#yes this chapter took me ages and I couldn’t have done it if not for mari <3

[gurugirl]

Intuition | bfd!harry

Summary: Harry's got a surprise for you.

A/N: It's been a while! Enjoy!!

Word Count: 3.4k

Warning: 18+ only, smut, fluff, breeding kink, age gap

Best Friend's Dad!Harry masterlist

Harry was up to something. You knew he was. You’d been around him long enough to know the signs that he was keeping a secret. He was trying to act normal. All lovey with lots of touches. He came home from work that evening with this look on his face like he had a secret he wanted to tell you but had to wait.

“What is it? What are you smirking about? I can tell you want to say something,” you poked his ribs after he got out of the shower and you stood next to him in the bathroom in front of the mirror.

“I’m not smirking,” he smirked.

“Yes, you are!” You laughed and pointed at his reflection in the mirror.

He licked his lips and tried to hide his smile but the dimples remained deep in his cheeks as he turned toward you and wrapped you in his arms. He was still damp after his shower. The towel around his waist tucked in well so it didn’t slide off when he moved his hands up your back and pulled your face to his, pressing his mouth against yours.

He was definitely hiding something. Trying to distract you. And the distraction did work eventually when he got your clothes off and tossed you in your bed and shut you up by making love to you.

“You want a baby? Yeah? Want to be a mommy, Y/n?” Harry was driving into you deep and then pulling out to his crown over and over again, long deep, slow strokes that had you at his mercy.

And you did want that. Harry’s divorce was finalized. It felt like it took so long and the stress that you two went through was difficult but it had been worth it. He was done with Mrs. Styles, who was going to be changing her last name back to her maiden name. You didn’t feel elated about it all, but it was nice to have that chapter over with. You’d never fully recover from the guilt of what you two had done but you couldn’t help that you’d fallen in love with him.

“Put a baby in me, Harry. Want to make you a daddy…” you moaned when he smacked his hips against yours with a thud.

And even though he was already a dad you loved saying it like that. Telling him you’d make him a daddy and he’d talk about making you a mommy and it was so hot. And truth be told, being off birth control had boosted your libido and you wanted it all the time. You hadn’t realized the way your hormones would react to going off it.

“Fuck me, sweet girl… Gonna put a ring on this finger,” he groaned as he took your left hand in his, weaving his fingers between yours and gripping your jaw with his other hand, “Gonna be such a good mommy to my babies…”

The bed under your back was creaking as he thrust and your pussy was so wet the sound would have been comical if you weren’t so gone for it. Gone for Harry.

“Mmm… get it in there deep, just like that…”

Harry rocked into you, keeping his hips glued to yours and you inhaled sharply at the pinch in your cervix. Every time he shoved himself all the way in it ached but you only wanted more and more. Loved that he was tucked into you so far that when he’d come there was less distance for his sperm to travel to get where you wanted it to end up.

“Like that, baby?” Harry looked down at you and tightened his hand around yours as you trembled and puffed out a loud moan, “Gonna come on my cock and let me fuck my babies into you?”

“Yes!”

Harry’s deep groans were egging you on. It felt so good. It always did. Harry was a good lover. The best lover.

The front of his muscled thighs were pinned against yours and when he dropped his mouth to your lips you couldn’t hold back a moment longer.

Pulsing and clenching around him as he licked into your mouth, your head was blurry and your heart was pounding and then his orgasm rocked his body as he let out a strangled cry and pumped everything he had into your tummy.

And needless to say, you were out like a light once you’d gotten cleaned up and he tucked you into bed, holding you in his arms and the conversation about what he was hiding was once again on hold.

.                 .                 .

“You’re still here?” You looked at the clock on your bedside table and over to Harry in bed who was stretching his limbs and yawning.

“Mmhmm… Took off today.”

You grinned and rolled toward him, placing your palm on his chest, “That’s nice. Is there a reason you took off?”

That look again. The one that said he was holding something in appeared and he smiled at you, his hand cupping your face, “There is a reason. Yes.”

“Okay. What is it?” You cocked your head with your eyebrows raised.

“A surprise. You’ll find out soon enough.”

“A surprise? Oh, come on! Tell me what it is!” You sat up and got to your knees with a wide grin, “You gotta tell me what’s going on!”

Harry’s soft eyes dropped down over your tits and your tummy and he grabbed your hips, bringing you down to his chest, “You don’t listen very well do you?” He swatted at your bottom making you puff out a laugh, “Said… you’ll find out soon enough.”

“Harry!” You groaned and tried to pull yourself up but he tightened his arms around you so you couldn’t budge.

“Y/n!” He mocked your voice and you laughed at his attempt at speaking in your tone.

“If I give you a blowie will you tell me?”

Harry sat quietly for a moment and let out a breath, “I’ll tell you regardless. You just gotta be patient. But I’ll take a blowie if you’re offering.”

Of course, that wasn’t the answer you wanted so you wound up wiggling from his arms and pulling his t-shirt on before sauntering out of the room to start the coffee.

You were anxious though. You wondered what the surprise was. Why Harry needed to take a whole day off work. What it was he’d been keeping from you…

But there was something else as well; All his recent comments about putting a ring on your finger. You thought it was possible that maybe he was going to propose too. It was no secret that he intended to keep you around. You’d both talked about ‘forever’. Obviously. What with the talk of having a baby and getting a place together.

And there was also the fact that your lease was coming up very soon. So soon it was giving you anxiety because you hadn’t really begun to look for a new apartment, outside of viewing a few houses that were for sale and Harry reassured and told you not to worry about it. You trusted him but there was that little question in the back of your mind that he was perhaps getting things set up for you without you knowing.

Those were just guesses, though. Whatever it was Harry was planning was something you were looking forward to learning.

“What should I wear for this surprise?” You held up a dress against your body as Harry entered your bedroom.

“Whatever you want. Whatever you feel best in.”

“Should I pack a bag? Bring tennis shoes? Will pictures be involved?” You were trying to get it out of him. He wasn’t giving you anything, though.

“No need to pack anything. If you want to wear tennis shoes you can. Just trust me when I say you don’t need to worry. Okay?”

Harry was wearing his typical getup. Jeans and a t-shirt so you just decided to go casual as well. But you did make sure you looked cute. Just in case pictures would be part of the surprise.

He was excited to show you what he’d done. He hoped you didn’t freak out. There were moments when he thought he should have you involved but he wanted to surprise you. Wanted to make it special. He didn’t get lots of chances to do things like this with you. And maybe he’d gone a little overboard on this but he’d committed and couldn’t back out now.

Your mind raced with the possibilities of what he had planned. You felt like it was something big. You braced yourself to be surprised. And boy were you when you pulled into that familiar neighborhood with the cute house you looked at with Harry months before. The one with the yard he couldn’t stop talking about.

“Harry…” you warned in surprise when he pulled into the driveway of the three-bedroom house and turned off the car engine.

“What?” He raised his brows at you in question, as if he couldn’t fathom what you were surprised by.

“What is… what’s going on?”

Harry didn’t answer as he climbed out of the car and you opened the passenger door and stepped out, looking up at the house and then at Harry.

He grinned at you and reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys with a pretty pink and silver key chain that read, “Home Sweet Home.”

You covered your mouth when he placed the keys in your hand and then he nudged you toward the house, “Know you loved this place. So I bought it for us. It’s ours. Finished up all the closing of it a few days ago and took today off so we could celebrate.”

Harry had his own set of keys as he unlocked the door and opened it up for you to enter first. You did love the house when you first viewed it.

And now there was a table with dining chairs and a big beautiful bouquet of flowers in the center.

“I’ve put a bed in the master bedroom already. King size. No more double bed for us, baby,” he grinned as you looked around. You were stunned that he’d gone and gotten a mortgage on a house and went through the whole process without you knowing.

“I can’t believe you did this.”

Harry stepped in front of you and pulled you into his arms, “For us. For our family. For you.”

You walked through the house again to get reacquainted. Harry had done the smallest bit of furnishing but mostly it was bare. Ready to be furnished and decorated. The bedroom he had nearly ready. The bed was huge and it had sheets and fluffy blankets atop, a dresser, and a side table on both sides. The ensuite had towels and he’d bought soap and lotion. But when he brought you down to the kitchen the fridge was mostly empty but there was a container of something (something sweet he said) along with a bottle of champagne.

Of course, Harry popped the bottle and pulled out two champagne flutes from the cupboard and you clinked glasses before sipping the bubbly drink.

“To me and you. To forever. I love you,” he spoke as he took your hand in his and lifted it up to kiss your knuckles.

“I love you too, Harry. I know I’ve been really quiet but I’m just processing all this. It’s a shock. But I’m so happy. I can’t believe it.”

You carried your glass of champagne with you into the backyard, which still looked terrible, but it was spacious and Harry shared with you his vision again. What it could look like…

You watched him wave his arms around as he kept looking at you as he spoke, “And this… we can just have a nice patch of flowers. The shade is perfect here and it’ll really brighten up this corner. The tree will need trimmed back but it’s going to be perfect to hang a swing off of and little string lights for nighttime. We’ll put some outdoor furniture on the patio after I clean it all up. Trim out the weeds and fill in the spaces that got overgrown…”

A soft smile covered your face as you watched how excited he was. You were excited too, though. Everything was perfect for you two in that moment. You had the love of your life with you and he had bought a house to make a home in. A place he wanted to share with you. A man you trusted and found yourself falling more in love with every day.

You placed your glass down on the brick ledge near the patio and stepped in front of Harry as he was still yammering on about what he would do with the space and wrapped your arms around him, pressing your cheek into his pecs, “I love it, Harry. It’s perfect.”

And your hormones were raging as you inhaled his scent and he squeezed his strong arms around you. It didn’t help that he kept talking about children running around, what with you ovulating like you were. You had been keeping close track of it and after months of being off birth control, you were finally starting to feel like your body was adjusting to its natural cycle.

Tilting your head back to look up at him you saw him already looking down at you, “Let’s go test out that bed.”

And now it was Harry’s hormones that were raging. He practically dragged you to the master bedroom and you found yourself testing out the bed just as you asked.

“How do you like it?” Harry panted as he sunk into you over and over again.

You were out of breath as you squeaked out a sound of approval.

“That good huh? Gonna make me a daddy? Gonna let me fill you up with babies, Y/n?”

Harry wasn’t gentle as he pumped into you, harsh thuds against you where he’d grind down every time he buried himself into the hilt. He pulled back, nearly completely out before snapping his hips forward into yours. He set the most delicious cadence, thick shaft filling you and rearranging your insides.

When he slowed down he dropped his mouth against yours, rolling into your wet pussy.

“I’m ovulating,” you breathed against his mouth. You were finally able to speak now that he was fucking into you more languidly.

Harry parted from the kiss with a filthy grin on his face, “Is that right little girl? I get to fuck my come into your fertile pussy?”

“Mmm… yes sir… fuck me til it sticks. Want it so bad. Want your babies and your come…”

The new bed was sturdy, unlike the old one at your apartment. No squeaking or creaking or headboard ramming into the walls… just the sound of your creamy pussy wrapped around Harry’s fat cock and the slap of skin.

It was an excellent way to celebrate the purchase of the new house. A little champagne and a good fucking in the new bed… and hopefully it would end with you pregnant.

You’d never had baby fever or whatever this was. But something about Harry just did it for you. You wanted him in every way. Wanted to show everyone how he was yours, that you’d won, that no one could come between you two. Logically you understood the flaw of that thinking, but logic flew out the window every time he was balls deep; that masculine body over yours, his deep voice saying filthy sweet things in your ear, and his big cock that had you hooked since that first day at your apartment all that time ago.

“Oh my god, baby… look a’that…” Harry shifted himself and lifted your hips so you could glimpse the way he was filling you slowly and pulling back, shiny arousal coating his shaft, “Made for each other.” He began to thumb over your sensitive bundle of nerves as he rolled into you, eyes on the action happening where you were connected “Feels good doesn’t it?”

You nodded, “You always feel so good, Harry. I need you…”

He moaned, “I know, baby… I need you too.”

You rocked your hips into his hand as he continued fucking into you until he moved again, tilting himself over you and taking the back of your neck in his big palm, and pressing his lips to yours.

Harry’s hips were glued to yours as he pushed into you, ensuring he stayed nice and deep, massaging your inner walls with every thrust in. The pressure of your orgasm built and built as he lapped his tongue against yours and tucked his cock deeper and deeper until he was no longer rearing back, his pelvis rolling over your clit.

Soft whimpers and pants were muffled from your mouth as he kept your lips occupied with his own.

His thrusts were becoming sloppier as he pressed himself to you and you could feel him trembling. When he moaned against your mouth and rutted in smooth and deep he hit something achy, you simply came undone. Harry had to lift his mouth from yours as you moaned and he gasped at the way you were gripping him and pulsing around him until he couldn’t hold back and pumped into you, stuffing you with his come.

It was a favorite. The feel of his throbbing cock releasing inside you. That way you knew your pussy was siphoning every drop from him and how good your cunt felt on him. His soft whimpered moans as he stilled his hips against yours and twitched until he was milked dry, balls properly drained.

Lying in bed together, limbs wrapped up and sweaty bodies breathing and flushed hot post-orgasm you turned to look at him and lifted your knee, draping your thigh over his hip, “I love you.”

Harry moaned and opened his eyes and pulled at you, his arms wrapping around you, “I love you, baby.”

“I’m pretty sure that was it.”

Harry turned his eyes and looked at you, “What was it?”

You grinned and drew your hand up his strong chest, “Well, we’ll see… but I think you just got me pregnant.”

Harry laughed and you giggled with him. Mostly it was just a tease. You’d have no way of really knowing at that point. But something in your gut told you that there was a good chance of it.

“And what makes you think of all the times we’ve gone at it since you’ve been off birth control that this was the one?”

“Well… it’s been months since I got off birth control and for the past couple of weeks I’ve really been more in tune with my body because of it and my ovulation cycle is starting to get to normal and today my insides were aching and I knew the only thing that would make me feel better was to orgasm and that’s because I’m ovulating.”

Harry grinned and ran his thumb over your neck, “Well I fucked you this morning after coffee, baby. Maybe the one from this morning got you knocked up.”

Biting your lip you slid yourself over Harry and straddled his lap, taking his hands and bringing his palms up to cup your tits, “Either way… feel this?” You squeezed around his hands over your tender breasts, “Haven’t had swollen breasts in a really long time. The ovulation is strong this month. And today it’s at its height. My whole body wants to be pregnant.”

The soft gaze on Harry’s face as he looked into your eyes was full of affection and love as he pressed over your nipples, “Extra fertile today, yeah? Then let me recover a bit and I’ll fuck you again. Just in case third time’s a charm, ya know?”

You laughed, “I mean the day is still early. I think I’m gonna need lots of orgasms today to feel better and you’re just the man to give them to me. Plus, we need to celebrate properly.”

He pulled you down, pressing your chest against his, and groped the globes of your ass in his hands, “Well sounds like I’m gonna have to go buy sparkling grape juice for you, huh Mama?”

You both cackled loudly as soon as he said it. And you both understood it was just post-sex hormones talking in that moment. But you’d know soon enough if your intuition was right. You hoped it was.

Feedback/Thoughts | Ko-fi | Main Masterlist | Patreon

Thank you for reading! I appreciate any support so remember to comment, reblog, & like 💕

Tags:

@zayndrivesmeinvain

@i83andrew

@shamelessfangirl-3

@onceagainace

@stoneyggirl2

@fairytale07

@littlenatilda

@stylesfever

@whoreonmondays

@harryspirate

@lovrave

@missstyles4

@cherryluvhobi

@ladscarlett

@hisparentsgallerryy

@chesthairrry

@oscarissacsslut

@michellekstyles

@yousunshineyoutempter

@tenaciousperfectionunknown

@golden-hoax

@swiftmendeshoran

@luvonstyles

@tiaamberxx

@lukesaprince

@closureesny

@justlemmeadoreyou

@itsgigikay

@angelbabyyy99

@lanadelharry

@novasblogofstuff

@gills-lounge

@damnasstyles

@malwtilda

@walkingintheheartbreaksatellite

@babybunharry

@anothermannharry

@love-letters-to-uranus

@itjustkindahappenedreally

@ssaama

@onlyangellucifer

@harryistheonlyoneforme

@butdaddyilovehim-hs

@reveriehs

@lc-fics

@mema10

@carmenxharry

@hannahdressedasabanana @babegoalsreads

#harry styles #harry styles smut #harry styles x reader #harry styles fanfic #harry styles fic #harry styles one shot #first post #harry styles x you #dad!harry #daddy harry #dilf!harry #harry styles fanfiction #older!harry #harry styles imagine #harry styles blurb #harry styles fan fic #harry styles fiction #harry styles x yn #harry styles fluff #harrystyles #harry edward styles #harry #harry smut #harry x you #harry x reader #x reader #harry styles writing

[a-little-unsteddie]

stuck in your throat || 1.5

1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | [here]

ahhh!! the final part of chapter one! hope the wait was worth it <3 i’ll be posting the full chapter on ao3 tonight, so look out for a post with that link! i’ll also start a master post that i’ll pin to the top of my blog later. eventually. it’s on my to-do list.

i’ll start posting chapter 2 sometime in jan/feb, depending on when i fjnish writing chapter 3, which i’m about a third done with!

happy christmas! i hope everyone enjoys the final part to chapter one!

Steve hadn’t received a response from Eddie, but he wasn’t really expecting one anyway. He sipped his chai and checked the time every minute or so, and even though it felt like he’d been waiting for ages, only a few minutes had passed when a man walked into the café. He had long, dark curly hair, that was in a messy bun. He was wearing a grey band shirt with ripped black skinny jeans and chains hanging off of them. He appeared to be holding the hand of a little girl who had a mane of wild curls that were a few shades lighter than her dads. She was wearing a purple dress and a poofy blue jacket that appeared to do nothing to slow her down as she seemed to move even as her dad ordered.

Steve couldn’t stop the smile that formed at the sight, but assumed that this wasn’t who he was waiting for. He didn’t think his client would bring his pup with him to the interview. He found no harm in watching them for a bit while he waited for Eddie to show up.

After the man placed the order, he turned to look directly at Steve, who flushed in embarrassment at being caught looking and ducked his head. Which meant he didn’t see the man approach with his daughter in tow, but he did smell him, a sweet, musky scent filled his nose as the alpha approached, it reminded him of the forest. He lost himself in it for a moment before subtly shaking his head to clear it. He looked up with wide eyes as the man stopped at his table, hazel eyes meeting brown.

���Steve?” The alpha—Eddie?—asked, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. Steve blinked as he took in the sight of the man, trying to figure out where he knew him from. He looked familiar, but he couldn’t pinpoint why. He was sure he would have remembered meeting an alpha this handsome.

“Huh? Oh, yes, sorry,” Steve stammered, cheeks suddenly flushed. He stood abruptly to properly greet the alpha, “That’s, um, I’m Steve.” he thrust his hand out to shake Eddie’s, who took it and shook firmly. Steve ignored the way his stomach swooped at the firm grip the alpha had.

“..I’m Eddie,” he responded, and opened his mouth to say something else but a small voice interrupted them.

“I’m Elodie!” the pup said cheerfully, trying to replicate the action of shaking Steve’s hand. He was immediately enamored with Elodie and allowed her to shake his hand.

“It is so nice to meet you, Miss Elodie.” he said sincerely, grinning as she giggled in response. The three of them quickly sat, with Eddie and Elodie on one side, and Steve on the other.

Steve wasn’t sure where to start, now that he knew they were going to be joined with the pup he would be taking care of if he was chosen. To be fair, he probably wouldn’t have known where to start even if she hadn’t joined them.

Elodie seemed to be taking this seriously, sitting next to her father with her hands together on the table. She had taken out a notepad and had it opened to a blank page with her colored pencil next to it. She looked like she was trying hard to look stern, and failed miserably at it, which was just an adorable sight. Beside her, Eddie looked uncomfortable but still polite. Elodie also seemed to not have the same problem as the adults, immediately launching into questioning.

“Will you take me to the park?”

Steve glanced at Eddie, who looked fondly exasperated the moment Elodie started talking, so Steve figured it wouldn’t hurt to answer her question.

“If your dad is okay with it, sure,” he agreed easily, trying not to show his amusement in his tone, but sure his scent was giving it away as it sweetened. He was glad that pups didn’t fully develope their understanding of the different scents until they were a bit older than Elodie.

Elodie nodded firmly, writing it down on her little notepad, which upon closer inspection, Steve noticed had stickers of what appeared to be dragons and unicorns decorating it.

Eddie seemed content to let her do her questioning, sitting back and watching the pair. Steve wondered if this was the interview, to see how he and Elodie got along.

“Will you give me treats?” was the next question that Elodie had for him.

Steve leaned forward to stage whisper to her, “Only every day,” as if it were a secret. She brightened at that answer, giggling. Steve tried not to wince as her feet kicked into his shins, hiding it with a grin.

Elodie looked up at her dad, “Alright. I think we have a winner.” she said firmly, and Steve couldn’t withhold a grin from taking over his face, just barely holding back a laugh. She had all of two questions for him, neither of which were entirely surprising for a pup to ask.

Eddie rolled his eyes fondly at her, patting her head, “You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Odie?” Elodie nodded rapidly, eyes wide and begging. “Let me ask him some questions, and I’ll take your vote into consideration. Sound good?” Elodie looked like a bobble head as she nodded wildly again.

“Okay! Can I go play now?” she asked, looking out the window where there was a park across the street.

Eddie looked as though he was about to say no, so Steve took it upon himself to try to convince the alpha.

“There are picnic tables on the far side, you can’t see them from here, but we could sit at one of them and keep an eye on her,” Steve offered, Eddie’s gaze snapped over to him in surprise.

Elodie looked at her father with wide brown eyes, lip jutting out in a pout. “Please?” she asked, stretching the word out until Eddie heaved a sigh.

“Alright, let’s go,” he gave in, standing from the table. Steve’s cheeks hurt from how much he was smiling from this little encounter, and stood to follow them out. Elodie immediately held her dad’s hand, and reached a hand out to Steve to hold one of his as well. Steve glanced nervously at the alpha, but allowed her to take his hand, too.

“Bye, Steve!” Will called as they walked to the door and Steve knew he’d be receiving a load of texts from the other pups he used to babysit about this.

“See you later, Will,” Steve called back, bracing himself against the chilly air as they stepped outside. Almost immediately, Elodie tried to race ahead of the pair, but instinctually, Steve tightened his hold, as Eddie lightly scolded her.

“Elodie Mae, you know you have to hold my hand to cross the street,” he said, frowning at the pup. Elodie pouted, but held their hands and walked with them across the street to the park.

Once they were safely across, Elodie took off towards the park while Steve led Eddie to the picnic benches on the far side. Steve nervously glanced at the alpha, trying to figure out how he was doing so far. He seemed relaxed, but wary of their surroundings, glancing around them frequently, as if nervous to be seen. Steve felt his hackles rise, and furrowed his eyebrows. Could the alpha be embarrassed to be seen with him? Surely not, Chrissy wouldn’t have let him move forward to this stage of the hiring process if Eddie wasn’t going to at least consider him for the job.

“Here are the picnic tables,” Steve said needlessly as a way to fill the silence that had grown between them.

Eddie hummed in response and sat at one of them, and Steve followed his lead, sitting across from him. The picnic table was positioned perpendicular to the park, so Steve sat straddling the bench to keep an eye on Elodie. He may not have been hired yet, so he still wanted to prove that he was capable of the job.

Eddie was silent for a while, but eventually he seemed to figure out what exactly he wanted to say. “This wasn’t my idea,” he started, watching as Elodie ran up to another kid playing at the park.

“I figured not,” Steve admitted, smiling as the two pups ran off together to play.

“But Chrissy is right,” he continued, looking at Steve, “being on tour is a lot and watching an eight year old while performing is pretty much impossible. So, I had two options: leave her at home with a nanny, or bring her with and hire a traveling nanny.”

Suddenly the reason why Eddie seemed so familiar became abundantly clear, he was Eddie Munson. Rockstar, Eddie Munson. Corroded Coffin lead singer, Eddie Munson. Heart-throb alpha, Eddie Munson.

Steve tried to grapple with this revelation silently, hoping that Eddie wouldn’t notice as he didn’t want the musician to think that Steve was being unprofessional. It was fine, really, it just wasn’t something that Steve had been expecting, is all. He wasn’t even a fan of the music, but he knew that Dustin and his friends—including Will—were massive fans. He was glad that Will didn’t flip out when they were in the coffee shop.

“That would be a lot on anyone’s plate,” he finally said, once he was sure his voice wasn’t going to give away his realization. “And I would be more than happy to take some off of it. I’ve already started planning some classwork, actually,” he admitted shyly.

Eddie looked at him in surprise, but it didn’t seem like a bad reaction, so Steve considered it a win.

“Really?” he asked, eyebrows raised. “Even though you weren’t guaranteed the job yet?”

“I was stressing about today, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared,” Steve shrugged, not looking at the alpha, instead watching as Elodie and the other pup raced from the monkey bars to the swings.

“That’s impressive,” Eddie told him, and when Steve looked at him, he was smiling tentatively.

Steve scoffed slightly, brushing off the compliment. “Even if I don’t get the job,” he felt a pang of sadness hit him at the thought, “it’s still good practice.”

“Oh, you have the job,” Eddie said nonchalantly, so much so that Steve didn’t process the words for a second.

“I do?” he asked, whipping his head to look at Eddie so abruptly that he felt his neck crack once.

“Yeah, Elodie got the final say,” he smiled vaguely in the direction of where Steve knew Elodie and her new friend were playing.

Chrissy’s earlier amusement about not making the choice of candidate made sense, now.

“Thank you,” Steve said, unsure if that was the right response, but not knowing how else to express his gratitude about being hired.

Eddie smiled vaguely at Steve, shrugging slightly. “As long as she didn’t choose an obvious asshole, I’m more than happy to hire whoever she wants. Means she’s gonna be more likely to listen to you.”

Steve nodded, “That…makes a lot of sense, actually,” he said softly.

“I’ll get Chrissy to email you the official offer, and whatever else needs to be sent,” he hummed, smiling at him.

“I look forward to it,” Steve said honestly, already looking forward to telling Robin that he got the job. He thought of the NDA, and wilted slightly. He wasn’t sure how much he was allowed to actually share with her about the job. He knew he’d be able to tell her that he <i>got</i> the job at least, but not much more than that. Maybe he’d ask Chrissy if they were hiring for something else, because like hell he’d be sued for talking to his best friend.

The pair spent another two hours or so watching Elodie run around and play, but eventually they had to leave.

“Bye, Miss Elodie,” the omega said, laughing as the pup hugged him tightly.

“Bye, Mister Steve,” Elodie mumbled into his sternum before she pulled away and took Eddie’s hand.

“Goodbye, Eddie,” Steve said, looking up at the handsome alpha through his eyelashes. Eddie smiled, but it looked tense, and Steve was reminded that this wasn’t Eddie’s idea. In fact, he seemed to be mildly against the whole affair.

After they said their goodbyes, Steve watched Eddie and Elodie get into a black car with tinted windows, and watched as it disappeared around a corner before he started the longish walk home, feeling a pep in his step as he did.

if you want to be added to the tag list, confirm your age in your request. if you want to be removed, let me know!

tag list: @marklee-blackmore @paintsplatteredandimperfect @steddie-as-they-go @disrespectedgoatman @lingeringmirth @hyperfixated-on-stuff @swimmingbirdrunningrock @littlewildflowerkitten @sani-86 @thegingerrapunzel @adventures-in-mangaland @missingmalfoy1 @yellowdevilkitten @extra-transitional @queen-stevie @stevesbipanic @crypticcorvidinacottage @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @eyehartart

#eeeeeep #the long awaited meeting #i swear they get better next chapter djshdhsha #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #eventual steddie #steve x eddie #alpha!eddie munson #omega!steve harrington #rockstar!eddie munson #single dad!eddie munson #nanny!steve harrington #tw omegaverse #cw omegaverse #unsteddie writing #stuck in your throat #siyt 🎤

[pascalsbby]

CARNAL / Chapter 3: Exalt

CARNAL Masterlist

Summary: 3.5K/ f!reader, dark!joel, stalker!joel.

Warnings: 18+ mdni, SMUT, age gap, Joel talks you through it, dominate & aggressive joel, pet names, praise kink, brief mention of religion. talk of: anal/Joel masturbating/fingering himself + the usual pure filth. you’re welcome.

“I beg you. Eat me up. Want me down to the marrow.” - Hélène Cixous

°:. *₊ ° . ° .• ♡ °:. *₊ ° *₊.• ♡ °:. *₊ ° . ° .• ♡ °:. *₊ ° *

The resonating depth within his voice reached out and caressed you for a moment. For that split second there was warmth, excitement. And then terror.

Your gaze instinctively fell upon the intricate web of veins tracing an unmissable pattern across his skin. You weren’t listening to the words leaving his mouth, all you remember is him on his knees last night, spread open on his bed as he pleasured himself with his own fingers to your decree.

“Mhmm, so good. Now stick in another one.” He moved it around his tightness, then did as he was told.

“Just like that,” he whimpered at your praise. “Good boy. Does it feel good? Has anyone ever touched you there? I bet you have plenty of times, haven’t you? Cumming hands free with your own fingers in your asshole. Such a naughty boy.”

He wanted to “try something new.” He said he’d pay you double if you played along well. It wasn’t hard to say yes to him, you would have probably done anything he asked of you, money or not. Seeing him in such a vulnerable position, fucking his fingers in and out of himself was enough payment for you. His stutters had been godly as he shoved his face down into the bed, reaching further into his own bliss.

Now, the irony became clear as day: his intention to grant you a sense of control only fueled the impending destruction he had planned for you. It dawned upon you that this twisted game was nothing but a source of perverse pleasure for him, unwaveringly. You felt it punch you in the chest.

You would be damned if you were going to fall to your knees in the middle of your own capstone show. It wasn’t even that, though, the possible embarrassment of collapsing and then having to make up a reason why. It wasn’t even him encumbering such a momentous occasion in your career, in life. It was that you’d shown this man everything you had and he took it in his weighty fucking hands and crushed it. He took advantage of you. He knew every one of your catches, he knew how to mold you.

