aren’t I? It’s all Jake asks of me these days.”
You giggle, “What, is someone still afraid of getting girl germs?”
“No!” Tom elbows you in the side. “I’m...Worried I’ll be shit at it.”
You roll your eyes, “Nobody expects you to be good at it right off the bat!” Tom keeps looking at you sadly and you sigh. “What, you want to practise or something?”
Tom's eyes widen, then he nods slowly. “If that’s okay with you...”
You shrug, “I haven’t had any experience either, so...” you trail off. "I'll probably be shit, too."
“R-right, w-well,” Tom stammers, “I think I- I come over like this, a-and...” he leans towards you, resting a hand on your hip. He leans in close to you, tilting his head both ways. You try and match his movements, but at the last minute his nose crashes into yours and you both laugh nervously.
You try to play it cool, try to breathe deeply in case he can hear your heart thumping too. You’re so close to him right now you can see the little dip left by the dimple that forms when he smiles. The specks in his eyes that glow in the sun. Tom has been the love of your life - but you can’t say that, you’re only 13, you’ve barely lived.
You hold his jaw in place and move to him. His lips are smooth, warm, full, simply invigorating. He doesn’t respond at first, and you feel like kissing just his top lip probably isn't right, but after a few pecks from you he starts to kiss back. Feeling him push out to you makes you crave even more. He carries on with even more fervour until he suddenly stops, pulling back and whipping his hand back into his lap. He mumbles a “thanks” and goes back to poking the sand with his stick.
Your chest feels as though it’s made of lead. You excuse yourself and run all the way back to your caravan, heading straight to your bed and sobbing into your pillow. Of course he hated kissing you.
You do everything you can to avoid Tom for a while. You immerse yourself in everything your family wants to do, constantly asking what they’ve got planned to go out and do, emphasis on the go out bit. You switch your phone off so as not to be distracted by his texts. You rarely leave the caravan.
It’s only on the second-to-last day that your parents basically kick you out of the caravan for the day. Despite them giving you plenty of money to play in the arcade with, you find yourself sitting on one of the swings in the playpark, rocking yourself back and forth absentmindedly.
You don’t notice Tom approaching you, you’re too immersed in trying to think of anything else but him. He clears his throat to get your attention. You notice he’s breathless and red in the face, like he’s been sprinting. With a heavy heart, you nod at him in acknowledgement. “Hiya,” he starts softly.
“Hey.” you reply bluntly. You don’t mean to be so cold to him, you don’t want to be - but you have to be.
“You’ve been mad distant lately, are you all right?” Tom asks, his eyebrows furrowing together.
“Nope, I’m half left, see,” you wave your left hand in the air half-heartedly and Tom chuckles.
“That’s not what I meant, idiot.” He chews on his lip before continuing, “Is it because of how I kissed?” You think about whether or not to answer honestly when he continues sadly, “Was I really that bad at it?”
You sigh and shake your head. “No, you were fine. I...I’ve been busy with holiday stuff! Parents, you know how it is.” You're lying through your teeth, but what did you expect? For Tom to also fall for you as soon as your lips connected? Of course not.
“Right,” Tom breathes out a sigh of relief before continuing, “but you normally don’t go along with that, if you can help it… Does that mean you don’t want to hang out with me any more?” His voice falters back to sadness.
“Well, no,” you blurt out before you can think of something else. Damn. You didn’t want to outright say no because you can’t keep making yourself feel like this. But you look at his smile, at the dimples that you could place on him from memory, at his eyes lit up like a Christmas display, at how his freckles dance up his cheeks, and all of that flies out the window.
“Good! Because - Well, it’s a bit stupid, I know, but they’re doing a thing in the entertainment hall tonight, since it’s most kids’ last day here before school starts, a-and I...I was wondering if...” he starts wringing his hands together.
“You’re worried you’ll look like Billy No-Mates if you turn up without a date and you don’t know any other girls here well enough,” you state simply.
“There’s… More to it than that,” Tom scrunches his face up.
Of course, what you’re unaware of is that Tom is terrified he’s lost you for good. That him being so nervous about being too eager to kiss you that he had to stop himself has been too obvious and ruined your first kiss and that he’s lost the girl he loves. But he won’t admit that. He’ll let you believe whatever you want as long as he gets to spend time with you again. As long as he gets to watch the sparkle in your eyes dance when you laugh, and the little twitch of the nose you do right before you start to think deeply about something, that’s all he wants back.
You, blissfully unaware of this, shrug in defeat, “Sure. It’ll be nice to catch up over the last few days, I guess.”
Tom grins, “Alright, sound! I mean, I doubt we’ll really be able to catch up at the dance, but...We could always grab dinner together at the restaurant bit beforehand, just me an’ you?”
“Sounds good,” you press your lips together and nod. Tom grins and waves goodbye as he leaves the park, leaving you to curse yourself. You’re just letting him walk all over you - to you, Tom is now your first friend, first kiss, first dinner date, first dance date; you feel like to Tom you’re just a test dummy.
Age 16
You knew he had a girlfriend, now. He’d phoned you about Ruth in the early days of knowing her, and despite everything, you’d talked him into asking her out. He deserves that happiness, even if he can't get it with you.
She had seemed really interested in getting to know you, too, at first. Tom was always telling you that she’d been asking questions constantly about you, and that he couldn’t wait for the two of you to meet. “My girls,” he’d always say. Your heart would soar 50 feet into the air just to plummet a hundred at those words.
Phone calls became less frequent as months went on. After you’d sent over your Christmas card and present to him, as per your tradition, you only got back a card that had your name written at the top, and “- Tom” at the bottom. Not the “Love,” that would always come before it. Not the little kiss he’d always put underneath his name. That really stung.
What was once a constant stream of texts from wishing each other good morning to goodnight every day for the last 3 years becomes occasional, which becomes non-existent. He doesn’t even text you on your birthday.
You beg and you plead with your parents to not go on the annual Cornwall holiday. Anywhere but. You’re 16 now, that’s plenty old enough to stay at home on your own. You’d be more than happy to have a neighbour check in on you regularly and spontaneously. Or a family member. Even your worst enemy, just - not there. Not facing him. And besides, you’re almost certain he won’t be alone with his parents this year.
And you’re right. She’s hanging off of his arm all the while the other regular teens crowd around them. They’re all just as much your friends as they are his. But this year you don’t feel welcome around them.
And it’s not just jealousy on your part. You’d even tried to be friendly. You’d practically skipped up to the both of them on your first day, after a lot of mental preparation, to a judgemental stare from Ruth that started from the moment she laid eyes on you, to the moment you left her field of vision. It burned especially strongly when Tom hugged you in greeting, even if you could have gotten a more meaningful exchange with a Lego figurine, with a just as emotionless, "Hiya."
It hurts when you end up seeing Ruth and Tom together and she’s the one who notices and suddenly drapes herself over him. It hurts more when it’s him that sees you first and he takes her by the hand and simply runs off with her.
It hurts the most when you catch them kissing on your log. Once again, 3 years later, you’re running from that beach to your caravan and you’re curling up in your bed crying your eyes out. Except, this year’s trip won’t end in a dinner where he feeds you his chips just because you didn’t ask for any with your meal and he wants to make sure you don’t nick all of his. It won’t end with a DJ asking everyone - and he means everyone - to make their way to the only slow-dance of the night, and Tom goofily dancing in ultra slow motion as he eventually encourages you to do the same. It’ll end in him doing that with her, while you sit and eat whatever your parents can make out of whatever’s left in the fridge and fight back the tears you haven’t yet cried while in the privacy of your own room.
