THINGS THEY SAY BEFORE KISSING YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME
starring itoshi sae, mikage reo, and isagi yoichi!
a request from an anon!
(x fem!reader, as per requested)
notes: ANON IM SO SORRY THIS HAS BEEN DONE FOR FOREVER I JS FORGOT TO POST IT AHHH ✧ um my favoritism is showing itself in length.. ✧ BYE I HAD TO MAKE A HS MUSICAL REFERENCE AT THE END LOLL
ITOSHI SAE
"you talk too much."
you had somehow snuck sae into your house underneath the noses of your incredibly strict parents. it was a full moon that night, and you two sat on your bed as you talked about everything under the sun, and he simply listened intently.
you were talking about something funny that had happened in class that day when suddenly, sae heard footsteps coming up the stairs. of course, you didn't hear it over the sound of your own voice, but sae, ever the observant one, picked up on it immediately.
"y/n. shut up!" he whisper yelled, worried your parents would hear you talking and come to check on you.
"hang on," you replied, still completely unaware of your potential doom. "im getting to the good part. and so then, the teacher gets up and-"
the footsteps were getting closer and sae is starting to panic. this is not how he wanted to meet your parents.
"y/n! quiet!" he hushed urgently, trying to get you to quiet down.
"hold on, sae. he then LOOKED HIM RIGHT IN THE EYE AND PROCEEDED TO-"
growing desperate now, sae suddenly came up with an idea.
he leaned in closer to you, and you instantly stopped talking, your voice dying in your throat. your face burned at the intense proximity and you were nervously staring back into his bold teal eyes, not really knowing what was going on.
"...sae?" you squeaked, your voice small.
sae brushes your hair out of your face tenderly before gently gripping your waist.
"you talk too much."
he then quickly pressed his lips to yours, his other hand finding place at the crook of your neck. you kissed him back instantly, throwing your hands into his pinkish hair.
sae's kiss is tender and extremely loving. he's not a man of many words; he says everything he needs to with his actions. and at that moment, as he deepened the kiss and rubbed his hands up and down your back soothingly, you could hear him saying, "i love you."
when he pulled away, there was a whole storm of butterflies in your stomach, and you were a little breathless.
"what... was that?" you panted, a little winded.
he simply chuckled and pulled you into his chest.
"you're so stupid."
"...?"
":)"
(he's the stupid one, really.)
MIKAGE REO
"i love you."
reo has had plenty of experiences with girls who merely wanted him for his fame and money. he would take them out for dinner at an expensive restaurant, and they'd be all nice and sweet, but then he'd take them out for a heartfelt, well thought-out date, and they'd be cold and distant. it broke his heart, and he would constantly wonder if he'd ever be able to find someone who loved him for him. he wondered that if he didn't have his fame and wealth, would he have ever been able to find someone who wanted him?
you had been going out with reo for around two months now, and everything was going great. reo was great. he was kind, caring, charismatic, funny, charming, and overall a great guy. you two had met through a mutual friend and hit it off really well. reo had taken you out to some nice restaurants, and you'd also hung out at each other's places, and he found himself really, really liking you.
reo had to admit that he was scared. you seemed like such a great girl, and he feared that you might be just like the rest. just like the girls who had used him, who had welcomed him in and then crushed his heart, who he had truly believed liked him for him, but it didn't end up being true in the end. he knew that he gave his heart to people too easily, but he still did it each and every time. at the end of it, all he could do was hope for the best.
reo took a deep breath as he stood outside your door. he had prepared a heartfelt picnic date for the two of you, and he could feel his hands getting all clammy as he knocked a few times.
you stepped out and reo's voice got stuck in his throat. you looked stunning. you were wearing a simple white beachy dress, your hair blown out and your makeup done cute. it wasn't as extravagant or bold as some of the other looks reo had seen you in, but the first thought that came to his head was still "beautiful."
he quickly cleared his throat and regained his composure. "gorgeous as always, y/n." he grinned, still taking you in.
you giggled. "i hope so. 'surprise' is hard to dress for, reo."
"you look perfect." he chuckled in response.
reo's heart was racing as he began walking you to the picnic location where he had set everything up. he had spent over an hour laying everything out and making sure it looked perfect, and don't even get him started on the time it took to prepare everything in advance. this would be the first time he'd ever done something so heartfelt and homemade for you, and he had to admit that the thought that maybe you would turn your nose up in disgust like everyone else crossed his mind.
once you arrived, reo let out a shaky little ta-da as he nervously watched for your reaction. when you at first had none, he felt his heart dropping at the thought that he was right. you were like everyone else. you hated it and you were going to leave him.
that thought was only magnified when you started crying. reo began panicking, wondering how bad he could've messed up to make you cry. his panic quickly turned to shock and relief, though.
"this is... perfect, reo. i love it. it's beautiful. this must have taken you forever." you turned to face him. "i am so, so lucky to have you. thank you."
reo felt a wave of relief and also adrenaline wash over him as he engulfed you in a tight hug. as he held you in his arms, he knew what he was feeling right now was more than just liking you.
he gently held your face in his hands as he gazed into your eyes lovingly. he leaned in closer to your face as his heart raced faster than it ever had before.
"i love you."
he crashed his lips against yours, heart soaring when he felt you kiss him back. he almost felt like crying with how overwhelmed by his emotions he was. he deepened the kiss as he tilted you back, holding you tightly in his arms still. he'd never loved a feeling more than the feeling of your lips on his. he kissed you with passion and intensity, yet it still so full of love and affection.
when you both finally pulled away, breathless, holding each other in your arms and staring into each other's eyes, reo was still hungry for more, but he held back, awaiting your response.
you lovingly bump your forehead against his, relishing the moment.
