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nameless-ken · 3 months

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Silent Confessions, Loud Masks - Billy Hargrove x Reader Series

I'm so excited about my brand new series! Not going to lie this first chapter was difficult for me to write. I have a serious battle with the dreaded delete button!

Anyways, hope you all enjoy this first chapter. It truly means a lot to me how excited you have been for this series <3 Comment below to be added to the taglist.

(Please reblog!!!)

Happy reading!

Word Count: 4.3K

Warnings: mostly angst with some slight rude remarks/bullying

Introduction to the series here!

Masterlist

(had this song in my head while writing this chapter)

In the tumultuous whirlwind of your teenage existence, embarking on your final year of high school, you've recently become aware of a singular truth: put full trust into the future that stretches far beyond the grasp of your present moment. Amidst the unexpected certainties that await, there's one you never anticipated – Billy Hargrove.

Billy reigns as the new king of Hawkins High, his “coronation” following the departure of Steve "The Hair" Harrington. He embodies the archetype of a manic attention-seeker, parading through the halls with a rotating carousel of girls, each week presenting a fresh face to the crowded hallways. It's a spectacle that leaves you utterly perplexed, unable to fathom the allure that draws countless girls into his orbit, only to be summarily discarded days later.

Thankfully, you've managed to maintain a safe distance from Billy and his band of lunatics, skillfully navigating the school corridors to avoid any unwanted encounters. While you share a few classes with his entourage, you've strategically positioned yourself in the front row, creating a buffer zone that shields you from their antics.

However, fate has a penchant for upheaval, as evidenced by your first detention – a consequence of arriving late to homeroom on three separate occasions. As you begrudgingly endure the mind-numbing 30-minute sentence after school, Robin, your loquacious best friend, offers her trademark blend of sympathy and sarcasm.

“They seriously gave you a detention for that? Couldn’t you pull the ‘I’m a straight A student who has never gotten in trouble before, please help dear little me this one time’ on them?”

“Sadly no. I definitely tried to get out of it but they’ve been cracking down on a bunch of seniors for a couple weeks now.”

“I'll wait up for you after band practice.” Robin slams her locker shut.

“Thanks. See you later.” You turn to go down the opposite hallway than her.

“Have fun troublemaker.” Robin pokes fun at your new “status” and you give her the finger back jokingly before you both wave and disappear down your own paths.

With a sigh, you resign yourself to the monotony of detention, selecting a seat near the window to alleviate the stifling atmosphere of confinement. The rules plastered on the board, NO FOOD. NO TALKING. STAY IN YOUR SEAT, serve as a constant reminder of the school’s misguided attempts at discipline.

You roll your eyes at the obnoxious nature of this situation. Why do schools think detention is ever going to work? You are put in a room for a certain amount of time with other delinquents. If anything you’re setting up a scenario for more trouble to happen.

You pull out the current book you're reading, ignoring all the rest of the students who walk in.

“Alright, welcome to detention. I have quite a lot of work to finish so I will be checking in periodically. When it’s your time to leave per your detention slip, come see me in my classroom and I’ll sign you out. Please respect the rules.” Mr. Thomson, the junior science teacher turned detention overseer, delivers a perfunctory address before retreating to his sanctuary, leaving the delinquent assembly to their own devices.

Amidst the murmurs of discontent, Billy's name resonates like a discordant note, signaling the unwelcome intrusion of Hawkins High's reigning sovereign.

“Are we gonna flake out again Billy?” It didn’t even cross your mind about the possibility of being stuck in the same room as him.

“Can’t. I’ve skipped so many that they want to try and expel me.”

“That'd be hardcore to see.”

“Not to my dad it wouldn’t. Besides, it's not that bad. We have quite the sight sitting up there in the left corner today.”

As Billy and his cohorts encroach upon your solitude, you bury your nose in your book in a feeble attempt to shield yourself from their presence.

“Let’s have some fun.” You turn another page as footsteps echo towards you, stopping in front of your occupance. “I don’t believe we’ve ever met.”

You don’t give him the time of day in reality but in your head, you’re fighting with the embarrassment and attention he’s solely giving you right now. Billy's charisma knows no bounds, his toothy grin and smug demeanor penetrate your defenses with effortless ease.

“I’m Billy but you may already know that. What’s your name, little mouse?” Billy rests his hands face down on your desk, leaning in so his face is parallel with yours.

“Such a quiet thing.” Ignoring his advances proves to be an exercise in futility as Billy's persistent pestering chips away at your resolve, culminating in a daring theft of your cherished book. Yet, you refuse to grant him the satisfaction of a response, maintaining a stoic facade despite the numerous emotions raging beneath the surface.

“It’s always the quiet ones you have to look out for.” His friend to the right chimes in.

“There’s some ways I can think of to change that.” You look up, narrow eyes meeting Billy’s. He sends you a wink with his usual smirk resting on his face.

“Not going to say anything?” You can feel your heart racing, hating the way he’s making you feel, more annoying that he’s causing any kind of reaction from you.

The sudden arrival of Mr. Thomson offers a reprieve from Billy's relentless pursuit.

“Y/N, you’re free to go.” He grants you an opportunity to escape the confines of Billy's gaze. As you hastily gather your belongings and make your exit, Billy's parting words linger in the air as he whispers close to your ear, “See you around little mouse.”

Feeling like you could breathe again, you're greeted by a note from Robin stuck to your locker.

I got called into work :( Call me later - Robin

You groan inwardly, the frustration of detention compounded by the looming task of finding a new ride home. Billy and his entourage have succeeded in tainting what was already shaping up to be a less-than-ideal day. You trudge outside, seeking solace in the cool breeze that sweeps through the schoolyard.

The pleasant Indiana weather offers a small comfort, prompting you to forgo the immediate need for a ride and opt instead for a beautiful stroll to clear your mind. As you walk, you reach into your bag and retrieve your trusty cassette player, the familiar weight of it grounding you in the midst of chaos running through your mind. You mentally curse Billy for crowding every corner of your mind.

With a deft motion, you slipbthe cassette into the player, the soft click of the mechanism soothing in its familiarity. The strains of your favorite mix fill the air, providing a welcome distraction from the events of the day.

Lost in the music, you barely notice the passing cars, each one a blur against the backdrop of your thoughts. That is, until a certain familiar shade of blue catches your eye, the sudden halt of the vehicle drawing your attention like a magnet.

You turn, locking eyes with Billy as he idles beside you, his presence an unwelcome intrusion on your solitary walk. His voice cuts through the quiet, laced with an air of amusement that irritates your nerves.

“Didn’t think we’d meet again this soon little mouse.” he remarks, his smirk evident even from the confines of his car.

You pause your tape, the rhythmic pulse of the music abruptly silenced as you face him, a mix of irritation and annoyance evident in your expression.

"What do you want, Billy?" you questione, the weariness of the day showing in your voice.

He chuckles, the sound grating on your nerves as he leanes casually against the driver's side door, his gaze fixed on you with an unsettling intensity.

"She speaks!" he exclaims, his laughter ringing out in the quiet of the street. "Need a ride somewhere?"

You bristle at the suggestion, your resolve hardening as you met his gaze with a steely glare.

"Not from you," you retort, tone firm and uncompromising.

“Oh come on, I won’t bite. Unless you want me to.” You rolle your eyes at his innuendo, a flush rising in your cheeks as you resist the urge to give in to his persistent advances.

"I don’t need your help, Billy.”

He relents, his expression shifting to one of mock innocence as he reaches over to open the passenger door, a silent invitation hanging in the air between you.

"Come on, little mouse," he urges, his tone surprisingly gentle. "Just this one time."

You hesitate, torn between pride and practicality, before ultimately capitulating to the inevitable. You step into the car, the door closing with a soft click behind you as you buckle yourself in.

"No speeding," you warn, your voice firm as Billy complies with a laugh, the car pulling away from the curb at a reasonable pace.

As you settle into the seat, a strange sense of calm washes over you, the tension of the day slowly dissipating in the confines of the car. Despite your reservations, there was an undeniable comfort in Billy's presence, a realization that both puzzles and unnerves you in equal measure.

“So are you going to tell me where you live or am I bringing you back to my house?”

“I live near Curly. By that trailer park.”

“Thought you lived more in the pristine area of the Wheelers and Harringtons.”

“Well you thought wrong.”

As Billy maneuveres through the streets, you couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort mixed with a strange intrigue. You steal glances at him, his confident demeanor and reckless charm contrasting sharply with your own cautious nature.

"Why'd you get detention anyway?" Billy's question broke the silence, his eyes briefly leaving the road to meet yours.

"Too many tardies to homeroom," you reply, keeping your answers short.

"That's it? Seems a bit harsh," he remarks, his tone genuinely curious.

You shrug, not wanting to delve into the details of your run-in with authority.

As the familiar landmarks of Hawkins pass by in a blur, you couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead, the uncertainty of the future looming large on the horizon. You couldn’t help but think if this would be the last time Billy would go out of his way to acknowledge you.

Navigating the familiar streets of Hawkins alongside Billy, you're acutely aware of the palpable tension that simmers between you, a potent cocktail of unease but also lingering with intrigue. Though you strive to maintain a facade of indifference, the magnetic pull of Billy's presence proves undeniable, stirring emotions you've long sought to suppress.

You’re thankful the remainder of the drive passes by in a relative quiet, punctuated only by the loud rock n roll blasting from the radio. When you finally reach your destination, you find yourself hesitating before getting out of the car.

"Thanks for the ride," you say, surprising yourself with the sincerity in your voice.

Billy grins, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Anytime, little mouse."

With that, you step out onto the sidewalk, watching as Billy drives off into the distance. As you make your way towards your house, you couldn't shake the feeling that this chance encounter with Billy Hargrove was just the beginning of something you couldn't quite put your finger on.

Little did you know, the lines between your world and the world of Hawkins' resident bad boy were about to blur in ways you never imagined possible.

The following day, you find yourself once again navigating the familiar halls of Hawkins High, the events of the previous day still fresh in your mind. As you settle into your seat in English class, you can’t seem to shake the lingering sense of unease that accompanies your newfound proximity to Billy Hargrove.

It’s the most infuriating feeling and you hate yourself for allowing him to overtake your waking thoughts all throughout your night and morning.

The classroom buzzes with the usual chatter of students, the mundane rhythm of academic life marching on despite the turmoil brewing beneath the surface. As the bell rang, signaling the start of class, Ms. Paterson enters the room with her characteristic air of authority, a stack of papers in hand.

"Good morning, class," she greets as she makes her way to the front of the room. "Today, we'll be embarking on a new project that will count towards a significant portion of your grade for this year."

A collective groan echoes through the room at the mention of yet another assignment, but Ms. Paterson pays it no mind.

"As part of this project, you'll be working in pairs to research and present on a book report of your choosing," she announces, her gaze sweeping over the room as she distributed the assignment sheets. "I'll be assigning partners randomly, so I expect everyone to work together cooperatively."

Everyone exchanges a wary glance around the classroom, the prospect of being paired with someone like Billy Hargrove looming ominously in the air. As Ms, Paterson began calling out pairs, you held your breath, bracing yourself for the inevitable.

"Y/N, you'll be paired with... Billy Hargrove.”

You felt a sinking sensation in the pit of your stomach as Billy's name reverberated through the classroom, the weight of his presence suddenly suffocating in its proximity. You glance in his direction, meeting his gaze with a mixture of apprehension and resignation.

Billy, for his part, seemingly unfazed by the news, his trademark smirk firmly in place as he turned to face you with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

As the final bell rang, signaling the end of class, you found yourself hesitating by your desk, unsure of how to broach the subject of the upcoming project with your enigmatic partner.

Billy saunters over to your desk with his characteristic swagger, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

"Well, looks like we're partners, little mouse" he remarks, his tone laced with amusement as he leans against the edge of your desk.

You fight to suppress the urge to roll your eyes at his cavalier attitude, instead meeting his gaze with a steely determination of your own.

"Yeah, looks like it," you reply as you gather your belongings.

Billy's smirk widens at your response, his gaze lingers on you with a mixture of curiosity and something else you couldn't quite decipher.

"So, partner," he begins falling into step beside you as you both maneuver out of the classroom. "Where do you wanna meet up?"

You pause, considering your options carefully before responding. The thought of inviting Billy into your home sent a shiver of apprehension down your spine, but meeting up at his place didn't seem much better.

"How about we meet at the library?" you suggest, the words tumbling out before you could second-guess yourself. "It's neutral ground, and we'll have access to all the resources we need."

Billy raises an eyebrow at your suggestion, his smirk morphing into a grin of approval.

"Works for me," he nonchalantly responds. His tone surprises you at how agreeable it is and non combative about trying to get you into his bedroom.

"4 pm. Don’t be late. I will not be waiting on you." You demand.

“See you then, little mouse.” He winks, walking in the opposite direction. You groan internally at the use of that nickname he’s decided to give you. This is going to be a long year.

As you and Robin sat on the bleachers in the gym during lunchtime, the rhythmic thud of basketballs hitting the court filled the air, punctuated by the occasional cheer from the squad as they practice their routines. Your eyes involuntarily flicker towards the court, where Billy’s shirtless form glistens with sweat under the fluorescent lights of the gym, his green gym shorts leaving little to the imagination as he moves with fluid grace among his teammates.

Robin's incredulous tone breaks through your reverie, snapping you back to reality.

"Wait, you got paired up with Billy for a project?" Robin exclaims, her disbelief palpable as she tore her gaze away from the court to focus on you.

You couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction, the absurdity of the situation not lost on either of you.

"Yeah, tell me about it," you respond, taking a bite of your sandwich as you try to mask the unease that churns in your stomach. "I have no idea how I'm going to survive working with him for the rest of the year."

Caught in a moment of distraction, your eyes lock with Billy's across the expanse of the gym. Time comes to a stand still leaving only the two of you in a silent battle of uncertainty. For a fleeting moment, you found yourself captivated by the intensity of his gaze, the depths of his eyes holding a tantalizing promise of something unknown. It was a gaze that spoke volumes, conveying a myriad of emotions that stirs something deep and unexpected within you.

As if sensing the weight of your scrutiny, Billy's lips quirk into a knowing smirk, his eyes dancing with mischief as he holds your gaze with unwavering confidence. Before you could fully process the significance of the moment, the spell breaks as Billy turns his attention back to the game, seamlessly blending into the rhythm of the practice session as if the moment didn’t just happen.

You tear your gaze away, a flush of embarrassment coloring your cheeks as you focus once more on your conversation with Robin. But despite your best efforts to dismiss the encounter, the feeling of Billy's piercing gaze lingers in the back of your mind, a silent reminder of the unexpected allure of the boy who has unwittingly become a sudden constant in your life now.

Robin offers words of encouragement, her unwavering support a welcome balm to your frazzled nerves.

"Don't worry, Y/N," her voice a beacon of optimism in the darkness. "You're strong enough to handle anything that comes your way. Besides, who knows? Maybe working with Billy will be...interesting."

You couldn't suppress a snort of disbelief at her suggestion, the image of Billy's smug smirk and cocky attitude flashing through your mind.

"Yeah, interesting is one word for it," you remark dryly, a wry smile tugging at the corners of your lips. "Let's just hope I survive long enough to at least be there for graduation."

The town library stands as a quiet sanctuary amidst the bustling small town streets of Hawkins, its walls lined with rows upon rows of books that hold the promise of knowledge and adventure. As you step through the entrance, the familiar scent of old paper and ink washes over you, wrapping you in a comforting embrace as you sought out a secluded corner to await Billy's arrival.

Minutes tick by, each second stretching into an annoying eternity as you scan the quiet aisles for any sign of your partner. Just as you begin to resign yourself to the possibility of being stood up, a figure appears in the doorway, his presence commanding attention as he makes his way towards you with purposeful strides.

"Sorry I'm late," Billy greets, his tone apologetic as he approaches, a faint crease of worry marrying his brow. "Had to drop off my step-sister at home."

You nod understandingly, "No worries," offering him a reassuring smile as you gesture towards the table. "Let's get started."

Billy's expression softens at your words, a hint of gratitude shining in his eyes as you don’t try to pry. For a moment, the weight of his troubles seem to lift from his shoulders, replaced by a sense of camaraderie as you delve into the task at hand.

As you and Billy sift through the titles of various books, searching for the perfect one to base your project on, the atmosphere between you remains comfortably casual, the initial awkwardness of your partnership gradually melting away.

"So, any preferences on which book we should choose?" you ask, breaking the silence that has settled over the table.

"Not really," he replies with a casual shrug, his gaze flicking between the book covers with mild interest. "I'm good with whatever you want."

“Do you have a favorite book?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever really finished one before.” Billy admits.

“That’s quite sad to hear. What do you even do for fun?”

“You think this is fun? Holding old pieces of paper about fake people and worlds. Seems like a waste of time to me.”

You raise an eyebrow at Billy's dismissive remark, a hint of amusement tugging at the corners of your lips.

"Well, not everyone finds joy in reading, I suppose," you remark lightly, trying to keep the conversation lighthearted despite the underlying tension between you. "But there's something magical about getting lost in a good book, don't you think?"

Billy shrugs, his expression guarded as he leans back in his chair, his gaze fixes on the bookshelves before him.

"I guess," he replies with a noncommittal shrug, his tone tinged with a hint of defensiveness. "I've just never really seen the appeal, you know?"

You nod in understanding, sensing the reluctance in his voice as he skirts around the topic of his own interests.

"Well, what about movies or music?" you press, eager to draw him out of his shell and uncover the layers of complexity that lie beneath his tough exterior. "Surely there must be something you enjoy doing in your free time."

Billy hesitates for a moment, his features softening slightly as he considers your question.

"I don't know, I guess I like playing basketball," he admits, a faint glimmer of enthusiasm shining in his eyes. "And...uh, sometimes I'll mess around with drawing when I'm bored."

You smile at his admission, a flicker of curiosity igniting within you as you get to witness a glimpse of the person behind the tough facade.

"That's cool," you reply, genuine warmth coloring your voice as you lean in closer, the distance between you suddenly feeling much smaller. "I didn't know you drew. Maybe you could show me some another time?"

"Yeah, maybe," Billy replies, his tone gruff and defensive, a faint edge of defiance creeping back into his voice. "But don't get your hopes up. It’s not that great"

You sense the walls he's built around himself, the layers of protection he's carefully constructed to shield himself from vulnerability. But beneath the tough exterior, you know there’s something raw and real, a flicker of longing that hints at the depth of his hidden desires.

"That's okay," you reassure him with a smile, your voice gentle as you reach out to bridge the gap between you. "We all have to start somewhere, right?"

"Yeah," he murmurs softly, a rare vulnerability creeping into his voice. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

“So, what about you, little mouse? Any other hobbies besides reading old stories?” A spark of enthusiasm ignites within you, quite surprised at his continuing of the conversation.

"Yeah, actually," you begin, a smile spreading across your face as you lean forward, excitement bubbling within you. "I love photography. There's just something about capturing moments and memories with people and things I love that feels so special. I don’t know, I mostly do it for fun."

A mischievous glint sparks in Billy’s eyes as he leans in closer, his voice low and teasing. " I guess I'll have to watch out for those sneaky snapshots next time."

You can't help but roll your eyes at his playful banter, the Billy everyone around Hawkins knows showing back up.

"Please," you retort with a playful scoff, feigning indifference as you brush off his teasing with a wave of your hand. "Like you're worth wasting film on."

Billy chuckles at your response, a grin spreading across his face as he leans back in his chair, his gaze lingering on you with amusement.

"Ouch, that hurts, little mouse," he replies with mock indignation, his tone light and playful despite the underlying tension between you. "But hey, don't worry. I'll make sure to give you my best angle next time."

"Keep dreaming, Hargrove," you retort, a flicker of annoyance flashing in your eyes as you notice Billy building those tough walls back up, leaving you to the same mysteries as the rest of the town.

As the conversation fizzles out, you can't shake the feeling of disappointment lingering in the air. Despite the brief moment of connection, it seems that Billy's walls are too high to breach, leaving you with a sense of frustration at the missed opportunity for genuine connection. You can't help but wonder about the masks he wears so loudly, each one a cacophony of distractions meant to hide the vulnerability beneath. With a resigned sigh, you turn back to the task at hand, burying your disappointment as you focus on finding the perfect book not without stealing another glance at Billy as he picks up one of the books and rifles through the pages.

If these past two days have shown you anything, it’s how little time it takes for a stranger to become a big part of your life. It's unsettling how quickly he's managed to weave himself into the fabric of your daily existence with a persistence that both frustrates and intrigues you. You've always valued your privacy, cherished the solitude of your inner sanctuary, but now, in the wake of Billy's arrival, you find yourself craving his attention in a way you never thought possible.

Perhaps the greatest risk is not in letting someone new in, but in closing yourself off to the possibility of genuine connection. And even with the knowledge of Billy having a tangled labyrinth for a heart, perhaps he’s worth the risk after all.

Taglist: @msbillyhargrove @uselessbutinteresting @milestellergfs @periwinkle-quill @ghostcastaway

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ama0310 · 5 months

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The President's Daughter

Character: Finnick Odair

Requested: No

Type: Angst/Fluff

Summary: Arianna Flemings-Snow, the adopted daughter of Coriolanus Snow, bravely volunteers for the 75th Annual Hunger Games. Yet, her courage comes at the cost of confronting not only the repercussions of re-entering the deadly arena but also the profound challenge of sharing it with the man she passionately loves.

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“Finnick Odair, right?”

Haymitch nods points towards the screen, “ Yes, he won his games at fourteen. Youngest ever. Extremely humble.”

“You’re kidding right?” He looked like the most narcissistic show off known to man. His stance. His waves. His stupid smirk. He looked as if he were happy to be returning.

“Yes I’m kidding. He’s a...” Haymitch dramatically flips his hair” …peacock. A total preener but he’s the Capitol darling. They love him here. Charming , smart, and very skilled at combat—especially in water.”

Peta leans forward glancing at the screen, “What about weaknesses?”

“Well two. First Mags.” A frail looking wrinkly woman pops on the screen. “ She volunteered for Annie. Mags was his mentor and basically raised him. If he’s trying to protect her in any way it exposes him.”

Katniss stares at the screen seeing the women bravely volunteer for the young girl in hysterics, “A guy like that has to know she’s not going to make it. I bet when it really comes down to it, he won’t protect her.

Sadness flashes through Haymitch’s eyes, “Well Katniss, I just hope when she goes…she goes quickly. She’s actually a wonderful lady.”

The silence fills the room before Peta asks, “And his other weakness?”

Haymitch lightly smirks before passing to the next district when a beautiful girl with hair as white as snow comes up. “ District 5. Arianna Flemings. Mostly known as...”

“President Snow’s daughter?” Katniss snaps her head to Haymitch. Eyes widened.

He tilts his head a bit. “Adopted. She won her games at fifteen. Everyone and I mean everyone fell in love with her. She was the purest of the pure. The cutest of the cute. And the most dangerous of the danger. After one of the tributes killed her district partner all hell broke loose and she murdered the last seven remaining tributes within two hours with one. singular. knife.”

Peta shook his head in disbelief, “If he adopted her then that means he has to have some sort of heart. And he’s letting her go back to the games?”

Haymitch holds out his hand signaling for the kid to stop talking, “Well, there were rumors about Snow not really adding Arianna’s name into the reaping; however, when her childhood friend was reaped she immediately volunteered. Flabbergasted everyone.” The video shows Arianna immediately protesting and volunteering the moment her friend’s name dropped. The horror on everyone’s face was telling how much the district loved her.

He cleared his throat and continued, “ I imagined Snow wasn't really happy about that. That’s what he gets for adopting a victor when he’s the leader of these games." He shrugs. "Arianna is very captivating. Even Snow’s heart had to have melt for that young girl. Took her right under his wing. Obviously she was treated like a victor but most importantly she was treated like a Capitol.”

“If his daughter is that important wouldn’t he know that during the games people will be targeting his daughter. Who wouldn’t if his daughter means that much to him.”