It makes sense, after all. Tom being your first love, he was always destined to be your first heartbreak, too.
Age 17
You hear a moan fall into your mouth, you feel a hand grip on your arm. Another rests on your thigh. Your hand moves up to his hair, burying deep into his soft, brown curls. Except it doesn’t. It barely scrapes through the cropped, straight hair of your boyfriend. 
You’d so loved that the guy on the other side of the classroom in your college class had noticed you, had asked you out. Your parents love him, your friends back home love him. And, as it had turned out, he’d even been holidaying at the same caravan park you always do. It’s just that while your family normally goes at the end of the summer break, his goes at the start. Your family let you go with his this year instead, which you’re thrilled about. Hopefully you can create memories with your boyfriend in Cornwall with absolutely no trace of Tom, who’s surely only going to be there in the last week, like always.
You don’t believe it when you see him and her in the distance, outside the window. You think you must be making it up. There’s no way. It’s only fleeting, so you shake it off and try to focus on being in the moment with your boyfriend. He takes you by the hand, leads you to your bedroom for the next week, sits you both on the bed and starts kissing you intensely. That’s when you start imagining him as Tom, again. This is exactly the opposite of what you wanted to happen.
Later on, when you’re on your way to the arcade, you spot an old friend from past trips. She excitedly greets you, states her surprise over seeing you so early in the summer, and tells you that she works here now. She tells you of a staff party that’s happening in one of the luxury chalets. It’s apparently a tradition, first weekend of every summer holiday period, the staff club together and buy it out for a weekend. She invites you both along, and you gleefully accept.
You speculate all week about what your first house party is going to be like. What being drunk for the first time is going to be like. Your boyfriend laughs at you every time. "You're hilarious. I can't wait to see how sloppy you get."
That makes you nervous. How much alcohol does it take to get you wasted? You were hoping to make sure you stayed of enough sound mind to remember it all. Would you really inevitably get "sloppy" and embarrass yourself?
When the party's finally in full swing, you're insistent on sticking to cans of soda. Your boyfriend frowns at you, demands to know why you're suddenly so shy over drinking after it being all you could talk about. You tell him you just need to build up to it, that it's a first time which makes it a big deal. He rolls his eyes and mutters something about first times and walks away.
You frown at that. There's only two main things about you and firsts. The fact that you and Tom may never share any more, which you've never discussed with your boyfriend; and that the first time the two of you had tried going beyond kissing, he'd called you…
No, you're not thinking about that. He said he's sure it's something you'll get over, and once you are, he'll be ready for you. You just need to try and rein it in for yourself. Did he resent you because you hadn't managed to keep it under control yet?
Your brain is swimming when you hear the one voice you'd simultaneously been waiting for and dreading. "Hiya!"
Taking a deep breath in and putting on a brave face, you feign surprise. “Oh my god, Tom! Hi! What are you doing here?!”
“Well, Ruth had made friends with one of the girls that works here, Jade, and she invited us - well, Ruth, but, y’know, we’re sort of a package deal,” he laughs awkwardly. “Um, so, what are you doing here?”
“Hayley works here now, an’ all! Remember her?”
Tom laughs under his breath, shaking his head slightly. “Don’t surprise me in the slightest. ’Member how she was always the first to volunteer to get on stage?” You both laugh loudly before faltering into a weird silence. “So, found your tipple of choice, yet?” he asks, gesturing to the plastic cup in your hand.
“Oh!” You shake your head. “Not yet. I wouldn’t even know which one to start with. I’ve, uh, I’ve never really drank before.”
Tom chuckles, “Hey, me neither! Was gonna play it safe and go for a beer. Fancy indulging in my first one with me?”
“We’ve shared enough by now, haven’t we?” you ask with a small smile. 
“So,” he starts as you both head into the kitchen. “You never really explained why you’re here this early.”
“Didn’t I? I’m here with my boyfriend and his family,” you explain.
Tom’s face falls, though you’re too busy navigating your way past everyone at the party to notice. “O-oh… Boyfriend? Is he… Y’know, good to you, an’ that?” He asks, his energy suddenly depleted.
“Yeah! Yeah, he’s great. Dunno where he is at the moment, but I’ll have to introduce you both while we’re here,” you nod.
“Definitely! I’ll let Ruth know you’re here, she can say hi to you an’ all.” Tom thankfully doesn’t notice your eyes rolling as he studies the drinks now in front of you both. Tom looks over his shoulder at you and jerks his head at the kitchen counter. “Pick our poison, then.”
You shrug, “I dunno, you said beer? Let’s go with that.”
Tom nods, grabbing a couple of bottles and an opener, clicking the lids off and handing one to you. “To us, eh? Finally growing up.”
WIth a defeated smile, you clink your bottle against his and you both take your first sips. Tom immediately pulls a face of disgust, which then turns to intrigue. He looks over at you and laughs as you stand there, looking as though you’ve squeezed an entire lemon out onto your tongue. “Maybe we’ll get you something sweeter. ’Ere, how about one of these flavoured vodkas? Stick some of that in with your Coke.”
You and Tom stay and chat for the best part of an hour, catching up on everything. It’s the happiest you’ve felt in a long while. Certainly this whole week. But then he talks about finding Ruth and for the first time all night, you think about where your boyfriend could be.
You take a lap of the cabin. And another. And another. Each time more and more anxious. Calling his name out is getting you nowhere.
And then you see a flash of him getting pulled into another room. You don’t see the other person. Their arm is especially slender, their painted nails gripping his shirt as he grins down at them. You stare at the door as it closes, in pure shock and horror.
Your ears ring until you eventually hear a faint, but familiar, “Hiya, what’s going on with you? You’ve been up and down like a bleedin’ yoyo!” Tom notices your lack of response and frowns. “What?” As you still don’t answer, he follows your line of vision and points, “In that door?” Your lip quivers and his face steels. “Right.”
The next few seconds happen in slow motion and high speed all at once. Tom swinging the door open. His, “You better not be who I fucking think you are, mate.” Him getting pinned against the wall by your (as of right now) ex. Tom spitting in his eye to get dropped. Your boyfri- ex-boyfriend’s, “Is she as fucking disgusting with you as she is with me?” as Tom tries to walk away. Tom’s face absolutely seething as he turns back around, strides up to your ex and punches him square in the face.
Finally, you find it in you to scream at Tom to stop, and then turn to your ex. “The actual fuck is wrong with you?! Acting a victim just because I was catching up with a friend while you were chatting girls up in the same fucking house?!”
“You know what? Fuck this. Make your own way home. Bitch,” your ex snarls as he pushes past you to the front door as he storms out of it.
You hear a, “What the fuck happened to you?!” and see Ruth approach with her new friend, a girl with just-above-shoulder-length hair. Ruth’s looking at Tom’s red knuckles in horror.
“I’m fine, babe, honest. It were just… That dickhead was feeling up some other bird while…” He gestures weakly at you.
Ruth presses her lips together and nods, “Right. So you’ll punch a guy for her, yeah?”
He groans, lolling his head back. “C’mon, Ruth, don’t be like that now, please. You know I’d do the same if it were you. Or even Jake, or any one of my friends, alright? Don’t mean nothin’.”
“Yeah, well. Think I’m gonna sleep over at Jade’s tonight, anyway. Wanna see how the staff live,” she explains, gesturing to her friend.