"i love you too.'
rest assured that reo wastes no time in kissing you once more. (or twice. or three times.)
ISAGI YOICHI
"can i?"
isagi yoichi was RAISED RIGHT.
he understand the importance of consent!! fear not ladies!!
you both were at a party with your friends, and for some reason, while everyone else was playing drinking games and living it up, you guys were playing truth or dare.
what were you, 10?
everyone had been mostly doing a lot of truths so far, (with the exception of bachira, who was willing to do practically anything) but people were now finally starting to pick dare. kunigami had belly flopped into a hot tub, (he was practically crying for like 15 minutes) chigiri had sent a dm to a girl he liked admitting his feelings, (please be me please be me please be me) and reo had drunk the most disgusting blend of alcohol know to mankind.
"isagirin!" bachira exclaimed, pointing a finger at isagi. "truth or dare?"
isagi hesitated. "dare."
everyone 'ooo'-ed, seeing as this was his first dare. bachira mulled it over for a minute before giving him a boyish grin.
"isagirin." he stated seriously. "i dare you to..."
everyone held their breath.
"..kiss the prettiest girl in the room."
everyone, even nagi, who was basically half asleep on reo's arm, gasped immediately. isagi's face went bright red and you suddenly felt your heart pounding.
you didnt think it was going to be you. that was stupid. you and isagi were just friends. there's no way he would ever kiss you. don't delude yourself. dont be delulu, see the trululu. (im sorry)
isagi shot bachira a dirty glare as he stood up, his legs practically shaking. you didn't know why you were so nervous. there was no way it would be you, right? you doubted that he actually reciprocated your silly little crush on him.
oh. he's walking in your direction? well.. lets see. there's a really pretty girl behind you, but she's practically grinding into some other random guy, so that's probably not it. he's getting closer? there's probably some really hot girl at the other end of the party who you just can't see. he's making eye contact with you? ok ok, don't sweat it. don't panic. why is your face getting so red? you're being so obvious! he's not into you! he's isagi yoichi! he's just a friend! he's... kneeling right in front of you...?
your heart was pounding as isagi nervously leaned in. he gently swept the hair from your face and nervously mumbled, "can i?"
all you could do was nervously nod.
isagi gently kissed you sweetly, and you felt yourself melting into him. oh my god, this was really happening! when he pulled away he nervously averted his eyes, and you did the same, flustered.
the sounds of everyone's cheers and whoops and 'finally's got softer as isagi met your gaze, and it felt like you two were the only people in the world. you two would talk it out later, but for now, you could feel in your heart that this was the start of something new.
© 𝐄𝐓𝐎𝐈𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 please do not copy or repost my work on any other site. interactions appreciated! 🤍
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ch vi. bruises
joel miller x f!reader x unrequited!tommy miller (no outbreak AU)
chapter six of chaser
warnings: 18+ minors please dni. ooof okay where to start, smut unprotected p in v, mentions of bruising from sex? fighting like actual real life fist fighting, rough but sweet sex, grinding, lowkey some cockwarming?? kinda unwanted kissing, tommy being annoying and somewhat overbearing, and unwanted touching, but not sexual. caroline. just, caroline. because she deserves her own warning for this one. no use of y/n.
summary: everything comes to a head at tommy's birthday party.
a/n: this is genuinely the longest part/chapter thing i've ever written so enjoy. tommy is really annoying in this one, im still deciding if he's going to have a redemption arc. sorry this took so long. as always, i love you all so much. MY TUMBLR LITERALLY SHIT ITS PANTS WHEN I TRIED TO EDIT THE TAGLIST SO IM SORRY IF YOU GUYS GOT TAGGED LIKE 400 TIMES.
if you would like to read more of mine: masterlist!
“What’s goin’ on?” Joel says, almost a whisper.
You’re still not sure if he’s talking to you or Tommy. You can't take your eyes off Tommy’s gaze. From the looks of it, Joel’s question makes Tommy more angry and way more confused.
“Joel,” you say, trying to look for any indication in Tommy’s face that he’s not going to go bat shit crazy. “‘S fine. We’re okay.”
But Joel doesn’t listen. Because he’s Joel Miller and maybe you can’t see it right now, but you can hear the concern dripping off his tone—an indication that he won’t ever leave.
Not now.
So he stalks towards you both and you try to shake your head no, and he doesn’t listen.
You can almost remember it like it was yesterday.
A few weeks back, the first time you invited Tommy in for a drink after dinner. Sarah was asleep back at the house, Joel was doing — god knows what. The sun was set, the mosquitoes were probably out, and there was a quiet, even maybe too quiet silence when Tommy pulled up to your house.
He had asked what the rest of your plans were for the night.
You had said nothing much, not knowing it was an invitation — he stayed till 2 a.m. that night.
But it was okay. Because he made you laugh and you enjoyed his company. He was interesting. Tommy told you about how he never wanted to go into contracting in the first place. About his broken bones, his all time biggest regrets, how he was smitten with his old high school flame turned mean cheerleader until graduation.
It was the first time you ever realized he was — well — his own person in the sense. Not just Joel’s younger brother. But Tommy. Tommy Miller.
Maybe in another life Tommy might’ve even been good for you. A perfect pair — a match. He wasn’t mean and brooding and he certainly didn’t have 12 years on you.
And he made you smile. And he was genuinely—genuinely interested in your life. Your post grad prospects, college, books, and even how you played soccer just like Sarah when you were younger.
