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holidaywishes · 4 years

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It Had To Be You XXXVIII

Chapter Thirty Eight: Sad Song

Summary: Fast forward six months and the new Preseason is just about to start. After a rough playoff loss, Tyler wants this season to be better and he has some ideas on how to make everything go smoothly.

Warning: I guess because this song is so cheesy and sweet, there’s going to be a lot of fluff in this chapter, this one’s also got a few time jumps as well.

Author’s Note: I don’t really know where I’m going with this series anymore. I think I’m trying to stretch it out to 50 chapters but it all depends on how I’m feeling obviously. Just know that I have a thing with odd numbers. That is to say, I will only end on an even number or a multiple of 5 (45, 50, 55, etc.) But this one will be another short chapter (and I’ll admit this is really not my favourite) but I’ll probably put two out back to back since I have something in my head and I’m literally not doing anything else, so why not? Anyway, I hope you like whatever comes from the rest of this series, ENJOY!

P.S. This chapter took a little longer than I thought it would but I have some clearer ideas of what the next like four-ish chapters are going to be so that’s exciting.

P.P.S. I wanted to update the timeline because this chapter has a lot of time jumps as did the last chapter. So here’s a quick recap of the whole series:

Part I: September 2013

Part II: November 2013

Part III: January 2015

Parts IV and V: May-June 2015

Part VI: June 2015/January 2016

Part VII: January 2016/June 2016/November 2016

Part VIII: November 2016

Part IX: December 2016

Part X: January 2017

Part XI: February-August 2017

Part XII: September-November 2017

Part XIII: mid-November-December 2017

Part XIV: January-February 2018

Part XV: March-April 2018

Part XVI: April-June 2018

Part XVII: July 2018

Part XVIII: July-November 2018

Parts XIX, XX and XXI: December 2018

Parts XXII: December-January 2019

Part XXIII, XXIV, XXV and XXVI: January 2019

Part XXVII: late January-March 2019

Parts XXVIII and XXIX: March 2019

Part XXX: late-March/April-May 2019

Part XXXI: May-November 2019

Part XXXII: January 2020

Part XXXIII: late January 2020

Parts XXXIV and XXXV: August 2020

Part XXXVI: October-Early November 2020

Part XXXVII: March 2021

Part XXXVIII (this chapter): July/September 2021/January 2022 (yup I did that)

Song Credit: Sad Song -- We the Kings & Elena Coats

masterlist

the other masterlist

After the whole quarantine last year, and the season being cancelled, Tyler wanted the next to be better but after being knocked out in the first round he wasn’t in the best mood for a few months. He spent every waking minute training during the summer, except for his seemingly annual trip to the Bahama’s with the guys.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” he asked when you said you’d stay behind and watch the dogs

“I’ve gotta work,” you replied, pushing yourself up to wrap your arms around his neck and press your lips to his, “plus, I think you need some time with your boys to let loose. As long as you don’t let loose too much...”

“Don’t worry, babe,” he replied, pecking your lips between words, “we’ll really just be playing a lot of golf. You know how it goes..” You sent him off with one last kiss and sent him an ‘I love you’ text before he got on the plane. You felt completely secure with Tyler lately but maybe that had to do with the fact that two of you had survived four months in self-isolation together. Whatever it was, you weren’t nervous about spending a week away from each other.

Tyler’s week away proved to be just what he needed to get his spirits up but as soon as he was back in Dallas, the two of you decided to head up to Brampton to see his family but it was over just as quickly as it began and it was time for the preseason to start. It was a pretty easy start to the season with the Stars winning 7 of their 8 preseason games which left Tyler with a huge grin on his face and he told you he was very positive for the rest of the city.

“I have a good feeling about this season, you know?” he said, rinsing the dishes as you washed down the counter, “I feel like this could be our year.”

“I think you guys are looking good out there but--” Tyler put his finger in front of your mouth to stop you from continuing

“Don’t jinx it. We’re looking good and we’ll continue to look good because we’re in this for the long run.” He said, raising his eyebrows intensely so you got his point and you just smiled before nodding and walking away. You were happy he was so confident about the season especially after everything that happened and seeing him so excited made you excited for the season.

“Hey, Ty,” you called from the couch, “you’re turning 30 in January. How do you want to celebrate?”

“That’s a while from now, I haven’t thought about it..”

“Well think about it!” you laughed, “I know the season will be like in ‘full swing’ or whatever, but maybe we can do something during Bye Week? It’s a big year you know?”

“Yeah, another year older..” he sighed and slumped next to you on the couch, “I’m getting to be an oldie. I’ll be vintage soon...”

“Oh stop,” you nudged, “vintage? I have a hard time thinking you’ll ever be vintage. It’s just a birthday. If you don’t want to celebrate it, we don’t have to. But I’ll have you know, men get sexier as they age.” you said, moving towards him to kiss his neck, “It’s actually very annoying.” He kissed you back

“I’ll think about it,” he smiled and you tucked yourself into his side, “but for right now, let’s figure out something to watch.” As the two of you settled in and started some action movie you were sure you wouldn’t pay attention to, you caught yourself looking up at Tyler for the billionth time, “what?” he laughed

“What?” you responded

“I can feel you staring at me,” he continued, still not returning your gaze, “do I have something on my face?”

“No,” you smiled, “I just like looking at you.” When he finally looked at you, your stomach filled with butterflies and you felt the need to bury your head in his chest; looking back up at him just in time to see his smile stretch across his face.

“I like looking at you too.” He said, leaning his head down to capture your lips in a soft kiss. You reveled in it for a minute before finally saying anything

“I’ll never get tired of that” you giggled and he smiled against your lips before continuing to kiss you.

Tyler’s P.O.V

You hated that you couldn’t be with (Y/N) and the dogs on your birthday again this year, especially because things seemed to be going so well, so you figured out a way for her to be with you in

“Boston?” she said, a hint of confusion in her voice over the phone

“That’s where we’ll be on my birthday,” you replied, “there are some great spots though.”

“I went once,” she said, nonchalantly, “it was beautiful. But I mean.. Bruins fans run rampant” she laughed and you knew then that she would meet you there.

“So you’ll be there?” you asked

“If I get to see you, I’ll be wherever you ask.” You could hear her smile over the phone and your smile grew in return

“Good,” you laughed, “I’ll see you in a couple days. Love you”

“Love you, too.” You ended the call only to turn around to your teammates waiting to chirp you

“Ooooh, Tyler and (Y/N) sittin’ in a tree,” they started, “k-i-s-s-i-n-g, first comes love, then comes marr--”

“Alright, alright. That’s enough guys.” They laughed and you smiled as you found your way back to your seat beside Rads and Jamie.

“She’s coming to spend your birthday with you? That’s sweet” Jamie said

“Well...” you hesitated, “I’m thinking of proposing to her!”

“On your birthday?” Jamie asked and Rads gave you a sideways glance

“Yeah...” you answered, “I mean we’ll already be out to dinner and I love her, so..”

“You think you’re ready?” Rads asked and you took a second to answer

“Yeah”

“What if she says no? Then your birthday is like forever tainted by that” Jamie challenged

“It’s still my birthday, it won’t be tainted. Forever.”

“She’s a great girl and you seem really happy with her,” Rads interrupted, “I like her and I like her for you. But just make sure, if you feel weird about it, don’t do it.” You took a second to think about what he was saying but you couldn’t stop thinking about how she’d be in that moment and what the rest of your life would look like with her.

“Thanks Rads,” you finally said, “it’s alright though. I want her in my lie forever. I can’t imagine a day without her there.”

You showed up at the Boston airport and waited for instructions from Tyler when he sent you a text with directions to his hotel

“Am I suppose to get my own room or find my way to yours?” you replied as you got into the cab and told the driver the address

“Don’t worry, I got you a room but it’s close to mine” he said

“Sounds good, it’s under my name?”

“Yes. I’m heading to practice, so I won’t be there when you check in but I’ll call you when I’m out. I made reservations at 6 so you’ll have to be ready”

“What kind of place is it? What if I didn’t pack anything fancy?”

“I have something for you. I’m always prepared”

“Well you’re lucky. I figured you might do something like this so I brought a dress”

“Thinking ahead, I like it” he joked and you rolled your eyes

“I have to or you’ll get me something wayyyy too revealing”

“The amount of revealing it would be is debatable.” You let him go after that by sending him an eye roll GIF and he sent back a laughing emoji. A couple hours later, you started getting ready for whatever Tyler had planned, deciding whether you should curl or straighten your hair when he called you

“Hey babe,” he said happily, “you almost ready? I’m just about to jump in the shower so I wanted to check in”

“I’m almost ready. I’ll be ready by the time you’re out of the shower so I could meet you in yo-”

“NO” he blurted out, “I want to pick you up.”

“Fine,” you laughed, “I’ll be ready soon. Go take your shower, I love you.”

Tyler’s P.O.V.

You finished getting ready, making sure to do a quick pep talk to yourself in the mirror.

“You got this dude. You love her, she loves you.” You smiled and made sure you had everything you needed, careful not to forget the ring, and headed over to (Y/N)’s room.

“Just a second!” she called after you knocked on her door, fidgeting with your suit jacket while you waited. When she opened the door, your mouth dropped at the sight of her in a beautiful blue dress and she smiled before spinning around for you to get a complete look at the outfit, “what do you think?”

“You look.. stunning,” you smiled, “guess it’s a good thing I didn’t pack anything for you isn’t it?” She smiled to herself, shaking her head as she grabbed her purse. The two of you laughed and she took your hand as the two of you headed to the car.

“What do you have planned?” she asked as she put on some music

“A nice dinner, I’ll take you to some of my favourite places in the city,” you said, intertwining your fingers with hers to kiss the back of her head, “nothing too crazy.” She smiled at you and tried, the whole way to the restaurant, to guess where you were taking her or what you were planning. You pulled up in front of the restaurant and a valet opened her door

“Oooh,” you smiled as you heard her speak to the valet, “isn’t this fancy?” You met her on the sidewalk, thanking the valet and tipping him before taking (Y/N)’s hand to go inside. When she sat down, she browsed the menu and you tried not to give away how nervous you were about what you had planned for later in the night.

“Anything look good?” you asked about the menu

“Still looking..” she smiled. You ordered her favourite drink when the server came by to grab your orders, “ahh I get it” she said as the server left

“What?” you said suddenly

“You’re trying to be ‘the big man’ tonight. Coming to a fancy restaurant with valets, ordering my favourite drink,” she smiled and you let out a sigh, “who you trynna impress, Seguin?”

“Only you,” you answered, “always you.” The rest of the meal was filled with smiles from both of you; you watched as her eyes lit up when she talked about her job, her smile shine when you talked about how you felt about the team and the way the season was going and listened to her laugh that you couldn’t imagine not hearing everyday. You kept Rads’ words in the back of your head though, ‘just make sure, if you feel weird about it, don’t do it.’

“Would you like a dessert menu?” the server asked when he noticed there was a break in the conversation. You were prepared for her to say no, or to defer to you, but instead she said yes and that was the moment you knew she was comfortable with you. It was a small moment, a small thing, but it made everything so much clearer. You paid the bill and thanked the staff, guiding (Y/N) out to the car by placing your hand on the small of her back. You took her to the aquarium and watched her eyes follow the fish and tried to catch her as she chased the manta rays before eventually stopping in front of the shark tank.

“We may be slightly overdressed for this place” you laughed, noticing the stares the two of you were getting

“Do you ever wonder what they’re thinking?” she said, completely ignoring your statement

“What?” you asked

“Like are they sad? Do they know where they are? Do they wonder where their friends are? Or their families? Do they like it here? Are they happy?” You smiled at her thought process, “did you know that Sharks adapt to fit their environment? So like if there was a Great White Shark here, it would only grow to fit comfortably in the tank but in the ocean it would grow much bigger. That’s why you hear of like 30ft sharks.” She finished, eyebrows raised when she looked at you and you smiled while your eyes danced between hers.

“Is any of that actually true?” you asked and she smiled at you

“I don’t know,” she confessed, “it could be. It sounds like it should be, doesn’t it?” She grabbed your hand, intertwining her fingers with yours and continued walking, “and,” she added, “who cares if we’re overdressed.” She winked at you, as if to say ‘I’m always paying attention,’ and you shared the smile that she gave you. There was one last place you wanted to go before it got dark and it was the perfect spot for the proposal. A park with a beautiful river running through and a clear view of the Boston skyline. Sure, it was public but it wasn’t overly crowded so it had just enough of people for (Y/N) to have at least one picture of the proposal without feeling overwhelmed.

“Wow, Ty,” she said lightly, “this place is beautiful. Thank you for bringing me here.” She smiled at you and, with her hair blowing in the wind and the sun beginning to set, you knew it was the perfect time.

“(Y/N),” Tyler said when your back was turned, “I need to get this out so don’t say anything until I’m finished okay?” You giggled at his statement but slowly turned around to face him, surprised when you saw him on one knee

“Ty, what are you doing?” you said

“I love you,” he started and your eyes grew wide, “ When we first met, I was so focused on being the best for Dallas, to start fresh after Boston, that you were just some girl. I didn’t think of you really that way, until I saw you with James; I just wanted to see you happy because you deserved that, I just hated that it had to be with him. But now here we are, having chosen each other after all the crap we’ve been through. Together and apart. I know we’ve had some rough times but you’ve always been the person I want to be with. The one I want to wake up next to. Every time we’re apart, whether I’m on the road or your visiting Chris in Calgary, I feel like I’m missing something because I am. You. You’re my favourite part of me and I can’t imagine a day without you. (Y/N) (Y/M/N) (Y/L/N), will you marry me?” You stood in front of Tyler for a few minutes, in a state of shock that left you silent when you noticed a few people start to huddle around you and Tyler, who hadn’t moved at all

“Yes” you whispered, a smile starting to grow on your face

“What?” he said jokingly, a smile dancing on his lips

“Of course I’ll marry you!” you exclaimed and he slid the ring on your finger before picking you up and kissing you, you breaking the kiss only to laugh at the round of applause the two of you got. He put you down and waved to the crowd as you buried yourself in his chest out of embarrassment.

“I love you”

“I love you too,” you said, tucking yourself into his side while the two of you continued to walk through the park, “I can’t believe you actually proposed.”

“Why?” he asked, in fake shock

“I don’t know.. I guess I just never thought you were the marrying kind” you admitted

“I wasn’t,” he said, kissing the top of your head, “until you.”

“Well, happy birthday Mr. Seguin” you joked

“Thank you,” he replied, “and thank you for saying ‘yes’ on my birthday. The guys were convinced that if you said no it would’ve tainted the day forever”

“I’m surprised you did it on your birthday. I mean, the guys are right. It’s a risk.” You laughed and he shrugged his shoulders

“It was worth it.”

#Tyler Seguin #It Had To be You #it had to be you series #Tyler Seguin imagine #tyler seguin series #masterlist #the other masterlist #no idea when or how this will end anymore #i had an idea but now i don't #i guess that's how it goes #prepare for some short chapters #after this one obviously

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angelic-holland · 5 years

Text

Stay At My Place // th x fem!reader

Miss Yer Kiss Part Two

Feel free to read Miss Yer Kiss! Feel free to leave comments or asks with feedback!

Warnings: smut, feelings, actual plot this time, nsfw, 18+ please

Word Count: 12k

Tom checked Instagram the next day, including your page. He was laying in his bed when he clicked your story. He gasped when he saw what was a spitting image of himself in pencil. He took a screenshot of it and almost posted it to his story but decided not to.

He remembered what you told him.

“Let’s agree on one thing. This is a one night stand, that’s it.”

He didn’t want it to be a one night stand. He’s had his share of one night stands, sure. But there was something different about you. Maybe it was your confidence, maybe it was the way you didn’t even care enough to leave your phone number. Maybe it was your tattoos and how he wanted to hear the story behind each and every one of them.

He decided to wait, see if you would DM him since you set out the “only a one night stand” pact.

He heard his doorbell ring and he got out of bed, he checked his phone, who was at his place at 10:30 at night?

He jogged down the stairs, opening the door.

“Hey mate,” Harry says, pushing his way inside.

“What’s up? Were you planning on coming over?”

“Nah last minute decision,” Harry says, walking up the stairs, Tom following.

“Okay, what’s up?”

“Is she still here?”

“Who?”

“The girl you left the club with last night.”

“No she’s gone,” Tom frowns.

Harry flops down on the sofa, “oh good.”

“Why?”

“You’ve never been caught mid hook up before, by the paps I mean, mom almost had a fucking heart attack when she saw the pictures of you leaving the restroom of the club.”

“Wait why?”

“Cause she doesn’t know about your other hookups, she also wasn’t expecting pictures of her son with lipstick marks and sex hair leaving a fucking club bathroom.”

“We didn’t fuck in there.”

“Sure you didn’t.”

“Not like, not full sex, fuck off it doesn’t matter.”

“Sure, like the stories of people hearing her scream your name aren’t important.”

“Harry! Can it, not like it matters now.”

“Yeah? Do you even remember her name?”

“Course I do, it’s Y/N.”

He smiles, remembering how you made him work for it.

“Stop thinking about it you perv,” Harry says, tossing a pillow at Tom as he sits down.

“Shut up, she only wanted a one night stand so I’m gonna respect that.”

“Sure.”

“What?”

“You always catch up with them after the ‘one night stand’ and see if they want to go on a date, hook up again. It’s your thing.”

“My thing?” Tom scoffs, crossing his arms.

“Yeah.”

“Well whatever if she wants to talk to me she can DM me on Instagram or something.”

“No she can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because you get legit thousands of DMs a day, probably more, you wouldn’t be able to see it.”

“I could search for it? Would that work?”

“Maybe.”

***

You’re lying in bed, suitcase packed for the flight you’ve got early tomorrow. You sigh, pulling out your phone. You know what you said. You know you should just forget about the possibility of seeing Tom again. Of interacting with him again. But you couldn’t get that night out of your head.

“It’s beautiful out,” you say, exhaling the smoke from your lungs.

“Not as-,”

“I swear if you finish that sentence I’ll leave right now,” you groan.

“Okay! I won’t, just, you look so pretty, the moon really lights up your tattoos, they look good.”

Any of your hook ups, you weren’t used to them complimenting you if that compliment wasn’t about loving your tits or something stupid. They never called you beautiful, like Tom was about to. Or pretty. You opened your Instagram, you decided the other day to post the picture you drew of Tom, even going so far as to tag him. Your eyes almost fell out of your head when you saw he liked the post.

Maybe, maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to send him a message, he’d have a hard time finding it anyways with the probably hundreds of thousands of messages he gets.

You quickly send him a DM.

yourinstagramhandle: thanks for the like, you like the drawing?

You roll your eyes and send a text to Bryce, asking if he wants to go to your graduation.

You go back to Instagram and see you’ve got a DM from none other than Tom.

What the fuck.

***

“wait! She DMed me, holy shit,” Tom says, opening it.

He smiles and responds.

tomholland2013: thought it was okay

tomholland2013: I’m kidding I thought it was great

Yourinstagramhandle: well thanks

Tomholland2013: didn’t think I’d hear from you again

Yourinstagramhandle: almost didn’t DM you but decided I need validation

Tomholland2013: the sex or the drawing?

Yourinstagramhandle: you caught me… both

tomholland2013: well the sex was so good I want to see you again so there’s that. And the portrait is so good I want you to tattoo it on me

Yourinstagramhandle: well damn I’ll take it. Not a tattoo artist yet though, and getting a portrait of yourself tattooed, little self centered don’t you think?

Tomholland2013: just a tad bit.

Tomholland2013: are you still in town?

Yourinstagramhandle: leaving bright and early tomorrow for NYC

Tomholland2013: come over

Yourinstagramhandle: I can’t, I’ll be too busy giving you the time of your life I’ll miss my flight

Tomholland2013: that’s not necessarily a bad thing

Yourinstagramhandle: it is when I’ve got school, finals in two weeks and then I need to beg for a tattoo apprenticeship

Tomholland2013: they’ll be begging you to be their apprentice

Yourinstagramhandle: totally not how it works

Tomholland2013: I fly by New York end of May, can I see you then?

Yourinstagramhandle: sure you won’t have forgotten about me by then?

Tomholland2013: no, already miss your sex, don’t know how I’m gonna go two months without it

Yourinstagramhandle: we could always be horny teenagers and sext. Wanna see my tits?

Tomholland2013: right now?

Yourinstagramhandle: no in two months, yes right now

Tomholland2013: fuck yeah

Tomholland2013: wait send me ur phone number I don’t wanna accidentally save them and have them end up on my Instagram story or something

Yourinstagramhandle: not very good with technology?

Tomholland2013: nope

***

You giggle, pulling off your shirt, you weren’t wearing a bra, so you just waited for him to text you.

Unknown number: Y/N?

You: the one and only

Tom: great now show me your tits

You: I better get a picture of your hard cock immediately following

Tom: my brothers here!

You: kick him out or go to your room, my tits look pretty great right now

Tom: please send them, told him to get lost

You: where are you right now?

Tom: couch

You: take your cock out, play with it a little bit

You position yourself in front of the mirror, pinching your nipples a little so they harden before taking a picture and sending it to him.

Tom: holy fuck, missed ur tits so much

You: I’m waiting

You quickly strip your sweatpants and now soaked panties, laying back on the bed.

You groan at the picture he sends, his hard cock in his hand, thighs spread on his couch.

Tom: can I call u

You: Patience baby, one step at a time. Let’s just sext for now

You can practically hear his whine but you wouldn’t answer his call even if he did. You loved teasing him.

Tom: fuck, send me a picture of your pussy

You: why should I?

Tom: please, know you’re probably dripping for me, come on, lemme see it

You smirk, your fingers moving to lazily move through your folds, gently slipping into your hole, you take a few pics, choosing the best one to send to Tom.

Tom: holy fuck, you sure I can’t come over? Wanna eat your pussy so good

Although you’d love that, you knew it wasn’t possible. You sighed, responding to him as your thumb gently rubbed your clit.

You: positive, now be a good boy and jerk your cock for me until you make a mess

You smile, putting your phone down and fucking yourself down on your fingers.

****

“Shit,” Tom groaned, reading your text before his hand sped up. He closed his eyes, pretending it was your hand, pretending you were there with him.

He came embarrassingly quickly with a whimper of your name.

You: and I expect a picture of the mess

He groans, sending a picture of his stomach painted with his come and his softening cock, sending it to you.

You: beautiful

You send him a video a few minutes later.

He cleans his stomach off with a T-shirt before clicking play, feeling his cock twitch as it starts with you whimpering his name.

“Tommy,” you say, the camera angle showing your fingers fucking in and out of your pussy, making the most delicious sound. Your fingers speed up, thumb rubbing your clit as the only noise he hears is his name and the sound of your fingers fucking in and out of you.

You come with a grunt of his name, and he thinks the video is going to cut off but you trail your fingers from your clit up your body, stopping to make gentle circles around your nipples before sucking them into your mouth. He groans as the video stops, right as you moan around your fingers.

Tom: you’ll send me that and not let me come over?

You: gotta keep ya on your toes

Tom: trust me I most certainly am

He sighs, grimacing as he picks up his sticky shirt, tucking his cock back into his shorts.

Tom: we need to do this again

You: I fully intend on it

***

You make it to your flight, Lily talking nonstop the entire trip back to New York about Tom, about if you’re going to meet up with him. How good he was in bed.

“Listen, Lily, I love you, but give it a rest. I’m sure the rest of the people on the plane don’t want to hear about it. I’ll tell you more when we get back to our place. Sound good? Also, you’re gay, you shouldn’t care about this.”

You roll your eyes as she grumbles, turning on a movie as you try to sleep.

