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yaysof11037 · 3 years

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Would... Would you write the hawklanthebard fic prompt you reblogged? 👉👈👉👈

Hell. Freaking. YES!! Yes, let’s get some more angst up in here!

Danganronpa D.O.T: hey, what about me? I’ve been waiting for an update. I’m angs—

Shut up! This is important! Ahhh I’ve always wanted to write some good ol angst with Taka and Mondo! I’ll do by best to deliver on the angst factor!

Also, here is the prompt I reblogged for those of you who are wondering;

Ishimondo Angst Writing Prompt: Mondo and Taka are captured by the Crazy Diamonds’ rival gang. Taka is tortured in front of Mondo for information about the Diamonds, and Mondo must decide if he’s willing to sacrifice Taka or the promise he made to Daiya.

I don’t think I’ve written anything this dark before (aside from what I’m planning with Danganronpa D.O.T) but I’ll do my best! So this short angsty fic will be dedicated to @hawklanthebard, @artychaild, and @anonymouslyangsty for expressing interest in seeing more works like this! So if you guys see this, I hope you enjoy and I hope this won’t disappoint!

Before you read;

Trigger Warning: This story will get dark. Very dark. This will contain mentions of drugging, kidnapping, torture, and violence. If any of these trigger you or make you feel uncomfortable then I advise you not to read.

There will obviously be some Ishimondo (as that is a given in the prompt haha).

Mondo and Taka will be in their mid twenties in this story. So it’s been a few years since they’ve graduated college.

If you see ***, that means a flashback happens.

Well, that’s all I’ve got! Hope you all enjoy!!

I’m Only Doing This To Protect You

The only sounds that could be heard was doctors and nurses conversing with each other and the sounds of crying, coughing, and sniffling patients and visitors within the hospital. It was rather chilly in the hallways and the strong scent of disinfectant and sanitizer filled the air. But none of these things were noticeable for Mondo Owada. The only thing he could hear was his objective playing over and over again in his head, taunting him.

He paced through the hallway with shaking hands and short breaths. Anyone could take a good look at him and could tell that he was clearly nervous about something. But no one could tell what he was thinking about, or what he was about to do.

Only Mondo knew…

He eventually stopped in front of a door that the person he wanted to visit was staying in. He took a few deep breaths before walking in.

‘Should I be doing this?’

He knew he wasn’t going to walk out of this without feeling guilty. He really didn’t want to do this to the man he cared about the most. To the man he loved. But, he felt like this would be his only option. To protect him…

After calming himself down a bit, he finally opened the door and walked in.

“Oh! Hello Mondo! You’re here early!”

Mondo was, of course greeted by Kiyotaka Ishimaru. His patched up, bedridden boyfriend. Despite his condition, he still managed to put a smile on his face as Mondo moved closer to him and sat down beside him.

It still broke his heart seeing Taka all bandaged up and unable to move much. But what he was about to do would not only break his heart even more, but it would undoubtedly break Taka’s heart as well.

“Yeah. I wanted to come see you…”

“I appreciate that! But, I thought you had work today?”

“Yeah, I asked my boss if I could be let off early.”

“You didn’t have to do that for me. I wouldn’t have minded waiting a little longer.”

‘You’re about to wish I didn’t come here at all…’

Before cutting to the chase and telling him what was on his mind, Mondo had asked Taka about his day. Normally, anyone in a hospital bed would be pretty vague and say they did nothing. But Taka was different from most people. He talked about what shows he watched on the television (ranted about the most stupidest ones), about what his new hospital friends did, about who was let out of the hospital, etc. Mondo would always enjoy listening to Taka’s ramblings. It was one of the many things he loved about him.

This time, however, he couldn’t help but look Taka up and down and be reminded of why he was in the hospital in the first place. He tried to pay attention to what Taka was currently saying, but his mind couldn’t help but wander to that horrible night…

*************

“…”

“Ngh…”

“Yo, boss. I think he’s waking up.”

“Bout fuckin time. Was startin to think the bastard was dead.”

“Gnngh… f-fuck…”

“Rise and shine, Sleepin Beauty. Get your ass up. We ain’t got all night.”

“W-what… the hell?”

Mondo slowly opened his eyes to the sounds of a few men whispering things to each other and one man rudely urging him to wake up. His eyes were still adjusting to his surroundings, but just by opening them, he could immediately tell he was in an unfamiliar location.

“Jesus Christ, does it always take ya this long ta wake up?!”

“The… the fuck’s going on?”

Mondo was still in the process of waking up completely as he asked this question. The man in front of him smirked as he finally made eye contact with him.

“Oh, not much really. Just doin a bit of business. That’s all.”

Mondo tried to get up from the cold hard floor, only to realize his ankle was chained down and his hands were cuffed behind his back.

“Heh. Seems like some shady fuckin business if ya ask me.”

As he gazed into his eyes a bit more, he finally woke up completely as his eyes widened in realization.

“Heheheh. Looks like I don’t hafta introduce myself, do I?”

Suddenly, it was all coming back to Mondo. He vaguely remembered he was looking for Taka, who was supposed to be waiting for him at the bar. He felt bad about asking him to stay a bit longer at his workplace, but Taka reassured him that he didn’t mind.

He had a gang meeting that night, and it was getting pretty late. So, he thought that having Taka wait for him would be the safer option. But upon arriving at the bar, realizing Taka was no where in sight despite his car being in the parking lot did he come to the unfortunate conclusion that it wasn’t. The situation became even worse once he had gotten hit with a tranquilizer dart while looking for Taka. He managed to call his brother Daiya and utter a few words before passing out.

And now, here he was. In the presence of an old friend. Most likely about to be humiliated. And so, his shocked expression had quickly morphed into a scowl.

“What do you want, Masaki?”

Raijin Masaki. A burly man with piercing golden eyes, short ginger red hair, and a sleeveless leather jacket with a cobra printed on the back. Once a loyal member of the Crazy Diamonds and Daiya’s right hand man. That is, until Daiya had witnessed him beating up an innocent civilian for information about one of their rival gangs. Mondo didn’t know what happened to Masaki after he was kicked out of the gang. Until tonight. By the looks of it, instead of moving on, he had formed his own gang out of spite.

The Cobras.

Masaki chuckled at Mondo’s question. He then knelt down to get a closer look at his scowling captive.

“I don’t want much. You just gotta answer a quick little question for me, then I’ll let ya go. Sound like a deal?”

Mondo refrained from yelling at the guy right then and there. He seriously brought him all the way to what looks like the Cobras’ hideout just to ask him a question?! That sounded fucking ridiculous!

Wait… no. There was obviously a catch. He could tell right from Masaki’s shit eating grin that this wasn’t a simple yes or no question.

“Depends on the question, dumbass.”

“Hey now. Relaaax. Don’t be so on edge, Owada. There’s no catch at all. I just wanna find a… certain someone… pay them a little visit, ya know? Buuut… I can’t exactly find said person without your help…”

He knew where this was going. He knew that Masaki still held resentment towards Daiya after kicking him out of the gang a year ago. And sure enough, once he asked him the question;

“Not a fucking chance.”

“Heheh. Yeah, I figured it wouldn’t be that easy. But, if it makes ya feel better, I ain’t gonna hurt him. Just wanna have a… a little chat with him. That’s all.”

“Bullshit! I know what you’re thinking! I ain’t gonna tell you shit! Now let me go!”

He struggled in his bindings as he frantically looked around the room for a nearby exit. This only amused Masaki and his gang a bit more.

“You can struggle all you like. I ain’t lettin ya off that easy. Not until ya fess up.”

“Fuck you! I ain’t fessin up ta anyone in this room! Don’t even think about layin a hand on my bro!”

He continued to struggle to break free from his cuffs and the chain keeping him to the floor. This only earned him a punch across the face rather than an escape route. Masaki then firmly grabbed Mondo by the chin and shot him a death glare.

“Now you listen here, Owada. I’ve been trying ta be patient with you, but you’ve been pushin all my buttons tonight. Now I’m really fuckin pissed. I’ve got ways of makin people talk. You sure as hell won’t be an exception.”

Mondo proceeded to chuckle at Masaki, not realizing what exactly he had in store for him.

“I’d like ta see ya try. Go ahead. Hit me all you want. I ain’t gonna talk.”

Masaki turned his head behind him for a moment, pondering about what he should do. Then, he looked back at Mondo and smirked.

“I’ve got a better idea.”

And with that, he let go of Mondo’s face and walked to what appeared to be a locked door. Bewildered, Mondo watched as Masaki unlocked the door and stepped inside. The door wasn’t opened all the way, so he couldn’t really see what was behind it. Eventually, he heard a voice. One that was angered, raspy, and weakened, yet familiar. One that made Mondo’s heart sink as soon as he heard it…

“I t-told you I refuse to tell you anything… you m-may as well give up n—”

He then heard the rustling of a chain and the voice letting out a strangled grunt. What he saw next burned into his brain and shattered his heart.

Masaki came back into the room, mercilessly dragging someone across the floor. He then threw him in front of Mondo, the voice letting out a loud groan in pain. Finally getting a closer look at the person in front of him, his worst fears were confirmed.

“T-Taka?”

Taka looked up at Mondo with one eye open, wincing in pain at the slight movement to get a better look at him.

“Mon…do?”

Hearing how weak and raspy his voice was hurt Mondo. The sight of him being so badly bruised, restrained, and beaten certainly didn’t help. Taka’s arms were chained tightly behind his back and his legs were chained tightly together. His uniform shirt was gone and replaced with scratches and cuts all over his bare chest and stomach. There were also what appeared to be bruises left by boots and baseball bats on his stomach. The cuts and bruises were also covering his back and arms as well. He was still in his blue jeans, but they were now ripped and cut from what appeared to be a knife being dragged across his legs. There were even deep slits over both of his knees, most likely making it even more painful if he slightly bent them or straightened them out.

If the sight of his body wasn’t bad enough, his face was in worse condition. His right eye was mostly swollen shut, possibly due to the amount of times a fist was jabbed into it. His cheeks were all black and blue from the various beatings he endured, one of them even bled a little from the amount of times it was met with a powerful punch. His other eye was a nasty shade of bloodshot red and filled to the brim with tears of agony that streamed down his bruised and bloody face. His nose was all bloody and broken and his bottom lip was cracked and bleeding slightly.

He looked like he was barely clinging on to his life. And it absolutely sickened Mondo.

“This belong to you?”

And Masaki casually refers to Taka as an object to torment Mondo further. An object that he clearly had a lot of fun ripping apart and cutting down.

‘He belongs to no one, ya fuckin psycho!’

“W-what the hell did ya do to him?!”

Mondo held back a sob as he shifted his gaze from Taka to Masaki. And all Masaki did was chuckle at the biker giving him death glares and holding back his sorrow for his beaten boyfriend.

“Oh, not much. We were just having a little fun with him before we picked you up. Ain’t that right, dollface?”

He lightly tugged on the chain wrapped around Taka’s neck as he said this, causing him to let out another strangled grunt. The sight of it angered Mondo. How dare that bastard treat Taka like some kind of a toy?! What the hell did he do to earn such a terrible beating?!

“Let. Him. Go.”

Masaki gave him a bewildered look, angering Mondo even further.

“Let him go RIGHT FUCKIN NOW! He didn’t do anything to you! Let him go before I kick all of your asses!”

Masaki only laughed as Mondo aggressively struggled in his restraints and demanded he let Taka go.

“Can’t really kick our asses when your chained up like that, can you?! Plus, I think it’s better that you two are here together. Was gettin kinda bored playin with this pretty little smartass over here.”

Playing. Oh, how Mondo hated that word. If he hadn’t been restrained, he would’ve ripped this psychotic prick’s head off by now.

Ignoring Mondo’s struggling, Masaki forcefully positioned Taka to sit on his knees, causing him to release a loud groan as he felt the slits over his knees stretch out to an agonizing level.

“Bastard! If you fucking hurt him like that one more time, I swear to god I’ll—”

“Like I said, ya can’t do much when you’re all chained up like that.”

Before getting closer to the biker, Masaki called over one of his lackeys and whispered a few things into his ear.

“Remember Owada. I’ve got ways of making people talk. Now, I’m gonna ask you nicely one more time; Where. Is. Daiya. Owada?”

Mondo glanced over at Taka, who was frantically shaking his head as a way of telling him not to answer. Masaki took the silence as a refusal to answer.

“Fine. Suit yourself.”

And with that, he nodded at his lackey who was kneeling right behind Taka. At first Mondo was a bit confused. Just as he was about to ask what he was planning…

“Ack!”

Mondo witnessed in horror as the lackey violently tugged on the chain around Taka’s neck. He tried to gasp for air, but every breath he took was more painful than the last.

“W-what the fuck do you think you’re doing?! Stop it!”

“Answer my question first, Owada.”

“Hell no!”

The lackey tugged on the chain even harder as Taka struggled to breathe. It was hard enough to breathe with a broken nose and something cold and heavy wrapped around his neck. Having it be tugged on was much worse. He could feel the chain wrapping even tighter around his neck as his throat was on the verge of closing up completely. The metallic taste of his own blood began to fill his mouth as his eyes began to roll up the back of his head. Mondo finally released his tears as panic began to fill his mind.

“St-stop!! Stop it, please!! You’re hurting him!!!”

“Then talk!”

The blood from Taka’s mouth was now trickling down his chin and clogging up his throat. More tears streamed down his cheeks as he choked on his own blood and feebly gasped for air.

He can’t breathe…

Oh god, he can’t breathe!

They were killing him. They were killing the man that made Mondo the happiest he’s ever been.

He’s gonna die! He’s gonna fucking die! And Mondo will have no one to blame but himself…

“O-okay… okay, OKAY!! I’ll talk! I’ll fucking talk! I’ll tell ya everything!! Just please, let him go!! P-please!! You’re killing him!!!”

Masaki finally shot a look at his lackey as Mondo continued to sob and beg, nonverbally telling him to stop. He did as he was told and unraveled the chain around his neck. As soon as the chain was removed, Taka took the biggest gasp for air he’s ever taken in his entire life, followed by a surge of coughs and hacks as he flopped to the ground in exhaustion.

Oh, how it broke Mondo’s heart seeing the strong man he loved cough and sputter up the drops of blood he had been choking on. Seeing him be treated so terribly, so badly hurt… it only made him cry for Taka even more.

He would’ve DIED had he not said anything sooner…

“Heheheh. See? That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”

He put a hand on the trembling biker’s shoulder and pulled out his jackknife, caked with blood. He aimed the tip at Mondo’s neck, causing him to flinch and look up at him.

“Go on now. Spill it. Unless ya wanna say goodbye to your little boy toy over there.”

He remembered the promise he kept with Daiya. To always have each other’s backs, no matter the circumstances. But, if he chooses to say nothing, Taka would die right in front of him. But if he speaks up, he would be breaking his promise and unintentionally lead Daiya to his own demise. But… Daiya’s tough… he was sure he could handle fighting a gang member or two. Then again… so is Taka… and no matter how strong he was, he still ended up bruised, cut up, and beaten.

‘I’m sorry bro…’

And so, he reluctantly opened his mouth to speak up. But just before he could…

“Boss! We have a problem!”

“The cops are after us!”

“Shit! Someone get the gun!”

“I-I don’t remember where it—AUGH!”

“Fuck! Watanabe, you okay m—AAAAHH!”

By some miracle, the sounds of Masaki’s lackeys being tased and screaming could be heard throughout the entire building. Masaki groaned as he sent his two lackeys within the room to guard the door. Unfortunately for him, they were both tased as soon as they reached the door. Eventually, Masaki, Mondo, and Taka were surrounded by the police force. Three familiar faces, Shuichi Saihara, Kyoko Kirigiri, and Takaaki Ishimaru all stood in front of Masaki, aiming their tasers at him.

Of course he didn’t back down so easily. He took advantage of the opportunity to taunt Takaaki by aiming his knife at Taka’s chest where his heart was. Despite his cold stare, everyone in the room could tell there was a hint of fear and sorrow in his eyes for his son’s life as Taka was now on the verge of passing out from the hours of torture he went through. But, in the midst of Masaki’s taunting…

“AUGH!! FUCK!!!”

Two gunshots rang out from behind him. The bullets went through both of his shoulders, causing him to collapse to the floor, writhing in pain. Mondo looked up in shock, surprised to see Daiya himself, partially in the room through the window. For once, Mondo thanked whatever god was above him that Daiya had activated his phone tracking app and notified the police about the little bits of information Mondo slurred out before passing out in the streets.

Daiya was, of course panicked and asking Mondo questions as he was loosening his restraints. But the questions were a messy blur to Mondo, for all he could focus on was Taka, who had now passed out completely as Kyoko and Shuichi were unchaining him and Takaaki was trying to wake him up.

It was awful. It was fucking awful. Everything about that night was fucking awful! He could’ve lost both Taka and Daiya had things played out differently. If only he had gotten to the bar a little earlier. To maybe stop Taka from taking a sip of his drink that was drugged when he wasn’t looking. Or maybe stop Taka from making himself a drink once his shift was over altogether. If he could, he would even go back in time and maybe just have Taka drive himself home as soon as his shift was over. But what if he did do that and still get kidnapped, chained up, and tortured. What if he—

*************

“Mondo? Mondo! Hello?!”

Mondo snapped back into reality and looked up at Taka, who had been trying to get his attention.

“Goodness! Are you okay?! You’ve been staring at the ground for a while…”

Fuck, he shouldn’t have allowed himself to get lost in his own thoughts like that. Even after all that Taka went through, he was still making sure Mondo was doing okay. He doesn’t deserve someone so kind. So thoughtful…

“Ah! D-don’t cry! It’s okay! I-I didn’t mean to scare you!”

Mondo didn’t realize he had been crying until Taka had touched his face. He gently wiped away his tears and gave the biker a sad smile.

“Hey, if something’s bothering you, you can talk to me. I’ll listen to you.”

Mondo let out a quiet sob and slowly moved Taka’s hands away from his face. He took a few shaky breaths before continuing.

“T-Taka…”

“Yes, Mondo?”

“I-I… I…”

God, he wished he didn’t have to do this. What they have is perfect, what they have is beautiful. It shouldn’t have to come to this.

“I… I don’t think we should be seeing each other anymore…”

At first, Taka thought it was some sort of an odd joke Mondo was playing. So, he let out a small, slightly uncomfortable laugh.

“Don’t scare me like that! Tell me what’s really bothering you.”

An uncomfortable silence had followed his statement. And as soon as Mondo gave him a sad, serious look, Taka realized he wasn’t joking.

“Wh—I… I don’t understand… w-what made you think of this?!”

Mondo couldn’t bring himself to answer him. He was too caught up in his own mind to answer. It was only when Taka started to tear up did he finally clear his head.

“D-do I not make you happy?”

“W-what?! No! Of course you make me happy! You always do!”

“Th-then, why? W-why do you want to end things?”

“T-Taka, look…”

He held Taka’s hands and looked him in the eyes.

“I-I don’t want to do this. I really don’t. B-but… I feel like it’s my only option. I’m only doing this to protect you…”

“Mondo… I-I don’t need to be protected. I’m okay.”

“Bullshit! You’re not fucking okay! Look at you!”

Taka flinched at the sudden rise in volume in Mondo’s voice. He realized he had yelled at Taka and panicked.

“F-fuck. I’m sorry! I-I didn’t mean ta yell. I just… I don’t want you to get hurt again!”

Taka put a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.

“Mondo… if that’s what this is about, then I’m sorry. I should’ve been more careful. I promise I’ll try to be more aware from now o—”

“N-no! Taka, I ain’t blaming you! It’s not your fault at all! It’s mine! It’s… it’s all my fault! None of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t gotten you involved in my biker shit!”

Taka shook his head and desperately tried to hold back his tears.

“Please don’t blame yourself! You wouldn’t have known this would ha—”

“You don’t understand! You were kidnapped! You got hurt! B-badly hurt! All because those assholes had beef with the Diamonds! They went after you cuz they mighta seen you with me before!”

“Well then it’s their fault for being so petty and taking it out on me! I don’t blame you at all for what happened!”

He wanted to believe Taka’s words. He really did. But he couldn’t help but feel like he would be putting him in more danger if they continued to be together.

“I-I’m sorry Taka…”

Mondo got up from his seat as Taka looked up at him confused.

“I-I have to do this… you’ll be safer this way.”

He began to walk towards the door as Taka stared at him in shock and silence.

“Goodbye…”

“W-wait!”

Mondo flinched as Taka called out to him. But, he stopped. He’ll listen to whatever he had to say.

“If… if this is really over… c-can we still keep in touch? W-we don’t have to physically meet up or anything like that! W-we could still… talk to each other on the phone, right?!”

He wanted to say yes. A thousand times yes. But he was so scared of something like this happening to him again.

“I… I don’t know…”

“M-Mondo, please! I—”

“I have to go.”

Without a second thought, Mondo dashed out of the room and through the hallway. The tears were blinding him, but he didn’t care. He just couldn’t be in that room any longer. He couldn’t stand seeing Taka all bandaged up and bedridden any longer.

“M-Mondo! Wait! Come back!”

Taka was calling for him from within the hospital room. If his legs weren’t so badly damaged, he would rip out his IV and run after him.

“I… I still love you! I STILL LOVE YOU MONDO!!”

Mondo couldn’t bring himself to turn around. He couldn’t bring himself to tell him how much he loved him back. He just needed to get out of there. He needed air.

His heart cracked in two once he heard Taka loudly sobbing and pleading for him to come back. He held in his tears and tried to ignore Taka’s cries as best as he could.

And once he finally bursted through the exit door and ran a few miles away, he finally collapsed to the ground and sobbed his heart out.

What had he done?!

#danganronpa #kiyotaka ishimaru #mondo owada #ishimondo #hawklanthebard #anonymouslyangsty #artychaild #writing #writing prompt #trigger warning: drugging #trigger warning: kidnapping #trigger warning: torture #trigger warning: violence #takaaki ishimaru #daiya owada #kyoko kirigiri #shuichi saihara

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oriigami · 4 years

Text

we slept on the ocean last night

(My gift for @cozza for the @setsailexchange! Strawhat feel-good fluff, feat. nightmares, love, and platonic intimacy. Also on ao3 here!)

It starts like this: Luffy can’t sleep alone.

Zoro discovers this about six hours after they set out to sea from Shells Town, just the two of them in Luffy’s little dinghy and no destination to speak of. The sun has sunk past the horizon, and the water all around their tiny boat is pitch black, scattered with the shimmering reflections of stars.

Luffy yawns, stretching his jaw open wider than a human’s should rightly be able to go (and maybe the rubber thing still freaks Zoro out just a little bit, okay, he’s working on it) and then, without a word of warning, crawls over to where Zoro’s sitting and drops bonelessly into his lap, sprawling against his chest with his head pillowed over Zoro’s heart.

Zoro goes tense immediately, only barely resisting the instinct to shove him away immediately; in a boat this size, that would definitely send Luffy over the edge, and his new dumbshit captain can’t swim. “What. Are you doing.”

Luffy yawns again, and snuggles closer. “Mm. Sleepin’.”

“Okay,” Zoro says, with what he decides is a truly admirable degree of forced calm. “Why on me.”

“Comfy,” Luffy mumbles into his shirt. “‘nd warm.”

“Well, get off,” Zoro says, and then, when there’s absolutely no response, “Luffy? Hey-”

He looks down at Luffy’s face, already slack with sleep and dead to the world, and the rest of the sentence dissolves into a sigh. “...Nevermind.”

Because- see, Zoro’s not a touchy kind of person. It’s probably been more than a year since he was last hugged, and even that was just because Johnny tended to get kind of over-affectionate when he was drunk. Sometimes he shakes hands when handing over a captured pirate for the bounty, and that’s about it. And that’s fine.

Luffy’s whole weight is on top of him, warm and heavy and snoring softly against his chest, and Zoro’s pretty sure he can’t even remember the last time he was in this much contact with another person for this long. Luffy’s hair is unwashed and salt-encrusted, and it tickles his chin.

But. Well. It’s not bad. It’s definitely weird, and something about it makes Zoro feel oddly warm, but it’s not bad. So he just sighs again, and leans back to look up at the stars, and absently reaches up to rest an arm around Luffy’s shoulders.

He falls asleep a lot faster than usual, that night.

It goes like this: Nami has nightmares.

She’s good at hiding them. Her sobs are nearly silent, muffled into her pillow and rendered all but inaudible by the doors between her room and the boys’. But Usopp is nothing if not observant- and besides, he doesn’t sleep all that well either. When he closes his eyes he’ll see his mother’s face, too still and too pale with a cloth draped over her kind, sightless eyes. More recently, there have been fresher terrors filling up the inside of his head when he tries to sleep; chief among them Kaya, carved to pieces by Kuro’s claws.

The point is this- when Nami slips out of her room in the middle of the night, her breaths uneven and stuttery from crying, and pads almost soundlessly up to the deck on unsteady feet, Usopp is already awake. He lies still for a minute or two, worrying his lower lip and deliberating on whether to follow her. It’s obvious she’s trying to keep to herself. If it’s something secret, he doesn’t want to bother her. It’s not like he knows that much about her, or about any of them, really.