But when he leaned in that night, closer to you than ever before. You froze. Like genuinely frozen, and you couldn’t even dare to look down to his slowly approaching lips, let alone how his arms caged you in.
“First kiss?” you remember him asking.
You had just stuttered out nonsense, not wanting to breathe too hard and run the risk of pushing your lips flush with his.
“I — um —” you nervously laughed. You couldn’t even think—not in the way you should—not when the first person that comes to mind when Tommy says, kiss is his brother.
He had leaned in closer then—more tentative. Like you were a scared deer in headlights or a frightened kitten and he was inching forward, wanting to move closer.
But you didn’t really do — anything.
And he had pulled back a bit, gave you a teasing look and a ruffle on the head and continued with the conversation.
In all honesty you were scared that he might've been inching forward to kiss you. The small fear settling through a slightly erratic heartbeat and nervous laughs.
You were scared then, but can’t really remember the last time you’ve felt this kind of fear.
Hurt, discomfort, shock, maybe.
And although it was being quickly replaced with anger, you don’t remember this feeling — this kind of fear. Not even the kind you get from watching a scary movie — where you can feel the adrenaline coursing through your veins and then dissipating when the screen goes dark, and the lights turn back on and all you have to worry about is if the scary nun from the big screen will appear in your dreams.
You can remember all the last times you’ve gotten mad, sure. Mainly at the Miller brothers.
But never fear — well, not until right now.
Because whoever that Tommy was is definitely not the same guy staring back at you right now, with a bruised fist, an angry look swirled with hurt marked permanently on his face and one emotion that you can definitely place behind his eyes — jealousy.
_
Some hours earlier.
You spread colorful tablecloth over the mismatched tables in Joel’s backyard. The string lights are being hung up, Joel stands on a ladder towards your right, the sound of a hammer echoing through the small backyard.
You pick your phone out of your back pocket, checking the time. You also find it in you to check Tommy’s texts again, but no other messages have been sent since last night. You look down at your phone — at the messages — and sit against one of the tables.
Yesterday:
You: can we talk in person?
Tommy Miller: I’ll see you tomorrow at the party?
You hadn’t seen the text until this morning, when Joel and you found it in yourselves to get out of bed, have a shower, and start setting up for the party. So when you saw it, you would be lying if you said your heart didn’t skip a beat.
You’re a bit nervous at the prospect. You did not want to talk to him at his party—honestly just trying to text him so that the air would be cleared for the party.
But his words echo in your mind.
“Just think ‘bout it before you say no.”
You let out a cursed sigh.
Tommy had to know. Right?
If he knew the dreaded ‘no’ was already braced on your lips he had to know. That this thing between you and Tommy would never work out. That you’re way better as friends. That it would ruin everything — the dynamics of it all — that you were smitten with his brother and you guys had just slept together for the second time without Tommy’s knowledge and that—
“Alright?”
Joel stands in front of you, dipping his head to see a scowl marked on your face. You quickly — maybe even too quickly — forget about the messages, hell, forget about Tommy.
Because Joel looks handsome. He’s always handsome, you’ve thought since the moment you met him at the bar. There’s something intoxicating about him, his arms, the curve of his neck. His brooding nature does him justice — a uniqueness about him that makes you want to uncover more, learn more, see more.
You remember last night—very vividly through small ebbs and flows of sleep. The moonlight seeped into your skin as you both rolled around in gray sheets.
It makes your cheeks heat a bit at the thought.
You remember everything. Every little detail. You don’t think you’ll ever forget.
You tuck your phone back into your pocket.
“Yeah, sorry. ‘S just…” you trail off, he nods his head in understanding, coming closer to you.
He braces his hands on either side of your body, caging you in. Your faces study each other’s mere inches apart.
“Tablecloth givin’ you trouble?” Joel teases in a soft whisper, looking down at your lips, then back to your eyes.
“Funny,” you say with a grin and run your tongue over your lips.
“You need help, baby, all you gotta do is ask.” Joel’s small smile plays on his lips for a fleeting second. You miss it as soon as it’s gone.
“Duly noted. But I’m not the one who’s been hanging up string lights for the past hour.”
He pats your ass a bit, teasing you and pushing out a playful sigh.
“Perfection takes time.”
Joel’s beginning to dip his head to kiss you, but you find it in you to bite back.
“And yet the left side’s still lower than the right,” you whisper, pulling your head back slightly. He turns quickly to look at the fence, but gives you a harder slap on your ass when he realizes the lights are, in fact, straight.
Joel chuckles, pushing off from the table, you turn back around to continue fixing the cloths, and look back at him over your shoulder.
He’s looking back at you too.
“You’re killin’ me,” he says, and you smile to yourself when you turn back around.
_
You look around the backyard and check your phone for the millionth time since the party started. You can hear Sarah running around, screaming a bit while jumping into the pool. But your brows furrow when you find that Tommy still hasn’t texted you.
You spot a tuft of red hair swinging through your vision and spin to find Janet Baker squeezing through the crowd.
“Janet!” you say, approaching her quickly. You’re happy to see her—Tommy didn’t invite many people you’re familiar with.
“Hey, Doll. Thanks for the invite!” she says, pulling you into a quick hug, but when she sees the look on your face, her mouth drops into a frown. “Sweetie, you okay?”
“Yeah, sorry. I—Tommy didn’t…I don’t really know anyone here,” you reply while sheepishly looking around the small, bustling backyard. It’s the kind of feeling you try your best to avoid. Like everyone is in on some secret joke that you have no clue about. Or everyone knows each other and you can’t even put faces to names because you don’t know any names—like right now.
