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sebuckyverse · 1 year

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roommates [chapter 1]

modern!eddie munson x fem!reader

series summary: Eddie Munson broke your heart once. Now, you have no choice but to move in with him. warnings: 18+ cussing, angst, sort of enemies to lovers lol; lmk if i missed anything word count: 1,8k a/n: hello i'm back!! happy valentines day to all my besties and my wife of course! i'm celebrating my birthday today so as a gift to you, i give you a new series! i'm nervous about this bc i'm convinced this is trash lmao LET ME KNOW WHAT Y'ALL THINK babes ps! i originally didn't intend to give this an era, but due to some things that happen in future chapters this turned out modern again lol sorryy

masterlist ↡ askbox ↡ next chapter ↠

chapter one ♫♪♩·.¸¸

''Absolutely not!''

''Come on, he's not that bad.''

''No, Steve. I'd rather sleep on the streets.''

''You'd rather be homeless then live with him?''

''Yes.''

Steve sighed, hands on his hips, striking his signature mom pose. ''What the hell happened between you two, anyway?''

''What, he hasn't told you?''

''He's told me his version of events. You on the other hand, never seem to want to talk about it.''

Sighing, you stared into the glass sat in front of you, filled with clear liquid with a greenish hue underneath, twirling the small paper umbrella Steve added as a joke.

''It doesn't matter. What Eddie Munson and I once had, or didn't have, theoretically, is in the past.''

''Then take the room. You're both working, you'll hardly ever see each other.''

Dragging your words, you nervously played with the ends of your hair. ''I don't know...''

''Look, I gotta open the doors. You can stay in the back office tonight if you want, there's an uncomfortable leather couch with your name on it. I'd let you crash at ours, but Nance has been... emotional.''

''She okay?'' you winced, hopping of the barstool you had been sitting on the last hour.

''She thinks she can feel the baby kicking but then she realizes that it's far too early for that and starts crying.''

''Oh,'' you cooed. ''She's just excited.''

''Yeah, I know. I'm excited, too.''

You closed the door to the office space that would be your bedroom for the night. It was small, but held a small desk with various papers scattered on it, a bookshelf half empty and as promised, a worn out brown leather couch. Dropping your purse on the desk, you retrieved your phone and sat down on the couch. You rested your head on the back of the couch, eyes closed, nearly falling asleep if it weren't for the sudden rock music booming outside. You'd almost forgotten you were at Steve's place of work, a bar downtown called the Black Room.

Staring at the bleak ceiling, you bit the inside of your cheek when you felt your eyes getting watery. For the past year, after graduating high school, you had been working your ass off at a local diner across town. You were saving money for college, and other things, since you didn't receive the scholarship you hoped would change your life. Every time you got a paycheck, you withdrew some of it and kept it aside. In the year since you started working, the saved amount wasn't big, but it was still significant to you and you were proud of yourself for keeping it and not spending the money like that little devil on your shoulder keeps suggesting sometimes.

But all of that was now gone, and all it took was a simple mistake of trusting the wrong person and all of your hopes and dreams came crashing down, taking your money with it. To save some money, you moved in with an old friend from high school, Jennie. What you didn't know, was that Jennie was also a pathological liar, who was in financial debt and to ease those debts, found the money you had kept hidden under your mattress (a dumb place to hide money, you know that) and stole it to pay off some of her debts.

Throwing Jennie out was not an option unfortunately, the apartment lease was under her name, so without much thought, you turned on your heel and marched right back out. Heading down the street, you had no idea where you were going. You made it two blocks from your home and nearly collided with a lamp post, when the sound of a bus horn somewhere behind you brought you back to reality. You hopped on the bus that stopped a few feet away from you and headed straight downtown to the Black Room, where you knew Steve would be working tonight.

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You must have fallen asleep at some point, because the next thing you knew, something was kicking at your feet.

''My, my... Look what the cat dragged in.''

You'd recognize that voice anywhere; deep, sometimes raspy from all the cigarettes he likes to smoke, or at least he used to. It's the voice you used to hear late at night, reading a book out loud when you couldn't sleep due to the thunder outside, or when that same voice used to whisper sweet nothings in your ear when you weren't feeling well. It's also the voice that, one day, in less than 12 hours, turned from sweet and caring to cold and distant.

Right, you forgot he worked here too.

You were laying on your side, feet hanging off the couch. You opened your eyes and the first thing you saw were pair of black jeans, ripped from the right knee and left thigh, one of his Converse clad foot was kicking your heels. A black Henley with the front tucked into his pants, the unforgettable handcuff belt on full display with the black leather more worn out than the last time you saw it, Eddie was looking down at you like a God above, the ceiling lamp above him casting a glow around his hair, still the same as it was in high school - at least some things never change.

''Edward.'' You pushed up from the couch, wincing at the tired muscles of your back. Steve was right, that couch was shit.

The use of his full name always used to irritate him, but if it bothered him now, he didn't show it. Instead, he clicked his tongue and took a few steps to his left and sat on the desk, his hands resting beside him, gripping the edge of the table. ''Whatcha doing here, sweetheart? Haven't seen you in years.''

''First of all, don't call me that,'' you sighed. ''Second, that's none of your business.''

Eddie smirked. ''You're at my place of work, it's kind of my business.''

''What time is it?'' you felt around for your phone, but didn't find it.

''Oh, it's uh...'' Eddie pulled a phone out of his back pocket, your phone. ''02:14 am.''

''Hey! Give me that,'' you held your palm up.

Eddie looked at your hand for a moment, before handing the phone back to you, the back of his knuckles grazing your palm. You swallowed down the spark you felt speed across your arm. The sleeves of his shirt were pulled up to his elbow, exposing tattoos you had never seen before as well as his toned arms. Doing a quick once over, you noticed his physique was fuller... everywhere. Does he work out? He was pretty tall and lanky back in high school, but now he looked like he had grown into his body; the jeans were hugging his thighs and his shoulders seemed more defined.

Clearing your throat, you asked, ''Why did you even have that? Is stealing your side hustle now?''

''It was laying on the floor, pardon me. Didn't want to step on it.''

''Fine. Thanks for not stepping on it, I guess,'' you mumbled, keeping your eyes trained on the bookshelf.

''Aren't you gonna ask me what I'm doing here?''

''Don't you work here?''

''Yeah, but not tonight.''

''Okay, I honestly don't care, so...''

''Oh, don't be like that. After all, I'm here to save you.''

You turned to look at him, and that turned Eddie's small smirk into a big Cheshire cat like grin. ''Save me?''

''Steve called me and told me about your predicament.''

Groaning, you threw your head back against the couch. ''God damn Steve.''

''Look, I know we have... history and everything, but I'm only here as a friend. Consider it an olive branch for how things ended back in high school.''

You gaped at him, your eyes bulging and your mouth hanging open. ''Wow. Okay. No, thank you.''

Eddie rolled his eyes. ''You have nowhere else to go.''

''Yes, I do,'' you lied, and very obviously so. You were never any good at it.

''Then why are you sleeping on this fucked up couch?''

Gritting your teeth, you rolled your eyes and looked away from him. Damn Steve and his loud mouth, you were going to hit him on the head. Eddie sighed and got up from the desk, coming closer and crouching next to the couch.

''The offer stands 'til the end of the week. You need a room and I need a roommate now that Steve's gone. I work here every Wednesday through Saturday and after that I usually sleep for two days to get ready for my next shift. We'll hardly ever see each other.''

''Tonight's Wednesday and you're not working.''

''I needed a personal day,'' he winked.

''You know, I've heard about your gigolo way of life.''

Eddie laughed, his eyes shining in the process. ''Gigolo?''

''You're a manwhore.''

Snorting, Eddie rested his hand on his palm, covering his mouth. ''Is that what Steve told you?''

''Are you denying it?'

''No,'' he mused, his voice muffled behind his fist.

''See, that's why I can't move in. I don't want to hear that every night.''

''You used to like hearing me moan in your ear.''

Eddie must have seen the hurt flash across your eyes, since he suddenly grew quiet himself.

His voice was lower now, more serious. What he said next, made you whip your head around and look at those big, chocolate brown eyes that you used to miss so much. ''I know you hate me, I understand that. Despite what happened back then, I still care about you. As a friend, of course. Yes, I sleep around and I am a man so the place is probably messier than you'd like, but I'm offering you a free place to stay. I know you don't have any money either, I'm good to cover us both for a while. Take it or leave it.''

''Why would you do this?'' you asked, looking deep into his eyes, like you were searching for his soul through them.

Sitting so close to him, your chest constricted at all the memories and what if's that have bombarded you throughout the years. Three years after you fled high school, never looking back, he still had a hold on you and you hated him for it. Hated the way he smelled exactly the same but new at the same time, the way he looked like he used to but more mature, the way you still felt your heart nearly burst out of your throat when he looked at you with those stupid brown eyes. You despised him, because after all this time, you still felt the same. If you do this, you had to keep your heart closed, lock it away and swallow the key. Eddie Munson broke your heart once, you won't let him do it again.

''Fine. I'll take it.''

#eddie munson imagine #eddie munson #eddie munson x female reader #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson smut #modern!eddie #modern!eddie munson #roommate!eddie #roommate!eddie munson #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson angst #eddie munson fanfic #sebuckyverse #roommates

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1d1195 · 5 months

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Dolcezza IV

Read Dolcezza here

A little fluffy, a little angsty; hope you like it! :)

~8.6k words

“Who’s Harry? He’s cute,” she smiled excitedly.

Shaking her head, she sighed. “Harry’s a friend.”

“A cute friend,” she whispered peeking over at him still chatting with her father and sister.

Her face warmed and she shook her head. “Stop.”

“Don’t know many boys who would drive them home to their crazy family and spend the day baking and running errands.”

She nodded. “I know.”

“Yes Mom, I know. I understand,” she listened to her mother at the other end of her phone. She piled her stuff in the back of her car and rubbed her forehead. Slamming the door shut, she continued listening to her mom ramble on and on. “I’ll be there in an hour and a half,” she assured her rolling her neck from side to side. A day off was rarely a day off for her. The peacefulness of her personal day was over. It was onto the chaotic portion which would no doubt leave her feeling unrested and anxious.

Thinking about her book, she heard her mom’s continued chatter. Her complaints of how no one helped her around the house and “did I tell you about who I ran into at the grocery store?”

“Mom! I have to go!” She longed for the book she was reading only an hour prior. Thought about the deep breathing from the online yoga class she followed from YouTube only two hours prior. Ending the call, she sighed heavily again, squared her shoulders, and fell into the driver’s seat.

With a frown, she looked at the empty restaurant, lights off, closed sign hanging in the window. She didn’t even get to see Harry before she left, and she really wanted to. Since Harry took care of her, she ached to see Harry more frequently but was trying to keep her distance so as not to overwhelm him. The last place she would ever want to see her stalker was at work (not to mention it would be worse since she mostly worked from home). For anyone, it was uncomfortable when someone was flirty and there was no escape (because it was their job to be there).

She should have just texted him. That’s what Harry gave her his number for right? To be friends?

To flirt, hopefully. She thought to herself.

But since he had given her number, she hadn’t been the first one to text. Call her ridiculous or playing hard to get. Part of her couldn’t believe someone as handsome and wonderful as Harry wanted to chat with her. She never wanted to bother him, and she imagined that if she started talking, she would never want to stop. Harry would need space and...

Well, it spiraled pretty quickly.

So, all their conversations over text had been through Harry sending the first message.

Since she helped that busy night a few months back, she made her way to the kitchen at least once a week. Antonio enjoyed her help and found her adorable and helpful in a way that he couldn’t find in many employees. “Don’t get me wrong tesorino, I love my employees. They’re family. But they’re also in high school and college and they don’t care nearly as much as I do about this place.” She overheard him tell Niall, “It’s nice to depend on her as a tenant, someone I can trust Leo with, and someone that cares for the restaurant like she’s worked here her whole life.”

It made her feel warm, and she loved helping. It had been nearly routine; working from home, going to the gym, running errands, eating eggplant and spaghetti, and smiling at Harry through the kitchen window. It was so nice to relax and be around people who liked her company. People who didn’t make her feel crazy like her family.

It was nice to relax and not worry about being followed for the first time in a really long time.

I could send a simple, “good morning, have a good day” text. She thought. It was harmless. She could do that.

Right?

Sighing, she decided against it. Maybe he was sleeping in. She tried to remember what day he had off that week but was coming up short. Maybe she would come say hello at the end of her long day if she wasn’t too exhausted. But it was unlikely that would be the case at the end of what would be a long, long day. There was always tomorrow.

Plus, if Harry ended up texting her back, she would probably crash her car to answer him. Shoving the key in the ignition, she was trying to be positive, but it was hard to do so when she was not going to see Harry and she was not looking forward to the rest of her day off.

The feeling was only amplified as her engine did not turn over. She groaned. “No, no, no…” she whined. She knew very little about cars. Every year she asked her parents to renew her AAA membership for her birthday. She was ever practical, and it was a huge joke among her extended family. It was something she hated paying for herself but wouldn’t be caught dead without.

Right when the car didn’t start, she should have just called AAA. But instead—maybe because she was already frustrated and anxious about dealing with her family—she got out of her car to look at the mechanical engineering, as if she even knew what she was doing. With her phone’s flashlight, she peered under the hood, like she would suddenly know what she was looking for. She readjusted the strap of her purse to keep it from falling into the greasy, mechanical things and getting disgusting. Always one to take the time to learn a new skill, her dad showed her how to change a battery, check her oil, and replace various things in her car once she got her license. She was praying the battery was somehow disconnected. Because even if she had called AAA right then and there, it would ruin her whole schedule. Her whole day. She would let her family down and that would...well that would be really bad for her psyche.

But at the heart of it, it really made no sense for her to look under the hood. The thought of seeing her family tended to wreak havoc on her mind and make her do things like this.

A gust of wind made it’s way down the road. It blew her hair in her face and as she tried to blow it back out of her mouth, she heard the thunk of her car door closing. She bounced at the sound because it scared her. Making her hit her head on the open hood. “FUCK!” She hissed, rubbing the sore spot. She hurried to look at the door that had betrayed her. “No, no, no,” she whined reaching for the handle, but her gut already told her it was too late.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me!” she groaned rubbing her eyes with the heels of her palms. After thirty seconds of silence and utter disbelief, she began smacking the window with the open palms of her hands repeatedly. She made grunting and grumpy noises and kicked the tire for good measure. “You stupid piece—!” She hissed and continued to beat up the inanimate object.

Harry saw her from his own car when he pulled into the parking space nearby. Niall looked up from the passenger seat while Harry checked to make sure he was safely and adequately in the spot.

“Oof, that doesn’t look too good,” Niall murmured, just as she began attacking her car.

Harry hurried to throw the car in park and get out of his vehicle.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Harry rushed seemingly from nowhere. He quickly raced to her, pulling her by the hips swiftly so there was small distance from her vehicle to keep her from hitting it and preventing her from self-injury. “Principessa,” his voice was so soothing. Even though she was livid and frustrated, she couldn’t help but feel like he was speaking directly into her soul, his voice warm and perfect.

The few times she ended up in Dolcezza’s kitchen, Harry was somehow kinder to her than when they were interacting elsewhere. His voice was gentle as he walked past her with a hot tray. “Behind y’principessa,” or “watch y’hands, kitten, this one’s hot.” Something of that nature. Even when it was busy as could be, he would gently place a hand on her lower back and walk by her making her stomach flutter.

Harry touching her and physically pulling her away from her vehicle, on top of that soothing warm voice, almost made her feel remorse for attacking her car. “The car is gonna win, every time, kitten.” His hands now gripped the top of her arms holding her in place even though she strained ever so slightly against his hold to return to her frustrated movements. Niall was close behind. He tried all her doors to see if they were unlocked. But no dice.

Her face crumpled and Harry thought he would cry if she did. “This is the worst day off in the history of days off,” she moaned.

Harry released the top of her arms, skimmed down the length of them and rotated her hands for injury. All the while she explained the awfulness of the last ten minutes, all the things she had to do and why she was upset that this was the time her car had chosen to break down. Niall frowned at her story, no doubt feeling bad for her, but Harry could see the delight in his eyes. “Well, tesorino, don’t count today out just yet. Harry also has the day off. I’m sure he would be happy to drive you to your mum’s,” he clapped Harry on the back of his shoulder. “I’ll keep an eye on your car. Make sure they get your keys safely in my hands and your car to the dealership.”

Harry smirked awkwardly and coughed as Niall volunteered him. Of course, he would do it, but he knew that she would be upset.

It was evident by the way her skin pinked with the suggestion. The thought of Harry doing something kind for her without any return on his time investment? “No way,” she snorted almost bitterly. “This is an all-day expedition,” she shook her head. “I can’t ask you to give up your day off for me.”

This was great for Harry on fifty different levels, minimum. He would get to see her in her element, talk to her about a ton of stuff, meet her family, and see her hometown. There wasn’t a better day off to be had. Except she looked infuriated, and Harry wasn’t sure he was exempt from her frustration. She texted rapidly on her phone. “Could y’go another day, kitten?” Harry asked softly. She shook her head. Tears were definitely filling her eyes at the mere thought. “Okay, so let’s go,” Harry shrugged and walked toward his car. She frowned.

“You really... don’t mind?”

“Not at all.”

“Harry,” she whispered so quietly, and he turned around as he held the passenger door open. Her heart nearly stopped. She forgot why she was so mad. She wasn’t sure anyone had held a door open for her like that. Ever. “It’s... a lot,” she told him.

He smiled looking back over his shoulder. “Then we better get moving.”

She stayed put and felt so utterly awful, but Harry was waiting. It felt wrong to keep him waiting. Especially when she could only imagine what the day would bring without him really knowing.

“Did you desperately need anything in your car?” Niall asked, trying the handle once more.

“Yeah, like all that baking stuff,” she rubbed her forehead not having any kind of backup plan for that scenario. Harry frowned and closed the door to the car and started for the restaurant. At least Harry could come up with a backup plan for her.

“Why are you bringing baking stuff?” Niall peered into the backseat to see a bag of groceries and three cupcake pans, ignoring Harry’s path to Dolcezza’s front door.

“Uhh…” she swallowed hard. Obviously, whatever the reason was not something she felt like sharing. At least not right then. Harry frowned.

“It doesn’t matter, Principessa, don’t worry. Ni, can y’help grab some stuff,” he said opening the door to the restaurant. In a matter of minutes, she had replaced the groceries and metal pans that she had brought from her apartment.

“Niall, can you give them to Antonio when you get the car open?” She asked her eyebrows pinched together in worry.

He nodded. “Course, tesorino,” he smiled. “Don’t worry about a thing.”

“I would wait and ask Antonio for his key, get my spare car key, everything...but—”

“Principessa,” Harry said pressing a hand on her lower back making her feel like she might pass out. It took every ounce of restraint to not let the shiver threatening to roll through her body viciously for him and Niall to see her completely lose her mind over Harry’s touch. “S’okay. He’ll understand. Let’s go,” he smiled opening his car door again for her to sit in the passenger seat.

“Thank you,” she said gratefully. Harry rolled down the window as he started his car.

“It’s what friends are for, tesorino,” Niall winked at her. She was only a half hour behind schedule. An easy comeback.

She nodded. Other than Eleanor and Louis, she wasn’t sure she knew what that was like. “Well, still,” she said softly. “I’ll make it up to you,” she promised.

Niall smiled gently at her and caught Harry’s gaze very briefly before he pulled away from the curb.

Once on the highway, she made a call to her sister, and explained the problem. At the same time, Harry called Niall and gave specific instructions not to let her keys out of his sight. Overcome, once more by the worry of someone stealing her keys and finding her apartment upstairs. Throwing that thought out of his mind, he told Niall that he had to pass the car one off to the tow truck driver and hold her other ones until they got back. He also left him in charge of making sure her car was properly taken care of, and he was to text Harry if there was an issue. She spent the first hour of the drive near silence. Instead, texting and scrolling on her phone. It didn’t upset Harry, but it did worry him. “Do y’need anything kitten? Wanna stop for coffee or...?”

She shook her head. “Maybe later,” she answered.

He nodded. “Alright.”

It very much seemed like she didn’t want to talk. But right as the GPS alerted her that they would arrive in half an hour she started to squirm ever so slightly.

“Y’okay, Principessa?”

She sighed and put her head in her hands. “My family is a lot,” she told him. “Like just chaotic and a little crazy; it’s embarrassing.”

He frowned. “Okay, I’m... I’m sorry that y’feel embarrassed. But... every family has something, y’know?” His voice was gentle and quiet. Encouraging. “M’not going t’like... say anything.”

She nodded. “Thank you,” she looked at her lap, inspecting her fingertips.

“Plus, if... if you came from them... they’re already the most wonderful people I’ll ever meet,” he shrugged as if that wasn’t the sweetest, kindest thing she’d ever heard. He didn’t get a good look because he didn’t want to take his eyes off the road, but he hoped her cheeks were that pretty pink color.

“They’re good people...but...” she sighed.

“Kitten,” he reached over and put his hand on her squirming fingers. He gave them a reassuring squeeze. “S’okay. I promise,” he whispered.

She took a deep breath and looked out the window. Harry glanced at her briefly. It was the safest he had ever driven in his life—and he was already a safe driver. But even though he was desperate to hold her hand the way he was right now; he couldn’t help but feel bad about removing his hand from the two-position. She was the most precious thing he had ever had in his car and wanted to keep her safe no matter what—even if he really wanted to keep holding her hand and assure her it would be alright.

She looked at Harry in her peripheral. “My sister is going to fall in love with you.”

He smirked. “M’a bit older than her, yeah?”

“She’s eighteen,” she sighed. “But we think she was born as a thirteen-year-old.”

“S’a bit young for me,” he winked. She squeezed his hand as she smiled softly. Harry wondered if she knew she did that but didn’t want to bring it to her attention.

“Also,” she took another deep breath. “They don’t... I’ve never told them about the person following me,” she mumbled. Harry very nearly stopped the car.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Oh?”

“They would...” she shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“Isn’t y’brother a dispatcher? Does he want t’be a police officer?”

“Yeah...but...” she shrugged. “I don’t know. Please don’t mention it, not that I think you would but—”

“Kitten,” he frowned. “S’a pretty big thing t’hide from your family.”

“Well,” she was skimming her thumb along the back of Harry’s hand, and he had never enjoyed hand holding so much in his whole life. “It would just worry them,” her voice was quiet. Like she wanted to tell them. Maybe she wanted them to worry about her. “I don’t... they don’t need to worry about me,” she mumbled. “It’s not a big deal, really. You know?”

It was. Every time Harry saw her, there was the smallest part of his brain thinking about how someone was so obsessed with her that he watched her every movement for over a year. So much so that she had to move. It wasn’t a way to live, and she didn’t see it as a problem. Didn’t see it as something that people who cared about her should worry about. Harry wanted to cry about how sweet she was. She deserved... everything.

“I won’t say anything, Principessa,” he squeezed her hand. She smiled.

“This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me... someone that isn’t Eleanor or Louis,” she explained.

“Eleanor...” he followed the GPS’s directions to get off the highway. It wasn’t quite a city, but not a small town either. There were lots of stores and restaurants right off the exit and Harry stopped at the red light. “El mentioned y’had an ex-boyfriend—”

“Course she did,” she rolled her eyes.

Harry ignored her comment. “—he must’ve... helped.”

She shrugged. “Yeah... but...” she looked at how her hands were holding Harry’s. It was so warm and somehow more intimate than every kiss she had with her ex. It felt like holding Harry’s hand was holding a piece of his heart and she didn’t necessarily think it was as simple as that... but she really liked it. “He... he complained a lot,” she mumbled. “I told you my family is a lot, and they are. But... they’re good people and I love them so it’s...” she sighed. “It’s complicated. I shouldn’t have dated him for as long as I did. Eleanor was probably right to not like him. By the end of it... it was like we lived two separate lives. I just did what I wanted and he...” she shrugged nonchalantly.

“You deserved more,” he finished.

“Well...I don’t know about—”

“No, Principessa,” he interrupted, cutting her off. “S’not a negotiation. You deserved more,” he promised squeezing her hand. They turned off the main road. Harry let her contemplate his statement in silence and continued following the GPS.

Her neighborhood was quaint and looked like a great place to grow up. It was the type of neighborhood little ones probably loved to Trick or Treat in. The kind where you could go to a neighbor’s house and ask for a cup of sugar and chat for so long you forgot to finish baking. Harry wondered if people sang Christmas carols or had block parties. But her grip had stiffened around Harry’s hand, and he could see her physically steeling herself. Her shoulders stiffened, everything about her seemed to be almost defensive. “If it’s too much for you,” she said getting out of the car and grabbing the baking items out of the back seat, “you can leave... there’s a cute mall with shops and restaurants back toward the highway if you need time to get away. I wouldn’t... I won’t blame you,” she turned her attention to the house she grew up in and looked at the Christmas lights still hanging from the gutter, draped on the shrubs.

It was February, now. Her heart felt heavy.

Harry had gotten screamed at during culinary school four and a half out of five days of the week. She was the kindest sweetest soul on the planet. There was no way her family could be so bad that he would feel the need to leave. “Thank you, kitten. M’going t’be fine,” he winked at her taking the bag of supplies and the pans from her, so she had free hands to open the front door. With a deep breath, she turned the knob and stepped inside.

It was loud. That was the first thing Harry noticed. There was yelling from one room to the other. In her defense, it wasn’t angry. It was as if they didn’t want to leave their rooms. The smoke detector was going off and a clang of pans coming from the kitchen. “She’s here!” A voice shouted from somewhere upstairs. Harry glanced around quickly catching pictures of when she was younger. He hoped he had a chance to look at them again later.

Harry watched her as she took in the scene. The living room and dining room were a bit cluttered. But it wasn’t as bad as she thought it was going to be. She hoped after she told them a friend was driving because of her car situation that they would clean up a bit. Maybe they did, or maybe her sister finally found better lighting in her room to do her makeup and skincare routine each morning instead of the living room. She pulled the items from Harry’s hands so he could take his coat off. He did so silently, and quickly took the items back from her so she could do the same.

Obviously, the smoke detector and kitchen were her first stop. “Mom,” she said evenly as she walked into the kitchen. Harry followed behind. It was a little more cluttered. Especially considering they knew she was coming over to bake cupcakes.

“Hey sweetie!” The woman turned. Harry could see his future. The sweet girl would grow up to be a pretty mom just like the woman in front of him. “Oh hello; I thought Eleanor was driving you.”

Harry saw her entire body flinch then, somehow, stiffen more. “Eleanor moved, Mom. I told you that.” The smoke detector was still going off and it somehow wasn’t fazing any of them and Harry found that rather funny and cute. But he was surprised that her mom didn’t remember her best friend had moved.

“Silly me, must have forgot,” she laughed and shrugged. She turned and took Harry’s items once more and set them on the little space left on the kitchen island.

“This is Harry,” she gestured to him.

Harry held his hand out. “Nice to meet you. You have a lovely home.”

She grinned and Harry could see every facial feature of the sweet girl had come directly from her mother. It was almost uncanny. “Thank you, Harry. Thanks for driving her,” she smiled. “Emma, honey! what are we doing with the smoke detector?”

“Nothing? Why?” The female voice responded.

Harry watched the girl’s face drop with exhaustion. The poor thing. They hadn’t been there longer than two minutes. Her mom rolled her eyes. “Can you turn it off?”

“I don’t know how!”

“I got it!” A male voice answered.

There was a clatter and a thud, but the alarm stopped. She felt the ringing of it still in her ears. “Honey, your daughter is here,” her mom sang.

After a moment, her father stepped into the kitchen joining them. “Hey sweetie,” he smiled. He nodded at Harry and gave his daughter a hug. She returned the hug, the light in her eyes seemed dead making her look stoic and tired. “No Eleanor?”

She nodded. “No Eleanor,” she sighed.

“Eleanor moved,” her mom answered pulling a casserole dish out of the oven. It smelled delicious.

“Really?” her dad said in surprise.

“M’Harry,” he said holding his hand out again for him to shake next. She was watching her mother with her casserole dish, she quickly moved things off the counter, so she had room to set it down. It wasn’t the most unusual thing, but it was very obvious that she was used to anticipating her family’s every movement. Maybe that’s why it was so nice to work with her in the kitchen at Dolcezza.

“What brings you here?” He asked.

“Emma’s bake sale,” she answered and began throwing used cooking utensils in the sink. She peeked into the dishwasher and noticed it was full. “Is this clean or dirty?” She asked.

“It’s clean. I asked Emma to empty it.”

“When?” she muttered under her breath looking at the stack of plates and dishes in the sink piling high enough that she thought she would have to run two loads while she was here. Harry was taking it all in, looking at the pictures on the fridge. “What’s she doing?”

“Who knows,” her mom smirked with an eyeroll. “Our princess is something else,” she explained to Harry with a smile.

Harry returned the smile but didn’t think Emma could be a princess. Not if she didn’t unload the dishwasher when she was asked. Nor if she knew how to handle a smoke detector. Harry got the sense that she was perhaps a bit spoiled—not through any fault of her own but ten years younger than her oldest sibling, she had to be waited on throughout her childhood.

Not to mention the only Prinicipessa in Harry’s life was the sweet girl he had spent an hour and a half with in the car. “Emma!” Her dad called.