Tom looks a little dejected, but he shrugs it off. “Alright, it’s your holiday, too. Have fun. I’ll text you in the morning, yeah?” She nods, and he goes up to kiss her. You look away, wincing. She scowls at you as she walks past you to leave. 
Someone else in the crowd snorts, “Don’t you think that’s a bit fucking dodgy?”
“What is?” Tom asks, turning to face them.
“Accusing you of cheating on her with a ‘friend’ and then conveniently sleeping over with a friend of her own?” They fold their arms to raise their eyebrows in suspicion at Tom.
He merely shrugs, carefree. “Exactly. It’s perfectly normal to just have friends, alright?” He sounds a little exasperated at that, holding his hands up. “It’d only be dodge if I were also up to no good. But I’m not, because I know that it’s okay to just hang out with a friend every now an’ then.” He looks at you and shrugs. “Listen, don’t worry about tonight. Mum and Dad had us in a twin room, anyway, I can pull the beds back apart again if you need a place to sleep. Till then, we can stay here, long as you like. Alright?”
You nod gratefully, pushing out a whispered, “Thank you.” 
You hug him tightly and he gives you just as much back, rocking you gently from side to side before rubbing up and down your back and offering, “So, how’s about we go back and demolish all the vodka and coke in that kitchen, yeah?”
You awaken in a single bed, next to another single bed that has a stirring Tom in it. He looks over at you, rubbing his eyes awake, “Hiya.”
You groan, “Of all the first encounters we’ve had, I’m begging you to have looked into how to deal with our first hangovers.”
He snorts with laughter. “‘’Fraid not. Looks like we’re suffering together.”
“Fantastic,” you whine as you throw yourself to lay on your other side.
Age 18
Even now that you’re legally an adult, that caravan park in Cornwall never evades you. You’d wanted to go on one of those big pre-university holidays to Spain or Greece like most 18 year olds do, but too many plans kept falling through and things kept going wrong and so, in order to catch some kind of break, you end up giving into your friend Hayley’s offer to stay with her for the holiday period. The friend that works there.
The staff living quarters are identical to the rest of the caravan park, with the exception of a common area with a bonfire. As you’re carrying your suitcase past it, you spot her. Again. Of course. You await the disgusted glare she’s about to give you, but she doesn’t seem to acknowledge your existence in the slightest. Hayley catches up with you, notices, and nudges you, “You know, she’s actually a lot more chilled out now that she’s with Jade instead.”
You double-take so fast you almost give yourself whiplash. “She’s wi- You mean, with?” Your friend nods. “Aww. Well, good for her, I guess.”
Once you’re in the caravan, you take out your phone and tap through to yours and Tom’s text history. You read back the last text you’d had from him, almost a year ago:
Hiya. Hope you’re alright, and you got on the train okay. Listen, I know I said all that guff about us just being friends, and I know that’s what both of us have always been, but Ruth’s proper upset about it. It was really good to see you again, but I don’t think we should talk while this is still fresh. Safe travels.
You wonder why he never thought to text you even after they’d broken up. Did he even want to hear from you again? You bite the bullet and text anyway:
Hey, stranger! Heard about you and Ruth. Sorry to hear it. Hope you’re doing well.
Hiya, yourself! Yeah, thanks, I’m holding up. Better for us all, really. How’d you hear, if you don’t mind me asking? x
Saw her at the caravan site and she didn’t give me evils, lol. 
YOU’RE HERE?! :D x
Yeah! 
Wait, when you say *here*...
What caravan are you staying in? x
One of the staff ones, 159. Why?
He doesn’t text back as quickly after that, so you instead start fixing up some lunch for you and your friend. She goes down to the shop to pick up something for the two of you to drink, and while you have the caravan to yourself, there’s a hurried knocking at the door. You assume Hayley told her bosses that she’s got someone living with her over the summer - she does have one of the ‘luxury’ two-bed caravans, after all - so there should be no problem with you answering it.
You don’t even get a good look at who it is before you’re being swept up in their arms and backed into the caravan, but you recognise that scent, that grip, that swooping feeling in your stomach. That laughter in your ear, followed by the greatest word in the English language, “Hiya.”
“Oh my god! What are the chances that you - oh my god!” You yell excitedly as you see him in his uniform. He twirls himself from side to side with a proud smile to show it off. “You got a job here, too?!”
He grins, “Yeah!” but it falters. “’Course, it would’ve helped if I’d’ve known my ex was dumping me for someone else who works here before I accepted but,” he shrugs, “swings and roundabouts. Speaking of! They’ve got rid of our park.”
You gasp sorrowfully. “What? No!”
“I know! They’re redoing the whole thing,” he pouts.
“I mean, to be fair, it was getting close to becoming an actual death trap,” you point out. “Last year, I don’t think the roundabout even actually spun anymore!” You both laugh as Hayley returns.
“Oh! Alright, Tom! See you’ve found my fugitive for the next six weeks.”
“Sure have! Can I nick her for a bit, though? Got some catching up to do,” he looks at her hopefully, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.
She looks between the two of you before grinning, “Yeah, why not? I can make my own lunch, away with you both!”
“Have you not had lunch yet, then?” Tom frowns as you both walk down the steps of the caravan.
“Mate, I literally just got here,” you gesture to your car as Tom falls into a pile of giggles.
“Alright, mate,” he nudges you with his elbow as he mocks you. “How’s about we take full advantage of my new staff discount,” he waggles an ID card between his fingers, “and go get you your own chips for once?”
“You remembered!” You cackle. “And they’re way tastier when they’re not mine.”
All through your meal, as you catch up, there's a very large elephant in the room that Tom isn't addressing. After a post-lunch walk ends up taking you to your log, the bittersweet punch that hits your chest finally has you speak up as Tom sits on the log, sprawling his legs out in front of him: "Why didn't you ever text?" Tom presses his lips together as he takes a deep breath in and out. "I know… I know you said that Ruth didn't like you talking to me, and while that was shit, I kinda get it. But… Why didn't you…?"
"Reach out after we broke up?" Tom asks, bending his knees to rest his elbows on as he rubs his face with his palms. "I don't fucking know, is my honest answer. I thought about it, if that helps. Probably fucking doesn't," he mutters. "I just… Assumed you'd hate me for letting a girl come between us."
"Well… A little," you admit, finally sitting down next to him. "Hate you more for assuming I'd hate you, though." Tom shoves your shoulder as he laughs softly, and you chuckle quietly, too.
"Let me make it up to you?" he asks. "Dinner at my caravan later?"
You groan, "Please tell me you've learned to do more than put tinned spaghetti on a slice of uncooked bread."
"As long as you eat it like a sandwich, ain't nothing wrong with it," he beams. "But, just for you, I'll make it proper special, yeah?"
"Ooh, like a date? Do I have to dress up?" You tease, and he laughs loudly.
"I distinctly remember you wearing jeans on our first date, so you've set the bar pretty low there."
You look at him in mock offence, "Excuse you! Those were my smart jeans that had the sequin dolphins on them! I felt like a little celebrity in those," you reminisce.
"You can wear what you like, just… Maybe no bedazzled fish this time, eh?" He glances over at you side-eyeing him and interrupts you before you can start correcting him, "I know, I know, dolphins are mammals, actually." He collapses into a fit of giggles, losing the accent he's using to mock yours as he squawks at you trying to push him off the log entirely.
"Can't believe you remember that, and all," you smile fondly.
"Of course. Still got that toy one I bough-" Tom interrupts himself, but you silently encourage him. "I, uh, we had a school trip to the aquarium. An' they had a - a little gift shop there, they had these toy dolphins. I bought one to give you years ago, but I just… Never got round to it."