But at the same time- they’re crew now, right? Even if they’re only been sailing together for a few days. And crew look after each other. Usopp might not have much experience with being a pirate yet, but he has spent years crying into his pillow, so that makes him qualified to deal with this, maybe. He cautiously maneuvers his way out from under Luffy’s arm and tiptoes to the door, careful not to wake his other two crewmates up.

He finds her at the bow, sitting with her back against the railing and her head resting on her knees, shoulders shaking. She startles a little when he steps up onto the deck, jerking her head up and glaring over at him, but her shoulders slump again after a moment.

After another moment of indecision, he sits down next to her. He’s never been good at staying quiet- his mouth has a tendency to open up on its own whenever he’s nervous- but he manages it this time, and just sits there with his arm pressed against hers as she cries.

Once she’s worked herself down to what seems like relative calm again, he offers, “Do you, um. Wanna… talk about it?”

“No,” she says immediately, and then, quieter, “I… no. It’s fine. There’s nothing to talk about.”

It’s one of the most blatant lies he’s ever heard, and he’s been responsible for some real whoppers, but he’d be a hypocrite to point it out. Instead, he says, “Okay, um… do you wanna hear about the time a giant eagle carried me away to its nest, and I had to climb all the way down a tree that was so tall it touched the clouds?”

Nami chokes on a laugh, and it’s an ugly, wet sound, half a sob, but she leans her head against his shoulder, all the remaining tension running out of her body. “Y’know what? Sure. Tell me.”

Usopp’s just reached the part of the story where he finds a whole village of people living in the tree’s roots when he realizes she’s fallen asleep, and he trails off. The ends of her short orange hair poke at his skin, and her cheek is pillowed against his shoulder.

He guesses he’s not moving for the rest of the night, so he carefully wraps an arm around her narrow shoulders and lets his head tip against hers, and closes his eyes.

For once, he doesn’t have any nightmares.

It goes like this: Sanji doesn’t sleep.

“Oi, dumbass,” Zoro says, leaning against the kitchen doorframe and folding his arms across his chest. “Why are you still awake?”

It’s well into the dead silent hours of night, and even varying as bedtime tends to be on the Going Merry, everyone else is already long since asleep, aside from Usopp, on the lookout in the crow’s nest. It had been a long and tiring day, and most of them had hit the sack immediately after dinner- except for Sanji, who’s still mindlessly moving around the kitchen, like he’s killing time until daybreak.

It’s a measure of how exhausted Sanji must be that he barely even bristles at the insult, only blinks a little and glances over at Zoro. Even with his stupid bangs hiding his face, the sleeplessness is still plain to see in his visible eye. “Hm?” He blinks again, then says, “Oh. It’s you.”

“Why are you still awake?” Zoro asks again, because he still hasn’t got an answer.

“Couldn’t sleep,” Sanji says, and it’s not a lie, but it’s not the whole truth, either. “So I came up here to…” he trails off, makes a vague gesture at the pot bubbling on the stove. “It’s fine. I’m not even tired. I’m used to waking up early, for the breakfast crowd, so.”

There’s a lot of retorts hovering on Zoro’s tongue, but he bites them all back and just says, “Fuck that,” and reaches out and grabs Sanji by the wrist and drags him out of the kitchen without a backwards glance.

“Jackass, what are you- let go of me- what the fuck, I said I’m fine- at least let me turn off the stove-” (Zoro does grant that one. Wouldn’t do for the kitchen to burn down.)

He’s probably lucky Sanji is so out of it, he muses as he hauls the cook belowdecks to the sleeping quarters- if not, he probably would have taken at least one bone-shattering kick to the skull by now. But then again, if Sanji wasn’t dead on his feet (and wasn’t a fucking idiot), Zoro wouldn’t be having to do this in the first place. They’ve just entered the most dangerous sea in the world. They need to get their sleep when they can get it so they’ll be ready for trouble when it comes.

As usual, the shared bedroom is piled with pillows and slightly ragged blankets, transforming it into a comfortable little nest. Luffy is sleeping half-propped up against one of the walls, Nami napping with her head on his lap, and Sanji’s cursing goes quiet so as to not wake her up as soon as Zoro tows him inside, which Zoro is grateful for. It was starting to get kind of repetitive.

He drops Sanji down directly next to Luffy, half on top of him, and nods to himself when a rubber arm almost immediately tightens around the cook’s chest, gently but firmly trapping him in place, and the captain snuggles up against Sanji’s side in his sleep.

Sanji glares up at him and hisses, “I hate you,” or tries to, but he interrupts himself in the middle of the sentence with a yawn, which diminishes the impact considerably.

“Yeah, yeah.” Zoro rolls his eyes and then drops down on Sanji’s other side, letting his head flop onto Sanji’s shoulder and letting his eyes slide shut. “Just go to sleep.”

It goes like this: Robin doesn’t touch people.

It takes a couple days for Chopper to notice, because she does tickle his sides and ruffle his ears, but… she only ever does that with the false hands she creates with her devil fruit, the ones that dissolve into cherry blossoms that tickle his nose. She keeps her real hands close, only touches out of necessity, never when she doesn’t need to, and even then it’s always fleeting.

And she sleeps apart from everyone else, too.

Theoretically, Chopper knows, there’s a boys’ room and a girls’ room. In practice, though, there’s really one room for everybody, and another room where Robin sleeps and Nami changes and keeps her things.

(He asks Zoro, one of the first nights, why Nami often doesn’t sleep in the girls’ room, why the crew instead sleeps all piled up and tangled together when he hasn’t ever heard of humans doing that before. Zoro just shrugs in response. “It’s a comfort,” he says simply. “Won’t air out secrets that aren’t mine, but people don’t become pirates just for fun. Most of us have trouble sleeping.”)

Chopper finds Zoro is right. He likes sleeping together with the others. It’s just easier, when he’s got Luffy’s fingers tangled in his fur and Usopp’s head pillowed on his side, to stop the Doctor’s last words from echoing in his head.

(Luffy also declares him the second-best pillow on the crew, after only Zoro, which absolutely doesn’t make him happy at all.)

It happens just after Skypiea, when they’re all still just beginning to recover, sheltered in the sky while they heal from the battle against the mad god. Robin easily concedes when Chopper asks her to come to the sickbay so he can check for lasting damage from the lightning bolt, and lies down on the cot to let him check her ears, her eyes, her heartbeat.

He’s finished his checkup (no apparent lasting problems, miraculously) and is noting down her baselines in his notebook for future reference when he glances up and realizes she’s slipped into slumber, her eyes closed and her breaths slow. It’s not a surprise; they’re all exhausted.

But… maybe it’s because Chopper still doesn’t have that much real experience with humans, but he can’t help but think the way Robin is sleeping doesn’t look all that restful. She’s kind of curled up, her arms folded up against her chest, fingers digging into her forearms tight enough to bruise.

Zoro’s voice rings in his ears. It’s a comfort. People don’t become pirates just for fun.

He slips down from his stool and shifts into his full reindeer form, and carefully climbs up onto the narrow cot beside her, folding his legs up underneath him and letting his side press against her back. He can feel the miniscule trembles running through her body, tight with tension.

He rests his head on the pillow next to hers and closes his eyes, and slowly, slowly, she stills, relaxing into his side, her tremors calming little by little.

He thinks he hears her murmur something that might be, “Thank you, Doctor-san,” just before he drifts off to sleep, too.

It goes like this: It’s a comfort.

They’re all hurting after Enies Lobby, all aching and grieving and above all tired, a bone-deep weariness borne of running and fighting and crying and nearly dying over and over again. They can barely stay on their feet for the boat ride back to Water Seven. Robin can’t seem to stop smiling, even through the painful abrasions around her wrists and the tear tracks drying on her cheeks and the ache that digs down to her bones.

Iceberg gives them a whole suite of rooms to use in Galley-La’s temporary headquarters, all comfortable, all with their own big soft beds to sleep in. He means well, she’s certain, but he just doesn’t know how the Strawhat Pirates do things. But, then, there’s nobody else who does things quite like them.

Iceberg is barely out the door before Robin is folding her arms across her chest, ferrying mattresses and bedding and pillows and comforters into the main lounge, gathering them into a piled-up nest of comfort. The shared bedroom on the Going Merry had been outfitted much the same, she remembers, and the warmth of familiarity is the least she can offer them after all they’ve given her.

(Later, Franky will see this, and make a bed big enough to hold all of them, soft and comfortable and warm; but for now, they’re all safe and all alive, and so pillows on the floor are plenty.)

They don’t lie down so much as they all fall together at once in a tangle of limbs and pillows, now that the adrenaline has long since faded away, leaving only exhaustion in its wake. Robin finds herself with her head on Nami’s chest and one of Luffy’s arms slung across her shoulders, and Chopper cuddled against her stomach.

It shouldn’t be as easy as it is to melt into the embrace, to let go of the constant vigilant caution that’s kept her alive for so long, but she trusts these people, like she’s never trusted anyone in her life. She was ready to die for them, and they responded by telling her to live for them instead, and remembering that fills her heart with such soft fondness it nearly hurts.

But they’re not quite all together. Not yet.

She shifts to cross her arms again, careful not to disturb any of the crewmates already fast asleep around and on top of her, and lets an arm blossom from a doorframe in the hall outside to catch Usopp by the collar before he can slip away. She hears his yelp of surprise from just outside the door, quickly muffled, and smiles to herself.

A moment later, he peers inside, hiding behind the mostly-closed door. She meets his eyes and smiles with all the gratitude she can’t begin to put into words, and nods towards an unused mattress and pillow at her side. He hesitates for a moment, clearly uncertain, caught between anxiety and hope, so she takes his hand in a succession of hers and tugs him over. He stumbles, but doesn’t resist, and she can see the exhaustion in him when he practically topples over onto the mattress.

Within minutes, he’s asleep too, face buried in the pillow, snoring softly, one warm hand still clasped in Robin’s. She knows he still has things to work out with Luffy, with the rest of the crew, and there’ll be time for that later. Right now, though, they’re alive, and she’s free, and it’s time to rest.

She falls asleep smiling for the first time in years.

It goes like this: Luffy can’t sleep alone.

So Rusukaina is… it’s hard. He’s not alone, Rayleigh’s there, and sometimes Hancock and the others visit and let him hug them as long as he wants, and that’s nice, but it’s not the same, not really. He misses his crew, misses Zoro’s solid warmth and the fluffy cushion of Usopp’s hair and the fleecy softness of Chopper’s fur and Robin’s low, rhythmic breathing.

(He’s never slept better than when he was seven, piled together with Ace and Sabo and some ratty stolen blankets on the rough-hewn floor of their treehouse, with the crickets singing outside and the stars shining bright through the window.)

(But now there’s no Ace and Sabo, not ever again, and no crew to keep him warm and chase away the nightmares in their absence, and so he doesn’t sleep well.)

He fights through it, because that’s what he always does, what he’s always done- press through. He has to get stronger for the people he has left.

Going back to the Sunny is nothing less than going home.

When night comes, they’re deep underwater, en route to Fishman Island, the sunlit waters of the surface long since gone. Past the railings of the Sunny, the world is nearly pitch black, lit only by the occasional bioluminescent creature wriggling past.

Luffy couldn’t care less, because right here and right now, the Sunny is the world, and nothing past their bubble of light and warmth and safety matters at all. He grins, and throws his arms out to drag his whole crew together into a messy pile in the middle of the deck- Sanji swears and Chopper shrieks and so does Nami, but not one of them tries to dodge- before flopping into the midst of the chaos himself.

He winds up sprawled half on Brook and half on Sanji, who complains but doesn’t kick him off, his head on Robin’s thigh and his arms tangled through all of them, holding on tight to every member of his crew, the most important treasures in the world, the touch promising him they’re there, really there.

He’s not letting go of any of them, not again, not ever.

He’s reaching the crown with all of them or not at all.

Someone runs a hand through his hair, and it feels nice. Someone says, “Get some sleep, captain. We’ll be here when you wake up.”

He knows they will be.

#opfic #my writing #one piece #opfanfic #luffy #roronoa zoro #sanji #nami #usopp #nico robin #chopper #strawhat pirates

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tsuy4n · 4 years

Text

Temporary curse 2

Part 1

"Good morning, everyone!"

Your cheerful and bubbly voice reach to the brothers' ears while entering the dining room with Lucifer while being carried by him; only by one arm, completely dressed up cutely. Thanks to Lucifer.

You all went out shopping at Majolish yesterday to buy you some clothes for the time being in your child form to use for tomorrow's retreat...it was quite a disaster, since they couldn't decide which clothes to buy you, since everything suits you well. What they all thought

In the end, the brothers had decided to let you pick your own clothes.

"Good morning, sweetie~!"

Asmo sweetly replies along with his smile as he quickly stood up from his seat and dashed by your side after Lucifer had sat you down beside his.

"Morning."

Leviathan replied as well, his eyes leaving the screen of his phone to look at you; who's being smothered by Asmo.

"Hey! Get away from her!"

Mammon shouts but was completely ignored by Asmodeus. sad.

"Did you sleep well?"

The Avatar of Lust asked, which you replied with a nod and bright smile but still somewhat looking sleepy.

"Aww~ you're still sleepy aren't you? Well it's really early...You can sleep with me later after we arrive at the castle~!"

He happily said as he seemed excited at the thought of you sleeping beside him, hugging as he kisses your plump, soft, chubby cheeks.

"Wha?! No way! [Y/n]'s sleepin' beside me later!"

Mammon retorts to his brother, who only scoffed at him.

"No way that's happening, because [Y/n] is obviously gonna pick me and not you."

Asmodeus confidently said to the white haired demon.

"How can ya be so sure, huh?!"

"Are you an idiot? Oh, wait. I can't believe I just asked that. But I'll answer that for you, because you're an idiot. Of course you're an idiot! It's obvious that she wants to see me, my beautiful face, the moment she opens her eyes."

"What the— hey! I ain't an idiot!"

Mammon retorts as Satan appears with Beel, who's both setting down the plate of foods as their breakfast for today.

"You may be pretty Asmo, but we're not that sure if [Y/n] will pick you."

Beel spoke after putting the plate down, earning a stifle laugh from Satan, after he puts down three pieces of pancakes with butter and honey on top of it on a plate in front of you, which made your eyes sparkle.

"-Pancakes!"

You happily exclaimed, your sleepiness disappearing at the delicious looking food. And when you were about to start digging in, you couldn't reach your food,. So you stood up on your seat and reached for the fork then started your meal, completely forgetting that the brothers were still arguing in the background.

"-Delicious~!"

Your eyes sparkled as you stuff your mouth with pancakes while the demons continue to argue.

"How rude!"

Asmo responds to Beel, a scowl visible on his pretty face.

"There's no need to be upset, Asmo. What Beel said was true."

Satan said with a chuckle, which only made Asmo scoff.

"Why do they have to be so loud."

Leviathan mumbles to himself as he scrolls through his phone, but is actually lowkey jealous. Lucifer coughs; gaining his brothers' attention.

"Apparently, [Y/n] is not sleeping with anyone, with the exception of me of course. Now, shut up before I hang you all upside down at the ceiling, leaving you all here for three days."

All of them squeaked at their eldest brother's deadly smile and a bit of shameful words.

"Augh..Do you guys have to be so loud in the morning? I even woke up from my slumber. I felt like my eardrums were gonna explode."

Belphegor deadpans, his brows furrowed, completely annoyed at them, not until he saw you, continuously stuffing your mouth with pancakes; making your cheeks more plump as your eyes continue to shine and sparkle.

A squirrel?

Belphie thought, his head slightly at the side while staring at you.

"Gwush moshning, Bwelp!"

You cheerfully greeted, mouth full with food as you smiled at him.

"Yeah, Good morning, [Y/n]. Enjoying your breakfast?"

He replied, a faint smile visible on his face as he tries not to laugh at you which was a success.

"Yeah! The pawnkwish twaste amashing! Wanna twist?"

(Yeah! The pancake taste amazing! Wanna taste?)

"[Y/n] don't talk with your mouth full, and eat slowly of you'll choke."

Lucifer scolds as he couldn't help himself to chuckle, the others laughing at you.

"LOLOL! That's was so cute that I got it on video!"

The third born happily exclaims while holding on his phone.

"Oi, Levi! Send that to THE great Mammon!"

"Sure."

"Oh, me too~!"

Asmo chimes with a smile.

"Just send it to the group, so that the others can see it as well."

Belphie deadpans which made Levi to smile more.

"Yeah, great idea! Aaaand sent."

"I'm glad that you liked it."

Satan spoke with a smile.

"Of course! It's so soft and fluffy and delicious!"

You exclaimed with enthusiasm, making the blonde to chuckle and pat your head, which you enjoyed.

"Anyways, is your belongings all ready?"

Lucifer ask, earning a few nods from some of his brothers.

"Very well. let's all finish up breakfast quickly then clean up and head to Lord Diavolo's castle. I can't let the angels and Solomon be there first."

"Why does that line seem familiar?"

Mammon ask as he starts to remember, while Asmodeus claps hiss hands together.

"I'm so excited~!"

Asmo excitedly exclaimes while Beel's eyes seemed to have lit up by the news.

"Well not me."

Levi mumbles as he eats.

"Barbatos' cooking."

"Wha— hey, Beel! Stop drooling, you're getting it on my shoulder!"

Exclaimed Leviathan at the tall orange haired cute demon as Lucifer lets out a sigh.

"Be on your best behavior, everyone."

After breakfast, you tried to help the others clean up the table but was stopped quickly stopped, before you could even lift a plate.

They didn't wanted you getting into an accident, that's why. Just the thought of your pained expression deeply aches their hearts.

Mammon has you already in his arms, ready to escape the clean up duty to spend some time with you, but was caught by Belphie, who smiled sinisterly at his white haired brother; making the albino to put you down with a smile as he sweat bullets and before leaving, he said,

"The Great Mammon has to help out his brothers clean up, so go on, play around and have some fun on your own while waiting"

Belphie seemed to have blackmailed Mammon.

◈𝅒 𝅓 𝅒 𝅓 𝅒 𝅓 𝅒 𝅓 𝅒 𝅓 𝅒 𝅓 ◈

"Woah~! Is that really a castle?!"

You shouted excitedly as you stare at Diavolo's castle with shining and sparkling eyes, lips slightly agape, completely amazed at the sight while being carried by Lucifer, who's walking towards the door of the castle of his lord.

"T-Then, there must be lo~ts of sweets inside, right?!"

The others laughs at your enthusiasm, and finally, you all entered, the large door opening to let you all inside; the inside seemed to be sparkling in your eyes.

"Well, good morning! I must say, I couldn't wait for you to arrive!"

Diavolo cheerfully greets with a soft chuckle.

"Welcome to Lord Diavolo's castle, it's a pleasure to you have here."

Barbatos politely greets with a smile.

"Good morning, Diavolo. And you too, Barbatos."

Lucifer greets back to both of them.

"Oh~ Is that [Y/n]?"

The auburn haired demon prince stares at you, his eyes seemed to have lit up at the sight of you.

"Yes."

The black haired demon simply replied.

"I must say, [Y/n] is very cute when she was a child. I can't believe she had such plump, soft, chubby cheeks!"

Diavolo happily exclaims with a bright smile.

"[Y/n] this is Lord Diavolo, say hi to him."

Your cheeks flushed as you beam at him, trying your best not to look shy.

"H-Hello, nice to meet you, Lord Diavolo!"

You used your cheerful and bubbly voice at him, which made his smile more big.

"Yes, nice to meet you, [Y/n]."

Barbatos walks forward and stares at you which you also stared back, a slight confused and curious look in your big orbs

"Cute, isn't she?"

His lord asked which he responded with a nod and smile.

"Yes. She somehow resembles a very cute hamster."

Diavolo lets out a heartful laugh.

"A hamster, huh?"

"Hello, [Y/n]. I am Barbatos, nice to meet you."

Your cheeks continue to flush as you couldn't held back a shy look at the new person in front of you.

"N-Nice to meet you as well, Barb..Bar.."

Your face scowls as you had a hard time pronouncing the butler's name, your tounge seems to somehow gets tangled when you attempt to say his name like the others prounounce, which made laughter fill the room.

"Oh my. I apologize for also laughing, but that was quite adorable."

You blink your eyes twice at the smiling and chuckling butler, and soon smiled, your teeth slightly showing as you also started to laugh.

"Hey, look. I got [Y/n]'s frowning expression on camera. LOL."

Leviathan snickers while staring at your face through his phone.

"Pfft— send that to the group."

Mammon said while holding back his laughter.

"I'm getting hungry just by staring at [Y/n]'s cheeks..."

Beel spoke as his twin shook his head.

"Well, I'm sleepy. And I think [Y/n]'s sleepy as well, I can't wait to sleep with her."

Belphie spoke happily.

"Nu-uh! [Y/n] and I will be sleeping together!"

Asmo retorts while Satan shakes his head and say:

"Don't start again."

"Lucifer, will both of them give me some delicious sweet?"

You whisper at the black haired with sparkling eyes which made him chuckle.

"Perhaps. You'll just have to wait and see."

He said as he smirks. You nod your head and stared at the two demons in front of you, your eyes sparkling as it showed that you were expecting something from them.

"Why is she staring at the both of us like that?"

Diavolo ask, chuckling as he stares back at you with Barbatos beside him.

"And she seems to expecting something from us?"

The butler said with a smile on his face. Lucifer chuckles and covers your eyes.

"Don't mind her. She's just expecting a sweet treat from the both of you."

"A fun of sweets, huh?"

Diavolo said with a chuckle once again while Lucifer puts you down, making you to dash to the other brothers.

"It seems that our other guests have arrived."

Barbatos announce as he smile while you hide behind Mammon's legs, making the avatars of sins stare at you in awe.

"Hello, good morning. We've already got quite a crowd here, don't we?."

Simeon greets with a smile.

"Yes, and it seems like you've all managed to get here before us once again."

Solomon said as he chuckles softly.

"...Is that [Y/n]?"

Luke points out. You slightly flinched, making you to hide more behind the white haired demon, Mammon.

"She's shy around strangers but once you give her something sweet, she'll immediately go liking you as if she wasn't shy when you first met her~!"

Asmodeus happily explained to them.

"Oh~ She's really cute."

Solomon said as he approaches and crouches down.

"Hello, I'm Solomon. Nice to meet you."

He said with a charming smile while showing a lollipop in his hand. You immediately stepped out from your hiding spot with sparkling eyes.

"Hello, and thank you!"

You replied cheerfully while taking the lollipop away from his hand and giving him a hug, catching the sorcerer off guard.

"Didn't your parents told you about strangers with sweets?"

Solomon asked with a chuckle while you start to unwrap the lollipop.

"Mommy told and warned me about them, but mister Sol are friends with everyone in this room! And you already introduced yourself. We aren't strangers anymore!"

You chirped as you can beam a smile at him which they found so adorable and precious.

"We're gonna be best friends, Sol!"

Solomon felt warm and fuzzy inside while he reaches his hand to pat your head gently.

"You are with no doubt, straight up cute and adorable as a kid. Stay a child forever, [Y/n].

The sorcerer states with a huge smile on his face.

"Yes. Who knew that [Y/n] could be this cute when she was a child."

"Indeed. Cute."

Simeon approaches you next, slightly crouched down. Your eyes seemed to have lit up at the sight of him.

"Pretty~"

He chuckles softly with a smile.

"Mister, are you an angel?"

Simeon continues to smile as he starts to pat your head.

"Why, yes."

Your eyes shines. You held out your hand while smiling brightly along with your sparkling eyes.

"Nice to meet you, pretty angel mister, I'm [Y/n]!"

He laughs as he gently shook your hand.

"Hi [Y/n], I'm Simeon, nice to meet you."

You beam at him.

"Then he must be an angel as well, right?!"

You point at the small boy with enthusiasm.

"Of course, I am!"

Luke responds while Simeon laughs.

"Oh~! You're a cute angel!"

You beam at him, staring at him with glossy sparkling eyes. You ran towards him with a soft laughter that made everyone stare at you in awe, their hearts melting as you gave Luke a warm hug, your arms trying to wrap his waist completely.

"Augh..Why does she goes around huggin' everyone."

"You're not the only who's being jealous, Mammon."

Beel said beside his white haired older brother with a slight look of disdain in his face as Mammon turns a bit red.

"I am not being jealous! Why would I be?! That's Levi's job, ya know?! It's not like I also want to be hugged by [Y/n] while she smile bright, okay?!"

"I can't believe you all can handle that physical touching and stuff. Augh. Normies."

"Says the one who gave [Y/n] also a candy to receive a kiss."

Belphie deadpans at Levi, who suddenly turned red.

"I can't believe she called Simeon pretty at their first meeting."

Asmodeus mutters with his arms crossed.

"There's no need for you to be jealous."

Satan spoke with a smile and chuckle.

"Alright, since we're all here we should explain what we'll be doing for the retreat."

You shook his large warm hand with your soft and chubby small hand.

Diavolo announce with a smile.

"Certainly, my lord."

Barbatos said as he bowed his head then raises it, a smile showing on his face.

"I'll begin explaining what we have planned for each day of the retreat."

...

After Barbatos explained what everyone will do for each day of retreat, everyone left to head to their designated rooms that was also announced by the butler, himself.

(1) Diavolo, [Y/n], Lucifer. (2) Solomon, Beel, Mammon. (3) Belphegor, Simeon, Satan. (4) Luke, Asmodeus, Leviathan.