“Coming!” She shouted and Harry heard a flutter of footfalls on the stairs coming from around the corner.

Her jaw dropped when she entered the kitchen. “You’re not Eleanor,” she said in surprise. Harry smirked. The poor girl looked ready to cry right there. Not one of them remembered. He wished he had her brother’s phone number just so he could warn him in advance. If he said Eleanor later Harry would lose it. He found it so unbearably sad, he thought she was going to cry. She flexed her jaw.

“Eleanor moved,” her dad explained.

“Huh,” she shrugged.

“M’Harry,” he said for the third time and held his hand out.

It seemed the genes she got from her mom were extremely strong. The three of them could have been mistaken for triplets. Her sister stared at him in surprise and nodded. “Emma,” she mumbled in surprise.

“Emma, can you empty the dishwasher since we have to make cupcakes and need space?” She asked.

Her sister rolled her eyes and Harry turned his attention again to the pictures on the fridge. Harry had his fair share of arguments with Gemma growing up. But he knew two sisters who argued could be on another level. “Did Mom ask you to ask me?”

Their mom opened her mouth, but she spoke before her mom uttered a syllable. “No Emma, but it’s courtesy to do what mom asks you to do, you know?”

“I was going to get to it after I finished my makeup.”

“Right because the dishes need you to be looking your best to get in the cabinet. Forget it. I’ll do it,” she sighed rubbing a hand on her forehead. “Why are the Christmas lights still up? I thought you were taking them down last week while James was home?” She wondered.

“James didn’t want to,” Emma shrugged. “Who cares? It’s pretty in the snow.”

She shared a look with her mom who once more looked so much like Harry’s sweet Principessa. She looked exhausted.

Oh.

Her mother’s genes were really strong. The exhaustion wasn’t something that just happened to her, it had been happening for longer than she had been alive.

“Alright,” she sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. “I will...manage that too.”

“Sweetie, you don’t need to do everything,” her dad said.

She turned to him briefly with an irritated expression. One that said, by all means, you do whatever you want. But it stopped as quickly as it started. After her expression returned to neutral, she began to unload the dishwasher. Harry wanted to keep a mental list of things to mention to her while he was here. The first being the look she gave her dad.

“Why are you making cupcakes?” Her mom asked quietly.

“I don’t know,” she sighed in frustration. “The winter carnival is expecting them or something...” she rolled her eyes. To her sister’s defense, she used to always make them when she was in high school. A “secret” recipe of hers (even if it was by all accounts a pretty standard cupcake recipe). But it had been talked about since she graduated. She made them for her brother and every year someone’s sibling of someone she knew from high school knew her and would ask.

Unlike her sister, everyone else had the courtesy to ask months in advance. Not a week like Emma. “I thought you knew!” She had exclaimed when she told her about it. “You always make them!”

“You didn’t ask!”

“I didn’t know I had to!” Emma was nearly hyperventilating on the phone thinking that she wasn’t going to make them because she had waited too long. But that was too much to explain to her mom. It was expected of her, and she should have known that she needed to make cupcakes. How could she not?

Harry was chatting with her father. Inquiring about how they had met and so forth. If Harry was into sports or if he liked fishing. She hoped Harry wouldn’t let it slip why she moved. “We haven’t seen her new place,” her dad admitted.

“S’nice. Y’should come by. We’ll make y’a delicious dinner too at the restaurant,” Harry promised.

She continued glancing over while the dishes were put in the correct cabinet, and she reloaded items from the sink to the machine. “Why don’t you make her do things, Mom?” She asked tiredly. Emma was inserting herself into the conversation with Harry and her dad. Her mom helped by clearing off the counters as quickly as possible.

She shrugged. “You know how Emma is,” she said.

“Kick her out,” she knew it was dramatic, but maybe even a threat would be helpful.

“Sweetie,” she rolled her eyes and shook her head. “You know that’s not how I operate. I could never kick out the three of you.” Plus, if she did kick her out, she would end up right at her doorstep. Right outside Dolcezza. “Who’s Harry? He’s cute,” she smiled excitedly.

Shaking her head, she sighed. “Harry’s a friend.”

“A cute friend,” she whispered peeking over at him still chatting with her father and sister.

Her face warmed and she shook her head. “Stop.”

“Don’t know many boys who would drive them home to their crazy family and spend the day baking and running errands.”

She nodded. “I know.”

Once the kitchen was mostly cleared, she was certain her dad loved Harry. To be fair, it was pretty easy to fall in love with him. She had done it about a thousand times. Emma was starstruck. She eyed his tattoos and his muscular arms. Harry had the best smile and the nicest eyes. Emma was going to be a giggly mess.

“Alright, I made shepherd’s pie for when you finish baking and before you go see James. What did he say he needed that you had to come?” Her mom asked.

Harry turned his attention back, wondering as well. She hadn’t said anything about the reason for her brother and added it to the list in his mind for when they headed to his off-campus apartment. “Just haven’t seen him in a while,” she shrugged.

“Probably needs money,” Emma snorted.

Her mom looked at her. “Sweetheart, don’t you dare give your brother money.”

She rolled her eyes. “Better me than you,” she mumbled.

Harry was starting to understand why this was going to be a long day.

Everyone left the kitchen and she got to work getting bowls, preheating the oven and all the other things she needed in a flurry of activity.

“M’not much of a baker, kitten. S’gonna have t’be all you. But m’really good at taking direction,” he promised with a smile. “Jus’ tell me what t’do.”

It was the cutest thing ever to see her put an apron on that was decorated with flowers on the print. She rolled her sleeves up to her elbows and twisted her hair back out of her face. She was adorable. “You’re sure?” She asked.

“S’all you, Principessa.”

“Okay, I just work really quick because I have to do other things so—”

“Okay,” he interrupted with a nod and a deeper smile. One that made the dimple in his cheek poke through. It poked right through her heart. “S’fine. I can do that,” he assured her with a head nod.

“Thank you, Harry,” she said gratefully.

“Course, kitten. M’happy t’help you. You’ve been helping so much in the kitchen. S’least I can do,” he squeezed her upper arm as he gazed at her hoping she would just see how much Harry liked her. They worked quickly, stirring all kinds of batter. They were making three different cupcakes: chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet. Her recipe was easy to follow. He liked her extra touches that made it her own and he thought that he would have to tell Antonio to hire her full time just to make cupcakes. “How come y’not a baker?” Harry was pulling the cupcakes out of the tins so he could place more paper cupcake holders to dole out more batter. He lined the cupcakes on every available surface. He insisted on this job since as he kept telling her, his fingertips were immune to the hot temperatures of the cupcakes right out of the oven.

“It’s a nice little hobby,” she smiled. “I don’t think I have enough good stuff just to open a little shop and sell cupcakes.”

“Would y’want to?” He wondered.

She shook her head. “No...I like my job. I’m good at it.”

“M’sure you are jus’ good at everything y’do, kitten,” he chuckled.

She smiled and put her hand on Harry’s arm as she walked behind him. In between rounds of trays going in and out of the oven, she was working on the pile of dishes and the dishwasher. It was almost done, and he was impressed (but not surprised) by how efficiently she worked. They chatted more about her job—she was a finance manager for a big company in the city near Dolcezza. She enjoyed it; her coworkers were nice, and people valued her skill. Not that that surprised Harry in the slightest. She found it nice to work from home as long as she maintained specific working hours.

“That was the hardest adjustment about working at home. I was worried I would just work all the time.” He nodded understandingly enjoying the passion she had for everything she did. “I think maybe if I wasn’t doing this, I would want to teach people about finance,” she shrugged.

“Y’would teach bratty teenagers?” Harry asked in surprise with a smile.

“I’m pretty good with them,” she winked and jutted her chin toward the empty hallway coming off the kitchen indicating Emma, of course. Harry laughed and shook his head at her.

After more chit chat, there were about 130 cupcakes cooling and waiting to be frosted after a while. “Do you mind helping with the lights?” She asked quietly. The last batch of cupcakes just went in, and all the cleaning was almost done.

Harry turned to see her pink cheeks. It was hard for her to ask for help, Harry could see that. But it was really exciting for him to hear her ask. It was a huge step. Even if it was already implied that he would help her with whatever. “Course, Principessa,” he smiled. “M’happy to.”

“This has to be the worst day off in the history of the world for you.”

“I don’t know. Cupcakes and a pretty girl?” She dropped her gaze to the sink and Harry smiled at her shyness. “S’better than me jus’ sleeping the day away,” he smiled.

“Don’t you have... a date or something?” She wondered, looking as far away from Harry’s face as possible. She didn’t want to catch his expression in her peripheral. “It’s Friday. I imagine you only get a Friday off once in a while.”

He smirked with a shake of his head. She was oblivious.

Or maybe she just didn’t want to see it because of who she was. Harry adored her and that probably scared some part of her, even he could recognize that. “It rotates,” he agreed. “But... no. M’not really interested in dating anyone,” he told her.

“No?” She frowned before she could stop herself. Immediately, she regretted saying it. But was desperate to know the answer.

His heart sped. He wondered if the strong, rhythmic beating would break one of his ribs. Closing the oven, he turned to see her still working on the dishes. But after a near silent moment, he stopped her movements, grabbed her by the wrists and turned her around from the sink. Her hands dripped water on the floor, and he shifted her so that her back was to the counter. His hands pressed on either side of her hips against it, and he put a breath of space between them. “I’d make an exception for you,” he promised and scanned her face. Her eyelashes fluttered and she swallowed hard.

“Yeah?” She whispered.

“Always, Principessa,” he murmured and dropped his gaze to her lips.

Her brain got the better of her again, making her mouth speak before she could comprehend what she was about to say. Her breath was airy, her mind spinning with the scent of vanilla cupcakes and Harry’s shampoo filling her nose as he leaned toward her. “You’re really going to kiss me in my parents’ house? When it’s crazy, and I’m crazy, and they’re—”

Harry chuckled, bringing a hand to the side of her face, and brushing his thumb against her cheek. As hard as his heart was beating, it felt so suddenly slow. Like this was normal and what he was supposed to do. It didn’t need a crazy heartbeat. It was simply what he was supposed to do. He glanced briefly around to see if her family was nearby—he wouldn’t want to intentionally embarrass her. “Yeah, kitten. Guess I am,” he shrugged and leaned the final distance to press his lips solidly between hers.

The moment his lips touched her, she felt her knees soften. Like she was going to fall over. All the blood in her body rushed from her extremities to her heart. It made her feel weak all over. His lips were so soft, like little down pillows. They weren’t chapped at all like she thought they’d be. Her whole body felt a rush of warmth, like the oven was open and brushing hot air over her. Her lashes fluttered, making her eyes close and she wished she dried her hands because she wanted to hold onto him, but didn’t want to get his shirt wet when he had nothing else to wear.

She sighed deeply. It was so sweet. It made his chest ache with want; he wanted to be closer. Wanted to kiss her longer. Wanted to wrap her in his arms and never ever let her go. Harry had never kissed anyone that had sighed so softly like that while kissing him. It was so very her and it made him feel like he was going to melt into the floor. Her lips tasted like chocolate from when she tested the batter. His hand kept hold of the side of her face while he nipped and pecked at her lips. The other pressed against the counter, the length of his body pressed to hers, the only two things keeping him upright and not bringing them down to the kitchen floor.

He released her lips after a moment causing a beautiful breathy sigh to leave her lips. His gaze was so intense she felt it in her stomach. It couldn’t have been more than forty-five seconds of kissing, but he would have taken an hour, and it wouldn’t have been enough. She wiped a hand on her apron and then brought it to her mouth to touch her tingly lips.

Harry’s breath was a little shallow and she was grateful he sounded a little worse for wear only because she was worried, she was going to pass out right in the middle of the kitchen. “Thanks,” she whispered.

He chuckled, shaking his head. That was very much a her thing to say at a time like this. It made his stomach flutter with excitement. “Pleasure was all mine, Principessa,” he mumbled pressing a kiss to her forehead and gently squeezing the side of her face as he held her cheek.

They stood for a moment staring at each other like they had never seen each other before. As awful as her day was, and as frustrated as her family could make her feel, this was infinitely better than what she thought it would be.

“We should... take care of the lights,” she whispered. Not that she wanted to, but kissing Harry with three quarters of her family one room away did not seem ideal.

He nodded. “Okay,” he released her cheek making her regret her choice because she felt utterly cold. She shivered and Harry sighed as he stepped away from her. Right as she turned back for the sink, the water still running, Harry caught her wrist again and pulled her so quickly to him her heart skipped a beat. “One more,” he mumbled and brought their mouths back together just as quick as he pulled her toward him, she hardly had time to react. His tongue gently tracing the length of her lip making her sigh again and he thought he would surely explode from how much he liked her.

“Where are the boxes?” She asked as she put her coat on. Harry pulled her hair from getting trapped and smoothed it softly on the back of her jacket. He found about a hundred excuses to touch her in the last half hour while they waited for the cupcakes to finish and for her to finish cleaning. The kitchen looked better now that she had been in there.

“In the attic,” her sister said looking up from her phone briefly. She sighed, frustrated that her siblings hadn’t even gotten the boxes down last week. Harry followed her upstairs. In the little hall between all the doors leading to what he assumed were bedrooms and at least one bathroom, was the ceiling door for the attic.

She pulled the cord to bring down the ladder, the hinges of the door groaning.

“Sweetie, wait!” Her mom shouted suddenly. Harry yanked her so hard around her waist as the door opened widely. He pulled her back toward the empty half of the hallway, causing them to fall in a heap right as the ladder half fell, dangling, unhinged to half of the frame of the opening. She would have gotten a serious smack to the face had Harry not pulled her out of the way. She felt so warm in his arms. Even if her falling on top of him with her full weight could not have felt good. She could feel her face burning in embarrassment.

“Emma, are you fucking serious?!” She screamed. She scrambled to get to her feet. She helped Harry back to her feet. “Are you okay?” she asked nervously, her eyes looking him over quickly and her mom had reached the top of the steps. Her eyebrows pinched together. She looked so emotionally hurt. The poor thing.

Harry shook his head looking at the ladder and then at her, still worried she hurt herself. He definitely yanked her really hard, and he did his best to take the brunt of the fall, but that couldn’t have felt good. “M’fine, Principessa, are you alri—”

“How is that my fault?!” Emma shouted.

“You knew it was broken and didn’t tell me?!” She hurried down half the steps to yell at her sister.

“Harry, I’m so sorry,” her mother said.

“It’s okay. We’re alri—”

“Is that why you two didn’t do the decorations?” She was seething. From the top of the steps Harry could see her shoulders heaving with each breath. “Are you serious?”

“What?!”

“The ladder almost hit Harry and I!”

“Kitten,” he started down the couple steps and he touched her shoulder gently.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Her mom asked.

“I was going to fix it tomorrow,” her dad called from another room.

“I’m fine, I promise,” Harry smiled gently at her mother wondering how she could be ignoring the screaming match.

“Why are you even dealing with the decorations, you came to bake cupcakes!”

“Emma you’re being a selfish brat, not once did you say thank you—”

“Principessa,” Harry’s voice was low, and he moved his hand to her lower back.

“You always make cupcakes!”

“—you do nothing but make messes that Mom has to clean up you could have at least put the decorations away!”

The screaming was reaching levels Harry hadn’t heard before. Especially not from his sweet, pretty angel. He worried about how her throat would feel from yelling so loud and of course the anger that was rippling through her made him worry she would shake so much she would fall down the steps.

“Sweetie,” her mom said pushing past Harry very gently. “It’s okay—”

“Mom, it’s not okay. She is a lazy, spoiled brat and you don’t—”

“Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you get to come over and act like you run everything! You act so high and mighty! We’ve been fine without you living here and bossing all of us around. Can’t you just relax for two seconds and stop being a bitch?!” Emma did not once get up to look at her sister during this conversation.

She finally stopped. Her breathing no longer heaving, she stopped shaking. She flexed her jaw. “The cupcakes need to cool. We’re going to see James and I’ll be back to frost them when we get back,” she snapped and headed down the steps.

“Sweetie,” her mom said softly.

“Dad,” she called stiffly.

Harry followed as quickly as he could.

“Yeah?” His voice was quiet.

“Can you bring the ladder inside that will reach the attic while I’m gone?” She asked.

“Sure thing, sweetie,” he promised.

She walked right out the door and closed it behind her.

“I am so sorry, Harry,” her mom whispered.

“It’s alright. M’gonna make sure she’s alright. I have a sister,” he said encouragingly with a gentle smile. “I get it,” he shrugged. “We’ll be back,” he promised following after her.

They drove in silence to her brother’s apartment. Harry reached over and placed his hand on the top of her thigh, but she didn’t hold it the way she had when he drove earlier. She stared out the window the whole time. There wasn’t a word of discussion. Harry didn’t speak, he didn’t play music, just gently moved his index finger back and forth, trying to soothe her as much as possible from the small movement.

James was a half hour away from their house and when there was only ten minutes left of the drive, Harry cleared his throat. “That wasn’t nice of your sister,” he whispered.

“Can we do this later?” She answered.

He frowned. “Principessa.”

“Look, it was really bad and I’m so embarrassed that you saw that and heard that. I’m sad you gave up your day off to deal with my insane family. I feel bad you’re stuck with me for the remainder of the day so I would rather just have you tell me to leave you alone when we’re on the way home—”

Shaking his head quickly, Harry thought about pulling over because surely they had entered an alternate dimension. “Kitten, what on earth are y’talking about?”

“I don’t want to do this, Harry. I’m so close to crying, it’s not even funny.”

He was quiet for a full minute. “Y’don’t have t’be embarrassed around me, Principessa. M’not going anywhere. The only reason I wish we were on our way home is so I could walk y’upstairs and kiss y’outside your door for a lot longer than we did,” he squeezed her thigh gently.

Another silent minute. They were five minutes from James’ place. “Really?” She whispered.

He glanced at her. He could see her teary gaze. The one that broke his heart when she wasn’t feeling well. It broke his heart all over again. “Really, kitten,” he promised. “We can talk ‘bout it later. But y’family doesn’t make me like y’any less. Other than worrying ‘bout you, m’having a lot of fun,” he promised. “Got a new cupcake recipe, got to see cute baby pictures of you, and got to kiss you. So...this is pretty much the best day off I’ve had in years.”

Her heart felt splintered and broken by her sister’s mean words. She was certain Harry would hate her and wouldn’t want anything to do with her. “You still want to kiss me?” She asked.

“Always, Principessa,” he nodded. “I’d ‘ve kissed you the whole way here if it were possible,” he assured her.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. “I’d like that,” she admitted.

He chuckled, smiling happier than he felt the last twenty-eight minutes worrying about her. “I really, like you Principessa,” she turned that pretty pink that Harry liked so much. He could see it in his peripheral. “I don’t think you’re bossy or mean. I think you are the kindest, most caring person ‘ve ever met,” he put his car in park outside the apartment building the GPS directed him to. He cupped her face again and kissed her forehead. It felt perfect. Like Harry had kissed her a hundred times before. He peered into her eyes with the same look he had right before he kissed her in the kitchen.

“I’m sorry. I think... we have to wait,” she whispered her breath catching in her throat. She felt dizzy with his breath filling her senses. He frowned.

“Don’t want to kiss?” he asked worried she was still going to push him away.

“No... no...” she shook her head her breath uneven. “I do. I very much do. But I won’t...” she sighed nodding quickly. “I won’t want to stop. And I—”

Harry chuckled dropping his lips to press a line of kisses from one cheek to the other over the bridge of her nose. “S’okay, kitten. I’ve waited nearly nine months t’kiss you. Can wait a few more hours,” he promised.

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crushedsweets · 6 months

Note

How would the other pastas/proxies react if Toby died during a mission?

Writing on my phone in the car 10 mins before my shift forgive me… finished during my lunch break…

Tim would try really really fucking hard to pretend he doesn’t care all that much. He’s already lost plenty of friends/colleagues (directly or indirectly) to the operator and slenderman, and he always treated Toby like he was a pain in the ass, but like. Him and Brian took Toby in when he was just 17-18, he tried to make him a better man, the two of them have done abhorrent shit together and had to return to the cabin like nothing happened. He’d cry, spend long hours thinking about Toby, thinking about how much of a dick he was to the kid. But he’s strong . Kinda

Brian wouldn’t try to pretend he doesn’t care, although he is in a very similar boat to Tim. Took him in, guided him, hurt him - he would probably be the one to set up a grave of some sort for Toby, whether or not they even have his body to bury. The rest of them wouldn’t be able to do it

It’s possible that Kate wouldn’t even find out for a long fucking while. But she would cry, and mourn, and she would start going back to the cabin and she would sleep in the attic (Toby’s room) and it would be shitty. Toby was the only proxy to treat her like a person and they were both outcasts in their own right, both being the closest to perfect vessels slenderman/the operator could get . So it would suck ass.

I think Natalie would just die too. Ok not really but he was the first person to really just. Take care of her. And she really trusted that he would never ever leave her, not like everyone else . She would be angry, pissed beyond belief and she would cry and scream and throw around any of the gifts he’s ever gotten her and smash some shit he’s made her - and it wouldn’t be fair, and she would regret it, and hopefully someone would be there to pull her back before she legitimately fucks it all up, but she can’t get rid of that anger. Like Kate, she would go to the cabin. Being there too long gets her really bad slender sickness, she’s not immune like the others, but she doesn’t really care. Everything hurt so bad anyway, the screaming and crying already brought her nausea and migraines. Her and Kate would just silently lounge around his bedroom for hours everyday. Natalie is a tattoo artist with little to no tattoos bc commitment issues is a big thing for her, but she would get a little something to honor Toby

Jack would mourn . Toby used to bring flowers to his mom for Mother’s Day, because Jack couldn’t bare to be in a 10 mile radius of his family. He would try to host something for people, just invite them over and make some food and try to talk and have comfort. Only Natalie and Nina would come by choice, not because the rest don’t care but it’s just something they can’t handle to do. Kate might get dragged along. It would be painful and uncomfortable and probably just result in an argument of sorts, depending on how far along Natalie is in the grieving process . He would visit the grave Brian made for toby quite often.

Nina would be constantly crying, all the time. She’s had shitty men after shitty men in her life, the only good guys she’s had were her father and brother and she went ahead and left them behind to go seek out Jeff - but Toby was good(to a point, obviously). He was rough around the edges but he was protective, he took care of her, he defended her even if she didn’t deserve it. She and Natalie would probably have a few intense arguments because they’re two sides of the same coin in their grieving , with Natalie having constant explosive anger and Nina having long, drawn out grieving and sobbing. It would be a bit much for both of them. She would mope around her apartment for a long while.

BEN would also be pretty sad, but not nearly as much as the rest. He would talk it out with Jeff but wouldn’t cry, wouldn’t mourn , would just keep going. Jeff wouldn’t give a shit, would say it was bound to happen and to move on

Ann and Lulu would be pretty bummed out too, but Ann moves on pretty quickly. For Ann it’s more so a sad “Aw but he was fun”… lulu is too lost in her own head to spend too much time on it, but she’s undeniably sad when she’s reminded

Sally would also be sad, but similarly to BEN, she would move on. Cry to Jane about it and cope. Jane would think it’s sad, but she wouldn’t dwell on it either - she wasn’t close to him, she only knew him in passing whenever Sally got lost in the forest.

Liu doesn’t know Toby well so he wouldn’t think much, but Nina would cry to Liu about it a lot and it would be pretty depressing for him too. Just by watching how it affects Nina

#creepypasta #ticci toby #toby rogers #Masky #hoody #creeped #clockwork #natalie oullette #natalie ouellette #Nina the killer #Kate the chaser #I don’t think I wanna tag everyone I’m lazy #asks

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marksmelodies · 9 months

Text

stuck like glue

“tangled in love stuck by you from the glue”- glue song by beabadoobee

paring: chenle x fem! reader

genre: smut,fluff

warnings: mention of sex, oral (f), unprotected sex, cussing, kissing

note: i know chenle lives on his own but for the sake of this story pls pretend that he lives in the dreamies dorms lol

no proof read

minors dni

———————————————————————————————Chenle has been away on tour for a little over a month. Tomorrow him and the dreamies will arrive back to korea, you’ve never been more excited to finally see your boyfriend again,You already took off a few days of work and told your professors that you won’t be in class for a few days.Of course Chenle didn’t seem supper happy about you calling off of work and missing school just to see him But deep down he was excited to finally get some alone time with you

“I cant wait to see you lele, Daegal and i miss you so much” you say to your boyfriend over facetime

“ I miss my girls too, thanks again for taking care of her while i was away” Chenle says

“ It’s not a problem babe i mean i’m basically her mom am i not??” you ask

“ What?? no Daegal has no mom only a dad” he says

“ Oh right Chenle that’s why she wines and claws at the door when i leave the dorms”

“ You’re such smart ass Y/n”

“I really do miss you though babe,ask Jisung I talked his ear off every night about you, actually don’t ask jisung or any of the members anything.. forget what i said” He starts rambling and you notice that his ears are turning bright red

“And why’s that lele?” you ask with a smirk on your face

“ Uhh i may or may not have drank a bit to much one night after our show and accidentally spilled to jisung, mark and renjun about how good you are in bed” he says extremely embarrassed

Your eyes go wide as you audibly gasp

“ You did not” you say rather loudly

“ I’m sorry babe i was drunk i doubt they even remember it, i only remember so much i don’t know what else i said” he tries to defend himself, You start laughing uncontrollably

“ That’s actually hilarious, i never see you that drunk” you say making fun of him “You’re such a brat” he laughs

Once your FaceTime call ends with Chenle you tidy up your apartment that you both agreed he would stay at for a few days once he gets home from tour. You get ready to head to bed and say goodnight to daegal

“ Your daddy is gonna be here tomorrow!!” you say in a high pitched voice causing Daegals head to slightly turn, ears to purk up and tail to wag “ I know i’m excited too” you say as you pet her head and turn off the light ,It feels like hours have passed since you closed your eyes, it’s hard to sleep because of the excitement running through your veins,Finally you feel yourself drifting off to sleep

You shoot up and look at the clock that reads 2:45 am you woke to up the feeling of sweat dripping down your face, you realize that your whole body is drenched in sweat “ What the hell” you say in utter confusion as you get up to check the thermostat “ Why isn’t my air conditioner working” you say pressing buttons on the screen

You walk out into the hallway to check if air is flowing through the hall,Sure enough the hallway is cold yet your apartment is sweltering hot “ You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me” you say as you walk back into your place

Turning on every fan you can find and placing them towards you and Daegal it finally felt a little bit better but not nearly enough to spend anymore time other than tonight in your apartment , Once the morning came you called the tenant about the air conditioner “ What three to five days just to get someone to check it out?” you say baffled

“ Sorry ma’am our technicians are booked out for a while” the man says on the other side of the phone

“ Alright well thanks anyways” you say as you hang up “god this is not how i wanted my week to start” You called your boyfriend to tell him about the air, Chenle talked to the members and they all agreed that you could spend a few days at the dorm until your air conditioning gets up and running. you’ve spent the night a few times at the dorm but never more than just one night at a time, you felt bad intruding on the other boys place but living without air conditioning during the hottest season in korea was a big no for you

Once you got the text that Chenle has landed and is on his way to the dorms you begin to make your way there as well. Standing at the entrance a wave of nervousness comes over you as you knock on the door “ Y/n come in” Jeno says while giving you a big smile “ Hi Jeno it’s good to see you” you say

“ It’s good to see you too, Chenle is in his room” he says You thank him and head towards your boyfriends room knocking on Chenles door before opening it. Daegal jumps out of your arms running to her dad “ Daegal my sweet girl i’ve missed you” he says bending down to pet her “Uhmm” you clear your throat standing at the doorway as Daegal runs out of the room to see the other members

“ I told you she loves me more” chenle says laughing

“ Really lele i haven’t seen you in over a month and this is how you greet me” you scoff in annoyance

“ Babe i’m kidding come here” he says as he walks towards you engulfing you into a big hug

“ I missed my baby girl” he says to you while kissing the top of your head.You lay on his bed and let him get settled and unpacked before demanding his undivided attention,You lay on Chenle chest while you both talk for what seems like hours about his tour,He tells you everything from start to finish, and you excitedly listen to him.When you both are done talking he decides you two should go out and hang with the rest of the guys

Chenle walks to the door about to leave the room when he realizes that you aren’t behind him “ Come on babe let’s go” he says waving you over to walk towards the door

You don’t say anything

Chenle walks back over to you and you throw your arms up in the air.Chenle makes a confused face.He knows that what you want is to be held; He also knows that you absolutely hate pda and would rather die than to show affection in front of the other boys so why would you want him to carry you out there?