“‘S fine—I’m happy to see you made it,” you let out a defeated chuckle.
“‘F course, baby. Charlotte really wanted to see Sarah,” she nods towards the girls in the pool, Charlotte’s red hair looking strikingly similar to the woman standing in front of you. Janet seems to be on her second drink of the afternoon, you saw her tipping back a solo cup out of the corner of your eye earlier.
“What are you drinking?” you ask her, nodding at her cup.
“Someone brought a fancy lookin’ wine I popped open,” she says, giving you a sly smile. “Why don’t we get you a drink? You’ll like this,” she says, you don’t have much time to react, she’s already pulling you towards the drink station.
You both settle into a comfortable silence, looking around the backyard while Janet pours your drink.
“So,” she says, giving you a wink.
“So…” you echo, sending a nervous laugh her way.
“Who’s that girl,” she nods towards Caroline while passing you a cup, you take a big sip, Janet fills it back up to the top without a second glance.
“Caroline,” you say looking at her and Joel. They’re talking to some other people, a small group of them congregating by the barbecue.
“Caroline…” Janet tests out on her tongue, willing you to continue.
“Caroline—Joel’s,” you can’t help but chuckle. “date. I guess.”
“That bother you?” she says, finishing the bottle of wine while the two of you walk back towards the edge of the pool so she can watch Charlotte and Sarah.
“Nope,” you say, and it’s not a lie. Sure, it might be a little weird to see another woman clinging to his arm after yesterday. But you know now. And that’s all that matters.
“Joel can—” you laugh again, “—Joel can do what he likes.”
Janet stops walking suddenly. You tear your gaze away from Joel and look at her with a confused furrowed brow.
“Sweetie…” she says with eyes that look way too knowing for your comfort or peace of mind.
“Janet…?” you say, though her gaze just intensifies.
“You mean to tell me it happened since I last saw you?”
Your eyes widen, a shocked look crosses your face and you quickly try to replace it with a bad mask of confusion.
“W-what? I—”
“Don’t lie to me, doll,” she warns, and she looks like she really means it.
“Janet…” you say in a not as effective and halfhearted warning tone back.
“Don’t you dare,” she wags her finger—a final warning.
What has gotten into you and why can’t you find it in yourself to lie to this woman?
“Don’t te—” she gasps, “Janet, I mean it. Do not tell anyone.”
She shuts her half open mouth and makes the my lips are sealed motion across her face. You laugh while stealing a glance at Joel.
“I told you,” she whispers to you in a hush, joining your eyeline towards Joel.
You stay silent for a moment, just taking everything and everyone in—but at the same time just looking at Joel. when you finally break the silence you’re a bit shocked at your question. You’ve never talked about Joel like this with someone who actually knows him. Everything has always been a secret—like you were supposed to be ashamed or something. You never were.
“How did you know?” you ask, hushed. You’re not sure she’ll even hear you.
“Would love to say it was intuition, sweetie—but—it was him. It was written all over his face.”
_
You stayed with Janet for the better portion of the hour, all through silent peaks at your phone to see if Tommy had texted you. When it was getting to the point where people were getting curious, you’ve just about had your limit.
You approach Joel quickly, you don’t miss Caroline’s stunned face but you really can’t be bothered with—that—right now.
“Joel?” you ask, pulling at his arm a bit, he excuses himself from the group and follows you towards the backyard's edge.
“Where the hell is your brother?” you whisper.
“He’s not here?” he asks, the same hushed tone also pushing through his voice at your question.
“No! I called him, but he’s not responding,” you pipe back while pulling out your phone. Though the lack of notifications from Tommy—just as before—tells you enough.
You both look at each other for a fleeting second. But the same worried look is probably etched on both your faces — fuck.
“This fuckin’ guy,” Joel mutters under his breath while pulling out his own phone and then putting it up to his ear.
You pace around the small area you and Joel are in, observing the unfamiliar faces.
“Nothin’,” Joel grovels, taking a peak over the fence towards the street to see if Tommy's truck has pulled up. “I’ll try ‘im again — just — you should mingle,” he says, still looking down at his phone.
“‘S fine. I don’t really know anyone here anyways,” you say absentmindedly, looking through your phone for Tommy’s contact and putting your phone up to your ear.
You hear yelling and shouting from the entrance to the backyard. You slowly lift your head, reluctant to tear your eyes away from frantic texts.
You spot him, in all his glory. Tommy Miller. Two hours late to his own birthday party—though he looks like he couldn’t care less, hugging old friends and new ones. He spots your eyes in the crowd and you can’t even be bothered to smile, a frown is almost permanently placed on your face—Late to your own birthday party?
He nods his head toward the house, a silent invitation to talk when he’s done greeting the guests. You nod back and turn to Joel, Tommy turns to everyone else.
“He’s here,” you say, pulling Joel out of his own phone, he does a double take towards the entrance and huffs out a groan.
“Goddamn idiot,” Joel says, running his palm over his eyebrow.
“I’m gonna go—” you say, nodding towards the house, towards Tommy.
“Yeah. Alright,” he replies, though he looks a bit concerned and unfocused, looking towards Tommy, then back to you, “You need me, ‘m there.”
“‘M not telling him about us on his birthday and It’s Tommy, Joel.”
Tommy—harmless.
Though Joel’s look sends a sweat to your palms for some reason. You don’t know why he’s worried.
It’s Tommy. It’s fine.
Right?
