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#nolan needs to sit them down and make them talk to each other
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i'm struggling to even put into words how i feel about these two scenes.
i honestly wonder how much of house's facial expressions in these moments were hugh laurie's choice and maybe weren't necessarily scripted, because the episode doesn't really offer any kind of conclusion on how jealous and, more importantly, how deeply fucking sad house looks after realizing wilson has been talking to amber.
first off - this happens a lot in this show, but this is one of those huge instances of "oh, how differently this situation would look if one of these characters was a woman." if that were the case, this whole thing would really be quite simple. if house was a proper Opposite Sex Love Interest, him standing at the door hearing the proof that his unrequited crush isn't over his last girlfriend...well, that would make perfect sense. The level of hurt and jealousy house seems to feel about wilson still being in love with amber is. well. it's Something.
so anyway - house gets that genuinely hurt look at three separate points: #1 is when he realizes wilson is talking to amber (and this moment is especially fascinating bc house's main emotion should arguably be relief at the knowledge he hasn't been hallucinating...but that appears to be taking a backseat to his jealousy for a woman who isn't even alive anymore)
#2 is when wilson tells amber that he wasn't able to go for a run tonight because house is having issues. now, this speaks to the broader problem that - even though house knows wilson feeds off neediness - house is still worried about being a burden to wilson and that eventually wilson will not want him anymore.
Then #3 - when wilson says to house's face that talking to amber makes him feel better when he misses her, and house doesn't. This moment is so painful and interesting to me because house inviting wilson to confide in him feels like a pretty big step in terms of growth! So for wilson to say he'd rather talk to his dead girlfriend than house...well, judging by house's face, the remark cuts pretty deep. (disclaimer: ofc wilson is completely valid for talking to amber; it just also makes sense that house would be hurt by this, especially in the context of him already feeling like a burden and trying so hard to be a better person)
anyway idk where else to go with this . . . i just feel like the episode sort of started to delve into this issue and then never really went deep enough or concluded this aspect - hence my theory that house's level of hurt may not have been scripted and it was just hugh laurie choosing to Do That with his face.
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riddler-green · 8 months
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Tea for three. Prologue
Summary: You have been a patient/prisoner of Arkham for several months since you were charged with a crime you did not commit. But what happens when you meet Batman's latest enemy? the man of the hour? In which you help Batman on his cases, you're Edward's new favorite person, and Jonathan is part of your past that you want so badly to return to.
Edward Nashton x reader, Bruce Wayne x reader, Jonathan Crane x reader.
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A/n: Holaaa everyone! here I am posting another story that I thought of in a sleepless night, I think it's one of my most ambitious fics that I've been planning but that makes it cooler! I should clarify that this fanfic is mixed with the 2022 movie with the Nolan saga (but in such a minuscule way that it's barely imperceivable). I'm back from my vacation so I'll update my other work soon! ♡
I also want to clarify that English is not my first language, so an apologize for the spelling mistakes. ✧˖°. (My English is rusty :´p).
(Also this fanfic is published on AO3) ✿
Warning: Fluff and angst, Obsessive Behavior, Canon Compliant (the flood occurred, sorry) Movie spoiler (Batman 2022) if there is another warning I did not put, please let me know.
Words: 5,400
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You stroll as two guards lead you to a room, you don't know where they are taking you but it's not like you could complain either. The guards behind you ignored you all the way chatting with each other as if they were not watching an Arkham patient, they let you into the individual visiting room. Still, you nicknamed it the interrogation room because you only come here when that person requests your presence.
You sit down without a problem in the stiff metal chair, the approving noise of the iron partition sounds throughout the place, and you hear one of the guards closing the door leaving you alone with him.
At first, it was tedious, even traumatic in a way to come to this room to talk to the person who captured you and brought you to Arkham without hesitation. You couldn't refuse to see him, not when the caped man is a colleague of an important commissioner. No matter how many times you told him, how many times you yelled at him that you were innocent, he either didn't believe you or just wouldn't listen. You got tired of telling everyone around you that it wasn't your fault, none of them listened to you.
The metal partition rises completely, and little by little you see the almost imperceptible figure of the knight of the night. He kept silent without sitting down, standing in front of you analyzing you as everyone does nowadays, but you no longer care what he thinks of you, you are practically a hopeless case for him.
"Hello?" your greeting sounded confusing, you were not expecting a visit from him, but you have an idea why he comes to you, on certain occasions he shows you cases of different indoles, also that he has found some clue of the…
"I'm looking for the Riddler" He doesn't greet you and moves closer to the glass that separates them, you can take a better look at him, he's still the same since the last time you saw him, his attire nor his face have changed at all, but you notice something different in his voice, is it tiredness you hear?
"The Riddler?" you look at him unclear as to what he means "Who is that?".
"A serial killer" he informs you, you often hear those terrible words from him, how often does Batman chase killers like that, it's like there's one every week, it's cruel but it's the truth, Gotham is the cradle of evil, hell on earth, some would say.
"And what have I got to do with him?" you ask hesitantly.
Batman leaves a gray folder in the crack that connects the two rooms as if it were a mailbox "I need to know your perspective".
For a moment you thought about rejecting whatever is in that folder, but your curiosity won you over, you slowly grabbed the folder somewhat heavy because of the many sheets stored, on the cover of the folder you can see a CLASSIFIED in capital letters, that fuels your interest even more and you open the folder.
It's a lot to take in at once, you open your eyes from the initial shock, you haven't seen so much blood since your clinical internship days, you close the folder for a few seconds to recover, and you look Batman in the eye with a frown, he didn't even warn you how grotesque the case could be. 
Batman looks back at you completely seriously, he looks immutable and silent. You open the folder again and are greeted by the same disturbing images "Wow, it's something " you comment uneasily.
You see the evidence, black and white photos of the murders stapled to the autopsy reports, it is amazing how this man can have such information. the more time you spend reading the events and the evidence the more disturbed you become. 
Mayor Don Mitchell Jr, mayor of Gotham for several years, you saw him once at a social event done by Gotham University, he was happy and smiling maybe because of the excess alcohol in his veins. but now you look at the crime scene, his face completely wrapped in duct tape.
"No more lies..." you whisper reading the message on the corpse of the mayor, then that was with an already established motive, to give a statement.
On the other hand, Commissioner Savage's body is barely recognizable, the cage on his head says it all.
This is no ordinary killer.
What have you gotten yourself into, batman?
"why are you showing me this?" you manage to ask him even with the murders fresh in your mind, you don't think you will sleep tonight.
The already-seated masked man repeats to you "I need to know your perspective".
"As a patient or as a psychologist?" technically you can no longer practice your career since they took away your degree, but he doesn't correct you, you peruse everything that was offered, the riddles, the pictures of all the letters he has left for Batman, descriptions of the crime scene, write-ups of the witnesses who found the bodies.
"Both" he declares.
The handcuffs on your wrists do not give you much freedom to move your arms but do not prevent you from handling the documents in the folder, if Batman thought this might interest you he was right, for better or worse you did not stop seeing file after file.
"How extravagant," you say your first impressions "Brusque with his victims, he really is angry" You turn the page to see the pictures of his riddles "But he is also ingenious, this is not prepared from one day to another, he has been planning this for a long time, I would say years".
"Angry at who?" the man in front of you asks but you don't answer him instantly, you take your time carefully reading all the research, it's a lot for only one killer and few victims, but it's nothing that can be used to find him.
"With the world" you turn the page to see Commissioner Savage's crime scene photo "The pattern is evident, the mayor...the commissioner...does not kill ordinary civilians." 
"Do you think it's political?".
You barely smile at the mere idea that this is just politics "No, this is too intimate for him, riddles are an essential part of his life that he knows how to use to his advantage...and I only come to one conclusion..." you shut up and rearrange the documents to close the folder. 
"What is it?" batman questions you with intrigue in his voice.
You see him again, he must be desperate somehow to find this Riddler who asks for the opinions of third parties, of "crazy" people like you, something he dislikes, he prefers to work alone, that's his emblem. Deep down it angers you to no end, he hasn't caught your living nightmare and he's already looking for another asshole.
"That" you passed him the folder through the crack in the partition between rooms, and he retrieves it in his hands "Is revenge, Batman, and a very wicked one."
"Give me a diagnosis" he speaks faster, and the anger starts to seep into his face and it satisfies you to sometimes see him like this, frustrated Batman...yeah that's a first.
you smile and relax in your stiff metal seat "You should ask Dr. Crane for that, he's more prepared than I am, don't you think?".
"He refused" You'd know he'd turn it down, he's not like Batman or you, he doesn't even like to play Clue.
"yeah, he doesn't have the hobby of playing detective" you shrug your shoulders "I can't give you a diagnosis because it's little, he has left only what he wants us to know, maybe he includes you in this because he admires you or because he wants to kill you, who knows" you blurt out everything you think without any shame, in your mind you are already putting together a criminal profile with only what he gave you, but you won't tell him that, he doesn't deserve your help.
The masked man's posture tenses and he begins to clench his fists, your smile grows. 
"all that, all those little clues he leaves you make me think this is all a big riddle on his part" You pointed to the folder held by one of his gloved hands.
"I don't think he's going to stop until he sees everyone on his list dead."
What you told him seemed to affect him, because he suddenly gets up and goes to the door without looking at you, and he found no news "I can't waste time" he whispers with disdain, he leaves the room and you stand watching the door where he left.
So it's a riddle against the clock, huh? you think.
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The sky in Gotham looks like a landscape worthy to take a picture of, from here you can see the buildings of different heights, the traffic between highways, and the bridges, even if you force your sight you can see people walking.
"Do you like the view?".
You continue to look through the window reinforced with bars and tempered glass, the bars cover part of the landscape but you can still admire the beautiful gray sky full of clouds ready to rain.
"yes..." you say putting your hands between the bars without stopping to think how happy you would be just to be out of this abyss. you didn't appreciate the beauty of the freedom you had before you were here.
"What do you like most about the view?".
You take a few seconds to respond, the handcuffs on your wrists started to itch on your skin, that itch so normalized on your skin that you don't do much to get rid of that itch, you didn't look away from the window, this simple reinforced window brought you comfort for all these months.
"Everything."
"You hear the voice of your therapist repeat your answer and nod, will your cafeteria still be open? The Gotham Library will have finally added new books? the university will have already changed that horrible lamp in one of your favorite classrooms? 
Batman already caught the Riddler?
"What a good answer actually, but I need you to sit down for a further conversation, soon the session will be over" The doctor's professional tone makes you tense up, you feel like you are not talking to a human but to a fucking robot, that's how you have thought them since you were imposed to this therapist.
You listen to what you say and sit in the other chair where you are supposed to be for the whole session, however, Mr. M has let you have the sessions while you watch from the only window, you are grateful for that, even if you didn't like him at all.
"I have been informed about your good behavior this week, if you continue like this you can be given more access through the hospital" Mr.M speaks calmly looking through several documents held by a wooden board.
Fuck you, you thought but didn't tell him, you don't have the luxury of being rude to him. you'll never get the same freedom you got when you were still an average citizen of Gotham and it saddens you, it makes your blood boil to remember every moment of your existence that you're here unjustly.
"Thank you" You speak as little as possible because you know you would break down in tears just remembering that you are another day of your life wasted locked up among so many criminals.
"But" Mr.M stops looking at his documents to turn to look at you "I was also told that you refuse to take your medication, why is that?".
"Why don't I need them" you speak cuttingly again, the itch in your wrists grows and you scratch with your fingernails without realizing it.
"you have to take his medicine...it will make your recovery process more enjoyable" he grabs his tablet with documents and writes again, Mr.M does not scold you but you perceive it like this, you want to go back to your cell, you feel so ashamed that your skin gets hot, how did you come to this? How did you fall so low that you are the one they have to medicate? 
"Fine" you lie to him, you dislike the taste of the medicine they force you to take, you know perfectly well what they prescribe you, you studied for it after all.
But everyone seems to forget that.
Only Batman can recognize your abilities, but he does not help you at all in your case.
And well, you paranoidly believe that Jonathan is only talking to you out of unconscious guilt.
"Okey" Mr. M gives a soft smile "Just one last question before our time is up" he checks the time on his wrist watch "Have you made a new friend? Have you managed to get along with anyone?".
You avoid the gaze of your therapist "No" you denied, another issue you don't want to address, your notorious loneliness in this hospital. If it weren't for your unique best friend who works here, you would be all alone.
"Why?."
You don't answer him, you also question the same thing, you haven't had an interest to socialize with the other patients since you arrived, and there are still things that are not clear to you.
Mr. M sighs dropping his papers in a file cabinet near him "Well, I'll leave it as homework for you to start seeing new people, making a friend sounds excellent."
"I'll try" You don't lie to him.
"Perfect."
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It's been a day since Batman visited you and you had your weekly session with Mr.M, you haven't been able to sleep due to the tremendous curiosity of the new assassin the bat is looking for.
Just when you thought nothing could surprise you in this city since your accident, along comes a man with a question mark and puts the whole city in check, that's the city to him, a colossal chessboard, the DPGC, the Gotham elite, the citizens, they are all pieces in the game, and Batman and he are the only players.
Batman said he didn't have time, Does that mean that he has to catch him these days? how curious, with the Joker, it took months to find him, you were only intercepted in a couple of hours, and the Scarecrow...
no, you don't want to think about him.
You get distracted thinking about the Riddler again, you do your daily service arranging books in the small library of Arkham, your safe place where few or no people stop around these parts, here it is not necessary to use your wrist and neck cuffs, but your uniform is still on, and the plastic bracelet with your information identify you as a patient.
You yawn as you place a couple of worn-out books on the shelf, you felt like a bookstore worker, sometimes you usually fantasize that you are one to take away your boredom, but others usually burst your dreamy bubble.
Today, one of the guards decided to turn on the old-fashioned TV set in one of the upper corners of the library, you stand near a bookcase to see what channel they put on this time, usually they only put on the sports channel to watch the game of the moment.
But on this occasion, the guard put on the news channel, and you immediately put down the books you have to accommodate to concentrate on what is shown on TV.
The guard is still standing and so are you, both watching a live breaking news broadcast. The news anchor reports a new Riddler attack.
He bombed a prosecutor at the mayor's funeral.
The guard's face looked more and more frightened, you watched the news with morbid curiosity. Batman's new opponent seems more sadistic than you thought, that detailed report confirmed it.
But seeing their repeated acts on TV was shocking, you even heard the guard who put on the news say in a low voice " We are doomed. "
You silently agree with him, for the first time you are relieved to be locked away from all the chaos going on right now.
You saw how the explosion managed to reach Batman, surprising you as the guard, the man takes off his distinctive security guard hat when he sees the video, on the other hand, you are still stunned, not believing it, somehow you forgot that this man dressed in black and wearing a cape is still a human of flesh and blood, he simply can't die like that, not when he has things to save, people to capture.
He hasn't found your living nightmare yet.
Before you pull your hair out in frustration the news anchor states that Batman is still alive, the guard satisfied by the information puts his cap back on and returns to his guard position which is the entrance to the library.
You are still looking at the report, and suddenly the image of the man who calls himself the Riddler appears. You hadn't seen him in such detail until this moment, the photos in the Batman report were extremely blurry images, but this time he is in HD, he is completely wrapped in green clothes, and the only thing you can see of him, is his eyes. 
His voice is altered but you can notice that venomous tone of his he asked prosecutor Gil Colson some riddles, but in the end, he couldn't answer what Riddler wanted.
You sigh while grab another couple of books and start arranging them one by one. If Batman is still alive it means this isn't over.
"I knew I would find you here".
"It's not like I can go many places" You smile slightly turning to look at the man who spoke to you. 
Jonathan Crane, the living legend of the hospital, with tailored suits, no wrinkles in his coat, and a well-made tie that matches the sweater he wears under his coat. There isn't a single time you haven't seen Jonathan without his perfect appearance but maybe it's just you idealizing as usual. 
Jonathan gives you a polite smile "Right" Just by hearing that you know he won't stay to chat for long, he tends to contradict you most of the time just to annoy you and agree with you when he's busy.
"Are you coming to get a book?" you ask him the first thing that comes to mind.
"No, I wanted to talk to you before I left," he says adjusting his glasses "I'm going away for a couple of weeks to blüdhaven University to give lectures, it will be a simple thing" Your smile doesn't falter, you are touched that he lets you know when he won't be able to see you, and how he manages to keep the conversation so casual. 
As if they were still colleagues.
"Is that so? What will you talk about?".
"Childhood traumas" he reveals looking at you without any shyness, he has a barely perceptible smile but you notice it. 
"why am I not surprised?" you resume your work in arranging books "Although you know how to pick interesting topics, I wish I could attend" You recognize that Jonathan has been too devoted to his work and student life, he is that kind of strict professor who gives his students nightmares from the assignments and exams he gives. His lectures are fascinating, to say the least, you attended many.
"I'll tell you about it when I get back, in the meantime" From inside his suit he pulls out a  flyer in half "It's something extremely summarized but it'll do" You take the piece of paper and stuff it in one of your pockets. It's not the first time Jonathan smuggles things to you, god, you can even be sure he gives you something every time you see each other. 
"Thank you" you thanked looking at his face, he also remains silent looking at you, the eye contact between you is not something out of another world either, on your part, it's a habit that started when you were still studying, you can't help but want to observe everyone around you, analyze them somehow, see their behavior.
Jonathan does the same, but more rigorous and practical, he is direct and not afraid to say it, you see his hair combed to his liking, his glasses clean without any smudge, his eyes examining you. 
You leave your admiring mode when you diverted your gaze a little to the old TV that is still on, the news keeps showing the latest events of the hours, repeating the most recent crime of Riddler.
Your smile dims as you recall the video of the explosion, the prosecutor begging for mercy and the bomb stuck in his chest.
"Did you see what happened at the mayor's funeral?" you whisper to him in a low voice trying not to let anyone hear them, you look with your eyes for the guard on duty but you can't find him, Jonathan must have asked him for some privacy time, at times you forget the influence that the man in front of you has generated with years and effort.
He turns his head for a few seconds watching the news on TV and turns to look at you again with a sensible and neutral face. 
"yes, I saw it, I was there when it happened".
"What?" you utter with surprise "You were there?" there was no sign of a lie on his face to make you think he wasn't telling you the truth.
"Some teachers from the university we went to give condolences when the show happened" Jonathan clarifies simply, you approach him to talk closer, he doesn't seem upset "So it's true? Riddler attacked that prosecutor?".
"He killed him."
You shut up for a moment because of his statement, it's true, Riddler killed him, and almost Batman too.
"And Batman? Did you see him in action?" at this point you sound like first-rate gossip, but still Jonathan answers your questions, but is no longer as pleased doing so, the moment you mention Batman. 
"He arrived when most of the people had already been evacuated."
"Wow" you blurt out surprised, if you didn't know him better you would have been uneasy with his calmness when talking about the experience, he says it without any fear because that's exactly what's so special about Jonathan in your eyes, he's not afraid of anything.   
"Batman looked you up, didn't he?" Jonathan changes the subject quickly and you nod your head, you move away from his side to reach for a cart full of books to be arranged "He wanted my opinion on the riddler, can you believe it?" you laugh "I told him to look you up better, but you turned him down."
"That's right" he assures leaning on one of the bookcases for comfort, he looks at you picking up a book and you place it among several other books on another bookcase "I don't lend myself to that sort of thing".
"I know, killjoy Crane" you scoff boldly.
"Whatever you say" he sighs "I have to go, there will be a meeting at the university" Before you could say goodbye properly, he approaches you to give you an extremely momentary hug, it was so fast that you couldn't return the hug because he had already separated from you. You swore you could smell some of his cologne.
"uh yeah, see ya" You are barely able to utter the words without getting over the small contact they made, he has said goodbye to you like this, but you are still not used to it.
Jonathan smiles at you picking up his briefcase that you didn't see in the first place, walks to one of the tables where the TV control is, picks it up, and turns off the TV "I don't like you watching that" he tells you already heading for the exit where the guard re-enters the library.
You wrinkle your forehead due to irritation. Sometimes you don't understand Jonathan.
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You genuinely thought your head was going to explode from the pain. 
Being in Arkham meant being cut off from the outside, you had no idea of the chaos that erupted overnight, the perverse game of Batman and Riddler was so forceful, that Arkham unexpectedly came into the spotlight when the green-masked man was captured. An alert in your head went off when you heard from a very nervous guard. You thought it was almost impossible for Batman to catch Riddler, and that he's here being processed to this hospital gives a lot to suspect.
The report Batman showed you are not wrong, the madman of riddles is too elusive to be caught in such a short time.
Why? You ask yourself, why did he let himself be defeated?
The hospital was in chaos with the arrival of the new patient in the middle of the night, nurses running around, and security guards moving patients to different cells temporarily, you were taken out of your small cell to another one just as small and almost the same.
Even with suspicion in your being, you don't understand what all the fuss was about, not even when they paraded the Joker through the main hall in a straitjacket as if he were a villain from some movie did they get as upset as they are now with Riddler.  
You sat on your new bed just as hard as the one in your previous cell, not wanting to catch the social panic you try to meditate, Mr. M advised you to do so and since then you put it into practice.
Maintaining a state of relaxation is difficult but you have practiced it for months, you started the breathing exercises, and as you slowly inhale and exhale your thoughts begin to melt one after the other, calming you down, and making your anxiety about all the fuss disappear.
You exhale again and inhale hard again, you could be doing this all day, you have nothing to worry about, you're in your world, locked away from society, and must be recovering from whatever Riddler did as his closing snap.
You open your eyes and stop doing your breathing exercises, you hear a laugh. But not just any laughter, but a loud and annoying laughter, you instantly get up from your bed and run towards the door with a small glass window. The laughter was not your imagination, and you can recognize it now that you are closer to the door.
You don't see any guards guarding this section of cells, how strange. The laughter continues unabated. It must be some neighbor of your cell because of the proximity of the noise and you have an idea of who it might be but you ignore it for only a few minutes, you can't take it anymore and yell "Can you shut up for once?".
Your cell neighbor stops laughing and you can finally feel at peace, but instead starts a conversation.
"Scarecrow?" you close your eyes just hearing that horrible nickname he gave you at some point during his hospital stay. relatively the two have been in Arkham for a similar amount of time, both trapped by Batman and calling them the dark knight's worst enemies. 
But you could never compare yourself to someone like him Joker. 
You had a chance to get to know each other when you let him participate in common activities, you don't want to remember the first time you spoke to each other, it ended badly, period.
"Don't call me that, asshole" you insult him and he sounds pleased with your response.
"Ah! Are we sensitive today? It's a holiday! Let's celebrate!" 
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
"our guest of honor has arrived, only his final trick is missing!" he continues to speak in that animated voice that irritates you.
When you talk to the Joker you get that feeling that he is speaking in another language, but he is not, you understand what you are saying but at the same time, you don't. You also realized that he knows too much to be just an Arkham patient. 
But everyone at the hospital can assure you that your neighbor is not an ordinary patient at all.
This time you managed to understand his words, Riddler still has an ace up his sleeve, how could the Joker find out about that?
"Did Batman interrogate you too?".
"Of course he did...I'm his favorite!" he replies in the same arrogant manner as always "but I don't forgive him for being so crude on our anniversary."
"So you saw it, huh? I don't think this is a coincidence" You suppose the Joker must have seen it too, of course, he may be reciprocally insupportable but he's not stupid.
The clown laughs, but you don't, you didn't say anything funny in your opinion.
"Poor little Riddler, he thinks he can be just like him."
You ponder what he says, returning to your bed as you sit up again, the sky begins to clear and you can see it through the tiny barred window.
What if this assassin wanted to imitate Batman in some way? 
"What a bizarre introjection you've made, Riddler" you whisper.
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First, there was an explosion.
You felt the whole cell rumble, you woke up instantly and got up from your bed to run to the door even with your eyes swollen from sleep, naively you thought it was some kind of earthquake. You stuck your face to the glass of the door in search of a guard or nurse, whatever it is that will help you get out of this cell, you don't want to die here.
However, the section was still empty, there was no one in the guards' small surveillance cubicle, and you could only perceive the monitors on, showing the news. 
You heard a completely strident noise, there was no earthquake. You turned slowly to the window, the color was changing from gray to orange.
It can't be.
you rush to see what's going on, you grab a piece of your bed to climb on it and reach the high window of the cell, you level yourself by holding your hands on the rusty metal bars, and you catch a glimpse of what caused such a noise. 
You saw the light of an explosion, the combination of yellow and red colors coloring the sky, the smoke, the fire. The explosion happened far away from Arkham, but you can still see it in detail, then the noise became present, and you grimace at the impact on the walls, but it was not over yet.
Explosion after explosion went off all over the city, from bridges to seawalls, a scene so hard to believe if you weren't watching it right now.
The sight takes your breath away, you are so stunned that you almost fall to the floor witnessing such an act, this is what the Joker is referring to? the Riddler's final trick?
not even the scarecrow did so much damage to this city, you underestimated the man with the riddles.