Chenle shoves his confusion into the back of his mind and picks you up ,He wasn’t expecting you to want to be carried but what shocked him the most is that you clinged onto him like a koala, he took both arms off of you to open the door and you’d stayed clinging to him with your arms and legs wrapped tightly around your boyfriend ,You laid your head on his shoulder as he walked to the living room where the rest of the dreamies were hanging out

The boys all look at Chenle as he walks into the room, never in the three years you and Chenle have been together have they seen any type of affection being given between you two,There’s been times where haechan jokingly asked if you and Chenle were really dating because of the lack of a skinship “ you guys don’t even hug around us, that’s suspicious is it not”

The guys say a lot with there faces but no one voices anything out loud, Chenle shot a “i don’t know what’s going on” look at them and sat down on the couch with you still wrapped around him.The dreamies decide to play video games and of course Chenle was down to beat them all, through the entire gaming session you stayed wrapped around him not saying a word. Although Chenle didn’t seem like it he was honestly pretty worried about you, you never act like this in front of people

Of course behind closed doors you were affectionate towards him, but even then you were never this clingy

“ Babe i want to get something to drink” he whispered into your ear,No response came from you, you just looked at him and put you head back onto his shoulder.He got up and walked to the kitchen with you wrapped around him, opening the cabinets and the fridge he poured himself a cup of water, while you stayed clung to him completely unbothered. He goes back to gaming with the boys taking his mind off worrying about you

Later in the evening Jaemin starts making dinner, usually chenle and Jaemin cook dinner for everyone,Chenle looks over at Jaemin who’s in the kitchen and gives him a “ i’m sorry bro” kinda look followed by Chenle looking down at you and then back to Jaemin,Jaemin didn’t mind though he grabbed Jeno to help him make dinner

“ Hey babe you wanna let go for a second so i can use bathroom ” he asks, you just shake your head no, with that chenle sighs and takes you with him,He puts you on the bathroom counter and you finally unlatch from him “ everything okay baby?”You say nothing, just give him a quick nod as he comes back over to the sink to wash his hands and you latch right back onto him.Chenle really thought he finally got you off of him, he just looked at you confused again and kissed your forehead while walking back to the living room

He ate dinner with you wrapped around him, he asked if you were hungry, you shook your head no,At this point chenle gave up just letting it happen, everyones so confused by what’s going on, especially since you hadn’t said a word since you came out of Chenles room hours ago

After dinner Chenle did the dishes with you wrapped about him, he fed Daegal with you wrapped around (him which was pretty challenging he’ll admit) he played more games with you clung to his body. The guys suggested watching a movie and started scrolling through netflix debating on which one to choose

“ You wanna watch the movie with them or go back into my room” Chenle asks hoping for an answer.You just shrug your shoulders while your head is buried into the crook of his neck.Chenle has honestly had enough, he doesn’t know what’s going on, are you just tired? are you mad at him? are you upset? you were perfectly fine hours ago what happened??He gets up off the couch and brings you into his room sitting on the bed

“ Baby look at me” he says in a serious tone,You lift you head up off of his shoulders and look up at him

“ What’s wrong sweetheart” he asks

“ Nothing” you say shortly.Chenle is visibly getting annoyed by your short answers you’ve been giving him for hours

“ Y/n you’re pissing me off i don’t want to yell okay” he says “ what is wrong my love, saying “nothing” isn’t going to cut it”

“ I just missed you lele” you said

“ Are you sure that’s all baby”

You nod “ yes i promise i just want to be close to you” Chenle looks at you and smirks

“ I can think of a few ways we can get a lot closer than you just clinging to me” he says smirking.You laugh and push him away, he pulls you back and smashes his lips onto yours,Tongues battling for dominance you quickly lose,he flips you around so that he’s now towering over you

“ You’re so pretty lele”

“ Says you angel, god i missed everything about you” Chenle whispers in your ear,lips attached his hands roam your body unbuttoning your shirt and taking off your shorts, laying there in nothing but your undergarments Chenle pulls away from your lips to look at you “ god you’re so beautiful” he says taking off your bra chenle kisses down you body leaving a trail of marks.He gets to your heat and looks to you for approval, you nod your head yes and he begins to take off your panties, spreading your legs apart and leaves kisses on your heat before kitty licking your pussy,you instantly throw you head back into the pillow and grab Chenles hair while arching your back Chenle takes that as a sign to go farther and fully dive into your cunt, trying your best to hold in your moans knowing that right outside the door were the other members

“Fuck Chenle that feels so good” you moan softly as you tug on his hair a little harder his eyes look up to yours giving you an eye smile while hes still working to get to you finish while licking stripes up and down your pussy Chenle pushes a finger into your hole roughly going in and out

Feeling a tingly rush throughout your entire body you knew you were about to finish

“ Babe i’m about to cum” Chenle removes his finger and licks up and down your clit causing you to release,Chenle keeps one hand rubbing circles on your clit while the other hand covers your mouth, you let out a loud moan covered by chenles hand, he knew better than to leave you completely ungaged, he knows you’re a loud moaner, he could tell it was taking everything in you not to let out the normal pornagraphic moans that you usually do. After he lets go of your mouth he goes back into your pussy to ride out the rest of your high leaving both of you panting, Chenle pulls you into a kiss having you taste yourself

“Chenle please fuck me” you beg

“ Babe the guys are right outside”

“ I’ll behave i promise”

Chenle looks at you suspicious not sure whether believe you or not, you begin stroking his hard member through his grey shorts, Chenle let’s out a grunt and pins your arms beside your head

“ Don’t be greedy ” he warns while pulling his pants off and throwing them across the room with his shirt that was already long gone, he pulls down his boxers revealing his hard length, you basically drool over his dick which causes Chenle to chuckle,He pulls your hips closer as you wrap your legs around his torso, he slowly pushes in, Chenle lets out a grunt as his dick slides into the tight walls of your pussy

“ Fuck y/n you’re so tight” he says while progressively moving in and out faster “god you’re so wet too” he says right before pounding back into you

He has one hand on your waist and other covering your mouth like before,You shut your eyes feeling your body going into a different dimension

“ look at me, I wanna see my pretty girl” you look at him and make eye contact while he’s fucking you so good,you can tell he’s about to nut by the way his thrusts become sloppy and he moves faster and faster while soft moans and grunts fill the room hoping the members can’t hear what you two are doing

“ Fuck baby i’m coming” he says as he slows down his pace, you feel hot liquid shoot into your core as he fills you

He lays down on top of you but doesn’t pull out yet

“ That was amazing Chenle”

“ You felt so good my love, you did so well for me” he said as he kissed your lips and pulled out of you,you both lay there for a little bit just soaking in the presents of eachother before he gets up and puts his clothes back on heading to the bathroom, he comes back with a warm towel cleaning you up and making sure you’re okay.After not having sex for a while you were pretty sore but it was nothing major and you didn’t want to make chenle feel bad so you just smile and thank him for cleaning you up .Once you both freshen up you go join the boys in the other room to finish the ending of the movie that neither of you were there for

As he was watching the screen you were watching him, admiring how beautiful he is and how lucky you are to be with such a good guy, you thought about how many girls would kill to be in your position and a sense of pride washed over you, you were proud to be his girl.

“ Y/N is everything okay” renjun asking about earlier,all the boys look at you and Chenle

“ Yeah i’m fine thanks” you reply smiling

“ She just wanted dick” Chenle blurts out

“ What the fuck lele” your face begins to heat up as you shove Chenle

“ Yeah we have ears ” Haechan smirks at you both

“ I don’t know what your talking about” you defend yourself

“ Right because the headboard slamming into the wall which happened to the this wall” pointing at the one in front of them with the tv on it “ was from you both jumping on the bed” Haechan says sarcastically,You burry your head from embarrassment into Chenles shoulder while the boys are laughing

“ I mean you guys did make the tv shake” Mark chimes in

“Shut up your all just jealous you don’t get any” Chenle states

“ At least we know they’re a real couple, i was starting to think it was fake” Haechan laughs

—————————————————————————

my first fic! i hope you enjoyed!! my requests are open for all of nct!!

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specialagentlokitty · 11 months

Text

Eddie Diaz x Daughter!reader - so much time

Hej do you think you can write a part two of Eddie x daughter reader - so much time? Maybe they still have some struggle in their father daughter relationship? - Anon 💜

Part two:

Throwing your jacket on, you grabbed your keys and stuffed them into your pocket as you made your way towards the door.

“Oh you’re going out?” Eddie asked.

“Going for a drive with some friends.” You said.

Eddie nodded his head, looking around a bit unsure.

“I thought with Christopher at school maybe uh.. maybe you and I could do something…”

“Sorry dad.”

With that you left and jogged down the street to where your friends were waiting.

Eddie sighed heavily, unsure what to do now, since that day a few months ago you two had gotten a little better.

You talked a little more, sometimes you’d have dinner with him, but other than that, there was not much improvement between the pair of you.

And although Eddie knew he wasn’t, he couldn’t help but feel like he was loosing his only daughter, or maybe he already had.

Sitting in the couch, he turned on the Tv unsure what to do with his day off now.

You on the other hand jumped into the front of the car and grinned at your friends.

“Not spending time with your dad?” Ryan asked.

“Why would I?” You asked confused.

“Thought things were getting better.” He shrugged.

You glanced over at him on the drivers side and you went back to looking as the houses passed your by.

“Is that why you asked me to take you on a drive?”

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to say to him Ry, like sure we talk a bit more, spend a bit more time together but it feels weird.”

“Come on, he’s your dad. Surely it’s not that bad.”

“We haven’t had a proper conversation for years.”

“Shit…”

Ryan glanced at you and he sighed as he turned back to the road.

“I mean, at least he’s trying at least you know? That’s something.”

“I guess, but only cause I nearly died.”

“He loves you don’t be such a bitch about it.”

You slapped his arm and he laughed a little, grinning at you.

“Come on though, really, you can’t tell me you don’t want a relationship with your dad.”

“No of course I do, it’s just weird. Like, what do we even talk about?”

“School, his work, stuff you like I guess. I don’t know really.”

“Well, what do you talk to your mom about?”

“Everything.”

You nodded your head and went back to gazing out of the window.

You didn’t know what to talk to your dad about really, it felt awkward and neither of you really knew how to pick up where you left off.

“Come on man, it can’t be that bad.” Buck said.

Eddie looked over at his best friend.

“She literally leaves the house the first chance she gets.”

“She wants to spend time with her friends, that’s understandable right?”

Eddie sighed, nodding his head.

“Of course it is, but it’s like we don’t even know each other. I’m a stranger to my own daughter.”

Buck looked over.

“What happened between you guys?” He asked.

Eddie began to explain everything to Buck, to give him a picture of the whole story, from when you were a kid until now.

Now where you won’t even give him the time of day unless you didn’t have anything else planned.

Buck took a small breath and nodded his head.

“Message her now, just ask her if she wanted to get some dinner or something when she’s home.”

“She won’t.”

“Just ask her Eddie.”

Eddie picked up his phone and sent you a text.

Hearing your phone go off you pulled it out your pocket and looked at it.

Dad: do you want to go to your favourite place for dinner?

“He asked if I wanted to get dinner.”

“Say yes.”

“Why?”

“Oh just do it.” Ryan laughed.

You shrugged a little bit.

You: sure. I don’t know when I’ll be back.

You spent most of the day with Ryan, and instead of dropping you at home he dropped you off outside your favourite food place.

Eddie was stood waiting and he smiled when he saw you.

“Hey, good day?” He asked.

“Yeah, we just drove around really, spent a few hours at the beach.” You nodded.

Your dad nodded and opened the door for you, and you both sat down at a table.

And like every time it was just as awkward as ever as you waited for your food.

“How about we make this a weekly thing?” Eddie asked.

“Really? Why?”

Eddie sighed.

“I want to be your dad like I used to, where you’d come to me for everything.”

You nodded your head a little.

“I guess I could spare some time.” You smiled.

“Spare some time, really?”

“I’m a busy person dad.” You shrugged.

Eddie laughed a little.

“You spend your days going on drives and spending all your money.”

“Exactly, busy.”

Eddie smiled softly and you smiled back.

“It’s just… it weird you know? Like I know you’re my dad, but I feel like I don’t know you.”

“I understand it fully. And I know that’s my fault, I just want to fix it.”

“Same.”

Eddie smiled and handed you your drink as it came.

“So, tell me about school.”

“Well, you’ve got a lot to catch up on.”

“That much huh?”

“There’s a lot of drama.”

You began to tell Eddie about school, and the awkwardness began to fade.

It was still there, but as you talked away Eddie had some hope that maybe things were getting a bit better or at least he hoped they were

#911 fox x reader #911 fic #911 fox x you #911 fanfic #911 x reader #911 fox #911 fandom #911 fox imagine #Eddie Diaz #eddie diaz x y/n #eddie diaz x you #eddie diaz x reader #Eddie Diaz imagine

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tlouxx · 10 months

Text

Electromagnetism - p. 3

~ ellie williams x reader

——————————————————————————

part two | part four <3

synopsis: you and ellie williams have been long time rivals. you're a physics majors at wellesley college, and you’re competing for the same spot in the prestigious dr. ramsey’s lab as ellie. suddenly neither of you can escape the other as you’re both trying to navigate your final year of college

content: college!ellie, mean!ellie, modern au, academic rivals to lovers, forced proximity, slow burn, eventual smut, swearing, banter, alcohol use, drug use, dina and reader being bffs, college party, ellie flirting with another girl

taglist: @gold-dustwomxn @skylerwhitwyo @blueberryhalfblood @elliebobellysosmelly @444na0m1

——————————————————————————

I shut my curtains before changing into some pj bottoms. After staying up all night last night, I deserve a treat and to go to bed immediately. I think of the ice cream at the back of my freezer. Before I leave the confines of my bed, my phone buzzes against the blanket. I had just texted my mom about getting the top score in class. She has always been so supportive of me. I’m just glad it’s finally coming to fruition. I turn my phone over expecting to see my mom’s name on the screen.

9:48 P.M.

Ellie: Maybe so.. Congrats.

My jaw nearly hits the floor. I wasn’t expecting her to say anything back. I thought she’d ignore it or say something snide to me in person. Should I respond?

I take a sip of water to soothe my dry throat and look around my room. My lamp is the only light that’s radiating throughout.

My plan to best Ellie is starting to materialize. I just didn’t imagine we’d be texting one another. Or that I’d start getting used to spending so much time with her. Or getting nervous when her name appears on my phone.

Should I say something witty? I type and delete multiple texts before settling on something simple.

9:59 P.M.

Thanks. I’ll see you at class on monday.

E: I’m throwing a party tomorrow if you and Dina want to come.

E: No pressure tho.

I’m skeptical. This isn’t the Ellie Williams I know. I’ve known taunts, bragging, shoving, but never an open invitation to her house. Maybe I should consult Dina first? On the other hand.. I haven’t been to a party in awhile, and I don’t have to talk to Ellie while I'm there either. I could just stand in the corner talking to Dina or I could take a peek into her room. See what weird shit she’s hiding.

Too much time is passing. The longer I take to respond the weirder it is.

10:33 P.M.

Sure.

Send me the address?

My curiosity got the best of me. I have to go.

…

Day 27

8:30 A.M.

Would you indulge me if I proposed going to a party tonight?

D: I’m down!

D: Who’s party is it?

Ellie’s..

D: and you want to go?

Well she invited us. I haven’t gone out in a while. Could be fun if we ignore her all night :)

D: Okay. Let’s do it.

D: Come to my place to get ready later?

…

“Dina, do you think this outfit looks good?” Her clothes are scattered throughout the room. Her desk doesn’t look any better with makeup brushes and our makeup bags spread out. She turns around in her desk chair to look at me. Her eyes wander up and down. I’ve tried on multiple different outfits, but nothing seems to look right.

“You look absolutely stunning.” Dina looks back at her reflection to apply another coat of mascara. Looking in the mirror, I begin to scrutinize the outfit I have on. Her denim jeans fit snug around my waist. I take off my tank top and replace it with a black one.

“You said that about the last outfit too!” I sit down on Dina’s bed defeated.

She pushes herself out of her chair and plops down on the bed with me. “You’ve looked good in everything! You’re overthinking it.”

I sigh. “You’re right, I am.” Her hand grasps mine and pulls me up. “How about we take a shot and continue getting ready?”

…

I’m sitting down at Dina’s desk looking over the mess we’ve created in the last hour. I check the time on my phone. The party starts in 10 minutes, but we definitely cannot be the first to arrive. I decided on wearing the jeans I borrowed from Dina, my black tank, and a green flannel. It’s my typical wardrobe, but it makes me feel confident. I’ll need that once I walk into the beast that is Ellie Williams.

The vibration of my phone allows the haze of my thoughts to disappear. It’s Ellie.

9:45 P.M.

E: You and Dina still coming tn?

Yeah. why do you ask?

E: Just thought it was unlike you to be late to something.

Maybe you don’t know me as well as you think..

E: I think I know you just the right amount ;)

Sureee Ellie..

…

The door opens and two shots appear in front of me.

“Cheers!” We clink our glasses together and down the shot of rum. My face distorts as it burns through my chest. I laugh when I see Dina’s face twist in disgust too.

“While you were gone, guess who texted me”

“Oh no, not your ex?” Dina gives me a look that resembles pity.

“Ew, not her. Ellie.”

“Shut up!” She lunges over to see my phone. “Show me!!”

After reading our back and forth, Dina looks back up at me. “Ooh, it sounds like she really wants you to be there.” I shove her away from me playfully.

“Shut uppp.”

…

Before we leave, Dina and I take one last shot together. She looks gorgeous with her hair in soft waves. Her eyelashes are long and gracefully frame her eyes. No wonder her and Ellie were a thing. I feel a spring of jealousy erupt out of nowhere. I push the feeling aside and smile at Dina. “I’m ready when you are.” I grab my phone and keys and we head out the door.

Ellie’s apartment is surprisingly close. I’m lingering behind as Dina leads the way. A wave of regret comes over me. I’m not sure I made the right decision. What if this goes horribly wrong. Ellie and I don’t exactly have a track record of getting along.

“Hey.” I say catching Dina’s attention in front of me.

“Everything alright?” Her eyebrows furrow as she looks at me concerned.

“Do you think Ellie is pissed I got the top grade and not her?” The alcohol is coursing through my veins now.

“I mean, maybe. If she was that pissed off I doubt she’d invite you to her party.”

I shrug my shoulders. “Maybe. I’m intimidated by her. I feel like she’ll pull some stunt.” She hugs me tightly, and looks at me, “We don’t have to go if you’re worried.”

I’m letting Ellie and our rivalry get to my head. Maybe this was her way of extending an olive branch. I look back at Dina, “I should be worried about you! You’re the one that used to kiss her.” She gives me a knowing smile and laughs. “She grabs ahold of my hand pulling me toward her as we continue on our way to Ellie’s house.

…

Walking up to her door I feel myself getting more and more nervous. I think I need another drink. Music is emanating through the halls of the apartment complex. Must have thin walls. Dina knocks on the door. Only seconds later Ellie appears in front of us. Her hair falls delicately in front of her face. She’s wearing black jeans with converse and a brown jacket.

Ellie looks at both of us “So you guys finally decided to make it.” She gestures for us to come in.

Her apartment is lit up by LED lights. It's a typical college apartment. Thin walls, gray laminate floors, fake granite countertop. The living room is full of people already. I recognize a couple of them. I’ve seen around the physics department. I think they might be juniors. Dina grabs my arm pulling me out of my daze. “Let’s get another drink.”

…

I’m currently sipping on a seltzer in the corner with Dina as planned. Ellie is off flirting with one of the girls I saw earlier in the living room. I think her name is Cat. Ellie has her hand above Cat’s head as they talk in the door frame. I feel a bit embarrassed that I assumed she only invited me here as a joke or to humiliate me publicly. She has barely spoken to me the entire time. My eyes wander over to Ellie again. She’s definitely winning Cat over.

Ellie’s hand lightly caresses her clothed lower back slowly lifting up her shirt. She leans down to whisper in Cat’s ear. Her eyes widen. She meets Ellie’s gaze and whispers back to her. Ellie’s fingers then dip down to her hips. She strokes the waistband of her jeans before moving her hand down lower. Her head nuzzles into her shoulder as she pulls her in closer. She begins to work her way up delicately kissing her neck.I look away as the moment begins to feel too intimate. I lift my cool hands up to my cheeks to relieve the heat burning off them.

…

A couple of Dina’s coworkers pulled her away to play a drinking game. I decided not to play. I don’t want to get too drunk. I still need to work on an assignment tomorrow. I get up off the couch and try to find a bathroom. I walk through the hallway, and pull on the first door handle, but it doesn’t budge. I continue down the hall, and spot a sliding glass door to the left. As I walk down the hall further, I can tell it’s Ellie. She sees me looking at her and gestures for me to come outside too. I open the door with caution.

…

“Hey.”

“Hi.” Ellie sits down in the chair. I sit down across from her. I’m confused why she wanted me to come out here. I had assumed she’d be with Cat still.

She readjusts herself in the chair and reaches into her back pocket pulling out a joint.

“Want any?” She extends it in my direction.

“I’ll take a hit.” Ellie brings the lighter to it and inhales. She passes it to me. The thick smoke lingers in the air around us.

After we pass the joint back and forth a few more times, Ellie moves to sit on the couch next to me. Her eyes are glossy and tinted pink. I can’t imagine mine look much different. I giggle.

“What’re you laughing at?” Ellie shoves my arm. I shove her back harder. We are competitive after all.

“You look kinda funny when you’re high.” The atmosphere around us seems to change. The tension is replaced by something new. A warmth spreads through my body despite the goosebumps rising on my arms. I contemplate what Ellie is thinking. She puts her head in between her hands and shakes her head. She scoots over closer to me.

“You look kinda cute when you’re high. At least for you.”

“I don’t know if I should be offended or flattered.”

Ellie pulls back unexpectedly.

“Can I ask you a question?”

The twinge of anxiety in my chest returns. I hesitantly meet her eye contact “Uh. Sure.”

Ellie starts biting her nails. “How did you get the highest grade for exam one?”

“Why wouldn’t I? I knew the material inside and out.”

“Bullshit.” Ellie’s tone changes, and I know this is no longer playful banter. She stands up towering over me.

I want to retreat into the couch. I thought for a second she was going to put this shit aside. I guess I was wrong.

“How Ellie? You took the test right next to me. It’s not like I cheated. Maybe it’s time for you to accept that I’m just as good if not better than you.”

She scoffs. Ellie bites her thumbnail and is pacing around the small balcony.

“Why did you even invite me here? To interrogate me?”

“Oh fuck you. You’re the one who has the incessant need to compete with me. I just play along.” I stand up to even the playing field. The rage is bubbling up inside of me begging to be let out.

“No fuck you Ellie. You just told me you’re glad I’m finally playing the game. Now I’m the only one who is trying to compete with you? I’m leaving. I don’t know why I came here in the first place.”

I rush to the door. Eager to find Dina and leave. Ellie grabs my arm bringing me back outside. I pull away.

“Wait.”

“What more do you have to say?” I try to pull myself out of her grasp again.

“That’s not the only thing I wanted to ask. Please.” I stop trying to escape and Ellie let’s go.

“Okay, then what do you want to say to me? It better be good or I’m leaving and telling the tutoring center to drug test you Monday.”

“Then I’ll tell them to drug test you too.” Despite wanting to shove Ellie into the brick wall behind us I don’t.

“Spit it out.”

“I need you to not apply for the position in Dr. Ramsey’s lab.”

Out of the corner of my eye I see Dina walking toward us.

“Not a chance Ellie.”

#college!au #college!ellie williams #dina tlou #ellie the last of us #ellie williams #ellie williams fanfic #ellie williams x reader #ellie x reader #ellie x you #rivals to lovers #slow burn #the last of us

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topguncortez · 1 year

Note

6. “Tell me where you are and I’ll come get you.” With Hangman 🤍

pairing: Opposites Attract World:) prompts list! warnings: underaged drinking, mentions of spiking drinks, mentions death, mentions of gun violence, parental worries.

Jake chuckled softly at some scene in a movie. The only glow in the dark living room was from the television. Y/N was curled up on the other end of the couch, having passed out nearly an hour ago at the start of the third movie in their movie night marathon. He was surprised that she made it through the second one, having watched her fight the sleep monster off over and over. Jake gently ran his hand over her ankle, and fixed the blanket covering her.

It was rare that all five Seresin kids were out of the house at the same time, but it had happened. Alex was spending the weekend with his girlfriend's family in Big Bear, Ella was having a sleepover with Elena Fitch and Jennah Machado, Eli went with Rooster to go help Mav at his hangar, and the twins were with Y/N's parents at some naval expo. The house was silent, and the parents were cashing in on it.

"Brothers don't shake hands, brothers gotta hug," Jake laughed as he quoted a line from Tommy Boy. He had a handful of popcorn half way to his mouth when his phone rang. He groaned and quickly grabbed it, furrowing his eyebrows at the caller ID, "Ella? I thought we were too cool-"

"Dad?" Her voice cracked and Jake sat up straight, jostling his wife's body a bit. Y/N groaned as she fluttered her eyes open.

"What's going on? Are you okay?"

"I-I don't know," Ella cried. Jake trained his ears to try and figure out where she was, it sounded loud behind her, "I can't find Lena or Jennah. I-I went to the bathroom and they are gone."

"Tell me where you are and I’ll come get you," Jake said, getting up from the couch. Y/N looked at her husband confused as he walked over to the door and slipped his shoes on.

"No, you'll be so mad," Ella shook her head.

"I am more concerned about your safety right now," Y/N stood up from the couch, feeling a cold sweat go down her spine, "Just tell me where you are."

"I'm at Sips, the bar on 87th and Jackson."

"I'll be there as soon as possible. Stay by a bouncer or someone, okay," Jake said, "Stay where you are."

"Thank you dad," Ella said and hung up. Jake let out a shaky breath and looked at his wife. Y/N didn't say anything as she placed her hand on his shoulder and gently took the keys from his shaking hands.

The car ride to the location was silent as Jake kept his green eyes on the passing streets. He hated this feeling. He wasn't sure if Ella was okay, if something had happened to her, if she had been slipped something. Part of him was angry that she went out to a bar underaged, but part of him was proud that she felt comfortable calling him to come get her.

"There," Jake said, pointing to the bright neon pink bar sign. Y/N nodded and pulled into a parking spot near the front door, "I'll-"

"I will get her," Y/N said, "I know she's your little girl but Jake. . . it might look suspicious if she's been-," Jake let out a shaky breath. He knew exactly what his wife was talking about and it felt like a brick of cement settled in his stomach, "I'll be right back."

Ella had done exactly what he father said and stood near the bouncers. They could tell that the young girl was a bit distraught and offered her a bottle of water and one even gave her his jacket. Her green eyes were scanning the front door when she saw her mother walk in.

"My mom is here," Ella told one of the bouncers, and he nodded taking his jacket back. She was a bit shaky when she stood up but Y/N quickly pulled her in for a hug, "I'm alright, mom."

"Let's get you home," Y/N nodded towards the bouncers and led her daughter out of the bar. Jake had been watching the front door like a hawk and let out a sigh in relief as he watched his daughter and wife walk out, "Do you feel sick? How much have you drank?"

"I'm okay," Ella answered, "It was a couple shots. I feel okay." Y/N nodded again, and opened the backseat door for her. Jake didn't say anything as Ella climbed into the car. Neither one of them were quite sure what to say to the other.

"There's water in the cupholder and a plastic bag if you need it," Y/N said, and Ella nodded, grabbing the bottle of water. The drive back was silent until Jake spoke up.

"Where are Elena and Jennah?"

"The bouncer called them an uber," Ella answered, "I'm guessing they are home. Did you tell-"

"I called them," Jake nodded, "Ella, what the-"

"Jake," Y/N warned and shook her head, "Conversation for later, let's just get home."

Ella was grateful for her mother as silent tears ran down her face. When they got home, Y/N helped Ella walk inside the house, keeping her hand on the small over her back. Ella sat down on the staircase and Y/N kneeled down to take her shoes off. Jake walked straight for the kitchen, not saying a word.

"He's so pissed," Ella shook her head.

Y/N sighed, "I can't blame him for being mad Ella. What were you thinking? Going out to a bar at fifteen! How did you even-"

"They didn't ID us, we went with some navy guys. Jennah said her last name was Machado." Y/N shook her head, "I'm sorry, mom."

"You broke our trust, Ella, and that's going to be hard to get back," Y/N stood up from the ground, "Go on up to bed. You two can talk tomorrow." Y/N kissed her daughter's forehead before going into the kitchen to talk to her husband. Jake was sitting at the kitchen table with a glass of water in his hand. Y/N walked over to him, and he sat back making room for her to sit on his lap.

"What's on your mind, daddy?" Y/N asked him, and ran her fingers through his blonde hair.

"What if something bad happened? Like she got drugged or assaulted or worse," Jake said, his voice was thick with unshed tears, "Every time there is a story about some child that gets hurt, my heart stops and I feel sick. It just reminds me that no matter what I do, I can't protect them forever. I mean, they could get killed sitting in English class."

"I know," Y/N said, and wiped a stray tear from Jake's cheek, "All we can do is teach them what to do in those situations and love them. Love them no matter what."

Jake nodded and looked up at his wife, "Thank you for giving me them." Y/N smiled and kissed her husband softly.