You hope as much as you make your way through the crowd. You beeline for the house and slip past the sliding doors into the kitchen where cups and bags of chips lay open and equally sprawled.
You can hear the door slide open and shut again behind you as you try and salvage the mess.
“Baby,” Tommy says, rounding the corner and coming close to you, “‘M sorry. The concrete guy was supposed to drop off the shipment tomorrow but he came today and needed a signature—”
“Tommy, it’s okay,” you almost have to will yourself to say. You also have to remember it’s his birthday.
He looks down.
“‘S okay. It’s your birthday. Happy birthday,” you reassure with a small smile.
“Looks great out there,” he says, fiddling with his phone in his hand.
“Thanks.”
You’re suddenly a bit nervous. You hadn’t really thought about everything that had happened when Tommy being late to his own birthday party was blanketing all the drama. But he’s here now, and you have no idea what to say. Maybe it would be better to not say anything at all—not address the fact that he asked you out, or you and Joel. But that guilty gnawing feeling eats you alive the longer you stand in silence.
“Joel helped you?”
“Yeah. I went shopping yesterday and dropped off the stuff here then we set it up this morning,” you say, nodding towards the backyard and then your car parked out front.
“You went shopping on your own?” he almost sounds offended.
“I wanted to go on my own.”
Tommy doesn't look convinced.
“Really, T. ‘S fine,” you brush off, leaning back against the kitchen counter and crossing your arms. He stares at you from the other side of the kitchen.
“Caroline here?” he asks, a hesitant look on his face as he switches from looking at the ground to your face—almost like he’s looking for a reaction.
“She’s out there somewhere,” you nod, keeping a neutral face masked with a small smile. “You should mingle. Just wanted to make sure everything was alright.”
But he doesn’t move, he just keeps fiddling with the case on his phone again, looking down to the floor—his feet.
“I— you said you wanted to talk in person.”
Shit.
You both look at each other, waiting. A game of cat and mouse.
“It can wait, T. Enjoy your party,” you say, gesturing to the crowd outside.
“Is it about—is it about what happened Friday?”
“Tommy,” you say, almost warningly. This situation is shitty enough as is. You really don’t want to spoil everything—even if there’s nothing left to spoil.
He doesn’t say anything. His thumb fiddling with his phone is the only sound coming from inside the kitchen. He looks at you, waiting for you to continue. Almost unbearable. You crack way quicker than you’d hope to last.
If he wants it like this, at his own birthday party, then so be it.
“Fine. I just—I wanted to…” you scramble for words but they jumble in your mind.
“I’m—” you fall short again. “About what you said. What you asked me. I don’t think that it’s…something I want. I’m—sorry.”
“You don’t think it’s something you want? Or you know that—”
“Tommy,” you say, giving him an awkward stifled laugh. Like he’s being childish with his response. Because he is. “I don’t—I’m sorry.”
He turns away from you suddenly, towards the window above the sink and just stares at it for a long time. You can see his chest puffing. When he finally turns back around, it’s different. It’s the Tommy you know.
“‘S okay,” He says.
Maybe he’ll get over it quickly—you hope.
“Are you okay? I’m—I mean I hope that this doesn’t change anything since I’m still gonna be around—” you lift your arm up to run a ragged hand across your forehead and through your hair, you don’t even notice that your shirt riding up, “— I just don’t want it to like—”
“What is that?”
Your eyes snap to Tommy’s, confused. You think he might be looking out the window again but his eyes trail to you, but lower. Like he’s looking at your hips—because he is. You’re still confused for a second, before examining your shirt, looking for stains or anything out of the ordinary. But you don’t find anything, your top spotless.
“What? I don’t—”
“No—” he takes a couple quick steps forward, into your space, you try to find his eyes—yours blown out with confusion and shock but his are trained and laser focused to your waistline.
“What’s—” he tries to pull up your shirt, you shove him back out of reflex. “You’re hurt, what happened t’you?”
He almost pins down your hands to see your skin under your shirt, dipping his head to look at your waist and hips and you suddenly know. You know there are hand shaped bruises littered across the skin of your waist, turning it deep purple. Handprints that match Joel’s exactly—almost like they’re burned into you. You saw it this morning. It’s why you didn’t bother to put on a swimsuit and decided to keep a top on instead.
What’s even worse is you know Tommy saw it too.
“Tommy!” you’re yelling now, fighting his grip.
You slip up, unable to get a good hold on his wrist like he now has on yours and he pushes the shirt up to reveal the bruises.
“What the hell is that?”
“Fucking—get off!” he backs away with your second shove, a different kind of look on his face. “Jesus,” you huff out, yanking your shirt back down.
You both stand there. A pregnant silence between you. You can almost hear the gears turning, he stares blankly. Putting it all together. Like maybe you’re not hurt, but you wanted it—wanted it from another man. Somewhere in the back of his mind he might keep wishing someone hurt you so he didn’t have to feel so betrayed. So when he asks, it’s like he doesn’t want to admit that it’s true—the quiet possibility of someone else in the picture.
“Who,” he says slowly, pointing down to your waist, “did that?”
“Tommy—” you say, but footsteps cut you off, you both turn your head to the entrance of the kitchen as Joel rounds the corner. He looks out of breath and his eyes flicker from Tommy and his finger pointing down at your waist then back to you.
“We alright in here?” Joel stands, hesitant, his fingers play with the bottom hem of his shirt in an anxious way. Like he doesn't know what he’s just walked in on—you’re not entirely sure you know the answer to that either. You aren’t sure if he’s talking to you or Tommy so you stay silent, waiting for the man in front of you to respond.