That’s when Haymtich shook his head, “ Because my dear little Katniss… A) he calls the shots. If you haven’t realized everything in the games are controlled by him and people that love her. He’ll be hovering over you all the entire time. B) She’s a skilled competitor. Again seven tributes dead in two hours by the hands of a 110 pound fifteen year old, hello people keep up. Since then she’s never eased on her training. Obviously she’s bound to have enemies because of her father so she never stopped. Really good using her resources, excellent with knives, basically insanely dangerous. C) Finnick Odair. Both basically spent the last nine years together. Everyone thinks they’re together, but are keeping it hidden because of her father. I’m sure the President feels a lot better having Finnick with her knowing that he would risk his entire life for her. However don’t think it’ll make it easy to kill them. While you two are faking it. They—“ He points to the screen. “Are real. You hurt her and not only will you have Snow on your asses, but a trident in your chest. You hurt him and you’d have knives shoved up every hole in your body. They’re each other’s weaknesses but also strengths. They are who you want to be allies with. I’m serious Katniss don’t mess this up.”

~~~~~~~

Arianna couldn’t breathe in her dress. It’s not that it’s too tight (which it actually is), but more-so that she’s again back to where she was those many years ago.

“Breathe. Breathe. Breathe” She lightly whispers under her breath while entering to where all the other Victors were. She was wearing a beautiful white gown with red lace at the top. Her red make-up contrasting her snow-white features.

“Isn’t it Snow’s precious girl. Miss Flemings never thought I would have to see you back in the games.” She turns around and sees Gloss from Tribute 1.

“You and me both. Don’t you look as charming as ever.” She smiles graciously wrapping her arms around her friend. “Where’s Cash?”

He smiles and points behind him, “Getting the gang back together. Should we be expecting you to join us?”

Her eyes immediately try to find the one person she truly wanted to ally with. “Gloss I would love to, but I have to check with Finnick. You know wherever he goes I go.”

He nods understanding completely, “And I admire your loyalty. Please try to get him on our side. We really don’t want to have to go against either of you.”

She nods smiling softly at the man, “Speaking of Finnick do you know where he might be. He wasn’t with Mags.”

The guy pointed behind her making her turn, “I guess he’s already trying to get the Girl on Fire on his side…without telling you?”

Arianna lightly hit him, “Glossy I love you, but I hope you weren’t trying to turn me against Finnick. Like you said before I am extremely loyal.”

He chuckles before backing away, “ Didn’t hurt to try. Now go to lover boy, but please remember what I said.”

She watches him go back to the Career pack and lightly waves at them before heading towards the duo.

“Then how do people pay for the pleasure of your company?” If only she knew the truth.

She sees him lean forward, making the Girl on Fire look uncomfortable “With secrets”

Arianna thought it was the perfect time to break the tension especially since she wanted to talk to the golden boy before they had to parade themselves. “Nicky, we went over this so many times, you should never try to get with an engaged woman. Very inappropriate.” She wraps her arm his waist looking up at him. His smirk turned into a genuine smile.

He immediately looked down at the young girl smirking, “Arianna, you know I’d never try to get with anyone else but you.”

She lightly smacks his chest before looking over the girl staring curiously at the duo, “ Arianna Flemings.” She sticks her hand out smiling as Katniss took it. “ My niece absolutely loves you. She always wanted to meet you, my father never really introduced us, but you know how he is. You look absolutely beautiful by the way.”

Katniss couldn’t help but like the girl in front of her. Though the fact that she is someone that Snow cares about keeps nagging at her, the girl alone seems genuine. “I’m Katniss. I saw your games. Very impressive.” Her curt response made Arianna look at Finnick then back at the girl.

“Thank you and your game was also very impressive.” She smiles and then turns her attention to the man next to her. “Nicky, can I talk to you over there please?”

His gaze went to his angel and then to the girl who’s staring at them, “I’ll be there in a second need to wrap up my introduction to the Girl on Fire.”

Arianna rolled her eyes playfully before turning to Katniss, “It was really nice to meet you.”

The two stared as Arianna glides away elegantly. Finnick leans towards the girl with a smile, “She is off limits. You hurt her and I’ll gladly pay back the favor with your fiancé while you watch and die an agonizing death. Got that? ” Before she can answer he backs away going to find his girl.

He finally sees her talking to her district partner and then shoos him away. "Nicky? Did you really had to use that name? "

Her gaze filled with mischief yet care had him wrapped around her finger, "There's Nick, Nickey, Finnley, Finnerson, Fin-"

"Okay we get it, but there's only one name I like hearing you call me." He leans closer.

"Mon amour" She smirks before lightly pushing him back. "That's only reserved when we aren't about to dive head first into our deaths."

His smile drops, " You are not dying. Snow will not allow it and neither will I."

She caresses his face, "Finnick these are how the games are. Though my father cares for me he wants to destroy the girl even more."

He lightly glares at the girl, gripping her waist a bit tighter. " Why did you have to volunteer dammit. Everything was going to be fine, but you just had to volunteer. Why on earth did you even do that?"

She glances around noticing that people are getting on their carriage to start the parade. " I had to, love. But it's okay. I promise you, it will be okay."

The sincerity in her eyes truly made him believe it was all going to be fine even though his heart knew it wasn't.

They finally break eye contact when her partner tells her that the parade is about to start. "Better get on your carriage Snow White looks like Prince Charming needs you."

She kisses him on the cheek, "I'm not into Princes, I prefer fishermen" winking and getting on her carriage.

They both know that no matter what happens in the ring. Capitol be dam. Districts be dam. Both their goal is to protect one another no matter what the cost is.

#president snow #finnick odair #finnick x reader #finnick imagine #the hunger games #capitol #coriolanus snow #finnick odair imagine

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roseghoul26 · 24 days

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Chapter 5: Your Opal Eyes Are All I Wish To See

Arthur Morgan x fem!Reader

Synopsis: A fic based off the song “ivy” by Taylor Swift. After a startling introduction to the man, Arthur Morgan became the most important part of your life. Married at a young age to an older, wealthy man to help your family, you were trapped in a loveless marriage, your only sense of escape with the rugged cowboy. Will you be able to keep your affair hidden, or will your husband find out, and destroy the last thing that made you happy? Tags: Fluff, Angst, Smut, Strangers To Lovers, Infidelity, Fem!Reader, She/Her Pronouns Used For Reader, Period Typical Misogyny, Emotional Manipulative Relationship (not with Arthur), Mostly Follows Timeline of Game, High Honor Arthur Morgan, Not Beta Read, Slow Burn, First Kiss, Tags Updated Per Chapter Author's Note: this is a short chapter sorry! Taglist: @lokiofasgard12 @ultraporcelainpig @that-one-beannnn @morethantheycansay Chapter List

It was comical, the way the cricket chirping filled in the silence as you stared at the older man. Your mouth formed the words but nothing came out, leaving you looking like a fool. You glanced between the two men, Hosea having a sympathetic look on his face. You couldn’t see Arthur, as he was behind you, but you quite honestly didn’t want to see his reaction. A sinking feeling formed in your gut. Did he know the entire time?

“I… what?” You finally found your voice, barely. You had to admit, it did make sense. You knew so little about his work, only knowing that he did distillery work, but made a surprising amount of money from it. It wouldn’t be surprising if he was actually invested in more… illegal means of work.

“If there’s a moonshine shack in the western states, then Mr. Kerrigan is tied to it. Either he owns it, supplies it, or gets a cut from it. No matter where you look, his fingers are all over it.” Hosea spoke, he and Dutch had moved closer to you now, now that they realized you wouldn’t lash out angrily at the information.

“Alright…” you took a breath. “So how does this include me?”

The two gentlemen looked surprised at your willingness, and that predatory smile returned to Dutch’s face. “You see, Arthur told us you might be willin’ to help us… deter your husband from further illegal endeavors… while we get our own cut, of course.”

At the mention of Arthur, you turned to look at him, finding him glaring at Dutch. “I thought I told you I don’t want her involved in this.”

“I know. But we couldn’t pass up an opportunity like this.”

Another sinking feeling formed, this one stronger than he last, and the thought was dizzying. Did he only get close to you to secure a job?

You had to turn away from Arthur, no longer able to look at him. You didn’t think he’d be that cruel, right? Still, you couldn’t help the hurt and anger swirling in your mind.

Silence hung in the air now, and even the crickets seemed to realize the gravity of the situation, halting their songs. “Let’s continue this conversation inside,” you said through the lump in your throat. Climbing up the stairs of the porch, you held the door open, gesturing for the men to come inside. “Go ahead and take a seat in the living room. Just take your shoes off,” you added as they entered.

Arthur stayed put, looking at you with an indistinguishable expression. He murmured your name gently, but you just shook your head. Sighing, Arthur slowly climbed the stairs, halting in front of you in the doorway. When you still didn’t look at him, he continued on inside, glancing back at you with guilt in his eyes.

Dutch and Hosea sat on one of the couches, chatting between each other, and Arthur sat on the one beside them. They stopped their conversation when you walked in, and you shook your head, signaling for them to continue. “I’ll go get some tea,” you murmured, heading to the kitchen, and you heard them resume talking, but you couldn’t make out what they were saying.

You took a shaky breath once you were alone in the kitchen, bracing yourself against the countertop. You felt like you should’ve been more surprised about your husband's true business, but that wasn’t what was causing the negative emotion you weren’t feeling. Those two questions were playing on repeat in your head, and left you analyzing every moment you’d had with Arthur, questioning the authenticity of them.

The clinking of his gun belt moving as we walked brought you back to the present. Straightening up, you grabbed the kettle, filling it with water and setting it on the stove, and began the process of boiling it. You didn’t even look at Arthur, not even when he said your name again.

“I’ll be out in a moment,” you responded, grabbing teacups and saucers. You hated the way your hands were shaking slightly.

Arthur didn’t respond, and you thought he left, until you felt him beside you. He didn’t touch you, but you could feel the proximity of his body. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, and that all but confirmed your thoughts.

“So you knew?” You stepped away from him, grabbing the tea leaves, strainer, and a few sugar cubes in a small bowl. Tears welled in your eyes, his silence speaking for him. You laughed bitterly. “You didn’t think that was important to tell me?”

“I didn’t know it was moonshine.”

“But you knew he was doin’ somethin’ illegal.”

Again, his silence spoke volumes. “I could care less if he was breakin’ the law. I don’t care that he’s sellin’ moonshine, or whatnot. But imagine if someone found out. I mean, y’all were able to. That would wreck my family. Any credibility gone, like that. And then what? I’m married to some old sack of shit with no income who can’t help my family and who doesn’t give a damn about me!” You really tried to keep your voice down, but you still found it rose in volume as the words spewed from you. “Those two years I sacrificed, worth nothing. So I apologize for my anger, but I don’t think any of you realize how ugly this could get.”

You barely felt the tears streaming down your face, panting as you caught your breath. There was still one question that burned in the back of your mind. Finally turning to face him, he stared at you wide eyes. “You know, you’re a damn good actor, Arthur Morgan. I guess I should’ve expected that from an outlaw. For a moment, I really thought you actually cared about me.”

That seemed to get him out of whatever shocked trance he was in. “Whaddya mean?” He asked, genuinely confused. Or at least you thought it was genuine. You couldn't trust your judgment anymore.

“Don’t lie. All this, gettin’ close to me, little touches, nearly kissin’ me. It was all a ruse, wasn’t it? Just to get the money, and once you get it, you’re gonna vanish, leaving me heartbroken and alone and stuck.”

“Darlin’,” he muttered, and you scoffed.

“Don’t. You don’t get to call me that like you… like you mean it.”

“But I do mean it. I know what this looks like, but please… please don’t think that the past weeks have been fake.” Arthur slowly moved toward you, and when you didn’t back up, he continued until he was right in front of you, just like he had been a bit ago.

“Then what should I think, Arthur?” You whispered.

“I can’t tell you that,” Arthur admitted. “But I can tell ya what you should know. You should know that I fought ‘em both on this job. You should know that I’ll make sure that nothin’ happens to you and your family. And you should know that I truly do care ‘bout you, darlin’. More than I can put into words.”

The kettle whistled, but it was all background noise to you. You also noticed the way Dutch and Hosea had ceased their conversation, blatantly eavesdropping on the two of you. You didn’t care. All that mattered was the man in front of you. It was hard to stay upset at him though, when he was looking at you so fondly, so softly.

“You mean it?”

Arthur smiled a bit, relieved. “I do.” You felt him bring his hands up to your face, gently brushing away the tears. “I hate seein’ you cry. And I hate that I was the reason why.” He held you for a few moments, and you felt the tears subside, your cheek only slightly damp.

The kettle’s noise finally registered in your brain, and you gestured to it with your head. “Mind takin’ that off for me?” You croaked out, voice still recovering.

Without another word, Arthur did as you asked, the annoying noise disappearing. You grabbed the teacups with their saucers and set them on a tray, along with the other components needed. You walked past him with the tray in your hands, heading to the living room. You walked with the confidence of someone that wasn’t just crying, and you prayed that your eyes weren’t puffy.

“Go ahead and bring that kettle with you,” you called over your shoulder.

Setting the tray on the coffee table, you took the kettle from Arthur. Pouring out cups for each of the men, you sat once you’d finished, leaving the kettle in reach of the men. Sitting across from them, you observed them preparing their drinks, and Arthur stood around, not quite sure where to sit. Moving over, you patted the cushion next to you with a soft smile.

With an equally soft expression, he sat next to you, and you resisted the urge to burrow yourself in his side. “Mrs. Kerrigan, thank you for inviting us into your home-”

You cut Dutch off with a light laugh. “No need to be so formal. We’re alone, ain’t we?”

“That we are,” Dutch agreed. “Should we get straight to the point, then?” You nodded. “As we said, Mr. Kerrigan runs the moonshine business in this part of the States. As you were made aware, we ain’t exactly upholders of the law, so we ain’t exactly looking to stop him. We only wish to sabotage him a bit. Attack his supplies on the road, destroy a few of his distilleries. That way, he starts looking for guns to hire. And that’s where Arthur and the rest come in. We’ll offer our services, protect his goods, and we’ll get paid.”

“Alright, that sounds like a decent enough plan, but how does this involve me?” You watched Dutch set the drink down on the tray, halfway drunk.

Hosea spoke now. “We have no idea where anything is at. We have no idea where the caravans are, where the shacks are, who he gets his supplies from. Nothing. We need you to get information for us.”

“You’ll probably have better luck doin’ it yourself, to be honest. He tells me nothin’.”

“We know that. We’re talking about physical evidence. Letters, logbooks, stuff like that.”

“That’ll probably be in his office, but I ain’t got access to that. Again, why don’t you go ahead and just break in yourself and I’ll just, I dunno, not pay attention.”

Hosea sighed. “Because the man sitting beside you would kill us if we broke into your house.”

So that’s what he meant when he said that you weren’t to be messed with.

You still didn’t think that they needed your help, but a new thought had you grinning. “Are… are y’all askin’ for my permission to rob my house and husband by havin’ me do it myself?”

“In a backwards way, yes,” Hosea conceded, and you snorted. “Arthur did also say you might be interested in… getting back at Mr. Kerrigan, in some way.” It was Hosea’s turn to set the cup down, this one completely empty. You noticed that Arthur hadn't made a move for his own cup, which sat steaming where you’d set it.

You had to admit, the thought was appealing, and you told them that. “It’s just, I’m afraid how this might end up affecting my family. What if he stops sendin’ my them money ‘cause he doesn’t want to lose more?”

Dutch and Hosea looked at you, confused. That’s when you realize you said too much; the only person beside you to know what was actually going on with your family was Arthur. It did mean that he had upheld his promise that he wouldn’t tell anyone else, though, and you were grateful for that. Still, you explained to the two men your situation, withholding details you deemed they didn’t need to know.

“I see,” Hosea shifted in his seat, giving you a sympathetic look. “We can’t promise that he won’t stop sending money, but we don’t plan on asking for a significant sum. Just enough to… help us.”

“And I want to help you, too. But you have to understand where my priorities lie. The minute he even debates ceasing his help to my family, then this is done. You stop attackin’ his supplies, his shacks, everything. If I find out you’re continuing afterwards, then I will be involvin’ the law.”

Hosea nodded, content with your response. “So you’re willing to help us?”

I want to help Arthur. You nodded, and Dutch extended out a hand. “It’s been a pleasure doin’ business with you, Mrs. Kerrigan.”

You took his hand, shaking it. “You too, Mr. Van Der Linde.”

You could feel Arthur’s eyes on you, unknowing that you knew what his last name was. You weren’t stupid. As soon as Arthur began to talk about the group that he associated with, it was pretty easy to link them to the Van Der Linde gang that's been headlining the newspapers Hans read. You didn’t mind the headlines; you knew this world was vicious, you had to do what you had to do to survive and protect your way of life. Maybe in another life, you’d be with them, escaping the confines of “civilized” life.

Dutch raised a brow. “Are there gonna be issues in the future, Mrs. Kerrigan?” You knew there was a threat under the disguise of a question, and you smiled sweetly.

“As long as you keep your end of the deal, then we won’t have an issue. I promise.”

The tension dissipated from the room instantly, and Arthur visibly relaxed in your peripherals. Hosea leaned into Dutch’s ear, speaking too quietly for you to make out, and you felt him drop your hand. “Now, I believe that it’s a good time to mention that Hans will be arriving back any day now. He had eyes on him during his travels, and last we saw he was in Valentine, heading back to Rhodes.”

You expected his trip to Tumbleweed to have taken significantly longer than that, but you realized that he was most definitely not there, probably somewhere in New Hanover instead. “I appreciate that. I’ll… I’ll try to get the information to you as soon as I can, but don’t expect it when he’s home. I can’t tell you how long that’s gonna take, so be patient.”

“We have all the time in the world,” Dutch reassured, but even you could tell that he was lying through his teeth.

“Good. Now, was there any other business we wished to discuss?”

“Not today. Thank you for the tea, ma’am.” Hosea smiled at you, and you were surprised to find how genuine it seemed. Out of Dutch and Hosea, you liked the gray haired man more. But maybe that was all a trick, you were talking to the leaders of the most silver-tongued gang in the States.

“It was my pleasure. Arthur, go ahead and wait down here. I’ll get that payment for you.” Without another word, you stood, collecting the tray and the different components. First dropping those off in the kitchen, you then made your way upstairs. You saw the three of them still in the living room, chatting amongst themselves as they got ready to leave. You failed to notice the way Arthur’s eyes trailed after you, Hosea and Dutch exchanging a look between each other.

Entering your room, your hands shook as you grabbed the money. It was ten dollars this time, payment for last time and today. You would be a liar if you said you weren’t scared to do what you were about to do. You’d never done anything that even hinted on being against the law, at least now knowingly. But you’d also be lying if the thought of it didn’t excite you, doing something to get back at Hans for the two years of hell.

The other reason your hands shook made his presence known with a light knock on your open bedroom door. Snapping your head over at him, startled, he stood in the doorway, leaning with his arms crossed. In the dim light, you could only see his silhouette, unable to make out any expression on his face. It had your heart beating, even more so when he slowly made his way into the room.

“How long have you known?”

“That you run with the Van Der Linde gang?” You shrugged. “Since you showed me the drawings.”

Arthur just hummed. “I don’t mind, you know,” you continued.

“You should,” Arthur countered.

“Why?”

“Because we ain’t good men, darlin’.”

“I dunno. From what I’ve seen, y’all are better than most.”

Arthur didn’t respond, unable to disagree with your statement. Tucking the lockbox back into its hiding spot, you met him halfway, holding out the bills for him to grab. He looked down at them, then back up at you. “You don’t gotta pay me anymore.”

Was… was he stopping his visits? Did he lie to you earlier? Dejected, you tossed the money on the bed, taking a step away from him. “So you’re not comin’ back, then?”

“I never said that. I only said you don’t gotta pay me.”

“Why?”

“You sure are askin’ that a lot tonight,” Arthur teased. “Would you believe me if I said your company is payment enough?”

“I’m sure my company is incredible,” you scoffed. “Sad married woman in the woods, nothin’ interesting’ ‘bout her besides being rich.”

“Are you callin’ me a liar, then?” Arthur challenged.

You almost wish you could. It would make things so much simpler. Instead, you found yourself shaking your head. “Why do you keep comin’ back?”

The atmosphere of the conversation shifted when you asked that question. The conversation had started out almost confrontational, but now it was shifting to something more… tender.

“I can’t get you outta my head, darlin’. Every single thought I have is of you. Even in my dreams, you’re in them. I can’t stop comin’ back to you, it’s like I’m fuckin’ addicted to you. And just when I think I’ve got it under control, you take my breath away with one of ‘em gorgeous smiles, those soft touches, those shy glances, and I’m hooked again.”

Arthur had closed the distance between your bodies sometime during his little speech, large hands grasping your hips with surprising gentleness. One of them danced up your body, caressing your side, then over your arm, causing you to shiver. You could see him smirk, loving the way you responded.

He eventually settled on your jaw, tilting your head back lightly. His eyes were dark, but you felt warm under his attentive gaze. Your lips parted, a small gasp leaving them. “Beautiful,” he murmured, almost awestruck, before his mouth was finally on yours. They were soft and overwhelming and they felt like home, and you felt yourself immediately melting against him. It was almost hard to believe that he was an outlaw with how gentle he was being.

He pulled you in closer, and you wrapped one of your arms around his shoulders, your other hand cradling his cheek. His beard prickled the delicate skin, but it just led you to think about what that would feel like elsewhere.

The way he kissed you was gentle, but the tightening grip on your hip and jaw was telling you he was quickly losing the battle with his restraint. Before you could push him further and lead to something more, he broke away, resting his head against yours. At least, as well as he could, his hat mostly got in the way.

Joy unlike anything you’d ever felt bubbled inside of you, escaping you in a small laugh. You’d just kissed Arthur Morgan, the man you thought was unobtainable. “I’ve wanted to do that for a while,” you confessed, breathless.

“Me too, darlin’.”

He moved a bit, kissing your forehead, before resting his chin atop your head. One of his hands cradles your head to his chest, the other wrapping around your waist. Neither of you said anything, simply savoring the moment, and Arthur rocked you slowly. Taking a deep breath, it was mostly the scent of him that filled your senses, making your head spin even more.

He held you like that for a few moments, until you heard the voice of Dutch break the bubble the two of you had created. “Arthur! We’re leaving!”

You felt him sigh, leaning his head back to look at you again. “I’m sorry, I-”

“It’s alright, Arthur.” You wanted nothing more than to have him stay with you, but he had responsibilities. You couldn’t fault him for that. “Just… kiss me again?”

He chuckled, holding both sides of your face now. “Don’t gotta ask me twice,” he whispered before reconnecting your lips, a pleased sigh leaving you. Fingers curled against your head as he deepened the kiss, pulling away when he heard his name getting yelled again.

You chuckled “Go. Before they come up here.”

With one final short kiss, Arthur pulled away, walking backwards to the doorway, eyes not leaving you for a second. “Have a good night, darlin’,” you heard him say before he went to turn, about to head downstairs.

“Wait.”

He did, almost immediately, turning his head to look at you with confusion on his face. You really weren’t quite sure what you were about to say, but you needed to say something to him. “Come back to me, alright?” It wasn’t what you really meant to say, but it would have to do for now.

“Always,” he responded with a smile, before vanishing from the doorway. You heard the sound of the stairs creaking as he headed downstairs, the voices of Hosea and Dutch audible soon after. Eventually, you heard them leave, leaving you in stunned silence.

Another light laugh of disbelief left you, holding your fingers to where Arthur’s lips had been. Everywhere burned where he’d touched you, and your whole body felt like it was on fire. The whole meeting with Dutch and Hosea had practically vanished from your mind, the only thing playing on repeat was the way his lips felt, the way he held you, the words he uttered.

Those memories continued to repeat themselves as you got ready for bed, your thin nightgown doing little to cool you off. They caused you to lay awake in your bed, tossing and turning for what felt like hours. The heat hadn’t subsided one bit, and you groaned frustratedly, sleep coming nowhere near you.

Getting out of bed, the cold floor felt nice against your bare feet, but it wasn’t enough. You debated grabbing a cigarette, the lighter Arthur had given you in your hands but you decided against it. For once, you didn’t want to forget the way someone’s hands were on you, and so you placed the lighter back into your nightstand.

Still, you stepped outside, the air of the night cooling your skin. Your mind still raced with thoughts of Arthur, but you were cooling down. Eventually, the air caused goosebumps to appear on your skin, and you took that as your sign to try and go back to bed.

Like you always had to, you had to pass the locked door of Hans’ office, and you finally remembered the meeting you had that night. Setting your hand on the doorknob, you debated trying to get in right then, but you realized you had no idea how. You didn’t know how to pick a lock, and breaking it down would be difficult and obvious. A problem for later, then.