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holdinbacksecrets · 11 months

Note

Cuddling with vernon

Spending casual time with him, watching movies and eating ice cream. When you get ice cream near your lips, he'd kiss it saying "cute" It's all so sweet and lovely. Holding you, being the big spoon, playing with your fingers and hair. Kissing you hands, cheeks, nose, neck, ETC. ETC. :(

It's just so simple yet so cute

:( i love hansol so much, and he’s so boyfriend to me, but in a different way… maybe it’s all the weird in him yet he’s also so wise and i appreciate his perspective so this all just aids the boyfriend energy and the comfort that cuddling would bring

he’s definitely someone i imagine doing lots of ‘spending time in the same room doing different things’ bc he just wants to soak up as much of you as possible, and he’ll eventually push away whatever he’s been working on and capture your attention through a soft touch or call of your name. maybe he motions to your room or the balcony if the weather is lovely, and sinking into his arms is an unbeatable experience. you can feel any pressure on your bones release. anxiety in your mind is softened. your heart warms.

maybe you continue to exist in the same silence as before, just closer. maybe random thoughts are shared, interrupting the quiet peace in gentle waves. perhaps you talk for hours now, recharged by your solo activities.

his fingers card through your hair. your hand is on his chest, a leg between his own. the ceiling fan creats a rhythm that would certainly lull you to sleep if you weren’t so engaged by hansol’s words.

kisses meet your forehead. an i love you fills your ears. he tells you a story—shares a memory that isn’t in your catalogue from years ago, from those early days when you were still figuring each other out.

it’s always a strange sensation that embraces you when a loved one shares a past experience of you, coming to know about the way your left in another’s life, the way your energy, your smile, your gaze feels to someone else—the way it’s often different from what you imagine: oh, that’s the shape of my imprint.

he tells you about the vacation he took to see his family two weeks after your fifth date, and he talked to his sister about you in the kitchen. she’s a better cook than him, but he helped by cutting veggies and measuring ingredients. her entire face lit up as he told her about you. about the skirt you wore with oxfords and a university sweatshirt—your mom’s with fading letters and a distressed collar. about the tea you ordered but waited for twenty minutes to drink because lukewarm is better than a burnt tongue. he told her about the sun’s glow on your skin and his surprise to see your eyes stay wide open even when the brightness found them. he wondered how long it’s taken you to do such a thing—be able to handle it. he called you that night and packed a t shirt he wanted you to have and a cd too, one kept from middle school. you whispered on the phone. it’s something you’ve only done with him when the telephone rings at night. he asked you why, and you said something about a tree outside your window—staying quiet for it or else it’ll call on the wind to make its branches bang your glass. that was the moment he knew.

you peer up at him through long lashes, hazel eyes holding love and surprise and a sprinkling of awe for the man who’s nearly beneath you. he’s about to be as hands guide you to straddle his waist. hansol hums like he doesn’t understand your expression, but he does. he just wants you to say it, wants you to look at him like this for the rest of the afternoon while tracing the lines on his face.

what your heart is doing, the way it’s swelled, is sweeter than moonlight. the wanting is all over you. the wanting to know every other thing he’s kept with him. wanting to share moments your mind clutches and unravel memories, realize which are shared or only known by one. you find yourself wondering if this will be a forever routine. hopefully

#seventeen scenarios #seventeen blurbs #seventeen fluff #seventeen reactions #seventeen drabbles #vernon scenarios #hansol scenarios #vernon fluff #hansol fluff #vernon blurbs #hansol blurbs #vernon imagines #hansol imagines

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narrans · 2 months

Text

My Borrowed Son | 14 | Parker's Place

Chapter Fourteen | Parker’s Place

For the past three years, Parker had been a completely virtual student on a medical conditional pass signed off on by his pediatrician and his mom.

His first day of school was a terrifying one. Parker’s mom had set up a special classroom area with a camera for him to be seen as well as a computer for him to watch the lectures on. Perhaps it was because it was a private school versus a public school, but Parker felt like he was just like any other student.

Mr. William Tamplin was a great teacher and he always made sure everyone was seen and heard if they had questions. He was a curious man with black rimmed glasses that reminded Parker of the ones Clark Kent would wear. He had sandy blond-brown hair, like Parker, but he had pale blue eyes like glacier ice. He was a young teacher, but he knew the answer to everything, even though he usually taught English.

Parker’s other teachers were nice, but they weren’t the same as Mr. Tamplin.

On that first day, Mr. Tamplin had Parker introduce himself and talk a little about what he liked and what he wanted to learn. All of the other teachers had Parker do the same thing as the camera and screen that represented him was shown to the class.

Parker had never seen so many children his age before, and he was both excited and terrified. When he was in Mr. Tamplin’s class, however, he felt safe, especially when it came to questions about why Parker couldn’t come to class. That was another thing Parker liked about Mr. Tamplin. He, unlike the other teachers, didn’t request that Parker explain anything about his condition.

Parker and his mom went over the details in depth every day to make sure Parker didn’t say too much. For whatever reason, Parker’s mom seemed uneasy about Parker sharing the name of his condition and details about it. It was weird, but the small child figured that it was such a rare condition that not much was known about it and that he wouldn’t be able to answer the questions he would receive.

“So, Parker, if anyone asks…”

“I know, mom. I just say that I have a special medical condition that is still being explored. It’s not contagious, but it just makes me a little fragile, so I have to stay put at home until we find a better solution,” recited Parker.

It was the same thing he told everyone in his classes and to his teachers.

There were a few who asked further questions when he was in private group study sessions or if they had free chat time and one of the kids came up and decided to talk to Parker, but Parker’s responses were always the same, and so the topics were changed.

Through his fall and spring of his first year, Parker made several friends. There was Bailey, a black haired girl who loved to draw, and Billie, a kid who couldn’t hold still to save his life. The three of them were fast friends because of their love of the same cartoons and, with Amanda’s permission, the three of them had phone calls and video chats outside of school hours.

Neither of them seemed interested in Parker’s condition and, for them, it was cool having a virtual friend. Sometimes, they even called Parker “the spaceman,” pretending he was in some kind of protected facility that was doing research on Mars or whatever.

In the end, it didn’t matter. They had continued to be friends all through his classes, even as he excelled in nearly all of his subjects and jumped grades. Parker was good at making friends and learned quickly how to socialize without bringing up his special circumstances and condition.

Now, for the first time, he was getting an actual birthday party.

True, it was still virtual for all of his friends to log in, but it was going to be the greatest thing ever!

“Hey, mom? I know it’s a little early, but could I go ahead and log into Discord?” asked Parker as he tapped on the mouse. He was so close, tantalizingly so, to spending a great afternoon with his friends. The mouse danced across the screen over the camera image, highlighting it every time it traced over the icon.

Amanda approached and looked at the camera and its placement in Parker’s room. It looked like everything was set up to avoid showing too much about him and his room. The thought of someone seeing Parker for the size he was felt close – too close, but she wanted to give Parker this birthday.

He was thirteen after all.

She thought of the gifts she had prepared for him and hoped she was doing the right thing with it.

Years passed and now he was officially a teenager.

The time really had gone by so fast.

“Sure,” she replied after a moment. “I don’t see why not. If you have any problems with the program or camera, just let me know. And remember…”

“About my condition and what we talked about. I remember mom. Thanks!” Parker clicked on the camera icon so fast that it made Amanda’s head spin. She carefully tiptoed away and listened as Parker began calling out to his friends.

The moment his mom gave the go-ahead, Parker saw that Billie and Bailey were already online and ready for him. He eagerly entered the “Parker’s Party” channel he created and watched as his friends’ faces flickered onto the screen.

“Hey spaceman!” greeted Billie. He leaned forward so his nose was blown out of proportion. The grin he had on his face was absolutely priceless.

“Sup man! How’ve you been?” asked Parker as he leaned back in his chair and stared at the camera at his friends.

“Hey! What about me?” asked Bailey. She was dressed in a pretty pink dress and folded her arms in a full body pout.

“Hey there to you too Bailey,” Parker said with a wave. “You guys are the first online. Any word from Spencer or Selina?”

“No, not yet.” Billie’s connection garbled his response but cleared up shortly after. “But you know them. Twins dude. They’ll be online together or never.”

“I hear ya on that,” Parker replied. Just then, Spencer and Selina’s icons popped into the chat followed shortly by ten other friends Parker invited.

The chat and the cameras were filled with cheering and kids talking over one another, creating jumbled connections and amusing breaks in conversation. Games began of Among Us, Speed Racer, and a few other odd ones that Parker was able to access on his device.

After games and other discussions of the fun, nerdy things they were watching or reading, they took a break to sing happy birthday and open the cards they all made for Parker. Because of his condition, Parker requested that his friends make cards for him that they could send to him later.

They were all hilarious.

Parker was rolling on the ground laughing, as was everyone else, and they decided to have an impromptu competition for whose card was the best.

Selina won, naturally. Her sketching abilities were unparalleled, and her use of humor was worthy of the Sunday funnies. The image was Parker in a spacesuit hovering over planets with Mars in the background. It looked like he was outside of some big space station and the caption read, “Comet me, bro!” and underneath read, “I wanted to have a space-themed birthday party, but there was no one to planet. Happy Birthday Parker!” What really caught Parker’s eye was the little heart next to Selina’s name.

“Wow, Selina. That one is fantastic,” Parker complemented.

“Awww! Thanks Parker! Thanks guys!” said Selina with a wink. For whatever reason, Parker felt his heart flutter and his insides flip when he was Selina staring directly into the camera right at him. It was like she was right there looking into his eyes. “Only the best for my bestie.”

“What!” Billie roared. “He’s my bestie!”

“Uh, I talked to him first, so he’s my bestie,” retorted Bailey.

“Can’t you all be my besties?” asked Parker, recovering

Hours passed and, eventually, everyone was called away for dinner or some other activity. Parker waved his hand and wished his friends a great day, and all wished him a happy birthday.

Finally, it was just Bailey and Selina left.

“Well, Parker, I hope you had a great birthday,” said Bailey. “And don’t worry! I’ll be sending you my card A.S.A.P!”

“Yeah, same here,” chimed in Selina. The look the two of them gave one another made Parker’s hair stand on end. It was like there was some unspoken rivalry between the two of them that, for one reason or another, involved him. Parker wasn’t sure really what was going on, but he didn’t want to get in the middle of it.

There was that instinct in him to back away slowly and hide under something big and tall, but Parker held his ground and swallowed his apprehension, addressing his friends

“Well, I can’t wait to get them,” said Parker. He stared into the faces of his friends for a little while longer before Bailey’s mom could be heard in the background calling for her. She huffed dramatically and leaned forward.

“You’ll be getting mine first, so message me as soon as you get it, okay? Talk to you soon Parker! Bye!” said Bailey as she disconnected. Parker looked back at Selina, now realizing she was staring right at him. Her cheeks were a little rosy and the light hit her eyes in a way that made Parker’s insides flip.

He swallowed dryly, but Selina spoke first.

“I’ll be sending mine first, but I wanted to ask if it’s okay if I post it on my Tumblr account before I do. I wanted it to just be for you, but it would be good for my portfolio. I’m applying to the Visual Arts program and want to get some traction,” Selina requested. Parker nodded, but a curiosity tugged at his mind.

“Sure, I don’t have a problem with that, but what’s Tumblr?” asked Parker.

“What? I’m surprised you don’t have one for your writing and everything,” Selina replied. “It’s just a place online for you to submit your stories, poetry, art, and all of that stuff. You should totally make one! I’ll be your first follower!”

Parker hadn’t really thought about publishing his scribblings. Mr. Tamplin was always complementary of his work, encouraging him to do more, and his other writing teachers and tutors said he had a gift for the written word.

Maybe it was worth a shot.

At the very least, it would give him a chance to make more friends.

“Sure. I mean, I have to double check with my mom and everything, but I’ll send you the link if I get one. Sound good?”

“Great! Well, I’ll talk to you soon! Bye Parker!”

The connection was cut and, once again, Parker was left alone in his room, his camera being the only one facing him. He stared at the lens and at his own reflection in the shaped glass. He wasn’t sure why, but it made him feel the slightest bit lonely.

Despite having friends and being online with them for hours, it didn’t change the fact that he was still completely and utterly alone.

“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you.”

Parker turned around to see his mom approaching with a cake with two tiny candles labeled “1” and “3” on top. It was his favorite, a strawberry cake, and he stepped out of his room to the bedside table to greet her.

“Thanks, mom,” smiled Parker as he gazed up at her. She balanced his cake, which was about as big as his torso, on the tips of her fingers as she smiled at him.

“You’re so welcome,” she said, her adoration clearly audible. “Now, you know the rule. Take a big breath and make a wish.”

She held up her phone camera and hit record. Parker took a few deep breaths, unsure of what to wish for, and stared at the melting wax as it dripped down the edge of the candle.

What did he want?

What was his desire?

He had friends and time at school. He had technology and knick knacks as well as all of the books he could possibly want.

The only thing he would really want was to actually go outside and play with his friends, but that wasn’t possible. It was too dangerous for him, as his mother explained on numerous occasions.

Parker knew the wax wasn’t dripping any slower so, without a wish ready and writing himself a rain check, he blew out the candles.

“Yay! Happy birthday, sweetie,” Amanda said as she set Parker’s cake over onto the small table she brought with her. “Now, do you want cake or presents first?” Parker knew the answer already and, leaving his momentary sadness behind, he decided to enjoy the day rather than be brought down.

“Presents please,” he said as he stepped onto his mom’s awaiting hand. His mom’s smile broadened.

“I hoped you would say that. I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to start with the biggest one first. Otherwise, the others aren’t going to make sense,” said Amanda. She carefully stood and walked out of the bedroom and toward her office.

Parker leaned forward to look down over the edge of his mom’s hand at the vast distance below him. Something about the height was enticing and thrilling to him. It made his mom anxious anytime he was near the edge, but something inside him said that he could fall and be fine.

“Okay, I really hope you like it, but do not feel pressured into liking it,” said his mom. Parker felt confused as he looked away from the ground and toward the table by the side of the room. Immediately, his mind went blank as he looked at the thing on the table.

It was a miniature house.

It was made of pale blue panels and even had light brown shingles and white trim on the windows and doors. From what Parker could tell, there was nothing on the inside except for a few wrapped presents. It was three stories tall and had a little porch area with a gazebo.

He honestly wasn’t sure what to make of it until his mom asked, “Do… you like it?”

Parker, still unsure, gestured to the front door and his mom carefully set him down. The miniscule boy stepped up onto the porch, noticing how the steps were perfectly set for him. There was a wooden sign on the door that caught his attention immediately, adding to his swirling emotions.

“Parker’s Place”

He reached out and pushed the door open, noting the hinges were just like the ones on the big doors, just smaller.

When he entered the main area, he spotted a set of stairs on the left hand side as well as two entryways leading to two rooms. The rooms themselves were massive, to the point where Parker could run from one side to the other, spin around, and stretch without fear of hitting anything around him.

The outside world shifted as the house spun effortlessly around and the far wall opened up into two separate panels. His mom knelt down and watched him intently as he walked over to the right and into the kitchen. There was a box which had a bit of a hum to it and, when Parker opened it, the air was cold.

Parker, fascinated, turned on his heel and ran into the next room, seeing some old looking wallpaper and several large windows that led to the gazebo.

He needed to see more.

Adrenaline and curiosity fueled him as he sprinted up the stairs, each fitting him perfectly, as he found three new rooms with large windows all around. Still, there was another set of stairs. Parker glanced into the other rooms and found what looked like a miniature bathroom and what could be a bedroom before running upstairs to the top floors. Parker didn’t even mind that he ran past a stack of presents to continue his exploring.

There were two smaller rooms with a narrow entryway to get in, but it was still a massive space.

Now practically at eye-level with his mom, he turned around and looked into her eyes, his words finally manifesting.

“What… is this?”

“It’s a little house made for you,” she replied. Parker spun around in the space, mind still wrapping around the concept.

“For… people like me? But… how? Why?” Something felt odd about this place; like some kind of trap. Parker couldn’t explain the feeling, but something about this place didn’t quite feel right – like he didn’t quite belong there.

“Yes, something along those lines. Do you remember our conversation the other day about how you’re getting older and… things are going to be changing a bit?” asked his mom. Parker nodded vaguely while his mind processed how perfectly everything about this house fit him and why it didn’t feel right.

“Yes, I remember.”

“Well, you’re getting older now and I think it’s time that you had a larger space to call your own,” said Amanda. “It’ll let you gain a little independence and give you a little more freedom and privacy. You can decorate everything how you’d like, and we can set up the hot and cold water and lights together if you want.”

Parker stared around at the vast space.

Except for his room, he had always been surrounded by things that were immense compared to him. His tablet. The books his mom borrowed from the library. The camera he used for class.

Everything was big…

And now it wasn’t.

Parker finally pinpointed the feeling swirling inside him that overrode the sensation of this place feeling like a weird trap.

Normal.

He had always felt normal, but now the world around him felt like it fit him.

“Parker?” His mom’s voice pulled him back to the moment. “Do… you like it? Remember, you can say no. I just tho-”

“I love it.”

Amanda couldn’t be more relieved. She had been holding her breath the entire time Parker explored the dollhouse she purchased online for him. It was a miracle he didn’t find it sooner, but thankfully she had only had it for a few days. Dragging the package through to her office while Parker was in class was her saving grace.

Now, seeing the smile spreading across his face, it made it all worth it.

Yes, she felt an immense guilt for buying a dollhouse when Parker obviously was a person but keeping him in a shoebox on her bedside table felt wrong now that he was officially a teenager.

“You really like it?” asked Amanda, her voice choking up as she looked into those thoughtful brown orbs belonging to her son.

“Yeah, this place is sweet! I mean, it kinda has a weird smell and will need some stuff, but I’ve got so many cool places to go now! I can have a library and book area over on the gazebo in that side room. Bedroom is above that. Upstairs here is the recording, writing, reading area. I get a kitchen and my own bathroom too?” Parker felt himself geeking out.

“Well, I’m thrilled you like it,” said his mom, wiping her eyes with the heel of her palm. “Anyway, your other presents are related to this place, so I hope you like them.”

Parker could barely contain himself.

He sprinted down the stairs, reveling in how they were perfectly sized just for him, and tore open the presents. Some of them were games he had wanted to buy and the others were gift cards. One gift card was from a place called “Tay Models” that really intrigued him.

“It’s an independent company that makes furniture and accessories for people like you,” replied Amanda. A pang of guilt hit her, but she disguised it behind a smile. Tay Models came up during a search for dollhouse accessories and furniture, but nothing on the website indicated that it was meant for toys and dolls that were Parker’s size.

It was the best solution she could come up with without telling Parker more about the condition she had fabricated to keep him – both of them – safe.

“No way!” Parker was overjoyed and eagerly leapt down out of the house and onto the table to hug his mom’s fingers. “Thanks mom! When can we start working on the water and motors and lights?”

Amanda swallowed hard and nodded. “Today, if you want.”

Parker beamed at her and nodded.

“Yes, please. And… momma… could I sleep in here tonight? Move some of my things in here?” asked Parker. The question made a lump form in Amanda’s throat. This would be the first time Parker would be sleeping in another place instead of right beside her.

It made Amanda feel hollow but also reassured at the same time. She knew it was probably unhealthy to have her son sleeping in the same room within arm’s length of her for the majority of his life, but only now did she feel like she could leave him to his own devices.

Parker was a trustworthy boy, and now he was going to be able to practice his independence at a safe distance.

“Of course, sweetie,” she replied as she turned her hand and Parker leapt on, ready for the next phase of his life.

The rest of the evening was eventful to say the least. Both Amanda and Parker had accidentally soaked themselves while getting the water running in both the kitchen and the bathroom, which was the essential if Parker was going to stay in Parker’s Place.

The two of them had dinner and cake while reading the manual on how to set up the electricity of the house but elected by unanimous vote to work on it tomorrow in favor of watching a double feature before bed.

Parker drifted off to sleep at one point through the movie, leaving his mom to carry him to bed, but woke just long enough to give his mom a kiss goodnight and tuck himself in under his blankets. He stared at the ceiling that, for once, didn’t tower above him.

Things were different, both weird and good, and Parker was excited for the things he was going to get to do with his place.

He drifted into a dream filled sleep of far off adventures and worlds beyond comprehension. When he woke, he hurriedly scribbled down his thoughts and what he remembered about the dream, realizing that it would be an amazing plot for a story.

He suddenly felt like it was a shame to keep all of his ideas to himself. He stared at the countless notebooks that were scattered on the ground and, suddenly, it hit him.

Parker knew what he wanted for his birthday – to be able to publish his ideas.

So, as he stood and stretched, one of his objectives of the day became crystal clear.