He knew how to undo you, too.

Had he been recording your encounters? Did he know where you lived? What car you drove? Sarah lived right down the fucking hall.

Sarah.

You were so full with shame it felt like you were going to puke it up. It felt like it was moving up your throat, blocking your airways and tightening its hands around your throat.

He found you. He was Sarah’s father. He was your fathers apparent best friend. He was your dirty secret. He was your stalker, prowling for god knows how long in the shadows.

“Joel here reached out to me a couple months ago, askin’ how the family was. It’d been ten or so years since we’d seen each other last, right?” Joel nodded his head at your dad. Much quieter and reserved in real life, you guessed. Asshole.

“I’m glad you reached out, it’s been good getting to know you again, old man. Just like the ol’ days. 10 years is too long.”

10 years… You’d met him before? You couldn’t remember when exactly. How could you not remember him? No, you were a child ten years ago- this wasn’t your responsibility nor was it your fault. He’s met you before. He remembered. You didn’t.

-

In all actuality, he did remember the day he met you. You were 15 years old, a shell of a person. You weren’t happy, running around with your friends that summer like he thought all 15 year olds ought to be. He watched a much younger Sarah running around the front yard in the sprinklers, screeching and throwing her hands up in great fervor that summer. You spent most of your time indoors, painting out of long-gone watercolors.

Joel was there helping your dad build the shop that summer. To a teenager so stuck inside of herself, he was probably just passing through. A quick, fleeting memory.

Most nights he would stay for dinner, Sarah was at her mom’s for the summer, so he had no one to go home to anyways. He sat across from you, his attention perched upon your father, mostly talking about whether they should get this lift or that. What type of metal was best for that kind of support. Joel always pushed his peas to the side, hoping no one would notice.

In those rare moments when you did grant him your full attention, your eyes met his with an imploring intensity, silently begging for understanding, a touch of heartfelt empathy. He would pass you when he came inside to go to the bathroom and his steps would falter. Should I ask her if she needs me?

One time your parents were in the kitchen and he thought he’d give you something to laugh about. Mainly to just see if he could make you smile. See if you could laugh.

“Hey…” he broke the silence, broke you out of whatever trance you’d been in. Your brown eyes found his.

“I’ve gotta question for you, darlin’,”

“Okay,” you had hesitated.

“Tell me, a horse walks into a bar- now what does the bartender say?” He paused, waiting for a response, his half-smile sneaking up the edges of his lips.

Silence, waiting.

“… why the long face?" He let out.

And then your laughter erupted. The awkwardness was far more funny than the joke itself.

“I’m sorry but that was the dumbest joke I’ve ever heard, Miller.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” he grinned.

He knew your dad could be a cruel man, but he’s always hoped after college he would grow out of it. Especially once he married and had a kid, then two. They didn’t keep in close contact after college, but maybe he should have been checking more. If anything, to see how you were. To see if your brother knew how to be a man. He knew your mother wasn’t emotionally or really even physically present herself.

He never once had any sexual or unruly thought about you then. But he had an overwhelming feeling of wanting to care for you, protect you. The world hadn’t been fair to you.

He built the shop over three months and then was gone.

It wasn’t until the day after Sarah showed him those pictures that it clicked for him. Those eyes had gazed upon him before, asking the same question. He did some more digging and realized who you were, whose daughter you were. Only after touching himself. He couldn’t take those touches back, the thoughts or the fire in his torso. That only added to the guilt, but it wasn’t enough to stop it from turning into something ugly.

-

How long had he been at this?

“Excuse me,” you croaked out, lamentably.

No one heard you over the chatter, over your dads feeble storytelling.

“It was good of you to come today, Miller.”

Sarah must go by her mother’s mai- Miller? The guy who has helped your dad build his shop one summer. He would stay for dinner and always sneak glances your way.

Over the past four years being separated from the environment you were forged in, many secrets had unveiled themselves. Most of them nothing but a fragment attached to something bigger. A thrown beer bottle shattering at your feet, road rage, anger directed towards your mother. A therapist told you it was a coping mechanism, it’s what little you’s brain had to do to survive- forget. And so you did, and were still often a forgetful person.

“I’m glad we’ll be able to get our families together more often, now that we know our girls are best friends,” he smiled, happily.

He has no fucking idea. No idea that his daughter was bent over for Joel last night, spreading herself wide open for him while he whispered how badly he wanted to ‘fuck her into the ground’. Tear her apart by his teeth, his fingers, his tongue.

“And Sarah,” he turned to her, “it’s nice to see you again too, sweetheart. ‘Not the same seeing you grow up on your mom’s Facebook. No wonder this one here is so drawn to you,” he looked in your direction, “‘specially if you’re anything like your father. God he used to make her laugh.”

Communication with your father had been sparse over the past four years. In your childhood bedroom, you would often find solace on the floor, fervently beseeching any divine entity that would listen, imploring for an escape from that house. Once you finally broke free, a newfound sense of liberation washed over you. However, it wasn't an emancipation from the burdens accumulated, but rather a conscious decision to spare yourself from the weight of conversing with him frequently; what that meant to do so and what it brought back up.

The pieces of the puzzle now fit together, as if orchestrated by the stranger who stood before your father, deliberately intertwining these unresolved threads, demanding their resolution. It made sense that these loose ends didn’t fulfill until now; until the stranger standing across from your dad wanted them to.

Joel chuckled and you wanted to punch him his fucking teeth. Everyone was looking at you now, waiting for your joyous relief at the rekindling. But you couldn’t speak, and you were sure the color was flushed from your face.

“It’s a shame Sarah was at her mothers that summer. Coulda started bein’ friends years ago. I would ha-“ Joel started.

“I said, excuse me.”

You’d heard enough.

You tore between Sarah and Joel to get as far away as possible. The look on her face hurt, oh my god it hurt. She was so confused why you had a problem with one of her favorite people, her dad.

Before you could get away from him he reached out and brushed his fingers against your waist. How fucking dare you touch me, you thought. But where his skin had touched yours was rising warmth, goosebumps, TV static- a trigger. Your body answering to his, pitifully, willingly.

You made it to the door before anyone caught you or could stop it. All of those people in that room were there for you. It hurt leaving them, but it would hurt even more to have to bare it all to them.

You headed to the third floor of the art building, saying fuck it to waiting for the elevator. You didn’t want to give anyone the chance to catch you and ask questions. The sharp shutting of each metal door made you jump as you got to the last one, feet creaking the old water-damaged floor. This hidden bathroom had always been a hiding spot on particularly hard days, when critiques tore you down or you simply just couldn’t hold in erupting sadness. This was a new sinking feeling.

Despite the pain that gnawed at your jaw each and every time, you became adept at concealing tears, mastering the art of hiding the hurt as the drops silently rolled down your face. Tears meant weakness, it meant getting torn into deeper in your childhood home. A place you’d never really left.

You heard his footsteps before the door creaked shut. His boots falling heavy beneath him. He came into view and he started to open his mouth.

“I was 15,” you snarled.

“Do you do this often, Joel? Stalk your daughters friends and tell them how much you want your nasty cock in their mouth? Pay them to strip for you and pay them extra to stick their fingers in their pussy so you can get off? How many? How many fucking girls have you done this to Joel?”

Rage. You didn’t like to let out it of where it spent most of its time, walking back and forth across your chest, heavy, always present just beneath the skin. The one thing you had inherited from your dad. It was painful to keep it in, hose it down and stop it from simmering. It was easy to let it loose. It felt like unfurling.

He looked like a wounded puppy, brown eyes turned downward beneath drooping eyebrows. Why wasn’t he angry? You knew how to ‘deal’ with anger. It was easier to scream back and fight than it was to sit and be screamed at.

“Should I ask Sarah?” You threw the words in his face.

“Shh, shh. Lower your fuckin’ voice,” he growled. His entire demeanor shifting.

There it was.

He stepped towards you, towering above as he grabbed your shoulder losing himself for a moment, throwing you against the concrete wall behind you. You winced as your shoulder blades hit the cold. “One more loud word out of your pretty mouth and I will break you.”

One hand against the wall above your head, the other held out against the wall beside you, keeping you in place. He leaned down, smelling your hair, inhaling deeply. He kissed you on your forehead- all attempts at disarming you.

You thought about running again. Telling your dad how much of a perv his best friend was, simply to watch him release his anger. You knew how hard he hit. It was Joel’s turn.

“Why me?” You fawned.

He looked down into your eyes, moving his face close enough to yours to feel his warm breath against your cheeks. He was completely intoxicating. He smelled faintly of cigarettes, of booze. Lust. You could get lost beneath him. It wasn’t like you practically hadn’t across a computer screen, already.

“It was your eyes, Birdie.”

“My eyes?” You threw back at him. Looking into his eyes made it increasingly harder to think of anything other than your past encounters. His moans resurfacing, caressing the hardening of your nipples.

“What the fuck are you talking about you fucking psycho?” You attempted a shove, using your body weight to try and flee. You didn’t want to give into him. You needed to get away from him.

He didn’t move an inch. But you did invite more fury. His hand left the wall above you and moved down to your throat, then your chin. He moved it up towards him, so your eyes had nowhere to look but into his. His grip released some, but you were sure he’d leave bruises on your cheeks.

“Let me explain, okay? It’s not what you’re thinkin’. I’m not a freak. I saw that picture of you and I just wanted to help you, hold you, baby. This got out of hand and it wasn’t what I meant it to be. I didn’t know I was gonna need you like this. Just sit down and let me talk.”

The husky ‘baby’ hung in the air. It hung between your thighs, too. Why are you always drawn the bad, vile, disgusting things?

“Listen to you quantify how much you wanted to fuck 15 year old me? How it never left so you stuck around and waited for the ‘right’ moment? The one where you might not get arrested if you get caught? How you wanted to stick your cock inside your best friends daughter?”

“If you don’t shut your fuckin’ mouth,” he warned for the last time, spit hitting your lips. You licked it away, instinctively, and his cock twitched beneath his zipper.

“What? What exactly are you gonna do?”

You invited, drawing your hands up his chest.

“How ‘bout I show you, you fucking brat. You can’t hide from me. I see you, I can see through you. I saw you the very first time our eyes met and I see you now, wigglin’ beneath my touch. You need me sweet’heart, stop denyin’ it. I know you remember how I made you feel without me even touchin you.”

You nodded in disbelief at how disarming his words were.

“So let me touch you.” It wasn’t a question, as much as a demand. He moved his hands to your shoulder and turned you around, pulling up your dress from your front. He stopped midway, slowly releasing your breasts from where they sat in the part of the dress that snugly embraced you. One dropping, and then another. The clothing slid against your hardening buds. You could hear your breathing quickening.

As soon as your clothing thumped to the ground he returned to your skin, cupping your breasts. His hands completely engulfed them and for a moment it felt like he’d done it a million times. You fit so well against him. You were warm, buzzing for him.

He ‘hmmm’ed praises at your back as he pressed himself against you, moving you further into his hands, pushing you both deeper into the concrete wall. He was hard, fully erect against your back. You could feel him against your panties, so long his tip was hitting your lower back. He was big enough that his whole body had a point of contact with yours, enveloping you.

“Your effort not to melt under me is truly admirable.” He snarked, leaned in close, his warm breath tickling your earlobe as his tongue traced a path along the contours of your ear, sending shivers down your neck. He licked them, too. More appearing at the scratch of his beard against your neck.

Then, the warmth of his face was gone and you heard his knees crack as he bent down, reaching in front of you to move your ass towards his face, bending you ever so slightly to his will. Your underwear was delicately covering your cunt and he realized he’d never wanted anything more. He reached and spread your cheeks open.

“Oh so fuckin’ pretty sweet girl. Look at that,” he traced his thumb down the back of your cunt in awe, pushing the fabric deeper into the slick already coating them. You groaned at the relief of his fingers so close to the entrance of your holes.

“Nuh uh uh,” he tutted as you absentmindedly started to squirm beneath his wandering hands. He dug his thumbs into your ass, spreading you open once again. The warm pad of his fingertips turned wet, licking lines up and down your slit, panties pulled to the side. His face was fully between your legs, his nose teasing against your perineum. It wandered to your tense rim, and the flat warmth of his tongue was gone.

He spit.

“You’re the dirtiest girl I’ve ever seen, you know that? Letting me stick my tongue and nose on your pretty little asshole. Want me to fuck you here baby girl?” He circled it, pushing his spit in with the tip of his pointer finger. You whimpered.

“Hmm, I hear you. We’ll save that for next time. It wouldn’t be fair of me not to work you open first.” Breathless, “please Joel” falling from your lips.

“Oh fuck. Say it again. I’ve been waitin’ for my name to pass your pretty lips.”

“Joel, please.” You begged. At this point you didn’t know what exactly you were begging for, besides a release. A release from the situation at hand but more so a release from the pressure he’s causing in your abdomen… in your cunt.

He smirked against you, pointing his tongue into your hole, circling and lapping at you. The noise you made against his tongue as it entered you was absolutely vulgar.

“Could taste these sweet juices for the rest of my fuckin’ life.” He was on his knees now.

He was coaxing sounds out of the base of your throat that you’d never heard before, directing you to stand on your tippy toes, palms against the wall so he could fuck his tongue deeper into you.

You wanted to take him whole, right there. Feel the stretch as he sheathed himself fully into you, claiming you. You wanted the pain.

“Joel, I-“ God he felt so fucking euphoric, mustache tickling your clit as he worked his way up and down your pussy.

“Tell me baby, use your words,” he murmured into you.

“Take me, right now, please. Can’t wait Joel, I’ve been waiting so long.” God you sounded pathetic.

Two of his fingered entered you, fully. You gasped at the fullness and lack of warning.

“You wanna take my cock? You’re so tight you can barely handle two of my fingers. So fuckin’ impatient, hmm?” He curled them upwards and you felt the release.

“Let it happen. Stop fightin’ it and let it out baby. I’ll catch you.”

You went to church a few times growing up. You always admired the fervor and devotion the congregation would sing to the sky, lift their arms and release themselves. That is how you wanted to give yourself to Joel, to sing for him, exalt him with praise and surrender yourself completely.

You wanted him to release you from all of your sins.

“I can take it. Please Joel. Please.”

He rose from the ground, pulling his fingers out of you and suddenly the room had quieted from the sound of your desire, now covering and dripping down his wrist, his chin.

“Then take it.” He tapped your cunt with his throbbing tip, moving his cock around to pick up your juices.

He wrapped his arm around you, covering your mouth, letting you drop your head on his bicep, face towards the roof as he made himself one with you.

Then, you let yourself go and he ripped you open. And you laughed and laughed, through the pleasure and the undoing. The fullness of him was enough to turn you slack in his arms. Screaming moans against his hand, until all of your devotion turned violent.

-

Chapter 4: DEFILE

”And all of my devotion turns violent.” - Japanese Breakfast, Boyish

A/N: THANK YOUUU for over 1.1k notes on Part 1 and 200+ follows. Writing has been a much needed escape for me, so thanks for coming along for the ride <3

Tag List: @strang3lov3 @leeeesahhh @blackvelveteen1339 @huffle-punk @xxmr-potato-headxx @ssssc0m @silkiers @paleidiot @sarap-77 @i-love-rafe

#joel miller #tlou #joel miller x you #joel miller fanfiction #pedro pascal #tlou fanfiction #pedro pascal x you #carnal #pascalsbby #the last of us #joel miller x y/n #pedro x reader #smut

[misguidedasgardian]

The winter sun (8)

8. A way to a man’s heart

MASTERLIST

Summary: You were trying…. hard

Pairing: Cregan Stark x Fem!Targaryen Reader 

Warnings: Cursing, medieval and asoif customs, AGE GAP, Cregan is 12 years OLDER than reader), a liiiitle angst, a liiiiitle fluff, might miss some warnings

+18 MINORS DNI

Wordcount: 3.6k

Notes: HAHAAAA they are just two babies trying to do right by the other. This is a pretty tamed chapter.

As you were sleeping peacefully, you were awakened by the door opening, you jumped and sat on the bed, covering your almost transparent night shift with a wolf fur. And there he was, Cregan, this time, he was only wearing a long sleeve black shirt and leather pants, and he looked so handsome

“I was an idiot!”, he claimed

“You are not an idiot my lord, why would you think that?”, you asked

“How could I ever leave you alone on our wedding night? My beautiful bride!”, he said over excitedly, walking towards the bed, he leaned in and encased your face with his big hands, and then he leaned in and kissed you tenderly, and also passionately, you couldn’t identify what passion might feel like, until you felt butterflies in your belly.

“I’m going to make you mine”, he whispered against your lips, “I’m going to give you my children, would you? Would you have my children my sweet princess?”, he asked and you nodded enthusiastically

“Yes!” You said excitedly, “I’ll give you babies!”, he chuckled against you lips, he separated from your and took his shirt off and then, he ripped the furs off the bed to uncover you, and jumped all over you, taking your lips in his with hunger, his hands traveled south in your body, arms down towards your hips and waist, you felt his hands everywhere his lips ledge your mouth and traveled down your cheek to your jaw, drawing lazy kisses, and then his wet lips arrived in your neck, to a certain point that made you see stars as you closed your eyes.

And then….

AND THEN

You woke up with a gasp, so hot you were sweating, the fire still lit up and furs covering you. You were gasping, trying to regain your breath, and you felt so uncomfortable between your legs… you couldn’t quite pinpoint it

But you got cold pretty quickly…

Cregan had rejected you, he didn’t bed you, he didn’t take you. He didn’t plant his seed, he didn’t give you his children…

And you felt that sixteen year old all over again, but now, it was your husband who didn’t want you.

You drew a shaky breath, thinking about how you were going to explain it to the people, did you have to anyways? Where was Cregan now? Should you go down to the hall to break your fast? How could you face him now?

You didn’t now what to do.

Based on the position of the sun and the noises coming from the courtyard you guessed that it was an adequate hour to rise from the bed.

You looked at the sheets, the unblemished, unblooded sheets. Here it was the North, it was different here, nobody was going to wonder if Cregan deflowered you, if they would, he would have done something…

And after a faint knock, trough the door appeared a young maid, with a smile and an apology she entered bringing a wooden tray with a breakfast, bread, cheeses, jams and some more thing

“Good morning my lady”, she greeted, it was the first time somebody called you that, a lady, you were a lady now

“Good morning”, you greeted back

“Lord Cregan has asked me to bring you breakfast, he has gone with other Lords to the Wolfs wood to hunt”

“You are too kind, thank you”, with a shy smile she left the tray at the feet of the bed and then she left you. You had your breakfast alone and in silence, it was more bitter, and the flavors were stronger than any breakfast you could have in King's Landing, always with sweet wine and fruit, but you were going to get accustomed to it, you were certain.

 “How is the new lady of winterfell?”, Sara entered the room with a cheeky smile, “I hope you don’t mind, I saw Cregan galloping away I guessed you were alone”, she muttered, and you smiled inviting her in

"It's fine, I'm glad you are here", you said, happy to see her

“Sooo…. How was it?”, she asked, “are you alright?”, you debated in whether to tell her or not, but as you looked at her, you revealed yourself, “he didn’t fuck you did he?”, she said, anger taking over her features, “that craven!”, she said

“Is not his fault, it was probably me”, you whispered, playing with the long strands of the Wolf fur

“You? No possible way!”, she said, “it’s him, he is too nice, he probably didn’t dare because he didn’t want to bother you or something” 

“But I want to be bothered!”, you said, looking up at her

“Perhaps you could tell him that!”, she muttered

“No way!”, you said, “how could I tell him that? I want you to bed me?”

“Yes!”

“No!”, she seemed to think about it, her dark blue eyes looking at the bedding for inspiration, she sighed

“You need to warm him up!”, she said

“Like… touch him?”, you asked

“No silly, be attentive, charm him!”, she suggested, “be a little flirty”

“That might work”, you said, hopefully, he might be your husband, but you barely knew each other , but… “but what if it is me?”, you asked her

“It’s not”, she whispered, and you looked down, not quite convinced 

What if he resided after he married you how inadequate you were? 

Where you? 

Sara helped you dress, and then you two adventured outside your room, you found your aunt Rhaenys breaking her fast in the great hall

“Good morning my dearest”, she greeted, “how was your night?”, Sara was about to speak, but you spoke first

“Great, he was very nice and gentle”, you said with a shy smile, and it scared you how fast and simple that lie came out. You didn’t want her to know you weren’t able to bed your husband

“Good”, she said, pleased, leaving the dark ale she was drinking in the table, “now that I made sure everything is going smoothly, I need to get back to Driftmark”, she said with an apologetic smile, you just looked down and nodded, “I leave you in good hands, with Sara and Cregan”, she said gently, and Sara beamed 

“Thank you for coming”, you said, “you don’t know how much it meant to me”

And between hugs and kisses and promises of visiting each other, you and Sara waved Rhaenys goodbye, as she took fly on Meleys and got lost amongst the northern clouds.

But nothing could prepare you for the news that you received when you entered back into the castle 

“My lady, there is some unfortunate news”, the maester came to you, slowly but surely, you looked back at him in wonder

“What is it? Is everyone alright?”, you asked, and he chuckled

“Yes my Lady, everyone is fine, it's just… we receive a raven from Harrenhal, and apparently your things suffered an awful accident”

“My things?”, you asked, puzzled 

“The caravan with the three carriages that were carrying your things, they had been completely destroyed”, he said, looking down at the floor in front of him

“What?”, you asked, perplexed

“The caravan was going through Harrenhal, when a dragon, I would not know which one, burn it down”, you didn’t know what to say, as you looked all over the room

“Was anyone hurt?”, you asked then, “the soldiers and servants?”,  he smiled gently

“Everyone was alright princess”, he said, and you nodded

“Good”, you answered, “I don’t understand who would have done this”, you muttered

“It was night my lady, nobody could see very well, the carriages were placed in a shed in Harrenhal during the night and well… they only heard the roars, and saw the flames”

“I see”, you whispered, looking down, “thank you”, you said with a shy smile on your face, the maester nodded, and left the room

You felt a tickle in your nose, indicating you were about to cry, but then you felt silly, crying over material things but… not only were dresses and such, there was also objects, things you had or were gifted to you by your father, or other members of your family, you had nothing with you, and now, all your things were lost. 

Who would have done something like this?

And the answer came easily at you

Aemond

He was the only one capable of doing something so awful and uncalled for

But the question was… why?

Why would he do something like that?

“I’m so sorry”, muttered Sara, caressing your arm, “is there anything I could do?”

“I don’t have anything to wear and use”, you whispered

“We can go to Winters Town”, she suggested, “we can find things there, not as nice as you can find in Kings Landing but… we can get the basics”

“It would be nice”, you whispered smiling shyly 

“Let’s go then”, you needed to be cheered up and you were glad Sara saw that, Rhaenys had left and your things were a pile of coal, so you could use a day in the town that you had yet to see

You put on the boots that you used for riding your dragon under the gray dress you used the second day here, and you put on the cape that Sara had lent you, and both of you adventured outside Winterfell’s walls.

As you were entering the town, you put on the hood of your cape, it wasn’t that cold, but…

“You don’t need to hide here”, Sara giggled, and you removed the hood instantly, relieved 

“Sorry, force of habit”, you laughed

“You didn’t go out of the Red Keep that much?”, she asked, amused

“I didn't actually”, you confessed, “the couple of times that I did I had to hide”, you giggled

“Did you committed some mischief?”, she asked suggestively 

“No no”, you answered giggling, “I was just curious, I always left the Keep in the daylight”, you tell, and she smiled gently.

You noticed you were being watched by the people, but you looked back with a smile, and when they saw you smiling, that smiled back, greeting you

They know who you where and who you became yesterday

The dragon princess was the new Lady of Winterfell

“The small stores are this way”, she muttered, taking your hand and leading you, “I also know Winter’s town got a load of new textiles yesterday, we will be the first to see them to make some nice dresses for winter!” 

“My Lady of Winterfell”, a nice old lady grabbed your hand as you were walking by, “I’m so pleased to meet you”, she greeted with a crooked smile

“Oh, thanks”, you muttered, blushed and nervous

“You are so beautiful”, she said, “you are kissed by ice”, she said pointing to your hair

“You are so kind”. you whispered

“may the gods bless you, my child”, she leaned in and kissed your hand, and then she waved you goodbye, leaving your heart warm and a smile on your face

“I thought the Northmen were weary of strangers”, you said, sounding as excited as you were

“But you are not a stranger are you?”, Sara said, “you are their lady, the Lady of Winterfell”

And it finally sank 

You were the lady of winterfell

You finally arrived at a store, only identifying as such with a worn out sign

You came in after two knocks on the wooden door

It was a nice man, who opened the door and when he looked at both ladies he opened his eyes widely

“My-my ladies! I’m very sorry… your grace!”, he corrected

“I am a Lady kind Sr”, you said gently

“Welcome to my fine stablishment”, he said

“We would like to see some fabrics”, said Sara gently

“Of course, you will get the first view of them”, he muttered

They were thicker fabrics than Kings Landing, certainly, more simpler, but warmer. Muted colors, not shiny reds, not silk, or chiffon, or Tull, but wool based and cotton.

Simpler, but warmer 

You bought with your purse as many as you could to make a dozen dresses for the winter, and the nice man promised to bring them in the morning to the castle as he was accustomed 

You dared to buy fabrics to make some clothes for Cregan as well, as Sara suggested, she used to make clothes for his brother, as it was his preference

You continued your shopping, it was midday and as Sara said, merchants and salesmen showed their products outside, in small market place

The greetings continued and people seemed more weary of you, but you could see they knew Sara and they liked her, so as you greeted them as well, they also seemed quite relaxed.

“Ohhhh salmon!”, you admired, watching the big fishes splayed over a table in the fisherman’s post

“We eat a lot of it here”, Sara said

“In king’s Landing as well”, you muttered

“Good morrow my ladies”, the nice man greeted

“Good morning”, you said back

“We would like some salmon”, started asara

“Only the finest for the ladies of Winterfell”

“You can cook it for Cregan!”, Sara said, excited, “he really likes salmon and this last weeks we have been eating meat in excess”, and you blushed

Cook for Cregan

Seemed so nice, so he can warm up to you, you loved that idea 

You bought some cakes and that was it, you returned to the castle after you bought a hair brush, and some other things. You almost whimpered when you remembered that you had also lost your jewelry, necklaces and rings from your late mother that your father had bought from her family for you, and also, jewelry he inherited from his own mother, Alyssa Targaryen  that he saved for you. He never got to see you wearing her ruby earrings and matching necklace and ring. 

 The ladies of the north from what you could gather, didn’t use much jewelry, but it still hurt. Still, you bought a small wooden box to keep things. 

Oh… your books

Then you remembered the Library of Winterfell was one of the greatest in the Kingdoms and you had yet to see it.

You came back to reality when you were entering Winterfell again.

“Now, you will have to convince the cook to let you make the salmon without her help”, said Sara cheekily, “and that won’t be easy”

“What? Why?” You asked, amused

And here you were one hour later, chasing the cook around. She was a tall and big woman, with big eyes and rough factions. As Sara told you, she used to be a wildling North of the wall

“My cooking not enough for princess?”, she asked roughly 

“Is not that I don’t like it”, you explained, “is just that I want to cook for Lord Stark, myself”, you said gently, the old lady gazed at you, squinting her eyes, and finally, she smiled

“Ahh you want baby”, she said cheekily

“Uh?”, and then she put on a naughty face

“When I cook for husband, he gave me baby!”, she said with a knowing look. Sara burst with laughter, and you blushed scandalously, “cook way to man’s heart!”, she said pointing at you with the wooden spoon she had in her hand.

“Yes”, you admitted, “I want a baby”

“Good girl”, she said, and left the kitchen, letting you do your thing

“I never cooked for anyone before”, you said, amused, as you gaze at the salmon displayed in the big wooden table in the Winterfell’s kitchen

“I think is sweet”, Sara said, “Cregan will be back in a couple of hours we should start”

“Do you have these herbs? Dill? Thyme?”

“Yes!”, you giggled, excited, as Sara ran along the kitchen searching for the things you asked of her. Lemons, a little bit of pork fat to cook it… it was fun

It took too long, longer that you need it, but you had only saw the cooks prepare it, you had never did it yourself

And soon you heard the castle coming back to life, as front he kitchens you could hear the huge gates being opened, horns blowing announcing the arrival of the hunting party

“They are here! Cregan must be hungry!”, Sara cheered, and you, with a smile, finished the dish by placing a pinch of salt on top of it. “Hurry!”, she helped you serve it in the great hall, accompanied by ale, you placed two plates, so you could eat it next to him, you set the table as well, and you finished placing a fork just in time as he walked inside the hall.

You looked at him and stared in wonder, he looked even more wild than he used to, messy hair, snow flakes still over his shoulders, the snow was becoming greater each day that passed

“Welcome!”, you greeted, and he nodded at you, “look what I made” you said with a excited smile, “is not as good as the ones prepared by the cooks in Kings landing but I think is pretty good”

“You don’t have to worry about me”, he said, simply, looking at the table, “I’ll eat what we hunted, enjoy the salmon dearest, I bet you miss it”, he said he leaned in and kissed your temple, and just like that he left the great hall. And it broke your barely mended heart.

“That idiot!”, cursed Sara, coming from her hiding around the corner.

“That man a brute!” Cursed the cook, following after her, “just like late father!”

So… you didn’t just get rejected again by Cregan, but also, you somehow insulted his hunting, he now may think you didn’t want to eat whatever he hunted in the Wolf’s wood.

Great job

So Sara and you sat down to share the salmon and ate it as the cook brought you dark ale and sat with you as well, bringing a fork with her and you invited her to “dig in”. Cregan appeared again in the hall, and watched the scene, intrigued, but you believed that if you looked at him, you may cry.