You could not take your eyes off the explosions, there were too many and well-armed to generate so much destruction. The second thing was the water, the waves and drains getting out of control and flooding several streets.
You grip the metal bars tighter, not believing this is real, but it is. Not just bombs but a flood, was that what he had under his mask? Is Gotham drowning with innocent people? 
It makes sense now, his cooperation when caught, the guards' restless attitude, and Batman's uneasiness.
All.
Suddenly you focus on the bustle of what seems to be your cell neighbors, you didn't notice when they put the other patient in the cell next to yours. The noises came together to form a horrifying atmosphere. The laughter of the Joker, the excited laughter of your other neighbor, and the explosions that went on and on. Even with your breathing exercises, you could not relax in the face of this horrifying event.
Slowly you let go of the bars and stop looking in the window, slowly you understand one thing.
Someone beat Batman.
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Thank you very much for reading! And sorry for the mistakes!*:・゚✧*:・゚✧.
149 notes · View notes
annalu86 · 9 months
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Third date.
The door, quietly, clicked shut behind Lucy as she finally made it home.
It must be at least 1am, she hadn’t been keeping track, the apartment was dark and still. Tamara hopefully tucked up peacefully in bed, none the wiser and Lucy’s secret in tact.
A shiver of excitement ran down her spine as she thought back over the last few hours, without thinking her fingers traces over her lips. Feeling the, still slightly swollen, skin all traces of lipstick long since gone.
Her night had started hours before.
She had changed out after her shift was done, she had brought a simple T-shirt and a well worn pair of jeans. Showered, put them on and pulled a drag of lipstick across her lips.
“Any plans tonight, Lucy?” Angela had asked as Lucy had walked out of the locker room, casually swinging her bag over her shoulder.
“Probably just laundry and an early night” she had effortlessly lied and her friend had no reason not to believe her. She had smiled and told Angela to kiss Jack goodnight for her and carried on her way. Out the door and to the parking garage.
She wound her way through the structure, nodding greetings to familiar faces as she made her way to a dark corner. Her heart rate soared as she spotted the truck she was looking for and as she locked eyes with the driver a grin split across her face, she stopped in her tracks before taking a deep breath and carrying on.
Lucy opened the passenger side door and climbed in, immediately turning to face the driver.
“Hi” he reached over and took the bag from her arm. His fingers burned as they trailed down her skin, he leant over and carefully put it on a back seat.
“Hi” she breathed.
Tim was still for a moment as they just smiled at each other “Good day at work?” He asked and she laughed.
“Hmmm I guess, this guy I work with can be a bit of a jerk sometimes though”
“Oh really? How so?”
“He has all these tests for me, he’s not even my training officer any more”
“Well he sound great” Tim puffs out his chest “and very handsome”
Lucy makes an unconvinced sound and Tim pretends to be offended
“He’s alright, I guess” the truck is so large that when she reaches across to kiss him quickly she needs to place her hand on his thigh for balance and it’s not lost on her when a murmur escapes his lips before she closes the gap and lays her gently on his.
But the parking garage at their shared place of work is not the place for this, so she pulls back, sits down and puts her seat belt on.
“So, what are you making me for dinner?”
The journey to Tim’s house isn’t long and they chat easily about their day, funny things Angela has said about her mother in law and how Nolan’s rookie is doing. Being driven around by Tim feels so comfortable and familiar that she forgets that they are actually on their way to their third date until he is pulling up outside his house.
She has been to his house before, of course. As a colleague, as a friend even but never as… as…
Could she think of herself as his girlfriend? He hadn’t called her that yet so maybe she shouldn’t either.
They weren’t friends with benefits, they hadn’t slept together yet.
But you don’t make out with friends for hours and talk about having grandkids together.
Tim opening the car door for her brought her back to the present
“Everything ok?” Tim’s piercing eyes locked with hers as she lowered herself out of the truck
“Yep” she smiled brightly “just thinking about something, ill get your thoughts after dinner though. I’m starving”
Tim led the way into the house and through to the kitchen, stopping to make a quick fuss of the dog before getting two wine glasses out of the cupboard and placing them on the counter.
“Reds in the rack” he says gesturing to his left “whites in the fridge, you choose” as he gets to work readying their meal.
Lucy pours them both a large glass of red wine, she doesn’t ask what they’re eating and instead goes with Tim’s favourite as he is driving her home later and will only get the one glass.
She sits on the sofa, Kojo’s head on her lap, she could fall asleep listening to Tim’s busy sounds from the kitchen and for a moment she lets her eyes close. She lets her imagination wonder, picturing this very scene. Picturing it as her reality everyday, coming home together, taking it in turns to cook. But in her imagination Tim can have a second glass of wine, there’s no need to drive her home, she is home.
She’s lost in her thoughts until Tim plants a gentle kiss on her forehead
“Are you that tired? I can just take you home if you need to get to sleep” she opens her eyes into his concerned face.
“Not at all!” She insists, then blushes slightly “I was actually just imagining what it would be like to do this more often”
“Sleep on the sofa?” He teases
“No” she rolls her eyes “come home with you, cook together, curl up on the sofa and watch a film with a bottle of wine”
“That does sound nice” he comes round to sit next to her, gently pulling her up against him “maybe staying the night”
“Definitely staying the night”
All thoughts of dinner are forgotten until Lucy finally notices a timer going off in the kitchen. She slides both her hands up to his shoulders and pushes as firmly as she can, from underneath him. She may have suggested they wait a while for ‘naked time’ but in the meantime they are finding plenty of ways to occupy their time. And their hands.
Tim groans as he peals himself off of Lucy and sits back up, her t shirt is rucked up and his large hands had covered the warm skin. Lucy pulls it back down as she sits up.
“Dinner ready?” She asks, a blush spreads rapidly over her face as she realises Tim is still sitting, near motionless, on the sofa. He’s clearly taking a moment to compose himself before going to deal with the timer and she relishes the effect she has had on him.
Dinner is delicious. The meal Tim has produced is quite simple but it’s just what she needs. They talk about their plans for the week, a case that has Tim stumped and a new sushi restaurant that Lucy is dying to try. She finishes off a second glass of wine and watches as Tim pours her another. She thinks about teasing him that he’s trying to get her drunk but he’s so respectful of her choice to wait that she doesn’t want to seem mean.
Together, they clean away the dishes and once again Lucy gets caught up in the effortless domesticity of the moment. As they move easily around each other she can’t help but watch his body, how tall he is, how strong his arms are. Ok maybe she is feeling a little tipsy.
“So what we’re you thinking about in the car earlier?” He breaks her reverie
“The car?”
“You said you’d tell me after you’d eaten” he pressed
“Oh yes!” Trills Lucy, emboldened by the wine “I was thinking about what I am”
Tim raised an eyebrow are her, tilting his head “a police officer?” He asked clearly confused.
“No!” She laughed “ to you”
“To me?” No idea what she was talking about
“What I should call myself”
“Other than Lucy?…” his eyes widen, just barely “what you should call yourself”
“I know we aren’t going public yet” Tim opens his mouth to interject but Lucy carries on “which is absolutely what we both want” then quickly “right?”
Tim nods, knowing she hasn’t finished yet “but I was thinking”
“Lucy” Tim, interrupting firmly this time with a hand placed on her shoulder “you’re my girlfriend. Unless you don’t want to be?” The grin on her face tells him everything he needs to know “Drunk girlfriend Lucy is hard work” a devilish smile spread across his face as his girlfriend hits him on the shoulder.
“I can leave you know”
“But I don’t think you want to” which earns him a second punch to the shoulder.
They curl up together on the sofa, they tease each other and they kiss. They talk work and family and even a little about past relationships.
Until Tim finally notices the time 11:30pm, time to get Lucy home.
“Lucy” he brushes a stead of hair from her face and behind her ear and she sighs happily “it’s time I drove you home”
She begins to protest but Tim simply points to the clock and the words die in her mouth. They quietly gather up her things, so as not to wake the sleeping canine, Tim slips on a hoodie and grabs his keys.
The journey back to Lucy’s apartment is mostly quiet, a full day at work and the late hour seemingly catching up with them both. Tim pulls up out side and turns off the engine, neither make a move to leave the car. Wanting to eek out as much time alone, together, as possible.
Tim watches as she leans across the centre console, placing a small hand on either side of his face and kissing him deeply, she pulls back a little and her eyes bore into his soul
“Thank you for tonight, it’s been…” she searches for words for a brief moment “perfect” she leans in once again to place a gentle kiss to his lips but his hand rises and winds through her hair and it’s like that they are lost.
It’s at least 20 minutes before Lucy breaks the kiss and they surface, properly, for air. Both taking shuddering breaths, Lucy rubbing her leg. It had not been the most comfortable position but they both seemed to think it was worth it.
“I should go”
“Yes” Tim agrees resolutely, pushing the truck door open and meeting Lucy at her side of the truck “do you want me to walk you up to your door?”
“No, I’m fine. Anyway, I’d probably end up inviting you in and then we’d be having a really awkward conversation with Tamara in the morning!” Tim couldn’t help the groan that escaped his lips “and you didn’t have to deal with her after she walked in on our ‘practice’ kiss so I’d leave you to do all the talking”
“Ok,ok!” And he smiled as Lucy laughed, this may only be date three but they both new Lucy was going to win all their fights “I’ll say good night to you here then” with a wicked smile on his face he crowds her against the truck door and it’s another 20 minutes before they once again finally emerge from the kiss.
As Lucy lies in her bed, oblivious to the eyes that saw just enough of her goodbye with Tim to put everything together, she thinks about the next date and the one after that. The 100th date and 1,000th.
She finally falls asleep with a contented smile on her face.
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centralperkchenford · 8 months
Note
Tim tells Lucy he loves her whilst drunk and doesn't remember in the morning 🤣
Hehehe this one was fun! Hope you enjoy Anon!
Tim tells Lucy he loves her whilst drunk and doesn't remember in the morning 🤣
Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind
There’s noise outside the door and a loud bang. Lucy freezes as she turns to look at the door. She glances towards her gun safe where her off duty weapon is. She is just about to unlock the safe when she hears keys jangling outside and the unmistakeable sound of the key in the lock.
She frowns as she moves towards the door, the only people who had keys to her apartment were Tamara and Tim.
Tim.
Tim had gone out with Aaron, Nolan, Wesley and James. It was put on by Angela who said their men didn’t spend enough time together. Tim protested and insisted he wanted to stay home with Lucy but Angela had that’s what you do every night Bradford. You need a guy’s night. So Tim had reluctantly out with them. Lucy had watched amused as he left her apartment and he had casted her a longing look. Please help me. She had kissed him one more time, promising she would be there waiting for him.
She hurries over and looks out the peephole where she sees her boyfriend staring at the look a frown on his face. She lets out a happy laugh and opens the door. He looks up when it opens up, and gets a goofy grin on his face.
“Hi.” She says quietly grabbing his hand and pulling him inside. He stumbles in and falls into her. “Are you drunk?” He shrugs his shoulders and then kisses her on the cheek.
“Maybe.” He says quietly. “Wesley dropped me off. He kicked me out of his car.”
“Did he?” Lucy asks him making a mental note to talk to Wesley about that.
“Yea.” Says Tim. And Lucy takes a step back to study him. His hair is all messed up, his eyes are a little redder than normal and he looks like he’s about to topple over.
“Come on.” Says Lucy pulling on his hand again. “Go get settled and I’ll bring you some water.” Lucy tries to move away but Tim grips her hand almost painfully.
“No. Stay.” He whispers. She tries not to laugh at his pouty face. She leads him over to the couch and sits him down and smooths back his hair gently.
“I’ll be right back baby.” She says softly. “I promise.” Tim nods his eyes half lidded. She goes back to the kitchen and gets him a glass of water and some Advil for good measure and then heads back over where he is now laying down, pin straight staring up at the ceiling. She smiles to herself and then gets on her knees so she can talk softly to him.
“So how was guy’s night?” She asks. He turns to look at her, his eyes lighting up as if he hadn’t expected her to be there.
“It was fine.” He mumbles. “Drank too much I think.” Lucy snorts and kisses him on the forehead. She is definitely going to have a talk with Aaron, Nolan, Wesley and James. At least he came home in on piece.
“Sit up.” She says and he does albeit a little slowly. She hands him the Advil and water. “Drink babe.” He does as he’s told and swallows the Advil before looking at her again.
“I love you.” He says and then he falls back on the couch and puts his arm over his eyes.
Lucy stares at him a little stunned. I love you. They hadn’t said that to each other yet and Lucy did love Tim with all her heart she just wanted to make sure he felt the same way. Which apparently he did.
“Lucy?” Tim voice startled out of her thoughts and she looks down at her boyfriend, he has his eyes closed and he looks so adorable like this. So vulnerable and soft, it’s a side of tough TO Tim Bradford he doesn’t let anyone see except her.
“Yeah baby?” She asks a little weakly. I love you still rolling around in her mind. He opens one eye to look at her.
“Can I sleep?” He asks. Lucy chokes out a laugh and kisses his forehead gently and then his nose and finally his lips. He takes like beer and whiskey, it’s perfect.
“Yes Tim. You can sleep.” She says softly smoothing back his short hair.
I love you
***
The next morning Lucy wakes up alone in her bed and panics for a minute before remembering Tim fell asleep on the sofa. She throws on one of his shirts and top toes out to the living room, only to find the sofa empty. She panics again before she spots Tim’s shoes lined up against the wall. She tiptoes back to her room, and into the bathroom where she hears the shower running. She grins to herself and opens the curtain, Tim is just finishing as he looks over at her.
“Good morning.” She says cheerfully. He moans and she whips his shirt off and steps in the shower with him.
“What happened last night?” He asks as he grabs some more soap for her. She looks up at him and bites her lip. Does he really not remember?
“You went out with the guys.” She says quietly as he rubs her with soap. “And you came home drunk.”
Tim makes a face. “But you were like really sweet and soft.” She assures him. He studies her for a minute.
“I am not soft.” He grumbles. She rolls her eyes at him placing her hands on his chest.
“Well you are when you are drunk.” She tells him. “And since you can’t remember you can’t argue with me.”
Tim mumbles under his breath and then continues to rub her with soap. “Then what?” He asks. She bites her lip. I love you.
She knows he was drunk so she’s not sure he actually meant it. He does show her everyday how he feels with the little things. Like right now washing her body in the shower and not expecting anything else in return. Maybe he does love her.
“Lucy?” He prods. “What else happened?” She looks up at him, this wonderful amazing man even when he was drunk she wouldn’t trade him for the world. She loves him so much that it’s scary.
“Nothing.” She lies. He frowns a little like he doesn’t believe her. She smiles up at him and then his hands are right above her ass and he’s lifting her against the shower wall. So this was how the morning was going to go? She didn’t mind that one bit.
***
Lucy doesn’t like lying to Tim, after their morning sex in the shower she had scurried out avoiding Tim at all costs. And the thing is she isn’t sure why. Maybe it’s because she’s trying to figure out her feelings first.
Tim tries to talk to her throughout the day but she ducks out and she can tell he’s getting frustrated.
Finally he corners her just outside the locker room with a frustrated look on his face.
“Lucy what the hell is wrong?” He snaps. She stays frozen to her spot not even flinching at his tone. “We were fine this morning.” And now he sounds resigned.
“Did something happen last night that you aren’t telling me?” He asks softly. She reaches out and grabs on to his metro shirt hoping he doesn’t pull back and to her relief he doesn’t.
She takes a deep breath. “You told me you love me.” She says. Tim’s face changes from frustration to surprise and sadness.
“I said I love you?” He asks quietly. She nods and starts to back away but Tim grabs her hands and holds them.
“Why didn’t you just tell me?” He asks his voice shaking. She reels back a little bit. Did he really not love her?
“I-I didn’t know if you really meant it.” She says quietly not looking at him. “You weren’t— you were drunk I didn’t know if you—”
“If I really love you?” He says looping his hands in hers. “Because god yes. I do love you Lucy. So much it’s scary. I wish I remembered saying it to you but…” He pauses for a brief minute.
“I love you Lucy. And I hope you never doubt that.” He says. Lucy is full on crying now. She wipes at her tears while staring up at what she knows is the love of her life.
“I love you too Tim.” She says and Tim’s face breaks out into a big smile. He looks around to make sure no one is coming around the corner and when he’s sure it’s clear he presses a quick kiss to her lips.
“Let’s go home and I will show you how much I love you.” He says his voice low and sexy and she gets shivers at his promise.
Tonight was going to be a great night.
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harlowhockeystick · 1 year
Note
"please come out, i need to talk to you" with nolan and princess au!!!!
contains: princess reader au, dad!nolan, angsty teenagers, break out the tissue box | this is the PERFECT time to go off of my idea. thank u anon.
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"I know- I don't need you to lecture me." Nolan said right as he saw his wife come into his peripheral vision. He sat on the couch, blood boiling and his mind racing. He hadn't got that mad in a long long time, and he was ashamed of himself that his kids had to witness it.
She stood there, arms crossed and just as equally mad, but the married couple were mad at different people. Nolan was mad at the boy - the boy that she didn't bother to tell him about, the eighteen year old boy that she didn't bother to tell him about - Gemma brought home for dinner, and Y/N was mad at her husband. If they looked at each other they could practically see the steam coming off of them, they were so angry.
"You need to make this right before you come to bed, or you can have the guest room." Is all she said before she walked back upstairs, her steps heavy on the way up. It had been a very long time since she has seen Nolan that mad, and he can't even remember when he was that angry last. He knows she's right. Before she goes to bed, he needs to settle this with Gemma.
Nolan takes a deep breath before walking up the stairs to his eldest daughters bedroom at the end of the hall, passing his other kids rooms. Hesitantly, he knocks on her door softly. He tries to open the door but it's locked.
"Gem, open the door please." He softly says, leaning against the wooden door. He can hear shuffling around the other side of the door and that eases his nerves a little, at least she didn't climb out the window.
"Go away dad," the sad and brittle tone that she responds to him in breaks his heart. He bites his tongue and ducks his head down, holding onto the door handle incase she unlocks it.
"Gem i'm not going away til this door opens," Nolan leans his head against the door, listening to try and make out what she's doing in her room. His heart breaks at the thought of her just sitting in a ball curled up. She's done that since she was a child, he used to call her a turtle. She would curl up a lot when she felt sad or scared, and Nolan was usually the only one who could coax her out of the turtle shell.
"Please come out Gemma, I need to talk to you."
He was met with silence, and he was about to give up until he heard the lock turn on her door. He stood in front, his hands in his pockets and watched as Gemma slowly opened her door. She mumbled a quiet "you can come in" to Nolan.
He followed her into her room, stepping over some dirty clothes on the way to her bean bag chair. Gemma sat on her bed criss-cross, looking down at her white bedspread that had flowers embroidered onto it.
"I'm sorry for my outburst earlier. I didn't mean to embarrass you in front of Barron-"
"Barret." Gemma corrects.
"Barret. I would just like to know these things ahead of time. I would like to know when my daughter, my fifteen year old daughter, is bringing a boy home for dinner. That's all." Nolan explained through the calmest tone possible that he could push out. Gemma doesn't say anything in response, and the silence between them is thick and awkward.
"When did you start dating?" Nolan asked. "Which, by the way, I never said you could do yet." He adds.
"We're not...we're just hanging out. I invited him over cause I wanted to see what you thought, and clearly you think he's no good or...whatever." Gemma traces the flowers on her bedspread, never looking up at her dad throughout the conversation. "What's the big deal anyway? You and mom are four years apart, and you guys are fine. Most of the time, anyway."
"The big deal is that he is a legal adult, you are not. That he looks at you in a way that I don't like. He wants things from you that personally, I don't think you're ready for yet." Nolan explained, getting up from the bean bag chair and sitting at the foot of her bed. "I'm just trying to protect you, that's all."
Gemma looked up at him, and she felt the slightest bit confused. She didn't understand her dad's words, she felt as though he was being overbearing and that he was restraining her. Gemma thought that he was overreacting, still.
"Just, wait a little while before you start dating, okay? I don't want to see your heart get broken." Nolan reached her hand out to her, open palm waiting for her to take it. She eventually did and Nolan pulled her in for a hug.
He knew that she was upset by his words and that she'd eventually understand what he was talking about, but for now she was going to sit in her feelings. He was okay with it, but he was upset with how he made her upset.
"I love you, Gem," he mumbled as he kissed her on the top of her head. He pulls away to look at her and his heart breaks a little to see her teary eyes. "I'm just trying to protect you, you know that right?"
"I know, dad. I just really liked him." Nolan wipes the tears from her cheeks and continues to hold her hand.
"Trust me on this one, Gem. You'll find better boys, and if you find ones that aren't better, i'll beat them up." Gemma laughs and that makes Nolan feel better now that he got to see her smile, the smile she got from her mom.
He leaves her bedroom after making amends and walks back down the hall to his own bedroom, to find his wife watching her favorite show for the hundredth time this month. He sighs, going to lay atop the covers next to her.
"Did it go alright?" She asked, pausing her show and looking over at her husband. Nolan nods his head, resting his head on her shoulder and stares at the television mounted on the wall. "You did the right thing. And you know, I didn't like the kid either. He kept looking at her funny."
"Thank you!"
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rsedits9420 · 1 year
Text
Ok so this is like my first time writing, so don’t mind the grammar lol, but…. I just wanted to try it out because it honestly looks fun. So here’s my first fic ig? 🤷🏼‍♀️
Feelings.
Mark Estapa x reader
Btw y/n/n =your nick name and y/c = your color!
Theme- Mark and y/n have been best friends since they were kids. She moved with him to u-mich. Mark and y/n start to have difficulty finding their feelings for each other. That causes them to drift. Until one of them finally makes a move.
Word count: 2.0k
Y/n
I hate frat partys. It’s all so stupid. Who wants to go hang out with a bunch of drunk people who can’t control themselves? I guess Mark does. He drug me here, so he wouldn’t be “lonely”. This kid. He acts as if he has no game. He could easily get a girl on his hip. That for sure wasn’t the problem. Mark and I have been besties for almost 15 years. We meet in my backyard after he accidentally shot a puck into it. He climbed the fence just to meet with little ol’ me. He asked if I wanted to join him, and me being me I took the invite. Ever since that day on we have been inseparable. I went to every single one of his hockey games. Home or away. He never missed a Sunday night movie with me. We did everything together. He was even my date to all 4 homecomings and 2 proms. Our families have always said we will end up with each other one day. Oh god, I hope so. I’ve always thought mark was cute, but it really got terrible as soon as we got to college. How couldn’t I have known how attractive this guy was? I feel like a fool, because in no way will he ever feel the same. I stare across the room to see mark up against some sorority girl. She practically eating his face. I can’t help to feel a sense of jealousy. Then reality hit. He's a D1 hockey player and future NHL player and I’m just me. A girl is now sitting alone at a party staring at her best friend with another girl.
“Y/n come on I need you for pong!” Eddy yells. Ethan is the only one who knows about my true feelings. After Mark and him became roommates I spent a bunch of time in their dorm. Ethan is one of the most genuine people I have ever met. “I'm on my way Eddy!” I replied. Maybe this will help me take my mind off Mark.
As I walk up to Ethan, I'm met with the sight of Nolan doing a keg stand. These hockey boys have no shame. Moyle’s overall strap is currently falling down, starting to fall onto his face. That’s when he face plants right on the hardwood. I can’t help but laugh. “ Yo Moyle dude you okay?” Dylan ask. Nolan sits up looks at me and eddy and says,” Can I play y’all in pong now?” Never a dull moment with this crowd that’s for sure.
After Eddy and Dylan set up the game, I can’t help but wonder where Mark is. I turn to look to where I saw him last and notice he is nowhere in sight. All of a sudden Nolan yells,” Hey y/n are you ready or what?” I snap back into reality and grab the ball.
I’ve just downed my second cup, when I feel two hands grab a hold of my shoulders. “Y’all winning?” A familiar voice says. I turn around to be met with Mark’s gorgeous dark brown eyes. Ethan gasp offendedly. “Stop Sign you know me and her kick serious ass every time we play. How could you even ask if we are losing” he says sarcastically. Mark and I turn toward each other and chuckle. Eddy’s right. We are currently 7/7 and are beating Nolan and Dylan by a shit ton right now. I bounce the ball and it falls into the final cup. Ethan jumps up and grabs me while saying,” How the hell did you get so fucking good at this game? Seriously I need answers.” Truth be told it was Mark. At our first high school party he taught me how to play. Granted he taught me, but I’m still better. He hates that I’m better than him at something he taught me but I just think it’s ironic.