“Yup,” Tommy replies, too angry to be believable.
Joel looks at you but he doesn’t say anything. Not out loud.
No. You try to say with your eyes. We are definitely not alright in here.
“What’s goin’ on?” Joel says, almost a whisper. You’re still not sure if he’s talking to you or Tommy. You can't take your eyes off Tommy’s gaze. From the looks of it, Joel’s question makes Tommy more angry and way more confused.
“Joel,” you say, trying to look for any indication in Tommy’s face that he’s not going to go bat shit crazy. “‘S fine. We’re okay.”
But Joel doesn’t listen. Because he’s Joel Miller and maybe you can’t see it right now, but you can hear the concern dripping off his tone—an indication that he won’t ever leave. Not now. So he stalks towards you both and you try to shake your head no, and he doesn’t listen.
He stands beside you, putting a flat sprawled palm on Tommy’s chest and silently tries to push him backward. But Tommy breaks first, pushing Joel’s hand off him, staggering back while looking at you and Joel.
And maybe he gets it then, you think. Because Tommy lets out a deep chuckle—like you’ve got clown makeup on. Like he’s never seen anything more funny. He’s a lot of things but he is not fucking stupid. So he looks past Joel to your eyes. To your face, almost covered—ridden—in guilt and he can see everything.
“Really?” Tommy says, not sparing Joel a glance.
“You put your fuckin’ hands on her?” Tommy says, almost at a whisper which makes it all the more intimidating. You can see Joel’s back puff, his anger rising. But you also know Joel would never hurt his brother. Not on purpose.
But you’re scared. You’re really fucking scared in this moment because Tommy is entirely too worked up and you know whatever excuse Joel is going to say won’t help.
“Easy,” Joel says, his voice cutting through the tense silence.
You’re sweating. The hot summer of July in Austin getting to you. They stare at each other for a long time. Like at the kitchen table, like when you all first met. But this time, Tommy breaks, and his eyes flicker to yours, he takes a tiny step to the side so he can see you better.
“Is this why? Is this why you’re fuckin’—jesus, fuck. ‘S this why he went to get you a tire?” you stand, you can’t really say anything, your stunned figure doesn’t move.
“He hurt you,” Tommy breathes out, his voice almost breaking if he wasn’t so angry. You shake your head.
You both know that the bruises aren’t from hurt. That they’re far from it.
“He didn’t,” you reply.
“No, no, baby. He’s—you’re—” Tommy almost looks like he can’t believe it, shaking his head, switching between you and Joel. The look you give him shuts him up, and makes him back away, until Joel unclenches his fists and relaxes his shoulder a fraction.
“I didn’t really want to tell you like this, I was—”
“Fucking my brother?” he bites back, interrupting you.
That makes you a bit mad. You’re not in love with his attitude, nor his tone. It’s not like he has any right. It’s not like either of them do.
Joel moves to speak but you do it first.
“Don’t give me that,” you say, almost laughing, though the situation is not funny, not in the slightest. “We’re not dating, Tommy. We never were.”
Caroline strides in at that, looking at the scene unfolding in the kitchen. She stops short of the three of you, her mouth slightly agape. You roll your eyes, fucking perfect. Let’s just bring the party in here instead. You’ll give it to the woman. She has impeccable timing.
“Needed some napkins…” she trails off, holding the empty napkin stand in her right hand up so everyone can see. “I—I can come back.”
“Did you know?” Tommy turns to her, gesturing to you and Joel.
“Tommy,” Joel says from in front of you, a warning. Tommy ignores him.
“Did you know?” he asks again, Caroline stares back shocked. But she does consider it, rolls the idea around in her head before speaking.
“Them two?” Tommy nods. “Her?”
Okay. You really don’t love that tone. You silently chastise yourself for thinking she was nice at the bar when your first instinct was that she was a bitch—because she is. You were waiting for her snarky undertones or spoiled takes to show. You knew it was coming, you just didn’t know when.
“No, ‘f couse not.” She’s almost laughing, like it could never be possible. It hits you harder than you’ll ever admit. “She’s — you’re…young,” she says, looking at you.
Tommy gestures to you and Joel like he’s saying, well believe it, because it’s true.
Joel moves faster than you can comprehend. He’s got a tight grip on Tommy’s arm. He probably doesn’t even have to say anything, Tommy knows what’s happening. But Joel warns him anyway—again.
“Quit,” he growls. You’d guess this might be the point where Tommy usually backs down. But this situation is far from usual.
“Or what?” Tommy bites back. When Joel doesn’t respond he continues. “You gonna mark me up? Leave me all black and blue?”
Tommy doesn’t stop there, you try to move past Joel but he stops you, turns his head to you slightly, a hardened look in his eye.
“Oh, I forgot you’d probably like that, huh?”
Joel remains frozen for a couple fleeting seconds before whipping around and pushing Tommy into the back counter. You’re rooted to your place, you don’t even care that Caroline is still in the corner, holding the fucking napkin holder in the air.
“What’d you say?” Joel barks in Tommy’s face.
“Look at her fuckin’ stomach, dude!” Tommy throws the words in his face, pushing him back slightly and making a vague gesture in your direction, it causes your feet to move towards the brothers before you can think.
Joel backs off then, sneaking a tiny glance at you out of the corner of his eye, like he really is thinking about the marks he left on your waist. He had seen them this morning, ran his fingers over them too, and saw how the notches matched the curves of his fingers perfectly. But you kissed him, and told him it was okay. That it was more than okay. Maybe even whispered that you liked it between muffled groans. So when a glint of guilt flashes in his eyes it makes your heart break more than it already has.
