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#picked these up over the weekend and yeah these are cool enough to scan and share
soothedcerberus · 2 years
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Scans of Andrew Griffith Prowlvastator design, good stuff! 
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caffeinemachine · 9 months
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The Girl Next Door - Part 1
A/N: Part 1! This part is really just to give you a clue into their relationship right now, as the following parts will be about the shifting in their dynamic! Hehe, I'm so excited for this series! Let me know if you want to be added to the tag list!
Series Chapter:
Prologue | Part 1
Jeremiah Fisher x OC! Isabella Sullivan
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Ella Sully <3
8:03 AM
J: You guys on your way?
E: 👍
just left Cambridge and stopped for coffee quick
J: 😊 See you soon then Sully
E: see you soon Fisher
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I was sat on their front porch by 9:30. Realistically they shouldn’t be getting here until 9:45-10:00 but with the way the Sullivans drive, I knew they could be arriving any minute. At 9:38 I watched as the Range Rover pulled into their rocky driveway. My face instantly lit up. The car was barely in park when she opened the door and ran to me. Her arms flew around my neck as I grabbed her in my arms and spun her around. 
We held onto each other tightly before I put her down, truly staring into her eyes for the first time this season. She looked a little different than when I last saw her, although that was just around winter break. In the past 6 months, she had lost a little baby fat from her cheeks, gained some new freckles, had grown her hair out and got it freshly highlighted, and her hazel eyes looked extra green today. 
“Well hello, Isabella.” I grinned down at her, arms still looped around her.
Her eyes glistened, “Well hello, Jeremiah.” If possible my smile grew, as I picked her back up into the air making her squeal. 
“I'm so happy you're here, I can’t wait for this summer!” I placed her feet back on the ground, and this time when I looked at her something shifted, our stare intense, the air between us thick. Suddenly I became aware of just how close I was holding her. I scanned her face, unable to help myself when my eyes lingered on her lips a beat extra. I could always read my Ella, but the look on her face right now was new, and it stumped me. 
“Jeremiah!” Spell broken. Begrudgingly I let Ella go to hug her mother. The older woman squeezed me tightly. My arms dropped as she moved back from me, her hand going to cup my cheeks.
“Wow, I think you’ve actually gotten taller since I last saw you! My my what a handsome young man you’ve turned into, don’t you agree Ella?” I smirked as Ella blushed from her mom's comment.
 Her eyes went wide as she laughed, “Mom!”
I gave my best puppy dog's eyes, teasing her,” What you don't agree I’m handsome Ella?” She just scoffed as she grinned back at me playfully. 
“That’s not important, but I know you well enough to know it's important I don't add any more fuel to your ego.” We all chuckled, and I saw her mom giving us a loving look out of the corner of my eye. 
“Let me help you guys carry in your bags!”
After bringing all their bags inside, Ella and I went to her room. I plopped on her bed while she put her things away. 
“So where's your dad?” I asked curiously. 
She glanced over her shoulder at me before continuing to put her clothes in her drawers, “He’s driving out next weekend, he has a conference in Boston this week.”
“Cool,” A comfortable silence stretched between us, “So, surfing?” She paused what she was doing, turning around to me as she leaned against her dresser. A smile graced her beautiful features, what a sight to see. I wondered if she smiled like this for other people or maybe just maybe her smile was something I got just for myself. Maybe I was the only one with the privilege of sharing a moment of such pure happiness with her. I could only wish. 
“Oh yeah.” 
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Post-ocean was my favorite time to see her. Her hair was gorgeously curly from the salt water, her cheeks tinged pink from the sun, and her freckles glowed across her face. We laid down on a towel, catching our breath from surfing before we trekked back up to the house. I turned to my side to face her, prompting her to do the same. I pushed the hair that fell while she did so behind her ear. 
“I'm so happy it's summertime, I missed you, Elle.” Her expression stayed at a relaxed state but the corners of her eyes creased a little extra.
“I missed you too J.” I smiled. Only she ever called me that, and even she did it only once and a while. 
I lay back flat and she scurried over to put her head on my chest. I could stay here forever- “Should we head back to your house, I still need to say hello to everyone.” It seemed she didn't have the same idea though. 
If I’m being honest, I'm growing tired of having to hide my love for her, tired of not being able to pull her that couple inches closer to me, tired of her not being mine.
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After a hello filled with a lot of hugs, Ella went home to shower before her mom and her came over for dinner like always. We all sat around the table, catching up on the past few months as we ate my moms cooking. After dinner Ella came upstairs to my room while I got ready for the bonfire. She came over ready, and was now just waiting for me, Steven and Conrad. She scrolled on her phone before flicking her eyes up to me. I held two shirts up to her, “Blue or Gray?”
She took a moment to truly consider it, her expression serious. “Blue, makes your eyes sparkle, it’ll boost you up with the ladies.” She gave me animated wink, giggling a bit.
I scoffed lightly trying my best to fake a smile, but nodded curtly following her word without question, blue shirt it was. Then I put my hands on the edge of the bed beside each of her legs, leaning in grinning, “You like my eyes?”
She fueled the fire, grabbing the sides of my face and staring straight at me with a smile, “Yes you were blessed with gorgeous baby blues Jere.” I laughed and backed away to strip off my current shirt to slip on the one she chose. I smiled to myself when I caught her lingering on my abs for a moment. Heat blossomed in my chest. I can’t blame her, I looked different than last summer but based on the sight of her in her bikini earlier, so did she. 
“Ell-”
Just then Steven came running through my doorway, “You guys ready?” Ella perked up jumping off my bed and out the door. I huffed, should be a fun night.
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Who the hell was that?
I stood with some guys I've known from over the years, a can of soda in hand, DD for the night. But while I stood there, Ella sat on a towel in the sand near the fire with some guy. Some guy. Not me. 
“-Jeremiah? Ello, earth to Jeremiah?” I regained focus looking at my buddies who laughed at my distracted state. 
I glanced back at Ella, my Ella, I couldn't take it anymore, "I’ll be back.” I walked straight to her, paying no mind to the annoyed grunts and protests coming from behind me. The guy she was sitting with spotted me coming toward them first. I took Ella by surprise when I plopped down next to her in the sand, my arm immediately going around her shoulders.
“Wha- Oh hey J!” She melted into my side once she realized it was me. My eyes looked at her briefly, flashing a smile, before my face went straight and I stared down this random ass boy. 
“Hello Sunshine, and who are you?”
The guy seemed displeased by the situation unfolding in front of him, “I’m Finn, if you don't mind Ella and I were-”
I stopped him before he could even start, because I frankly didn’t give a fuck what he was going to say, “Alright Finn, thanks for keeping my girl company for me, see you around, maybe, probably not.”  He looked at Ella for a moment but when she made no objection he got up and walked away huffing as he went. 
I stayed silent, the reality that Ella might be super pissed for the stunt I just pulled dawning on me. Then she grabbed my face repositioning our spots on the towel so that we were face to face instead of side to side. Our eyes connected, and she pulled me towards her quickly, eyes sparkling in the moonlight. I had no time to process..is Ella about to kiss me? What should I do- well kiss her back obviously- but wait where is this coming from-
“Mwah!”
My cheek. Oh. She kissed my cheek.
“Thank you! Oh my gosh, he was such a douche! You know when we were little I hated how easily you could read me, but now it's like my own secret weapon to save me from situations I don’t wanna be in. Oh, and faking the ‘my girl’ card? Genius! Nothing seems to shut a guy up quicker than finding out she has a boyfriend. You put on a good act. Where were you even that you saw me? I couldn't see you?”
Her arms had dropped to rest on my shoulders. I didn’t know what to say. I should just tell her the real reason I came over.
“Elle I-”
Blue and red lights flashed in my vision.
Cops.
Fuck.
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@goldenmoonbeam
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bropunzeling · 2 months
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for the ask game! matthew/leon 15 or 22 if you feel like it <3
things you said after it was over
Leon's never been sure what the protocol is for how to act around someone he used to sleep with in secret.
He knows how to deal with former teammates, or exes; understands the boundaries of what he can say and what he can’t. There are guidelines. Old friends, he can say he misses, make an effort to hang around in the hall to catch up. Exes, he doesn't text anymore; when they come up in conversation, he can insist his friends talk about something else.
More to the point, everyone else knows the rules, too. Leon doesn't have to explain himself at all.
Nobody knows the rules when it comes to Matthew, though. Least of all Leon.
It's not that it was a bad breakup. Breakup isn't even the right word, anyway. They slept together for a while, and then they didn't. Leon didn't ask to come over in Florida, and Matthew didn't offer. How Leon felt about Matthew on the ice cooled, time and distance and fewer games helping him forget how fucking annoying Matthew could be. How Leon felt about Matthew off the ice --
Well, maybe he can admit now that Matthew isn't so bad, out of uniform. In Florida he's in his element. Leon watches from his booth as Matthew goes from group to group, grinning and clapping hands on shoulders and passing out beers like party favors. Checking in with people, asking how their weekend is going. Helps, probably, that the All-Star Weekend is somewhere warm for once. Less resentful about missing vacation.
"Hey. Drai." By the tone of his voice, this isn't the first time Connor’s said something. "You want another drink?"
"Uh," Leon says, tearing his eyes away from Matthew and back to Connor. Connor, who's looking at him like he does know what the rules might be for how to behave about a guy you used to casually fuck around with, and is finding Leon wanting. "Sure."
Connor nods and raps the table with his knuckles, heading for the bar. Leon scans the room again, unable to help it. Wondering where Matthew got up to.
"Hey," someone says.
And there Matthew is. Sliding into the seat across from Leon, pink-cheeked and half-smirking. Smiling? It’s hard to tell. Sincerity was always so difficult for Leon to gauge on Matthew’s face.
"Hey," Leon says.
There's a pause. Matthew looks at him; Leon starea right back. He doesn't know what to say next. They're not exes, and he isn't even mad at Matthew, and yet he's immediately, viscerally, uncomfortably aware that Matthew knows what he looks like naked and hard. That Matthew has seen him come more than anyone else in this room. A loaded gun only the two of them know Matthew has.
"Having a good time?" Matthew asks.
That, at least, seems real enough. Leon nods. "Can't complain," he says. "Pretty nice place to be in February." Adds, after a second, "You picked a good place to land."
Was that too far? Too strange? Before he can second-guess himself further, though, Matthew’s grinning. "Yeah, I did, didn't I?" One of his arms is resting on the tabletop. His hand is centimeters away from where Leon is toying with an empty rocks glass. If either of them moved, they would be touching.
"Have plans for the rest of the weekend?" Matthew asks.
Leon shrugs. "Besides all this?"
Matthew nods. One of his fingertips traces the condensation on the table, breaking apart the rings of water. Coming closer and closer to the back of Leon’s hand.
Leon shrugs again. Flexes his hand. "No plans, really." Adds, for no reason, "I'll be here for a few days. Any recommendations?"
Matthew’s fingertips are touching Leon’s hand. Or maybe Leon’s hand is touching Matthew’s fingers. Either way, Leon feels that touch jolting up his arm, kicking his heart into high gear. Watches Matthew look at him, and wonders if Matthew doesn’t know the rules either.
"I might have a few," Matthew says.
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shares-a-vest · 1 year
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Eddie skips through the Harrington house, spinning his keys on his finger, excited that he is a mere 48 hours away from Easter weekend. A whole weekend without gremlin babysitting duties. A weekend without Robin around. She’s going to her great-aunt’s-sister-in-laws-mother’s something, something. Whatever… point is, she won’t be hanging around Steve’s house. Neither will Dustin with his silly experiments.
And as usual, Steve’s parents are nowhere in sight. And Wayne is working all weekend at the plant for the holiday pay because the old man is still paranoid that their secret government hush money will suddenly stop.
Just Eddie and Steve. All weekend.
Which is a good thing because as soon as Eddie steps into the kitchen, his heart skips a beat...
Okay, so maybe his heart more bursts out of his chest like a lovesick Bugs Bunny and falls right onto Mrs Harrington’s catalogue-ordered eggshell tiles because Steve is wearing a pair of rabbit ears. They’re big, fluffy and white, bent tantalisingly forward at the tips in a way that isn’t making Eddie think about Steve dressed up in a Playboy Bunny bow tie and wrist cuffs. 
“Hi,” he garbles out, possibly yelling his greeting as he scans the room for a spot to sit down and catch his breath.
He flops down at the kitchen table by the window, breathing so heavily he’s sure he’ll fog up the nearby glass any minute.
Outside the kids are screeching and yelling as they run around desperately looking for chocolate, fighting each other for every last scrap of sugar. 
“For a bunch of fourteen-year-olds who think they are too cool for everything, they sure do love an egg hunt,” Steve says, giving a high-pitched giggle.
“Sure…” Eddie slurs, now unsure if he’s even speaking loud enough to be heard as he screws his eyes shut and runs a clammy hand through his hair.
“Give me that basket, Robbie!” comes Nancy’s voice from outside.
Eddie opens his eyes to find Nancy wrestling Robin to the ground outside, sending a basket of eggs - and her own bunny ears - flying.
Ah, yes. Of course, this is all Buckley’s fault.
“No!” Robin shrieks, patting her now-empty head. “Those are mine!”
“You cheated! You helped Steve hide them!”
At the accusation, Max, Erica and Lucas look up in unison, cutting off their own squabbling as they bolt towards the scattered eggs.
“Don’t worry,” Steve chimes. “I saved you some.”
Eddie startles. If anything will reboot him, it's the promise of sugary goods. But as he whips around he feels his cheeks flush scarlet as he's confronted with those sinful bunny ears again.
He really is an idiot.
“What?” Steve asks, brows furrowing with confusion as he stands before his production-like lineup of cupcakes.
Eddie practically scrambles forward,  planting his hands on the kitchen island for support. There’s an awkward silence (fine, fine, Eddie’s the one making it so... okay?) as Steve swaps pink icing for white.
“What’s with the ears?” Eddie eventually musters (aka blurts out), his voice strained and throaty, making him splutter.
Steve palms around over his head, letting out an all too cute chuckle as he brushes his fingers against an ear.
“Oh yeah, forgot I had them on.”
He shrugs and picks up another cupcake, piping little flowers atop coloured icing. In one swift move, Eddie rounds the counter, planting himself behind his boyfriend so he can snake his arms around Steve's middle. At least Steve's body will block him enough from this sickly-sweet baking scene. And if he tucks his chin in the crook of Steve's neck, he can't see those wicked bunny ears at all.
Unfortunately though, now he can smell Steve. A combination of baked goods, cologne and fruity shampoo...
“Eat this one,” Steve commands, knocking Eddie out of his daze as he holds up a cupcake with shakily-piped blue icing (a clear reject). “And you better not get any crumbs on this shirt!”
Eddie snatches it up and shoves the whole thing in his mouth.
“'Kay,” he chokes out, struggling to chew as he flicks a crumb off Steve’s shoulder, immediately leaving a smear of chocolate on his freshly ironed navy-blue polo.
“Had a headache earlier,” Steve explains before sucking a blob of pink icing off the back of his hand with a smacking pop. “Hence all the leftovers.”