And right now, the three of you: Diavolo, Lucifer and you are all inside your room, Barbatos now entering with a plate of macaroons and two cups of tea and a glass of juice.

"Macaroon.."

Your mouth waters after Barbatos sets the plate of different colored macaroons in front oy you.

"Well, don't be shy. dig in."

Diavolo said, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.

"Okay! Thank you very much!"

As you take one piece of the macaroon and took it inside your mouth, it felt like fireworks exploding everywhere inside your head; which made your expression easy for them to read: a complete happy and pleased look.

"So good~!"

Diavolo laughs while Barbatos chuckles along with Lucifer.

"Did you made them yourself, Barb?!"

You enthusiastically asked, eyes sparking with excitement.

"Yes."

The butler nods with a smile which made you beam and compliment him.

"I am happy to hear that you're enjoying them."

Diavolo laughs once again.

"If you want more, there's no need to hold back and ask."

Lucifer shook his head as he wipes your mouth with a napkin.

"Do not spoil her too much with sweets, Lord Diavolo. Or she'll ruin her teeth."

After finishing your sweets, Diavolo has you seated on his lap. He was smiling brightly as he plays with your cheeks while you only laugh.

"Are all human children this cute? I can't believe they have such chubby soft cheeks~!"

"No. I am certain that [Y/n]'s cuteness cannot compare to the other children out there."

Lucifer responds without hesitation to his lord, making him laugh while he start to carry you, using one arm. You lay your head on his shoulder after wrapping your arms around his neck and slowly falling asleep which Diavolo and Lucifer both noticed.

He stands up and tucks you in his bed with a gentle smile on his face. He stares at your peaceful sleeping face as he opens his mouth to respond softly at Lucifer's words.

"Yes, I agree."

༻﹡﹡﹡bonus﹡﹡﹡༺

A groan escapes your lips as you turn your body on the soft bed, the sound of the white blanket shuffling along with the cheerful and excited voices outside, approaching the room.

"Sweetheart, [Y/n]~! Are you wake?"

"Asmodeus, you can't just barge inside like that. This isn't just my room nor [Y/n]. This is also the room of Lord Diavolo."

Lucifer scolds while Diavolo laughs and enters the room with the both of them saying that it's fine, the other demons following as well.

"Hey, [Y/n]! I've baked some cookies for you, so wake up before they get cold!"

Luke shouts excitedly while approaching your bed.

"Is it really necessary for all of you to come just to wake her up? I'm sure it's enough with just me and Beel."

The sleepy Belphie said with a small yawn. Beel nods his head whilst munching on his breakfast food.

"Well, [Y/n]'s smiling bright face is really nice to see in the morning."

Simeon spoke with a smile.

"Indeed."

Satan agrees as he chuckles.

"Everyone is really lively in the morning."

Solomon said, a chuckle escaping his lips.

"Oi, [Y/n]! The Great Mammon is here to wake ya up with a lot of sweets!"

"Which he stole from Barbatos' kitchen."

Leviathan deadpans to his white haired brother.

"I didn't steal anything!"

The room continues to be loud while Luke's smiling face drops as he saw you sitting up with your elbows lifting you. Not in your child form anymore.

"Why is everyone being so loud in the morning, and suddenly spoiling me with sweets? I don't think I've talked about that with any of you."

Everyone froze as they stared at you, hand pushing the side of your hair back while your bare shoulders along with your right leg shown. Simeon smiles while covering Luke's eyes, both of them red.

You felt your shoulders get chilly while everyone in the room turns red. You looked at yourself under the blanket. Naked. Asmodeus whistles mumbling about how you look hot and sexy right now, while Satan shooks his head at him, both of them red. Mammon and Levi had turned completely red — a blushing mess as they both seemed to have malfunctioned.

Solomon continues to smile as if he wasn't completely affected, but actually is. Belphie and Beel looks away, both of them not saying any word. Lucifer and Diavolo both tries their best to compost themselves. Smiling darkly, you chuckle. A chuckle that somehow sent a shiver down their spines.

"I'm sorry if this will sound disrespectful, Lucifer. And especially towards you, Lord Diavolo...but please get out. All of you."

#obey me x reader #obey me undateables #obey me brothers #obey me shall we date #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me x you #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor

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super-secret-sick-fics · 3 years

Note

ouu yes ive been so obsessed with them (osasuna) recently and there’s barely any fics for them in this department lol i wanted to see something like suna coming to school sick with the stomach flu or something and osamu taking him home to take care of him (i feel like it’s ooc for suna to go to go school if he’s not feeling well so it’d probably be one of those where it gets progressively worse throughout the day) sorry if this is too long haha

Okay!! Thank you for this request. Sorry it took so long. Honestly, I had a lot of fun with this and it ended up being so long, that I’m gonna post it in 2 parts!!

You can totally read either as a stand alone though. Part 2 should be up soon :)

Suna and I have the same birthday, so I actually kinda put a lot of myself into him in this one since we share a star sign lmao. I hope it’s not too ooc for either of them. It’s my first time writing sunaosa!

Sick at School: a SunaOsa fic

Pair: Sick Suna, Caretaker Osamu

Word Count: 3,024

Warnings: vomit & swearing & soft cuddles

Part 2 Here

_________________________________

Suna was confused.

There was a strange gnawing in his gut that wasn’t there when he woke up this morning. In fact, when he woke up this morning, he felt perfectly fine. Maybe he was a little more tired than usual, but he didn’t sleep all that well, so he brushed it off and got ready for school.

But now, he was sitting in class, his eyes burning as he tried to stay awake. It was only Monday and only the second class of the day, but he felt like he’d been at school for days already. On top of the grumbly feeling in his stomach, his brain was muddled, so paying attention to whatever his teacher was saying was taking every bit of energy he could scrounge up.

It didn’t make sense. He slept his eight hours (even if it wasn’t the best sleep), he ate a good breakfast, he was hydrated, there weren’t any tests or games coming up to make him anxious at all. So the unsteady, uncomfortable, unusual feelings he currently felt simply did not make a single bit of logical, rational sense.

And because they didn’t make sense—because there was no rational reason for him to feel that way—he ignored it.

Ignoring it proved to be more difficult than he anticipated as the fog in his brain solidified into a consistent pounding and the gnawing in his stomach started to feel more like his stomach acid was boiling. The sun shining on him through the window didn’t help any, and he started to feel rather warm. By his fourth class, occasional cramps rolled through his body, forcing him to tense every muscle in his body to keep from wincing.

When the teacher finally released them for lunch, Suna folded his arms on his desk and hid his face in the crook of his elbow, ready to take a nap. Within three seconds, he heard the chair in front of him scrape the ground, grating on his ears, and felt his desk shake as someone sat down. He adjusted his head and peeked over his arm to find Osamu staring down at him, his usual bored look gracing his features.

“Yer sick, Sunarin,” he deadpanned and took a bite of his sandwich. Suna blinked at him several times.

Sick? Was that why he felt so weird? But he wasn’t sick this morning. There was no way he would have come to school if he felt bad.

Still, it would explain why he slept poorly. It must be a fast acting bug.

“I guess so,” he mumbled and buried his face in his elbow again.

“Hmmm,” Osamu mumbled. They were quiet for a minute or two before Osamu spoke again.

“Wanna go to the infirmary?” he asked, his mouth full.

Suna looked up at him again and sighed before sitting up. The world spun around for a brief second and he closed his eyes until the feeling went away. When it righted itself once more, his stomach was hurting worse than before.

“How’d you know anyway?” he asked and rested his chin in his hand.

“You’ve been lookin’ bad all mornin’. Wasn’t hard to tell.” Osamu shrugged. His sandwich was gone and he started making his way through the onigiri he most likely made himself. The fact that Osamu could tell he wasn’t feeling well from across the room made Suna blush. Or maybe he had a fever?

“Plus,” Osamu continued, “Tsumu’s home right now with a pretty nasty stomach bug. Threw up all over his bed last night.” He scrunched up his nose cutely, probably remembering the disastrous scene from the night before. Atsumu was never good at being a sick person. Or an injured person. Or a person at all, really.

“Wouldn’t be all that surprising if ya caught it from him since ya slept over at our place last weekend.”

Suna nodded in agreement.

“What about you?” he asked. Osamu shrugged again.

“I’ll probably be spewin’ my guts out by Thursday. Usually how it goes. One of us catches something then the other is sick within the week. We’ve only been sick at the same time a handful o’ times.”

“Mmmm,” Suna nodded and put his head down once more. It was suddenly very difficult to hold his head up.

“Infirmary?” Osamu asked again. Suna shook his head.

“Can’t move,” he whined before he could stop himself. Osamu looked at him with wide eyes.

“W-well, I’ll help ya out, dumbass,” he stuttered and Suna returned the wide eyed look.

“Uh, sure. But finish your lunch first. I can wait. You should eat. Wake me up when you’re done,” he said and closed his eyes.

“Alright. Lemme know if we need to go sooner though…” Osamu said hesitantly and Suna tried to ignore the implication behind the phrase.

Just because Atsumu had a stomach bug didn’t mean that Suna did too. He wouldn’t throw up at school. The increasing nausea absolutely had to be related to the growing migraine that slammed away at his head. He definitely would not throw up at school.

Before he started overthinking himself into a downward spiral, Osamu placed a hand in his hair. Suna was tense at first, but then Osamu started gently scratching his scalp and he immediately relaxed. He was a little embarrassed, honestly. Not because this was unusual though.

Osamu knew it helped Suna with his frequent headaches, so Suna was sure he somehow knew about the incoming migraine. It was just that this was usually something Osamu did for him in much more private settings. He’d do it on the bus on the way back from away games, or in one of their rooms after school or during a sleepover. To be so affectionate in the middle of their classroom was unheard of and if Suna wasn’t feeling so poorly, he’d probably smack Osamu’s hand away.

“Ya got a slight fever there, Sunarin,” Osamu whispered gently.

“Mmmm.”

“Okay. I’ll let ya know when I’m done eatin’.”

“Mmmm.”

Within a few seconds, Suna felt himself drift off.

When he woke up again, it wasn’t because of Osamu.

A violent cramp rolled through his gut and he shot up in his seat, ignoring the startled looks of his classmates. The cramp passed quickly, but left behind a foreboding feeling of nausea so intense it left him paralyzed and glued to his seat.

A second later, he noticed that Osamu was nowhere to be found and his anxiety increased. The situation was becoming increasingly urgent and there was no way in hell he could move or speak without throwing up all over his desk.

His chest tightened and he swallowed back a gag. He needed help. He needed Osamu.

“Suna-kun?” a girl from his class touched his shoulder and he flinched. She withdrew her hand.

“O-osamu—“ he forced out and she nodded urgently and ran away and out the door. Less than a minute later, she came back, Osamu hot on her heels. She pointed to Suna and Osamu nodded before rushing over and stood in front of him.

“Sunarin?” he tried and Suna shook his head.

“Are ya gonna—“ Suna nodded before Osamu could finish his question. The eyes of all of his classmates burned Suna’s already flushed cheeks and as if to let everyone know what was going on, a gag forced itself through his body painfully and he leaned over his desk. He brought the back of his hand up to his mouth and whimpered.

“Can someone bring me a trash can, maybe?” Osamu snapped at their peers. The girl from before nodded and dashed to the corner of the room and dragged the trash can over to Suna’s desk.

Everyone froze again and stared with scared eyes at the situation unfolding. Suna shook with effort, trying to stop the inevitable. He really really didn’t want everyone to watch him throw up.

Thankfully, Osamu had his back.

“Leave?!” He shouted and everyone ran out of the room.

“I’ll bring the nurse, Osamu-kun,” the same girl said and Osamu nodded, but his eyes were focused only on Suna. They’d have to remember to thank that girl later.

“I’m sorry, Rintaro. I finished my lunch and you were sleepin’ so peaceful I thought I had time to go to the bathroom before I took ya to the infirmary,” Osamu apologized and cupped Suna’s face in his hands. His voice was much softer than a second ago. It was the voice reserved for those quiet nights that they spent chatting before they fell asleep. Or on the team bus early in the morning when everyone else was still too groggy to pay attention to them. And it comforted Suna in ways he couldn’t comprehend.

“I feel sick, S-samu,” Suna forced through gritted teeth. The swirling in his stomach grew more insistent by the second and he knew it was only a matter of time before he was leaning over the trash can.

“I know, Rin. I’m sorry. It’s okay. I’ve got ya,” Osamu smiled softly at him and brushed his hair back. He frowned when Suna unconsciously leaned into his cold hands.

“Fever got higher,” he mumbled. Suna gagged again.

“Alright, c‘mon,” he said and circled around the desk behind Suna. Osamu gently grabbed his trembling shoulders and positioned him over the trash can. People’s leftovers from lunch filled about half the bin and the smell of all the different foods made Suna dizzy.

“Rin, ya gotta relax,” Osamu sighed and forcefully rubbed between Suna’s shoulder blades.

“N-no,” Suna said stubbornly.

“Yer an idiot.”

“Y-yeah.”

“It’s gonna feel worse if ya don’t just let it happen,” Osamu tried. Suna shook his head.

“Alright well, be mad at me later, then,” Osamu muttered. Suna was about to turn and look at him questioningly, but Osamu wrapped a hand around Suna’s front and placed it on his stomach. Even the minimal contact forced a wretch that left Suna reeling.

“D-don’t,” he tried, but the request was punctuated by a painful hiccup.

“I’m sorry. Can’t do that,” Osamu responded before starting to rub up and down on Suna’s stomach quickly. The motion shook the contents nauseatingly and Suna couldn’t stop the watery burp that followed. He shook his head, eyes squeezed shut tightly.

Osamu didn’t relent. He started patting Suna’s back with the other hand, forcing belch after belch. The conflicting motions wreaked havoc on Suna’s already chaotic stomach.

They stayed like that for what felt like forever, before Suna grabbed Osamau’s wrist tightly.

“S-stop—hurrk. P-please, Samu. No m-mor—hic,” Suna begged. All of his limbs felt like they were about a thousand pounds and he shivered, cold despite the sun beating down on his back.

“It’s okay, Rin. I got ya,” Osamu muttered. He pried Suna’s sweaty hand off his wrist and replaced it with his hand. Suna squeezed hard when a wet belch jolted his body. His other hand grabbed the rim of the trash can in a white-knuckled grip. Osamu used his free hand to rub gently between Suna’s shoulder blades again.

Suna squeezed his eyes shut when he wretched. His throat felt tight and he tried to swallow the accumulating saliva in his mouth, only for it to come back up with a noisy gag. He opted to just drop his mouth open and let the spit fall into the trash can disgustingly.

“S-Samu—“ he tried but was interrupted by a guttural, wet, burp that left his head spinning. Two seconds later, he wretched and a weak stream vomit dribbled out of his mouth. It burned his throat and coated his mouth. The disgusting taste left him more nauseous than he thought possible and a belch gurgled in the back of his throat. He heaved, but nothing else came up.

“Ah, Rin, I’m so sorry. Please don’t cry,” Osamu shushed him. Suna didn’t even realize he was crying.

He continued heaving for what must have been an eternity before another painful gag jolted him forward and brought with it a torrent of pale vomit into the trash can. At least he didn’t have to see everyone’s discarded lunch anymore. Not that his new view was much prettier.

“There ya, go Sunarin,” Osamu soothed. Suna sputtered and coughed, trying to catch his breath. His body was relentless though, and before he felt like he had sufficient oxygen, he was lurching forward with more forceful vomit pouring out of his mouth.

Suna’s body didn’t let up. It was stuck in a seemingly endless cycle of gasping breaths abruptly interrupted by a fountain of vomit forcing its way out. Eventually, he was just left heaving over the trash can, his stomach trying but failing to expel whatever might be left. Anxiety crawled up his spine and the room spun. He wanted to breathe, he really did. He just couldn’t.

“Fuck, Rin, breathe. Please,” Osamu demanded and his voice shattered through Suna’s panic. He nodded and closed his eyes to try and collect himself. He inhaled through his nose and exhaled heavily through his mouth. A minute or two of that, and he was able to take in his surroundings again.

At some point, Osamu wrapped an arm around Suna’s chest because apparently, his own arms gave out at some point and hung limply at his sides. He spit the residual nastiness out of his mouth and squinted up at Osamu.

“Can we leave?” he asked plainly. Osamu stared at him owlishly and then chuckled.

“It’s the middle of the day Rin, I can’t just—“

“Please?” he all but begged and grabbed Osamu’s arm. Osamu hesitated for the briefest of seconds before relenting with a heavy breath.

“Yeah. Yeah, ‘course. Want me to call yer mom?” Osamu responded. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped off Suna’s face. Suna shook his head.

“Is it too much to ask if I can stay with you? I don’t want to risk giving this to my little sister and grandma.” His voice was quieter than he wanted, but he was wiped out. He cleared his throat and spit in the trash can. He was fading fast. All he wanted was to curl up in bed and sleep whatever bug this was off.

“Yeah okay. I’ll ask my Ma. Shouldn’t be too much of an issue since Tsumu’s sick too.” Osamu pulled out his phone and massaged Suna’s scalp. It felt so good that he leaned over and buried his face in Osamu’s stomach. If he wasn’t careful, he’d fall asleep here. Hopefully Osamu’s mom would be okay with it and come quickly.

“Ma, can you come pick me and— no I’m not sick— well, if you’d just let me talk ya crazy—Ma I do have a good reason to be call— would ya stop talkin—yer damn right I’m being disrespectfu—Ma!” As Osamu argued with his mother over the phone (it was nothing new) Suna took inventory of his body.

There was no denying he was sick. That much was obvious. His head was pounding and his stomach still rolled and swirled uncomfortably. Shivers danced up and down his body, exacerbated by the sweat that coated his skin. He was sure that he had a fever. All of his limbs weighed him down and he didn’t think he had any sort of energy to move them. It was taking all he had to stay awake right now.

“Osamu-san!” The girl from before returned, the school nurse right behind her.

“Suna Rintaro, you poor boy. Caught that bug going around, I see,” he heard the nurse and pulled his face away from Osamu’s body. Blinking a few times to clear his blurry vision, he sniffed and stared at the old lady in front of him.

She stuck a thermometer in his mouth without saying a word and pulled a water bottle out from her coat pocket. While they were waiting for his temperature, Suna glanced at Osamu, who was now leaning against the desk behind Suna’s. His fingers pinched the bridge of his nose, his other still holding the phone to his ear as he continued listening to his mother rant.

Without thinking, Suna reached over and grabbed a hold of Samu’s shirt with one hand. Osamu looked down in surprise before his face softened and he put a hand on Suna’s shoulder.

The thermometer beeped and Suna winced.

“38.7,” the nurse read and pursed her lips. She pulled out some medicine from her lab coat and gave some to Suna. He grimaced. Even in his hazy state, he knew putting something in his stomach wouldn’t go over well.

“Suna-kun, you need to get that fever of your’s down. I know it’s not ideal, but please try.” Suna turned his head away. She sighed.

“Okay, but make sure you take something at home. Does someone need to call your mother?” Before Suna could answer, Osamu interrupted.

“I’ll take him ma’am,” he said, apparently off the phone with his mother.

“Osamu-kun, don’t you be thinking you can just skip out on school,” she warned.

“I would never,” Osamu charmed, “I think it’s the smartest move, ya see. Atsumu is at home with the same illness right now and so there’s no way I ain’t carrying the germs for it. Wouldn’t it be safest if I go home too? Before I infect anyone else. And I can take Sunarin with me.”

The nurse gave him a skeptical look, but then glanced over at Suna. She noticed his grip on Osamu’s shirt and the former’s hand firmly on Suna’s back. It must’ve made Suna look pretty pathetic because she relented almost immediately.

“Oh fine, fine. Does someone need to call your mom?”

“No, ma’am. Just got off the phone with her. She’ll be here soon. Said she’s got no problem taking Sunarin in ‘til he’s all better.” He squeezed Suna’s shoulder and Suna relaxed knowing he wasn’t at risk of infecting his little sister or aging grandmother. He sighed and smiled gratefully at Osamu.

It was comforting to know that Osamu was going to be looking after him. Because, if the swirling in his stomach told him anything, he was in for a really long night.

#my fic #haikyuu sickfic #sick suna #caretaker Osamu #tw vomit

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astralaffairs · 4 years

Text

freedom of the press 07 | thomas jefferson TEASER

title: freedom of the press 07

pairing: thomas jefferson x reader

words: tbd, heavy editing

warnings: implied sex, like on more than one occasion, like implied sex is basically part of the plot now, a decent bit of angst toward the end, deadass y’all might hate me for the ending, but the plot’s gotta advance once in a while it can’t all be fun and games

desc: the 2020 republican presidential frontrunner is an obnoxious, morally bankrupt people-pleaser, but what happens when you become the person he’s most eager to please?

tags: @stargazelaurens @ivory-haired-queens @exoticxchicken8 @assbuttstyles777 @distinguishedpotsticker @fukaaaaaaaa @hereforthepsyche-assessment @ivetoldamillionlies @fangirl570 @thealaddinkid @lasciviouspeach @snazzydoesthings @shy-and-awkward-daveed @rachelhermionerose @soft-weeb-s @gryffinclxw @anamrnk @daveeddiggsit @ayayayayana @marinovakovich @cryinghazelnutt @thefandomgirl03 @a-hopeless-fan @cloudynblw @tinywhim @lolidunnoaboutnow @siriusorionblackiii @fanfic-addict-98 @checkurwindow @nyxie75 @i-know-i-can @yxseminx @yavin4andor @sugacita @sstrawberry-fanta @youtxbemusic @queenwilty — hope i didnt miss anyone; lmk if you want to be added!!

"Thomas," Y/N murmured, fatigue heavy in her voice as she lightly shook his sleeping body. "Thomas, c'mon, wake up."

He didn't move, and she sighed, trying to wiggle out of his grasp, shift his heavy arms from where they lay slung around her waist — the task was surprisingly difficult. His face still rested against her neck, and she began to tug harder at his forearms.

"Hey, come on, rise and shine," she huffed, and the frustration in her voice at her predicament was growing audible. It was, unfortunately, not until she could feel his smile widening against her skin that she realized that his limbs weren't just unnaturally hefty and he wasn't the world's heaviest sleeper. He'd been awake the whole time, likely before she even had.

It'd been two weeks since Thomas had held his campaign event in Mira and Orlando's diner, and it'd been three days since her interview with John Adams. By now, they were 28 primaries deep, and it was almost irrefutable that Thomas would become the Republican presidential nominee come that summer's RNC.

She squirmed in his grasp, turning her head to look back at him, but he didn't let up. If anything, his arms tightened around her waist; his eyes didn't open. "I know you're awake, Thomas," she said, her voice expectant. Still, he didn't budge. "Stop with the act! I want breakfast," she said, and though she was making an honest effort to sound stern, giggles pervaded her soft voice as he nuzzled his face into her neck.

"Shh, sweetheart, 'm still sleepin'," he grumbled, voice gruff despite his ever-broadening grin. "Go back to bed. 'S too early for breakfast."

"Thomas, it's 11 AM," she replied flatly, and he cracked one eye open to see her skeptical stare. She couldn't hide her smile, either, though.

"'M not sure I follow your point." She rolled her eyes when his lips met the skin just below her ear, but she relaxed in his hold, tilting her head away as he began kissing down her jawline. "I've had a tirin' week; don't tell me you're really gonna try and deprive me of the little rest I get?"

"Mmh, that I can understand, but I'm not sure you're making much of an effort to get back to sleep right now." Her voice was knowing, and when he chuckled, she could feel the vibrations of the sound, the tickle of his breath against her skin.

"Sure I am." She let out a squeak when he nipped at her earlobe. "'S not my fault you're distractin' me. You're not bein' very considerate, sweetheart."

"Shut up!" she laughed, "I have places to be, you know. Keeping me trapped here may as well be actively sabotaging my career."

"Oh, so I should let you get up so you can get back to libelin' me in the papers?"

Y/N shifted in his arms, and that time he let her as she finally turned to face him, resting her hands on his chest. "Precisely."

As Thomas leaned in to kiss her, he let out a quiet huff of laughter, his hands trailing down to her hips. "And gimme one reason I should let you," he whispered against her lips.

She shrugged, giving a coy smile. "It's good for your publicity?"

That time, his laugh was full-bodied as he pushed her onto her back, resting on his forearm beside her head, and that time, she pulled him down to her with her arms looped around his neck. When their lips met, his hand slid under her where she lay, pressing up against the small of her back. As her grin widened against his, his mouth fell to the skin of her neck, rising to leave the beginnings of a hickey just under her jawbone, and she squealed, a hand tangling into his hair.

"Thomas!" She tried to scold him, but the lighthearted surprise in her voice abandoned her intention. "Thomas, you cannot give me a hickey there, c'mon."

Obligingly, his lips left her neck, but his grin was wide as his nose brushed along the bottom of her cheek. "Now, I don't see why not. You've got a couple of 'em elsewhere; what's wrong with this one?"

"You know what's wrong with it." That time, she managed to keep her voice even as she raised her eyebrows at him, pulling his head back up toward hers. "If I wanna be able to hide that, I'm gonna have to walk around in a ski mask."

"Aw, c'mon, sweetheart." His left hand rose from her waist to her cheek, his thumb sweeping across her cheekbone as his fingertips brushed the hair behind her ear. "You really that ashamed to be sleepin' with the future president?"