“Thelma, I was wondering if you could help us with the rabbit stew”, he asked of the old woman seated by you

“No” she said simply, and you couldn’t help but giggle, “you should have eaten salmon!”, she chided

The night found you in your room, or rather… Cregan’s room, even though he didn’t want to bed you, you refused the idea of abandoning the chamber. You had, deeply rooted within you, customs and manners from court, and you truly believed that a lady living in a separate chamber from her husband was truly something awful, it meant that your husband didn’t want you, it would give the people something bad to talk about, about you.

So you had put on your night shift and sat in front of a mirror to brush your silver hair, that Sara had braided for you that day. You were interrupted by a hard knock on the door, after, the door just opened and Cregan was there, in the door frame, looking at you

“Good evening my lord”, you greeted, stopping your movements, your eyes wide open, like you just saw a ghost, an apparition right in front of you.

“Cregan, you can call me Cregan”, he said gently, and you nodded, “Sara told me you went to the town today”

“We did”

“I heard what happened to your belongings”, he said, and you looked at him expectantly, “I’m very sorry, it will take time, but I want you to know we will replace everything”

“There is no need”, you said

“We can send word to King’s Landing’s maesters, woodworkers, librarians, jewelers”, he listed, and you shook your head slightly

“Sara and I just bought fabrics to replace the dresses, the books, well, I bet I can find better ones in the library here in Winterfell, I had read them all anyways, other things I can buy, like this brush”, you said looking at the one you just bought, “it’s alright”

“The jewelry”, he said, truly concerned

“I’m afraid that can’t be replaced”, you muttered, :”but it’s fine I got my grandmother’s necklace with me, and my father’s ring”, you said painting at your finger, “and my mother’s earrings, it’s all I need”, and he smiled softly, and nodded

“Very well”, he admitted defeat. He gazed at you then, and you got nervous, “you have beautiful hair”

“Thank you my… Cregan”, you corrected yourself

“Sara and Thelma gave me a hard time today”, he started, and you looked at him in wonder, “they said you cooked for me, and I rejected you”, you looked away from him, embarrassed 

“It’s nothing”, you whispered grabbing a string of your hair and playing with it, trying to conceal your nervousness

“I’m very sorry, I thought I just caught you off guard and you had made that for yourself, and you were just trying to be nice”, he explained

“And I am sorry I rejected to eat whatever you hunted”, you apologized, “I didn't think it through”

“It’s alright, whatever I hunt in those woods it’s whatever we are going to eat for all the winter to come”, he said, amused, and you giggled, “would you make it for me, another day? the Salmon I mean, Thelma said that is one of the finest things she ever ate”, and you raised your eyes to look up at him

“I’d love to”, you said, overexcited

“Very good”, he said, “I’ll leave you then”, he turned to leave, again

“Wait!”, you called, and he stopped on his tracks and returned to look at you, “y-you can stay, i-if you like”, you said, and you wanted to pinch yourself because you sounded way more hopeful than you should have, “it is your rooms after all”, you said 

“You can stay here”, he said, “are you cold?”, and you shook your head, “good, good night little dragon”, he said, leaning in and kissing your temple, like he used to do since yesterday

“Goodnight”, you answered back, and you watched him leave. This time, a little more hopeful, you were on the right track.

You hoped. 

more notes: trust me when I say I can't believe i'm writing some sort of "slow burn", I usually jump right in, just be patient I promise it will be worth it

taglist! @severewobblerlightdragon @missusnora @stargaryenx @poppyreader @chainsawsangel @court-jester-stuff @batprincess1013 @eddiepicker @lyannesworld @arujee @kamisunshine

#misguidedwinter #cregan #cregan x reader #cregan stark #hbo house of the dragon #house of the dragon #house targaryen #house stark #aemond targaryen #targaryen!oc #targaryen!reader #hotd #hotd fanfic

[bridgetotheskyyy]

godly hither

series masterlist

chapter summary: gojo has a fetish

chapter warnings: smut, 18+ content, fingering, pwp absolutely NO plot, gojo is a tease, gojo's also an ass

word count: i have no fucking idea i wrote this so long ago wait *checks ao3* 1.1k

a/n: very excited to share this series on tumblr as well I hope you all enjoy! based on this thirst post I made ages ago

read on ao3 here

“Go — Gojo!”

He couldn’t deny it; he had a certain preoccupation.

Gojo laughed as your spine arched at the command of his finger — his thumb feathered against your clit as his index teased the spongy space within you. You moaned at the touch and he rolled the universe that lived in his eyes, your leg brushing against his obvious erection as you squirmed.

“That’s right,” he said, his head falling back, relishing in the warm wet of your cunt, “squeeze me, love.”

He honestly enjoyed it more than fucking you. How victimized you became at the slightest touch. Despite how his cock strained against his boxers, begging to be buried inside of you. He retrained eyes on you, on your naked, shameless form, begging and whining — and all at the single, paltry touch of his fingers. He smirked, marveling at the sight. Gojo wagged his thumb on your clit, delighting in the way your hands went to cup your breasts in response, your legs imprisoning his wrist as they squeezed against them.

Gojo had done this for so long, tortured you so. He knew your end was near, knew he held your climax in his hands, so close he could hold it, fit it in his palm. He loved it. To have the power to make you cum, your release at his literal fingertips.

With a wicked grin, he knocked against your g-spot. Gojo laughed at the shuddered gasp you rewarded him with, his mirth carrying into the cold, quiet space that was the storage closet, dispersing into a series of echoes. You whined before clapping a hand over your mouth to muffle the cry. Gojo licked his lips, an idea propelling him forward —

He offered his other hand to your mouth.

“Use this, darling,”

You happily took it, biting into his hand. He grunted at the feel of your teeth, his cock twitching, aching for release. He thrust his finger deeper. It was a simple, horrible tease of what could really feel you up, what you truly wanted. Your hips rocked into his other hand, growing impatient for your end, biting down on the one he offered with stuttered gasps. The boxes behind you squeaked against their cardboard, threatening to fall as a consequence of your rutting. Gojo felt his own heavy breathing, your midsection brushing endlessly against his erection.

He swooped down, moving his abused hand to inch closer to your lips, yet another part of you he owned, and licked them.

“Perfect,” he managed, meeting your eyes. He maintained composure for just a second, but only a second.

Gojo bucked against you. He lived for your agonized moan, descending into a whine. He allowed you to suppress your voice with his thumb before bucking into you again.

You trembled, mewled, and all at the curl of one tiny little finger.

Well, technically two — he remembered his thumb at your heat and pressed it into the tender, singing nub — but who was counting?

Oh, that’s right … he was.

The smirk that painted Gojo's face had to have been sickly; he would make you whine and mewl and beg for another one.

“Say it,” he bucked, almost as though he were truly fucking you. The boxes above slipped farther apart, farther forward, inclining for the floor.

“Please!” you shuddered, no patience for playing coy. “Please, gods, yes, Gojo — please, give me another! Another!”

You had played this game before and knew the rules. Victory.

Who was he to deny you?

He slipped a second finger in, then a third, the moist of your cunt sending saliva to his mouth.

“Yes —! Mmph! …” you hissed, because you wanted to scream and because you couldn’t scream.

Gojo forced two fingers into your disobedient mouth, muting your senseless appraisals as you squeezed your eyes shut.

So wonderful. It was he could to do to resist releasing into his boxers, fighting to keep his tongue from falling out of his mouth like a fucking dog as you hooked a leg around his waist, burying your face in his neck, clinging to him in such a delicious, damsel-like fashion. He maneuvered his other hand, wet with your saliva, to your ass to push you up, your arms around his neck as he fed you his fingers.

“Yes …” he said as his fingers thrusted, as you offered him your sweet honey. His fingers curled, pace torturously slow as he asked your climax to come forth and coat him with your sinful juices.

You moaned, squirmed in his embrace, and he could only want more. You were going to cum, cum, and it would be because of him. All because he commanded it —

He covered your mouth with his as your climax came, your insides clenching down on his eager fingers as they brought you to your end. Gojo was delirious with his own pleasure, his orgasm supplied by the endless rutting of his hips against yours. You would both be filthy and dripping in one another’s cum.

He couldn’t wait to lick your wet off his fingers, couldn’t wait to savor your taste, but he preferred to let you finish. Your orgasm sent your head lolling backward, pushing a box at its edge back against its brothers just in the nick of time.

He touched your orgasm from you. Once the final grasps of your insides waned along with your pleasure, he pulled his fingers away. He fed them to his mouth, one by one, licking off the cream as though it were frosting from a delectable pastry.

“Mm,” he sang.

You peaked an eye out to watch him, your gaze heavy-lidded. Your breath was shallow as he eased gently to the floor. He did not let go; your legs were weak from the play and he did not want you falling.

You were the one to push him away as he began to work on the second finger, sucking vigorously. You checked your clothes and grumbled, annoyed, at the wet spot circling your jeans.

“Mmmm,” he sang still, ignoring the mess he’d made on you. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” You said. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

You gestured to the stain at your jeans.

“Say you dropped your popsicle.”

“Popsicles don’t smell like this, Satoru. And you could’ve gotten us caught!”

“Wouldn’t that have just made it more fun?”

“Maybe for you.” You fought back, but your breath was still noticeably labored and it only made him feel triumphant. “Pervert …”

You passed him, aiming for the door.

Heh, you’re right, (Y/n).

He let you go, beginning on the third finger, licking off the orgasm he had won from you.

#gojo smut #gojo satoru x reader #gojo satoru x you #jjk smut #jjk x reader #gojo satoru #satoru gojo x reader #satoru gojo x you #satoru gojo x y/n #gojo x reader #gojo x you #gojo x y/n

[word-wytch]

Don't Stand So Close To Me — Chapter 5

Eddie x Teacher!Reader

Chapter 5/? 3.2k. Series Masterlist

✏︎ A lesson in rock history and the things you can say with a thumb.

✏︎ Series Summary: Forced to move back home to Hawkins after your fiancé cheats on you, you begin to fall in love again with an audacious 20 year old metalhead, only there’s one problem — he’s still in high school and you’re his English teacher.

While you struggle starting over in a place you never thought you would return, Eddie struggles feeling stuck in a place he can’t manage to leave — until you offer to help him. Of all the lessons learned, the most important are the ones you teach each other.

✏︎ Series CW: forbidden romance, slow burn, smut (18+ mdni), true love, internal conflict, student-teacher relationship, 10 year age gap, mutual pining, sexual tension, emotions, drama, angst, character development, happy ending :)

Chapter warnings: drinking mention

“Happy Monday!” chimed Ms. Click, fixing her coffee on the counter in the teacher’s lounge. “How was your weekend, sweetie?”

You turned to her as you nestled the glass coffee pot back onto the warmer. “Oh, you know. Just catching up on errands and chores. Same old, same old.” Oh, and wrestling with thoughts I really shouldn’t be having about my student. You figured it was best to leave that part out. Though if you were being totally honest you had done more of that than anything else this weekend. You couldn’t believe yourself.

“Oh I hear ya, it’s real easy for things like that to just take over. Pretty soon you feel like you’re just living the same week over and over again and then whoops! 20 years go by!” she said with a loud and slightly pained laugh.

You smiled weakly. “Yeah, time really does fly.”

“It does if you’re not careful! You’ve got to treasure every precious moment while you can,” she said, giving a gentle pat on your forearm before turning to leave.

“I try to,” you said, turning to open a new carton of milk for your coffee. You watched it swirl as you poured it in and thought about Eddie Munson again. You wondered what a what a weekend was like for him, what sort of trouble he might get into. You thought about him cruising down the road in his van at night, blasting his music and driving way over the speed limit — not a care in the world. You thought about being a passenger, about laughing with him as he took his hands off the wheel to play air guitar to a song you didn’t recognize.

“Hey!” she said Diane in a little whisper, waving her hand between you and your coffee.

You jolted upward and turned to her. “Oh hey! Sorry, I’m a total space cadet today apparently.”

“It’s Monday, you’re allowed,” she said with a warm chuckle. She leaned back against the coffee station. “Sooo, your birthday is on Friday. It’s the big 3-0 right? Have any plans?”

Yes, that. You hadn’t forgotten, though you secretly wished you had. “I’m shocked you remembered!”

“Well, birthdays are circled on the office calendar,” she said, folding her arms with a little smirk, “I can’t give myself that much credit, but we should really do something. It’s a big one.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Honestly I hadn’t given it much thought.”

“There’s always Pal Joey’s. At the very least I can bake you a cake and we can just get drunk together, right?” she said with a playful chuckle.

You laughed, “Yeah, I don’t need anything extravagant. Just something low key would be nice. Actually, I have a friend I haven’t seen since I moved back over the summer. She’s been busy with her small kids, I bet she’d appreciate getting out for a night.”

“That’s the spirit! Ok, got any preference for cake flavors?”

You thought for a moment, a smile playing on your lips as you brought a curved finger to them, “Surprise me.”

______

You set off down the main hallway like you did every morning, careful not to slosh the remainder of your coffee too hard as you walked. You dodged the usual obstacles — kids with headphones on not paying attention, couples leaning against their lockers, jocks giving a football a few passes before another teacher reprimanded them. 

You were about halfway there when you smelled it — cigarette smoke. Not the sort of smoke left over on clothing, but actual active smoke coming from someone nearby. You glanced around to see if you could catch a plume and that was when you saw him.

You didn’t know his name but he must have been a junior at least. He was more than six feet tall, an athlete, as you could tell from varsity jacket he had on. 

“Hey! No smoking in the hallway,” you said firmly as you approached him at the lockers.

He looked at you like you were a small child threatening to tattle on him. “Or what?”

“Or I’m giving you detention. Put it out, now.”

He rolled his eyes at you, “Ooh, so scary.” His friends around him chuckled.

You swallowed, feeling small all of a sudden. “I’m serious, put it out right now.”

“Jeez, calm down, bitch.” His friends erupted in laughter, practically tripping over themselves now.

Your eyes narrowed, heart beating into your throat.

“The fuck did you just call her?” a voice cut through from behind you.

You recognized it before you whipped your head around to see him. “Eddie —”

He marched up to the athlete in front of you. “Here, let me make it easier for you.” He snatched the cigarette out of his mouth and threw it on the ground to stomp it out. There were daggers in his eyes. “Say it again.”

He looked at Eddie with a mixture of shock and confusion. “Jeez since when are you a goody two-shoes, Munson?”

“Principal’s office, now,” you said, pointing at the athlete.

He rolled his eyes again. “You gonna have your pet escort me?”

You glanced over at Eddie, you could practically feel the heat coming off of him as he glowered behind you like a shadow. “No, I can do that myself, unless you’d rather have security escort you. Your choice.”

He sighed. “Fine, Jesus.”

“I can take it from here, Eddie. Thank you.”

He glanced back and forth between the two of you, looking hesitant. “If you say so,” he conceded softly. 

You smiled at him with gracious eyes, then turned to the athlete. “Come on.”

Eddie bent down to grab the cigarette off the floor, his eyes did not leave you.

“I can take that,” you said, extending your hand.

He placed the flattened cigarette into your palm, slow enough for you to feel the calluses on his fingers as they lingered for a short moment. Yours curled around them just enough to brush the back of his knuckles as his hand left yours, as if they had a mind of their own. Your heart skipped a beat and you found the courage to meet his gaze again.

“Thank you.”

He bowed his head slightly, “Sure thing.” His eyes were dark and intense, like there was something more he wanted to say. 

You swallowed and broke his gaze. “Alright, let’s get going before I’m late for my own class.”

You walked swiftly toward the principal’s office, the two of you silent in the noisy din of the hallway as the athlete kept pace reluctantly beside you. You were halfway down the hall when you felt the urge to glance over your shoulder.

Eddie was still standing where you left him, still as a statue amidst the chaos of the hallway, watching you with careful eyes.

______

Eddie watched you from the back of your fourth period English class, as he did every day. 

He watched as you as you paced about, the way you leaned against the desk as you sifted through your notes. He noticed how thoughtfully you chose your words, how eloquently you spoke.

He wondered what you were like outside of school — what you would be like at a concert, a bar, a restaurant, a movie. He wondered what sort of observations you would make about the world around you. What sort of things you would want to talk about outside the strict confines of this building, outside your role in it. You were always so good at keeping the face you’d put on that morning. He wanted to see you without it. 

Wanted to see you first thing in the morning, the sleep still in your eyes. Wanted to see you in pajamas making coffee. Wanted to feel the warmth of your skin still heated from your bed, to peer over your shoulder as you cooked your eggs, to tickle you until you turned around to kiss him.

“In chapters 13 though 15 we can see that he’s both too scared to call Jane and too scared to sleep with Sunny, even though deep down it seems he wants to. Holden alienates himself as a form of self-protection, which is a motif in the novel,” you explained. “A motif,” you scratched the word onto the board, “— is a recurring structure, contrast, or literary device that can help to inform the reader of the text’s major themes.”

You turned toward the board to finish writing the definition. It was then that Eddie saw Patrick’s arm extend behind him with a folded piece of paper that Jason promptly snatched.

You paused, glancing toward the back of the classroom at the movement. 

Jason and Patrick froze like statues. 

Your gaze lingered a moment, then you continued, turning toward the board again. 

Eddie watched out of the corner of his eye as Jason opened the note slowly, trying to minimize the crinkle of the paper. He stifled a snicker and took his pen to it, scribbling in haste.

“Now, what are some other motifs that you may have noticed so far?” you asked, turning toward the class. 

Jason froze again, sliding his notebook over the paper slowly, leaving some space to continue writing discreetly at the bottom.

Eddie felt his pulse rise and shot Jason a threatening glare.

Since when are you a goody two-shoes, Munson? The words rolled around in his head. As much as he hated to admit it, there was some truth to them. 

The truth was that he had smoked in school before. More than once. The difference was he never got caught. He had been disrespectful on more than one occasion toward the faculty. He’d never called anyone names, but he’d certainly rolled his eyes, certainly given them a hard time. He’d sneak out, skip class, pass notes, run down the hallway — he even shot a spit ball at Gareth once, but only because he deserved it after flaking out on Hellfire because some girl invited him over to work on a project.

Jason caught Eddie’s glare and made a face at him, passing the note forward to Patrick who snickered when he opened it.

You whipped your head toward the back corner of the room and locked eyes with Patrick. “Excuse me, is something funny?”

Eddie’s eyes bored into his desk. He could feel the heat creeping up his neck.

“No ma’am, sorry,” said Patrick, straightening up.

Your eyes lingered a moment suspiciously but you let it go, sighing in annoyance as you turned back toward the board.

The note passing ceased after that.

It wasn’t until after the bell rang that both Jason and Patrick made eye contact with Eddie again. This time it was in the midst of laughter as they were leaving. 

______

By the time Eddie Munson had plunked himself down in his usual spot on the other side of your desk, you were admittedly exhausted. You hated to be one of those pedestrian I hate Mondays people, but today really took it out of you for some reason. 

Maybe it had something to do with the war you were waging in your mind over the man sitting across from you, but when you saw his sweet oval face again you felt the energy suddenly return to you, like a second wind. Like a breath of fresh air.

“Thank you for… intervening earlier today,” you said graciously as you filed away the papers on your desk, clearing the space.

Eddie gave a single nod. “I wanted to put it out on his face, but uh, pretty sure that’s also against the rules, so…” he said with a little chuckle.

Even behind his joking you could tell that he meant it. It stirred something in you, like a growling in the pit of your stomach. Something dormant and primal. You looked at his strong hands as he fidgeted with the pen in front of him, then your eyes traveled up to his forearms. He was wearing that flannel again with the sleeves rolled up and you wished you could ignore it, but instead you imagined what they would feel like wrapped protectively around your waist.

You cleared your throat and tucked your hair behind your ear. “Yeah, I’m afraid so,” you said with a little smile. “You know, you would think that after eight years of teaching I would be used to that sort of treatment but it still catches me off guard sometimes.”

Eddie raised his eyebrows curiously, “Eight years?”  he asked. You could almost see him doing the math in his head.

Your stomach dropped. “Yeah, um, I actually turn 30 on Friday,” you said with a nervous chuckle.

Eddie balked, “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

He smirked, his eyes narrowing, “No way. I mean — sorry, it’s not a bad thing! It’s just hard to believe is all.”

“You want to see my drivers license?”

Eddie laughed, “No, no. It’s just that… you don’t seem like it to me. Not looks wise anyway. Maturity wise you’re probably closer to uh, 500 — you know, like an elf.” 

You snorted. “Thanks. That’s so much better.”

“No, I mean like Arwen old, not Galadriel old,” he said, stumbling over himself. “Sorry I’ll stop, I’m a dumbass. It doesn’t matter. It’s just a number anyway.”

There was a strange relief that came over you when he said that, more than you wanted to admit to yourself.

You had to laugh. “Arwen old, now that’s something you don’t hear every day.”

“Well, take it as a compliment. I mean you’re —” he gestured to you, up and down with his hand, his eyes widening.

You knew what he was going to say. No, you wanted to think you knew, but did you really know? You knew you shouldn’t press but you wanted to hear it. Your mouth betrayed you. “I’m what?” you asked softly.

Eddie swallowed. “You’re…” he blinked, his dark eyes darting back and forth between yours. You could see the gears turning in his head, weighing the options of what to say next. “You’re timeless.”

Timeless. Now that was a word you were not expecting. Not too bold like beautiful, or cheap like pretty. You were tempted to commend him on his vocabulary choice.

“Timeless,” you said in quiet awe as a smile crept across your face. “I’ll take that.”

Eddie relaxed into his chair, seeming pleased with himself. 

“Alright, what’s on the agenda for today?” There was a guilt that nagged at you for prompting such an intimate moment with your student, but then again, was he not the one who prompted it with his gesture? Still, it was your responsibility to be the bigger person, you knew that. And yet…

Eddie was doing well enough in your class. He was turning in his homework and did well on the last quiz. Today you decided to focus on History again since that seemed to be his biggest challenge, which meant that Eddie was now seated beside you — and that was another challenge.

Eddie Munson had a way of being around you that was hard to ignore. It was the way he looked at you from beneath his lashes, the way he almost put his shoulder behind yours as you both crowded over the textbook. You swore you weren’t imagining it. 

It was when you pointed at a line in the text, the way he inched closer to it, turned his head toward you ever so slightly, his face inches from yours. 

You could smell him again. The sweet musk of his skin, the soft scent of whatever he put in his hair. He was so close you could feel the gentle puff of his breath against your face. Your curious eyes dropped to his lips — so incredibly plush with a perfect cupid’s bow. Your animal brain betrayed you and you imagined, for just a split second, what they would feel like against yours. What he would taste like. 

You cleared your throat, face flushing as you broke the tension. “So, did you do anything fun this weekend?” 

There was a gleam in Eddie’s eyes. “Yeah, actually. Mercyful Fate was playing in Indianapolis on Saturday. Really good show.”

You nodded curiously, “Hmm, I’ve never heard of them.”

Eddie smirked, “Yeah, I figured not. I mean — most people haven’t unless they’re into metal. Which, I don’t want to make any assumptions, but…” he chuckled.

“You’re correct,” you said with a little laugh.

His eyes were tender, “What kind of music are you into?”

You hummed and glanced down at the textbook again thoughtfully, “Let’s see… I like all sorts of stuff. Older stuff like Van Morrison and Simon and Garfunkel, newer stuff like The Police and Tears for Fears. Oh and I love Joni Mitchell, especially Joni Mitchell. Her music is poetry, truly.”

Eddie hummed thoughtfully, “All good artists.”

“I mean I’m not opposed to metal. I just haven’t heard enough of it I guess. I do really like rock music, actually I love Led Zeppelin. I mean that’s not metal but,” you said in jest making the rock horn symbol with your hand.

Eddie laughed, eyes crinkling, looking at you like you were an adorable child who just said something funny. His hands came around yours impulsively, tucking your extended thumb in across your two middle fingers. “Like this,” he said sweetly. 

You swallowed, face flushing. His hands were so warm, the softness of his palms surprised you. They lingered for a moment, clutching your hand before letting go to demonstrate.

“This,” he formed the symbol with his hand, “Means rock. This?” extended his thumb, “Means ‘I love you’ in sign language.”

You chuckled, tucking your hair behind your ear. “Rookie mistake I guess.”

“It’s ok, it’s a common one. It’s not exactly been around for that long. Dio was actually the one who started doing it like five or so years ago. See, he’s super Italian and his grandma would do it like this as a sort of… spell, I guess, to keep the evil eye away.” He demonstrated, pointing his horns at you. “But then Dio kept doing it on stage, sort of adapted it into a symbol for rock.”

You nodded curiously, “See, you’re teaching me something now.”

He smiled, “I do know a few things, might not exactly be useful things, but…” 

“All knowledge is useful. In fact I think it’s a shame that we place so much value on grades. I mean honestly, most of this stuff you’re not even going to need to know to get through life. I can tell you that for a fact. I mean I know I’m not supposed to be saying that, but…”

Eddie nodded, his eyes were soft and distant. “I wish more people thought like you.”

You could feel the heat rushing to your face again. You met his eyes and smiled softly. 

You turned your attention back to the history textbook. After another twenty minutes, when it was clear that your attention spans were starting to wane, you called it for the evening.

You and Eddie left together again, out to the parking lot through the shortcut by the gym. Not a soul in sight in the hallway. He held the door open for you as you left.

Eddie was parked next to you this time.

“See you tomorrow,” you said, waving at him over the top of your little car as you unlocked it. The autumn wind kicked up, tousling your hair and scattering leaves across the parking lot.

“See ya,” he said, throwing open the door to his van.

He flashed you the rock horns again — thumb extended.

______

A/N: I just wanted to take this moment to thank every single one of my incredible readers — you guys. Every person who comments and shares each week, even the people who don't. I see your little hearts and it fills me with such joy. I am so lucky to have such a thoughtful audience that I can engage with and gush about my story with in real time. You make me feel like Charles Dickens.

My hope for this story is that it can reach as large an audience as possible, so if you can help me do that by sharing it, I would be endlessly grateful. I love you guys. 💚

Quick side note — if you don't see your name listed here but asked to be tagged it's because it would not let me tag you and I wanted to make room for the tags that are working!! tumblr only lets me tag a certain number of people so the list will be continued in the comments!

Taglist: @mermaidsandcats29 @toxicjayhoo @ooo-protean-ooo @jadequeen88 @wroteclassicaly @inknopewetrust @msgexymunson @bebe0701 @latenighttalkingwithgrapejuice @bibieddiesgf @idkidknemore @alizztor @godcreatoreli @shotgunhallelujah @ethereal27cereal @munsonsgirl71 @luna-munson83 @eddiemunsonsbitcch @tlclick73 @emxxblog @siriusmuggle @sidthedollface2 @dollalicia @lma1986 @catherinnn @maximizedrhythms @eddiemunson4life420 @readsalot73 @ruby-dragon @3rriberri @princess-eddie @nightless @eddiemunson011 @eddieswifu @thew0rldsastage @quinnsfineline @chaoticgood-munson @edsforehead @hanahkatexo @eddiemunsonsbedroom @chainsawmunson @beep-beep-sherlock @emily-roberts @averagemisfit03 @slay-and-gay @vintagehellfire @haylaansmi @newlips @munsins @sllooney @lunaladybug734

#eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson older reader #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson x teacher!reader #don't stand so close to me #my writing

[raffe156]

Escape to the country part 1

Pairing - Price X MC (Tank) F!reader

Summary - Road trip with Price back down to his house for a weekend in the country? Yes please haha oh an Kyle is there too. 

A/N -So happy people loved the First part of this storyline like I said was nervous to post it, but so happy with the response! As promised here’s the Road trip and weekend away mentioned in “You broken?” had to write it haha had to be done. It’s turned into a beast so will be in parts 💖

We know Price has a nice house, we just know. Little mood board to help give you the visual. As always feedback encouraged and comments welcomed! Let me know if you want to be tagged in the next part!

Escape part 2

Warnings for the whole storyline - 18+, Angst, Language, Alcohol, smoking, mentions of PTSD, mutual pining, fluff, Age gap Relationship feelings, Price (39) reader (Tank, 25) mentions of family, pregnancy, domestic fluff

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Call of duty characters Only Tank

Later chapters- smut,🥵 Masturbation (M+F), fingering, slight possessiveness,

Tags: @irnbru32​ @shuttlelauncher81​​ @mildlyhopeless

Price was parked up outside the address you had given him, he took a quick look in his rearview mirror he looked tired, but he had been up since 4:30. The drive had only taken 2 and a half hours and the roads were quiet for a Friday morning. He sent you a quick text

“Outside“

He looked up at the house, a large detached Edwardian house he was impressed it was a nice street. He turned the radio up to hear the news while he waited for you.

*****

Was he early? He could have sworn you said you would be ready for 9 am outside with your weekend bag it was getting close to 10 now. Should he knock on and let you know, he was here? He couldn't exactly beep his horn it was early…had he come to the right address? He quickly scrolled through his phone looking at your message, he was at the correct address. Maybe you had slept in late…were still trying to get ready and pack, he was always on at you for being the last to pack your stuff up when you were moving location or maybe…he didn't even want to think it but maybe you had changed your mind and got a better offer to do something else and didn't know how to tell him? Why was his mind racing? He was a practical man. Why did you get him so worked up? Noticing the blinds twitch in the front room he switch the engine off and stepped out of the car, it was a cold morning the sun just peaking out, you never did like getting up when it was cold he thought. He made his way up the steps and onto your path.

“Will you please come away from the bloody window mum!” - You were still shoving things into your luggage. You had checked the weather app a million times already and still didn’t think you had enough layers packed. How had a muppet like you passed selection you thought?

“Oh, he's getting out of the car love.”

“Shit…Right if I’ve forgotten something ill have to make do” - You shoved your jacket on your shoulder still sore and stiff not quite right yet. Checking your face in the hallway mirror you looked tired, but Price had seen you worse. A knock at the door, you couldn't help the smirk on your face. He will be fuming, you thought, “always the last to pack.” You opened the door fully expecting a telling off but no there he was Your Captain stood in your porch with that eye-crinkling smile that you couldn't help but return. He was wearing his usual north face coat, blue jeans and his Solomon’s, his blending in clothes you called them, but you noticed he was wearing the black beanie you had mended for him while stationed at the base.