Getting back under the covers, you felt better than you had the first time you went to bed. Sleep was closer now, and as you turned on your side, about to succumb to unconsciousness, you saw the empty side of the bed.

How you longed for Arthur to be there instead.

─•~❉᯽❉~•─

You didn’t wake up alone.

It took a moment for your sleep-addled mind to realize that, nearly turning over and going right back to bed. But when it clicked, you nearly bolted out of bed, dread and sadness chasing away the happiness that came from your dreams of Arthur.

Hans was asleep next to you, his suitcases stacked in the corner of the room, snoring lightly as he slept. You knew he had to come back eventually, but it still wrecked you. Getting out of the bed as quietly as you could, you snuck downstairs, not ready to face reality yet.

You paced around your kitchen, running your hands through your hair. You weren’t ready to put on the act again. You weren’t ready to pretend like you were content being Mrs. Kerrigan. You weren’t ready to pretend like Arthur hadn’t just kissed you last night.

Groaning, you slumped against one of the counters, burrowing your head in your arms. That familiar feeling of guilt returned, but you fought it. You weren’t hurting anyone, being sweet on Arthur like you were. It’s not like your husband actually loved you, so you doubt he’d be too upset. He’d be more upset that something that was ‘his’ was ‘being used’ by someone else. Besides, what he didn’t know couldn’t hurt him.

And if you were happy, who was to tell you that that was bad?

Standing up, you rolled your shoulders, forcing a smile on your face. You could do this, you told yourself. This wasn’t any different than the last two years. Just suck it up and pretend. And then before you’d know it, Hans would be gone again.

You got to work cleaning up the kitchen from last night, washing the dishes used by the guests last night. Next, you started making breakfast, the smell of it probably being the reason Hans woke, walking downstairs blearily.

He sat in his chair at the dining table, and you served him a glass of coffee with a soft ‘good morning’. He didn’t respond, just sipping on the steaming beverage. It was hard to not look at him in a different light, now that you knew what he was really getting up to behind closed doors. But you kept your face impassive, heading back into the kitchen before the food burned.

Eventually, you served him his food, and you sat in your respective seat, much farther than you had with Arthur. He didn’t even acknowledge your presence, assumedly too tired to do so. “Sorry for wakin’ you,” you apologized, and he grunted.

“How was your trip?” You tried to engage him in a conversation, but were immediately shut down with a glare. All right, then. It took everything in you not to laugh at him. I mean you weren’t a morning person either, but at least you didn’t treat others like this. What an ass.

You turned your attention back to your plate, poking at it with your fork, appetite now gone. The two of you ate in complete silence, the only sounds being your silverware against the china and the scratch of your chair against the floor as you stood to refill his cup.

About fifteen minutes passed before Hans left the table, leaving his dishes for you to take care of. You didn’t have to look up to know where he was going, and you heard the sound of his office door shut moments later. When you confirmed that you were alone, you sighed, tired of just pushing the food around your plate.

You found that you desperately missed Arthur’s warmth, both physically and emotionally. The house seemed to agree with you; it had never felt so comforting, him being there making it so. Now it felt like a prison, your only company the memories of the last weeks.

You stared at the now empty seat across from you, forcing yourself to eat a few bites of breakfast, hating when you wasted food. You found that you were glad you agreed to Dutch and Hosea’s scheme; you were excited to make Hans hurt.

But for now, you had to push those plans out the window. You couldn’t do anything right now, at the risk of you getting caught. All you could do now was play his little housewife and wait for the moment that Arthur’s lips were back on yours.

#rdr2 #red dead redemption 2 #arthur morgan #arthur morgan rdr2 #arthur morgan x reader #arthur morgan x female reader

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endless-summer-soldier · 8 months

Text

fair catch

pairing: CollegeFootballPlayer!Bucky x CollegeAthlete!Reader

summary: Y/N joins the football team to prove a point and the last thing Bucky expected out of the season was to fall for the new kicker

warnings: slight injury, slight alcohol use, mostly fluff though

word count: 5.7k

taglist: @tellmealovestory @mrs-bucky-barnes106 @charmedbysarge @theroyalmanatee @ozwriterchick @aya-fay @differenttyphoonwerewolf @sebsgirl71479

Coach Fury blew the final whistle, signaling practice was over. Bucky sighed in relief and jogged over to the bench to dump a cup of water on his head. This was their last two-a-day practice due to the semester starting the following day.

“Listen up! I have an announcement to make.” Fury was standing there with the other coaches and a small female, probably a student. Bucky figured she might be the new manager of the football team, a spot typically occupied by co-eds who wanted to hook up with football players.

Once the team was circled up, Fury continued, “I’d like you all to meet Y/F/N Y/L/N. She’s our new kicker.”

Bucky felt Sam suppressing a cough as his water went down the wrong pipe. There was silence as the new teammate stood there, smiling confidently at them all.

Bucky’s first thought was that she was adorable, but she was tiny. She certainly didn’t have the build of a football player.

Steve was the first person to speak up, “Coach, Parker’s our kicker.”

“And Parker couldn’t hit the side of a barn with a frying pan.” The group chuckled and Peter shrugged, knowing he wasn’t a skilled kicker. “With Y/L/N as our kicker we can move Parker to holder.”

It wasn’t a bad thought. Parker missed more field goals than he made but he had good hands. He could catch and place the ball in the proper place pretty quickly.

“Y/L/N will practice with us tomorrow so you can all evaluate her skills then. Anything you’d like to add?” He asked her.

She provided them with a tightlipped smile and said, “Happy to be here.” The huddle evaporated as the team collected their things and headed to the locker room. Bucky wasn’t surprised when Steve approached Y/N immediately and shook her hand, acting as the captain and welcoming her to the team.

“Well this is new,” Sam said.

Bucky shrugged, “I mean as long as she can put points on the board, I don’t mind it.”

“Are you worried?” he asked.

“Worried? What would I be worried about?”

“I don’t know, Buck. She seems like your type.”

“I don’t have a type,” he responded.

“Sure you do. Dark hair, small stature, dry sense of humor.”

“How could you possibly know what sense of humor she has?”

“Oh, I don’t. I’m just speculating.”

“You are something else,” he said, shaking his head. They made their way into the locker room and ran into Steve on the way.

“Hey, you two busy after this?” Steve asked. Bucky and Sam both shook their heads and Steve added, “Good, because I told Y/N I’d take her out for a drink. Just thought it might be nice to get to know a few people off the field.”

“How captain-ly,” Sam mocked. Steve could read their expressions and knew they weren’t stoked about the situation.

“Come on, just come by for one drink. Be good teammates.”

“One drink, and you’re buying,” Bucky said. He could never say no to Steve.

“Deal,” Steve replied.

“So, why join the football team?” Sam bluntly asked. Steve had been driving most of the conversation, asking Y/N about where she grew up and her major. But Sam didn’t have the patience for pleasantries. Steve shot Sam a look as soon as the question was out of his mouth, and Sam merely shrugged.

“I’ve been waiting for that one,” she grinned, taking a big swig of her beer. “You probably won’t like this answer, but it's a bit of a political move. I was the captain of the women’s soccer team and we just found out that our program was cut, along with a few other women’s sports teams. Apparently we didn’t bring in enough money for the school, despite making the playoffs the past eight years. I couldn’t just sit back and let the administration win, so I figured I’d join the football team, try to get some media attention so I could talk about the lack of funding for women’s soccer.”

Whatever answer Bucky was expecting, it certainly wasn’t that.

“That’s pretty badass,” Bucky said.

“So…you don’t have any interest in football,” Sam stated, more than asked.

“Look, I’m an athlete. Every time I step out onto the field, I’m playing to win. And I’m actually pretty decent at kicking a football. I grew up with three older brothers so I was practically raised on the football field. Even though my motives may be a little murky, I am fully dedicated to this team.”

“Now that’s what we like to hear,” Steve said, grinning.

“But actually, where do we fall within the division?” she asked.

The three players looked at each other, trying to determine how to answer that question.

“We have solid talent, we’ve just been…unlucky the past few years,” Steve said.

“What does that mean?” she retorted, with a raised eyebrow.

“Sam was injured most of last season and he’s our best and fastest wide receiver, so that hurt,” Bucky said.

“You're telling me,” Sam agreed.

“Then we went through a few offensive coordinators until we found one that…meshed with the team.” Steve said.

“The team or the coach?” Y/N bemused.

“The coach,” they all mumbled in unison.

“So Fury’s a hard ass?”

“You could say that. He’s harsh, but fair. And he genuinely knows his way around the gridiron,” Steve stated.

“He is a great coach, just not everyone appreciates his coaching style,” Sam added.

“Coulson has been a great addition so far. He’s kind of balanced Fury out a bit. And his offensive routes have been working pretty well so far,” Bucky commended.

“Got it, so don’t get on Fury’s bad side. Is there anyone else I should be worried about?”

“Just Bucky. He gets cranky if he hasn’t eaten enough,” Sam joked. Bucky nudged him playfully while his teammates laughed.

“We’ve got a great squad. And we really do need a strong kicker. So if you can prove to the guys that you have talent, you’ll earn their respect and they won’t mess with you.”

“Good to know.” Everything about her demeanor was calm, cool, and collected. She didn’t seem to be the least bit intimidated about joining the team. She was able to hold her own and didn’t care about what the guys thought of her. Bucky couldn’t help but admire that energy. He sensed that his friends were fond of her too and he expected they’d defend her if any of the other teammates decided to get mouthy.

“Well, I appreciate you guys taking me out for a drink, but I do need to get back. Still have some unpacking to do.” She left a few dollar bills on the table to cover her drink, even though Steve told her it was unnecessary. She was just as stubborn as he was.

Once she left the bar, Steve was the first to speak. “I like her. I think she’s going to be really good for the team.”

“I think she’s going to be trouble,” Sam said.

“Trouble?” Steve echoed, looking for an explanation.

“Half the team is going to fall in love with her. Including this one,” Sam said, signaling towards Bucky.

“What? You’re crazy, man,” Bucky argued.

“Alright, whatever you say. But I’m going to reference this moment when I give the best man speech at your wedding.”

Bucky rolled his eyes as Steve studied his face, trying to figure out if Sam was right. As Bucky’s oldest friend, he could usually read him like a book when it came to women. Which is why Bucky avoided eye contact, trying to hide any tells he might have.

Steve let out a knowing smile, realizing Sam was right.

It was the day before their first game of the season and they had just finished up practice. Bucky felt oddly content with the team. They had finally gotten into a good rhythm and he felt they were prepared for their first game against Millersville, which was one of their local rivals. They had lost that past few match ups, but Bucky liked their chances this time around.

As the team drank down their water and collected their belongings, Steve cleared his throat calling their attention.

“Listen up. Y/N has something she’d like to say.”

“Thanks Cap. I want to let you know that there will be an article in the Inquirer about me and I felt like I should explain myself to you before you read it. The reason I joined this team is because I was the captain of the women’s soccer team on campus, before they cut the program for budgetary reasons. Several sports teams were cut, all of them being women’s sports teams. There are so many female athletes here on scholarship that are now going to have to transfer out and qualified coaches are now out of a job, and it's completely unfair. So I joined the team, knowing it would get people talking and hopefully some attention would be brought on this injustice. I’m hopeful that some prominent alumni might make some donations to save some of the programs.” She paused, trying to read the reactions of her teammates, but she was mostly getting blank stares.

“I want all of you to know that I take my spot on this team very seriously, and I will do my job to help us win tomorrow. I am committed to all of you and to Coach Fury. I don’t want you to think of me any differently, I just want to be treated like a teammate. So if any of you have any questions or want to say anything, feel free.”

It was silent for a moment. Bucky exchanged eyes with Sam, wondering if they should be some of the first ones to speak up.

“That’s awesome,” Peter said, breaking the silence. “I mean not the part about the soccer team, but the other stuff.”

“Badass,” Sam said, hoping to influence the others.

“Just don’t go leaving us once the soccer team comes calling, okay?” Bucky joked, shooting her a smile that she returned.

“Alright, bring it in,” Thor directed, fanning the team into a sweaty, smelly group hug around Y/N. She tried to protest but it was no use. She emerged from the group gagging and inhaling the fresh air.

Bucky caught up with her as she collected her water jug and helmet.

“That went well,” he commented.

“Honestly, such a relief. I thought Tony was going to have me exiled.”

“Nah, he loves to stick it to the man.”

“Well, thanks for the support.”

“I’m your teammate. I’m always gonna have your back.”

The game was tied 17-17 with two minutes left in the fourth quarter. Bucky was correct in thinking they were pretty evenly matched against their rival. Their defense was struggling a bit, but the offense was doing well putting points on the board. Bucky had scored a touchdown in the first half and Steve had rushed one in on a quarterback sneak play. Y/N had pulled her weight by making both extra points and a field goal right before halftime. And now they were running on third down at the 30-yard line, hoping to pick up a few more feet so that she could easily kick another field goal. Scott ran the ball another few yards and was tackled down at the 27, which put them in good field position for a field goal. The refs moved the chains and the offense ran off the field, as the field goal unit ran on.

“You got this,” Bucky said to her, giving her a pat on the shoulder as she ran out to her position. Peter knelt on the ground, ready to receive the snap as Y/N lined herself up and took a few steps back.

Peter called for the ball, essentially starting the play and Bucky immediately saw one of the defenders jump over one of the lineman, clearly crossing the line of scrimmage before the ball had even been snapped. Yellow flags were flung in the air by the refs and gently floated down, but the play was already in motion and couldn’t be stopped. The ball reached Parker and he deftly turned the laces, as Y/N ran forward and kicked the ball, aiming between the uprights. Her laser focus betrayed her, as she didn’t see the defender making a beeline for her. Her leg was fully extended when he made contact, bringing her lithe form to the ground with ease. The ball had been tipped by another defender, but it hardly mattered as the ref’s whistles were sounding.

The defender who made the tackle was easily three times Y/N’s size, and Bucky watched as he got up with ease and Y/N laid there, motionless and broken. Peter was immediately at her side, checking to see if she was okay. He looked to the sidelines and waved a hand toward Fury, signaling him to send out the trainer. Helen grabbed her kit and sprinted out alongside Fury.

Rage crept up on Bucky quickly, but what set him off was when the defender high fived his teammate, proud of himself. The attack felt personal. He knew he left early and continued on anyway, determined to pin the female kicker.

Bucky dropped his helmet and sprinted out onto the field shoving the defender to the ground. “What the fuck was that!” Bucky grunted. He wanted this guy to take off his helmet so he could give him a black eye.

Suddenly Steve was in front of him, separating Bucky from his new enemy. Sam must’ve been behind him, giving him a bearhug and pulling him backwards. Bucky wasn’t giving up though, he fought his two teammates trying to get through to the defender.

“Bucky, it’s not worth it,” Steve said, pushing him backwards. “Let it go.”

“She’s not moving, Steve. He did that to her!”

“She’s gonna be okay. Cho’s out there.”

“Who does that guy think he is!” Bucky seethed.

“He’s a jackass. But don’t stoop to his level,” Sam said. More of the players had come out to break up the fight. The refs were directing both teams to go back to their benches. They should all be taking a knee right now, but the tension was too high.

Then the ref pointed toward him and pointed to the locker rooms, ejecting him from the game. He did the same for the defender who tackled Y/N. Sam walked him toward the locker room to ensure he wouldn’t stage another attack. Steve corralled the rest of the team back to the bench to take a knee.

When Bucky got into the locker room, he had to let out his frustration. He punched his locker until his knuckles started bleeding. He barely felt the pain, he just kept thinking about the asshole who laid out his teammate. He finally calmed himself down with some deep breaths and decided to take a shower. As soon as the game was called, he was going to check on her.

Y/N woke up lying on a bed in the training room and immediately felt the pain in her head. She let out an unconscious groan and suddenly two figures were by her side.

“Y/N! You’re up,” Steve said, still fully dressed in uniform. Helen started checking her pupils and did a basic examination.

“What happened,” she mustered. Helen handed her a bottle of water and placed two pills in her palm. She swallowed the pills without question and chugged most of the water.

“One of the defensive lineman was offside for the kick and laid you out. Ended up with a roughing the kicker penalty and he got himself ejected.”

“But did we win?” she asked.

Steve chuckled, “Yeah, the 15 yard penalty gave us a new set of downs and Lang ran it in for the game winning touchdown.”

“Thank god. You wouldn’t have heard the end of it if you let that guy lay me out and then lost the game.” Steve smiled at her again. At least she seemed to be in good spirits. Helen placed a cold compress on her forehead and concluded her examination.

“I’ve never seen a brawl breakout like that on the field,” Cho stated.

“A brawl!?” Y/N clamored. “And I missed it? What happened?”

“Bucky charged the field. He pushed the guy that tackled you and almost knocked his head off. Took Sam and I to hold him back. I’ve never seen him like that before.”

“Is he okay?” Y/N asked.

“Oh he’s fine. Refs ejected him and the other guy before it got too out of hand.”

“Y/N, how are you feeling?” Helen asked.

“I mean my head hurts like a bitch, and I feel a little sore on my sides. But I think that’s about it for now.”

Helen nodded, “I think you have a few fractured ribs and you might have a concussion. I recommend that you go to the hospital.”

“Oh. Do I have to go now?”

“That would be best. You should get x-rays done for the ribs and you need to be on concussion watch the rest of the night.”

Y/N felt uneasy, the last thing she wanted was to spend the night in the emergency room by herself. She just wanted a warm bed to rest in for the night. Steve read her expression and tried to help.

“What if one of us stayed with her all night? We’ll make sure she doesn’t fall asleep and if she starts exhibiting more symptoms of a concussion, I’ll take her to the hospital.”

Cho considered his proposal and eyed Y/N, who was currently pleading with her best puppy dog eyes.

“I suppose that would be fine. But she needs to get x-rays done tomorrow.”

“Absolutely,” Y/N agreed.

Just as Helen was packing up, Bucky burst through the door.

“Is she okay!?”

“Course I’m okay, I’m super tough,” she smiled.

“And that should be the painkillers hitting,” Cho explained.

“She has a few fractured ribs and she might have a concussion,” Steve explained.

“I swear to God, I’m gonna kill that guy,” Bucky muttered, his hand clenching into a fist.

“Easy Buck, it could’ve been a lot worse,” Steve rationalized.

“You’ve got her for tonight?” Helen asked. Bucky shot a look at Steve, confused but Steve just nodded. “We’ve got her.”

Helen nodded and packed up her things, heading home.

“I told Helen we would stay with Y/N tonight, to make sure she doesn’t fall asleep. And we can take her to the hospital tomorrow to get some x-rays done.”

Bucky nodded in agreement.

“I still need to get showered and pack up. Buck, can you give Y/N a ride to our place and I’ll meet you there?”

“Sure, of course.”

Steve departed for the locker room, leaving just Bucky and Y/N. He walked over toward the table where she was sitting and helped her onto her feet. She was initially unsteady, falling into him slightly as she gained her balance.

“Okay, that is not going to work…”

“What?” she inquired.

“Come here,” he put his hand behind her back and reached down to collect her legs, picking her up easily in his strong arms.

“This is not necessary.”

“You can barely stand up straight, I’m not risking you getting hurt even more.”

She didn’t have the energy to fight back. It would’ve been useless as they quickly approached Bucky’s black Jeep.

He gingerly placed her on two feet and opened the passenger door for her. He was ready to wrap an arm around her waist to aid her into the car, but she brushed him off and easily climbed into the leather seat. Bucky shut the door behind her carefully and walked over to the driver’s side of the car.

It was silent for a few minutes as he drove them the short way to his house. Once they were inside, Y/N made herself comfortable on the sofa and Bucky retrieved her a glass of water.

“So…” Y/N started, eyeing Bucky, “I heard you got tossed from the game.”

Bucky let out an unconscious chuckle. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

“Oh, do you make it a habit of starting brawls mid-game?”

“This would be a first.”

“What the hell happened?” she asked.

He let out a deep sigh, placing the glass in front of her. “I don’t know…I just snapped. I saw my teammate lying there, not moving, after a cheap shot and I needed to do something.”

“So you did that to protect me? Because I’m a woman?” There was an edge to her voice and he knew he had to tread carefully.

“Honestly, I think that asshole laid you out because you’re a woman. It was fucked up. And I didn’t want him to think he could get away with that. You’re part of the team and I’ve got your back.”

She studied him for a moment and let out a small smile, accepting the answer he provided.

“Thank you,” she said plainly.

“You’re welcome.”

They were quiet for a moment and Bucky spoke up again, “Steve should be home soon. Did you want to watch TV or something?”

“Sure.” Bucky handed her the remote and let her click through the channels until something grasped her attention.

“What the fuck is this?” Bucky asked, stunned by the blurred nudity on his television.

“You’ve never seen Naked and Afraid?” His expression answered the question for her.

“It’s like a survivalist show. They spend 21 days trying to survive in the wilderness.”

“And they're naked…”

“Yeah, they don’t really explain that logic. Something having to do with primitivism. I think it's just for shock value.”

“Makes sense.”

“But yeah, it’s oddly addicting.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Despite his apprehension, he settled in and focused his attention on the TV. The two made comments and jokes to each other while watching and it wasn’t long until Bucky was drawn in.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when Steve came in and found them on the couch, watching the reality TV survival show.

“What on Earth…” Steve said.

“Naked and Afraid,” Y/N and Bucky said in unison. Steve wordlessly dropped his things and joined them on the couch, asking questions about the show and the episode.

“Why is this so addicting?” Steve finally asked.

“I have no idea, but it’s so good,” Y/N said. The three of them sat and watched episodes for hours, but the time flew by with ease. But the drugs and pain was starting to take a toll on Y/N. Bucky could sense she was close to drifting off, and every time he saw her head bob, he nudged her shoulder to make sure she was still awake.

“I’m just so tired…” she would say. Bucky looked at Steve for guidance. He wanted her to get some rest, but he didn’t want to risk breaching the concussion protocol. Steve pulled out his phone and did a quick Google search.

“It says that technically she can sleep, she just needs to be woken up every few hours.”

Bucky turned to Y/N, checking her reaction at the good news, but she was already in a light sleep.

“I’ll take her to my room, she’ll be more comfortable there,” Bucky said.

“Do you want me to stay up with you?” Steve offered.

“Nah, I’ll set an alarm and wake her every two hours.”

“You sure?” Steve was more than happy to help out, but he also recognized the sparkle in Bucky’s eye.

“I’ve got it,” Bucky replied. Steve nodded and gathered his things before heading to his room. Bucky approached Y/N and picked her up carefully, so as not to wake her. She easily fell into his arms and he navigated to his room. He carefully placed her onto his unmade bed and pulled the sheets over her. She sunk into the mattress and continued to sleep, curled up in the blankets. Bucky glanced over his room and realized it could use a little tidying up. The last thing he wanted was for Y/N to wake up disgusted at the mess. He set a timer on his phone, cracked his knuckles and started cleaning up.

The first two hours went by surprisingly quickly. It helped to have a task he was focused on and he put his headphones in to listen to some music as he worked. He was shocked to find it was nearing 3AM.

He sat gently on the bed and carefully shook Y/N’s shoulder, calling her name as he did so. She groggily opened her eyes, clearly annoyed at being disturbed from her slumber.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” he asked.

She squinted at him, “Tired.”

“I know, I’m sorry to wake you.”

“It’s okay,” she responded, stretching out.

“Do you want something to eat or drink?”

“Mmm, a bottle of red wine would be great.”

Bucky stared at her before she added, “I’m kidding.” He was glad to see her sense of humor was still intact.

“How about a grilled cheese?” he offered.

“Oh that sounds amazing.”

“Coming right up.” He stood from his desk chair and was surprised as Y/N followed him to the kitchen. He poured her a large glass of water and placed it in front of her selected seat at the kitchen table.

Bucky moved around the kitchen with ease as he collected all the necessary ingredients for their midnight snack.

“Do you cook often?” she asked him.

“I try to. I like eating healthy when I can and it's easier if I just cook for myself instead of eating out all the time.”

“What’s your go-to meal that you cook when you’re trying to impress a girl?”

Bucky turned back to her, “You’re about to find out.”

She scoffed, “Grilled cheese is not your signature dish.”

“Sure it is.”

“So if you were going to cook dinner for a date, you’d make her grilled cheese?”

“Absolutely.”

“You’re full of shit.”

“It’s a great test of character. I want to be with a girl who is down to earth and appreciates a good grilled cheese.”

“No girl is going to be impressed by grilled cheese.”

“Talk to me after you’ve tried it,” he smiled. She continued drinking her water and watching him work. Her headache was fading away but her ribs still hurt a bit and watching Bucky distracted her from the pain.

Soon enough, Bucky placed a plate in front of her that held a perfectly made grilled cheese. The bread was a rich golden brown and there was the slightest bit of cheese oozing off the crust.

“How do you want it cut?” he asked.