He was going to start publishing, just like Selina said, and it was going to start today.

~~~~~^*^*^*^*^~~~~~

Continue

Beginning

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clanwarrior-tumbly · 1 year

Note

Hello dear! It's been a long time :)

I've read some of your Mandela Catalog fanfics and they are amazing!

I would like to make a request, how about the Reader (who was a friend of the Murray's and took care of Adam after the divorce as Lynn didn't have much time to spend with him) take custody of him after his parents died?

Adam at least grew up with someone :) and the Reader always sang songs when he got sad about his parents...

But the events are the same as the Mandela Catalog (Volume 1 and 2 etc.)

In the meantime, the Reader ends up dying for an Alternative, after months of the Reader's death, the events of volume 2 happen and then the events of Mandela Catalyst happen.

Basically, Thatcher finds Adam singing one of the songs that the Reader sang to him to calm him down, but since it's not the Reader singing...he can't calm down at all .

Just Angst in general...sorry :)

Oh boy this one hurt a LOT to write. Strap in and be ready for (several) different timeskips (and a whole lot of angst)

.........

--September 1992--

"Hey, [y/n]. I'm so sorry to bother you, but-"

"It's okay. What's up? Do you need me to watch him for a bit?"

"...I actually needed to talk to you about something important, but he hasn't stopped crying, and...shit...I-I just need a little bit of help if that's alright. I can't calm him down."

Hearing Lynn's exhausted sigh over the phone, you frowned slightly. It especially pained your heart to hear her son's wailing in the background, yet you realized she called you around this specific hour last time..with the exact same problem.

It was strange, honestly.

You would've thought she'd figured out what was going on with Adam by now.

"Wasn't Jude there earlier? Don't tell me he bailed and that's why he's-"

"No. He actually showed up this time and watched him while I was in a meeting. Everything was fine..a-and Adam didn't make any fuss when he left. But now he just started up the waterworks again and...god, I don't know what to do anymore.."

"Well you tell the little guy to hang tight, okay?" You reassured her as you grabbed your keys, jacket, and shoes. "I'm on my way over."

"Thank you so much, [y/n]..I'm sorry about this-"

"Don't be. It's not your fault. I'll see you in a few."

"Alright, see you soon."

After hanging up the phone, you headed out the door and got into your vehicle, driving to the Murray's residence.

You've been close friends with Jude and Lynn, having supported them through nearly every milestone of their relationship: when they had their son, when they got married, and....when they unfortunately went through a divorce two years later.

To this day, you still weren't sure what caused their relationship to crash and burn. They were highschool sweethearts who hoped to move into the big city and have kids--the kind of dream any couple would wanna live out.

But then they became incredibly stressed over raising just one child alone, and thought rushing into marriage would resolve things quickly.

Instead, it only caused more friction between them.

Regardless, you still wanted to help them out. So you've offered to watch Adam for a few hours while Lynn went to work, or if she just needed to get out of the house and take a breather.

He's a good kid...aside from being either quiet or having huge crying fits with consistent patterns to them. You suspected he saw something scary and violent on television once and hasn't recovered since.

Lynn mentioned a toddler stress assessment he took, showing his scores ranging from low to zero, indicating he didn't respond to the stimuli properly. She would have been more concerned if other children his age didn't share similar results, all apparently due to them being witnesses to a "phenomena".

Whatever it was, it must've been traumatic enough for him to have these meltdowns seemingly out of the blue.

But you always succeeded at calming him down. Lynn mom had yet to see your methods, though she's convinced you're some kind of "miracle worker", doing a better job at parenting than she or Jude could.

Fortunately, she was going to find out today.

You arrived at the house, exchanging sympathetic smiles with the exhausted mother before she led you to Adam's room. There, he was in the corner bawling his eyes out.

"Adam, sweetie? Someone's here to see you." She cooed, but to no avail as he didn't even look up at her. Sighing in defeat, she stepped aside when you reassured her you'll handle it.

"Hey, buddy. It's me again." You spoke softly, kneeling down on the floor in front of Adam. For a moment, he fell silent and glanced up at you, hiccupping on occasion.

But when you opened your arms up to him, he started crying even louder and clung to you tightly. "Oh it's okay, kiddo. Shhh, I'm here." You hushed, holding him as you stood back up. "[Y/n]'s here now."

He could only blubber your name in response, snot and tears dribbling down his face as he nuzzled into your shoulder. You rubbed his back, wishing you could take away whatever made him this upset.

Since that wasn't possible, you did the only thing you could do in that moment.

And that was sing.

More specifically, sing a song you heard on the radio earlier today. It's one of your favorites, which always helps you calm down after a stressful day; surely it'll help Adam in his case, too.

Although your voice was soft and quiet, it managed to reach his ears as you sang to him, and eventually it worked its magic. His sobs died into sniffles, and then sniffles into silence.

You smiled. "Did you like that one? That's one of my favorites."

He nodded, now resting his head on your shoulder and closing his puffy eyes as you kept rubbing his back, humming softly. Before you knew it, he was fast asleep.

"....are you serious? I've tried singing to him and it does nothing!" Lynn whispered, astonished you were able to resolve that in a minute, when usually it took her an hour.

"Sorry, I guess he likes my voice better." You chuckled lightly, before your eyes shifted around the room. "Where do you want him? The crib as usual?"

"...as usual. I know he's supposed to be grown out of it, but he refuses to sleep anywhere else."

"It'll happen eventually, I'm sure." You set Adam down, making sure the pillow was comfortably underneath his head. Then you turned back to Lynn. "So...you wanted to talk about something?"

"It's..on the kitchen table." She muttered, confusing you as she turned and walked out the room.

You followed her to the aforementioned section of the house, noticing documents on the table. One mentioned child custody, which was signed by her and Jude...but also had a third blank line on it as well.

"Jude and I had a long talk, and...we both decided that if, god forbid, anything should happen to us and we can't be here to take care of Adam...we'd make you his legal guardian." She explained. "I know it's a lot to ask of you right now and I doubt we'll even need this, but-"

"I'll sign it."

She blinked. "R-Really? I mean..there's no rush. If you need time to think about it-"

"My mind's been made up. With those broadcasts having everyone on edge, it's better to be safe than sorry. But I hope it won't come to that." You picked up the pen, clicking it as you sat down to read the document. "I just sign here? Do I have to go to the court?"

"No, you can just sign it and I'll bring it to them tomorrow." She swallowed the lump in her throat, choking back tears of relief. "I-I just want Adam to grow up in a better place and..we trust that you can do that should it be necessary."

Nodding in understanding, you signed the paper, slipping it back into the folder before you gave Lynn a hug. "If this helps you guys out, then it's fine with me. Does Adam know?"

"W-We're gonna tell him about it, soon. But..thank you so, so much, [y/n]. This means a lot to us."

"Of course, I'm here for you and him till the very end."

--One Week Later--

"Lynn? Are you alright? I was driving by and noticed your door was wide open."

"......"

"Lynn? Jude? You guys here?"

"........"

"....Adam?"

"........"

"Anybody home at all? Hello?"

"........."

"C'mon, this isn't.....wha....o-oh my god. LYNN!! No, no, no, no, no!! What the fuck?!! Why would you...y-you....?! Oh Christ, I'm gonna be sick....I need to call 911-"

"[Y/n]? Where's momma...?"

"A-Adam! Don't go in there. Thank god you're okay, but wha...what are you doing out here by yourself??"

"...looking for my new friend."

"Huh? But..sweetheart, there's no one here but us."

"Not even momma?"

"N-No. She's..gone away for a while. And dad, too. But do you remember that talk we had about me looking after you?"

"Mhm."

"Well, that...starts now. I'll be taking care of you for a little while, okay?"

"Okay."

"Good, good..now let's go home."

--January 2002--

It's been 10 years since the worst night of your life, as well as Adam's.

You lost two of your best friends, and he lost his family.

The sight of Lynn's hanging corpse was forever burned into your mind, and you were still unsure of Jude's whereabouts to this very day. He was never found by the police..although you felt like they were too scared to investigate further and give victims like yourself the proper justice.

Nevertheless, you had a promise to keep. And so you've done your best to raise Adam as his legal guardian. Signing those documents all those years ago certainly streamlined the process of you gaining custody over him, and he didn't protest over it.

You never did tell him what actually happened that night. You don't think you'll ever be able to.

All you said was that you found him alone in that house and took him with you, clueless as to where his parents are. It was only partially a lie, yet you still felt guilty.

You tried giving him a normal life away from Mandela County, as it was simply too dangerous to live there. He grew out of the unusual behavioral patterns of his toddler years, thank goodness, and continued being a generally good kid.

In school, he took up a hobby in filmmaking, while also gaining interest in ghost-hunting shows and other subjects related to paranormal activity, including online forums discussing Alternates.

Although concerned about this interest he's been pursuing, you supported his passions.

After turning 14, he reached that "teen angst" state of his life where he was going through lots of changes and constantly flipping moods like a light switch.

And when you picked him up from school today, that bad attitude reared its ugly head for you to see.

He didn't greet you after getting in the car, keeping his headphones on as he stared outside the window, seething red. You did notice a small group of jocks, one of whom seemed to have a nosebleed while the rest scowled at your son, only to see you were staring at them too. They quickly scampered back onto the campus grounds.

But what you didn't notice was Adam rolling down his sleeves to hide his bruised knuckles.

As soon as you both got home, he threw his backpack onto the nearest table and stormed off to his room without speaking a single word to you.

Now any other parent wouldn't have tolerated his disrespect. But rather than chastise him when you knew he was already feeling shitty, you calmly walked towards his bedroom door.

It was partially open, though you gently knocked just to be polite. "Hey, kid..may I come in?"

"....sure. Whatever."

You pushed the door open more, entering to find Adam curled up on his bed, staring down at his music player as he shuffled through some songs. "Glad to see you're using the MP3 I got you for Christmas."

He didn't respond to that, instead burying his face into his knees and keeping his hood drawn over his head.

You sat beside him, knowing that you'd have to choose your next words very carefully from here on out. 'Wish there was some guidebook on caring for a grumpy teenage boy..but I'll have to figure this one out myself..'

"So..what're you listening to?" You asked, hoping to start up some kind of conversation.

"...if you care so much..it's Radiohead." His voice was slightly muffled, but you understood him as your eyes lit up.

"Oh! I love that band."

"You do?"

"Of course! You think I'm too old to enjoy it?" You feigned hurt, although when you heard him sniffle quietly, you sighed and rested a hand on his back. "Look, I noticed those kids staring when I picked you up. They look like the same jerks I used to meet in school. Did...they say anything to you?"

For a few long moments, he was silent, but eventually answered.

"They called me an orphan, so I punched one of them."

Your heart sunk. "Wha--Adam, you gotta be more careful. You could've gotten hurt or expelled-"

"So what? I'm supposed to just take it?" He glared up at you, his eyes red and watery. "I can't defend myself?"

"...that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that there's other ways we can deal with them without violence. But I agree that what they said was wrong." Frowning, you gently brushed his curly bangs to the side. "They shouldn't be using orphan as an insult."

"Yeah. They think both my parents are dead, but they're liars. My mom's still out there, and if she comes back we can prove them wrong."

Ah.

You could feel this familiar conversation starting up again, but this time you weren't sure if Adam was going to be placated by your answer anymore. The more he pressed about it, the more he got suspicious and tired of the same excuses.

"....are we ever gonna go back to Mandela and try to find her, [y/n]?"

You shook your head. "I'm sorry, Adam. But you know we can't. I...have no clue where we'd even start."

"Then why doesn't she try to find us, instead? She must have escaped those things by now..unless she gave up on me."

"Wha--" You blinked, having no idea how he could've drawn that conclusion so quickly. "What made you think-?"

"I-I mean..it makes sense, right? It's been ten damn years and she hasn't tried looking for us once?" He started getting agitated, taking off his headphones as they no longer comforted him. "Maybe she wanted me out of her life for good. I mean...I'm the reason her and dad divorced."

"Adam, their divorce wasn't your fault at all. I knew your mom for a long time, and she loved you a lot-"

"Then why does it feel like she abandoned me?!!" He snapped, throwing his music devices onto the mattress before scowling at you. "Just tell me the truth, [y/n]!! I can take it. If she said I was a burden, then fucking TELL ME!!"

You took your hand off his back the moment he started shouting, feeling yourself tensing up.

The one thing you hoped not to do was make him angry, and yet here he was...lashing out. But you tried not to take it too personally and stayed quiet.

Not long after his explosion, Adam saw the look on your face and instantly felt remorseful for snapping like that. His face began burning with embarrassment as he looked away, fresh tears welling up in his eyes.

"..I'm sorry, I...I just-"

"I know you didn't mean it. It's alright." You carefully wrapped your arm around him, bringing him closer to you. "But you were never a burden to her. That's the truth. She loved you and wanted you to have a better life..one that she couldn't provide. I know you don't understand everything right now, but one day it's all gonna make sense. I can promise you that, son."

He sniffled and tucked his face between your neck and shoulder, trying to stifle his sobs as he mumbled about still missing her so badly. You held him even closer, feeling the poor kid shaking in your arms.

Luckily, you knew exactly how to remedy this situation.

"Adam?"

"Y..yeah?"

"...do you want me to sing to you like I did before? I know you got your music player, but..my voice might help you feel a little better."

For a moment he was quiet, but you felt him nod against your neck. You smiled and kissed the top of his hood, before quietly singing one of his favorite songs:

"Such a pretty house, and such a pretty garden. No alarms and no surprises. No alarms and no surprises...."

He closed his eyes as he listened to your soft voice, tears dampening the collar of your shirt. He felt like he did nothing to deserve you or all of this love after the way he acted earlier.

You could've left him alone, or got angry right back at him.

But you didn't.

You never stopped being there for him.

After Adam calmed down a few minutes later, you let him go and saw him wipe at his face with his sleeve. While still embarrassed to be seen like this, he did feel a lot better. "Y-You...still got it." He chuckled. "You ever think about becoming a singer? Like in a band or something?"

"In my dreams, yeah. But I told ya I'm a big Radiohead fan." You smirked.

"Alright, alright..I guess you're not too "old" to like it." He rolled his eyes, but eventually leaned back onto your shoulder, relaxing. "Thanks again, [y/n]. I-I..really needed that."

"Anytime." You gently hugged him to you. "I'm here whenever you need me, son. I promise we'll go back to Mandela when it's safer."

"Together?"

"Together."

--September 2008--

You couldn't believe it.

You couldn't.

Fucking.

Believe it.

Adam went behind your back and did exactly what you told him not to do.

He left for to Mandela County in the middle of the night, taking a stolen car. Although he did leave you a note saying he was going on a "BPS mission" with Jonah and promised to be back in several days, you were still quite infuriated.

Especially since you've been meaning to talk to him about this little "group" of his.

All this time, you thought it was just some afterschool club he attended that helped him make friends and even find a girlfriend. He told you all they did was chat about ghosts and research paranormal stuff and nothing more.

But he's been using it as a cover-up to hunt down the Alternates who ruined so many lives, breaking several laws while doing so.

You only learned about all this through Evelin, who called your cell phone just a few minutes ago. The poor girl was in tears, explaining that she and Adam had a huge fight, and apparently he told her some....very hurtful things.

Things you'd never believe would come out of your son's mouth.

You didn't raise him this way at all.

You raised him to be a better person, not a rebel who thinks he can talk to girls with such disrespect and run away from home.

Why would he do this all of the sudden?

Did he just get too impatient?

Did he not trust you anymore?

What ever happened to the promise that you'll go to Mandela together?

Regardless, you apologized to Evelin for Adam's behavior before hanging up. Then you called his number, and he surprisingly answered within the first ring.

Usually it took three.

"Hey, [y/n]. What's up?"

""What's up?"" You mimicked, already growing annoyed. ""What's up" is that your girlfriend called me and said you insulted her. All because she didn't like these little "ghost hunts" you've been doing??"

"Oh fuck, did she really tell you about all our problems?" He groaned. "Look, I'm not the bad guy here. I swear. We had a petty argument and she freaked out on ME, and then I got a little defensive. That's all."

"...a "little"? You made her cry, Adam. I had to help her calm down before she could even talk to me."

"....well it's not my fault if she's too damn sensitive."

You couldn't believe how heartless he sounded, but you didn't wanna stay on this topic forever.

So you sighed, sitting down on the sofa as you wondered how you can convince him to stop these ridiculous "hunts". "Listen, son. I just think this is consuming your life too much-"

"But this IS my life, [y/n]! Jonah and I have been making some serious bank from this! Believe it or not, paranormal investigating IS a real job-"

"But it's not a safe one." You interrupted. "I know how badly you want closure on your mother, but those things won't give you any answers. They're only going to kill you if-"

"I stared at one dead in the face and it didn't attack me."

You froze, feeling your heart drop into your stomach. "...what?"

"Yeah! I found out I'm sorta "immune" to M.A.D or whatever, and I have footage of it!" He bragged. "It didn't hurt me at all. We had a pretty funny staring contest. I can send you proof of it so you don't have to worry about me."

"....I don't want "proof", Adam. I want you to come home."

"....not until I find out the truth for myself." Suddenly his tone turned spiteful. "Unless you know something that I don't."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not a dumb kid anymore, [y/n]. If there's something YOU knew about that night that you didn't wanna tell me before...now's the time."

For a few long moments, you were silent as you thought over his words, although his snarky response made your blood boil even more.

At this point you were fed up you were with him sneaking behind your back like this and breaking his promise. You only sheltered the truth of that night from him for this long because you knew how deeply it would hurt him.

But now he was practically goading you into laying it all out.

Maybe that's what you should do. Just to finally put this to rest and make him give up on these stupid "investigations". He was searching for someone who wasn't even alive anymore.

He may hate you, but if this is what he wanted...it's what he'll get.

"I'm sorry, Adam. But-"

All of the sudden, a loud sound akin to static noise crackled right into your eardrum, causing you to flinch and hold the phone far away from you.

Only then did you notice an unknown caller ID had popped up, the ringtone playing normally. You declined it and tried calling Adam back, but the same mysterious number showed up again before you could even dial anything.

You had no choice but to answer the stranger.

"Hello? Yes?"

"This is no longer your place to spill secrets, I'm afraid." A male's voice, staticky and coarse, droned in your ear. "Only I will reveal everything to our prophet soon enough."

"....your prophet? Who the hell is this?" Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I think you got the wrong number. I don't know any "prophet". Goodbye."

Hanging up, you hoped to put an end to that discussion and reach out to Adam once more-

"Of course you do, [y/n]. He's the son you've taken under your wing."

Every muscle in your body tensed.

The same voice was now inside your own home.

Your eyes searched the living room until you noticed the TV flickering to life, the screen displaying a hooded man with a face that looked as if it were melting.

"How do you know about him?" You scowled. "Don't tell me...you're the creep who kidnapped all those kids back in-"

"You played right into our hands. You've passed our test. I must say you've raised him well..keeping him in the dark about his truth." The Intruder taunted. "But it's time you open your eyes and recognize the favor you've done for us."

"...what favor? What does any of this have to do with Adam?!"

"From the moment you saw that boy's poor mother...he ceased to exist, too. I had taken him only for a moment, and gave you back something you promised to protect. But you've been living a lie, [y/n]. Your "son" was never actually him."

"You mean to tell me he's......?" Your heart dropped into your stomach, realizing what he was implying. But you clenched your fists. "N-No. You're lying."

"You had already failed them before you even realized it." The TV glitched to show the shadow of a certain woman with her neck broken, before displaying an image of the Murray house, before it reverted back to the Intruder's face. "You could've joined them, but we wanted to see how he'd grow under your watchful eye. Now thanks to you, we know we can blend into mankind and watch it rot from the inside out. And soon we'll awaken him, too, and rejoice."

"I don't believe you." You tried keeping your voice steady and calm, knowing he was attempting to inflict M.A.D on you. "If you think he's going to be anything like you freaks...you're dead wrong."

"Oh, but he will. He must. It's his fate."

"If he's one of you, then why would he care for the real Adam's mother like she was his?! And on that note...was hanging her just your little "distraction" so you could-?!"

"You accuse me as if I pulled the rope." He scoffed. "But I didn't. She just lost all hope and faith in finding him. That poor mother, too distraught at the sight of her missing infant---distraught at the sight of her missing infant, missing infant, missing infantmissinginfantMISSINGMISSINGMISSINGMISSINGMISSING...."

His voice suddenly began repeating on a loop, corrupted messages and symbols covering the screen. Through it all, you were still able to make out his haunting gaze and widening grin.

The only way he disappeared was when you grabbed a nearby chair and smashed the glass with it, shattering the screen to pieces. Electric sparks and smoke sputtered out of the TV, but besides that...it was finally silent again.

You huffed and took several steps back.

Yet you had little time to fully process everything he told you as your phone rang again. You hesitantly checked it, only to become relieved at seeing's Adam's number and quickly answered it.

"A-Adam! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, um..are you? What happened? You just hung up on me.." He sounded rather concerned.

"I didn't mean to. S-Something must've disconnected our call.." You scrambled to grab your keys, convinced he was in danger.

'Damnit, I swore I was gonna stay away from Mandela, but if he's still there....and HE knows about him-.'

However before you could get your shoes, you stopped and felt a sudden chill run up your spine.

One that left you with the feeling that you weren't alone anymore.

Your gaze slowly went to the front door, where a tall humanoid figure lurked in the nearest corner. It was overtaken by a huge shadow, although the whites of its elongated eyes were still visible, staring back at you.

Adam's concerned "hellos" on the other end fell on deaf ears as you watched the creature limp out from the darkness, revealing itself to be the most horrifying attempt at human mimicry possible.

The worst part?

It looked just like you.

"I'm here whenever you need me, son." It echoed your voice, stalking towards you and forcing you away from the front door, back into the kitchen area. "Something must've disconnected our call-l-l!"

"Who the hell was that? What's going on?!"

Finally hearing your son again, you swallowed back tears as you shakily reached for a large knife, keeping the phone in a tight grip.

This was it for you.

You've just been a pawn in their plans all along.

The Intruder had intentions to kill you with M.A.D by revealing you've basically raised an Alternate for them, and if that despair alone didn't end your life.....then this beast that somehow got inside your home will surely finish the job.

But screw that. Screw all of them.

You'll fight till your last breath if you must.

Your only regret is leaving Adam all alone when he's already lost so much in his life...but you didn't want him to think you resented him.

"I-I have to go. I'm sorry if I sounded harsh back there. I just want you to make the right choices. But if this BPS stuff makes you happy, then..keep doing what you're doing. Just be careful, okay?"

"Uh, sure. But why are you talking like that, [y/n]??" His voice was growing more worrisome. "Look, I'm sorry. I-I swear I'll come back home soon-"

"Don't worry about me...I'll be okay." You smiled shakily, not taking your eyes off the creature closing in. "Just take care of yourself out there. This world's cruel, but I know you'll kick it in the ass."

"Just wait a damn second! Don't g-!"

"Goodbye, my son. I love you."

You ended the call, dropping the phone to the ground and holding the knife with both hands, finally ready to accept your fate.

The Alternate howled with laughter, before it lunged at you with its claws and jaws wide open.

"GOODBYE-E-E!!!!"

"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!!!!"

"Uh-oh! Bad decision, [y/n]!"

--January 16th, 2009--

Adam staggered through the front door to his home, famished, dehydrated, exhausted....

And burdened with knowledge that made him want to die.

Only a few months ago, you disappeared after that concerning phone conversation you two exchanged. He hasn't heard your voice since, and when he returned to Werksha..you were nowhere to be found.

There was no sign of a break-in, or anything of that sort..but Adam was convinced you were taken just like his mom was--obviously by one of the Alternates.

So he went back to Mandela to continue his investigations alongside Jonah, growing desperate for answers. There had to be at least one who knew what happened to you and where you are.

His obsession with these hunts only worsened, turning him into a crueler person around those who questioned his reasons for "chasing" after Alternates. Evelin did break off the relationship for good, seeing as he was too far gone to even reason with.

He knows you would've been disappointed in him...but surely you'd understand why he'd do this. You understood him better than anyone.

You said it yourself. As long as he was careful, he can do whatever he wanted!

Yet nothing ever turned up.

Until the day he and Jonah agreed to help put a cat's spirit to rest, the "owner" offering them $500 a night if they stayed for three in total...

That investigation ended in a huge argument in which Jonah brought up your name and his mother, setting him off and indirectly causing his best friend's death.

And then he was all alone again, but acted like none of it bothered him and tried to quell BPS' online following with a memorial video.

Days later, the Intruder contacted him on his laptop and unveiled the truth about his existence--the same truth he told you before you died.

"Your skin is not your own."

"You're not the real you."

Those words were drilled into Adam's mind, and he could feel his own body going through an agonizing metamorphosis as he forced himself to drive back to Werksha one last time.

He barely was able to drag himself out of the van and through the front door.

But that's when he was greeted by a grisly sight:

Your rotting corpse slumped against the wall, a bloody knife in your palm and a deep slash wound across your throat, your clothes caked in dried blood.

You were never missing.

You died.

And whatever monster brought you back here decided to present you as some twisted "gift" for him.

Adam collapsed and screamed so loudly that it shattered the lights he turned on, deciding right there that he didn't wanna live this way anymore. He couldn't. He didn't wanna become one of them.

He wanted to join you while he still had his humanity left.

Yet despite all his attempts to end his misery, including using the same knife you used to stab himself and consuming enough bleach cleaner he found under the sink to make him vomit his guts out......nothing was working.

His body didn't fail him like he expected.

He still felt his bones breaking in all the wrong ways, and now his insides fucking burned like an inferno.

Eventually, Adam stopped and instead covered your body with his BPS hoodie, sobbing about how sorry he was for not being here for you, before he managed to crawl his way into his room--his one place of comfort.

Having no strength to climb onto the mattress, he just slumped next to his bed, leaning against the nightstand for support. He made the mistake of looking into the cracked mirror beside him...and wailed as he saw the same monster that robbed you of life staring straight back at him:

A gaunt, skinny husk of a boy with pupils of light and a horrifying facial expression that's impossible for humans to mimic.

God, he wishes he spent more time with you...had he known all of this was going to happen..

Did you know he was an Alternate? Is that why you were afraid of him coming back to Mandela?

What would you do if you found him like this?

Would you still hold him?

Would you still sing to him?

Or....

'That's it...I can sing...' He realized, slowly quieting down as he recalled all the times you sang to him whenever he was saddened in the past.

If you were able to calm him down easily, then surely he can calm himself down in a similar way in this situation. It's just his own voice this time around; it couldn't be that much different...right?

It was worth a try.

"...s-such...a...pretty house...and...and such a pretty gardennn...."

He ignored the creaking of the front door being opened, and the footsteps that echoed through the house, slowly approaching his room.

"No..alarms-s-s....and no....a-and no....!"

Suddenly Adam began hyperventilating, eyes filling with tears as he struggled to finish the line, despising the way it sounded.

It wasn't the same.

It wasn't your voice.

It was a voice that wasn't even his own. Just a broken and flawed attempt to mimic the real Adam's--the one who never even got a shot at life before it was stolen away from him.

If this didn't help him..then nothing could..

He wanted you back.

He needed your voice to sing and comfort him, just as you've done all those years ago.

He needed you.

But you're never coming back again.

Up to this point, a certain ex-lieutenant officer with a vendetta against the Alternates entered the bedroom, shining the light around until he found this kid sitting all alone and....

Singing a Radiohead song?

He realized his ears weren't deceiving him, but just as he attempted to confirm his identity-

Adam's jaw unhinged without warning, stretching to impossible proportions as he looked directly into his eyes, screaming and crying out with all the grief left in him:

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!"

#clanask #mandela catalogue x reader #tmc x reader #adam murray #parent reader #platonic #tw body horror #tw suicide mention #tw reader death #angst #hurt/comfort

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specialbrewbutterbeer · 2 years

Text

Unorthodox (PART II) (Robert 'Bob' Floyd x Kazansky!Reader)(+ IceMav)

PART 1 HERE

Word Count: 9812

TW: Parental death/funerals, mentions of a marriage of convenience, institutional homophobia, alcohol consumption, possibly swearing, NSFW CONTENT AT THE END (for once I decided to actually go graphic so just be warned, may or may not be badly written, unsure) There is lots of fluff and lots of angst here- some based on my own experiences.

AN: Enough people wanted a part two that I wrote one. Idk how it got this long, but I really went in for the IceMav stuff and I couldn't help but make it super sweet with them. It just felt right. Writing this ended up in me reading through the entire F-14 Tomcat's flight operations manual and spending an hour picking music because I wanted to do another one with a bit of a diegetic music thing going on. So...

Enjoy! (Requests are open, feedback and replies are really needed! I wanna know what you guys think of what I write! I adored reading what you thought of Pt.I, special shoutout to @teacactusworld and @cowboybarbie cos I loved reading what they thought!)

REQUESTS (OPEN)

MASTERLIST

---------------------------

It didn't take long. She was glad about that, she hoped it meant less pain and stuffering if it just happened quick. Just a couple days after Pete had visited.

Bob had texted her that same night after he dropped her home- he couldn't have waited if he'd tried. She felt like a giddy teenager getting the message. She'd not stopped talking to him since- for three days, flirting and talking and slowly pulling details from eachother.

Until now. Now she hadn't thought about her phone once, or work or anytime outside of their home.

She woke up in the morning and her father wasn't at breakfast.

She didn't say anything, just shared a look with her Mom over the heads of her younger siblings.

She didn't sit in her usual place, she just felt herself go pale. She knew it was coming, but it still hurt.

She waited until she was out of the kitchen to break into a sprint down the hall. The study door was locked- empty then. She half lept up the stairs to stand in the hall and see, through her parents bedroom door, her Papa laying in bed.

This was a man who had gotten up at 5am everyday since he joined the Naval Academy at 17.

It was now nearly 10.

She knocked on the door and he looked up. He didn't smile. How could he smile at his daughter when her face was smothered in fear and pale shock?

"Baby girl?" He coughed out the words, as fried and cracking as they were now.

"Papa." She spoke and walked in. She felt like a little kid and it was awful.

Immediately she wanted to call Pete- tell him to drop everything and get here. But her Dad didn't want that, she knew. He never wanted anyone to see him like that- if he could have kept all of them away, he would have. But especially not Pete.

She sat at the edge of her bed and images of her Dad when she was little- when he seemed barely 20 something, tall, strong and muscular- looking young enough to be her brother, not her Dad- flashed before her.

He was 27 when she was born. He met Sarah, had (y/n) and they married in the space of year. Just after TopGun.

He had told her before, that he'd always wanted kids. That she was his absolute dream.

It wasn't long after she was born that he started rapidly climbing the ranks- he wanted more kids, for sure, but her Mom was already struggling to cope with moving all round the country with a newborn, so they waited a few years.