After the game, me, Eddy, and Mark all head to the living room. The three of us sit next to eachother on the couch, while talking about next semester. Its our last semester before sophomore year. Mark, Eddy, Dylan, Mackie, and Luke are all planning to get a house close to campus to stay at, while I am just trying to find an apartment away from people. I'm not a people person that's for sure. It took me a while to get closes to Mark’s friends and his team. Luckily all of them love me. I’m like the team's little sister. Or at least that's what Mark tells me that's what they say. Mackie walks into the room with Luke by his side and says,” Y/n come on! We got somebody who wants to meet you!” Mackie’s hand sticks out inviting me to go with him. I grab his hand a let him lead me down the hall and out that back door to reach the backyard. I’m met with a man about 5’11 with brown hair and he’s wearing a Michigan basketball jersey. “Okay so y/n this is Will, Will this is y/n!” The brown-haired man sticks out his hand and I capture it. “ Me, Hughsey, and Mack are in the same Sports Management class. I saw how bad yall beat the absolute crap out of Duker and Nolan. I'm going to be completely transparent here. It was hot.” A blush crept onto my cheeks. “Um, thanks,” I respond. Damn an attractive guy just flirted with me and all I could say was “Um thanks”. I want to shake myself. “ Well I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go get coffee sometime?” Will asked me. “Sure I would love to!” I say back. He quickly grabs a pen out of his back pocket and grabs a napkin and starts to write something on it. Soon after he hands me the napkin with his number on it. A cute guy just gave me his number. Is this a dream? I sure hope not because I've never felt this good.”
Then Mark’s tall frame appears right next to me and says,” Hey y/n/n we should probably leave if we want to make it to town by 10 tomorrow.” I look at Mark and then at Will. Mark was right we were going back home for the weekend to see our families. “Oh yeah. We probably should.” I turn back towards Will and say,” It was nice meeting you! See you soon!” And grab Mark's hand and head out of the frat house.
Mark
What the hell. Are Mackie and Luke trying to piss me off?
That’s all I can think of, as I’m walking out of the frat party hand in hand with y/n. Mack and Luke tried setting her up with Will Martin. Fucking Will. Everyone knows his games. He will act like a great guy on the outside, but on the inside he’s a huge womanizer. So why the hell are they trying to set him up with y/n. They know what she means to me. How much I care for her. And yet they still did it. I make a mental note to get them back at practice.
As me and y/n make it to my car, she looks up at me and says,”Hey Stops you okay bud?” Stops. The nickname she gave me the first time we met. And somehow it stuck. I look at her soft relaxed face and sigh. “ Yeah I’m okay. Just tired you know.” Hopefully she buys my lame reply. She just nods and gets into the car. I follow, and crank the engine. “So who was that guy you were talking to?” I say acting like I didn’t care. “I don’t really know. Mack and Hughsey said he was in one of their classes. His name is Will, but that’s pretty much all I know. Oh and he plays basketball.” She says pretty nonchalantly. “Oh and he asked me out for coffee.” She says shyly. “Isn’t that a good thing?” I responded. She looks at me with glossy eyes and says,”Well I don’t really think it will work. I mean look at him and then look at me? I’m nowhere near his league.” What?!?! Is that what she thinks? Because I think a hell of a lot more than that. If anything she’s out of HIS league. I try to calm down before saying,” Y/n, no. I know you might not think it, but you're beautiful. Don’t let anyone make you feel differently. And also if anything you're out of his league. Not the other way around.” She looks at me and smiles,”Mark, I don't know what I’d do without you.” I’m pretty sure I’m blushing after her comment but I’m not going to look. I can’t have her knowing my feelings. She wouldn’t ever feel the same. I will be just the boy next door who was like a brother to her.
And it was painstakingly obvious. Basically our whole highschool knew. And just after two times of meeting y/n, all the guys here knew too. I’ll get chirped about it for probably the rest of my life. Mark Estapa, the guy with some of the most penalties in the big 10, is too scared to tell the girl he’s been in love with for 8 years that he loves her. And I do love her. Not like a friend, but more. But I know that she can’t say the same.
I think about her and Will, all the way back to my dorm room. Her small frame slowly follows from behind me, as we’re going down the dorm hallway. I open the door and she stalks her way in. She goes straight to my dresser and picks out an old storm shirt and a pair of sweats. “Can I wear these tonight?” She asked. “Of course. But be careful with the sweats, the drawstring is broken, might have to roll it a couple of times, shorty!” She gives me a glare before throwing a sock of the floor at me. “I’m not short, you're just huge!” She says. I give her a skeptical look. “Uh huh. Sure.” I say as I go to the bathroom to brush my teeth. When I walk out she’s on my bed scrolling through her phone, not paying any attention at all, so I decide to jump right onto the bed. My actions cause her to almost fling off of the bed and right onto the floor. Lucky for her she doesn’t. She playfully slaps my chest and says,”So you think your funny Stops?” Uh yeah I do. I’m hilarious. I take off my sweat shirt and shoes and climb right next to her on the tiny ass twin bed. I grab her to pull her close. I take in her sweet smell and it reminds me of the hood she has on me. We’ve been snuggle buddies since we were 5. She and I kinda just did everything together for the first 3 years. We wouldn’t be able to sleep unless the other was next to us. It causes our parents some trouble, but who really cares? Not us, that's for sure. Over the years, after her Sunday movie nights we would either stay at her house or go to mine to sleep. It’s just been our thing. And once we got to college it happened more. Her roommate is definitely an interesting cat. She’s super sweet,but definitely not someone I would be able to hang out with for 8 hours a day. That’s why y/n comes to hang out with me and the guys. Eddy loves her like a little sister and the others treat her as one of us, so she’s always hanging with us. Nobody minds, we actually love the company. Me a little too much but I won’t tell her that. I get one good look at her beautiful y/c hair and y/c skin and drift off to sleep with the image of her in my mind.
Let me know how it was!!!!
Pt 2 ⬇️
124 notes · View notes
lukeevangelista · 11 months
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Can you do an imagine or blurb growing up being bestfriends with Grano and secretly liking eachother but he gets jealous when he sees you talking to nolan, because he thinks Nolans flirting but he’s really not.
“And what does she think she’s doing?” Jay pointed towards you.
You were walking with Nolan from class to find Nick and the others, but they had spotted you first. They didn’t realize you were trying to find them, Nolan helping you.
“I’m not sure.” Nick grumbled under his breath as you two got closer.
“What’s up?” You grinned as you sat down next to Nick, him slightly side eyeing you, “Okay then.” You said awkwardly as you talked to the others at the table, asking how their day was going.
Nick glared at Nolan, who was sitting across from you two.
“You’ve gotta make a move.” Jay said as he and Nick walked away from you guys, them having to get to their next class, “If you don’t, you’re going to lose her.”
“I cant ruin what we have.”
“The fuck you cant! If you don’t, someone like Nolan is going to take her from you Granowicz.”
Nick let out a frustrated huff, “I know.”
“Good. Then do something about it.”
***
Nick did exactly that.
“We need to talk.” Nick said as soon as you opened your front door.
“Uh okay.” You said as you stepped to the side, letting him in.
“Im not beating around the bush.” Nick started, “I like you. Ive liked you since we were 12 and you pushed your sister into the pool, then tripped and scraped your knee.” He continued, “and seeing you all buddy buddy with Nolan- it made my think long and hard about what I wanted.” He added, “It’s you. You’re what I want.”
“And then you held me while I cried.” You chuckled at the memory, “You’re what I want too, Nick. I just don’t want to mess-“
“Please don’t say that.” He took a step towards you, “We’re not going to lose each other, but I want to give this a shot if you’re willing.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” He looked taken back at you.
“If you’re wanting to give this a shot, even if it could damage our friendship, I’m okay with that.” You whispered as your laced your hands together, “You’re worth the risk.”
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Text
Tup: Physically, yes, I could fight a bird. But emotionally? Imagine the toll.
Hunter: There are seven chairs and ten kids. What do you do?
Echo: Have everyone stand.
Tech: Bring three more chairs!
Wrecker: The most important ones can sit down.
Crosshair : Kill three.
Hunter: Why isn’t the statue smirking at me?
Echo: It isn’t smirking at anyone, they’re all just imagining it.
Hunter: Three of us saw it, Echo. How do you explain that?
Echo: *points at Tech* Sleep deprivation. *points at Wrecker* Paranoia. *points at Crosshair * Delusional personality disorder.
Hunter: I’m an idiot.
Echo:
Tech:
Wrecker:
Crosshair :
Hunter:
Echo: If you’re waiting for us to disagree, this is going to be a long day.
Hunter: What did you guys get in your yearbook?
Echo: 'Prettiest Smile'
Tech: 'Nicest Personality'
Crosshair: 'Most likely to start a bar fight'
Wrecker : 'Least likely to start a bar fight, but most likely to win one'
Hunter: What does 'take out' mean?
Echo: Food.
Tech: Dating
Wrecker: Murder
Crosshair : IT CAN MEAN ALL THREE IF YOU'RE NOT A COWARD.
Tech: We need more help. Maybe I should call my friends.
Echo: ... You're what?
Tech: My friends.
Hunter: Are they saying “friends”?
Wrecker: I think they're being sarcastic.
Crosshair : No, no, no, this is delirium, they've cracked from being awake all night. Hey, Tech! All of your friends are in this room.
Tech: I have other friends! You asked me to make new friends, I made new friends! It was a task. I complete tasks.
Mayday: Crosshair, stop! This isn't you, you've gone mad with power!
Crosshair: Well of course I have.
Crosshair: Have you ever tried going mad without power?
Crosshair: It's boring.
Crosshair: I turned out perfectly fine!
Mayday: Crosshair, this morning you thought a ghost made your toast
Crosshair: I DIDN’T PUT THE BREAD IN! YOU DIDN’T PUT THE BREAD IN!!!
Crosshair: Name a more iconic duo than my crippling fear of abandonment and my anxiety. I'll wait.
Mayday: You and me!!!
Crosshair, tearing up: Okay.
Crosshair: Mayday and I have the kind of easy chemistry where we finish each other's-
Mayday: Sentences.
Crosshair: Don't interrupt me.
Crosshair: English is a difficult language. It can be understood through tough thorough thought, though.
Mayday: You need to stop.
Nolan addressing the squad: And if you have any suggestions feel free to put them in the suggestion box.
Crosshair: But – that’s just a trash can.
Nolan: It sure is!
Crosshair: If you had to choose between Mayday and all the money I have in my wallet, which would you choose?
Nolan: That depends, how much money are we talking about?
Mayday: Nolan!
Crosshair: 63 cents.
Nolan: I'll take the money.
Mayday: NOLAN!!!
Crosshair: Dandelions symbolize everything I want to be in life
Tech: Fluffy and dead with a gust of wind?
Crosshair: Unapologetic. Hard to kill. Feral, filled with sunlight, bright, beautiful in a way that the conventional and controlling hate but cannot ever fully destroy. Stubborn. Happy. Friends with bees. Highly disapproving of lawns. Full of wishes that will be carried far after I die.
Mayday: wow
Crosshair: Would you stab your best friend in the leg for 10 million gold?
Tech: You stab me, and then when my leg gets better, we buy a house.
Mayday: You can stab me too, then we'll have 20 million.
Tech: Good thinking.
Crosshair: So, what, now I’m just supposed to do anything that Tech does? I mean, what if they jumped off a cliff?
Mayday: If Tech were to jump off a cliff, they would’ve done their due diligence regarding the height of the cliff, the depth of the water, and the angle of entry, so yes. If you see Tech jump off a cliff, by all means, jump off a cliff.
Tech: I really like this whole ‘good guy, bad guy’ thing you guys have going on.
Crosshair: It’s not an act, it’s just that I’m mean and Mayday isn’t
Crosshair: Don't worry, I got a plan.
Tech: Alright.
Crosshair: TraitorSayWhat?
Hemlock: Excuse me?
Crosshair: What?
Tech:
Crosshair:
Crosshair: No wait-
Crosshair: *Screams*
Hunter: *Screams louder to assert dominance*
Echo: Should we do something?!
Tech, observing: No, I want to see who wins this.
Tech: Did you know you remind me of all 26 letters of the alphabet?
Phee: What?
Tech: like, U R A Q T.
Phee: Awwww!
Phee: You believe me?
Tech: Phee, you’re the last good person on this planet. I‘d believe cartoon birds braided your hair this morning.
Kidnapper: I have your partner.
Tech: What? I don't have a partner...
Kidnapper: Then who just spit in my face?
Tech: Oh my gosh, you have Phee.
Phee: What the hell were you thinking?
Tech: I heard releasing birds at a wedding is romantic!
Phee: You released OSTRICHES!
Tech: Wait, you like me? For my personality?
Phee: I know, I was surprised too.
Phee: Tech told me that brown is just navy orange, and I have never been more disappointed with something I agree with.
Phee: My future partner must be brave, strong, intelligent, successful and organized.
Tech: *steps on a caterpillar and proceeds to drop to their knees and sob while apologizing profusely*
Phee: That one. I want that one.
Phee: So I was just having a conversation with Tech about Star Wars; particularly, about the choice of architecture. The amount of people who die from falling down bottomless pits is TOO HIGH! Like, who designs architecture like this? Catwalks with no guard rails whatsoever, just zigging and zagging through enormous voids. Giant holes to nowhere!
Tech: It's by design. It's a cleaner look, for a more elegant time.
Phee: Like... who put this hole here???? And why????
Tech: Exhaust?
Phee: Darth Maul falls down a hole, Palpatine falls down a hole, Solo falls down a hole, everyone falls down a hole! Star Wars universe needs OSHA.
Tech: Luke falls down a hole, Boba Fett falls down a hole…
Phee: Yes, yes, I forgot about those! R2-D2 falls down a hole in the Millenium Falcon after he fixes the hyperdrive.
Tech: We're onto something here!
Phee: Obi-Wan almost falls down a hole.
Tech: C-3PO falls off the barge into the sand. Pretty close to falling down a hole.
Phee: His lightsaber does though.
*Tech thinks hard about what other Star Wars Characters fall down holes*
Phee: What if the hole is symbolic? The hole represents the dark side.
Tech: Nah, doesn't work. Luke chooses to fall down the hole instead of joining Vader/The Dark Side.
Phee: Fair point.
Phee: Did you buy eggs like I asked?
Tech: Even better!
Phee: What did you-
Tech: *holding up a chicken* Her name is Fluffy.
Tech: What’s your favorite color?
Phee: Stop asking stupid questions. Ask me something logical and mature.
Tech: How many moles of sodium bicarbonate are needed to neutralize 0.8ml of sulfuric acid at STP?
Phee: My favorite color is pink.
Tech: Okay, I’m going to get the wedding cake.
Phee : Perfect, while you do that I’ll check on the ring bear.
Tech: ...
Tech: You mean ring bearER, right?
Phee : ...
Tech: Look me in the eyes and tell me you are not going to bring a dangerous wild animal to our wedding.
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davidpastrsnack · 3 years
Text
fool for you - nolan patrick
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a/n: a little nolan hate sex for your enjoyment :) i'm thinking of maybe making this into a series so pleaseeee let me know what you think and if you’re interested in more! and big shoutout to @toplinetommy​ for helping me out with this!
word count: 5k
The boys were back in town for the start of the season and it was finally the first gathering of the year. Claude and Ryanne were generous enough to offer their place, maintaining a balance of enjoying themselves and a night off of parent duties while also keeping their eyes on everyone.
You were in the kitchen, twirling the straw of your drink while you caught up with some of the other girls. It had been a long summer, but right now it felt as if you guys never left. Between hearing everyone’s latest school and work opportunities to gossiping about summer flings, it didn’t take long to get back in the swing of things. But just as Karly was telling you all about the new apartment she and Travis just moved into, your attention was drawn elsewhere.
You could barely even look at him.
Not with the way he was sauntering around the apartment like he was royalty, a musty beer in hand as he scanned the floor for his next target. His long hair was messy and roughly tucked behind his ears. His all black outfit reeked of arrogance, like he knew he didn’t even have to try to look good. He was waving and smiling to everyone he passed, each of them inflating his ego even more as they lit up at his acknowledgement. After scouring the room for long enough, he settled on his final destination, wrapping his arm around a tall blonde, a smirk spreading across his face as she leaned into his touch.
“Y/N?” Karly snapped you out of your trance making your head snap back towards her.
“Yeah,” you responded, shaking it off,  “Sorry.”
“Y/N,” she repeated, but this time her tone couldn’t have been more different, “Tell me you two aren’t going to do this again.”
You squinted your eyebrows in defiance, “I just got distracted, that’s all.”
“Yeah, by Nolan,” Karly scoffed, persistent in her confrontation.
Your relationship with Nolan was interesting, to say the least. It started one night last year when your mutual friends introduced you, the chemistry between you two undeniable as the drinks flowed. Nolan was unlike anyone else you had ever met. He was quiet, but he was an incredible listener, taking in every word you spoke as he got to know you. His attraction to you was overwhelming, his body creeping closer and closer to yours as the night went on. You felt the exact same way, but there was just one little thing holding you back: your boyfriend, Andrew.
You still remember the moment perfectly to this day. Claude innocently asked where Andrew was and that was that. Nolan’s energy shifted to ice, his body turning away from yours as the realization that you weren’t available struck him. You didn’t understand why you were so easily withholding the fact that you were in a relationship from Nolan, you were perfectly happy with the way things stood. Andrew was kind, he was stable, but you hadn’t connected with someone so quickly like you had with Nolan.
Despite your hope to be friends, Nolan shut you out completely after that night. That sweet, rosy-cheeked boy you met in the bar seemingly vanished. He barely spoke to you, and when he did it was always blunt, before eventually he became downright rude. You didn’t know what to think of him anymore, you could only assume that first impression was a fluke. It didn’t take long to convince you that Nolan was a complete asshole so you matched his energy, giving him the same sass he gave you right back.
But little did you know, shutting you out was the only way Nolan knew how to grapple with his feelings for you. He hadn’t been so drawn to someone in years, and his heart dropped when he discovered you had a boyfriend. Instead of getting over it and moving on, he lashed out, hoping he could somehow train himself to hate you. But now over a year later, his feelings hadn’t budged one bit. If anything, they had only grown stronger. There was nothing more attractive to Nolan than a woman who could go toe to toe with his attitude.
“Karly, please,” you begged, “I didn’t even know Nolan was here,” you lied through your teeth.
“What was that about Nolan?” you heard from behind you. You could recognize that voice anywhere, Travis giving you his classic cheeky smile as he turned to face you, pulling Karly into his side.
“Will you please tell your girlfriend that she’s delusional,” you snapped back.
“See I would,” Travis laughed, “Except I don’t think she is. Not about this at least,” Travis teased, gently bumping his hip against Karly’s as she rolled her eyes, far too familiar with his sass.
You didn’t even ask how he already knew what you were talking about. You could only assume that this was a premeditated attack on their part.
“Whatever,” you mumbled, throwing back a long sip of your drink. “How’s camp going?” You asked, desperately trying to change the topic. You didn’t need to hear how great Nolan was for the hundredth time when he had only ever treated you like a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe.
“He asked me about you today, you know,” Travis continued, ignoring your plea to move on.
“What could he possibly want?” You groaned.
Although Nolan had never outright admitted it to him, Travis knew exactly what he wanted. It was beyond painful watching him pine for you from afar, but he also knew that it wasn’t his place to completely expose his best friend. He was not afraid of a little meddling, however.
“Y/N, he’s a good guy. He just takes time to open up,” Travis tried to reason with you, “I hope it’s okay I told him about Andrew.”
Your stomach dropped when you heard Travis’s words. It was like he stuck a dagger right through your heart, reopening the wound you thought had healed by now. You were so embarrassed of your failed relationship. Nothing dramatic had happened, you both just sort of fell out of love before deciding it was best to go your separate ways. Regardless of whatever Nolan tried to bring you down with over the past year you always had that to keep you sane. But now that you didn’t, you were terrified of how much more power Nolan would have over you.
“Thanks a lot Travis,” you mocked, “As if he needed another thing to make fun of me for.”
Before he could get another word out you were turning on your heels, dodging Karly’s arm that reached out for you as you hurried out of the kitchen. You pushed your way through the pockets of people, heading straight towards the balcony. As you slid the door open and slipped outside, the cool air instantly calmed you. It was quiet, the hum of the city below you the only sound you heard. You needed a minute to clear your head. Just a minute and then you would put your smile on and head back inside.
“You okay?”
Your body jumped at the sound of Nolan’s deep voice. You couldn’t even have one moment of peace before he was coming for you.
“Like you care,” you scoffed, not even bothering to look at him.
Nolan should have expected that reaction, but he was actually trying. He had been keeping an eye on you all night, deep down praying that you hadn’t noticed, and he saw you storm out. It was unlike you, you had always gotten along so well with everyone and even though it killed him, he was worried about you. But clearly nothing had changed between the two of you, Nolan now already reverting back to his usual defense mechanism.
“Someone’s on edge,” he mumbled, “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
At that your spun around to look at him, the insinuation of your breakup thick in his words. Nolan was staring at you, eagerly waiting for your reaction, with his hands tucked into his pockets.
“You’re disgusting,” you snarled, shaking your head in shock of his blatant disrespect. Nolan was a lot of things, but to comment on something as personal as your sex life, or the lack there of, was beyond his usual teasing.
“Try me,” Nolan challenged, “I’ll show you just how disgusting I can be.”
You couldn’t help but laugh at that one, his empty proposition so absurd. But Nolan didn’t seem to find it funny, his baby blue eyes staring straight at you.
“As if you’re even capable of getting a woman off,” you snarled, swiftly walking past him, your shoulders roughly bumping as you left him standing alone.
Nolan stood in his place in shock as he watched you weave your way between people through the windows. Clearly he had struck a nerve, you had stormed away from him before but nothing quite like that. A wave of guilt washed over Nolan immediately, his hands coming up to his head and running through his long hair. Reaching for the door, he entered the party once again, his eyes scanning the room for you but he was unsuccessful. You were nowhere to be found, and Nolan was left to assume that you had left all together.
And that was exactly what you had done, deciding that from that moment on all you wanted to do was change into your pajamas and catch up on brainless reality shows. You didn’t bother to stop and say goodbye to anyone, knowing they would just rope you into staying regardless of your desire to be alone. The walk back to your apartment was brisk, but by the time you arrived home you had decompressed from the situation and were ready to relax. Nolan only had as much power over you as you let him, and for the rest of the night you decided that you were going to be free from his grasp.
Or so you thought.
Despite his feelings of guilt still lingering, the longer Nolan replayed your interaction over in his head his focus shifted. Did you really think he couldn’t get you off? He knew he shouldn’t care what you thought and that he should move on, but he just couldn’t shake your words. Nolan excused himself from the circle he was sitting with to use the bathroom, when in actuality, he slipped out the front door before anyone had the chance to catch him.
-
Meanwhile at home, you were finally feeling like yourself again, free from anyone’s judgement. Dawned in a matching sweat set, you were sprawled across your couch covered in blankets. Instead of your usual glass of wine, you opted for a hot tea, the remnant alcohol from the party still coursing through your veins. You were already on your third episode when you heard a series of knocks on your door. You groaned as you slowly peeled yourself from the cushion you had practically melted into, confusion and annoyance lacing your face while you wondered who could possibly be coming by at this hour.
When you finally reached the door and looked through the peephole, your mood turned sour right away. It was Nolan, standing tall with his arms hostiley crossed. You wondered if you could get away with just ignoring him. You could turn right back around and pretend you never heard anything, but you knew better. He wasn’t going to let you off the hook that easily. Your eyes slipped shut as you braced yourself, finally placing your hand on the doorknob and swinging the door open.
“What-” You began to ask, but you were quickly interrupted.
“You’re wrong,” Nolan hissed, his deep voice making your stomach flutter.
“Excuse me?” You snapped back,  not hiding your emotions very well.
“I have no problem getting anyone off,” Nolan asserted, his cheeks even redder than normal as he spoke.
As much as you wished you could control your reaction better, your eyes widened slightly at his words. It wasn’t your fault, you told yourself, it was all his. He had no right showing up to your apartment dressed to perfection, his warm scent clouding your senses as he towered over you in the doorway. But even still, you couldn’t let him off the hook quite yet.
“You came all the way over here to tell me that?” You chuckled, “Congratulations, Nolan. I’m happy for you, really.” The sarcasm was thick in your words as you mustered up a reply. Your hand moved to push the door shut, but Nolan beat you to it, using the weight behind his own hand to hold the door open.
“You don’t believe me?” He questioned, his eyebrows raising as he stared down at you. He knew this was pointless, that you were just trying to get a rise out of him, but it was working. As much as he hated himself for it, his pride wouldn’t let him walk away.
“Nolan,” you whined, “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
You could admit that sometimes you enjoyed the banter between you two, but you were too tired right now. The hum of your TV and the warmth of your couch was calling your name, but here you were with Nolan practically begging you to nurse his ego back to health.
“Say you’ll let me prove it. Right now.”
Your jaw dropped at his words. There was no way he was serious? Right? But the way Nolan was standing in front of you with his arms still crossed and his face dead-set on yours, you couldn’t help but wonder if he was.