When you arrive at your apartment, all you want to do is collapse on your bed and sleep for days. You only have one before you have to be back at work and school, however.

This next week was hectic, you had to finish your final for your portrait class, then you had to finish your oil painting final. The only final you would have to sit for was Art History IV.

You saw a text from Tom that you decided to open.

Tom: hope your flight was nice, good luck with finals

Jesus, you needed a smoke. You begrudgingly got up, grabbing your pack and lighter from your bedside table you pushed open the balcony door, taking your phone with you.

You: thanks, can’t believe I graduate so soon, been a whirlwind

Tom: what’s ur address

You: what

You light your cigarette, waiting for his reply.

Tom: wanna send you a graduation gift

You: like what

Tom: just something

Tom: on a completely different note what size bra and panties do you wear

You: I like the way you think.

You send him all the information he asked for, finishing your cigarette and lighting up another one. It was a bad habit of yours, you were well aware, but you started smoking with your ex when you first started college and you were, like most people who smoke, addicted. You planned to stop eventually, they drained money from your account and you’d need to start saving more for a chair at a tattoo shop anyways.

Tom: What are you up to now?

You: having a smoke then going to take a nap

Tom: oh

You: what?

Tom: just was gonna say we can call or video chat if you wanted to

You: although the idea of getting off together over the phone sounds amazing baby, I needa take a nap

Tom: after?

You: I’d want nothing more

You finish your other cigarette before going back inside, flopping down on your bed and closing your eyes.

You wake up to Lily shaking you awake, “Y/N, it’s been like so long you should get up.”

“What time is it?”

“It’s Sunday, like 2pm.”

“Oh shit,” you say, getting up.

You check your phone, a few missed calls from Tom, one text from Bryce asking if you wanted to work tonight around 6. The shop was closed but there was going to be a small cleaning day according to him.

You quickly text Bryce back, telling him you’ll be there. You send a message to Tom as well, unsure of what time it was over there.

You: sorry I totally suck but I’ll make it up to you. I’m going into work into work at 6pm my time, call me before then.

You lock your door, quickly shutting the door and curtains that lead to your balcony.

You jump back into bed and see your phone buzz, Tom. You quickly pick up.

“Thought you were gonna ghost me,” he laughs.

“Nah, like your dick too much.”

“Y/N, don’t say things like that.”

“Why?”

“Cause.”

“Oh, are you hard right now?”

“Maybe.”

“Are you free?”

“Course.”

“Good, are you naked?”

You hear him suck in a deep breath, “not yet.”

“Okay so get naked.”

“Are you?”

“I’m about to be baby, like I said, gotta work on your patience.”

It’s silent other than the sound of both of you taking your clothes off. You put the phone on speaker and lay it down next to you.

“You naked?” He asks, panting.

“Are you touching yourself?”

“Yes?”

“Did I say you could?” You grin, hearing him swear.

“What’s this game we’re playing Y/N?”

“Just listen to my instructions baby, gonna make you feel so good.”

“Fine,” you hear him grumble.

“You don’t haveta, you can hang up and get yourself off if you wanna.”

“No, no, okay I’m not touching myself, what do you want?”

“Want you to tease yourself, lick your palm, rub it down your chest, don’t touch your cock yet.”

He swears but does what you say, waiting patiently for your next instruction.

“Good, go ahead, wrap your hand around your cock, but don’t move, just feel the weight of yourself in your palm, feel good? Wish it was me, my hand wrapped around you?” You ask, letting your fingers pinch your nipples.

“Fuck, wish it was something else.”

“Yeah? What do you wish it was?” You ask, biting your lip, knowing exactly what he’s going to say.

“You’re, fuck, can I move my hand? Please?” You hear him whine.

“What do you wish it was Tom?”

“Your lips, wish your lips were wrapped around me right now.”

“Wish I was there right now, wish I could suck you off, maybe if you were being good I’d let you fuck my mouth, you’d like that wouldn’t you?”

“Fuck, yes, wanna fuck your mouth so bad.”

You loved how worked up he got just from being told what to do. You hand slipped down to your pussy, slipping a finger into your wet heat as you gave him his next instruction.

“Go ahead baby, jerk your cock for me.”

“Fuck, Y/N,” he grunts and you can hear him start to move, his bed moving beneath him.

“Feel good? Wish it was my pussy wrapped around your cock?” You ask, slipping another finger into yourself, moaning.

“Are you, you touching yourself too?”

“Course, not nearly as good as you touching me,” you groan, thumb rubbing your clit.

“Wish, fuck, wish I could see you right now.”

“Tom, feels so good, wish these were your fingers fucking into me, wish you were getting me off,” you whine, fingers speeding up.

“Yeah? Wish I could eat that pretty pussy of yours, make you come undone over and over again on my tongue,” he groans your name several times.

“Gonna come? You wanna come for me baby?”

“Yes, fuck, don’t stop please, wanna come, can I come?” he grunts and you grin. You were surprised he was asking permission and you let out a throaty groan as his moans get higher and higher pitched.

“Yes, come on baby, come all over yourself for me, take a picture when you’re done, wanna see how much of a mess you made for me.”

“Fuck, y/n, I’m coming, fuck,” he whimpers your name a few times and that’s all it takes for you to come undone.

“Shit,” you laugh, fingers slipping out from you.

“Yeah?”

“That was fun,” you giggle, before wiping your fingers off on your sheets.

“Agreed.”

You hear your phone buzz and you check it.

Another picture, this time Tom’s face was included. He was biting his lip, hand not holding the phone was in his hair, your eyes wandered down to his chest, red and sweaty, his stomach covered in his come, cock softening against his hip.

“Look so pretty baby,” you say, taking off your phone speaker.

“Thank you,” he laughs.

“Okay I gotta go get ready for work, talk to you later?”

“Great plan.”

“Bye.”

“You know your phone was on speaker right?” You hear Lily shout and you laugh so hard you’re almost in tears.

“Sorry!”

“Well at least I know what he’s like in bed now.”

***

You arrive at Tattoo Dice and the doors are locked, lights off. Maybe you were the first to get there, your apartment being so close, so you unlocked the door with your copy of the store key.

“SURPRISE!” A chorus of people shout and you’re bombarded by every tattooer, piercer, and front desk assistant holding balloons and streamers and those little things that pop, you couldn’t remember the name.

“Holy shit what’s this for?” You ask, confused.

“Your graduation,” Bryce says, stepping out from the crowd, “we couldn’t find a time when everyone was free after your graduation so now is close enough.”

“Yeah? Wow thank you,” you laugh as he guides you to the sofa in the waiting area, where a cake was waiting.

“What?” You ask, reading it.

“What’s it say?”

“Happy graduation and apprenticeship.”

You look between Bryce and the cake, “you fucking didn’t.”

“I did. I’ve never seen such talent and skill, you’ve been here for 4 years, you’re going to have to start looking for an apprenticeship when you graduate, I don’t want my competition swooping in and stealing you.”

You felt tears in your eyes, this never happened.

“Of course, you’ll have to put in the work and the effort, and pay for your chair but I have no doubt in my mind you can do that.”

“Thank you Bryce. Really,” you say, hugging him.

“Alright, no more crying, it’s cake time.”

***

You were anxiously awaiting the grade for your portrait. It took like every waking moment, the theme was “two sides of every story”. You knew exactly what to do.

You had called Tom after your party, shocked he was still awake.

“So, my portrait final, I was wondering if one of your buddies could take a photo of you sitting on a stool, like positioned in a corner, so your shadow is still in the shot.”

“Want me naked?”

You roll your eyes, “no, it’s, the theme is two sides of every story, so I want to draw you, maybe as Peter Parker, then your shadow will be Spiderman.”

“Holy fuck that’s awesome.”

“Yeah, do you think you could do it tomorrow morning? So the light hits you just right?”

“Course.”

“Thank you Tom,” you sigh, laying down.

“No problem. Keep your eye out for your mail.”

“Huh?”

“Your present.”

“Oh you know you don’t haveta get me anything. Don’t even know if anyone is going to my graduation,” you laugh.

“Wait what?”

“Nothing.”

“Nobody’s going to your graduation?”

“It’s, I mean, Bryce is going to try, not like I have anyone else.”

Shit fuck, fuck. You didn’t need to share personal shit with him.

“What about, you don’t haveta, I don’t know if this is a touchy subject for you, if you don’t wanna talk about it you don’t have to.”

“Why nobody’s going to my graduation?”

“Yeah.”

“See how easy it was? Anyways, don’t know who my dad is, mom left me on a police station’s doorstep when I was three like I was a newborn baby and it was the 1950s.”

“She did What now?”

“She had really bad postpartum depression, couldn’t handle having a kid I guess, left me on the police doorstep and I bounced around different foster homes. Never stayed in one place for more than a year.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What’re you sorry for?”

“For all that, for how you hadta grow up.”

“It was fine really, Art was what kept me going, it was the only thing I really had from home to home, only school subject I was able to do well in since it didn’t require previous knowledge.”

“Well I’m glad you got something good out of everything that happened.”

“Yeah,” you sigh, closing your eyes.

“When is it again?”

“When’s what?”

“Your graduation.”

“Oh, April 15th.”

“Okay.”

“Anyways, guess what?”

“What?” You can hear he’s more distant now, probably wants to ask why you don’t have anyone going to your graduation, he doesn’t want to know the answer.

“Bryce offered me an apprenticeship.”

“Really? That’s amazing!”

“Yeah, I’ve got just enough saved up to pay for my equipment and chair for the first few months, when I’m tattooing for free, then eventually I’ll get paid, might haveta take out a loan for my apartment or move somewhere cheaper but since I won’t be spending money for the subway to get to school it’ll cut my expenses. Jesus why am I rambling sorry you don’t wanna hear all this.”

“No I do, I do,” He says and you can hear some enthusiasm in his voice.

“It’s late you should go to bed.”

“Maybe we can talk in the morning?”

“I’d like that,” you smile, “goodnight Tom.”

“Night princess.”

You giggle as you hang up, running a hand over your face. You were fucking exhausted. The next morning you woke up to a picture message from Tom.

Holy shit, the picture was perfect, just what you needed.

You: this is legit amazing how’d you make it look so good?

Tom: brother is like an amateur photographer

You: nothing amateur about this. Thanks no I get to stare at your picture for the next 50 hours.

Tom: 50???

You: more or less, for the portrait, then the oil painting, now go away I’m meant to work

Your portrait professor said you could go into the studio to draw, since it was a full color design, but if you wanted to do it in the comfort of your own home you could. You opted to take your work to the tattoo studio, sprawling out in the back office.

“You’ve got it bad dontcha?” Bryce asks, seeing your initial outline of the sketch.

“What?”

“This kid in the drawing, it’s the same one you drew the other day. You sleep with him?”

“None of your business,” you say, “scram I gotta finish this outline.”

“It’s almost done, you’ve been working for 6 hours, you need a break.”

“Fine, wanna grab some coffee?”

“Let’s go kiddo,” Bryce says, helping you off the ground.

Bryce takes you to the coffee shop next door. You know you’re going to have to tell him about Tom.

Most of the time he acted like your fun uncle, wanted to know what you were up to but wouldn’t give you any advice or warnings. Recently he’d been more of a wise father, which you had no problem with, never having one of your own to rely on.

“So, he’s famous right? Does movies? How’d that happen?” He asks as you sit in a booth.

“Met him at a club in London.”

“And you…”

“Yes, we did, thought it was just gonna be, you know, that, but we’ve been talking.”

“Have you seen him since?”

“No, think he’s gonna visit on his way to a press thing.”

“So are you two dating? Messing around? What do kids these days call it?”

You shrug, taking a sip of your coffee, “I don’t know. Like, it would be cool to date him, but at the same time I like what we’ve got now. He’s all over the place all the time, lives in London, while I’m here, how’d that work?”

“Think you could find a way to make it work, if it’s worth it.”

“Well, dunno if it’s worth it.”

“You’re doing your final project on him, I think it’s worth it.”

You shrug, “Yeah.”

“So maybe you should see how he feels?”

“Too soon for that.”

“Whatever you want, I’ll be by your side whatever you chose. Alright let’s get back I’ve got a tattoo to do and you’ve got shading and colors to start.”

“Then I’m working at 6.”

“Yep, got 5 more hours of work to do, let’s get to it lady.”

***

By the time your shift started you had almost finished your outline in black and erased the pencil underneath it.

You were happy with how it looked, sending a photo to Tom. Tomorrow you had to go into school for your art history class, only two more lessons left.

Tom: holy shit looks amazing, and now you have to color it?

You: Yep, most of the time will be color, then my oil painting

Tom: What will be your oil painting?

You: was gonna make an oil painting of the Spiderman mask but I don’t want you to think I’m obsessed with you or something

Tom: I wouldn’t mind, your art blows my mind

Tom: also I’m kinda obsessed with you too

You: good

You smirk at his texts, locking up for the night at 11:30, saying goodnight to Bryce who made his way upstairs to his apartment.

“See you tomorrow,” you wave, sending him one more.

The next day is filled with rushing to class, your professor telling you that the final class period was optional, knowing you all had plenty of work to do for other classes. You almost cheered.

When class wrapped up you made your way to the studio, working a mid to close shift, you weren’t going to have much time to work on your portrait.

You were able to use your colored pencils to get the color of his shirt, a blue button up, and his khaki pants done. You wanted to save the details of the Spiderman suit and his face for when you had more time.

By the time 1pm rolled around you were satisfied with how much work you had left and the time you had to do it.

You spent the rest of the day greeting customers, helping them pick out jewelry, copying their consent forms. You had fun as the front desk assistant and would no doubt do it for as long as they wanted you, but you were dying to have a turn with the tattoo machine.

The phone rings, and you answer.

“Hello, Tattoo Dice by Bryce, this is Y/N, how can I help you today?” You ask, pen and paper in hand.

“Hello, is Bryce in?” A low voice asks.

“He is, doing some paperwork in his office. Can I help you?”

“Was hoping to talk to him.”

“Sure, I’ll check to see if he’s taking calls,” you frown, clearly they’ve never stepped foot in a tattoo shop before or understand any etiquette of tattoo shops.

You put the person on hold and ring the back office, “someone wants to speak to you? Do I tell them off or let them through?”

“Feel like being nice, put them through.”

You transfer the line to the back office and look back at your portrait, taking out your skin tone set of colored pencils. There was a lull in the shop around dinner time and you decided to color his body in while there was some silence.

****

“Hello, this is Bryce, how can I help you?”

“Hi, you’re, you’re Y/N’s boss right?”

“Yes, who’s this, Wait, are you that Tom fella? No distracting her at work.”

“Of course not sir, I wouldn’t. I was just wondering, she told me you might go to her graduation.”

“That’s right.”

“I was wondering if maybe, maybe you could get a second ticket? I wanted to surprise her, but I wouldn’t know how to get a ticket.”

“Do you think she would want you there?”

“I don’t, I would hope so, I mean, I don’t know how to ask her without giving away that I want to surprise her.”

“Well I’ll ask her, hold on.”

“Right now?!”

“Yes, just you wait a minute.”

****

Bryce strolls out of his office rolling his eyes, “some random asshole who doesn’t know what our cancellation policy is. Trying to cancel our appointment for tomorrow and get his money back at the same time.”

“Huh, weird that he asked for you.”

“Well I’m his artist, makes sense.”

“Yeah, totally,” you nod, eyeing Bryce as he sits on the stool next to you.

“Looks good so far,” he nods as you shade in his neck.

“Thanks,” you hum, changing the color for his face, slightly darker color to contrast the light from the window you would add later.

“So, your graduation.”

Your face drops and you stop coloring. He doesn’t want to go. Or he is too busy.

“You don’t haveta go, stupid for me to invite you, it’s whatever,” you sigh.

“No, no I was going to ask if I could get two tickets, for Adrien and I.”

“He’d wanna come?”

“What’s my husband gonna do? Sit and look pretty? We’re not open on Sundays he won’t have work.”

“I’d love to get you two tickets.”

****

“Do you like your presents?”

You giggled, looking through the box of lingerie.

“You didn’t need to get me all these.”

“But I want a photo shoot,” he whines.

You pick up a small handwritten card.

For you princess, I expect photos of you in all of them. Xx Tom

“You’ll get a photo shoot mister,” you laugh, putting your phone on speaker and taking off your clothes.

They were from an online store, all in the sizes you sent him. There were more elaborate pieces but you picked up a lacy red bralette with matching red lace panties. Most of the lingerie was red.

“Is red your favorite color?”

“How’d you know?”

“Just a guess.”

“You look so fucking good in red princess. Wait FaceTime me.”

“Okay okay,” you say, hanging up and moving to FaceTime.

“Fuck I didn’t know you’d be naked for me,” Tom groans, laying on his bed, you could see he was shirtless and were hoping there was nothing on underneath.

“Go ahead baby, put on those pretty little numbers on for me,” he says as you prop your phone up on your bedside table.

You put on the first red lacy set, posing for Tom. The camera slowly moves lower to his hand gripping his cock as he jerks off.

“Don’t come too soon, got lots more to show you.”

You show him the same set in black, causing him to bite his lip and thrust into his hand.

The next bit is a little more elaborate, lots of tiny hooks to clip in the back, and you struggle for a bit, laughing when you trip over your own two feet and Tom sits up, concerned you hurt yourself.

“I’m fine,” you laugh, getting the last hook done. You turn back to him, showing off the red lace corset that made your tits look so good, right down to where it trailed off into a lace trim hanging right above your bare pussy.

“Love this one, wanna leave marks all over your chest, tease those hard nipples of yours, shit, so pretty,” he says, hand moving faster.

“Have 911 on hold while I take this off,” you joke, fingers struggling again to unhook it. Once you do you put your hands on your knees and mock being out of breath.

“Are you okay? You don’t gotta try the others on, it’s fine,” Tom starts but you cut him off.

“Are these crotchless panties?” You gasp and look up at him. He’s blushing a little and nods.

“You don’t needa wear them, thought they’d be fun, I don’t know, don’t worry about it.”

“No Tom, I fucking love them, holy shit I could come just thinking about how useful these could be.”

You quickly slide them up your legs, fingers spreading your lips, loving how snug the fabric felt around your hips and ass but how bare and exposed your pussy was.

“Look so pretty, come on, go lie on the bed and play with your pussy,” he says, camera shaking a little as his hand speeds up.

“In these?” You ask, laying on the bed and tilting your phone so he could see your fingers move down your chest, pinching each of your nipples.

“Yes, fuck yourself with those panties, wanna see if they work,” he grunts and you follow through, fingers dipping lightly into yourself, the hole in the panties perfect for this.

“Go ahead princess stuff yourself full for me.

“Shit,” you whine, fucking yourself with your fingers.

You could hear his moans get throatier, you knew he was going to come.

“Fuck, touch your clit, come on baby,” he whines and you do just that, feeling yourself get closer and closer.

“Tom, fuck,” you groan.

“Come for me princess,” he says, his voice deep and gravelly.

Your fingers speed up and you come like a horny teenager with a cry of his name.

He comes right after, and you bring the phone up to your face, giggling a little as he licks his lips.

“Feel like a fucking teenager right now.”

“Yeah?”

“Hella horny all the time, sexting.”

“Wish you were here,” he sighs, hand running through his hair.

“Me too,” you yawn.

“How are you tired it’s like 6pm there.”

“Been working nonstop on your projects, finally finished them today after pulling an all-nighter. Gotta pass them in tomorrow.”

“Can I see them?”

“Course. But I’m gonna sleep now. And you should too! It’s late over there.”

“You’re right.”

“Goodnight Tom.”

“Night princess.”

***

“You should try juuling,” Tom says nonchalantly.

“What?” You almost choke, smoke exhaling out of your nostrils, you cough for the first time while smoking in three years.

“To help you stop smoking, you told me you wanted to stop, eventually, heard juuling helps.”

You roll your eyes at the boy on the other end of the FaceTime call.

“Sure,” you say, “just, I’m graduating today, got some nerves to shake out.”

“But you did it, and your portrait professor said yours was the best work she’s seen this year.”

“Yeah, thank you for your pretty face.”

“Of course,” he grins.

“Where are you right now?” You ask, the bed behind him not his own, he never said he had any filming or press. His next press thing was a week from now in Mexico according to him. Your heart nearly falls out of your chest, what if he’s at another girl’s place? You know you never said anything about seeing other people, you were just messing around, why did what he did in his free time matter to you?

Sure you texted every day, not just sexted. You learned about his friends, his likes, his dislikes, anything and everything, all the little fun facts about him. But that was just getting to know the person you’re sleeping with, right?

He must’ve seen the look of confusion mixed with hurt on your face because he sat up and his eyes widened.

“Nevermind, doesn’t matter, I haveta, I gotta go.”

You were going to wait for him to answer but you didn’t want to embarrass yourself even more so you hung up quickly.

“Fuck,” you say, tears stinging your eyes as you finish your cigarette and immediately start another one.

“Hey! Y/N, we gotta get going- fuck, what’s wrong?” Lily asks as she joins you on your balcony.

“Nothing, I’m fine,” you say, sniffling as you take a long drag.

“Clearly you’re not fine you’re crying, what’s wrong?”

“I just, I’m an idiot.”

“What?”

You silently finish your cigarette, Lilly rubbing your back as you stub the end into your ashtray.

“I think Tom was at someone else’s place, like in someone else’s bed.”

“Oh.”

“It’s stupid, we never said we were a thing this was just, we’re just fooling around so it doesn’t matter what he does in his free time.”

“Did you hear what he had to say?”

“No, feel like a fucking idiot, didn’t wanna embarrass myself in front of him anymore.”

“You should ask him out.”

“Huh?”

“Tell him you wanna be official, wanna be boyfriend girlfriend or whatever. It’s obvious you’ve got feelings for him.”

“Nah, he’s, he's famous, he’d never be around,” you shrug.

“Okay, But doesn’t change how you feel. So put on your big girl panties, stop crying, we’ve got a graduation to get to.”

“Don’t gotta leave for a few hours.”

“Two.”

“Okay, so I’m going to smoke this entire pack of cigarettes then we can graduate.”

“You’re seriously going to stand here and chain smoke?”

“Yep,” you nod, grabbing another cigarette.

“Just call him back, call him once and see what’s up, okay? Don’t be stupid and sound like an old lady for graduation.”

“Fuck off,” you groan.

“Fine, but just, call him okay?”

“Whatever,” you grumble.

Lily sighs and leaves you on the balcony alone. You look back at your phone. Nothing. It didn’t matter anyways, maybe you scared him off enough that you wouldn’t have to deal with the messiness that came with feelings.

You shrugged, wiping the stupid fucking tears from your eyes, grabbing another cigarette. Maybe you would get a juul or whatever they were called, cigarettes were fucking expensive and as your apprenticeship got closer you realized how fucked you were. It only made her angrier.

You couldn’t think about that now. Instead, you focused on the ring of smoke you blew from your mouth, the burning sensation you felt in your lungs.

You don’t know how long you stood there, smoking as the sun got higher in the sky and the bustling life of Queens began to start. It was a Sunday so everyone was going to church or catching up on errands.

You heard a knock on the door to your tiny apartment and the door swing open. You ignore it, thinking it might be Lily’s girlfriend here so you all could travel to graduation together.

You finish your cigarette, the knocking on the door starting up again.

“Who the fuck, Lily, who is it?” You shout, making your way back inside, closing your balcony door. You toss your pack and lighter on your bedside table before walking the very few steps to your front door.

“Lily, where the fuck are you?” You groan before unlocking the door and swinging it open.

“Who the fuck-,”

“Surprise?”

Tom was standing in front of you, wearing a really nice suit, eyes red.