"'Future president'," she repeated with a huff of incredulous laughter, the sound almost a snort. "You're so fucking full of yourself."

"I've heard people say that confidence is sexy," he said matter-of-factly, and she rolled her eyes.

"Maybe, but arrogance is kind of a turn-off." She gave an apologetic shrug, and as he shook his head with amusement, his smile was undeterred.

"I must be walkin' that line pretty well, then." His self-satisfaction permeated the entirety of his demeanor, and he kissed the corner of her mouth softly. "'Cause you've never seemed to mind."

"Oh my god, it is too early for your ego to already be this big," she groaned, shoving his shoulder, and though he rolled onto his back with little resistance, wearing a lazy grin, he pulled her with him, her hands resting on his shoulders and legs straddling his waist.

His hands ghosted across her hips. "Sorry, sweetheart, but really, you're the one feedin' my ego, so if you took some ownership of your actions, maybe we wouldn't have this problem."

She raised her eyebrows, eyeing him skeptically. "I'm feeding your ego? I have a few pages of published articles that'd beg to differ."

"I didn't say your writin' was."

"Then how am I feeding your ego, exactly?"

Despite how dubious her expectant expression remained, his smile only broadened. "You're feedin' my ego 'cause you keep comin' back here for more."

He didn't waste another moment before pulling her body back down against his, a hand resting at the nape of her neck as he leaned up to kiss her. She laughed against his lips and put up no resistance, not as he deepened it, not as his every action became more impatient, his every touch harsher. It was only when he tried to push her back so he was above her that she finally pulled away.

"Nuh-uh." She shook her head, her voice stern despite how her chest was heaving, how she was struggling to catch her breath. "I'm getting up, Thomas. The options I gave you were to get some more sleep or to finally pull yourself together and be productive. Last I checked, neither of those included making out in your bed."

He frowned, but the look in his eyes was playful regardless. "You're just bein' uncreative."

Y/N rolled her eyes with an entertained smile as she finally climbed off of him, and despite the thinly-veiled disappointment in his expression (something she failed to notice), he let her go easily.

"Where are you headed on a Saturday mornin' that's so urgent, anyway?" he asked, pursing his lips as he pushed himself off the side of his bed, standing and reaching down for the shirt he'd discarded onto his floor. She shrugged, pulling back on her jeans.

"I have an article I have to finish drafting by this evening. It's a bit longer than some of my others, and my editor's getting impatient."

He didn't realize the deliberacy in her not meeting his gaze. "Yeah? What's it about?"

"The usual," she said, glancing back at him with a smile. "You."

He grinned. "Y'know, I can get you a meetin' with a primary source, if you want."

Her laugh at his words was light as she fixed the necklace she'd fallen asleep in, detangling it from her hair. "Might that ‘meeting’ happen to be with you, right now?"

She raised an expectant eyebrow, and he huffed at her conviction as she pulled on her sweater. "'M gettin' too predictable, huh?"

"You still manage to keep me on my toes." Her reply was absent-minded, her focus instead on the torn clasp of her bra, and she stuffed it into her purse with a disappointed sigh. "But really, I should be headed out. I have a feeling it won't be too long before I run into you again."

"Just can't stay away from me, huh?" His gaze was teasing, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Not if I want to keep my job."

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atlafan · 4 years

Text

My Everything - Part Nine

A Take it Slow Sequel

What happens with Harry and Y/N after he proposes? How will the two navigate the engaged life while also continuing to juggle their jobs, friends, and families? Let’s find out.

Warnings: Fluff and Smut! Get your tissues for all the feels!

a/n: not proofread fam, I didn’t have the strength. This is 8900k.

Masterpost

Your bachelorette party was at a nice Air BnB up north. You wanted a simple, secluded weekend with your friends. It was just you, Rachel, and Sarah.

“Okay, so what are you most excited for, like, to be married?” Sarah asks. You were all sitting on a floor of blankets and pillows.

“To be able to call him my husband. Like he’s been my partner in life for almost three years now, but once it’s legal, no one can dispute it.”

“How soon after you get married do you think you’ll start trying for a baby?” Rachel asks. It was the question a lot of people had been asking you.

“Literally, the honeymoon.” You chuckle. “I swear he’s been counting down the days to not have to use condoms anymore.” You roll your eyes. “He acts like he still hasn’t stuck it in without one. I know it’s not as often, but still.”

“You know how guys are.” Sarah says. “They wanna feel every bit of it. You must be excited for the honeymoon though. Disney plus going to a little beach house?”

“I’m beyond ready!” You squeal. “I haven’t been to Disney World since I was like four.”

“We went on a family trip when I was in high school.” Rachel says. “It was so much fun. The food is like the best part, I swear. And the dole whips??? Holy shit.”

“I know! Harry and I have been watching a ton of videos on YouTube to prepare. We’re staying at the Port Orleans resort, we had seen that less kids stay there so it’s a little quieter. We watched a video of someone walking through the resort, it was so cool. We get to choose our fast passes soon, and all of our dinners have been reserved. It’s really cool.”

“Are you getting those bracelets?” Sarah asks.

“The arm band things? Yeah, they’re gonna come in the mail soon I think. Harry got a pink one, and mine’s blue.” You giggle.

“What do you think the beach house portion of your honeymoon is going to be like?” Rach asks.

“I have a feeling we won’t be leaving the bedroom much there. I truly think his main goal is to get me pregnant.”

“And he won’t try to do that in Disney?” Sarah asks.

“He might…think of Disney as like foreplay. It’s going to be really romantic and fun while we’re there, but he’s really going to give it to me at the beach house.”

“Do you think you guys like won’t have sex before the wedding just to build it up?”

“We may not have a choice. I was looking at my period tracker, and I’m supposed to get it like legit a week before the wedding. I know he doesn’t care, but I do. Besides, he mum and sister are going to be staying with us, so that’s a cockblock right there. We’re going to be busy running around getting last minute things together. We won’t have time for it.”

“That’s the biggest load of garbage I’ve ever heard of!” Sarah laughs. “The two of you have been like rabbits since you met. Niall and I have sex like once a week, maybe even every ten days. I feel like you and Harry fuck every night.”

“We do not! Maybe like twice a week.”

“If you’re not fucking you’re doing something else.”

“Is that a bad thing? Why do you and Niall only do it once a week?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugs. “Just sort of how things fell into place. I’m not complaining, that’s plenty of sex for me. Although, if it were up to him we’d probably do it every night. I’m just not always in the mood, you know?”

“Me either.” Rachel says. “Like, sometimes when I go to bed, that’s all I wanna do. I’m not looking for any funny business.”

“I think that just happens when you live with someone for a while.” You say. “Before Harry and I lived together-“

“Don’t even start. You two were living together before you were even living together.” Sarah giggles.

“All I was going to say was that when you don’t live with someone you probably can’t wait to jump their bones because you haven’t seen them in a while. Once you do live with someone and the option’s always there it probably gets less exciting. I love having sex with Harry, but I’m not always in the mood, and neither is he. We’re both happy to just cuddle.”

“Yeah, but you two are one of those touchy couples that likes cuddling all the time. Sometimes if I’m on the couch just chilling, like, I may not even want to be touched.” Sarah explains.

“I think we can all just agree that we are all in very different relationships and that’s okay.” Rachel says. “We’re all happy, right?” You and Sarah agree. “Alright then.” She shrugs. “Nothing more to it than that. I’m glad you ended up with a guy that likes to kiss and touch you in public, Y/N. Everyone around you can feel the love.”

“Y/N…I don’t wanna be a Debbie Downer, but remember how much trouble Kate had when she thought her and Kev were gonna get pregnant right away?” Saray says.

“I know…” You sigh. “I’ve thought about that. I mean, it could easily not happen on our honeymoon, and I think that’s okay. If anything, it’ll just be the start of things, you know? It’ll happen when it’s supposed to happen.”

While you were having a peaceful weekend away with your friends, Harry had taken a little road trip to Mohegan Sun to do some gambling with Niall and Louis, yes, Louis flew in for the bachelor party. Harry had other friends he knew would have fun, but he also just wanted to do something sort of small with his friends.

The three of them enjoyed the bit of gambling they got to do, and the outrageous amount of alcohol they got to consume. Harry hadn’t drank much since you started your pills those couple of years ago, so he took full advantage of not having to worry about you.

The three went to some nightclub in the area to cut loose a bit. Harry usually didn’t like dancing like this if you weren’t there, but he was so beyond gone he didn’t really care. He was having a good time with his friends.

A group of girls had noticed them and kept coming closer and closer until they finally bumped into them.

“Do you guys wanna dance?” One of them says.

“Married.” Niall points to Louis. “Engaged.” He points to Harry. “In a fully committed relationship.” He points to himself.

“Sorry ladies, this is actually his bachelor party.” Louis tells the girls who were all frowning.

“S’not like he’s wearing a ring yet, right?” One of the girls says a little too cheekily for Harry’s liking.

“Right.” He scoffs. “As if I’d cheat on my fiancé with any of you.” He looks them all up and down. “Find some other idiots to pester, we’re here to have fun.”

He walks away from the group and goes towards the bar to grab some water. Louis and Niall follow him.

“Yeh could’ve sad that a bit nicer mate, they’re probably just drunk.” Louis says to him.

“I don’t care. I’m twenty-eight years old, do these girls think it would be so fucking easy to get into my pants?” He rolls his eyes. “M’too old for that shit.”

“What did you think was gonna happen when you wanted to come to a club?” Niall laughs. “We’re pretty good lookin’, in case yeh forgot.” He jokes.

“M’just sayin’, it’s annoying.” He sighs. “Do you think they’re all havin’ fun on their trip? Maybe I should call her, make sure they’re alright all alone.” Harry takes his phone out of his pocket, but Louis snatches it.

“She wouldn’t even be able to hear you in here, I’m sure they’re fine.”

“But I miss her.” He pouts. “Give me my phone!”

“You’re supposed to miss her.” Louis laughs. “You’ll see her tomorrow night.”

“Don’t care, gimme my phone.” He snatches it back and walks towards the men’s room where he knew it would be quiet. The boys follow him. He taps his phone to FaceTime you.

“What the…Harry’s FaceTiming me.” You show the girls.

“Answer it! It’s super late, I bet he’s drunk.” Rachel giggles.

You shrug and answer.

“Hello?”

“Hey! There’s my pretty girl.” He beams. There’s a slight slur to his words. You can faintly see Niall and Louis in the background.

“Are you in a bathroom?”

“Mhm.”

“Why?”

“So it wouldn’t be too loud to talk to yeh.”

“Where are you?”

“At some club near the casino. Some girls tried to pick us up, but don’t worry baby, we got rid of ‘em. I wouldn’t let anything happen.” You look at your friends who were trying really hard not to laugh.

“Just play along.” Sarah whispers. You look back at Harry.

“Oh good, I didn’t think you would, Harry.”

“I mean really, the nerve.” He scoffs. “You know what she said to me?”

“What did she say?”

“She said it’s not like I’ve got a ring on yet. Can you believe tha’?”

“Harry, I think your friends are waiting for you.” He looks behind himself and sees Niall and Louis about ready to drag him out of the bathroom.

“But I miss you…”

“I miss you too, but you’ll see me tomorrow night. It’s only been a couple of days.”

“I know, but I haven’t been able to sleep.”

“That’s fuckin’ lie and you know it!” Louis says. “If you don’t hang up that phone, I’m gonna tell your little fiancé about whose bed you’ve been sleepin’ in.”

The girls start laughing, and so do you.

“Seems like you already did.” Harry punches Louis in the arm.

“He’s right Harry, go enjoy the rest of your night.”

“I’d rather enjoy your tight cu-“

“Harry!” You blush. “Please…Niall, take his phone from him!”

“Can do!”

You hear rumbling and then the screen goes dark.

“Jesus, I’m so sorry.” You pinch your nose.

“No, it was cute.” Rachel assures you. “It’s sweet he misses you.”

“He’s certainly your first baby, that’s no mistake of that.” Sarah laughs.

“Between him and Buster, I’m gonna be a pro by the time I have an actual baby.”

Having Anne and Gemma in your home was less stressful than you thought it would be. They could watch Buster if you needed to run out and take care of something quickly. The wedding was only a few days away now, and you’d be going down early for the rehearsal dinner.

“So what’s the plan exactly, are you and Harry having separate rooms the night before the wedding, or did you say nuts to that?” Gemma asks you one morning.

“We have separate rooms, and then we have the honeymoon suite the night of. It’s really nice. We got to tour it when we first went to the inn. I have a room with the girls, and I’m pretty sure Harry is staying with Niall.”

“That’s sweet of you all to do that. He’s very excited.” She blinks away a few tears. “I can’t believe my little brother is going to be someone’s husband, it’s wild to think about. You sure you’re okay with havin’ another sister?”

“Aw, Gem.” You give her a little hug. “Lily, my brother’s wife, is the best sister in law, and I get along way better with her than I do my actual sisters. I’m very much looking forward to having another sister in law.”

“Good, it’ll be nice for me to have one too. I cannot wait to see your reaction to all of our suits when you walk down the aisle.”

“You’re wearing one too?”

“Mhm, I wanted to look the part. I’m pretty sure all the girls in Harry’s party opted for the suits, they were too pretty. Not that your bridesmaids dresses aren’t pretty. It was nice to have the option.”

“Suits are way more comfortable anyways.” You shrug. “I’m not offended in the slightest.”

Later that afternoon you make sure everything’s all packed up so you can head down to the inn. Harry drives your car with you, and gives the keys to his own car to Anne and Gemma. He wanted to just have time in the car with you and Buster before you’d be separated for the night.

“Tomorrow at 3PM, can you believe it?” He says to you as he grips your hand a little tighter.

“Was it worth the wait, baby?”

“Do you mean the nearly two years of planning the damn thing, or my entire life? Because either way, yeah, it was worth it.” He gives your knuckles a kiss. “What about you?”

“Same goes for me, either way, worth it.”

“You’re like calmest bride I’ve ever seen.”

“Harry, we’ve had so much of this planned, everything’s in place. Now all we have to do is get through this rehearsal, and the dinner. Tomorrow is going to be so much fun. I’m getting mani/pedi’s at the spa with all the girls, then we’re going to have our makeup and hair done. It’s all going to be great.” You look down at his nails peach colored nails. “I see you got yours done this morning.”

“Mhm, and don’t let the color fool you, it may not even match the suit.”

“I didn’t think it would.” You laugh. “It looks nice though. I love when you do the peach color.”

“I know you do.” He grins. “So, how do you think tonight’s gonna go?”

“I feel like I’m already going to tear up watching your mom walk you up to the gazeebo.”

“You better not cry already because then I’ll start crying, and you know how that goes.” You both laugh. “You know you still haven’t told me if you plan to take my name or not. The DJ’s going to announce us Mr. and Mrs. Styles…”

“I don’t know what I wanna do yet. I have time to decide, it’s just a matter of going to town hall to legally change my name. The process is just annoying. I’ll need a new passport, social security card, and then I’ll have to fight with IT at work to get my email, changed… guess in the grand scheme it’s not a big deal.” You sigh. “I also feel like I’m giving up part of my identity…I suppose I could hyphenate, but I’d still have to change everything.” You look at him for a moment. “Would it bother you a lot if I legally didn’t change it? I don’t mind people referring to me as Mrs. Styles, I won’t correct them…”

“I get where you’re comin’ from. I suppose if the shoe was on the other foot I wouldn’t wanna go through all the trouble either.”

“It’s not really anything personal either, I love your name.”

“I understand the identity thing too. It’s a lot to ask of someone. A lot of people don’t change their name nowadays. I guess I was just wondering out of curiosity.”

“Who knows, I may wake up one day be like yeah I wanna change my name.” You shrug. “Our kids will have your name.” You smile.

“God, I can’t wait to start makin’ babies with you.” His hand leans yours and slides over your stomach. “Just wait until I get in there, you’re not gonna know what hit you.”

“Harry, Jesus.” You pinch the bridge of your nose.

“I think I’m just excited we won’t be using condoms for a while.” He chuckles and moves his hand to your thigh. “You’re sure you feel ready for all that?”

“Yeah, definitely. Three years ago I wasn’t ready, but I’m almost twenty-seven, I’m ready. I want everything with you, babe.”

Harry was reluctant to leave you at your room with the girls when you got to the inn, but Louis and Niall were able to pry him away. Around 5PM everyone involved in the rehearsal showed up outside. It was odd practicing the very thing you’d be doing for real the next day. Your cantor stood next to Niall and went over what blessings he’d be reciting, and you tell him you’ll be the one stepping on the glass.

Once it’s all done, you all go inside to the restaurant of the inn to eat a nice dinner. Harry’s friends and yours were getting to know each other, which was really nice to see. Your parents were sitting at different tables so things seemed stable at the moment.

Both of your parents make a small toast, as does Anne. Once the dinner is over you realize you and Harry won’t be seeing each other again until tomorrow afternoon. He pulls you aside briefly while people are still mingling.

“Hey.” He says, cupping your cheeks.

“Hi.” You wrap your arms around his waist.

“I feel like a baby for sayin’ this, but I’m gonna miss you tonight.”

“Don’t feel that way, I’m gonna miss you too. Think of how nice it’ll be when we finally see each other tomorrow, though.”

“I know, I can’t wait to see you walk down the aisle in your pretty dress.” He presses his forehead to yours. “I think I’m gonna grab some drinks with the guys tonight. Is that alright?”

“Of course! You didn’t get to do the bachelor party stuff with all of them, please, go. Just invite my brother, dad, and brother in law, please.”

“I can do tha’.”

“And don’t FaceTime me when you get too drunk. I don’t need my family hearing you become vulgar with me.” You giggle.

“Oi, I resent that.”

“Y/N!” Sarah calls for you. “It’s time, girly. Say goodnight.” She smiles. You turn to look at Harry again and give him a good kiss.

“Time for what?”

“Oh, I know you didn’t think you’d be the only one having fun tonight. We’re having a party in our room for all the girls. Have fun with the guys.” You kiss him again before walking away.

A few hours later, and Harry was ready to call you, or text you, or something. He wasn’t even that drunk, he just hated the thought of sleeping by himself. Even though he was sharing a room with Niall, he’d still be left to snuggle alone. Buster was staying in your room with you. Louis had made sure to take Harry’s phone the second they got to the bar because he knew he wouldn’t be able to stay away from you.

“I just wanna text her.”

“Why?” Louis crosses his arms.

“I wanna see if it’s okay to come give her a goodnight kiss when we get back.”

“What if she’s asleep?”

“She’s havin’ a party of her own.” Harry gets frustrated and tries to find someone that’ll help.

He knew Niall wouldn’t be helpful in the same way Louis wasn’t. He finds Seth with Isaac.

“Bingo.” He says to himself and darts over to them. “Seth, can I borrow your phone. Lou won’t give me mine, and it’s an emergency.”

“Um.”

“Don’t listen to him!” Niall says. “He’s trying to call Y/N.”

“Harry, you can’t go one night without talking to her?” Isaac asks, half laughing.

“I think it’s sweet.” Seth says, pulling out his phone. “I’ll call her.” He grins. He finds your contact and taps to call you.

“Give me the phone.”

“Nope, I’ll talk to her…hey Y/N!”

“Hi! Is everything, shhh everyone I’m on the phone, sorry.” You giggle. “Is everything okay?”

“Oh sure, everything’s fine. Harry just had a question.”

“Okay…what is it?” Seth presses the phone to his chest.

“What’s your question?”

“Ask her if I can come give her a goodnight kiss later.” Seth makes a face like he’s about to cry because of how sweet Harry was.

“He wants to know if he can give you a goodnight kiss when we get back.” Seth hears you chatting with everyone in the room.

“I’ll allow it. Just have someone text me when you guys are on your way.”

“Can do.” He hangs up the phone. “You’ve been granted your kiss.”

“I don’t understand why I couldn’t have just asked her.” He rolls his eyes.

“Because yeh would’ve spent the rest of the night babblin’ on.” Niall says. “Now, can we go back to drinkin’?”

Around 11:30PM, everyone decided it would be best not to stay out late, so the guys head back to the inn. It was just you, Rachel, and Sarah in your room now. There was a knock on the door and you all giggle. You tie up your robe, and look through the peep hole to see Harry, Niall, and Louis in the hall. You open the door and slip out.

“If you two wanna wait inside while we say goodnight…” You gesture to the door, Niall and Louis moving to go inside. “You know you can just snuggle with Louis tonight if you miss me.” You laugh.

“No, he’s got a room with his own wife and child, remember?” He scoffs.

“So snuggle with Niall.”

“But I wanna snuggle with you, you’re so cute.” He grabs your hands and intertwines your fingers.

“You can snuggle me all you want tomorrow night.” You whisper.

“I’ll be doin’ a lot more than that.” He grins.

“You came here for a kiss, so let’s kiss.”

He leans down, and you can’t but smile as his nose brushes yours. His lips meet yours and you taste the beer he was surely drinking. His tongue peeks out to swipe across your bottom lip. You open up for him slightly. As he licks into you he pushes you up against the wall next to the door.

“Oop, we better get out there before he carries her off to our room.” Niall kisses Sarah quick before Louis opens the door. The second his does you push Harry off of you. “Alright, enough of that. You got your kiss.”

“You two are kill joys. Why’s it so wrong to be in love?”

“It’s not, mate.” Louis chuckles. “But it’s time to go to sleep. You two have the rest of your lives to love on each other.”

“Night, baby.” Harry pouts.

“Goodnight, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

You wave them off and go back into the room.

“Nice kiss?” Rachel asks.

“A very nice kiss.” You smile and get back on the bed with Buster. “I’m gonna be his wife tomorrow, I can’t believe I got this lucky.” You all giggle and squeal.

Somehow you and Harry were both able to get a goodnight’s sleep. You eat a quick breakfast and head down to the spa to meet everyone to get your nails done. Eleanor has a funny look on her face when she comes over to you.

“Everything okay?”

“Oh sure.” She chuckles. She adjusts Eliza May on her hip. “My hubby just got a booty call around 2AM last night.”

“You’re kidding!” You gasp.

“Seems as though his ass was the next best option to yours.” She sits down in the pedicure chair next to yours and cradles her little girl. “Lou’s thirty years old, I swear to god they act like teenagers around each other all the time.”

“It’s sweet though.”

“It is. I suppose it’s nice to see them breaking down toxic masculinity from the inside out.” She laughs.

“Harry’s a very cuddly sleeper, I should have let Buster go with him last night, but we were afraid he’d cry for me.”

“Like father like son.” She jokes. “Where’s the little guy now?”

“My brother picked him up the morning, he’s to stay with them for now.”

“Miss, what color for your toes?”

“Peach, pastel peach, please.”

Once your nails are done you all make your way over to the bridal suite. You were getting anxious. You wished you could just call Harry, even to hear his voice.

“I just need to pee before we get into the hair and makeup.” You say and go into the bathroom. You lock the door and turn the fan on. You call him. He answers on the second ring.

“Hello?”

“Hi, honey.”

“Y’alright?”

“Mhm, just wanted to hear your voice.”

“You’re cute.”

“Can’t wait to see you in a little while.”

“Me too, I miss you. Missed yeh last night.”

“I heard you found a replacement.”

“I couldn’t help it. It was either that or break into your room.”

“You definitely did the right thing.” You giggle. “How’s everything on your end?”

“Pretty chill so far. My sister’s gettin’ her hair together, so is my mum. Think your dad’s more nervous than I am.” He chuckles. “Must be weird givin’ his youngest away.”

“But at least he knows I’ll be in good hands.”

“Oh, at the least.” You both laugh. “Uh, actually, she called me, so fuck off. Sorry, Mitch is givin’ me a tough time. Did you know what I’m clingy?”

“You?!” You fake gasp. “This is the first I’m hearing of it.” You both laugh. “I better go, they probably think I have like diarrhea or something.”

“Thanks, babe.”

“Sorry.” You laugh. “But seriously, I better go. I love you, I’ll see you soon.”

“I love you too.”

You hang up and go back out to everyone. You sit down in the chair so your mom can start doing your hair.

“Alright, so we’re pulling some of it up, and leaving the rest down, and you want to have bouncy kind of waves on the bottom?”

“Mhm. And remember to leave some pieces out on the top and make them look wavy, like how we practiced.”

“You got it.”

Once your hair was done, Rachel started doing your makeup. You made sure just to wear a zip up sweatshirt so you wouldn’t have to worry about lifting anything over your head when it came time to put your dress on.

You had picked out this beautiful grey for the bridesmaids dresses, and you told the girls as long as it was that color they could pick out whatever dress was most comfortable for them.

“You ready to put your dress on?” Erica asks.

“Yeah, um, Rachel and Sarah were going to help me get into it I think.” You didn’t want to risk your family seeing your nipple piercings.

Nannie comes over with the dress bag, and she unzips it to show you something.

“I had a slight alteration made, I hope you don’t mind.” Inside the dress, where your right breast would sit, was a blue t-shirt material sewed into the shape of a heart. “It was one of Papa’s shirts. I did the same thing for Erica. Now a piece of him will be with you all day.”

“Oh, Nannie.” You hug her and try to cry since your makeup was just done. “Thank you.”