“Nolan, I-,” you stuttered, suddenly filled with nerves as the way he towered over you clouded your judgement. “That’s not a good idea,” you said, finally gathering yourself enough to get a coherent thought out.
“Oh please, Y/N,” Nolan muttered, “Don’t act like you’ve never wondered.”
“Wondered what?” You rebutted, even though you knew exactly where he was going with this.
A small smirk creeped its way onto his face, his body slowly inching closer and closer to yours. Your eyes slipped shut as he invaded your personal space, the warm scent of his cologne overwhelming your senses. You jumped when he started whispering, his hot breath against your skin making your own hitch in the back of your throat.
“What it would be like if I touched you,” Nolan hummed, the hairs on the back of your neck standing straight as his lips so faintly brushed against your skin, “If I fucked you.”
You could feel your eyes roll back into your head as he spoke, the tension between the two of you thicker than molasses. Before you had even fully registered what was happening, Nolan was pulling away, sternly staring down at you. Your eyes fluttered open when you felt his warmth separate from your own, the cool air between your bodies snapping you out of your trance. He was expressionless, waiting for you to do or say something, anything.
“I stand by what I said,” you asserted, your eyebrows raising slightly as you challenged him, “But I’ll give you a chance to prove me wrong.”
Now it was Nolan’s turn to be taken aback. Sure, this is what he came for, but he didn’t think it would happen. Never did he ever imagine that he would have the chance to have you. But here you were offering, looking up at him with the most innocent eyes. His gaze trailed down to your lips, soft and smooth from the lip balm you put on earlier after taking off your makeup. For longer than he could even remember he had thought about what they would feel like against his own, nibbling the lobe of his ear, sucking down his neck, gently biting into the ripples of his toned stomach, before finally reaching the place he needed them the most.
“I-,” Nolan stuttered, nervously lifting his hand to rub the back of his neck, “Y/N, I’m sorry I shouldn’t have-”
After spending so much time secretly pining for you and mastering his own self-sabotage, Nolan couldn’t let himself do this. He wouldn’t.
“What? Someone’s a little scared now, hmm?” You challenged, ever so slightly pulling the flesh of your bottom lip between your teeth as you tilted your head at him.
Just like that, the switch inside Nolan’s head turned again. You were enjoying the game just as much as he was. You wanted him just as badly as he wanted you. Before he let his nerves get the best of him again, Nolan was pushing his way through the frame, slamming the door shut from behind him before his hands were harshly grabbing at your waist.
As if you were on cue, you jumped into his arms, your legs wrapping around his waist and your hands circling his neck. Your lips instantly met in a rough kiss, Nolan wasting no time in asserting his dominance as his tongue overpowered yours. You let out a soft moan against his skin as he flattened his hands across your ass, the tips of his fingers dangerously close to your inner thighs catching you off guard.
Nolan could have sworn he blacked out a little at the sound after spending so long just imagining what you would sound like. A quiet fuck slipped out from his mouth, blood rushing straight to below his waist. He suddenly pulled away from you, but only to get a look at his surroundings and see where he was going.
“That way,” you whined against his neck, pointing in the direction of his bedroom.
“Someone’s impatient,” he teased, reveling in how desperate you were for him already.
Just moments later you felt your back land on your bed, the soft material of your bedding engulfing you. Nolan laid on top of your breathless body, his cold hands snaking underneath your hoodie as he attached his mouth to your neck. You were lost in the contrast of his gentle kisses and sharp bites, but it didn’t take long for you to snap out of it.
“If you leave a single visible mark on me, Patrick,” you snarled, pushing his head away from your sensitive skin.
“Patrick now, huh?” Nolan mocked, the smile on his face almost giving away how much he was enjoying this.
You simply rolled your eyes at his comment, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and pulling him back down to your lips. He obliged, this time putting the entirety of his weight onto yours, earning another moan from you. You always knew he was big, it was one of the things that made hating him so hard. He was so strong, so broad, and now you got to feel every ounce of him pressed against you.
As much as you hated to admit that you could have stayed there making out with Nolan until the end of time, you were getting impatient. Without any warning, you pushed him off of you, reaching your hands up from the waistline of your hoodie and pulling it off. Nolan’s reaction to seeing you braless made you swoon, his eyes widening as he took the sight of you in. But just as he began to lean back down, you stopped him.
“Ah ah ah,” you whispered, shaking your head.
He knew exactly what you wanted, letting out a small laugh before peeling his shirt off. You had to keep yourself from drooling as soon as he did, the defined lines of his body making you audibly whimper. To put it plainly, Nolan was beautiful.
Nolan made his way back down to your level, his arms resting on either side of your head holding his weight above you. He resumed his attack on your neck, this time hastily making his way down with a trail of wet kisses before scattering bruises across the tops of your boobs. Your body arched up into his in anticipation, the pressure of his growing bulge making you weak.
“Nolan,” you whined, abandoning whatever dignity you had left.
Hearing you beg with his name like that was like pure ecstasy. Nolan finally gave up his act and moved his fingertips to tease the waistband of your sweats, pausing to watch the way you squirmed for him. He would do absolutely whatever you wanted at this point.
“Easy baby,” he cooed, the pet name making you momentarily forget the throbbing between your legs as your heart fluttered. “Can I?” He asked, eyes locked with yours.
You nodded embarrassingly fast, so desperate for him to do anything, but it wasn’t enough for the long-haired boy.
“Use your words,” Nolan challenged, needing your verbal approval before he moved further.
“Yes,” you breathed out.
Just like that, he was pulling your sweats down in one swift motion, the cool air enveloping your burning legs. You were so clouded with lust that you had almost forgotten the circumstances that brought you here, but Nolan was not shy to remind you.
“Cute undies,” he chirped, poking fun at the very plain, but very comfortable, boyshorts you had on.
You smacked him across the head, not finding his little joke very funny. “I am so sorry for not wearing my best lingerie while sitting at home alone, please excuse me.”
Nolan chuckled at your response. “Apology accepted,” he laughed, sending you a quick wink of reassurance. He would be lying if he said he didn’t immediately let his mind wander to what you would look like dawned in lingerie, but he didn’t have time for that, he had a task at hand.
Nolan slowly dragged one finger across your core ever so slightly, lifting his gaze to watch your reaction. Your head fell back against the pillow, back arching off the bed at the barely there contact. You could feel yourself practically dripping and you just knew the soft cotton material of your underwear was soaked through.
“Awfully wet for someone you say you hate so much,” Nolan mumbled, watching you thrash.
“I do hate you,” you responded, your voice laced with disgust as you tried so hard not to give him what he wanted. He had barely touched you and you were already a wreck. Get it together, Y/N, you scolded yourself.
Nolan chuckled at your desperate attempt to gather yourself, deciding he would just make it that much harder for you. He moved his fingers to focus on your clit, slowing rubbing circles through the fabric. Smiling as your legs tensed, he couldn’t help himself from offering yet another jab, “Fuck, I don’t even think I have to take these off.”
God dammit, Nolan, you thought to yourself. But he was right. Between how much he worked you up earlier and the way his fingers were giving you the perfect amount of friction, you were close. Embarrassingly close.
Nolan picked up his pace, his devilish smirk growing as your legs faintly started to shake. Before long you were seeing stars, his fingers now moving in a quick side to side motion against your clit as you fell over the edge. Your eyes were screwed shut, and despite your best efforts to stay as quiet as possible, your moans got the best of you.
The sight of you cumming was the most incredible thing Nolan had ever witnessed. The way your back arched, how tightly your hands clenched the sheets, and most magically, how perfect his name sounded falling from your lips.
“Nol, Nol,” you whimpered, the pressure becoming too much.
He obliged, finally pulling his fingers away before bringing them to his mouth, sucking them clean. Your head fell back into your pillow yet again at that, the way his blue eyes were practically staring into your soul making your cheeks heat up with embarrassment.
“So much for not being able to get you off, hmm?” You heard Nolan mutter. You could feel the outline of his smirk pressed against the skin of your thigh, his cockiness growing exponentially in just the past few minutes. You didn’t give him the satisfaction of responding, not that you even knew what you would say to that.
Your silence was satisfactory enough to Nolan. In all the time you two had been going after each other, rarely did Nolan get the last word. But tonight he had managed to shut you up with just a few flicks of his fingers. While you were simmering in your post-orgasm shame, he was gloating.
“Want another one, sweetheart?” Nolan hummed, the pet names escaping his mouth without even thinking now. He slowly trailed his way back up your thighs before hooking a finger in your underwear, gently pulling them down. “Fuck,” he groaned at the sight of your bare pussy, glistening in the dim light from his previous work. Your hips unconsciously lifted off the mattress, the cool air making you desperate for his touch once again.
“Oh honey,” Nolan mocked, “Tell me what you want.”
“Nolan,” you groaned, your voice laced with annoyance. You knew exactly what you wanted, but more importantly you knew he knew too. But of course, he was going to make you say it.
“Hmm?” He questioned, playing dumb as you struggled in front of him.
“I want you to fuck me,” you finally gave in, “Happy?”
“Very,” he quipped, “Now turn around.”
You felt yourself clench at his order, wasting no time doing just what he said. Settling in on all fours, you braced yourself for what you could only assume was to come.
“Fuck, you’re something,” Nolan groaned, his hands running down your back to the curve of your ass. You couldn’t help but smile at his words, grateful that your face was hidden in the comforter.
“Wait, I don’t have-” But before he could finish his sentence, you were interrupting.
“You’re not going near me without a condom on,” you asserted, lifting your head just enough to point to your nightstand, “Bottom drawer.”
“Thanks a lot,” Nolan scoffed at your jab, but still eagerly grabbed one regardless.
With next to no warning he was slowly pushing into you, the pressure making your mouth fall open in a silent moan as your body adjusted to his size. Nolan sighed as he pressed into you, mumbling a string of swears at how your pussy enveloped him. He was patient, waiting just like that until you gave him permission to move.
“Nolan,” you whined, “Please.”
That was all it took for Nolan to start snapping his hips, agonizingly slow at first, making you feel every inch of him, before he sped up his pace.
“Fuck, Y/N,” he groaned, the way your body looked in front of him almost too much to handle. The arch of your back had him weak, one of his hands reaching to tangle in your hair as he used his grip for leverage.
You felt like you were floating with the way Nolan was hitting all the right places. It was funny to you know that his line that started this whole thing was actually painfully accurate. It had been a while. After Andrew you tried to fill the void with random hookups, but it didn’t take long for you to cleanse your phone of all dating apps and opt for nights out with the girls instead of on the prowl. But now, you were reminded of everything you had been missing out on with the way Nolan was working you.
“I- I’m,” you sputtered out, unable to find the words on your first try, “I’m so close, Nol.”
Instead of most guys you had been with you would take that as their sign to go faster, Nolan didn’t, instead keeping the exact same pace. His grip on your one hip got tighter as he felt himself get closer too, his other hand in your hair sinking down to meet your clit, the familiar pattern of his fingers bringing you that much closer.
“Go ahead, honey,” he cooed, leaning into your ear as he encouraged you, “That’s it, that’s a good girl.”
That was all you needed to hear to push you over, your muffled cries filling the air as Nolan fucked you through your high. Your legs shook around him as he continued, your body going completely limp. He was right behind you, his deep groans into your neck sending vibrations through your body as he spilled into the condom.
Nolan hovered above you just like before rolling over onto his back. You collapsed into the mattress, the tingling sensation still coursing through your lower half. You both stayed like that catching your breath in silence. While the reality of what you just did began to sink in for you, Nolan was basking in it.
He turned his head to get a peek at you, but you were facing the other way as far from him as possible. Your body language could not have been more clear, and the realization made Nolan’s heart drop. He knew this wasn’t going to change anything, he was a lot of things but he wasn’t dumb. But even still, part of him deep down hoped that maybe, just maybe, it could.
His thoughts were interrupted by your sudden movement. Despite the stinging between your legs, you lifted yourself up and sat on the edge of the bed, taking a sip of the water on your nightstand. Now that the lust of the moment was long gone, you were in shock that you let that happen. The sex was incredible, undeniably some of the best you had ever had, but you knew that this was going to make things so unbelievably complicated from here on out.
Before you could let yourself spiral too much, you stood up, hastily making your way to the en suite bathroom. Nolan was entranced by the shape of your silhouette in the dim room, but your next words before you disappeared reminded him just where you two stood.
“Lock the door on your way out.”
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lydias--stiles · 3 years
Text
you keep my head from going under
chenford | drabble | post-4x01 | title: bruises // lewis capaldi
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Intellectually, Tim Bradford knew this made sense.
Jackson's death hit everyone hard, but Lucy took the punch. She was his best friend, his roommate, his confidante; a fellow rookie. More than once had Tim heard her jokingly refer to Jackson as her 'little brother', though her sweet tone said otherwise. It wasn't a joke. Lucy and Jackson were family and she just lost her brother.
So, yeah. It didn't take a genius to figure out Lucy needed someone to grieve with, that would understand, that would give her space and closeness and everything in between. Intellectually, Tim deduced he was the right fit for that. Nyla and her weren't super close, Angela was busy with the baby, the weird history with Nolan kept him out of the equation, too. (Tim didn't even begin to question or plow through that one — for his sanity, it was best he never found out.)
Emotionally, however, it was a whole other ball game. Because Lucy wasn't just his friend, or previous rookie, or fellow police officer. She was Lucy. Tim preferred to not linger on the multitudes she contained, but in vulnerable times like these, it was hard not to.
The perfume, a blend of cardemom and roses and citrus, tickling his nose when they hugged. The chime of her laugh every time he sold a joke. Drifting gaze on her pouted lips as she calculated a situation or problem, as though he shouldn't be focusing on the same thing. Her soothing voice, her bravery, her enviable resilience, her strength and smarts and style. Her, her, her. An intoxicating dosis of her as she slept over multiple times a week on the couch, mere feet away from his lonely bedroom.
Safe to say it drove him wild.
He had to remind himself he was a goddamn thirty-six year old man that has fought wars and faced Death every day on the job. He literally underwent an illegal mission to Guatemala to save Angela. But he couldn't keep his cool because the woman he liked slept in the other room? The fuck?
Then again... 'like' might be an understatement. Tim would be a fool if he didn't recognise his feelings for Lucy had grown past a simple infatuation, or prolonged adrenaline rush. Tim loved her.
Which was why he always waited in bed until he heard her alarm softly ring in the other room a bit past seven, listening how she stumbled from the couch to the bathroom, allowing him the limited time to tidy his (her?) couch and prepare breakfast. When she found out the first time, she objected, but his cool exterior and snark quickly shot that discussion down.
Which was why he bought her coffee and lunch more often during their breaks. His stomach twisted inside out with stupid pubescent glee each time her face lit up at the sight of a perfect burger with extra pickle, ordered without having to ask.
Which was why he didn't intercept whenever dudes started asking her out again, though the sympathetic looks of Nyla and Nolan nauseated him plenty. He felt a quiet sense of satisfaction with each rejected man.
Now, Tim didn't toss and turn at the seven fifteen alarm. He waited, he listened to her disappear into the bathroom, he got up and got moving, put on the radio (a music station, since she liked that) and cracked open eggs above a simmering pan. It felt natural. Especially when Lucy emerged in her street clothes and slipped around him to the coffee maker, as if this was a regular morning for them.
Maybe it was.
Pouring her cup, Lucy moved past him to the breakfast bar when he stopped her at the last moment, impulsive.
Her brows raised. "What?"
Before all the bullshit, Isabelle and him had been an easy match. They were made of the same cloth: pragmatic, straightforward, efficient. Though Tim did truly love her, he held different emotions for her than now for Lucy. This felt... insurmountable. Indescribable. His mouth opened and closed, yet nothing in the English language could explain what he experienced each second of the day when he was with her and when he wasn't with her. He felt himself going mad. Tim was in love with Lucy.
Figuring their staring match had gone on too long, he dropped her elbow and crossed his arms instead. "I love you."
Lucy blinked. "W-what?"
Tim caught what he said a beat too late. What the fuck. "Yeah."
"Um... okay." She set her cup down and nervously clutched onto her necklace. Tim felt himself being ripped in all directions by monstrous tides, not being in control rather uncharted territory. "Can- can we talk about this after... work? Please?"
Tim grimaced. "And sit it in the shop together all day? That'll be worse than your last day as boot."
"Well," she sputtered, decidedly taking a step back. "I'm sorry, but you kind of sprung this on me, so..."
"I know," he rushed. "I know that. But you can't deny something is..." God, he hated this. He hasn't done this in years. Mustering the courage, he continued with, "there. You're a good cop, Lucy, you know it, too."
She groaned, exasperated. "Please don't make this about our job."
"I'm out of my depth here, Lucy!" he exclaimed. Frustration rose. "Just- let's finish the conversation now. I can't do it later."
"Can't or won't?"
"Lucy."
Her face steeled in a way he hadn't seen before. Her lips set in a thin line, jaw taut, yet her eyes shimmered with unbridled emotion that only she possessed of. He thought back of the infamous wedding, prior to the abduction, of how beautiful she looked, of her red lips stretched in a teasing smile. He remembered just how great that moment felt, that if he could, he'd prolong it.
"Tim..." she whispered. Her saddened tone held no hint of silver lining, his shoulders dropping with defeat. "We've lost... I can't lose more people that I love."
He latched onto her hands in a snap. Suddenly, the words came to him. "You won't though. You won't lose me."
Lucy shook her head, unshed tears welling, though didn't let go. "You can't promise that. Jackson didn't think he'd die so soon either."
"But is that really the thing that should hold us back? Life is unpredictable. Tomorrow, it could all be over for us."
"Tim."
He smiled. "Lucy."
And then she hugged him. Her arms tightly wrapped around him and he reflexively followed, cradling the back of her head and holding her close. Whatever happened after this, he'd take it; for now, his heart beat in sync with hers and a swooning sense of adoration filled his chest.
"I love you," she whispered in his shirt.
Oh, man. Nothing beat her uttering those sweet words to him. His nose pressed in the crown of her head and let the smile stretch to a beam. "You're never gonna lose me, Chen."
Her chin ticked up and that was all he needed.
A kiss before his morning coffee felt like a good place to start.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@alphinias @smolfangirl @tim-lucy
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imagines-r-s · 3 years
Text
silver - n. patrick
ok, so this is my first time writing anything to do with the NHL, so feedback is greatly appreciated
Nolan Patrick x reader
summary: the one where everyone around you is annoyed of how oblivious the two of you are
my requests are open-- taglist: @sortagaysortahigh
wc: 7.9k
a/n: this is one of my favorite things i’ve ever written omg. also huge shoutout to @barbienoturbby​ and @sunsetholland​ for reading this and for validation
warnings: angst, mutual pining, a few swear words, you and nol being oblivious, fighting, brief mention of injury
Tumblr media
(gif not mine)
When you got the ‘SOS’ text from Nolan, you quickly assumed the worst. Knowing that he had just gotten out of practice you assumed he had gotten hurt during practice or he was dealing with another migraine and since it was your day off from your job as the Flyers trainer, you assumed the worst - one of your coworkers was there, but that didn’t mean that Nolan would go to them. You were caught even more off guard when he sent a second text a few minutes later, ‘i’m picking you up in 15. be ready’
The cryptic messages from your best friend weren’t helping your confusion, so you decided the best option was to call him. He picked up shortly after the second ring, “Hey y/n/n, what’s up?”
“What’s up? That’s all you have to say after those wack text messages?”
“Um, when you put it like that? Then yes,” you didn’t have to see his face to know that he was smirking, “anyways, I just parked, so I’ll be up to your apartment soon, bye.” 
With that, he ended the call, once again adding to your confusion. Deciding the only thing you could honestly do, you got up from your couch and got dressed. You were halfway through getting your hair done when you heard the door to your apartment unlock. 
Walking towards the door you saw Nolan, his hair still somewhat wet since he rushed here after practice. “Okay, do I get some form of explanation, or are you just going to stand there?”
“Look, I kinda fucked up. But just hear me out, okay?” he rushed out as he paced your living room.
“What do you mean you kinda fucked up?”
“Okay, so... at practice, me and the boys were talking about the charity gala that’s this Friday and a few comments might have been made about how I don’t have a date.”
“Let me guess. And your dumbass went, ‘I have a date, blah, blah, blah, who just happens to work for our team and you all know her’ and I got roped into the equation?” you said, jokingly.
“Wait, how’d you know?” he said with no hint of humor in his voice.
“Wait, you’re serious? I just assumed you needed me to find you a date? But you said I was your date?” heat rushed to your face at the thought of being Nolan’s fake date to the gala. You don’t know how you’re supposed to make it a whole night while having to pretend to be his. 
He simply nodded in response, “Please, y/n/n. It would mean so much. You obviously don’t have to and I can just say you can’t make it or whatever, but-”
“Nol, it’s fine,” you said, cutting off his rambling, “I’m pretty sure I need a dress though.” 
Nolan’s smile grew when he heard what you said, “Yeah, that’s why I came here. I kinda figured you’d say yes anyway, so it just kinda worked out.” 
“Oh, don’t try to act all cocky on me now, you were just pacing my living room in fear that I would say no.”
“Besides the point. Anyways, let’s go get you that dress,” Nolan said, grabbing your hand and leading you out the apartment. You did your best to ignore the butterflies in your stomach as your hand intertwined with his.  
“So, what does your suit look like?” you asked as you glanced around the store for a dress. “Oh, I was just thinking simple black, but I’ll match the tie with whatever color your dress or shoes are. We have to make sure they think we’re actually together.”
“Y-yeah. You’re right,” his words hurt you a little more than they should have. He was right. This wasn’t real and if you didn’t sell it well enough then Nolan would get the backhand of it. “What if I got that black dress over there?” you pointed to a simple off the shoulder black dress with a slit up to your mid-thigh,” and then get colorful shoes that you can get a tie to match?”
You missed the way Nolan gulped when you were busy looking for your size. He already knew the dress would look amazing on you, so when you found your size he knew he was in for it. “I’m going to go try this on real quick, I’ll be back,” you said before making your way to talk to an associate there. 
As soon as you stepped out of the dressing room in the dress, he knew he was screwed. His mind immediately going places that it shouldn’t have.“Nol, what do you think?” you asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. He was thinking a lot more than he should have. “Oh, uh, you look beautiful, y/n,” he forced out. 
“I feel like this look would need a statement necklace or something to go with it, to kinda draw it all together, you know,” you said before doing a spin, “I don’t think I’m going to get it though.”
“You’re getting it,” he insisted. He didn’t care about the price, he knew that the dress was meant for you. He didn’t care that he might only see it once, but he could tell you loved the dress. He also loved you in the dress. 
Whenever you got home that night, you were met with your roommate in the kitchen. “So, you going to tell me where you and Nolan were all day? And don’t try to deny it, I heard your conversation this morning about the gala,” Mae teased. 
Mae had known you long enough to know how you felt about Nolan, she also knew Nolan well enough to know how he felt about you. Being the photographer for the Flyers, gave her an insight into the many interactions that you and Nolan had - both of you always looking for the other when there’s practice or a game, stolen glances when he’s on the bench, and him going out of his way to see you in your office (even when he isn’t hurt). She knew that if the two of you just said how you felt, that the two you would be happy with each other.  
“If you heard our conversation, I don’t know why you’re asking what we did. We went shopping, that’s all.”
“Have y’all confessed your love for each other yet? Or is it still ‘unknown’ information?”
“It’s all very one-sided and you know that.”
“Not according to Kevin,” you scoffed.
“Okay, so one person says otherwise.”
“Or TK, or Hartsy, or-”
“Okay, okay. I get it.”
“Pretty much anyone on the Flyers roster would agree with me,” Mae said, making sure her point was clear. Even with everything she said, you still didn’t believe her. “You should honestly just talk to him. And maybe actually be honest about how you feel for once.”
“Anyways, I have to go shower now. I still have to get some stuff ready for the gala tomorrow,” you left before she could say anything more.
…..
Nolan had decided to take it upon himself to make sure you had the best possible day that you could. Since he didn’t have practice, he decided to go to your favorite bakery and get you breakfast and your favorite coffee. Knowing that you most likely wouldn’t be up for a while, he swung by a jewelry shop to get you a necklace to go with your dress to ‘bring the look together’. 
“Hello sir, how can I help you today?” the salesperson said when Nolan walked in. 
“Oh, so I was wondering if you had any type of hockey charms? Or initial charms?”
“Yes, we do actually. Silver or gold?”
“Definitely silver,” he said, thinking back to your shoes and his tie.
“Alright, if you’ll follow me,” the man led Nolan over to a glass display, directing him to the sports charms that they had. When Nolan saw the hockey charms, he smiled at the thought of you wearing it. “And what initial did you want, sir?”
“An ‘N’ “
After he paid for the necklace he made his way towards your apartment. Using the spare key you had given him when you took into account how many times he came over, he opened your front door. 