So she was a Daddy's girl. She was Pete's girl too- in those years he was around increasingly.

No matter where they were, Pete would turn up. He'd be in the house- she remembered being a toddler, one of her earliest memories, was of her Dad and Pete.

When she thought back on it, she remembered going to see him too- her Dad and her would drive, or fly, cross country, just the two of them, to visit Pete. Those were good memories, he was a good Dad. He was patient and kind, he lived for his kids.

He rarely missed a parent teacher conference, a recital, a game. He wanted, needed to be there for it. He did whatever he could to be there. No matter how much of his own down time he'd miss, how much he'd have to catch up on, how far he'd have to travel for something that was really and ultimately trivial- he did it. He had to.

She remembered those early years, with just them- fondly. When her Dad walked around the house in boxer shorts and dog tags, a piece of toast in his hand and her, tucked under the other arm, in a diaper, giggling.

She remembered hazily those days, just before school age. She remembered her Dad, and Pete. Back then, she was either with her Dad or her Mom. Not both. She knew they'd been through a patch- sorta seperated for a while. That must have been then.

Pete seemed to always be around then.

Her Dad and Pete practically lived together- when they weren't working overseas. She got handed off from one parent to the other at airports and at the front door of the house as they swapped in and out.

Him and Pete- young men who didn't look like they should have been in charge of a kid, and yet they managed it in their own 'bachelorish' way.

Pete was good with kids because he could make them laugh and they liked him- he played a bit rough but always kissed grazed knees better and snuck a few M&Ms or some other candy to her behind his back when Tom wasn't looking. It only took Pete to ask once (or occasionally bribe) to get the kids to do anything. He always knew how to talk to them.

Tom was the affectionate, soppy Dad - he'd chase her round the house and catch her in a flurry of tickles and kisses as she squeaked and laughed. He'd sit with her in his lap, both with Tootsie pops in their mouths, on the floor and watch cartoons. He demanded a kiss on the cheek everytime his little girl left his side. He learned how to do her hair, and obliged when she wanted to but butterfly hairclips in his.

She'd sit on Pete's knee as he sat on the counter in the kitchen and her Dad cooked their meals. It was Pete who picked her up from preschool when Tom couldn't. They'd take turns taking care of her when she woke in the night- rocking the little girl back to sleep or sitting with her until she did by herself. They all three had to brush their teeth together at night or she would kick up a fuss and refuse to do it. If Pete was getting her dressed for preschool in the morning, he'd let her pick what she wanted to wear, and he'd carry her downstairs (she's a clumsy Princess and Pete, as rough and tumble as he is, refused to let her just figure out that you can't run down the stairs at 60mph and expect not to fall, on her own, or just hold her hand or something like Tom did. She was too precious for that) to the kitchen to present her to her Dad in the most insane outfits. Tom always dressed her smartly and neatly and always pressed her clothes with as much care as he would press and tidy his own dress uniform. It was Pete who was the panicky one- if she got so much as a paper cut his heart would absolutely stop and if she cried over it; it was all just over. He hadn't felt the anxiety and adrenaline like that ever- even when Bradley was a baby (but that's because Carole and Nick were such natural parents and so deeply calm). Tom was just a pick up and carry on type- he had figured out the whole 'if you don't react like it's a big deal, they won't either' thing. He always just brushed her down and kept going- held her hand and fixed it. He was a fixer.

The longest she stayed with her Dad was a month and half- before he was shipped out again. The agreement with Sarah was that she would go and stay with her own mother whilst Tom was home, he'd look after (Y/n), and the rest of the time, she'd be back in the house with the baby.

(Y/n) remembered vividly being in her Mother's arms to say goodbye to her Papa and Pete, surrounded by all the other Pilots' wives and kids and families. She'd sobbed and screamed and reached out for them. She was too young to understand what was going on or why, she just knew her Papa was leaving her behind and she didn't want him to go. So she clung on to her mother and cried her eyes out.

It was a chaotic time really- confusing and stressful for all of them, though it wasn't all bad, the good times were some of the best.

That didn't last long though. Whatever had made her parents split, they resolved. She'd never dug deep into that issue to find out why they'd split. She guessed the stress of a new baby and her Dad being there and then not being there all the time.

Over the years, Pete was still highly prominent in her life, but not as he had been in those months. Her parents became a force to be reckoned with, a proper team and when she looked at them: there was a deep love there, deep respect and admiration.

And now after all these years, more kids, more chaos and trouble and good and bad. Here was her beloved Papa, a man who she ate froot loops with at their dining table before her first day of school- her in pigtails and a little pink pair of corduroy dungarees and him (as he always seemed to be as a young dad) shirtless- both grinning from ear to ear and laughing at nothing because she was just so excited; a man who consoled her when her own marriage (which she had done on a whim and without telling anyone) broke down after barely a month; a man who made beards out of bubble bath; who for the love of God flew fighter jets for near enough 25 years! A man she wanted to walk her down the isle and be the first to hold his grandchildren. She'd always thought that wasn't much to ask but here he was. And she could do nothing but get used to the idea that he wasn't going to get to do that.

Here he was. In bed, weak, frail and tired. He wasn't even old yet. He wasn't even mandatory retirement age yet.

She held his hand and said nothing. They both knew what this signalled. They both knew how rapid it would be now.

What the fuck could she say? What was she meant to say to her perfect Father as he lay there fading away? She'd known this was coming but it still hurt. She couldn't have even tried to prepare the words to tell him. She just wanted to tell him she loved him. Because she did and that seemed the most important thing. She loved him and was proud of him- his work, his life, his achievements. She was astounded by him, respected him and adored him like she'd never adore anyone else. She didn't know how he could be such a good Dad and a fighter pilot and then Admiral and never ever fail at either job. He'd never let her down. Not until now.

She wanted to be so angry that she was being left behind, that his body could give up on him like this when he was such a sharp mind, when he was so clever and he'd always eaten right and stayed fit. She wanted to slap him round the face and tell him he was a fucking idiot, of course he wasn't dying, just get up and work like normal and pretend it all wasn't real. But it was. And it was unfair to be angry, not now. She knew she had all the time in the world to be angry later. But now she just wanted her Papa. In whatever form he was in.

Through the day she sat with him. They talked and her siblings did the same, even her eldest brother, who was 3rd year of college age now, curled up into his sister as they sat with their Dad. She put her arms around him and cradled him like when they were small, and they held their Dad's hand.

Everyone knew Tom Kazansky didn't have favourites. He was highly professional and moral. He didn't have favourite children and he loved them all equally. If anything happened to any of them he'd rather have flung himself in front of a train or off a twenty story building than just let it. Yet- her- his first born. How could he not favour her somehow. When she wasn't just his baby girl, when he was sure he'd never felt love until he'd seen her, when she had been there for so long that he knew he'd had no life before her, when she had been their baby girl.

In the evening he seemed dazed, very tired and less sure of what was happening around him. She expected it was a mixture of things, but mostly from the painkillers he was being given.

By the morning he was just confused, fidgety- he'd always been a fidget but this was an anxious fidget. Her Mom had been up with him all night, as he slept and woke in fits and starts. He just wasn't sure quite of where he was, he knew he was in his own bed- but he didn't seem to recognise it, he knew everyone's name but not necessarily who they were to him. Not all the time. He just- he was hazy on things and that was hard when just a day or two before he was as sharp and witty as ever. That was the one thingthing that'd he'd always had through this illness- his mind. And now at the last second it was slipping away from him.

That afternoon, as she sat with him, (y/n) noticed him glancing toward the side of the room. It was the first time they'd been alone- her Mom was taking care of her other kids and the siblings were scattered around the house- some of them too nervous to sit for too long with their Dad, others too distraught.

"What you looking at?" She asked softly.

"Is (y/n)- is she in the crib?" He asked in reply as he moved his head to see, his voice weak and crackled. He seemed to still understand he was ill and couldn't get up.

(Y/n) looked over to the spot where he was staring.

"Did Pete take her downstairs?" He asked again and looked at her.

"Yeah, he did." She nodded. He nodded back.

"I really love them. I love em both." He spoke. "They're the loves of my life, Sarah." In his haze she looked exactly like her mother and that's who he believed he was talking to. He closed his eyes again.

She understood then- lots of things.

She looked up and saw her Mom in the doorway.

They shared a look and her Mom nodded.

"I know, Tommy. It's alright." She spoke as she sat by her husband with a somber smile.

By the third morning he was gone.

It was like he'd waited for everyone to be asleep. It was the kind of thing he would do.

(Y/n) stayed quite calm throughout that day. She was suddenly quite numb to it all.

She and her mother worked through everything they had to- he was taken away to be prepared for the funeral, people were notified, they all consoled eachother.

Eventually it was just her and her Mom sat in the kitchen. Each of them had poured out a glass of good whisky (on the rocks) to drink in their husband and father's honour.

"Mom?" (Y/n) spoke quietly, resting her head on her shoulder.

"Yes baby?" She answered, taking a deep breath.

"Papa..." She began to speak and had to pause to get the courage to continue the question. "Him- and Pete?" She stopped and her mother needed no further prompt.

"Your Dad and Pete, baby-" Her Mom spoke gently. "They were in love." She looked at her daughter. "I didn't know it when we met, when we had you- even when we got married." She shook her head but a smile lay on her lips. "But Pete was there before me, he was there with me, and he would have been there after me."

"How did you-" (y/n) started to ask, but when she thought about it- it couldn't have been more obvious.

"I just knew it. And he admitted it when I finally asked." Sarah spoke.

Then the first tears slipped down (y/n)'s face. She quickly raised a hand to her eyes and wiped them away.

"We'd been married just over a year, and I felt so stupid" The older woman chuckled and hugged her daughter close. "But he wasn't cold- he never denied me anything, he was perfect- except for that the love he had for me wasn't what he and Pete had and I could see that." (Y/n) just nodded.

"I couldn't just have the marriage annulled- the grounds for that would have had your father and maybe even Pete dishonourably discharged. I was angry but I couldn't do that- that was too wrong. We didn't really have the money to divorce- so we just-"

"Split?"

"Mhm- I stayed with my Mama at home when your Dad wasn't away and when he was I stayed at the house. It meant you didn't have to travel so much and we didn't have to see eachother. And- before I left, I told him, 'Tommy- You gotta understand I'm not making you choose and I'm not angry that you love him. I know you love him, and that's why you gotta be with him, I'm angry because you did it behind my back, you couldn't just say it."

"What happened?"

"Well- that time was probably the closest they had to being a proper couple. You know how Pete is when he flies, the trouble he gets- your Dad bailed him out but he ended up overseas and that was what sealed it." Sarah sighed. "What they wanted they weren't gonna get- not back then. The Navy- it wouldn't have tolerated that relationship. They wouldn't have tolerated it for an Admiral especially, which, of course, your Papa became. Maybe if it were now- if things were different-" Sarah shook her head. "It was sad- I was still angry but we decided not to go it alone. We were still friends, and I realised that he could love me too. I knew it wasn't the same, but we both got what we wanted this way. We were best friends and that's all we needed. Pete was always going go be there- and every time he visited your Dad would ask me if I was okay with it. He'd go and sleep with him in the spare room, and he'd ask then too- and how could I say no? I wasn't spiteful, how could I not recognise that your Dad had a big enough heart to love his family and Pete and that he couldn't really be happy without him?" Sarah smiled. "I know most people would think that's crazy- but we made it work. We couldn't have been happier, all of us." She looked at her daughter, watched as her eyes sparkled with thought and greif and as she began to feel all mixed up.

"Why didn't we know?" She asked after a moment. "What- was he ashamed? Or?"

"No- he wasn't at all. Papa was confident and stubborn- you know that." Sarah laughed a little and wiped another tear from her daughter's face. "We just wanted everything to line up for you kids. You kids knew what everyone else knew, that your father and I loved eachother very much and that your father and Pete loved eachother very much. The nature of those relationships, everything else, didn't really matter. It wasn't a lie. I suppose we just didn't want to confuse you- and we didn't want anyone to know. You know what kids are like- they blab." She laughed again.

(Y/n) nodded. It felt like all the pieces were falling into place. But now her heart was heavier and ached harder for Pete. She also greived that she could have known her father better- understood him better maybe. And yet, equally, she was glad that, though maybe unusual, they'd stumbled across a way of loving that worked, accommodated the world they lived in, the work they did and the others relationships in their lives. She supposed it didn't surprise her. She was happy that they had been happy.

She was sure she loved her Pete even more than she ever had before- to know that he brought so much happiness and love to the man she adored, whom she idolised and had always been her best friend. It was like some relief washed over her.

The first time she broke down in tears was after the funeral. She nearly broke when the same day that he'd passed, the Navy sent a couple people to retrieve all the confidential paperwork and files in her Dad's office- they apologized profusely and said they'd have waited if they could have, but he had so much sensitive information on active projects and missions that they couldn't risk it. To give them credit, they were very careful to be tidy and sensitive to personal possessions and files- which they backed up onto two harddrives and gave to Sarah- deleting it off of the PC they were taking away, to be returned once they'd recovered everything they needed and wiped it. But watching all of these things leave the house was like taking away pieces of a man who they already felt they had so little left of. But still- it wasn't till after the funeral.

It had been lovely. The weather was warm, and bright. It was attended by many and it was warming to see the pilots her Dad had flown with, mentored, admired, be there for him one last time.

She looked across at Pete. She hadn't seen him so brushed up for a long time- and like her, he was remarkably calm.

When all the pomp and ceremony was done, and finally it was all over- she half flung herself at him.

She said nothing, and he didn't care that she would crumple his uniform. He just wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes as she sobbed into him. She held on so tight- fistfuls of fabric which tugged everytime she breathed. He didn't care. He felt the same. As people passed by them, trying not look at the picture of greif carved in front of them, neither of them cared.

Pete kissed the top of her head and rested his cheek there. She felt him tense and hold his breath as he tried to hold together, and then shake as tears finally broke the surface.

Sarah ushered her other children away as the gathered party moved slowly and somberly through the cemetery in the low sun and toward the transport. Some of them talked amongst themselves, some of them stayed silent. There were tears and some shared happy memories with eachother. But (y/n) could only crumble in Pete's arms, and he realised that there were only three people in his adult life now he'd cried in front of. Goose, Ice and his baby girl.

She was his. There was no doubt. For all her life he had been there and never was he going to leave. He'd watched her grow up- he'd been her other Dad. He supposed he'd never thought of himself that way- but she sure had. She was theirs. She understood that now. She understood why her Dad and her and Pete had always seemed a natural family- why he was so present and why, her mostly, but not just her, all of her silblings too, responded to him. Why did he fit so well into that role.

Because he was supposed to be there.

And now they were all missing a great big chunk of their lives.

She pulled away for a moment.

"Pete?" She whispered and looked up at him with a matching tear stained face. She thought she'd be able to speak a bit louder but what came out was meek and uncharacteristically unsure.

He looked back at her and saw the little girl he recognised, but torn up to ribbons behind those big pretty eyes of hers.

"Papa loved you." She spoke with a crack in her voice and all choked up.

Pete nodded.

"I know." He whispered as he pulled her back into him, enveloping her in his arms. "He told me plenty." She just nodded and her sobs became audible choked cries. "I loved him too. More than anything." He continued. "More than Penny, more than flying- nearly as much as I love Bradley and you, sweetheart." How his voice was so soothing even when throttled by tears and angst she didn't know. It always had been to her.

She held on tighter and tighter, feeling like she was going to go lightheaded with how few breaths she could take through her sobbing, and Pete continued now to allow tears to pour down his face.

It took a good while for them both to soothe. But it was a needed release of emotion that neither of them had had the chance for yet.

Finally (y/n) stood back and almost went to just scream, but she couldn't. She just looked up to the clear, cloudless sky, still clinging onto her Godfather's sleeve like he was going to drift away or try and leave her. Nothing would have taken that man away then.

She breathed and Pete held her hand, and she felt his shake.

"It's not fair." She spoke.

"No." He tensed his jaw and ground his teeth. "Not at all." He spoke, wiping the tears from his cheek.

She looked back at him, her lips pressed into a thin line. She sniffled and paused for a second before then looking down the slope.

Pete put his arm around her shoulder and she leant into him. Slowly they walked toward the others as they climbed into various modes of transportation.

The venue for the wake was suited to that expected of an Admiral- it was the bar room of an upmarket hotel in town, and it was a weirdly nice atmosphere, a few 80s tunes playing above the chatter.

No-one expected it to be as nice as that- but there was something therapeutic about being surrounded by people who were there because they had good memories and great respect for someone she loved.

The place was filled, even more people than could make it to the service had arrived for the wake, and everyone had something nice to say. There was no pity or tears (apart from her Mom, who had got talking to Ron Kerner, aka Slider, about something or other they'd gotten up to in the Academy- and they'd laughed so hard she'd cried) which was nice. There were smiles and fondness and everyone knew it had to be that way because if you'd met the man once, you knew that Kazansky didn't require pity and though he was tactful and serious at work, the moment he was off duty, he had something sly and witty to say, something to joke about. He had a kiddy sense of humour.

God, it was nice. It was soothing and relaxing and (Y/n) and Pete were the last to walk into the place with it's plush carpet and moulded wood panels and sparkling light fixtures. It was a celebration of his life, not an occasion just to miss him.

"Right- let's get you a drink, then we'll get you talking." Pete smiled and held out his arm, which (y/n) nodded to and hooked hers through.

They leant on the bar and eventually ended up with drinks in hand. In the interim plenty of people approached and shook her hand and when she smiled- sensed it was genuine and she allowed them to tell her what a wonderful man her father was and how they knew him and such. She thought she might have disliked that, but she found herself very proud of how many people clearly held her father very dear and enjoyed his company or were simply honoured to have worked with him. Not a single person was there purely for duty or obligation. (And she and her mother over the following days would receive many messaged of regret that various people couldn't attend.)

(Y/n) turned against the bar and leant back, scanning the room. Her eyes were less red now and her cheeks less stained.

To one side of the room she saw Pete's students, all dressed to the nines in their dress uniforms. All on best behaviour but fairly relaxed and talking amongst eachother.

She was proud of them too. They looked so smart, and everyone knew they were the best of the best. They were there because there her Dad's pilots. He,'d known each one of them inside and out, their skills, flaws and talents just from paperwork and crossed wires. He picked those men and women as the best of the best and believed in them.

She smiled as she watched them.

Over the past days she'd all but forgotten Lieutenant Floyd. She'd thought lots about him- partially as an escape and partially because she already knew how much she liked him and she didn't like to think that she'd not get to bring him home to her Dad.

It was a weird time to be thinking about a romance, and maybe it was just the emotionally charged atmosphere but she couldn't help it.

She let her gaze stop at him without thinking, and was only shaken out of it when he looked back at her.

She held it for a moment before fully realising what she was doing and where she was, she felt her cheeks flush with heat and looked away.

Pete laughed, his eyes darting between the pair.

(Y/n) put a hand to her face and felt the frankly searing heat of her cheeks, she smiled sheepishly and took a deep swig of her drink.

"You're that taken by him, huh?" Pete asked. She looked to him and didn't need to say anything. It took him by surprise, the look he saw in her eyes.

"Wow-" He exclaimed but under his breath, in a sort of whisper, taken aback by it. "You really are..."

"Pete!" She spoke in a hushed tone, with an embarrassed laugh. "I've been out with him once- I barely know him."

"Yeah. You can change that-" Pete encouraged with a grin.

"Oh my god-" She laughed, almost tempted.

"What's this?" A voice came from beside her. She turned and found her Mom on her other side of her.

"How are you, baby?" She asked, placing her hands on her daughters shoulders in that motherly, directorial way that Mom's do, and kissed her cheek.

"I'm alright Mom-" She spoke, with a little smile. "Are you-" She began, but her Mom just nodded.

"Pete?" Her Mom softened and moved to embrace the pilot, who reciprocated with a smile and a sigh.

"Sarah." He spoke, breathing her name like seeing her was a relief.

"You're- you're holding up?" She asked as he pulled away.

"(Y/n) and I are keeping eachother going, I think." He nodded and smiled, looking past Sarah and to her daughter.

"Good. I'm glad to see it." She spoke and turned to see the direction that they'd been looking as Pete turned and ordered a glass of wine from the Bartender for Sarah. "Oh-" She laughed. "Your 'non-pilot'?" She smiled.

"God- even you know?" (Y/n) wanted the ground to swallow her up.

"Of course I do- your Father always told me everything." She grinned and glanced at Pete."Well, almost always." Pete gave a breathy laugh and shook his head, handing her the glass. "Thank you-" She spoke gently before sparking back up into a perkiness. "Actually- that reminds me." She began to dig through her purse. "Just a moment my lovelies." She smiled and pulled away from the group as Pete and (y/n) watched curiously.

"Oh my god- Pete? What is she up to?" She laughed and shook her head, clinging onto his arm and resting her forehead on his shoulder to hid from the embarrassment. No matter how old she was, her parents (all three of them) would manage that.

"Lieutenant Floyd?" She spoke quietly and he turned. (Y/n) watched him turn from his conversation and answer.

"Yes Ma'am?" He spoke politely and stood up straight.

She just smiled and held something out to him.

"Thank you, Ma'am." Bob spoke, slightly unsure looking down at what he had been handed.

Sarah winked and nodded, walking away with a little laugh.

She walked past her daughter and Pete and shared a mischievous look with the pilot, which clued him in to what was going on.

Pete just laughed and shook his head once again.

She watched as he opened what looked to be a small envelope, he'd stepped away from the others for a moment.

He looked terrified as he opened it.

He looked up at (y/n) with wide eyes.

It was Rooster that first noticed his expression, and walked to him, peeking over his shoulder.

He immediately laughed, loudly, attracting the attention of his fellow classmates. He slapped Bob on the back, but he was still frozen up. The same reaction was garnered from the others as they gathered around him.

"Bobby?" She spoke, with a concerned expression. She stepped forward and slowly he began to walk across to her, weaving through the throngs of people in the middle of the room.

"Bob? What's wrong?" She gave a confused smile as he got close. He stood close to her, just inches away and looked down at the note in his hands. He pushed it into hers and watched her read it.

'Floyd,

You're goddamm lucky you're not a pilot.

Now Maverick isn't just keeping an eye on your flying.'

Underneath was her father's distinct signature and the paper bore his letter head. The handwriting was slightly shaky, but still clearly her father's.

He put her hand to her mouth, and smiled.

She looked up at him, before putting a hand on his shoulder and pulling him down as she leant up- kissing his cheek softly, and then quickly a peck on the lips for good measure- just to snap him out of his mini-trance.

His expression softened as she pulled away and he stayed stooped for a moment before straightening up. Then he seemed to breathe, and she gave a breathy laugh which Bob returned.

Pete leant around her and took the note from her hand. He read it and smirked. That was so typical. One last chance to playfully embarrass his kid, frighten the life out of one of his daughter's potential boyfriend (because of course he was a protective girl-dad) and give Sarah and Pete a good laugh. That was just like their Tommy. It was just like Ice.

Suddenly, as Bob looked down at her- he couldn't not smile at her, he realised how close they were standing, he towered over her and his heart was beating like a steam train. He couldn't bring himself to move away and her hand had trailed down from his shoulder to rest on his chest.

He looked at her, wearing a black silk slip dress, which was simple and suited the weather, and she looked beautiful in it.

"How are you doing?" He spoke, more seriously now. He wasn't entirely sure how he felt doing this at her father's wake. That felt odd- even with her taking the lead. He feared that she was just- that he might be a distraction.

"Fucking shit- my Dad just died." She smiled. He nodded.

"Yeah." He broke their gaze and his smile faded. "Makes sense."

"Makes me kinda cold, huh?" She laughed.

"Huh?" Bob looked back up at her, surprised.

"Kissing a guy I barely met? At my Dad's funeral? Some people would say that was pretty cold." She looked up at him. He didn't seem to know what to say. "But- he was 'Iceman' after all. 'Ice cold. No mistakes.'" She grinned, and suddenly Bob caught on.

"No mistakes?" He allowed himself a little smile.

She shook her head and gave a little laugh.

"Come on- come talk with me?" She asked with a little tilt of her head.

He nodded, placing his hand on the small of her back and guiding her to a quieter section of the room.

He looked great in his uniform, she couldn't help but think it. He was sweet and she was attracted to him, there was no two ways about that.

She enjoyed the featherlight touch of his fingers on her back, it almost made her twitch. Her stomach fluttered, and she glanced up at him as they moved and he placed himself between her and those he was navigating them around.

He was a gentleman, and she suddenly couldn't take her eyes off of him. A little smile graced her lips as they finally broke from the crowd.

The room had a grand staircase which lead up to a gallery, which lead in turn to the corridors to the rooms and such, and had more tables and couches than were on the periphery of the main bar floor. It was some of the only clear space, so it was where they perched, a few steps up, they sat down, her closest to the banister and him on the outer side.

From there, (y/n) looked out across the room, she saw plenty of people she recognised.

Bob watched her every move, every twitch of a finger, every tightening muscle and every dart of her eyes from someone to him. He liked how her lip curled as she thought, or saw someone that gave her a hit of nostalgia.

"You like your job?" She asked him, as she looked out, leaning back on heels of her palm, her fingers frustratingly close to brushing against him.

"Yeah- I love it. More than anything." He spoke softly and honestly.

"Mmhm-" She mused, a touch of a smile on her face as she finally turned and locked eyes with him. "My Papa did too. It's a thing with you aviators. I think you'd all stay up there forever if you could."

"Yeah-" Bob nodded and smiled. "I think so." He shifted to face her a little more. "You ever been up there?"

She smiled with a fondness and her eyes sparkled bright at the question.

"Yeah- not for a long time, and not in anything special but- My Dad took me up a couple times, Pete too. It was like nothing I've ever felt." She smiled. "Pete tried to teach me a few times, just in something small and hobbyish, but I never stuck with it and got my license. I probably should have- I enjoyed it."

Bob smiled.

"Maybe it's a good thing- My Daddy told me to stay away from pilots too." He laughed and (y/n) grinned.

"You're slicker that you make out to be, Lieutenant Floyd." She smirked, leaning just a little closer.

He chuckled and looked at her with a soft and admiring gaze.

"I doubt it." He spoke quietly, so she could scarcely hear it over the chatter of the room and the music.

(Y/n) pulled him in, though the distance between them already wasn't far, by his uniform jacket, hooking her fingers under the fabric and between the buttons and tugging gently- he complied and didn't hesitate to allow his body to move where she wanted it to be, following the pull of the fabric. There was something hungry in the kiss she gave- as her fingers stayed looped in his uniform, but now they weren't moving him, her knuckles instead pushed flat against his shirt and as he breathed in, the fabric, as well fitted as it was, constricted tight over them.

She seemed to breathe that kiss, it was hungry, but it was also calm and gentle. He indulged in it, as if it were the first and last and he'd stolen it.

"You can doubt it all you like, but actions speak louder than words, Bobby." She whispered as she pulled away for a moment, her chest heaving up and down with the adrenaline of the moment- she was terrified he'd reject it, though it was unfounded fear.

He was next to dive back in. The first kiss was hers. This was his- he found one of his hands had come to rest on her thigh, and the other was still by his side. He moved it to her hip, feeling the soft and hard contours of the flesh and bone there, through the slipping silk fabric. The other he used to steady himself, taking hold of her forearm that was hovering by her side and not holding on to him, and pulling it in to him a little, his fingertips pressing into her skin like she would disappear from his grip.

He didn't drink, but tasting the whisky on her lips was like heaven- the sweetest thing he'd ever known.

When he finally pulled himself from the kiss, she seemed entirely dazed, in a happy way. Her cheeks were flushed with heat, as were his.

She looked away, almost shy. How this man made such a confident woman this way, she didn't know, but she liked it.

She didn't care that it was almost certain that everyone in the room had noted what they were doing, and probably disapproved considering the scenario. She agreed it was strange, but the heart wanders like that. Her Father clearly didn't live his life with the opinions of others often in mind- he was considerate and wise, but confident and secure. Why shouldn't she follow that lead?

Bob seemed lost in thought for a moment, before standing, walking down a couple steps to be at rough eye level with her as she sat, and held out his hand to her.

"Would you come with me?" He asked, quietly.

(Y/n) said nothing, just took his steady hand and stood. He once again held her close into him as they moved through the people, no-one much paying attention to them.

"What are we doing?" She asked in a whisper, curious.

"I'm taking a leaf out of Captain Mitchell's book." He spoke, as the edged past people in the crowded room.

She laughed and said no more. She liked this side of the man, she sensed he didn't often show it.

Quickly they were outside, breathing the fresh air from the sea.

Bob lead her to his pick up and opened the door, in one swift movement he pulled her gently to face him and put his hand on her hips and lifted her up onto the drivers seat, facing him still. He was a fit guy, and bigger than her, so it wasn't difficult. Her heart skipped a beat as he did, she wasn't used to anything like that.

He placed his hands on her knee and thigh and looked up at her, frozen for a moment.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked, an innocent sparkle in his eye, as if what he had just done and where he had put his hands wasn't surely one of the sexiest things that happened to the young woman in her life and hadn't set her aflutter.

"Yes." She laughed at him.

He didn't hesitate to give her a quick and tender kiss, much more ferocious than he had done when they weren't alone. He pulled away with a distinct smile and didn't move as he watched her expression. She enjoyed it profusely.

"Can you grab my phone from glovebox, please?" He asked, and she took a moment to recover from the kiss before she understood what he said.

She nodded and leant back, holding onto the back of the seat for support, opening it as required, before returning to face Bob, who hadn't moved a muscle, his hands still placed strategically on her.

She handed it to him, and he gave a smile.

"You can shuffle over." He spoke gently and she nodded again, and swung her legs around, moving over to the passenger seat with relative ease. He closed the driver's door again as she did and the turned, walking a few steps along the truck and leaning back on it. He put the phone to his ear and spoke very briefly to someone over it, before climbing in and starting the engine. The radio kicked on as he did so.

They said very little as he drove, just shared little glances. He hummed along to the music, thrumming his fingers on the wheel as drove, a sweet smile layed on his lips, his heart nearly beating out of his chest. He didn't usual do shit like this, but she inspired it. She deserved this side of him- the one that bypassed the awkwardness and melted into such a deep fondness and affection.

He watched him. As she had now done so often- he was beautiful. She really thought so. She just admired him, his honey sweetness and she knew how intelligent he was.

Finally he turned off of the road, he turned through an open gate in a chainlink fence- immediately she recognised the place as a small private airport.