Rachel and Sarah go into the bathroom with you to get you into your dress.

“You both look so pretty.” You say to them. “Great choices.”

“Your sisters looks nice too, and I love the one Eleanor picked out for herself.” Sarah says.

“It’s nice that everyone listened to me for a change.” You laugh.

“Alright, step into it.” Rachel says.

You step into the dress and put your arms through holes. The girls help button up the back. Rachel grabs your veil and puts it on you. They both step back to look at you.

“Holy shit.” Rachel says. “You’re a bride.”

“You look so beautiful, Harry’s going to lose his mind.”

“Really?” You turn around to look at yourself in the mirror. “Oh my god.” You whisper. “This really was the perfect dress, huh?” You giggle with them and leave the bathroom.

Everyone tells you how beautiful you look. Next up was for you to take all of the bridal photos. You wanted to get a good chunk of this done before the weddings so that the pictures afterwards wouldn’t take too long. Harry and the groomsmen should have already taken their pictures together, and he should have pictures with his mum and sister.

It was a beautiful day out, thank God. Mariah gasped when she saw all of you walk out. Rachel blew her a little kiss. You had a small bouquet of sunflowers and baby’s breath in your hands. She snapped a ton of pictures of you, the wedding party, you with your sisters, you with your mom, and you with Nannie, basically every combination of photo. It took over an hour.

“Okay, now we just need to go back in and wait.” You tell them. You take a deep breath as you walk back to the bridal suite. You just wanted to see Harry.

Guests were starting to arrive. Family, friends, you name it. Harry had invited a ton of his past clients that he was close with. Some of the ladies from work came as well. You were all waiting in a hall way. Niall was first to go out, and he wanted to see you beforehand.

“Hey.” You beam at him.

“Oh my god, you look stunning.”

“So do you.” You look his suit up and down. It was a solid baby blue. He had a floral pocket square. “It’s simple, I like it.”

“Just you wait until you see everyone else’s. We did something really cool.” He winks at you and makes his way down the aisle to the gazeebo.

He stands with your cantor just as they did during the rehearsal. Music starts to play. You smile at your brother who is about to walk your Nannie and mother down the aisle. You see all of the groomsmen walking towards you, lead my Louis, to line up with your bridesmaids. They each had a solid colored suit on, but each color was different. You were thoroughly confused, but you loved the concept. You wondered if each color was inside the suit Harry would be wearing.

“You all look wonderful.” You whisper as they line up. You look up at your dad and smile. “Almost our turn.”

Louis and Rachel walk out first, hooking their arms together. Then was Gemma and Sarah, Isaac and Eleanor, Mitch and Erica, and Sarah and Bridget. It all worked out perfectly. As they were making their way down, you see Lily walking up with Michael.

“He’s very excited.” She had Buster’s leash in her other hand. “I’m honored that I get to walk the dog.” She giggles.

“Thanks for doing it. Michael, you’re going to be the best flower boy ever.”

While all of this is happening, Anne walks up to the gazeebo with Harry. They hug and kiss before she goes to sit down. His suit was gorgeous. It was an interesting floral pattern, and it did have all of the colors each groomsmen was wearing. Lily walks Buster down the aisle as Michael walks down putting out flower petals. It was really very cute. Harry bends down and takes the rings from Buster’s collar, and hands them to Niall. He takes a deep breath. He knew Mariah and all of her helpers were getting great pictures, and every moment the two of you wanted would be captured. He looks over to where you’d be coming out next.

“Ready, honey?” Your dad says to you as he hooks his arm around yours.

“Mhm.” You smile.

The music changes, and everyone stands up to watch for you. Your eyes widen the second they fall on Harry. He looked incredible, beyond incredible. You were happy he kept his suit a secret. It was so very him. He immediately started crying when he saw you. He thought you were the most beautiful, breathtaking thing in the world. You both smile and laugh as your dad continues to walk you down the aisle. Harry steps forward to lift your veil, and you both beam at each other. He looks at your dad and then to you. You give your dad a hug before he goes to sit down, and you take Harry’s hand as you step towards the gazeebo. Niall wipes a few tears away himself before beginning.

“You both good?” He asks, making the two of you laugh. He hands Harry a tissue.

“She looks good, doesn’t she?” Harry jokes.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re both a work of art, okay? Let’s get this started.” You both laugh again. Neither of you knew what Niall was going to say, but it still had to wait. “Cantor?”

Your cantor says the few prayers you wanted him to. You and harry were facing each other, holding hands. You had told him what the prayers meant and why they were important to you. Once your cantor was done, it was Niall’s turn to speak.

“Love is a really weird thing. I honestly wasn’t sure what it was until I saw these two progress together. There are good times and bad, but the good always outweighs it. I’m not sure what it was, but I saw two people who I was very close with, living these separate lives, when I just had this feeling that they should be together. So, you two are more than welcome.” You hear people laughing. “Every relationship is different, and I think that’s the beautiful thing about love. It’s growing with some, and just becoming comfortable with how your lives are molding together. You two were pretty comfortable with that early on, how soon was it when you moved in? Four, five months?” You swat an arm at him. “None of us even thought to question you on it. There’s a gravitational pull between the two of you, there’s no denying that. Y/N, when Harry told me he was bringing you to meet his mum and sister that first Christmas you two were together, I knew he was going to marry you. I saw it all very early on. We went on a camping trip and he confessed to us that you were his soulmate.” You look at Harry. You couldn’t tell if he wanted to smack Niall or not, but he looked at you and nodded. “Basically, no one was going to get in his way on this. I had never heard my brutish friend speak so highly of a lady in his life before. And you. You had a new light in your life again. You came back into yourself. Needless to say, you make each other whole.” He clears his throat. “Now then, they happy couple would like to exchange their own vows before we get on with the rings.”

“Y/N.” Harry says after taking a deep breath. “In my wildest dreams I never thought I’d be standing here, marrying someone like you. From the very beginning I knew this was destined to be forever. There’s just no way I’d ever be able to let you go. I promise you that going forward, I’m never letting you go. I want every day with you, even if every day isn’t perfect.” His hands were shaking in yours. “I’ll be your partner no matter what. I know we can get through anything as long as we’re getting through it together. You’re my everything, always.”

“Harry.” Your voice nearly cracks and then you giggle. “When we met, I didn’t realize how much work I really needed to do on myself. You were so patient and understanding with so many things. I’ll forever be grateful for that. You allowed me to have that room to grow, and not everyone gets that kind of patience. I always want to give that to you in return. I feel like I’ve been able to become who I’m supposed to be because of you. I promise to always be your partner no matter what. Through the good and bad, through thick and thin, you’re my everything, always.”

“Alright, I’ve got these rings here.” Niall hands you each one. You slide them on each other’s fingers. “M’not even gonna ask if there’s anyone here that doesn’t think these two should be wed because you’re crazy if yeh don’t.” You both laugh. “By the power vested in me, and the state of Massachusetts, I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride!”

You step on the glass under the small cloth just as Harry grips your waist to pull you in for a kiss. It felt so good to have his lips on yours again, even if it was brief. Everyone was cheering for you. You walk back down the aisle together, and the wedding party follows. Harry gets his lips on yours again the second you’re away from the crowd. You were down at the private area where more photos could be taken.

“You’re my wife!”

“You’re my husband!”

“Technically you both got married when you signed the marriage license last night.” Niall says.

“Shut up.” You hug him. “What you said was so beautiful, thank you.”

Mariah takes every picture possible. A ton of you and Harry, more of the wedding party, family photos, literally, every picture possible. Once all of that is done you and Harry go inside to wait for the receiving line to begin. You both knew you’d be jumping around to different tables, but you also wanted to enjoy your reception. The receiving line was an easy way to make sure you actually say everyone. It takes a little while to get through everyone, but you were happy you did it.

The DJ starts announcing the wedding party. You hold Harry’s hand when it’s your turn.

“And now, for the first time ever, Mr. and Mrs. Styles!”

You both come in and everyone cheers for you. Your song starts to play, You Make Me So Very Happy, and you dance with Harry. You were so impressed with him. The two of you had gone to get dance lessons together to make sure everything looked nice. He was the one that suggested it. He twirls you around a few times, and the two of you just have fun during your dance. Next up was Harry’s dance with Anne. You beamed as you watched them together. Her eyes were glossy, and she was radiating pride. You danced with your dad next. It was a really nice moment for the two of you.

Once all of that was out of the way, you and Harry were able to sit at your lone table to enjoy some salad for your first course. You had decided to have a plated meal instead of the buffet. It cost a little extra, but you thought it was worth it, and Harry wasn’t going to fight you on it. His business was booming and you had gotten another small pay bump, so you put it to good use. You guzzle down some water, you were so thirsty. Dancing was sweaty work. You also knew this would be the time where some of the speeches would start. Glasses started clinking as Louis stood up to give his speech.

“Right, so, Niall got to do all the sappy stuff before, thanks for gettin’ that out of the way, mate.” Harry sits back in his chair and crosses his arms. His grin forming. Louis loved when he had a microphone to speak into. Harry had given a really good speech at Louis’ wedding, so he had been waiting for this moment. “Harry’s been my mate and brother for what? Like, ten years? Has it been that long? We’re gettin’ old, lad.” Everyone in the room laughs. “Now, I’ve seen Harry through some ups and some downs. I’ve seen him at his worst and I’ve seen him at his best. I’ve seen him take his shirt off his back for someone, and I’ve also seen him absolutely pissed with his head in the toilet. He was there for me when both of my kids were born, hell, he held Eleanor’s other hand when Eliza May was born. I had to grow up pretty fast, and as much I loved Harry, I was sort of wonderin’ when he was gonna grow up, find a nice girl of his own. I met the lovely Y/N at a Halloween party. These two came in dressed like Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Not only was this girl extremely polite, but she could throw a drink back.” Everyone laughs as your face flushes. “Needless to say, I could tell right off the bat that Harry was smitten. I was shocked when he told me he had a girlfriend, and I was even more shocked a month or so later when he told me he was in love. He’d send me pictures of the two of you all the time and tell me about these little things that you’d do. He really did think you were cute, I have the receipts to prove it. When you’re close with someone, all you want is for them to be truly happy. You make Harry happy, and that’s all I could ask. I wish the two of you a wonderful, long life together.” He raises his glass as does everyone else. Harry gives your hand a squeeze.

“That was pretty good.” He says to you.

“Mhm.” You smile. Rachel clinks her glass next and stands up.

“Sarah and I wrote this together, just so everyone knows.” The room laughs. “Y/N, we were eighteen when we met. Yikes, we’re getting old too. Even though we were friends, I didn’t really get to know you until we spent that semester in California together. That was when I realized how special you were. Sorry it took me a year and half.” You both smile at each other. “Like any other girl in college, Y/N went through some wild phases, but she always kept her priorities straight. Sometimes it was hard to related to her since Sarah and I were both becoming teachers and she was going into the world of business and marketing. If there was something she wanted, she got it. There were a few weeks Sarah and I hadn’t seen Y/N so we called her up and told her it was time to have a girl’s night, so we did. That was when we found out she was sort of seeing someone. This guy, Harry.” You can’t help but giggle. “So, this guy Harry FaceTimes her, not even calls or texts, he makes the boldest move of FaceTiming her while we’re out, and she convinces him and his friend Niall to come out and join us. We weren’t able to get to know Harry that well right away, but we could tell something special was there. It took me some time to warm up to Harry. Believe it or not, it’s not always love at first sight with him. We had a really nice heart to heart. I’ll never forget that. Our friend group merged into one, and I truly feel like I could lean on Harry for anything. You’re one of my best friends now too. There’s no one else I’d want to see Y/N with.” She raises her glass and everyone follows.

“I’d like to just say something.” Harry says. “Thank you all so much for coming and supporting us. I love this woman with my whole heart and it was great to be able to stand up and say all of that in front of you all today. Dinner’s about to be served, so we hope you all have fun celebrating with us tonight.”

Everyone clinks their glasses, which is the signal that they want you two to kiss, and you do so. Dinner was delicious, just like how you knew it would be. People were going back and forth to bar and mingling.

“Are you done, babe?” Harry asks.

“Mhm, yeah.”

“Now might be a good time to make some of the rounds before we do the cake and all that. I know once you hear a song you like you’ll be on the dancefloor all night.”

“You’re right.”

You both start making your way around the different tables to say hi to folks a little longer. One of the serves comes out with your cake. You two delicately serve it to each other. Now was not the time to make a mess. You kiss each other and you both smile at the lemony taste. Everyone loved the assorted cupcakes as well.

The music started to pick up and more people started gathering on the dancefloor. You got right out there with your friends and family. You and Harry had worked closely with the DJ to craft the perfect playlist. You take turns dancing with Louis and Niall, while Harry dances with Mariah, then Sarah, then Rachel. He dances with his other friend Sarah and Gemma, and even makes the rounds to both of your sisters. You have a nice dance with your brother as well. Eventually you two come back to each other for a much needed slow song. You had just finished the Cha Cha Slide and you were pooped.

“Having fun?” He smirks.

“Tons, you?”

“Loads.” He leans in to kiss you quick. “You really do make a beautiful bride. I hope you know this won’t be the only time you’ll be wearin’ this dress. I’ll probably ask you to wear it a ton.” He pulls you a little closer.

“Same could be said for this suit. It’s gorgeous, and I love how you had everyone wear a different color that falls in it.”

“Thanks, I thought it would be different and fun. Noticed you got your nails painted the same color as mine.”

“I couldn’t help it, I wanted to match. It was like you were there to hold my hand while you physically couldn’t be with me, you know?”

“God.” He presses his forehead to yours. “When can we go to our room?”

“Harry.” You swat an arm at his shoulder. “We have like three more hours, easily, until we can do that.”

He groans just as a faster song starts to play. You gasp and run over to your friends. It was Yeah by Usher, you were long gone. It was a really fun night. People slowly started to filter out. The girls said they would bring all the cards and gifts people brought up to the room you slept in last night. Your friends had helped out to get everything into the honeymoon suite that you’d need. Buster would be sleeping with Niall and Sarah tonight. You were so grateful.

“It was perfect.” Harry says as he walks hand in hand with you to the suite.

“Mhm.” You cling to his arm.

“Oh wait.” He hoists you up so he’s carrying you bridal style. “Okay, stick the key in.” You giggle and does as he says. He gets the door open and carries you in. “Okay, now, I think this means we’re officially married.” He jokes.

“I don’t think that happens until we consummate.” You yawn as he sets you down on the bed.

“You tired?”

“Yeah, you?”

“Mhm.”

“I think after some sleep it’ll be better.”

“Agreed. Let me help you with all those buttons and what not.”

You stand up as he unbuttons the back of your dress. You catch the top so it doesn’t fall to the floor. You gracefully step out of it and hang it back up.

“These are cute.” He says, pinching your bum which was covered with white lace.

“Thanks.” You giggle, and go into the bathroom to take all of your makeup off.

Harry gets out of his suit and uses the toilet after you. You both crawl into the comfy bed and settle in together. You rest your head on his chest, and the both of you just feel at peace.

“Missed yeh so much last night, baby.” He squeezes you.

“I missed you too. M’glad we’re together now.”

“Me too.” He kisses the top of your head and yawns.

It didn’t take long for the two of you to drift off. However, you woke up around 4AM feeling very well rested. You had both gone to bed completely naked. You roll over to see Harry on his back, fast asleep. His lips parted and light snores coming out. You shift under the blankets and reach for his dick. This was something he had given permission for you to do. You could wake him up like this any time you wanted. You stroke him and you feel him start to get hard in your hand. His eyes flutter open and he looks over at you.

“So early.” He says with that thick morning voice you loved so much.

“I know, I just really wanna fuck my husband, would that be alright?” You tug at him a little harder.

“Fuck.” He groans. “Yes.”

He reaches for your hips and he pulls you on top of him. You grind down on him and his head rolls back.

“Jesus, did you wake up wet like this?”

“I must’ve been thinking about this in my sleep.” You kiss on his neck gently. The two of you promised not to leave marks until you were on your honeymoon.

“I can’t wait to get my hand around your throat in just a couple of days. And then I’m suck little marks all over your body.”

“Harry, please.” You groan as you grind against him again.

“Do we need to use a condom?”

“I’d like to until we’re in Florida, is that okay?”

“Course. They’re in my bag.” He points to it and you get off him to go grab one. You rip the blankets away and tear the foil open. You roll it onto him for him. “Love it when you do that. Showin’ me who’s boss a little bit?” He smirks.

“As your wife I just know there are things I need to do to please my man, but sure.” You shrug. “I’ll be the boss.” You grin and straddle him.

You line his tip up with your center, and you slowly sink down on him. You both moan from the contact. It had been almost two weeks since you two had been intimate with everything going on and you had just gotten over your period two days ago. You both needed this.

“How are you still so tight after all this time?” He grunts as his fingers press bruises into your hips.

Instead of giving him a verbal answer, you lean down and suck his bottom lip into your mouth. You grind up and down on him. He thrusts up into you, getting in nice and deep.

“Fuck, Harry.” You groan against his neck.

His hands slide around to your ass to move you faster on him. Your chest was rubbing against his, and you snake a hand between the two of you to rub your clit.

“Y/N.” He moans, his head rolling back into the pillow.

“I’m so fucking close, oh my god.”

You press your forehead further into his shoulder as he thrusts faster into you. You bite down on his collar bone, and you end up coming at the same time. You rest on him while you both catch your breaths. He cups your cheeks to pull your face back to his. He kisses you, pressing his lips hard to yours.

“Okay, now we’re really married.” You both giggle as you pull off him.

“I’ll let you take care of that.”

“Oh, so you can roll it on, but you can’t take it off?” He smirks as he sits up.

“Nope, that’s your mess, my doll.”

You both clean yourselves up and get back into bed. You had a couple more hours before you needed to be up, after all. Harry spoons you, and you both drift back off.

Later that morning everyone cheers when you and Harry come down for brunch. You can’t help but giggle, and Buster comes running towards the two of you.

“I feel so bad, he’s not gonna see us for like…two weeks.” You pout as you pet him.

“He’ll be in good hands.” You both sit down with your friends.

“Yeah, he’ll be with us for a few days, and then with Rachel and Mariah, and then with Seth and Isaac.” Niall says. “Lots of family time.”

“When do you two leave for Florida?” Eleanor asks.

“Tomorrow morning.” You smile. “Our flight’s at like eight. You can check in on your phone so you can get your room a little ahead of time. And we’re doing that thing where we’re letting them take our bags so they’ll be in the room for us by the end of the day. And we’re taking the bus to the resort. They have it down to a science.”

“I feel like that would be a really fun friend group trip some time.” Sarah says.

“Please, these two are gonna start poppin’ kids out the second they can, it’ll be years until we can do that.” Niall jokes.

“Louis and El have kids, we’ll probably be next, maybe that just means you all need to catch up.” You smirk.

“I have plenty of kids at school.” Sarah puts her hands up. “But maybe Rachel could be next.” She giggles.

“Plenty of kids in homes that need adoption.” Rachel says as she smiles at Mariah.

“So with you two on vacation does that mean you won’t be pestering me for photos right away?” Mariah laughs.

“You better send us some or you’re fired.” Harry jokes and the whole table laughs.

You look up at him and smile; you never felt luckier.

For reference: Here is what I imagine Y/N’s dress looking like:

And here’s photographer!Harry’s suit:

#harry styles #my everything #take it slow sequel #harry styles x reader #harry styles x y/n #harry styles y/n #harry styles fic #harry styles fanfic #harry styles smut #harry styles smut fic #harry styles fluff #harry styles fluff fic #harry styles imagine #tag if you reblog pls!!#hope you like!#so there's gonna be 14 parts total #ive just been having fun writing about their married life and i cant seem to stop #come hang out in my ask box!

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mammon-money · 4 years

Text

(Obey Me x Fem!MC)

(Hello 😈 I've written slight unfinished stories before but this is my first time actually finishing one to post, so I hope you like it! )

You're unable to sleep as you toss and turn around your bed, still not use to Devildom. Mammon runs in trying to hide from Lucifer and ends up staying :)

Word count: 2250

Mammon × MC

“Ugh...” she groaned as she tossed in her bed for what felt like, and probably was, the hundredth time that night. It was now the middle of the night and she still had a hard time adapting to the Devildom atmosphere, even though she had already been here for about a month now.

As she lays there, facing the door, she hears it quickly and abruptly swing open. her eyes widen as it closes quickly, yet quietly. She sees a dark figure leaning against the door, grabbing his chest and gasping for air as he’s slowly sliding down.

“Mammon..?” she hesitantly sat up in her bed, staring at him.

“Oh MC...” he freezes, shooting his eyes open, “I was hopin’ ya weren’t gonna be awake...”

“Mammon, it's three in the morning, what happened?” she throws the covers off of herself and rushes to Mammon’s side, kneeling next to his defeated body and placing one hand on his shoulder and one on the lower part of the arm holding his chest.

He slowly calms at her touch, catching his breath and lowering his arm to his lap. “Well, haha... ya see,” after staring ahead oh himself for what seemed like forever, he began to answer her question. “I just got home and Lucifer was waitin’ for me.” he laughs to himself as he scratches the back of his neck with an awkward gesture.

She let go of his arm when he raised it up and moved back a little. “Why were you out so late? You know we have school tomorrow.” She realized that it was already past midnight, “Well, later today I guess.”

“Right, right. Sorry if I woke ya MC.” He looked down.

“No, no, it’s okay! I haven’t been able to get any sleep.” Now she was the one awkwardly laughing.

“Uh, MC?” Mammon broke her away from her awkward state and looked her in the eyes. “I, uh... can you maybe put some pants on or somethin'?” Mammon shot his gaze away and began to blush even more than before. The room was so dark that he hoped she hadn’t noticed.

She shocked and threw her hands over her mouth. She was so worried about Mammon that she had completely forgotten that she didn't have any pants on. She was wearing a large black t-shirt that Beelzebub had given to her to wear as pajamas since she came here with nothing but the clothes she was wearing.

"I- I'm- aaah!" She was a blushing mess, stammering as she rushed to her dresser and then to her bathroom to put on the gray and white pinstriped pajama shorts she had grabbed.

Mammon was giggling to himself, covering his mouth with the back of his hand as he blushed while watching her run around her room like a chicken with it's head cut off.

She walked out of the bathroom, crossing her arms and glaring at Mammon. "What's so funny??"

"You can calm down, I didn't see anythin'. I was just makin' sure ya knew..." Mammon sat up straight.

She shot her head towards the ringing D.D.D. she had left on her nightstand. Mammon immediately stood up, curious as to who was calling her at this hour.

"Hey, what's up?" she answered quickly

"What's up with me? What's up with you! Are you okay? I heard you scream along with some rustling around in your room when I walked by on the way to the kitchen." It was Beel on the other line.

"haha yeah, I'm good. Thanks for checking up on me Beel." Mammon perked up at the sound of his brother's name coming out of her mouth.

"Are you sure? I can stop by your room on the way back up if you'd like." Mammon was now practically circling around her as the conversation continued on.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Goodnight Beel." She was about to hang up when Beelzebub spoke up once again.

"Oh, Mammon's not with you by any chance, is he? I just ran into Lucifer in the hallway and he said Mammon got home late but ran and hid from him."

She looked up a Mammon, who was still trying to get her attention away from the phone; not succeeding at the least.

"No, I haven't seen Mammon all night. He's not here." Mammon paused at the sound of his name in their conversation. That means now Beel was looking for him along with Lucifer.

"Oh, alright," Beel continued, "Lucifer says if he finds out Mammon is hiding out in there you'll both be in big trouble. and he also wants you to get back to sleep. Night." Beelzebub hung up the phone and she threw her phone on the bed.

She looked right up at mammon, who looked almost guilty now for getting her involved. "How come you didn't go straight to your own room?"

"If I went to my own room Lucifer would kill me! And it's not like he'd ever think to look in here for me anyway... right?"

"Mammon you idiot, you're in here 24/7! Not to mention that the two of us are practically glued together at the sides!" Mammon began to blush at the thought of always spending time with her.

"Anyway," she continued, "Luc said that we'll both be dead if he catches you hiding out in here. We need to get up for school in a couple of hours anyway so... why don't you just chill out in here for the rest of the night?" She was blushing so bright that she thought she looked like a red glowstick in the dark room. She had just hoped Mammon didn't see the image she portrayed of herself in her head, especially since he was just staring her down now.

"Wh- what? I mean, sure, yeah... Sure I'll stay." Mammon was blushing just as much as she was, blank-minded and speechless at the fact that she even asked him to stay.

After a while of just taking, it got silent. She was hanging upside down off the side of her bed to face Mammon, while he was sitting on the sofa not that far.

"Ya know, I really hope Lucifer went to bed." they both laughed.

"Mammon it's time to get ready now, your uniform is in your room, right?" she sat up on the bed.

"Shit! I completely forgot about that! Aaaahhgg!" Mammon threw his head back on the sofa and covered his eyes with one hand. "Lucifer better be sleepin' by now 'cause I gotta go get that."

"You can stay here while I get ready and then when I leave the room for breakfast you can make a break for it." Mammon started to blush again.

"Really? I can stay until then?" his eyes widened as she got up and walked over to him.

"Of course silly," she let out a slight giggle as she cupped his face. "That's what I said you could do in the first place" she planted a small kiss to his forehead.