You could tell because the stitch was green. You had used up all the black trying to stitch yourself up after being shot in Colombia, you had tried to hide it from him but he had found you at 3am unable to keep your skin together and stitch at the same time. Had he worn it on purpose? No, he probably just grabbed it going out the door.

“Sorry I'm late, was still pac…”

“Packing…I knew it would be that, don’t worry about it…” though he wasn't one to pry Price wondered what the inside of your home looked like, what creature comforts you held, and the term organized chaos came to mind.

“You live here alone kid?” He had heard you talk about your parents maybe a sister and definitely a Family dog but he didn't know if they were close by.

“No haha her live on her own? She couldn't cope never liked her own company this one!” - Your Mother prized the door open behind you.

“Thanks, mum, don't think the captain needs to know that”

“Ohhh Captain heard so much about you? What’s your full name love? Your off duty now!”

“John Price Ma’am” - there was that smile again, you raised your eyebrows at him was he putting the charm on to your mum? Before she could start you started pulling the door to on her.

“Right best be off, I’ll see you when I'm back!”

“Oh ok love, don't do anything I wouldn’t do! Nice to put a face to a name John!” You could kill her you thought.

“Likewise, here hand me your bag” Price reached down pushing your hand out from the strap.

“Where was this when you had me carrying that 30kg Bergen across the base?”

“As your mother said off duty now aren’t we? Those rules don't apply…” He smiled at you lifting the bag up and over his shoulder., the slight wince on his face didn't go unnoticed by you but you were more focused on the thought of no rules apply.

Price started back towards the car.

“So you talk about me to your mum?” Price couldn't help the grin and couldn't help but notice you fluster at the insinuation.

“Yes…Cap, I talk about you with my mum haha”

“Hmm what do you say about me? Oh, No titles this weekend just John will do” John. His name rang around your head. What was wrong with you?

“That your snoring is the reason I look so tired…and your cigars are why all my clothes smell like smoke”

Price stopped at the boot turning to you, his snoring?

“What about your sleep talking?”

“…Fair enough”

You thought back to those nights you had been woken gently by him reassuring you no one else was in the room, no one was trying to get you, no one was at the door trying to get in and the gunshots were just in your head. You would go back to sleep knowing he was there protecting you from the terrors that sleep brought.

Price opened the passenger door for you, with a smirk always the gentleman. You hopped in admiring the interior, the smell of fresh air mixed with cigar smoke and leather filled your lungs, you breathed it in smiling.

“Right you ready to go kid?”

You nodded, giving him your best smile.

Price felt his heart flutter slightly at seeing you there next to him outside of work outside of a mission, no rank, No Captain, no sergeant just you and him, civilians. You buckled your seat belt, Price jiggled the buckle.

“Just checking you're strapped in…don’t want you falling out” his smirk spread from ear to ear. He was making a joke. You grinned.

“Do you think your funny?”

“Yes, I do.”

*******

You were halfway there, so far you had spoken about the weather, music and were now on the topic of the physiotherapy you both were having, Price had missed 3 sessions insisting it wasn’t the first time he’d been shot and wouldn’t be the last! This caused the discussion to turn into a slight argument.

“You need to go to them…if I didn’t go to them you would have my head!”

“Well, that’s different.”

“Why is it different, John?” He liked the way his name sounded coming out of your mouth.

“It just is…anyway you said you were going to pack snacks for this road trip?”

You opened your mouth to object to his end of, but thought better of it.

“Yeh, in my bag…did you put it on the back seat?” You twisted up in your seat trying to fit yourself between the gap of the front seats.

“For Christ's sake, what are you doing?” Price looked over at you, only to see your backside wriggling as you reached down behind his seat. Eyes on the road John he told himself.

“My damn shoulder…can’t reach snacks…oh wait I know what to do!” You swung back into your seat reaching down for the lever to recline the seat.

“Hang on a minute kid….”

Too late you were now flat already rolling over onto your front to reach the bag.

“Got it! Haha,” You looked up at him as you lay flat on your back thrusting the small shopping bag up into the air causing a bar of Bournville to fall out onto Price’s lap. He briefly looked down.

“Is that Bournville…rum raisin?”

“Yes…it's your favorite isn’t it?”

“Yeh…it is how did you know that?” Price couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Kyle told me…thought he was joking at first, clearly he wasn't” You felt smug with yourself but wished you had got him the bigger bar now seeing his face.

“He wasn't joking, it is my favorite, thanks kid.”

“Want me to open it for you?” You were already reaching into his lap for it, your hand grazing his jeans, pulling it open with your teeth, Price had to remind himself to keep his eyes on the road again.

“Here…” You had broken a piece off for him offering it up, still lying flat. Before he even thought to use his hand to take it from you, he leaned down mouth open for you to pop it in giving you a quick glance before his eyes had to be back on the road. You popped it in his mouth your fingers grazing his lips as they closed around the small square. His mustache tickling your fingers. The action caused your face to flush slightly. What was wrong with you? You put the bar in the center console next to his flask.

“Thanks…You gonna sit up or you down there for the rest of the journey?” Price said with his mouth full.

“Might stay down here…quite comfy” You rummaged through the bag looking for something to eat, but your mind was now elsewhere. You could see Price in your peripheral stealing quick glances at you, noticing the little smile on his face. You needed to get a grip.

********

You finally sat back up when Price said you were a few minutes away from his house. The village was lovely, quaint your head was practically on a swivel looking around not wanting to miss a thing. Price felt a sense of pride at your appreciation for his little town.

“You’ll have plenty of time to visit every shop and bar kid, haha, I'll make sure of it” he was chuckling at you.

“Good”

Price pulled down a country lane, huge oak trees created a canopy overhead, you craned your neck looking out the windscreen then out of nowhere two houses appeared nestled amongst the trees.

“Home sweet home”

“Wow, I wasn’t expecting it to look like this. I’m Impressed haha.”

You really were you noticed the huge ground-to-roof window as you pulled up it was amazing.

“Right Kyle said he would get a taxi here, so he shouldn’t be long.”

Price got out of the car going in the back for your bag. You followed him to the front door, the gravel drive crunching under your boots. Price held the door open for you ushering you in first. You walked in sheepishly, this was his home the place he retired to between mission, his sanctuary an he was allowing you entry. Price was a stoic man he never really gave anything away about his personal life, but every now and then he would let slip a small token or insight into his outside life. His life outside of being your Captain and every time he did you were grateful as it made you feel as though you knew him that little bit more.

Only recently had you seen a different side to him when you and Kyle had fallen out the hit helo and then when you had been shot he had stayed with you till you were ready to be discharged from the med bay. An even then he had watched you like a hawk any sign of discomfort he had leaped into action asking where it hurt you told yourself it was out of guilt for taking a bullet for him, but if you were being honest you knew he would of done the same for you…or Kyle, you thought.

“This is lovely John.”

“Thanks, I do what I can to it when I get the chance ha” He placed your bag at the bottom of the staircase. He removed his hat an coat and gestured for yours.

“Kitchen through there, Snug next to that and I'll take you upstairs an show you the bedroom…” His face flushed immediately. You cocked your eyebrow at him.

“I mean my room…your room!”

“Haha I know what you meant, calm down! I want the best room, do I have to remind you I did take a bullet for you so I expect the level of service I deserve.”

“Oh do you now? I’m sure we can work something out for you miss, You are in our I’ve taken a bullet for you club” You both laughed.

“Want a drink, I got that cold brew stuff you like? The one that makes you and Kyle Hyperactive” You followed Price through the double doors into the large country kitchen.

“Oh please, that would be nice. I’m Knackered.”

“You slept on the way here..”

“For like 30 minutes!”

Price shook his head smiling, He flipped the kettle on for his own tea, steaming hot, dash of milk, 3 sugars you recited it in your head smiling. Reaching into the double fridge, he pulled out the pre-made cold brew you and Kyle drank when you could get it. You held your hand out for the carton. Price raised his eyebrow at you.

“Erm no I don’t think so…you can drink it out of a glass like an adult, also you need to share it with Kyle only have two more cartons and the way you two drink this stuff I don’t think it will last till morning…ice?”

“Please…” You sighed, you caught a glimpse of the snug, making out the huge stone fireplace. Sitting yourself down at the table you noticed it had seats for 7 you could also feel the heat from the double aga oven behind him.

“You entertain a lot? 7 seater table and the big aga behind you? I know you can cook eggs but can’t imagine you cracking out the charcuterie boards?” Price handed you your drink, he leant forward on the table.

“I don’t, I’m afraid kid…you and Kyle are the first real guests I've had since getting the place liveable.”

“What really? This place is huge, perfect for a family I could just imagine the kids playing in the garden, chasing them around the island because they haven’t washed their hands or all sitting at the table for breakfast a high chair would fit nicely at the end……” You realised you had said too much. Price had his eyebrows raised looking at you.

“You offering Tank?”

“Hahaha no…I'm just saying…don’t like the thought of you all alone up here.”

Price felt that little flutter again when the thoughts flashed across his mind. He looked around the kitchen. A loud Saturday morning just as you had described chasing little legs and sleepy heads, soft giggles and porridge on the floor, chaos but the best kind. He liked the thought. He was pulled from his brief daydream by the sound of the kettle brewing, he turned to pour the water into his mug.

“Well, I haven’t been totally alone…remember that Doc from Ireland? She’s been up to see the house it wasn't finished not even watertight but she came for a visit, do you know who I mean?”

“…Yeah, I know who you mean….”

You couldn't help your tone, you had no right but you could feel the green stain of jealousy creeping up into your head.

You remembered her very well fur coat no knickers Kyle had said. She had near smothered Price when you 3 had come back to the base checking him over for injuries but wholly ignored you and Kyle, Kyle was limping from jumping off a shipping container (to be fair it was your fault you said he wouldn’t make it) you had a gash on your forearm from taking cover in the gravel, but no she was tending to Price and his paper cut he had got from a case file he had been waving about in your face that morning - something about not following protocol.

Either way, she rubbed you the wrong way, but the thought of her up here alone with him got you and it wasn't the kind of company you had meant…but what company did you mean…you? Stop. Price noticed your angry little face, he knew you didn't like the Doctor you had made it very clear back in Ireland.

“Anyway, she's not my type. Talked too much….”

“I talk too much…” - the words were out before you could claw them back in. Stop it.

“Yeah well, that's different I…I like when you talk too much..” He meant it, he would take your over chatting and loud days over the silent ones when you put up a wall, a wall he could only peer over to offer a hand to pull you over it. You gave him a soft smile.

‘Right want to come pick your room? Kyle will be here soon.” You nodded, taking a quick sip of your drink.

“Lead the way Captain” you gestured your arm out for him to lead.

“I said no titles….”

“I know I'm winding you up..”

Price shook his head, leading you back into the hall, picking up your luggage and up the huge oak stairs.

“First guest bedroom on the right, then further down second and third guest rooms then mine right at the back next to the main bathroom. I was thinking you could stay in the guest room next to mine as that has an en-suite and the best views of the field behind.”

You looked up at him blankly.

“Let me see all the rooms and I'll decide which one haha!” You scurried past him, glancing in the doorway of the first room.

“Lovely but nope…next one”

Price chuckled as you made your way down to the other two guest rooms, the one he mentioned had the door open and as soon as you looked in the view hit you in the face it was stunning green fields and a lake, this was the kind of view you didn't get living in the city.

“I'll take this one, please!” You turned to face him, not realising he was right behind his face smug.

“What? What's that look about?”

“No, nothing I just knew you’d like this one….” He slid past you popping your luggage on the dresser and sitting himself down on the edge of the big king-size bed.

“I'll show you how to work the shower later, it’s a bit fiddly new pipes and all that lot either scald yourself or freeze, but If you need anything in the night, I’m just next door, anything at all you know me I’m a light sleeper” he laughed.

You both knew he wasn’t.

“Hahaha light sleeper? I’ve slept next to you a few times John, your not a light sleeper!” You stepped into the room and stood next to him at the bottom of the bed looking around then back at him, giving him a smile you placed your hand on his broad shoulder, the heat as always radiating off him.

“I think I'll be fine, but I know where to find you if I have a bad dream haha”

He looked at you, both eye level due to the height of the bed, giving you that eye-crinkling smile that you couldn’t help but return. Your hand still on his shoulder.

“Well, I’ve got plenty of room in my bed if you do…”

The image must of flashed through both of your minds at the same time as you both had gone slightly pink. Price opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Kyle. You didn't know whether to slap him or thank him, but either way, it wasn't just the two of you anymore, maybe that was for the best?

You removed your hand and stepped back towards the dresser. Price was still sitting on the bed, you clocked him looking at your back in the mirror his face still flushed. Had he overstepped the line? What was the line even for? Why was there even a line to begin with? The doorbell went again.

“Better go let Kyle in, eh?” He got up and walked to the door. He hesitated for a moment.

“Thanks, John, I’ll be down in a sec,” you said, giving him your best smile. He returned it with his.

“No problem kid” he looked relieved. The doorbell went again and was followed by a heavy knock.

“Why is he so impatient? If he’s marked my door he will be sleeping in the shed” Price grumbled as he closed your door to.

You tidied up your hair in the mirror giving it a brush through, all of a sudden you felt giddy your stomach feeling light, surely he hadn’t meant it like that…had he? What if he had? Either way, this weekend was going to be entertaining to say the least.

#john price #captain john price #call of duty modern warfare #captain price #cod mw #modern warfare #call of duty #captain john price x reader #cod #captain price x reader #cod mw2 smut #mw2 price #call of duty mw2 #call of duty smut #call of duty fanfic #cod fanfic #daddy price #captian price #john price x reader #john price x you #captain price smut #kyle gaz garrick #kyle garrick #141 #john price smut #captain price x oc #captain price fic #Price x Tank #price x oc #captain price x female reader

[nerdieforpedro]

Yes ma'am I am your new neighbor

Chapter One of "This is the Neighborhood Din"

Din Djarin modern AU x Sierra Harris (plus size OFC)

This fic is for readers over 18+ MDNI

Word Count: about 2.2k

Summary: Din Djarin is moving into his new home with his young son Grogu. His next door neighbor decides to introduce herself.

Warnings: Din and Grogu being adorable father and son, nosy neighbor (she's nice though), Oogling (two separate occasions but who wouldn't?!), chill vibes

Notes: This idea of Din being a single father who moves into next door has stuck with me since last year. It was only a month ago maybe that I finally started writing it because I've had a block on other projects. So here were are! Please mind warnings at the start of each chapter. Thanks to @alltheglitterandtheroar and @megamindsecretlair for hearing me talking about this idea for a week straight while I wrote out the first part. ❤️ Divider is by @saradika-graphics

Main Masterlist/ Din Djarin (The Mandalorian) Masterlist / This is the neighborhood Din Series

Moving day wasn’t that bad, it actually went well as Din surprisingly had a few of his coworkers show up to assist with moving furniture and boxes into the three-bedroom house he bought for him and his son Grogu. A new job in the suburbs wasn’t in his plans at all. Nothing really was except his job as a mechanical engineer. It was a cool spring morning and he found himself removing his black hoodie and tossing it over the side of the railing on the front of his home’s porch. Sweat coated the dark blue t-shirt he had underneath with a small cinnamon hand tugging on the back pocket of his gray sweatpants. The soft cotton of his shirt stuck to his back as he turned around to see his son peering up at him.

“Daddy, when are you gonna be done? I wanna play in the yard with you.” Little Grogu asked, poking his bottom lip out with chocolate eyes that matched his fathers perfectly. Din sighed and took his large palm to pat his son’s head.

“Not yet. I at least have to get all our things inside before we play, okay? Why don’t you take in a few of the boxes, and I’ll finish faster.” He suggested, to which Grogu gave a moment of thought and nodded, skipping to the U-Haul truck where two of his coworkers were taking out more boxes. They handed him the smaller and lighter boxes and the group kept unloading the truck.

Johnnie Mae Harris had been expecting her niece Sierra since the morning. “Lord that child is always late, be late to her own funeral.” She was sitting on her couch, with a sleeping four-year-old boy tucked under her arm. She heard some commotion outside and carefully rose from her seat, trying not to wake him. She peeped out of her kitchen window into the house next door. It looked like someone was moving in, there were four men moving boxes and a child carrying small ones. Maybe she would make someone to welcome them later after she figured out who exactly was moving in.

“Ms. Harris, whatcha lookin’ at?” A small voice asked, rubbing his eyes. He didn’t feel her warmth next to him and woke up. He didn’t see his mother or father outside the window so he was curious what else she could be looking for. He then spotted someone who might be his age, the only other kid was his baby sister and she’s two, she’s no fun at all.

“New people on the block Quinton. Not sure which ones though, could be all of ‘em.” It looks to Ms. Harris like the men had moved in all the boxes and furniture. One of them was leaving and three stayed, likely to place the furniture in the house. It was about lunch time, so she made sandwiches for herself and small Quinton. His sister Delia wasn’t awake from her nap yet, so she had a separate sandwich for her in the fridge. Johnnie Mae figured she could go say hello and figure out who was exactly in the house. It used to be her friend Mabel, but after her second stroke, she moved out of state with her daughter and son-in-law because she couldn’t care for herself anymore. Ms. Harris picked up Delia and put on her slip-on sneakers as she was already wearing a royal blue velvet sweatsuit that had capri pants. She did make sure she put on her black bob wig that covered her thinning gray hair. Not dying it helped her hair to stop thinning, but it still wasn’t growing back in as it did say twenty years ago. Now in her early seventies, Ms. Harris felt it was cheaper to have a few wigs than to sign up for all those supplements. Once she put jackets on both children, they made their way outside to see about these newcomers to the neighborhood.

Din was satisfied with where most of the furniture was placed or put together, dishes and silverware were taken out and put away. He wasn’t sure which box had the pots and pans he’d need for dinner tonight. “Dank Farrik…I feel like I set them near the kitchen area but now I can’t find them.” He scratched the back of his head, his soft taupe curls ruffling between his fingers as he surveyed the boxes again. He pauses, not hearing his son’s voice asking him what they’re having for lunch, that boy is always hungry… Din turns and makes his way to the front door, opening the screen door since either his son or his helpers left the main door open. “These guys…” He sighs, he appreciated the help, but he preferred things to be neat and orderly, basically non-existent with a five-year-old and doubly so from the workstations of these two. Tilting his head, he saw an older woman in a blue velvet sweatsuit holding a little girl and talking to his two friends. Grogu was playing with a boy who looked about his age. Maybe they lived here in the neighborhood?

“Why welcome new neighbor! Aren’t you a tall drink of water? I’m Johnnie Mae Harris, I live right next door.” Din watched as her red manicured nail pointed to the dark gray house that had stark white windows. He nodded and reached out his hand with a smile.

“Thank you for the welcome ma’am. I’m Din Dajrin. That is my son, Grogu.” A chuckle left his lips to see Grogo excitedly playing with someone already. Her grip was firm and she released his hand before adjusting the sleepy child in her arms.

“Did ya’ll boys have anything to eat for lunch? I just made the children here sandwiches. I can fix ya’ll somethin’.” Ms. Harris offered, Din was about to decline, but Grogu interrupted.

“Daddy! Quinton said that Ms. Harris has ham, cheese, and spicy mustard. I love the spicy mustard!”

Din was going to apologize but Ms. Harris stopped him and told Grogu to come on over to her house for lunch. The single father’s two coworkers checked in with him before leaving, making sure he didn’t at least need any more help with the furniture which he said he didn’t. Din followed his new neighbor and his son into her home. It was cozy, she had various knick knacks and black ballerinas and some soccer players which Grogu pointed to, and Din made sure he didn’t touch. He didn’t need to be breaking anything in her home. The sandwiches were welcome, and he hadn’t realized how hungry he was until he ate two of the sandwiches and was looking for a third after downing two glasses of lemonade. Ms. Harris made small talking, asking about Grogo and what led Din to buy a house in the neighborhood. He told her that the schools were good in the area and thankfully it was closer to work and not further away, though he would have made the drive for his son. She wanted to ask about his mother and the very clear absence of both a wedding ring and a tan from one. It could easily mean he didn’t wear one, she knew some people didn’t or he be in one of those open marriages she’d heard about. Ms. Harris decided she could find that out later. She did offer to watch Grogu when Din offered to buy her more sandwich supplies after him and his son apparently had eaten most of hers. She agreed and wished that her niece was here. Once Din departed, she went back outside and watched the three kids play in the yard, Delia was awake now and saw someone new.

“I swear, if she doesn’t meet this man, I’ll have to make up some reason to do a second welcome to the neighborhood. Maybe he’s separated or something.” The caretaker mused, rolling her eyes at her niece’s continued absence.

Din returned with groceries for both Ms. Harris and himself. He assisted her in putting hers away first before taking care of his and thankfully finding the dishes, pots, pans, glasses and silverware in his black Subaru ascent. Having a few moments to himself were excellent. He could put more items away than if he had to worry about what Grogu might have gotten into. Most of the boxes in the kitchen and dining room he was able to clear out as well as in Grogu’s room and a few in his room. Before he realized, it was a few hours, and it was well into the afternoon. “Damn, I should go get him. I just hope he hasn’t broken anything; I know he likes to touch stuff. There’s a time and place, little one.”

Thankfully, Din didn’t have anything to worry about. Grogu was rolling in the grass with Quinton and Delia, the three of the giggling about some pirate king. Din walked up the stairs and took a seat in a rocking chair next to Ms. Harris. “Thank you for watching him, ma’am. He can be rather active, but he’s a good kid.” 

Johnnie Mae gave Din a sour face and pursed her lips. “Now Din, don’t call me ‘ma’am’. I know I’m old already. Just call me Ms. Harris. I appreciate that you’re polite though. You married hun?” She asked all in the same breath. Din blinked and she grinned, “I’m just curious. Don’t worry, I’m not one of those jaguars. I at least prefer men in their fifties. They’ve seen some things and might have some retirement money you know.” Her laugh was loud, and Din took a sigh of relief, at least she had a sense of humor. He pulled at the v-neck of his dark blue shirt to fan himself a bit. Given the time, the sun had warmed the air. The kids had long come out of their jacket and even Johnnie Mae took off the jacket of her sweatsuit to expose her black undershirt that said, ‘world’s best grandma.’ His shirt was sticking to him again, he normally did run hot and hated the warm spring days and summers. “You can take it off son. I’m going to go get you some water, you ain’t got nothing I haven’t seen before.” As she opened her screen door and walked inside, Din could have sworn she said under her breath, “Looks a helluva lot better than what I normally see though.” This earns a wide smile from Din as he removes his dark blue shirt and drapes it across the arm of the rocking chair. He turns the chair diagonally to face where the children are playing to see his son running around with the other two kids.

It’s then that a blue Nissan versa pulls into Ms. Harris’ driveway. She comes back out with Din’s ice water and hands it to him, nodding as she does. “Thank you, Ms. Harris.” He says before drinking it and she stands at the top of the steps, momentarily wondering what would happen if she was thirty years younger….

A stout woman exits the car and looks up at Ms. Harris, then her eyes widen at the sight of an unknown man who’s returning her gaze from the corner of his eyes. His dark damp curls are stuck to the back of his neck, beautiful bronze skin with a light glisten of sweat coated his body. On his left arm, were three black lines with triangles drawn from each line on his forearm and before he stood up, his back had the skull of some animal with tusks but three blood red lines going through the skull. Rising from the chair to turn and face the new arrival, she was able to see that he had a thin beard, patchy but it suited him as well as a prominent nose and an angled slope to it. He was tall, broad and solid. His biceps and chest were well defined, but he had a soft middle for balance which didn’t hang over the gray sweatpants he was wearing. On the lower right of his abdomen was a helmet she could make out. He adjusted his glasses and put on the navy-blue shirt that had been on the arm of the rocking chair out of view when she pulled up.

“Dear Lord in heaven I am not dressed or prepared to talk to that sort of man any day.” She muttered as Ms. Harris made her way down the stairs toward her, she hugged her, and her arms wrapped around her as well, eyes still lingering on the man sitting on the porch. His sweatpants did not leave much to the imagination. They weren’t tight by any means; one could just trace the lines. Thick thighs and well… heavy in the middle is the most polite way to say it. The only way she can think to describe it while hugging her aunt.

“Hey Auntie Mae, thank you so much for letting me come up here.” The two women hugged for longer still on the verge of tears. In thanking her aunt, Sierra remembered why she was grateful her aunt opened her home.

Peeps who may also need to think of a polite way to say things while hugging a family member and oogling Din 👀: @readingiskeepingmegoing @604to647 @syd-djarin @yorksgirl @harriedandharassed @survivingandenduring @pedroshotwifey @drawingdroid @katw474 @trulybetty @bitchwitch1981 @soft-girl-musings @syd-djarin @tinytinymenace @djarinmuse

#pedro pascal characters #fanfiction #pedro pascal #pedro pascal fanfiction #din djarin #the mandalorian #star wars #grogu #grogu and din #din djarin fanfiction #din djarin x plus size ofc #this is the neighborhood din

[ourloveisforthelovely]

The Words "Best Friends" Become Redefined. Part 4

Regulus Black AU

Summary: You had been Regulus’ friend since childhood and now his mistress. The war had changed many things, Regulus among them. Now its time to decide if you should put your self-worth over missing someone who was gone.  

Pairings: Regulus Black x Reader

Rating: M- smut

Link to Part 3 

Songs in Chapter Just Pretend by Bad Omens and Push by Matchbox Twenty

_____

I'm not afraid of the war you've come to wage against my sins. I'm not okay, but I can try my best to just pretend. So will you wait me out or will you drown me out? So will you wait me out or will you drown me out? (at the bottom). I can wait for you at the bottom. I can stay away if you want me to. I can wait for years if I gotta. Heaven knows I ain't getting over you….

“He’s not going to die tonight…I won’t let him.”

The words left your mouth a little colder than expected. While you were more or less speaking to yourself versus providing Kreacher with some hopeful comfort…the feelings were still cold…almost hopeless. Did you know that you could save Regulus? Yes, you could patch anyone up. You had spent years patching Remus up after full moons. There wasn’t much healing that you couldn’t do.

Would Regulus wake up and thank you? Probably not. You weren’t about to get your hopes up only to have them crushed. As much as you wanted Regulus to wake up and tell you that he loved and missed you…you knew that you had a better chance at winning the muggle lottery. You wanted nothing more than to have your best friend back and to have some kind of actual romantic relationship but again…it was pointless.

But he cried for me…he wanted me…

Those thoughts alone were so conflicting. You couldn’t help but feel confused. If Regulus was crying for you then it sounded like he cared. Right?

Don’t get your hopes up.

Taking a breath, you reached for the basin of water that Sirius had brought you. You reached out and gently dabbed at Regulus’ filthy face. When you were satisfied with him looking somewhat better you slowly reached forward and unbuttoned his black shirt. When you saw the scars and red claw marks on his snowy skin, it took all that you had not to cry. Regulus was in worse shape than you thought. The potion, whatever Voldemort threw together, had definitely done a number on Regulus. Time would only tell if there were any long-lasting consequences.

He was so brave…so brave and so smart.

You couldn’t help smiling at the thought. Once again, Regulus proved just how smart of a man he was. You were proud of him. There was no other way to admit it. Regulus had put together a puzzle that The Order had been working on for a long while. He had put together the puzzle and then took it upon himself to “deal with” the problem at hand.

He was so brave and foolish.

“Will he be okay?”

You looked up at Sirius’ question as he pulled you from your thoughts. The concerned older brother in your friend was clearly coming out. It didn’t matter that it had been ages since either brother had talked to the other. Sirius still loved Regulus. He still needed Regulus (even though Regulus probably didn’t feel the same way).

“He will. I need to get all of these cuts patched up. After that, we need to just let him sleep. His body knows what to do. The best that we can do is wait.”

Sirius nodded. He wasn’t totally satisfied with your answer but decided not to push it. Sirius knew that you were struggling at the moment and that badgering you with questions wouldn’t be doing anyone any good.

Remus’ hand on the small of his back made Sirius turn.

“Let’s give them some privacy.”

He said in a soft tone. Remus wanted to talk to you more about your relationship with Regulus but decided now wasn’t the right time. Remus knew you better than you knew yourself at points. Remus would talk to you when times were better. He could wait until then to be a “big brother.”

Sirius meanwhile, turned and followed Remus to the door. He hesitated before turning back but decided to. When he did, his heart sank seeing you sitting at Regulus’ side, your hand wrapped around his. Your eyes were hyper-focused on Regulus’ face before reaching out to stroke some hair away from his face.

“I can wait for you at the bottom. I can stay away if you want me to. I can wait for years if I gotta. Heaven knows I ain't getting over you….”

When Regulus’ eyes fluttered open, it took him a good minute before things came into focus. When he was able to see clearly, Regulus was surprised to see Sirius, James, and Remus all looking at him. All three men looked less than pleased which made Regulus raise an eyebrow.

“So…is this what happens when you die? You end up stuck in a room full of people that hate you?”

James, from his place on the dresser, crossed his arms over his chest.

“You aren’t dead…at least not yet.”

Sirius came in next.

“What the hell, Regulus?”

Regulus moved to sit up but froze as sharp pain radiated through his body. He felt as if he had been hit by a muggle car and then put back together with spellotape. Wincing, he finally moved to sit up.

“What do you mean?”

Regulus snapped back. He had half hoped that you would be in the room but there was no trace of you.

“You know what we mean. Kreacher told us everything when he brought you here half-dead. When people show up on my doorstep bleeding like a stuck pig and out cold, I tend to think that something was wrong.”

Sirius replied, in an extra snarky tone. Remus raised an eyebrow before taking his turn to speak.

“Kreacher told us about the cursed object. Is there something that you need to tell us? What exactly is Voldemort doing?”

Regulus sighed. This was not how he wanted his day to go. He didn’t expect his day to go anyway. He honestly expected to be dead…and Regulus had been fine with that.

“You lot know nothing.”

“Uh, yeah that is why we are sitting here talking to you.”

Sirius sassed back. Remus gave Sirius a look before turning back to the younger Black brother.

“Regulus, we have a feeling that you know a lot more than you are saying. I also don’t think you would have intentionally hurt yourself for no reason.”

Regulus raised an eyebrow.