He waves at a small plate filled with half a dozen poorly decorated (in Eddie's eyes they are perfectly fine) cupcakes.
“That’s no good, precious,” he soothes, inching back to run his hands up Steve’s back.
Which is a bad move because as he retreats, Eddie catches an eyeful of the bunny ears. God damn it.
“Stevie,” he coos before he can stop himself.
“Yes?” he replies, clearing his throat as his body stiffens up in defiance of the tight hold Eddie has on him.
And yeah, maybe the tight hold comes with a wiggling hip grind too...
“You wanna be my dirty little bunny?” Eddie whispers, nipping at Steve’s earlobe.
“Don’t-” Steve whines as Eddie rolls his hips forward and pushes him against the counter.
“Burrowing away into our cosy nest while I play with your big carrot…”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Steve laughs, cutting him off.
“Well now I’ve completely lost track of my metaphor,” he shrieks. “Point is: I want to fuck you while you’re wearing those positively naughty bunny ears, baby.”
He reaches up and flicks one of the ears, earning a giggle.
“Yeah, I got that part,” Steve says matter-of-factly.
Eddie slides his hands into the front pocket of Steve’s blue apron. Seriously, this guy wears so much blue.
“Stop,” Steve begs halfheartedly. “I know you have icing all over your fingers.”
Eddie wrinkles his nose and hisses, bearing his teeth.
Typically, resorting to incoherent animal noises doesn’t work on Steve but sure enough, he turns around, shuffling on the spot as Eddie makes no attempt to free up any space between them.
“Be cooperative,” he bargains, smirking as he takes the ears and places them on Eddie’s head. “And we can do whatever you want.”
He straightens up Eddie’s fringe and gives an overly-enthusiastic whistle.
“You’re right,” he winks. “These do look good.”
He kisses Eddie in a way that's far too dirty and wet for Steve Harrington’s Easter Cupcake Factory. It takes him by surprise, thoroughly knocking the last puff of remaining air right out of his poor lungs.
And as quick as it happened, Steve pulls back, smirking. He places his hands on Eddie’s chest, making him purr like a goddamn cat as his heart pounds. He runs them down Eddie’s shirt front, lower and lower until he reaches his belt and gives it a tug.
Then the little shit turns back around as if nothing happened.
Ever the terrible timing, everyone barges in through the sliding door, talking loudly and clamouring for the goodie bags, shoving past each other and grappling for the treats without “thanks”. Steve grumbles incoherent complaints as he attempts to hand out the bags he’d probably assigned, launching straight back to his regular Annoyed Dad mode.
And all Eddie can do is lean against the opposite counter, pouting like an absolute grouch as he wills away a cardiac arrest.
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celestial-robots · 8 months
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Finding Equinox
A Sun & Moon X Reader Story
Chapter Six: Activity Check
First | Previous
Word Count: 6092
Summary: It's the start of your second week and the Pizzaplex is busy with crowds wanting to see the newly-repaired Glamrocks. While going about your day, you let it slip that Sun and Moon are still active, and the head technician insists on checking things out. Should be fine, right?
Author’s Note: I meant to finish this about two weeks ago, but unfortunately life got in the way. You know how it is. Anyway, I won't waste any more time, you guys have already waited long enough XD Hope you like the chapter!
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The weekend passed without much of note. You finally had that doctor’s appointment Monday morning to talk about your back injury. Sure, that resulted in scheduling another appointment on Wednesday for an X-ray (because apparently that couldn’t be done on the same day), but at least you got a doctor’s note saying you shouldn’t be doing any hard manual labor. Now management would have to be careful about what tasks they’re assigning to you. You made a quick stop at the library after the appointment to scan the note into a PDF, emailed that to management, and then drove out to the Pizzaplex.
There was a line out the front doors when you arrived, so you went in through a staff entrance in the loading dock. Then as soon as you left the staff-only tunnels, you found yourself in a crowd of customers. “Holy shit,” you whispered under your breath. The public areas of the Pizzaplex were absolutely crowded!
Well, that made sense, didn’t it? The Glamrocks were finally back. Sure, only half of them, but people loved the band. No wonder everyone was coming here to see Roxanne and Chica’s return.
You were curious about them, too. But not as curious as you might have been before. You’d already spent the whole week with an animatronic, the novelty of how the robotic band members worked had worn off.
Speaking of the animatronic you’d spent all last week with, time to go to Daycare! Better hurry before they started slamming you with tasks.
It took a few extra minutes because of the crowds, but as soon as you entered the Daycare area everyone abruptly cleared out. It was silent except for the bouncy music playing over the intercoms. You walked right up to the wooden doors and pushed your way inside.
“Heeeeello!” Sun popped up from behind one of the play structure’s tubes. He waved and skipped on over. “Welcome back, friend! It’s been so long!”
You laughed. “Hey, Sun. I missed you.”
“You did? I missed you too!” Sun’s rays wiggle. “I’ve been so busy! Look at everything, it’s all cleaned up!”
“Uh... yeah, I’m surprised.” The play area was brighter, all the colors more vivid. The cart of cleaning supplies was sitting by the wall with bottles knocked over and splashes of dirty water around the wheels. “Uh... you remember I said you didn’t have to clean the whole time, right?”
“I do, but...” Sun tapped his fingers together. “O-once I started going I couldn’t stop! Couldn’t stop until alllll the supplies were used up!”
“Hmm...” You frowned. “Well, I guess you probably have like... programming or something. But, uh... still. You could’ve taken breaks or something.”
“I couldn’t, I really couldn’t! Clean up, clean up.” Despite the cheerful little chant, you could have sworn there was a nervous edge to Sun’s voice. But before you could think about it that much, Sun moves on. “Oh! But I didn’t forget about what you said. You wanted to see some drawings, right? Here, over here!” He hurried over to the desk and picked up a few pieces of paper, holding them out to you.
“Oh cool! Did you have fun?” You followed him and took the offered papers, flipping through them. They looked more like kids’ drawings than anything else, with shaky lines and scribbled colors. Most of them featured the Glamrocks and other Fazbear-related things, but one of them was different. “Hang on, is this me?”
“I hope you don’t mind!” Sun said hurriedly. “But you drew such a nice picture of me that I wanted to return the favor. I know it’s not as good as yours, but here it is!”
“Awww.” You smiled. “It’s fantastic, Sunny boy. I like how you drew my hair. And all of these have such great colors!”
“Really? I-I snapped a few crayons so I thought I was pressing too hard.”
“Oof. Yeah, be careful with that. You’re a whole-as—you’re all mechanical and stuff, you’d be a lot stronger than us fleshy guys. But there’s nothing wrong with pressing hard to get those bright colors. I used to do that, too.”
Sun clapped his hands. “I’m so glad you’re happy, friend! I suppose it was a bit fun. Here, you can keep them if you want!”
You shook your head. “No, I couldn’t do that.”
“Oh really, I don’t mind!”
“...Alright. How about I keep the one of me and you can have the rest of them?” You separated that from the stack and put the remaining ones on the desk.
“Hmmm, okay! That’s fair!” Sun fidgeted with the stack on the desk, making sure the edges of the papers were all lined up.
“Great.” You carefully slid Sun’s drawing into your backpack. “Hey, I noticed you drew the Glamrocks. Did you know Chica and Roxanne are back?”
Sun’s face rotated, confused. “Back?”
“Oh! Right, you wouldn’t know! Something happened to the Glamrocks, like... a while ago. The Pizzaplex was closed for about a month. No one really knows what happened, but uh, at least Chica and Roxanne are back again.”
“Are they okay?” Sun asked.
“I don’t know, I haven’t seen them yet,” you admitted. “Did you... know the Glamrocks?”
“Well, not too well, but we used to sometimes take the kids out for trips into the rest of the Pizzaplex!” Sun said. “They would visit the band sometimes! So sometimes we would see them. I-I don’t think think they would remember me, though.”
“Hmm. So you guys are just, like, coworkers and not friends. That makes se—”
Ping! “New task added!”
“God da—!” You cut yourself off with a scowl and looked at your FazWatch. Two new tasks had been added. Cleaning up a mess in Chica’s Cupcake Factory, and rescrewing some vent covers that had fallen off. You sighed. “I’m so sorry, Sun.”
“It’s not a problem! You have to do your job.” Sun nodded understandingly.
“Yeah. But I’ll see you again today, I promise.” You smiled.
“Okay! I’ll look forward to it! Can you take the cleaning cart out with you? It’s been taking up space ever since I used everything up.”
“No problem, man.”
After quickly dropping off the cart of used supplies at the nearest janitorial closet—probably not where you should put it, but you were in a rush—you headed off to take care of the tasks.
The new crowds in the Pizzaplex meant you were forced to take the utility tunnels most of the time, which resulted in you getting turned around more than once. Stupid winding underground hallways. The more time you spent getting lost, the more tasks appeared on the FazWatch. At least you were getting used to the stuff they had you do here. A lot of cleaning, some maintenance, moving things around. Not too difficult. The most difficult task proved to be putting on the vent covers again, since some of them were in high, difficult-to-reach places.
It was a bit strange, actually. There was no sign of wear or anything on the vents or the screws holding them in place. Why did they fall off? They looked fine to you. But then again, you didn’t know anything about vents. Were they usually this big? A person could easily crawl inside.
Finally, everything was done. You headed back to the surface and were just about to leave the staff-only areas when—
Ping! “New task added!”
“Oh for fuck’s sake!” you shouted.
Something clattered behind you. You spun around and saw a familiar face. It was that blonde kid from last week. Jeremy. Apparently he knocked over a trash bin, sending it crashing into three other identical trash bins lined up next to it. “Oh sorry!” he said. “You just—I was coming to say hi. Did I bother you?”
“No, no, don’t worry.” You walked over and helped him right the fallen bins. They were all colored to look like Roxanne Wolf. “Jeremy, right?”
“Yeah. And you are, uh...” He paused. “Sorry, I’m not good with names.”
“It’s fine.” You told him your name again. “And don’t worry about me shouting, I’m just frustrated with this thing.” You checked the FazWatch. “All these constant tasks.”
“Yeah, they never stop, huh?” Jeremy laughed nervously. “I, uh... this is my first job, is this normal?”
“Depends on where you work. But yeah. It’s just annoying when you have something you want to do.” You sighed.
“Oh! Did you want to go see the show?” Jeremy asked.
“The huh?”
“The show’s starting soon!” Jeremy’s eyes lit up. “I haven’t gotten to catch one yet! It won’t be the whole band but I bet it’ll be awesome anyway!”
“Oh. Showtime.” You paused, reading the new task. Cleaning up some tools in Parts and Service. That could wait, right? You were a bit curious. “Y’know what? Let’s check it out together.”
“Awesome!” Jeremy jumped at the chance. “Come on, I know how to get to the stage from here.”
Showtime happened five times a day on the stage in the atrium. You wondered if every time slot was this popular, because the massive atrium floor was absolutely packed with people. Most of them families, and most of those families with little girls; clearly, little boys weren’t as interested in a show with only Chica and Roxanne.
“Who’s your favorite?” Jeremy asked you as the two of you stood at the very back of the room. “When I was little I loved Foxy, but they don’t have him here anymore, so I guess Monty’s my new favorite. He’s cool.”
“Really? Uh... I never really thought about it,” you said. “I guess... Freddy or Bonnie, maybe?” Honestly, you were never really drawn to one animatronic in particular. Until you stumbled into the Daycare, that is. Did Sun and Moon count?
“Oh that makes sense.” Jeremy nodded.
You raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I dunno, they’re just... the classics. Older people tend to like the older characters.”
“I’m only like, eight or nine years older than you.”
“Yeah? That’s a whole decade.”
You laughed.
The atrium lights dimmed. The distant stage was lit up with pink, purple, and white spotlights. The crowd cheered in excitement. You saw a little girl in pigtails climb on a bench to try to see over the adults in front of her, showing enthusiasm that clearly wasn’t matched by the brown-haired boy next to her. Then, rising up from the ground, you saw the silhouettes of two tall figures. TV screens on either side of the stage showed a close-up for the people in the back: Chica and Roxanne, waving at the crowd. Everyone cheered.
“God, I wish we could get closer,” Jeremy said. “We should be able to, cause we work here and everything.”
“Well, I mean, I’m technically a technician, so maybe I can see them really up close some time,” you said.
“Really?! Cool!” Jeremy smiled. “Hey, if you ever get the chance, could you—this is gonna sound stupid, but, introduce me? Sometime?”
You smiled back. “Sure, I can try and do that.”
“Awesome.”
The show was short. Chica and Roxanne only preformed a couple songs, possibly limited by just the two of them. But it was fun. Like a mini concert. You didn’t know Chica could sing; Freddy had always been advertised as the lead. And the two of them moved so fluidly, like they weren’t robots at all but actually alive. Or maybe any mistakes were hidden by the fog and flashing lights.
The show ended with Chica grabbing the microphone and announcing, “Thank you all for coming! Roxy and I will be in Rockstar Row until our next performance!”
“Stop on by to say hi,” Roxanne added. “We might even hand out autographs!”
And then the stage they were standing on lowered, taking them out of sight. The Pizzaplex announcer said, “Thank you for attending the Fazbear and Friends Glamrock Show. Come back at 9:00 for our next one!”
“That was so cool, right?!” Jeremy said, looking at you and grinning.
“Yeah, really cool. Wonder what it’d be like with all of them.” You checked your FazWatch. “Ah, shit, I still have to do that one task before I can take my break. How do I get to Parts and Service from here, again?"
"I hear the stage elevator leads down there, so if you're brave enough you could jump on up there,” Jeremy said jokingly.
“Ha ha. I’ll figure it out. Hey, thanks for suggesting this. See you around?”
“Uh, yeah, sure!”
“Great.” You smiled at him. “See you later.” And you broke into a run.
Luckily you found your way down there quickly. But Parts and Service wasn’t as empty as you expected. The moment you walked in, you noticed activity in the big glass cylinder in the middle of the room. “What the...?” you whispered. You slowly walked forward and peered through the glass. Inside was a woman you recognized as Pamela, the head technician. She was bending over an exoskeleton laid out on the table/chair thing in the middle of the cylinder. There was no plating on the exoskeleton, but there was a bright red mohawk and a row of sharp teeth. “Jeez,” you muttered. Montgomery Gator had looked better. “Alligators. Can they kill your children? ... Yes.”
A few seconds passed while you tried to figure out what Pamela was doing. Then she straightened up and immediately saw you standing there. You started a bit, feeling strangely guilty, then gave her a wave and a nervous smile.
Pamela nodded once. It was hard to read her expression. Hopefully she wasn’t freaked out by you watching.
The door to the glass cylinder slid upwards and Pamela walked out. You immediately started talking. “Sorry, uh—I came down here to sort some stuff and I saw you and I wondered what you were doing—is that Monty? He looks weird without the, uh, shell thing—”
“Yeah, I’ve been finishing up his repairs,” Pamela said. “You’re new. Have you heard what happened to the Glamrocks?”
“Uh... no.”