“I still forget the fact that you have a key,” Mae said looking up from the couch, “Is that what I think it is?”
“Which thing?” Nolan said, setting his keys down on the counter. He noticed that you weren’t in the living room and assumed you were still asleep.  
“I was just talking about the coffee and bag from the cafe, but is there something else?”
Nolan simply nodded, “yeah, I just want y/n to have a good day since she’s going with me to the gala.” 
Mae eyed him suspiciously, “What else did you get her?”
“Huh?” 
“You said ‘which thing’, which hints that there’s more than just coffee.”
“Oh, I got her a necklace for tonight.”
“Did you give her a key to your apartment and an engagement ring, too? Or is that next week?”
Nolan simply rolled his eyes at her statement, “It’s not like that.”
“It’s only that way because both of you are stubborn and oblivious. Did you get me a bagel or just her?” Mae said, glancing at the bag. Nolan nodded before getting everything out of the bag, “thanks, Nolan.”
He made his way towards your room, quietly opening the door to make sure not to wake you. Stopping for a moment at your door when he saw your sleeping form, before making his way to your bed. “y/n/n, I got you your favorite,” he said gently. 
“Too early,” you groaned into your pillow, causing Nolan to laugh. “Babe, it’s 1 pm and Mae said you even went to bed early,” Nolan didn’t realize what he had said, but after hearing him say that nickname you were wide awake. 
“It’s still too early,” you said, finally sitting up, “but what did you get me?”
“Your usual,” he handed you the bad when he noticed you had gotten settled against your headboard. 
“Thanks, Nol. You know you don’t have to do-,” you paused as you noticed the jewelry box that he was still holding, “what’s in the box?”
“Oh, I-uh, I got you something for tonight. Obviously, you don’t have to wear it if you don’t want to, I just thought it would look nice with the dress,” he wasn’t even sure what prompted him to get it. 
“Show me,” you said, taking a drink of your coffee. 
“What?” 
“Nol, show me what you got me,” you chuckled at his obvious nervousness. He ignored the fear that you would hate it as he struggled to open the box. When he finally got the box open, he immediately passed the box over to you. The anxious feeling in his chest only grew when there was no immediate response from you. 
“I, uh, wow. Nolan, you shouldn’t have. You didn’t have to do this, you know.”
“Y-yeah, I know. But you said you needed a necklace to go with it and you honestly deserve so much for agreeing to go with me,” he said, finally meeting your eyes. “You deserve the world, y/n/n,” he whispered, averting his gaze down to your lips. You weren’t sure if you imagined it or not, but when you looked back up at him, he had gotten closer than he was before. 
“Nol,” you whispered, as you noticed that he was getting closer, his lips eventually ghosting over yours. 
“Hey, Nol, these bagels are great are you sure that you got them from the usual cafe,” Mae yelled as she barged into your room, causing the two of you to practically jump away from each other. 
“Um, yeah,” he stated, his voice laced with annoyance,” the same one that’s a block away. Just like the bag says.” 
He immediately shot a glare your way at the sound of both you and Mae laughing, “god, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Don’t you agree, y/n?” 
“Oh, yeah. For sure,” Nolan’s face softening at the sound of you laughing.
…..
Mae stayed in your room while you got ready for the gala - helping you out anytime you needed with either your hair or makeup. As she listened to you ramble about Nolan and the day you had yesterday, she knew she had to interfere. Quickly pulling out her phone, she pulled up the contact of the one person she knew who would help her out, who just happened to be Nolan’s best friend. 
heyyy teeks, i need your help
tk: i feel like you only text me when you need something. but what’s up
y/n and nolan.
tk : oh ok, yeah. he said she was his date for tonight though? i just assumed they finally talked it out?
well, they’re going as the others ‘fake date’. i’m very impatient and they are very dumb, so i need you to think of something
tk : why can’t you think of something?
i won’t be at the gala + i’m out of ideas
After the exchange of many text messages, Mae and Travis finally had a plan to help their two dumbass friends finally talk about how they felt. 
“Who are you texting?” you asked when you saw Mae furiously typing away.
“Oh, just asking Teeks about the practice schedule?” she said, quickly coming up with an excuse.
“You know we work at the same time? Right? Like our schedules are the exact same?”
“Oh, yeah. I just wanted to see when would be a good time to get some statements for the team’s Instagram stories.” 
You nodded hesitantly,” for some odd reason, I don’t believe you. But I also don’t know if I really want to know.”
“Anyways, what time is Nol picking you up?”
“He should be here-,” stopping when you heard the front door unlock, “now.” 
Before you were even able to stand up from your vanity, Mae was already at the door. “Woah, Nolan, who knew you could clean up well.”
“Wow, Mae. You’re always so nice to me,” Nolan grumbled in response, “where’s y/n/n?”
“She should be out soon. She looks hot as hell, by the way. I know you’ll see her, but I just thought I’d let you know beforehand.”
“Well, it is her. She always looks beautiful,” he said without a second thought.
“Ooooh, Nol. You getting soft on us? Over a girl? Gasp. Never saw that one coming.”
“Mae, shut the literal fuck up. I swear if you make one more joke about me and y/n, I’ll-” before he was able to finish his sentence, you had emerged from the hallway wearing the dress. The dress. The same dress that nearly made him pass out in the store. Except now, you also had on the necklace with his initial and the shoes that matched what he was wearing. “Wow.”
You giggled at his reaction, trying to ignore the heat that rushed to your face, “wow to you, too.”
“Was that you were saying, Nolan? I make one more joke about you and-” Mae interrupted, snapping both you and Nolan out of whatever trance you were in. Nolan saw the look of confusion cross your face, “I won’t get you any bagels next time I go out.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t!”
“I would, actually.”
“Okay, did I miss something?” you said, looking between your two best friends.
“No,” the both of them said simultaneously. 
….. As the two of you entered the ballroom that the gala was taking place, you took note of the amount of orange, black, and white decorations filling the room. All the players were scattered throughout the ballroom with their dates, some dancing, some near the bar, others talking. 
Nolan kept his arm wrapped around your waist as he led you near Travis and Joel, who were standing near the bar. He let his arm fall when you mentioned you needed to go talk to Ryanne and made his way over to the boys. 
“Dude, I thought you were joking when you said you were bringing y/n as your date,” Joel said when he knew you were far enough away. 
“She looks hot as hell, I say that respectfully. If Mae found out I said that - in any context - she would murder me,” Travis knew that what he was saying would have an effect on his friend, that’s exactly why he said it. This was the plan that he and Mae had agreed to, the plan they hoped would work. 
Nolan clenched his jaw, his body becoming tense from the words that he had heard from his friends. “Ok, Travis,” he simply nodded, in hopes that the conversation would end there. 
“I mean is she still single?” Joel added.
“Well, I mean, yes, but-”
“I might ask her out soon. I mean you said she was single, right?”
“Yeah, but-”
“Ooh, Farabee’s getting bold,” Travis added. 
Before Nolan could get another word out, you had made your back to the boys. “Hey, Nols. Did you want to go dance with me?” you asked, using all the courage you had in you. 
“No,” he inwardly grimaced at how sharp his answer came out, but he was upset. He knew you deserve someone better than him. All his insecurities were reaching the surface over a simple statement his friend had made. 
“No?”
“Yeah, why don’t you ask Farabee,” your brows furrowed as you saw him get up and walk away, joining Carter and Hayes at a table.
“Um, what’s up with him?” 
“Farabee made a joke about his hair,” Travis made up on the spot. 
“Oh, his hair?” to which both boys nodded, “um, alright.”
Your thoughts were racing. You knew it was something other than a joke about his hair, he would have chirped back if it was something like that. You hesitantly agreed to dance with Joel, knowing that after you danced you need to talk to Nolan. You and Joel made small talk, but your mind was a thousand miles away. “I can tell your mind is on something else, what’s up?” Joel interrupted your thoughts. 
“I know you didn’t say anything about his hair,” you shot him a pointed look. 
Joel only chuckled in response, “oh yeah, me and Teeks were trying to get him to admit something about how he felt about you, but instead he got all snarky. It definitely defeated the purpose of the joke, but we didn’t expect him to not say anything. If you go to him and talk to him, I’m sure it’ll all be okay.” 
Once the song that was playing ended, that’s exactly what you did. 
Or at least that was what you planned on doing. 
You knew that finally telling Nolan how you felt would be risky. That’s what had stopped you so many times. But right now, the stars seemed to have aligned. Every one of your friends was telling you that things were mutual and that nothing would go wrong if you were just honest. Everything was leaning in the right direction.
Until you hit a stop sign. 
That stop sign being Nolan being nowhere in sight. And once you saw him, you wished you hadn’t. You watched from a distance as the person you were about to confess your feelings to had another girl in his arms. An ex-fling of his that he said he was over. Her making advances, him not necessarily ignoring them. 
Quickly turning on your heel, you grabbed your phone out of your clutch and called Mae. “Hey babes. Are you calling to say you won’t be home and that you and Nol- are you crying?”
“Can you just come and get me? If you can’t I can get a ride home, but-” you sniffled.
“Yeah, yeah, of course. I’m on my way.”
Your feet led you towards the front lounge area near the entrance where you waited on Mae. You didn’t want to talk about anything, so you texted TK asking him to come to the front entrance. 
“Love, what happened?”
“Nolan was- he was, uh. Fuck. tried to-to go talk to him and he was with his ex, but yeah. He was already avoiding me before and I was just wanting to tell him,” by the time you had finished explaining, Travis had already enveloped you in his arms.
“Nolan is an idiot, alright? He’ll realize his mistake, but don’t blame yourself, ok?”
Before you could respond, you got the text from Mae saying she was here. “Mae’s here.”
“Make sure you get some rest and let me know if you need me to beat him up for you,” he said, finally getting you to smile. 
When you finally made it to Mae’s car, she passed you a pint of your favorite ice cream and then the two of you made your way home. She didn’t know ho
…..
“Nolan James Patrick, get your ass over here before I drag you off the ice,” Mae yelled throughout the rink. It was only a few people running drills, so she wasn’t interrupting an ‘official’ practice - she wouldn’t care if she had. Mae had to finish editing some new posts for the Flyers’ social media and she also had to kick Nolan Patrick’s ass, so might as well kill two birds with one stone. 
“So you won’t answer my calls, but you’ll drag me out of morning skate?” Nolan said, as he skated towards where she was standing. 
“Yes, exactly. What the fuck happened? y/n won’t leave her room and she told me she’s debating calling off work tomorrow, which is dumb because she’s the only trainer competent enough for game days.” 
“She just assumed the worst, that’s what happened. And if she wants to avoid me that much, so be it,” he stepped off the ice to get closer to Mae. 
“You aren’t slick, Pat. Everyone can see how miserable you are without her. And it’s only been like 10 hours.”
He knew Mae was right. He felt awful for what had happened at the gala, spending all the time after you left sulking and he only came to morning skate to get his mind off things, but he could only imagine how you had felt. “Look, Joel said something about asking her out, I was mad, and I also happened to run into an ex. Nothing happened between me and her, but I think y/n/n saw. Is she going to be ok?”
“Well, all things considered, if you clear up the air with her and actually talk to her like a man, instead of acting like a prepubescent boy. I’m sure she’ll be okay, but the two of you actually have to talk.”
Nolan’s head wasn’t in the right space, from morning skate or to regular practice. His mind was anywhere else, but in the game. It was so bad that he was close to being benched for his next game. His teammates were aware of what was going on, knowing they had to do something to at least get his head in the right spot. 
You weren’t supposed to come in to work until later tonight to prepare for the game, but Mae had asked for your help with a piece she was working on about the Flyers staff and trainers. So, you quickly packed up your work bag and made your way to the rink. Going to your office first, you expected Mae to be the person in the chair, but you were met with the one person you were trying to avoid. “y/n, hey.”
Your heart skipped a beat after hearing his voice for the first time in a while. “Hey, Nolan. Look about the other night, it wasn’t my place to be upset. I was only there as your fake date, so me getting upset about seeing you with another girl shouldn’t have bothered me as much as it did.”
“No, y/n/n. What happened on my part wasn’t right, you’re not in the wrong for reacting how you did,” he knew you would take the blame, but he also knew he had to make sure that how you felt was reasonable and there was nothing wrong with you reacting. 
“Look, me and you are fine, I promise. We’re back to being best friends, I have to go talk to Mae. I’ll see you tomorrow,” you said before turning around and leaving Nolan. You hadn’t said everything that you wanted to, but right now wasn’t the time.
Nolan started following you out of your office, making an attempt to catch up to you. “y/n/n, nothing happened between me and her, I promise.” He could only watch as you kept walking away. 
…...
“So, are you and Nol going to do your handshake? Or are you going to let the team lose against the Islanders? Like I know you know some of the guys on the team, but that’s very disloyal of you,” Mae asked as she opened the door to the arena, quickly stepping to the side so that way you could jump and hit the top of the door. 
“You do realize that the results of the game don’t depend on if me and Nol do the handshake?” 
“Alright, Ms. ‘I have to hit the top of the doorway or else we’ll lose’. You literally left the arena crying one day because you forgot to do it.” Game days were very ritualistic, for both staff and the players. Many players had their own habits and rituals that they knew helped them win a game, some of the staff had their own rituals - you included. 
You always made sure to get you and Mae your usual coffee order before the two of you made your way to the rink. Every time you entered the arena or left your office, you would jump up to hit the top of the doorway - which everyone on the team thought was hilarious, even though a lot of them started doing it themselves. Then there was the secret handshake you and Nolan do almost every time he goes on the ice. 
“Look, my habits are reasonable, but I don’t know if the handshake will happen today,” you answered honestly. 
“Knowing him, he’s not going to let you avoid it. He needs it just as much as you do.”
“What do you mean?” 
Mae chuckled in response, “you really are oblivious sometimes. Alright, well anytime you two do the handshake, both of you visibly light up. I’ve seen it enough times to know that I’m not wrong. It’s a part of both of your routines and you’ll freak out if it doesn’t happen, so even though stuff is going on between the two of you, it’s not going to change the fact that you’re both a part of the others routine.” You visibly gaped at your best friend, which only made her laugh harder. “Look, you can act shocked all you want, but the two of you are so used to seeing each other at least once a day, that the two of you not talking consistently is driving both of you crazy.”
“I’m not going to agree, but I’m not going to deny it.”
“You literally can’t deny it because I’m right,” she said in a sing-song voice. 
“Anyways, moving on. What posts do you have planned for tonight's game?”
“Well, I’ve kinda been working on a secret project, but I still need a few more shots for it. But other than that, just the usual posts of goals made and action shots.”
“Ooh, secret project? Am I allowed in the secret social media project?”
“No, you’re not at that level of clearance yet, top secret,” she smirked,”also, you know it’s almost time for morning practice and if I remember correctly, you still have to do your job. You still haven’t gotten your bag from your office yet, so you better hurry babes.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll meet you down there?” to which she nodded in response. As the two of you made your way down to the ice, you took a detour to get to your office, leaving Mae by herself. 
Mae went to the usual spot that the two of you would stand during morning skate, which also happened to be the same spot that you would stand at during the games, right in between the bench and the tunnel. While you were in your office, Mae was able to set up to get a few action shots - even though it was just morning skate she loved getting pictures of the boys when they weren’t necessarily in their competitive mode. 
While she was taking a few pictures, she noticed Nolan looking around the rink, his eyes always coming back to where she stood after finishing a drill or lap. When she saw Travis skate near the bench, she quietly called him over, “dude, look at Nolan. He looks like a lost puppy.”
Nolan’s head still wasn’t in the right spot, he was able to get it together enough to be able to play, but his head was everywhere else. When he saw Mae, he immediately started looking for you, which only bummed him out more when he realized you might have actually called in saying you wouldn’t be able to make it. 
“Oh, yeah. He’s been like that all day since he hasn’t seen y/n here. Did she actually call in like she said she would?”
“No, she’s just in her office getting her bag. She threatened not to do their handshake, so you know things are serious,” she said, taking a few more pictures.
“Damn, Pat will go insane if she’s actually serious.”
“She’s not serious, she better not be at least.”
“Oh shit, the project. You’re still working on it?” TK asked, to which Mae nodded.
“You mean to tell me Teeks knows about the project and I don’t,” you interjected, causing them both to laugh. 
“Dude, Pat thought you actually called in today and he looked like he was going to cry,” Travis added. 
“Who told him I was thinking about calling in?” you asked, looking between the duo in front of you. 
“I kinda showed up to practice yesterday and threatened him. Nothing serious, just the usual ‘get your shit together or else’,” Mae said, shrugging, “he’s very threatened by those shorter than him.” 
At the sound of your laugh, Nolan’s head immediately snapped over to where he knew you usually stood, seeing you around Mae and Teeks. His face and mood immediately lighting up at the sight of you standing there. 
Teeks left shortly after, leaving you and Mae alone. “Was Nol that worried I wouldn’t come?”
“Bitch, you can’t be serious right now? Of course he was worried, you’re basically his good luck charm at this point.” 
“I’m not-”
“You are. Don’t even try to deny it. You and I both know it. I’ll see you at lunch”
Nolan took notice of how quickly you looked for him whenever Mae left. He wasn’t sure if it was intentional or just routine, but the smile that you sent his way had him forgetting any worries he had. Just as he was about to come over to you, Coach ushered him to do media. Quickly sending you a sad smile, he followed. 
As soon as the boys cleared out from morning skate to head to do media, you started getting the benches ready for the game; getting the water bottles filled, making sure there were enough sticks, and checking that all the pucks were there. You took your time, as you still had quite a bit of time before you had to head to meetings with other staff members. 
Shortly after staff meetings and lunch with Mae were done, you got a text from Zach, your assistant trainer, saying that the Islanders were in the process of getting settled. Since you trusted Zach to take care of that, you took this time to check on any injuries that any players had to make sure that they were in the best shape they could be for the game today. 
mattyb: psst. is the room clear? me and tito can’t be seen talking to the enemy
you’re good to come into the training room, idk what the hallway looks like though
When you heard the door close, you didn’t even have to look up from what you were doing to know who it was. Quickly turning around you saw two of your closest friends, “I didn’t think I’d actually miss you guys and here we are.”
“Did y/n y/l/n just admit to missing us? Did I miss something?” Tito said.
“Ooh, I think Philly has made her go soft. Let’s take a moment of silence for our fallen friend,” Mat added. 
“Do you two ever shut up?”
“There she is,” Mat came over to you to give you a hug, Tito following behind. 
“I’m surprised you willingly hugged me. Matty B, I’m the enemy here,” you said, causing Mat to roll his eyes at the nickname.
“Back at it with that stupid nickname.” 
“Don’t worry, y/n/n, we both know he loves that nickname.” 
The three of you took the time that you had to catch up, eventually ending up walking throughout the arena back towards their locker room. Wishing both of the boys luck, Tito walked into the locker room first, but you noticed Mat seemed hesitant on walking in. “What’s up?”
“What do you mean what’s up?” you asked, unsure of what he was meaning. 
“No, I can clearly tell that something is wrong. Tito probably noticed too, he just doesn’t mention stuff like that.”
“Um, stuff is going on with me and Nolan. I don’t really know what, it’s just this really long story.”
“Did he do something? I’ll beat him up if you need me to?”
“No, no. Nothing happened, well stuff did, but nothing that you need to beat him up for.”
“Did you finally tell him how you feel? Did he reject you or something?”
“No, um, me and him went to a charity gala together, but only as each other's fake date. I didn’t bring it up as wanting anything else, but then some other stuff happened and now we’re in this awkward ‘we’re fine, but won’t talk it out’ stage. And it’s just hard right now,” you simply shrugged. 
“You know, I don’t know much about him, but I’m sure there’s a lot that has been left unsaid for way too long and now it’s just needing to be out in the open. You two will figure it out, I’m sure,” Mat quickly gave you a hug, “now, I have to go get ready to win this game, so if you’ll excuse me.” 
“Oh, be ready Barzy, my boys will kick your ass.”
“We shall see, y/n. We shall see.” 
Once you saw that Mat had gone back to the locker room, you started making your way back to the Flyers locker room for pregame meetings. You still had at least 30 minutes before the meetings started, but you assumed that the boys would either be stretching or messing around. “You know, you talking to the enemy could get you fired, y/n/n,” you heard Joel say as he walked beside you. 
“Hey, Beezer. How are you today?”
“I’m doing great. I’d be better if my favorite trainer wasn’t seen talking to the enemy,” he nudged you with his elbow. 
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I didn’t spoil any secrets, I promise. No game plans were exposed.” 
“Hmm. Wait til Nols hears about this one,” he paused when you visibly tensed, “you guys haven’t talked have you? That’s why morning skate was kinda wack.”
“Well, we have talked, but I don’t think everything that needed to be said was said.”
“So, why don’t you go say it? Simple.” 
“He’s not saying much either,” you said, defensively to which he could only roll his eyes. 
“Well both of you are acting like a couple of 14 year olds that don’t know how to talk to the person they like, no offense, but it’s annoying,” he said, matter of factly. 
You knew Joel was right, he had simply said what everyone around you was thinking. You knew that what he had said the night of the gala was right. You knew what Mae had said about the two of you being a part of each other’s routine was right. You knew - although you would never say it to his face - that Mat was right, too. 
Reaching down, you instinctively grabbed the necklace that Nolan gave you. You only looked up when you heard chuckling in front of you, “what?”
“Your first instinct was to grab the necklace he got you, it might not seem like a lot, but it says a lot.”
…..
Nolan stepped out of the locker room and quickly followed the boys towards the rink. He unconsciously kept an eye out for you, knowing that if he didn’t do the handshake it would throw him off. When warm ups started and he only saw Zach, he started to become worried. The handshake only had to happen before each period, but it often happened more than three times throughout the game. 
Midway through warm up Travis nudged him, who pointed towards where you and Mae were walking closer. He watched as Mae nudged you and pointed in his direction, to which you quickly jogged over, “ok, sorry I didn’t get here before warm-ups. But here’s what’s going to happen ok: you go out there and kick some ass. Specifically so I can prove a point to Mat and Tito, but anyways, you go out there and you help win this game. Then once the game is over we figure out whatever is going on with us. Okay?”
Nolan’s smile only grew, he simply nodded. “Of course, you think I’d let your stupid New York friends win?” 
“I would hope not,” you gave him a quick hug and watched as he started to walk away, “I know damn well that you’re not walking away without doing this handshake,” Nolan quickly took off his gloves so that you could do your handshake,“ there we go. Now you better beat them or else I’ll never hear the end of it.” 
Once the National Anthem was over, the first period started. You already knew that this game would be a tough one, you knew enough about both teams to know that it would be a very close game. By the end of the first, the score was 2-1, the Islanders ahead. 
After the intermission, both teams came back ready for more. You knew the signs of the Islanders getting cocky and you hoped it was noticeable, you and Nolan did your handshake one more time before he went back on the ice. About halfway through the second period, Nolan and Travis had helped get another goal, tying up the score. 
As the team was celebrating your eyes found Nolan’s to which he simply pointed at you in response. You scanned the rest of the rink, only to see Mat and Tito pointing between you and Nolan, your eyebrows furrowed to which they only smiled in response. Oh no. You looked back to Nolan, who was skating back to the bench for water, only to see Tito approaching him from the other side. 
You couldn’t hear what was said, but you knew that whatever it was caused Nolan to get angry. His eyes met yours once more and you only hoped he would ignore whatever was said. You let out a breath of air as he skated back to the bench. Nolan wasn’t on the ice for the next play, but you could see the way he kept his eyes trained on Tito. 
You watched as Mat had the puck, passing it to Tito as they scored another goal. As they celebrated you visibly gaped as Tito pointed in your direction. You could see the smirk grow on his face from what you assumed was Nolan’s reaction. 
You prepared for the worst when Nolan went back on the ice. TK, who was still on the bench, looked back at you with a questioning look. “This is bad, this is very bad,” you whispered. 
“Pssh, he’ll be fine. He hardly ever-” before Travis could even finish his sentence, you saw Nolan and Tito’s gloves come off. “Ok, forget I said that.” You watched as the two boys fought, eventually both were pulled apart by the refs and were ushered towards the penalty box. 
“Dumbass.” 
The game continued and the two of them eventually got out of the penalty box. By the end of the second period, the score was 3-2, the boys only needed to get at least one point to be able to win the game. You were beyond mad at Tito and Mat for egging Nolan on, but you were also mad at Nolan for letting it get to him. 
When you and Nolan did your handshake, you took notice of how his hands were already slightly bruised from the fight, but you would tend to that later. The game proceeded, eventually with both teams tied with only a few minutes left, so either someone would score or the game would go into overtime. 
Everyone in the arena is on the edge of their seats, unsure of what the outcome of the game will be. Carter was able to block all of the Islanders attempts at a goal, which allowed the guys to be able to score without fear of a comeback from the Isles. With less than 20 seconds left, a goal is made by the Flyers. We won the game. 