“Oh. Oh!” Him in a different bed, acting sort of weird over the past few days made sense.

“I’m sorry. I, I was going to surprise you at your graduation but when you asked where I was I didn’t want you to think that I was with someone else or something, and I’m sorry if you don’t want me to be here I just thought I didn’t wanna wait until May to-,”

You cut him off pressing your lips against his, taking him off guard he stumbles back, arms wrapping around your body to draw you tight against him.

“I want to see you too,” you mumble against his lips, shutting the door behind him.

“Hey, glad you liked your surprise,” Lily says, breaking the two of you apart.

His hands were still tight on your waist, your hands cupping his face, you just nodded, looking at Tom who stared right back at you.

“I’m glad you’re here,” you say, smiling.

“I think I’m even happier that I’m here.”

“Yeah?”

“Yep.”

“Prove it,” his eyes dart between your lips and your own eyes.

“Okay, so I’m going to meet Lexie downstairs for coffee, if I don’t see the both of you down there in 30 minutes so we can get to graduation on time I swear to god I’ll kill you,” Lily interrupts and you sigh, forehead pressed against Tom’s.

“Bye Lily,” you shout as she slams the front door.

“Missed you,” you say as you lead him the short way past your kitchen into your bedroom.

“Missed you too princess,” he says, kissing down your neck.

“Now it’s your turn not to leave any marks,” you say, “don’t wanna look trashy when I walk the stage.”

“So I can leave marks here?” He asks, hands moving to grope your breasts.

“Fuck, please,” you whimper, tugging at his suit coat.

“Missed yer kiss,” Tom says, lips meeting yours again as you both struggle to undress each other.

“Don’t have lotsa time,” you say, pushing him back so you can quickly slip out of your sundress.

“Fuck, that’s one of the sets that I gotcha, you like it?”

You nod as he quickly gets out of his clothes, watching as you toss your bra and panties to the side.

“Fuck, Missed yer tits,” he groans, accent thicker, voice rougher.

“Touch me, come on, no time,” you say, moving to grab a condom from your bedside table.

“How are we gonna,” he says gesturing to your bed.

“I know it’s not as good as your king bed. Actually it’s garbage compared to your bed but it’s all that’ll fit in this fucking room,” you say, pushing him down on your twin bed.

You straddle his hips, grinding down on his hard cock as he plays with your tits, sucking and marking them as much as he can.

You hurriedly slip the condom onto his cock and sit on his cock, his teeth gliding against your nipple as you do.

“Fuck, Tom,” you whine as his hands grip your ass, encouraging you to move.

“Come on, not much time,” he says as you start to bounce on his lap.

“Fuck,” you groan, your fingers digging into his shoulders as you move quicker.

“That’s what we’re doing.”

“Shhh,” you whimper, a finger moving to your clit, rubbing it eagerly. He kisses you hard, his lips telling you something without words.

You didn’t want to admit it but you were so excited he was here, if you had to sext one more time you would lose your mind. And whether you would say it out loud or not, you didn’t really want to sleep with someone else to relieve the tension you felt since that night. Your tongue met his in your mouth, his touches softer tonight than a little bit ago, tender. You both reached your highs pretty quickly and Tom would’ve been embarrassed save for the fact that he’s waited so long for this and the sight of you on top of him, the way your lips felt against his, he was a goner, in every sense of the word.

“Wow,” you say as Tom helps you off of him.

“Missed yer sex,” he laughs, taking the condom off as you start to get dressed.

“I’m very grateful you’re here.”

“I think that Manhattan could hear your box spring.”

“Well now they all know how good I’m getting it.”

“What’re your plans later tonight?”

“Well, was gonna go out to like an early dinner late lunch with Bryce and Adrien. Wait how did you even get a ticket to my graduation?”

“Asked Bryce actually.”

“Yeah? How is Adrien going?”

“That’s his husband right? Not sure,” he says, getting dressed as well.

“Hmm, well we’ll see him there. I’ll be right back gonna run to the bathroom make sure I look presentable.”

“I think you look beautiful.”

“Thanks buddy, but we just fucked so I’d like to make sure it doesn’t look like that at my graduation.”

“Good plan,” he laughs, buttoning his shirt.

You make your way to the bathroom, peeing before brushing through your hair. Your sundress showed off your sleeves and upper back tattoos so you grabbed the sunscreen.

“Lather me up,” you say, handing Tom the sunscreen.

“Aren’t you going to be wearing a gown?”

“Nah, it’s art school, we have the hat things, whatever they’re called, but we just wear those and call it a day.”

Tom shrugs, pulling you down onto his lap, he leaves gentle kisses along your tattoos before applying the sunscreen to it, rubbing it into your skin.

“Ready to go?” You ask, about to move from your position on his lap.

He shakes his head and you frown, tilting your head curiously, “wha-,”

He kisses you, hands cupping your face, thumb rubbing your cheek. You swipe your tongue across his lips but he pulls back, “nuh uh.”

“What?”

“Lily is going to kill us, let’s go, I’ve got a special lady to cheer on.”

“Oh? Special?”

He nods as you reluctantly get off his lap, “she’s pretty great, I’ll have to introduce her to ya eventually.”

“Eventually,” you nod, pulling him out of your room. You grab your purse and your grad cap from the kitchen counter.

***

“Y/N, Y/L/N,” the dean of the college says and you grin as you walk on stage, shaking his hand and taking your diploma. The crowd is cheering and you definitely couldn’t seen Bryce, Tom or Adrien in it but you knew they were there. Cheering you on, somewhere.

The ceremony ended a little while after all the names were called and you all threw up your grad caps in the air, you felt cheesy doing it but here you were, a wide smile on your face as you tossed it up in the air with the rest of your class.

***

“So Tom, you’ve been acting since you were little?” Bryce asks as you all sit at the booth of a small diner near Tattoo Dice, the same shop you and Bryce got coffee at a little bit ago.

“Yes,” he nods, hand resting on your thigh.

“What’s your favorite thing you’ve ever acted in?” Adrien asks.

“I know people probably expect me to say the MCU and Spiderman but I quite enjoyed doing Billy Elliot when I was younger.”

“Would you ever do musical theater again? Or theater? Or will you stick to the big screen?”

“You know, I really loved theater, so who knows maybe I’ll make a musical theater revival. I’d haveta work on my voice first but yeah, maybe.”

“And your new movie comes out soon right? The new Spiderman?” Bryce asks.

“Yep, I start the press tour in like a week? Just about.”

“So you travel a lot?”

“Okay, let’s cool it with the 20 questions,” you laugh, “let’s not scare him away.”

“Oh I don’t scare easily,” Tom smiles, his thumb rubbing soothing circles into your thigh.

This was the first time any of your hooks up or, you didn’t want to say this and jinx it, any of your boyfriends met Bryce and Adrien, the closest you’d ever come to actual parents.

Maybe Tom knew you were nervous, hell everything about you gave it away. Your leg was bouncing up and down, his hand didn’t stop your leg from moving, just rested it there, which was comforting.

“So, you own the shop is that right?” Tom asks, “and Adrien, you’re the shop’s piercer?”

“Yep, opened Tattoo Dice 19 years ago.”

“And Y/N will be, what’s it called, she’ll learn how to tattoo from you?”

“Yeah, she’ll be my apprentice, she’s going to get started on synthetic skin first, so she gets the feel of the tattoo needle, then she’ll learn basic health and safety of tattooing, stuff she’s already learned since she’s gotten so many tattoos and is the front desk attendant but she’ll get certified officially while apprenticing.”

“So it’s a lot of work huh?”

“She’ll be working hard but that’s what she’s always done so I’m not worried.”

“You’re too kind Bryce,” you say, blushing a little.

“I’ve got no doubt you’ll be fantastic,” Tom says, kissing your cheek.

“So, we start my training tomorrow?” You ask as the four of you stand outside the coffee shop. Tom had got you both a taxi back to your place, Bryce and Adrien would head back to their apartment above the shop.

“Actually, why don’t we start next Monday?”

“Monday? What will I do until then?”

“Relax? Have a little break? You’ve trained the person taking your place, you can still work your evening shifts if you want, but you don’t have to.”

“Gotta pay rent so yeah I think I’ll work this week.”

“Don’t be afraid to take some time off, relax, you deserve it.”

“I will, promise.” “Alright, there’s your taxi, get lost, and congrats kid,” Bryce says, pulling you into a hug. You relax in his arms, and laugh as Adrien hugs the both of you.

“Okay, okay, relax, rest, get lost,” you say, pushing out of their hug.

“Congrats,” Adrien says as you slip into the taxi with Tom.

“Congrats grad,” Tom says, lips gently kissing right below your ear.

“Cheeseball,” you say, his fingers intertwining with your own.

“That does not sound tasty.”

“No it really doesn’t,” you laugh.

The ride back to your apartment was quiet, save for a few comments from Tom about the other driver’s here, how terrifying they all were, with little care for pedestrians or other cars.

“Guess that’s what it’s like in New York,” you shrug as Tom pays the taxi driver.

“So, nightcap?” He asks as you bring him up to your apartment.

“It’s like 6pm it’s way too early for a nightcap,” you laugh, “but I can, I can think of other things we can do to occupy our time.”

“Oh yeah? What did ya have in mind princess?” he asks, his mouth ghosting over your neck.

“Why don’t we go to my room and find out?”

“Your friend isn’t home?”

“Nah her and Lexi will be with their families and then at Lexi’s place, we’ve got a whole 500 square feet to ourselves.”

“You don’t even have a living room.”

“Hey, I’ve got a twin bed and a balcony that’s all I’ll ever need.”

“Whatever you say,” he sighs.

“Come here,” you say, pulling him close, lips meeting his.

You stumble back towards your room, fumbling with the door as Tom’s hands glide under your dress, gripping your ass.

“Missed your hands,” you say as he slaps your ass, your dress bunched at your waist as he pushes you down onto your bed.

You pull your dress over your head as you move up your bed, watching as Tom gets undressed.

You start to take off your bra but he stops you, hand wrapping around your wrist.

“Lemme undress you baby,” he says, straddling your hips and kissing up your stomach. He kisses the tops of your breasts before making his way back to your lips, leaving as many marks as he can on the way up.

“Tom, fuck,” you groan as his hands move to unclip your bra, tossing it to the side.

“Lemme make ya feel good princess,” he says before taking a nipple into his mouth, eyes watching your face contort in pleasure as his fingers play with the other one before switching sides. His hips grind down against yours and you so desperately wanted to get his underwear off, so you could feel him but you decided to be patient, decided it would be worth the wait.

He makes his way back down your body, fingers tugging down your panties, “practically dripping for me, you excited to see me or something?”

“As if you aren’t,” you huff, growing impatient as he breathes against you, so close to where you want him.

“Be patient for me, okay? Almost there,” he says, before kneeling on the floor in front of the bed, tugging you down so your legs are propped up on his shoulders.

You immediately moan at the sensation of his tongue against your clit, slowly lapping at it before moving to your entrance, licking through your folds.

“Fuck come on,” you groan, hands flying to his hair.

“Tug away baby, won’t give you what you want until you’re patient for me.”

You whine, hands tugging at him, frustrated, you lay your head against your bed and let him tease you.

He grins against you and you feel his finger push inside you, tongue making gentle strokes against your clit.

“Good girl,” he says, another finger pushing into you, he starts to pick up the pace, fucking you with his fingers in earnest.

“Fuck come on Tom, make me come,” you say, the knot in your stomach forming way too quickly.

His lips wrap around your clit, sucking gently while fucking into you harder.

His teeth graze your clit and you come with a cry of his name, pulsing against him. His fingers slip out of you as he kisses your thighs, dropping them to the side of his shoulders.

“Missed you,” he says, kissing his way back up your body.

You’re still horny as fuck, you wanted him to get a move on so you grabbed his shoulders tugging him on top of you, “fuck me, please.”

“It’d be my pleasure,” Tom smiles, kissing you softly, too soft for what you’re about to do.

“Come on,” you say, reaching for your bedside table grabbing a condom from the drawer.

“Those been sitting there waiting for me?”

“I was getting ready for the end of May, gotta stock up.”

“So smart,” he says, pushing his underwear down his legs and tosses them to the side.

You rip open the condom and help him slide it down his cock, he groans as you jerk him off, kissing down your neck as he hikes your thigh up around his waist.

“Come on, fuck me,” you whimper as his cock rubs against your folds.

“This what you want princess?” He asks, bottoming out, smirking as you cry out his name.

“Let’s go,” you say, your hips moving up to grind against his.

“All yours tonight princess,” he says, one hand holding himself up while the other cups your face, kissing you as he begins to move.

Tonight wasn��t any less pleasurable than the night a few weeks ago, although the way he made you feel was very different.

He wasn’t any gentler with his thrusts, but his movement was more deliberate, more meaningful.

“Come on, make me come, baby,” you say, arms wrapped around his neck, playing with the curls at the nape of his neck.

“Gotcha princess,” he says, hand moving between the two of you to rub your clit, pushing you closer to the edge.

“Yes, fuck, make me come around your cock, please,” you whine and his lips capture yours, swallowing your moans as you come.

His thrusts get faster and sloppier, your legs wrapped around his waist.

“Feel so, feel so fucking good,” he says, voice deeper.

“Come for me, please, wanna feel you Tommy,” you whine and he groans, face tucked into your neck as he comes, hips slowing to a stop.

“Wow,” you laugh as he pulls out of you, sitting up and taking the condom off.

“Still good?”

“Don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for that.”

“Hmmm, three weeks? Give or take?” He asks, sticking his tongue out at you.

“Shut up,” you laugh, sitting up and kissing him. Something about the way he kissed you, it wasn’t needy like he would never see you again, but just his lips, soft and warm and against yours.

“Needa smoke, hop off me Holland,” you say against his lips and he nods, getting off the bed.

You open your closet grabbing two t-shirts and slipping one over your head, tossing the other one at Tom.

“The view from the balcony is really pretty, I’ll be right back,” you say, kissing his cheek before grabbing your panties.

You wink at him before going to the bathroom, peeing and splashing some water on your face. When you go back to your room you grab your smokes and lighter from your bedside table. You watch Tom lean against your small balcony railing, feet crossed and head tilted towards the sunset.

You grab sleep shorts and pull them up before stepping onto the balcony.

“Hey handsome,” you say, arms wrapping around his waist from behind, kissing his neck.

“Hey to you too,” he says, relaxing into your arms.

“Told ya the view is pretty,” you say, face tucked into his neck.

You feel Tom pause, unsure of his next words.

“My favorite is when it’s late out, not all the lights are off, obviously, it’s New York, but when most of them are off, past midnight usually, you can see all the stars in the sky.”

“We should do that,” he mumbles, hands resting over yours.

“Good idea,” you nod, unwrapping your arms and slipping next to him.

He watches as your black acrylics tap against the railing, one hand fiddling with your pack of cigarettes and lighter.

“What is it?”

“I should quit these things.”

“I mean, I’m not going to tell you no, but if that’s what you want, that’s what you should do.”

“Maybe I’ll get that juul or the gum or patch or whatever, cigarettes cost so fucking much anyways, gotta cut costs somewhere and I’d rather not live off of ramen and popcorn for the next few months.”

“Up to you,” he says, watching you get a cigarette and hold up your lighter.

“Tomorrow, tomorrow’s another day, I’ll finish off the rest of my cigarettes and then I’ll stop.”

Tom raises his eyebrows at you and you shake your head, “I’m not every other smoker who says they’ll quit tomorrow and then tomorrow becomes the next day and the next day and so on, never said I was gonna quit before. But I think, I don’t know, it’s stupid really.”

“No, go ahead, what is it?”

“I feel like I’m opening a new chapter, art school is done, I’m gonna be a tattoo artist soon, hopefully, and-,”

“And you’ve got me.”

“Hmmm?” you ask, turning towards him.

“I mean, if you want, I just, I figured, I’d like to be a part of this new chapter of your life.”

“Yeah?”

“Sorry, I- if you don’t wanna, I can do, it’s,”

“Tom?”

“Yes?”

“Will you, fuck, this is so dumb, do you want to be my boyfriend?”

“I uh, sort of already assumed we were, you know, an item. So yes. I’ll be your boyfriend.”

“Dork.”

Before you realize what you’re doing you’re hugging him, arms tight around his neck, body as close as you could be to him in this moment. His arms wrap around your back almost immediately after you hug him. You stay in each other’s arms, just breathing, for some amount of time, time with Tom felt all too quick but drawn out at the same time. But you also really needed to smoke. You pulled away from him and pull out a cigarette.

“Let me,” He says, nodding towards the lighter in your hand.

You quirk your eyebrow at him, handing it over. He attempts to flick the lighter on a few times, biting his lip in concentration.

You put your thumb over his, showing him how to pull the safety tab down to spark the lighter.

The two of you stare at the small flame of your lighter between you, illuminating each of his freckles and each of your tattoos as the sun sets over the balcony.

“Here,” he says as you slip the cigarette between your lips. He holds the lighter to it and you nod when it’s lit, taking a drag before turning away from Tom and blowing the smoke out of your lungs.

“I had to smoke cigars, for a movie once, but I wasn’t very good at it.”

“Not something you want to be good at,” you laugh.

His hands wrap around your waist from behind, chin resting on your shoulder as you finish your cigarette.

“What do ya wanna do tomorrow?”

“Hmm, you don’t have somewhere to run off to? Your press thingy, what’s it called? In Mexico?”

“That’s next week, I uhm I’ve got my hotel for the week. We can go there if you want. It’ll be like a staycation for you.”

“Stay here tonight.”

“Huh?”

“Stay at my place, tonight, there’s a little breakfast place I want to take you to, about a block from here. Only if you wanna.”

“Of course I wanna girlfriend.”

“Oh my god shut up,” you laugh, finishing your cigarette.

“Okay, can I call you princess?” He says, lips pressing against your neck.

“Of course,” you say, “call me something else too,” you grind back against him.

“Oh yeah?”

“Come inside,” you say, putting your cigarette out in the ashtray as Tom kisses down the back of your neck.

He pulls you back in, closing the balcony door. You drop your lighter and cigarettes on the bedside table.

His hands are quick to tug your shirt over your head, planting kisses down your chest, smirking at the marks he left earlier.

“Gonna be a good slut for me and suck my cock?” He asks, hand cupping your pussy.

“Please,” you groan as his palm gently rubs against your clothed clit.

He guides you to your knees, one hand firm on your shoulder while the other tugs off his shirt.

His hands pull your hair out of your face as you push down his underwear, hand wrapping around his cock.

“Go ahead, be a good slutty princess for me,” he says, not pushing your head down but just watching as you wrap your lips around the head of his cock.

You gently lick up and down his cock, before starting to bob your head, his hips start to move against you and you can’t tell if it’s deliberate or not but you moan when you choke around him, breathing deeply through your nose.

“Look so pretty down on your knees for me, gonna make me come like a good girl?”

You moan again, feeling him twitch in your mouth as you still, letting his hips do all the work.

“Such a good slut for me, fuck, gonna come in your mouth princess,” he groans, hips stilling with your lips wrapped around the head of his cock.

He comes with a groan of your name followed by princess, and you couldn’t help but smile as he helped you up. You fucking loved that nickname.

“Your turn,” he grins as you pull your panties down and off your legs, “do ya, do you still have mine from- from,” you try to finish your question but he’s pushing you down on the bed, one hand wrapping around your wrists and pinned them to the bed, the other running up and down your side.

“God princess I used those to jerk off so many times, had to wash them eventually, still kinda smell like you, I’ll need a new pair when I leave this week.”

“Don’t think that’ll be a problem,” you giggle as he leaves butterfly kisses against your cheek.

“What are you, what are you doing?” you laugh.

“Kissing you, duh,” he says, before his lips meet your hot skin.

“Go on, eat me out baby, please,” you whine, hips moving to meet his own.

“I’m going princess, relax for me okay?” he asks, hand leaving your wrists, which you keep above your head.

He makes his way down your body, kissing as his hands spread your legs wide, he situates himself between them, kissing along your thighs as his fingers slip into your pussy.

“Fuck Tom,” you groan. He quickly brings his lips to your entrance, licking and kissing and just making you feel everything. He brings you to orgasm with his lips wrapped around your clit and three fingers pressing against your sweet spot.

“Taste so good princess,” he says, fingers still moving slowly inside of you as he makes his way up to your face, kissing up. You moaned at the taste of yourself on his lips, arms wrapping around his neck.

***

“I would love to shower with you but my shower is lucky to fit one person, the mere idea of two people in this shower will break it,” you laugh as Tom brushes his teeth.

“Fine, guess I’ll just haveta watch you shower.”

“Okay perv,” you joke as you wait for the water to warm up.

He’s wearing the t-shirt you gave him earlier, he’s small enough that it fits well, the only part that stretches is the sleeves, his biceps bigger than your own.

Once you showered you dried your hair, about to walk back to your room with the towel wrapped around you.

“You don’t wanna watch me shower?”

“No you weirdo,” you laugh and you hear him laugh in return, stepping into the shower.

You sit on your bed, drying your hair as best you can. You tried to think about how this all came to be. When all you wanted was to hook up with someone during your trip to London. You never, ever would have expected this, not in a million years.

“Whatcha thinking about?” he asks from your door and you almost jump off your bed, heart racing.

“Shit, how long’ve you been standing there?” “Just got outta the shower, not as fun as if we were in there together, gonna haveta try that at my hotel.”

“I’d like that,” you say, “come here, help me put lotion on my tattoos.”

“What?”

“Lotion. Gotta moisturize them so they still look good in 50 years.”

“Didn’t know that.”

“Well of course you wouldn’t.”

“Actually,” he starts, pulling you up to stand with him.

“What?” you laugh as he sits down in your place, tugging your towel off and sitting you down between his legs, your back to his chest.

“I’ve got a tattoo.”

“What?! Where?” you ask, turning your head to look for a tattoo somewhere that for some reason you didn’t notice before.

“Don’t laugh.”

“Why would I laugh? I wanna see it!”

“Here,” he says, his leg moving to rest on top of yours as he points to the bottom of his foot.

“You- you got a, what is that, is that a spider?! On the bottom of your foot?” You’re trying your best not to laugh.

“Told ya you’d laugh, yes, I’ve got a spider, had to get it done over twice, it hurt like a bitch.”

“Why would you, why,” you start before giggling.

“Hush and let me lotion you up,” he says, dropping his leg.

“Why the bottom of your foot? That’s like such a bad place for a tattoo, it’ll never last!”

“Well that’s kinda why, and because I’m an actor. Don’t want tattoos to get in the way of my work.”

“What- other actors have tattoos. But you’re very brave for getting the bottom of your foot tattooed, that must be painful.”

“You’d never get the bottom of your foot tattooed?”

“Fuck no, you kidding? No thank you, that’s a no zone for me.”

“Mhm,” he hums as his hands rub the lotion into the skin of your upper back and arms, taking his time to catch every part of each of your tattoos.

“Making me sleepy,” you say as his hands move to massage your shoulders. “Then let’s sleep,” he says, kissing your cheek.

“Gotta get dressed,” you mumble.

“Meh, it’s hot in here, we can sleep naked.”

“How’re we gonna fit here again?”

“Here,” Tom says, pushing your comforter and sheets down, moving the two of you so he’s laying on his back and you’re on your side, practically on top of him.

“This is comfortable for you?” you ask, hand resting on his chest.

“Mhm, you good?”

“Very comfy,” you say, yawning as his hand runs up and down your arm.

“Goodnight princess.”

“Night baby,” you say as sleep overtakes you.

***

“So, you do this a lot?” He asks as you curl up at his side on the bench in Central Park.