“Ruth stopped you?” you guess, and he pulls a face in response. You copy him, “You’ll just have to give it to me when you come visit me in Nottingham, won’t you?”
He sits bolt upright. “You what?!”
You giggle, “I got into Nottingham. For uni, I mean.”
“Shit, that’s huge! Grats!” he pins your arms to your side in a quick squeeze. "An' there's a bus that goes straight there from Derby, so there'll be no escaping me!"
Your eyebrows knit together, "You not staying here year-round?"
He shakes his head. "I was gonna, when I first applied for it, but then… Well, things have changed now, in't they?"
You giggle, "I'll finally get to see your house for real!"
Tom gasps excitedly, "Shit, yeah, and Mum'll be dead happy to see you again!" He slaps his knees and stands up, "Right, well. This ain't getting me back to work, is it? Gotta make sure I clock off nice an’ early." He offers his hand out to you. "Wanna get up too, or are you staying here?"
You take his hand and let him pull you up to standing. "Nah, I better get back to Hayley at some point. Text me whenever you want me ’round, yeah?" You ask, trying not to grin stupidly at the fact Tom doesn't let go of your hand right away.
"Will do. In a bit, yeah?" he asks with a smile, holding your hand out to him for just long enough for you to speculate whether he was about to kiss it before letting it go, instead.
As you head straight back up the path next to the log, he goes across the beach for a minute, making his way to the other side of the park where he needs to be instead. You return to caravan 159 to see Hayley sprawled across the sofa, watching the tiny TV. She jumps up excitedly when she sees you. “So, how’d it go?” You explain that you have dinner planned with him tonight, but that you’re not certain what level of date to consider it. Hayley helps you go through the clothes you’d packed, but they were all either too casual or too going-out-y, outfits you’d planned for nights out at bars and nightclubs. Not exactly dinner-with-an-old-friend attire.
Hayley takes you by the hand to her room, where she starts pulling out dresses and holding them against you. You laugh, “Hayles! These are your show outfits, I can’t wear them!”
“Why not?” she frowns. “We’re the same size, I still get to choose which ones I wear every night so I’ll have plenty of options. And Tom and that never come and watch, so he’ll be none the wiser.” She waggles her eyebrows, wiggling the dress in her hands from side to side. “Come on,” she drawls the last word, stretching it out. “You know you want to.”
You snatch it from her and scoff, “If I take this, will you stop?”
She grins wickedly. “Not until you’ve shown me what undies you’re gonna wear, too!”
You feel your face grow warmer as you shake your head, “And what does that have to do with the price of fish?!”
She cackles, “You know.”
“I know nothing, remember? I’m still yet to… Y’know,” you falter. Hayley doesn’t quite know the full extent of yours and Tom’s friendship, only knowing that you’ve both been coming to this park as long as she has. She doesn’t know that there’s ample ammo for her to tease you about tonight, and you put all your energy into calculating everything you’re about to say to make sure you don’t slip up. That’s the last thing you need.
“Is that why you’ve got these?” she asks with a giggle, already back in your bedroom and scooping up a pair of lace panties with her finger from the packing cube you’d assigned for underwear.
Your face now a furnace, you chase after her with a, “Shut it!” as you snatch them away. “They’re for if we ever go… Y’know, out anywhere. Sometimes it just gives you a little boost to wear a cute matching set, know what I mean?”
She grins, “I know, I’m just yanking your chain. Wear what you want, as long as you look good doing it.” Her voice gets quieter as she heads back into the main room of the caravan, until she calls out loudly, “So, where is he taking you, do you know?”
“He says he’s going to cook for me,” you state as you press Hayley’s dress to your front and look in the mirror. “Yeah, said he’ll text me when it’s ready.”
Hayley suddenly reappears back in your doorway looking fearful. “You sure about that?”
“Yeah! Why shouldn’t I be?” you ask with a frown.
“You ever seen Tom’s cooking?”
You shake your head. “Not since we were about 14? And all he could do was heat up tinned spaghetti and dump it onto bread he didn’t even think to toast. But he said he’d do better, and that was four years a-” Your face falls at her expression.
“Babe. He was literally eating that for dinner yesterday when we called for him to come sit round the fire,” she tells you with raised eyebrows.
“So… I should… Just go there as soon as I’m ready?” You ask, nodding slowly, and Hayley mirrors you. She shows you from the window which trailer is Tom’s, and lets you finish getting yourself ready.
After showering, getting dressed - including the set of underwear that Hayley teased you about, even though you definitely don’t plan on having anyone else see it, it’s definitely just to give you the little boost of confidence you need - and applying as much make-up as you feel comfortable putting on for tonight - you give Hayley a quick hug, though she has you pose for some photos first to “commemorate” how good you look in her dress. She’s quick to usher you out of the door afterwards, though, telling you where she’ll bury her spare key so you can get back in (“If you get back in tonight,” she adds with an exaggerated wink as you roll your eyes at her and walk out) and pointing out one more time where Tom lives.
You knock on the door tentatively, but the muffled country music you can hear from the other side tells you that Tom probably can’t hear you. You try the door and it opens easily, allowing you to see Tom dancing around the tiny expanse of his kitchen, singing under his breath as he takes a handful of spaghetti out from its packet and throws it into a pot of boiling water as though it were a part of the way he’s dancing. 
Your phone still clutched in your hand, you go to position it in a way to start recording him, but he catches you. Instead of looking surprised, he simply beckons you over with one finger. Walking across to him, as he’s still singing and swaying, he holds his hand out, to which you give him yours and he twirls you around. “You look amazing,” he smiles at you breathlessly.
Trying not to get too flustered, you quickly reply, “You scrub up alright, yourself!” You gesture to him, looking down at his dress shirt and - “Oh, so when I wear jeans to have dinner with you, I get ridiculed, but -”
“Shhh-sh-sh-sh,” Tom shushes you with a smile, pressing his finger against your lips, which you laugh against. “How come you’re early then, eager beaver? Didn’t even need to tell you where I live.”
“Hayley told me. Warned me to come over and make sure I don’t get food poisoning or something,” you giggle, and Tom gasps, holding a hand to his chest.
“That cheeky cow!” He jokes before draping his arm over your shoulders and aiming you towards the stove. “Well, I’ll have you know, I’ve been cooking not just one, but two options. See, I couldn’t remember if you ate meat or not, so I’ve got some… Broccoli spaghetti dish on the go on this side, and then there’s sausage and rice in this big pot here,” he points out.
“At least none of it came out of a tin, good boy,” you smirk as you take a spoon from the utensil rack on his counter and start stirring the spaghetti around to make sure it all starts cooking. You continue stirring the different pots, asking Tom if there’s anything more to be done, but he simply carries on singing along to what you recognise playing now as Take Me Home, Country Roads, taking another utensil off the rack from where he stands behind you to sing dramatically into the handle as he side-steps back and forth around you. “Can’t believe you actually listen to this stuff,” you muse, shaking your head softly.
“What’d you mean?! It’s decent,” Tom pouts.
“Tom, my granddad listens to Jim Reeves,” you point out.
“Then your granddad’s got excellent taste, don’t he,” Tom grins before putting his hands on your hips. Your heart skips several beats as he gently pushes you out of the way. “C’mon, now, let me dish up. You go sit at the table, yeah?”