Both of them paused. They were blushing for the hundredth time that night.

"Alright, well," she let go and began to nervously back away and collect her things. "I'm gonna take a quick bath and start to get ready"

"Yeah, o-okay" Mammon sat there baffled. He couldn't believe what just happened. He also didn't know what to do.

On the other hand, she bent over the bathroom counter and stared at her flushed self in the mirror. "What were you THINKING!" She had just kissed Mammon out of impulse and he did nothing about it! She didn't know whether to freak out over the fact that she had done it in the first place or the fact that he didn't even respond.

She sighed as she got into the bath, trying not to think about anything at all.

Mammon pulled out his D.D.D. in order to distract himself when he noticed a few missed messages and calls. One from Beel asking where he is, and all the rest from Lucifer.

Lucifer: Mammon where are you?

Lucifer: You are aware that you cannot hide forever, correct?

Lucifer: Once I find you you know there will be hell to pay

Lucifer: And if I find out you're in MC's room they'll be hell to pay for both.

Mammon felt a shiver down his spine. He didn't understand why it was even that big of a deal how late he got home. It's not like he was bothering anyone.

"What's your problem?" He looked up and saw her standing there. She was fresh out of the bath in her uniform, towel-drying her hair.

"Oh, it's nothin'. Just checked my phone for the first time in a while and there's a ton of missed calls and messages from Lucifer."

"Ah, well, "she sat down at her vanity and began to do her makeup. "don't let ol' Luc ruin your fun." He smiled at her through the reflection of the vanity mirror.

"Hey..." Mammon's voice trailed off. "Why'd ya kiss me?"

She slowly turned to him "what do you mean why?"

He was even more confused. Mammon was trying to keep his hopes low but she was making it harder than ever.

"Mammon, I don't know if you're aware, but I like you."

"Y-you wh-what?" Mammon jumped up off the sofa.

She laughed at his reaction. "Yes, I like you!"

Mammon ran over the vanity where she was now standing, picking her up and spinning her around. "I can't believe this!"

"Shh!" she giggled as he spun her, "Don't be so loud! Luc will hear you!"

He paused his tracks and set her down. "I like you too, MC! I have for a while..." He began to blush.

"I've liked you too Mammon, I was kinda hoping you'd make the first move though." she chuckled to herself, continuing her makeup.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Sorry 'bout that." he rubbed the back of his neck as he sat back down.

"MC?" He chirped up again.

"Yeah?" she was now curling the ends of her long hair.

"Would you, uh- wanna be my girlfriend?" he was blushing yet again, but staring right at her reflection.

"of course Mammon," she turned in her chair and faced him, smiling, "I would love to be your girlfriend."

Mammon had now slipped into his room to get ready while she waited in the hallway.

"Oh, MC," Satan had come out of his room to go down for breakfast early. "What are you doing out in the hallway- and so early at that..?" A look of confusion covered her face.

"Oh, I'm waiting for mammon since we usually walk down together." she smiled.

"I see. Although I was under the impression that he never came home last night."

"He must've come home, he told me to meet me outside his room this morning for him like always." she felt Satan's gaze looking straight through her, as if trying to pick out the truth.

"Well then, carry on." he smiled and continued on his way to the dining table.

she felt a load of pressure lift off her chest. Soon after, Mammon came out. He had rushed to get ready and his tie was barely even considered a tie at that point.

She laughed and began to re-tie his tie.

"Well, you two seem awfully close this morning." Lucifer's voice had startled them.

"Oh, h-hey Lucifer," they both stood straight up and faced him.

"Good morning, Mammon. I presume you got some sleep last night? Considering you got back so late..." They knew he was pressuring them.

"Yep, of course."

"And good morning, MC. I would like to believe the same of you?" He looked her up and down.

"Good morning Lucifer," she took a small bow at the mention of his name. "It's been a little had to sleep since I've been living in Devildom, but I'll get used to it." she smiled at him.

Lucifer nodded, seemingly pleased with that answer. "Well then, I'll see you at breakfast." He continued on his way to the table. The others had passed during the conversation.

After Lucifer was out of sight, she grabbed Mammon's tie, pulling him down to her level. "H-hey, whaddya doin'?"

She smiled and gave him a little peck on the lips. "C'mon, let's get down to breakfast before we're in even more trouble."

"Ooo, MC! You're dressed up today!" Asmodeus drew attention to the two of them as they sat down in their seats.

"Haha, Thank you Asmo, you're too kind." she gave him a little wink as she served herself her food."

"So, what's the occasion?" Asmo wouldn't stop pestering until he got his deserved answer.

"Nothing in particular, just woke up early and had time. You know how it is."

"Uh-huh, sure." he rolled his eyes.

"You and Mammon are super close today too." Leviathan now inserted himself into the conversation.

"No, we're not, Levi!" Mammon yelled across the table.

"Deny it all you want Mammon, We all see it!" Asmo shot back

The morning brotherly squabbles made her happy. she began to laugh, and all the brothers slowly hushed while they turned and look towards her.

"Whaddya laughing at!?" Mammon blushed and the other boys began to giggle.

"I'm just happy to have you guys." Everyone smiled at her and she felt like she belonged there.

It was definitely best to tell them about Mammon and her another day.

Thank you for reading! Please let me know if it's too wordy or jumpy! I'd like to improve my writing so I can hopefully write another fic for you guys! 😈💕

#obey me #shall we date #shall we date obey me #shall we date? obey me #mammon #mammon x reader #mammon x mc #mammon x oc #mammon x y/n #obey me fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #obey me fanfiction #mammon fanfiction #otome

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ilkkawhat · 3 years

Note

For the SOULMATE Alphabet prompt, can I ask E or ESP for Jack Dalton/Angus MacGyver please? All these prompts sound like so much fun!

[be gentle with me it’s been like. years since i’ve written these two. i’m being dramatic it’s only been three months.]

There’s one reason and one reason only Jack and Mac would allow themselves to be apart for long times at long distances, and that reason was something that even all of the infinite science in Mac’s brain, all of the infinite wisdom in Jack’s heart couldn’t even explain.

They figured it out when they had parted ways after Lake Como. Both had been too injured to realize that the pain they were feeling—on top of what they were already feeling—was each other’s. Mac thought the pain in his head was his mind overworking itself trying to reconcile Nikki’s (supposed) death. Jack thought the pain in his chest was the early signs of a heart attack, not uncommon in his family.

They hadn’t seen each other in nearly a month. Mac was finally out of the hospital, Jack was at his apartment. Jack didn’t quite know what to do, give the kid space or hover over him as an emotional Overwatch support, but he ultimately figured that Bozer would tend to him and that he would just pop by for a visit—which never happened because every time he thought of going, there was a forcefield of guilt that kept him from passing through the unlocked threshold to Mac’s house.

Mac, meanwhile, thought it was bad enough that he lost Nikki, he didn’t want to lose Jack, too. His fingers would constantly key over Jack’s number in his phone that he had memorized forwards and backwards. But he didn’t want to bother him. Figured that he was busy with a new job cause the older man was always working non-stop, as much as he would “complain” about the mundaneness of a nine-to-five job; all the paperwork and meetings and lack of an appropriate amount of sick days or whining for a raise, he knew that really Jack just wanted to keep himself busy, occupied.

Or otherwise he’d end up where Mac thought he was in that moment, on a couch, wrapped up in a bathrobe.

“Jack?” Mac gasped himself awake from an almost-nap. He sat up and threw his hand to his side, expecting it to land on Jack’s shoulder, or knee, or just any part of his body that would elicit some witty remark, “the lights go out in those bright eyes of yours, hoss?”

His hand didn’t touch anything. But he definitely felt Jack there with him, on his couch. Smelled him, too. And he was overcome with some strange...sadness. Remorse. It wasn’t a foreign emotion to him at the time, so he had sort of shrugged it off, thinking his mind was playing tricks on him, that the pain meds were too strong.

And then Jack woke him up with a phone call.

“Were you just at my house?” his tone was laced with the usual paranoia that came when anything was out of place at his apartment, but there was an odd sort of seriousness and urgency that Mac felt, too.

“No. Did you come here?”

“No, not since I drove by last night to drop off some pizza and beer.”

“That was you? Why didn’t you come in?”

“Boze said you were sleepin’ and I didn’t wanna wake you.”

“Well...you woke me up now,” Mac smiled though he knew Jack couldn’t see it.

Yet in a way, he could.

“What is going on here, hoss? It-it’s like you’re sitting right in front of me.”

“I don’t know. You wanna come over? Maybe we can sit by the fire and try to figure it out together.”

“Aight. Be there in ten.”

Jack lived fifteen minutes away.

They sat by the fire and once they passed by the awkward small talk they were able to properly catch up; though Mac didn’t have much to offer with the bed rest he had been sentenced to, but was pleased to announce that he would be beginning his rehab. Jack, meanwhile, got a gig being a stunt coordinator—disguising the fact with a cough that he was also partaking in some of the more dangerous stunts himself.

It was good that it happened, a brief reunion before a more permanent one that came months later when they got to go back to work together, the small steps leading to a true recovery of a slightly tarnished friendship in the face of a failed mission.

It wouldn’t be the last time.

They don’t feel anything unexpected, again, thinking it was just their own emotions they were waving through and the yearning for each other’s presence, but one of the first times they were separated, it was stronger than ever before.

And it wasn’t even that big of a separation. Just a few feet. A couple more feet. Maybe the length of a basketball court, at most. Mac moving backwards. Jack standing still. Jack could feel the panic rising within Mac as he scrambled to defuse the bomb Jack was standing on. Mac could feel the sheer dread and terror pouring out of the sweat beads on Jack’s skin.

The stakes hadn’t been so high since Mac had to disarm a bomb within an impossible amount of seconds back at the sandbox—and in hindsight, he can’t help but wonder if that’s when they had formed this new sort of...bond.

Jack must have figured it out too, because the next time it happened, just a week or so later, it came after Mac had been taken and drugged by the cartel. Jack was in full on rescue mode, dressed from head to toe in tactical gear—but he had to remove the helmet when he felt like he had some sort of mask smothered on top of his face. And then he felt lightheaded. And then he felt...woozy.

He pushed through it to save Mac—and in seeing Mac the odd sensation had washed away but when Mac told him that’s exactly what he felt when he was put under, the pieces were put together in Jack’s head.

“What kind of Vulcan mind-meld shit is this!?”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s like we’re getting into each other’s heads, a-and feeling each other when we’re apart.”

“You can admit it Jack, you just miss seein’ your sunshine boy,” Mac had waved him off with a poor imitation of his accent.

“I’m serious, buddy this is...this is real. I-I don’t know how to explain it but it’s like we’re...we’re…”

“Soulmates?”

“Yeah! That’s the word.”

“How romantic.”

Jack couldn’t help but feel slightly hurt by Mac’s downplay of his emotions, their emotions over their new transcended level of connection he never thought he would have with another man, let alone another person in his life.

But Mac would soften when his emotions got cranked to eleven.

It was their first real argument since the Sandbox. Jack tracking Mac down to Paris—which, with this new sixth sense of being able to feel Mac wherever he was when he wasn’t with Jack, he didn’t need to work as hard but he still explained how easy it was to track him down, even without their newfound “special powers,” as Jack claimed them to be—and beyond the confusion he was secretly pleased to have such an ability, harkening back to his childhood days of reading comic books and jumping off couches with a bedsheet cape on his back.

They both felt each other’s resentment, each other’s anger, until Jack calmed down when Mac called an apologized. He let Mac’s voice go to voicemail, but followed his call like he was lured by a siren.

Even though he tried to joke about a “groveling apology” that he knew Mac wasn’t actually going to give him despite the actual upset he had felt and truly wanted to apologize for to Jack, Jack entered the house knowing something was wrong.

Because he couldn’t feel Mac at all. Couldn’t feel him joking around with Bozer. Couldn’t feel him lost and searching for a deadbeat father who abandoned him—a sensation Jack didn’t quite understand until he felt Mac reliving it in his worst nights. Couldn’t feel him happy to be with the Phoenix family.

Mac’s house was as empty as Jack felt, and he was on the verge of losing it like never before—until he felt a cold shiver creep through is body. Felt a sharp prick, felt like his body was being pumped and drained at the same time.

Felt fear mixed with anger mixed with...vague...intrigue and the last time he felt it, Jack was at the mercy of a small red dot boring into his chest while Mac played the most dangerous game of cat and mouse.

And this time, he was the mouse.

“My spidey-senses are all telling me the same thing...It’s Murdoc.”

He hoped and prayed that he could somehow ease Mac’s terror with his own determination to find him. He swallowed down his tears, swallowed down his guilt for the sake of giving the kid some sort of hope with a forced sense of confidence that he would find him in no time.

And no time is exactly what he felt. What they both felt. Jack’s confidence turned to confusion when Mac no longer felt trapped, but instead...lost. And paranoid. Even more paranoid than Jack himself.

So lost that even when they physically found each other, it still seemed like forever until they emotionally found each other again, with more and more separations, more victimizations on their more deadly missions with gunshots and electrocutions and gas chambers. Fits of inexplicable rage and jealousy as they explored other interests besides each other. Odd sensations of loneliness when they weren’t working together.

Even when they were actually trapped together in Mac’s house, sitting on another bomb, it took them a whole episode of reminiscing how they got together in the first place that made them realize how no matter how often they would be lost from one another, they would always find each other, even in their worst moments.

And it was after that near miss they both exchanged real apologies. Mac admitted that perhaps this “mind meld” was real after all. Jack said “having you stuck with me ain’t so bad after all. Toldja I’m never gonna leave you, there’s definitely no getting rid of me now.”

“But...what’s going to happen when...one of us dies?” Mac didn’t even want to ask it. Didn’t actually even say the words.

Jack asked the same thing when he was prematurely laid to rest in a burning coffin, descending into hell and screaming for Mac both in the literal sense and the emotional sense—so much so that Mac could hardly take it—he felt like he was on fire and oh god, he actually was as he put his hands on the burning wood and freed Jack from inferno.

“Being burned alive...was always curious,” Jack breathed, putting a hand that oddly felt ablaze on his chest, while Mac danced on figurative hot coals.

“You’re insane, man.”

“I don’t think death is the end,” Jack answered him finally, when they were being wrapped up by the paramedics.

“How much smoke did you inhale?” Mac almost laughed, confused as to what he was referring to, thinking he had some sort of existential realization on the precipice of death.

“But wh-what if when one of us dies...the other will too? Kaboom-kaboom,” Mac continued the conversation after a particularly rough day spent in the war room with a beaten, sunken black eye while Jack ran around pretending to be a lone wolf yet he was wrangling up the pack and doing a favor by helping out his daughter’s real father, the conflicting emotions of which didn’t ease Mac’s troubles, either.

“Told ya, that won’t be it. There’s gonna be something after kaboom. For both of us.”

“Then why do you always fight so hard for us not to explode?”

“Cause I can’t let you have too much fun when you’re dropping those improv-bombs to get us out of sticky situations. There’s still a few things I wanna do before I move on from this world.”

“Right, your bucket list,” Mac smiled.

“Exactly, hoss. And what’s say...we cross another one off now?”

They were interrupted, as always, by an emergency call that revealed the truth about Mac’s father, and a falsification of how they had been brought together.

“Who do you think pulled the strings to pair you two together in Afghanistan?”

Bullshit. And Jack made a point of pointing that out, and how dare he even make the implication that even if things didn’t work out between Jack and Mac, that there would just be another Overwatch put in his place, and another, until Oversight saw fit that his son would be taken care of like he never had done for him before?

Needless to say, there were a lot of emotions, conflicting ones at that—even Jack himself was torn between sucking up to the boss but also wanting to punch him in the face, and do minor things like refuse handshakes, accidentally trip him, anything to just...annoy him without a fireable offense, per se.

But when Mac left the Phoenix, he may as well have gone, too.

He still doesn’t know why he didn’t. Was it some sense of duty to protect the remainder of the pack? Was it the same hesitation he had when Mac took his leave of absence after Nikki’s death, wanting to give him space but still wanting to suffocate him at the same time?

Was it fear that one day, Mac would walk away from him, too?

While the separation was brief, only a few months though it felt like years—especially when Jack felt the length of Mac’s hair on his own chin that allowed him to measure the actual length of time that had elapsed, when they came face to face again it still felt like they were worlds apart.

Because Mac abandoned his family.

Mac abandoned Jack.

And in what godforsaken world would that happen?

The same world where Jack would do the same almost half a year later.

“NO!” Mac shouted, rising from another cold-sweat nightmare.

Jack laid beside him, startled awake.

“Everything okay, hoss?” Jack whispered.

“Just...just...had a bad dream,” Mac whispered back.

They would keep their voices low, but their emotions high. There were certain things that just had to be said to be understood as felt between them.

“I missed you,” Mac gulped.

“You know I’m right here, don’t ya?” Jack laughed from his own bed, Mac felt a gentle scratching at the back of his head.

“I know. I know you’re here, it’s just…”

He turned his head, he didn’t even know why he was whispering, the house had never been so silent before. No snoring Bozer. No Jack strumming the guitar on a restless night. No keys clicking beneath the speed of Riley’s rapid fingers. No phonecalls from Matty.

“You’re not. Not even alive.”

“Who in the hell told you that?”

“The...the army.”

Mac’s phone rang, he answered without even looking at the number. The ring was for a video call, so he lazily pulled the string of his bedside lamp.

Jack was on the other side, soft fauxhawk and subtle stubble tracing the start of a beard on his face.

“My God, what fucked up dream did you have, man?”

“The kind that lasts forever,” Mac mumbled. “That felt...too real…”

“I turned down the Kovac mission, you remember that, right? The image was fake. Just a taunt. The broadcast orchestrated by Murdoc just to dick around with us again.”

“I know, I know it just...I can’t help but wonder what could have...could have happened if you…”

“You gotta stop beating yourself up so much, kid. I’ve told you, over and over, this ain’t one of those ‘you hurt me, so I’mma hurt you’ sort of games. We don’t do that manipulative shit.”

“Jack, I left you—”

“You left the Phoenix. I stayed. My choice.”

Jack suddenly felt the corners of his eyes burn. The corner of Mac’s eyes burn.

“I wanted you to come with me.”

“I know. And I wanted to.”

“I know,” Mac swallowed. “I...I felt that you did but...why didn’t you?”

“You walked away that day but you didn’t walk alone. I was there with you the entire time. You know that.”

“But you weren’t!”

“You’re right. You’re right,” Jack shook his head, squeezing his face. He waved his tongue over his lips, Mac suddenly felt freshness over the chapped flesh that was trembling as he held the tiny screen of Jack in between his hands.

“I...I knew how you felt, being abandoned by your Dad...Cause I did that to Riley.”

“You didn’t...abandon her—”

“Then what would you have called it?”

It was a question Mac didn’t have an answer to.

“Regardless, I think it’s safe to say that you’re not the only one with abandonment issues, I’m just...on the other side of the spectrum. Worlds apart from the pain you musta felt when dear ol’ Dad leftcha and I shouldn’ta tried to push you back together without thinking how you might have felt—”

“Jack, Jack, it’s fine. I-I know you just...you had good intentions. Cause of what happened to your Dad.”

Jack nodded, wiped a hand over the running nose that Mac felt, though his was dry.

“And anyway, I just. I was scared, I guess. Didn’t know what to do. Hadn’t been on that side of the coin before. It may have hurt you but it...it hurt me, too.”

“I know it did. And I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too.”

“So...where do we go from here?” Mac asked, clearing his throat.

“Doesn’t matter, really. Cause no matter where you go, where I go, where we both go...We have each other.”

Mac felt Jack’s touch, though it was a poor substitute for the real deal, as he closed his eyes and envisioned him sitting next to him, his arms wrapped around him, hugging him to his chest.

“Forever,” Mac sighed, and Jack smiled as he felt the reassurance that while it had been stretched and twisted and tested, their bond would never be broken.

Not even in a death that Jack oddly felt he had just narrowly missed by some sort of guardian angel watching over him.

#nonny #macgyver fic #macdalton #angus macgyver #jack dalton #mk.op #mk.fic #ya know if a certain thing didn't happen in canon this fic would have ended a lot differently but i just #i couldn't #only happy endings for jack from now on i don't make the rules #though i know i really have no right to be here anymore lol

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vanchlo · 3 years

Text

The Partner / Chapter Three, “Rebecca Ann”

*Not my gifs and ugh it was SO hard to find good ones, sigh*

Word Count: 11.6k words / Story Masterlist / Read The Assistant / Read on Wattpad / Song will be at the end, so as not to give anything away ;)

“She is led by love, the world moves for love . . it kneels before it in awe."

- Edward Walker, The Village

“So, what happened in the story next?”

“Are you sure you can stay awake for another chapter, love?” I wheeze, fingers combing through the satiny loose curls that I push away from her eyes. The very pair that I’ve seen so many times in the mirror. “You’re getting tired, Bean. It’s been a long day for you with school and swim team practice.”

“I know, but I can stay awake. It’s getting good.”

“Pinky P?” I almost giggle, holding out my littlest finger that she hooks hers with. Without fail, I could still picture how tiny her fingers were the first time I saw them, and my how they’ve grown. I think it’d be safe to say somebody is going to have big hands, too.

“Yeah, it is, but . . . ,” my words escape me momentarily. Distracted, I stop, hearing the sound of a cry from upstairs, wishing that he would walk into the room. That he would help me with this part, and the ones that follow.

“But, what?”

I’d been called it every day for the last almost ten years, but it still was hard to get used to at times, especially now with the story I tell. I had a hard time sometimes believing how lucky I’d gotten, and she only reminds me as I watch her eyes lull at the feeling of my hand in her hair. Just like somebody I know.

“But it gets sad, love, because you know, sometimes things have to get worse before they get better.”

“Stop it, you sound like you’re making up rubbish rules, just like Daddy,” the beloved word falls from her rosebud lips, and we can’t contain our laughter. The imperfect perfections in her cheeks and the sing-song laughter that peels from her lips makes this all the more surreal for me, like I’m looking right at him. “Now, keep going, Mum. I want to hear more of your story.”

It was never really an awkward silence with Harry, save for the few times after we had a row. No, it hadn’t been anything but comfortable since well, before we had started dating. Maybe even not long after I’d become his assistant, if you’re not counting that painful in between time. Today wasn’t one of those times, but sometimes I may have made it awkward when I couldn’t stop staring at him, just like the way I currently watch as his eyelashes flutter against his skin.

“Skye and Asher?!” the voice says from the phone pressed to my ear.

“Yep. I still can’t believe it.”

“Well, I’ll be darned . . huh,” my dad concludes with a soft laugh. “I hope he knows how much trouble he’s in for.”

“Me too. Skye was pissed with me at first for not introducing them sooner. As if I should’ve known she’d fall in love the second she saw him.”

“That sounds like her,” he muses with nostalgia carried in his voice. A recent memory sits in my mind from the other day when Skye told me the very story that I’m retelling. The apparent love at first sight with Asher and their first date, a rushed love story at best compared to Harry and I’s. He griped about it, Harry, feeling bad for Asher not knowing what was going to hit him. He had his hands full, alright, both boys. “So, how are things with you and Harry then, Boops?”

“Good, really good,” the answer comes easily to me, yet in a hushed voice as I try not to speak too loudly. My next words pause when a furrow gathers between his two brows, easily remedied by the pad of my thumb.

“Your trip went well?”

“Yeah, it was loads of fun seeing his family. I met a few more of them, and they’re all so alike. The cheesy sense of humor, love of board games, and they’re kind as can be,” memories bubble up with my words of our trip to Harry’s hometown close to a week ago.

“Well, it was good to talk to you and catch up, love, but I have to get going to work. You too probably soon, huh?”

“Yeah, and you too, Dad. I miss you . . you’re sure you can’t come up soon for a day or something?” I ask, almost holding my breath, despite knowing it won’t help his answer to sound like the one I want.

“Not sure, Ree, I’ll have to see how it’s going with the next build, we’re getting busy.”

“Okay, I hope you can come up somehow . . Well, I’ll talk to you on Monday, Dad,” listening to his subsequent goodbye, I set down my phone, sighing. Shielding a hand over my forehead, I move my legs under the covers, feeling his warm pair.

It wasn’t often that I’d be awake before Harry, because somehow he was always up early, even on the weekends. Not today, though. I for once had been up before him. It was nice, getting to enjoy him like this, especially considering the way he drove me up the wall yesterday. Silent, asleep Harry was far preferable to me right now. He also couldn’t protest the lazy attempts I made at styling his hair differently when he was asleep, considering he slept like a log.

The colors had begun to change outside, and the shops were building their candy supplies in preparation for the scary holiday. Despite Fall settling around us, a golden tinge still clung to Harry’s skin. Underneath his golden necklace, at the point of his nose, and around his many tattoos. It still surprised me, the four numbers in my handwriting permanent above his heart. It had been filled with so many firsts, and hopefully a few lasts.

Glancing at the clock, I found that our alarm still wouldn’t be going off for a good while. Albeit he couldn’t be more handsome when asleep and knowing what I’m about to do, I fight my way into his arms. His groan is instant and so is the smile I try to hide from my lips.

“Mmm, Becks, ‘m sleepin,’” Harry whines against me, his body like jelly. His arms still find their way around me and so does his chin hooking over top of my head.