“Triangles,” she responded, smiling back to memories of her childhood. Bucky slid the butter knife diagonally across the sandwich, creating two right triangles.

He placed his own plate in front of the neighboring chair and joined her at the table. She picked up the sandwich and bit off a corner.

“Oh my god…” she gushed.

Bucky merely shrugged and said, “I told you.”

“How? How is this the best sandwich I’ve ever had?” She continued to eat her grilled cheese, moaning in delight after every bite.

“I’m just happy it lived up to expectations.”

“Oh, it exceeded expectations,” she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, as he collected the dishes and loaded the dishwasher.

“Good, but tired. And sore.”

“You want to go back to sleep?”

She simply nodded and he held out his hand to help her up. She took it with ease and he walked her back to his bedroom, pulling down the sheets so she could climb in.

As she made herself comfortable, James let out a deep yawn.

“Are you going to sleep?” she asked.

He nodded, “I’m gonna pass out on the couch for a few hours, then I’ll check on you.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”

“Well, I just want to make sure you aren’t concussed.”

“No, I mean you don’t have to sleep on the couch.”

“You are not sleeping on the couch.”

“I don’t mind sharing the bed. It is yours.”

“Y/N, I really don’t mind.”

“Stop arguing and get in the bed,” she demanded.

He wasn’t expecting her to be so direct and found he followed her direction without question. Even though Y/N was tiny, it was still tight in the twin bed considering Bucky’s bulky frame. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get comfortable. Y/N was curled up under the covers, fast asleep, and he was worried that any shift he made might wake her up. So he just stared up at the ceiling, trying to ignore her sweet scent and delicate breathing. And then she turned. She instinctively pulled herself closer to him, resting her head on his chest and placing her arm around his rib cage. He carefully placed his arm around her and gently ran his fingers up and down her torso. He focused his attention on his movements and soon enough, he was drifting off to sleep.

He was startled awake by the chime of his alarm and he didn’t want to move. He quickly turned off the ringer, not wanting to wake up Y/N just yet. She was the little spoon to his big, her petite body fitting perfectly in his.

“Y/N,” he whispered, scratching her shoulder gently to wake her. He wasn’t sure if she was a naturally heavy sleeper or if it was a side effect from her injury, but either way his job wasn’t any easier.

“Y/N,” he called again, shaking her shoulder ever so slightly. This time she stirred, turning so that she was facing him. “Are you awake?” he whispered.

“No…” she replied.

“Don’t make me bring in reinforcements,” he added with a smile.

“You wouldn’t dare,” she challenged.

“Only one way to find out,” he smirked. He leaned in close to her and started tickling her torso, playing her rib cage like it was a piano. She immediately squirmed, trying to evade his attack unsuccessfully. As she squealed, she also let out a breathy giggle that was music to his ears. She flipped back over so that she was facing the edge of the bed and Bucky took this moment to ease up on the tickling and squeezed her tight in his arms. She leaned into his arms before calling, “Okay, okay I give.”

“You awake now?”

“Yes, I’m awake,” she laughed. He loosened his grip and she turned back to him.

“That was not a fair fight. You’re like twice my size. And I was half asleep.”

“All I’m hearing are excuses,” Bucky countered. She pouted at him and Bucky couldn’t help but smile. “Are you feeling better?”

She nodded, “No more headache, still a little sore in the ribs.”

“My attack probably didn’t help that,” Bucky admitted.

“Definitely not. But I didn’t mind too much.”

He studied her face, counting every freckle and memorizing the pattern of her irises. He smiled noticing the twinkle in her eye had returned; it had dimmed after she took the hit but now it was glimmering again. Bucky couldn’t believe how quickly things had changed between them. He never saw it coming. Yesterday she was just his teammate, and now he couldn’t imagine a life without her. He’d always heard about people falling so fast that they don’t realize it until it was too late, but he’d never experienced it before. He leaned in closer, pulling her in tight to his chest, taking in her natural scent, and he planted a protective kiss on her hairline.

“Why don’t you rinse off in the shower before we head to the hospital,” he suggested.

“Hospital?” she whined, “I’m really fine.”

He looked at her sternly, “We’re going.”

“Do we have to?”

“Yes, I’m not taking no for an answer. I promised Cho I would take you in.”

She rolled her eyes before climbing out of bed, “Fiiiine.”

Bucky followed her into the bathroom to grab her a fresh set of towels. As he handed her the small stack, she looked at him with a look that he couldn’t quite place. He guessed she had something she wanted to get off her chest, but wasn’t sure if she should proceed.

“What is it?” he asked, hoping his comment would encourage her.

She hesitated for a minute, weighing the pros and cons in her head. “It’s nothing,” she settled on, giving him a fake smile.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he said, placing his hands on her shoulders.

She let out a sigh before saying, “It’s fine if you want to keep last night between us. Not that anything happened, but we can just go back to normal.”

The comment should’ve stung, but Bucky wasn’t letting her get out of things that easily, “Is that what you want?”

Her eyes told him everything. “I don’t mind either-”

He cut her off, not willing to accept her non-answer. He shook his head, “What do you want?”

He was pushing her, he knew that, but he wanted her to hear her say it, to make sure it wasn’t all in his head.

“I want a thousand more nights like last night. Just without the whole concussion part,” she added, with a smile.

“Only a thousand? We’re capping it there?”

She let out a teasing laugh, “Let’s start with a thousand. If you do well, we can discuss a contract extension.”

“Trust me, I’m getting that extension. How about I give you a little preview…” he suggested, moving in closer towards her.

“Oh yeah? What did you have in mind?” she smirked. He placed his hand on her jaw and gently ran his index finger in circles behind her ear.

“Maybe something like this…” he whispered, words grazing her lips. She closed her eyes and waited until he finally brushed his lips up against hers. He pulled her in tighter towards him as he continued kissing her. She couldn’t help but smile as he caressed her lips, knowing full well she never wanted him to stop.

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barnes oneshot #bucky barnes x y/n #football player bucky #bucky oneshot #bucky fluff

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chirpsythismorning · 7 months

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Some of the evidence supporting Mike not being in love with El is brutal. No, but seriously.

In s3, when El's leg is injured, instead of Mike putting his arm around her waist, allowing him to take some of the weight off her injured leg, he puts his arm around her shoulder, basically having the exact opposite affect of taking the weight off of her, instead just adding more weight for her to have to carry.

Now, I’m not coming at Mike here, I’m actually coming at the writers, because this choice here has everything to do with them using this gesture to signal Mike’s lack of feelings for El, even at the expense of realism.

I say this bc any person with common sense, including Finn and everyone around him and Millie filming these shots, would've known it looked unnatural for Mike to be adding more weight onto El as opposed to taking some off of her.

This means that what Mike did here, Finn was directed to do, and therefore it was for a specific reason.

And we know they could have easily made the opposite choice, because they show us Max AND Lucas doing it.

See how putting an arm around El's waist looks so much more natural? Because homegirl is injured and clearly needs help taking weight off her leg to qualm some of the pain she's experiencing there, which is why Max and Lucas are shown here doing it the correct way.

And so, why can't Mike do the same? Why are the writers making a point to show Mike being incapable of simply taking some weight off of El, instead doing the exact opposite?

I don't think it's as deep as Mike not being able to do something intimate, and that's bc, again we see Max and Lucas doing it.

I honestly think what they're trying to convey with this choice here, is that Mike thinks he's helping El, when he is in fact doing the opposite despite his best efforts. The implications of that and how that sort of aligns with their romantic relationship and what it leads to at the end of s3, going into s4, is pretty spot on.

I do think Mike thinks he's doing the right thing by being with El instead of voicing any doubts at the end of s3, because he is under the assumption that she is in love with him. I do think he believes he is indebted to her and that this is the least he can do after everything they've been through together, which has mostly been riddled with romantic pressures and so continuing that instead of disputing it seems like the only option anyways. Not to mention, he does care for her deeply, so it's not hard to imagine that he's a teenage boy confusing deep care for love (he literally tells us this is his problem when he can only say care and not love to El's face... but that's a whole other conversation).

Still, when it's all said and done, Mike's not actually doing El any favors by being with her romantically, if that is not what he truly wants.

Because that's the sad truth about all of this, which is that you would never want someone to be with you just because you want them. If you knew that they truly couldn't have those feelings for you, you'd want to know, right? You don't deserve someone just because you have deep feelings for them. And I think there's so many layers to this idea, bc many people are capable of not giving Byler a chance bc they truly believe Mike could never return Will's feelings. Will also feels this way atp, so though it hurts, he rips the band aid off, because he would never want Mike to be with him just out of pity or something. No one would want that. And so it all really comes down to who Mike truly loves romantically and wants to be with. And the right thing to do, even if it hurts someone, is to be honest, because being with them just bc you think that will make them happy is never going to be enough if you aren't truly feeling it, or worse, feel it for someone else.

We see how Mike's inability to be honest with El at the end of s3, leads to a season of Mike feeling deeply insecure and undeserving of the love El has to offer him, and even though he does try, he always comes up short. Despite Mike putting up this front that they are the perfect couple, the details are telling us something is off. And it gives him away.

Another example that I think is very similar to this loaded gesture from Mike to El in s3, is the scene in s4 when they hug in the airport.

Common sense ppl, picture this: You're reuniting with your long distance girlfriend. Then suddenly, she runs up to you, with her arms wide open, and instead of opening your arms wide to embrace her properly, you take the bouquet of flowers you brought her as a gift, and shove them against your chest just as she approaches to hug you, effectively squishing the present you got for her (a pretty delicate present at that) for no reason other than to... what exactly?

Like?? El isn't even squishing the present Mike, she's trying to hug you, dude! Your gf is trying to hug you properly and you threw the gift you got for her in between you so you could throw in a careful! x3??

Again, this has less to do with Mike's thoughts and reasoning behind this gesture in a literal sense, and more to do with the simple fact that this is a narrative choice! Mike is not a real person! There are real people sitting down and writing this and actors are having to do multiple takes to act it out. What feels natural for a situation is going to be what is often chosen 9 times out of 10, because of realism and wanting the audience to see stuff happening that is believable. That 1 time though, when it's not being done the way it would usually be, is usually because there's a specific reason for it.!

So the question really is, not why is Mike doing this, but why are the writers having Mike do this, and what message are they trying to convey about Mike's feelings based on his behavior, in these moments where he's just not capable of committing to El genuinely, one way or another?

#byler #no but most of the gay subtext is just so like... you really didn't have to do all that?#gay subtext at the expense of realism? check #mike thinks he's helping el by not breaking her heart and just being with her despite feelings for will he can't deny #very reminiscent of mike's 'maybe you thought you were helping but you weren't. you hurt me! what you did sucks!'#i do think it would be epic too see that moment come full circle but with el saying it to mike this time #bc i'm sure el would much rather have her heartbroken finding out that mike is incapable of loving her romantically #than to find out he was with her bc he didn't want to hurt her even at the expense of his own happiness #like no one wants to have someone be with them out of pity or obligation #we want someone to love us truly and deeply and genuinely!#we see how much el struggles in s4 bc of all the hints she's getting from mike that he doesn't genuinely love her #bc that's the most important part of a romantic relationship #it being equal #and it didn't feel that way #sure she's gonna be pissed #but she's gonna be more pissed he wasn't just honest #friends don't lie obvs

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lifblogs · 2 months

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Better Late Than Dead

Fandom: The Bad Batch Rating: Teen and Up Audiences Pairing: Tech/Phee Word Count: 1268 Summary: Tech arrives on Pabu for the first time since he was rescued from Dr. Hemlock, and put his mind back together (mostly). A special someone is there waiting for him. AUTHOR'S NOTE: Disclaimer, I have PCS (Post-Concussion Syndrome) so this story could be a mess, it could be great. I don't know, but I tried, and I had fun. First story I've written since I hit my head. I am sooooo nervous about it for some reason. This fandom seems like nothing but kind, though. If you read it, thank you. READ ON AO3

Tech paused getting off the ramp. Once he stepped off onto Pabu he would no longer just be on the Marauder with his family. He would exist in a public space, with people who… might not understand, who would see him differently. He was different.

There were some stares from the crowd, but he couldn’t track all of them, faces blurring and disappearing as he watched. But maybe those eyes were still on him.

Subconsciously, he touched the back of his head, feeling the metal plate there that replaced part of his skull, felt the lines where his scalp had split, where either through injury or one of his many surgeries his brain had been exposed. His new and enhanced left eye (replacing the gouged one from Plan 99) searched the space before him frantically, but he tried to take in what the right saw first: bright, blue skies with white, puffy clouds; a calm ocean for kilometers on end; happy people in colorful clothing—survivors, every one of them. How could such a place exist when he’d been through such horrors in Hemlock’s dark labs? Now it was like this beautiful place only half-existed.

The beauty was what his right eye saw. The left one… He hadn’t had a chance to reprogram it yet. Most of what he saw through it was a dizzying array of heat signatures, structural integrities, and the best places to shoot a target. According to his eye, everyone was a target. This was all superimposed over his regular vision from his right eye. The confusing signals to his brain usually left him with the feeling as if his eyes were being scooped out (half a phantom pain and reminiscent of his real horrors), and it would throb up into his head. With the metal plate added in, he had more headaches than he could manage on most days.

Still feeling anxiety churning in his gut; cold, clammy fear gripping the back of his neck and stripping him bare, he held up his new datapad. Tech decided to do a quick check of his metabolic system, and the absorption levels of his various injected pain meds, and their half-lives. This was done through a chip implanted at the base of his skull. Unfortunately that had required an extra surgery, seeing as that hadn’t fit in the area where he’d needed his skull repaired.

His datapad beeped quietly, and a yellow bar showed up near the top. He’d need to re-inject his left hip soon.

Tech glanced up, the real galaxy around him becoming too real. Coming towards the ramp with a hesitant smile and shining eyes was Phee.

His heart suddenly seemed too big, blood somehow beating hard all across his torso, even as it crawled up his throat. Phee. He really had thought of her, even remembered one instance of Hemlock torturing him for mentioning her name. He shuddered, his mechanical left leg shifting in a way that seemed too obvious and inhuman to him.

Tech wasn’t the same.

Am I even Tech?

No, no. You’ve… you’ve been over this already. Done the work. I. Am. Tech.

And he had thought about Phee in what he had thought would be his last moments. He’d surprisingly had the time to think about a lot of people.

He’d thought about his last-minute realization, and he’d mourned what could have been. And now… there she was. Here he was. Pabu. Safety. Phee.

Tech took a deep breath, tried to swallow back his fear, and stepped down the ramp, all too aware of how he looked now. Feeling clumsy with this changed body, he struggled to put his datapad back on his belt. One last thing to put between this moment and the next, the inevitable.

Phee met him at the bottom of the ramp, letting him step off. For a moment the voices around them dimmed, but neither of them spoke.

Oh no, she’s horrified. She’s disgusted. She’s—

“You look different.”

Blunt, as always.

“Oh.”

“I think I like it.”

“You… do?” Tech asked, caught off guard as he usually was with her. (How could anyone script conversations with a flirtatious, bold pirate?)

She shrugged. Was she… crying?

Some of his vision blurred. His eye malfunctioning? No. His right one. He was crying.

Hesitantly, she touched his shoulder. Tech jumped a little, but let her warm, assuring touch stay there. He wondered what that hand felt like—strong, calloused.

“It’s you, isn’t it?”

Was this him? All these differences, and injuries, and modifications?

Well, he was still Tech, so he supposed that made the plate in his skull him, the chip, the cybernetic leg, and eye. Still… Tech. Just different. A new Tech.

“I suppose.” He was surprised to hear himself speak.

“Then of course I like it! But I have a bone to pick with you.”

Tech almost backed away, startled, as her finger prodded against his chest.

What bone?

What—Oh!

“Seven months?!” she went on, voice raised and rough. “I don’t see you for seven months?! And all I could get out of Mr. Face Tattoo was that you were ‘indisposed.’”

“Sorry I’m… late,” he got out, as if that somehow summed up everything that had changed his life, that had even affected hers.

That’s when a sob left Phee, and her tears spilled, and she cupped Tech’s scarred face in her hand. It was calloused, just like he’d thought it’d be. Something about her touch was reassuring and invigorating all at once.

And it was kind.

Tech hadn’t realized how much he’d needed someone outside his family to support him until that moment. It left him weak in his right knee, and he might have trembled.

Phee sobbed again, and then got out with a smile bright enough to rival the stars, “But still—better late than dead, I always say.”

Tech held her hand against his face for a second, marveling at the feeling, her words. Then he wasn’t sure who pulled who into an embrace, but suddenly she was flush against him, her heart beating fast, chest moving with her sobs, a wild scent of ocean salt, island fruit, and some kind of warm spice surrounding him. With his chin tucked against her shoulder, and her head resting against his he learned her hair was a softness he’d never felt before.

“Though of course you had to lose one brown eye on me,” she joked. He was surprised when it didn’t hurt, not from her.

“I’ll try not to lose the other one.”

“You’d better. What am I supposed to call you now? ‘Brown Eye’ doesn’t sound romantic.”

“We could… make it romantic,” he ventured, voice a soft murmur against her.

Phee laughed, and pulled back, patting his cheek. “Honey, I’m not sure you know what romance is.”

For the first time since Plan 99, months and months ago, Tech laughed—something he’d thought he would never be capable of again. And, he thought, maybe he’d like to do it again. With Phee.

“I’m smart,” he assured her, watching as she wiped away her tears, wishing he could do it for her. He went on, surprising himself, “I’m sure I can learn.”

Phee took his hand in hers, and Tech was startled by how much he enjoyed that her hand was smaller than his.

“Well, come on then,” she said, starting to drag him along, towards society as a whole new person. “You’re gonna have a lot of studying to do.”

Tech smiled, somehow, as he followed her, leaving just a little bit of that dark lab behind him.

#star wars #the bad batch #tbb #tbb tech #phee genoa #tech x phee #techphee #techphee fanfiction #tbb fanfiction #the bad batch fanfiction #star wars fanfiction #star wars tbb #star wars tbb fanfiction #fanfiction #tech #writing #my writing

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maissafespace · 2 years

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Consequences.

Nagi Seishiro x Reader

Request: haiii can i request nagi (bllk) + size kink/manhandling with a short fem reader? thank uuu

Synopsis: A bad game can lead to the best sex of your lives and a few confessions now that he has time since he was suspended from the next week's game.

Warnings: relationship. friends with benefits, explicit nsfw. mean!nagi, harddom!nagi, oral sex male receiving, choking, edging, rough sex, manhandling, size kink, breeding kink, creampie, overstimulation, he uses you to steam off, aftercare and clinginess.

A/N: Nagi my beloved, I'd have a size kink because of him with his 1.90 m tall ass. I mean it's not hard to be shorter than him anon lol... I'm not happy with entirely, so I may edit it later on but I hope you enjoyed it and everyone like and reblog, requests are open!

Ko-fi donations, only if you're able or want to! no obligations!

Masterlist - Masterpost

It had been a few stressful days for Nagi.

From a distance you heard about his games, in the last one being the fact that he was given a penalty for nothing, the VAR wasn't consulted, leading to a bit of a scuffle with the other players and the referee till he was given red card and was expelled from field and later suspended for the next game.

In your years of sex and friendship, you've never seen the look of frustration and anger on his face.

Not even when gaming, he reached that level of anger, mostly because he always won but the few times he didn't, he just sighed and went for another game with no worries.

He had returned to the city this morning, with paparazzi storming him in the airport probably just adding fuel to the fire with the questions they were asking him. The pair of sunglasses was not enough to mask the irritate face, at least it wasn't for you.

It was currently evening, your shift at the cafe finally ended and you were supposed to be on your way home with the two and a half portions of food in the plastic bag, yet with a groan your feet guided you straight to his apartment complex.

Typing in the code you entered, taking the elevator to one of the last floor made you have a moment to think.

You weren't his girlfriend to go and check on him, comfort him, cared that much.. but you were his friend first, friends were supposed to care that much too. You couldn't even lie about the fact that you had missed him, you missed the way he spooned you and embraced you tight, his awful jokes and sarcasm.

You couldn't even lie that you might have been growing feelings for him.

The elevator rang, signaling you that it reached the floor and you took a deep breath, making your way to his black wood door, your finger hesitating before ringing the doorbell.

A few seconds passed, it was pretty early for him to be sleeping but maybe the jet lag was playing with him, your body was about to turn and walk away when he opened fully the door.

His tall and shirtless figure leaving nothing to the imagination, your eyes traveling all over him, noticing with a bit of shame the bulge in his pajama pants, meeting his eyes and feeling the different aura around him.

"Hey." He hummed, taking a step aside and giving you space to walk in, you took your shoes off, leaving your bag on the couch and the plastic bag with food on the coffee table. "I was passing by and knew that you returned this morning. I got some food and-"

You stopped looking up at him, leaning on the wall with arms crossed in front of him, you sighed again, walking up to him carefully. "Are you ok? I saw the news and everything." Your voice was soft, sweet honey to his ears with all the concern it was laced with.

He shrugged though. "Can I do anything to help?"

The throbbing, that those words made his heart feel and make, were his own confirmation, you were so cute standing small and short in front of him, looking up at him with the only intention to help him. Yet, he wanted to ruin you, getting off the built frustration that changed into pure sexual frustration with you in front of him.

A second later his lips were angrily smashing against yours, his huge hand wrapping around your neck perfectly, picking you up to stand on your tippy toes as he did his best to lean down as well.

Your nails dug into his biceps, taken aback at first, you had started to melt yourself into the kiss, following the rythm and roughness his lips were putting on yours, little sounds coming out of your mouth as you closed your eyes feeling in the deepest part of you how much he needed you.

Thighs squeezing together, pants growing tight, the kiss continued while he guided you back till the back of your knees hit the edge of the couch, falling sat panting for air, lips swollen and flushed face.

In front of you stood his trapped erection, his hands undoing the knot, taking you back by your jaw to push himself into your mouth. The small and tight circle of lips... "Am I too big for you?" You struggled to take him all in and reply to his smugness, using your tongue on the tip and your hands that barely wrapped around half of him to please him.

His hands moved to your hair, gripping on it with both hands and pushing you down till his tip hit the back of your throat. Breathing wasn't much of a choice now, you only wanted him to continue using it. A submissive side of yourself that you didn't you had to that extent.

Yes, he was usual the lead and dominant one, but he had never been rough and mean with sex with you.

Tears rolled down your cheeks, and as he adjusted his own speed, groaning at the pleasure of the tight hold of your mouth, you started to get rid off the clothes on you, feeling suffocated in them, wanting to at least relieve the ache in between your legs.

"Fuck- don't fucking touch yourself!" He gritted through his teeth, you could feel the stiffening and tensing of his legs but instead of coming in your mouth, he pulled out, groaning in frustration. For a moment you had forgotten how he hated cumming anywhere but deep inside you, he had told you once that nothing was better than to see his seed oozing out.

You whimpered, the ache becoming too much for you to ignore. He leaned down kissing you again, feeling his own taste from your lips, while an arm went around your waist picking you up easily and walking into his familiar bedroom.

He was completely naked while you still had panties and your tank top on. Once your back hit the soft sheets on the bed, his fingers ripped off the laced fabric, your top disappearing as well leaving you as bare as he was.

Gripping down on your thighs enough to leave marks, keeping your legs far apart as he slid up and down, the tip hitting on your clit making your limbs shake, hips raise to find a bit more pleasure against his strenght, only telling him how much you wanted him too.

He let on of your limbs go, taking his dick and guiding himself to press against you, your hearts beating faster and faster stopping with gasps from you both as he slid in.

Stretching you so good, walls throbbing around him as he kept filling you more, till his tip hit the entrance of your womb, pain or pleasure, everything felt the same, as long as he and you melted as one together.