“Only when I’ve got free time and it’s nice out, it’s the perfect day for it,” you say, opening your sketchpad to a new page.

“And you just find someone to draw?”

“Normally I draw some of the people who live here, sometimes people sitting on benches around us, like to people watch, ever done it?”

“I’m sorry, people watch?”

“Yeah, sit somewhere and just observe people in their natural habitat, it’s fascinating.”

“Whatever you say,” he laughs, arm around your shoulder.

“It’ll be worth it, promise.” “I don’t doubt that,” he nods as you look around.

There’s a man who was sleeping peacefully on the bench across from you and you glance over his features, your pencil starting to sketch on the page.

“Him?”

“Yep, I think I’ve sketched him before, he’s normally running around everywhere, asking people for hugs, so I only got a quick sketch of his face, but this’ll be perfect,” you say, drawing out the bench.

You can feel Tom’s eyes on your sketchbook as you draw and if it were anyone else you’d be uncomfortable, not wanting them to see anything but a final product. But with him it was different. You were okay with showing him bits and pieces of your life you kept hidden.

“If you were to get tattooed by anyone, who would you want to tattoo you?”

“Probably Ryan Ashley.” “Who’s that?”

“Famous tattoo artist, she’s the first female winner of Ink Master, sorta paving the way for female artists in the mainstream. She does these amazing realistic jewelry pieces, always sort of wanted a chest piece, I’ve been saving it on the very rare chance that she’d ever tattoo me,” you ramble as you start to sketch the outline of the man’s body.

“You wouldn’t want to get tattooed by me?” “Are you telling me you’ve tattooed someone before?” You feel him nod against your head and you gasp, “Tom, you’re just full of surprises huh?”

“Yep, tattooed a little spiderman spider on someone’s leg, he let’s celebrities tattoo him all the time.”

“Fucking jealous you’ve gotten the chance to tattoo someone before I have.”

“I can guarantee you’d be a million times better than me.”

“Hope so, I’ve put all my time and effort into working at Tattoo Dice, I hope it pays off, hope that I put art on people’s skin that they appreciate.”

“I believe in you,” he says, eyes watching as people walk past, feeling comforted by the fact that nobody knows he’s here, none of his fans or paparazzi will be looking for him. He can spend time with you in public without worrying about being stopped every few feet for an autograph or a photo.

Someone looked at the both of you as they walked past, eyes pausing on Tom, who was just wearing sunglasses.

“to hide my unruly brow,” he explained when he put them on this morning.

“Is that like your disguise?” you asked him.

“Course, now nobody can tell it’s me.”

“Sure baby,” you shrugged, blushing a little when his hand slipped down to hold your own as you left your apartment.

You felt him tense and you looked up, “What’s wrong?”

The person kept walking. “Nothing, was scared they noticed who I was,” he whispers as you relax back against him, working more on the arms of the man on the bench.

“But you’ve got your sunglasses on, you’re Clark Kent,” you say.

“Wrong universe,” Tom smirks.

“You know what I mean,” you poke his side before concentrating back on the sketch.

It had to be at least an hour when you were satisfied with how it looked, sitting up to brush away some eraser shavings.

“How’s it look?” You ask, looking up at Tom.

“Pretty damn good,” he says, grinning back at you.

The man on the bench wakes up with a start, grumbling to himself. You quickly rip the page off your sketchbook and get up.

“Want me to-,”

“I’m fine,” you tell Tom before moving the few feet to the man’s bench.

“Whaddya want?” He asks, voice rough.

“I uh, I’m an artist. Draw people, and well, here,” you say, awkwardly holding out the sketch of the man to him.

“What the- is this me? This is me! Wow,” the man says and your brows furrow with worry when his eyes start to tear up.

“I’m sorry I didn’t ask permission before drawing you, just looked so peaceful sleeping there and- oh!” You smile as he pulls you into a tight hug.

“This is, this is the best thing I’ve ever seen, I’ll keep it forever, and I mean that,” he says as he let’s you go.

“Well, I’m glad you like it, have a good day,” you smile as he picks up his backpack and shopping cart full of belongings.

“You too dear,” he smiles, wiping a tear from his eyes before walking away, holding the sketch tight to his chest.

You turn back to Tom, sure your face is lit up with a smile.

“You’ve done it yet again princess.”

“Huh?” you ask, sitting down next to him.

“You’re gonna change lives with that art of yours.”

“Sucha dork,” you giggle.

“Cm’ere, miss yer kiss,” he says, kissing you gently as his fingers intertwined with your own.

***

“Gonna miss you,” you mumble, face tucked into his shoulder as he hugs you.

“Already miss you.”

“Dork,” you giggle.

You were standing outside your apartment waiting for Tom’s taxi to take him to the airport.

“I wanna see the first tattoo you do okay?”

“Obviously, I’ll see if Adrien can video it for me.”

The taxi pulls up and Tom pulls you tighter against him, like he didn’t want to let go. And to be fair, neither did you.

“Okay, go before they charge you extra for making them wait.”

“Alright,” He says, kissing you, it wasn’t a soft sweet kiss, or a desperate I want you kiss. But a this is the last time I’ll see you for a little bit and I’ll miss you kiss. And honestly? You think you loved those kisses the most. You pulled away first.

“Get outta here Holland,” you say and he laughs, tossing his suitcase into the backseat with him. As the taxi drives away his hand presses against the window and he mouths “I’ll miss you.”

____________________________________

Tag list (tagged people who asked for a part two/asked to be tagged): @hcllander @spideyyeet @particularspider @wooowsworld @ruefulposts @screeching-student-unknown @jennypizzaholland @april-14-blog @asphalt-cocktail @rageyoudamnednerd @superherosthings

#tom holland #tom holland smut #tom holland fic #tom holland x reader #tom holland x reader smut #tom holland imagine #tom holland fanfic #tom holland reader insert #tom holland x fem!reader #tom holland oneshot #tom holland one shot #tom holland x reader oneshot #tom holland x reader one shot

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greensungnostic · 5 years

Text

Checking in with Grandpa

It's been a while since you visited the old man. You figure you've left him hanging long enough. He'd probably love to hear from you, what's been going on in his granddaughter's life. You head quietly through the halls of the lower floors, still and calm and differently decorated than the upper floors where you live. You stop in front of an old oak door with a brass knob and a plaque on its face, and slowly turn the handle. You peek your head in slowly, looking into Grandpa's study. It's always dim in here, the fug of cologne and gunpowder and cognac baked into the room's very soul. He stands there in the dim, facing the ornate marble fireplace, which -

FWOOMPH!

- ignites dramatically into a warmly crackling blaze as you settle your gaze on it. There he goes - The old man, "Hass" "The Flame" Harley, always with such a flare for the bombastic. Your Grandpa stands Stout and Resolute in front of the mantle, seeming to gaze long and hard into the flames. You take his dramatics as consent to enter, and you stand a few paces behind him, nervously tenting your hands. He's always been so tall, so imposing, and you've barely gained an inch since your session began. You're basically still the same dorky kid as ever, eternally youthful. You hesitate, waiting a reasonably long moment, then finally speak.

hi grandpa! sorry to bother you, i know you probably have a lot of work to do! but i wanted to come visit you in here and say hi! ...sorry i havent come down in a couple of weeks or uhm... months. i got all caught up in my work and in my head and kinda stayed cooped up in my lab up there below the greenhouse. huh? yes! before you ask, ive got three computers with me including the ones in my head and my glasses, and i do think the caliber of my current rifle is plenty sufficient! no i dont need to borrow the blunderbuss but thank you anyway! i will let you know when i need it okay? its overkill for anything but bosses!

You sigh heavily. He's always such a worrywart, hassling you over your preparedness and the bore of your firearms! You huff your trademark Harley Huff, then sigh and deflate a little. You know his hounding you is just how he shows that he cares, in his weird way.

i just wanted to let you know about some of the stuff thats been going on, though im sure youve seen hints of it here and there, mister wise and cunning hunter! first off, take a look at these babies!

You round the quiet old man to stand just past the fireplace on the far side, showing off the fluffy white fur and canine shape of your legs from the thighs down. You lift up one footpaw, showing him the glowing green footpads beneath, and wiggle your toes. The luminous glint of green reflects in your Grandpa's eyes, along with - is that interest, or pride, or just confusion? He's always been so hard to read. You'll opt for confused pride, shy of any context otherwise. You plop yourself into the dusty armchair beside the fire so you can wave your paws idly through the air for his approval, and continue your conversation face to face.

i know, i know, you never quite got all this furry stuff, but think of it this way! i am a little bit better of a huntress now, i can run around all quiet-like like bec! plus it gives my tail a reason to - huh? boots? yeah i guess i could use a custom fit pair, for like lohac or lofaf when its extra cold... if you insist we can find a cobbler, sure! cool digitigrade boots do look cool on cartoon furries... hee... uhmm lets see, what else is on the agenda?

You stroke your chin thoughtfully, then smile sheepishly at him.

so... do you remember rose? yeah, yeah the one ive always talked about! uh-huh, the one from movie nights. the squiddle one! my best friend. the one i... always had a crush on, yeah. well, as you know weve been looking around for everyone from our timeline and...

Your smile brightens, your eyes sparkle. Grandpa waits patiently, letting you talk, green eyes flickering in the firelight.

we found her, grandpa! like the right her! skaia lit up when we came back with her, and cetus showed herself for the first time in ages. its really her, grandpa!! its so good to...so good to have her back in my life. i... you know how much i missed rose. and the best news of all? she... she likes me back. she likes me back!! we are... we are dating now! shes... my girlfriend, a-after all this time. hee, i know, i know, lots of girlfriends. but this is important to me! rose was my first crush!! or uh, second, if you dont count margaret hamilton, haha... gosh i love her. i love rose! aaaah!

Grandpa seems chuffed for you, a twinkle of mirth in those eyes, past his thick glasses. The one good thing about having read all about him on the internet - you never felt uncomfortable coming out to a man you knew was openly bi decades before it was widely accepted. You practically glow in excitement, just thinking about Rose.

oh, we also found aradia! or she found us, anyways. she is one of the trolls! this one is kinda froglike, which is cool! i did not expect her to ever show up, i thought she had run off to play psychopomp! but here she is just hanging around and i guess she can help our search! she has cool psionic powers, and is the maid of time! she kinda showed up all spooky and glowing in the dark the other night! shes slimy like a frog sometimes, but shes cool, honest. youd like her, she loves adventure. maybe ill bring her by sometime?

Grandpa is quiet here, no real feedback, but seems pleased for you. You've never really talked to him about her much, so it tracks. You're sure he'll be interested in finding out more later, though. He always lends a patient ear when you talk about your friends, and he really would like Aradia. Two peas with ghastly interests in a slightly ghoulish pod.

sooo harleytech is doing pretty well! my jadebots run most of the daily stuff for me and i do all the designing, and the special interactions! in a while im gonna do a bunch of installations for some trollian freedom fighters, rebels! thats so cool right?

He seems impressed by this one - a streak of rebellion has always been pivotal to his character as the world's most eccentric philanthropist and Renaissance Man after all, especially if it's against who you think it might be against.

lets see, what else... the garden ship has been doing really well, i just fixed up the alternian section a little! if aradia wants a slice of home, she can put it there! heheh... im still trying to think of a name for that huge maple though... the yiffdrasil is kind of dumb, and its not THAT big. do i name it after another scientist like us, grandpa? what do you think?

The old man doesn't answer, as if lost in pensive thought. It's tough to puzzle out a name for something like an ancient, time-wizened old tree, after all, especially one accelerated through time to its current state. Eventually a name occurs to you, and you clap your hands together.

hmm, maybe instead of a scientist, van winkle or something? yeah, good call! ooh, rip van maple? heheh... yeah, ill try that out for a bit! good idea, grandpa...

You sigh, tone softening, and you rise up to stand next to Grandpa. He's so tall, towering over you in presence and height alike, but you find yourself staring at his feet, the polished maple wood beneath.

youre so smart, grandpa. you always know just what to say.

You're quiet for a moment, just letting him loom over you. With a lump in your throat, you begin again.

hey grandpa? thank you for always... always being so supportive, even if we butt heads sometimes over stuff like hunting or mummies or dumb stuff like that. i know you only scold me and keep an eye on me because you wanna see me grow up to be the best me i can be! right...? always making sure i had the best of everything I needed to... to be who i wanted and needed to be. im so glad youre my grandpa, thank you for... for always being around for me.

i hope im... i hope... a-am i doing okay? am... do i make you proud, grandpa?

With a quaking lip, you look upwards at the old man, towards his serviceable pith helmet and dense, curly moustache. He doesn't say anything, his silence distinguished. Tranquil. You imagine a heavy, distantly familiar palm resting on your head, comforting and warm, but it doesn't come. Your own small hand resting between your ears while teardrops plink off the floor will have to suffice. You rest your head against your grandfather's side for comfort, sniffling softly until the tears subside.

its okay grandpa, you dont have to say anything about it. s-sorry, i just got carried away, th-thinking about what a good grandpa you are... youre right, stiff upper lip, h-haha...

You wipe your tears on your face and offer him a brave smile, seeing a twinkle of pride once more in his aged eyes. You smooth out his tear ruffled coat for him, and reach up to adjust his pith helmet. It's only polite. You hug him gently, then step towards the door. You attempt to pepper a layer of cheer into your voice.

ill let you get back to work, grandpa. thank you for talking with me today, it... it meant a lot that you took time out of your day to do that! ill come see you more often okay? i know sunday is fathers day, a-and grandpas definitely count for that! we can... we can do something special!! maybe ill show you my shooting skills!

dont work too hard and have a good night! a-and ill see you sunday if not earlier, okay!! i love you grandpa!!! byyyye!

You step hurriedly out of the Study and click the door closed behind you, standing in front of it and trying to steady your breathing. Failing that, you find yourself sliding down the front of the door to curl up and hug your legs in front of it, shoulders bobbing as you bury your face in your knees, already deeply missing the old gentleman you just finished visiting.

Grandpa was a lot easier to talk to when he was alive.

#solo writing #solo rp #sad #death mention #long post

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thecreativeangel · 6 years

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aut neca aut necare: IV

Peter Parker x Fem!Reader

*Please don’t plagiarize my work, thank you :3*

Summary: Peter hasn’t been talking to you for two weeks now, which is cool. It’s all good. He’s only your best friend of like seven years. No biggie.

Warnings: Peter kinda being a shady bitch. The angst begins. Reader is becoming e d g y

Words: 2.3k

Previous Chapter Next Chapter

The weeks were passing too quickly. You’d hoped that Peter would interact even a little, to slow down time like he did when it was just the two of you in his living room, watching old cartoons on a Sunday. Classes with him were the same as classes without him; boring, dreary, etcetera. Peter had little intention of talking with you. Or Ned, apparently, because Ned would follow him everywhere in a desperate attempt to gain his attention. You were alone. It made you guilty, that the mention of Ned’s name caused a bitter pang in your chest. Ned didn’t try to avoid you like Peter seemingly did.

“It’s the most annoying book I’ve ever read,” MJ complained, The Pearl by Steinbeck resting on her lap. Peter didn’t look up from his computer, merely humming to signify he was listening. MJ sent Peter a withering look which he’d see if he looked away from the damn computer. She turned back to you and shrugged. “I mean, let’s say we ignore the shit descriptions. Kino is such a conceited prick. He treats his wife like shit for trying to advise him. Actually, now that I think about it, Juana reminds me of that hero chick who the New York Times likes to bash.”

You felt Peter stiffen in his seat and chose to ignore him like he was you. “Okay Michelle I know that you know her name-”

“Yeah, it’s a stupid name-”

“I mean the people started calling her that, so blame them.”

“It’s a makeup brand!”

“-and did you just use John Steinbeck to suddenly shift conversation to Nyx?”

She sniffed daintily, tugging at one of her baby hairs. “And if I did?”

You laughed at her fake nonchalant attitude. “Oh my god Michelle.”

“Right, let’s see what people think,” she roughly shoved Peter’s shoulder, making him release a high pitched yelp that resounded throughout study hall. “Parker, what d’you think about Nyx. She’s cool and all, but the name. It’s dumb.”

“I don’t get why you like her so much,” Peter said gruffly. “Haven’t you read the New Yo-”

You interrupted him. “We’ve seen that thing. MJ says it’s bull and I believe her. Don’t you think that Ritter guy sounds a bit biased?”

“Maybe, but what he writes is true,” Peter said. He focused back on his computer, typing as he talked. “She robbed a store on Fifth Avenue…”

I didn’t rob it, You thought, deflating slightly. I STOPPED a robbery, then put most of it back. Stupid cameras caught me with ONE watch and reporters ignore the actual robber completely. AND WHO ROBS VERSACE? Walk a bit and you’ll get to Tiffany and Co.!

“...and the United Nations Headquarters!” Peter exclaimed, shocking you out of your thoughts.

“No one saw her sneak in.” MJ noted, confused at why Peter was suddenly so against Nyx. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“Wait hold up,” you broke in, feeling your palms become sweaty. “W-what happened at the U.N.?”

“Nyx stole from the U.N.’s library,” Peter explained patiently. “She took something from the historical sciences section. No one knows what it is yet, but they think it’s a record of ancient power sources. Prehistoric relics. What old civilizations worshipped. Supposedly it’s from before people knew what a god was, so it’s kind of a big deal.”

You wiped your hands on your jeans and tore the laptop from his hands before he could protest. Of course, as soon as you started typing “UN” the autosearches read “UN headquarters broken into”, “UN delegates can’t work anymore?”, “UN building in shut down”. You clicked on a random article and sure enough, there were shaky pictures of the glass library, dark blue smoke leaking from its open doors. But it wasn’t your smoke; Nyx hadn't entered the building at all. You’d been framed.

“Is there any video?” you asked, praying the squeak in your voice wasn’t audible.

“No,” Peter replied, taking his computer back rather forcefully. “But I’m sure it’s Nyx. I mean, blue smoke? She’s been getting more careless and this was her breaking point, her greatest achievement so far- Or maybe she’s innocent. Dunno, I’ve been watching Shane Dawson.”

Shane Dawson made a conspiracy theory about me? Should I be honored or… Your fingers gripped the armrests to the point that your knuckles were beginning to sting. That night you’d gone out angry; Mum wasn’t calling back, and her assistant left an unpleasant voicemail. You forgot to buy food after hours of homework and ate at Seven Eleven. Not your most dignified moment. So when your silver wristlet began to vibrate, projecting an image of those suspicious trucks moving out of New Jersey for the first time in weeks-

You flew to their location.

The “mission”, distraction, whatever it was- failed. You felt even worse after, coming back into the empty apartment at 2 a.m.

“Kim doesn’t like her either,” Peter said offhandedly. “Been really quiet about the explosion at Stark Labs, but she says she’ll tell me why soon. She hates talking about Mr. Stark. I just wanna be there for her, y’know? No one deserves to be alone like she was.”

Your insides felt like liquid nitrogen, so cold they were scorching. “You’re acting like an idiot.”

Peter frowned, his eyes searching yours. “What?”

“I get that you like her, and that's cool, but it’s getting sad,” you deadpanned, drawing your gaze down to the messages poorly carved into the table (even fancy schools had idiots who got bored). “Why’re you so obsessed with her when you won’t even ask her out? S’ not like she’s interested in you.”

MJ’s snapped up, ridiculously wide. She hastily picked up The Pearl from her lap and practically shoved her nose into the pages, hiding from the conversation. The words left your mouth a grumbled and bunched together, but Peter heard everything. His gaze on you was steely.

“We’re dating,” he said tonelessly, another blaring warning you missed. “Kim asked me out a month ago.”

“Oh.” you managed weakly.

There were several seconds of painfully awkward silence before you snapped, mumbling “It’s not like I’d know that.” under your breath. You pouted slightly, probably acting like a complete child.

“W-what do you mean ‘you wouldn’t know that’,” Peter mused, throwing his hands up. “I told you last week.”

“That’s a lie,” you retaliated. “I’ve barely talked to you this month! So-rry for not wanting to intrude on your little fantasy when she’s around.”

“Why are you like this?” Peter asked honestly. His normally serene expression turned to a scowl. “The moment I get over Liz- Actually no, you’ve been weird all year!”

“I’ve- I'm not acting weird- and you, that's- don't even have the right to say th-” MJ looked over her book so only her eyes showed and shook her head. You faltered. Have I been acting differently? Has everyone else noticed?

“Whatever. Nothing's wrong. It's just puberty or something.”

Peter watched you wearily, scanning for something. “Good. Awesome. Now could you please be quiet?”

“So you can finish your little article about Nyx?” you scoffed, rolling your eyes. “You’re just salty that Spiderman, everyone's favorite hero used to be friends with her.”

Peter flushed pink. “I’m talking to Kim about it, not writing an article.”

“Bet you’re gushing about how Nyx deserves to be put to death sentence.” you said. “Since you suddenly hate her so much. For no reason.”

“For good reason, but you’re too in love with her to see it. Look, I’m sure Spiderman will catch her soon,” Peter said through gritted teeth. MJ sunk down in her chair, shielding herself from the argument. You didn’t know if anyone was listening in, but you were too angry to care. “And when he does she’ll confess, and this will all be over.”

“Catch her? They’re partners!”

“D’you- d’you actually Spiderman would be partners with a criminal?”

You wrinkled your nose at him, suppressing a cynical laugh. “Spiderman used to be a criminal! ‘Member when he cut Staten Island Ferry in half?”

Peter seemed pissed off by this, and you wondered why he idolized Spiderman so much. “He wasn’t a criminal! He helped people!”

Your fists clenched under the table, hearing the light overhead start to buzz, the glass cracking. Magic crackled quietly around your wrists like sparks electricity. “There is no proof that Nyx stole from the U.N.-”

“Well, yes, there is,” Peter pressed. “How can’t you see it? No one else leaves blue smoke besides her! I think Nyx should be sent to jail, because that’s where criminals go.”

Jail. That’s not too bad. Jail might have decent food. “At least you don’t want her killed.”

“Depends,” Peter said airily. “On whether she hurts Kim again.”

He didn’t bother to add “Oh, and you, Ned, Michelle…and May of course. Y’know. My blood relative who I very much love, Aunt May.” Nope, it was just Kimberly. Kimberly, Kimberly, Kimberly. You tried to sympathize with him, really you did, but this young love bullshit was irritating. Besides, your young love wasn’t going too well.

“Psh, so what would you do?” you asked. “Go to your damn internship and tattle to Spiderman? Have him hunt Nyx?”

There was a sense of disbelief in your words, but Peter’s gaze remained set. His brown doe eyes gleamed with determination and protectiveness. None of it was for you.

“If I have to,” he shrugged. “Yeah.”

So in other words, you’d do anything for her, you thought sourly. Ouch. That hurts a bit. Peter dropped the solemn face so quickly you wondered if he ever looked solemn at all. Might have been a figment of your imagination, just trying to get you to be angry with him. He sent you a lopsided, innocent smile that made your blood boil. You didn’t know why, didn’t want to know why, but at this moment he had no right to go back to his cheerful state. Not after saying those things.

You looked back down at your black jeans and picked at a loose seam. The way he looked when he spoke about Kim… The chivalry, warmth and protective nature. Seven years you and him had been best friends, and he never looked at you that way. Not when you were pushed into mulch by a bully in 5th grade, or when you were harassed by 15 people in 7th, or when a girl had the audacity to call you a prude bitch in 9th. (Apparently you were a prude for admitting that you’d never been kissed, but joke’s on her. It’s junior year and you still haven’t been kissed, so… That’s depressing.)