The atmosphere of the arena erupted in cheers and celebration, the boys crowding around on the ice. You smiled as you watched the team celebrate the win that they just had, your smile growing more when you saw that Nolan was once again looking your way. “He’s been looking your way the whole game and you want to tell me he doesn’t think of you as his good luck charm? Okay, y/n,” Mae said, interrupting your thought process. 
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. No need for that,” you said rolling your eyes, “You’ll meet me by the training room once you’re done?”
She simply nodded in response. Staying in the arena for a while as fans and spectators cleared out, you cleared off the benches and started making your way back to the training room. “y/n,” a familiar voice yelled from behind you as you passed the visiting locker rooms. 
Turning around you saw Tito approaching, Mat following behind. “Look, I’m sorry about what I did. I shouldn’t have dragged you into it.”
“Yeah, you really shouldn’t have, but as long as you left it on the ice we’re cool. Just know that I’m not afraid to punch you out either. I appreciate the apology though, T.” 
“Please don’t punch him again, but now that I know we’re cool. Can we just take a second and mention the reaction that we got out of Nolan?” Mat questioned. 
“Exactly, I wouldn’t react that way unless I was literally in love with the girl. He’s whipped, dude,” Tito added. 
“He’s not.”
“He is,” the pair in front of you said in unison. “It’s so obvious and the two of you are just oblivious,” Mat added. Before you could say anything else, you saw Anders emerge from the locker room, “hey, y/n. Your boys did good today.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Always the humble one, y/n,” he sighed,”Anyways, what was up with your boy today?” he added. 
“Well, Tito also chirped him, so I don’t think it was an all one sided ordeal,” you stated. 
“Did you notice how he didn’t mention who he was talking about? He literally just said ‘your boy’ and you immediately knew he meant Pat,” heat rushed to your face at Mat’s statement.
“Anyways, you guys had a great game. Next time we play each other, we have to make plans and catch up more,” you quickly said your goodbyes and made your way back to the training room where a familiar figure was already sitting on one of the benches. “Hey, y/n/n.”
“Hey, Nol,” you set your bag down and quickly headed over to get some ice for his hand, “you’re a dumbass, you know that.” 
“Well, I have you constantly reminding me, so yeah,” he smiled at the fact that the two of you fell back into your normal conversation.
“So, you want to explain why you got into a fight?” you already knew why he did, but something was telling you that you didn’t know something. 
“Not particularly, but I know you won’t accept that answer,” he sighed, “he made a comment about him asking you out and I’ve already dealt with a comment like that about you before, but it really got in my head this time. And then he pointed to you after your goal and I don’t know.” As he ran his hand through his hair, his eyes finally met yours, “I got jealous.”
“Nolan Patrick, jealous? Never saw that one coming,” you walked back over towards him to assess his hand, “well your hand looks fine, you’ll probably just have to ice it for a few days.” Standing back up you noticed Nolan’s eyes on your neck, “what is it?”
“You’re still wearing the necklace I gave you.”
“Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I?”
“I don’t know, I figured you’d throw it away after what happened. I honestly thought you wouldn’t show up today or do our handshake and it scared me.”
Your eyebrows furrowed, “why did it scare you?”
“I, uh, after us not talking, I realized how much I need you in my life and I realized I love you a lot more than I thought I did before.” Your eyes widened as you realized what he had said, “you love me?”
“Is it hard that hard to believe?”
“I- I don’t know, I just didn’t realize how you felt the same,” looking up you saw Nolan’s face visibly light up. Before you could say anything else, he pulled you closer to him.
Brushing a piece of hair away from your face, he leaned closer, softly whispering another I love you before his lips met yours softly. Once the two of you pulled away, you simply smiled at one another.
“Yes, finally. Teeks, you owe me $20. Pay up,” Mae said to Teeks, both leaning on the doorway. 
“You two couldn’t have waited another day for that,” Travis said, handing over the money. 
“Oh, you might want to check Instagram really quick. Nolan, I assume you’re taking y/n/n home?” 
The blush on Nolan’s face grew as he looked over to you for confirmation to which you nodded before walking over to pull your phone out of your bag. Opening Instagram, you went to the Flyers Instagram, taking note of a few new posts before seeing the most recent one captioned ‘Pre-game handshakes are definitely the most important part of game day’ with a video of you and Nolan doing your handshake before each game over the few years you had done it. 
“Awe, Mae. Was this the secret project?”
“Yeah, now I’ll leave you two,” she said before walking away, only to come back a few seconds later, “oh and use protection, kiddos.”
370 notes · View notes
archangelsquill · 3 years
Text
to hell and back || damien darkblood x reader 
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pairing: damien darkblood x partner reader (gn, no y/n)
fandom: invincible
word count: 1448
summary: after omni-man flees earth and things begin to settle down, cecil feels he owes you -- the demon detective’s partner in solving crime -- a favor.
warnings: none
a/n: a sequel to this. darkblood deserves better, and by the gods, i’m giving it to him! enjoy, my fellow simps.
———
“If anything happens to them, on your head it will be, Cecil!”
Those were the final words of the demon as the pits of hell called him home, and as Cecil met his gaze, he knew it was no threat. It was a promise, and though he considered himself a bastard, Cecil saw no need to keep you in danger. He knew without Darkblood around, you were a target for Nolan. He’d already had security detail on you, but against Omni-Man, he knew it was useless. If he ever decided he wanted you dead, there’d be nothing stopping him.
Then, if Cecil was lucky (or maybe unlucky) to stay out of the warpath, he’d have Darkblood breathing down his neck, even with such distance between this world and his.
Sending him back to Hell wasn’t something Cecil wanted to do. It was a necessity. He owed him big time for that, and he’d start with keeping you off Nolan’s radar.
The official report was that you’d gone to stay with an imaginary Aunt Sue, somewhere in the Dakotas, but the reality was you were to be kept in the Global Defense Agency Headquarters -- well hidden, out of sight, and away from Nolan Grayson.
No one told you a thing. You’d been in your apartment, waiting for Damien to show up with those coffees he’d promised. Evidence, photos, and papers of theories and notes were scattered around the small space, occupying every inch of surface area, as you paced, a bad feeling in the pit of your stomach growing stronger and stronger the longer your demon detective was away. Something was wrong, and as Cecil Stedman appeared suddenly before you, making you jump out of your skin, you knew for sure. 
“You��re the demon’s partner, right?”
“Yeah, that’s me. I guess you’re Cecil.”
“You guess right. You need to come with us.”
“Why?”
“You’re not safe anymore.”
“What?”
“I can’t answer your questions now. Pack a bag. You won’t be coming back for a while.”
You didn’t argue. You didn’t have a choice.
The Global Defense Agency took care of your monthly expenses while you were gone, as if that made any of this less scary or confusing. All you’d been told was Damien was back in Hell, Cecil put him there, and you were in danger.
No one told you much else. Cecil had acted civil toward you -- kind, even -- but it didn’t help. Damien was gone, it was Cecil’s fault, and life may never be normal again.
All because you two asked questions.
Because you wanted the truth.
And you both had paid the price: freedom.
Meanwhile, Omni-Man roamed free, ready to kill again.
You lost count of how long you’d been at GDA HQ when Nolan finally struck.
Initially, you’d been barred from the control room, but Cecil let you choose to watch the chaos or stay blind to it.
You choose not to watch. No one needed you to be in the room when all of the ruin, disaster, and chaos you and Damien knew would happen happened. Based on what Cecil told you after, you were glad you decided to stay out of it.
All of those innocent people, now dead. All of that destruction. All of that carnage, and for what? Omni-Man had fled.
It was for nothing.
And Debbie…
You’d offered as much comfort as you could. You knew how it felt to lose a loved one (it took all you had not to look pointedly at Cecil when you told her that) and the woman needed someone to lean on. Someone not quite so cold as Cecil.
And he’d watched you. Despite everything, you comforted Debbie and Mark, putting on a brave face as if you haven’t lost everything, too. Cecil knows you’re still hurting -- why wouldn’t you be?
Cecil was many things, and a man who paid his debts was absolutely one of them.
He’d been searching since he put Darkblood back in Hell for it: the spell to undo what he did. To summon him back. His plan was always to bring him back, if such a thing existed. He’d had his people looking for months with no luck, and he’d already given you the all clear to go home, with the promise your rent and utilities were paid for until you could get back on your feet.
Yeah. Right. How the fuck do you do that? Your partner -- not only in profession but your partner -- was gone, your office had been trashed, and your apartment felt so empty it was somehow suffocating.
For weeks after you’d returned, you’d laid on the couch, staring at the ceiling, jumping at any change in the temperature, hoping one day you’d look up and see him, only to find it was the apartment complex’s shitty circulation.
The news talked about things going back to normal, yet normal sounded like a foreign language now. How was the world supposed to be any kind of normal again?
Cecil made a few visits to check on you, but you regarded him with coldness that could rival that of Damien’s. He couldn’t blame you.
You’d lost track of the days when the sigh that escaped your lips was accompanied by a small fog. You froze, sitting up from your temporary home on the couch before exhaling again. Just to be sure.
And there it was again: the small visage of your breath indicating the decrease in temperature you’d been ignoring out of lost hope.
“Damien…?”
“Yes, amare?” the gruff baritone was music to your ears as you turned toward your kitchen. There he was: red, large, and intimidating -- yet that soft look in his gaze remained, as if no time at all had passed.
“Damien!” you leapt over the couch, nearly tumbling to the ground before two strong arms grab you, pulling you into the warmest yet coldest bear hug you’ve ever gotten.
“Sorry for delay. Had to...speak with Cecil...” he rumbles, clawed hand carding through your hair, “Need to be ‘debriefed’ but...had to see you.”
“I can tell you what you missed.” you mumble, burying your face in his arms. He pulls you tighter still, resting his chin on the top of your head.
“Later,” he says.
And for a moment -- how long, you’re not sure -- you both just sit there on the living room floor, holding each other in a silent, loving embrace. Tears stream down your face, stinging from the cold emanating from Damien. His hand moves to brush them away, and the contact makes you cry more. You missed him. It had been so long.
After what felt like forever, you part -- just enough to look at each other. He, of course, looks no different. Demons didn’t age like humans did. You, however, probably look like shit. You hadn’t looked in a mirror in forever, but you knew your hair was much longer. You hadn’t bothered to get it cut in...how long had it been? It wasn’t like you could’ve gotten it cut, anyway. The city had been rebuilding, and getting anywhere was...well, hell.
“Beautiful as the day I lost you,” he says, and your tears well up again.
“I know I look like shit, Damien,” you say, trying to laugh off the sudden absence of your grief. He smiles slightly -- a rare sight.
“To me you look like heaven, amare,” he replies.
Amare. His nickname for you. You think its Latin, but you’ve never looked into what it means. You never asked, either, assuming he’d just tell you one day.
But you almost lost him.
You couldn’t bring yourself to look into it after he was gone, and now that he was here again….you decide to ask.
“You’ve called me that since we became partners. What does it mean?”
“Supposed to be a detective.” he replies. His own attempt at a joke, you muse. You’re in no mood for it.
“Damien, please.”
He looks at you fondly, placing a kiss to your forehead.
“Love. It means love.”
You should’ve figured, yet you find yourself crying again, and his arms wrap tighter around you in a protective, loving embrace.
There was more to be said between you two. You both know it. What happened to Damien in Hell? How did everything with Nolan go down here? Now that Cecil knew how to banish and summon Damien as he pleased, what would become of your demon detective?
All need answers. Resolutions.
But not now.
Now was the time for healing: for the world, for humanity, and for you and your demon in that tiny apartment.
You had him back, and though so much hangs in the air, that was enough.
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texanstarslove · 3 years
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A/N: So this little number is for @hockeynetwork‘s Winter Gift Exchange and I was matched with @bigboigritty​! I hope this fic lives up to your expectations, my dear! I was thrilled to write a fic for Nolan as I had yet to do so up until this point! I also want to give a special shout out to @danglesnipecelly​ for listening to me rant and rave and yell about this fic NON FUCKING STOP. LOVE YOU K! 
Song Inspo: Everything Has Changed - Taylor Swift ft. Ed Sheeran
Warnings: language, alcohol consumption, ridiculous amounts of fluff, cheesy friends to lovers trope 
Word Count: 8.5k
*italics indicate flashbacks*
~
They say that opposites attract, like fire and ice or Yin and Yang. Two completely different entities that have no business being together but somehow find a way to connect and create something beautiful.
That was the definition of your relationship with Nolan. 
You were the outgoing one, the one who would talk to anyone like you had known them your whole life without a second thought. You never met a stranger and were friendly and kind. One time while you were waiting for your coffee order at a local café you struck up a conversation with another customer over the most mundane of things: the straws sitting on the counter. That was just the kind of person you were. Always ready to chat with anyone about anything, sincerity in your voice at all times.
Nolan...not so much. He was a nice guy, yes, but he definitely didn’t have the same bubbly, loud, boisterous persona like you. He was happy to keep to himself, never really wanting to go out of his way to make small talk with anyone. Half the time when he spoke, it would come out as mumbles that were borderline incoherent. And although he was sometimes a person of very few words, he also carried an air of confidence. He wasn’t cocky by any means, just someone who seemed to be very sure of themselves most of the time. Some would say he gave off the vibe of someone who was constantly irritated or annoyed, a grump even.
But that was part of the reason he drew you in. He was intriguing to you. He made you want to get to know him better. He could say the same about you, how you made him want to open up in ways he never could with anyone else. The way you carried yourself made that easy, your nonjudgmental attitude made talking to you effortless.
When you first met Nolan, it was in the elevator of the apartment building you had just moved into. You were carrying the last of your belongings in perhaps one too many boxes, struggling to make it to the elevator before the doors closed. It was then, unbeknownst to either of you at the moment, that everything had changed.
“Hey, wait! Could you hold that for me?”
You moved as fast as you could, the person in the elevator holding their hand against the door to keep it open. You huffed out a ‘thank you’ before leaning against the wall to catch your breath, running your eyes over the person standing just a foot or two away from you. He was tall, easily towering over your smaller frame, hair swept under a cap that sat backward on his head. When you were finally able to get a good look at his face, the first thing that struck you were his eyes. They were the same as the sky and sea calming after a storm, swirls of gray and blue mixing seamlessly into one beautiful color. Something about those eyes made you stare just a little too long, your trance was only broken when he cleared his throat and glanced at you expectantly, his voice so much deeper than you thought it would sound like.
“What, uh...what floor?”
“Oh, um,” You blinked, shaking your head as if to bring you back to reality, and glanced at the button display to your left. The button for your floor, the sixth, was already illuminated. “Looks like mine has already been pressed. You headed to the sixth floor?”
The man just nodded, lifting his cap with one hand and running the fingers of his free hand through his hair before settling the cap back on his head. You cocked your head to the side, studying him once more. You immediately picked up on his reserved vibe but you felt compelled to talk to him some more.
“I’m assuming you live here, too?” 
He nodded his head again but turned slightly to face you so it didn’t look like he was ignoring you. You noticed his hands fidgeting in the front pocket of the black hoodie he was wearing as you continued to try and coax conversation from him.
“Do you like this complex?” You asked, “I read the reviews before I moved in and they all seemed pretty good. I figure asking a current resident how they felt about it would make me feel better about my decision.”
One of his hands leaves the pocket of his hoodie to rub the back of his neck. “It’s pretty nice. I just moved in this year and can’t really complain too much about it.”
“Yeah? That’s good to hear,” You replied, “This is the perfect spot between where I work and the university. I figured having someplace right in between would bode well for me.”
“Yeah, that definitely sounds like a good idea.”
You nodded your head, clicking your tongue as you thought of more things to say to keep conversation with him. The way that he spoke intrigued you. It was almost as if he was talking behind his teeth, his voice almost coming out as a mumble. You studied him some more, noticing how he slowly rocked back and forth on his heels, his eyes downcast as if to avoid eye contact. The vibe he was giving off wasn’t exactly standoff-ish, but he definitely wasn’t jumping at the chance to keep talking. You didn’t know what it was, but something about him pulled you in and you wanted to know more about him. The elevator dinging as it reached your floor interrupted your thoughts and you shifted the boxes in your hands as the doors opened. 
“Do you need help with that?” The man asked as the top box began to teeter over the edge of the one it was situated on.
“No, no,” You rushed, “I’ve got it.”
“You sure? It looks like you’re about to..”
Just as the words were about to escape his lips, the top two boxes came tumbling out of the elevator doors, its contents scattering across the floor. You sighed heavily, shaking your head at the scene in front of you before bursting into a fit of giggles. The man looked between you and the mess that had just been created by your stubbornness and sighed.
“Just like a woman,” He mumbled, “Never wanting to accept help.”
You caught on to the teasing in his monotone voice quickly, turning to stick your tongue out at him as you giggled some more. 
“Oh, shut it.” You shot back through your laughter, “You can help me now if you want.”
He chuckled softly, extending his arm out of the elevator as if to lead you out. You shook your head as you walked into the hallway, thankful no one else was around to see what a disaster you had created. You crouched down to begin picking up your things, throwing them haphazardly into the boxes on the ground. The man did the same, only he was a little more careful with your belongings as he placed them inside the boxes.
“God, you must think I’m a hot mess.” You sighed, putting the last few items back in their box. “I swear I’m a little more put together most of the time.”
“Not a hot mess,” He said, “A little talkative maybe but…”
“Oh my god, I’m sorry.” You cut him off, “I have a tendency to chat people’s ears off. I’m sorry if that made you uncomfortable.”
“Not at all,” He reassured you, “I’m used to it. I have a buddy who never shuts up so really, it doesn’t bother me.”
You smiled, nodding your head, grateful that he didn’t think you were a complete loon. It was at this point you realized you hadn’t even properly introduced yourself. “And you must think I’m incredibly rude making you help me pick up my shit when we don’t even know each other’s names.” You offered your hand to him. “(Y/N).”
He gently took your hand, squeezing lightly as he shook it. “Nolan.”
“Well, Nolan,” You stood from where you were crouched down, holding the boxes you could while he carried the others. “I really appreciate your help.”
“If you would’ve let me help you in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened.” That teasing was back again. He stood from his spot as well, a sly smirk spread across his lips.
You playfully bumped his hip with yours as the two of you walked down the hall to the front door of your apartment. Setting the boxes you were carrying beside the door frame, you pulled your keys from your jacket pocket and unlocked the door, gently pushing the boxes across the threshold with your foot before taking the remaining boxes from Nolan.
“This is crazy,” He mumbled, pointing over his shoulder, “My apartment is literally right across the hall.”
“Yeah?” You turned to face him once you set the last of the boxes inside, “That’s awesome! Maybe we’ll become best friends after all.”
Nolan smiled, his already rosy cheeks darkening just slightly, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck.
“Yeah, maybe.”
That chance meeting in that elevator was quite possibly the greatest thing to ever happen to you. Not only had you met your neighbor and actually got along with him, but you also became friends, best friends, almost instantly. It started with the occasional meet up at each other’s apartments, getting to know each other before hanging out almost regularly. Your polar opposite personalities meshed together perfectly, both of you bringing out the best in each other. Nolan felt like he could be 100% authentic, becoming more and more open with his feelings around you. He felt like he could tell you anything and all those feelings he had were reciprocated by you. You could tell each other anything about everything, sharing every aspect of your lives with the other. You were like two peas in a pod, attached at the hip whenever he was home. Eventually, the two of you had exchanged keys, mainly so when he was gone on road trips with his team you could bring in his mail so it wouldn’t pile up. He only held on to yours at your insistence.
“It’d be weird if I had your key and you didn’t have mine, Nolan.” You told him when he tried to brush it off. “Just take the damn thing. Just in case, you know?”
Most of the time, you were the one letting yourself into his apartment. You’d send a quick text of “I hope you’re decent, I’m coming over” before all but barging in, filling his usually quiet space with your over the top energy. It would be a lie if Nolan said it didn’t take some getting used to. He was so used to being by himself, him and his video games or music. And though you always told him he could, he really did not need to ever let himself into your apartment when you weren’t there. He wasn’t like you, always bringing him food or buying little trinkets and placing them in random spots in his apartment. He never complained about the meals but always balked at the idea of new decorations you managed to find for him. You insisted that he needed to liven up his space, that it looked too much like a jail cell instead of a place to call home.
“I like my place just fine, ma’am.” He once told you, poking at your latest purchase, a set of succulents. “Besides, I’ll just kill these fucking things anyway.”
“Then it’s a good thing I have a spare key.” You countered, placing the plants along the window sill. “I’ll make sure you don’t kill my babies.”
He laughed at your comparison of the plants to children. “Why don’t you just keep them at your place then? Why do they need to take up space in my apartment?”
“Quit arguing with me, Nols.” You scolded him, “Not in front of the kids.”
Conversations like that always ended with him chuckling and shaking his head, all but admitting defeat. He would never say it out loud to anyone, but he actually loved how much you seemed to care about his well being. While he was perfectly capable of doing things for himself, if it made you happy, that was all that mattered to him. There was something about the outgoing and sometimes clumsy girl he met in the elevator that made it all worth it. The mood was always lifted when you showed up and though he would tease you about invading his space or being obnoxious, you both knew he never meant a single word.
There were, however, those rare occasions where Nolan would use your key. It didn’t happen very often but whenever he was going through a particularly rough patch, he found solace in you. It could be about anything, the way a particular game went, how he as an individual player was performing or if he was just having a shitty day. Whatever brought him to the edge emotionally, he knew he could come to you. You always knew when it was coming, too. Instead of a normal greeting when he entered your apartment, you’d hear the door unlock before it opened slowly, Nolan trudging in without saying a word before closing the door behind him and flopping on your couch. He’d exhale loudly, a clear indicator that something was wrong, waiting for you to come sit beside him. 
That’s exactly what happened this time. Just as you finished up an online class, you heard the key in the lock. When you closed your laptop and glanced up at the door, Nolan was there with a sullen look on his face. He went through the normal routine, keeping quiet and not saying anything, just a nod of acknowledgment before sitting on your couch with a heavy sigh. You smiled sadly, placing your laptop back in its case before walking to sit down beside him.
“What’s up, Grumpy McGee?” You teased, taking your place on the couch and resting your head on his shoulder. Typically Nolan would huff out a laugh at your eloquent nicknames for him but not this time. When all you got in reply was yet another deep sigh, you leaned back taking in his appearance. His shoulders were slumped more than usual, his posture slouched and head hanging low. He avoided eye contact when you tried to move your head to look him in the eye.
“Nolan?” 
When his eyes finally met yours, you were taken aback by what you found within those ocean-blue depths. You had seen him angry, happy, frustrated; all of the feelings that came with the profession he was in. You had seen just about every emotion in those eyes but this one almost took your breath away. For the first time, when you looked into his eyes, you saw someone who was unsure of themself. Someone who lacked the confidence they so often carried with them, even if it was in a subtle way. 
“Hey,” You murmured, turning your body to face him, “Nolan, talk to me. What’s going on?”
“It’s nothing,” He mumbled, turning to avoid your gaze once more. “Just had a rough day is all.”
You knew he and the team had been going through a bit of a rough patch. The team had been on a bit of a skid going into the upcoming holiday break. There was one more short road trip before Christmas and you could already tell Nolan was stressing about it. Not just because of the team’s performance, but because of his own personal struggles. The pounding migraines he had been dealing with for the better part of the season had become more frequent, causing him to miss playing in a few games here and there. The way to go about managing the migraines was somewhat of a mystery to team doctors and trainers. While they were doing their best to help Nolan, and he knew they were exhausting every option available, nothing seemed to be working and it seemed that Nolan was finally at his breaking point.
“Are you feeling okay?” You gently ask, your hand running soothingly across his bicep. When he just shrugged his shoulders once more, you gave a light, reassuring squeeze to his arm, smiling softly when his eyes met yours again.
“I feel fine right now,” He sighed, “But these things fucking come out of nowhere. Never know when they’re going to hit me.”
You nodded, wordlessly encouraging him to continue. He needed to vent, you sensed it, needed to let out all of the emotions he was feeling.
“I just…” He trailed off, his fingers running through his hair as he huffed out another breath. “What if this ends my career, (Y/N)? What if these things get so bad I won’t be able to play anymore? I don’t know what I’ll do if I can’t…”
“Hey, hey, hold on a second,” You scooted up onto your knees, kneeling next to him on the couch. “You are going to be just fine, Nolan.”
“You don’t know that, (Y/N),” He bemoaned, “You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I do.” You insisted, “I do because the whole organization is on your side. You have some of the best doctors in Philadelphia working with them to help you. They’re going to find something that makes this better for you.”
“But what if they don’t?” His voice increased slightly in volume as he sat up a little straighter, “What if there is nothing they can do for me and this team drops me? What if they see there is no use waiting around for me to get better?” He drags his fingers through his hair before holding his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees. When he speaks again his voice comes out in a whisper. “What if they give up on me?”