Your heart soars again when you see there’s already knives and forks laid out, as well as a candle off to the side. Tom soon follows, holding both plates out to offer to you. You pick the one you prefer and set it down in front of you. Tom puts his down on the other side of the table, fishing a lighter out from his back pocket to light the candle between you. “Shit, I forgot to pour the - d’you like wine? If not, I’ve got some Coke I can put in a wine glass to look dead fancy,” he calls from the kitchen area, where his head is buried in a cupboard.
“You’ve got wine glasses?!” You ask incredulously, leaning around to look at him. “I don’t even know you anymore!”
“Ha-ha,” he deadpans, throwing you a sarcastic smile before holding up the wine bottle. You signal your response and he fills up both glasses accordingly. “Bought ’em to impress a girl, dunno if it was worth it yet, though.” Everything inside you feels like lead again. Of course this wasn’t anything more than platonic. As he hands you the glass, he waggles his eyebrows, “Well? Was it?”
Relieved that you had nothing to worry about after all, you grin, “Am I supposed to be the girl you’re trying to impress? Even though I’ve watched you eat worms?”
He rolls his eyes as he takes his seat again. “It was one worm and it was because shitty Damien dared me, alright?” He defends with a smile, and you laugh. “And besides, I was six! You were no saint back then either, how many times did I eat figurative shit because a certain someone kept tying my shoelaces together?!”
“I can’t believe you never even realised when I was doing it, too,” you clutch your stomach as you sigh, coming down from the raucous laughter his memory had caused you. You offer your glass out to him, “Here, to old times, eh?”
“And new,” he smiles softly, clinking his glass against yours.
Conversation never runs dry between the two of you as you finally catch up properly over everything in the past three years. You laugh, you tease, you reminisce fondly. After dinner and a store-bought dessert that Tom still puts effort into looking fancy, the two of you retire to his sofa to watch whatever’s on TV. 
You deliberately sit so that there’s a little distance between you, not wanting to be presumptuous, and so when you try to sit comfortably, tucking your feet begins you, your rest your head on the back of the seat, ending up with your head just shy of brushing against Tom’s arm. You can sense him looking at you in your peripheral, and look over at him in question. When you make eye contact, he flashes his eyes at you and jerks his head to the side, silently offering you to shuffle up next to him. You do so, moving until your head ends up resting on his shoulder. He drapes his arm around you, holding onto your arm and squeezing it gently.
After a few minutes, you tilt your head up to look at him again. The faintest hint of stubble peeks through his skin, illuminated by a movie you’ve seen so often you could recite it, but it makes Tom laugh nonetheless. Eventually, he’s the one that catches you staring, and you can see his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows hard.
You push yourself up on the couch a little to get a better look at his face. His gaze never leaves you, but he’s looking a little lower than your eyes. As he looks up at your eyes again, he licks his lips. “Tell me now,” he starts quietly. “Tell me to stop, an’ I will.”
You softly shake your head. “Why would I do that?”
Grinning with a sigh of relief, he reaches up to hold the back of your neck and pulls you in for a kiss. It’s a long one, starting out soft but pressing harder as it carries on. You sit up on your knees to angle yourself better, holding his face in your hands so as not to break the contact with him as your lingering pecks continue, but he quickly - considering it was blindly - taps one of your legs to insinuate that he wants hold of it. You shuffle around until he can grab your ankle to pull it until you’re straddling him.
Your arms rest on his shoulders as you keep kissing him. God, you never want to stop kissing him. The hand not still holding your head snakes between you to rub at your jaw, gently massaging it open to slip his tongue between your lips. You let out a whine involuntarily and curse yourself - your ex hated noises like that - but Tom only pushes you closer to him, humming into the kiss.
Finally, the two of you break away from each other, gasping heavily for air. You catch each other's gaze and share the same ear-to-ear smile. His pupils are blown out and his already plump lips look bigger and redder than ever. You have the urge to take the lower one between your teeth, despite not knowing if he’s into that.
Before you can do anything, he’s pulling you close again, though not to kiss your lips. Holding the back of your neck deliberately, he guides you down to start kissing just below your ear. The sensation you feel from it is like no other, and you find yourself whining and whimpering even more. The sounds only encourage Tom as he finds a sweet soft spot at the side of your neck and sucks on it especially hard. You didn’t expect the low moan to roll out of your mouth, nor did you expect that to cause Tom’s hips to buck up against you.
He stops suddenly, his head whipping back to look up at you. His pupils are blown to almost the size of his irises. “I, um… I’ve never… Sorry, I… Fuck, I dunno how to say this without sounding weird…”
You smile softly at him, playing with the curls behind his ears. “It’s okay. I haven’t, either.”
His face softens. “Then everything’s as it should be, right?” He smiles up at you, his hands moving to hold your hips. Something about his touch coupled with where you are makes you want to grind against him, and so you do, holding the back of his head to pull him close enough to rest his forehead against yours. His mouth suddenly dry, he swallows again. “We should probably move this to the bed… Right? More room an’ that.”
You climb off his lap and hold out your hand. He stands and takes it, leading you to the door between you and his bed. He wrenches the door open, then pulls your arm with enough force to send you crashing against him, chest to chest, before his hands find your jaw again to bring it up to resume kissing you. You giggle against his lips, “What happened to the bed?”
Tom presses another peck onto you. “Missed kissing you already,” he grins back against yours. Neither of your hands stop moving around, exploring each others’ bodies, until you can’t bear not feeling his skin against yours a moment longer. 
Moving to run your finger along his buttons, you look at him expectantly. “Can y-… Do you want…” 
With his trademark smile, Tom’s gaze never leaves yours as he undoes a few buttons before grabbing the back of his collar and throwing his shirt off completely. Entranced, you stroke all over his torso before tracing invisible lines between each of his freckles. Kissing every part of you that he can reach, he eventually pipes up, “Sort of feeling underdressed here.”
You look up to grin at him, “Actually, I think you’re wearing too much.”
“Yeah, course you would,” he smirks as his hands slide up your back to the fastening of your dress. He flashes his eyes at you, a silent request, and you nod. He slowly pulls down the zip until the dress, which you were able to just slide over your head anyway, falls off of your body and pools at your ankles. Tom leans back, looking you up and down as he takes you all in. You’d feel very exposed, were it not for the look in his eye. “Fuck me,” he exclaims under his breath. “You are fucking phenomenal.”
Smiling bashfully, you pull him back towards you by the belt loops of his jeans. “Now who’s overdressed, eh?” You ask as you press yet another kiss to his lips.
“Right,” he grins mischievously, pushing you back so that you fall onto his bed, “you get down there.” Giggling, you shuffle back towards his pillows, lay back to rest on your elbows and watch him unbuckle his belt. He notices and starts humming an unintelligible song that he goofily gyrates to, pulling his belt out and waving it around. You roll around laughing as he continues putting on the most Tom-like striptease for you. Once he’s kicked his jeans off, he clambers onto the bed, crawling up until he’s hovering over you, his face not even an inch from yours. He tilts his chin up until the tip of his nose bumps past yours and trails up your bridge, before bringing it back down and rubbing it against the tip of yours again, side to side. “Never thought this day would come,” Tom admits softly.
“Me neither,” you reply back in the same tone. “Never been more glad to be wrong.”
Letting a laugh slip between his lips, Tom nods, “Me, too.” He kisses your nose before looking down your body, letting his fingertips brush against the cup of your bra. Your breath hitches at his proximity, and he looks back at you to grin, “You sure you didn’t think this was happening?”
You pout, “It’s just nice to know that I look sexy, that’s all!”