Your thoughts strayed, but there was one common observation: Peter liked you, cared for you, grew up with you, but he’d never look at you with as much adoration as he did to Kimberly. But it’s worse than that, isn’t it... You dug your fingers into your thighs. No matter how close I am with Peter, he’d always choose her over me. Fuelled by venomous thoughts, you spoke before thinking.

“God, why do you hate her so much?” you huffed. “It’s like she’s the one who killed your parents.”

MJ almost fell over as she shot up, grabbed everything she could and sped out of study hall. Your eyes shot open at your own statement, heart starting to beat frantically. Shit, why did I say that?! Peter’s head jerked up, staring at you. You didn’t want to describe what flashed across his face, didn’t want to keep looking at him. You wished you could slap yourself so hard it reversed time and that slip-up never happened but your gaze was locked with Peter’s, and neither party was backing down.

When he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. “Take it back.”

You didn’t blink. “Peter.”

“Take. It. Back.”

“I’m sorry,” you breathed, hating the way your words sounded; like a strangled, dehydrated cat. “Peter, it slipped-”

He only looked at you, jaw clenched so hard you could see the muscles twitching. Your eyes began to sting, feeling the pressured need to cry build up beneath your eyeballs. “Peter I said I w-”

“Fuck you.” he spat.

That single, short sentence was enough to make you clamp your mouth shut. It was two words dripping poison onto your body, melting skin wherever drops landed. He stood up, shoved his books into his backpack so fast his hands seemed to blur and before you could even move he disappeared through the door, heavy footsteps slowly fading away.

You were still sitting, holding your knees which were exposed because of the ripped jeans, hands shaking and staring at at the door through which he left. Even if the entirety of study hall knew how badly you just fucked up with your best friend, you didn’t care. Judging from how quiet everyone suddenly was, they all knew anyway. But you stayed perfectly still, shoulders tense, clutching your knees until your nails made little semi-circles appear. Soon, they broke the skin and tiny dots of blood surfaced, and you still didn’t move. Your chest moved in fast, small movements, like an animal that was being hunted.

When the embarrassment of your actions finally reached your fogged up mind, you frantically shoveled books into your backpack and fled the room with your head down. A few drops of red ran down from the aching cuts in your exposed knees and disappeared into the black fabric of your jeans. They hurt. You deserved it.

I messed up, I messed up, I messed up, I messed up, I m-

Authors Note: Sorry ‘bout not posting, but depression just kicked in like a motherfucker and I needed time to get used to the feeling. There’s also some stuff about my summer credit course, that gets in the way too. Hope people still care to read this. Byee-

Tags List: @4-a-m, @miss-glitch, @runs-with-sciss0rs, @lubrielx, @reddiesteddiespaghetti, @wheezygreens, @everythingthatisrandom, @mcheung0314,

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rockinthebeastmode · 6 years

Text

Bad Apple VII

A/N: I wasn’t expecting to write another chapter before work tonight but here we are--might be a couple days til the next one while I put some things together. Hope you enjoy!

Bad Apple I Bad Apple II Bad Apple III Bad Apple IV Bad Apple V Bad Apple VI

You can find the rest of my fics here.

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Let me know if you want to be added/removed from the tag list and if I missed anyone :)

Bad Apple VII

Rae opened her eyes to Finn’s room, bright with sunlight coming in the window and his watch alarm beeping incessantly on the table. Finn remained dead to the world, mouth wide open and his arm thrown across her hip. She rubbed her eyes and reached for the watch for the time.

“Shit!”

Finn jerked awake, grabbing her waist. She broke away, searching the floor for clothes. She tugged on his shirt and the boxers he’d given her and turned back to the bed. He blinked at her blearily.

“C’mon, Finn, we’re late for school,” she stressed before grimacing, “God, that’s so weird…”

“We’re skipping,” Finn almost slurred, waving her back to bed. She smacked at his chest, Finn grunting and glaring at her.

“I’m a teacher, Finn!” He rolled his eyes, sitting up and fluffing his pillow.

“Just bunk off for the day,” he picked up his watch, snorting at the time, “It’s already 10.”

“No, I can’t do th--” His arm shot out, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the bed and down to his level. He kissed her roughly, his hand cupping her neck. She melted against him when his thumb ran across the bottom of her throat.

“Call. Off.”

***

“Thank you so much for understanding, Principal Dixon…” Rae faked a cough and behind her Finn stifled a laugh, his hands going to her waist, “I’m sorry again about the short notice…” Rae smacked at his hands when one started travelling up her side, “Yes, I will see you tomorrow,” his hand snuck below the waistband of her boxers and she repressed a whimper, “Thank you again, bye!”

Rae hastily hung up the phone just as Finn’s fingers entered her, his lips on her neck. She gasped, biting her lip.

“You’re such a bad influence,” she breathed, Finn’s laughter tickling her neck. He smirked against her skin.

“Sure it’s not the other way around? How old are you again? 27, 28?”

Rae whipped around, Finn grinning as she faced him. He leaned in to kiss her and Rae turned her face away with a huff. He laid exaggerated kisses over her cheek and she wrinkled her nose but smiled, facing him again.

“Cheeky,” she murmured, nipping at his lip. He took her hands, entwining their fingers, and dragged her towards the kitchen. He released her and went to the fridge, pulling out several things and balancing them in his arms. Rae leant against the counter, watching him drop everything to the side of the stove before grabbing a pan from the cabinet.

“Scrambled okay?” he asked, without turning. She went next to him and took an apple from a bowl next to the sink.

“That’s fine. Want help?” she asked, before taking a bite, Finn glancing at her with a smile.

“Naw, I got this. Go sit,” he stated, bussing her cheek. She took a seat at the table, glancing around the room. Now that it was daytime and she was sober, she could properly look around.

Finn’s kitchen wasn’t quite as cluttered as hers at home, but still had traces of him throughout. She noticed an ashtray on the window sill by the sink and empty beer cans piled in the bin. There was a few takeout containers on the counter but most of the mess was in the sink, a few pots and pans and several dishes soaking in soapy water.

“Who taught you to cook?” Finn glanced over from cracking eggs, a smile appearing.

“I watched my nan cook all the time growing up...kinda picked it up from there.” Rae nodded and went to ask another question but surprisingly, he continued, his smile widening, “My folks weren’t the best when it came to that. Dad can barely boil water.” Rae laughed, trailing off when Finn’s smile wavered.

“My mum was better with baking. I was always begging her for sweets and finally she threw an apron at me and told me to shut my gob and listen,” he finished with a shaky laugh. He cleared his throat lightly and started to stir the egg mixture, a little rougher than needed.

Rae tried to think of something to change the subject but Finn reached for a remote next to the fridge and turned on a stereo across the room, Movin’ On Up coming through the speakers. He then poured the egg mixture in a pan and slid a loaf of bread along the counter.

“Put some toast on, yeah?”

***

They’d just about finished eating when the phone rang, Rae and Finn jumping at the sound. His brow furrowed and he put down his fork, going to the foyer and answering it.

“Nelson residence… No, I can’t…” Rae bit her lip when Finn’s voice took on an edge, “Because I’m fucking busy…” she stood under the guise of clearing their dishes and stepped closer to the door, “No...Why?...” Finn sighed, a hand going through his hair, “Look, I’ll meet you later…Later, Simmy....Yea, up yours, mate...Cheers,” Finn hung up roughly, cursing under his breath. He stiffened when Rae stepped behind him and rubbed his arm.

“Everything okay?” she asked quietly, watching as his expression cleared and he gave her a reassuring smile.

“Yea, ‘course,” he said hastily, looking to the side when she raised her brows, “Simmy was just asking about football later. It’s nothing.” Rae opened her mouth to argue and he kissed her, cutting her off. She hummed when his tongue touched hers.

“C’mere,” he murmured, pulling her towards the stairs.

***

Rae collapsed to Finn’s side, her breath short and heart pounding. He reached blindly from his prone position for a rollie and lit it, closing his eyes with it between his lips. She shook her head at him with a smile and stood from the bed, stretching before throwing a shirt on. Finn watched her as she walked over to his desk and flipped through his notes.

“Are you all caught up?” she asked, running a finger over his handwriting in the margins. He groaned and sat up, giving her a withering look.

“Are you really asking me about homework when we just shagged?” Rae narrowed her eyes at him.

“Finn.” He rolled his eyes, got up and slid on his pants before going over to her.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said seriously before taking a drag. Rae crossed her arms with a frown.

“It’s important, Finn! If you’re going to uni--”

“Who said I was going to uni?” he scoffed, raising a brow.

“Well, what were you planning on doing?” Rae asked pointedly, Finn huffing and sucking on his cigarette irritably.

“I dunno, Rae. Work, I guess.”

“Work, you guess. Where?” Rae laughed, a bit incredulously.

“I. Don’t. Know.” he punctuated, stubbing the rollie out hard enough to rip the paper. Rae shook her head at him slightly.

“You don’t have any plans?” she stated more than asked and Finn’s eyes flashed.

“Fuck’s sake, Rae, leave off!”

Rae’s lips flattened and she mumbled an apology, kicking herself for badgering him. Finn sighed, reaching out for her. Rae stepped closer, looking his face over.

“I’m sorry,” he offered, his fingers running up and down her sides, “I haven’t thought about it, alright?”

“Alright,” she said with a nod, “Even if you don’t go...I think we should continue the tutoring.” Finn grinned, his eyes dancing.

“Oh, yea?” he teased, moving to kiss her. Rae smacked at his shoulder with a smirk.

“Not for that.” Finn glanced to the side and his lips quirked in confusion.

“I told you I didn’t need help,” he reminded her, Rae cocking her head.

“Your essay answers need work. And we should review Ozymandias for the test next week. I don’t think you--” Finn’s neck snapped back and his hands fell from her waist.

“Wow, Rae, tell me how you really feel,” he jeered, looking a bit insulted. Rae quickly backtracked.

“Hey, I’m just trying to help,” she said softly, meeting his eyes, “School’s important, even if you don’t go to uni.”

Finn looked to the side, grimacing. Rae’s hands went to his cheeks and her thumbs forced his mouth into a smile. He rolled his eyes and grabbed her wrists, the corners of his mouth lifting reluctantly.

“Fine. We’ll do it.”

Rae grinned winningly and pecked his lips.

“Good boy,” she teased, Finn’s brows raising.

“I’ll show you ‘good boy’,” he warned, Rae biting her lip and backing away. She squealed when he grabbed her around the waist, his fingers fluttering along her sides.

“Stop! Finn!”

***

Early afternoon found them in the living room, dozing on the couch watching TV. Rae’s eyes fluttered as she ran her fingers through Finn’s hair, his head on her lap. She heard his breath starting to deepen when the doorbell rang and he groaned, rubbing his face into her thigh before sitting up and shaking his fringe out of his eyes.

“Probably Simmy trying to drag me out,” he grumbled before stretching through a yawn. Rae sat up straighter and made sure she wasn’t visible from the front door.

“I’ll stay here,” she said unnecessarily, Finn standing with a grunt and heading for the door. She heard it open and then quiet indiscernible voices. He came back a moment later, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Uh...It’s for you.”

Rae’s eyes widened and she hesitated standing until Finn ushered her forward, smiling reassuringly.

She entered the foyer with Finn trailing behind before he went into the kitchen.

“Chloe! Shit, I completely forgot to call you!”

Chloe only looked disappointed, shaking her head and crossing her arms.

“What are you doing here?” she hissed, glancing at the kitchen archway. Rae shrugged sheepishly.

“I’m still trying to figure that out,” she admitted, biting her lip. Chloe rolled her eyes and Rae continued, “How’d you find me?”

“Went down to the school, didn’t I? Told them I was his probation officer and needed his address. They believed me well enough.”

Rae’s eyes widened and she stepped closer.

“Oh my god, Chlo, what the fuck--”

“Jesus, I’m only joking,” she sighed, uncrossing her arms and putting her hands on her hips, “My bag ripped when I was walking home, I turned around to get my stuff and spotted you getting in his car.” Rae nodded, her brow furrowing.

“You had his street name scribbled on a receipt in that mess you call a desk,” she added, Rae shaking her head.

“Should be in detective work instead of business,” Rae snarked, Chloe frowning and opening her mouth to retort.

“Everything okay in here, ladies?”

Rae and Chloe’s heads snapped to the kitchen archway, Finn standing there with a smirk. He stepped forward, offering a hand to Chloe.

“You must be the best mate,” he ventured, smiling at Chloe and shooting a wink at Rae, “Finn Nelson.”

“Charmed, I’m sure,” Chloe replied monotonously before turning to Rae, “We really should be going, Rae.”

“Chloe--”

“Rae.” She rolled her eyes, waving Chloe off.

“I’ll meet you outside. Give me a minute.” Chloe raised her brows at her before nodding at Finn and going out the front door. Rae dropped her head to her hands and she heard Finn suppressing a laugh.

“What’s so funny, Nelson,” Rae mumbled, glaring at him. Finn shook his head with a smirk, taking Rae in his arms.

“Guess I have to go,” she whined against his chest, her arms circling his waist. Finn chuckled, kissing her neck softly.

“Want me to kidnap you later?” he asked, burying his face in her hair. Rae sighed and pulled away, shaking her head.

“Tempting...but I should get home,” she admitted, kissing him quickly and getting her bag from the side, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Finley,” she finished, a warning in her voice.

“Yes, ma’am,” he conceded, walking her to the door. She stepped outside and started towards Chloe’s car, glancing around the street.

“Laters, Ms. Earl,” Finn called out, grinning when she turned and walked backward, flipping him off. He turned and went inside just as Chloe laid on the horn.

#mmfd fanfic #mmfdfanfic #mmfd fanfiction #my mad fat diary fanfiction #my mad fat diary fanfic #my mad fat diary #mymadfatdiary #badapple

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chibinightowl · 6 years

Text

Bakery AU, Part IX

One more chapter to go...

Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII, Part VIII

~*~

“Tell me what?”

Tim’s heart starts to race, a last ditch effort by his body to give him the brainpower needed to get the words out of his mouth. He takes hold of Jason’s hand and removes it from his chin, but he doesn’t let it go. “I know you’re Redwing.”

To his credit, Jason doesn’t even flinch. “Right,” he drawls. “Tim, I think you’re a little sleep deprived.”

“Oh, I am,” Tim agrees. He forges on. “But I know I’m right.”

“Really? How so?”

“Because I figured out that Dick Grayson was Robin when I was nine years old.”

Jason’s grip on his hand tightens, the only sign his words are affecting him at all. “Okay, suppose I buy this tale. How did you figure it out?”

Tim launches into a story that has never once passed his lips. About how as a young boy he went to the circus with his parents and met an acrobat who promised to do a quadruple somersault just for him. He spoke of how that night ended in tragedy, with the acrobat’s parents falling to their deaths when their ropes snapped. “I kept tabs on Dick after I heard Mr. Wayne took him in. Sometimes I saw him at society events it was okay for kids to attend. When I was nine, I caught a clip on one of those paparazzi TV shows of Robin. They were running a brief segment on local urban myths. The video was absolute crap even if they did try to clean it up, but it wasn’t the person I recognized. It was what he did that struck me the most.”

“What did he do?” Jason prods when Tim pauses to gather his thoughts.

“He did a quadruple somersault. There’s only person in the world who can do it. Dick Grayson. After I figured that out, the rest was easy.” Tim bites his lip, stopping the flow of words.

There. He’d done it. No going back now.

Jason places his hands on Tim’s shoulders, holding him firmly in place as he stares intently at him. “Are you telling me a nine year old boy figured out one of the most closely guarded secrets on the planet?”

Tim nods. “If you’re referring to Batman, yes. He goes to great pains to hide it. Superman on the other hand…a pair of glasses? Really?”

A heavy hand covers his mouth faster than Tim can blink. “I think that’s enough tonight. You’re tired and obviously getting to the point where you’re not thinkin’ straight.”

What? Tim stiffens and jerks himself away from Jason. “You think I’m making this all up? I’m exhausted, but I’m not stupid. Jason, I have never, ever, spoken about this to anyone before. If you don’t believe me, fine. I was trying to be honest with you, because if you want whatever this is between us to work, then you need to be honest with me.”

“I don’t think this is the time or place to be having this conversation. You don’t have a door right now, remember?”

Tim’s mouth snaps shut. Son of a bitch. Had he been speaking too loudly? He doesn’t think so, but Jason is right. All that’s keeping the rest of the world out of his little shop is a piece of plastic. “Sorry. Sorry, you’re right. I’m just…”

“You’re tired, Tim.” Jason hauls him back in and plants a tender kiss on his forehead. “Go take a nap. I’ll finish cleaning this up.”

There isn’t anything Tim can do but nod. He’s blown it. He knows he has. Goddammit, why did he say it? Had he really misread things so badly? What’s going to happen now? Jason would be fully within his rights to never see him again after this little bomb. Fuck.

Tim lets Jason direct him into the kitchen and, under his watchful eye, gets his blanket and pillow out of the storage bin. Jason doesn’t comment about it, which says a lot about where this is all heading. He makes a little pallet under his desk and lays down. Through bleary eyes Tim watches Jason turn off the light and close the door, leaving it open just a crack. This is the last time he’s going to see Jason, he knows it. It hurts so bad that he doesn’t want the same thing as him.

So much for that gamble.

As Tim falls into a fitful sleep, he swears that he hears the low tone of Jason’s voice speaking to someone. “B? You won’t believe what I just heard…”

~*~*~

The next day Tim decides is quite possibly one of the worst he’s had in a while. Jason is gone when he wakes up to the alarm the man apparently set for him. No note, no nothing, not that Tim expects anything after the mess he made of things last night.

Stephanie tries to get the story out of him when she arrives an hour later with breakfast and coffee, but he refuses to say a word other than that he and Jason had a disagreement. This isn’t something Steph can help with. It’s all his fault.

“Do I need to call him and tell him to stop being an ass?” the blonde asks pointedly.

Tim loves that her loyalty is unwaveringly with him even if she doesn’t know all the details. “No, I’m pretty sure this is all on me.”

“Oh, Tim.” Steph wraps her arms around him and holds him tight. “Are you guys done then?”

He sighs into her freshly washed hair. God, he has to stink to high heaven at this point. “I don’t know.”

Steph squeezes him, then draws back, hands still on his arms as she gives him a serious look. “You know what’s going to make you feel better?”

“The ability to rewind the last twelve or so hours?”

“A shower. Go home, Tim. Get cleaned up, and for God’s sake, brush your teeth.”

Tim laughs weakly because what else can he do? He put himself out there and got rejected.

This is why he doesn’t date. It always hurts when things fall apart.

The rest of the day passes in a blur. It takes a few phone calls to get someone out on a Saturday to replace his door, and as soon as that was done, Tim calls it a day. He and Stephanie already have a plan in place to get things back up and running tomorrow, even if it will take at least a week to get a new display case. That’s fine, they can still take the truck out and Tim can set out a tray with a single cupcake of each design for any walk-ins to choose from while keeping the rest in back. They can make this work. Gotham and a broken heart are not going to keep Tim Drake down.

As he walks home in the late afternoon sun, Tim decides to allow himself one night to wallow in his misery. He deserves that much. A quick stop by the store gets him a six pack of his favorite microbrew and he swings by a Chinese restaurant that makes what he swears are the best noodles in town. Literally, since they make their noodles right there.

Properly fortified, Tim brings his prizes home. Another shower and a change of clothes later, he settles onto his sofa to binge watch Netflix. There are some shows he needs to catch up on.

He does not think about Jason. Much.

Three hours later, he’s finished half his stir-fried noodles and three bottles of beer. Sleep sounds like a great idea, lightweight that he is, so Tim manages to put away his food before returning to the sofa where he puts on a BBC nature documentary to fall asleep to.

He cuddles under his afghan and is out in under a minute.

~*~*~

It’s late when Tim wakes up. He feels like he should still be asleep, but something has drawn him out of that sweet oblivion where he doesn’t think about Jason. Everything is quiet, so he decides it must be his faintly hurting head that woke him. Some headache meds and water will fix that, as will sleeping in his bed rather than the living room.

Tim opens his eyes blearily as he sits up. Then he opens them wider and jerks upright, the afghan pooling around his waist.

Standing in front of his muted TV is Batman, outlined by the glow of the screen behind him.

Oh, shit. Why…Oh. Oh. Jason must have told him everything. Of course, he would, the little bomb Tim dropped on him last night impacts everything his family works so hard for. God, how could he have been so thoughtless?

His inner fanboy cowers in the corner of his mind, wailing in fear even though Tim is reasonably certain Batman won’t actually hurt him. Scare the crap out of him, yes. Intimidate him, hell yes. This is very intimidating, yup. Babbling seems like a stupid thing to do right about now, so Tim keeps his mouth shut and waits for Batman to say something.

And waits.

Seriously? Is he waiting for Tim to speak up first? He has not had enough sleep for this. Tim shoves the afghan off his lap and swings his legs to the floor. “Would you like some coffee? If you’re just going to stand there, then I’m going to need some.”

Batman doesn’t move. If anything, he frowns harder without even moving his face.

Now there’s a trick Tim would love to learn. He makes his way into the kitchen and flips on the overhead light by the sink to see by. Coffee prep is something he could do in his sleep, so while the little pot is brewing, Tim takes two mugs out of the cabinet and sets them on the counter.

“Do you take cream or sugar?” he calls out, not really expecting an answer.

He doesn’t get one.

Black it is.

Tim pours two cups and returns to the living room. He doesn’t try and hand Batman his cup, but he does place it on the coffee table in front of him before sitting back down on the sofa. This is by far the strangest interview he’s ever been part of. It must be a neat trick, using your reputation to get everything you need to know out of a person without having to say a word.

This could go on all night. “What do you want to know?” Tim asks eventually.

“Start from the beginning.” Batman’s voice is a low growl, one that makes Tim’s throat hurt just listening to it.

So Tim starts there, telling Batman how he met Dick, the promised quadruple somersault, and the tragedy that occurred later. He tells him about how he kept tabs on the former acrobat through the news, that he just wanted to be sure the boy was happy. Then he tells him what happened when he was nine… “I’m not sure there are many people who could have made that connection,” he admits slowly. “I mean, sure, the people at the circus probably can if they ever happen to see Robin, or Nightwing now, do that. But outside of there? I don’t think I would have if I hadn’t been there that night and saw it myself.” As well as everything that happened after, but there’s no need to rehash that again.

“You were very young.”

Tim nods. “I was almost four. My mom always said I have a mind like a steel trap. That when something goes in, it’s not coming out. I think that’s part of the reason why I didn’t forget. I couldn’t, even if I’d wanted to.” He sips his coffee, debating about the next part. This is where he could get into some serious trouble.

Well, this is supposed to be a confession of sorts. And it does feel good to get everything off his chest after holding it so close for years.

“When I figured out who was under Robin’s mask, I decided I needed to see Dick in action again for myself. We lived in the city, and Mom and Dad were never around much, so it was easy to sneak out…” Tim tells Batman about how he used to map his and Robin’s patrol routes, how he would hide and wait half the night for even a glimpse of his hero. As he got better and grew more confident, that was when he started bringing a camera.

If Batman was rigid before, then those words made him even more so.

“Those first photos were horrible,” Tim admits with a wry shake of his head. “It took a lot of practice to learn how to shoot at night, just as it took a lot of trial and error to learn to develop my own pictures because these were not something I wanted to take to the convenience store and have just anyone see. But I got better and by the time I did, there was a new Robin.”

Jason. The Robin he got all the best photos of.

“I took my pictures for a little over three years,” Tim continues. “And then my parents were murdered in a botched kidnapping. My life was turned upside down for a time, but when it became clear that I was going to end up in foster care since I had no family to take me in, I knew I couldn’t keep any of those pictures. I couldn’t risk it, even if no one knows the faces beneath those masks.”