The uncertainty and brokenness in his voice made your breath hitch in your throat. Moving closer to him you gently took his face into your hands and turned his head to face you, making him look you in the eye. 
“They will not give up on you, Nolan.” You spoke with gentle firmness. “I just don’t see that happening. You will get better and you will have an amazing career here. And can I tell you something else?”
You could see the desperation in his eyes as he nodded.
“I’m never giving up on you,” You whispered, “That I know for an absolute fact. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
He chuckled softly at your remark and you smiled, running one of your thumbs along his skin beneath it. His gaze softened as you continued to hold his face, your thumb still gently caressing his cheekbone. You couldn’t quite decipher the expression on his face but it made your stomach flip, made your heart rate pick up just a little bit. It was a feeling you never felt being this close to Nolan and it startled you. You swore you saw his eyes flicker to your lips but before you could process that thought, you dropped your hands to his shoulders, giving them a gentle couple of pats before moving back to your previous spot on the couch. “You want to grab something to eat? We can order in if you want?”
“Uh, yeah, sure.” He stuttered, shaking his head as if he was trying to clear his mind. “Yeah, that sounds great.”
“Of course it does,” You teased, giving his shoulder a little nudge as you stood from your spot on the couch. “You never turn down food.”
“Busted.” He gave you a small smile as he watched you make your way into the kitchen. You stood at the counter, pulling out a to-go menu from your favorite restaurant and your phone, dialing the number to place the order. You couldn’t see it but as you talked on the phone, Nolan watched you intently. He watched the way you confidently spoke and how you paced around the kitchen, making small talk with the person who was taking the order. You couldn’t see the way he looked at you with complete adoration or feel the way his heart pounded in his chest when he heard you speak. You couldn’t see the smile that spread across his lips, a smile that only you could bring out of him. You also couldn’t hear the voice in his head beating him up over not pressing his lips to yours as you held his face in your hands. He didn’t understand where the intense urge came from at that moment, but he knew he so desperately wanted to know what your lips felt like against his own. 
“You alright over there, space cadet?” 
Your voice brought him out of a trance when you spoke to him. He blinked in quick succession, seemingly willing his brain to come back to reality before he gave a quick nod. “Yeah, I guess I kind of zoned out there for a second.”
“I’ll say,” You chuckled, returning to your spot on the couch, flopping down beside him. “The food should be here in about thirty minutes or so.”
“Sounds good.”
The rest of the night carried on as usual. You and Nolan finished your meals and fell into your normal routine of tv and conversations about literally anything. You tried to keep things light and fun, attempting to keep Nolan’s mind off of the struggles facing him and his team. The two of you bantered and laughed and carried on as you normally would for the remainder of the evening. Occasionally you found yourself staring a little longer at him as he watched whatever was on, studying the angles of his face in the flickering lights of the tv. You had always thought that his facial features gave him an angelic look, a juxtaposition to how he spoke and how he carried himself. You smiled, hunkering down further into the couch as you got more comfortable and got pulled into the television show. You eventually found yourself dozing off as a random Christmas movie played on the screen. You had laid yourself across the couch, your legs swung across Nolan’s lap. It wasn’t until you felt him gently tap your thigh that you realized you had fallen asleep.
“Hey,” You heard his low voice speak, “(Y/N), I think we should call it a night.”
You stretched as you slowly sat up, a soft groan escaping your lips. “What time is it?”
Nolan looked down at his phone, checking the time before looking back at you as he also stretched. “It’s just past eleven. I should go, got an early flight tomorrow.”
“Right,” You grumbled, “Okay. I’ll walk you out.”
He nodded and got up to stand in front of you, reaching his hands out for you to take. He gently pulled you up but even still, being the clumsy person you are, you stumbled forward slightly, hands pressing into his chest and his catching you at your waist. You looked up at him and found the same look in his eyes as earlier when he confided in you. That same feeling you had was creeping back in as well and you held his gaze for a moment longer than necessary. You quickly averted your eyes and cleared your throat, walking with him to your front door.
“Thank you for tonight, (Y/N).” Nolan leaned against the door frame, half in the outside hallway and half still in your apartment. 
“Anytime.” You grinned, “Always happy to be of service. Someone’s gotta feed you.”
He chuckled, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. “So, uh, I’ll see you in a couple of days, yeah? Going to G and Ryanne’s for that party?”
“You know it.” You replied, “Have a safe flight, Nols. Text me when you guys get there.”
“Will do.” He saluted you before pushing off the door frame and turning to cross the hall to his apartment. You watched as he unlocked his door and opened it to head inside for the night. Just before he closed the door behind him, you called out to him.
“Hey, Nolan?” He turned to look at you, a questioning look in his eyes. 
“What’s up?”
You smiled softly, leaning your head against the threshold of your apartment. “I think you’re amazing. You know that, right?”
He leaned his forearm against his door frame and smiled. 
“I think you’re amazing, too.”
You smiled as you closed your door, leaning against it when it latched shut, and took a deep breath. Something in the air felt different and you couldn’t quite explain it. It made you nervous, anxious even, but you also couldn’t help the smile that spread across your lips. Something felt different between you and Nolan and even though you couldn’t quite put your finger on it, you knew that everything had changed.
~
With the Flyers’ road trip winding down and it going in a way that wasn’t exactly favorable, you knew there was more than likely going to be a bit of a cloud over the holidays. The boys managed to sneak in one win out of the three games played but knowing them like you did, it wasn’t something they were going to tout as a success. You also knew, given your knowledge as to how his mind worked and the existing personal struggles he was facing, that Nolan would be extra critical of himself. He’d try and disguise it, not wanting to put a damper on the upcoming holiday festivities, but you knew him better than that. 
That is how you found yourself in his apartment yet again, only this time decorating it to fit the Christmas theme. You knew it was excessive, you knew it was over the top and ridiculous, but if it would bring any semblance of a smile to that boy’s face it was all worth the complaining he’d undoubtedly do when he walked into his apartment. You had managed to snag some Christmas decorations on the cheap, scouring bargain stores for everything from lights and garland and stockings to even a tree with accompanying ornaments. When you finally deemed your collection enough to decorate with, you let yourself into his apartment and put things in place little by little over the course of the weekend. The guys were slated to be home by early afternoon with the Christmas party at Claude and Ryanne’s later in the evening, allowing everyone a little bit of time to decompress then have a little bit of fun before heading to their respective homes for the holidays. 
Holiday music was filling the apartment, your soundtrack to your latest decorating endeavor. The cheesy gas fireplace in the living room served as the perfect spot to hang some lighted garland and the stockings. Fairy lights adorned every spot in which it was feasible to place them. There were even candles that were purchased, their scent matching the season but ultimately used for the ambiance they provided as well. Decorating the tree was saved until the very last moment. As you danced and sang to the sounds of Andy Williams and Bruce Springsteen, you methodically placed the red and gold ornaments on the tree. You even snuck a small Gritty ornament in the mix, making sure to give a nod to the mascot you knew Nolan loved and adored, hoping he’d find it and smile. As it all came together, you pulled out the last item to place on the tree, it’s topper. You loved how when the little star was placed at the top it felt like the finishing touch to it all, giving finality to all your hard work. You stood back a couple of feet from the tree and looked on in contentment, happy with how the decorations turned out. You chuckled to yourself, knowing that when Nolan walked into the room when he got home he’d instantly know who to blame for Christmas practically exploding in his space.
Admiring the room in its entirety one last time, you smiled once more to yourself, proud of what you were able to accomplish. You knew Nolan would be shocked, and probably bitch and moan about it, but in the end, he’d have a laugh and hopefully feel just a little bit of the holiday spirit. You blew out the candles, their scent lingering in the air, before heading back across the hallway to your apartment. It was nearly lunchtime, meaning you had more than enough time to clean up and get ready for the team Christmas party. You pulled out your phone, seeing you had received a text from Nolan saying he and the boys had just landed and would be back home soon.
You: Happy you guys made it back safely! I’ll be ready for G’s party around 6, that should be enough time for you to nap or whatever, right?
Nolan: Yeah sounds good to me.
The two of you exchanged just a few more texts before he needed to drive home. The extra time before the party allowed you to get a few house chores done before actually beginning to get ready. Not even an hour after your text exchange with him, your phone began to ring, Nolan’s name flashing across the display. You smiled broadly, already anticipating what his reaction to his newly decorated apartment would be.
“You’re supposed to be taking a nap, no?” You tried to hide the giggle threatening to bubble up, knowing exactly why he was calling you.
“Don’t you act like you don’t know exactly why I am calling you, (Y/N).” Nolan’s gravelly voice greeting your ear, “Why the fuck does it look like Christmas threw up in my apartment?”
“You don’t like it?” You feigned shock and hurt, “Come on, Nols, don’t be such a Grinch!”
“Ha, fucking, ha.” Nolan retorted, sarcasm dripping from his voice, “Seriously, you’ve outdone yourself. This is absolutely ridiculous.”
“Mission accomplished, then!” You cheered, “Now hang up the damn phone and take your nap! We have a party to go to tonight and I expect you to be my date.”
Nolan scoffed. “Oh, with this latest stunt I’m taking away your plus one status.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” You gasped, earning a hearty chuckle from Nolan. 
Of course, he never would. It would be like sucking the life out of the party leaving things so much more boring if you weren’t around. Having you at his side to these events and gatherings made it all worthwhile, even if you were just tagging along as his friend. “TK and Hayesy would never let me hear the end of it if I did. And you’d end up bugging me to go all the time anyway.”
It was your turn to laugh now. You know those boys liked to rib Nolan to no end about his relationship with you, asking when he’d ‘wife you up’ or why you spent all your time with a guy like Nolan. It was all in good fun, though. They were never malicious or had any ill will, in fact, they were just the opposite. You two would never know it but the guys on the team, and some of their significant others, were secretly waiting for the day the two of you would get together. Though you and Nolan both insisted your relationship was no more than a friendship, your friends were not convinced in the slightest. You’d both just shrug off the comments and jokes, nothing ever really bothering either of you. 
“Well, you can’t disappoint them then!” You teased, “Now seriously, get some beauty rest and pick me up at six.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” He replied through his laughter.
“See you in a little bit, Nols.”
You said your goodbyes and continued with your day, doing the various chores you set out to finish and allowing yourself more than the usual time it took for you to get ready. After showering and picking out an outfit, something festive but not over the top, you sat at your vanity with your makeup spread out in front of you. You took your time, playing yet another Christmas playlist to help set the mood for the get together you’d be attending. Something about the music and festivities put you in a wonderful mood and made you even more excited to see everyone before they all headed back to their respective homes for the holidays. 
As you were putting on your earrings, the finishing touch to your look, your phone buzzed on the countertop as a text came through. You glanced down and saw that it was from Nolan, asking if you were finished getting ready.
Nolan: Your Uber is waiting for you outside the door.
You: Ew, that’s creepy. I didn’t think they did that. 
Nolan: Kidding of course. Can I come in?
You: As long as you aren’t the creepy Uber driver.
You smiled to yourself as you sprayed the last bit of hairspray in your hair and looked over your appearance once more. Satisfied with the finished look, you grabbed your purse and walked into your living room, just in time to see the front door open and for Nolan to walk through.
“Creepy Uber driver has arrived.” He called out as he shut the door behind him. At first, he didn’t notice you had walked into the living room, speaking louder than he normally would, but then his eyes landed on you and they seemed to widen as he took in your appearance. “Wow, (Y/N)..you look..”
“Do you think this is okay?” You asked, “I know they said casual but I didn’t want to just show up in what I normally wear so I-”
“Hey, you look great,” Nolan assured you, “I mean, I thought you’d be wearing one of those ugly Christmas sweaters given how you decorated my apartment so this is a nice surprise.”
You playfully smacked him in the chest before linking your arm with his. “Let’s get this show on the road.” 
The drive to the Giroux household was nothing short of typical for the two of you. There was the usual chirping from you about how Nolan was driving and the incessant moaning and groaning from him about the music you chose to play.
“Any time you’re on the AUX cord, no good music is played.” He complained, attempting and failing to take the cord from you as he drove.
“Nolan, we are on our way to a fucking Christmas party,” You said, “It would be sacrilege if we didn’t play any Christmas music! Now focus on driving before you kill us.”
He shook his head in defeat, chuckling softly at the small little victory dance you did in your seat as you played your music. Every now and then he’d steal a glance at you, watching as you happily sang and danced to every song that played. He’d never admit how much he actually enjoyed the cheesy holiday music, mostly because of the joy it brought you. Everything that made you happy made him happy. Seeing you smile made him smile. Every little thing you did for him, no matter how much he may have complained about it outwardly, made him feel like he was on top of the world. Sitting in the driver’s seat of his car, thinking these thoughts, feeling these feelings at this very moment made him come to a not so shocking realization. 
He was madly in love with you. He was so head over heels for you and it took his breath away. 
He took a deep breath, one that caused his chest and shoulders to rise and fall dramatically and you took notice. As he pulled the car into the drive, you raised an eyebrow at him and cocked your head to the side.
“You alright over there?”
He shifted the car into park and offered you a small smile. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
You gave him a beaming smile, unbuckling your seatbelt to get out of the car and head inside. “Come on, Mr. Grinch, let’s go see everyone.”
He watched as you climbed out of the passenger seat, shutting the door behind you, and walking up to the front door of the Giroux’s home. When he saw you turn to see if he was going to follow, mouthing a ‘Come on!’ as you waved, he sighed once more, climbing out of the car himself. That big, wide grin was still plastered on your face as he walked up beside you, you linking your arm with his once again. Looking down at you, seeing how excited you were as the two of you walked up to the door only solidified his earlier thoughts. He knew in this very moment that everything between you had changed.
~
The evening carried on at a relaxed pace, Claude and Ryanne being the wonderful hosts they always were. The guys with families brought their children along and the entire night was filled with plenty of laughs and entertainment. You always found yourself gravitating to the kiddos when they were involved. That’s how Nolan caught up with you after the two of you were separated for a little while. You were sitting and chatting with Ryanne, bouncing a happy little Gavin on your knee.
“How is it that you always manage to end up with the kids?” He asked you as he came to stand beside you. His finger lightly poked at Gavin’s belly making the toddler giggle excitedly. “What’s up, little man?”
You smiled up at him and bounced your knee, continuing Gavin’s giggles. “I can’t help it. He’s the cutest guy in the room.”
“Can’t argue with you there.” He replied, “Thanks for hosting all of us, Ryanne. It’s been fun, as always.”
“Oh, of course!” Ryanne smiled, “It’s a blast, we love having everyone here.”
Nolan turned back to you as he spoke again. “I was going to get something to drink, did you want me to grab you anything?”
“I’m okay, thanks.” You looked back at the giggling toddler still in your lap. “I just need a few more Gavin cuddles and I should be ready to go soon if you are.”
“Yeah, okay.” He nodded, “I’ll meet up with you in a little bit then, yeah?”
He gave your shoulder a light squeeze before making his way to the kitchen, seemingly making small talk with Kevin.
“He’s got it bad for you, girl.” Ryanne gushed when Nolan was out of earshot.
You felt your cheeks warm, butterflies running rampant in your tummy before brushing her comment aside. “You’re crazy. We’re just friends, Ry.”
“And I think you are lying to yourself.” She countered, “He’s a good guy, (Y/N).”
“I know that,” You agreed, “He’s my best friend, of course I know that.”
Ryanne just smiled, that ‘If you say so’ kind of look that she gives you every time this subject comes up. She, just like all your other friends, never pushed the envelope with you. She respected your boundaries but she was always one of your biggest cheerleaders. She was like how Claude was for his team except in her place in the WAGs group, really in the whole friends group entirely; the momma of the group. She would have your back no matter what and support you with no questions asked. 
“So tell me about how he reacted to your Christmas decorations.” She said, changing the subject, “Did he freak out over it?”
“Oh, god, it was hysterical.”
You indulged Ryanne in all the details of your decorating assault on Nolan’s apartment, telling her about how you almost lost your invitation to the evening’s festivities. The laughter you two shared echoed through the living room and into the kitchen, Nolan of course taking notice of your laughter specifically. He was leaning against the island that overlooked the living room, smiling at how much fun you seemed to be having in telling whatever story you were to Ryanne. He felt a pair of hands land heavily on his shoulders, a hard squeeze being given to both, before that all too familiar Boston accent filled his ears.
“Buddy, come on.” Kevin chuckled, “You have got to say something to that girl.”
Nolan turned to face his friend who had leaned on the island beside him. He attempted to give Kevin a nonchalant, playing it cool response and shrugged his shoulders. “What are you talking about? Tell her what?”
 “Don’t give me that shit, kid.” Kevin told him, “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
Nolan sighed, one of his hands coming up to run down his face. There was really no point in trying to play it off anymore. Of everyone in this house, aside from Ryanne, Kevin knew exactly how Nolan felt about you. Though unlike Ryanne, Kevin wasn’t going to play games with Nolan. He had sat back for too long watching the both of you deny, deny, deny and he was ready to at least call Nolan on his bullshit.
“What, no smart ass comeback this time?” Kevin chuckled when Nolan didn’t respond. As he watched him for a second longer, he knew Nolan had recognized his own feelings. “Oh, shit, you do have feelings for her, don’t you?”
“Don’t act like you’re surprised.” Nolan retorted.
“I’m not surprised you have feelings for her, bud.” Kevin clarified, “I’m surprised you’ve finally admitted it. Took ya long enough!”
Again, Nolan sighed, this time in annoyance. “Well, keep it down, you big idiot. I don’t need to spring any surprises on her like this.”
Kevin just laughed, taking a swig of the beer he was nursing. He watched as Nolan turned his attention back to where you were still chatting with Ryanne. He could tell just by the way Nolan was looking at you that he had it bad, just like Ryanne had told you earlier. One of his hands came up to Nolan’s shoulder once more, gaining his attention once more.
“Can I tell you something without you getting defensive on me?”
Nolan raised an eyebrow. “That depends on what comes out of your mouth.”
“Fair enough,” Kevin chuckled, “In all seriousness though, Patty, that girl loves you too. I’m just sayin’.”
“How do you know that?” Nolan scoffed, “I didn’t even say anything.”
“You didn’t have to.” Kevin grinned, taking another sip of his beer. “But I have a feeling that if you told her how you felt, I’d be right.”
Nolan looked back at you once more just as you were finishing your conversation with Ryanne. You caught his eye and smiled that big, beautiful smile he loved so much as you stood to walk over to him. Kevin gave him one last pat on the back as you made your way to where they were standing.
“Ready to go, Nols?” You asked, tucking into his side.
He nodded, turning back to Kevin to give him the handshake-hug hybrid thing that men like to do. 
“Remember what I said,” Kevin told him before turning to you and pulling you into a hug. “Have a good night, sweetheart. Don’t let this guy give you any trouble.”
“I know who to come running to if he does,” You laughed, “See you around, Kev.”
You and Nolan said goodbye to the remaining partygoers before heading back out to his car. Per your usual, you snagged the auxiliary cord before Nolan could reach for it, expecting a fight out of him like always. When he did nothing but chuckle at your antics you got your first clue that something was going on in his head. You let it go, however, chalking it up to you just reading too far into his actions. But when the car ride back to your shared complex was quieter than normal, no words being exchanged between the two of you, you knew for sure something was up. You turned the volume on the car stereo down and turned in your seat as best you could to look at him.
“You okay, Nolan?” 
He glanced over at you, still trying to keep his eyes on the road. “Yeah, I’m good. Why what’s up?”
“You’re just quieter than normal,” You replied, “Are you feeling okay?”
“Just tired is all,” He mumbled, reaching across the console and taking your hand in his and giving it a squeeze, “I’m good though.”
He didn’t let go of your hand. Even after he stopped talking he didn’t let go of your hand. You tried not to outwardly show how you were feeling on the inside. Your heart rate jumped, feeling like it was beating rapidly in your throat. You felt your face get hot and you were thankful that it was dark out, only street lights illuminating your face as Nolan drove. You tried to calm yourself as Nolan pulled the car back into his usual spot back at the complex parking garage. The two of you walked into your building, your hand still burning from his touch. The silence between you two remained but it wasn’t uncomfortable. You could understand why Nolan would be tired, having flown back home and attending a Christmas party all in the same day. As you went to pull out your keys, Nolan stopped you, nodding toward his apartment door.
“You want to come in for a little bit?” He asked, rubbing the back of his neck like he was nervous.
“Y-yeah,” You stammered, not sure where the sudden nervous energy was coming from, “Sure. That should be fine.”
He gave you a small smile before unlocking his door, letting you walk in first before closing the door behind him. You took off your shoes, leaving them by the front door, and removed your coat and scarf, draping them over one of the barstools at the kitchen counter. The only light in the apartment was that of the lights you used to decorate with. When Nolan went to turn on one of the lamps you stopped him.
“This is the best way to enjoy the Christmas lights,” You told him, “Come look at the tree with me, please?”
Nolan gave you a small nod and came to stand beside you. The lights gave off a soft, warm white glow and you smiled as you admired your handiwork. “Did you notice that I hid Gritty in there?”
You heard Nolan chuckle softly before replying. “Yeah, I did. He really makes the tree.”
You giggled, nudging his hip with your own. He smiled back at you, watching as you continued to look over the tree. He knew you were proud of the work you had done and that warmed his heart. He also couldn’t help looking at how beautiful your face looked lit up by nothing but the soft glow of Christmas lights. His gaze lingered for a while and when you felt it, you turned so your body was facing him, giving a puzzled look.
“What’s wrong?” 
“Nothing. Just…” He shook his head, looking down at the ground before his eyes met yours. “Thank you.”
“For what?” You questioned, your head cocking slightly. 
“For everything.” He murmured, his fingers coming up to brush your hair behind your ear. “For being my friend, taking care of me. For being you.”
“Nolan, you don’t have to thank me…” 
“I know,” He insisted, the hand that came up to your face lingering just a little longer, not yet dropping back to his side. “I know I don’t but I want to.”
“Nolan…” 
“I also want to do one more thing.”
Before you could even process a response, he was stepping closer to you and his other hand joined the first in cupping your cheeks and tilting your head upward, his lips pressing to yours in a gentle but sure kiss. You gasped softly, your eyes a small noise of surprise escaping you and your hands clasped around his wrists. His kiss was soft, gentle enough to not scare you away but it wasn’t tentative. You knew without a doubt that this was something Nolan was sure of and with just a second’s hesitation as you regained your bearings, you kissed him back, and as you did so Nolan sighed into the kiss, relief flooding him. Your eyes fluttered shut, throwing yourself into the moment. You kissed him back with the same gentle urgency, allowing his tongue to tangle with yours when you felt it trace your bottom lip. You don’t know how long the two of you kissed. Eventually, the urgency calmed and you fell into slow, languid movements until you both needed to come up for air. Your eyes remained closed for a moment longer as you felt Nolan’s forehead rest gently on yours. When you opened them once more, you were met with the ocean blue eyes that, though at the time you hadn’t realized it, you fell in love with the moment you saw them. Your hands were still clasped around his wrists, thumbs brushing the tops of his hands as you smiled up at him before he broke the silence first.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a while now.” 
You giggled softly, letting go of his wrists and pushing up onto your tiptoes so you could wrap your arms around his neck. “That was nice.”
Nolan chuckled, his hands dropping to your waist. “I’ve had feelings for you I think from the start.”
“Oh is that what that means?” You teased, giving his nose a quick peck. “I thought it was just a ‘thank you for decorating my apartment, (Y/N)’.”
He gently squeezed your sides, eliciting a surprised squeak from you. That soft smile of his graced his face once more before he spoke again. “I’m serious. I think that maybe… I think I’ve loved you for a long time now.”
“You love me?” You asked, your voice barely above a whisper.
“Yeah,” He replied, his hand rubbing your sides, “Yeah, I love you.”
You grinned from ear to ear, Nolan’s smile almost matching yours before you pushed your lips to his again, loving how they felt on your own. You were nearly breathless when you pulled away again, speaking in a hushed tone. “Good, because this would have been so fucking weird if this was just your way of saying thank you.”
Nolan quirked an eyebrow, his little smirk spreading across his lips. “So it’s not weird?”
“No, you idiot,” You giggled, “Because I love you, too.”
He pulled you into one more kiss, this one just as slow and gentle as the very first. You couldn’t describe the happiness that was flowing through your veins, but you did know one thing. It was there, in the ridiculously decorated living room of his apartment, beneath the warm glow of Christmas lights, that everything had changed.
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im-in-vin-ci-ble · 3 years
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Heyy could I possibly request f!OC x Mark, in which the OC is Red Rush’s daughter who also inherited his powers. Set before the events of episode one maybe at a Guardian’s work party or smth. Mark and OC are hitting it off in a ‘Idk what’s going on my dad just works here’ solidarity during the party; while her doting and protective father Josef is keeping an eye on them, unsure about how he feels about his favorite sidekick growing up on him. Maybe Olga and Debbie try to be matchmakers too lol
A/N: okay well this is CUTE AF, I love this sm thank u for requesting <3 also josef and olga are married here, no one dies (yet) and everyone is happy!!!