“Fuck, yes, you do,” he growls as he leans back down to kiss you, his hand gripping your covered breast. You push yourself up and he pulls back, eyebrows knitted, as you reach back awkwardly to try and unfasten your bra. With another smile, Tom reaches over and takes over, fumbling a few times before eventually getting there. Impatiently, you move your arms to throw your bra aside, not caring where it lands, and Tom’s immediately transfixed on your naked chest.
You reach up to place a finger beneath his jaw, pushing it back up closed, and giggle as soon as you move it back and his jaw drops yet again. He reaches down to grab both of them, one in each hand, and a gentle rush of euphoria sweeps through you. He kisses you again, timing the press of his lips with the squeeze of his hands.
One hand moves from massaging your breast to slowly slide down your torso. This is it, where everything comes to an end. You await with bated breath, hoping he'll just rest his hand on your tummy while he kisses you, or something. But his hands dip lower, and just as you feel him lifting the elastic of your underwear, your hand flies to his wrist, gripping tightly. He stops kissing to look you in the eye, confused concern on his face. "Y'alright? Wanna stop?"
You swallow hard and shake your head. "It's… It's okay, you don't have to - I can- want to take care of you."
The concern in his expression grows. "This is a two-way street, love. If you don't want it, I'm not having it, either."
You pout, "No! It's not that I don't want it! I- I  do, so bad, I just…" You sigh. "So, the reason I've never gotten anywhere yet in this… Department, is because I… I tend to… Produce… A lot. And I get that that's, y'know, gross, so… You don't have t-”
Tom interrupts you by taking your face in his hands and kissing you sweetly. “You.” He says before kissing you again. “Are far from that.” Another kiss, and then his brow furrows. “You mean to tell me that dickhead -?” His eyebrows then raise in realisation. “When he asked if you were… ‘Disgusting’ with me, last year…” You nod slowly, and Tom turns his nose up. “Fucking wanker. Thank fuck you’re mine now, eh?” For years, you’d been used to your heart soaring just for it to drop. You feel that sensation reverse, the heavy weight of your ex’s insults flying off of you at Tom’s words, smiling back at him as his adoring eyes look down at you, his thumbs caressing your cheeks.
You slide your hands onto his shoulders with an, “Always was, really."
"Oh, yeah?" he asks, taking one of your hands into both of his, holding the palm out to kiss it.
You bite your lip into a smile. "I, uh… Whenever me and my ex did used to… Try, the only thing that could get me going was…" You falter, looking up at him as he keeps kissing down your arm.
"Was what, angel? Didn't catch that last bit," he grins against your skin.
You giggle, "It was you, okay? Prick."
Tom buries his face in your neck, his mouth working the tender skin just below the mark he’d already left until you let out another moan, to which his hips roll down to grind against yours. With just two thin layers between you, you feel his thick member spread your lower lips beneath the lace of your underwear, and you instinctively rub yourself up and down his length, your legs wrapping around him. “Here, guess what,” he mutters into your ear.
“What?���
“I could only ever get off thinking of you, an’ all.” You feel his teeth against the shell of your ear as you can hear the grin in his voice. “So, does that mean…” He snakes a hand back to the elastic of your panties, working his fingertips beneath them, “That all this is for m- ohhh, fuuuuck,” he moans breathily as his fingers slide down into your wetness. “You get this turned on, just by me?” He asks, and you nod quietly, still not sure how to respond. He looks at you adoringly. “I must be pretty fucking fit, then, mustn’t I?” he asks, another, more arrogant, smile just pulling at the corners of his lips, and you laugh.
“You’re such a dickhead,” you scold, but honestly, it’s a massive comfort to you knowing that even in this most tender of moments, the dynamic of you and Tom isn’t lost. This feels good, natural, right. No need to fear anything. No need to worry. It’s just you and him. Like Tom said, as it should be.
“Oh, I am?” he asks teasingly, his expression growing more mischievous. “Even when I’m doing this?” He runs his middle finger down between your folds until it slides easily inside of you, guided by your wetness. You drop your head back into his pillows, moaning louder than ever and bucking your hips against his finger. “Fuuuck,” Tom groans, “you feel so fucking good.”
“Not too wet?” you ask quietly, and he pulls his finger back, sucks it clean while looking you dead in the eye, and then makes quick work of pulling your underwear off of you. 
Sinking down to lay between your legs, he sighs dreamily. “Absolutely not.” He laps all around at the mess you’ve already made noisily, cleaning you up before tracing his tongue carefully along your slit. Just as it brushes over your clit, your breath hitches and the whine underneath it lingers. Tom looks up at you, his big brown eyes warm and safe watching your reaction as he first sucks on the sensitive area, and then laps the tip of his tongue back and forth against it. Your hand flies into his hair as you moan and you feel his lips turn up against you.
Tom blindly finds your free hand to reach up and connect his fingers with yours, a tender bond as his other hand spreads you apart. Angling his head slightly, you watch his tongue fly quickly against you, his own moans echoing yours as you push his face against you, desperately craving more, you don’t quite know in what sense, you just want pleasure, you just want him. You feel yourself gushing around him and you start to feel a little tense. Feeling the change in you, the hand holding yours squeezes, a reassurance. 
He once again happily cleans up after you, muttering unintelligible sweet nothings inside of you as he does. You lock eyes with him again as he resumes sucking on your clit, moving to slide two fingers inside of you. While you certainly feel more full, it doesn’t hurt as much as you were warned it would, thanks to your… Overproduction. Instead, you feel a sensation you’ve never felt before. Stronger than you’ve ever even felt whenever you’ve pleasured yourself. You keen against his fingers, moaning and whining as he gently encourages you, “Fuck, yes, angel, that’s it… Oh, fuck, you’re squeezing around my fingers… Gonna cum all over my fingers, yeah? Do it, baby, cum for me.”
As though working on his actual command, you feel a rush through every nerve in your body, one that pushes its way from your core, spreading along your spine until it arches, across your arms until you’re grabbing the sheets, through your legs until they bend in the air above you. Not wanting to be loud enough to be heard throughout the whole park, you bite through your lip as you let out a long, high-pitched moan throughout your release. 
Tom doesn’t surface for some time as he drinks you in, finally re-emerging with shining lips and wild eyes. Wiping the excess of you off with the back of his hand, he crawls back up your body to kiss you, practically pushing your entire self into the mattress. “God, you are fucking incredible,” he grins against your skin as he moves to kiss your neck, this time just under your other ear.
“I can’t even pretend the same’s not true of you, a certain something’s betrayed me, there,” you joke, and he chuckles under his breath, his lips ghosting the shell of your ear. “Be honest with me, though. It wasn’t… Too much, was it?”
“Not in the slightest, babe,” he whispers into your ear as he presses gentle pecks along your jaw and to your lips. “I’d happily stay down there and eat you out all night long, but…” He pushes himself up to kneeling, palming himself through his boxers as he looks at you hungrily. “I am fucking aching to be inside of you,” he admits. You go to reach out as well, but he bats you away with a soft smirk, “I’m already certain I’m not gonna last long at all, sweets, give me some credit.”
“I don’t care how long you last,” you smile wistfully, watching him climb off you and slide his boxers off, hypnotised by the way his cock springs out as the elastic waistband drags past it.
He glances over as he takes a condom out of his drawer and smirks, “Take a photo, won’t ya, it’ll last longer.” You’d react, but you’re still enamoured watching him roll it down his length.