“You’re on the same page as everyone else, then.” Pamela walked over to the computer by the cylinder and clicked something on the screen. “The day shift left one evening, then came back and found them all wrecked and the security footage gone.”
“Oh. That’s... that’s weird.” Really weird. “Wrecked like... smashed up?”
“Yep. No one knows what happened.”
“Maybe... someone broke in to destroy them?” You speculated. There were enough people out there who hated Fazbear Entertainment. Surely one of them would be crazy enough to do that.
Pamela shrugged. “No idea. What are you sorting?”
“Huh? Oh, right.” Your task. “Apparently there were a lot of tools in disarray...” You glanced around. There was no obvious mess in sight.
“Oh those.” Pamela nodded. “I took care of those before I started on Monty for the day.”
“Really?” When had she had time to do that? Well... you had delayed for a bit watching the show. You felt a bit bad for putting it off now. “Uh, sorry for leaving that for you. I-I’m still getting used to the layout of this place—”
“You probably wouldn’t have known where to put them anyway,” Pamela dismissed.
Your shoulders tensed defensively. She was right. But she didn’t have to say it like that.
“Want to see where it’s all kept?” Pamela asked.
“Oh, uh... no thanks, I wouldn’t take up any more of your time.”
“It’s fine. I’m almost done with this guy, anyway.” Pamela gestured back at Monty in the cylinder.
“Well, I, uh...” You checked your FazWatch. There were no new tasks after the sorting one. “I, uh, actually have more stuff to do.”
“Where?”
“Uh—in the daycare.” You were so surprised by Pamela’s unexpected ask that you said the first spot that came into your mind. And honestly, it wasn’t wrong. You did have stuff to do in the daycare. They just weren’t Faz-tasks.
Pamela raised her eyebrow. “In the daycare? That place has been closed for months. No one even uses the theatre or party rooms anymore.”
Shit. “Yeah, well, uh—doesn’t mean there aren’t problems!” You laugh nervously. “Like, uh, that animatronic in there. There’s probably a ton of problems with him, being all stuck in there.” Stop talking stop talking stop talking—
“Wait, you mean the Daycare Attendant?” For once, Pamela’s neutral expression broke into surprise. “They’re still up and running?”
“Uh... y-yeah.” You were also surprised. “They’ve... been active this whole time. Shouldn’t you know that? As the head animatronic technician?”
“I’m fairly new to the job, to be honest,” Pamela said. She ran a hand through her dark, curly hair. “I was working here while the Daycare was open, but I assumed that they’d shut down the Attendant when it closed. Maybe even scrapped them. Shit. You’re right, they probably have a lot of problems if they’ve been active this whole time. Hang on. I can help. Give me a moment.” She walked over to one of the rooms along the edge of the main Parts and Service hub.
“Oh. Well...” You wanted to say ‘that’s probably not a good idea, Sun has anxiety issues that probably wouldn’t be helped by the head technician appearing, and Moon is still a wildcard who might attack you.’ But what you actually said was “Yeah. Sure, come on.”
“Great.” Pamela ducked inside the room, then reappeared with a red duffel bag slung over her shoulder. She shoved a weird two-pronged tool into the bag and zipped it up. “You lead the way.”
The walk to the Daycare was awkward. You couldn’t really think of anything to say so you didn’t say anything. Pamela didn’t start a conversation, either. But you couldn’t help but feel you should be talking. If not to make small talk with your boss—she’s your boss, right?—then to explain what’s been going on with Sun and Moon. At least let her know about your quest to reopen the Daycare. But how the hell are you supposed to say that?! ‘Hey I know that kids were hurt and went missing in the daycare but I want to make it so they can go in again because I’m emotionally attached to the Daycare Attendant’? That sounded insane.
Eventually, you arrived. “Hey, um...” you said, finally finding your voice. “Do you mind if I head in first and tell S—the Daycare Attendant that you’re coming?”
“Sure.” Pamela nodded. “Going to slide in?” She pointed at the ‘Slide Into Fun!’ sign.
“Wha—no, of course not!” Though you still wanted to try that sometime. “We’ll just... walk down to the doors.”
You quickly walked down the stairs, Pamela behind you, and up to the big wooden doors. Pamela hung back as you pushed open one of them and ducked into the play area.
“Welcome back, friend!” Sun was straightening the barrels again, but he jumped up as soon as he saw you. “They really keep you busy, don’t they?”
“They really do.” You sighed. “Uh, Sun. So. I ran into someone, and I-I might have mentioned I was going to the daycare, and... well, someone else is coming. Is that okay?”
“Oh! Yes, of course, I’d love to meet another new friend!” Sun visibly perked up. He practically ran over to the door and skidded to a halt, bouncing with excitement. “Who is it? Are they going to help us?”
“Um... maybe. I-it’s the head technician.”
Sun instantly froze. “It is?”
“Y-yeah, I... mentioned you and how you’ve been, uh... active this whole time, and how that might mean, uh... problems. With...” You gestured vaguely at him. “...with your body. Like, joints and stuff. So—”
You were interrupted by the sound of the wooden doors opening. Spinning around, you saw Pamela shoving her way inside. “Heavy, huh?” she grunted. “Don’t think a kid could open these. Seems a bit stupid for a daycare.”
“Pamela! Hi!” You gave her a little wave. “Uh, so—this is Sun. I mean, you said you knew about him, but this is him. Sun, this is Pamela.”
“Hey.” Pamela walked over to the desk, letting the door close on its own.
You glanced at Sun. He wasn’t saying anything, staring at Pamela. Then he started. “Oh! You’re new!” he said. “Hello, friend! Welcome to the Superstar Daycare!” He gave a big, sweeping wave over his head.
“Hey. Thanks.” Pamela nodded. She cleared a spot on the desk, pushing aside the random stuff on top, and set her duffel bag down on top of it. “I saw you around before. But you looked different.”
“O-oh, really?” Sun dropped his hand. “Well, I’m not the only Daycare Attendant! There’s also... Moon.”
“Yeah, them. Or... him?” Pamela looked at you as she unzipped her bag. “You used ‘him’, right?”
“Uh, yeah, they’re both ‘him’s,” you said, a bit surprised at Pamela asking. You weren’t expecting her to clarify Sun and Moon’s pronouns. “They, uh... they share the same body, but when it’s light, it’s Sun, and when it’s dark, it’s Moon.”
“Really?” Pamela tilted her head, curious. “Two AIs in one body. With a light trigger. That has to be hard to code.” She glanced at Sun, giving him a quick once-over, then looked down and took something out of her bag. You recognized it as a laptop case. “Impressive.”
“Oh.Th-thank you?” Sun sounded a bit uncertain. He probably wasn’t sure how to reply. You reach over and grab his hand supportively. His head turned to look at you, and then he gently clasped your hand as well.
"You mind if I ask you some questions, Sun?" Pamela said. She unzipped her laptop case and took out the computer inside. It was unusually colored: pink and white with a big bow decal on the back.
“Yes of course! I mean, no! I-! mean, I don’t mind at all! Ask away.” Sun gave a little laugh. He was once again swaying slightly on his feet.
“Great.” Pamela looked down at her computer screen, typing and clicking. “You’ve been here in the daycare the whole time?”
“Yep! But... Moon’s able to go out and about. The roaming protocols were restricted for me, but not for him.”
“How have you not run out of charge?”
Sun paused. “W-well, there’s a charging cable in our room that I use. I always use it! Always. Always. Just in case someone shows up!” There was a manic hint in Sun’s voice that worried you. You squeezed his hand, wondering if he would even feel that. He did, and he gave a slight—very slight—squeeze back.
“Hmm.” Pamela nodded. “Have you been especially active while you’re in here?”
“Sometimes! More now that my new friend’s been checking in on me!”
Oh shit that was you. You stiffened a bit as Pamela turned her attention to you. “I mean—I-I’ve been coming in... occasionally...” you said. “To... see how things are going.” You noticed Sun’s face rotate, as if confused. But he didn’t say anything.
“Hmm. That explains why you knew the Attendant was still active.” Pamela looked back at the computer screen. “Sun, have you had any trouble? Stiff movement, broken parts? Software errors?”
Sun hesitated. He looked at you, as if silently asking permission. You thought about it, then shrugged, unsure if Pamela should know about Moon’s possible glitch. Sun looked back at Pamela. “Nope! I’ve been having no issues! None at all! Perfectly functional!” That might have been a bit of an overcorrection. “N-no need to check anything!” That was definitely an overcorrection.
"Calm down, Sun," you whispered.
"Right, right, sorry!" he whisper-shouted back.
"Don’t apologize, nothing was wrong, it’s just—”
“I can hear you, you know,” Pamela interrupted.
Both you and Sun stiffened. “Uh, sorry!” you said. “We weren’t ignoring you or anything—”
“It’s fine, I’m checking some information, anyway,” Pamela said. “Old stuff. Schematics. Shit, this file is dense.”
“No swearing in the daycare, new friend!” Sun said automatically.
You were more concerned with something else. “Wait, you’re looking at Sun’s blueprints?”
“Well I’m not exactly familiar with his design,” Pamela said. “It’s pretty different from the Glamrocks I’m used to. There’s some coding data here, too, but it’s way too much for me to look at right now. Not to mention everything else in this file. Really big ‘Incidents’ section.”
You looked at Sun, trying to gauge his reaction. It’s hard to read with his never-changing expression. But he was holding your hand pretty tight. Not tight enough to hurt, but it’s definitely noticeable. “Uh, let’s focus on one thing at a time,” you said.
“Right.” Pamela nodded. “I’ll trust what you say, Sun.”
“You will?!” Sun sounded surprised. He hurried to cover it up. “Well thank you, new friend! It’s always good to trust each other!”
“Not always,” Pamela muttered darkly. You almost couldn’t hear her. But she, too, quickly moved on to cover it up. “There’s just one thing I want to check. I want to see what happens when you switch into night mode. Then ask Moon some questions, since he has different features that might need maintenance.”
Silence. “You... want to see Moon?” Sun asked. His posture was stiff, worried.
“Yeah.”
“Um...” You raised a hand to get attention. “Moon is... Moon’s kind of... unpredictable. He, uh—”
“Yeah, I know the basics,” Pamela said. “Don’t worry. There’s a note here that the Daycare Attendant can’t roam behind the security desk in the daycare. I don’t think that’s changed.”
You look at Sun. “Is that true?”
“That’s very true, friend!” Sun agreed. He relaxed. “I-it will probably be fine if you and Ms. Brooks stay behind there. Besides, that’s where the lights are.”
“Oh. Okay. So... are you good with going lights-off right now, then?” you asked. “It’s okay if you’re not. Pamela can come back some other time.”
“No no, it will be fine.” Sun put his hands on his shoulders and turned you so you were facing the light controls. “Go ahead! J-just remember to turn the lights on again soon! The lights are supposed to be on during daytime.”
“I remember, Sun.” You turned back and gave him a smile and a thumbs-up. “I’ll turn them on really quick. It’ll be alright. Don’t worry.”
“I-I won’t.”
You walked towards the light controls, leaving Sun standing there, fidgeting again. “On three,” you said to him and Pamela. “One... two... three!” And you hit the button.
The darkness was instant. You hurried over to the desk, where Pamela’s laptop screen was now the only source of light in the daycare. With its glow and the light coming in through the glass around the play area, you could see the transformation starting. It wasn’t as... intense as the last one you saw. Probably because Sun wasn’t screaming. But the mechanical noises and jittering animatronic limbs was still upsetting to see. Sun fell over right as you reached Pamela’s side. And didn’t stand up again.
“Hello?” you called.
A blue-and-white hand grabbed the edge of the desk. Then another. And then Moon’s face slowly rose over the edge. “Naughty naughty,” he said. “Not naptime yet.”
“You don’t sound too upset at that,” you said casually.
Moon chuckled. In one smooth motion he jumped onto the edge of the desk, crouching on its surface. His red eyes landed on you, but then he quickly noticed Pamela and turned to stare at her. Was it just your imagination, or did you notice Moon tense up?
“So you’re Moon.” Pamela was shockingly calm given that a giant animatronic with freaky red eyes was only a foot away from her face. “I’m Pamela. I’m the head technician here. Your friend—” Her head jerked towards you “—told me that you and Sun were still active, which I didn’t know.”
Moon’s face swiveled over to you. “You told?”
“No!” You raised your hands defensively. “I just—mentioned I was going to the Daycare and—and things just sort of spiraled from there.” You glanced at Pamela. “Not that I was going to keep them a secret from you or anything—"
“It’s fine,” Pamela said, doing stuff with her laptop. You glanced at the screen and saw dense text paired up with a drawing of the Daycare Attendant’s inner workings. “I’m just here to check that everything’s still functioning with you. Is it?”
Moon didn’t answer. But he did return to looking at Pamela instead of you, which was relieving. He leaned forward, inching his face closer to hers. Pamela, to her credit, didn’t flinch.
“You know, I don’t think... Moon talks a lot,” you said haltingly.
“That’s fine. I work with the DJ sometimes, he doesn’t talk at all. I can work with this.” Pamela clicked to a different page on her laptop. “Sun said that he didn’t notice any problems. So it’s probably okay. But it says here that the two of them have different features and protocols, so there’s always a chance something’s gone wrong with their individual systems. I’d like to know if that’s the case, Moon.”
Moon’s head twitched. “All fine.”
Bullshit.
“Alright, then.” Pamela nodded. “It’s always good to run a check-up anyway, so if you two ever want to come down to Parts and Service—"
Moon leaned even closer to her. “All. Fine.” His voice was a low growl.
Pamela finally reacted, but only to lean backwards. “If you say so. In that case, there’s nothing more for me to do right now.” She shut her laptop and looked at you. “I don’t want to get in the way of whatever you were doing here. You can handle it, right?”
“Uhhh yeah.” You glanced at Moon. “I can take care of myself.”
“Great.” She put her laptop back into the case, and put that back in her duffel bag. “I’ll leave you here.” And she promptly walked away. Pamela wasn’t much for small talk, was she?
With Pamela now leaving, Moon turned his attention to you. He leaned closer. Unlike Pamela, you weren’t confident enough to stay in place while that happened, and took a couple steps backwards. “You told,” Moon said.
“I didn’t mean to,” you insisted. “She just started asking questions and I-I panicked. And I can’t tell her to not do something, she’s, like, technically in charge of me, so when she invited herself along—Why do you care, anyway?” You folded your arms. “Is it because you don’t want anyone knowing what the hell your deal is?”
“No swearing in the daycare,” Moon said.
“You do that, too? Well, I guess it must be in your programming or whatever.” You sighed. “Look. I’m not gonna tell Pamela anything you don’t want her to know. But she is the head technician. It might be good to have her on our side. Why are you so—so—weird about what’s happening?”
Moon’s face rotated. You could have sworn he looked thoughtful. “Naughty kids must be punished.”
“Okay. What does that mean in this context?”
Before Moon could say anything else, the lights in the Daycare all turned on again. “No!” He jerked backwards, falling off his perch on the desk. “No more lights! No more naps!” Mechanical clacking sounds filled the air. Moon slammed his head against the side of the desk, dislodging everything as he growled and struggled. And then everything stopped.