Pairing: Mark Grayson x Fem!OC
Rating: T
Warnings: mild swearing
The annual Guardians of the Globe Founder's Day party was never really Zasha's scene. It mainly consisted of the Guardians and the Global Defense Agency's families, and more often than not, she was the only one in her age group. Her true purpose there was to really just pay her respects to the people — including her father, who people knew as Red Rush — who protected the planet.
This year's Founder's Day event was different, however, as Omni-Man finally accepted the party invitations he'd been ignoring for years. Although there were jokes that he had accidentally RSVP'd to the party, or that his wife had accepted the invite behind his back, everyone seemed happy, and still pleasantly surprised, when he and his family walked in.
Sitting down with a non-alcoholic beverage in her hand, she watched as everyone shook hands with the powerful Nolan Grayson and his loving family. Zasha's mom, Olga, walked over to say hello and immediately dragged the three to where Zasha and Josef were. The two male superheroes first exchanged pleasantries, followed by Olga forcing her daughter to get up so she can properly be introduced to the teenage boy standing across from her.
"Zasha, hi," Debbie said with a wide smile as she gave you a warm hug. "This is my son, Mark. I don't think you two have properly met yet."
He extended his arm, "Oh, hi, uh, I'm Mark," he replied with a sheepish smile.
"Hi, I'm Z," she said as Olga gave her a soft push to move her forward. The young girl's eyes threw daggers at her mom before politely shaking his hand, "Nice to meet you."
"Are you all hungry? They've got a lot of food," Olga told the Graysons, leading them and Josef, who squinted his eyes at Zasha and Mark, over to the buffet table.
Zasha and Mark looked at each other awkwardly and exchanged nervous smiles. He began to rock back and forth on his feet, shoving his hands into his pockets as he attempted to think of what to say.
"So uh, how's... superhero training?" he asked.
"Uh, good," Zasha answered, nodding her head. "We managed to take down Titan yesterday so that was pretty cool."
"Oh yeah? That's great," Mark exclaimed. "How about, um..." he scratched the back of his head, "Is the, i-is the drink... good?"
She looked down at her cup and clicked her tongue, "You know for a party that's sponsored by the government, you'd think they'd have better catering."
He chuckled, "If I knew this was going to be a boring party with adults and toddlers and no good food, I would have at least brought a snack and some comic books."
Zasha sat back down and looked up at him with a smile, "Well you better take a seat, buddy, because the next few hours are going to make you wish you were being hurled at buildings instead."
She gently patted the seat next to her and Mark accepted the offer. "Do you go to these things a lot?" he asked.
"Unfortunately, yes," Zasha replied. "You are so damn lucky your dad never wants to come to a Guardians event."
Mark laughed, "You know what, I used to be really jealous of all the families who got together during these events but right now, I'd do anything to just go home." He looked around and sighed, "I don't even know most of these people."
"Me too, and I've seen their faces at least thrice a year ever since I could remember," she agreed. "Actually, I think this is the first solid conversation I've had with someone at these things."
"Really?" he asked in shock.
"Really," she answered, taking a sip of the bland orange juice that now mostly tastes like water. "Most of the guys who are my age that have attended aren't really cute, nor are they interesting, so meh."
Mark's head snapped up at that remark and he felt the warmth rush up to his cheeks. "The other guys aren’t... cute and not... interesting?"
"Hell no," Zasha laughed. "Have you ever tried connecting with a person who has no special abilities but know you're a superhero? It feels like talking to a wall."
He crossed his brows, "What do you mean?"
She sighed and leaned forward, "They usually ask me what being a superhero is like, but when I tell them that I managed to take down a man with rock for skin, it's like I'm a freak."
"You're not a freak, Zasha," he replied. "And any guy who feels that way about a girl who's trying to save others sounds like a shitty person."
"And they're not even cute!" she added.
"And they're not even cute," he repeated after her with a laugh.
Zasha sighed again and sat back up. She looked over at him and briefly examined his face, "Well it's a good thing you are."
Josef turned around and watched as the 17-year-old boy chatted up his daughter, as well as literally take his seat at the table.
He held on to Olga's arm and leaned in, "I don't like what I'm seeing over there."
Olga turned to look then laughed at her overbearing husband. "They're just talking, Josef," she said. "It's not Zasha's fault she can enjoy a pleasant conversation and you can't."
"Mm..." Josef groaned, "I don't like it."
"Don't like what?" Debbie asked from behind.
Olga walked over to her and excitingly yet subtly pointed at Zasha and Mark, who were now facing each other now laughing. "Josef's worried that Zasha won't have time to be his daughter anymore if she ever started dating boys," she explained to Debbie. "You know he scares off every single boy Zasha introduces to us? I'm worried she'll never have a boyfriend!"
"She doesn't need a boyfriend, Olga," Josef chimed in grumpily, crossing his arms as he watched the two like a hawk. "No one will be good enough for Zasha anyway. She can literally outrun all the boys she dates."
"So are you saying that my Mark isn't good enough for Zasha?" Debbie asked with half a smile, momentarily shutting Josef up before he nervously tried to form a sentence. "I'm just teasing, Josef," she followed, winking at him and almost warning him not to underestimate her son.
Olga chuckled, "It's good for them to bond. They're both teenagers and superheroes, if they ever date at least they won't have to worry about keeping secrets."
"Whoa, wait," Josef exclaimed. "They just met, who said anything about dating?"
His wife rolled her eyes at his remark. "We should, what's the term... hook them up," Olga said. "Debbie, ask Mark what's going on and I'll ask Zasha."
Debbie agreed to the plan and walked over to Mark and Zasha while Josef huffed in annoyance but stayed in his position; there was no way in hell he was going to keep his eyes off of them.
Debbie offered Mark some food from her plate but he kindly declined. "Good choice," she said. "For a party paid for by the government, you'd think they'd have better food."
Mark laughed and nodded in agreement, "That's what Z said!"
"Oh really?" Debbie replied with a playful smirk.
Mark and Zasha looked at each other as if they were sharing an inside joke before Olga called her daughter over.
"Sorry, mama is calling me," she told the Graysons as she excused herself.
"So..." Debbie trailed off, raising her eyebrow at her son whose cheeks were rosy red.
"Mom, please don't make it weird," Mark begged.
"You and Zasha seem to be hitting it off."
"I begged you not to make it weird," he groaned, covering his face.
"I was just asking!" Debbie said with a giggle. "Why are you being so offensive?"
"I'm not, mom, I'm just... ugh," he groaned again. "Please don't say anything to Josef and Olga. Don't make it weird."
"I won't, I won't," Debbie reassured him. "Are you gonna ask her out though?"
"Mom!"
"Okay, okay, I'm leaving," she said with a hearty laugh, nodding at Zasha who was walking back to her seat.
"Sorry about that, my mom was being strange," Zasha said. "Everything okay?" she asked Mark, who now looked like he'd been slapped over and over again.
"Yeah, yeah! Great! Everything's great!"
She smiled at him but Mark leaned over and kept his head down. Another moment of awkward silence fell upon the two; Zasha looked around while tapping her toes and Mark's sight was glued to the floor. From the corner of his eye, he could see his mom and Olga delicately signalling at him to make his move. He covered the sides of his face and continuously mouthed "No," but the two were unrelenting. He took a deep breath and finally sat back up, and looked over at Zasha who was still pretending to casually look around.
"Hey, uh, Z?"
She quickly looked over at him with wide eyes, "Yes?"
Mark looked behind her head and watched as Olga and Debbie were giggling and whispering to each other, like a bunch of high school girls who just saw their best friend talking to their crush.
"Uh, I'm hungry."
The smile on Zasha's face was quickly replaced with a look of confusion. "Okay... and?"
"Oh! Um," he cleared his throat, "do you... like burgers?"
Zasha giggled and nodded, "I do like burgers."
Controlling his urge to fist pump, Mark cheekily bit his lower lip and moved a little closer, "You wanna head out and grab a bite?"
"Uh..." she turned around and watched as Olga and Debbie quickly nodded their heads, her mom giving her a sign of approval to leave the party. "Sure, I'm starving."
Josef looked on as the two of them stood up and began to make their way to the exit. Sighing in defeat and sadness, he called them over to the place where he's been stationed at since the Graysons arrived.
"Papa, we're just gonna get something to eat," she informed him nervously, knowing his scare tactics when it came to the guys she introduced him to.
Josef's eyes softened as the sight of his little girl, who he knew and finally accepted was growing up. She was making her way into the world and as much as he wanted to always protect her, he knew that she was just as smart and as capable to start doing it herself.
He took his daughter's hand and held it tight, "Okay, call me if you need a ride home."
"I will," Zasha said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Love you, papa."
"I love you too," he replied with a smile that was immediately erased when he focused his attention to Mark. "Bring her home by 11:30, and no sneaking into her room by the window," he ordered the teenage boy sternly.
Caught by surprise by the sudden formality, Mark straightened his back and nodded. "Uh yes, y-yes sir, Red Rush, sir."
"Papa!" she exclaimed. "No more scare tactics."
"I'm sorry," he chuckled, "that was the last one, I promise."
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trashforhockeyguys · 3 years
Text
Don’t Hold Me -21- Carter Hart
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A/N: Only a few parts left until we reach the end! I remain so amazed by all of the love that this story has gotten. It’s been an amazing ride, and I can’t wait for you guys to see how it all ends! and as always, all previous parts are linked in my masterlist.
You woke up again early in the morning. Truthfully, you couldn’t sleep most of the night. You’d nearly forgotten how much you hated hospitals. But Carter was right beside you when you woke up. He was slumped over, head resting just by your hand on the bed. You smiled softly and treated your hand through his soft hair. He slowly started to stir. You could see him slowly start to wake up. The pain in the rest of your body was nothing compared to the ache you felt in your chest when you saw how tired he looked, how his eyes were so red you knew that he hadn’t stopped crying.
“Cart,” Your voice broke, tears finally spilling from your eyes. 
You hadn’t cried up until now. You didn’t cry when Nolan stopped by while Ethan was on the phone. He could barely make it into your room before his legs almost gave out on him. You didn’t cry when you talked to your mom and dad on the phone, because they refused to hang up with Ethan until they heard your voice. You didn’t cry when you talked to the police and told them everything you could with Ethan in the room...but there were some things you didn’t want him to hear.
You tugged Carter towards you as much as you could. He silently cried as he climbed into your bed and held you as tightly as he dared. You couldn’t imagine what he’d gone through. You couldn’t even bring yourself to think about it. 
“I thought I’d lost you,” He whimpered. 
You’d never heard him sound so broken before. You ran your fingers through his hair and tried to think of a way to comfort the both of you. Something in you broke. Something you didn’t even know could break. Carter was always your rock, he was the steadfast one. But he was broken now too. 
“I’m right here,” You forced out, feeling the hot tears roll down your cheeks, “I’m okay. I’m right here.”
 He carefully laid down next to you, making sure he wasn’t on the side that was hurt. You could only hold him as both of you cried. You knew that he was afraid to let him go, and you couldn’t blame him. So you just kept telling him that you weren’t going anywhere, that you were okay. That was all you could do really. 
When he finally fell asleep, you couldn’t stand to move him. He was still clutching onto you, his hair still tickling your neck as you gently combed through what you could of it with your fingers. He was at peace for the moment and that was all you cared about. 
It could’ve been minutes or hours before your door slowly opened. Travis poked his head in, trying so hard not to disturb you or anyone else. You felt your heart swell. Travis was your family. You could see the relief wash across his face when he saw you holding Carter like a mother held a child. Because Travis knew that meant you were as okay as you could be.
He almost felt like his legs could give out before he made it to the chair on the other side of the bed from where Carter was. You couldn’t find the right words to say to him. You truthfully couldn’t find the right words to say to any of them. 
“How long has he been asleep?” Travis asked quietly. 
“I’m not sure. I think I might’ve fallen asleep for a minute too,” You admitted, “But I don’t want to wake him up.”
“Well, we’ll have to eventually, him and I have a game tonight,” He said softly, “They offered to let him and I sit out, Patty too, but we all agreed that you’d kick our asses if we didn’t play.”
You couldn’t help but smile and laugh a little, “Damn right I would.”
Travis lost his smile as he really looked at you. You knew that he wasn’t thinking about anything good. You wished you could just find a way to take all of it away from them. Maybe they would’ve been better off without you in their lives.
“He did it, didn’t he?” Travis asked. 
You glanced down at Carter, still sound asleep. Just like Ethan, there were some things that Carter didn’t need to know either. Yet, for some reason Travis seemed like the only person you could really tell about what really happened that night. 
“You’re the first one that’s actually asked that,” You said softly. 
“Did you tell the police that it was him? That Zach did this?” Travis questioned. 
You shook your head, “Ethan was right there...I didn’t want him to hear.”
Travis cursed and sat back in the chair. He slipped his hat off and combed through his hair before putting it back on, “Are you going to report him? I swear to god if you don’t I will.”
“I will...once I get out of here. I will.”
His shoulders slumped. It was like you could see all of this weighing him down. It broke your heart. You never meant to hurt any of them. That was the last thing you wanted. Yet the end result seemed to be the same thing. Everyone got hurt. 
“I’m sorry Trav.”
“Why didn’t you just tell us he was still harassing you?”
“I thought that I could handle it. You guys had enough to worry about. I kept thinking he’d just go away,” You tried to explain, “But I forgot that Zachary doesn’t give up.”
He cursed again, “So he fucking shot you. You’re sure it’s him?”
You nodded slowly, “I wasn’t sure at first. But he said something before he did, Carter couldn’t remember exactly what he said...But Zachary called me Doll. It was him.”
Travis clenched his fists. Even he thought that you finally had enough of Zachary. Just like everyone else, he thought you’d be safe in Philly. He thought he could keep you safe. But when it really came down to it, he had no idea what was really happening.  He didn’t know how much pain you were in all semester trying to hide it from everyone and keep all of them out of the line of fire. He was meant to protect you...he promised his family that he would. But he failed. 
“I’m sorry that I didn’t do anything about it,” Travis shook his head in disbelief. 
“Trav, you didn’t know. You couldn’t have known,” You reminded him, “Please don’t blame yourself. None of you knew.”
“I should’ve known. You were acting exactly like you did before.”
“You hoped that I was safe this time. No one else saw him in the city, but he was still here, just waiting.”
“We have to be at the rink soon,” You could see the sadness in Travis’ eyes. He didn’t want to go either. Or maybe he just felt bad about having to wake up Carter, “Tell him I’m waiting in the car.”
Travis leaned down and kissed the top of your head before slipping out of the room. You didn’t really want to have to wake Carter up either. You felt comfortable like this. Normally he was the one holding you, but it was also nice to hold him too. You knew he hadn’t been sleeping, you were told as much. But still, you knew he needed to go.
You gently shook him, trying hard not to move too much. But he seemed to be sleeping so heavily it didn’t even bother him. You smiled softly and shook him again, “Carter, love, you have to wake up.” 
He hummed, or maybe groaned, but you knew he was trying to stay asleep. This felt just like all the mornings you woke up next to him in his bed. Neither of you ever wanted to move then. Not when the bed was so cozy and you were wrapped up in each other. You wished you could be wrapped up in bed with him, cozy in his apartment.
“Carter, I’m serious. You have a game,” You shook him again. 
“No. No game,” He grumbled.
“Yes a game,” You laughed, “Travis is waiting in his car outside.”
“But I don’t want to leave you,” He whispered, trying to tuck himself further into your side. 
“Cart, I’ll be right here when you get back. Not like I can just walk out.”
He looked up at you, eyes brimming with tears, “You promise?”
You gently grabbed his face and kissed him, “I promise, I won’t go anywhere.”
You kissed him again, this time he actually allowed himself to react. He still held onto you tightly, like he was afraid you’d just slip away from him. You couldn’t say that you blamed him. You let him hold onto you as tightly as he wanted. Eventually he let go, carefully sliding off of your bed. 
“Go be a goalie god,” You told him, “I’ll be ready to celebrate when you get back.”
He lingered for a few more seconds before grabbing his coat and starting to make his way towards the door. Just before he left he paused and turned back, “I love you, so much. I hope you know that.”
You nodded, not being able to help the smile that spread across your face, “I love you too Carter. You have no idea.”
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r0tten-brainz · 3 years
Text
hey do you want my carrie fix it au? no?
too bad!!!
Everything seemed to stop when the blood was dumped on Carrie. All the cheers and applause was cut off by shocked gasps and silence. Wide eyes stared upon the stage at their prom queen, now drenched in red sludge, her beautiful dress ruined.
Tommy Ross, the prom king, was staring at his date, some of the liquid (blood, literal blood, he realizes in horror) splashing all over his rental tuxedo. After the initial shock, anger bubbled in his chest so quickly his ears turned red and he turned to the crowd, searching for who could’ve done something so awful, his shouts of “What the hell?!” cutting through the quiet.
In the front row, George Dawson seemed to have the same reaction, he always was quick to anger but now he had a fair reason to. He was disgusted someone would do this, and almost everyone around him agreed. Almost.
It only took a minute for Norma to snort, and double over to quiet her laughter. A few others chuckled but otherwise they were alone in finding this funny.
The only one who hadn’t moved was Carrie. She was frozen, mouth agape and eyes wide. She only moved when the bucket itself came crashing down, right onto Tommy. She tried to catch him but he just collapsed onto the stage, groaning in pain.
People knew immediately something was off when she stood up straight, shoulders back and arms extending out at her sides. The ones who were laughing decided they wanted to leave, the pungent smell of the stale blood getting gross and killing their good time.
There were a few shouts of confusion and fear when the doors suddenly slammed shut and the room was flooded in red light. When one of the jocks tried to open it, he yelled in pain, like the door handle burned him.
That’s what made Tommy stir on the ground, his head aching and warmth trailing down his face. When he looked up the gym was in chaos, people screaming and trampling each other to find a way out. One guy, someone Tommy knew, had climbed up to try the window, but he was flung off like a bug. A squeaking noise made him look up and the fire sprinklers flipped on.
Murky water fell over everyone, only adding to the rotten smell permeating what with the blood also having its own stench. Tommy’s breath caught as he looked around, his eyes finally landing on Carrie.
She seemed unresponsive, barely even blinking as the chaos unfolded around her, like she was in the middle, stirring up the misfortune herself.
“Carrie- huff,” Tommy started, pulling himself up off the ground. His head spun and he nearly got sick with everything mixing around him, his stomach was never the strongest. “Carrie, we have to get you out of here.”
She didn’t move, didn’t even look at him, just tilted her chin up indignantly. The lights above them suddenly sparked, clearly not mixing well with the water. That frightened Tommy a lot, they could all die, and it seemed that’s probably what Carrie was aiming for.
“Carrie!” Tommy tried again, grabbing onto her shoulders. His breath was getting more frantic as he looked around behind him. “Carrie, listen to me. Look at me, Carrie.”
She blinked then, eyes focusing on the boy in front of her. She looked like she was on the brink of tears. When she noticed the blood flowing down his face it only made her feel worse.
“Is this why?” Her voice was quiet, if Tommy had been any further away he wouldn’t have been able to hear. “Is this why you asked me to go with you?”
A devastated look crossed over Carrie’s face. “So you could laugh at me?” Tommy gulped, really starting to feel sick now, realizing that in some sick way this was partially his fault. “She was right, I shouldn’t have come, I shouldn’t have-”
“No! Carrie, if I knew it wouldn’t have happened! I didn’t know- I swear whoever did this is dead.” He shouted, his grip on her shoulders tightening. “Please, you need to calm down. Just breathe, we can get you out of here.”
Flames caught his eye, the curtain behind them was on fire. They needed to go, now. Carrie sniffled, the tears finally falling. “They all laughed at me, they laughed…”
Tommy looked back at the crowd then back to Carrie. “No one laughed, no one did Carrie.” She let out a breath like she’d been holding it. The heat from the fire was getting unbearable.
“Do you swear?” Carrie whispered, looking up at him. She was in agony, he could see it clear on her face.
“Carrie, I swear.” Tommy holds out his arms for her, finally stepping back to lead her away from the gym. He could hear sirens approaching.
Carrie looked out a final time before the doors swung open and the students flooded out. The air was cool which was relieving to everyone. She took his hands then, and he led her off the stage out to the cool evening air.
Sue Snell pushed her way through everyone, Frank Green (notoriously known as the Beak) and George at her side, searching through the scared faces for Tommy and Carrie. “There they are!” She shouts, grabbing her friends and making their way over to the pair.
Tommy perked up at the sound of Sue’s voice, carefully leading Carrie to the grass so they could sit. Further away from everyone. Sue ran over and pulled Tommy down into a hug. Beak and George made their way over a second after, clearly left behind in the madness behind them.
Whispers were exchanged between the group, everyone sparing sympathetic glances to Carrie every once in a while. Carrie just sunk in on herself, Trying to calm herself down enough so she could walk home, figuring she messed up their night enough.
It surprised her all when they all sat around her, Tommy to her left and Sue on the other side. Beak and George settled across from them.
They didn’t talk, no one really knew what to say. It was Carrie who broke the silence. “I ruined your plans with your friends, didn’t I?”
Tommy just shook his head as he shrugged off his jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders. “No,” he assured her. “You didn’t do anything wrong at all, actually.”
Carrie blinked up at him, tears threatening to fall again but she willed them away and sank into the coat. If it was salvageable before, it’s definitely ruined now. Tommy wondered if the rental place had it in their hearts to cut them some slack.
“Carrie I- we- are so sorry,” Sue spoke up, reaching to hold her hand. “I tried to stop it, if I knew they were planning something I wouldn’t have asked, that was so cruel.” She whispered the end of her apology, like she couldn’t believe it had happened.
Carrie ducks her head. “I shouldn’t have come,” she says back. “Mama was right I shouldn’t have.” The group share worried glances, but they’ll unpack that later.
George sneers. “Don’t you think like that, it was fun at the beginning right?” Carrie glances up to him and nods. “Right! Don’t you worry, whoever did this will pay.” Frank nods along beside him, patting him on the shoulder encouragingly. “So inspiring.” Beak always did like to make a joke, to lighten the mood when things were heavy.
Tommy’s arm tucks around her, pulling Carrie closer to comfort her. “Even if it all ended bad, we’re all together, right?” He looked down to her, waiting for the response. Even now he’s pushing her gently, to get her out there. Maybe this is Tommy’s super power. She had telekinesis and he was good at making anyone comfortable, even Carrie White.
“Right,” she finished for him, which made Tommy smile. In return it made Carrie smile. Sue reached and brushed some bloody hair out of Carrie’s face.
“Wow, Sue,” Beak starts. “Before too long Carrie might steal Tommy from you curled up to him like that. Sue laughed and Carrie smiled, cheeks flushing red under the caked up blood.
Tommy grinned and shot him a look. “Oh yeah? Why don’t you beat her to it and steal me yourself, smart guy?”
Beak opened his mouth but was quickly cut off by George. “Oi! Don’t be comin’ onto my man y’ hear?” He shot back, elbowing Frank with a grin.
Tommy felt Carrie’s shoulders bouncing, but when he looked to her to see if she was crying, a small grin graced her face and quiet giggles bubbled up. Despite it all she was laughing. It made something twist in Tommy’s chest, he had to make himself look away.
“It isn’t much,” Sue starts. “But if you all wanted to stop by my house to get cleaned up, maybe we could still go to the Hive.” Carrie perks up, of course Sue was invited, why wouldn’t she be?
George whooped excitedly. “You’re a lifesaver, Susan, I really need a shake after all this.” Everyone cheered in agreement.
“Carrie?” Tommy said quietly. She looked up to him, still smiling a little. “Would that be okay?” He was so patient with her.
Commotion caught her attention though and she looked past Tommy towards the gym. The flames had been dealt with it’d seem, but that’s not what she’s looking at.
Two police officers were taking Chris Hargensen and Billy Nolan out of the school, Chris kicking and shouting the whole way to the car. Miss Collins watched them go, nothing but anger in her eyes. It only made Carrie’s smile widen. She hoped she’d never have to see Chris ever again after this.
“Yes,” she finally replied. “That seems fun.” Tommy grinned and stood, offering his hands to Carrie first to help her stand, then to Sue. “No help for me?” Frank joked. “Shut up, Beak,” Tommy joked back.
The rest of the night was filled with similar jokes, everything being kept lighthearted (lucky for Carrie, she may fall apart if anything else bad happened). The Hive was so much better than she imagined. They had delicious waffle fries, and soda flavors she didn’t know existed, she and Sue even shared an ice cream. Everything was perfect. She prayed to God that come Monday morning she wouldn’t be forgotten by Tommy Ross, or any of them.
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