“I just wanna cuddle you before work.”

“Fine,” it’s a sighed answer in return, but I hear the defeat in his voice. The way sleep beckons for him, his soft snoring soon resuming. His chest is balmy under my cheek where I lay it, listening for the sound of his heart. Next to his laugh, it was my favorite sound.

It seemed to be a recurring theme throughout today, stealing glances at Harry when he wasn’t noticing, like now as he flips through his menu.

“Are ya gonna ogle me, Becks, or are you gonna figure out what t’ order, love?”

“I already decided.”

“Good, ‘cos so have I,” he announces, laying his menu down. It’s only seconds later that the server sees, and we’re ordering our breakfast. “Seems you and my gran have really hit it off.”

“Oh, you think so?”

“No, I know so. Saw it even. I haven’t seen her take t’ somebody like that befo,’ certainly not any other girlfriend of mine.”

“I really like her - Claire. She’s sweet and even though we’ve only met a few times, she’s so easy to talk to.”

“I know, I love that ‘bout her. You’d think she was my mum’s mum with how sweet tha two o’ them are. She’s been supportive ever since tha stuff started with my dad, always let me talk t’ her ‘bout it without judgement. It meant loads t’ me,” he divulges to me. I can’t help but nod along, and fold my hand into his in the middle of the table.

“I bet so. That sounds like my gran Ann, she was my dad’s mum, but she was always there for me.”

“I see where you get it from, love,” he smiles with a wink of his sunshine eye, lips curling from the rim of his mug of coffee. It still baffles me how he can drink it black, let alone ripping hot.

God, the things those eyes do to me, those lips too. Okay, Becky, chill. Now is not the time. But, then there’s the outfit he’s wearing today and how it’s so him, and effortlessly handsome. It looks like something my granddad would wear - tan slacks, and a cream long sleeved shirt with chocolate brown stripes. Curls in a mess atop his head and parted in the middle, but somehow, it works. It had become my favorite hairstyle of his recently, but that would quickly change with whatever new one he came up with next. For once, it wasn’t Chelsea boots today or the occasional Vans, but instead saddle brown laced up Oxfords. See, how were the casual outfits so handsome? Harry’s outfits always work, and I wish I knew how.

“Whatcha starin’ at, hmm? I keep findin’ you lookin’ at me this mornin,’ startin’ t’ wonder why.”

“What, can I not admire my handsome boyfriend every now and then?” my question comes with a lift of my brow. Now, it’s my turn to look all inquisitive over my cup of coffee.

“Now, I never said ya couldn’t do that, love,” Harry teases with a shit eating grin plastered to his face.

It stuck to his lips as he began to read the paper over his coffee until our breakfast arrived. Even then, it remained.

“Stop looking at me like that,” I titter, cutting my fork through the two layers of pancakes.

“Stop drenchin’ yer pancakes with syrup, yer not gonna taste ‘em. They’ll be all soggy,” he warns, feeding a strip of bacon past his bubblegum pink lips.

“Stop telling me what to do with my pancakes.”

“Watch it, li’l one, or else ‘m not gonna share me food with you,” Harry says, pointing his fork at me. It gleams with strips of maple syrup beading at the tines’ ends. My lips ready their rebuttal, but his eyebrows only inch higher as he cocks his head towards me, silently willing me to continue. “I know ya will, ‘s a given. You always ask t’ taste somethin’ off me plate, don’t even try t’ deny it, lovey.”

It’s difficult to say the least, hiding my smirk and its accompanying giggle. Shaking my head, I sigh as I stab my fork at my pancakes, feeling his foot knock into mine underneath the table. It looked nothing close to Rafael’s here, but somehow, it brought me back to that night in the Italian restaurant. Our first one. The way his foot nudged at mine under the table, and the way his eyes gleamed with a smile. Sometimes, if I thought hard enough, I could feel the fluttering inside of me from the butterflies he still gave me.

“What? Yer a li’l too quiet fer tha talkin’ t’ I jus’ gave you, bug. No witty comebacks? That’s a surprise and a relief all in one,” Harry jokes, dimples set into his cheeks. He had shaved them just a few days ago, but it looked like it had been longer.

My lips are absent of any words. Instead, I busy them with the pillowy pancakes drenched in maple syrup. Looking down at my plate, I cut into the potatoes crisp on the exterior with cheese and flecks of pepper. Setting down my fork, I slowly pat on the bottom of the ketchup bottle.

“Becks? Y’know I was only jokin,’ love.”

“I know, and we both know you’re going to share your lemon poppyseed muffin with me,” it’s my turn for the shit eating grin now. Lifting my gaze, I meet his.

“I told you!” he begins with a shake of his head, pressing his fist to his overactive mouth. “Told ya t’ order yer own, love.”

“Yeah, but you’ll share with me because you love me.”

“I dunno if ‘d go as far t’ say that,” he shrugs. My scoff makes the smile tickle further at his cheeks, and it all but disappears when I pinch his thigh from under the table. “Woman, I swear t’ bloody God-.”

“Swear what?” I pipe up, setting my chin in my hand as he chuckles away across from me. He suffices a response with a shake of his head, feeding a ripe strawberry past his lips. It doesn’t help that he locks eyes with me the second he does it, and lips slow as can be, at that. “You’re bad.”

Harry offers a measly shrug in response, and what speaks volumes is the way he tugs the striped bag closer to him, holding our beloved muffin. Ignoring it, I dip a bite of potatoes into my puddle of ketchup, enjoying the hum of the cafe around us. Harry and I had been coming here for a while now- well, before we had started dating. He liked their food and turned me onto them, starting with getting him breakfast and his special muffin when I was his assistant. I don’t think he took me out to breakfast here until I had come back to work at his firm, but it was a nice treat every once in a while, even if it meant having to wake up earlier.

“I talked to my dad this morning, and told him about Skye and Asher. He was surprised, to say the least. I wish he’d come up and visit one of these days, he’s always so busy.”

“‘m sure he will when he’s not so busy, love, like when his new build ‘s over,” Harry muses, loudly flipping the page of his paper. Watching as he flattens it out, the bite of potatoes on its way to my mouth pauses.

“How’d you know about his new build?”

“‘Cos I talk t’ him too. He rang me tha other day, and we spoke ‘bout um . . I dunno, footie and cooking,” he answers, nonchalantly. Nodding, I shake a little more salt onto my potatoes, trying to will Harry to meet my eyes.

“Maybe he’ll come up if you ask, or if it’s to hang out with you.”

“Oh, hush, you. He’ll come when he has tha time, love, y’know that. Stop bein’ a pout,” he says, folding his paper back up into a messy square. My head shakes when he holds it out to me, instead setting it to the side before he picks up his coffee.

A wheezy laugh drops from his lips as he shakes his head at me, “Fine, here, Ms. Pouty. I must love you a whole lot t’ share me muffin,” Harry sighs, reaching into the bag and soon splitting it in half, handing me a chunk.

“Thank you . . love you,” it comes with a wink that he dismisses with a roll of his eyes.

“I know,” he huffs, breaking off a morsel of the dense bread. His eyes twinkle with mischief when I nudge my foot against his leg underneath the table. “Ditto, bug, always love you back too.”

I tried to find the words but they wouldn’t come. They couldn’t. Huffing, a hand dives into my hair as I stare back at the screen. It’s a welcomed respite when my wrist sings with a notification. Pushing back my sleeve, it reads Team Meeting at 2pm. I tap my palm against the screen to silence it before standing from my desk.

“Don’t look so sad to see me,” a voice teases. Lifting my eyes, I find Simon gliding down the hall towards me. The lawyer life suited him well, and so did his new job at the firm. He certainly had a flare for the suits, sporting a maroon number today. He seemed to be liking it and Harry never had a bad thing to say about him.

“Hi, Si.”

“Something the matter, Big B?” he pries, bumping his shoulder against mine as we turn into the east conference room where a few bodies congregate.

“No, just stuck on writing this deposition, so this will be a good break.”

“You mean a boring break,” Simon jokes, passing me an empty mug.

“Hey, I can’t be caught saying that around here,” I say, sarcasm laced in my hushed voice.

“Oh, yeah. We can’t have the boss’ girlfriend be heard saying his speeches were boring,” his animated lilt tickles a happiness at my lips. A laugh passes between us as steam from the hot coffee wafts across my face.

“What’s this I hear ‘bout boring? Ya aren’t talkin’ ‘bout yer bosses, now are you?” somebody pipes up. Looking over my shoulder, I’m awarded with the sight of Harry grinning far too proudly at his own joke. He embellishes it with a quick wink to me and a hand pressed into the small of my back.

“Oh, me calling you boring? Never in a million years,” Si cracks. I savor the sound of their loud laughs whilst pouring creamer and sugar into mine. Setting it down on the table we stand at, I pick up another mug, filling this one to the top with the scalding coffee.

“Thank you, my love,” my boyfriend smiles when I hand him the hot coffee. “Better go find a seat, tha two o’ you are late, per usual,” he quips, waving a circle into my back before leaving.

“Yeah right, like we’re late,” Si scoffs, turning to walk away. The rest of the gang had joined us by now, and I find an empty seat next to Rose towards the back.

I had come up with my own little rule at these things. It started with never sitting up front by Harry where he and Myles spoke. Certainly, I never sat in the back straight across from him where his eyes would gravitate. They both were bad ideas, and I’d quickly found them out from a past mistake or two.

Today, Myles started us off. There was something about a required employee training. Of course, there was the annual Halloween party coming up later this month, a charity function in the works, and working a table at an upcoming uni job fair. Harry and I may or may not be going as a certain Spice Girls couple, wink wink.

Slowly, like always, it grew to be boring. That’s when the texts started, despite the number of times Harry groaned about me distracting him on previous occasions. I quickly found it near impossible to not give him the dirtiest of looks across the room. It didn’t help that we were on near opposite sides, and he was facing Myles, pretending to pay attention. Per usual.

what should we do 2night for dinner? was thinkin i could do u 2 start with

He did a terrible job of wicking the smirk from his lips when I looked at him next. Kneading at his bottom lip hardly hid it, and drinking my coffee didn’t save me either.

You’re bad, is all I text back, making it look as if I’m taking notes on my laptop. I just hope nobody else can see, but I try to make sure of that.

oh i could be loads of things if u let me love. like in between ur legs 2night or if ur good enough some time b4 we go home

He didn’t even need to add a winky face or a saucy emoji. This man and his way with words, I swear it’ll be the death of me. He will, one way or the other. Hiding my laugh with a cough, I bring my mug back to my lips, nearly choking when Harry’s gaze slinks over to mine.

“You okay?” Si whispers.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I answer, holding eye contact with Harry. Nobody else might notice it, but I see it. The way one of his dimples plays hide and seek with me on his cheek, accompanying his sly lips. A pair that I’m itching to have on me, here and now. Well, in fifteen minutes or so.

alright becks? choking already thinkin bout me big dick bein in ur mouth?

Stop, we’re in a meeting, Harry. Your meeting

doesn’t stop me love so don’t let it stop u now

God, you’re unbelievable, Harry

so are those lips of urs bug. cant wait 2 have those pretty things round me cock 2day. up 2 u if ya want me sooner or later

Trying to mask my long sigh, I press the cover of my laptop shut. It’s even harder to resist sneaking a look at Harry. He is so full of shit, faking a glance around the room just to make brief eye contact with me. Of course, while he licks his lips. My eyebrows lift only in the slightest and he manages a shrug at me whilst leaning back in his chair, hands behind his head like the cocky boss he is.

Rose’s spiel that was actually holding my attention is interrupted when my wrist vibrates ten minutes later. I’m already beginning to roll my eyes when I lift it, wondering what Harry has said now. But, it’s not him. It’s who I least expected out of anyone.

Hi, bunny. I’m in London for a few days . . . I want to see you. Could we get coffee or lunch? xo

The rest of Rose’s speech goes absolutely over my head. If you asked me what it was about, I couldn’t tell you, despite the fact that I heard it. But no, I didn’t. Not really. Nor did I hear Simon’s subsequent jokes or when Rose called on me to share progress on our case. I couldn’t remember what, just the way everybody looked at me, like the kid in class caught not paying attention. It didn’t help seeing the worry etched onto Harry’s face, then and now, as I sit in the car next to him.

Another one had come by now, and still, I had no idea what to say or do.

“Did ya hear what I said, ‘bout dinner?”

Lifting my gaze, I see Harry’s patient one waiting for me.

“No, sorry. What’d you say?”

Waiting for the light to turn, his hand had folded mine into his firmly. Delicate circles were left on my skin by his thumb. “You alright t’day, Becks?”

“Fine. Did you want to get takeaway for dinner, or just warm up leftovers?”

“F’get ‘bout dinner fer a second, Becks, and please tell me what’s been botherin’ you t’day. We agreed on no mo’ lies, bug, and I know yer not fine. I can tell,” his objection comes in a gentle murmur, accentuated by his thumb pressing against mine.

“I’m sorry,” it’s sighed, almost lost in the Arctic Monkeys song filling the car, until Harry turns it off. “My mum texted me today, during our team meeting.”

The ‘oh’ that comes from him is teeming with realization and a certain weight to it. All I can think of to do in response is to nod. I busy myself with sliding his new opal ring off his left forefinger.

“‘s okay, bug, I understand . . ‘m sorry, too. So, what’d her text say?”

The white glow from the touchscreen display in Harry’s Rover illuminates the reflective specks in the stone. They cover the rainbow, spanning from purple, white, pink, and a mint green. Harry had joked when he’d gotten it that I was probably going to steal it from him more often than not, knowing how I loved opals. He was right, and that was a few months ago. I had worn it until now on my thumb when he belatedly stole it back from me. It fit him better, anyways.

“That she’s in London, and she wants to get together,” my voice is childlike, shy and lacking volume. Harry begins to speak, until I stop him, with my voice and my subsequent words. “Then, when I didn’t respond that I’m invited to lunch with her and Robbie tomorrow afternoon at some restaurant Robbie likes.”

“Oh,” he hums, lips stilling when he looks over his shoulder before making a turn. “Did you text her back yet?”

“No. I don’t want to go, or talk to her. I dunno why she does this, just pop up out of the blue as if she hasn’t spoken to me in almost two years . . since my accident.”

“You don’t hafta go, Becks. There’s nothin’ makin’ you go. Yer an adult and you make yer own decisions, bug. You don’t owe her anythin.’”

“I know, but that doesn’t stop her from the guilt trips. I don’t even remember unblocking her number . . she must have gotten a new one. But, I’m afraid, Harry,” I confess, threading the ring back onto his finger riddled with fine dark hairs. He allows me, having gotten used to it by now, and the way that I trace the veins poking out of his skin.

“Of what, babe? ‘s not like she can- well, I guess she could.”

I try to swallow past the nerves, and the unsaid words, but it’s difficult, to say the last. “Yeah, she could. It’s not very hard to Google your name and find the address of your firm. She must know by now that I work for you again.”

“Bug, even if she came t’ tha firm, she has t’ get past Amelia first, and that’s not gonna happen. She’d ring you and say who’s in tha lobby waitin’ fer you, you could easily turn her away, if anythin’.”

“You’re right.”

“‘m always right,” he coos, lifting a brow at me goofily when his piercing eyes meet mine. The curl to his lips doesn’t linger, and they soon flatten out with understanding and severity. “It’ll be okay, Becks. Do what feels right. Text her back and say no, or don’t talk t’ her at all. She doesn’t deserve yer time o’ day afta what she’s put you thru.’ Dunno how people like that can’t understand ya don’t jus’ get t’ pop in and out o’ yer kid’s life,” it’s a muttering as his head shakes back and forth. The whirring sound of the garage door opening before us fills the empty space of the car.

Harry knew. He knew all about it with the disappearing parent act, the parent who was preferable when they were absent. Yet, his Dad had popped back into his life, but this time he hadn’t left. Sometimes, I was a tad bit jealous, if I were honest. Not with him, though, but Skye sniffed it out on me once. I had wished a thousand times over since I was little that my mum was different, that she was a normal mum, and a better one. It never came true that wish, but yet at 28, I still found myself making it without trying. Lasting only moments, I still felt sour with guilt at times for the thought, despite being overjoyed for Harry about the recent development.

“Have you spoken to your dad lately?” I decide to say, draping my work bag over my shoulder.

“Ya, um . . yest’day, I think it was. He called me on my way back from tha courts. He’s doin’ a job in Edinburgh but wants t’ get together with us when he’s back. I don’t rememba him bein’ a good cook, but he wants t’ have us over fer dinner at his.”

“That sounds nice. Would you like that?”

The house is quiet and dark when we step inside. The typical one word male response comes as I set my shoes next to his on the mat, letting him take my light coat.

“Shit, kinda forgot ‘bout takeaway. Are leftovers fine, bug?”

“Yeah, I don’t care,” my answer comes. Harry’s humming fills my ears, and although I love it, my attention is held elsewhere.

“Let’s wait on dinner,” he announces, but not until his arms come around my middle do I start to pay attention. The two waiting texts before me disappear when Harry gently takes my phone away, setting it down on the kitchen island. “I think I have an idea o’ how I could take yer mind off o’ things.”

I can’t resist, the way my lips split into a smile. The containers of Harry’s famous stir fry are forgotten on the counter when I feel the first kiss he plants to my neck.

“Oh, really, Mr. Styles, what ever could that be?” it comes out in a giggle, because all control I thought I had is lost with my words. He looks close to one when I turn around in his arms, finding his bottom lip caught between his teeth.

“Anythin’ ya want, bug, anythin’ at all.”

“A baby?” I tease, reveling in the sight of his eyes widening. Now, the laugh spills from his decadent, cherry lips.

“Careful there, Becks, yer gettin’ ahead o’ yerself. Y’know my stipulations on that one,” he jokes, wagging a finger at me. The soft light above the granite top island lends a glow to his face, not that he’d ever need another one, considering the sunshine he holds. I wish I could say the same thing for me, but he whisks it away with those very words. “Y’know ‘ll give you a baby one day, all tha babies you want. But, fer now, what’ll make my bug happiest?”

My answer doesn’t come in words or a look- well, I may let one go on accident. It’s hard not to while his eyes bore into mine, my hands making their way up his chest underneath his button down. “Will you come and take a bath with me?”

“Certainly. Rough day, bug?” I only nod my head, feeling the knot in my throat when I try to swallow, unable to stop remembering them all. “Wanna talk ‘bout it?”

My head going from side to side suffices for words, and so does the way I drop my head to his chest. His solid arms come around me, smoothing my hair back with gentle strokes.

“Sounds like a bath bomb and back massage kinda night.”

“Thank you,” is all I say, because I know that he knows, without him having to say it.

“‘Course, my love, jus’ wanna make you happy.”

Closing my eyes, I try to forget the things that had piled up the last week, and the questions I wish I could ask him, but I’m not sure how.

I don’t know where it had started, or even when, really. As Harry dips his hand under the bathwater to get it just right, they come floating back to me. The way he had been distant, and yet not, but one outweighed the other.

“C’mere, my girl,” he coos, inching a finger back and forth, beckoning me over to him. Obliging, the floor is ice cold against my bare feet, but his hands deposit a warmth on my skin I’ve missed. “Can I help you get undressed, honeybug?”

Nodding, I absentmindedly pick a spot on the wall to stare at. It was an imperfection at best, a white divot amongst the soft gray. From one of Harry’s drunken nights nearing a year ago, it appeared one morning and he still hadn’t gotten it fixed. It went unnoticed for lengths at a time, but I wish I could say the same for the things I picked up on this week. The way he’d immediately hang up on a phone call when I entered the room, at work or home. Speaking of his phone, he wouldn’t let me use it when I’d happen to lose mine and needed to look something up, not even to take a picture. Instead, he’d make up some excuse about expecting a call, or that it was about to die, despite seeing his battery was at least half full. It confused me, to say the least, but that only shrank in comparison when it came to the apparent work dinner I wasn’t invited to the other night. Then, there was the entire absence of talking about ring shopping, as if it had never existed. I’d ask if we could go and look at this shop, and he’d agree to it but no more would be said. Or, I’d show him a ring I saw online and he’d have nothing more to say than a one word response. It didn’t help that Skye seemed too busy for me as well, cancelling our weekly dinner to hang out with Asher instead, as if we couldn’t have all hung out together. I could have used one of her pep talks, or so I thought until I mentioned my predicament to her, and she brushed it off, telling me it was probably nothing. That only drove me further up the Worry Wall, now wondering if I was making something out of nothing.

“Alright, bubs?”

She wasn’t alright, and I could tell. It was clear as day, beginning with the far away look in her eye. It only stuck as I lifted her sweater dress over her head, and peeled her black jeggings from her legs.

“Pinky P?” she ignored our inside joke and got into the tub first. As I unbuttoned my shirt, I watched her as she rested her chin on her knees that hugged her chest. I wondered if she knew, and if I had been too distant, trying to hide it from her. The last thing I would ever want to do in the world is to hurt her. I’m afraid that while trying to do the most important thing in my life, I’ve hurt her in the process.

“Becks, wanna go out t’ dinner t’gether on Friday? I heard ‘bout this really great place, I think we’d like it,” she hums an audible confirmation, it’s barely there, whilst holding the raspberry colored bath bomb in her hand. “‘m gonna go and warm up dinner and we can eat it in tha bath. That sound good t’ you, bub?”

“Sure,” she says, again. She usually loves my stir fry, and when she doesn’t request her classic big glass of milk with it to keep the spicyness in check, I know she’s not herself.

Shit, what have I done?

I find her eyes have lulled closed after I set my empty dinner plate on the floor on top of hers. “C’mere, li’l one,” I hum, waving my fingers in and out towards her. She groans a denial, content to rest her head on her knees still. I don’t take no for an answer, hooking my hands in the crease of her legs. “Becks baby.”

Huffing, she lifts her pretty head and stuns me with those eyes. A tiredness sits in them, something more than exhaustion from getting up at six am today. Flashing my award winning smile at her, she at last uncurls herself and wades through the bathwater until I pull her onto my lap.

Now, the hot water isn’t the only thing keeping me warm when she curls up against my chest. Water collects at the ends of her hair, making it hard to comb my fingers through, but only at first. Peering down at her, I watch as her bare chest rises and falls with breaths, something I once was so afraid of not seeing. To never get to see again.

I thank my lucky stars on the daily for still being blessed with this sight. Her temple is damp with beads of sweat and water mixed together, but I can still smell it there, the orange blossoms and vanilla. Her smell, one I could inhale forever.

“‘m sorry ‘ve been so busy lately, I know ‘ve been a bit distant,” it begins as a mumble on my lips, and there’s no stopping it in time. “Know you’ve noticed it too, and that ‘s upset ya.”

“Is something wrong? Did I-,” her question is spoken gingerly, fear in her voice tinged with self-consciousness.

“No, ‘course not, bug. Nothing’s tha matter, and you didn’t do anythin’ wrong, please don’t think you did. ‘ve jus’ been busy with a project at work, but I promise it’ll be finished soon,” the thought itself brought to life by my voice teases my lips with a smile, knowing the finish line that I approach. At last.

“Okay . . thanks, Harry.”

“Welcome, bubs,” I murmur, exhaling against her forehead. Her forehead is balmy where I rest my lips, letting my eyes shut too, listening to nothing but the sound of her breathing. After all of this time, I still felt a chill in my bones when my thoughts were yanked to her accident. Now, it only makes me feel as if my words didn’t do enough to reassure her, but I wasn’t sure what more I could do without giving it away. No, I couldn’t do that. “I love you so much, Becks, can’t wait t’ marry you one day.”

“I love you too, Harry,” it’s an almost snigger from her decadent lips. I wait for more, but it doesn’t come, not until she stirs in my arms.

“What d’ya think yer doin’?” it’s my turn to spill a giggle, watching her move in my arms until she’s facing me. More importantly, straddling my lap and running a hand through my hair.

Her answers came in a simple shrug of her shoulders, but the tilt to her lips spoke volumes more. My name for her sounds from my lips as a tut, but she quickly whisks it away with her own on mine. The rippling of the bath water around us is the only sound besides the way our lips move together. Her ass is spongy and slick beneath my naked fingers, and her squeal against my lips is heaven and everything more.

“Can I still take you up on that offer?” her words graze my mouth, craving me to reach forward and return them to mine.

“What offer, bug?” I ask under hooded eyes, mine boring into hers the color of bottomless oceans.

It was more than music to my ears, it was everything good stitched together by her lips, “To take my mind off things . . and yours, in the process.”

“Certainly,” I say, beginning to move until her hands push against my chest. “Use yer words.”

“Let me.”

It’s a giggled reply at best, because as she adjusts herself on top of me, any possibility of speaking soon wanes. “Yer bloody confusin,’ y’know that, Becks?”

“Is this confusing to you, Harry?” she murmurs with a flick of her expressive brows. It’s not her words, but something else that knocks some air out of me. Nearly impossible to notice, her composure has grown since she’s become a lawyer, especially as she starts to rub her crotch against my hardening member.

“Not at all, baby, jus’ tell me what you need me t’ do.”

“Kiss me,” she answers, fervor shining in her voice. I don’t even get to laugh before she steals it from me with her lips, bringing a groan from them next when she takes my dick in her hand.