He gets back onto the bed, lining himself up at you with a look in his eye like he can’t believe it’s finally happening. You feel his tip pressing into you and gasp, your lips forming a near-perfect O before spreading out into a smile. Tom mirrors you as his hands find yours, holding them both just either side of you as he pushes in. You certainly feel the pressure of him sliding in, but it’s far from painful. His eyes study your expression with concern, obviously anticipating you to be in pain as well, but you give him a reassuring smile and a nod as he starts pulling out and pushing himself back inside of you again.
His fingers and his tongue were enough to drive you wild earlier, but nothing on this earth has ever made you feel as good as him thrusting into you. He starts off slow and gentle, but your body yearns for more. As you start to buck your hips up against him, he once again rubs the tip of his nose against yours, stroking his thumbs along the sides of your hands as he shushes you. “Patience, sweets,” he soothes. “We’ve got all summer to fuck like rabbits… But tonight, I just wanna make love to you.”
Too euphoric to filter anything you say now, you breathe out an, “I do.” Tom looks at you, his expression a mixture of deliberation and elation. You beam widely, “You may be a dickhead, but I fucking love you.”
His smile practically touches his ears as he cradles your face with an, “I love you, an’ all, you big twat,” before leaning down to kiss you passionately, moaning against your lips with every thrust. As you lose yourself in the embrace, you feel Tom slip out from you. Again, you start to worry yourself, but Tom’s assuring stroke against your cheek as he simply guides himself back in and returns to kissing you with just as much fervour puts those fears at ease.
You feel the crescendo of another orgasm looming just as Tom’s expression starts to change, as well. Wanting nothing more than to climax alongside him, you try and hurry yourself along a little by rubbing your clit in circles. His pace slows as he watches you, entranced, though your body craves him more than ever. “Fuck, please, Tom, don’t stop,” you whine, and he groans as he resumes rocking his hips into you again.
“God, you’re so fucking hot, you know that?” He asks you breathlessly. “Keep going, baby, keep showing me how you touch yourself, fuck, that’s it.” 
“’M gett- fuck, I’m already close again, Tom,” you moan, and his motions lose any sense of rhythm, just trying desperately to release.
“Me too, sweets, I’m - fuck, I love you,” he groans as he snaps his hips harshly into you. That final press hits just the right spot inside of you and you feel yourself come apart for him yet again, squeezing around him as you ride your second wave of the night.
As you both come down, he presses soft kisses all over your face, down your neck, as far down your chest as he can reach while staying inside you until he finally pulls out. “I’d help you out again, but, uh, I think you’re probably a bit sensitive down there by now,” he grins, leaning up to kiss your forehead. “Let me go get rid of this thing and get you a towel, alright?” Unable to move, talk, or even really think, you simply nod at him, which earns you another breathy chuckle and another peck to the top of your head as he walks off.
He returns within a minute, and insists on gently patting you dry, the tenderness in his eyes matching his touch. You eventually muster enough energy to reach over to him and card your fingers through his curls. He leans into your touch, smiling over at you as you mutter, “I love you, too.”
“D’you know, I’ve never been happier to hear anything else.”
Once you’re all cleaned up, he lays next to you, and you lift yourself up to let his arm rest beneath your head. Curling up against his chest, you let him envelope you, enjoying the comfortable silence until he pipes up, “That was fucking amazing. Like, I knew it’d be good, but… You hear all these things about your first time. And I was always scared with Ruth that I’d mess up somehow, or I’d kill the mood, you know how daft I am. But it was all just… Part of it, weren’t it?”
You press your head into the crook of his shoulder. “Yeah, I know what you mean. I was always scared of the same, and then, well…” You gesture down between your legs.
“’Ey,” Tom scolds, reaching down to grab your wrist. “No more of that. It’s just the way your body works, yeah? And your body is fucking perfect. I’ll never stop proving that to you.”
And he really doesn’t. When you had first disclosed to Hayley that you were a virgin, the previous year when you’d come with your ex, she’d told you, “Sex is like Pringles; once you pop, you just can’t stop. At least, I think that’s the Pringles thing.” You’d always laughed that off, but now that it’s happened to you, it really is true. You wake up to it, you’re at it as soon as he’s finished his shift, just before you go to sleep. And then there’s the rest. Passing him while he’s working to sneakily grab, pinch or slap his ass cheek as you walk past, only for him to get his own back by “innocently cuddling” you from behind while also pressing himself against your own ass just once before placing a single kiss to your neck and running off. Your personal favourite is knowing all you have to do is send him a racy photo of you proving that you’re wearing one of his shirts and nothing else, and knowing that if you look out of the window you’ll see him running across the caravan park at top speed, leaping over any obstacle to then practically fly into his caravan and tackle you onto his bed.
You still try and maintain staying with Hayley for as long as possible, but with her being the evening entertainment, and her telling you that she was banning “all hanky-panky” at her place, that didn’t leave you with much else to do to spend your evenings than to hang out in Tom’s caravan with him, anyway. Not that she minded. Even when she would insist on a you-and-her day, it would mostly be to gossip about Tom, anyway.
There’s a few days when you start to wonder if perhaps Tom only wants you around for sex and nothing else. That all gets easily explained away when eventually Mother Nature clocks in for her monthly shift. You warn Tom that nothing can happen for the next week, and that you’ll probably just stay at Hayley’s again to avoid any stained sheets or exposure to sanitary products, but Tom remains as joined to your hip as ever. He buys heating pads, pain relief, snacks and drinks, extra products, anything you may need, happily letting you curl up in his lap in an attempt to soothe the cramps. A few days in, you even open up to him that you’d had doubts that he was only interested in getting into your pants, which results in many days’ worth of constant reassurance whenever you’re with him and texts of affirmations when you’re not. He certainly doesn’t turn down the gratuitous blowjob you give him as a result of being so patient on a night you know Hayley’s working especially late, though.
The last weekend of the last week of you being in Cornwall hits you like a brick wall. You’re constantly getting emotional, which only spikes every time you so much as look at Hayley or Tom. Tom reminds you that you’ll only see him in a couple of weeks anyway, once you move up north to university. And Hayley makes you both promise you’ll come back to Cornwall at every chance you can.
Tom meets you and your family in the car park of your uni halls, already waiting to help you move in. Both of your families have dinner together while yours are still in town, and as they part, they joke that the next time they’ll see each other is at your wedding. With your ex, even trying to plan to go to the same university together seemed daunting and unnatural. But you laugh along with Tom, safe in the knowledge that your collective parents’ joke is 100% truthful.
Age 19
After a year of university, you decide to move out of your dorm and into a place with Tom. Your first housemate, you love to remind him, though that spikes up a slightly more awkward conversation while cuddled up on the sofa. “So, we were first for a lot of things.”
“Well, yeah, that’s kind of our thing,” Tom teases.
“Piss off,” you scoff, elbowing him in the side as he laughs. “I mean, we were for pretty much everything, but not where it counts. You weren’t my first boyfriend, and I wasn’t your first, either. So, like, in terms of the way our relationship goes on through the years… I dunno, just sucks a bit that that’s like one of the only things we don’t have now.”
Tom deliberates for a second. “The way I like to see it,” he starts. “I consider you my first for a lot of sort of extraneous things, little things that add up to make us, us. But in terms of our relationship, it’s easy enough to explain.” You look over at him in confusion, and he takes the opportunity to take your chin between his finger and thumb to grin at you, pulling you close to mutter three words to you before pressing a long and sweet kiss to your lips: “You’re my only.”