“What did you do?”

“I took them up to the roof of my parent’s townhouse and burned them. Each and every one.” It still hurt, even after a decade and more having passed. But it hurt like ripping off a bandaid hurt, and no longer tore at his soul. “All my negatives, I soaked in bleach.”

Batman gestures to the pictures hanging on the walls. The black and white photos are taken from various angles high above Gotham. “You didn’t stop taking pictures completely.”

Tim shakes his head. “No, but I didn’t take those until I’d graduated from culinary school and had my own place. I like photography, it’s something I’m good at. But it’s a hobby now. A skill I can put to use in my shop for my website.”

“You understand the concerns I have.” It isn’t a question and Tim doesn’t pretend to take it as such.

Still, he knows he’s expected to answer. “I do. Honestly, I wasn’t planning to say a word about this to Jason at all. Until last night, I thought what we had was just a mutually beneficial arrangement between two consenting adults. He’d never given me a reason to believe otherwise.”

“Until last night,” Batman states, echoing Tim’s words. “Why did you tell him this?”

Tim hedges and sips his coffee as he tries to gather his thoughts. For all that opening his mouth had been a mistake, the reason why he did hasn’t changed. On that one fact, he still feels like he’s on solid ground.

“Because last night he said he cares about me. That what keeps him coming back is me.” No need to mention the frosting part. Nope. “I’ve known for a little while now that I like him more than what our arrangement calls for. I figured that if he wants a real relationship, then he has a right to what I know so that he doesn’t have to lie to me when the shit hits the fan or he gets all battered and bruised and needs to cancel plans we’ve made. I can’t imagine it’s easy for anyone who tries to date one of you guys.”

“It isn’t. Especially for someone like you who cannot protect himself.”

The implication is clear as day. Tim tightens his fingers around his warm mug. “I know I’m putting myself in harm’s way if Jason and I keep seeing each other. I know I can be used against him or as a means to hurt him. I know all of this. But isn’t it up to us to decide if that’s a chance we want to take?”

“Yeah, B, stop stickin’ your nose in our business.”

Tim almost spills his coffee as Jason comes striding around from behind the sofa in full Redwing regalia. It’s an impressive sight, from the battered leather jacket to the dark gray uniform underneath that fits him like a glove. How long has he been here? Oh, shit, what has he heard? Tim tells himself to get a grip. Everything he’s said to Batman is stuff he plans to tell Jason, if the other man ever gives him a chance.

He’s here though, so that has to mean something. Right?

Batman doesn’t move, but it’s clear when he turns his attention on his son because that weighted gaze no longer sits like a ton of bricks on Tim. “I am trying to ascertain what this man’s intentions are towards all of us.”

Jason snorts incredulously. “No, you’re trying to be a dad for a change and scare away a potential boyfriend. B, Tim knows and hasn’t said a word to anyone. Do you have any idea how much easier this makes things for me? I don’t have to fucking lie for a change.”

Tim clutches his coffee mug, afraid to make even the slightest of noises for fear of interrupting what is clearly a very important argument. Inside, his heart sings with joy because Jason is fighting with Batman for him. If that’s not a sign from the heavens, he doesn’t know what is.

“What happens if it doesn’t work out?” Batman says to Jason. “Think about the damage Tim can do in a single moment of petty spite.”

“I’d never do that,” Tim interrupts. This is something he has to speak up about. “What you guys do is so much bigger than anything I deal with. You’re important. You all mean something to the world. For however long this lasts between Jason and me, I’m glad to be able to support him in whatever way I can. And when it ends, well, I’ll at least know that for a time, I made him happy. Because I can’t imagine you guys get that a lot.”

Both men turn and stare at Tim, heavy and weighted and wow, this must be the same feeling that makes bad guys quiver in their shoes. But Tim holds firm and doesn’t drop his gaze.

“B, you’re done here,” Jason finally announces. “You got what you came for. Tim won’t spill the beans. Now get out.”

“Redwing—”

“Get outta my business, B. I can either air dirty laundry about you and Catwoman or toss you out that window. Take your pick.”

Batman looms over his son, but Jason is clearly having none of it as he just stares him down. All the long years of exposure must make him immune. Tim finds that impressive because wow. Just wow.

That heavy gaze settles back on him for a moment before Batman walks away without another word, brushing past the sofa towards the window leading out to the fire escape. Tim feels a faint rush of cold air on his neck and then nothing. He turns around to look, just to be sure. The only thing he sees is the faint movement of his cheap window blinds.

“So that’s what being interrogated by Batman feels like.”

Jason snorts and picks up the coffee Batman never even touched. “Sort of. There’s usually a lot more punching and getting tossed off the side of a building involved.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Tim feels faint at the thought. Although jumping off the side of a building doesn’t sound too bad if he’s with the right person…kind of like skydiving perhaps.

An awkward silence falls over the room, neither of them seemingly able to start the conversation that needs to happen. Tim fiddles with his mug and steals glances at Jason, who seems lost in thought as he drinks the not-so-warm coffee. What’s going on in his head? How does Jason feel about all this? He apparently likes the idea of him knowing who he is if his statement to Batman was legit.

Tim takes a deep breath and breaks the ice. “How much of that did you hear?”

“All of it. I followed B here and snuck in through your bedroom while he loomed over you like a creepy fuck until you woke up.”

“How long did that take?”

Jason chuckles quietly. “About half an hour. Color me impressed.”

“I may have had a few beers earlier tonight.”

“Lightweight,” Jason teases, but there’s a fondness to it. “You were quite the little stalker once upon a time, weren’t ya?”

Tim nods, feeling steadier now that they’re talking about his past. “I guess you could call it that. At the time though, I was so incredibly lonely that sneaking out for even a glimpse of my heroes was enough to negate the creep factor.”

Jason walks around the coffee table and takes a seat in the recliner. Under the jacket, Tim can just make out the stylized red bat on his broad chest. “You’ve mentioned before that your parents were never around that much.”

“No, they weren’t.” Tim takes a sip from his mug. It’s almost empty. “I had a hard time mourning for people who were never there. I got lucky when I was placed with Grandma Ives. She gets kids in a way I’d never seen before. Probably because she had six of her own, plus over a dozen grandkids. She helped me figure out what my grief was really about and gave me something constructive to do while I worked my way through it.”

“She the one who taught you to bake?”

“Yes.” Tim has many fond memories of Grandma Ives. Perhaps one day, he can introduce Jason to her.

“Did you really take all those pictures of me?” The question seemingly comes out of left field, but Tim has a feeling it’s a precursor to something bigger.

“I did.”

“Is it… Is this the reason you want to be with me?” Jason gestures to his uniform, to the mask he’s still wearing.

Tim is shaking his head before Jason finishes speaking. “No. Not at all. In the beginning, I was shocked that someone like you even spared a glance in my direction. I kept telling myself not to look too deeply into it, to not get attached, that we were both getting something we needed. But when we went out for dinner to that bar, it felt like a date. I wanted it to be a real date so badly that I had to keep reminding myself it wasn’t.”

Jason sighs heavily and leans forward, his solid arms resting on his thickly muscled thighs. “I think of that night as a date. It was all so clear in my head what I was doing, sweeping you off your feet and romancing the crap out of you, but in hindsight, I can see why you believed what you did.” He sounds defeated, which no. No. Tim is not letting this happen.

Standing, Tim sets aside his coffee and kneels in front of Jason, resting his hands over the man’s gloved ones and forcing him to look at him. This close, the lenses in his mask are disconcerting, but Tim knows Jason’s eyes are on him. “We’re both idiots,” he pronounces. “Doing everything ass backwards from the way we should have.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve fucked up,” Jason tries, but Tim shushes him.

“Me neither. But I think we have a good reason to want to do this right. If you want to, that is.” Tim trails off, his momentary boldness tapering into uncertainty.

Jason grabs hold of his hands, holding them firmly in his gloved ones. “I want to. Christ, I want to. But the risks…Tim, already the thought of something happening to you hurts like hell. If we go further…”

Tim raises their joined hands and presses a kiss into the material of Jason’s gloves. “I understand. Just know that I’m willing to take those risks. But really, the choice is yours, not mine. What you do, who you are…it’s all so much bigger than just me.” His confidence shocks him, even if it is nice to know he can bring it out when he needs to, despite the less than stellar circumstances.

“I need some time to think.”

“I respect that.” Tim tries to stand, but Jason rises along with him and draws him in close, pressing his forehead against the top of Tim’s head.

“Tim, this isn’t good-bye. I will let you know what I decide. And in person because you deserve that much, even if it’s not what either of us want.”

It’s more than Tim can reasonably expect. “I appreciate it.”

Jason pulls back a bit and runs his fingers over Tim’s cheeks, seemingly memorizing the planes of his face. “I’ll see you soon.” He leans in and presses a brief kiss against Tim’s mouth.

And then he’s gone, vanishing into the night.

#chibinightowl writes #Tim Drake #Jason Todd #Bruce Wayne #JayTim #Bakery!AU

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sopewriters · 7 years

Text

The Crown: Part IV

Previous Parts: Part I Part II Part III

Genre: Drama; Smut; Angst; Historical AU!

Pairing: Yoongi x Reader; Jeongguk x Reader

Word Count: 4.1k

Creatures of Ambition

12th October 1685

Jeongguk is in his study when his mother suddenly barges through the doors, making him raise his head up from the paper littering his desk and sigh exasperatedly. If she’s going to bring up that topic once more, he might just have her locked up in her chambers for a week just to bring him some peace of mind.

“How long has it been since your marriage? Two months?” She complains yet again, taking a seat in front of Jeongguk and he looks at her in disinterest as she continues. “And still, no heir!”

“Mother, I do not need an heir right now. There are more important matters to be attended to.” He returns his attention back to the letters, parchments and books beneath him on the table but unfortunately for him, his mother would not have it. “Please do not start with this so early in the morning.”

“Jeongguk, only because the country is at peace for now does not mean that you mustn’t strengthen your claim to the throne.” She argues, snatching the paper from his hand and dropping it on the table to gain back his attention, successfully, “Maybe we should find you another bride. She probably isn’t even fertile.”

He raises his head up immediately at her words in shock, looking at her in disbelief before clearing his throat, “There is no need for that. I’m sure she’ll have a child soon.”

“Anyways,” His mother begins to get up and he lets out a sigh of relief at her departure, “I will have her brought to your chambers tonight. If she does not have child soon, we may have to annul your marriage and find you another bride.”

He doesn’t get a chance to give her a reply as she walks out in haste, probably to tend to the things for the night’s arrangement and he exhales deeply. Things are just starting to get better with you and here goes his mother, ruining things once more.

But he decides to at least inform you of it beforehand, resolving that it’s better you hear of it from him than his mother. So, he gets up from his room and walks over to your chambers, excusing your handmaidens so he may speak with you alone. Upon walking into your room however, he realizes that you are still sleeping.

He sits down by the edge of the bed next to you, hand running through your silky locks. He admires your peaceful expression, the short puffs of air that leave your lips, which are slightly parted, the rosy shade of your cheeks. With each feature of yours, he cannot help but fall for you further.

Upon feeling another presence, you slowly wake up from your sleep, yawning as you rub at your eyes, before opening them and seeing your husband beside you.

“J-Jeongguk!” You exclaim, getting up immediately and sitting up against the headboard of your bed, “What’re y-you doing here?”

“Ah, I’m sorry, I did not mean to alarm you,” He apologizes, sitting closer to you as he held your hand in his, interlocking your fingers before gazing at you fondly, “I just… wanted to see you.”

You take a deep breath, calming your nerves as you grip his hand back, running your fingers over the veins of his hand, and he brings his other hand to your face, raising your chin up before leaning in to kiss you.

“I hope you slept well.” He speaks softly, lips mere inches away from yours before kissing you again.

“I-I did.” You answer back, forcing your mind to forget everything that he’s done to you and only thinking with your body as you pull at his shirt to kiss him again.

In that glorious moment, you can somehow seem to forget all the wrong he’s done to you and focus only on the good. How good he’s been to you since you got married, how he has not forced himself on you on your wedding night like most other lords do to their wives, how he hasn’t treated you like a slave and has given you an equal opportunity to voice your opinions. You merely view it as a sweet morning with your husband.

But it all ends when he opens his mouth to speak.

“My mother, she… she has decided that is time I have an heir.” You pull back from his arms to gawk at him in disbelief. “She’s making arrangements to have you brought me to my chambers so that we may…” He trails off, already knowing that you understood what he means.

You move away from him, getting up from the bed and walking to the corner to put as much distance between the two of you. Even though Jeongguk wants to comfort you, tell you that he’ll find a way out of this, he cannot. He understands where his mother is coming from and knows that it is imperative from him to have an heir.

But you, you do not know how you may be able to spread your legs for the very man that murdered your first and only love. You cannot blame Jeongguk for his mother’s pressure for a grandchild and you understand its necessity but neither can you bring to give yourself so fully to a man who you hated so much. You are about to yell at him, argue with him to postpone this, if not stop it entirely but you know it is futile and so you sit down on the chair wordlessly. You also know that you must gain his trust if you are to succeed in your and your mother’s ambitions.

“You know, I never wanted to be a king.” He interjects your thoughts, walking over to the chair beside you before sitting down next to you, “Everywhere I look nobles conspire against me, servants slip each other notes. They smile to my faces but draw their swords against me behind my back.”

“Well, that is what it means to be a King.” You voice your thoughts sincerely, not bothering to hide your true feelings for him, “My father had to deal with all the same events and so did Yoongi. From you and the rest of the Tudor family.”

“Well, it is becoming more and more than I can bear with each day.” He raises his voice at the mention of your dead lover, anger igniting within as he sees you blatantly disregard his own selfish pain and suffering, “Waiting, wondering if I’ll live to eat supper or be stabbed in the neck as I sleep.”

“Why did you slaughter Yoongi then if you did not wish to be King?” Your voice rises in response as well, your own pent-up rage fuming out at his complete and utter stupidity.

If he does not wish to be King, did not think he would be able to handle the power, the responsibilities, the difficulties that came with the title, why did he do it? Why did he have to kill Yoongi and steal him from you?

“Because I have been trained to do it all my life. There was no other life for me, no secondary choice. My life had been decided from the moment I was born. You’ve seen my mother, she felt that I had a destiny from the moment that she held me as a child in her arms.” He gets up from his seat, walking over to the fireplace in the room as he shouts out in irritation, “I was to be the king for her because she dreamed of power.”

He walks back over to you, features irked in annoyance, “Perhaps you cannot understand what it’s like to be told your whole life what you are and what it is that you have to do. Without a chance for you to think about what you want for yourself.”

He turns around and walks over to the bed, sitting down on it with his back facing you so that he would not have to look at you any longer. Not have to only look at the one whom he wants so desperately only to have her looking back at him with disgust and hatred.

The room falls silent after he is done talking. Merely because you weren’t expecting such an honest answer from him and you did not how to respond to it. It sounded so much like your own life and you could not help but feel empathy for the man, even after all the pain he’s caused you.

Your mother could’ve sent you to Burgundy with your brother so that you would not have to marry the man who killed Yoongi mere days after his slaughtering. So that you could be safe from him and be free to grieve Yoongi properly. Yet she did not. Because she craved the throne for you. For her son.

“That is what my life has been as well. A puppet for my own mother’s ambition. It was her who craved the throne for me.” You stand up, taking slow steps over to him before sitting down next to him, “I would’ve settled for—”

“For a man you love?” He finishes your sentence for you, looking at you with a smile on his face yet his eyes glimmered with sadness. You wonder how he has been able to get so far without having someone to depend on, to love and to share his feelings with.

“I don’t ask that you love me in the way that you loved him but I had hoped… I hoped that you may have come to have… a tenderness for me, at least. Kindness even.” He holds your hand in his, voice soft and low as he looked into your eyes deeply and rests his other hand on your cheek, rubbing away the tears you didn’t know were even falling.

“And would that be enough for you? You don’t want someone who burns to be with you?” You place your hand atop his own that rests on your cheek, voicing your words passionately with vigor, “Who would ride across an entire battlefield just to catch a glimpse of your face and hear your voice?”

“I- I do not know. I’ve never had it.” He replies back, voice meek and you cannot help but wonder had things been different, would you have been able to give him that love?

You slowly lean forward, looking at him timidly before closing your eyes and kissing him deeply, feeling his tongue brush against your lower lip as he asked for permission which you give to him instantly. You can feel his hands wrapping around you, reducing the distance between the two of you and even though you want to give into his advances, this is not the right time for it.

This conversation, his words, have definitely made you understand him more and feel his pain. Though this night might not hold the same importance that it did with Yoongi, you feel that it just might be possible to let him love you. Maybe even convince him enough that you feel the same for him. But you fear that you might do too good of a job of convincing him that you might even end up convincing yourself.

“I will be there tonight.” You pull back from his touch before letting things get too far and he smiles gratefully at you before kissing your cheek and returning back to work.

“Thank you… for understanding.” He remarks before leaving your chambers and you slump back in your seat, wondering if you had made the right decision.

As the sunlight fades in the evening, your handmaidens draw you a bath with an array of essences and flower petals, no doubt to clean you thoroughly before you were presented in front of the King again. You decide not to think too much about the upcoming events of the night, instead choosing to focus on the soothing feel of the warm water as you rest your head against the cool marble of the bathtub.

Once you finish, you put on only your innerwear and chemise before draping a coat to shield you from the night’s cold breeze. You choose not to tie up your hair, letting it fall down freely and then make your way to his chambers along with your handmaidens. It is only when they have escorted you to his chambers and seen you enter it, that they finally take their leave.

“You look… beautiful.” Jeongguk remarks as you turn around to face him, hands shaking as you hold them together and he takes a few steps towards you.

Unintentionally, you take a few steps back from him as he walks forward but he can’t seem to notice it as he is utterly captivated by your beauty. Eventually, your back hits the wall and he traps you between his strong arms, slowly closing the gap between you with his lips on yours.

“Jeongguk—” You are only able to voice his name before he’s kissing you again, hands coming to grip your inner thighs as he lifts you up and carries you to his bed.

He sets you down gently, hand coming to pull your chemise down as his lips kissed your jawline, drifting downwards to your neck and then to your collarbone.

“You are so pretty.” Your cheeks flame at his compliment, legs wrapping around his waist involuntarily as you let out a soft moan at his ministrations. “And you smell so sweet.”

Even as you begin to feel pleasure, love and warmth at his touch, you are constantly at battle with yourself.

A part of you wants to hold onto the grudge that you have against him, to hate him and push him off before he can lay his bloody hands on you any further. But there’s also a part of you that’s come to feel an inkling of love for him. He has been your husband for the past few months and while you had expected him to be terrible, his behavior towards you was nothing but respectful and caring.

Yet you cannot seem to forget how he is the one who killed the love of your life, who killed Yoongi in battle. But you also know that, being his wife, it is your duty to bear him a child.

But again, as Taehyung’s sister and your mother’s child, it is also your duty to help Taehyung win back the throne. His throne.

“Stop overthinking.” His sultry voice pulls you back from your distracted thoughts and feelings and you look at him with eyes glimmering with tears, “Just…don’t think, okay?”

He wipes the tear that slips down from the edge of your eyes before cupping your cheeks and kissing you again, deeply.

So, you take his advice as your hand comes to wrap around his shoulders, pulling his shirt off before running your hand over the bare skin. You lean up to press your lips against his, fingers tangling in the base of his hair as you pull at the strands harshly, eliciting a groan from his lips.

In his haste, he rips your chemise but cannot find it in himself to care as he drops it to the floor, his mouth pressing a trail of kiss down the valley of your breasts before suckling at your chest.

“Oh god, J-Jeongguk!” You hiss as he runs his fingertips over your inner thighs before running two of them over your dripping slit, easing them inside you while his lips attach to the crook of your neck.

“You’re so wet for me,” He whispers into your ear, surprising you with his words as he begins to move his fingers at a slow pace, eliciting a whimper from you, “So wet for me, my love.”

You cannot seem to be able to form words as he increases the pace of his fingers and instead, choose to grip his shoulders tightly, pulling him down to kiss him as he brought you closer and closer to your release.

He lightly bites at your lower lip, furthering your moans while his fingers curl just right to the that spot in you that has you crying out to feel more of it. It isn’t till you come undone but just as you are on the brink of it that he pulls his fingers out of you, looking at the sheen coating it in fascination as he smirks proudly at you.

“You’re getting really excited for this, aren’t you? I can see how badly you want it.” He chuckles, watching with amusement as your eyes follow the movement of his tongue over his fingers, licking it clean of your essence, “And you taste so delightful.”

He pulls back to stand then, taking his pants off before hovering over you once again and kissing you.

“Are you sure you want this?” He can barely get himself to ask but he ensures that he does and you’re so lost in your haze, drowning in his comforting warmth that you waste no time in nodding your head.

Your own hand slips down to pump his leaking cock a few times, covering it in precum thoroughly and he lets slip a groan at the heat of your hand wrapped tightly around his cock. You align the tip of it with your entrance and slowly, he pushes himself inside you, both of you groaning at the feeling.

His hands come to grip your waist for support while your hands wrap around his neck, lightly tugging at his hair as he buried his head in the crook of your shoulder.

“God, Jeongguk, you… you feel so good.” You whine out as he pushes his entire length inside you, walls clenching tightly around him and he increases his grip on your waist in response, whimpering silently and muffling his voice as he bites into your neck.

Once again, he’s left entirely speechless as he can only take in the pleasurable feeling of your wet heat wrapping so perfectly around him, drowning happily in his delirium as he begins to move his hips. The moans and mewls of his name leaving your lips, in your broken and stuttering voice, does nothing but further ignite the heat in his body.

“Do you like this?” He asks cockily, pushing himself in even deeper and further, hitting all the right spots that have you crying out his name in pleasure, “Tell me how it feels.”

“It—oh god—feels amazing.” You gasp out, raking your nails over his back lightly and the burn of it makes him increase the pace of his thrusts as he can feel himself unraveling, making you gasp as he hits much, much deeper inside. “P-Please, don’t stop!”

You don’t know what washes over you to speak like this but you cannot seem to care as he pulls you further down with him into this bliss, this gratification that you have never felt before. Making you feel like everything was absolutely perfect and clearing your mind of anything and everything but the satisfaction that your body felt.

Even though it is your first time with him, he is somehow able to hit all the right spots, kiss you with perfection and make you feel as though you’re in heaven.

He moves his hands upwards from your waist to fondle your breasts, making you bite your lip and arch your back in pleasure when he pinches your nipples harshly. His lips seem to want to mark all of your skin, sucking hard on your sensitive spots to turn them into shades of purple and red before pulling back to admire his work on you with pride. And soon, he can feel you shudder underneath his touch, realizing that you are close and increases the speed of his thrusts.

All you can do in response is moan and cry out his name as he builds up your pleasure to the highest peak before letting the bliss cascade over you and wash out all the stress that had been building up. And as your walls convulse and tighten even more around him, he is quick to join you in your release as he paints your walls in thick streams of his come.

He falls on top of you, one hand resting on your waist while the other runs through your hair to calm you through the aftershock and his lips press a series of placating kisses to your neck.

You giggle softly at the gesture, beaming widely at him as he comes up to kiss you, your own hands wrapping around him tenderly.

He slowly pulls himself out of you, lying down next to you as he tried to catch his breath and you did the same. Slowly, you move closer to him, snuggling into his neck as he wraps his hands around you, fitting you under his chin before kissing the crown of your head.

“I know that I cannot ask for your love nor do I expect you to answer this,” He whispers softly as he strokes your hair and you burrow comfortably into the warmth of his chest. “But I really do think that I am starting to love you.”