The slight bulge on your stomach as he stopped as deep as he could, stopping as well feeling your warmth, once he had missed in the last few weeks, engulf him fully, grunting when he started to move himself back and forth, holding you in place, halting you from squirming around, letting your fingers dug into his skin.

The bed creacked, headboard hitting against the wall, for that moment you were thankful he didn't have neighbours to hear those shameful noises that escaped you both.

His hand went to press down on your lower stomach, where the slight tip could appear, making your orgasm approach faster.

He leaned down rutting into you, completely caging your small frame under himself, you continued to moan as the feeling in your core made itself more present, his thrusts coming off sloppily with his grunting through his teeth.

It was in a split second that you felt that feeling of relief, eyes rolling back, your head thrown back as well while his mouth attached itself to your bare neck, your legs spasming around his waist.

As you reached your fulfillment, he did so too, keep thrusting into you as thick ropes of cum spilled and filled you up.

Panting and gasps echoing in the room when the feeling of euphoria calmed down, plugging your entance as he fell down on you, crashing with his weight but in too much exhaustion to try and shake him off. Your hand went up to brush through his hair, waiting for him to make the next move, and with a hiss coming from your mouth he decided to pull away.

He pecked your lips before completely standing up. You watched him move around in silence, putting on underwear, taking a clean t-shirt of his and putting it on you, looking as if it was a dress.

He took a moment watching the cum ooze out, then going for a baby wipe in the bathroom and cleaning you down.

Feeling his arms picking you up bridal style, the softness of the sheets, he was spooning you, sighing before speaking up for the first time tonight, in a decent manner.

"I feel like I caught you off guard." You almost snorted at him, a smile growing on your face.

"You feel so?" He hummed.

"Was I too rough?"

"Mmh... yes, but I would've stopped you if something was troubling me." You told him in a whisper. He sighed though, snuggling his face into your hair, arms tightening around your waist. "I'll take it as you were mad at the suspension."

"Mad doesn't even cover everything. It wasn't even my fault, that asshole came onto me to cause trouble." You caressed his arms as he continued his rant. "They could've checked the VAR, they would have seen I moved away after he pushed me."

"They probably thought you were too much of a big guy to be thrown around so easily."

"That's stupid." He mumbled.

"It is. But it's done now, your head is finally in the clear and steamed off." You looked up at the nightstand, the time glowing in the dark, making you remember that public transport has its own limit. "I think it's my time to go-" You groaned.

You didn't want to leave his arms, but you also didn't want to blur the line of your relationship more or crossing it fully, keeping your feelings to the side if it meant keep on being a friend with him.

Yet, he couldn't let you leave, his arms tightened around you, not letting you move a single millimeter. "Stay." He mumbled.

Heartbeat increasing at his voice, at his soft plea for you. "After all I can't finish all that food alone."

You smiled, relaxing back in his embrace, humming and nodding in happiness that the feeling of home and peace you found in him, he found it in you. "Just stay with me, forever." He mumbled.

You were ready to do as he wished.

#blue lock smut #blue lock x reader #blue lock nagi #nagi seishiro #nagi seishiro x reader #bllk x reader #bllk smut #bllk nagi #seishiro nagi

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keiaoi811 · 9 months

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Cooking your hates / Aquarium adventure

Jouno Saigiku x Reader / Tecchou Suehiro x Reader

Fluff

Drabble, headcanons? Idk how to name it

Just some short thing in subpoints

Jouno

•Jouno, our beloved mean gremlin

((ﾐ´ω`ﾐ)), i kinda love the headcanons about him being good in kitchen [while me, the best i can do is tea and scrambled eggs- mastechef is not title for me]

•But what if you have things you don't like? For example mushrooms, raisins, broccoli [kind of 'wink' towards me, heh]

•Will Jouno makes things without them or.....try his best to hides them in dish to hear your displeased noise when you find out? I think, you know the answer, dear reader ~

•Leaving Jouno for five seconds alone is the worst you can do. His disability won't stop him to sneak, "the worst things on the world" a'ka foods you don't like, into the soon dinner.

•A grin, this one, annoying one, that always appears when he did something. 'A proud cat, who just broke your favorite cup, because he found it not suitable on the table'; type of smile.

•You look at the dish before you, with suspicious sight, guard on. You really like his cooking, really, just this smile; it's very disturbing.

•-"It's gonna be cold, eat up"- Jouno said simple, continues to enjoy his own portion, listening with huge anticipation, to your heartbeat. Ah, teasing you is his favorite hobby after long and tiresome work week.

•Finally, you try his creation with surprise for you. It wasn't bad, entirely opposite, it was delicious.

-"Taste good?"

-"A lot, you never ending to surprise me, Sai."

You said with great appreciation towards the white hair man. This moment, however didn't last long.

•Oh, your heartbeat changed, giving signal to Jouno that his small "gift" got discovered.

-"Something wrong, dear?~"- He asked, like he had no idea, what makes your face frowning in small disgust.

-"You add something."

-"I added a of lot things, this is what cooking is, after all."

-"Sai, you know what i mean"

-"Oh, do i?~"

•Jouno playing dumb and you swallowing the piece of food like it was "poison".

Then you begins to complain, filling his ears with the pleasure he was expecting.

•-"You acting like some kid, who don't want to eat their veggies."- Jouno huffed nonchalantly and the grin on his face get only bigger.

•Maybe cooking with him gonna be better option to avoid eating the "humanity poison". While Jouno gets annoyed by your "guarding". It is nice to have your help, but having you to observe what his hands do without a blink, was getting on his nerve.

•Payback Jouno ((ﾐ´ω`ﾐ)) But in the end of the day, nothing can be avoid completely and maybe a compromise would be better.

Tecchou

•We all know, that this man can watch ants for eight, straight hours, right? Mostly for their teamwork and etc.

•But what if, take him to Aquarium? It sounds like a very nice date idea, pretty common too.

•All the colorful fishes, gracefully drifting behind the glass wall, a blue light filling every edge, very calming and beautiful view....until standing in one place for too long.

•Tecchou was like a frozen statue, observing all the fishes and other creatures behavior, like some kind of oceanologist.

•You were happy that he seemed to like this place, but you also wouldn't mind if he move a little....even slightly. We love you but please ಥ⌣ಥ

•Idea pop off in your mind and decided to test it. You walk away from Tecchou, to see what will happened but also to see other parts of Aquarium.

•Gone for hour or two, only to come back to your human like rock, who didn't even badge a step. At this point, you don't know if better laugh or cry. Also some other visitors was getting confused when passing by Tecchou.

•-"It's mannequin? Some kind part of the exhibition?"- whispers flows into your ears.

For gym or clothing shop, Tecchou would be a perfect mannequin; you joke in thoughts.

•-"Hiro, are you there?"- You said when approaching this "statue" and waving hand before his eyes. A small shocked expression sneak on his face when Tecchou finally turn his head towards you.

-"Yes? Something wrong? Tired?"

-"I feel like i should be the one asking this."

A chuckle left your lips, while Tecchou looked at you slightly lost.

•Two of you chat a little, asking him what he discovered from all the observation he made. Tecchou apologized when you tell him you were walking around, alone for one or two hours.

•Everything begins to be sweet and nice again when, suddenly a big fish eats the smaller one.

•Tecchou and you had a little open mouths in shock, dazed at what you just guys witness. It's not that was scary or something that would never happen, the natural food chain and etc., but fishes eating each other wasn't in yours to-do date list....

•-"Hiro....what do you say, for change the scenery? I think i saw a booth with ice cream somewhere."

-"It's sounds great to me, love."

Let the fishes enjoy their "dinner" without you and distract themselves with something cold.

•Except that one moment, date end up great. Tecchou shared with his thoughts about how great would the ice creams taste with shichimi or wasabi....well.

•But memory of his focused, amber eyes on the glass wall, brings you smile and a faint rosy color on the cheeks.

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yyawnjun · 7 months

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AMORE E PSICHE

seungkwan x reader ; enemies to lovers ; 1k wc ; drabble!! my fav boy w my fav trope !! ; fluff ; they're just cold at some point but they're okay!! ; HE FELL FIRST♡ ; @kflixnet ; no proofread, I'm sleepy ,,

The art lesson was about to conclude when the teacher began to form pairs for a project in which you were to present an artistic piece from the neoclassical-historical period you were studying at the time.

When the teacher asked who wanted to talk about :Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss" by the Italian sculptor Canova, you didn't hesitate to raise your hand. You loved Greek mythology and knew a lot about that myth, and you liked the sculpture, so you were happy to share it with the class.

But you weren't the only one who raised your hand; Boo Seungkwan, the one you couldn't stand in front of the entire class, had also raised his hand to deal with that sculpture…

Why would he want to work with you? Since when did he know cared about art project?

Anyway, it was because he raised his hand that the teacher paired you two for the assignment of presenting that work.

"I can only study if I'm outside. Meet me in the park near the school where there are also benches," he said as soon as the bell rang to signal the end of class.

"Oh, and know that I know nothing about that myth," he added before exiting the classroom.

Why on earth would you work on a presentation with him? Seungkwan, who had always thrown irritating comments at you, who rarely spoke to you, and whom you occasionally caught glancing at you with a dazed look?

You never understood him, and despite how much the mystery fascinated you, you chosed to ignore him.

So why did he want to come to the presentation with you?

But the next day, all of the above questions were answered.

When you were sitting on a park bench reading the story of Cupid and Psyche, he observed you silently with his eyes focused on you and your words, and the more you immersed yourself in the reading, the more he drowned into your story.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop himself from becoming distracted. And you served as his distraction.

Your lips moving quickly, your expressions changing, your eyes following the words, your hair swaying slightly in the wind, and your enthusiasm in your voice. He couldn't concentrate on anything else.

He tried to close his eyes to minimize distractions, but you stopped confused at his bizarre action.

You asked him if everything was okay, and when he opened his eyes again, your gazes met, but he couldn't hold it for long. He turned red and shifted his gaze, nodding and asking you to proceed.

You'd seen that the boy wasn't paying attention to the story, but as much as this annoyed you, you found his look charming, almost comforting.

You decided to put him to tease him anyway, repeating the same line or even skipping pages…but he was becoming gradually lost in your eyes.

He thought the park would help him control his feelings for you, but in the end, he had done nothing but reveal them.

"Am I that boring?"

"No! Absolutely Not. I enjoy your reading and your passion for it."

"Sure…Are you even listening to me?"

"Yes."

You decided to take advantage of the situation by getting closer to him as if to see if he was lying through his eyes.

"I'm not lying," he smirked as he moved closer to you. As if it were a challenge.

"Come on, you can read a little now," you said, handing him your book.

"Sure, now listen to me, the greatest orator!"

And now you're the one who's charmed by him, his voice, his passion…

You found yourself thinking that he was a goodlooking guy, good at reading, and mostly important that that myth seemed better when told by him.

You could see vividly Cupid and Psyche when Seungkwan talked about their beauty.

But also the story had become more enjoyable thanks to the funny comments he occasionally made.

As you were involved in his words and he read that myth, the time around you had shifted.

There were no more children in the park, the sky had darkened, and a cool breeze had blown in.

You both started shivering from the cold, but you didn't want to go without finishing the book.

He was getting close to the end when he began to sneeze frequently. He didn't appear to want to stop, so you gently handed him the scarf you had in your backpack.

"We can share it…if that's okay with you," he replied as he saw you hand over your scarf to him as you were also freezing to death.

"How?"

"Please tell me if it's okay," he asked as he set the book down and approached you.

You nodded instinctively, and he wrapped one end of the scarf over your neck and the other around his.

Fortunately, the scarf was quite long and properly fit the two of you; nonetheless, you had to come closer to each other to avoid hurting yourselves.

As the story came to a close, you were back to back.

Cupid had saved Psyche from the Underworld, and the two of them were now about to get married.

It wasn't until Seungwak stopped talking that you realized he was done, and you two were standing alone in a park, back to back, with a single streetlamp shining on you, your head resting against his and your eyes half-closed.

Even if you couldn't see it, his heart was racing, and his cheeks were flushed - not from the cold.

"We should do it again, don't you think?" and said yes to those barely whispered words from him.

And for a few more seconds before saying goodbye, you two stayed in that position, back to back, wrapped up in the same scarf, your hands now touching, your heartbeats quickening, and your eyes half-closed while smiling...

#k labels #k-labels #seventeen scenarios #seventeen x reader #seungkwan x reader #seungkwan scenarios #seungkwan fluff #boo seungkwan scenarios #seventeen fluff #seungkwan #seventeen

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greetingfromthedead · 3 months

Text

Tempest Wind Masterlist

Through a destined meeting, Vash found you, a lost soul much like himself, under the weirdest of circumstances, and he made a promise to follow you across any desert. That turns out to lead both of you down a path of self-discovery, love, and hurt. Vash's unlucky shadow drives the two of you from one crisis to the next, but there's nothing you can't overcome together.

Tempest Wind is a 18+ Vash x F!Reader fic with some spice, some gore, a bit of action and a lot of fluff, for added flavor there's angst too ofc.

The rating of 18+ comes mainly from the occasional dark themes and not so much of the smuttiness (as those parts are labeled and can be skipped without it really affecting the story).

NB: The content is mostly Trimax canon-typical violence/gore/themes, but I give warnings and summaries for the heavier chapters and smut so you can skip them if you want!

Tags/CW below the cut!

Tags/CW: Romance, Fluff, Angst, Action, Adventure, Slow Burn, Hurt, Emotional Baggage, Reader-Insert, badass female character, Eventual Smut, Healing, Immortality, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Implied/Referenced suicide, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, powers, Mentions of impregnation, Medical Inaccuracies, Medical Experimentation, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Canon-Typical Violence, Gun Violence, Blood and Violence, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Established Relationship, Pre-Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Pining, Tragedy, Protectiveness, Pre-Canon, Canon Universe, Injury, Not Beta Read, POV Alternating, Tenderness, Illnesses, Scars, Mental Breakdown, Mental Health Issues, Caretaking, During Canon, Creature Vash, Angel Vash, Body Horror, Body Worship, i'm shit at tagging, idk what im doing

COMPLTETED: 84 Chapters / 165k words

C1: In Death

C2: Tracking Through the Desert

C3: Acts of Kindness

C4: Night Watch

C5: Birdbrain

C6: A Heavy Heart

C7: Midnight Run

C8: Odd Job

C9: A Wild Beast

C10: Wounds

C11: Laundry Day

C12: Language of Flowers

C13: Unlocked Horrors

C14: Sweet as Sugar

C15: Resemblance of Normality

C16: Taking Out the Trash

C17: Unfamiliar Experiences

C18: Moving On

C19: A Gut Feeling

C20: Gods and Angels

C21: Perfect Morning

C22: Renewed Conviction

C23: Dusty Memory

C24: Unexpected Visitors

C25: Guardian Angel

C26: Calamity J

C27: Playing Doctor

C28: Otherworldly Lullaby

C29: Patchwork

C30: Burn

C31: Towards New Horizons

C32: Stormy Emotions

C33: Tempest

C34: Desert Night

C35: Mayfly of Love

C36: Sign of Appreciation

C37: Plotting

C38: Execution

C39: Hands

C40: Storm Clouds

C41: Truth Unfurled

C42: Ray of Hope

C43: Lucky

C44: Sandstorm

C45: Back in a Lab

C46: Signals

C47: Glimpse of the Past

C48: Nature of Your Being

C49: Irises

C50: Frozen Dream

C51: Spring

C52: Worship

C53: Breakfast

C54: Experimented

C55: United Again

C56: Rest of Eternity

C57: Subject 0325

C58: Project HUMAN

C59: Comfort in Knowledge

C60: First Day of the Future

C61: Puzzle Pieces

C62: Day and Night

C63: Daylight Robbery

C64: Journey to December

C65: Snatchers

C66: Last Calm Breaths

C67: Dark Underworld

C68: Rescue Mission

C69: A Bloody Demon

C70: Time Catches Up

C71: Blame

C72: On to the Next Crisis

C73: Last Night

C74: Goodbye

C75: Fragments

C76: Talk of Love and Peace

C77: Uncanny Valley

C78: Lover's Face

C79: Ghost of You

C80: Happy Birthday

C81: A Paradise for You and Me

C82: Breaking of a Will

C83: Life and Death

C84: Epilogue

Demo Chapters modified into oneshots:

Womanizer - confined spaces affects Vash in a strange way and he has turned on his charm to try and seduce you.

Perfect Morning - domestic fluff, intimacy, mild smuttiness, shy Vash

Festivities - delusional bliss on an unfamiliar planet with weird traditions, ice skating and sweet Vash

Burn - basically smuttiness with little actual plot

Desire - no plot, just porn. Often the quiet and shy ones surprise you...

Happy Birthday - You find yourself on a furry side quest and it turns into a very special birthday celebration that Vash puts on for you.

You can also read it on other platforms: AO3! Wattpad! Quotev!

Check out my other stuff: MASTERLIST.

#Tempest Wind #Trigun

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cobrakaisb · 2 years

Text

foolproof plan

summary: the only downside to fake dating is that someone always ends up falling for the other.

warnings: y/n is a happy drunk; underage drinking (not condoning it); mostly cuteness; a couple swears

word count: 4.16k

“so do we have a deal?” he asked, hand out waiting for you to take it. you hesitated, biting your lip as your eyes flickered from his face to his hand. the anxiety and reality surrounding what you were about to do was setting in. were you actually agreeing to this? a surge of confidence washed over you as your smaller hand grasped his in a firm handshake. “we have a deal,” you agreed.

now all you had to do was pretend to fake date owen power.

tall, brunette, number-one-overall nhl draft pick, owen power. your hesitancy to take owen’s hand had nothing to do with owen himself and everything to do with who he was; star hockey player for the university of michigan who was bound to go pro once their season came to an end. but you needed the help, and his proposition was too good to pass up. ever since your crush on kent johnson formed, you’ve been looking for a way to get closer to him, and this was the perfect opportunity.

that’s right. owen’s caught you ogling at his best friend and roommate one too many times for it to be a coincidence. so when he proposed that the two of you fake date to make kent jealous and “light a fire under kent’s ass” (owen’s words not yours), the obvious answer was yes. it took a lot of pondering, but eventually you agreed to his idea, hence putting you in the situation you were in now.

“but we need some rules,” you added, pulling your hand from his. owen smiled, a little half smile that definitely didn’t compare to his real one. “whatever you want sweetheart,” he agreed. you couldn’t help the small flush that appeared on your cheeks at the pet name. this was going to be a lot.

“let’s meet tomorrow for lunch. at the chipotle off campus?” you suggested. “sure,” owen agreed, chomping on his gum. “where’s your phone?” he continued, holding his hand out for the device. at the sight of your confused look and raised eyebrows he huffed, “what? i just want to give you my number.” “oh right,” you mumbled, handing him the device with a blank contact. his fingers glided over the keyboard as he entered his information into your phone. “text me a time. actually, what class do you have? i’ll pick you up,” he said, eyes looking at you expectantly.

“um poetry but,” you started before he cut you off, “right your class with kent.” you glared at his tone, one filled with teasing and something else you couldn’t decipher. owen smiled again at the sight of your angry face. you were cute. “i’ll pick you up and we’ll go to lunch, sound good?” he asked, but deep down you knew it was really a question. “perfect,” you agreed, a fake smile on your lips. “great! see you tomorrow babe,” he cheered before walking out of the lecture hall, leaving you stunned into silence.

walking out of poetry class, you were surprised to see owen standing there. he was leaning against the wall, scrolling through his phone aimlessly. you stopped for a moment, just admiring the beauty that was owen power. he was wearing gray sweats and a random michigan hockey shirt, along with his signature glasses that made him look just the right amount of nerdy.

after some random person shoved you, you realized that you were blocking the hallway. you walked over to owen, clearing your throat as a signal that you were there. “hey. i’m ready to go when you are,” you said, a somewhat forced smile on your face. “me too. let me take your books,” he replied, grabbing the assortment of materials from your hands. “you don’t have to,” you tried to protest, but one look from owen had your mouth snapping shut. just as the two of you were about to walk away, someone called out owen’s name, and you knew exactly who it was.

“what are you doing here?” the blonde asked, walking up to the two of you. “i have a date, remember?” owen answered, subtly gesturing to you. kent’s eyebrows furrowed, his bottom lip jutting out even more than it already was. “i didn’t think you were being serious,” came kent’s reply. your cringed, the sting from his words already hitting you. owen must have noticed because he huffed in annoyance, “funny kent. now if you’ll excuse us, my girlfriend and i have a lunch date to get to.” those were the final words of the conversation as owen began leading the way out of the building.

the walk to chipotle was pretty much silent. there were minimal things to talk about anyways. “listen, about the comment, he didn’t mean anything by it. you’re great and what kent said had nothing to do with you--” owen started to explain, but you cut him off: “it’s fine owen. besides, it's not like we’re really dating anyway.” if you didn’t know any better you’d say his face fell at your words.

“so what are these rules?” owen asked once the two of you sat down at a table in the back corner of chipotle. you felt heat creep up your cheeks at his intense stare. “i don’t know. i’d just figured we’d want rules so no one gets attached,” you mumbled, looking at owen shyly. “and is that what you’re worried about? getting attached?” he asked, and while you originally thought he was teasing, there was nothing but sincerity in his eyes. you neglected to answer, instead pulling out a piece of paper to write the agreed rules on.

“okay so you can pick me up from class, if you want to obviously, and i’ll meet you at your classes too,” you said, looking at owen for confirmation. “i’ll pick you up from class and walk you there. you can do the same for me, if that’s what you want. keep things equal between us,” he agreed and you nodded, jotting down the first rule.

this continued for some time until things started to get a bit more intense. “you come to all my home games. in my jersey,” he said, but it came off as more of a demand. “all of them?” you asked, biting your lip. “every single one. besides this will give you a chance to see kent play too,” owen replied, wiggling his eyebrows at the last part. you rolled your eyes at his words, huffing in annoyance. “fine. but i’m not wearing the jersey,” you said. “um yes you are. people need to know that you’re my girl, babe,” owen rebutted, giving you a pointed look.

and he was right, of course. how were you supposed to be fake dating owen power if you don’t even wear his jersey to his games? “fine. but it’s just for show,” you relented. “mhm sure,” owen answered, taking a bite of his food.

“and what about kissing?” you asked, causing a loud choking sound to come from the boy across from you. you sat up straight, leaning over the table to make sure he was all right. he continued to cough for a few seconds, but gathered himself almost immediately. once the coughing subsided, owen looked at you, and that's how you noticed the closeness between you two; noses barely touching, as his brown eyes met yours. a blush covered both your cheeks as you sat back down. “let’s not plan that out,” he mumbled, and you nodded, writing down the word kiss with a question mark next to it.

game tonight. stop by the locker room for the jersey

that was the text you saw displayed on your screen at the end of your midday lecture. this whole fake dating thing with owen had been going on for a couple of weeks now. the two of you walked each other to class, holding hands, parted ways with a hug and “kiss on the cheek” (because if people looked hard enough they would see that his lips barely grazed your skin), and then met up again afterwards for a small coffee or lunch date. it was going great. owen was a nice guy and fun to be around. he was also so smart and helped you out with your homework and studying on more than one account.

today, however, was his first game since this establishment. it was going to be your big debut, as owen called it, and he had everything all mapped out. you would arrive early, just before warm ups, to meet him at the end of the tunnel, where he would give you his spare jersey. then you would sit in the children of yost section, and he’d make a big show of waving to you during warm ups. from there the team would go on to win the game (fingers crossed) and the two of you would celebrate with his friends at the after party.

“a foolproof plan,” owen explained over lunch. “yeah totally foolproof. not a single thing could go wrong,” you said, sarcasm dripping from your voice. owen gave you a pointed look, but the smile threatening to make its way onto his face won over. “just keep an open mind,” he begged and you nodded, a small smile on your face as you continued to eat lunch.

now you are standing at the entrance of the tunnel, fidgeting with your phone. you texted owen a couple of minutes ago and he replied saying that he’d be right out. finally, he came through the tunnel. his pads and skates were on, but no jersey. yet he still managed to look really good, and you had to physically stop your jaw from dropping.

“hey,” he greeted. “hey. excited?” you asked, sticking your hands in the back pockets of your jeans as you rocked on your heels. “yeah. a little nervous too, but i think we have a good shot,” owen said, a hand running through his long hair. “yeah?” you asked. “yeah,” he answered. the two of you stood there, neither of you making a move. “so the jersey?” you pushed, nodding towards the maize colored jersey. “oh right,” he mumbled, handing it to you.

you took the piece of clothing from him, inspecting the size. it was huge, going down to your mid thigh at least, and you’d definitely have to roll up the sleeves. “put it on. i want to see,” owen begged, a childish whine in his voice. you laughed, but obliged to his request with no problems. just as anticipated, the jersey was huge. “i look like a child,” you groaned, eyeing the length. you expected owen to have some smart comeback, or completely deny your accusation, but instead he said nothing.