She looked to him, a grin on her face- still unsure of what he had planned.

He pulled up outside a hangar, and turned off the ignition. He got out and walked around to the passenger door, opening it and once again offering his hand to her. She took it, as she always would, and stepped out.

He closed the door behind her, as she walked a few steps out on the concrete, she looked up at the hangar and then to him. He let nothing on and just smiled.

"Close your eyes." He told her, his voice dreamy and smooth and she did with a giggly laugh.

She heard the sliding of the hangar door and felt his hand in hers, leading her forward.

"Okay- look." He half whispered.

She did, and her eyes adjusted to the change in lighting.

"Woah-" She exclaimed and stepped forward.

Before her was one of the old F-14s. She recognised it immediately.

"Oh my god- Like my Dad flew?" She spoke in a hush, walking up to the nose of it and placing her palm against the cool grey metal, admiring the scratches and dents still in it, presumably from it's active days.

She looked back at Bob with a little breathy laugh, stunned.

"Bobby!" She breathed his name, her eyes bright and excited. He stood back and watched her stunned expression and smiled.

"It's not just like what your Dad flew." He spoke quietly, his voice still echoing around the otherwise empty hangar.

She looked at him and her eyes set in an expression of recognition. She stepped back and walked alongside the jet, looking up at it.

Below the seam of canopy, sure enough.

"Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky, Ron 'Slider' Kerner-" She gasped. Her breath hitched as she just stared at it. "I never even knew it was here." She whispered.

"It's not been here long, just a couple years. It's part of a private collection, I met the guy who owns it a few years ago. It's not quite taking the Admiral's daughter out for a joyride, but I thought you'd like to see it. Today especially." Bob explained softly as he walked to her. "It doesn't fly at the moment, but your Dad logged over a thousand hours in these things. Most of them in this."

(Y/n) turned to him, and wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you." She spoke softly, leaning her head on his shoulder. He returned the gesture, placing an arm around her shoulders and one on her arm, as they both looked up at the machine.

They spent another hour, circling the aircraft, noting every detail of it.

Bob knew everything about the planes he flew in, and almost everything about this one too- (Y/n) knew plenty but, hearing more was a dream. Her Dad didn't tell her much, complying with his separation of his work and domesticity.

She kicked off her heels to climb up and see inside, which she seemed to do in half a second and nearly gave Bob a heart attack as he turned to see her and she was suddenly scrambling upward.

She'd done it before, as a kid she'd been down to the base and seen these planes plenty, she had been familiar with them. She stared in, and then pulled away, searching for something that she recognised, which she found. She remembered, just about, how to open the canopy (which someone must have shown her how to do as a kid).

It took a bit of strength but she did it, she stared inside, leaning in and taking it in with complete awe.

She sighed.

"I wish he could have gone flying one last time." She spoke quietly. "He missed it. And then eventually he was too ill." She shook her head but still smiled. She turned to Bob who was stood by her, cautious that she might fall, though she was by no means unsteady. "He'd be glad to know his baby was being looked after." She laughed.

Bob looked up at her and met her gaze.

"Every day for the rest of my life..." he whispered to himself, truly under his breath so she couldn't hear.

After a while, they stepped back. (Y/n) sighed happily, glancing back at it once more, before stepping out. Bob pushed the hangar door closed again.

He turned and saw her looking out at the sky, the sun hanging low, threatening to begin to dip below the horizon.

"One last thing to do." He spoke and she turned her head. She tilted it, a soft expression in her eyes and smiled at him- her cheeks dusted red and strands of hair swaying across her face in the late evening breeze.

She couldn't have looked more beautiful, her dress, pulled by the breeze, showing her figure, her body relaxed, just one hand clasped around the heels that she hadn't put back on. In this light she could have worn anything though, and he would have only been human and still fallen in love with her in an instant.

He was sure he couldn't breathe anymore as he watched.

But he still moved.

They got back in the pick-up and he pulled it around onto the tarmac of the runway.

He stepped out, grabbing his flight jacket from behind his seat, where he kept it.

She followed his lead and walked around and alongside the truck before he caught her up.

He did so quickly after though, and placed the jacket over her shoulders.

"The breeze gets cold." He spoke as he did, and she turned and kissed his cheek quickly, with a candid smile.

He unlatched the tailgate and let it open, before, once again, lifting her up onto it as she held his jacket over her shoulders.

She laughed as he did so and then hopped up next to her. She immediate curled up into him, and he put an arm around her, soothing into the moment.

They watched as the sun painted oranges and reds and pinks and purples into the sky. (Y/n) clung onto the young man, resting her head on him and feeling his fast pulse. Hers was just as rapid, and she felt like she had fallen into a dream.

It had been a weird day, her heart ached from it. She missed her father, deeply, and yet what she had seen today just made her glad that she had had him as her Papa. She knew more about him, his life, heard more love and fondness than she had ever known was possible. She was proud. She knew the greif would hit harder sometime, maybe over and over, but tonight she had a feeling that it was all okay. She knew that he wasn't suffering any longer, and that he had left, in the wake of his life, a blessing to carry on. She knew that he had known love, stronger than anything, and that no matter where she continued this life or who with, she would discover her own version of it.

"I like you very much, Lieutenant Floyd." She spoke, looking up at him. His grip on her tightened slightly as he returned the look. "And I'd like to kiss you. I want you."

"Yes Ma'am." He whispered.

He seemed to melt at the words, giving a small nod that allowed her to press a tender kiss to his lips. One that he returned, and which neither of them wanted to end.

Slowly, her hands drifted to his chest, allowing the jacket to slump off of her shoulders.

Her fingers found the buttons of his uniform jacket and undid them.

She pulled back and looked at him, questioning if she should continue, she felt almost shy about it but he nodded and pulled her back in.

She slid it off of him, and then did the same to his shirt, moving her kisses to his jaw and neck until they became sloppy. Already he was hard, and he pressed his fingertips into the flesh of her hips and waist, leaning his head back as she kissed him- giving small, breathy, sighing moans.

His hands pulled slightly at her dress until they found the hem. Then he ran his fingers across and down her skin, until he reached the lace of her underwear.

It was then that he placed his other hand to the small of her back, guiding her downward, taking over, kissing her collarbone and leaning over her.

Soon their hips were grinding together, she could feel his erection, but he backed off for a moment as he tugged at her underwear just a little. His fingers skirted across the band of them, and then dipped beneath it, finding immediately the correct spot and rubbing circles.

She placed her hand on the back of his neck, gasping a little at the sensation and shuddering as it continued.

It wasn't long before his fingers were replaced by his thumb and were instead pulling through wet folds. He pressed hungrier kisses to her breast bone and inserted first one finger then another as (y/n) ran her hand through his hair and let out a sweet little moan that only encouraged him.

He moved his kisses back to her lips, enjoying every vibration from each moan that escaped them, feeling her chest heave up and down, all his doing. Especially as she closed her eyes and sunk into orgasm. He felt her clench down on him and a series of shudders run through her. He smiled as he kissed her and only pulled away when she was done.

She breathed out and the look on her face was like a dream, glossy eyed and wet lipped.

She looked up at him, and there was an ecstasy in his eyes already. She pulled him back in, nibbling at his jaw line as he withdrew his hand and unbuttoned his pants with it- she helped him pull at them as they shared a shaky, giggling laugh and a smile. She brushed his hair from his face where a few strands had fallen, and pushed his glasses back up his nose- neither of them bothered about removing them.

He tugged once again at her underwear, pulling them all the way down. He used one arm to steady himself and placed the other hand on her lower abomen, her dress he lifted over her head before it slipped down.

She trailed her fingers down his muscular body, admiring it as he adjusted his position a little, before locking eyes with him and fluttering her eyelashes at him. Her own hands then sat at his collar, as he entered her infatuatingly and calculatedly slowly. Each movement from then on was strategically planned to capture her in her entirety. He made her twitch and whimper and her breath hitch, he gave the occasional needy moan.

She grazed his back with her nails as tension built in them both, she twitched her hips in just the right way and pressed her forehead into the crook of his neck- making him move his hand to the back of her head, tangling in her hair and then trailing down her neck, feeling every shiver and movement she made.

"You're something special-" He whispered, turning his head slightly and kissing her temple. "My god- you're something special." He spoke again against her skin- his voice shaking and his breath warm. Hot release enveloped his mind and gasped a tight and rasping moan.

"Bobby-" Was all the words she could breathe out before she was rocked, the sensation traveling through her body, heat radiating from her core and shaking her.

He lay down beside her, an arm still firmly around her, and they both lay dazed for a moment. A smile grew on her face and she let her head lay limp on his shoulder.

Tears slipped down her face after a moment, which Bob noticed as they dribbled hot and onto his skin. The hormones that flooded her body, ravaged her emotions.

Immediately he was alarmed, turning his head to see her and cupping her cheek in his hand.

"Are you alright?" He asked quickly, his eyes shining with concern and his lips pressed into a line. She nodded and laughed, placing her hand on his. Still he was worried he'd done wrong. "You're sure?" He asked again.

"Yes-" She spoke nodding, sitting up and wiping her eyes with shaking hands.

He did the same and pulled the flight jacket they'd been layed on back over her shoulders so she wouldn't be quite so exposed, as he did she leant into his chest.

He put his arms around her and breathed slowly. She let her arms snake around him and nodded again. She sighed and matched the pace of his breathing.

They stay like that for a few minutes before she pulled away and looked up at him. They shared a glad smile and curled into eachother. She looked up at the stars slowly emerging in the darkening sky.

When neither of them showed up until the morning, the Lieutenant was in severe trouble for missing curfew and technically going AWOL.

(Y/n) pulled in some favours and got him off the hook and could only laugh at the parallells of it all.

It was that moment that she decided she must have been in love.

---------------------------

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highwaytothedangerzone502 · 8 months

Text

Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 23

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 3365

Warnings: Swearing, reference to sex

Summary: Hangman learned his lesson a long time ago to never show his true feelings when someone's words or actions hurt him. To do so showed weakness that could be exploited, and Seresin men couldn't show weakness. Of course, there was an exception to every rule, and Jake's always came in the form of women, three in particular: his mom, Juliette Kazansky, and the girl whose name he could no longer bring himself to speak. She was the girl that got away; she was his biggest 'what if' and his biggest regret; she would forever be the ghost that haunted his dreams. Jake believed that's where she'd stay, for he would surely never see her again after what he did.

Or so he thought.

Notes: This is the sequel to India Lima Yankee; I'm using the same callsign for the Female OC as in Ghost Story because I just really like it, but they are different characters; chapters in italics are flashbacks.

Chapter Songs: Long Hot Summer American Country Love Song

****

Hangman

Sleep evaded the Texan all because of three little words spoken days earlier: "Fine. I'll come." Coming from anyone else, they would've meant nothing. This, however, came from Ghost. The girl who refused to speak to him, let alone be around him, ever since Ghoul's death. The girl who discarded him from her life like an undesired weed in a garden. He understood why, of course. Why would Ghost keep him around? The guy who killed her best friend and nearly killed her? She'd made it clear their first night at the Hard Deck that she still blamed him, specifically after her 'watery grave' comment. He'd given up hope that night that they could ever be more than 'old acquaintances.'

Therefore, when Ghost agreed to have him pick her up on Saturday morning for dogfight football, he'd been more than a little taken aback. Even if he'd used a cunning argument in an attempt to get her to agree, Hangman had not expected it to actually work. Ghost hadn't called or texted him to cancel the pickup and say she'd changed her mind, deciding to drive herself; she hadn't canceled the plan altogether, either. No. She had confirmed the pickup with Friday evening, to which he naturally responded yes.

By the time Hangman was meant to head over to Ghost's place, he'd been up for four hours already, spending most of that time working out to alleviate his nerves over being alone, truly alone, with Ghost for the first time since the accident.

"Come on, man," Hangman mumbled to himself, shouldering his duffel bag. "You've faced a fifth-gen fighter in a fourth-gen and won. You can handle a twenty-or-so-minute car ride to get coffee and to go to the beach."

He tossed his stuff into the back and slid into the driver's seat. Country music blaring, he cruised over to Ghost's apartment. He texted her: Here. Hangman exited the truck and waited impatiently at the passenger side door, keeping his hands tightly clasped in front of him to stop himself from mindlessly fiddling his thumbs. Ghost appeared a moment later, somehow holding her guitar case and tote bag in one hand, locking her door with the other, and having her phone sandwiched between her ear and shoulder, a smile lighting up her face. As she approached Hangman, he heard her say: "That sounds great! Listen, my ride is here, but call me later, and we can talk more about it... sounds good. Bye!"

"Hey, stranger," Hangman greeted happily, relieving Ghost of her baggage and opening the passenger door for her.

Ghost returned the sentiment with equal enthusiasm. "Morning!"

"You're in a good mood this morning," he said after putting her stuff in the back and sliding into the driver's seat. "What gives?"

"Do you remember Leo Wolfe?"

Hangman thought back to the chubby, baby-faced cadet he'd sat next to a decade ago. "Yeah, he's Wolfman's son, right?"

"Yeah. You only met him once at my high school graduation dinner, but we've stayed in touch. He's in San Diego for his friend's bachelor party and wanted to visit. I haven't seen him since a little after we graduated from the Navy, so it's been a long time coming."

"That'll be nice. Isn't he a pilot, too?"

"WSO. Followed in his dad's footsteps. Callsign Wolfie."

Hangman chuckled. "Fitting. So, let me guess-" he pulled into the Starbucks drive-thru- "venti iced chai and a ham and Swiss croissant?"

"Yeah, how do you remember that?" Ghost queried, tilting her head.

"You've ordered the same thing for as long as we've gotten Starbucks together. The only time you differ is when the weather turns cold, or Fall hits because then you order a hot chai latte or an iced pumpkin chai latte, respectively."

"Why try something new when my current drink orders are perfection?" Ghost scoffed in mock offense. Hangman shot her an impish grin in response, then leaned out the window and put in their order. As he pulled to the window, she asked, "How much do I owe you?"

"It's on me," he said nonchalantly.

"Jake-"

"No protests. You can repay me by explaining why you're bringing your guitar to dogfight football. Pretty sure we can't throw it, nor do I think you want us to."

"Thank you. That's sweet of you." Ghost shoved her cash back into her wallet. "As for the guitar, Juliette said Penny was hosting an open mic night today, and I thought if I wasn't too sweaty and gross after football, I might do a set or two."

"If you want a partner-"

"You'll have to fight Rooster and Jules for those spots, but you're welcome to try."

"I'll take my bets with Rooster. I know better than to go against Princess."

"Don't we all. How did you two become so close? I know you two became friends during the training detachment, but she seems closer to you than the other Daggers."

Hangman shrugged, hoping to convey indifference despite having had deep feelings for Juliette at one point, feelings that still occasionally arose. "We had a very short, what did you use to call it... flirtationship?"

"You and Juliette were a thing?" Hangman could've sworn Ghost's voice went up an octave.

"Not unless you count a couple of spontaneous kisses a thing before Bradshaw reeled her back in. I don't know... we just kind of clicked. It probably helped that I saved Rooster's life." Hangman did not elaborate further, but the words he wanted to stay remained on the tip of his tongue: Juliette reminded me of you, and I fell for her because of that before I had the chance to stop myself. Unable to gauge how Ghost would react to such a statement, he decided silence as the best option. "What about you and Bradshaw?"

Ghost flushed. "Oh, well, uh, we were always friendly, but we both were going through some shit after we graduated Top Gun. We got drunk together, one thing led to another, and we- we might've hooked up..."

Hangman gasped over-dramatically, clutching his heart. "You didn't!"

"I wasn't friends with Juliette yet! I didn't even know they had dated!" Ghost protested, her cheeks flushing an even deeper maroon.

Hangman laughed good-naturedly and patted her thigh. "Don't worry. I'm messing with you. I already knew about it."

"You- how?"

"Word spreads fast, and one of my associates saw you two leave the bar together and then also saw y'all leave Bradshaw's apartment the morning after."

Ghost narrowed her eyes, mulled over her thoughts briefly, then said, "It was Firefly, wasn't it?"

"It was Firefly. Gotta ask, though, does Princess know?"

"Oh, yeah. Jules could tell by the absolute evaporation of color in my face when she showed me a picture of Rooster that I knew him. It didn't help that I'd literally told her maybe five minutes beforehand how I'd had the best one-night stand of my life right after Top Gun. To say I was mortified barely covers it."

"You getting with Rooster isn't surprising. In fact, I'm shocked you two never dated. No, I'm more surprised that you had a one-night stand with him."

"He's the only one-night stand I've ever had, and I swear to God, if that leaves this truck-"

"I'll be the victim of friendly fire. Don't worry; your secret's safe with me," Hangman promised, handing Ghost her drink and food. Grabbing his, paying, and thanking the barista, he pulled back onto the main road and headed toward the Hard Deck. "Speaking of dating, outside of Kyle, have you dated anyone recently?"

"Not really. Dated one guy for a few months, but he got shipped to a different place, and we broke it off because of the long distance. Maybe if we'd had more time to spend with each other, it could've worked out. I met him because of Leo, actually. He asked me to keep an eye on his friend because he'd just lost his mom." Ghost leaned her head back against the seat and rolled it to look at Hangman. "What about you? Any girlfriends?"

"Nah. You know me. I don't have a habit of settling down. I did have a couple of potentials, but those crashed and burned."

"How come?"

"One loved another man, and the other girl hated me." Hangman purposefully left out the girls' names, considering they were, respectively, Juliette and Ghost.

"Their loss," she said. Jake tried not to think about the irony of the statement coming from her. "What about Coyote? Has he dated anyone?"

Jake frowned. "I thought you two stayed in contact?"

"Not religiously. We'd wish each other happy birthday, happy holidays, and whatnot, but that was it."

"He's dated, but no one serious. Longest one lasted maybe three months."

Ghost nodded in acknowledgment but said nothing else, munching on her croissant. Hangman tried to formulate a new topic of conversation but failed miserably. For him, an awkward silence fell over them, but thankfully, it lasted only a short time because he pulled into the parking lot not long after. The pair hopped out and grabbed their belongings.

"Where is everyone?" Ghost asked, scanning the near-empty beach.

Hangman tossed a football in his hands. "I think we're a little early. Don't worry; they'll be here soon. Want to toss this around for a bit? Warm up?"

"Yeah, that sounds-" Ghost jumped at her cell blaring Lily Allen's 'Fuck You.' She scrambled to turn it down, but Hangman caught a glimpse of the name on the phone and felt his blood boil. Not even bothering to hide his annoyance, he growled, "Kyle's still calling you?"

"Yeah," Ghost muttered, rolling her eyes and hitting decline. "Thought I had that turned down."

"If he calls again, please let me take care of it. All I need is thirty seconds. If that."

Ghost raised an eyebrow at him. "And what exactly are you going to say to him?"

"Let me answer that ringing phone and find out," Hangman insisted, nodding at the phone in her hand, which had started ringing again. Ghost hesitated, then handed the phone to him. Grinning, he happily took it and answered. "Hello?"

"You're not Annalise. Who the hell is this?" Kyle's irritated voice caused an unhealthy rage to surge into Hangman's blood. He sounded more irritated that Ghost hadn't answered rather than being concerned that some "random" guy had picked up her phone instead.

"You're right; this isn't, Annalise. She didn't pick up for a reason, and the hundreds of unanswered calls should give your tiny brain an insight as to why."

"Who the fuck do you think you are?"

"I will be your worst God damn nightmare if you continue harassing her." Hangman glanced at a guy shouting that the Hard Deck wasn't open yet. "Listen carefully because I'm only going to warn you once: they call me Hangman for a reason. If I see you call her one more time, or if Ghost tells me you've reached out to her again, I will rain down living hell on you."

Kyle scoffed. "Yeah? You and whose army?"

"How about the US Navy? Now, I may not have the power to set nine four-star admirals on your ass myself, but-" Hangman smirked at the sight of the blonde hopping out of the familiar blue Bronco that parked next to his truck- "I know the person who can, and they don't take kindly to people messing with their family."

"... Seresin, is that you?" The amused drawl in Kyle's voice caused Hangman's lip to lift in a snarl. "I'll be damned. I thought Annalise cut you out of her life after you killed her wingman."

"She did, and you know what? It speaks volumes that she'd rather hang out with me, the guy who killed her best friend, than answer one of your phone calls."

Ghost stiffened. "Jake-"

He ignored her and continued, "I will say this only once more: leave Annalise alone. Do not call her, do not text her, do not reach out to her. She does not want anything to do with you. Move on or find out what happens when you don't have my brother and father to back you up in a fight."

Hangman hung up before Kyle could utter a syllable in response. He turned to Ghost and said, "He shouldn't bother you again. If he does, let me know. I'll talk Princess into setting some admirals on him."

"I'm not worried about that. About Ghoul-"

"I said what I needed to get the point across to him." Hangman then pointed out that Rooster and Juliette had arrived, declared they should head over to greet them, and then clapped Ghost's shoulder as he left the conversation. He didn't want to talk about what he'd said with Ghost, not now nor ever. He already knew she blamed him for Ghoul's demise and required no reminder, let alone a conversation about it. Hangman didn't need to hear the blame straight from her lips.

Upon approach, Juliette chirped, "Hey! You're here early."

"Yeah, I thought the line would be longer at Starbucks, so Ghost and I got here pretty quickly." Noticing Rooster's brow shoot up, Hangman said, "Put that back down."

Rooster failed to oblige. "So, you two are hanging out?"

"She offered me an olive branch, and I took it." Hangman knelt to pet Raptor and Lightning. "Are the others on their way? I haven't checked my phone recently."

"Weren't you just talking on the phone?"

"He was on mine to my stalker of an ex-fling," Ghost replied, walking up to the group and kneeling next to Hangman to pet the German Shepherds, who had both rolled over onto their backs for belly rubs.

"Kyle?" Juliette asked.

"Kyle," confirmed Hangman and Ghost simultaneously.

"Have I missed something?" Rooster queried.

Juliette patted his shoulder. "I'll catch you up later, honey. What-"

A buzzing phone caught everyone's attention. Judging by how Ghost flinched, Hangman guessed correctly that it was hers. He growled, "If that's Kyle, I swear to God-"

"Hey, Wolfie," Ghost said, placing a calming hand on Hangman's shoulder. His heart lurched at the voluntary, gentle contact.

"Wolfie?!" Jules exclaimed, perking up.

The muffled voice on the other end said, "Is that Juliette Kazansky?"

"Yep, that's her! We're waiting for the rest of the Daggers to get here for dogfight football."

"Dogfight football?"

"I'll explain it when we see each other. What's up?"

"I was standing next to this blue Bronco, looking out over the ocean, and I noticed the most beautiful girls petting some extremely happy German Shepherds." At his words, Ghost stood instantly, scanning the parking lot eagerly. She seemed to zero in on an unfamiliar figure beside Rooster's vehicle. Hangman stood with her just in time to hear Wolfie ask, "Should I go talk to them?"

Ghost beamed broadly. "There will be hell to pay if you don't."

Hangman watched a man jog over, and as he closed the gap between them, he recognized the 'unfamiliar' figure, and his heart inexplicably sank. A ripped man had replaced the former chubby cadet, albeit with some of his baby face left. He was a spitting, younger image of Leonard "Wolfman" Wolfe.

"Wolfie!" Ghost gleefully exclaimed as he swept her up into an air hug. "What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting to see you today."

"I swear this is just a coincidence. We're meeting here for our day of shenanigans. Considering we're inevitably going to end up drinking copious amounts of alcohol, we're all taking Ubers here." Wolfie turned to Juliette and glanced down at her bulging belly before leaning forward and gently hugging her. "I'd greet you more exuberantly, but I don't want to hurt you or the babies! It's good to see you, Kazansky!"

"You too, Wolfe." Pulling away, she said, "You remember Bradley, right?"

Wolfie snorted. "How could I forget Bradshaw? How you doing, man? Long time no see. What's it been? Ten years?"

"More, I think. And I'm doing good. Yourself?"

"Never better. Good to see you two back together." Then, turning to Hangman, he said, "You look familiar. Where do we know each other from?"

"This is Jake Seresin," Ghost introduced quickly. "Jake, this is Leo. You two met at my graduation party."

A flicker of recognition flashed in Wolfie's eyes. He extended his hand and replied, "Oh, yeah! Callsign Texas, right?"

"It's Hangman now," Jake corrected with a charming smile as he shook the man's hand.

"Hangman?" Wolfie repeated. "Why Hangman?"

"Fly with me and find out."

Wolfie chuckled. "Not sure if I want to find out with that callsign. Well, listen, I won't keep you guys from whatever you're doing, but we need to catch up before I leave."

"I'm not sure what you and your friends have planned, but you're welcome to join us for football. The more people, the better. I'm sure Mav would love to see you, too!" Juliette said sincerely, leaning into Rooster. The color in her face had drained a little, making him wonder if she was getting nauseous or dizzy. Both were concerning to Hangman. Rooster subtly slipped an arm around her waist, his eyes flicking to her to gauge the situation. Whether he observed anything or not, his gaze reverted back to Leo.

"Let me check with the boys. There are six of us, myself included," Wolfie explained, taking out his phone and shooting a text off to a group chat labeled 'Bachelor Blowout.' "There's my pilot, Jackal. You don't know him, but we do have four other eighty-six legacy babies: Sunrise and Diva-"

"Who are they related to from the eighty-six flyboys?" Ghost queried.

"Sundown and Hollywood, respectively. And then, of course, y'all know Jack and Joey Kazansky."

Juliette stiffened. "Oh God. My brothers are with you?"

"Yeah, why?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ooooh, I'm going to get an earful from them about a few things, mainly how I kept some of my pregnancy complications from them."

Wolfie blinked. "Uh, excuse me, what pregnancy complications?"

"Just a few fainting spells and some high blood pressure, all of which I have under control now. I didn't want them to panic if they learned I had more than one blackout, but they did, and now they're pissed. Shit..." Juliette's eyes locked onto two buff, blond men approaching from the distance. "I'm going to take care of this early on. I'll be back."

Juliette hurried off. Rooster excused himself to join her, stating he should help, leaving Hangman alone with Ghost and Wolfie. He felt like the odd man out between them. Hell, between the current group at the beach, he was the only one that didn't have a relation to the infamous "Flyboys of '86." Even Ghost did, being the daughter of Charlotte Blackwood. Where was Coyote when he needed him?

"I'm going to call Jackal and see what he wants to do. I'll be right back!" Wolfie clapped Ghost gently on the shoulder and walked off, talking to his pilot. For better or worse, this left Hangman alone with Ghost.

"Well-" she began- "this morning has certainly turned interesting."

"I know. Feeling kind of like the odd man out with all you legacies," Hangman teased in an attempt to hide his insecurity about it. He moved to stand next to Ghost, watching Juliette and Rooster with the Kazansky boys and Wolfie chatting on the phone.

Ghost caught onto his hidden concern immediately, though. "Don't worry. I feel out of place with them, too. Rooster, Wolfie, and the Kazanskys all grew up together, even if they didn't live next door to each other. Mom never really stayed in touch with anyone except Wolfman, so I never met anyone but Wolfie. I met Sunrise and Diva a handful of times and heard about them through Wolfie, but never met Bradshaw and Jules until I joined the Navy. Funny, considering how close our parents all were at one point."

He turned his head to look down at her. "Guess it's you and me against the legacies today."

Ghost met his gaze, the corner of her lip tugging upward. "Forever?"

Hangman's heart soared. "And always."

****

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sirius-algol · 1 year

Text

Unexpected

Chapter 7: The Holidays

WC: 5746

Summary: Unable to go home for the holidays, you find another place to go

You stared at the price of the plane ticket, your heart sinking. The holidays were coming up, and you couldn’t afford to go home- at least by flying, but it would be a long drive.

Pieck watched you quietly, unsure what to say. She quietly pulled out her phone and texted Porco, discreetly taking a picture of you to emphasize the situation (you thought you were hiding your emotions well, but it was obvious).

The read receipt popped up but no response- until Marcel texted her and told her that Porco nearly fell down the stairs in his rush to his car while he called their mom.

Pieck explained the situation to him, to which Marcel replied with a picture of a puppy with hearts over its eyes.

Within the next 30 minutes, you nearly leapt from your skin as a series of frantic knocks sounded at your door. Opening it, you found Porco standing there, out of breath, haired messed up, your favorite takeout in hand.

“What are you doing here?” You ask, stifling a laugh.

“I heard someone was in need,” He declared pushing passed you. He plopped teh food down on the counter and turned to get a good look at you. Your eyes were puffy and your face wore all the signs of silent tears. He frowned at you. “Looks like my source was right.”

“I’ll be fine…” You say, shooting Pieck a look. She gave you a little wave, knowing she made the right decision in the end.

“Well, I’ve had your predicament explained to me,” He told you. He pulled your food out of the bag and began setting it up for you. “You can’t afford to go home for the holidays, can you?”

“Nope…” You sighed quietly. “Last minute tickets are expensive and I don’t have the money to drive all the way there- It’s long enough of a drive that I’d have to stay somewhere over night….”

“I thought you only live a few hours away?” He asked as you grabbed the food and made for the living room. You plopped down onto the couch and dropped your head.

“My parent’s live a few hours away- but for the holidays, we all go to my Grandparent’s home which is further away. Everyone in the family converges and its a whole little holiday party,” You explained. “Far enough from here that it’d be a multi-day drive.

“Well….” He paused.

“I’m sorry to hear about that,” Pieck said for him- she knew he was eager to tell you what he got set up for you. Porco joined you in the living room, sitting down.

“I talked with my mother… My parent’s said that they’re always welcome to having more people over for the holidays,” He revealed.

“Meaning… I spend the holiday’s with your family?” You asked shyly.

“The Galliard’s are good cooks- I’d take them up on that offer,” Pieck told you.

“My parent’s love having company over- they’d have you stay for as long as you wanted to,” Porco told you. “We have a guest bedroom that you could stay in if you wanted.”

“I wouldn’t want to intrude on your holiday, Porco, I-”

“Listen, my parents have a million people in and out of the house during the holidays. You’d just be one more person- and you’d be someone they liked,” He assured you.

“It’s true,” Pieck added. “They throw parties for their business partners and have a ton of family over. It’s not a close family event.”

You paused for a long moment, mulling over their words. Spend the holidays alone and sad, unable to go home or…. Spend the holiday’s with your best friend and his family.

“.... I don’t know how I can say no to an offer like that,” You revealed with a sigh, smiling softly at Porco. He returned your smile with a giant grin.

“It’ll be fun, I promise.”

Your first semester at your dream university ended. You and your friends made it through exams and you were finally free for winter break. Free to kick back, relax, and…. Worry about what you were going to wear to Porco’s house.

Pieck had gone home so there was no one to help you- you were on your own.

The oven dinged and you ran into the kitchen, pulling the brownies out of the oven- they smelled delicious- but you resisted. They were for the party.

Setting them into a carry container, you ran back to your room and decided to throw a sweater over a button up shirt, a nice skirt, leggings underneath, and wintery boots. You had a small bag of extra clothes packed (you only wanted to stay the night, but you knew Porco would try to convince you to stay longer) and another bag with presents you managed to buy for them.

You turned everything in your apartment off and took a deep breath before heading for your car, shuffling down the stairs with everything in hand.

You were prepared…

“Holy shit, they’re rich,” You marveled, letting a swear slip past your lips as you stared at their house. It was huge! The only reason you knew you were at the right place was Porco’s car parked out front.

You approached the front door, nervously knocking the door. A few seconds later, a woman who looked marvelously like Porco and Marcel answered the door.