A quiet battle rages inside of me, not wanting her to leave, but at the same time, I need her to. There’s never a day where she doesn’t look beautiful, and on days when she has court she tries even more. She asked me once when I find her the most beautiful, and her first guess was these days when she argued her case, but I said no. It brought her eyebrows together in confusion, pinching her oval face in the cutest of ways. No, I found her the most beautiful in the first light of the morning, in the way sleep clung to every bit of her, making her slower and more . . her. It could be found in the lighty giggles that she painted the air with, the way her nose scrunched together in the middle of one. Her hair swept in different places, and how she clung to me like my own personal koala. If koalas were simultaneously personal heaters. Becks was most beautiful in the morning, because in those first few minutes of waking up, I was reminded anew that she chose to be mine. A dream of mine I doubted over and over about the possibility of.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she didn’t need makeup to make her beautiful, but her eyelashes longer from mascara fluttered against her skin with the question. Her dark chocolate eyebrows she swept a pencil over every morning hugged the pale skin between them.

“Oh,” it plummets from my lips with astonishment, and a clearing of my throat. The left corner of her mouth greets her cheek when the gesture clicks with her. God, sometimes she can still take my breath away by just the sight of her, even several years later. “Ya still manage t’ make me weak in tha knees, y’know that? I dunno how you do it, bug,” I reply with a clicking of my tongue, edging towards her. A shade of coral arrives in her cheeks with my words and proximity, only growing darker when I wrap my arms around her from behind.

“So do you, you know.”

“Mmm, thought so, thanks fer tha confirmation, love,” it’s a reply joined by my nose against her temple. Her flighty laugh graces my ears once more, and I’m smiling without knowing it. God, I can’t wait to hear that laugh for the rest of my life. Which reminds me. “You and Rose should get goin’, love, if ya want t’ get t’ tha courts early. Lunch traffic may be bad.”

“Why are you trying to get rid of me, Harry?”

“‘m not, jus’ lookin’ out fer you, ‘s all,” I choose to say, glad she can’t see the way that I check my watch, seeing the texts waiting on my screen. Too similar to how they’re waiting.

“Okay, Dad. I’ll see you later then, for dinner tonight?” Suddenly, I’m looking into her eyes, the very color I hope our kids have. I know our kids will have them, they’ll be so lucky.

“‘ll see you afta yer done, bug. Good luck on yer case, I know you’ll smash it.”

“Thanks,” it’s spoken with warmth, one that I know I’ll miss despite wanting her to go. Needing her to go. “Still picking me up after?”

“‘Course, my love. We can’t f’get dinner t’night.”

“I’m excited. Rose said she likes Isabelle’s,” she comments, wasting her

time by playing with the opal ring on my hand. Mine that she’d stolen for a good while, and I finally took back. “They have really good desserts and steaks.”

“‘ve heard that too. Can’t wait t’ try some with you t’night,” it comes out with a smile, but I’m never sure that I could ever match hers. It had gotten better over the last few days, I think I was finding a balance between keeping it but not keeping her out. Her lips taste of cinnamon roll coffee creamer and cherry chapstick when I peck her, just how she always does. I could do with kisses tasting like that forever and ever. “Bye, bug. You girls drive safe now.”

“We will. Bye, have a good day.”

“See ya. Stop putzing, and get goin,’ li’l one,” I titter, savoring the taken aback look on her face when I slap her ass. The sound of her’s fills my ears as I join her in the hallway, watching her walk away and get onto the lift.

I give it a few more moments, imagining the space placed between us, hoping she won’t be returning for something she had forgotten. Now, that would be bad. Only once I feel confident, do my feet wake up and I start on my way, contradicted by the way my heart gallops like a horse right out of the gates.

“Here we go, Harry. One o’ tha biggest days o’ yer lives, jus’ on tha horizon,” I mumble aloud to me and only him, stopping when I reach the door. Already, I can hear their voices from this side, but before I can open it, I fill my lungs with an impatient breath.

Their sounds slowly fall when I make my entrance, feeling as I’m still running that race inside of my chest, knowing I’m nowhere near the finish line. Perhaps, I’m just a bit closer. When each of their faces lifts to mine, the faces of our families, it imbues me with a shattering sense of reality meeting dreams. One I’ve had held inside of me for so long now.

“Alright, so ‘bout t’night then. You lot ready t’ help me with this or what?”

I thought I knew what I was doing, but when I turned onto our street, I quickly found that I had no idea at all. I was afraid she could feel the clamminess of my hand, or that that feeling of hers would give it away all entirely. The dinner had gone as perfectly as it could’ve, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I only hoped that the next part would, because it was the most important one of all. Arguably, this would be the most important case of my life that I needed to win. A whirring of the garage door gave a background to my thoughts as I tap at my Apple watch, heaving a sigh when I see the text.

We’re all ready when you are!

Pulling my coat around me tighter, I follow Harry through the garage and into the house. He had promised more chocolate once we had gotten home from dinner. Although it sounded wonderful, I wasn’t sure how I could fit any more in my stomach after the lavish meal we had just stuffed ourselves with. I still couldn’t figure out why he had gone out of his way to have dinner together at one of the most expensive places in town, Isabelle’s.

I barely get the chance to shrug off my coat when I feel him tug on my hand. His name escapes my lips in a giggle, similar to the one that gleams in his eyes.

“C’mon, bug, there’s somethin’ I wanna show you,” Harry insists, waiting for me to join him. Leaving the dark downstairs, I follow him up the flight of wooden steps.

“What’s that?”

“Yer supposed t’ be able t’ see Jupiter t’night in tha night sky. I know ‘s yer favourite one, bug,” I find myself nodding along with his words. Still, I’m unable to tear myself away from the warm gray suit he donned for tonight, the one that started it all for us.

“Okay, but I really need the loo first.”

“‘Kay, take yer time. ‘ll try t’ see if I can find it fer us then,” the words leave my lips with a wobbliness to them. If that feeling of her’s was piqued or if she knew something, Becks didn’t let on. All she did was flash me a funny smile before rushing into the bathroom, hardly closing the door.

No matter the lengths I go to, I can’t seem to breath in long enough. It all was descending upon me, as I peeked out at the back garden and felt a warmth bubbling inside of me and onto my lips. The effervescent feeling carried through in my limbs as I stepped onto the balcony, pressing record before smoothing down my hair and my suit.

I felt like if it were ever going to happen, my heart would certainly leap from my chest tonight. Just in a matter of moments, for her. Because of her.

“Did you find it, Harry?” I wonder aloud, stepping through the doorway of the bathroom, returning to our bedroom.

“Y-Ya,” from the balcony of our bedroom, he responds. Was that a stammer, I just heard? “C’mere, bug, lemme show you.”

“Okay,” my answer comes, and so does a thought when I glance Harry’s phone propped up on our bed with the camera pointing at me. Funny that it landed that way, I wonder when he’s going to break it from tossing it onto our bed so many times, I think quietly to myself.

The midnight indigo sky beckoned me forth, as did Harry who looked at me over his shoulder. A soft glow from the balcony light fell over us as I stopped at the railing beside him, peering up at the night sky.

“Alright,” he sighs, stretching out his arm to point a ringed finger at the expanse of darkness. “Ya see that bright light over on tha left hand side o’ tha sky? There it ‘s, that’s Jupiter fer ya. Told ya I knew a thing or two ‘bout space, Becks.”

“Wow, that’s amazing,” it comes out in a drawn out breath, astonishment dripping from my words. Even if it was just a twinkling light in the night sky, it was that seven letter word beginning with an A.

A tingly warmth builds on my cheek, and looking to my right, I find Harry smiling at me. For a second, I think I see a wetness collecting in his eyes, but it’s gone when I blink.

“What?”

My question sits in the air, unanswered by him while he brushes his thumb across my cheek.

“Yer amazin,’ Becks . . prettier than any star in any sky, my love,” his words are spaced out in between breaths, and his adam’s apple bobs in his throat, punctuating the end of his words. The corners of my lips lift into a smile, something he can never fail to do, but it was only one out of many.

“Thank you, Harry,” I murmur softly, stepping forward to press a kiss to his cheek. In the movement, something catches my eye. The feeling of his prickly cheek against my lips is but a memory as my gaze follows through with its curiosity. “Wait, what’s-.”

My lips pause and so does the question on my lips when I peer down at our back garden. The trees and bushes are lit up all over by candlelight. A breath gets caught in my throat as the image before me comes together, candles organized with their flames spelling two words. My hand instantly flies to my mouth as my breath escapes me, tears taking their place.

They read, MARRY ME?

I didn’t hear it or let alone see it, the way he had sunk down onto one knee, but when I turn to face Harry, the first one falls. Down my cheek, and then his. His trademark wheeze paints the air as his sages overflow with tears. Swallowing, I taste the briny ones on my lips as an image I’d dreamt of and doubted fills my eyes. It’s unmistakable, the way his knee shakes, the other bent underneath him as the light catches the gleaming diamond ring held in his hand.

“H-Harry,” it’s shaky and adorned with tears, but the sight before me becomes clearer when I blink. “Yes, of course, yes!” I exclaim, and he’s laughing deeply.

“I haven’t even said anythin’ yet, bug,” he chuckles loudly with a shake of his head. “C’mere you, get over here.” Obliging, my legs nudge me over to him where he takes my hand in his.

“Bloody hell, woman, I memorized this whole speech. Least let me try and say it,” the obnoxious and loud laugh that spills from his lips could never fail to be music to my ears. He blows out a breath from his lips rounded into an O, and we both shed apprehensive giggles. “Have I ever told you all o’ tha things I love most ‘bout you, Becks? I could write a book ‘bout ‘em all, but they start with how kind you always are. Reckon it was tha first thing I noticed ‘bout you after those killer eyes o’ yers on tha day we met. You’ve never stopped being kind t’ me, even when I didn’t deserve it, or when others didn’t. That and how bloody unrelenting you are were tha first things that struck me ‘bout you when you were my assistant, Becks. I never would’ve thought we’d get t’ where we are t’day seein’ where we started, but I could never thank you enough fer not givin’ up on me, Becks . . on us. God, ‘m ramblin’ now, ‘m sorry,” there it is again, his signature wheeze. A similar sound comes from me as we take a breather to wipe at our eyes. The only sound surrounding us is the galloping of my heart, probably his too, and my favorite sound falling from his lips.

“It’s okay, keep going. You’re doing great,” I urge him in a soft whisper, hoping my wink is half as good as his when he smiles that sunshine up at me. He nods once, squeezing my hand firmly before going back to tracing nervous circles onto my knuckles.

“Yer humor too, it may be cheesy sometimes, and not as funny as mine,” no, my wink could never be good as the one he gives me now. Effortlessly cute. “But I love it, and so many mo’ things ‘bout you, Rebecca Ann. Tha way you take care o’ me. I know ‘ve said it befo’ but yer so good t’ me with yer cookin’, puttin’ up with my cold feet in bed and tha way I hog tha covers, workin’ t’gether at me firm which I know presents ‘s own set o’ challenges, and how you’ve made me into a better person ev’ry day since I met you. Ya get on me nerves and yer stubborn as a bloody bull, but I can’t imagine spendin’ tha rest o’ me life with anybody but you. ‘s been that way fer years now, love, and I can’t go another day without you knowin’ it.”

“I do, Harry,” it’s a mere whisper, but his smile soaks it all up, and so does mine for his sunshine.

“Hey, what’d I say ‘bout you gettin’ ahead o’ yerself here?” his lips couldn’t lift higher and his sunshine couldn’t be brighter. Our heads shake with songs of laughter, my very favorite tune in the entire world. “Yer me favourite thing in this entire world, bug, and I want t’ spend tha rest o’ me life showin’ you that ev’ry day. I wanna have so many babies with you, even a li’l boy named Lennon perhaps, and a li’l girl named Luna, like we’ve said . . I want t’ argue cases with you fer tha rest o’ me career, ‘cos yer me favourite lawyer. Yer my partner, bug, and I always want t’ have you there at my side, Becks . . There’s so much mo’ I could say t’ you, tellin’ you how I love you, but I know I have tha rest o’ me life t’ do it. So, Rebecca Ann Holte-,” he pauses with a frog in his throat, shaking his head. A knot tightens in mine as I watch him press his face into the crook of his arm, crying quietly with a smile. Pulling away after a moment, he exhales and looks to me with a wet smile dripping with sunshine.

“Harry,” I sigh, tears tightening around my words.

Clearing his throat, he continues, “What d’ya say t’ changin’ that last name o’ yers t’ Styles fer me? Will you marry me, Becks?”

“There’s nothing I’d want more, Harry, than to spend the rest of my life with you,” they’re coated in tears, soon mixing with his when I collapse into his arms, my lips pressed against his. I feel the nervousness spill at last from his lips when they touch the crown of my head, laying kisses there in layers as we shed happy tears.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you. Yer ev’rythin’ ‘ve ever wanted, Becks,” Harry whispers there, pressing me firmly against his front. The light catches the well of tears in his eyes when I belatedly pull away, bringing my hand to his cheek. “My fiancee.”

“Fiancee . . I like the sound of that,” I murmur, tracing the outline of his bottom lip. He nods with my words, just as a tear falls into the divot in his cheek.

“Y’know what I like tha sound of?” his voice is gentle and just above a whisper that I answer with my head cocked to the side. “Rebecca Styles. Becky Styles.”

It couldn’t feel sweeter, the sound that coasts off my lips, him soon replicating it. Even sweeter it tastes when I touch my lips to his, finding that same word in his smiling eyes. Following them, they fall to the mahogany colored wooden box he clutches in his hand.

“Oh, ya, can’t forget ‘bout this now. ‘s very important,” Harry says, opening the box once again, and I’m brought to tears by the sight of it.

“Harry, is that-,” I begin, but tears take hold of my voice prematurely, my hand over my mouth in disbelief. Sniffling, his ring laden hand dives into my hair, knowing how it calms me. “H-Her ring?”

Flicking my eyes to his, he hums a reply before his lips part, “Ya, ‘s yer Grandma Ann’s, Becks.” his neck smells of vanilla and sandalwood when I find myself in his arms again, spewing ugly tears onto his shoulder. “Been on tha phone with yer dad almost ev’ry day fer tha last two weeeks talkin’ ‘bout it, ‘bout doin’ this.”

Hiccups rack my chest when I pull away, eyes gravitating towards the glinting piece of jewelry tucked away into his large hand. “I-I see why you were being so sneaky lately,” I muster, swiping under my eyes. Despite the breaths I try to shove down my lungs, I can’t stop shaking.

“Ya, ‘m sorry ‘bout that. I thought somethin’ was up with you, figured you’d noticed. Didn’t mean t’ keep you out, Becks, but couldn’t have you findin’ out and spoilin’ all tha fun I had planned fer you,” he murmurs, booping my nose. My eyes fall shut when he presses his lips to my cheek, nudging his face against mine. “Important stuff here . . Now, let’s see if it fits.”

Gulping, I hold out my hand, wincing at the way it shakes. As I watch his long fingers delicately remove the golden ring from the velvet cushion, I try to remember how I’d come to be sitting on his lap. How all of this had happened. A sigh of relief washes over me when he takes my hand in his, gently squeezing it before his other nears it. With bated breath, my gaze flicks between his hand and his greens that watch the same.

A smile climbs my cheeks as Harry slides off my promise ring, pressing his lips to the naked skin. Happiness sighs from my lips with a choked sound, watching how he carefully places the thin golden band onto my finger. Folding my fingers into his, his wheeze graces the air as I admire the nostalgic ring.

“They’re me Grandma Claire’s diamonds too, from her wedding ring. She wanted me t’ use ‘em when I told her I was goin’ t’ propose t’ you,” he explains softly as I tilt my hand back and forth, watching how the several diamonds catch the light.

“Oh, Harry,” it catches in my throat as disbelief paints my insides. Guilt rises with it as I remember growing upset with him in my mind, fearing that this was never going to happen. Now, as I stare down at the ring that seals our promise, I truly can’t fathom it. Seeing is believing.

I’d seen this ring time and time again whilst growing up, admiring it on several occasions. My gran even let me wear it once or twice, joking that it was because I was her favourite. I never thought I would get to wear it one day myself, and that thought makes my vision swim with more tears. Blinking them away, I brush my thumb over the round diamond set into the middle, and the smaller tear drop shaped ones set into the winding bands of gold connecting to the main band.

“How’s it fit, bug?”

“Perfect,” my answer is shy, riddled with memories from the only other time I’d worn it before. It had once swallowed my finger, hanging dangerously loose. Not now. No, it fit me snugly, reminding me of all of the years that had passed. Bringing my eyes to his, the dimples only fall deeper into his cheeks. “It’s more than beautiful, Harry, thank you . . Thank you for letting me keep her with me every day, and Claire too.”

“Yer mo’ than welcome, Becks. ‘m so happy that they get t’ be a part o’ this with us.”

My chest only shakes harder when he says those words, and I even feel his do the same against mine. At last, the dryness in my throat wasn’t because of pain or hurting, but for a moment, I let myself feel that. I allow myself to remember speaking with her about when I would get married one day as I wore her ring that was too big for me, wishing for a second that I could go back to that day.

“Harry, you have no idea how much this means to me . . to get to have her with me for this.” wrinkles gather around his eyes when I see them again. They’re painted with tears, and the mere sight of him makes my heart swell. I never thought it could be this good. No, not when I dreamt out loud with my gran about one day wearing a big, white dress and marrying the man of my dreams. I could have never known that I’d be blessed with a man who was that, and more. “I used to talk to her about my silly little girl dreams of getting married, and she’d let me try on her ring and . . “ I muse, my forehead pressed to his, staring at the ring together.

“Yer dad told me ‘bout that, it only made it seem even mo’ perfect t’ use her ring. He was so happy t’ pass it on t’ me, Becks- onto you,” Harry whispers, sponging kisses across my face in slow movements. I couldn’t remember a time when I hadn’t been smiling, and was sure that I’d never be able to stop, mumbling soft ‘thank you’s to him.

“Well?!” comes a shout from nowhere. Nearly jumping, my gaze lifts to the balcony railing and the flickers of light I make out through them where the voice had come from. “What’d she say?! We’re bloody dying over here waiting, and freezing our asses off, mind you!” When my eyes meet Harry’s, our giggles light up the air around us, our breaths mingling.

“I’m fucking freezing! Are you done yet?” comes yet another voice, one that I also recognize. My eyebrows only fall further into a question as I look at Harry.

His shoulders rise only to fall, “What? Don’t think I set up all o’ those candles and lit ‘em meself, d’ya? ‘s flatterin’ if ya think so, but I had a li’l help.”

“What, who?”

“Who d’ya think, bug? Our family,” he answers, swiping his thumb underneath my eye to catch a tear. It makes my lips still, the way he said it. They’re my family now, and mine is his. “Care t’ do tha honors, or shall I?”

“You can. I just know you’re itching to,” it’s a giggle that only grows louder as he lifts his eyebrows at me.

“She said yes! We’re gettin’ married!” Harry shouts, and a loud cheer follows ensuite from down below. My favorite sound in the world fills my ears when his lips come to press against my head. “My Becks, forever and ever, baby.”

“Forever,” I repeat aloud, trying it out, as if I hadn’t already a million times over in my head. “Wait, who all did you rassle together for this sneaky mission of yours?”

“We’ll meet you inside, it’s fucking cold out!” Robbie shouts, followed by a loud ‘brr.’

It comes from his lips again, that sound. Tilting my head to meet his eyes, the sound of his heart thumps in my ear. I’m not sure I could have found a better spot.

“As you can tell by their loud mouths, Skye and Robbie, first o’ all. Then, ‘course yer dad and my mum, me sister, Myles, and Asher,” he grins, pride dripping from every word he speaks. “My Dad helped with tha reservation at Isabelle’s, he couldn’t have spoke higher o’ tha place. I can see why now, can’t picture our pre-proposal dinner bein’ anywhere else. It only made t’night mo’ perfect . . ‘d thought o’ doin’ it with Scrabble tiles, seein’ how ‘s always been our thing, but I wanted somethin’ grander. Mum and Gemma gave me tha idea o’ spellin’ it out bigger ‘til I thought o’ candles. Then, it was jus’ a matter of gettin’ enough o’ ‘em and lightin’ ‘em. I left tha hard part t’ them, and that jus’ left me with tha ring. Reckon that was really tha most difficult o’ all. Me Gran said I could have her wedding ring, I almost started cryin’ I was so choked up ‘bout it. It was that weekend I took ya home with me, seems it made her a li’l emotional talkin’ t’ ya knowin’ what was gonna happen. That was ‘til yer dad said he wanted me t’ have yer Grandma Ann’s ring, seein’ how close tha two o’ you were . . It jus’ seemed perfect, ‘d been thinkin’ so long on what kinda ring t’ get you, and it jus’ clicked. ‘Course, I still wanted t’ include me Gran somehow. Yer Gran’s ring was missin’ a few stones and hers fit jus’ right. I couldn’t be happier ‘bout tha ring, Becks, and it looks so beautiful on you, love. Like . . like it was made fer you, bug.”

Words escape me, not that any feel like they could do any justice at this moment. No, those ones aren’t anywhere to be found, besides the ‘thank you’ I tell him, and the other one I say to him with my lips.

I’m unsure if my legs will ever stop feeling like Jello when he helps me stand, my arms around his waist at the soonest chance. His lips radiated sunshine, but this time, every inch of his face did too. It’d spread to his limbs, imbuing me with his contagious rays when his arms come around me, and the way his lips wouldn’t leave mine alone.

“What are you doing?” it’s a mumbled question laced with pure confusion when he pulls me over to the right side of the balcony. Realization only dawns on me when I watch what he picks up, light at last revealing it. “You recorded it?” there they are again, hugging my voice and refusing to let go.

“‘Course, I did,” Harry grins, sliding his hand into the cloth handle on the other side of the compact camcorder. “Still am, look at my beautiful fiancee, and soon t’ be wife.”

“Harry,” it sounds sad until my laugh overwhelms it, because my smile hasn’t even signalled a departure.

“Look at that dimple shinin’ so bright,” he remarks, thumbing at the indent in my left cheek. It wanders to the imperfection below my eye. His hand is warm and clammy when mine comes to surround it, overflowing his eyes with tears. “And that ring- bloody hell, can’t believe I get t’ marry you- Hey, kids, if yer watchin’ this one day, which I bloody well hope you are, this ‘s yer Mum. ‘sn’t she absolutely gorgeous? I can’t wait t’ marry yer Mummy, she’s truly tha best person ‘ve met in me entire life- well, ‘til we meet you lot.”

“Harry,” this time, it’s choked with a sob, or a few. His hand comes to his eyes, pressing his thumbs against his greens with that sunshine on his lips. The breathy sound of happiness sings from his lips when he drops it after a few moments of soft tears, staring back at me, his book wide open.

“Figure we should show ‘em tha main attraction,” panning to the right, I follow him to the balcony where the multitudes of flickering flames still remain. “We’ll hafta go and blow ‘em out.”

“Not yet. I just want to look at them awhile . . with you.”

His reply is only a sniffle, amplified by the way he pulls me against his side, pointing the lens at us now. I look past it, down at the ground where the sight still steals the breath from my lungs, just like the pair of lips on my forehead.

A few moments later, maybe longer, Harry’s whisper breaks through my thoughts, “Ready t’ go downstairs and show ev’rybody?”

“Just a few more minutes.”

“Dontchu worry, we’ve got forever, Becks.”

Usually, I’d roll my eyes at the cheesy line he deals, but I can’t stop staring at him, still smiling at the thought of getting that with him. Forever.

It beckoned me, trying and failing to drag me away, but I still wasn’t ready. Soft snores had begun to leave his lips long ago. I’m not even sure what the hour was anymore. Skye was the last to leave, to nobody’s surprise, when the small hand was nearing the eleven. Chocolate galore, charcuterie boards, pizzas, and sparkling grape juice filled the hours amongst more crying and stories upon stories. Harry’s clothes were the first to go once we were alone, and mine followed his soon after.

I wondered if I’d ever stop thinking about it, or more importantly, stop staring at it. Only the least bit of light ran through the barely closed curtains, catching the ring, just like it’d always been. I also wondered when I’d stop crying, it was a little embarrassing when it happened in between the sheets with Harry.

His stirring beside me brought my eyes upward and to him. Lines gathered on Harry’s forehead in his sleep, relaxing a second later. A huff fell from his lips and into the air as he relaxed, an inked arm stilling underneath his pillow. With a long blink, I belatedly tug the covers over my shoulders, nuzzling my head into the crook of his neck. He didn’t groan anymore or even move at the touch, or when the tip of my finger begins to trace the lines of the numbers hovering over his heart. The year that started it all, a three letter word that now had turned into forever, something I never thought I would get to have with him. I fall asleep with the smile still stuck to my lips, unwavering against the warm skin of his neck.

A few days later, and it still hadn’t worn off. Secretly, I was hoping that it never would. Again, the smile still came when I caught sight of the promise on my finger, and was only a reach away. When I stopped in front of the sink in our ensuite bathroom, it fell when I called to Harry with a question, but only for a moment.

“Babe, have you seen my pill pack?”

“No, I don’t think so. Have you checked tha usual spots?”

“Yeah, I don’t know where I put it,” sighing, I pad across the cold, tile floor. “Oh. Well, I’m sure I’ll find it.”

Song: Let’s Get Married by The Bleachers (click to listen) ;) ;)

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