“Moon? Sun?” You leaned over the desk and saw Sun lying on the floor on his back. “Are you okay?”
Sun was quiet for a moment. Then he gave you a thumbs-up. “I’m in tip-top shape, friend!” he said in an overly-cheerful tone.
“Hah. Right.” You turned back around to look at the light switch. Pamela was standing there with her hand on the button. “Uh—Pamela, I—maybe you should warn us next time?”
“Sorry.” Her hand dropped to her side. “I didn’t think it would be that... difficult.”
Sun popped up. “Oh, it’s quite alright! All good here!”
“Right.” Pamela nodded slowly. “Hey, actually. You.” She looked at you. “Can I talk to you for a second? Out here?”
“Uhhh... ssssure.” You gave Sun an apologetic glance and made your way over. “This’ll only take a second.”
“Oh. Okay! Of course. Be back soon!”
“Definitely.” You waved, and then followed Pamela out through the big wooden doors. They closed solidly behind you.
Pamela paused for a moment, staring at the doors. Then nodded and looked at you. “So something’s definitely wrong with them.”
Your stomach dropped. “What? What do you mean?” you asked, trying to sound casual about it.
“Well first of all, no animatronics should be making those clacking and rattling sounds when they move,” Pamela said. “They’re designed to be quiet. But that’s probably just due to a lack of cleaning and proper maintenance. The light trigger is what really worries me. It shouldn’t be that... that...” She paused. “It should be a lot smoother.”
“W-well, uh, they’ve been transforming like that the, uh... the whole time I’ve seen them,” you said slowly.
“Hmm.” Pamela pressed her lips together. “I’m just saying. I don’t know if they’re aware of it, since they both said everything was fine, but something’s probably gone wrong with the software or the actual physical mechanisms. I could issue a Service Ticket for them. But I don’t like to do that unless everyone’s on the same page.” She jerked her head back to the doors. “I don’t really care what you do in there with them. But if you could, at any point, convince them to come down for some simple maintenance, that would be great.”
“Uh...” You weren’t sure how to respond to this. “Yeah. I can... I’ll try.”
“Great.” Pamela nodded. “I’ll see you around.” She spun around and left.
“Uh—see you!” you shouted after her. You watched her walk up the staircase and disappear, then you turned around to look back at the play area entrance. A moment passed. Then you sighed and headed back in.
“Is everything okay, friend?” Sun was waiting right outside the doors. “Are you in trouble? Are we in trouble?!”
“Everything’s fine, don’t worry,” you reassured him.
“Oh good!” Sun’s shoulders slumped in relief. “What was that all about, then?”
“Uh... I’ll tell you later,” you said slowly. “For now,” you tapped your FazWatch, “I’m finally on break, so this can’t drag me away. Is there anything you want to do?”
“Oh there’s so much!” Sun gasped. “We can keep fixing things up around here, but no, you probably don’t want to work on your break, do you, friend? We can play a game! I need to practice for playtime again! Oh, no, wait! You should eat something! You’ve been working so hard, you should have something nice while you have a chance.”
“Right, right.” You nodded. “I did pack a lunch. Almost forgot about it.”
“Never forget to eat, friend! Food is the fuel to keep you going!”
You laughed. “Is that a line you used on the kids?”
“Sometimes, but it’s true!”
“It really is.” You set your backpack on the desk, opening it up and rummaging around inside—being careful not to fold Sun’s drawing from earlier. “I’ll eat and we can talk, then once my break is over we’ll see if I have any new tasks.”
“Sounds good to me!” Sun said.
Unfortunately, the tasks did draw you away again after your break, but at least you had fifteen minutes of peace. Sun seemed eager to forget about what just happened with Pamela so he encouraged you to talk about whatever was on your mind. Which was mostly video games. Afterwards, you headed back into the Pizzaplex, where you stayed busy until it was time to go home.
You didn’t forget about what Pamela said about maintenance. She was right; Sun and Moon needed to have someone look at them. They’d been left alone for so long that they probably had a ton of problems, even if they functioned fine. But neither of them wanted it. Moon didn’t like talking about his problems in the first place, and Sun... well, he might go along with your suggestion, but he was clearly anxious about the whole thing. Was he afraid? Were they both afraid? Of what? Maybe... of what the check-up would find?
It was hard to figure out. But you would tell them about Pamela’s suggestion soon. Maybe some maintenance would help them both.
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reasonsilovemywife · 2 years
Text
Remembered I Owe You A Story
My beautiful bride is on her way back from a visit with her sister and mother.  This reminds me I need to tell you about the first time we met in person.   If you go way back I told the story that we first “met” playing online games and after a what seemed like an eternity, we were finally able to meet in person.  It was her birthday weekend, her parents had agreed to watch the kids for a long weekend and I bought her a round trip ticket for her.  My biological child was with his mother that weekend, so we had the house to ourselves.  The week leading up to her trip, she mentioned she had some chocolate covered espresso beans from Starbucks and they were good.  I was trying to find some cool deserts and snacks so I bought a couple boxes and since I had to make sure I liked them to work with the dessert I was whipping up, I opened one box and ate some.  They were REALLY good.  I ended up eating damn near the whole box.  I do not recommend that.  I think I gave myself heart palpitations from that one.  hahaha As a single dad, I tried to keep the house clean in general, but again, the week leading up to the trip I scrubbed from top to bottom to make sure things were OK.  She had mentioned she gets cold when she sleeps, especially her feet.  So I folded a thick blanket for the bottom half of the bed and put it under my regular top comforter to make sure her feet didn’t get cold at night. The day of the flight, we talked as she drove to the airport, talked while she was going through the airport to her flight.  Then when she boarded the plane I went ahead and left to go to the airport to pick her up.  Please note - it takes me just under an hour to get tot he airport  The flight is two hours.  I left a literal hour early to make sure I got there on time and didn’t miss anything.  What if there was a wreck or something?  No way I was going to be late. She calls me, says she’s landed and working her way through the airport to baggage claim.  The Atlanta Airport has tunnels and mini-subway to move folks from one area to the other so there’s no cell signal (back in the day there, anyway) and so we had to stop talking.  At this point, my heart is racing 1,000 miles an hour.  What’s taking her so long?  She should have come up those escalators by now.  Is she OK?  Did she get cold feet and turn around?  DID SHE GET KIDNAPPED OH MY GOD.... Instead of talking the airport trains, she decided to walk, not realizing the Atlanta Airport is one of the largest in the world -hahahha.   But I get a call - “I think I’m here - there’s escalators here” my heart is going to explode at this point.  180 beats per minute, at least.  “Yeah,” I say, “That’s it....” And I see her.  There’s three escalators coming up here, carrying all the people up and I’m scanning each one back and forth like watching a tennis match.  And.... Holy shit.  How is she even more beautiful than her pictures?  None of the photo’s captured how her hair glowed, how it swayed when she walked.  They didn’t adequately show the way her eyes radiated, the way the corners of her mouth turned up when she started to smile, her smooth, lush skin.   Then I saw her walk.  She had this swagger that just mesmerized me.  A swagger that was accented by her big black boots.  Her jeans were just tight enough.  Her shirt was just low enough with this sheer part that just.... just damn.  We walked towards each other, embraced, and had our first kiss right there in the middle of the airport.  We were in the way of everyone walking, so I stopped the kiss and moved us over to the side, and kissed again.   We walked hand in hand to my truck.  She was wearing this big black leather coat because it was super cold in the Appalachian Mountains, but was 60 degrees here in Atlanta.  She made me turn the air conditioning on, hahahah.  We got home, and I made her my world famous Lemon Pepper Chicken,  Ratatouille for a side with twice baked potatoes and for dessert, I made chocolate covered strawberries, kiwi slices, and dark chocolate covered espresso beans - the same beans that gave me heart palpitations earlier in the week.  Yes, I forced myself to wait until after dinner before we headed to the bedroom and spent the rest of the evening together. 
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watchmegetobsessed · 3 years
Text
TO LOVE AND BE LOVED - Part Six (Harry Styles)
a/n: LAST PART OMG!! im a little emotional this story has come to its end but it already ended up like twice as long as i planned it to be haha! thank you so much for reading and loving the story, it means so much to me and i loved seeing your reactions as the plot developped! i hope you guys will be happy with the ending our pair got and i can’t wait to read your thoughts about the series as a whole!!
pairing: CEO!Dad!Harry X Reader
warning: mentions of death, cheating and divorce, sexual content
word count: 14.8k
SERIES MASTERPOST masterlist
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Waking up next to Harry is probably your most favorite thing in the entire world right now and you’ve been able to experience it every morning since you dropped Izzy off at Anne’s. You’re missing her like crazy and can’t wait to have her back, but part of you is desperate to stretch these days as long as possible, because you’re not sure if Harry will be comfortable with you sleeping in his room once his little one is back under the roof.
It’s always the same, yet you can’t get enough of it. Harry grumbles as he turns the alarm off, snuggles back to you for just a few minutes before he forces himself to take a shower. In the meantime you start breakfast and his coffee waits for him ready by the time he joins you in the kitchen. You eat together, sometimes talking, sometimes just silently enjoying each other’s presence and it’s the perfect way to start your days.
Then Harry is off to work and you go for whatever shooting you had planned for the day. Luckily, you’ve been keeping yourself busy. If your day ended early, you always found something else to do, you picked Trevor up another time and also managed to have lunch with Harry on Thursday which was such a nice change, even if it was just eating takeout in his office because you were in the neighborhood and he had some time to see you.
Now it’s Friday and you’re spending it with some editing and eventually packing, since you’re leaving to the countryside for Sarah and Mitch’s wedding when Harry comes home. You’ve been looking forward to this weekend all week, you had a few phone calls with Sarah and the two of you hit it off quite well, you can’t wait to finally attend the wedding. And also because Harry is coming with you, so it’ll be a kind of weekend getaway even though the two of you have been alone home all week.
Harry runs a little late from work so you leave about an hour later than you planned, but it’s all good, since nothing is planned for the evening, you just wanted to be at the location on time. It’s going to be a small wedding, nothing extra and it’s held in an inn near the beach, the perfect spot in your opinion, especially because even the weather seems to be celebration the occasion and it won’t be raining cats and dogs.
Heather: A double date? I don’t know, who’s the guy?
You’re texting Heather in the car and you finally bring up the possibility of going on a double date with Niall.
Y/N: Photo attachment
Y/N: He is a cool guy, I think you would like him!
Heather: He surely is hot! Alright, we’ll see. Anyway, have fun with your super hot and rich boyfriend this weekend! Tell me all about the wedding next week!
Y/N: Thanks!
Your eyes scan over the word boyfriend. You didn’t want to correct her and tell her that you are not boyfriend and girlfriend, just dating, because you kind of enjoy the thought of being an official item. It’s been just a few weeks since it all started and you know that Harry needs to take things in his own pace, but that doesn’t mean you don’t like to play with the thought.
You’re aching to finally call him your boyfriend or what’s better, hear him call you his girlfriend. The thought of calling this man yours is making you go nuts but you need to be patient with him. He has gone through so much change lately, you can’t let your silliness ruin it for the both of you.
It’s late by the time you arrive to the Inn and you both feel exhausted from the ride so you want nothing else than to get a good night sleep before the wedding tomorrow.
“I’m so glad you’re here!” Sarah greets the two of you when you walk into the Inn. She envelopes you in a warm hug before doing the same with Harry. IN the meanwhile, Mitch has also appeared and he greets you with a short hug as well before giving a brotherly hug to Harry. “Had a safe ride?”
“Yeah, everything went fine,” you nod smiling.
“Great. Well, here is your room key, made sure you two are getting one of the larger rooms,” Sara smiles slyly, but you’re taken aback by something else.
“We’re sharing a room?” you ask turning to Harry, who seems nervous about your question, though it wasn’t your intention to make him ashamed in any kind of way.
“Oh, yeah. I mean, Sarah asked me this week which room I want and I told her we would be sharing… Is that okay? We-we could ask for a room for you as well if y—“ “Harry,” you chuckles softly, giving his hand a squeeze. “I would love to share, I just wasn’t expecting you to want to do the same is all,” you tell him and you can see the relief in his eyes instantly.
You talk over a few things with Sarah before taking your stuff up to the room and calling it a night. Harry takes a shower first in the small bathroom that’s joined to your room and in the meantime you hang your dress up so it doesn’t get too wrinkly by the morning. Then you just get all your equipment done, making sure everything is full and loaded for the big day tomorrow. When Harry is done you take your turn and the hot shower feels nice, quite relaxing. Walking out you find Harry lying in bed, typing on his phone, he smiles up at you when you join him in bed.
“My mum sent me this. They went to the park today.” He turns the screen towards you and a photo of Izzy is shown with ice-cream all over her face, grinning happily into the camera.
“She could literally live on ice-cream,” you chuckle, making yourself comfortable under the sheets.
“And gummy bears,” Harry chuckles before locking his phone and putting it to the side table. He is quick to wrap his arms around you, pulling you against his side and you smile as you snuggle to him, enjoying the heat of his body. “Good night, love,” he murmurs, pressing a soft kiss to the top of your head.
“Good night, H,” you softly reply before letting yourself drift to sleep within seconds.
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You already have a lot of experience with weddings and no matter how big or small it is, the day is always a little bit chaotic, everyone is all over the place, there’s no time for just messing around, especially for you.
Following a nice breakfast with Harry on the tiny balcony that’s connected to your room, you are forced to part since Harry is supposed to be with all the other guys, getting ready in the room that’s reserved for Mitch, while you kind of need to be everywhere at the same time, but you obviously spend the most time with Sarah, wanting to capture all her best moments.
Sometime around noon you get about an hour off while everyone else is getting lunch and Harry texts you to join him on the mole down the beach that runs just below the inn. When you arrive he is already sitting on one of the old wood benches with a pizza box on his lap.
“Hey,” you smile softly and leaning down you peck his lips quickly before joining him on the bench.
“The boy ordered pizza and I got one for us too, hope it’s okay.”
“Of course, I didn’t even think about lunch until you texted,” you chuckle as he settles the box between the two of you and you both take a slice.
“So how are the photos coming up so far?”
“Good, I’ll have a ton of editing to do, but I think they will like the outcome.”
“Can I have a sneak peek of them?” he smirks playfully, but you shake your head.
“No, the first ones to see them will be Sarah and Mitch, sorry,” you chuckle as he pouts his lips at you, but goes back to his slice right after.
You both are just enjoying the quiet for a little, having had a busy day so far, exchanging very few words, but it’s still a nice time spent together. It is just the two of you until a guy approaches you on the mole.
“Hey guys! Mitch wondered where you went, H,” he smirks down at Harry before his eyes land on you. He is tall, but not as tall as Harry, rocking a noticeable beard and he is wearing the same outfit as Harry: maroon pants with a crispy white dress shirt. “Oh, you’re the photographer, right?” he smiles at you.
“Yeah, I’m Y/N,” you answer nicely, holding out a hand for him.