your eyes now moved from the ginormous jersey, to the tall giant in front of you. “what?” you asked softly, a blush coating your cheeks when you noticed his intense stare and wide opened mouth. again, owen didn’t say anything. “this was a bad idea. i should take it off,” you rambled, lifting the hem of the jersey, but owen stopped you. “no don’t. you look great, really great. please keep it on,” he whispered, fingers wrapping around your wrist. “okay o, i’ll keep it on,” you agreed, letting the fabric slip from your grasp. the air was heavy as his hand dropped yours, eyes still locked on you. “i um…i should go…team meeting and all,” he explained, a large hand rubbing the back of his neck. “yeah. yeah. i’ll see you after, okay?” you said and he nodded, turning to head back the way he came from.

“oh and owen,” you called, grabbing his hand just before he stepped out of reach. “hmm?” “good luck,” you whispered, standing on your tiptoes as you left a gentle kiss on his jaw.

the game ended up going really well. the boys pulled off a huge win over michigan state, leading to an absolute rager at one of their hockey houses. “we’re going,” owen decided for you, taking your hand in his as he led you to the house. it was clear that he was on an adrenaline high; owen had scored a goal but also had an assist. (at least that’s what the people around you kept saying.) he made a big show of pointing to you during his goal celebration, letting everybody know that the two of you were “together”.

“are you nervous?” you asked, the hockey house coming into view. “no, why?” owen asked, looking down at you. “dunno. i just figured you would be. these are your friends after all,” you mumbled. “it’ll be fine. they really want to meet you. besides this is the perfect opportunity for you to get kent’s attention,” he said, bumping your shoulder towards the end. you don’t know why, but a small frown came over your face at the mention of kent. you hadn’t thought about the blonde since this whole thing started; your thoughts were consumed by a tall brunette.

owen guided you up the stairs of the hockey house, one hand resting on the small of your back as you walked in front of him. he pulled the door open, waiting for you to enter the already bustling house. “big dog’s here!” someone shouted, causing a series of whoops and shouts to chorus throughout the room.

owen smiled, a red tint coating his cheeks. he was so cute, you thought, watching him with a fond smile. “let’s go get a drink,” he said, directing you to the kitchen. the second you entered the small area, you were ambushed by a bunch of rowdy boys. you recognized some of them as owen’s teammates, but you couldn’t remember any names.

“finally brought your girlfriend around, o?” one of them asked, a teasing smirk on his face. he was tiny, much smaller than owen, and blonde. owen rolled his eyes at the guy’s words, eliciting a couple laughs from the group. “this is y/n. y/n these are the guys,” he introduced, gesturing to the boys in front of you. “hi,” you said, offering them a small wave.

“what do you want to drink?” owen asked, drawing your attention back to him. “um…lemonade i don’t know. i don’t really drink,” you answered. the blonde guy from earlier scoffed, throwing an arm over your shoulder. “oh that’s gonna change real quick,” he promised, taking it upon himself to make you a mixed drink.

hours later, and you were not only well acquainted with the team, but with drinking. you found out that the blonde guy was named thomas and that he and brendan were pong champs. somehow, and you have no idea how, the two of them had roped you into playing a game of pong with them. they partnered you up with mackie, one of the freshmen, and insisted that they would go easy on you. that strategy didn’t seem to be working in their favor though.

“let’s go!” mackie shouted, high fiving you as the two of you won your third game in a row. “woo!” you cheered, jumping around excitedly. “dude! do better!” brendan shouted at thomas, causing the two of them to start playing the blame game.

it was the loud commotion that attracted owen’s attention. he smiled at the sight of you interacting with his friends. you caught him staring, smiling widely at him. you waved him over, calling his name over the loud music. owen walked over to you, stopping when he reached your side.

“owen! guess what? mackie and i keep winning,” you cheered, gesturing wildly to the younger boy. “oh yeah?” owen asked, trying to suppress a chuckle. you were so cute. “yeah. maybe you and i can play together,” you said, tapping his chest at your great idea. “i don’t think so honey. i think we should go home,” he answered, watching as a pout settled on your lips. “but i’m having so much fun. can’t we stay for a little longer?” you begged, leaning into him. owen shook his head, before explaining that it would be best if you left. “you can come over another time,” he promised, causing your eyes to twinkle in happiness.

“really?” you asked softly, voice taking on an excited tone as your eyes lit up with happiness. “really,” owen answered, intertwining your fingers with his. he smiled fondly at you, nothing but love and adoration swimming in his brown eyes hidden behind those nerdy glasses. “okay. just let me say goodbye first,” you agreed, dropping one of your hands. he watched as you pulled mackie into a side hug, yet still managed to keep him close (not that owen would dream of letting you wander off).

after you’d made your rounds, and owen told the important people that he was heading out for the night, the two of you exited the still wild party. the cool crisp air hit your skin as you walked down the steps and onto the front lawn. “it’s kind of chilly,” you mumbled, stepping closer to owen, who’s body radiated heat like a personal heater. “here,” he began, sliding his arms out of the varsity jacket adorning the school’s logo.

“what owen--” you tried protesting, but he silenced you with a ‘hush’. drunk you didn’t have the energy to argue because you held your arms out, allowing him to slip the jacket onto your shoulders. immediately you were encompassed in the smell that was owen, causing your shoulders to relax and comfort to seep into your bones. “thanks babe,” you said, grabbing his hand in yours once again. that was the first time you called owen babe, but he figured now wasn’t the best time to mention it.

“this physics homework is kicking my ass,” you complained, your head dropping into your hands as your pencil slid across the library table. currently, you and owen were having an impromptu study date in one of the library’s study rooms. he chuckled at your misery, causing you to lift your head up and frown at him. “it’s not funny owen. i’m actually really struggling,” you said, frowning a bit. “let me see it,” he asked, holding his hands out for your paper.

you smiled, happy to be getting some help from the physics genius himself. “what are you taking mech? or electrical?” he asked. your eyebrows furrowed in confusion at his question. “it’s just physics 101. i need it for my major,” you explained. “i see,” he mumbled, eyes completely focused on the paper while yours were completely focused on him. you watched with deep fascination as his brown eyes scanned the words on the page. you could basically see the mathematical gears turning in his head as he tried to decipher the problem and your chicken scratch handwriting. understanding lit up his eyes, as a small “aha” escaped his previously pursed lips.

“you used the wrong equation here,” he started before going on a physics tangent involving the correct equations, solving steps, and substitutions. he was leaning over the table, watching intently as you worked to make the corrections necessary. when you finally finished the problem, you turned to look out the windows of the study room, the ones that gave you a perfect view of the library. you were surprised, but not shocked, a group of michigan hockey players staring at you like animals in a zoo.

you blushed when they began making kissy faces at the two of you, brendan holding up a heart with his hands. owen just rolled his eyes, shaking his head gently at their antics. their laughs echoed in the previously quiet room as they all barged in. scraping the chairs against the floor to match their loud, teasing voices. kent took the seat next to owen, nudging the taller boy’s shoulder, shooting him a look that made fun of him in a loving manner. owen’s cheeks flamed and he turned his attention back to you, who was chatting with brendan and thomas while completing the physics homework.

you must have felt his eyes on you because you looked up. the second your eyes connected your cheeks turned the same shade as his, but you quickly averted your attention back to your studies.

weeks of fake dating turned into a month of fake dating. a month of fake dating turned into two weekend series at home and one away, all of which required you to wear owen’s jersey. all of them that made your feelings for owen abundantly clear.

maybe this whole thing started out as a way for you to gain kent’s attention, but now you didn’t even care. kent had started talking to you more and texting you, but he didn’t hold your interest the way owen did. you from the past would have been thrilled by the attention, but now, it was unwanted and unwelcome. leading to your current predicament, how to tell owen that you wanted to date him in a realm outside of making kent jealous, rules, and all things fake. studying provided the perfect excuse for you to execute your foolproof plan. (granted you did have a test to study for but it could wait.)

that night, you skipped out on some party that owen’s friends were hosting under the guise that you needed to prepare for the upcoming week. owen, like the great person that he is, offered to stay back and help you, but you declined his gracious offer. every couple of minutes owen would send you either a text or snap from the party claiming that he was bored and wished you were there. but he hasn’t sent you anything in almost half an hour, and you were disappointed to admit that it was getting to you.

just as you were about to get back to studying, after checking your phone of course, there was a knock on your door. your eyebrows furrowed, thinking that maybe your roommate lost her key again. but you were surprised to find owen standing there, holding a box of pizza, a six pack of coke, and a bag of your favorite candy.

“owen? what are you doing here?” you asked, stepping to the side so that he could walk into your room. “i missed you, and the party was boring. so i thought why not stop by to see my favorite girl, and convince her to watch cloud nine with me,” he said, with a sweet smile on his face as he held the box of pizza out as a peace offering.

“aww owen. i’d love to,” you replied, taking the food from his hands and setting it down on your desk chair. “good because this would have been so awkward otherwise,” he mumbled. you laughed at his words, standing on your tiptoes to throw your arms around his shoulders, linking your fingers together behind his neck.

“thank you for coming,” you whispered, looking into his beautiful eyes. “you’re welcome,” he answered, arms tightening around your waist just a bit. “i um…actually i wanted to tell you something,” he mumbled shyly, a nervous look in his eyes. “me too,” you replied, stepping away from him ever so slightly, allowing for some space between you two. “you go first,” he insisted, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

you took a breath, taking a moment to appreciate the man standing in front of you. part of you knew that this could be the last time you see him. “i have a crush on you. it’s more than a crush actually, and i’d rather date you for real than be in a fake relationship,” you confessed, twiddling your thumbs as you waited for his answer.

owen’s mouth parted in shock, and he stood there silently for a couple of minutes before answering. “me too. err well i mean i’d like to date you too, for real,” he explained, causing a large smile to take over your face. you laughed, throwing your arms around his neck as his arms wrapped around your midsection, lifting you in a circle. your laughter echoed through the room as he put you back on the ground.

“i’m so glad that you asked me to be your fake girlfriend,” you whispered, forehead resting against his. “i’m so glad that i came up with this foolproof plan,” owen replied, and you quirked an eyebrow at that. “well it’s not entirely foolproof,” you teased. “oh really? explain,” he demanded. “we still have an issue of kissing to sort out,” you answered. “ah right. how about i kiss you now? and then again later? how about i kiss you everyday? is that a new rule, one kiss a day?” he asked, leaning in closer to you. “i think more than one kiss a day is fine,” you decided, allowing his lips to meet yours in what could only be described as the best kiss in fake dating to lovers' history.

#owen power #owen power x reader #owen power imagine #owen power blurb #owen power fic #buffalo sabres #umich hockey #owen power 😩#odp #cobrakaisb writing

505 notes · View notes

nameless-ken · 3 months

Text

Silent Confessions, Loud Masks - Billy Hargrove x Reader Series

(Please reblog!!!) Happy reading! Comment below to be added to taglist.

Word Count: 5K

Warnings: bullying/rude remarks, mostly angst and some fluff

Introduction | Chapter one

Masterlist

(song for this chapter <3)

The air in Hawkins High School's corridors crackles with anticipation as the final bell signals the end of another mundane day. Amidst the crowds of students, Billy Hargrove stands tall, a formidable presence amidst the chaos. His posture exudes confidence, his gaze sharp and penetrating as he scans the hallway.

As you cautiously approach Billy and his group of friends, you can feel their eyes boring into you with a mixture of disdain and amusement. You suppress a shiver, bracing yourself against the impending onslaught of ridicule.

"Hi Billy," your voice wavers slightly as you address him. The group falls silent, their smirks widening as they turn their attention to you.

"Wanted to tell you to meet me in the school library today instead," you continue, words coming out in a rush as you try to maintain your composure in the face of their scrutiny.

"Why would he do that?" Tommy interjects, his tone dripping with sarcasm as he shoots Billy a knowing look. your confusion deepens at the exchange, heart sinking as you realize you’ve become the subject of their mockery.

"Book report," you add, voice barely above a whisper.

Carol snickers, leaning in closer to Tommy with a smirk. "Wow, Billy. Didn't know you were into charity work now. Helping out the loners, huh?"

Billy's lips curl into a sneer as he glances at you, his eyes alight with amusement. "Yeah, guess I'm just feeling generous today," he quips, his tone dripping with condescension as he looks you up and down.

Tommy lets out a boisterous laugh, nudging Billy playfully. "Man, can you believe this? Y/N actually thinks she's worthy of your attention."

Your cheeks burn with humiliation as you listen to their cruel words, holding back tears.

Ignoring the burning stares of Billy and his friends, you quickly turn on your heel and walk away, heart heavy with disappointment. You thought you were getting somewhere with Billy. That little bonding conversation you had in the library a couple days ago was supposed to be the start of something, you aren’t sure what but something different than Billy’s usual antics. Sadly, it seems nothing is going to change.

You hear them as they make their way down the hall, Billy and his friends, their laughter echoing through the empty halls. You hang back, wanting to see what else they have to say behind your back.

"Did you see the look on her face?" Tommy says with a smirk. "Like she actually thought we wanted her to talk to us."

Carol chuckles, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, what a freak. Like, why would someone like her even bother trying to talk to us?"

You watch Billy's lips quirk into a sly grin from around the corner of the library door. "Who knows, maybe she's got a crush on me or something."

Tommy and Carol burst into laughter at Billy's remark, their voices mingling in a chorus of mockery as they continue to taunt you. Your cheeks start to burn with embarrassment as you brave through their cruel words, fists clenched at your sides, forgetting the sadness and getting angrier by the second. You storm into the library, sitting down at an empty table, awaiting Billy’s arrival.

As Billy takes a seat opposite of you, you can't bring yourself to even look him in the eye, the feeling of resentment festering in the pit of her stomach. Billy offers no words of comfort, no gesture of solidarity to ease your sudden distress after what just happened. You hoped that Billy might stand up for you, that he might show some semblance of decency in the face of his friends' cruelty. But as you heard him laugh and joke with them, it becomes painfully clear that you were wrong.

You push over some notes you took last night, alone in your room having nothing better to do. You can feel Billy’s eyes on your face but you keep your gaze down, opening your copy of the book, pen in hand, ready to take more notes.

The silence between you is deafening, each passing minute serving only to deepen the growing divide between you both. Billy copies you, book in hand as he leans back, balancing the chair on its back legs.

As the minutes pass by, you can’t stand the constant glances from Billy across the table at you. You sigh, shoving your book and notebook in your bag, slinging it over your shoulder and leaving without a single word spoken.

You feel the weight of Billy's betrayal pressing down on you. As you walk to the band room to wait for Robin, one thought echoes in your mind – Billy Hargrove may be your English partner, but he's no friend of yours.

The neon sign of the local diner flickers invitingly as you and Robin step inside, the familiar buzz of chatter and clinking dishes filling the air. The aroma of sizzling burgers and freshly brewed coffee envelopes you, creating a comforting atmosphere that instantly eases your frayed nerves.

Robin scans the room, her eyes bright with excitement as she spots your favorite booth near the window. "Over there," she says, gesturing eagerly as she leads the way.

You follow closely behind, her footsteps echoing against the checkered floor as Robin navigates through the maze of tables. With each step, you felt a weight lift off your shoulders, the familiar sights and sounds of the diner providing a much-needed respite from the chaos of the outside world.

As you reach the booth and settle into your seats, you couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for Robin's unwavering support. "Thanks for coming with me.”

"Of course," Robin remarks, returning the smile. "You know I've always got your back."

"Robin, I don't know what to do. Ever since that encounter with Billy and his friends, I just feel... lost." You admit, pressing your hand to your forehead.

"I get it, Y/N. I can’t imagine how brutal that must’ve been for you. But you can't let Billy get to you like that. He's not worth it."

"I know, but it's not just about him anymore. It's about me, too. I thought maybe I could break through his walls, you know?"

"Hey, don't blame yourself for his behavior. Billy's just a jerk, plain and simple." Robin slams her menu down, leaning onto the table, a stern look on her face.

"I feel like there’s something else there. There has to be a reason he acts the way he does.” You ponder, wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt.

“I understand your need to over-examine and try to figure out other people, but please, Y/N, be careful. There may be more to his story that could end up hurting more. Not just with him but you too.”

As you listen to Robin's advice, a swirl of conflicting emotions churns within. Billy's callousness has cut you deep, yet a part of you couldn't help but empathize, searching for a glimmer of humanity beneath his hardened exterior. Despite Robin's warnings, you can’t shake the nagging feeling that there is more to Billy's behavior than meets the eye. Perhaps it’s a desperate attempt to rationalize the hurt he causes or a genuine belief in the possibility of some kind of redemption. Regardless, you can’t help but feel a sense of responsibility, as if breaking through Billy's walls was not just about him but a reflection of your own inner struggle for understanding and connection.

You know you probably should’ve told Billy you weren’t showing up to the school library today. You can’t face him, exhausted from having to work late last night and barely got any sleep. But again, why does Billy deserve your respect anyway?

As you trudge along the familiar path home from school, the weight of your eyes are so heavy you could curl up on the grass and fall asleep at any moment.The soft strains of your walkman provide a welcome distraction, the familiar melodies serving as a temporary reprieve from the turmoil swirling within your mind.

Lost in your thoughts, you barely notice the sound of an engine approaching from behind, the low rumble of a car pulling up beside jolting you back to reality. You glance at it, your heart sinking at the sight of Billy's blue Camaro idling next to you, his gaze fixes on you with a mix of confusion and concern.

"Why weren't you at the library?" Billy's voice cuts through, his tone tinged with frustration as he leans near the passenger side window.

You ignore him, jaw clenched tight as you adjust the volume on your walkman, the music drowning out the sound of his voice as you continue walking.

"You said you’d meet me there," you hear him protest, the desperation evident in his tone as he matches your pace with the slow roll of his car. But you refuse to acknowledge him, steps quickening as you try to put distance between yourself and the unwelcome intrusion of his presence.

"Y/N, come on," he pleads, his voice growing more insistent as he trails alongside you. You almost trip over your feet when he says your first name instead of his usual nickname for you. "Can we please just talk?"

Despite his persistence, you gather your self confidence, jaw set in determination as you keep your gaze fixed straight ahead, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.

After a few minutes of futile attempts to get your attention, Billy finally relents, his frustration boiling over as he brings the car to a stop, the screech of tires echoing in the quiet street as he abruptly exits the vehicle.

"Y/N, wait!" he calls out again as he stomps over to where you stand on the side of the road, his presence looming over you in an intimidating display of power.

You brace yourself for his approach, heart pounding as you meet his gaze with a mix of defiance and apprehension.

Billy's eyes flicker with irritation and concern as he reaches out towards you, his hand hovering in the air as if unsure whether to touch you.

"Y/N, please," he implores, his voice softening slightly as he takes a step closer. "Just get in the car so we can talk. I promise I won't bite."

Your gaze hardens at his words, your resolve strengthening as you take a step back, putting some distance between you.

"I don't trust you, Billy," you keep your voice steady despite the unease churning in your stomach. "Not after what I heard you saying about me."

Billy's expression flickers with a fleeting flash of guilt, his shoulders slumping slightly as he meets your eyes.

“Look, I know you don’t want to talk to me but I just want to apologize,” he insists. "I didn't mean any of that," his tone earnest as he takes another step forward.

"You had a chance to stand up for me, and you didn't. You just let them make fun of me like everyone else." Billy's jaw tightens at your words, a flicker of shame crossing his features as he struggles to find the right response.

"I know, and I'm sorry," he admits. "I messed up, okay? But I want to make it right.”

“Why do you do it though? you press him, voice tinged with genuine curiosity as you take a step closer, the distance between you shrinking.

"I don't know," he admits, his voice barely above a whisper with a mixture of shame and defiance. "I guess...I guess it's just easier to push people away than to let them in. Easier to be the bad guy."

Your heart aches at his confession, a pang of empathy tugging at your chest as you see the vulnerability lurking beneath his tough exterior.

"Why can't you open up to me?" you ask softly, reaching out towards him, hand hovering in the air.

Billy flinches at your touch, his walls springing back up as he takes a step back, putting some distance between you.

"Why do you want me to?" he retorts, his voice laced with bitterness. "What's in it for you?"

Your heart sinks at his defensive response, a wave of frustration washing over you as you struggle to break through the barriers he's built around himself.

"Because I care about you, believe it or not Billy. Because I can see something in you that you refuse to acknowledge, something real and genuine that's worth fighting for. I know a hurt soul when I see one. I hate how much I’m willing to offer my help to you because you’ve been unbelievably disrespectful to me but unlike you, I want to help others.”

Billy's expression softens at your words, a flicker of vulnerability crossing his features.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs softly, his voice barely above a whisper as he takes a tentative step towards you. "I just...I don't know how to be any different."

You will never be sorry for how compassionate you are, no matter how terrible the other person may be because deep down, everyone is dealing with their own shit.

"I don’t need your sorrys," you reply, voice filled with warmth and sincerity. "You just have to be willing to try."

"Will you let me give you a ride home?" His voice remains small. "It's the least I can do after everything." Billy walks over and opens the passenger door for you. “I promise I will try to be better, for you.”

You meet Billy's gaze once more, uncertainty clouding your eyes as you weigh his words carefully. You can sense the genuine desire to make amends shining through his usual bravado.

After a moment of hesitation, you nod slowly, a tentative smile gracing your lips as you step into the waiting car.

"You better not make me regret this.”

As you drive by the arcade after picking up your weekly VHS from Family Video with Robin’s discount, you notice Max Mayfield, Billy’s step-sister, standing alone outside in the dimly lit parking lot, arms crossed tightly around herself. Concern flickers across your face as you drive into the parking lot and approach Max.

"Hey, Max," you call out softly. "Are you okay? You look cold."

Max's head snaps, surprise evident in her wide eyes as she meets your gaze.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Max replies, her voice tinged with uncertainty as she wraps her jacket tighter around herself. "Just waiting for Billy. He's late...again."

Your heart sinks at Max's words, sympathy flooding through. You’ve seen Max and Billy together outside the school parking lot on several occasions and they certainly aren’t that friendly with each other.

"Do you need a ride? It's getting late, and it doesn't look like he's coming anytime soon."

Max hesitates for a moment, uncertainty flickering across her features before she nods slowly. "Yeah, that would be great.”

As Max buckles in, you start the engine again, breaking the silence with a gentle smile aimed at her, turning down your Kate Bush tape playing through the radio.

"How's school been treating you since you moved from California?" you wonder, glancing over at both sides of the road and pulling out of the parking lot.

Max shrugs, a faint frown tugging at the corners of her lips. "It's been alright, I guess. Kinda miss the sun though."

You nod sympathetically, understanding the adjustment it must be to move from sunny California to a place like Hawkins. "Yeah, I bet. How about your brother? How do you two get along?"

Max lets out a bitter laugh, shaking her head slightly. "Let's just say Billy and I aren't exactly best friends. He's usually too busy being an asshole most of the time."

"I'm sorry to hear that. How long has he acted like that?"

Max's expression darkens, her gaze flickering towards the window as if lost in thought. "It's... complicated. His dad's not exactly the nicest guy around. Billy's learned a lot from him, unfortunately."

"I'm sorry, Max. That must be really tough." You understand Billy’s high walls and how awful he can be to others. “I know we don’t know each other that well but anytime you need someone to talk to, I'm here.”

Max offers her a small, sad smile, gratitude shining in her eyes. "Thanks, Y/N."

"Given that I'm Billy's English partner, I'll do my best to knock some sense into him on your behalf." Both of your laughter fills the air as you turn down their road.

The atmosphere grows increasingly tense, the sound of raised voices and shouting carrying through the night air as you pull into their driveway. Your grip tightens on the steering wheel, a sense of foreboding settling over the car.