“You know nothing about me, Lupin. I wasn’t about to sit back and watch him be with the woman that I love.”

Regulus snapped while glaring at Sirius. James, Sirius, and Remus all looked at Regulus as if he were mad. Regulus again groaned.

“Y/n, you fucking toss pot! I saw the two of you together one evening at a bar. You were holding her a lot closer than friends hold each other.”

Sirius blinked before bursting out into a fit of giggles.

“Mate, are you insane? Oh, sweet merciful crap, Regulus, I am not dating Y/n. I’m with Remus. I was only dancing with Y/n because she was nearly in tears over you. You have hurt her so much over the past year and you don’t even seem to care or realize it.”

Regulus looked pouty for a moment before speaking.

“I had to keep her away to keep her safe. The colder that I was to her the safer that she was. If she knew what I was doing…if she knew what Voldemort was up to…it could have been too dangerous. Where is she?”

James took a breath. He was trying to be the logical unproblematic one. Normally that Remus' job but James knew that when it came to you, Remus would be irrational and ready to explode.

“She’s an auror and is on a job. Regulus, whatever your reasoning, Y/n still got hurt. I think that you owe her a few thousand thank yous and apologies. If it wasn’t for her, you would be dead.”

Regulus was quiet a moment before looking out the window in silence. He considered his words before speaking. You had never let it slip about what your job was. Regulus knew that you were part of The Order. That was dangerous enough. Now that Regulus knew you were actively going out and putting yourself in danger everything was worse.

“It's horcruxes. That’s what Voldemort is making.”

Sirius, James, and Remus all appeared suddenly shaken. They had guessed that was what Kreacher was referring to when he said “cursed object” but also didn’t really want to assume or get too shaken up too quickly. It appeared that they were definitely in the wrong on that one.

“Horcruxes…are you sure?”

Remus questioned. Regulus nodded.

“Positive. I put it together a long time ago. I could have come to you lot with the information but I also didn’t want any of you getting hurt. It wouldn’t have been fair. If I told Y/n, she would have wanted to come along with me on the hunt. I wasn’t about to let that happen.”

“But you didn’t hesitate in sleeping with her and tearing her down to feeling like nothing.”

Remus said, his voice sounding colder. Now that he had the information that he needed, the older brother in him was ready to fight. So what if he was typically the rational one? He would leave that role to Sirius or James. Right now, Remus was ready to be the “big brother” and start kicking ass.

“I’ll admit that my actions weren’t ideal but it was with purpose. Again, if you would have listened to what I said, it was so she wouldn’t…”

Remus held up a hand.

“Bullshit excuse, Regulus! You’re extremely lucky that your brother is standing between us and I care about Y/n’s feelings or I would kill you.”

Regulus raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t about to tangle with Remus Lupin. Regulus knew that if he wanted any fair shot with you attacking your older brother would be one hell of a dumb move.

“Take comfort in the fact that I feel miserable.”

Regulus commented. Remus snarled angrily.

“Oh, I am. I am warning you now. Stay away from Y/n. She deserves so much better than what she would ever get with you.”

Sirius finally decided to come in. He gave his boyfriend an approving nod.

“Go get some air, mate.”

Remus took a breath before walking from the room without another word. He definitely needed the air. Something told Remus that he had better buckle up because the shit show was just getting started.

I’ll always fight for Y/n. She and I have always had each other’s back. No one will come in-between that.

Remus thought before leaving the house without another word.

A few hours later, you got home feeling more than exhausted. After a trip to Azkaban, you wanted nothing more than to collapse in a hot bath and drown in bubbles. The house was silent when you stepped in and locked the kitchen door behind you.

You made a mental note to go check on Regulus but you needed a drink first. If Regulus was awake you would honestly be surprised.

What a day!

You thought before switching on the radio and moving to pour some fire whiskey.

Said I don't know if I've ever been good enough. I'm a little bit rusty, and I think my head is cavin' in. And I don't know if I've ever been really loved by a hand that's touched me. I feel like something's gonna give and I'm a little bit angry, well. This ain't over, no, not here not while I still need you around. You don't owe me, we might change, yeah

“Fuck.”

You groaned before switching the radio right back off. The last thing that you really wanted to do was get lost in your feelings. After spending the last hour in Azkaban helping with an interrogation, you were feeling crappy enough.

“You don’t look well.”

Your head snapped up seeing Regulus in the doorway. This was the last thing that you expected. You wanted nothing more than to get up and hug Regulus but you didn’t. The logical side in your head said to not even bother.

“You’re awake. I suppose you're feeling decent enough to be joining the rest of society. Sorry if no one rolled out the welcome mat, we have problems right now.”

You grumbled. Regulus raised an eyebrow. Your rather sullen tone slightly surprised Regulus. While he didn’t expect you to jump into his arms with joy, he expected something else. He wasn’t sure why he was expecting something different. The last time that the two of you were together it wasn’t exactly happy. Sure it was hot steamy dirty sex but the ending was a suckfest.

“Oh, I got enough of a welcome. Now back to you being an auror. You never told me that.”

You leaned back in your chair. Regulus never waited for the right time to bring things up. Why he would wait and ask if you really were an auror?

“There is a lot that you haven’t told me too. Like, you go on some death mission over Horcruxes. Why you treated me like shit…I get that we aren’t best friends anymore but I expected something. I expected to be treated better than some piece of ass that spread her legs for you.”

Regulus was silent for a moment.

“Would you like some chocolate? I think that prison wore off on you.”

You shook your head and got up to go pace around the room.

“You don’t get it, do you? God damn it, Regulus! Everything reminds me of you. My fucking patronus is your animagus form…I can’t do anything without thinking of you. I don’t know why I care so much but I bloody do! I wasn’t ready to let go of you. You have no problems in just letting go of a fucking friendship that was years and years long but I do. Every time I try to move on, all I think of is you…but I’m not doing it now. I can’t keep doing it. You were brought in here half dead last night and for a brief moment I thought that I would lose you…just like I lost you before. You are the coldest, cruelest person that I know. You can't just make someone love you and then check out whenever you damn well, please…”

Regulus stepped forward and moved to comfort you. The expression on his face alone made your heart break all over again. This was your Regulus…your best friend…the Regulus that you loved.

“Y/n, I was being cold to keep you scared away…if you weren’t near me all of the time you were safe. The less you knew the better. It kept the monsters away…”

You moved to avoid letting Regulus touch you. Right now, you couldn't handle anything gentle. You would go to pieces.

“The monsters were you, darling.”

You turned walking from the room without another word. You couldn’t stay a moment longer. Maybe once the “darkness” washed off of you, you could talk to Regulus logically. Maybe you could tell him that you missed him, that you still loved him…that you were thankful to see him alive…and most of all how bloody proud you were of him! Tonight, however, was not that night.

______

@amelie-black @jessyballet @knreidy1 @justfinishthis @criminalyetminimal @mimisparkle12 @teletubiswszpilkach @ell0ra-br3kk3r @georgeweasleydumbhoe @livshitz @jsjcue @golddustwomann @siriuslyceleste @stelleduarte @millies0bsimp @coffeeaddictednymph @readtomeregulus @rogue-nyx88 @i-love-scott-mccall @taylor-will-be-the-death-of-me @s-we-e-t-t-ea @f4iryluvy @buttercup-beeee @panpride @saramaple @missgorldafirst @gugggu6gvai @haroldpotterson @jag9000 @quinis  @yousmellllikecaca @mentally-unstable-hoe @goldensunshineshit @aurorasnape12 @ad-astra-again @rubyroscoe1 @spideyxalmighty @lucasfilms77 @dumybitch @padf00ts-l0ver @ravenhood2792 @play-morezeppelin @un-lovesherself @melaninnbarbie @marichromatic @lostarc24 @brokencasbutt67-writer @authoressskr @moldy-old-boot @hankypranky @summer-novak @emiwrites3reads @shaylybaby2032 @li0nh34rt @tas898 @sprnaturallover @wontlookaway @deanwherescas @knight-of-gleefulness @untoldshortsofthefandoms @shitfaceddaniel-blog @mycuddlycorner

#Regulus Black #Regulus Black x Reader #Reader x Regulus Black #Sirius Black #Remus Lupin #James Potter #Timothee Chalamet as Regulus Black #Ben Barnes as Sirius Black #Andrew Garfield as Remus Lupin #Aaron Taylor Johnson as James Potter #Regulus x Reader #Reader x Regulus #Remus x Sirius #Sirius x Remus #HP #HP reader #HP reader insert #Marauders #Maurauders Era #harry potter marauders #marauders era fic #hp marauders #marauders post hogwarts #the ancient and most noble house of black #Regulus Arcturus Black #Sirius orion black #kreacher #regulus black au #regulus black x reader smut #regulus black series

[lushafterglow]

Self-destruction is… well.

Chapter Two-> in the terms of Joe Goldberg, “Hello You.”

Summary: Toji is a very very dangerous man. Many people know this. So when he finds his kids missing, someone is going to pay the piper. Little did Toji know was that that someone was going to become his newest obsession. His lovely desire.

Masterlist

Warnings: stalking, drinking, cursing, 10 year age gap

Taglist: @queendessi24 @idkdudsworld

Series masterlist

I silently curse to myself, how the hell could I lose my kid?! I could chew into the bodyguards all I wanted, hell I could kill them if I felt like it, but I’m his father – he’s my responsibility, not theirs. Fuck Fuck Fuck! Where the hell could he be? I walked past where we’d been at least ten times. I continue to scream out my son’s name, “Megumi!” In hopes of him calling back.

Thank god for my height, I see Megumi over the heads of people in the crowd. I started to make my way through the sea of people that can’t get out of the fucking way? Can’t you see I’m coming through?! Once I finally make my way through I pick him up, worried as hell. “What did I tell you? You can’t go sneak off, you could have been killed!” While my son doesn’t fully understand all the shit I do, he does know it makes me a lot of enemies and he does know never to snitch on his dad. “I found him in that coffee shop, no harm done to him.”

I finally looked at the woman who was with my son, I didn’t really acknowledge the fact that she was there till now. And when I do look at her I feel like a damn fool, how could I not notice her sooner? She was absolutely divine and had eyes that were so sinful that I couldn’t help my breath hitch at the sight of their (E/C) gaze. I never really believed in god, there was too much sin for me to believe he existed. I looked her over once again and in the terms of Joe Goldberg, Hello You.

“I owe you thanks.” My voice spoke to her and her response was immediate. “It’s no problem at all really, I’m just glad you two found each other.” She gave Gumi a little wave and I knew that I would make this girl mine, I didn’t give a damn about any principle. It was clear as the day, she wouldn’t have a choice and I don’t give a fuck how long it takes.

“Trust me, not as glad as I am that he found you.” My damn kid could ask for the moon right now and I would say yes, for he unknowingly just brung me my newest obsession. She bid me farewell, and I made my way to the coffee shop she pointed to not too long ago.

I sent a text to one of my bodyguards to follow her to the location where she was heading and to let me know. Me and Megumi took a seat next to the window and I ordered a black coffee while he got a chocolate chip cookie.

The waitress came by and offered me a refill though I gave her a smile and sent her off. I looked back down to my coffee before I turned to look out the window, I knew she was staring and this only confirmed it. I gave her a smile, as if a glimpse of the man she would soon fall in love with. I could see her breathing slowly and I took a sip of my drink giving her a wink as if I were saying, ‘I’ll see you soon.’

–

It took me an hour to find out all there is to know about who Y/N L/N is on paper. She’s a lawyer, has a great GPA, only child, has a seemingly perfect life, graduated law early, is 20 years old, and lives alone an hour away from the city. ‘Jesus it’s like you want to be stalked. Don’t you know there’s weirdos in the world?’

I watched as she undressed, and I smiled, loving the way goosebumps spread across her skin. I knew she could feel me, and I fucking loved it because soon she will be consumed by me, just as consumed I am by her.

Her nipples harden against the fabric of the pajama top she just put on. What a delicious sight. She walked to the window I was looking from and closed the curtains after taking a glance around her home. I saw through the windows as she locked them and no doubt the doors. I smiled my breath showing in the cold air.

–

“So checking up on the locals are we?” The rough voice of Sukuna spoke as I made my way into my room. It had been a week since I met my lovely desire and I should have known Sukuna would eventually figure it out. The man knows me well enough to know when I have an interest in something, or in this case someone. “I thought I needed a change in scenery. Why? You jealous?”

Sukuna gave a laugh, a sarcastic crazy-ass one, but that’s also just his laugh. Fucking maniac. Maybe that’s why we get along so well. “What can I say, I’m curious.”

“Curiosity killed the cat.”

“But satisfaction brought it back to life.”

He titled his drink – no doubt whiskey – and took a drink as if saying cheers. “What do you know?” It was foolish to think he knew nothing, he wouldn’t be here otherwise. But just because he knew something, doesn’t mean he knows everything – I’d like to keep it that way.

“Y/N L/N, you’re stalking her. I just can’t figure out why.” I gave a lazy hum as I poured my own cup of whiskey. “I like to think stalking is just a romantic walk.” I downed my drink.

“Yes, where one doesn’t know about the other existence.” So he didn’t know that we’d technically already met. Good. “I’m just bored, so I’m having fun. Besides, who doesn’t like a chase?” Sukuna next was the one to drown his drink. “Sure.” He placed the cup on my nightstand and made his way out of my room, then no doubt out of my house.

I made my way to my son’s room, my little blessing. I kissed his forehead and retreated back to mine. I flick the light off and pull out my phone. My lovely desire was sleeping, though she kept turning restlessly.

She didn’t know while she was at work that I had placed camera’s all around her house, one’s that she wouldn’t find unless she was really – and I mean really – looking. I turned off my phone and closd my eyes, drifing off to sleep with one thought in my head.

I’ll see you soon my lovely desire.

[freshlyrage]

Running Like Water

Chapter 24

pairing: Javier Peña x OFC (written as xReader)

fic warnings: NSFW Explicit Smut (18+ MDNI) language, strained family relationships, mentions of drug abuse, discussions of insecurities and body image issues, daddy and mommy issues

fic tags: Best friends younger sister, Life-long crush, Friends to lovers, Unrequited love, slow burn, Push and Pull, Small Town Dynamics, Secret Relationships, latina MC, Fluff and Angst, OFC!Jessica Alba face claim, sorry Lorraine I'm bringing you into this, Time jumps, 2 year age gap, pre-canon

word count: 5.7k

IMPORTANT a/n: I've got no explanation this time, school and work just have been beating my ass. But this is the last chapter of the second part of this series. There's going to be a... different stylistic change next chapter. Things are um... not going to be as peaches and cream. Don't start the Mari witch hunt... i'm sorry in advance....

Enjoy

Masterlist

You cried after sex for the first time with Javi tonight. He fucked you roughly into his mattress, bit your shoulder and kissed you. He looked at the clock and stood up from the bed after finishing on your sheets. Watching him begin to leave made you heave. You start to sob with you face pressed into the pillow. He damn near tripped over his shoes rushing back to the bed. 

You couldn’t explain it to him, he was panicked. 

What did I do?

Did it hurt?

Andrea, please talk to me. 

Hey, hey—I’m not leaving, I was getting you a towel—

Baby, please you’re scaring me. 

He presses his thumb across your cheek collecting your tears. His eyes are wild, blown out and concerned. 

Your first question scares him. You didn’t mean to, it was only a segway. 

“Do we have too much sex?” You pant, warm tears still falling. Javi swallows hard, you could nearly feel his heart beat at the pad of his thumb while strokes your face. 

It’s Friday night. 

The week had been good. Great even. After your little lake day you and Javier decided to no longer be apart. You biked home that night and snuck him into your room. He ate you out, the sun had you beat and you fell asleep immediately after. He is learning how to sneak out quietly. That was wednesday. 

On Thursday, you decided to go to the public library. You had some lessons for the second session of summer school to get done and you wanted him around. 

He was very good. Silent and reading while you chewed your pen cap. You caught him doing more staring than reading but you couldn’t mind. You’d just smile and go back to your work. 

When you were done the two of you strolled the aisles of Laredo Public Library, picking books for each other. You spot Neruda in the poetry section and you silently squeal. Getting up on your tiptoes to reach when you’re lifted off your feet. Javier lifts you to the top row and you let out a cackle deserving of a shhh from the ancient librarian. 

He behaved well, until you were driving home and he took you from behind in the back seat of his truck. 

He kisses you sweetly, tells you he loves you and drives you home.

He finds himself in your bed once more, this friday night. You know he should leave soon, tomorrow morning is the wedding. You hadn’t anticipated breaking down in this way. You need all of the rest you can get, god knows Melissa will be raising hell at 9 am. It was only ten when you asked Javier the question. 

“Uh— No—yes? Please tell me why you’re still crying.” 

You sigh, “I’m… sorry.”

“Why? Should we turn it down? Am I being too much-“

You scrunch your face and turn your head into his hand. Maybe it wasn’t the best way to start this conversation, crying and asking him if their sex is too much. Strangely you felt too scared to tell him. “God no! I was just…” You choke on your own words. “Nevermind.” 

“Nope—nope, none of that querida.” Javier pushes your hair back out of your face, you close your eyes surrounded by his warmth. You could die here you fear. You can’t believe you’re here—there, in his arms like it’s nothing. 

You think of Xavier. Xavier made you cry. 

“This is my first sexual relationship where I’m like not sighing and bracing myself before you touch me. It was like that with Xavier, I’d disassociate while we had sex. It was okay at the beginning because I suppose I somehow liked him, but then he just got fucking mean.” You picture him, what he looked like in high school. The dirty blonde, blue eyed jaw clenched soccer player. You wouldn’t guess he was hispanic in a million years, he seemed to be so distant from his culture, you tried to understand but you just didn’t get how—it bothered you, his ignorance. You somehow looked past it all, he kissed you sweetly before class. You hadn’t been kissed sober since Javier by that point. You were easily molded. “I don’t know why I’m talking about this, I'm sorry.” You rub your eyes, you know Javier could be a jealous lover. You didn’t want to bicker over details of your previous relationships. 

“Andrea, just talk to me. Tell me about him. I’ve told you plenty about her.” 

Lorraine, you’ll face her tomorrow. You fear you might chew her head off, or maybe she’ll claw your eyes out. No mimosas tomorrow, or else it’ll get messy. 

You suddenly feel a wave of tears threatening behind your eyes, burning. Somehow you begin to ramble while he watches, stroking and caressing your face.

“He asked me out at a beach in Corpus Christi,  it was my idea of romance back then. I suppose I just wanted to be liked by someone. We dated for almost two years, you know? I sort of enjoyed our time together. When we were just sitting around watching tv, making fun of episodes of Dynasty. Then he’d touch me and I would dread it every time. Like my whole body would just leave, and somehow I’d end up on my back. I don’t think I ever felt violated or anything like that, he was just cold during sex and selfish. One time he got rough out of nowhere, and I got really excited, like yes, you’re trying something new. Those times when he’d be rough, it didn’t feel like him so I would enjoy myself. I finished, once. And I was so sensitive after, I wanted to cuddle and kiss him, thank him. But I remember he just bit my shoulder and got up to leave. Without cleaning me, I was seventeen. I started to cry, I would cry every time he left afterward” You were sobbing. You remember it all, you remember the feeling of being fucked and left, and the gaping hole it left in your heart. “I wasn’t even crying because I didn’t want him to leave, I didn’t want anyone to leave me. And they had, I thought I moved on from that. You’ve rushed out of my room plenty of times.” You hiccup, “I just got really sad today, I’m sorry I ruined our sex.” 

Javier looks down at you, your head leaning against his knee. The light in your bedroom casting him an orange glow, his brow quivered and he shook his head, stroking your hair once more. 

“I love you.”

It hurts to hear, “I know. I love you t-“

“No- I love you and I can’t bear to watch you like this. You can never ruin anything, please never apologize to me for something so silly. Please Andrea.” He slides down to lay with you again. You begin to cry harder. 

“I need to get help. I have severe abandonment issues.” 

You’ve known it deep inside, you’ve been too afraid to say it. You didn’t want to hurt his feelings, you wanted Javier to be enough to fix you. But even though he soothes the pain so well, there’s too many layers to ignore just because he’s here right now. 

It’s silent for a beat. He just breathes and nods, you fill his chin at the top of your head. 

“I do too.”

“You don’t have to say it to make me feel better.” 

He’s perfect, how could he ever need help-“I’m turning into my mother, the past few years have been self destructive decisions. I’m aware of it so much that it makes me ill. I threw up on Tuesday because I saw my departure date circled on my calendar.”

Now you’re silent.

“Yeah we need help.”

“God bless our therapists.”

Genie had other friends. Three other girls crowded your kitchen island downing fruity cold drinks clad in flowy yellow gowns. You decline the lounging and giggling, you rather keep Genie company. She requested no bridesmaids during hair and makeup—just come up when I’m in my gown—you figured you were an exception. And you were because she beamed the second you walked into the room. 

She was alone in a white slip, her face painted so beautifully and her brown locks pulled into a  decorated bun. You prepped your room for powdering and pampering, cleaning at the crack of dawn after your night with Javier. Genie sat on a lush chair by the window facing the backyard. You could hear the bustle of workers putting their final touches. 

“You look so pretty my love.” Genie grins. 

Your eyes widen at her compliment, she beat you to it. You suppose you were lucky that she wasn’t one of those bridezillas that wanted her bridesmaids to suffer in puffy dresses, to ensure the idea of always the bridesmaid and never the bride or what not. 

Instead she allowed the four of you to pick dresses as long as they were A. Pale Yellow, and B. Bohemian. You weren’t afraid to admit that your little childhood friend group seemed to be stuck in 1975 fashion, your icons were Stevie Nicks not Madonna! 

“Me, look at you. I-“ Tears well in your eyes and she isn’t even in her gown yet. It was rare, a thing like this. To not have to adjust to a new love in your brother's life. You felt if they ever broke up you would make Frankie’s life a living hell because there was absolutely no way you were staying away from Genevieve. The only person who rubbed your back when you cried during those six years, the first person at your bedside when it ended with Xavier and now there she is, about to marry your brother giving you a niece—giving you an older sister. “I’m just so happy it’s you—that you’re my family.” 

Your voice cracks and your period is definitely approaching. She frowns with a wiggling chin as she stands to pull you in. “Te quiero, de verdad, Andrea. Soy una mujer afortunada.” She whispers and she smells like she did in high school, an amber warm scent that comforted you but a smell so familiar you can—-

“Are you wearing the perfume you would spray Javier’s basement with after we smoked?” You laugh through tears.

“Yes!”

The two of you sat for a bit, rambling on about everything but the ceremony in four hours. She rubbed her stomach frequently, stretching her legs out on your bed like a cat getting prepared to nap. You knew her other bridesmaids slightly. Two of them were her employees at her first salon, Harrietta and Wilma. The third was her cousin who flew in from California, Olivia. Still, she chose you to be her maid of honor. 

“Are you prepared?” You ask finally, she looks at you and pauses her belly rubs. Genie giggles and blows a raspberry, with a head shake. 

“Thinking about it makes me so nervous and it upsets her…” She taps her belly. 

You nod again, sipping your water before glancing down at the yard through your window. It was slightly less hectic, you spotted your mother straightening a seat. She was clad in a float blue gown. You can’t help but wonder if she would put this much effort into your wedding one day. The thought makes your lips quirk in a frown. “Have you practiced your vows?”

“Let’s talk about something else, I do not want to sweat my blowout.” She was nervous, pale as a ghost, you suppose in your gaze out the window you hadn’t noticed just how anxious this topic was making her. Your eyes widen and you place your cup down. Unsure what to even talk about. 

“Right uhm—“

“Is Javier treating you well?” She cuts, reaching over to your bedside table and getting ahold of the church fans your mother placed on each seat. It was eighty five degrees out. Your cheeks go crimson, will you ever get used to someone knowing? 

“Yeah… I don’t know… he always has, somehow he’s better in a relationship.” 

“Be honest, have you guys had sex here?” She points at the bed she’s lying in. Your eyes double in size and you cover your face. But this is how it was with the two of you, she’d press about your sex life, you’d tell her, you’d giggle like schoolgirls then she’ll attempt to tell you about hers and you nearly vomit because of the circumstances in which her sex life occurs. 

“Yes! Often too… You know I struggled with sex before Javi.”

She frowns, she heard all about it during your monthly sister in law sleepovers when you were still in high school. Genie tried so hard to encourage you to demand what you needed out of Xavier. “Yeah… I know.” She rubs the sheets beside her and you wince. 

“Ew don’t do that!”

“Sorry!” She retracts her hands and folds them in her lap with a chuckle. “Not for nothing but If you would have told me earlier I could have rescinded the invite to Lorraine.” 

It was your turn to be avoidant. 

“I don’t want to talk about that.”

“Fair.” 

It’s silent again and all you could do is sip your water and worry about seeing Lorraine face to face after so many years.  

“Has he told you he loves you?” Genevieve asks, lying on her side now, propped up with her chin in her palm. Your lips quirk in a smile and you stare at the bottom of your gown. 

“He has.” You sigh when you think of what this must look like to outsiders. Andrea goes back to Javier after everything, “I think he means it.” You wonder why it scares you to be loved so much. You think being loved might sever you in two, it’s starting, you aren’t sure what to do now. 

She stands at that, and wraps her arms around your shoulders while you sit. “I know he does, he has forever. We’ve seen it, it pisses your brother off, sure, but it can’t be denied. Hopefully in a few years I’ll be talking you down while you’re laid in a wedding dress. He’ll be nervous next door.” She kisses the top of your head. You tremble at the thought. You can’t think about that now. 

“One wedding at a time, let’s get you in your dress.” You jump to your feet and walk toward the white dress hung up on your dresser door. Unzipping the white plastic. Genie stands too. 

“Right! Right. But I'll be your maid of honor, right?”

Your brows furrow and you snap your head over your shoulder. 

“Bitch please.”

You loved Javier in a suit. Luckily for you his career allowed him to be formal a lot of the time he snuck into your room at night, but this suit was reminiscent of prom and you grin. 

“Hi.” You smile up at him, surveying your surroundings. It was nearly your cue to walk out together, behind you were the three other bridesmaids and your brothers three other groomsmen. Friends he met at work that you never bothered getting to know. They were standing side to side with the girls. Javier clenches his jaw and looks at the chattering groups behind the two of you. He looks annoyed by the presence of the groomsmen. You shake your head, it was so like Javier. “Have you even tried… to befriend your wedding companions?” 

Javi furrows his brows and looks back at you then softens immediately. He grunts, “Nope, red head over there joked about asking you out tonight. Who the fuck are these guys?” He cranes his head to level with you. You loved when he did that, feeling guarded and protected by his presence even when it wasn’t necessary. 

You flatten the lapels of his crisp suit with a little tight lipped smile. “Friends Frankie had to make when you were gone because it came out that you were actually his only friend.” 

“Ah.”

“Think I got a chance with Charles?” You joke, tugging on his suit jacket once more. Javier’s face drops and his mustache twitches into a firm frown. His big puppy dog eyes make you never want to tease him ever again. 

“Maybe, Wilma offered to cut my hair for free when I was serving Frankie some scotch earlier-“

“Okay enough of this game.” You snap, your face turning hot. He puts on that stupid smug smile and nods a truce. The two of you face forward shoulder to shoulder, the music begins and you know you must count to twenty before the doors open. 

Javier offers you an arm. You slap his behind before intertwining. 

“You’re gross.”

“You love me gross.” You giggle, squeezing his bicep. The doors open and you walk out to your backyard. The entirety of Laredo were at their feet smiling at the two of you. Javier leans in your ear and whispers, “Hmm yeah, you look beautiful in yellow but I rather see you in white.” 

And the two of you walk down the aisle and you hope it isn’t your last time. 

Genie loved drama. Well, no. Genie loved being the drama. You silently cried the entire time they exchanged their vows. Why Genie decided to have her wedding three days before your cycle begins is beyond you. The vows were very much Genie, with some censoring. She promised your mother that she won’t be vulgar, she already went against Melissa’s wishes when she said she rather have the ceremony and reception at home instead of the ceremony at church. 

The entire backyard erupted in cheers when she made a comment about being so grateful to be starting a family with Frankie. Somehow you forgot that only your small circle knew. Genies ninety-one year old grandmother jumped to her feet in happiness. 

It was surely safe to say that your brother's wedding reception ranked high on the happiest you’ve ever felt. When the officiant granted them their first kiss as a married couple Genie of course pinched his behind causing your mother to gasp and everyone in their seats to giggle. Most importantly your brother smiled brightly against his wife’s lips. 

The cocktail party was in your front yard, half an hour while they set up the backyard once more to fit all guests. It was the duty of the direct family of the groom and bride to scurry around and set up. So you and Javier did just that. Folding white chairs and loading them in the van. Centering flowers on tables. Picking up fallen name cards. 

 Once the sun began to set, the guests walked through the pathway leading to your backyard and found their places. And the live mariachi arrived. You let out a huff when you were finally able to sit down, Javier groaned at the bend of his knees. 

“I’m going to need sixteen hours of sleep after this.” He says, picking up his beer and sipping. The scene was oddly similar to Liandras quince. You laugh, taking your own beer and following suit. You glance over to the Bride and Grooms table, decorated more elegantly and intentionally. They were beaming, swaying back and forth while talking to each other. The kids of town dancing and running around, kicking balloons in the air and not letting it drop. “We should get a hotel tonight.” He whispers against your shoulder. You side eye him and smirk, pinching his thigh. 

“Yeah, we should.” Your eyes scan the crowd once more, landing on a table in the far right corner of the party. Mr. and Mrs. Smithfield, clad in light blue. And right next to them, sitting in silence, Lorraine. Your eyes widen at the sight of her for the first time in nearly seven years. Her hair a darker shade of blonde, pin straight. Her eyes land on you. Although you feel your heart drop you still offer a small smile. 

She rejects the gesture, eyes darted between you and Javier, and peels her eyes alway with a straight face. 