“H-Hello!” You nervously greeted. “I-I’m Porco’s friend, (Y/N). H-He said I could come over?”

“OH! So you’re (Y/N)?!” The woman gasped. She stepped aside so you could leave the cold. “I’m the boys’ mother- the names’ Gia, Gia Galliard. My husband’s name is Henry- he’s the man over there!”

Looking around her, you spotted a man who looked somewhat like Marcel, but older and rougher. He stood aways away, speaking with a group of people.

“O-Oh! I u-uh. I made brownies for the party,” you told Mrs. Galliard, showing the pan in your arms. Her eyes lit up and she took them from you.

“I’ll put these in the dining room for you-” She told you with a smile before turning and shouting, “PORCO! YOUR GIRLFRIEND’S HERE!”

“I-I’m not his-” You began quietly, but his mother walked away before she could hear you.

“Not my girlfriend!” Porco called out to his mother, correcting her as he jogged towards the entry way. He wore a frustrated look on his face before he turned to you, his face relaxing and a smile appearing. “Hey! How’re you doing?”

“P-Pretty good,” you sighed, glancing towards where his mother went. “I made brownies- your mom took them.”

“Nice, I’ll have to try and steal one before everyone else gets to them.” He pointed towards the stair case, looking between you and the stairs. “Want me to show you to your room?”

“Y-Yeah, I have a few things I should put away,” You told him. Without warning, he grabbed your hand and led you through the party and up the stairs, bringing you to a hallway with a bunch of doors.

“This is my room right here,” He told you, opening the door to a room much less decorate the one he had at his apartment, but still very much him. Marcel’s room was across the hall from his, and then a few doors down was the guest bedroom. He opened the door for you and you were greeted with a queen sized bed and plenty of space.

“Wow, this is-”

“Yeah, my parent’s aren’t subtle…” he sighed. “Everything is grand with them.”

“Man… I didn’t know you guys were rich,” You told him, turning to look at him.

“We’re not Historia rich, but… This is what happens when your parent’s found and own a fancy restaurant chain in town,” He explained. “They wanted Marcel and I to go to culinary school- Marcel’s Chemestry and I’m Engineering- neither of us are anything food related.”

“Are you good at cooking?” You asked curiously.

“Oh, fuck yeah I am,” He bragged. “Better than Marcel.”

You entered the guest bedroom and sat your bags down, Porco eyeing the extra bag you had with you, his eyes lighting up.

“Whaaaaat’s that?” he asked, slinking towards the bag. You slapped his hand away, shooting him a disapproving look. “Something for later.”

“Hmmm….” He stepped back. You turned to him, ready to join the party.

“You’ll see what it is later!” You defended. “Now lets go see the others- your mom is just gonna continue saying I’m your girlfriend the longer we’re up here alone.”

“God- everytime I mentioned you coming over, I made sure to emphasize that we’re just friends!” He groaned, partly out of frustration at his parents, partly cause he was mad that that was the case. He wanted to be more.

The two of you turned to join the party, returning to the first floor. He led you to where Pieck and Marcel were, and he froze before you reached him, turning to look at you.

“Fuck,” he groaned.

“What?” You asked, looking between him and Pieck and Marcel.

“We’re on baby sitting duty,” He explained. You quirked your head, looking back, and that’s when you spotted them. A group of kids. Two people walked up to Pieck and Marcel, talking with them- One was Reiner, and the other was a boy you had yet to meet.

“Why are we on baby sitting duty?” You asked him quietly.

“Cause the parent’s always just dump them,” He told you. He glanced down at you. “And those kids will run amuck and go through stuff when left alone- my stuff.”

“Understood!” You gave him a small salute before you joined the others. Marcel and Pieck wore similarly distressed faces looking at the kids that had been dropped off.

“Falco’s a good kid- he tries to keep the others in line!” The new guy defended, but Reiner sighed.

“Gabi’s too charismatic,” Reiner sighed. “Whatever reason Falco tries to speak, Gabi manages to rile up the others.”

“I keep saying we should get like a baby jail or something,” Porco announced as the two of you reached the others. “Toss em in, and let them tire themselves out.”

“They’re 12??” Marcel asked, looking at his brother. Porco shrugged.

“They’re still children- it counts,” he defended. You looked at the kids, a devious look on of the girl’s faces.

“Is that one Gabi?” You asked. Reiner looked over his shoulder, spotting the girl you were looking at.

“Yeah… That’s my baby cousin,” He explained. “I got drug along cause her parent’s do business with the Galliards and they know that I know them so, here I am- here she is.”

“She’s the ring leader,” Pieck sighed.

“My brother Falco’s the blond one,” The other guy revealed. “I-I’m Colt, by the way. I don’t think we’ve met before.”

“(Y/N),” You greet. “I’m their friend from college.”

“Colt’s a senior in high school,” Porco explained to you. “He’ll be at Paradis next year.”

You shot him a smile before glancing around Reiner again, only this time, there were no kids.

“Uh oh,” You said, your voice stiff. Porco followed your line of sight before swearing under his breath.

“Alright, everyone team up and fan out,” Marcel announced. “They couldn’t have gone far. Pieck and I will go check the upstairs; Reiner, you’ll be with Colt, go check the dining room and bottom floor in general; (Y/N), Porco- bundle up and check outside- I wouldn’t put it past the realm of possibility that they’re trying to light the fire pit or something.”

“Looks like we got the short end of the stick,” Porco grumbled beneath his breath. “I have some heavy coats in my room, give me a second.” He gave you a pat on the shoulder before heading out. Pieck waved goodbye to you as she and Marcel left, Reiner doing the same as he and Colt also left, leaving you alone.

Porco returned moment’s later, coats in hand.

“Might’ve lied to you a little,” He revealed. He you a sweatshirt and his signature bomber jacket. “I have a me sized jacket, but I figured if I bundled you up a bunch, you’d be even warmer than me.”

“Let’s find out,” You laughed. You pulled on the sweatshirt, cautious as to not mess up your hair, before pulling on the bomber jacket. Porco chewed the inside of his mouth, fighting down the blush that threatened to appear on his face. The sight of you in his clothes… in HIS signature jacket.

When you looked up, he pretended to not have been staring, averting his gaze towards the door outside.

“Ready to go?” He asked, looking back at you.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” You told him, shooting him a smile as you readied yourself for the outdoors. He lead you outside, the cold winter air hitting you, causing you to shiver, but where you were covered by his clothes, you were decently warm.

Porco, however, underestimated the thickness of the jacket he grabbed, but fought down the urge to shiver.

He pulled out some flash lights and handed one to you, clicking his own on.

“Those brats are sneaky… Well, except for Udo and Falco.” He scanned over the backyard with his flashlight for a moment. “Udo is a little clumsy and Falco is… Falco.”

“What’s that mean?” You asked curiously.

“Sweet kid, well meaning-” He paused for a moment. “A little naive and a little gullible. If Gabi told him, ‘Hey, wait here and act natural’ he’d do it, not realizing that she’d broken something and was abandoning him to take the fall- of course, poor thing has a crush on Gabi, so he’d do it anyways.”

“Does Gabi know he has a crush on her?” You asked curiously. He shook his head.

“Nope. She’s absolutely oblivious. One time, he even confessed to her and it went right over her head.”

“That’s rough… Poor kid,” You sighed. Porco clenched his jaw.

“Yeah. Poor kid.”

“I feel bad for leaving them to do their own thing,” Pieck sighed as Marcel poured her a glass of wine.

“Listen,” he sighed, setting the bottle down and joining her on the floor. “We’re old enough to have escaped baby sitting duty. All we gotta do is sit here… and guard this hallway. Make sure they don’t go into any of the bedrooms.”

“... Why’d you send Porco and (Y/N) outside,” Pieck asked slowly, leaning up against him.

“Because it’s cold… and maybe they’ll huddle up for warmth,” He sighed, looking down at her. “I’m trying to help my brother out a little. Stir up the romance…”

“He’s waiting for any sign that she might like him back,” Pieck sighed. “He’s scared of her rejecting him and making things awkward.”

“That’s new. Before, he’d just ask a girl out, they’d maybe go on a few dates- it wouldn’t really go anywhere, and that’d be the cycle- but he’s treading so carefully around (Y/N). I’m impressed. He’s usually cocky and confident, but she’s making him shy about it.”

“She’s not what he usually goes for either,” Pieck noted. “Not what I would’ve described as his type.”

“Very true… She’s had a grip on him since day one, though. Ever since he got the shit beat out of him for her.”

“Operation make (Y/N) fall for Porco?” Pieck suggested, holding out her hand. He took it.

“Operation make (Y/N) fall for Porco.”

Porco was nearly shivering out of his boots. You glanced over at him, and you smiled slowly, fighing back laughter. You scooched closer to him, grabbing his arm.

“Cold?” You asked, laughing. He forced himself to smile, acting as if nothing was wrong.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” He said stiffly. You scooched in closer, pressing yourself against his side.

“Does this help any??”

“Maybe a little,” He sighed, looking down at you. “But its cold as shit out here, so if we don’t find those kids within the next few minutes, I’m making the executive decision to go inside and warm up with some hot chocolate.”

“Oooooh, that sounds really good!” You agreed.

Porco looked away from you, determined to shove down his feelings for you. He was dying inside with how you were holding onto his arm- how could someone so shy around everyone else be so bold with him- how could you make him the shy one???

But the way you talked with him… They way you looked at him… It was friendship- a close one, for sure. A friendship that had started so abruptly and grew so quickly, two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together, but at least for now… That’s all that was there for you… And he sure as hell wasn’t going to lose that.

You froze, tugging him to a stop. He looked back at you, concern in his brow as he ulled from his thoughts.

“What is it?” he asked, watching as youscanned your surroundings closely.

“We’re being watched,” you said quietly. “There’s at least two of them out here.”

“How do you know???”

“I heard them briefly. Another set of footsteps in addition to ours.”

“The distraction, most likely,” Porco realized, pulling out his phone. He sent a simple message to his brother: (Y/N) has discovered 2 of them. Distraction. 2 more on the move, most likely indoors.”

You tugged on Porco’s arm, nodding in the direction of some trees, a tuft of blond hair sticking out.

Porco looked down at you, the two of you silently communicating on your plan of action. He motioned one way and gestured for you to go the other. You gave him a nod and let go of his arm, his warmth leaving you. You quietly tiptoed through the snow towards the tree, Porco sneaking over to a hiding place should the kids make a break for it.

You rounded the tree quietly, the kids backs towards you- the ones you’d learned were Udo and Falco. You bit back a smile.

“What do you boys think you’re doing?” You asked, fighting back laughter as teh boys screamed. Udo accidentally pushed Falco down in his panic and made a run for it, only to be intercepted by Porco who grabbed the kid and threw him over his shoulder. You bent down and helped the poor kid up, brushing the snow off of him.

“Sorry about that!” you apologized. The poor thing was shivering out of his boots, and it was technically your fault he was. You shrugged off Porco’s bomber jacket and wrapped it around the kid, bundling him up. “What are you kids up to?”

“G-G-Gabi t-t-told us that the scary one would t-try to keep us from having fun,” He admitted, too cold and frightened to even care about lying. Porco approached (frowning that you’d given the kid his jacket, disappointed it was no longer on you).

“Is Porco the scary one?” You asked, glancing up at Porco. Falco nodded, leaving Porco offended, yet impressed.

“I’m cold as shit, lets bring these two inside,” He declared. You wrapped an arm around Falco’s shoulders and held the shivering kid close to you.

“I want that jacket back, kid,” Porco told him, Falco nodding quickly as the two of you led the boys inside. Porco brought your group to the kitchen. “There’s a lot of food here, eat to your hearts content,” He told the boys, setting Udo on the ground finally. You encouraged Falco forward and the two of them quietly began to browse the food.

“If I catch you little shits trying anything else, I will tell your parents- and I’m really not one to rat some kids out, but I will if I must- you kids are on this ice,” He warned them. The boys nodded, almost cowering away from Porco. You giggled and leaned up so you could whisper in Porco’s good ear.

“They’re scared of you,” You laughed.

“They should be,” He grumbled under his breath. He motioned for you to follow him and the two of you made your way upstairs where Marcel and Pieck were, only, they weren’t alone.

“REINER, IF YOU DON’T PUT ME DOWN!” You heard a girl cry out.

“Your parents already know you got a nose for trouble,” you heard Reiner sigh. You and Porco arrived at the top of the stairs and further down the hallway was Reiner holding his cousin upside down as she writhed.

Pieck had hold of the other girl, her arms gently wrapped around her, but the poor kid looked terrified, as if Pieck had a knife to her back.

“Where were they?” Porco asked.

“Trying to break into the game room,” Marcel sighed, rubbing his forehead. His cheeks were flushed red, and you could tell he wasn’t exactly sober at the moment.

“The boys are downstairs,” You explained. “Apparently they’re afraid of Porco?”

“They just haven’t met me in a context that isn’t me hunting them down so they don��t mess with my stuff,” he explained.

“They were outside? Bet Falco was freezing his ass off,” Colt sighed.

“He has my jacket, don’t worry,” Porco grumbled, still disappointed by the sight of you taking it off to give to a kid. “If he steals it though, I will break into your house and steal it back- its my signature bomber.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he gives it back,” Colt assured him. Everyone turned their gaze towards the kids.

“.... So… What do we do with them?”

“Is this….. Legal?” You asked, staring at them. Porco proudly put his bomber back on as he looked over at the kids.

“It’s as good as it’s gonna get- besides, its the only way we’re keeping her contained,” He shrugged.

“Trust me,” Reiner groaned as he finished tying up his cousin. “If we don’t do this, she will reign terror.”

The other kids sipped happily on juice boxes and ate snacks while Gabi was tied up in the corner, struggling against Reiner.

“I’m telling Aunt Karina about this!” She cried. He flicked her forehead.

“And I’ll tell your mom and dad that you were trying to cause trouble in the Galliard’s home,” He warned, causing her to shut her mouth. “That’s what I thought…”

Your group plopped down on a couch and sighed, finally able to relax. You pulled out your phone and held it close to your face as you began to scroll through tiktok, but Porco nudged you, and you turned your body so that he could watch with you.

Marcel leaned against Pieck, her fingers running through his hair, as he was too tipsy to really want to do anything.

Reiner and Colt simply talked about the next big football game and what was gonna go on and who was playing against who.

Gabi watched in disbelief as everyone was content doing their own thing, sitting, relaxing and not going wild.

“.... Wow, you old people SUCK!” She yelled out. Porco leaned his head back and shot her a look, causing her to avert her gaze, suddenly minding her own busines.

“.... I guess I am the scary one,” He mumbled to himself, causing you to laugh. You scrolled to the next video to watch a video of a cat licking a graham cracker.

“Huh, almost forgot its monday,” You laughed to yourself.

“I don’t get it,” Porco said scrunching his face.

“It’s monday,” Pieck chimed in.

“Which means Gandalf gets to lick a graham cracker,” Marcel added.

“Why does a cat get to lick a graham cracker, it makes no sense!” Porco cried.

“It’s her favorite activity,” You shrugged, causing Porco’s face to twist in confusion.

“The cat’s a girl and her name is Gandalf???”

“Yeah?”

“I’m tired of this- go on to the next video.”

The next video was a reddit story of how this guy messed up by doing the deed with his girlfriend to apparently a horrendous song for 2 years straight.

“Can’t be that bad,” Porco shrugged. “Play it.”

Looking up the song was a mistake. Everyone groaned and you immediately ended the song.

“Poor girl,” Pieck sighed.

“I’d rather go completely deaf than listen to that song again,” Porco admitted.

“..... How….?” Reiner thought aloud. Everyone turned to him. “How was he doing it that she was able to recognize it without the song even playing?”

“Had to have been to the rhythm and not the beat,” Colt reasoned. “Its too recognizeable of a rhythm for it not to be that.”

“Next,” Porco demanded….

And so the cycle continued.

The next day, your holiday festivities continued, only without the extra people. Now, it was just you, Pieck, and the Galliards… and Mario Kart.

Porco and Marcel were neck in neck, battling it out for who’d get first place- oblivious to a certain item that you had just obtained. You launched the blue shell, both of them beginning to panic. It hit them both, and you zoomed right past them and to the finish line, the little 1st place screen popping up for you.

“Haha!” You cheered, dropping your controller. Pieck grabbed you and gave you a squeeze.

“Congrats on beating the boys!” She congratulated.

“She used a blue shell!” Porco cried as he managed to finally cross the line.

“It was a low blow!” Marcel added.

“I’m just using what the Mariokart gods gave me,” You sighed.

Mrs. Galliard came into the room with a tray full of mugs.

“You kids having fun?” She asked, a chuckle in her voice. She sat the tray down on the coffee table and the boys swarmed it, grabbing themselves a mug. “Figured you guys would want some hot cocoa.”

“Thanks, mom!” Marcel cried as Porco guzzled his down. You and Pieck reached over and grabbed yours, thanking her for bringing you some. Mrs. Galliard’s eyes lit up as she remember. She placed a hand on your shoulder gently.

“Oh! (Y/N)! Your brownies were a win last night! Everyone loved them!” She informed you, a smile on her face.

“I know I did,” Porco added as he set his now empty mug down. “Almost didn’t get one because of those dang kids…”

“I heard about your babysitting adventures last night- hope those kids didn’t give you too much trouble, I know they find it whenever they meet up,” She sighed.

“We had it handled,” Pieck smiled. “Once you take out Gabi, the other’s fall in line.”

“That’s good to hear- well I’ll let you kids get back to your games. Presents will be later!” Mrs. Galliard gave your group a small wave before leaving the room.

“Am I finally going to see what’s in the bag today?” Porco asked you, turning to look at you. You took a long sip of your absolutely delicious hot chocolate, watching him out of the corner of your eye.

“Maybe…. Maybe not,” You said cooly, setting the mug down.

“You brought something secret?” Pieck asked you.

“Maaaaaaaaaybe,” You chuckled. She knew what you had got the boys for the holidays.

“Hmmm, so mysterious,” Marcel hummed.

“You’ll all find out in due time.”

Porco stood up and turned to face the whole room.

“How about this, (Y/N). If I win the next game of MarioKart,” Porco declared. “You have to show us the stuff in the bag.”

“And if I win?”

“....”

“Oh come on- I deserve something if I win!” You cried, leaning forward to look at him closer.

The two of you locked eyes, the temptation to say ‘I’ll take you on a date’ was too strong.

He stared at you long and hard, trying to determine what it was that he could do- what he could give you…. And then he remembered the previous night.

“.... I’ll give you my bomber jacket,” He told you, everyone gasping.

“You don’t mean THE bomber jacket, do you, Pock?” Pieck asked, sitting up straight.

“I do.”

“It’s that high stakes to you???” Marcel gasped, looking over at Pieck.

“I’m determined,” Porco revealed (and he just wanted more of an excuse to see you in his jacket if he lost).

“.... I accept,” You stood up and went over to him, extending your hand. “It is a very comfy jacket that I think you’ll regret betting.”

“Just shows how serious I am about that bag,” He told you, taking your hand and giving it a squeeze. The two of you watched each other closely before storming back to your controllers to restart the game with just the two of you.

You proudly donned your new jacket, the jacket enveloping you nicely- Porco sat ‘defeated’ watching you celebrate your win.

“Be real,” Marcel said quietly next to him. “Did you throw that?”

“Who’s to say,” Porco replied, glancing back at his brother. “I feel like I won.”

“Just ask her out,” Marcel told him, “It’s clear you really like her do you know how many times mom and dad have asked me if you were dating? Even after I told them you weren’t and you were just friends?”

Porco looked back at you as you spoke with Pieck in the next room.

“... I don’t want to scare her off,” Porco revealed, something he’d never do if he wasn’t talking to his brother. “I’m just a friend to her… and I don’t want to lose that. Don’t want to make things awkward.”

“I’ve never seen you act like this around a girl.”

“Well… She’s different, okay?” Porco shot his brother a look which meant ‘drop it’. Marcel gave him a nod and a pat on the back.

“Just want you to be happy,” he sighed, standing up and heading for the kitchen to join you and Pieck.

Porco sat still for a second, putting up his facade before joining you again.

You sat surprised at the gifts around you, not expecting to have received any. Even though they were small, they meant a lot to you. Pieck had gotten you a non-horror movie to watch- Marcel had gotten you fancy pepper spray. Porco’s gift had you fighting back a smile: a bomber jacket that matched his.

You looked over at him, tugging at the one you had claimed as your prize earlier.

“I’m assuming you want this one back?” You asked, chuckling to yourself.

“You won it fair ‘n square,” He sighed dramatically. “Only if you feel so gracious.”

“Hmmm, I think I’ll hold onto it a little while longer….” You teased.

Mr. and Mrs. Galliard looked back and forth from you and Porco, then back to each other. Were you aware that you were flirting?

You distributed your gifts to Pieck and Marcel- as punishment for being impatient, Porco would have to wait on his.

Pieck got an arrangement of face masks and self care items that you’d collected, and Marcel got a gift card to what just so happened to be Pieck’s favorite restaurant for date nights (your ̶r̶o̶o̶m̶m̶a̶t̶e̶ informant had so graciously told you the best option).

After many egg nogs, hot chocolates, and deserts of many kinds, you were exhausted, on the verge of a food coma.

Porco helped grab your gifts and carry them up to the guest room. You brought them in, seting them on the bed before grabbing the item Porco had been waiting for all night.

“Alright, your punishment has come to an end!” You declared, bringing him the wrapped gift, his eyes lighting up as if he was a kid again.

“Ohh, yeah! You’ve been killing me with this thing!” He cheered. He tore the wrapping paper off of the box to reveal a remote control car that looked identical to his, a giant smile on your face as you watched his reaction.

“I found that at the store one day- I thought it was perfect. I know how much you love your car.”

“I’m going to annoy the shit out of Marcel with this…” He slowly spoke, still in awe of what he was seeing. His awe was interrupted by you shrugging off his bomber jacket. “W-Woah, what are you doing?”

“I’m giving this back to you.”

“Why?”

“Because this is your signature bomber,” You say, handing it to him. “I’m not gonna take your signature jacket away from you- I only ask that whenever I want it, no matter the circumstances, I get to wear it… Besides, some guy I know just gave me a bomber jacket of my own to wear, so I don’t really ended to keep yours.”

Porco accepted it back, staring you down. You quirked your head, confused as to why he was staring you down so hard. You weren’t blushing… He knew you well enough that he knew that if you knew what you were doing, you’d be blushing like crazy… but you weren’t. This was just banter to you: nothing more, nothing less.

He finally smiled at you, as if he hadn’t just been examining you so closely.

“Well, whoever got you that jacket has got to be one of the coolest guys around- waaaay cooler than Reiner, Eren, or any of those other sports assholes around school,” He sighed, playing it cool. You laughed at his words, whatever awkwardness that had arisen during the moment quickly broken.

“Welp- I think I’m going to hit the hay,” you sighed, leaning on the doorway. “All your mom and dad’s cooking has made me tired- I’m literal seconds away from a food coma.”

“Well then,” He took a step back, giving you some room. “I’ll let you hit the hay. Thanks for the car- I love it by the way.”

“I’m glad,” you smiled. You were going to kill him. “Goodnight, Pock!”

“Oh, don’t you start on that too-” You laughed as you shut the door. You heard a muffled ‘Goodnight!’ through the door. You shook your head, giggling like a little girl as you made your way to the bed.

You grabbed your new jacket and tried it on, the jacket slipping perfectly over your shoulders and fitting you just right. You smiled to yourself, hugging the jacket close to you.

Porco clicked his door shut, his head thudding against it as he took a deep breath, collecting himself.

He looked down at his bomber for a moment before bringing it up to his face and smelling it- even though you’d only worn it for the day, it smelled of you. He slowly dropped it and brought it to his chest, holding it there.

“... She’s going to kill me…”

Tag List: @missyasma @lilshades @civicshoe @attackonsimpp

#porco galliard x reader #galliard x reader #porco x reader #aot x reader

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singtomemylove · 5 months

Text

ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɢʟɪᴛᴛᴇʀꜱ ɪꜱ ɢᴏʟᴅ (ᴏɴʟʏ ꜱʜᴏᴏᴛɪɴɢ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏʟᴅ)

Pairing: Klance

Summary: He’d never been in Miami before. Hell, he’d never left New York before. But maybe it wasn’t all bad. Shiro seemed like a cool guy; he was friendly and welcoming and didn’t seem to mind the fact that Keith was now sharing his room with him. He was even going to introduce Keith to his friends. The thought made Keith slightly anxious. Then again, why should it? He was going right back to New York at the end of August. If it all went to shit tomorrow, at least he’d only have to spend three months with no friends. And in those three months, he wasn’t at school or any other place that required having friends to be tolerable. Yeah, maybe it wasn’t all bad.

Warnings: cursing, let me know if there’s anything I missed.

“A whole summer.” Keith groaned over the phone. “Yes, that’s what Krolia said. Just because she thought she could waltz back into my life again does not make her my damn mother.”

“Are you sure you’re not just being over-dramatic?” Luka, his best and only friend since the eighth grade, asks.

“Positive.” Keith grits his teeth. “It’s a three hour flight. To Miami. From New fuckin’ York. This is bullshit.”

“I live in Miami, dipshit.” Luka reminds. Keith feels his eyebrows furrow. He forgot about that part.

He’d met Luka over an online game, which, okay, maybe wasn’t the most trustworthy way of getting to know people. That never stopped Keith, though. He bounced from foster home to foster home for a while, from the ages five to seventeen. Maybe internet weirdos weren’t his biggest worry.

His Dad was a firefighter, back in Texas. His Mom, though she’d never actually been a mother, left when he was born. Until now, that is. She finally decided she wanted a kid, when Keith was seventeen.

“When are you leaving?” Luka snapped him from his thoughts. She was good at that.

“Tomorrow.” Keith admitted.

“And you’re only packing now? What the fuck, Keith?”

“I was in denial, okay?!” He tried to justify, but she was right.

“Jesus Christ—a whole summer and you’re only packing now? Do—are—can you—what the fuck.” He could imagine her face palming right now.

“I have most of it done!”

“Where are you even staying?”

“With her best friend from high school, and their family. They have a son, who’s like, twenty something. He’s also going to stay with them for the summer. Pretty sure he grew up there, or something. I don’t know, I stopped listening.”

“Okay. That’s..rough, but manageable.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“Hey! I’m trying to help you out here, dickhead.”

“Sorry, sorry.” Keith stuffed more clothes into a suitcase.

“What’s the family like?”

“I don’t know. A woman and her wife and their adopted son. The son’s the son I was talking about—“

“No, really?”

“Bitch.”

“Dumbass.”

They were in a comfortable silence after that as Keith packed.

“At least there’s no time difference.” Luka broke the silence.

“Yeah. I don’t have anything against the beach or anything, but I’d really prefer to deal with a ridiculous amount of sun in a way that’s not against my will, so…” He trailed off.

“I get it. How bad can it really be, though?”

Bad. It can be really bad, and Keith should’ve known it. After the chaos that was walking through an airport, Keith was entirely sure that he’d lost his phone somewhere between leaving the house and getting to where he needed to be. He thanked God or whoever’s up there when he’d realized it was in his back pocket.

The plane ride had been boring at best, but that was the least of Keith’s worries.

His main worry, which could be deemed a pretty important one, was that he had no clue what Krolia’s friend looked like.

He waited anxiously at baggage claim after grabbing his luggage. He looked around, trying to spot a family of two or three looking around for an eighteen year old boy.

He didn’t find one.

Shit, he thought. What the fuck am I supposed to do?

He nearly jumped out of his own skin when he felt someone tap his shoulder.

“Sorry!” A woman, with dyed blonde highlights on her shoulder length brown hair, apologized. “Are you Keith? Kogane?” She asked, staring up at him. She was pretty short, maybe 5’1 or 5’2.

“Er—Yeah. I am.”

“You’re Krolia and Texas’s kid! You look just like them.” She smiled, as if remembering something.

“Texas?” Who the hell was Texas?

“It’s what we used to call your dad. We all went to high school together, and he had his heavy accent, so we all called him Texas.” She explained, seemingly able to understand what he was thinking. “I’m Mary. My wife’s name is Hana. She’s in the car with Shiro. You’ll like him, he’s not too far from your age.” She introduced herself. He assumed Shiro was her son.

She lead him to their car, and he quickly put his suitcase and duffel in the trunk before getting into the backseat.

A man, with black hair—minus a section in the front, which was pure white—was sitting there. He smiled warmly as Keith buckled his seatbelt.

“Hiya there, Keith.” Hana said from the driver’s seat. “How’s your mom been recently?”

“She’s fine.” He said awkwardly as he stared at his shoes. They were completely white, minus rainbow stripes on the midsoles of them.

“Have you ever been to Miami?” She asked.

“No.” He shook his head. He didn’t miss how Mary lightly smacked Hana’s arm, giving her a look. Hana didn’t ask anymore questions.

It was a quiet ride, minus the soft sound of the radio playing the 2010’s pop music.

When he got to his new home for the summer, Shiro grabbed his duffel for him.

“Thanks.” He murmured, and Shiro replied with: “You’re welcome.”

They walked up the porch steps and into the house.

“You don’t mind sharing a room, do you?” Hana asked after a moment.

He shook his head.

“Perfect. You’ll be staying up in Shiro’s room. I know you boys will get along.” She shot him a large grin. “You’re not too far off in age. You’re eighteen, right? Shiro’s twenty-two. It’s not too far off.”

And she was right; it wasn’t.

He walked up the creaky stairs and followed Shiro to his room.

It wasn’t a small room, and maybe even a bit bigger than average. There were two beds in the room, and he could tell that the room was basically divided in two.

“Hello,” Shiro introduced himself. “I’m Shiro. You’re from New York, right?”

He gave a small nod, feeling awkward already.

“Nice to meet you, Keith. There’s space for your clothes in the dresser; I moved all my stuff into the closet.” He gestured towards a dresser against the wall.

“Thanks.” Keith responded.

“No problem. Did you eat dinner yet?” He asked.

“Yeah. Before my flight.” Keith replied. It was true, he had eaten.

“Great. Do you wanna go to the beach tomorrow? I’m meeting my friends there at 11:00. I think you’ll like them, they’re pretty cool.”

Keith didn’t like the idea. He could barely handle this, how was Shiro expecting him to meet a whole group of people?

Nevertheless, he nodded slowly. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Shiro smiled again.

Keith checked the time on his phone. 8:42 PM. Not too far from nine. He normally didn’t go to sleep this early, but he didn’t know what else to do. He could unpack, but he didn’t want help from Shiro and it would be awkward to just have him watch.

“I’m gonna head downstairs. You okay to unpack?” Shiro asked. Keith gave him a quick nod, and Shiro walked out of the room. Keith mentally thanked him.

He surveyed the room for the first time. The walls are white, with a popcorn ceiling and a fan in the middle of the ceiling.

The left side of the room, seemingly now Shiro’s side of the room, had a bed with a black duvet and gray pillows. Next to the bed was a dark brown wooden nightstand. There was another white door, which seemingly led to a closet.

On the right side of the room, which was now seemingly Keith’s, had an identical twin sized bed, this one with red duvets and black pillows. Keith pulls back the duvet, nodding to himself as he proves that the sheets are also black. His side of the room also had a dresser and a nightstand. Against the wall that separated the room from the hallway was a bookshelf, filled with a bunch of books.

Keith sets his suitcase and duffel back on the bed, opening both of them. He unpacked his clothes, organizing them in the dresser. He set his toiletry bag on top of the dresser, the dark gray coloring looking not too bad against the dark wood of the dresser.

He plugs his phone charger into the outlet in between his bed and nightstand, plugging in his phone and setting it on said nightstand.

He kneeled on his bed, looking out of the blinds of the window that his bed was next to.

The window faces the road, and there’s several more houses on the street.

The sound of the door opening took all of his attention as he turned to look. But instead of Shiro or his Moms, it was two cats instead. One black cat and one cat was a deep orange. Both cats padded into the room, and he got off the bed and kneeled down. The two cats rushed to him, sniffing his fingers before letting him pet them. The orange cat looked almost red due to the setting sun shining on its’ coat.

He vaguely remembered Krolia telling him about two cats. He looked at their collars, the tags on them reading their names. The orange-red cat was named ‘Red’. Keith chuckled at that. Even better, the black cat was named ‘Black’.

Original, Keith thought to himself.

He sat down fully, letting the two cats crawl into his lap. He liked them. They didn’t talk or demand any kind of social interaction from him. They wanted pets and cuddles and that was it.

After a few minutes, they both pad out into the hallway, Red following Black. Keith crawled into bed, checking his phone one final time. Seeing no new notifications, he set his phone down on the nightstand before rolling over and falling asleep.

He’d never been in Miami before. Hell, he’d never left New York before. But maybe it wasn’t all bad. Shiro seemed like a cool guy; he was friendly and welcoming and didn’t seem to mind the fact that Keith was now sharing his room with him. He was even going to introduce Keith to his friends. The thought made Keith slightly anxious.

Then again, why should it? He was going right back to New York at the end of August. If it all went to shit tomorrow, at least he’d only have to spend three months with no friends. And in those three months, he wasn’t at school or any other place that required having friends to be tolerable. Yeah, maybe it wasn’t all bad.

A/n: going crazy with a new series

#klance fic #Klance au #Klance #vld #voltron legendary defender #voltron #keith kogane #lance mcclain

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