At his words, you freeze in his hold, the haze of your pleasure finally disappearing and the gravity of your actions finally dawning upon you, but you are so tired that you cannot even think about it much as you fall asleep in his arms.

And for the first time in months, you have a good night’s sleep.

13th October, 1685

Come morning, you expect to wake up in an empty bed but you’re happily surprised to see Jeongguk cuddled up next to you, still asleep and his chest heaving as he breathes. You rest your hand atop his chest, pulling yourself closer to him as you place your head on his shoulder.

For once, you find yourself not wanting to think of revenge, of your mother’s plots and schemes and you want this moment to last forever. For everything to be peaceful, quiet and serene. Even though you haven’t forgotten about Yoongi, you cannot help but want to look forward towards a bright future. To at least dream of a future with Jeongguk.

But as always, you must put your responsibilities before your own want and wishes because it is your duty to serve your family. Even though you may be married to him and he may be your husband, but he will never be your family.

Because while you are a York, he will always remain a Tudor.

30th October, 1685

You hurriedly walk over to the bathroom in your chambers, pulling up your dress as you slipped your hand inside your underwear to run over your slit before taking it out to look at it.

“Please bleed. Please bleed—” You repeat incessantly, eyebrows furrowing in anxiety and as you look at your fingers which are not covered in crimson. You fall to the floor in a mix of worry and frustration. Your period is supposed to have started last week and if they still haven’t started, well, it could only mean one thing: You are pregnant.

It isn’t that you regretted what had happened with Jeongguk, you have been conflicted about it afterwards. You weren’t expecting yourself to get pregnant either, the chances of it happening rather slim in your mind.

This would definitely complicate matters so much more so… but at the same time, it would also get you closer to him.

“You’re pregnant?” He exclaims in happiness as you inform him of the news, running over to you to embrace you tightly, kissing you repeatedly and you nod with a smile.

“I—I cannot believe it!” He chuckles, a grin etching into his face almost permanently as he lifts you up in the air and twirls you around, “We’re going to have a child!”

“Looks like we won’t have to annul your marriage after all.” His mother remarks snarkily and suddenly you understand the reason behind why she had been pressuring him to be intimate with you and how he could not get out of it, “Lucky for you.”

You pay no attention to her words, instead focusing on Jeongguk’s ecstatic reaction at the news and his bright smile. Pushing even the words of your mother, your brother, your duty and responsibilities to the back of your mind and reveling in the happy moment for now.

Unintentional though it may have been, you have found your way to his heart and though it breaks your own heart to use him, to trick him like this, you have a role to play and a duty to fulfill towards your family.

Written By: Admin Sangria

Edited By: Admin Midnight

Next Parts: Part V Part VI

#kkreationsnet #bangtan bookclub #BangtanWriters-Net #kreativewritersnet #bts #bts smut #bts jungkook #bts jeon jungkook #bts jungkook smut #bts jeongkook #jungkook #jeon jungkook #jungkook smut #kpop smut #bts angst #kpop angst #jungkook angst #bts jeongguk

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fallinfor-youreyes · 7 years

Text

Why Do We Run

The five times Benvolio says I love you, and the one time Rosaline says it back.

Ao3

“I love you.”

Rosaline tries not to cringe at Benvolio Montague’s words. Which is hard, considering they are holding hands in front of their entire 8th grade class.

“And I, you.”

He makes a face at her words, partially covered by his too long hair.

That’s it. The scene should be over. It should be some other students turn to make complete fools of themselves in front of the class.

She should not still be holding his hand.

“Umm.” Benvolio coughs, and turns toward their teacher. Mrs. Lazzara sighs before clapping her hands together, the rest of the class following in unison. Benvolio rips his hands away from hers and stalks back to his seat.

Someone wolf whistles when Rosaline sits down, and it takes everything in her being to not throw a book at them.

Two months. She has two months left of middle school, two months left of acting out scenes for English class, two months until her chances of ever being paired up with Benvolio Montague again fall to less than 5%.

“I love you!” the next pair presenting says. The partner blushes accordingly, and bat their eye lashes. That was how the scene was supposed to look. Maybe now Mrs. Lazzara would stop pairing her with her sworn enemy.

She can feel Benvolio’s eyes burning into the back of her head, but she refuses to look at him. Instead she crosses the day off her calendar and tries not to break another pencil.

II.

She really should have known better than to think prom would actually be fun. Juliet left to dance with her date less than 20 minutes in. Isabella was skirted away from some beautiful girl about 40 minutes later.

It didn’t bother her that she didn’t have a date – she did say no to Romeo Montague when he asked – but what did bother her was being alone. The slow dances had started and all her friends had someone to dance with leaving her alone eating cake while some John Legend song plays in the background.

The bright lights of the hallway almost blind her. She needs out of the ballroom, out of the dance, out of the crowd. Rosaline needs a minute to compose herself. She has a week left of high school, and then she would be done with Verona high and everyone in it. Except for her cousin and her sister and Isabella, but everyone else, she never wants to see again.

She can hear the song change from the restroom, and she knows Juliet will be looking for her in a minute, but she doesn’t want to go back yet. She runs her hands under the cool water, trying to calm herself down.

Her phone dings, and she sighs. It dings 4 more times, and she tells Juliet she’s in the bathroom to just give her a moment.

The music gets louder the second she opens the door back into the too bright hallway. She closes her eyes, ignoring her phone for another moment, readying herself to go back in.

“I love you, Rosaline.”

The words stop her in her tracks. She knows that voice. She also knows that is the last thing Benvolio Montague would ever say.

“Do you really think that will work?”

Rosaline knows that voice too, and it takes all her power not to groan and let the boys know she is there.

“I don’t know Rom. That’s how it works in the movies.” Benvolio says. She moves closer to the voices, discovering the two Montagues in a hallway off to the side. Benvolio’s the one facing her, and his eyes catch hers over Romeo’s head.

“Where is Mercutio when you need him?” Romeo says. He hasn’t noticed Rosaline yet, and Ben moves his eyes in a way telling her to get away while she has the chance.

“Probably dancing with his boyfriend.”

Rosaline gathers her dress in her hands and starts making her way back to the ballroom.

“You sound bitter.” Romeo says, and Rosaline has to agree with him.

“Yeah, I’m bitter he left me alone with you.” She can hear his eye roll in his voice, and for some stupid reason it makes her smile.

“Wow. Wait, what are you looking at?” Romeo’s voice gets slightly louder.

“No one.”

“Liar.”

She hears footsteps, and she knows she going to be caught because her heels make it nearly impossible to walk fast, and her skirt slows her down even more.

“Rosaline.” Romeo’s voice cracks over her name, and she can’t very well ignore him without being the world’s biggest bitch, so she goes to turn when someone collides into her.

“Ros! There you are I thought you drowned in the bathroom!” Juliet says, eyes falling on the boys behind her. Rosaline watches as Romeo turns from her to Juliet, and his face changes, just slightly, but enough for Rosaline to know something has happened. Benvolio watches too, a look of horror crossing his features.

“Hi. I’m Romeo.”

“I know who you are.” Juliet scoffs, rolling her eyes him. But Rosaline can see the slight color in her cheeks, and she thinks maybe, just maybe, she’s been saved from Romeo’s confession of love.

Benvolio sighs at the pair as he brushes past them. He’s grown since middle school. He’s taller than her now, hair cut short and reaching for the ceiling, red bow tie open, contrasting against the black dress shirt he has on. It’s a good look for him.

“Thanks. For trying to save me.” She says as he passes. It might be the first nice thing she’s said to Benvolio Montague since middle school.

“No problem, Capulet.” He offers her a barely there smile, before disappearing back into the ballroom.

She hears Juliet giggle and Rosaline grabs her cousins arm and drags her back to the ballroom. She’s had enough of Montague’s to last her a life time.

III.

“Oh, come on Capulet!”

“No. Leave me alone Montague I mean it.” She turns on her heel, turns away from Benvolio. They had ended up at the same college, and somehow, even though there were nearly 10,000 students, he was still able to find her and bother her.

Their arguments had become the stuff of legends, debates in classes, shouting matches on the quad, banishments from the library. It was like his entire life revolved around ruining hers.

“But I love you!” The words ring out on the quad, and nearly everyone stops their conversations. Rosaline can feel all their eyes on her. She slowly turns to him, finding a triumphant smirk on his lips.

She stalks back to him, anger rippling through her.

“We need to talk about this Capulet. Our cousins are dating and I know you hate it as much I do.”

The slap echoes around the entire quad. Someone cheers.

“I’m not going to sacrifice my cousin’s happiness because of your hatred for my family. No matter how much I don’t like it.” She takes a step away from him. “And next time you think about trying to embarrass me to get my attention, I’ll do a lot worse than slap you.”

He nods at her, holding his cheek, but there’s something akin to pride in eyes. She ignores it, walking away from him again, glaring at anyone that dares to stare at her.

Her phone vibrates, 4 hours later, once she’s texted Juliet again warning her about the Montagues, once she’s finished her homework, and once she’s replied to all the messages on Facebook about his confession of love and the slap heard around the campus.

I’m sorry

She has Benvolio’s number from the time when Romeo showed up to her room, drunk and tearful over Juliet, and she needed him to pick up his cousin. She had kept it in case of emergencies, and it seemed he had kept hers for when he fucked up.

Just don’t do it again.

Instead of answering he sends her a dog video and she tells him to fuck off, but adds a smiley face for good measure.

She never expected Benvolio Montague to be an ally in anything, but their mutual dislike of each other made them equally upset about their cousins’ romance. And they still fought at every corner, but every once and a while, usually on a weekend when they ended up at the same party thanks to their cousins, they would stop, he would call a truce and buy her a drink, and for a half hour they would be civil.

The fact that he could still make her smile, after what happened on the quad only made her realize that under different circumstances, under different last names, they probably could have been friends.

IV.

Juliet sighs, and grips Romeo’s hand tighter. The chapel is dingy, with the part of the sign falling off, but the two love birds are looking at it like it’s the most beautiful place in the world.

“Are we really going to allow them to do this?” Ben whispers, watching his cousin talking to the minister.

“Do we really have a choice?” Rosaline answers.

Romeo passes over the money, and Juliet’s entire being lights up, and for a moment, Rosaline forgets who they are. They are just four people, two of them so in love that they are going to elope in Vegas, and Juliet’s smile is all she needs to know there is no way she is going to stop this.

“I don’t think I could.” Ben says. He bumps his hip against hers, before smiling at her as he walks over to Romeo so they can start the ceremony.

They stand across from each other as their cousins say their vows, and he mouths the words I love you to her when Romeo says it to Juliet, with an eye roll and a smirk on his face.

They find their way to a club after the ceremony is over, and Romeo requests a slow song for them to dance too. Rosaline stands by the bar, watching her cousin laugh as her husband spins her in circles, and she’s filled with a sense of joy over the whole thing. It’s going to be a mess once their parents find out, but she’s never seen Juliet so happy.

“I love you.”

Ben’s arm slings his arm around her shoulder as he finds his way next to her. She turns to him, a question on her lips, but he just takes a sip of her drink.

“I’m testing out a theory.” He says in response to her look, ordering them both a round of shots.

“Which is?”

“It will feel different when you mean it.”

“Ben…”

“I told my last girlfriend I loved her, because I thought that was what I should do. Then she broke my heart. But I didn’t really love her. I mean, look at those two. You can tell they are in love, without even knowing them. I want to know how it will feel when I’m in love as they are.” He takes a shot, and drops his hand from her shoulder.

“So, I’m your guinea pig?” she asks.

“You know you mean more to me than that, Ros.” He presses a sloppy kiss to her cheek before melting into the crowd, leaving her stuck to the spot, wondering exactly what he means.

The light filters into his bedroom, waking her up. His hand tightens on her waist, stopping her from moving.

She shouldn’t have spent the night. It was one of their rules. They had been sleeping together for months, and their rules made sure it became nothing else.

Rosaline doesn’t want to know what it feels like to wake up in Ben’s arms. She doesn’t want to know what he looks like first thing in the morning, doesn’t want to know if they’ll share lazy kisses or if he’ll attempt to make her breakfast.

Because if she knows that, the string holding her heart together will snap. If she knows what it’s like to be with Benvolio for more than just sex, she knows she will never recover.

“It’s too damn early Capulet.” He tugs her backward until she’s once again flush against him. She twists in his arms so she can look at him.

“That was your excuse for getting me to stay the night.”

He pops open a single eye, and pulls her forward, capturing her mouth in a kiss. “If it makes you stay…”

He kisses her until she can’t breathe, and his hand dances up skin, underneath his shirt. He sighs, pulling back, knotting a hand in her hair.

“God, Ros. I think I love you.”

Time freezes. She suddenly can’t breathe. This is different from any other time he had said those stupid words. She can feel the difference. Like he said at Romeo and Juliet’s wedding.

“Ros.” He searches her face, but she moves away from him, off the bed. She starts gathering her things, pulling on her shorts, searching for her bra.

“I’m sorry. I forgot, I had plans with Livia, she’s probably going to crazy, I –” she pauses, a moment, his hand reaching out for her.

“Ros, wait.”

She pulls away from him, reaching for her shoes.

“I have to go.” She stops looking for her bra and grabs her phone, walking out of his apartment before he can say anything else.

It’s her fault. She knows it’s her fault. She was the one who kissed him first, all those months ago, at Romeo and Juliet’s wedding reception Mr. Capulet insisted on throwing. She was the one who called him again, two weeks later because she tipsy and lonely. She was the one who came up with the rules, she was the one who broke them.

Benvolio Montague told her he loved her and she ran away.

“Ros, what the hell?” Juliet almost stumbles over her as she walks through the door, bags of groceries falling to the ground.

“Hi.” She says, picking up the dropped food, helping carry it to the kitchen.

Juliet waits until everything is safely on the counter before turning to her cousin. “Want to explain why you are sitting on my floor, attempting to kill me?” For a second, she looks exactly like her mother, about to demand an explanation for the girls being out to late, or how Rosaline had enough money to buy a new dress or why Livia was dating the man she had chosen for Juliet. But when she sees her, Juliet melts, rushing forward to pull her into a hug.

“What happened?”

“Ben,” she swallows, trying to collect her thoughts. “He told me he loved me.”

Juliet gasps, and pulls herself back. “What?”

Rosaline closes her eyes trying to steady herself. But she can’t. She’s been unsteady since he kissed her. She feels like she’s been unsteady ever since Benvolio Montague entered her life.

“We’ve been sleeping together for months, and this morning he told me he loved me.” She rushes it out in one breath, only opening her eyes once she gives Juliet a moment to take it in.

“Oh.” Juliet says. “Sweetheart, what are you doing here?”

“Umm. I kind of ran away.”

Juliet sucks in her teeth. She holds out a bag to Rosaline. They unpack the groceries silently, Juliet thinking about what to say.

“Now, tell me. Do you love him back?”

That’s the question that Rosaline had been afraid of. Feelings are complicated and messy. The last time she gave her heart to someone, he left, without so much as a goodbye, offering an apology through his sister.

Love made things brighter, more alive, but it also made everything hurt.

Because if she lets herself love Benvolio Montague, she’ll give him the power to break her.

“I – umm. Jules, I can’t get hurt again.”

“That’s not a no. Ros, love is, it’s magical and wonderful, but it also is work. Believe me, the first-time Romeo told me he loved me, I was ready to say goodbye to him forever, but look at us now Ros. We’re married. Living together, making it work. If you’re too afraid to love, you’ll never find it again.” Juliet grabs her hand. “You love him too, don’t you?”

It takes all her power to not break down crying in front of her cousin.

“You wouldn’t be acting like this if you didn’t.”

Sometimes, Rosaline hates when her cousin is right. Most times, it leads to her doing something spontaneous and reckless.

Like now.

Standing outside of the very apartment she ran out of that morning, holding a bouquet of flowers and a pack of beer. She doesn’t even know what she’s doing, if he’ll even let her in, but if she doesn’t try, she knows it’s going to hurt for the rest of her life.

The door swings open, and he stands in front of her, freshly showered and shirtless. She watches the muscle in his jaw jump.

“What?” There’s a poison in his words, one that feels like a much-deserved slap in the face. She goes to open her mouth, but he holds up a hand.

“Did you – did you buy me flowers?”

She nods, holding them out to him. “And beer. And an apology.”

He steps aside so she can walk in.

“No one’s ever bought me flowers before.” He says, a smile teasing his lips.

“Umm.” She doesn’t really know what to say. She hadn’t thought past the part of him opening the door.

He delicately places the flowers on the counter and turns to her. Her mouth goes dry, and her palms begin to sweat.

“I found your bra.”

“I’m sorry.”

They both speak at the same time, and she cringes, because this worse than she imagined it would be.

“You can go first.” He says.

She inhales a breath and takes a step closer to him. “I’m sorry. About running away this morning. I wasn’t ready for it. I’ve always guarded my heart, and then Escalus shattered it last year. And me and you, we’re a bad example of a decent relationship and I wasn’t prepared. But that doesn’t mean it was okay for me to run away from you.”

He leans back on the counter, crossing his arms.

“But that doesn’t mean I want what we have to stop. In fact, I would like it to continue.”

He looks confused, and she realizes that she isn’t making a lot of sense, and whatever she’s saying in no way makes up for how she reacted when they woke up.

She sighs and moves until she’s less than a breath away from him. “Ben, what I’m trying to say is, this morning, you said you think you may love me, and I freaked.” She pauses, and tries to stop her hands from shaking. “But, it was wrong of me. And If you’ll have me, I am falling in love with you too.”

She bites her lips together, waiting for him to say something, anything.

“It was a bit of an asshole dropping it on you like that. I probably should have asked you on a real date first.” His hand comes up to cup her cheek.

“A real date might be nice.” She agrees. Her gaze drops down to his lips for a split second. “I’m sorry.”

“Me too.”

She nods, bringing herself even closer to him.

“Wanna go on a real date? Tonight?” He asks. “Now?” His nose bumps against hers.

“Yes.” She takes a shaky breath, curling her hand around his neck. “Whenever you want.”

“Okay.” He kisses her, soft and quick. “Rose. I love you.” He squeezes his eyes shut. “Shit, sorry, pretend I d- “

She presses a finger against his lips, silencing him.

“I love you too.”

#rosvolio #still star crossed fic #ssc #my fic #i miss them a whole bunch

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rosenmarille · 7 years

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rosenmarille’s embroidery tutorial

hey anon you made my entire week and i love you

Let me preface this by saying that I’m in no way an expert and I’ve literally only been doing this for less than a month, so most of what I do is making it up as I go along. hopefully you find my tips helpful though!! <3

I wasnt sure which part you wanted to know about so i made a rundown of everything from start to end

1) List of things you’ll need:

Embroidery frame (I just went to the nearest crafts store and got them in two sizes. Theyre quite cheap and sometimes also come in plastic or different shapes)

Fabric (the less stretchy the better, though if youre planning to decorate clothing I think it really depends on how determined you are. what ive got here is some leftover polyester fabric from cosplay and other sewing projects. you can even sew different pieces together if one isnt big enough for the frame but in that case you need to iron the sewed piece flat or else it will be very difficult to keep straight and neat)

Embroidery yarn (see pic) (theres two types, and ive only used pearl yarn (top) so far but the other one allows for more precision since you can pick how many strands of yarn you need)

Needle (see pic) (properly pointy, not like the crappy one above. I mainly use that for crochet things because it actually bends and that’s NOT what you want here)

Scissors and a pencil

2) Sketch: Pick an image of what you want to do. I’ve found that at first, practicing with basic shapes and colours is a lot easier to get used to the whole thing, it helps give you a feel of how the yarn ends up looking stitched to the fabric. So far I almost only did screenshots, and I didn’t have to draw something up myself. In mobs case, I based it off a doodle I did in class and added a little colour to it

3) Pick fabric and yarn: That’s mainly up to you, depends on what youre going for, but as a fair warning, very light fabric colours will show the stitches and leftover yarn from behind, so you need to tuck them behind the main body of your embroidery later on

4) Apply to fabric: 2 ways, both pretty much self explanatory, only heres where the stretchiness of the fabric comes into play. As you can see ive developed a fool proof technique, ive had tape stuck to the top of my laptop for weeks now, im not about to waste it? (use more than one tape, this is an old pic i took because the concept was hilarious in the moment) Pro tip: don’t draw your sketch on paper advertising dnd game sets because youre gonna have a hard time seeing the pattern through everything and youll curse yourself for doing that instead of paying attention in class Pro tip 2: dark fabrics demand a white colour pencil, you literally wont be able to see anything else

5) Stitches: heres a LINK to the page I use to find all the different stitches I could possibly use. Practice makes perfect, i spent about two hours trying each of these out on an irrelevant piece of fabric to see how theyd work and how difficult they are, and still use that bit as ref to consider how a stitch would look on my current piece. Of these, ive only used about three in my finished broids, since theyre mostly for decorative things I think. Don’t let that stop you though, get creative and use the things im too lazy to incorporate!! (ill be using these terms for the rest of the tutorial, so if you dont know a word its probably in there)

6) Outlines/shading: Start by outlining your sketch with a few backstitches to get a feel for where everything needs to be. If theres shading then itd be useful to do those lines in the other colour already, or youre going to have to fix all that later and itll be a huge pain and make you want to stop altogether. It happens

Im not sure if that’s how its supposed to work but I fill in the shades first, it gives me a good sense of what direction the main colour stitches need to go to make it look dynamic.

7) Fill in mains: This is where all those handy dandy stitches from that library probably wont help you too much if you want to do something relatively simple. Ive only used normal satin stitches to fill in colour so far, though what the link doesn’t mention is that it wastes a shitton of yarn. Yarn is expensive, so what you can do is come up for point 3 not back next to 1 but instead next to 2. Warning: that does warp the way the yarn lies though, so use that one accordingly (for example: I do Not use it when doing small delicate places, or things that need to be detailed in general)

Mob was fairly simple as far as that went since i didnt add a lot of pattern, but ritsu is a little more complicated. Like i said earlier, adding shade before the main colour helps because now i know where the folds in his clothes are and how the fabric would bend to accommodate it.

8) Add details (like faces!):

Again, here I cant tell you exactly how you need to stitch to get everything looking good, just try to follow the way a face has its dynamics. Is it a long face, make lots of long vertical stitches, is it a round one, try to stick to the edges (but don’t spiral)

Facial features are a little more difficult because its hard to make a round nub or dots for pupils on something very small but its better to try 5 times and get it right the 6th instead of leaving the 1st try (i took ritsus entire face apart at least 3 times and t b q h i still think it doesnt look good but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

9) Background: Get real fancy on that shit, heres where you can try out those cool rose shaped stitches from up there in the link, go wild lol

10) Lastly: PATIENCE

I cant stress this enough, this WILL take a loooot of time, the first ritsu I did took me a literal week, while the second one took me roughly four hours in total (and that was a rather simple design).

Accept the fact that it wont look as good as you imagined it. That may sound harsh but for me that’s been my main issue, imagining how a string would lie exactly and then looking on in disgust when that doesn’t work out. You’re not drawing, the medium doesn’t exactly translate, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing! Try to figure out what methods work best for embroidery exclusively.

Don’t be afraid to undo, be careful about it though. I use those big scissors and it’s a bad idea, don’t do that. Unpicking from the back to save the yarn also works but it gets difficult (and at some point impossible) once the strands start getting woven together on their own

And there you have it, a finished piece of embroidery!!