You frown and look at Javier. “I just saw Lorraine.” He frowns just the same, placing his hand on yours while it rested on the table. The touch burned straight through you. Removing your hand and placing it back into your lap. You couldn’t dare to look at him while you just retracted at his touch. But you could feel his body tensing beside you. You want to apologize for your reaction but you just can’t. You tried to avoid the idea of Lorraine coming back home, but now it’s here and the guilt is climbing up your throat and making your cheeks burn. And now you’ve made Javier upset. He takes another sip of his drink.

 The two of you sit in silence for a few minutes while you panic. She knows. It took her one glance to read you, read your body language. You feel sick, and you know that technically you didn’t do anything wrong but you were once her friend. Yet on the same coin  you also know that she mistreated him.

So why does this feel so bad? 

“I have to go to the bathroom.” You blurt, standing from your chair. Javier places his beer down loud enough for you to hear, he’s upset with you. He is. Your heart contracts in your chest.

He stands alongside you, “Well I do too.” He says in a tone so deep you know you’re going to get your ass handed to you. You want to pinch yourself because his anger makes your  cunt clench around nothing. You figure that you want to be chased by him. Captured, maybe he’ll fuck you in the bathroom and it’ll teach you a lesson. 

Still, there’s guilt in that thought. You won’t allow it, not when you’re feeling this way. “Javier we aren’t doing this-“

“Don’t make a scene.” He demands once more and you’re already walking towards the house, and he’s following you. The party was too busy to notice the interaction. You swing the screen door open without holding it for him, it nearly swings back in his face but he slams it wide open. 

You look over your shoulder at him as he trails behind you with a furrow in his brow. A jaw clenched. “I really do have to pee.” You say, the house empty besides the caterers, you had figured people would be trickling in and out considering your home bathroom was the only one for this event. A slight oversight on your mother’s behalf. 

“I don’t give a shit.” He grumbles and the two of you stumble into the bathroom. 

You sigh and glance at him while he stands with arms crossed at the door. Studying your every move. You lift the bottom of your dress and tuck it under your chin while you attempt to pull your panties down to pee. Javier shakes his head and strides towards you, holding your dress up from the back. You shut your eyes, “This is embarrassing and gross I can do this myself.”

He keeps a straight face, “I can’t even help you now? Now I'm embarrassing you?” 

You shoot him an annoyed glance, “Peeing is private.”

He grunts, you know slightly that you’re being ridiculous. You know he’d quite literally do anything to help you even if it’s as small as holding up your expensive dress while you peed. You shake your head and do your business quickly, wiping yourself with cheeks hot. “Why are you upset with me?” He asks while you pull your panties back on. 

He drops your dress as you stand a foot away from the toilet, he gets on one knee fixing the lining of your bridesmaid dress. God damn it, this boy was a dream. He stands once again with a grunt. Viejo, you want to say. You move past him without a response and stand in front of the mirror, beginning to wash your hands. “Andrea.”

“I wasn’t ready to see Lorraine and she—she knows.” You look at him through the mirror. His hands are crossed, the suit tightening around his arms. You wish you didn’t feel so gross, you’d turn around and drop to your knees, that’s just the sort of mood you’ve been in. 

He doesn’t seem to phased. “Knows…? She knows what?” Still, grumpy, angry. Still sultry and hot. He’s burning into your eyes through the mirror.  

You take a few moments to think, stare at him through glass–make sure he understands how you’re feeling. 

“She knows we’re fucking.” You grip the edge of the sink, he’s so tall behind you. 

He nods, stepping up closer behind you. Hips pinning you against the sink. “Is that what we’re doing? We’re fucking?” He dips his head into your shoulder, your breath gets caught in your throat. Yes, yes, yes. His hands come to your waist and ride up, up, to your breasts. Both palms cover yours completely and then some. He grinds against your ass. 

“Y-yes Javi.” You whimper, you don’t understand how he can turn you on so quickly. He kisses your neck and you watch. He’s craned over you while your neck is tilted, like he’s ready to devour you whole, sink his teeth into you and suck. You watch his hands through the mirror, pull your top down and expose your dark nipples to the fluorescent light of your downstairs bathroom. He pinches your nipples and you moan. 

And in an instant he bends you over the sink, your breasts pressed upon the cold surface. And he grinds into you clothed, “You’re my girlfriend, you understand?” The air is cut out of your throat. He drives again, “We aren’t fucking, okay? We’re together, I’m yours. Tell me you’re mine.” 

You bite your lip, your hair falling over your face. “I’m yours Javi.” You arch your back like a kitten, hoping he’ll pull up your dress and fuck you raw and fast. But he doesn’t, he leans over and stands you up straight, pulling your dress back up. 

“Good, I'm glad we have that all cleared up.”

You’re left panting and wanting a kiss. Wanting to apologize for being so—You shut your brain off and turn to kiss him. Lips pressed to his but his hands don’t move to hold you. 

Your brows furrow and you part, feeling wrong inside. 

“What’s wrong?” Your brows crease, in heels there’s still space to look up at him. 

He turns away from you for a moment, you hope to god what you’re feeling in your chest isn’t the way he felt when you dropped his hand. “I don’t feel good when you talk about us like that. Like we just fuck.”

Oh, your eyes drop to your heels as they stand perfectly in front of his oxfords. You aren’t sure how to apologize about your own insecurity climbing at your throat. But he doesn’t ask you to, instead he places a hand on your cheek, “You know that I love you right?”

The bathroom door swings open and you jump from his touch once more. His hand dropping to his side and your bodies reacting to the intruder. Eyes wide at the sight. 

Lorraine Smithfield. Again, but up close with another red  straight face, in a green dress. Your eyes flick down to her stomach, a small bump protruding and filling the dress. You feel your mouth go dry and you can’t help but look up at Javier. Your stomach is twisting into something sick. Your own face getting beat red at his own brows softening at the sight of his ex-girlfriend carrying a child. 

She just shook her head and turned on the faucet as if you two weren’t caught red handed. Your cheek stings from where he once touched you. “If you want to sneak around at a wedding you should at least lock the door.” She chuckles bitterly, pressing soap into her palms. “Frankie knows you’re feeling up his baby sister Javi?” 

She smirks and looks at the two of you once more. Javier’s nostrils flare, you could feel him counting to ten in his head. 

She’s pregnant. 

Lorraine is pregnant. 

“I’m an adult, don’t talk about me like I’m not here.” You snap, and Lorraine stands up straight, blocking the doorway with crossed arms. She looks between the two of you and chooses to ignore you once more. Like her business was only to zero in on Javier. 

“You talked a lot about Andrea being nothing to you all those years in Houston. Interesting how you switched on me.” Your chin quivers but you keep your face straight, you weren’t going to break in front of Lorraine, of all fucking people. You can’t help but look at her belly bump once more and furrow your brows. What is happening?

“I don’t really feel like talking to you, not when you’re angry. So we’re going to go.” He grabs your hand and you feel the sick instinct to retract again but you let him anyway. 

She hesitates to move before saying one last thing, and this time she looks you in the eye, placing a hand on the swell of her stomach. 

“He keeps you burning for him. Remember where he’ll be in a few months, none of this will matter again. I suggest you get over it Andrea.” 

Your eyes shoot open for a moment while Javier drags you out of the bathroom. You chest constricting and you drop his hand finally. Feeling the same panic you felt last night when you sobbed against your bedsheets. Walking ahead of him with dual intention, being upset and not wanting to look suspicious to the party you’re about to approach. 

“Andrea—“ He grabs your upper arm right before you exit your house. 

“Please, let’s just—talk later or tomorrow.” Your words are hurried and snappy, the apples of your cheeks hot and crimson. You knew you weren’t ready for all of this, you fucking knew it. Javier wasn’t having any of it, he shakes his head. 

“No.” His mustache twitches in a disapproving frown. You scoff with a taste of copper on your tongue making your face screw. 

“No— I’m saying no to you.”

He cuts you off, “We need talk about this now because I know you-“

“If you loved you’d listen to me when I say no. Let me go.”

Let me go. 

He doesn’t bother you the rest of the night, he doesn’t invite you to dance which you didn’t expect considering the optics of it all but sitting in silence side by side made you feel green. And you couldn’t help but think of what it means for Lorraine to be pregnant. You’d hope she wasn’t in a relationship, that poor man should know how bitter she still is. 

You feel bad for her a bit, whoever the father is wasn’t in the picture which was a mortal sin in her family. Preacher's daughter pregnant and unmarried, heavens. 

You can’t help but feel uneasy. You try to smile and enjoy the wedding but Javier’s eyes burn, he’s waiting for you to say something—anything. You pulled the love card, low blow. So you know he has no choice but to give you space to think. It wasn’t like you were jealous but you saw every muscle in his face drop at the sight of her mothering figure. You suppose you’d have a reaction if Xavier came to you with a pregnant girlfriend. 

For a fleeting moment you wonder if his face was something toeing the line of concern-worry. Concern, you understand, is close to love. You were brutally shaken out of the bubble the two of you created in the past week. 

The sun set and you found yourself avoiding the table that the two of you housed. Javier really only shook the hands of those who approached him and asked him in spanish borderline insulting questions about his career. Your mother fortunately was a woman to be feared so once she announced the night was coming to a close the crowd flooded the front lawn, watching Genie climb into Frankie’s Ford Escort with a giggle and struggle to fit the train in the car. Just married chalked on the windows and streamers and cans tied on the bumper. They drove off with beeping horns and cheers. Javier brings his fingers to lips and whistles a splitting one. The married couple had reservations at the nicest hotel an hour out of town. Their tickets to Puerto Rico awaiting them for the next week.

You walk past Javier and head straight to the backyard to close up some chairs , the only person focused on cleaning just yet. Your mother was still doing her part in crowd control at the yard. 

The moon was bright that night, and your feet were killing you. You just wanted to be in bed. Be in bed with him. You know he followed you, you focused on your attempt of cleaning (avoiding him)--in your peripheral you saw him folding chairs a few feet from you. You sigh to yourself, not wanting to talk now but you feel him.You can feel that his anger became sadness. And you can't stand to see him sad. 

He still talks first.

“I got a hotel out of town tonight.” 

You pause standing up straight, looking at him while he corners the table he was dissembling. 

“I’m–I’m going to stay here tonight I think.” 

Javier’s entire face drops, gone ashen under the moonlight. He looks at the grass below him like he’s trying to decipher if all of this is real or not. He nods, “Alright. I’ll see you then?”

You nod, crossing your arms like you're holding your body from its instinct to jump into his arms. You needed to think. “Yeah, goodnight.”

The air is thick between the two of you and he frowns. Placing his hand on your elbow, leaning down to press a warm kiss against your lips, you can’t help but lean back into it. “Goodnight,” He kisses the corner of your lips, “I love you.”

You aren't sure why you freeze but Javier walks right past you before your brain could catch up with your heart. 

You cry holding your stomach, alone in the aftermath of the simplest presentation of love. 

#javier peña #javier peña x ofc #javier pena fanfiction #javier pena x you #javier peña smut #ao3 #fanfic #javier peña narcos #javier pena x reader

[btsgotjams27]

All Grown Up ~ JJK | 15

✨ title: all grown up | series (completed) ✨ pairing: jungkook x f!reader | ✨ rating: R/18+ ~ minors dni ✨ genre/au: romance, fluff, angst, friends-to-lovers, humor, banter, smut, age gap, best friends little brother ✨ author's notes: I won't be updating this series on Tumblr. This fic is inspired by the k-drama, Something in the Rain. ✨ author's notes 2: okay, so i do plan on editing the rest of this series! i just don't know when it'll be done. ✨ can also read on AO3 or Wattpad

[ SERIES MASTERLIST ] prev | next ✨ you deserve everything and more

✨ chapter fifteen ~ it'll never be the same | wc: 1.9k

A few weeks passed, and you hadn't spoken to him since he told you he was in love with you. He left voicemails and texts for a week until he realized that you weren’t responding. It cut you deeply seeing the multiple texts and messages he left, but they were always left on 'read.'

Jungkook sat at his work desk with an elbow propping up his chin as he mindlessly clicked through the presentation he was working on. He’d been like this since you stopped talking to him. He was unsure what to do or say to make you change your mind.

Jin walked past Jungkook’s office and then back when he noticed how tragic his friend looked. He softly knocked before opening the door. With no expression on Jungkook’s face, he peered at his friend and then back at his screen.

Jin took a seat in front of Jungkook's desk. “You've been so mopey for the past few weeks, and I can see that your pile of revisions for the new game hasn't been touched,” he pointed to the papers sitting on his desk. “What's going on?”

Jungkook plopped his head in between his arms on his desk, mumbling and groaning at Jin’s question. For a split second, he thought you were his. He almost fucking had you–so fucking close. He couldn’t stop thinking about the night he held you in his arms, slow dancing with you, about how sweet you smelled and how soft your hair was. And then going back to your place–your lips on him, your hands, how the two of you fit perfectly together.

“Let me guess. Girl problems?”

Jin’s question snapped him back to reality. He groaned again.

“Did she dump you?”

Another groan from the pained young man in front of him. Technically, you didn’t dump him because it stopped before it could even begin. If only he had confessed to you earlier, could it have worked out?

“Ah--I see.” Jin nodded along. “What can I do to help?”

Jungkook finally looked up. “Can you make me ten years older and unrelated to my sister?” A part of him was still upset at his sister. Why couldn’t she understand? And why was she so upset? If it were because Yuna thought Jungkook would hurt you, she’d be wrong because he only wanted to love and cherish you.

Jin softly chuckled, “I think I still have a wish left to grant. Let me see what I can do.”

“Hyung, I'm serious. What should I do? I left her a million voicemails and texts, but she hasn't responded.” It was starting to become borderline creepy if someone on the outside was looking in. Jungkook had no other choice but to keep trying to talk to you, to make you see the light, to see where he was coming from. There were many nights when he hastily grabbed his car keys, just wanting to show up at your place, begging and pleading for you to try and make it work–that with him by your side, you’d get through it together. He didn’t care what Yuna thought because she wasn’t his mother. She had no say in who he could and couldn’t date. That was his choice.

“I'm sorry, man...I don't know what to tell you. It's a hard situation.” Jin could see how smitten and head over heels Jungkook was for you. He’d been in love once or twice and completely understood.

Jungkook buried his head again in the same spot.

“Has Yuna said anything? How are things between them?”

He didn’t understand what the big deal was. Yes, you were his sister’s best friend, but he would never do anything to hurt you intentionally. All he wanted was one chance to see where you and he could go. But from the last conversation he had with you, maybe the talk between you and Yuna didn’t go over well.

“The last thing Yuna said to me was she couldn’t stop me from liking Y/n.” And he has never stopped liking you. You had been his crush for as long as he could remember. He only wanted you.

Your relationship with Yuna will never be the same again. There were still awkward interactions when you had to attend wedding festivities. Luckily, the presence of her other bridesmaids made it bearable.

It was the night of her and Namjoon's rehearsal dinner, and you were dreading having to see Jungkook in the flesh. You could only avoid him this past month because it was busy on set.

You were putting the finishing touches to the lavishly decorated farm tables. They were covered in gray speckled plates, matte black silverware, lined with an ivory linen table runner, and stemless vases filled with white daisies, Yuna's favorite. Everything looked perfect. It was how Yuna always imagined it would look. You guys would spend countless hours into the early morning talking about what you wanted for your weddings. You just didn't think you'd spend it estranged from her.

As you continued making sure everything was perfect, you saw Jungkook walking in with a short sleeve white polo and gray pants and sporting a new eyebrow piercing. He glanced at you before turning his attention to his sister. You could see him trying to get a glimpse of you as Yuna continued talking.

You hurried along to finish your task and move on to the next thing that needed to be done. Make sure the table is set. Check. Next, set up place cards. You were rummaging through Yuna's storage tote when you were interrupted.

"Where is it?" you quietly muttered, searching for the missing place cards.

"Are you looking for these?"

A voice behind you chimed in, presenting you with a stack of cards. You peered up to see Jungkook standing beside you. Why did he have to smell so good? And look so good too. He definitely wasn't going to go down without a fight, would he? One look at him, and you were absolutely melting.

You cleared your throat, "Oh--yeah, I am, thanks." Your hands were so shaky as you took the stack of cards and began double-checking the seating chart to ensure you were putting them in the correct spots. And Jungkook followed you like he normally loved to.

"So...how are you? I've tried calling a few times." He tried his best not to sound so desperate and lame because he had lost count of how many calls and texts were sent to you.

"I'm okay," your eyes focused on the task before you, "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry I've been busy with work. New tv show and all," you explained dryly.

"How…how are you?"

Miserable, he thought. Wished you would've spoken to him instead of avoiding the situation, but he knew you were in a tight spot with Yuna. "I've been okay too."

"I see you have a new piercing." You pointed at the two silver beads poking through his skin. He really was a menace, getting everything pierced and tattooed. You wouldn't be surprised if he were covered from head to toe in tattoos in a few years.

His eyes darted up to his piercing, lightly touching it. "Oh--yeah, this thing," he chuckled, "I did it on a whim."

"Sounds like you," you grinned, setting down the last place card.

"I miss that smile," he said, "I miss you."

That hurt more than you thought it would. Hearing him say that made your heart ache deeply in your chest. You peered at him, mouth opened, but nothing came out.

"Can we talk?" he interrupted your thought, but the clinking of a wine glass stole your attention.

"Everyone, dinner will be served in two minutes," Ari, Yuna's wedding planner, stated.

"Um, can we talk later? We're gonna start soon."

By the time he wanted to say something, you had already dashed off to your table. He sighed in defeat. He knew you were avoiding him, avoiding talking about your feelings for him.

You, along with the rest of the wedding party, sat at the front facing guests and family members. Yuna gently nudged you while Ari continued going over tonight's festivities.

"You have a speech prepared, right?" Yuna whispered, gritting through her teeth, smiling at the crowd.

Your eyes widened. "You want me to give a speech?" Even after everything the two of you had recently gone through, she still wanted you to say something nice about her and Namjoon?

"Of course I do, you're my best friend and maid of honor."

"But–"

"But what?" 

You were confused and stunned. "You've barely spoken to me these last few weeks."

"So, you're not going to then?" Yuna gave you her best puppy eyes.

"I mean I can," you said with reluctance. Right now, you didn't feel qualified as a good friend to give a speech. Yes, you knew her and Namjoon the best but considering she had been leaving you out in the cold these past few weeks, her indifference towards you was unclear. Did she love you or hate you?

"Shit--here's the mic," she whispered, then beamed a big smile looking out to the crowd.

Your eyes widened, and you took a big gulp as you received the microphone. Shit. You weren't ready. You didn't have anything prepared, but you stood up anyway as all eyes were on you.

“Hi, everyone. I'm Y/n, the maid of honor. I've been best friends with Yuna since we were kids. And I couldn't be more happy and excited for Yuna and Namjoon on this new journey. She is an amazing, smart, funny, beautiful, and loyal friend. Um, like all friendships, we've had our fair share of ups and downs, but I wouldn't trade her for anything else. I wouldn't be who I am today without her. And Namjoon, don't think I'll give her up so easily. *soft chuckle* I expect a permanent spot on your couch for many years. I've seen your love for each other grow and blossom so beautifully over these last few years, and I'm so glad to have known you two together and apart. You two inspire me to also search for a love like yours.”

You looked briefly at Jungkook as he was looking down at the table and fiddling with his thumbs. Yuna could see your eyes starting to become glazed over with tears. You were trying your best to keep it together, but he just looked so heartbroken.

“Um,” you chuckled, “Sorry. I'm trying so hard not to cry right now.”

Yuna took your hand and tenderly squeezed it.

You cleared your throat. “Okay--get yourself together, Y/n,” you muttered, but the mic picked up on it.

A peal of soft laughter filled the room as you continued.

“As I look out into this room, I see the faces of close family and friends, and I'm happy to know that you guys have such a great support system behind you and Namjoon. If you ever hurt Yuna, know that Jungkookie–”

He looked up as you called his name.

“…and I will be there to keep you in check. I love you both so much. Everyone, please raise your glass to toast Yuna and Namjoon. Congratulations, and I hope your life together will bring many years of love and laughter to each other and to everyone around you. Cheers.”

You looked at Jungkook and raised your glass to him, and he did the same. As much as this speech was supposed to be for Yuna and Namjoon, it also confirmed that you wanted to pursue Jeon Jungkook.

✨ previous chapter ~ we can't do this

✨ next chapter ~ you deserve everything and more

#jungkook fic #jungkook fanfic #bts fic #bts fanfic #jungkook #jeon jungkook #jungkook smut #jungkook noona #jungkook x y/n #jungkook x you #jungkook x reader #bts x reader #bts x you #fic: all grown up #jungkook romance

[thepaintedlady00]

The Sandman and the Girl Without Dreams

Chapter 5: To Promises Kept, and Promises Broken

TW: Revenge, ANGST, Morpheus is broke yall, character death, The Fates (yea, these bitches get their own warning cause they a bit freaky)

In the glass cage Morpheus passed through the years in silence.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five. 

Five long years he sat, unmoving and unbreakable. When Roderick Burgess had slammed his head against his cage and fallen to the ground, never to get up again Morpheus turned to the younger, Alex Burgess, And for a brief moment he thought he might be free. But, as was common with the boy turned man, cowardice clouded his judgment. Though he offered him freedom at the price of a promise Morpheus refused.

He could not promise Alex the protection he sought. Not after all these years. Not after Jessamy. Not after her. So, he stayed in his silent cage not moving. Not anything. He thought of the girl… The girl whose name had become too painful for him to even think. Where had they kept her trapped all these years? Was she even alive? The mark on his arm had ceased all connection to her, something he didn't know if was the fault of his cage or because there was nothing left to connect to. The thoughts of her consumed him.

His rage burned hot. The hatred festering had overgrown him. Great unending wells of pain and sorrow flooded every spec of hope that dared remain within him. For the first time in ages Dream of the Endless felt nothing, for if he had let himself feel any of, it no matter how small, it would destroy everything and everyone. So, when the gates had opened once again he didn't bother to react. Not until he saw the flash of white, white he'd seen drag the girl from his side years ago.

He looked and immediately wished he hadn't. Dream felt his eyes water with repressed tears as he looked down at her, slumped against the pillar she’d once been tethered to. What had they done? She was more frail looking than he'd ever seen her. The white vest pinned her arms at her sides as her slow moving eyes took in the room before settling on him. With a soft, tired sigh she smiled, a sight that should have filled him with joy, but instead felt wrong. "Hey Sandy, it's been a while."

Anger filled his lungs. How dare they. He glared over at Alex Burgess, hoping with every fiber of his being that the man could feel the weight of it. But he did nothing in reaction as he knelt down to her. "She seems more relaxed than what was described."

"She is heavily sedated, sir."

Paul cursed under his breath. "Is that really necessary?"

"For all our safety, yes."

Alex leaned in closer to look at her properly and in the blink of an eye she slammed her head into his, sending him reeling backwards. Laughter filled the room, and though Morpheus could see it was coming from her, it sounded nothing like the laugh he knew. She was different in a way that made him ache. An air of madness surrounded her, something he'd seen before in his younger sister. In her struggle to beat the Burgess’ she'd been forced to the edge, closer and closer to Delirium. He feared she'd lose herself to it soon if she hadn't already.

Alex stood, and straightened up, speaking as if nothing had happened, but the red bump already forming on his head brought Dream a quick feeling of pride. At least that much hasn’t changed. "You see, she's here just as I promised." His face twisted with desperation as he looked in the cage. "Speak to me, please."

Morpheus' jaw set. He'd not been inclined to speak years ago and he certainly wasn't now. What was her presence to prove? That he’d not only allowed his father to send her away somewhere just as bad, if not worse than here, but had known where she was this whole time and still did nothing? What did the boy think his promise meant when even he couldn’t look at the frail girl he’d doomed to madness? Alex's voice shook when he next spoke, "Why won't you speak to me? I've not asked for gifts or anything, just one word."

Paul set a hand on his lover's shoulder. "Alex..."

"Can you speak to him?" Alex dared ask her. After all he’d allowed, he still had the gall to ask her for more. "Convince him to just talk with me?"

He couldn't help but frown at the bitterness of her laugh. "What makes you think he'll listen to me?"

"That mark on your arm! He gifted you with it and you expect me to believe he did so without a single word to you, with nothing?"

"The years have truly made you just as paranoid as your father, Alex." She hissed. "I've told you this already. He hasn't said a single word to me, not when I got the mark and not a minute after."

"Then why?" The boy asked. "Why give you anything in the first place?"

He fought a growl at the assumption he'd in any way intended this. "I've answered that question before too."

"It can't have been an accident!" The boy insisted, his mannerisms shifting. He looked more like his father. "It just couldn't be."

"Look, this conversation has been just riveting, truly, but I think it's over. So, now what?" Her tone was venom, her eyes even more so as they seemed to clear of whatever drugs they’d given her.

Alex looked back at Dream, eyes searching for a change. "Now you go back to the institution."

He felt the raw unbridled rage fill her through the mark, a sensation that he’d not felt for five long years, but it was the sting of her fear that made his breath hitch. What had she been forced to endure all this time to result in such fear? "Back to my own glass cage? After all those empty promises of freedom?" She turned her head away from him. "Just as well I suppose, I was starting to feel left out."

"Don't. I fully intend to let you go, I just..."

"Just what Alex?" All the fondness she’d once had for the boy was gone. It had been gone, he suspected, for a long time. "Just intend to dangle freedom in front of me for another eight years? Twenty perhaps? Longer?"

Alex didn't answer, Dream assumed he didn't have one to give. The two men left, but with them gone another strange feeling settled in his chest, one that he couldn’t decipher.  "When you do get out…" At last she looked at him. Her eyes were still void of all the joy she’d once held in them as sparkling tears rolled down her slightly hollowed cheeks. "Make them pay for it. Every second."

Her tears would have been enough for him to ensure ruin upon the Burgess house and all under its roof. But her plea, soft and full of rage and hurt, the hardened look of her eyes. That made him swear it. To her it appeared as a simple tilt of the head, but for him it was the sacred vow of an Endless. Looking into those eyes he realized then that all his attempts to push her away had failed. All that time he’d wasted pushing her away, trying to deny the simple and unbreaking fact that she was half of him. The half he’d been missing throughout the eons. She was his equal and he would deny her nothing.

The longer he watched her, the longer they looked into each others eyes, the more obvious it was that she had something planned. She was afraid, but he could feel the idea just out of his grasp was set in stone. It pushed a wave of fear through him, something he'd not allowed himself to feel since the last time he'd seen her. Oh what he wouldn't give to be free, to show the men in white what real power was, to take her far from here to the dreaming... home.

When the gate opened again it was Paul that went to her. Dream felt some measure of comfort as he watched the man help pull her free of the wretched thing that bound her. She made a strangled noise as she pulled him into a hug. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry I can't do more," he said, pulling back and holding a small bag out to her. Something she recognized with glistening eyes. "I kept it safe for you."

"Paul." She pressed it to her chest.

"Don't. This is the least I can do. Now what? The workers agreed to let you out of the vest, but they won't be so inclined to just let you walk off."

"Don't worry, I've got a plan. I'll be okay." It was a lie, he knew it was.

Paul looked his way for the first time since he'd come down here. "I'm sorry I couldn't fulfill all your requests. It's just…"

"Alex," she finished for him. "I understand. Can I?"

He nodded, moving off to the side letting her move towards his glass prison. She moved slowly, and every fiber of his being vibrated with anticipation. The closer she got the more clear her cut covered bruised arms became. Who was the new Roderick Burgess in her cage? Who would he be hunting down upon his release? He moved closer to the glass that separated them. 

She touched the cage gently, flattening her palm along the smooth surface. Dream didn't hesitate to lift his hand to press into the warmth that spread under hers. The mark hummed between them forcing a soft noise from her. The connection sparked a tiny flame in his chest. Hope. "I tried to bargain with them for you too…" His heart dropped and he could feel the tears fill his eyes. Of course she had. "I'm sorry it didn't work. But it's okay."

She pressed her forehead to the glass. He pressed his to hers, too eager to feel the warmth of her at least just this once. "You're going to be okay." She sobbed. You… Not we. "I know you will."

Muffled shouts echoed around the glass and she pulled away, looking into his eyes. She looked at him the way he'd seen countless times… The way that one looks at something important right before they lose it. Before he could fully feel the fear that it brought him, she moved forward pressing a kiss to the cage where his forehead rested. He leaned his head further into the glass, further into the faint warmth of her lips until it hurt. "Goodbye, Sandman."

Goodbye. It wasn't the word that caused the panic and sorrow to fully settle in his chest. It was the way she said it, soft... slow, definite. She had no intention of returning to the institution, nor to the mansion. The thought that had been just out of his reach unfurled before him. She was set on removing herself as a pawn in the Burgess' games with him. Set to end her part in his torment. Set to end.

He wished he could shout at her, beg her not to go through with whatever this plan was, whatever it was that would take her from him once again. Though, he knew her... Knew she wouldn’t listen even if he did beg. Tears slid down his cheeks. He wished he could tell her his name at least, or explain the mysterious pull she felt and that he did in turn. So she could understand why her life had been twisted into this, so she could understand why even through its abuse to torment him her life mattered more than anything. Yet he could do nothing, but look at her and commit her face to his memory before forced to watch her walk away.

Make them pay for it. Every second. Her words filled his head and he clung to the promise, to her final wish. He would ruin them, every last one of them that had hurt her even if it was the last thing he did.

The next day when Paul had slipped into the basement without his lover, he didn't utter a word, he didn't need to. Morpheus already knew. Penelope was gone, forever this time.

***

Eighty years had passed since he'd lost everything. The only thing that kept Dream going was his final vow to her. That vow glistened in the old and withered face of Alex Burgess as he stood in front of the glass.

"I could have asked you for wealth or power, like my father did. But all I ever wanted was to be free of you," the boy, now turned old, said. "Surely you want that too."

Want? Dreams thoughts hissed. He dares speak to me of want? He has no right to feign interest in my wants. Not when he'd sent the only thing he ever truly wanted to her death.

"Alex…" Paul's frustrated tone dissipated with a sigh. As he stood beside his love with a wheelchair. "Darling please."

Eventually Alex relented, sitting in the chair offered. He spared a look at the caged being. "Take me upstairs Paul. I won't be coming down here again."