Max hesitates as she opens the car door, her gaze flickering towards the house with fear and apprehension.

"It's okay," you reassure her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I can wait with you if you want."

Before Max can respond, the front door bursts open, and Billy storms out, his face twisted in anger. Your heart sinks as you take in the sight of his bloody mouth and bruised knuckles, concern washing over you as you cut the engine and step out of your car.

"Billy..." you begin, voice soft as you step towards him. "Are you okay? Can I help you with anything?"

Billy scoffs at your words, his expression hardening as he glares at you with hostility.

"Don't bother," he retorts, his voice laced with bitterness as he storms past you towards his car. "I don't need your help."

You watch helplessly as Billy speeds away into the night. You turn to Max, your gaze filled with sympathy as you offer her a comforting smile.

"Are you sure you're okay?" you question, as the sound of something breaking from inside the house echoes outside.

Max nods, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she rushes inside the house, leaving you standing alone in the darkness.

Despite his tough exterior and sharp words, you couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of empathy for Billy. Knowing the abuse he seems to endure from his father explains so much about why he keeps his walls up, why he lashes out the way he does.

You long for the chance to show Billy that not everyone in his life wants to hurt him, that he doesn’t have to face his struggles alone. As you drive home, your thoughts linger on him, a silent promise forming in your mind: you would be there for him, whenever he’s ready to let you in.

You lean against your locker, idly twirling the combination lock as you try to pay attention to what Robin is saying.

“-and did you see her this morning?... She's just so... perfect." Robin sighs dreamily as she speaks about Vickie, her enigmatic crush, who’s also in band with her.

"Tell me about it. You practically melt every time Vickie walks by."

"Shh, keep it down! I don't want the whole school to know." Robin moves to practically cover your mouth with her hands and you laugh.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. But seriously, what's the deal? You've been eyeing her like crazy lately."

"I don't know... There's just something about her. She's so confident and cool, you know?"

"You should totally go for it."

"Easier said than done, Y/N. Besides, We’re not even sure if she's into girls."

"Take a chance! And who knows, maybe she's been eyeing you too."

"Highly doubt it, but thanks for the pep talk."

"Anytime. You know I've always got your back."

"While we’re on the subject of crushes, how's your thing with Billy going?"

“What? What thing with Billy?” You avoid her gaze.

"Oh, come on, Y/N. I know how stubborn you are and how Billy acts but I can notice there’s something there."

"It's not like that, Robin. We're just partners for a project." You shift uncomfortably.

"Sure, just partners. That's why he's always looking over at you right now.”

You turn your head suddenly, locking eyes with Billy, glancing down to see the note you put in his locker resting in his hands. You send him a friendly smile, hoping to bridge the gap between you after the encounter last night.

However, Billy's response was far from warm. With a dismissive gesture, he tosses the note back into his locker and slams it shut before striding away, his demeanor as aloof as ever.

"Stop it, Robin. You're reading too much into it."

"Yeah, I get it. Last night was rough from what you told me. Maybe he just needs some space. You know how guys can be."

"Am I, though?”

You grab your last textbook and slam your locker shut. "I don't know, Robin. Things have been weird between us lately. After what happened last night..."

"Yeah, maybe. But still, I want to help him. I thought we were starting to get along better."

"Well, if he's being a jerk, then he doesn't deserve you stressing over him. Seriously, you're too good for that. You’re always helping everyone around you.’

You sigh softly, understanding where Robin is coming from. You’ve been a people pleaser your whole life, particularly with people you’re close with and those you care about. It’s an instinct to you that you need to learn to set boundaries with.

Despite Billy’s prickly exterior, you can’t hold his attitude against him, knowing all too well the struggles he faces behind closed doors. You’ll do anything to help him realize there are good people in this world, people willing to help him and show him how different life can be.

After a long day of classes, you trudge out of the school building, the weight of your backpack pulling at your shoulders. Spotting Billy leaning casually against his Camaro, a cloud of smoke swirling around him, you brace yourself for the inevitable interaction.

"Hey, Billy," you greet him, mustering up a polite smile.

"Get in," he commands, his tone sharp and dismissive.

You comply, not wanting to argue or add more to his sour attitude. You slide into the passenger seat as Billy follows, starting the car. Billy revs the engine and peels out of the parking lot, starting at a high speed.

"Can you please slow down?" you shout over the blasting sounds of Metallica.

Billy glances at you briefly, a smirk playing on his lips. "Anything for you, little mouse," he slowly lets his foot up on the gas pedal.

Soon enough, you arrive at Lovers Lake, a place requested by Billy for a change of scenery. The sun casts a warm glow over the tranquil waters. You breathe a sigh of relief as Billy parks the car.

"I'm not here to make out with you, just so you know," you acknowledge the designated makeout spot from many teenagers in Hawkins.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Billy chuckles softly, flicking his half-finished cigarette out the window before stepping out of the car. You follow suit, hopping up to sit on the hood of the car as Billy leans against it, his gaze fixed on the lake.

Pulling out your notebook, you attempt to engage him in conversation about the notes you took in class about your book. Billy remains distant, his attention focused elsewhere. You sigh inwardly, resigning yourself to the fact that connecting with him would be no easy feat.

Billy begins to shed his clothes, you couldn't help but stare a mixture of confusion and embarrassment washing over you. You avert your gaze, focusing intently on the book in your lap, though your peripheral vision betrays you as you glance at his shirtless form.

"What are you doing?" you manage to stammer, cheeks flushing as you dare to look up at him.

Billy turns to face you, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he shrugs off his jean jacket. "Going for a swim," he declares, a smirk playing on his lips as he kicks off his boots and peels down his jeans, revealing a pair of navy blue boxers.

Your heart skips a beat as you watch him. You quickly avert your eyes once more, trying to focus on the words you wrote down hours ago as if they held the key to your rapidly escalating emotions.

"Come on, join me," Billy urges, his hands resting confidently on his hips as he shoots you a challenging smirk before running to the edge of the lake, sliding off his boxers at the last second, making you gasp at the flash of his ass before he dives into the water.

“Come on, little mouse. Live a little.” He shouts, his upper body coming out of the water, hands pushing his soaking hair away from his face.

With a mixture of apprehension and defiance, you can’t help but hesitate for a moment before walking anxiously toward the lake, starting to peel off your own clothing. Stripped down to your undergarments, feeling the cool breeze against your skin.

“I’m not skinning dipping with you.”

“I’m not forcing you.” Billy says sincerely, his gaze softening as he holds out his hand to you.

Despite your reservations, there's a part of you that longs to break free from the constraints of your everyday life, to embrace the spontaneity and freedom that Billy seems to embody.

With a leap of faith, you take his hand, feeling a rush of exhilaration as you plunge into the water together, the cool embrace of the lake enveloping you both in its refreshing embrace.

As you swim side by side, the tension between you dissipates, replaced by a sense of ease. The water is cool against your skin, a stark contrast to the warmth of the sun above, and you find yourself relaxing into its embrace.

"I didn't expect you to actually join me," Billy admits, his voice laced with surprise as he glances over at you.

You shrug, a smile playing at your lips. "I guess I just needed a little push," the words coming out more easily than you expected.

"Sometimes we all need a little push," his gaze drifts out across the lake.

There's vulnerability in his words, a glimpse of the person beneath the tough exterior he often presents to the world. It's a side of Billy you've rarely seen, and it leaves you feeling strangely connected to him in that moment.

"Yeah," you agree softly, a sense of understanding passing between you. "Sometimes we do."

For a while, you simply float in silence, the only sound being the gentle lapping of the water against your skin. It's a rare moment of peace in the chaos of your everyday lives, and you find yourself savoring it, reluctant to let it slip away.

"Hey, Y/N," he begins. "I just wanted to say... I'm sorry. For everything. I’m an asshole." You let his apology hang in the air for a moment before responding.

“You’re suffering too,” you swim closer to him but still keep your distance, knowing what he’s hiding beneath the water. “I know you’ve grown up watching and learning and wearing the anger of your father but I wish you could see how different life can be,” you pause, gaging the look in his eyes for caution before you continue your thoughts. “This anger doesn’t fit you.”

Billy's expression softens at your words. "I never really thought about it like that," he admits. "I guess I've just always... I don't know, it's like I've been carrying this anger around with me for so long, I don't know how to let it go."

You nod in understanding, empathy coursing through your veins. "It's not easy," you acknowledge. "But it's possible. You don't have to be defined by your past, Billy. You can choose a different path for yourself."

Billy's eyes flicker with hope and fear. "Do you really think so?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I do," your conviction unwavering. "But it's up to you to make that choice. I’m here, if you want it. Every step of the way.” You can sense the emotions swirling in Billy’s mind right now, with the way his chest moves faster, jaw clenched and eyes closed, you know he’s not used to being talked to gently or even offered any sort of comfort for a long time.

"But apology accepted," you cut through the silence, lightening up the mood, flashing him a smile, which he returns.

"I mean it, though. I shouldn't have said those things about you. It was wrong, and I'm sorry."

You nod, feeling a weight lift off your shoulders at his words. "Thank you, Billy. I really appreciate that."

"I'll try to do better," Billy adds, his voice quiet but determined. "For you." He repeats his words from when he drove you home the other day.

Billy extends his arm, meeting yours resting out in front of you. The tips of fingers brush against yours. Your breath hitches at the contact, hoping for more but he sadly moves his hand back towards his chest.

The sun begins to sink lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the lake as evening approaches. With a sigh, you reluctantly swim back to the shore, the cool air sending a shiver down your spine as you step out of the water. You turn your back to Billy as he follows you, not ashamed of showing off all his glory. You hastily pull your clothes on, begging for their warmth. You look over your shoulder to Billy zipping up his jeans and throwing his shirt back on, leaving the buttons undone.

You make your way back to his car, gathering your backpack and books. Billy starts his car, turning the heat on full blast as he notices the goosebumps appearing on your arm as you sit down and buckle in.

You both look at each other one more time, genuine smiles on your faces as Billy drives away from Lovers Lake.

Despite the ups and downs of your tumultuous relationship, there's a bond between you that transcends words, a connection that you know will endure whatever challenges may come your way. It's a small step forward, but it's a start – a glimmer of hope in the darkness that surrounds you both.

Taglist: @msbillyhargrove @uselessbutinteresting @milestellergfs @periwinkle-quill @ghostcastaway @iletmytittiestitty-russ @missingbillyhargrove @lotionlamp @billys-pretty-babe @isimpfortoomanypeople

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pandorafallz · 1 year

Photo

Dreamer AU | Overview

Dreamer Spider didn’t divert from his timeline until after he was kidnapped by the RDA and put through their RDA’s Neutolab’s Neurosect scanner that they tried to use to get a location on Jake Sully.

It didn’t work, though Quaritch was able to stop Admiral Ardmore from completely mincing his brain in the scanner though the effects were damaging to Spider’s brain, which wasn’t really treated given the RDA didn’t care too much. He was only valuable for his intel and nothing more, regardless of his species as a human. Too Na’vi for human life.

He was fitted with a tracker in his mask and left to the blue team. They travelled for a few days to reach the mountains where he was able to get the team the Ikran mountains but while the days had passed, the damage to his brain remained unhealed and steadily got worse, causing him to suffer side effects like growing paranoia and hallucinations which eventually led to him to try and escape before they could get their pets.

This did wind up with him being shot by a sedation rifle and unfortunately, back to the science lab for a ‘reminder’ of why he’s with the blue team. Spider suffered a lot with the second experience with the Neurosect and agreed to take the team for their banshees and this time with success.

The blue team happily celebrated at their camp that night but the pain led for Spider to slip into a seizure and roll onto an insect that stung him with a venom that dropped his body temperature ad his pulse and near paralysed him completely, enough that he could softly breath but he lost all bowel movement.

It took while before someone noticed something was wrong, the smell mostly and checked on him. But, it was assumed he was dead. The seizure had given him a nosebleed which bled into his mask though his cold temperature and slow pulse was enough of convincing of his death.

Quaritch opted to leave him in the forest than to bring his body back, he knew his son wouldn’t want to be burned in the RDA, and would rather have nature take him; like his human body. The Blue team collected up their camp, tools though Z-dog took off spider’s mask last second so they didn’t leave their technology behind.

Due to the venom and slow breathing, the effects of hypoxia was much slower to set in but Eywa sent a signal for the Watchers to come and they did.

Within a span of a minute of the Blue team moving on and the Watcher scouts arriving, Spider was given a mask and taken in for medical assessment.

Due to the damage to his brain and to his body, it was determined that he would still die. So, an Avatar Na’vi body was prepped and his consciousness transferred over before his human body died. While Spider’s mind healed inside his new body, his human body underwent a non-invasive autopsy for the AUs’s records before it was decided to return the human body to the native world where they had first recovered him.

A few hours after his body was dropped off, a few Omatikaya found his remains and brought them to Mo’at who had Norm’s help discover the cause of death before prepping his body for the funeral. Norm and the science teams who helped raise him took part in his funeral and after, Norm left with Max to the reef clan to inform Jake of Spider’s death.

Spider woke up in his Na’vi body with a surprise, but was both happy and sad about what had happened, but becoming a Na’vi was his dream; to connect to Pandora in a way he couldn’t and in a way, he wanted to be accepted for him. He felt grief upon his human death, what had happened but was glad for a second chance. He still keeps tabs on his native world, despite not returning to it himself.

He took time adjusting to his new body, often trapping his tail or queue in things mostly though he was glad to befriend Exile Kiri. Different from his own version of Kiri but…still had a lot of the sameness about her. Exile Jake actively took Spider under his wing a lot more than his own counterpart as they were put into the same family unit in the watcher’s AU.

He gained the MWD Dreamer for his love and dream of becoming one of The People.

#dreamer au #spider #spider socorro #dreamer spider #avatar #avatar au #avatar james cameron #avatar rda #avatar the way of water #miles socorro #miles quaritch #jake sully #norm spellman #mo'at #kiri #avatar kiri

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chaoticspeedrun · 1 year

Text

Donnie x fem! Reader The little merturtle 4

Summary: Prince Donatello was the third of four brothers, the prince of an underwater yokai city, but he has always been searching for something else far more interesting than the mystic arts he is used to, he wants to know everything about the human world, their traditions, their creations... But when he finds himself entranced by a human princess it might just be the last push he needs to make his dream of exploring the land a reality.

“Do you hear that?” You wondered looking around curiously and Donnie just shrugged at you nervously, thank Poseidon he couldn’t speak, he was a terrible liar.

The change of ambiance seemed to be exactly what he had needed because when your gazes met again this time there was some charged energy in the air, very different from before.

Warnings: Angst with a happy ending, tooth-rotting fluff

PREV • MASTERLIST • NEXT

A month in writing

Donnie was on one of the castle’s towers, surrounded by huge windows with a beautiful view of the clouds and blue sky from where he sat inside a huge and luxurious bathtub; Sunita, your lady in waiting, whom you had introduced to him once reaching the castle, had taken him up there and sprinkled some sort of potion inside to make the bubbles appear.

“Washed up from a shipwreck,” Sunita said while making a signal to him, asking soundlessly if she could pour water on his head, Donnie was grateful for the warning and nodded, the water flowed and while it felt nice it also bothered him that his hair seemed to get in the way a lot, he tried to push it out of his face while Sunita continued talking.

“How horrible! But don’t worry, we’ll have you feeling better in no time, It might take a while for your long thick hair to dry but it will feel so much better!” She said; Donnie was mostly lost in his mind, excited to find out how the tub had been filled in the first place.

Leo was still somewhere on the sail that had covered Donnie, bored, he tried to get out when Sunita suddenly took hold of it, Leo was still tangled up there.

“I’ll send this to get washed! But we’ll get you some new clothes!”

As soon as Sunita said that Leo was suddenly pushed into some water, he scrambled up trying to get away from the cloth, but he was pulled roughly onto a metallic surface by the hands of a woman, he felt his carapace hitting pieces of metal repeatedly as he went up and down that thing over and over again, oh he felt like throwing up.

“Well, you must have at least heard about this boy” One of the ladies cleaning the clothes said.

“No!” Another answered, Leo was suddenly inside the water again, it tasted weird like someone had removed the salt and added something…sickly sweet?

“Gertrude says—”

The first woman scoffed interrupting “When has Gertrude ever gotten anything right?” Finally, Leo was pulled out of the water, he was hanging from the cloth and burped out…bubbles?!

He was thrown onto something firm “I mean really, he shows up in rags and doesn’t speak, not my idea of a prince.”

That tough thing started moving and Leo hid inside his carapace fast as he felt he was getting squished, he came out the other side and fell onto the rags, Leo moved wildly from one side to the other before the rags got hung from somewhere with him still in there.

The ignorant woman was still talking “If Y/N is looking for a boy I know a couple of highly available ones” While she said that, the rope holding Leo up started moving and then he fell on the floor somewhere else.

His legs felt wobbly, and he muttered angrily while standing on all fours “I have never been treated like this in my life, just wait until I’m back to my form, ugh”

His mumbling was stopped by what he saw next, Leo blanched at the sight, he could already hear his father’s voice telling him something among the lines of ‘I told you so’ and Leo felt his stomach that had been already unsettled enough twist again.

He saw the tail of a fish, cut in pieces by a sharp knife laying on the table, he could see an octopus’ legs pouring out of a boiling pot, and another fish was directly over the fire of the stove, was that a sailfish? He hoped it wasn’t a sailfish. Having seen enough, Leo wanted to get out of there immediately.

Yeah, he ate fish, it was the diet of most creatures down there in the hidden city, but the scene was grotesque, and he didn’t want to find a massacred turtle there somewhere, if he did THEN he would empty his stomach.

Somewhere else in the castle you were overlooking the sea from the dining room with a tall ceiling and windows just as large, Casey was trying to talk to you despite knowing that your mind was elsewhere.

“Your highness, be reasonable,” She said, she only called you that when speaking of royal duty, duty was of utmost importance to Cassandra who had been raised as your aid from a young age, and now she was repeating most of what she had already said for the past couple of days “Nice young men just don’t swim around rescuing people in the middle of the ocean and then flitter off into oblivion like some—”

You rolled your eyes finally looking back at her “I’m telling you, Casey, he was real, I couldn’t have made that up and I’m not going to stop looking for him” You concluded.

“And when you find him? Will you finally settle down?” she asked, almost hoping you were in fact right.

You just crossed your arms “That’d be too rushed, I may be infatuated with him but I’m not crazy” You said with a huff “Once I find him, I’ll get to know him, confirm what I felt is real, we can go from there, slowly” you emphasized the last word.

At that moment you heard Sunita close to the entrance of the room “Come on now, don’t be shy! You look great!”

It had taken a while for Donnie to be dressed, familiar with the human need to wear a cloth over themselves but uncomfortable with the texture of some of the ones he had received at first, he was silently thankful for Sunita who had seemed to catch onto that and got him something more comfortable.

And yet, showing up like that in front of you made him nervous now, but finally, Sunita got him to stand stiffly under the arch of the entrance, for a moment, he forgot he was meeting you as he examined the room like he had all the others, walking in completely in awe of the furniture and decorations inside.

As he got closer and was finally illuminated by the setting sun your eyes widened, you had found him handsome, of course, but still weren’t expecting him to clean up as well as he did.

You didn’t realize Casey had stepped close behind you, a smug grin on her face as she whispered in your ear, “Oh Y/N, what were you saying about your hero?” You turned to glare at her quickly before making your way over to your guest whose attention was back on you, he smiled tensely without knowing the proper etiquette.

“You look great, how are you feeling?” You asked, not one to forget your manners just because the sight of someone had made your traitorous heart glance away for a moment.

Donnie made a gesture to show he was better now and Casey guided him over to the table, speaking as firmly as ever “Come! It is important to get sustenance into your body after a horrible experience!”

You made your way to the table sitting next to your guest at the head of it, your mind wandered to the moment you found him at the beach, and you fought down the resurfacing disappointment from when you found out it wasn’t him you had been looking for.

The moment he sat on the table Donnie’s eyes drifted to the tableware, recognizing happily the instruments used for human eating traditions, he got excited, he would finally find out how a fork and spoon are used in practice! He was practically vibrating in his seat.

“Sunita, what’s for dinner?” You asked the moment your lady-in-waiting got close, hoping to divert your attention from the man at your left.

“Oh, you’ll love it, chef Swaggart is fixing his specialty, stuffed crab!”

Back in the kitchen Leo was trying to use his teleporting abilities to no avail, he huffed angrily “Really? I knew those two weren’t telling us something, why would the potion block our ninpo?” he asked himself before a singing voice interrupted him, Leo turned around to find the chef back in the kitchen.

It was his sign to run away, but his tiny turtle legs couldn’t get him far too fast, oh he hated being a regular turtle! He was so slow! His whole thing was to be fast!

So, lost in his mind as he was, the chef caught sight of him “What’s this? A red-eared slider?” The chef took Leo in his hand curiously “I didn’t ask for this, there’s just not enough meat on these tiny turtles” He hummed examining the turtle even closer “It’s also not flavorful enough…”

The chef was cut off, Leo had had enough and bit his nose the moment it was close enough, chef Swaggart yelled out in pain and Leo went out flying.

Not even Señor Hueso would treat him like this in the palace kitchen! Or well, he might have a couple of times, but at least Leo could defend himself then!

A battle began in the kitchen while Donnie was none the wiser.

Soon enough, the food was being served, and while it was, Casey was proposing that you take your guest over to see the sights of the kingdom.

You glanced up to look at her “Sorry, what was that?”

While Casey was scolding you about how you couldn’t keep moping about in the castle –Donnie wondered what you could have been moping about— a plate was served right in front of him.

Casey wasn’t looking at hers while lifting the cover, but Donnie was and he suddenly panicked at seeing his brother served next to a stuffed crab, Leo smiled sheepishly at Donnie who responded with an exasperated glare, how did he get there?!

Donnie lifted the covering of his own plate while you and Casey talked, signaling for Leo to hurry and hide in there, Leo didn’t have to be told twice, he rushed as fast as his tiny legs would take him and dove in, Donnie innocently closing the lid immediately and looking up as if he had been paying attention to the conversation.

“Well, what do you say?” You asked Donnie, smiling brightly at him and he nodded quickly, having no idea what he had agreed to.

Thankfully you explained right after he had already agreed “Great! We’ll go out tomorrow morning, is it Ok with you if we go by carriage for our tour of the kingdom?”

A tour of the kingdom, a tour of the kingdom! Donnie nodded ecstatic, not knowing how a carriage would be pulled on land and already wishing to find out, he was about to explore the human world like he had always wanted, in his immediate future! It was happening, and not only that, but you were going to be his guide, when he thought about it after saving you it had seemed like an impossible dream, and yet it was a reality now.

Casey herself seemed satisfied at your answer “Excellent, we shall start our dinner now before it gets cold, so you have energy tomorrow!” Casey looked at the crab on her plate, ignoring the empty space at the side of it.

Donnie observed your manners and use of utensils carefully throughout dinner, repeating motions the best he could and thanking April in his mind for telling him as much as she had about them, you got shy at seeing him pay attention to you so closely but continued eating and chatting like normal.

After dinner you guided Donnie over to the library, he looked curiously at the stacks of books that covered the walls when you reached a desk all by its lonesome on the far end of the library.

“I come here to read or work sometimes, when I don’t want to be cooped up in my office” you explained before pulling open a drawer on the dress and taking out something, a piece of parchment and what looked like a feather alongside a black container.

You looked shyly up at him before speaking up again “I, um, realized a moment ago that I never introduced myself, and was hoping we could do that now.”