“I’m Landon, Mitch’s cousin,” he nods with a charming smile. “Sorry for interrupting your lunch guys. Just wanted to let you know that Mitch wants to do a round of shots when everyone’s back,” he chuckles.
“He is gonna be so hammered,” Harry chuckles shaking his head. “I’ll be back soon, thanks Landon.”
“No worries. I’ll see you around, Y/N,” he smiles at you before turning around and walking back to the inn. You catch Harry’s eyes for a moment and you have a guess what he is thinking about. Landon seemed to like you, with his flirty smiles and friendly introduction, he was surely thinking about shooting his shot, but he might not know that you’re dating Harry.
However he doesn’t say anything, just continues to eat his lunch in silence and quite frankly, you forget about Landon’s existence pretty fast.
After lunch it gets a bit hectic. The ceremony is starting at 3, so you don’t have much time left. You do the first look reveal thing and this time their son, James is included in it, which is honestly such a pure moment and capturing it feels like a privilege.
Soon enough the guests are starting to arrive and you quickly run up to the room to change into your dress. Most of the time you are not required to dress up for the job, but you like to blend into the crowd so you usually choose to wear a nice dress and you’re doing the same this time as well. You’ve brought a pastel yellow satin dress that teases a little cleavage, and you pair it with a cream colored cardigan, creating a simple but still elegant look for the rest of the day. You’re fixing your makeup in a hurry when the door opens and Harry walks in.
He immediately stops in his tracks upon seeing you in front of the mirror, his eyes traveling down the lengths of your body, a stunned expression adorning his handsome features.
“Sorry, I didn’t know you were… in here,” he mumbles and you can see the blush forming on his cheeks. “You look… You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” you chuckle softly. He takes a few steps closer to you and reaching up he brushes a loose strand of hair behind your ear, his fingers leaving a trail of delicate touch on the side of your face.
Leaning down his lips hover over yours for a moment, as if he was giving you the chance to pull back, but who are you to deny anything from Harry Styles? So when you stay in place, he finally presses his lips to yours in a slow and tender kiss filled with passion. His hands cup your face in his and you bring yours up to wrap around his wrists as you kiss him back, already craving more than just a kiss.
But it feels like you are not the only one growing hungrier with the seconds, one of Harry’s hands wander down to your butt and you feel his palm’s warmth through the thin layer of your dress, though you wish there was nothing between his skin and yours. When he starts kissing down your jawline and neck, pushing you backwards you hate to break the moment, but there’s no time for any funny business. So painfully, but you pull back, already missing his lips on yours.
“I would really love to continue this, but I need to be with Sarah in about three minutes,” you chuckle softly.
“Yeah, I need to get back to Mitch too,” he sighs, pecking the corner of your mouth before his arms fall from around you.
“I’ll see you later, yeah?” you smile up at him, fixing the collar of his shirt.
“Yeah,” he smiles with a boyish smile before you part ways again.
All through the ceremony you are kind of all over the place, trying to get the best shots, you don’t have much time to spare. Sarah’s entrance with her dad and James walking down the aisle is so beautiful and you get some amazing shots of Mitch’s emotions upon seeing his future wife. They tell their vows, touching every guest with their sweet words to each other and then they finally say ‘I do’ and become husband and wife.
You snap a series of photos of that moment as well, but then you allow yourself to peek over at Harry who is already watching you with a soft smile. You can feel yourself blushing, his gaze is warm but also quite intimidating in this sentimental moment.
And then the party finally starts. You try to follow the newly weds around as much as possible, but you also get around the tent, shooting pictures of the guests as well. You only get to have a few moments with Harry, because either you need to rush off or sometimes someone finds him and wants to have a few words. He is quite popular among the guests, but it’s no surprise. You’d want to have the chance to talk to him too if you saw him.
“Have you even had a bite yet?” A male voice calls out for you when you’re trying to sneak from one point to the other. Glancing over your shoulder you see Landon with a drink in his hand.
“I’ll eat later. The dance is about to happen so I need to be ready for that,” you smile at him.
“Mitch told me they found a really good photographer, but he surely forgot to mention how devoted you are. I’m excited to see the photos.”
“Thanks, I’m trying my best,” you chuckle.
“Save me a dance later?”
“Oh, um, sure,” you nod with a nervous chuckle. “But I really gotta go now,” you excuse yourself before he could even get another word out.
As you slalom between the tables you spot Harry sitting at one of them and he is staring at Landon from across the room, a not too friendly look plastered across his face. You wonder if he has seen you talking to him and now he is feeling jealous or if you’re just seeing things. But you don’t have much time to ponder on it, work is calling you.
As the happy couple share their first dance, soon enough more and more guests join them and you’re standing at the side, snapping the cute dance partners slow dancing to the music with Sarah and Mitch in the middle. You’re adjusting the settings on your camera, when a tall figure appears in front of you.
“May I have a dance?” Harry asks, holding out a hand for you like a true gentleman.
“Oh, I should—“
“If you are about to say you should be taking pictures, the bride told me to ask you,” he tells you with a soft chuckle and as your eyes fall on Sarah, she is smiling in your way happily, nodding her approval to get off duty for just a little.
“Then, I would love to,” you smile shyly, taking Harry’s hand as he takes you to the dance floor. Placing his hands to your waist he pulls you close to him while you rest your arms around his neck, swaying to the rhythm very gently.
“I always get a little emotional at weddings,” he confesses with a small smile.
“Yeah? Why?”
“I don’t know,” he shrugs. “I just… love seeing people in love. Especially when they are my friends,” he adds chuckling.
“It really is a nice thing.”
Harry pulls you tighter against him, his cheek pressing against the side of your head and you let your eyes fall closed for a few seconds, enjoying this moment with him. He starts to softly him the song and his voice flows through your ears smoothly, you’re in awe how good his voice is. He never told you he is a good singer too above being an amazing producer.
When the song ends some couples stay, but some make their way off the dance floor and you have to get back to your job as well. Leaning back you squeeze Harry’s arm as his hands fall from your frame too.
“Save a slice from the cake for me,” you smile at him and he nods with a smirk.
“I will. I’ll have it ready for you at the table.”
You place a short kiss to his cheek before you disappear from his sight, leaving him alone again.
The night carries on as usual, sometime after dinner your phone dies so you leave it on the charger up in your room before running back down. The party starts to unfold as the time passes, more drinks are being consumed and this is kind of your secret favorite part, because the more people drink, the more they are willing to pose for funny pictures. This is the time that births the best group photos, in your opinion.
Though you are having an amazing time, you can feel yourself growing tired. When it’s finally cake time you take some time off to sit with Harry who saved you a slice, just as you asked him. It’s nice to have a breather, just enjoy the evening with him by your side again.
“Mm, didn’t know you could eat icing without getting it all over my face,” you tease him, referring back to the time you made such a mess out of the kitchen when you tried to make cupcakes for him.
“Very funny,” he narrows his eyes at you, before dipping his finger into the icing and wiping it onto your nose.
“Hey!” you pout at him, cleaning it up, but he just smirks at you playfully before pecking your lips shortly. It’s the first time he is kissing you in with so many people around and it surely makes you giddy, knowing that he is not trying to hide you in any way.
Weddings are a lot of fun, but they always stretch so long. The party can last till the morning sometimes and you can’t just decide to call it a night and stop doing your job, you need to be there until the DJ shuts the music off and all guests disappear. And it seems like this wedding won’t be any shorter either.
It’s already past midnight when you decide to sneak out for a short break. You’ve been on your feet for way too long and you stole some food too. You hesitated if you should sit back to your table, but you felt like you could use some quiet so you left the tent and found a bench nearby.
As you sit and eat the food you snatched from the buffet table, you hope the party won’t last until the Sun comes up. You get so into your own little world that you almost don’t even notice the approaching tall figure.
“Having a break, huh?” Landon calls out as the gravel crunches under his fancy dress shoes.
“Ah, yeah. I needed a few minutes away from the music,” you chuckle softly. Landon stops in front of you and hides his hands in his pockets as he blinks down at you with tired looking eyes. It might be from the long night, but you are guessing the drinks he’s been consuming don’t help his energy either.
“May I say that you look really pretty? I haven’t been to many weddings yet, but the photographers went for the more comfortable look since they are not on the photos, but you chose to glam yourself.”
“Thanks,” you chuckle softly. “I like to blend into the guests.”
“Well, you don’t blend in this way either, because you look prettier than most women in that tent,” he compliments you and you’re starting to feel awkward. It’s not that you don’t like it when someone is talking highly of you, but it’s obvious what Landon wants and you are definitely not on the same page.
“Um, thank you.”
“I’m sorry if I come off too brash or pushy, but I promised myself I would never miss a chance to compliment a pretty woman when I see one.”
“That’s nice, but I’m afraid I’m not the right person to spend your energy on,” you answer with a tight-lipped smile. Landon narrows his eyes at you, but keeps his playful manner.
“So you don’t find me good-looking, is that it?” he teases and you shake your head with a soft chuckle.
“That’s not what I was talking about.”
“Then you like to break hearts, right? You must enjoy making men fall for you,” he carries on with his little joke and just as you’re about to speak up to tell him you are seeing someone, Harry’s familiar deep voice interrupts the conversation.
“There you are, I’ve been calling you.” He is talking to you, but his eyes are clearly glued to the man standing in front of you.
“Oh, my phone is in the room, I had to charge it,” you tell him.
“What are you guys doing out here?” he asks, clearly not liking the situation, you and Landon alone outside with no one else around. Jealousy is dripping from his eyes that appear so much darker now in the dim lighting.
“I’ve been dumped by this amazing woman right here,” Landon sighs dramatically and Harry cocks an eyebrow at him before glancing over at you.
“Oh, is that so?”
“Yeah, she is clearly not interested in me, my charm didn’t work on her,” he laughs lightheartedly.
“I hope it didn’t because she is my girlfriend,” Harry answers simply and your lips part at what he just called you.
Landon stumbles back, his smile quickly vanishes from his face as he stares back at Harry. You feel like you’re watching some kind of documentary movie where male animals are trying to win over the female, only that Landon stands no chance in this situation, but you find it quite funny.
“Man, I-I’m sorry, I didn’t—I didn’t know!” he apologizes right away as he realizes why Harry has been kind of spicy around him. Landon then faces you. “Y/N, I didn’t mean to make it awkward and all that, I’m really sorry.”
“It’s fine,” you smile at him nicely. He mumbles something about checking up on Mitch before walking away, leaving you and Harry alone. He joins you on the bench, staring after Landon for a few moments before turning to face you. A much softer expression is showing on his face this time.
“So, you just called me your girlfriend,” you point out, trying your best to hold your growing smirk back.
“I, uhh—I did, didn’t I?” he chuckles nervously. “I’m sorry, it just slipped out, because I didn’t like how Landon was trying to chat you up all night…”
“So you didn’t…. You didn’t mean it?” you ask, furrowing your eyebrows, feeling yourself growing disappointed.
“Well, I… I mean, I didn’t mean to say it like that, without discussing it with you, but… I would love to call you my girlfriend,” he admits shyly and you can’t believe that this nervous man next to you is the same man who owns a record label and manages his million dollars business every day without a problem.
“I like the sound of that,” you smirk, leaning closer to him so your noses are almost touching.
“Yeah?” he smiles, a lot more relieved and playfully than he was a moment ago.
“Mhm,” you nod, biting your lip. You blindly put your plate to the side before cupping his face in both of your hands and pulling him in for a kiss, your first one as boyfriend and girlfriend. Part of you feels silly that it makes you so ecstatic, like you’re a high school girl, but in this moment you couldn’t care less.
What starts as a sweet and innocent kiss quickly turns into something more, something heated. When Harry’s hands find your bare thighs and they slightly slide under your dress you can’t help but yearn for more, pulling him closer as your tongues meet. Your fingers lace through his curls, tugging on them gently and you’re fighting the urge to throw a leg over him and just sit on his lap straddling him. When he starts kissing down your jawline and neck, you have to stop him for the second time today, not that you wanted to do it anytime, but the time and place hasn’t been right.
“We can’t…” you sigh, pulling back even though every fiber in your body is telling you otherwise. Harry lets out a long sigh, nodding his head.
“Yeah, I know.”
“But hopefully, the party will end soon and then we will be all alone in our room,” you smirk at him slyly and it brings back the shine into his eyes.
“I can’t wait,” he mumbles before kissing you one last time.
From that moment, Harry lingers around you at all times for the rest of the night. He is always either right by your side, or within a few feet away from you, keeping an eye on you, but not in an obsessive and intrusive kind of way. His eyes are filled with lust every time you share a look at each other and you can tell he can’t wait for the party to finally be over. Whenever he is next to you, he makes sure to touch you in any kind of way. Placing his palm to the small of your back, your arm or your hips, or when you sit next to each other he rests his hand on your thigh or knee without hesitation. And you are loving all the affection you are being showered with.
By the time the wedding officially ends and you can finally call it a night, you are both touch starved and hungry for each other. Harry pulls you against him on the stairs up to your room, not even giving a damn that you are still out in the public. His mouth attacks you hungrily, kissing you anywhere he can reach as the two of you stumble up your way to the room.
Pushing the door open you basically fall inside, giggling against Harry’s lips as he shuts the door closed and presses you up against it, making you gasp at the action. He is so much more demanding and confident than the last time you shared an intimate moment and though you’re not sure how far he is planning to go, you know you are ready to give him anything he desires.
“As much as I love this dress on you, it needs to go,” he playfully smirks as his hands bunch your dress up on your thigh before grabbing it and pulling it off your body, leaving you only in your underwear so fast.
Your lips find his as your fingers work fast on the buttons of his shirt while you inch further into the room towards the bed. You both kick your shoes off on the way and when you fall to the mattress Harry’s shirt is already gone. He climbs above you as you sink into the way too many pillows and you blindly throw a few off the bed to give you more space. Harry licks into your mouth one last time before he moves down your neck and collarbones, peppering your heated skin with his kisses, his hands already sliding under your back to unclasp your bra. Arching your back you give him space to do the task on hand and a few moments later you are lying under him with your chest completely bare. His name falls from your lips as a whimper when his mouth comes in contact with your left nipple, kissing, licking and sucking on it while his hand kneads your other breast before he switches, giving both sides the same amount of attention. Your fingers lace through his unruly curls as you enjoy his touch that’s burning and soothing at the same time.
When he kisses down your stomach and hips, he hooks his fingers into your lacy underwear, but stop before doing anything, looking up at you for reassurance. You give him the green light by nodding and he carefully pulls the fabric off your body, baring you in front of his eyes completely. His kisses pepper his way up your inner thighs until he finally reaches your dripping wet core.
“Harry!” you moan when his tongue and lips press against your clit, swirling and sucking on it just right, making you shiver under his touch. He curls his arms around your legs, keeping them in place as he keeps working his magic, making you a whimpering mess with each lick.
He does the same thing as last time, teases you with his finger dancing around your entrance until you are basically ready to beg him for more. Then he finally pushes two fingers inside you and starts pumping in a slow pace that drives you nuts, leaving you ache for more of him.