Even after all this time it still sent a dull ache to his core, the threat of another century trapped in silence. He watched as Paul rolled Alex away, and solemnly prepared to face the next years. But a thrum of something ran through him… A sliver of his power. How? Together he and Paul glanced down at the clear mark breaking the circle that had summoned him. They shared a long look before Paul finally nodded his head and took Alex from the room without a word.

Tonight he would uphold his promise. Tonight he would be free of this place once and for all. He honed in on the guards conversation, using what power he could to wrap around the man's mind and invade it. When the guard stood and began firing upon the glass he couldn't hold back his smirk and when the glass finally gave way and the waves of his power washed over him he felt all that anger and pain explode from within him.

The mind of Alex Burgess was exactly as he imagined. Trapped within the confines of this house, of his fathers shadow. Posing as the black cat he led the young man up the stairs and perched on the seat before revealing his true self. Alex looked at him in fear, and Morpheus wouldn't bother pretending he didn't enjoy it as he uttered his first word in a century. "Hello."

"It's… It's you. You… You're free…" He stuttered, taking a step back.

"I am." Slowly he stood from his seat, glowing eyes fixed on his prey. "Do you have any idea what it was like? Confined to a cage for over a century. Forced to be witness to the beating and breaking of an innocent girl? Do you understand the damage you have done to your world?"

He pressed into the door, desperate to hide from his judgment. "I… I'm sorry! I didn't know!"

"I've heard your pitiful excuses before and seen your apologies for what they truly are." Morpheus said, voice deathly calm as the dream around them reflected his anger. "Tell me, Alex Burgess, how many times did you plead for her forgiveness only to stab her in the back? How many promises did you swear to her that you never fulfilled?"

"Please!" He cried out.

But he was too far past the point of pleading with the Endless. "When you learned of her fate, did you feel any guilt at all?"

Alex's lip quivered. "She made a choice…"

"Choice," Morpheus growled. "What choice was that? To return to her own cage until she withered away like you? Or to throw her car off a bridge just to free herself from the years of torment she suffered at your family's hands?" 

"I didn't…" Slowly he shifted from the young man to the boy he truly was. "I didn't know."

"She's gone because of you." He said the words, but as they echoed in the dream he wasn't entirely certain they were aimed at the boy.

"I thought that sending her back would be kinder… A way to save her from memories of this place… A gift! I did... didn’t think she would…" His voice stopped with a strangled, frightened sob.

"A gift?" Everything shook at the sound of his voice, at his power. "Your punishment then shall be a similar gift. I give you this… The gift of eternal sleep." With one breath the sand wove around him, trapping him within the confines of his mind. Forever bound to the prison of his own choosing. Forever in his fathers shadow.

He let the boy's mind free of his grasp and sank into the swirling twisting call of home, of the dreaming. 

***

Lucienne ran as quickly as her feet would carry her toward the figure of her lord. Sand crunched beneath every step, shifting in unpredictable ways, but she never faltered. "Sir! Sir! Oh my goodness!" She sank to her knees beside him, pulling him gently to his back. "Sir, it's me… It's Lucienne."

Dream opened his eyes, looking around dazed before finding the familiar face of his librarian. She took his hand in hers and he squeezed it, basking in the gentleness of her touch… The first touch he'd felt in over a century. With a smile he whispered her name, "Lucienne."

"Your home." She sounded so sad yet so joyful. "My lord."

"I am." He said, voice slowly regaining its natural sound. She helped him to his feet, holding his arms tightly as if he'd fall or perhaps disappear once more. The sound of the waves in the distance filled his ears. His few moments of joy were interrupted by the memory of her laying on that basement floor, her eyes closed as she spoke. Her voice, the memory of it came alive around him.

"A vast ocean beating down on black sand. On the edge of a grand kingdom, tall mountains and white gates intricately carved. The further you get from the gates the more you feel the perfect breeze, not too cold or too strong just enough to give you goosebumps while you walk and listen to the song of the sea."

He looked around at the black sands, the ocean, the mountains before his eyes fell upon the gates of his realm. He was home. And yet his thoughts filled only with regret. She never got to see it. Not this beach, not my castle, not fiddlers green. He turned his eyes back to the sea, taking a few steps towards it. She never got to dream. Guilt and shame filled him. What he'd said to Alex Burgess had been for himself more than he realized. 

Kneeling down he took hold of the black sand, raising slowly to his feet he stood closing his eyes tightly. He saw her. His hope. Saw her smile and her bright joyful eyes. He heard her. His hope. Heard the sound of her laughter and the gentle melody of the song she had always hummed. She was here, in his mind, standing in front of him with that sweet smile on her face. 

"We're going to get out of here. You, me and Jessamy. Together. I promise."

"To promises kept," he whispered to the figment of her in front of him as he let the sand fall between his fingers. "And promises broken."

Lucienne gave him an odd look when he turned back and walked with her to the gate, but his librarian didn't ask the question on the tip of her tongue. Staring up at the gates he felt relief wash over him, only a small measure but more so than he'd had in far too long. The smooth surface came alive under his palm, shifting, opening to him.

"Forgive me, sir, but…" He turned to her, the relief dissolving at the sight of her fallen face. "The realm… The palace. They are not as you left them.

As the gates opened, as he looked out upon the vast expanse beyond he almost fell to his knees. His realm… His creation lay in lifeless ruin. Everything as far as his eyes could see was gone, withered away into nothing. No, he thought. This cannot be. "What happened here? Who did this?"

"My lord," she said from behind him. "You are the dreaming. The dreaming is you. With you… Gone… As long as you were the realm began to decay and crumble."

"And the residents? The palace staff?"

She sighed. "I'm afraid most have… Gone."

Hurt filled his lungs. "Gone?"

"Some went looking for you," she said, an attempt to soothe him at least a little.

"And the others?"

"They thought that perhaps you'd grown weary of your duties and…"

"And what? Abandon them?" He asked brokenly. "Had they so little faith in me? Do my subjects not know me?"

"If I may, sir, it would not be the first time one of the Endless had just-"

"Enough. I will not have dreams and nightmares preying on the waking world. I will bring them all back. I made this world once Lucienne, I will make it again." I will not fail anyone else again.

He turned into the dead kingdom and started walking. One way or another, Dream would restore his realm and save the waking world with it.

***

He wasn't strong enough. Not without his tools. As he sat upon the steps of his ruined palace with Lucienne at his side he felt lost. His fingers traced the pattern of the mark through his sleeve, something he hadn’t realized he’s started doing until Lucienne spoke, “My lord, if I may inquire...”

“Ask, Lucienne,” he numbly instructed. “I know you’ve been wanting to.”

She sighed, stepping closer to him. “Something about you feels different... Something that it seems is causing you much pain.”

Without a word in response he lifted his sleeve, revealing the mark to her. She gasped, looking down at him with shock. Before she could ask the obvious question he answered, “It happened while I was in the captivity of the Burgess’.”

“How? There has never been an Endless with a soul brand before. It should not be possible.”

“I thought it a trick at first,” he admitted. “Thought that somehow the Burgess had learned of such sacred things and thought to use it as a way to force my compliance.” Dream held back his tears. “But it was real. She was real.”

Lucienne had picked up on the sorrowful tone of his voice. “What happened to her?”

“What happens to all mortals eventually,” he stated, pushing his pain back down. “I suppose I can at least find comfort in knowing she has passed to the Sunless Lands.”

“I’m sorry, sir.” She whispered.

With a faint, pained smile he said, “You would have liked her Lucienne.”

His librarian smiled back for a moment before shifting the focus back to their current worry. “Perhaps, just this once, you could call upon the aid of your siblings? The other Endless.”

He sighed at the suggestion. “My siblings have realms of their own to attend to. And we do not interfere in one another's affairs.”

“Yes, but given the circumstance...” She stopped. “If, perhaps, you told them what happened to you...”

“I am quite sure they know what happened to me.” Dreams voice sounded far more pained than he’d meant it to. “And not one of them came to my aid.”

She bowed her head and let silence fill the decrepit remains of his throne room. How could he rebuild his realm if he could not retrieve his tools? His power. One ugly and unpleasant thought entered his mind. Lucienne was not going to like it. She hadn’t, but relented to his plan. The Fates, he'd decided, was the only way and even that path was paved in pain.

The closer he got to the familiar houses of Cain and Abel the worse he felt. It was no small object he'd have to take back, but an old creation and a beloved friend. Dream felt the weight of his duty clawing at his chest, but as king of this realm he had no time to let it slow him. No time to mourn what he'd already lost or what he'd yet to lose. He simply had to keep going, even if he didn’t want to.

In the sky he could see the magnificent creature as it hopped onto the rooftop and not so gracefully leapt to the ground. "Cain! Abel," he called out just as they'd rushed to meet him and Lucienne.

"Lord Morpheus!" Cain said, removing his glasses.

Abel smiled. "You've come back!"

"At last!"

"I told you he'd return," Abel mumbled to his brother.

"Oh I never doubted it," Cain replied. "Come in my lord, and you, Lucienne! To the house of mystery."

"Or the house of secrets," Abel added. "I have tea!"

Cain glared at his brother. "I have tea! And biscuits!"

He'd missed them and their constant bickering, though he'd never outwardly show it, but after this he doubted he'd get to see them. Not for a long while anyway. Lucienne stepped forward. "Gentleman, I'm afraid this is not a social call."

"What's happened?"

"Is something wrong?" Abel asked.

"What is it?" Cain continued.

With a heavy heart he spoke, "For the sake of the dreaming, I must take back a gift I gave you long ago."

It had gone exactly as he expected, Abel ever understanding and Cain cold and angry. Dream watched Gregory toss the ball in the air and gently kick it between his feet. She would have loved him. He thought before he could help himself. And once he started he couldn't stop, his walls having long crumbled when it came to her. She would have loved all of them, every dream and nightmare.

He picked up the small ball and walked toward the creature, holding back the emotions he felt gnaw at him. Gregory stood to meet him, his ears pulling back as he purred softly. "I need your help."

With a noble bow of his head the king had his answer. Cain, however, was not ready to let him go. “Gregory, stop. No.”

He stood in between them, facing Morpheus with a determined but sorrow filled gaze, a gaze so unlike him. Abel joined his side as he said, “Take me instead. Or Abel.”

“Yeah, take me, Lord Morpheus, please.” Abel’s desperate tone only drove the blade of duty deeper within Dreams heart.

“I cannot.” He said, though he wished he could. “I can only reabsorb that which I have created, and Gregory began as a nightmare.”

“Ye... Yes, but one of us now,” Cain said brokenly as his eyes filled with tears. “It’s not fair.”

Fair, he thought solemnly. None of this is fair. “No... It’s not.”

The brothers turned to Gregory, Cain only for a moment before walking off to the side to hide his hurt. Morpheus stepped back, allowing them time to say goodbye. Her voice echoed in his head again and his hands curled into fists at the sound, “Goodbye, Sandman.”

He watched Abel say goodbye with a long kiss to the Gargoyles beak. For a moment he felt the warmth of her lips through that damn glass. His fists clenched tighter as he fought to keep himself composed. Gregory approached Cain with a gentle nudge to his shoulder, coaxing the gentle touch out of him before his anger returned and he crossed Morpheus’ path with a hurt and angry declaration. “It isn’t fair.”

And once he was ready Gregory turned to Morpheus without fear. He knelt before the mighty gargoyle. "You have served this kingdom with great honor. You will be missed."

Holding out his hand he let the essence of Gregory shift back into sand and return to him. He felt the last fleeting feelings of his creation and the bittersweet surge of power that revitalized him. Once the last of the sand was gone he watched the red plants blossom beneath his feet for a moment before standing and beckoning Lucienne to follow.

Dream wasted no time, finding the misty star-covered waters that he now stood gazing out at. On the edge of the pier, listening to the soft water and the creaking of the wood beneath him. Lucienne asked, worriedly, “Do you think you’re quite ready for this, Your Majesty? It has been quite some time since you last navigated these waters.”

His arms crossed in front of him he looked out at the vast cosmic darkness. “Do you think I have forgotten how?”

“No. But...” Her words died on her tongue with a sigh.

He turned to look at her. “I cannot ask The Fates for help without giving them something in return. There is nothing left to give from The Dreaming. I have to gather my offerings from the dreams of others.

“I understand,” she said clasping her hands together and squeezing them trying to ease her worry. “It’s just that, in your absence, these waters have become darker, treacherous, unsafe.”

He knelt down, holding what remained of Gregory in his palm. "These waters are as much a part of me as I am them. Gregory's sacrifice will not be in vain."

The reflection below him began as his own as he let the sand fall into its depths. Reaching towards it the reflection remained him, a darker vision, the king of the nightmare realms, but just before he touched the water it shifted, the face staring back at him was suddenly hers. The figure in the water pulled him in without warning and he fought against the raging current of nightmares. The vast underwater expanse roiled against him, but he fought commanding it until at last it bent to his will again. He collected his gifts for the Fates with haste.

The crossroads to meet them at.

The hanged man.

The gallows.

The serpent.

The egg, he’d not expected to find, but took it in hopes it would ease the pain he’d caused to Cain and Abel. An apology and a hope, one of the last he could offer.

"I, Lord Morpheus, Dream of the Endless summon the Fates." Thunder and lightning filled the sky as a figure appeared in the mist. "The three-who-are-one." Closer. "The one-who-is-three. The Hecate." There.

There they stood in front of him, watching silently for a moment no doubt trying to gauge how desperate he was. The Maiden that spoke first. "Morpheus, it's been a while."

The Mother, "You look thin, love. Have you been eating? Are you hungry?"

The Crone, "He is but not for food! Look at him! He wants something."

He smirked, bowing slightly. "You've found me out. I do want something. I need your help."

"Help?" The Crone asked with a scoff. "Oh, listen to him. Like you helped us against Circe?"

"Circe is old business sister self," the Mother reminded.

"And he did bring nice stuff," the Maiden added.

The Crone held out her hand, and the snake within his coat leapt for her arm. The Mother admired the serpent. "You may ask us three questions." Her mouth opened and the serpent slithered inside. As its tail curled around their jaw and disappeared behind the mouth of the Maiden she continued, "And get one answer from each of us."

"Ask wisely," The Crone warned.

"Thank you ladies." He said earnestly. "My first question. I had a leather pouch filled with sand. Where is it?"

Before him a vision unfurled. He stood in the rain among a crowd of people, umbrellas knocking into one another. "It was sold in London. Last purchased by a magic user called Johanna Constantine."

The umbrella in front of him lifted, revealing the familiar face of the woman who shared much of her ancestors' face. “Constantine…" He said, voice trailing off. He almost missed the flash of the bright blue umbrella as it opened among the crowd. Almost missed the faint, nearly unintelligible voice that called after this Constantine. "Johanna!" A wave of familiarity hit him, but why. Why did it sound so familiar? The blue umbrella started to lift just as the vision faded.

The Maiden looked at him with a knowing glint in her eyes. Before he could even speak she softly reminded, "One question. One answer."

He shoved the question he’d wanted to ask out of his mind. His tools were all that mattered. "My second question."

The Mother appeared. "Go on, dear."

"My helm, what happened to it?"

The second vision showed him a room, a demon circle with his helm in the center. "It was traded away to a demon for the amulet of protection." 

The vision warped, a second image unfolding behind the first. A home, cluttered and warm. A figure hummed around the corner, the shadow of her swaying softly to the tune. He knew that tune, didn’t he? Before he could even think to look further the vision faded. The Mother shared the look the Maiden had and reminded once again, "One question. One answer, love."

He'd forgotten how infuriating this was. The Crone now stood before him with an expecting glare. He ground his teeth together. "Last question. My ruby, who holds it now?"

The final vision filled his eyes, simple and clear. A mother knelt beside her child, twirling the ruby above him. "Your gem was passed from a mother to a son."

Just as before it began to twist, pulling him into another, the least clear of them all. Light blinded him, warmth, laughter. He could make out the shape of a blurry figure as it held out its hand out toward him, beckoning him. Then just as the others it was gone. "What was that?" He finally asked.

The Crone smiled, her teeth razor sharp as their faces merged into one and thunder and lightning filled the sky again. "You have asked your questions!"

It was the Crone that said, "The pull is strong."

"Stronger than any before it." The Mother added. "How curious."

The Maiden smiled. "One must wonder whether he will lean or push."

Their laughter echoed in the darkness and just as they came they and their gifts were gone. Their odd words rolled in his mind all the way back to the docks. He'd dealt with the Fates many times before and they'd never left unpaid for prophecy. If that's even what it was. Still it stuck with him, playing over in his mind until Lucienne's voice called him from his thoughts. "May I ask where you're off to, sire?"

"London."

"Did you not just spend the last hundred years there?" He sent her a look. "Sorry. Why London?"

"The sand was sold there." He took a step towards her. "Once I have it back I will seek out my helm. In hell."

"Oh dear," she sighed. "Then will you grant me one favor before you go? Take a raven with you."

Flashes of Jessamy, broken and bloody being cradled in the shaking hands of the girl filled his mind. "I'm sorry." He steeled his expression. "No. No more ravens."

"If not for you, then for me. A raven can go back and forth between realms. Keep me informed–"

"I do not need a minder." He whispered. "I am Dream of the Endless."

She tilted her head at him. "Yes, and Dream of the Endless always has a raven."

"Jessamy was the last." He turned from her, twisting his hands and ordering the waters to part. "If this Constantine is anything like her ancestor she will serve me well enough. She is only human."

"As was Roderick Burgess."

He ignored the sting of her words and continued forward into the dark. I will not fail.

***

Thunder and lightning shook the glass window I leaned against. The back of the couch provided little comfort, but the view of the night sky even filled with clouds and lighting and rain was one I could never pass up. Staring out at the downpour I fiddled with the vial around my neck, the glint of the black and white feathers catching my eye occasionally. 

"Pen," The frantic voice called from the office. "Penelope!"

I rolled my eyes at her impatience and hopped to my feet, dodging the piles of stuff, to help her. "Yes, sweet Johanna?"

She rolled her eyes and tossed a random shoe at me. "Where's my umbrella?"

"You’ve lost it already?" I asked. "We just got in!"

"Pen, I'm late, please!"

I grabbed my blue one from the rack, giving it a light shake. "Take mine."

She kissed my cheek, snatching the umbrella from my hand and blowing past me in the familiar whirlwind that was Johanna Constantine. "You're an angel Barlow!"

"Yeah yeah, get out of here!"

She threw on her white trench coat and smiled at me. "Would you be willing to pop out for a bit and pick up some food? I'll be late and most likely starving."

"I'll get something," I promised.

"That stuff from that one place-" 

"Johanna go!" I hollered with a laugh. The door shut behind her as I tidied up the living space a bit, humming as I went.

Tag list:

@cosmos-bunny

@missnightingale1971

@superwholockbooknerd526

@briefpostpolice

@sleepyhollowheadstealer

@22carolina08

@just-annie-things

@asexualaromosafezone

@sirrandyfiddlesticks

@bingewatchingmylifegoby

@fate-huntress

@sdawn03

@wearebabygroot

@fruityfucker

@layla2-49

@rathbuncaitlynn

@woistmeineis

@true-queen-of-mischief

@thereeallink

@asianfrustration13

@octo-octopie

@grippleback-galaxy

@odessa1012

@hedone26

@ry-rybear

@amirahroronoa

@meg-the-second-greatest

@thegirlwiththeumbrellatattoo

@unavoidabledirewolf

@urbanbts

@butterfliesfield

@bandananna

@larissinh

@luula

@gorgeourrific-nerd

@saturn-barnes

@champagnelovers101

@lunamadhatter99

@anime-freak1298

@loubells-stuff

@lokigirlszendaya

@leighanne03

@ladychibi

@iluvvdillfsz

@0chemicalwaste0

@getinthetardissammy-sh

@munsonmunster

@yaw-nnie

@zebrabaker

@thecrazytealady

@justaproudslytherpuff

@literal-cat

@omancthad

@awesomefandomsunited

@lol0000000010

@rafaellaneryy

@seekerbear90

@kittycatcait219

#the sandman series #sandman morpheus #dream the endless #sandman netflix #the sandman x you #morpheus imagine #the sandman fanfic #dream of the endless x reader #dream of the endless #dream of the endless imagine #dream x reader #dream x you #king of dreams #lord of dreams

[mariaofdoranelle]

Look at Us Now — Ch. 2

Fic masterlist

Thank you for all the love on the first chapter!! I hope you like this update <33

Warnings: language, parents fighting, Fenrys

Rowan heard the chorus of Fenrys’ students before he even got to the place.

“Thank you… Moonbeam!”

He stopped for a second and then hurried up, curious to know what was going on in that class.

When Rowan graduated as an engineer, it didn’t even cross his mind that he’d end up working as a drill instructor for the Air Force. And liking it.

It started organically. His subordinates were trained well enough, but something was off with their coordination while marching, or sometimes they thought it was okay to show up with a stubble. Rowan was doing this job even before being offered the position, or so Colonel Darrow pointed out a few years ago.

It wasn’t what he’d planned for himself, but it worked out perfectly. Rowan was reaching the age of settling down. His cousin Sellene was currently facing a difficult pregnancy, and the thought of being deployed and leaving someone at home like that didn’t sit well with him. Instructing new recruits gave him the stability he wanted without having to leave the Air Force. It wasn’t perfect, but it was exactly what Rowan needed.

His current issue wasn’t the newbies, though. It was the instructor.

“Thank you… Moonbeam!”

“Thank you… Moonbeam!”

Fenrys was sat on a chair, grinning like Hellas himself while all of his students were shouting “Thank you… Moonbeam!” while doing push-ups.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Rowan whisper-yelled so only Fenrys could hear.

His friend turned to him smiling, unfazed. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m training my little munchkins.”

Unbelievable.

Fenrys was fucking unbelievable.

“So you’re telling me that you borrowed my drive last minute for your class,” Rowan snarled, “Only to get here and teach my class instead?”

“But it’s the military! Exercising is everyone’s class.” He did a double-take on Rowan’s dissatisfied face and continued, “I went through hell as a newbie, it’s really fun to do the same to them. It’s a psychology thing, you should look it up online.”

“You’re supposed to be teaching them gun safety.” Rowan took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. “Starting tomorrow, if I hear a word that you taught them something that doesn’t involve guns, and safety—“

“Okay, okay.” Fenrys waved him off. “There’s no need to snitch me to Salvaterre. Let me fix this.”

Before Rowan could stop him and say he didn’t have time left to start his actual class, Fenrys turned to the 40 new recruits who were still chanting Thank you, Moonbeam and shouted, “Okay, instead of my name, you’ll say Whitethorn. Now!”

“Thank you… Whitethorn!”

Rowan stared at them speechless. Whenever he thought Fenrys couldn’t be more unserious, his friend outdid himself.

“Thank you… Whitethorn!”

“Thank you… Whitethorn!”

”That’s not what I asked you to do at all, Lieutenant.” Rowan added, a hint of resignation in his voice. Sometimes giving up was the smart thing when it came to Fenrys.

“You deserve it. By the way, did I tell you…” he trailed. “Fuck, I lost count. How many push-ups do you think they’ve done already?”

“One more reason you should stick to your job. You suck at doing mine.”

Fenrys chuckled. “You little shit.” Then turned to the recruits again. “Galathynius!” Fenrys shouted. “I want push-ups, jumping jacks and crunches. I want twen-“ He sneaked a glance at Rowan. “Thirty of each! You’re counting for me this time.”

“Yes, sir!”

Rowan’s whole body froze.

He knew that voice. Rowan had long, wet daydreams and nighttime fantasies about that same voice saying Yes, sir to him again, but in a completely different tone and situation. He never thought he’d see her again.

His heartbeat was going a mile a minute when he slowly turned around, and there she was. Fierce blue eyes already trained on him. Rowan forced himself to look back at Fenrys.

“Did you say Galathynius?”

“Oh, that’s what I was going to tell you!” His friend’s eyes sparkled like they did every time he had good gossip. “She’s the class’ nepo baby. Brigadier Galathynius’ niece.”

Oh, that’s great.

Fucking a student was completely against his moral code as an instructor, but Rowan wouldn’t blame himself since it happened before he knew anything. That student’s uncle happened to be the man with highest rank working inside this Air Force base, but if nothing happened in the six weeks following Aviator’s Ball, it wouldn’t happen now.

These weren’t Rowan’s biggest issue.

His biggest issue was wanting to do it again. Which was completely off-limits.

“Rowie, you listening?”

He wasn’t, and Fenrys knew that.

“Sure. Go on.”

“So I’m trying not to be too hard on her because I really want her to put in a good word for me—“

Rowan’s eyes bulged. “I cannot believe you’re giving her special treatment because of her connections to the brigadier—“

“What?” Fenrys barked a laugh. “No! I’m not giving her special treatment because of her great-uncle.” He tilted his head. “He kinda gives a daddy vibe, though… but I’m doing it because her boyfriend’s playing hard to get.”

Rowan could swear his heart stopped for a beat. “Her what?”

Fenrys let out a heavy sigh. “Her boyfriend, Dorian. Hottest man on earth. We matched on Tinder a few months ago. I just explained you the whole thing.”

Months ago. Plural. Which means they were already dating when Rowan slept with her.

Did Aelin use him to cheat on her boyfriend that night? Rowan had vivid memories of her saying she wasn’t married.

He sensed the building ache of his fingernails digging into his palms, hands clutching into a fist.

She didn’t exactly lie, but he felt as if she did.

Rowan should forget about Aelin and her boyfriend. They weren’t his problem.

“So he’s cheating on her?” Rowan asked.

Fenrys shrugged. “He told me they’re in an open relationship, but I don’t really care. If I’m nice, she’ll like me. If she likes me, she won’t mind me fucking her boyfriend.”

“I don’t think that’s how relationships work, Fenrys.”

Relationship. The word felt heavier than Rowan predicted before he said it.

“You have very little faith in what a pretty face and dazzling personality like mine can do, Rowie.”

Forcing himself to not slump his posture in front of the new recruits, Rowan just closed his eyes and lowered his head, rubbing one temple. He felt tired. He didn’t want to argue with Fenrys now about something as meaningless as this.

“Just give me the flash drive, Fen.”

He turned to the newbies again. “Galathynius! I need the flash drive on the desk near the door.”

Great.

If Rowan didn’t play his cards right, he’d have ten weeks of hell ahead of him. A lifetime, depending on which part of the Air Force Aelin was going to after her basic training.

Analyzing her stance now, she seemed a lot sharper the day they met. Recruit training did that to people, though, and the first few weeks always felt particularly ruthless.

Rowan had an extended hand, ready to get this over with, when she shook it.

She shook his hand instead of giving him the flash drive.

Rowan dropped her hand as if it’d burned him.

“Ten on the floor.”

Aelin blinked. “What?”

“Ten push-ups on the floor, Galathynius! Now!” Rowan shouted.

He was right on track, considering this is the same treatment he usually gave to the other recruits. She was supposed to salute him, not make physical contact. These were the rules, and tough was part of the job. Rowan wasn’t teaching children, he didn’t need to be soft.

Aelin didn’t think so, from what he saw as she rose up from the floor. Her fierce eyes were burning into him, eyebrows scrunched.

Rowan would be lying if he said it didn’t send a thrill through his spine.

He didn’t acknowledge it, though. Just grabbed his flash drive and left.

He had been dreaming about another man’s girlfriend. For six weeks. It didn’t sit well with him. Staying the hell away from Aelin Galathynius. That’s what he needed to do. 

Rowan flexed his hand, still feeling her touch against it.

Today’s reaction was just the shock of seeing her again, ignoring Aelin would be easy. If he kept it together, he could finish these ten weeks and walk out like this never happened.

~~

“Look, Dada, I ate all the broccoli.”

Rowan kissed the crown of his daughter's head, trying to give her attention while low-key freaking out. "Well done, Mai."

He had completely forgotten to buy Maisie's strawberry yoghurt. Should he go to the store with her and destroy today’s sleeping routine? Ask to borrow some from Aelin's and destroy his pride? Or maybe not get the yoghurt at all and destroy his sanity tomorrow morning, when she inevitably throws a tantrum.

The latter wasn't an option, though. Mais already had a hard time before going to school, she deserved that strawberry yoghurt.

"Daddy, the ice cream?" she asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"What do you mean?"

Maisie sighed, as if she was explaining something obvious. "I was a good girl and ate all the vegetables. Now you give me ice cream."

Aelin.

This new rule had Aelin Galathynius written all over it.

Rowan took a deep breath. “Mais…” he trailed, trying to think of a good way to explain this to her. “I can’t give you ice cream every time you eat your vegetables. It’s not good for your body.”

"Daddy."

"What?"

"That's not showing love."

Rowan pinched his lips together, somewhere between frustrated and amused. Getting cranky on a sugar withdrawal and arguing with him. Her mother’s daughter through and through.

"I don't even have ice cream here, Mais."

"We can walk to Mommy's. She always has ice cream.”

He knew it.

Maisie crossed her arms. "I'm going to count to three. One... two... Don't let me get to three, or...”

"Or...?" Rowan raised an eyebrow.

Maisie's little green eyes drifted around as she thought of an answer, then she shouted, "Or I'll call you!"

It was like time had stopped, his chest feeling tighter each millisecond.

I’ll call you.

He and Aelin argued about their calls every week, but he was so careful about not letting their daughter listen to their fights. How in hell did she pick up on that?

"Honey, I'm home!" A familiar voice sing-sang from the living room, making Maisie leave the kitchen running.

Rowan relaxed for a minute, sighing. This wouldn't solve any of his issues, but it was enough to distract his daughter from the ice cream issue.

He could hear Maisie squealing before he got to the living room. Fenrys was checking the mail Rowan left on a side table while Dorian gave Mais his trademark bear hug.

“You need to change your address at work,” Rowan quietly complained as they watched Dorian pretend to wrestle Maisie and roar like a bear while she shrieked with laughter.

It took Rowan a long time to adjust to Dorian being around, but as Aelin always says, every kid needs a cool, rich uncle with no kids. He was good with Maisie, so Rowan sucked it up until he got used to it.