You can now either hang it up in its frame and cut away the excess fabric at the sides or tie it around a piece of cardboard like so. it’s a little hard to get right at first but practice amiright

I hope i could be of help!! if you have any more questions feel free to come to my ask anytime!! ^^ <33

#embroidery #pari stickt #tutorial #i still cant believe someone actually asked me to do this #anon who are you i want to hug you omg #also i hope you see this??? id have tagged you :0

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tappity-tap · 7 years

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FOREVER BElonging WITH YOU

PART IV - THE ISSUE

<< PART III || PART V >> Story Rating: M Chapter Warnings: Some sexual content, medical stuff, and illness. [This chapter has a little nsfw bit at the beginning but is otherwise sfw]

Nearly a month had passed since he and Rukia were officially confirmed as a married couple, and for Renji life had never been better.

Waking up next to Rukia the morning after their wedding ceremony almost made him question the reality of it all. Not that this was the first time he’d woken up next to her…they slept side-by-side almost every night when they lived in the Rukongai, even huddled together under the same blankets on the nights the temperatures dropped below freezing.

But they’d never woken up next to each other like this, naked and disheveled within their bed linens after spending the night joined together in a passionate physical affirmation of their love, until that day. Watching the sleeping form of his wife stir and give a peaceful sigh felt like a wonderful dream, and even more so when she opened her eyes and kissed him with a smile before they made love again in the glow of dawn.

If this were a dream, he thought, holding her close while she softly moaned his name, he’d gladly remain asleep for the rest of time.

He was still riding high on a heightened state of euphoria when he came back to work the following week and it was enough to endure the constant barrage of waggling eyebrows and sniggering comments directed at him, the most popular choice being the question of how Captain Kuchiki felt “now that his lieutenant was shacking up with his little sister.” Whenever the topic came about, Renji would give a shrug and reply “Can’t say. Why dontcha ask him?”

That usually shut them up.

Speaking of the captain, being his superior’s brother-in-law was actually going better than anticipated. Even after the marriage was registered two weeks before the wedding their working relationship stayed pretty much the same as ever, though Renji did notice Byakuya now tended to shed a little more of his aloof persona once the door of the office closed and no one else was around to see. It wasn’t much but he would take it over nothing at all. That, and they saw more of each other outside the workplace.

While Byakuya’s company wasn’t entirely unpleasant, it was the company of another that Renji truly yearned for, but as they were enlisted in different divisions they didn’t see each other much. He missed Rukia terribly during the days he was on duty and frequently found his thoughts turning to her, wondering things like what was she doing at the moment? Was she thinking about him, too? Should he seek her out during their lunch break? Maybe leave work early to pick her up and take her out to a nice (albeit budget-friendly) dinner? What should they plan on doing tomorrow for their day off? Train together?

But then there were those other thoughts he had to quickly suppress before anyone noticed the hue of his face was coming dangerously close to matching that of his hair.

It wasn’t that Renji only saw her in that way now, no, not at all. It was more the newness of actually getting to explore this different facet of intimacy in their relationship after an eternity of celibacy that had him thinking about it more than he’d care to admit to anyone else.

Once she was used to navigating the vast difference in their sizes, Rukia’s proficiency in the bedroom had quickly flourished. Soon their activities moved out of the bed and onto other places, like the floor. Or the wall. Or the bathtub (that, as it turned out, did indeed comfortably fit two people).

And there was that one time their evening had started with making dinner together but ended with Rukia flung over the table screaming for more as he grasped her hips and furiously pounded her from behind.

“Oh god, harder, Renji! Fuck me HARDER! YES! YES!” She threw her head back and moaned louder with each powerful thrust, even giving a cry of delight when he finally gave in to her multiple demands and planted a few quick open palm slaps on her ass. He was glad he relented on that one. The faint red marks they left behind were pretty hot for sure, but honestly, it would’ve been unfair of him to deny the birthday girl her special request.

Renji eventually lost count of how many times he made her come that night (it was a lot) but he did at least learn she liked when he twisted his fingers through her hair and pulled her head back to kiss her, and if he bit down on just the right spot near the base of her neck as she was about to climax he could make her orgasm last nearly twice as long. Rukia learned how embarrassingly easy it was for her husband to become fully aroused and insatiably horny if she handled cucumbers a certain way.

“Is something the matter, Renji?”

“Ah NO! Not at all, Captain! All good here!” Renji cheerfully shuffled the papers in his hands and put on what he hoped wasn’t a grin that said “I was just thinking about how much your sister enjoys it when we get rough.”

Byakuya’s eyebrow quirked up slightly but he said nothing else and went back to his forms.

They continued their work in silence until a series of frantic knocks sounded on the office door, followed closely by an equally frantic, but still professional, voice. “Excuse me, Lieutenant Abarai! Captain Kuchiki! I have an urgent message from the 4th Division!”

Renji froze. 4th Division messages like this only came if one of their subordinates had sustained critical or life-threatening injuries. A few deaths had even been reported to him during his tenure as lieutenant. He tried to rack his brain for any current dangerous missions that involved members of their division but came up empty.

Byakuya glanced at him, then back at the door. “Enter.”

The door opened and a young Shinigami with silvery blonde curls and tortoise shell glasses darted in. She knelt on the floor and proceeded to read from an unfurled scroll in her hands.

“From Captain Kotetsu Isane of the 4th Division: This dispatch is to inform Lieutenant Abarai Renji and Captain Kuchiki Byakuya of the 6th Division that Lieutenant Kuchiki Rukia, acting captain of the 13th Division, has been admitted to the our medical facilities for treatment of injuries sustained during morning training exercises-”

The papers scattered noisily. Renji’s stomach lurched and he leapt to his feet with a roar, “WHAT? RUKIA? IS SHE ALRIGHT? WHAT HAPPENED?”

He’d practically blown his voice with that outburst and his knuckles turned white and numb from how hard he gripped the edge of his desk but he didn’t care. If something bad happened to her…he couldn’t even finish that thought.

The messenger flinched and nearly dropped her scroll. “I-I’m sorry, Lieutenant Abarai, I do not know the details of what happened.” She cleared her throat and finished relaying the memo to them in summary, “Lieutenant Kuchiki is in stable condition and we can confidently say her life is not in any danger. However, the captain detected some abnormalities in her reiatsu that made her very concerned. She is running tests as we speak.”

There was some relief that came with knowing she wasn’t in a life-or-death state, but Renji still felt like he was going to simultaneously throw up and pass out from worry. His rapidly weakening legs may have very well given out from under him had a hand not reached out and firmly grasped his shoulder to steady him. Renji whipped his head around, startled.

Byakuya’s expression was blank but Renji knew his captain was silently telling him to pull himself together, for both his sake and Rukia’s. He gave a terse nod once Renji managed to suppress most of the shaking. “Go. I will finish things here and meet you later.”

Though he’d regained enough command over his major motor functions to keep himself upright, Renji’s voice still faltered. “Thank you, Captain,” he choked out, his tongue dry and stuck to the roof of his mouth. Byakuya’s grip briefly flexed in imitation of a reassuring squeeze before letting go.

Renji skirted around his desk, all the while yanking off his lieutenant badge and stuffing it inside his uniform since he was technically now off-duty. Thanks to a new law enacted shortly after the war with the Quincies, any Shinigami attending to an immediate family emergency was automatically relieved from their post, though because so few of them even had immediate families this regulation had seldom been invoked since its conception.

The messenger scrambled to her feet and followed as he brushed past with a clipped “Let’s go.” She managed to stay even with his hastened stride until they got outside where she was swiftly left in the dust of his shunpo.

Thanks to the extraordinary speed he’d developed from years of dedicated training, it took less than 20 seconds for him to make the journey to the 4th Division’s campus entrance, though he probably could’ve done it in half that time had it not been for his preoccupied thoughts siphoning away at his concentration. In terms of speed among the current group of higher ranked officers of the Gotei 13 Renji was confident he most likely fell within the top five. He couldn’t say this with absolute certainty, however, as he’d never had the opportunity to confirm if anyone besides Captain Soi Fon and his own captain could outpace him. Rankings accuracy aside, he was among the elite Shinigami who were regarded as “exceptionally fast.”

So, understandably, he was amazed when the girl materialized next to him before he could even attempt to catch his breath. Even in the midst of such a critical situation the drill instructor side of him couldn’t help but be impressed whenever a young recruit showed promising talent.

“You’re pretty quick,” he commented approvingly as she moved to unlatch the gate.

She blinked up at him in surprise. “Ah…thank you, sir! It’s an honor to hear that from a ranked officer of your caliber!” Her bespectacled eyes shone with admiration.

“Yeah,” Renji responded absently, now filling with an uneasy dread as the door groaned open.

She beamed at him as they hurried inside and made haste towards the main medical building. “Don’t worry, Lieutenant Abarai! Lieutenant Kuchiki is in good hands. I’m sure she’s going to be fine!”

“Yeah,” he repeated with even less certainty than before.

By the time she dropped him off at the front entrance Renji was so on edge he barreled through the doors as nothing more than a black and red blur and charged straight past the terrified 4th Division staffers without a word. He didn’t bother stopping at the reception desk to ask which room Rukia was in. Not that it was necessary since he could just seek her out by reiatsu, anyway, and it didn’t take him long to pinpoint her location. With a little more focus, he was even able to pick up on the anomalies the messenger had mentioned.

He immediately understood why Captain Kotetsu had been worried; he’d never felt anything like that from Rukia’s spiritual pressure before, or anyone else’s for that matter. It was definitely hers but at the same time, somehow, it wasn’t, as if someone was constantly adjusting a radio tuning dial so while the output and volume were the same, the frequencies were crossing and fading in and out. At one point, just for a split second, he even thought he felt a flicker that resembled his own reiatsu, though that was probably just his imagination playing tricks on his frantic brain.

The door to her room had been left ajar so he slipped inside without a sound and almost collapsed from relief at the sight that greeted him. Next to the window Rukia lay in bed propped up by a fluffy white pillow, inert but fully conscious. The outer layer of her uniform had been removed and placed neatly folded on a chair in the corner. With her hands haphazardly draped across her lap and her head bowed, she painted the perfect picture of a droopy wilting plant until she sensed his presence and perked up instantly.

“Oh, Renji. You’re here.” She gave a weary smile and automatically reached out to him.

“Rukia,” his voiced cracked as he knelt by the bed and grasped her small hand in his, “are ya hurt? What happened?” Trying his best to remain calm, he did a quick visual once-over. There weren’t any visible cuts or bruises on her skin nor was any part of her wrapped in bandages or covered in gauze. She did appear slightly paler than usual but as far as he could tell she was uninjured.

Rukia bit her lip. “I must have over-exerted myself during training,” she admitted reluctantly. Seeing his eyes widen, she quickly added, “Don’t worry, Renji, I’m alright. Just tired. And nauseous.”

His heart ached for her. Employing the only method he could think to help her feel better, he lifted her slender hand to his lips. Each knuckle in turn was garnished with a sympathetic kiss. “You got sick?” he murmured into the back of her palm.

A soft finger stroking over his cheek let him know his sentiments had been received. “Once on the field and twice after coming here,” Rukia grimaced, “but it wasn’t too bad. I didn’t feel like eating this morning, thankfully.”

Renji was about to gently scold her for skipping breakfast when the cracked door flew wide open. Their joined hands dropped back onto the bed as the 4th Division’s lieutenant, Kotetsu Kiyone, waltzed in. Kiyone happened to be the former co-3rd seat of the 13th Division, serving as Rukia’s superior at first, then later her subordinate when she received the promotion to lieutenant. They remained friends even after Kiyone’s transfer to the 4th to serve under her older sister, Captain Kotetsu Isane.

“Kotetsu-dono!” Caught off guard as she was, Rukia looked genuinely pleased to see her and made to sit up straight.

Kiyone waved a hand to signal that wasn’t necessary. “Kuchiki-san! How are you feeling?” she asked in an overly chipper tone that gave Renji the odd feeling something was going on that he wasn’t privy to.

“Um…better. I still feel queasy though,” Rukia informed her.

“Oh, yes. That’s to be expected.” Kiyone bounced around on the balls of her feet, looking back and forth between Renji and Rukia eagerly.

Something was definitely up. Renji raised one eyebrow at her. “You look…happy.”

“Mmhmm!” Kiyone clasped her gloved hands together and beamed as Captain Kotetsu entered the room and stood beside her sister. In her arms she held a clipboard, which she gave a quick once-over before greeting them warmly.

“Abarai. Kuchiki.”

They nodded respectfully as best they could given their current positions. “Captain.”

“Well.” The captain lowered her clipboard. “The good news is, this is not an illness.”

“So she’s fine? This’ll go away soon?” Renji demanded.

Instead of giving him a straight affirmative answer, Captain Kotetsu looked to the side and drew in a deep breath. “Not…exactly,” she smiled, more to herself than them, “I’m afraid this will be very long-term.”

Next to her, Kiyone was practically vibrating.

Renji was thoroughly confused by everything that was currently going on around him. “Uh…Captain…I don’t understand…if she’s not sick…’an hang on, waddaya mean ‘long-term’?” he fumbled through each stilted question to the captain with a strained frown. Talking clearly while attempting to rationalize why the heads of the 4th Division were acting in such a bizarre manner was far more difficult than it looked.

At that point, the suspense was too much for Kiyone to take anymore. With a squeak of excitement, she threw her hands up in the air and blurted out at him, “You’re having a baby! Isn’t it wonderful?”

Rukia’s mouth fell open in shock.

Renji stared at the gleefully bobbing girl before them. No, that couldn’t be…he was sure he hadn’t heard her right. Desperate to stay grounded in reality, he rubbed his eyes with his free hand and gave a rough clear of his throat. Twice. Then calmly, so he wouldn’t mishear anything this time, he lowered his hand to his knee, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. “I’m sorry, what…?”

The hopping faltered momentarily as Kiyone burst out laughing while waving her hand in front of her face. “Oh, I wasn’t very clear was I? Abarai-kun, you’re not having the baby, Kuchiki-san is!” She frowned and tapped her chin. “Hmmm…although I guess that sort of means you are, too, now that I think about it…”

A bunch of asinine stuttering sounds warbled out of Renji’s gaping mouth. Everything in his vision was going fuzzy and a faint ringing noise started plaguing both ears. His head stiffly cranked itself to the taller of the two blurred shapes in front of him. “C-Captain…?” he croaked at it feebly.

Captain Kotetsu nodded and stepped in front of Kiyone with a sheepish laugh. “I’m afraid it’s just as she said. Kuchiki is, without a doubt, carrying a child.” She raised her clipboard and produced a thick black pen from somewhere on her person to skim down the top page. “Mm, yes. We did run every test twice to make absolutely sure. Though I must admit, at first the abnormal patterns to Kuchiki’s reiatsu made me think she might be…”

Renji tried to listen to what the captain was saying but kept getting distracted by the slight problem of having trouble remembering how to breathe air. Meanwhile, Rukia’s wide violet eyes were steadily growing wider and she looked more and more like she was dangerously close to becoming ill again.

“…and from what we’ve been able to determine, the fetus was likely conceived shortly before or around the time of your wedding,” Captain Kotetsu rambled on, oblivious to the fact that neither of the people she was addressing had absorbed a single word of what she previously said. The pen tapped several times on the clipboard before she gave them an apologetic glance. “Ah, it would help if you could give specific dates…?

“Er…d-definitely…not…before…” Renji stammered and he was suddenly too mortified to look anyone in the eye. Rukia’s head thrashed rapidly from side to side in confirmation.

“Oh, a wedding night baby! How nice.” The captain let out a laugh as silvery as her hair and jotted something down. Behind her, Kiyone flashed them an impressed thumbs up and mouthed Good job!

For a while, the only sound in the room came from the scratching of Captain Kotetsu’s pen. Renji took the opportunity to glance sidelong at Rukia again. If he thought she looked pale before, she was now a shade whiter than the sheets she clutched to her trembling chin.

“So…what now?” Renji asked uncertainly once the pen was lifted for good. He was trying his best to keep calm and collected, mainly for Rukia’s sake, but this was getting progressively more difficult as his head spun and his hand numbed from her tightening grip.

“Well…once she feels better you can take her home. And…we will monitor her condition closely. Have her come in every few weeks or so. Oh, and Kuchiki, please don’t use your zanpakuto for a while or stress your reiatsu too much. Hmm…while you could still lead your division in the administrative sense, you should probably be taken off the active duty roster…” Captain Kotetsu sounded more like she was rattling off vague ideas than relaying a clear set of instructions.

The couple’s rapidly increasing doubt must have been conveyed in their expressions for she quickly held up her hand in what she clearly thought was a confident gesture. “Now, I don’t want either of you to worry. It has been a while since we’ve dealt with a pregnancy, but…I’m sure we can handle it!” With a quick nod for emphasis and a gesture for her sister to follow, both captain and lieutenant exited the room.

Unsurprisingly, they did not leave behind the most reassured of parents-to-be.

“Renji…” Rukia breathed out once the door had clicked shut. It was the first time she’d spoken since Kiyone broke the news. “Are we…really having a baby?”

Renji blew out a breath of his own. He didn’t know Captain Kotetsu as well as her sister (which was to say, not very) but he knew enough to be certain that she wasn’t the type for practical jokes.

After briefly contemplating this, he sighed again. “Yeah…looks like it.” He ran his hand over his head and accidentally knocked his bandanas askew. There was no point in fixing them when he was shaking too much to tie a proper knot, not to mention his other hand was already currently occupied, so he didn’t even bother. They came off easily with one solid yank.

Rukia watched the discarded fabrics drop noiselessly onto the bed beside her and nodded slowly. “I see,” was all she said. One by one, her fingers unclenched and she lowered the now badly crimped sheet back into her lap. The feeling in Renji’s hand returned as her hold on him slackened as well.

They were given approximately half an hour to digest this bombshell before Byakuya arrived. Most of that time was spent in reflective silence, broken only when an orderly came in to give Rukia a light meal and a tonic for her upset stomach, and again when the division’s third seat and their good friend, Yamada Hanataro, briefly poked his head in the room to voice his congratulations. Apparently, word had spread fast in the 4th Division.

When Byakuya swept in, he was composed and calm as ever with only a small fluctuation to his normally steady reiatsu giving away how worried he actually was. “Rukia. You appear to be doing well,” he surmised after his eyes skimmed over her briefly. He didn’t even bother to acknowledge Renji. (Renji found this understandable; he wasn’t the one in the hospital bed after all.)

“I am, Nii-sama, thank you,” Rukia answered a pitch higher than usual.

Byakuya noticed, of course. His brow furrowed by the tiniest of fractions. “Have they determined anything?”

“U-um…well…that is…” she hesitated. Renji could see the cogs working furiously in her head. He knew she most likely wanted to tell Byakuya as she respected him too much to keep anything this big secret but the shock of the unexpected diagnosis was throwing her for a loop.

Not to mention, this was basically a flat-out admission to her own brother that they were sleeping together (which definitely wouldn’t be news to him seeing as he had been married once himself and knew exactly what activities were routinely practiced within a healthy marriage) but ever the easily embarrassed introvert, Rukia tended to keep a tight lid on every aspect of their private life together, even when it came to close friends. He doubted she’d said anything to Inoue yet or was ever planning on doing so in the future.

Feeling just as apprehensive as she looked, Renji squeezed her hand and sighed reluctantly, “Might as well tell ‘im now, Rukia. It’s gonna come out eventually, anyways.”

Renji’s presence was finally acknowledged by his captain looking at him in a way that made him very fearful of losing a good number of things attached to his body. “What does he mean by that?” Byakuya asked Rukia sharply while eyeing Renji’s uncharacteristically bared forehead with a mixture of suspicion and disapproval.

Reassured by Renji’s prompting, Rukia took a deep breath and adjusted herself off the pillow to sit up straight to answer her brother. “Nii-sama…” she began, confidently as possible. Her voice held steady as she glanced at Renji, who gave her the most encouraging smile he could muster despite growing increasingly tense and more fidgety with each passing second. “It appears I am…with child.” Having said that, she looked back at Byakuya a little more reluctantly and bit her lip, a slight flush coming back to her colorless cheeks.

Byakuya stilled. Slowly, his scrutinizing gaze left Renji and settled on his sister. Then for the first time that Renji could recall since the day he met him, his captain’s face softened completely and a tiny flicker of something akin to joy shone in his eyes. “You are with child?” he repeated in a hushed voice.

If they’d been waiting for a sign from the universe, that was definitely it. At those four small words, all the tension in Renji’s shoulders instantly slid right off and evaporated into nothing. He knew by the small sigh Rukia let out that she had fully relaxed as well. The air itself even felt easier to breathe and move about in.

It was apparent that, much like when they first got engaged, the majority of their anxieties had stemmed from the uncertainty of how Byakuya would take the news. But with that heartfelt response (for him at least), once again, they realized they had worried for naught. Of course he would be elated, even proud. True, the baby wouldn’t carry on the Kuchiki name, but seeing his beloved younger sister and trusted subordinate, whose union he had wholeheartedly (though somewhat ambiguously) blessed, content and thriving to the point of producing a child would certainly bring him at least some happiness.

Now that the mental blockades barricading in their own feelings were lifted, nothing was left suppress them and they swiftly spilled over.

“Yes.” Rukia looked back at Renji, her eyes starting to fill with moisture. From the pricking sensation in his own, Renji suspected he was on the verge of tearing up as well. “Renji and I…we’re having a baby,” she declared, her thumb absentmindedly caressing his knuckles. Excitement radiated from her, warm and bright, and it filled him completely until he felt like he would burst.

Forgetting his captain, forgetting all the fear and worry that overtook them at first, forgetting Rukia had spent the morning throwing up, Renji leaned forward with a choking sob of a laugh and kissed her fiercely with everything he had. He couldn’t help himself. He had never loved her more than he did right at that moment.

They became a family born from friendship as children, and now, as a man and woman united in love, they were creating an entirely new one. Everything in their lives, every hardship they’d endured and obstacle they’d faced and overcome, had led to this one thing: A single precious entity brought into existence by the bonds they shared.

Rukia initially baulked in surprise at the action but soon let go of his hand and returned it with full fervor. Adoration, heartache, joy, pain, gratitude. All those feelings and more, they poured into that one kiss. Words alone could never be enough.

“Ahem.”

Renji started and broke away from Rukia with a wet smack! They both turned towards the source of the cough with eyes half-lidded and hands still tangled through each other’s tresses.

Byakuya stood awkwardly over them, shoulders rigid and eyes deliberately averted.

“I believe…I am needed elsewhere,” he told them flatly, still refusing to grace them with his gaze, “Rukia, see to it you get your rest. Renji…” his eyes closed and his voice dropped slightly in warning, “…make sure you don’t disturb her.” Without further ado, Byakuya turned on his heel with a quiet “Congratulations” and headed for the door.

Renji winced guiltily and let go of Rukia. “Understood, Captain. Thank you.” he replied stiffly with his hands folded obediently in front of him, while a thoroughly reddened Rukia lay back on her pillow with a respectful “Yes, Nii-sama.”

After Byakuya left the room, however, they were somewhat less compliant.

Author’s Notes: Anything Byakuya does is my second favorite part of WDkALY and now he’s becoming one of my favorite characters to write little snippets for.

Normally I’m not one for featuring non-canon characters but Hanataro just didn’t quite fit in the role of someone Renji would have any sort of affectionate mentor/parent-like feelings towards so the messenger ended up being some random 4th Division newbie. We don’t know her name though because Renji forgot to ask. lol

Also remember how I mentioned in the notes for Part II that this title is like a mega pun? Go look up all the meanings of “issue” and you’ll see what I’m talking about. XD

Continued in [PART V- THE DENIAL]

#RenRuki #tapfic #tapart #FOREVER BElonging WITH YOU #HALFWAY POINT!#And it actually is two away from the halfway point in page numbers so that's cool lol #Four chapters down four to go

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