You pull him up before he could get you to the top, because that’s not how you want it now and you need to know if he is ready to take this step with you. He understands what you want from just a look as he hovers above you and you cup his face in your hands tenderly.
“I want it,” he breathes out and you could come just from those three words.
“Are you sure?” you ask, though you just want to jump right at it already. Still, you want to make sure he is completely fine with everything that’s about to happen.
“Yeah. I am,” he nods before leaning down he presses his lips against yours.
Your hands reach down and undo his pants, pushing them down along with his boxers before he does the rest of the job kicking them off. His erection presses up against your thigh as his hips fall down a bit and you moan with just the feeling of him on your skin. Wrapping your hands around his shaft you start pumping him while your kiss never breaks.
“Oh fuck,” he moans in sensation and you grin against his lips, enjoying the thought that you are the one making him feel this good.
“Do you have a condom?” you breathe out.”
“Shit, I don’t…”
“It’s alright, I have one.” You sneak out from under him and rush over to your bag to look for your toiletries, you know you have one somewhere in there. When you finally find the little package you quickly get back to the bed where Harry is now lying on his back. Kneeling next to him you give him a soft, reassuring look.
“Do you want me to…?” you imply, holding up the foil.
“Oh, um, yeah, sure,” he nods and you swear you see him blushing. Ripping the package open you lean closer and roll the condom down his hard length before throwing a leg over his lap and get back to kissing him. You take your time with him, running your hands up and down his toned, inked chest as his palms warm the skin on your waist while your lips move together in sync perfectly. You could tell he needed a moment to get settled and wrap his mind around what’s really about to happen.
“Everything alright?” you ask, a little out of breath as you hold yourself up above him. He nods shortly. “Do you want me on top or you want to switch?”
“C-can you stay on top for now?”
“Yeah,” you smile at him warmly, before capturing his lips in a sweet kiss while your right hand wanders down his body until you reach his hard cock. Harry whimpers against your lips when you wrap your hand around the base, lining him up with yourself.
“Tell me if you want to stop, alright?” you ask him and in any other situation you’d find it a little funny that it’s you asking him that, usually this request comes from the guy, but you just want to make sure he is comfortable with everything that’s happening. Harry nods again and as he gulps hard his Adam’s apple bops up and down. Leaning down you kiss him again as you slowly ease down yourself just enough so that the head of his cock slides inside you. You stop, giving both him and you the chance to get accustomed to the feeling. It’s been quite some time for you as well, and your fingers do not compare to Harry’s size, that’s for sure.
He keeps one hand on your hip while the other reaches up and cups the side of your head, panting against your lips from the feeling of finally being inside you. Once you’ve made sure you both adjusted to the feeling, you allow yourself to sink further down until his whole length disappears inside you. You stay still, shutting your eyes closed as you let your walls stretch around his erection, making that slight pain you feel go away. Adding the length and thickness of his cock to the long drought you’ve had in the field of sex is making it feel like you are having your first time again in a way. It’s not that awkward and definitely not that painful, but still, that’s what it reminds you of.
“Are you good?” he asks, squeezing your hip gently. Your eyes snap open and meet his green ones that are now clouded with a little bit of worry.
“Yeah, it’s just… You’re big, Harry,” you admit with a soft chuckle that brings a cocky grin to his lips as well. “Just give me a moment.”
He just nods again and both his hands start running up and down your sides reassuringly as you take a few seconds to yourself before you start moving your hips. You start off slowly, dragging your movements out, trying to see what feels the best and judging from Harry’s moans and grunts he is enjoying himself no matter what you do. Your hands sprawl out on his chest, fingers digging into his skin as you lean onto him while starting to move up and down his throbbing cock.
“Fuck, you feel so good!” he whimpers, almost as if he was in pain, but you can see the pleasure in his eyes.
Your thighs start to burn, but you keep moving yourself, not wanting to stop, because you’re feeling your orgasm building up inside you. When he starts thrusting up to meet your movements, you moan his name so loudly there’s a chance the people next door heard you, but you couldn’t care about that now.
Harry might have noticed that you’re starting to get tired, so pushing himself up he wraps his arms around you and turns you over until you’re the one lying on the bed and he holds himself up above you on his arms. Your legs circle around his waist as he starts moving in and out of you, the new position making you both moan and gasp at the sensation.
“Harry!” you whine as he keeps hitting that one spot inside you, pushing you closer to the edge dangerously fast.
“Am I making you feel good, baby? You like it?”
“You’re making me feel so good, please don’t stop!” you beg him as he buries his face in your neck, sucking on the soft skin, most definitely leaving a mark on you that you’ll wear proudly tomorrow. You would never want to hide the fact how good Harry fucked you, let the world know that your boyfriend made you feel so amazing!
“Oh my God, I’m getting close. Are you feeling it too? Are you gonna cum for me, baby?” he asks, his lips brushing against your earlobe. Grabbing his face you pull him into a kiss, pushing your tongue into his mouth mercilessly and the grunt he lets out is making your insides tremble. It’s animalistic, so passionate and sexual, you want to hear this every day for the rest of your life.
“I’m close, go a little harder, Harry!” you plead and he does as you asked without hesitation, his hips slamming harder against you, making you gasp for air as your head sinks into the pillow, your back arching in pleasure.
“Cum for me, Y/N. Let it go!”
“Harry!” you whine, as you can feel your orgasm threatening to burst inside you any moment.
“Say my name when you cum, I want to hear who’s making you feel so good, baby!”
Your fingers dig into his hair as you chant his name over and over again with each thrust he makes and then your release finally arrives. You moan and whimper, shaking under his naked, sweaty body, his name falling from your lips as an endless glorification. Your walls clench around his cock and it’s the last straw for him as well, his thrusts become sloppy and uncoordinated as he cries out your name, his hips slamming hard against you while he rides his orgasm out. Reaching down you drag your nails down his back until you reach his perfectly round ass, giving it a cheeky squeeze while he buries his head into the crook of your neck, thrusting into you a few more times before coming to a stop.
Turning your head you kiss his temple, running your hands up and down his back while you both try to catch your breath, coming off your high. Soon Harry pulls out and rolls off of you, his body smashing into the mattress beside you, his face glowing from that post sex euphoria. After a few moments of just panting and blinking into the void you finally feel yourself returning to reality and rolling to your side you cuddle to Harry’s body, his arm instantly coming to circle around you.
“Everything alright?” you softly ask, placing a tender kiss to his chest under one of his swallow tattoos. The last thing you want is to have him freak out now that the deed has been done, but when he gifts you with a tired but genuine smile, your worries vanish into thin air.
“Yeah. I’m all good. More than good,” he chuckles before lifting his head and placing a soft kiss to your forehead. His fingers are dancing up and down your naked back, following the line of your spine and your ribs, his smoothing touch already working as a lullaby on you, but you’re determined to stay awake just a little longer.
“Are you turned on by hearing your own name during sex?” you tease him with a sly smile as you think back to how much he enjoyed you scream his name over and over again.
“I might have a bit of a praise kink,” he admits truthfully with a smirk.
“Mm, interesting.”
“What’s yours?”
“What do you like during sex?”
“You, balls deep inside me,” you bluntly answer, making him laugh at your words. “And I like doggy,” you then add to actually answer his question.
“Yeah?”
“Mhm, and maybe some hair pulling. Not in an extreme way, but I like a little.” “Alright, noted,” he hums nodding.
You both clean yourselves up in the bathroom, moving around each other naked without any shame. Harry then puts on a pair of clean boxers and you change into your night clothes, though the moment you make yourself comfortable in Harry’s arms in bed his hand sneaks up your back under the shirt, tugging the material up. You could have just stayed shirtless, but now you’re too tired to even move. His fingers are drawing little patterns over your skin as you listen to his steady breathing before drifting off to sleep.
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Sunday feels like a day after a sleepover in high school, when you’re thinking about everything that has happened the day before, and you’re so happy it happened but you’re kind of tired and just want the comfort of your home already.
Sarah and Mitch leave for their honeymoon early in the morning. You say goodbye and Sarah just keeps thanking you for your work even though she hasn’t even seen the picture yet.
“But I’m sure they are amazing! Can’t wait to see them!” she beams at you when you try to tell her to just wait for the actual outcome.
You leave the inn a little before noon heading to Anne’s to pick Izzy up. You have lunch somewhere on the road and then you sing along to the music in the car, enjoying yet another roadtrip together, making the best out of your last minutes alone. You’re happy to see that Harry hasn’t seemed to spiral after what happened last night, he seems delighted and pleased, maybe even excited. Driving down the highway he keeps a hand on your thigh whenever he doesn’t need to use it on the shifting gear and every time he reaches for you, it turns you into a giddy little girl.
“Daddy! Daddy!” Izzy chants upon running into Harry’s arms the moment you park down on Anne’s driveway. Apparently, she’s been sitting by the window for an hour, waiting for her dad to finally arrive.
“Oh, I missed you so much, baby!” Harry cheers, catching the running girl and lifting her up into his arms, hugging her close. It’s such a sweet sight, seeing the two purest people you know be so happy to see each other after a week spent apart.
“I missed you too!” Izzy sighs, wrapping her short arms around Harry’s neck, nuzzling into her daddy’s embrace and your heart is fluttering in your chest for sure.
Anne invites the two of you inside for a tea, Harry helps Izzy pack all her stuff while she is nonstop blabbering about everything she did with her grandma during the week, and Harry listens to her intently, even though she already shared everything with him on the phone when he called every night.
“How did the wedding go?” Anne asks you cheerfully as you help her in the kitchen.
“Oh, it was amazing! Sarah looked so beautiful and everything went smoothly.”
“That’s great, they are such a cute couple!”
Anne is quick to ask you about photography, how long you’ve been doing it and you even show her a few of your works seeing how enthusiastic she is about the whole thing. You were a little nervous about meeting her, but she is just as sweet and kind as her son, making it so easy to treat her just as a friend, not as the mother of your boyfriend.
Before leaving Izzy insists on showing you all the paintings she made for Anne this week, she has them on the wall in her little home office. While you’re shown around in Izzy’s personal gallery, Harry joins his mother downstairs, finishing up his tea.
“I assume the weekend went well, you two are glowing,” she smiles slyly at him and Harry can’t hide his boyish smile.
“I uhh… I asked her to be my girlfriend,” he admits and Anne gasps happily, thrilled about the news.
“I’m so happy for you, Har. I think she is a really good match for you!” she beams, pulling him into a motherly hug, kissing his cheek as if he was just a little boy, not a grown man.
“Thanks, mum. I’m happy too.” “You deserve it. It’s so good to see you living your life again.” Soon enough, Harry loads the car with Izzy’s stuff and it’s time to say goodbye.
“Bye Anne, it was so nice to see you!” you smile hugging her.
“Come back soon, Darling! Nag this old man to visit me more often!” Anne jokes giving Harry a playful look who leaves her comment unnoticed, giving his mother a tight hug.
“Thank you for everything mum, love you, I’ll call you alright?”
“Drive safe!” she calls after you all as you get into the car and wave her goodbye leaving.
The drive home tired Izzy out, or maybe it’s just the change of settings again. Whatever it is, she can barely stay awake until dinner, so once her tummy is filled Harry decides to put her to sleep early.
Izzy asks Harry to lie in bed with her as he reads her a bedtime story, she is extra clingy now that she is back with her daddy, but Harry is enjoying having his little one back so he doesn’t mind it. Izzy snuggles to his side, playing with the ears of the bunny she chose to sleep with tonight as she listens to his steady, smooth voice talk her to sleep.
“Daddy?” she asks quietly, already half asleep.
“Yes, baby?”
“Are you going to marry Y/N?”
The question catches him off-guard, he was definitely not expecting it especially since Izzy hasn’t even seen the two of you kiss yet.
“Why are you asking?”
“My new friend, Loretta from the park told me that if a boy and a girl live together they are probably in love and want to get married.”
“Loretta seems to know a lot about adult stuff,” Harry chuckles softly. “Well, it doesn’t exactly work like that, Iz. But… would you be happy if I told you Y/N is now my girlfriend?” he asks, feeling a little nervous, as if Izzy’s word on the question could destroy any possible future between the two of you. She stays silent for a few seconds and Harry starts to think she has fallen asleep, but then she finally speaks up again.
“Did you kiss her?” she asks and Harry can’t push down a soft chuckle. Izzy’s idea of relationships probably doesn’t go further than kissing and holding hands so this is how she is trying to put the picture together in her head.
“I did, yes.”
“Oh!” she exclaims. “I like Y/N.”
“Well, I like her too.”
“She can be your girlfriend,” she then replies, giving her blessing. “Are you going to get married?”
“Um, not for a while, no. But… it could happen if things go right,” he chews on his bottom lip, he is definitely not in the phase of thinking about marriage yet, not just because you barely just became an official couple, but that would be a huge step in his way of processing the end of his last one.
“Okay,” Izzy simply nods and that brings the end of the discussion. Harry has been a little nervous to have this talk with Izzy, he was afraid she might get a little confused about the idea of him having a girlfriend and the thought of her mother, but she seemingly didn’t even bring Maggie into her train of thoughts. Luckily.
When Izzy is finally asleep he closes the door and makes his way downstairs where you’re lying on the couch, watching the rerun of the news. You smile up at him upon his arrival and as he joins you on the couch, he is quick to pull you into his arms, making you snuggle into his embrace.
“I just told Izzy that you are my girlfriend,” he confesses and you lift your head up, not even trying to hide your surprised expression.
“Really? And what did she say?”
“Well, she asked if we are getting married,” he tells you chuckling shortly. “I told her that we shouldn’t get that far ahead. But she basically gave her blessing. She said she likes you.”
“Well I was hoping she doesn’t hate my guts after spending almost every day with me,” you chuckle, making him smile too. “But I’m happy she likes the idea of us.”
“Yeah, me too,” Harry nods before pulling you closer for a sweet, innocent kiss.
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You finally get around to have that double date with Heather and Niall one month into your relationship. Harry’s weekends have been a little busy these past weeks, he had to go into the office on a few Saturdays, but now he has finally finished a huge project he has been working on so he can actually take some time off.
Ruth comes over to look after Izzy that evening and she keeps looking at you and Harry like a proud grandparent whenever she sees the two of you interact as a couple. Little touches and kisses have been more regular around home ever since Harry told Izzy that you are together. So far, she’s been handling it really well, she doesn’t seem to be confused about you and her mother and it might be because Harry has had a talk with her recently about her mother and where she really is now. His therapist suggested to be open about it with her as early as possible, and though she doesn’t seem to completely understand the idea of life and death just yet, she has definitely started to put the picture together in her head.
You’ve been spending all your nights at Harry’s room, so by now your bedroom is more like an office space for you and a storage for all your stuff, a place where you can be alone whenever you have some editing to do or just simply need some time on your own. Luckily, Harry totally understands the feeling of needing some space, he has his own limits as well and the two of you have been trying your best to coordinate around these lines when it comes to your relationship. After all, it’s been a pretty unusual situation, you were already living together when you became a couple, jumping a few steps in the timeline of a regular relationship.