“She said no,” Joel says, looking back at Tommy. A tense silence follows—like you’re not sure if Joel is going to continue or Tommy is going to bite back.
“Get back to your party,” Joel growls after a while. You bite your lip.
Tommy looks at Joel with unwavering eyes. His glance turns towards the window where he can see the bustling crowd—can almost hear the laughter. Then he looks down to his hand, outstretches it, undoes his gnarly fist, and when it curls back up again, you finally bite.
“Tommy!” you say, moving closer. But it’s too late. Joel’s figure knocks to the side and his hand instinctively grabs his face, his nose, his eye. Maybe the worst part about it all is that Joel doesn’t even look remotely surprised, or that he wants to fight back—he just stays there, a little hunched over when you yelp in shock and Tommy groans, shaking out a now bruised fist.
“Fuck,” you almost yell, your body doesn’t know what to do between bending down to see Joel’s face and looking at Tommy—at his face—because you don’t recognize him.
Joel almost huffs out a laugh, and to shut him up, to get him to bite his tongue, you speak again.
“Okay. We’re done here,” you say, pushing Joel towards the entrance of the house, towards your car.
And Caroline is there, pushing Tommy towards the couches and for the first time, you’re grateful for her.
_
The ride back to your house is silent after a short and quick bicker about who can drive. You think Joel might want to sit in the driver's seat so you can’t see the quickly forming bruises on the left side of his face but you make a decent argument, enough to settle him in the passengers—looking out the window.
You send Janet a quick text, asking if she can watch Sarah for a few hours. Brother emergency. Janet replies back and says the girls haven’t gotten out of the pool since you left. It makes you smile a bit, despite it all.
When you park in your driveway, you hop out quickly, Joel following closely behind. He waits there, right behind you, when you pull out your house keys, and waits when you unlock the deadbolt and waits when you push through the door.
“Make yourself at home,” you say, nodding towards the couches and dropping your keys in the bowl.
You disappear into the kitchen and brace your arms on the counter, your head hanging between your shoulders. You let out a deep, ragged breath and try to control your heartbeat.
“Fuck,” you mumble, shaking out your wrists, grabbing two advil from the bottle on your counter, a glass of water, and peas from freezer.
Joel’s sitting on the loveseat, looking down at his hands. You don’t say anything. He doesn’t either. He just takes the water and pills from your hands and swallows it silently. You extend the peas to him, he thinks about it for a while and when you shake them again, huffing, saying—just fucking take them. He finally obliges.
You get a good look at his cheek when he turns to set the water down on the table and you have to stop yourself from gasping.
“Joel,” you murmur, reaching for him, bending down, he stops you, grabs your wrist, then grabs your hand. But he’s gentle. Not like Tommy. Joel’s gentle.
“‘S fine,” he says, and winces when the peas touch his face. “‘M fine.”
You settle in between his legs, looking down at him. He’s got one hand on his face, holding the peas, and the other, wrapped around the back of your thigh. He doesn’t even want to look up at you. It breaks your heart.
“‘M sorry,” you say quietly, his hand on your thigh trails upward. He plays with the hem of your shirt and lifts it enough to take a peek at the purple that lies there.
He doesn’t say anything, just sits there, running a gentle, ghost-like touch across the bruises.
“He — saw it. I don’t…” you look down to your stomach. You can see the shape of his fingertips so clearly. It’s no wonder Tommy reacted how he did. “It was an accident.”
He doesn’t nod. Doesn’t shake his head. He tosses the peas onto the table and pushes the cotton of your shirt up further, to where he can see all of it—all the black and blue there.
“Are you mad?” you whisper, hesitantly, as he stares at his own hands, his own branding.
“‘M sorry,” he mumbles.
“Don’t be,” you say, begging, “Please.”
“He did that cause—,” you breathe out, taking his chin in your pointer finger and thumb and getting your first good look at his cheek, “—it’s-’s my fault, I should’ve—”
“C’mon. Don’t do that,” he says, cutting you off, nipping your apology in the bud, “I should be the one who’s sorry, this is — I hurt you.”
You shake your head.
“You know that’s not—you know that I—” you stifle a short chuckle.
“That you what?”
You let out a couple hot breaths, looking down at him, the purple around his eye slowly taking shape.
“That I liked it.”
Joel bends forward then, and you gasp. The dull scratch of his beard is the only thing keeping your eyes open. He trails his hot breath across your stomach, and leaves gentle kisses on your sides, on your bruises.
“Joel,” you mumble, and you hate how your voice sounds so breathy, maybe even desperate. You tangle your hands in his hair, grasping at the nape of his neck he pulls you down, closer, so you’re slotted in his lap, straddling him. Joel pulls back and looks at your face, brushes the fallen hair from your eyes.
“I meant what I said,” you start, he furrows his brow, “Still—mean it.”
From the look in his eyes he knows what you’re talking about. The words you slipped into his ear last night.
‘S you, Joel — it’s-’s always been you.
“But if this is—if Tommy—” you cut yourself off, correcting your words, “If I messed it up—”
“Sweetheart,” he says. Your heart pulls, you almost put your hand on his cheek, but you see the rising skin and settle for his shoulder. “‘M not goin’ anywhere.”
“Are you sure?”
He pulls you down further, so you’re flush against him. He studies your eyes and rubs at your waist, your hips. It sends a little fire down between your thighs.
“‘M here—‘M…I’m right here,” he mumbles, and shakes his head. Like he’s telling you no to any silent thoughts of doubt that might be floating around your head.