Donnie faltered for a moment, it had started becoming infuriating not to talk, he ranted a lot, he liked doing that, and being unable to talk with you was becoming depressing.

You took him out of his thoughts by offering your hand to him with a small smile “My name’s Y/N” you said, and he smiled a bit, he grasped your hand shaking it firmly, instead of asking for his name though you offered the feather to him, he smiled, hoping really hard that the writing language was the same for humans as it was for yokai.

He leaned over the paper, and you watched attentively as the pen ran through the page.

Donatello.

You grinned while reading the name “Donatello” you said, taking him by surprise, he smiled sheepishly but was much more relieved now that you had a way to communicate even if it wasn’t ideal, with this realization he started writing again, your gaze following his hand again.

Or Donnie.

You realized he was giving you a nickname you could call him and nodded at him “It’s nice to meet you Donnie” you said smiling gently and he grinned while his heart fluttered.

Later that night Donnie was looking out the window of the room you had given him while Leo played around a table with a large mirror and jewelry that was left around.

“I hope you appreciate what I went through for you today, Donnie!” Leo exclaimed calling for his twin’s attention, Donnie just rolled his eyes, closing the window and walking over to the table, Leo kept rambling “It was humiliating, gosh, I miss Hueso, oh and just so you know the chef mentioned something about softshell turtle soup” Leo shivered and Donnie made a face of disgust.

Donnie took out a notebook you had given him to communicate and placed it on the table right next to Leo, he started writing and Leo rolled his eyes the moment he read the words.

‘No one asked you to come.’

“And leave you alone? Wandering around the human world all by yourself when your favorite brother could accompany you? Not a chance” Leo scoffed managing to hang a golden necklace over his neck.

Donnie thought for a moment before asking something he’d been wondering for a while, this could backfire on him easily and he’d never hear the end of it from Leo, but the curiosity was eating him up, so he just decided to roll with it, Leo was so tiny anyways, Donnie could just hide him in a drawer until everything was done if he bothered him, so he started writing and Leo only turned to read once he knew Donnie was done.

‘Why are you encouraging this now? Why did you go looking for her statue?’

“What? If you wanted the Leo special teasing you only had to ask, Oh I have been waiting to do this loverboy—” Leo had started with a grin but turned to look at Donnie’s serious face and faltered, Leo groaned loudly before continuing “Fine, It’s not fun if you can’t even complain about it.”

Leo removed the jewelry from his form and wandered off to the jewelry box to search for more things “At first, I just wanted you to forget it like Raph did, it was impossible and papa would have never approved, it was just a crush anyway, right? So, I thought you’d just move on.” Leo was throwing rings around, trying to find one that would fit his feet “But then I realized that you had never taken a real interest in anyone until now, it made me angry because why did you have to choose a human out of anyone? You just love making things hard for yourself don’t you Donton?”

Donnie made a face, but Leo was not looking at him yet, Donnie was about to write something else on the paper when Leo stopped his movements and continued talking “I just kept running scenarios in my mind of what would go wrong if you tried pursuing her, or the human world but…” Leo sighed with a frown “you were as insistent about her as you were about the human world and with just the tiny bit of hope that you had about meeting her, you just looked so happy.”

Donnie looked at his twin in surprise, but Leo kept ranting his tone immediately changing from the vulnerability that it held a second before to something easier “Don’t think I believe Big Mama and Draxum though, it’s just too easy, they’re definitely hiding something, but we’re here and you finally got a chance so why wouldn’t I help you?” Leo concluded by fitting a ring on his foot and looking satisfied about it.

Donnie turned his face the other way to hide his expression, Leo may not have been fully on board with him doing all of this, but it was obvious he had changed his mind for Donnie’s sake the moment he turned human.

Donnie smacked the side of Leo’s head with a finger “Hey!” Leo exclaimed but laughed while Donnie chuckled silently, he finally removed the jewelry and they both fell on the bed, Donnie jumped on it and bounced up slightly, and Leo bounced higher with a ‘Woah!’, almost falling off, Donnie looked surprised and then realized how comfortable the bed felt on his back, he could get used to that.

“Okay Casanova, tomorrow you start wooing her! I’m talking the whole nine yards Don, and with yours truly it would be impossible for you to not get your kiss before the month ends, better than that, you’ll get your kiss in a week, I guarantee.”

Leo didn’t realize Donnie had already fallen asleep, but the sea, even this late at night, was restless.

King Splinter was swimming in front of one of the castle’s windows when his messenger, the little seahorse showed up right in front of him in a hurry “Any sign of them?” King Splinter asked hopefully, but those hopes were crushed in a moment.

“No, your majesty” The seahorse reported “We’ve searched everywhere, we’ve found no trace of any of your sons, even with Shelldon’s reports.”

Splinter looked pained but continued firmly “Well, keep looking, leave no shell unturned, no coral unexplored, let no one in this kingdom sleep until they’re safe at home” he ordered before turning back towards his throne.

The seahorse sighed dejectedly “Yes, sire” they said before leaving with a bow.

Once alone, Splinter buried his face in his hands “Oh what have I done?” He lamented “What have I done?”

Night came and went, and soon in the morning, Donnie had dressed quickly with Sunita’s help, hiding Leo in his pocket without minding his brother’s grumbles and just chuckling at the poor turtle, Donnie then hurried to meet you near the doors where a carriage was waiting.

His gaze shifted into one of awe as he stared at the beasts that pulled the carriage, he neared them unconsciously before jumping a bit at the sound of your voice behind him.

“Do you like horses?” You asked, your head was tilted slightly to the side questioningly and your usual carefree smile was right there directed at him.

Horses? Like seahorses? He wondered; Donnie smiled sheepishly before nodding, you seemed to brighten up at his response “Me too! Have you ever ridden in one?”

Donnie shook his head negatively, even if you had been talking of seahorses, he had never been old enough and small enough at the same time to ride one of course, though these four-legged beasts were much bigger and different.

“Well maybe we can try that another day,” You said happily before walking over to the side of the carriage, Donnie looked at you in surprise before beaming at the realization that you were already planning the next time you both went out, he bumped the pocket where Leo was after hearing a small chuckle coming from him, receiving a small ‘ow’ he paid no attention to as he saw you opening the door of the carriage and offering him your hand.

Wait, you were offering him your hand! He stumbled to take it questioningly before realizing you were guiding him inside the carriage, he entered and sat on it, excited after the small burst of embarrassment had passed, you went in after and grinned at him “Also, good morning Donnie” You chirped before turning forwards and taking the ropes attached to the horses in your hands, thankfully fast enough to not see Donnie smile even wider at you.

You both turned to Cassandra and Sunita that were bidding you goodbye from inside the castle and waved before you pulled the reins and called out to the horses, the carriage quickly began to move on its way out of the doors being opened by guards.

Donnie looked around in awe, leaning slightly out of the vehicle to see how it moved without floating, he leaned down as much as he could and looked attentively at the wheels underneath the carriage wondering how they were attached, as he tried to figure it out he heard a light chuckle coming your way, he straightened up and turned around to look at you embarrassed when he realized the way he was acting, but halted when he noticed the soft expression on your face, and even though the expression left a dusted blush on his cheeks Donnie felt more confident after seeing it.

He got sidetracked when he saw some streetlights with intricate designs on the path you were following toward the town, when you realized what had grabbed his attention you started speaking.

“The lanterns are turned on when the sun starts setting, the design is Danish, actually most of our buildings—” You started talking about the town and the designs of most of its public services and buildings or the basic functioning of it, at some point you cringed at yourself, realizing you must be boring your guest with your rant, you turned your gaze from the road back to him to apologize but almost bit your tongue in surprise when you caught his gaze.

He had been paying you all his attention with an excited look on his face like he was truly interested in what you were saying, and though it was just basic knowledge you had about your kingdom as the princess it made you blush that he was so seemingly focused and happy to hear it.

You stuttered a bit before continuing your explanation with a bright smile on your face.

As the carriage walked over the water through a bridge, Leo, who had escaped the confines of Donnie’s pockets, leaned out after hearing some splashing, looking at the water he found Mikey swimming on the surface of the water, a spiky shell following him close behind.

“Has she kissed him yet?” Mikey asked with an excited smile and Leo rolled his eyes scoffing.

“No way, they’ve been talking about buildings or something, and he didn’t even listen to my plan to get him his kiss.” Leo knew Donnie had never flirted once in his life or been anything but curt to anyone he’d just met, his twin’s lack of experience made it so Leo could see his plans all going downhill.

“Aw,” Mikey whined still following from where he could reach in the water.

Leo looked back over to Donnie boredly, but his expression soon changed as he noticed the one on his twin’s face, Donnie was smiling more confidently at you while you explained something about the city and its architecture, holding every bit of his attention in your words, Leo was surprised at how his twin’s attitude had changed in just a moment, you both suddenly looked more comfortable around one another, like actual friends, a great contrast to yesterday when Donnie had seemed so sheepish at actually getting his wish and you both had only shared pleasantries.

Leo smiled a bit, realizing his brother might not be that much of a lost cause if the way you were smiling and speaking to him was anything to go by.

The day went by fast, with Donnie looking at everything with excitement and wonder that almost made your heart melt, everything new he found he looked back at you as if asking you what it was and you explained what the thing was or how it worked patiently, wondering more and more about the man that was hanging onto your every word like he was experiencing the whole world for the first time.

Where could someone as passionate and curious about learning as Donnie have come from? You asked yourself while seeing him grab onto a puppet happily before realizing he had taken the inanimate object from a hand, you laughed at his antics like you hadn’t laughed in a while.

Maybe his mutism had prevented him from learning about the world? You frowned at this thought, knowing there was a lot of bigoted people out there.

You realized after a moment that Donnie had stopped in front of a mural, you looked at it before humming and starting your explanations “This is one of my favorite stories, I used to love these murals as a child, they all speak of yokai and merfolk”

Donnie’s gaze never left the mural, but his eyes widened and his mouth parted in surprise at your words, you continued.

“Yokai were creatures that came from the sea many years ago, they could take many different forms, like birds, foxes, spiders, and most of all sea creatures, they all had tails when in the sea but were able to transform their tails into legs to walk alongside us and for a time they visited the land and co-existed with humans, helping them with the use of magic” you spoke while he looked at the beginning of the mural that showed various yokai coming from the sea.

You frowned again, remembering what you just had thought about how some people probably didn’t accept Donnie for his mutism, you continued your story “However there were some humans and yokai that didn’t accept each other at all, humans who feared yokai because of what they were capable of doing and yokai who thought of humans as a pest invading the seas” Donnie frowned at your words when he looked at a dark reddish figure in the mural, seemingly discussing with a human, there was something familiar about the figure, but he couldn’t pinpoint what.

“I don’t know what happened next exactly, but the tale says some humans started hunting yokai and the rest of the yokai returned to sea, furious at the humans and vowing to never return.” You finished your story before tracing the figure of a mermaid with your eyes “I’ve always loved the idea of yokai and merpeople, and never understood why the tale ended so tragically, wouldn’t it be amazing if a world like that existed?” You wondered softly, finally, Donnie’s gaze went back to you.

Just recently he had thought humans and yokai had never been able to interact and now, after what his father revealed, bits and pieces of the puzzle kept falling in place, while he was still angry at hi father, he could also understand why what Donnie could figure happened to him would make him have that attitude against humans, but watching you and this beautiful mural that had existed probably longer than the both of you, made it seem more unfair that because of a share of humans and yokai the rest had to avoid each other.

There were so many things he wished to tell you, but writing them down didn’t seem like the proper way to go about it, his heart felt calm though, realizing you longed for the same world he did.

He had an entire month and in that amount of time he was sure he’d be able to explain everything to you and how your fairytales were more real than you could think, he was the perfect proof of it, you both seemed to look at each other then, and smiled, like you had reached some sort of understanding.

The sound of music called his attention, and Donnie turned his head around to see a kiosk full of people dancing as a band played, Donnie grinned, studying the way the humans moved their legs to dance, he personally felt it was more of a show than just dancing while floating on a tail where you would depend much more on hand movement.

You, as you had been doing, noticed his gaze and smirked before walking right in front of him, Donnie looked at you curiously before his eyes widened, seeing you bow slightly and offer your hand, palm up to him.

“Would you honor me with this dance?” You asked, your eyes sparkling mischievously as you looked at him and Donnie took your hand in reflex with a confident smirk, it made your grin widen as you guided him through the crowd towards the kiosk, before Donnie’s confidence was hit by a blow.

While he had always considered himself the best dancer out of his brothers there was no way the same rules of dancing were applicable to this situation, he had barely learned how to walk, how would he go around on both feet without embarrassing himself? Donnie looked around at everyone else, studying the movement of their legs anxiously before you grabbed his attention, pulling one of his hands to your shoulder and holding the other one with yours.

“Relax, follow my lead Donnie, just one foot to the left like this…” You demonstrated and he followed “And follow with the other one like this.” You explained, and a couple of steps later you were repeating the part, you both were dancing.

Donnie relaxed into the movements as he got used to the rhythm, soon becoming second nature as he looked back up at you, his smile turned softer as he looked at you having fun with him, making his cheeks warm but the expression never leaving his face, he only got smugger the more you danced, adding his own flair to the steps much to your delight.

Feeling daring he tried to spin you and you naturally followed his lead before returning to your rightful place in front of him chuckling slightly, your bright laugh making him feel dizzy.

The day continued like that before you were back in the carriage on your way to the castle as the sun started setting.

As you reached the castle and got ready to go down you suddenly stopped, looking thoughtful “Donnie?” you called for his attention and he looked at you questioningly so you’d continue “Would you like me to get a sign language instructor for you?” You asked while he looked surprised “That way we’d be able to communicate better and you can tell me what you think about everything.”

Donnie realized you probably noticed his anxiousness when he couldn’t rant about the things he was seeing or make a tough question, he immediately agreed to your proposal, smiling happily at you and nodding, receiving a heart warming smile back “Great! I’ll see to it in the morning!” Your words were accompanied by you reaching down to step out but Donnie beat you to it, he got down before you and reached your side of the carriage, offering you his hand to step down this time and taking you by surprise, you smiled a bit more shyly before accepting his hand and stepping down the carriage, the nearby lanterns illuminating you both as the sun disappeared in the horizon “Well, you better go inside, I’ll see you in the morning Donnie” you said, finally letting go of his hand and waving goodbye to him.

He waved at you before you disappeared through the doors of the castle and he sighed, burying his smile on his hands giddily while Leo popped out of his pocket again, laughing at his brother happily, because he’d never seen Donnie smile so much in one day.

The chemistry between both of you was almost tangible, he could understand why Donnie had seemed so head over heels so fast.

The days went by like this, in the morning you would both have breakfast together, and then an instructor would teach Donnie sign language in the library for a couple of hours and tell you afterward that he was a really fast learner having already memorized most signs and started practicing them with sentences.

“Not like you were, your highness” The instructor teased, you blew a raspberry.

“I wasn’t that slow, Donnie is just kind of a genius” You stated, smiling unconsciously at your statement.

Then usually the day would go with either Donnie and you doing your own thing, exploring the library for you to answer any questions he had, or going out into town.

Leo, Raph, and Mikey however were getting a bit anxious as the days passed, and despite how much closer the two of you were getting there hadn’t been any attempts at being more physically affectionate.

“Do you want to ride a horse?” You asked during breakfast one morning, Donnie was a pro now at eating with a fork, knife, and spoon, he looked up at you with an excited grin, the one he had whenever you proposed something new for him to try, he nodded quickly and you started explaining what kind of clothes he should use or what he should be ready for.

Later, you both stood at the entrance of the castle, but the horses and carriage that were usually there when you were going out were nowhere in sight, instead there stood two horses, a white mare and a black one, with you holding the reins of both and waving at Donnie to come.

“These are Nero and Blanche, very original names, I know” You giggled as he deadpanned the moment you said their names “They’re both very docile, so you can choose which you want to ride.”

Donnie thought for a moment before reaching out carefully to Blanche, who rubbed their snout on his hand, you chuckled rolling your eyes “Of course, you would choose the white horse, like a prince” You chuckled without noticing how flustered you had just made him with your statement.

‘I’d love being your prince charming’ he thought to himself before hiding his embarrassment and walking over to Blanche’s side.

You taught him quickly how to get up on the horse and once he was up you guided them out of the castle by the reins, you kept telling him what to do to ride before getting up on your horse and guiding him from there, both horses attached to one another so one wouldn’t stray far.

After a while you were both riding through a meadow happily, Donnie still didn’t know enough sign language to hold a conversation but you had a lot of laughs trying and teasing each other with signs.

While the sun was finally setting and you reached a river close to the sea, Leo decided this was the perfect chance to finally get Donnie his kiss.

Wanting to give the horses some rest you tied them close to the river and pointed over to a canoe, both you and Donnie getting on it to explore the river, ignorant of the three brothers that had reunited in the water and watched you attentively.

“Move over, move your big shell, I can’t see anything” Leo whined behind Raph who huffed.

“Nothing is happening” He responded.

“There’s only four days left! What is Donnie waiting for?” Mikey asked worriedly, while Leo made his way on top of Raph’s shell.

“I keep telling Donnie time is running out, and at night he seems like he is listening to me and going to do something about it, but come day when her eyes are on his line of sight, and bam! He suddenly forgets we’re in a hurry in favor of getting lost in them” Leo huffed tiredly, and a bit worried, since he still couldn’t figure out what Big Mama and Draxum were planning if Donnie didn’t get that kiss.

“If Donnie doesn’t start puckering up soon, Raph is going to make his way over there and make him,” Raph said impatiently “Let’s see how he likes that.”

“If Piebald was here, she would be setting up the whole ambiance with music, it’d be so romantic” Mike gushed, and an idea came to Leo.

“Hey Mikey, how long have you been watching Piebald direct and compose for?”

“Like, my whole life, you know this” Mikey said looking curiously at his older brother before it hit him “Oh, oh yeah! I can do this baby!”

While Mikey disappeared into the waters for some animals to help him, Donnie and you were chatting calmly, you mostly spoke while Donnie shifted between writing in his notebook and showing you or trying to sign something with your help.

He was happy with just that when he started hearing music, he looked around trying to find out where the music was coming from but saw nothing, Donnie was confused until he noticed his little brother a little further away talking to some ducks and insects, imitating Piebald.

Oh gosh, his brothers were trying something, and while he was immediately embarrassed by the prospect, when he looked back at you under the light of the sunset he also realized he needed to take any chance he could, his infatuation only grew stronger every day so much so it wasn’t only a crush anymore, he was sure, and he wanted so badly for you to feel the same.

He was fascinated with the way you spoke of your kingdom, and how you were so willing to explain even the tiniest details to him and ready to wait patiently while he wrote something he was excited about sharing with you, always lighting up at his words and making his stomach flutter with your laugh.

But you were also so sarcastic and you never missed a chance to tease him with that smug look of yours, it drove him mad because despite the glare he would send your way most times he absolutely loved your attitude, you were so much more than the determined princess he had crushed on for her heroic acts, you were snarky and confident and yet would blush at the slightest hint of smoothness from him.

You were everything he’d already thought you were and so much more, so, while he was nervous about his brothers interfering, Donnie had to take the chance that you might be feeling the same way as him.

He was just glad his brothers had opted for only music and no singing; he didn’t know if he could have dealt with that embarrassment.

“Do you hear that?” You wondered looking around curiously and Donnie just shrugged at you nervously, thank Poseidon he couldn’t speak, he was a terrible liar.

The change of ambiance seemed to be exactly what he had needed because when your gazes met again this time there was some charged energy in the air, very different from before.

You cleared your throat shyly before looking away and continuing to row the boat, to Donnie’s dismay; but Raph seemed to have other plans, he’d managed to get some fireflies your way and their light grabbed your attention as they filled the late sky with their light surrounding the both of you, Donnie lit a lantern you had brought up on the boat as the sky darkened, it only served to make everything look even more beautiful and once again your attention was on him while he smiled softly at you, a warm smile that made your own heart hit your ribcage.

You returned his smile with one of your own but as his face grew closer to yours you looked away suddenly, feeling some sort of guilt in you.

You had spent so long looking for your savior, a man you might never even find again, and yet why did it feel like you were betraying him the further you fell for Donnie? It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t fair at all, the way you felt for Donnie ran much deeper than the way you felt for your savior, with Donnie you had actually talked and spent time together, laughing like you hadn’t in years.

“What would I give to know more of your world…of you.”

His words lingered in your mind, you felt like you had to give him that, you had wanted to show your savior your world.

And yet, hadn’t you done all of that for Donnie?

Your gaze lifted slowly back to your companion and your heart sank as you saw him looking far away into the water with a sad expression, you had never seen Donnie look like that and you couldn’t stand the fact that it was your fault.

Realizing this, you took a firm stance within yourself, your savior may have been a lightning bolt experience, but Donnie was here, and he was already the most incredible person you had ever met, incredibly smart, and funny in a way that allowed you to let go of all your dark humor, maybe mean at times and yet even that you found endearing.

You liked Donnie, maybe even more than that, you really did.

The thought of your savior was pushed to the far back of your mind for you to forget later, and your hand reached out towards Donnie’s face, he startled for a moment before turning to you and allowing your hand to rest on his cheek, his eyes suddenly hopeful when he saw the smile on your face directed solely at him.

Without you noticing, the boat went under a weeping willow, hiding you from the moon in its darkness, and yet the lights of the fireflies and lantern still enveloped you, coloring you with soft yellow hues under which you looked like a painting from the eyes of a lovesick artist.

Donnie reached out to your other hand with his and your fingers got intertwined together, you squeezed his fingers lightly, the hands resting on his knee while you looked at each other, there wouldn’t be any chance for him to write or sign something.

That was Ok, you didn’t feel like saying anything either, not with the way he was looking at you right now, like you were the only thing that mattered, like he wanted this just as much as you did, so you closed your eyes, feeling his breath near your face and wondering when you both had gotten so close.

The moment you were about to kiss, the boat shook underneath you and you both were thrown into the shallow water.

You sputtered out water and Donnie helped you up worriedly, you smiled at him, apologizing for having lost track of where the boat was going, it probably hit a rock or something. The moment was completely gone and you cursed your absentmindedness, but when you looked up at Donnie who was trying to help you dry and get back on the boat you smiled, looking at him dreamily, you had all the time in the world.

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We're almost at the end guys! I'm so excited for this, once the fic is finished I will start working on the Leo x reader Anastasia AU and at the same time on some of the requests that are already on my inbox, no more than the ones that were there before I closed them though!

#rise donnie x reader #rottmnt donnie x reader #rottmnt x reader #rottmnt fanfiction #rottmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rise! donnie #rottmnt donatello x reader #donatello x reader #donnie x reader #The little mermaid AU #Donnie TLM AU

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