Just as you were expecting it, Niall and Heather hit it off quite fast upon meeting at the dinner. Niall is in awe of Heather’s confidence and raw sense of humor that matches perfectly with his, while Heather finds him entertaining and somewhat like a challenge, since you honestly told her about Niall’s reputation as a womanizer, but it’s not something that could scare her away.
“He is cute, desperately wants to prove how good he is doing on his own, but I think that’s just a façade,” Heather tells you when you ask her about her date in the restroom. She fixes up her lipstick, staring at herself in the floor to ceiling mirror.
“So you think you want to see him again?”
“I’m not gonna run after him, if he asks for my number I’ll give it to him. But if he doesn’t, I won’t let him see my disappointment.”
“And what if he asks you to go home with him tonight?” you ask, feeling like teenagers gossiping in the girls restroom between classes. Heather smirks at you through the mirror before turning to face you.
“Oh, I’m not going home with him. That would bruise his ego so badly he won’t be able to think about anything else.”
You stare back at her stunned from how big of a genius she is. You would have never schemed like this when it came to men, but yet again, you never really needed to. Before Harry you were busy with Keith and that relationship came so easily to you. There were never really games, it took you about three weeks to get together. But Heather is a player and a very good one, apparently.
“You two look cute, by the way,” she smiles at you quickly washing her hands before the two of you head out, back to the table.
“Thanks,” you blush, eyes finding the guys sitting right where you left them.
After dinner you decide to stay for a few drinks at the bar a corner away and it’s been so long since the last time you were out just having fun, enjoying some time with good friends. If someone told you a few months ago that you’d be sitting here, sipping on a cocktail with Harry who is now your boyfriend, you would have laughed hysterically.
When Harry reaches for you thigh under the table, resting his palm on it, giving it a gentle squeeze just as a sweet gesture, you glance at him and he smiles at you as his eyes meet your gaze. It’s the first time you actually feel like any other couples. Having a nice evening with your friends, touching each other, holding hands, simply living in the moment knowing well that going home he will probably sneak into Izzy’s room, pressing a kiss to her forehead before joining you in bed, falling asleep with his arms curled around your figure.
It’s no surprise when Niall invited Heather over his place for another drink at the end of the night and you can barely hold your smirk back when she refuses and his face completely falls, especially because he was so confident in himself, the evening went well and he was probably sure she would say yes. Instead, she grabs herself a taxi and heads home upon parting ways. Niall is shocked, but he is quick to ask for Heather’s number from you before you say goodbye and you happily give it to him.
On the way home you think about how weird it is that you are still basically working for him. It’s not that you mind being the one who is looking after Izzy, it doesn’t even feel like a job, she has grown so close to you. It’s about getting paid for it when you’re Harry’s girlfriend and even though you know how untraditional everything has been with the two of you, now might be the time to make a change.
Harry checks up on Izzy while you get ready to bed and he joins you under the covers soon. Your thoughts about your possible quitting keep racing in your head and you decide to bring it up, just to see how he sees the situation.
“H?” you softly ask while he is checking a few things on his phone, propped up against the headboard.
“Yeah?” he glances at you, letting you know he is listening.
“Don’t you think it’s weird I’m still working for you?”
He stops and locking his phone he puts it to the nightstand to fully focus on the conversation. He just stares at you for a few seconds before knitting his eyebrows together, that crease between them making an appearance and you fight the urge to smooth it out with your finger.
“You don’t like taking care of her anymore?” Your stomach drops at the way he interpreted your question, because it’s not at all the situation.
“Harry, I love taking care of her!” you smile at him softly and can see the relief in his eyes. “It’s just a little weird that you’re paying me to be with her. I would do it for free,” you explain, hoping he now gets the whole picture.
“Oh!”
“Are you… Are you planning for the long run? With us?”
“Of course,” he nods and now you’re the one relieved at how naturally the answer came to him.
“Then maybe we should look for a solution that doesn’t make me feel like I’m a kept house woman,” you chuckle softly and a small smile tugs on his lips as well.
“What were you thinking about?” Sighing you bite into your bottom lip, not sure what he’ll think about the idea that came to you.
“I’ve been getting a lot of requests for photoshoots. I thought that maybe I could take two more days out of the week to work on them and stay home with Izzy for the rest of them. We could look for a nanny for those days. They wouldn’t have to move in, because I would be home by three probably. I think… I think it could work pretty well.”
Harry takes a few moments to think it through and you know he has to be considerate, the only reason he was so quick to hire you was because Izzy already knew and loved you. Bringing a stranger into the picture is a big change and everyone has to be fine with it to make it work.
“Would that make you happy? Staying home for half of the week with Izzy? I wouldn’t want to ask you to sacrifice your time for her… for us, if it doesn’t benefit you.”
For a few moments you’re just processing his words, but then you finally understand what he meant by that. He is thinking you might take it as if he is using you to take care of his daughter and he doesn’t want you to take responsibility for her if it’s not what you really want. But you see being in Izzy’s life as a privilege, you haven’t truly processed it yourself, but you start to look at her as your own daughter. Having spent the majority of your days with her these past months, it was inevitable to grow so fond of her.
Scooting closer to him you cup his face in your hands as you smile down at him softly, his green irises filled with worry and doubts, probably thinking that he is doing something wrong again, but he is not. He needs to have more trust in himself.
“I would love it, Harry. I love spending time with her and… with you,” you admit and there’s one thing that you’re aching to add.
And I love you.
But you keep that one back, not sure if he is ready to hear it just yet. It’s still so early in your relationship, and it might feel like a bomb if you just dropped it on him. You need to be a little more patient before taking this next step.
Bringing his arms around you he pulls you to his chest, a deep but happy sigh leaving through his nose as he kisses into your hair. Nothing else is said, but no words are needed. It’s been settled that you both are planning for the long run together and you’ll start to alter your life to make it fit into the picture.
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You don’t jump into it right away, but a few weeks after the discussion you had about hiring a new nanny, you take the first step. Ruth agrees to cover one day every week, Fridays, so you can have it off for your sessions. Summer brings a lot of events and occasions and your calendar has been getting busier as your circle of customers has been growing lately. Though Ruth is more than happy to spend some more time with Izzy, you all know she won’t be able to do it too long, you need to find someone at last by the end of the summer.
Harry would never admit, but he is very anxious about bringing a new person into Izzy’s life. He is not the toxic kind of parent who wouldn’t let anyone get near his daughter, but he surely is considerate about who he lets to take care of her and it’s understandable.
On an afternoon spent at the park you are chatting with Ava, Yara’s mom when she mentions a nanny agency they’ve tried out before and had a really good experience.
“They hire people with at least three years of experience and many of their nannies have a degree in some kind of field in connection with child care. We had a nice girl from Russia watch after Yara, she is a primary school teacher but she moved here with her boyfriend for a year. She was amazing, really. Yara loved her, Saige and I loved her, it was a good match.”
She gives you a phone number and later that day you look up the agency, presenting the idea to Harry, who seems interested, but a little hesitant.
“We could still have an interview with them, right? Or I would have to just choose someone from the website like from a catalogue?” he voices his concern as the two of you lie in bed with your laptop propped against your thighs.
“I’m sure we can have an interview,” you smile at him.
Harry just nods, ergo he doesn’t reject the idea, but you can tell he has quite a few doubts about it, but there’s not much you can do.
In the course of three weeks you and Harry have five interviews with nannies that the agency sent and at the end of the day, Harry finds something wrong with all of them, even though they are only minor things.
“You rule out people for the tiniest things, Harry,” you sigh after the fifth interview with a kind middle-aged woman, Kaitlyn. “Based on these interviews you wouldn’t have hired me back in the days,” you joke.
“You know it was different with you,” he points it out and you just nod. He has told you so many times how you were just the perfect fit which is very charming, but it doesn’t help the situation on hand right now.
That evening, when you’re lying in bed, reading, while Harry checks up on Izzy one last time, you see that something is on his chest when he walks in and as soon as he is under the covers next to you, but you don’t ask him, instead just wait for him to bring it up himself.
“Y/N, I’m sorry for being such a pain in the ass about the whole nanny thing,” he sighs tiredly. Closing your book you place it on the nightstand before turning to face him fully.
“You’re not a pain in the ass, just very careful and maybe a little picky,” you add with a soft chuckle.
“Do you think I should be the one staying home with her?”
“Most kids spend the majority of their days separated from their parents in daycare, kindergarten or preschool. It’s not a crime that you are not a stay at home dad, not many like to do that or even fit for that role,” you shrug and it’s your genuine opinion. Just because parents don’t devote one hundred percent of their life to their children, it doesn’t make them bad. Parents deserve to be selfish sometimes.
“I just… I can get so into my head about everything I do wrong,” he sighs, closing his eyes and he seem so tired all of a sudden, like he has been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Brushing his hair out of his forehead you kiss him gently before his eyes open again.
“You’re not doing anything wrong, Harry. Believe me, Izzy is having the best childhood she could ever wish for. She is secure, loved and taken care of. Everything is going well.” He doesn’t answer, just nods as his arms wrap around you, pulling you to his chest and you gladly snuggle into his embrace.
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That evening it felt like Harry was shifting in the right direction, but you can never know what really goes on in someone’s head and you couldn’t see what was coming.
A few days later another candidate comes for an interview, you, Harry and the young girl called Rachel sit outside at the terrace as Harry goes through the same questions he asked every other applicant while Izzy is playing around the swing set.
Rachel just finished her bachelor’s and is now taking a gap year before moving back to her hometown to work at her father’s law firm. She grew up with three younger sisters and took care of them most of the time to help her parents out who worked a lot. She is nice, very well educated and it’s clear she is great with children. Yet again, when you glance at Harry you don’t see him as satisfied as you are and you already know he is going to find something against her.
“Alright, so what is it this time?” you sigh once Rachel is gone and you can finally talk openly about her.
“She basically doesn’t have any official knowledge about kids, she just grew up with kids, that doesn’t qualify her as a professional.”
“Raising children is the best knowledge you can get, Harry,” you argue, feeling a little impatient this time. Rachel is perfect for the job, but any other applicants would have been fine too. You’re running out of time and Ruth won’t be able to help much longer.
“I would just be a lot more comfortable if it was a professional staying home with my daughter,” he answers, marching into the kitchen and you follow him.
“There were plenty of professionals between the previous ones as well. You are ruling everyone out!”
“I’m not ruling them out, I’m just trying to make the best decision for my child!”
“By being absolutely insatiable?!”
“Why is it so bad that I want the best choice?” he growls throwing his hands into the air.
“It’s not, but the best choice is not always one without any flaws, Harry,” you point it out, hoping he gets what you’re talking about.
“But I want this to be flawless!” he snaps and you can see that he has lost his patience at this point, but so did you. “I’m not settling for less than what I want, Y/N!”
“So then what? You lied when we talked about all of this? Because without a replacement, I can’t start working more!”
“I didn’t fucking lie, I’m just asking for more time!”
“Well it seems like you just want to push me into changing my mind about switching jobs and eventually say that I’m staying home, taking the blame off of you!”
“I’m not pushing you into anything, Y/N. We still have time until the end of summer, I just want to find the perfect person, give me some time!”
“Harry, there won’t be a perfect person!” you raise your voice, done with running the same circles at this point. “Any of the previous applicants would have taken good care of Izzy, why are you ignoring it?!”
“Stop telling me what to do when it comes to Izzy!” he then snaps, his voice beaming through the room, taking you by surprise. But what he says after this is what really hits you hard in the chest. “She is my daughter, not yours!”
Part of you knows he didn’t mean it the way it came out. Like you had absolutely no relations to Izzy, like you weren’t partially raising her way before you got together with Harry. You can see that it just slipped out in the heat of the moment, but your anger is making you selfish and not care about that anymore. His words hurt and you’ve stopped making excuses for him.
“Yeah, you’re right. Why am I still even here?” you calmly ask before simply turning around and heading out.
The calm but warning tone snaps him out and he is quick to realize he has crossed a line. He launches after you and almost catches you in the hallway when Izzy runs inside, calling out for him.
“Daddy! Daddy!”
Harry stops and turns around to see if she is alright and it gives you just enough time to escape. You rush out of the house and throw yourself into your car, igniting it and driving away as Harry shows up at the front door, calling after you, but you ignore it, making your way to your mom’s. You need a familiar place to calm yourself down at.
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Harry tries to call you several times, and though the first few times it rings out, you send his calls to voicemail almost immediately after a while.
“Damn it,” he growls after another failed attempt to reach you. It’s been almost an hour since you stormed out and he is losing his mind, not knowing where you are, especially after what he said.
He regretted it the moment the words fell from his lips, but he knew it was too late. He let his anger bring the worst out of him and it all crashed down on you when you didn’t deserve any of it. Harry knows you’re right, he’s been trying to find something bad about every applicant because… part of him thinks that he is a bad father for not being the one taking care of Izzy all the time. If it wasn’t enough already, he’s been feeling like a failure for years… ever since he lost his wife because he wasn’t ready to commit more time for his family. He’s been dealing with the thought of being the worst father for so long, sometimes he convinces himself it’s the truth.
If I was ready for another baby, Maggie wouldn’t have had to die. If I put my family first, she would still be alive, he tells himself often when he is feeling the darkness clouding over his mind. Little does he know that it’s all just in his head. It doesn’t make him a bad father that he wanted to wait a little longer before having another baby. He never put his work above his family, he was always there when he was needed and made sure his loved ones are safe and taken care of. Never in his life did he ever put his work before Izzy or Maggie or anyone in his life he cared about.
But sometimes, your mind can play dirty tricks on you. And Harry fell for them.
As time is passing by he is growing more and more anxious when he doesn’t hear from you. No calls, no texts, he has no idea where you went or when you’re coming back. Sitting on the edge of the bed he stares out the window blankly before his eyes wander to the side where you usually sleep and it hits him hard when he realizes how eerily similar the situation is.
Following a fight his lover runs away, doesn’t answer his calls and he can’t get a hold of her. It’s like history is repeating itself all over again and as realization creeps up his spine, his throat tightens and he gasps, tears flooding into his eyes. With shaky hands he grabs his phone and dials Niall’s number, hoping he is not out somewhere at a bar, ignoring his phone.
“What’s up?” he answers the phone delightfully.
“Call Heather now and ask if she knows Y/N’s mom’s address,” he snaps immediately frantically.
“Woah, what happened?”
“Niall! Just do what I asked!” he barks and ends the call, giving his friend the chance to obey. Luckily, Niall feels the seriousness of the situation and does as Harry asked. A few minutes later a text arrives to Harry’s phone with the address.
Putting Izzy into the car he speeds down the streets to Gemma’s house who is shocked to see her brother in this state, but she doesn’t have the chance to ask anything as Harry drops Izzy off and asks her to watch her for the night.
“Okay, yeah, but—“
“Not now, Gemma!” he calls back, already running back to his car, heading to your mother’s house where you sought comfort following the fight.
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“Not that I don’t like having you here, but you really should go home and talk it out.” Trevor joins you outside where you’ve been sitting on the steps of the terrace, staring out into the darkening sky. It’s been a few hours since you basically ran away from home and Harry has been blowing your phone up so you put it into airplane mode, sending all his calls to voicemail until you feel like dealing with him.