And then he pulls your head down to kiss you.
It’s needy, and hot and everything you want at this moment. He’s everywhere and you can feel his growing arousal between your legs. You both needed this—you think. After everything, after—fucking—Caroline and Janet Baker and Tommy Miller. You both needed each other so bad that when you grind down onto him he lets out a little desperate groan into your mouth that spurs you on.
Joel slips his hand under your shirt and finds the hardened peak there. He pinches it and rolls it between his fingers, it sends your hips forward and suddenly he’s sitting up, and shucking your shirt off.
He grabs your hips and moves you against him, your most vulnerable spots grinding against each other. Giving you both blown out eyes and puffy lips and panting breath.
“Sh–it,” you gasp when your shorts catch on your clit perfectly.
“Pretty,” he says, grasping at your tits, at anything he can find while you grind against his length. “fuckin’—pretty like this.”
You claw at his belt and before you know it, he’s lifting you up so you’re on your knees and he’s pulling his pants past his hips. You get the memo and take your shorts off, tossing them behind you. When you sink back down onto his lap, you can feel his cock slip between your wet lips down there.
“Fuck, Joel,” you say, gliding along his cock, soaking it. You can feel all of him now—grinding along his hardness—the girth of him fitting perfectly between your swollen lips.
“Angel,” Joel pants out, through sloppy kisses. You look at him. He’s got a desperate look on his face. Like he couldn’t wait just like you. Not even to get upstairs to your bedroom or to get all his clothes off. Like he’s been wanting this all day. Just like you.
You move up and reach down, feeling the wet mess you’ve both made down between your legs. You find his cock, hard and wanting, and position it at your entrance. The head sinks past your walls, enveloping it somewhere deeper and you both groan at the feeling.
You sink down on him slowly, you’re by no means physically ready to take him. But you can’t wait any longer. He kisses you, and down to your neck, making it easier to ease yourself down onto him, and when you finally reach the end, and you’re seated fully in his lap, you both gasp.
Your walls clench around him, eliciting a quiet groan from Joel somewhere near your neck. Your eyes roll back in your head, your forehead drops onto his shoulder. You both just sit there, waiting for the other to make a move.
It’s kind of like a game.
See how long you can both relish in each other’s warmth — the first person who moves loses.
Your walls tighten again and he lets out another groan, “Jesus,” he mumbles, nipping at your neck. You’re slowly adjusting to him, relaxing around him. It makes you shudder.
You realize he’s not really touching you. He’s got his hands on your thighs, but they’re just resting there. Not squeezing or gripping your hips like you know he so desperately wants. Maybe he’s scared, you think. From everything that’s happened today. From the consequences his touch barred.
But you didn’t care about the consequences. You liked his touch, needed his touch, just as much as he needed something to hold him back down to earth, anchor him to you—in you. And afterall, you just want him to feel good. Feel better.
“Touch me,” you gasp out, reaching down to his hands.
“Am touchin’ you,” he forces out, panting near your ear. His thumb absentmindedly pushes down on the skin of your thigh a fraction harder and then eases up, like he’s saying this is the best I can do.
“No, Joel,” you moan, rock your hips a little, moving first, moving frantically and suddenly, “touch me,” you say into his neck, reaching down to usher his hands to your hips, your waist, you.
Joel gets it then, the silent permission. The it’s okay, and grips you harder, but not as hard as you know he would like. It’s good enough for you because he moves your hips, rocking you up and down onto his length—having enough of the senseless grinding.
“Fuckin’ good—” Joel groans, your hands fly to his shoulders, his hair. “You feel good.”
Your legs grow tired, he can tell. You try your best, but you’re sweaty and tired and fucked out, and when he hits a spot deeper inside you that makes you moan out, louder than before, and you almost collapse onto him. He ruts into you a little. Meeting you halfway. Fucking you deeper—maybe even a bit faster.
Your legs ache and you feel a sheen of sweat wash over both of you. And Joel’s eye is fucked up, his cheek too. Tommy is sitting back at the house—or god knows where—with a possible broken hand, Janet baker is watching Sarah instead of you or Joel, Caroline is still back at the house, and everything is a fucking mess, but it’s so right. He feels so right. He’s — he’s right.
You’re close then, the coarse hair on him inching you toward your climax. He knows, he can feel it from the inside. You don’t even have to say it this time, your question for his permission. He can see it already braced on your lips but he shuts you up with a kiss, a sloppy one, where he sticks his tongue into your mouth and your walls tighten around him again.
“Yes,” he says with a moan into your mouth, “yes, yes—ah.”
“Fuck,” you say tightening around him, becoming breathless and boneless, but Joel holds you up. He always does.
He grips you tighter, like how you know he wanted to, and you relish in the feeling. His thrusts become desperate and you brace yourself on the back of the couch so he can rut up deeper, chasing after his own orgasm. You can’t really breathe. Not when he’s everywhere.
“Shit,” he says, rocking into you.
Joel cums hard, holding onto you, wrapping you up in his arms as he groans somewhere near your temple. You let it spread through you, the mess of it all. He keeps you locked in his arms, even when you think he might pull away.
He finally pulls you off him, when he says it becomes too much and you sit on his lap, playing with his curls. When you both settle from your panting you can’t help but ask.
“What are we gonna do?” you say quietly to him.
“I dunno,” he grabs your hand and gives it a quick kiss. The bruise on his face is turning an ugly shade of purple. And the peas have gone warm, creating a small puddle on the coffee table. And your phone keeps buzzing from the entryway.
“We’ll figure it out,” he says, running a hand on your thigh.
_
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