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cowgurrrl · 2 months
Text
Bug
Pairing: rockstar!joel miller x actress!reader
Summary: The BuzzFeed Puppy Interview [1.6k]
Warnings: mentions of a pet passing away, grief, puppy shenanigans, a happy ending (and surprises)
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"The last time we were here, I was pregnant." You say as you settle onto the ground next to Joel. 
"I know, it's been a minute! How old are the twins now?" The same producer from the last time you and Joel did a Buzzfeed promo video asks.
"They'll be six in July," Joel says, beaming with pride, and you nod. 
"Is this your way of announcing something?"
"No!" You and Joel say at the same time, making everyone laugh. Once things settle, you introduce each other to the camera and wait excitedly for the puppies to come clamoring onto the sound stage. It only took six years, but you're finally getting to do the puppy interview with Joel, and you both immediately melt when the little baby pit bulls pad their way over to you. 
You specifically asked if you could work with pit bull puppies to raise awareness about the misconceptions surrounding the breed in memory of Daisy. It's been six months since she passed after fifteen years of belly rubs, snuggles, and love, and you've felt the ache since then. Seeing the tiny versions of her makes you feel a little better.
"C'mere, honey," Joel coaxes as he half-lays on the floor and scoops up the tan one. "Oh, look at that little face." He murmurs as he kisses her head and tucks her safely in his arms. Meanwhile, you're working on getting a shy black one to toddle over to you with little whistles and kissing sounds.
"It's okay. You don't have to be scared." You say, but he doesn't budge. The other two puppies, one grey and one brown, cuddle between you and Joel, and you take turns leaning down to kiss their heads and petting them.
"What was the process like working together on this film?" The producer asks.
"It was really fun! I always like having him work with me on things, and he just has an ear for scores and music in a way that I don't, so I think bringing him on for that was a perfect choice." You say, your eyes flitting to the black puppy who's still hesitant at your presence.
"Havin' her direct me and make notes was different than how we've worked together before because this is the first time she's been a director and producer, but it was a really cool environment. Our kids got to come to set with us and raid the craft station, so it was a good time." He's always been guilty of talking with his hands, but the puppy whining at a lack of attention really highlights it and makes you laugh. "Oh, I'm sorry. Are you feelin' neglected?"
"Joel, do you have any favorite movies or shows of hers?" 
"What a great question!" He exclaims, and you laugh. "I love everythin' she's been in and done, but that's 'cause I love her so much, and seein' someone you love do somethin' they love is just… the most special thing in the world. But I do have a special place in my heart for Self Made Men 'cause that's the first thing I ever saw of hers, and she's just so pretty in it. I mean, c'mon." He says, and you pretend to roll your eyes. The grey puppy climbs into Joel's lap and begins nipping at his arm to get him to put the tan one down and hold him instead. "Oh, don't be like that. I've got two hands for a reason." 
"What's your favorite album or piece of music Joel's made?" The producer asks you as Joel holds the puppies, alternating between head scratches and lightly pushing at their chests to get them to play. 
"I still really love the album he was making when we first started dating." 
"Glass House?" Joel asks, and you nod. 
"Sometimes, I'll put it on in the background while reading or doing something. It's just so nice, and it's so beautiful, both lyrically and sonically."
"Look at you with your vocabulary." He teases. 
"I married a musician a couple years ago. I hope I'd sound like I know what I'm talking about." You say as the two puppies in his lap finally have enough of him, riling them up, and they run off to play. The brown one joins them quickly, but the black one still lingers around you. You open your hands to him to let him smell, but he doesn't actually sit with you until his siblings come skating by and spook him. "Oh, sweet angel! Are you just so shy and little?" You coo as he snuggles into your chest, hiding his face like he got caught. You pet him gently and adjust so he can rest comfortably in your arms, and something in your chest settles for the first time in months. There's a fleeting thought, but you dismiss it quickly as the producer asks another question. 
"What is your love language?" She asks, and you laugh.
"Joel's is acts of service and touch."
"Hers is… I wanna say," Joel squints at you as he thinks. "Words of affirmation, and I'm gonna say touch." 
"You got it." You say, holding out your hand for a high-five. The trio of puppies start playing a little rough, and you and Joel immediately go into parent mode. He disengages the fight by picking them up while you protect the whimpering puppy in your arms. 
"Woah, woah, woah!" Joel says. "I understand that you wanna play and you're explorin' different things, but that's not how we treat other puppies, okay?"
"I can't believe you're gentle-parenting a pair of puppies." You laugh, and he shrugs as he puts them back down before reaching out and scratching the ear of the puppy you're holding. He makes a content noise and leans into Joel's hand. You smile as you look down at him. 
"It worked on the five animals we raised."
"What's one thing you could give a lengthy PowerPoint presentation on with no prep?" The producer asks.
"New York City history," you answer quickly. "I lived there for several years when I was in my late teens/early twenties, and it's kind of mandatory if you're gonna live there to know different bits of history. I just found it so fascinating."
"I think mine would probably have to do with guitars or somethin'. Especially since I started makin' them." Joel says.
"Oh, yeah. He made one for Ellie's birthday recently. It was just gorgeous, and it sounded perfect, too. You could probably teach classes at this point." 
"I don't know bout all that, but I do know a lot bout it." He says.
"Tell us a little bit about the Big Dreamer Foundation." The producer says. You and Joel each say a little bit about the foundation you created together to support arts programs and give kids scholarships to go to the programs of their dreams. Since you've started it, you've been able to send hundreds of kids to school and provide them with resources they wouldn't have had access to before. You even hint a little bit at the community center you're planning on building in your hometowns to support the arts there and help bring the community together. Starting the Big Dreamer Foundation with him is by far the most rewarding of everything you've ever done. 
As the interview goes on, you continue cuddling the black puppy as the others play and eventually fall asleep on Joel. When you come to the end and you're promoting the movie, you look at the people who brought the puppies from the shelter. "Are these guys available for adoption?" You ask, and someone nods. You look back at Joel and see him already looking at you and the puppy. 
"Are you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" 
"I don't know. What are you thinking?" 
"I'm thinkin' there's no way we're goin' home without a puppy." He says, and you take a deep breath. You've been hesitant to bring another dog home since Daisy died. You weren't ready to love something else as much as you loved her. You also weren't ready to admit that she was really gone. But the kids miss having a dog around, and, honestly, you miss it, too. You didn't know you could even consider adopting another pet until the tiny black puppy captured your heart. 
"What's this one's name?" You ask the people from the shelter.
"That one's Bug."
"Bug." You echo in a baby voice. You look between Bug and Joel and feel tears spring in your eyes for some reason. "Baby, I think we need to take Bug home." You say. He makes a sympathetic noise and pulls you and Bug into his side.
"Then, Bug needs to come home with us." He murmurs. 
By the time the video goes live, Bug has come out of his shell and adjusted to the chaos of the Miller home. It turns out he loves music and will often sing along if Joel hits the right note on his guitar. He also loves cuddling up in bed when you're doing story time with the kids and is exceptionally patient when they try to put costumes on him to act in their plays. He's perfect. BuzzFeed includes pictures and videos of Bug with your family and a sweet memorial to Daisy at the end of the video.
You'll miss Daisy for the rest of your life but you know she would want you to love again. Her mysterious entrance into your life still baffles you, but you like to think she sent Bug your way in an equally baffling experience. You like to think she's still watching over you and the kids in her own way. You like to think she's just as happy as you are when Bug settles into your family like he was always meant to be there. 
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