“You know I won’t,” Fenrys finally answered.

Rowan looked at his friend dead in the eye. “You’ll come here to get your mail for the rest of your life?”

“You’re so dramatic, Rowie.”

“You moved out years ago.”

“And you love my visits,” Fenrys cheered. “So does your little munchkin.”

Well, Rowan had begrudgingly accepted that Fenrys wouldn’t change his address at work before he retired. But Maisie? She loved those two idiots. Probably because they had the same level of maturity as her.

An idea struck Rowan, so he quickly gripped Fenrys’ arm and leaned closer.

“Do you think you can watch Maisie for a minute?” Rowan quietly asked. “I just need to get her yoghurt—“

“Babe, we’re babysitting tonight!” He screamed to Dorian, then crouched on Maisie’s direction. “Munchkin, why don’t you show me your new toys?”

Rowan had no expectations of those two making Maisie follow through her nighttime routine, but this would do. He quickly thanked Fenrys and Dorian, then left to the store closest to the Air Force housing complex he lived in.

Since Maisie was relatively well-assisted, he decided to wander through the aisles and get a thing or another that was also running out.

Rowan could swear he saw a very familiar blur of golden hair, but it was gone before he knew it.

He was thinking about getting some new foods and seeing if Maisie accepted them. He’d recently found a pediatric dietitian online that gave great advice—

Right there, examining every bottle of wine available.

He frowned. Why was Aelin buying wine on a Thursday? Did she have plans for the weekend? That couldn’t be, this was her turn to spend the weekend with Maisie.

Rowan was ready to go talk to her and talk about today’s ice cream issue, but he saw her peeking at him from the corner of her eye and focusing back on the wine.

Oh. That’s how it’s going to be, then.

Well, Rowan didn’t care. She didn’t want to talk to him? Fine. He was busy anyway. They would talk tomorrow after pick up.

He went to the cereal aisle. He got Maisie’s favorite, but what if he tried giving her a more nutritious one?

He started reading the nutrition facts. Picks one up, too much sodium, puts it down. Picks another one, too little vitamins and minerals, puts it down as well.

“Tough choice, huh?”

“Sure.”

This one seemed nice. It also helped that there were some cartoon animals on the box, so—

Rowan felt a hand gently stroking his arm, which made him jerk it away and snap his gaze to the person next to him. A woman. Pale blond hair, pale blue eyes.

“Do you need help to choose?” She asked.

Rowan relaxed. She probably worked here, even though she wasn’t wearing the staff uniform. Maybe something happened with it? He tried to remember himself that some work environments were a lot more forgiving than the military.

“I’m trying to choose a cereal.”

“I always pick that one,” she said before pointing at a box near them.

Organic, vegan and gluten-free. There was no ice cream in the world that could make Maisie eat that.

Rowan grimaced. “I’m not sure my daughter would like this one. I’m actually between these.” He showed her the two boxes and its nutrition facts.

“You have a kid. Cute.” She sneaked her hand on his arm again. What was wrong with the staff today? “Let me show you something…”

Then the inappropriate employee showed him an app that scanned the bar code and rated the food from zero to one hundred.

Rowan’s eyes widened.

This was fucking genius.

He thanked the woman and started scanning everything.

She stayed close for a while, then went away once she was sure Rowan was well-assisted by the app.

Right now, Rowan was no better than Maisie when she got a new toy. How had he never read about this app?

He scanned some to decide, and others just to be judgmental and prove his point. He knew those colorful little things were worse than sugar cubes. He should tell Lorcan know about this app—

“Where’s Maisie?”

Aelin snapped him out of his thoughts, squinting at him with crossed arms.

Oh, she wanted to talk to him now?

“At home. With Dorian and Fenrys.”

She looked unimpressed. “Well, I didn’t know you liked to leave your child to flirt with other women.”

“Are you kidding me?” His mouth opened, then closed again. “I was talking to an employee.”

Aelin’s eyebrows rose up. “You want me to believe that? She clearly doesn’t work here!”

Rowan frowned. Was Aelin telling the truth? The arm thing was weird, maybe she was trying to flirt. Over cereal?

“You know what? I’ll tell you if you tell me what’s all this wine for.” He pointed to her small cart.

“I do not need to tell you what I’m doing during my days off!”

She only wanted him to question what she was doing on her days with Maisie? Sure, he’d do exactly that. “Fine. Then at least tell me why does Maisie think she will get ice cream every time she eats vegetables.”

“Because she’s a kid! She’ll try anything to make you do what she wants.”

Rowan crossed his arms. “You’re telling me you have nothing to do with that?”

Her mouth fell open. “That’s exactly why I don’t want to talk to you between pick-ups. I need a fucking break.”

Rowan let out an incredulous laugh. “A break from your daughter?”

“No, a break from you.”

Rowan pinched the bridge of his nose. Of course. How could he ever forget that Aelin needed space because he was the cause of all her issues?

“Could you please…” he breathed deep. “Just please, give her less ice cream?”

She inched closer. “Could you please, just please, not question the way I take care of my child every fucking day?”

“I don’t—“

“Yes, you do! She’s four-year-old girl who threw a tantrum because she wants ice cream. It’s not rocket science.”

Rowan looked away for a second, trying to calm down and talking in a gentle tone this time. “Okay, but maybe she wouldn’t do such a big tantrum if she had healthier dessert.”

Aelin frowned. “Healthy dessert?”

“Yeah, like grapes, watermelon—“

“FRUIT? You’re giving Maisie fruit and telling her it’s dessert!?”

“Fruit is dessert.”

“When it’s on top of a pie, Rowan.” Aelin’s eyes bulged like he’d just told her the most absurd thing.

Rowan bit his lip, trying not to laugh at her observation. They had talked about this many times already, and he still didn’t know if he found her stubbornness on this subject more comical or frustrating. Probably the latter, at least depending on the day.

He glanced at his phone. Fuck, it was so late. Time really flies with that food-ranking app.

“I have to go now, but I’ll call you—“

Aelin shook her head. “Personal space. Boundaries. We just talked about that.”

Rowan pinched his lips together, then remembered Maisie’s words from earlier. I’ll call you.

“Tomorrow after pick up, then?”

“Sure.” Aelin nodded and went away.

He did a mental note to see if someone could watch Maisie tomorrow evening. They’d probably end up having a huge fight about needing to have fewer fights. It’d be a shitshow.

*

The real shitshow was getting Maisie to go to bed, though. At least that was how Rowan felt when he was finally ringing Aelin for her goodnight call with Mais. He didn’t know what felt heavier, his limbs or his eyelids.

After grocery shopping, Rowan arrived home to the loudest state his home has ever been. Maisie’s squeals sounded louder than the TV. There was half-eaten chocolate in the couch. Fenrys was holding Maisie by one arm and one leg, spinning her sideways by the sound of *You Spin Me Round* while Dorian filmed everything.

Right before bedtime.

Rowan immediately felt his stomach fold into a tight knot inside.

This was every parent’s nightmare.

The rest of the evening went on exactly the way Rowan predicted the moment he stepped his foot into the house.

Maisie didn’t want Fenrys and Dorian to go. She cried when Rowan told her it was time to wind down and stop playing. Her uncles told him they didn’t bring the chocolate, but Maisie refused to tell him where she got it from.

By the time Rowan almost literally wrangled his daughter into bed, he was afraid he’d sleep in her tiny bed during story time before she did. It happened before.

He was now outside Maisie’s bedroom, giving her privacy with her mom. Aelin would complain about his calls the whole week, but Rowan was a dead man if he didn’t call her to say good night to her daughter.

“Daddy?” Maisie had her hand outstretched when he peeked into the room. “Mommy wants to talk to you.”

Rowan forced himself not to sigh, squared his shoulders and grabbed that phone. An officer going into battle.

He felt too drained to have another fight.

“Just so you know, I don’t give her ice cream every day.” Aelin’s voice sounded a little too quiet, or maybe it sounded like this to him because she wasn’t screaming.

He relaxed. ”Okay. Good.”

“I don’t keep track of how many times I give her ice cream, but it’s probably a lot less than you think.”

“That’s good to know. Thanks.” Rowan meant it. Not knowing or not being able to control some things left him more uneasy than he’d like to admit. Aelin probably knew that.

The silence stretched a little, and he tried to figure out if there was something else he needed to warn Aelin about.

“Good. Rowan, I need to—“

“I found some illicit chocolate today,” Rowan interrupted. “I think Maisie found your new stash.”

Aelin sighed. “That kid is outsmarting me.”

“She is.” He snorted.

“Rowan.”

“What?”

“I need to go.”

“Sure. See you at the pickup.”

“‘Kay, bye.” She hung up when the silence stretched for too long.

Rowan put his phone down and managed to lay on Maisie’s tiny bed. She hugged him, but only settled after squirming a little.

“I miss Mommy.”

“You’ll see her tomorrow.” It was a common thing, Maisie missing one parent while staying with the other. The trick was to acknowledge his daughter’s feelings, but not prompting her further enough to start a meltdown.

“She gives better cuddles.”

Curious, he chuckled and asked, “Is that so?” He’d never not be amused at his daughter’s bluntness.

Maisie nodded. “Mommy’s all squishy and comfortable.” Then she poked his abs so hard he grimaced.

He wasn’t focusing on Maisie’s sudden show of strength, though. He was currently fighting the wave of nostalgia flooding him after his daughter’s comment. Rowan used to know Aelin’s body like a kid knows their favorite toy, and he wouldn’t call it squishy. It must’ve changed after the pregnancy. He wouldn’t know.

He forced himself to focus back on Maisie, who was still frowning with her head laying on his chest. 

“You can’t comment on your mom’s body like this, Mais.”

Her frown deepened. “But she comments on mine!”

Rowan held on a sigh. She was a very argumentative little girl, this one. Much like her mother. The ‘but she’s your parent’ explanation was never well-received, so he had to try another tactic. 

“But she’s a doctor. She can comment on people’s bodies, it’s her job.”

“I don’t like it when she says I have baby cheeks. I’m not a baby.”

Rowan snorted. “So you’re reading on your own like a big girl tonight?”

Her eyes went wide. “Daddy, you’re mean! I can’t read.”

He chuckled and kissed that light blonde hair. “What am I reading to you, then?”

“No reading!” She exclaimed, “I want a story from your head.”

Rowan hummed and scratched the back of his neck, stalling. God, he was terrible at this.

“There was a family of birds—“

“Doggies.”

“Okay, doggies. There was a family of doggies. There was the Mama Doggie, the Dadda Doggie and Doggie.”

“Doggie needs a name, Daddy.”

“Okay, the dog’s name is—“

“Fleetfoot. Now tell me the rest of the story.”

And Rowan would do, if Maisie hadn’t slept halfway through it.

Which left him time to think about his day. And Aelin. And how they needed to talk about what Maisie said today during dinner. Rowan already knew what he had to do, though. He needed to distance himself from Aelin. Boundaries, like she always says. Forget about the fact that this had already been his goal for a good part of the last five years.

TAG LIST

@aelinchocolatelover

@autumnbabylon

@bookcide

@cookiemonsterwholovesbooks

@courtofjurdan

@dreamer-133

@elentiyawhitethorn

@elizarikaallen

@fangirlprincess09

@goddess-aelin

@leiawritesstories

@rowanaelinn

@superspiritfestival

@swankii-art-teacher

@s-uppertime

@thegreyj

@wishfulimaginings

#rowaelin #throne of glass fanfic #throne of glass #aelin x rowan #aelin galathynius #rowan whitethorn #rowan and aelin #look at us now #enemies to lovers

[lovelyleclercs]

Chapter Two- You Can't Hide This Forever

Arthur Leclerc x Sofia Sine

-> Sofia doesn't want to tell Arthur the truth, especially after he gets emotional over a movie scene.

word count: 1581

warnings: Mentions of cancer + I wrote this at like 3am and didn't read through it so I'm sorry if its complete chaos lol

A/N: This is a small little baby chapter that wasn't apart of the original storyline, however I wanted to write something about Charlotte finding out that Sofia is sick.

Sofia had seven days to figure out how she was going to bring up her diagnosis to her sister Charlotte. Seven whole days to figure out what the proper way to tell her would be. Seven days of bracing herself for the emotions that might overtake her the moment she says the three words she dreaded the most for the first time. Yet all she could do was hand her the paperwork from her doctor’s visit. 

Charlotte took the paperwork from Sofia’s hands and glanced through the first couple of pages before landing on the fourth page where the word cancer caught her eye. She paused for a moment, reading the sentence over and over again. After nearly five minutes of silence, she finally put the paperwork down on the counter and looked up at you. “How are you feeling about this?” 

Charlotte’s words hit Sofia like a truck. As she picked at the skin around her finger nail, she looked at the window and sighed. “Devastated, confused, scared, stressed, sick… I don’t know” she said quietly as she felt tears well in her eyes. “I’ve been sitting alone in this apartment for the past seven days trying to understand how this could happen to me. How I have done everything possible in my lifetime to be as healthy as possible and yet here I am, twenty years old getting diagnosed with cancer…”

Charlotte sighed and sat down beside Sofia, not really knowing how to respond to her comments. “Life just sucks sometimes, sissy. It’s the way it goes…”

Sofia nodded and wiped her tears away. “Dr. M wants me to start treatment immediately so my first appointment is tomorrow.”

Charlotte sighed and looked at Sofia with sorrow written all over her face. “I fly out to Italy early tomorrow morning with Charles for a sponsorship event, but maybe Arthur could go with you?” 

Sofia smiled sadly and shook her head. “No, I’ll be fine. I’d rather go alone.”

Charlotte looked at Sofia and sighed, knowing all too well that the real reason she didn’t want Arthur to tag along is because she didn’t want to tell Arthur her diagnosis. “You can’t hide this from him forever, Sof. He deserves to know, he is your best friend…” 

“I understand that, Char but if I tell him he is going to want to quit racing to be by my side 24/7 and I can’t have him do that. Not when he finally got to F2, not when he promised Herve he would race in F1 someday, not when my diagnosis is so similar to Herve’s…”

Just as she was about to continue her sentence, she noticed Charles was standing behind her. She had no idea that he had somehow managed to sneak in without notice, but she knew that he had heard everything she just said. 

“You have cancer?” he asked quietly, almost in disbelief that someone he loved was going through this all over again. Charles had already lost two important people at a young age, he couldn’t bear the idea of losing a third. 

Sofia nodded slightly, unable to make eye contact with him anymore. “I found out last week” 

Charles sat down in the empty chair next to Charlotte and put his hand on her thigh, knowing that this was probably hard on her too. “When does your treatment start?”

“Tomorrow”

“Arthur can take you, he wanted to come visit you tomorrow anyways”

“No. I don’t want arthur to know i’m sick”

“Sof, you two never keep anything from each other… if he finds out that you’re hiding this from him, he’s going to be devastated…”

Sofia stared out the window. Everything that both Charles and Charlotte had said were true. Arthur was your best friend, he would in fact be devastated if he found out you were hiding this from him and yes indeed he deserved to know. The whole conversation was making your head spin. That familiar dizziness came back as your mind continued to repeat Charlotte’s words.

You can’t hide this from him forever, Sof.

He’ll be devastated if he finds out you kept this from him.

He deserves to know the truth.

He’s your best friend. 

When Sofia felt two familiar arms wrap around her, she practically burst into tears. It was Arthur, she could tell without even opening her eyes. She knew his hugs like the back of her hand. Arthur looked at both Charlotte and Charles, extremely confused as to why Sofia was sobbing in his arms. The two of them shrugged at Arthur, knowing that it wasn’t their place to tell him what was going on. “Sof? Are you ok?” 

Sofia wrapped her arms around him tightly and buried her face into the crook of his neck. She had no idea how badly she needed his comfort all week until this moment. He was the only person who could comfort her during her worst moments, and the only person who could make her laugh until she cried in her best moments. She knew that she needed to tell him- that going through this healing journey would be impossible without him- but was telling him going to be the right decision? 

Arthur’s voice very quickly snapped Sofia out of her thoughts. “Come on, Sof. Let’s get you upstairs and into bed, ok? I’ll order us a pizza and we can watch a movie and eat some pizza like we used to do back in our karting days.”

Sofia nodded, knowing that spending some time with Arthur was much needed. Arthur grabbed her hand and walked with her up the stairs, opening the door to her room, allowing her to go in first like he always did. When Sofia stepped into her room, she very quickly realized how messy it was. Tissues everywhere, clothes thrown around, and a few plates and cups from the few meals she had eaten throughout the week were scattered around her room. It was very unusual of her to have such a messy room as she was usually a neat freak, but this past week had proved to be too exhausting for her to even care. 

Without any hesitation, Arthur began picking up her room while she changed. He knew where everything went as she had watched her clean her room several times. When Sofia had finished getting changed, she came out of her bathroom and found her bedroom to be completely spotless with no signs of Arthur anywhere. Sofia couldn’t help but smile a little, relieved that she got to go to sleep in a clean room for the first time in eight days. She climbed into bed, tucking herself in under the covers while she waited for Arthur. 

Nearly thirty minutes had passed and part of her wondered if he was even coming back. However only a few more minutes had passed before Arthur walked into her bedroom with a pizza box, two plates and napkins, as well as two coca-colas. Sofia sat up a little and smiled at him. “Thank you for cleaning up in here, you really didn’t have to do that. You also didn’t have to buy pizza, so thanks for doing that too.”

Arthur smiled and sat down beside you, pulling the covers over himself before opening the pizza box. “You’ve clearly had a rough week, it was the least I could do for you. How many slices do you want?”

“Just one, please. I’m not that hungry right now” 

Arthur nodded and placed a piece onto both of your plates before setting the box on the nightstand. Sofia handed Arthur the remote, indicating to him that she wanted him to choose the movie. Sofia watched as he scrolled through several movies before finally landing on one. 

A Walk to Remember. 

Sofia leaned back, knowing very well that this movie used to be one of her absolute favorites, however right now, it was probably the one movie on their list that she didn’t want to watch. Sofia had made it through the first part of the movie just fine, eventually she had cuddled up to Arthur like she typically did during a movie. Arthur wrapped his arm around her, not taking his eyes off the screen once. 

The scene where Jamie tells Landon that she was sick had started and Sofia felt like it was a punch to the stomach. Soon enough, she was going to have to do what Jamie did and tell the one person that mattered most to her in this world that she was sick. She heard Arthur sniffle, making her look up at him. There were tears in his eyes. Arthur had never cried at this movie before, he always would make fun of Sofia for balling her eyes out, so when she noticed his tears, she grew confused. “Art? Are you ok?”

“I’m sorry it’s just… I can’t imagine if you ever… got sick like that you know?”

“Art I-”

“I know I know. The chances of you getting cancer are very slim and you’re ok, you’ll be fine. It's just.. What if? You know?” 

Without saying another word, Sofia just nodded and rested her head back onto his chest. Every part of her wanted to tell Arthur that she was sick, that she did have cancer and she was scared. Seeing Arthur’s reaction to even just the idea of her being sick absolutely broke her. There was no way she could tell him now, right? 

Chapter Three

Tag List: @hammick @Cl16msc47 @majkaftorek @04asheley16 @itsrogersstuff

#arthur leclerc #arthur leclerc fanfic #arthur leclerc x reader #arthur leclerc imagine #f1 imagine #f2 imagine #f3 imagine #arthur leclerc fluff

[bangtaninborderland]

JHS: Twisted Feelings

Summary: After working at an award show for 2 years everything had become normal, idols were no longer exciting to see, performances became dull and every day blended together, that was until an unexpected man asked for your help.

Genre: idolljhope x fem!reader, angst, fluff, strangers to lovers, ongoing series

Warning: none for this chapter!

A/N: l i in no way own bts and this is purely a story of fiction! Please as always share your thoughts and leave a like if you enjoy! Thank you for reading my work and I hope you all have a beautiful day! I will take stabled and request/questions for this couple! If you’d like to be tagged as new chapters come out please let me know!

Ch.01 < Series Masterlist > Ch.03

It had been a week since your first encounter with Hoseok and Namjoon, Na-Rae had asked a thousand questions and by now everyone in the office had heard about it, people you had never interacted with had even began to ask you what it was like to be in the same room with you and as always you gave the standard answer of “It was fine just like with any other idols.”

You couldn’t have been more excited for today to have come, it was Thursday, the one day you got to have off work, or so you thought until your work phone rang. Usually you’d ignore it but seeing as it was your managers name flashing up on the screen it wasn’t something you wanted to make a fuss out of.

You let out a breathe of air before answering. “Hello?”

“Ah finally I was afraid you’d be sleeping all day.” Your manager scoffs, you can practically hear her rolling her eyes.

“It’s my day off today, is there something I can help with?” You try your best to sound friendly but this week had already been stressful enough.

“I had a call from a manager in the hybe building asking if you’d mind coming in for a meeting. I told them it was your day off but they insisted that it was a meeting you should attend.” She hummed the other end of the phone.

It was rare for a translator to be called in to a company, you’d be lying if you said you wasn’t curious. “What time?”

Ji-sung laughed. “I thought you’d respond with that, be here by 12. I’ll let them know you agreed.”

You said your goodbyes and hung up the phone, you had wanted to say no but as always your curiosity won. You threw the scrunched up sheets off your body before heading towards the shower.

You wasn’t sure what the meeting was about or who it was with but either way you didn’t want to seem unprofessional.

It didn’t take you long to finish getting ready and leave, thankfully the building you worked at wasn’t too far and you enjoyed the walk.

Na-Rae and Ji-sung were waiting in the reception for you.

“You took so long.”

You shot a glare at Na-Rae who silently laughed at her own comment. You would get her back for it later.

“This way.” You follow your manager into the same room you had gone into the day you had your first interview for the job here.

Although Ji-sung wasn’t the youngest she was definitely well for her age, her fast pace nearly put you to shame, you had never been one for physical activity.

You watched as she reached for the handle to the door and you knew this would be your last chance to ask. “Sajangnim, do you know exactly what this is about? I didn’t want to be rude and decline but it is my day off.”

“I believe it’s about the people you met last week, come to my office whenever you’re done.” You bow to her as she leaves, you push the door open only to be met with a familiar smiling face.

“Thank you for meeting with us today.” The unfamiliar man greeted you, his hand pointing towards an empty chair.

You greet him quickly before taking a seat. “It’s my pleasure.”

“You’re probably guessing why I asked to meet with you.” You turn your head towards him and he gives you a soft smile.

“Yes I am.” You agreed.

You watch as the man you guess to be another manager slides a document towards you. “The last time I was here we talked about how I wanted to learn English, I’d like you to teach me.”

“You’d what?” Your widened your eyes shocked at the sudden proposal, you was sure if you had a mouthful of water you would have done a spit take.

“I think you’d be great.” He says again, his voice quieter this time.

You look over the document, it was a full job offer, employee benefits, shift times, pay rates, everything. “Hoseok-ssi I already have a job.”

You watch as the smile on his face fades a little, his eyes flick towards the other man. “We spoke to your manager, she said your contract would be up within the year.”

You nod towards him. “Yes that’s true but I was planning to renew it or maybe take some time to write, I really don’t think I’d be any good at teaching.” You explain, surely this wasn’t really happening.

“Well don’t decide right now, take the contract home, read it, think about it and call the number on the contact sheet when you decide.” Hoseok looks at you as he speaks, his eyes fixed on yours. You didn’t get any easily but it was impossible to deny that he was good looking.

You thought for a moment, they was right about your contract ending soon and as much as you wanted to write you knew you wouldn’t have the money to do it. Teaching Hoseok would be double the pay you get now, you’d be stupid to completely decline without at least considering it and talking to your parents.

“I’ll think about it, is there a deadline I need to have an answer for?” Your question is directed towards the other man but for some reason your eyes find themselves stuck on Hoseok.

“I’ll give you a week to decide, that should be enough time for you to have all your necessary discussions. The number on the contact list is mine, I’m Kim Jaesang.” He points to the paperwork in your hand and you nod at him.

Before you could respond the older man’s phone begins to vibrate, he looks at you both before excusing himself leaving you and Hoseok in the room alone.

“Are you ready for the awards on Saturday?” He asks, his gaze settling onto your hands.

You nod at him. “My part is all finished, I could ask you the same thing.”

He laughs lightly as he begins to respond. “It always feels different retuning to the stage after a break but in a way it’s like a home away from home, I can’t wait to see Army.”

“That’s your fans name right?” You ask, wanting to at least seem interested, the truth being you wasn’t.

You watch as the small smile turns into a wide grin across his face “More like family.”

“That’s sweet. It’s great to see that you care for them, most idols aren’t as sincere.” You explain, although it seemed like a harsh comment it was true.

“Me and the others we always try to be as honest as we can be. We can’t share everything but we try to not hide things either. Army supports us so it’s only right we do the same.”

You could see the passion in his eyes and in all honesty it made you respect him more, to be at the top and still care for the people who got you there is a honourable thing. You would need twenty hands to count how many times you had heard idols bashing their fans.

“Hoseok-ssi I was wondering why you chose me for this, I mean I have no teaching qualifications?” You ask, your eyes fixed on the document.

He lets out a breath. “I think you’re kind and you didn’t make me feel like an idol, only like a person.”

“You are a person.” You laugh.

“I am but most of the time people don’t see me as Hoseok they see me as Jhope a member of BTS. You was more focused on getting your job right then impressing me and Namjoon and that doesn’t happen often either.” You watch as he spins the ring on his finger.

You didn’t know if it was nerves or a habit but It wouldn’t be the first time an idol got married and hid it.

“I can understand that somewhat, I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to be seen as an image rather than a human but me working is different, that doesn’t mean I’ll be good at teaching you English and I wouldn’t want to be responsible for teaching you badly.” You sigh.

“I don’t think you’ll teach me badly and if it doesn’t work out you won’t be forced to stay, the contract is flexible so you’ll have time to write if you wanted too. We already have a translator but there’s 7 of us and she can’t be with each of us at a time so maybe you could do that too, we could all have a meeting if you’d like?” You didn’t want to laugh but the way he rushed the words out was cute.

“I need a little time to think about it but I will definitely consider it.” You finish your sentence just as the door open and Jaesung walks back in.

“Everything okay in here?” He asks closing the door behind him.

“Yes it’s great, I have to go and talk to my manager but it’s been great meeting you and thank you for this opportunity, I’ll let you know by next week.” You quickly say your goodbyes before leaving Hoseok and Jaesung in the room.

The day had already seemed long and you could practically hear your bed calling your name. You headed towards your managers office successfully making it half way before Na-Rae managed to stop you.

“What happened in there?” She asked rocking back on her heels.

You rolled your eyes at her pulling her aside away from the other staff. “They offered me a job to teach one of the members English.”

“THEY WHAT?” You winced as Na-rae screamed.

“Shush!!” You whisper in a hushed voice pushing your hand over her mouth.

“I’m sorry, I just… wow.. that’s amazing” you heard her mumble, thankful she had quietened.

“It could be but I didn’t accept I told them I’d think about it.” You explained flashing the contract at her.

She hit your arm and you jumped back. “Hey! What was that for?”

“You have the greatest opportunity and you told them you’d think about it? Did you trip and loose brain cells today?” She asks, her eyes wide.

“No but I have more than just me to consider, I have to talk to eomma and appa about it. I can’t just accept a job that comes with both travel and a move.” You reason with her.

She stands still for a moment before sighing. “You’re right but this would give you time to write, I’m guessing you’d get more money there too.”

“Money isn’t everything.” You remind her and she rolls her eyes.

“Money isn’t everything oh I’m so special.” She dramatically copies you and giggle.

She leans forward, her eyes trying to read the contract. “So what member was it?”

You pull it closer to you and slap her hand away. “I’m going to find Ji-sung before she pulls her hair out waiting.”

“Yeah she’s scary enough as she is, I think I’d have nightmares if she was bald too.” You don’t know wether to laugh or take her words seriously but either way you don’t pay them too much attention.

You give her a quick hug before continuing your journey “I’ll call you later.”

“You better!” She shouts back as the elevator doors close.

You wasn’t a fan of elevators, you had gotten stuck in one as a kid but for once you was happy to be inside of one away from everyone and everything. Even just for a few seconds.

You took a deep breath just as the doors opened, the top floor only had offices for the most important people at the company, your manager included. You knocked on her door and waited to be called in.

“So what happened.” She asked, pressing her hands together on top of her desk.

You bored to her before taking a seat. “They offered me a job but I’m guessing you knew that because they knew my contract would end in a few months.”

She nods at you. “It’s because your contract is nearly over that I’m going to say this to you, you work hard, you’re smart and your degree and experience is far higher than this place requires, you settled for this job. You can and should do more, I made sure they would pay you more than we can here.”

“But why?” You ask, confused.

“Because I’m going to be leaving next year too, you do the jobs of everyone in your section, along with your own. You’re great at your job but you’re wasting your time here.” She looks at you, her face more serious now then ever.

“Thank you Sajangnim. I don’t know what to do.” You tell her.

“Im not telling you this as your manager but I think you should take it but do it for yourself. If you decide you want to take it there’s another translator who handed in their application a few days ago, they can take over your role. Take tomorrow off and have a think” She explains, settling one of your worries.

“I’m going to have a think about it but thank you for recommending me for the job.” You turn to leave before you hear her clear her through.

“Oh I didn’t recommend you y/n, Hoseok called in here asking for you.” You turned to see her smiling, nodding towards the door.

You didn’t say anything further before leaving, it wasn’t until you was outside that you felt like you could breathe again, had you really been that nervous?

The words of everyone swirled around your mind and for once you had no idea what to do, so you called the one person you knew would be there no matter what.

The phone rings twice before the call connect.

“Eomma I have a situation, I’m coming home.”

#rm bts #bts yoongi #bts smut #bts seokjin #bts fanfic #bts jhope #jhope angst #jhope smut #jhope x y/n #jungkook x reader #jk x reader #jungkook smut #jhope x reader #hobi #hobi x y/n #hobi x reader #hobi x oc #bts hoseok #jung hoseok #jung hoseok x you #hoseok smut #bts yandere #bts angst #bts x reader #hoseok x reader #jimin x reader #jimin smut #jhope #jimin angst #jhope drabble