Trevor sits beside you, his long legs coming up closer to his chest as he sits the same way as you, his arms hug his knees.
“I know, I just… I’m a little tired,” you mumble.
“You don’t have to discuss it, but Harry would want you home for the night, don’t you think?”
“Yeah,” you nod breathing out. “Do you think I overreacted?” you ask him, feeling unsure about the way you acted. Was it too much? Did you have the right to do it? You’re not so sure about it anymore.
“Well, he didn’t lie about Izzy not being your daughter,” Trevor huffs. “Though he could have handled the situation better. I get it that he just wants what’s best for her, but you were right too.”
Sitting in silence Trevor doesn’t try to convince you to apologize or keep holding a grudge. He just lets you figure it out all by yourself.
Not long later you go back inside and grabbing your phone from the dining table you decide to turn it back on, missed calls and texts flooding the device, but for your biggest surprise, not just from Harry.
Heather: Niall just called me to get your mom’s address urgently, everything alright?!
“Oh shit,” you gasp, typing a quick reply to assure her that you’re fine and then you open Harry’s text seeing how frantic he grew over time and you realize what it must feel like to him. The situation is way too similar to the way he lost Maggie and though you didn’t mean to hurt him by putting him through it again, it’s already too late.
Just as you are about to call him to let him know you’re fine a car pulls up on the drive way and you know it’s him. You rush out the front door the moment he jumps out of the car, eyes wide, chest heaving as he finally lays his eyes on you.
“Oh my God!” he breaks down in tears as you smash against him, wrapping him in your arms, he does the same, his strong arms circling around your waist tightly as he sobs into your chest painfully.
“I’m fine, everything is alright. I’m fine. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry for running away like that,” you mumble, kissing the side of his head, holding him for dear life.
“I was so scared it happened again!” he whimpers, his whole body shaking. You slowly start pulling him until you reach the little front porch where there is a small bench kept next to the front door. You sit and pull him with yourself, he doesn’t even loosens his hold around you, as if you would turn to dust if he lets go of you.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t think it through,” you hum, fingers combing through his hair as you try to calm him down. He is still shaking, but his sobs are starting to die down finally, his hands still fisting your shirt at your waist.
“No, I’m sorry for being such a dick. I didn’t mean it. You are doing so much for Izzy and I, I don’t know what I would do without you!” he whimpers and when he finally lifts his head up, your heart breaks at the painful look in his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Y/N. You were right about everything! Please forgive me!”
“Oh Harry,” you breathe out, the tears already welling in your eyes as you brush his messy curls out of his forehead.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to hurt you, what I said was bullshit! Please forgive me, I can’t… I don’t want to lose you, Y/N,” he stutters with one breath and then he adds: “I love you.”
Your lips part as you stare back at him in total awe at his sudden confession. Though it’s been an emotional ride, you weren’t expecting him to drop this bomb on you. A smile cracks on lips as you cup his face in your hands, feeling a hot tear rolling down your cheek.
“I love you too, Harry,” you answer, both of you letting out a relieved chuckle as he finally presses his lips to yours. His kiss tastes salty from both your tears, it’s needy and a little uncoordinated, but it means the world to you at this moment.
Sitting on the little bench you finally talk everything out once you both calm down enough to speak. Harry admits that he’s been so picky about the nannies because he is still struggling to be the best father he can and is reminded of being alone in this every time he faces a struggle. It constantly reminds him that he is supposed to have his partner with him, solving everything together, but now he is on his own and has to provide the best possible life for Izzy.
“Harry… you’re not alone,” you breathe out, heart aching for the man you love with everything in you. “And I’m not only talking about myself. Your mom, Gemma, Niall, even Saige, Ava and Linda are always happy to help you out with everything. If Maggie was still here, it wouldn’t be just the two of you. Raising a child needs a whole village,” you chuckle softly. “But if you want a partner in it… I’m here. And I really mean it. I see a future with you, I want to be part of your family, of course, only if you let me.” Reaching over your hand finds his on his lap and you squeeze it gently as he looks at you, his expression still a little torn, but it’s not as painful as it was when he arrived.
“I would love to have you be part of my family, Y/N.”
It’s like a rock is lifted off your chest upon hearing his reassuring words. This is all you ever wanted, have a partner in life who is willing to build a future together with you and Harry is offering you just that.
You stay on that old little bench for so long, you don’t even realize how late it has gotten, only when your mom shows up at the door, wearing her nightgown and a fluffy robe.
“Don’t want to bother, but do you want to spend the night? Just asking if I should get you some extra pillows and blankets…”
“Oh! Um, no. We are going home, but thank you mom,” you smile tiredly, noticing it’s nearing midnight now.
Harry stands from next to you and as he steps to your mother you realize they haven’t even met. Harry stands tall in front of your mom, but you notice the nervous flash in his eyes.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t even have the time to introduce myself,” he mumbles with a nervous chuckle. Your mom blushes, most likely finding your boyfriend quite handsome though you already showed pictures of him to her. “I’m Harry,” he says, holding out a hand.
“Oh, no worries! I’m Tina!” she smiles charmingly as they shake hands.
“Nice to meet you, Tina.”
“I know we should have probably had a better introduction, but we’ll come around some other time under better circumstances,” you chuckle softly as you stand up from the bench too.
You say goodbye to Trevor and your mom and finally head home. Harry tries to convince you to ride back in his car, but you don’t want to leave yours here, so you tell him it’s going to be fine. Both of you arrive in one piece and you only realize that Izzy is nowhere to be found when you walk into the house.
“Dropped her off at Gemma’s. I’ll have to explain a lot of things to my sister tomorrow, but it can wait,” he chuckles softly before his hands reach out to you, grabbing your waist gently as he pulls you closer to him. “I’m so sorry for tonight, Y/N.”
“Hey, we agreed that no more apologizing,” you remind him of the deal you made earlier. “It’s all in the past.”
Harry nods, huffing through his nose before leaning down he kisses you softly, as if you were some kind of fragile artwork that needs to be handled with so much care.
“I love you,” he whispers against your lips, his eyes barely open under his thick lashes.
“I love you too,” you smile back, your hands coming to rest at the base of his neck.
“I will never get tired of hearing that,” he chuckles lowly, making you laugh too.
“Good, because I’ll be saying it a lot.”
“Perfect.”
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“Stop picking on your lip!” you warn Harry when you catch him fidgeting with his bottom lip. He wouldn’t admit, but he is surely nervous as the two of you are waiting for Izzy to join you downstairs. She just got home from the zoo with Gemma, they had an amazing day together, but it had a purpose. You needed her to be looked after while you went to the doctor. It was your first ultrasound since the time you went to see if you’re really pregnant or the tests just fooled you, but it was one hundred percent legit. You were indeed pregnant.
You and Harry got married a few weeks before Izzy turned six. She was the cutest little flower girl in the small ceremony held at the backyard of your own home. Both of you agreed that you don’t want anything big and flashy, just an intimate little wedding with your close family and friends. It’s been two months of being husband and wife and it’s almost completely sure the little baby growing now in your tummy was conceived on your wedding night…
You’ve been keeping it a secret, wanting to tell Izzy first before sharing the news with your friends and family.
“Do you want to talk first or do I do it?” Harry asks in a whisper, as if Izzy could hear anything from upstairs.
“I have a feeling you wouldn’t be able to get a word out so I’ll take the lead, if you don’t mind,” you chuckle softly and Harry doesn’t argue.
He has been such a nerve wreck thinking about telling Izzy that she is going to be a big sister. These past years she has dealt so well with processing everything about the situation with her mom, you and the idea of her dad having a new wife. You felt like she was a little confused at the beginning, but once you had an actual, mature talk with her, answered all her questions, you could see things shift to place in that cute little head of hers. Now she knows what it means that her mom passed and how you came into the picture. This is why you have no doubt she’ll take the news well, but Harry is still afraid she might flip.
Little feet tap against the floor somewhere upstairs and then Izzy runs down the stairs, joining you at the dining table.
“What’s the surprise?” she asks in excitement. You told her you have a surprise for her when she arrived and now she is pumped for whatever is coming.
“Izzy, you know how Zac has a little brother, right?” you ask, smoothly starting the discussion.
“Yes! His name is Jeremy!”
“Yeah. So Jeremy is a little younger than Zac, they are siblings. Zac’s parents wanted to have more than just one kids and so they decided to have Jeremy.”
“Mrs. Rumbald had him in her belly!” she explains cleverly. The topic of babies has already came up earlier, so now she has an idea of what really happens when a couple decides to have a baby.
“Exactly,” you nod smiling. “You know how your daddy and I are now married, right? We talked about what it meant.” Izzy nods, glancing at her father who is sitting beside you, sweating his balls off even though it’s going smoothly. “Married couples often decide to have babies. This is what your dad and I did too and now there is a baby in my belly too. That means that you’re going to have a little brother or sister soon.”
Izzy blinks a few times, processing your words before her face lights up with excitement as she gasps.
“Can I play with her?” she asks, making you and Harry laugh.
“Might be a boy, baby,” Harry chimes in.
“Okay, then can I play with him or her?” she corrects herself.
“Well, you have to be careful with newborn babies, but I’m sure she or he will love to play with you!”
“What’s it gonna be called?” she asks her next question.
“We don’t know that yet. But you can suggest names if you want to,” Harry offers.
“Can it be Elsa if it’s a girl?” she immediately suggests and you smile at her first thought. Of course she says Elsa, she is going through her mandatory Frozen obsession like every other kid at her age.
“We’ll put it on the list,” you tell her. “Do you want to see a picture of the baby?”
“You can take pictures of the inside of your belly?” she asks with a confused look.
“Well, not with a camera like the ones I use,” you explain as you place the black and white, messy picture of the tiny baby in front of her. She grabs it and starts inspecting it as if it was some kind of puzzle and you can tell she is having a hard time making out where the actual baby is. “That’s right there. It’s still tiny and has to grow a lot,” you tell her, pointing at the right splotch in the picture.
“Can I keep this picture?” she asks smiling up at you sweetly. “I want to put it to my wall!”
A while ago Harry has gotten her a huge frame right above her bed that has wires running across it with tiny clips attached. You’ve gifted her her favorite polaroids from your stack you’ve collected through the years, most of them featuring the three of you. It’s touching to know that she wants her little sibling there already.
“Of course!” you breathe out, touched by the idea.
You follow her up into her room and while she stands on the bed, you put the sonogram next to a photo that was taken of her and Harry on her sixth birthday.
“Can I tell my friends at school that I’m going to have a brother or sister?” she asks, still standing on the bed so now she is almost as tall as you are.
“Um…” glancing over at the door your eyes meet Harry’s who just shrugs, letting you know it’s up to you. “I guess you can, yes.”
“Thank you!” she beams, throwing her little arms around your neck as she hugs you tight and you return it gladly. “Can I watch some TV, please?” she asks with an angelic look she knows you can never resist.
“Yeah, but only for an hour,” you tell her as she jumps in victory before climbing off the bed. Running to the door she gives Harry a hug before disappearing down the hallway. Harry walks in, a proud and soft smile tugging on his lips as he steps to you, his hands finding your waist. He pulls you against his hard chest, pressing a chaste kiss to your forehead.
“This went well, right?” he asks.
“Yeah, you were such a big help, sitting there in silence,” you chuckle teasing him.
“But you handled it so good, baby. I didn’t want to interrupt,” he smirks and you just roll your eyes at him before circling your arms around his neck.
“Uh-huh, sure,” you smirk. “So… are you ready to be a daddy again?” you ask him with a shy smile.
“Technically, I never stopped being a daddy,” he points out. “The real question is, are you ready to become a mommy?” he asks turning it back to you.
“I’m… a little nervous, but very excited. I think I’m ready,” you nod smiling.
“Don’t worry, it’s gonna be alright,” he hums, kissing into your hair.
“Wow, when did you become the emotional support in this relationship?” you tease him and he just rolls his eyes.
“Learned from the best,” he nudges his nose against yours before kissing you softly. “I love you.”
“Love you too,” you smile against his lips, thinking about how long the two of you have become since you first met and you are happy you got to be the person who taught Harry how to love and be loved again.
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Thank you for reading, please like and reblog if you enjoyed it!
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877 notes · View notes
emeren · 3 years
Text
zoom call- eren jaeger
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pairing: eren jaeger x fem!reader 
word count: 1.7k
content warnings: smut, 18+, very slight degradation, voyeurism if you squint (not really though)
notes: i wrote this a couple months back before that video went viral on tik tok, but it was the only completed draft i had, so here we go! very rushed but hope you enjoy :) (also my first time writing smut lol) 
SUMMARY: eren is a little shit when it comes to letting you focus on your zoom classes, especially when you make it obvious you’re trying to ignore him
you lazily rubbed your eyes in response to the bright computer screen. the eight thirty lecture time was starting to wear down on your motivation. you sat, half asleep in front of your laptop, gaze drearily focused on the professor’s face. 
school had become utterly disengaging; hours spent scrolling through your phone and blatantly ignoring your professors. you briefly wondered if class was really worth it at all anymore. 
as your professor began to delve into their lecture on calculus, you could hear your boyfriend in the other room as he began to stir awake. you felt pretty bad, in all honesty. for as long as you’d known eren, he’d made it obvious that he loved nothing more than to sleep in. no matter how quiet you tried to be, it seemed like you woke him up earlier than he wanted every single morning. 
you cringed as you heard the bedroom door creak open, followed by the sound of his muffled footsteps. 
double checking that your mic and camera were indeed off, you turned to see your boyfriend standing sleepily in the doorway. his hair was down and messy; body only adorning a pair of grey sweatpants that sat tantalizingly low on his hips. his teal eyes were squinted with a tired annoyance. 
“sorry, did i wake you up again?” you whispered, despite the fact that no one on the zoom call could hear you. eren’s face creased into a frown at the question. 
“yeah, but s’alright,” he responded, voice thick with slumber. you offered an apologetic smile before turning back to your lecture. eren quietly left the room as you resulted to writing down some half-hearted notes, your brain absently drifting towards your plans for the weekend. 
about ten minutes had passed when you felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around your shoulders, eren’s lips meeting your cheek in a morning greeting. 
his minty breath fanned across your face; you could see that he’d pulled his hair back into a messy knot from his reflection on the computer screen. though his warm gesture made your stomach erupt in butterflies, you were determined to pay attention to the class in front of you. eren took notice. 
“trying to stay focused, hm?” he mumbled as his mouth began to trail down to your neck, peppering the skin with light kisses. you groaned in slight annoyance, attempting to push him away.
“i need to take notes, eren,” you reprimanded. eren didn’t seem so easily swayed, however. 
his mouth found its way back to your neck, beginning to gently suck on the soft skin. you felt your face warm up at the sensation, an all too familiar ache between your legs. curse your boyfriend for being so goddamn horny all the time. 
“go ahead, m’not stopping you,” eren whispered hotly against the skin. you bit your lip as you tried to remain focused on whatever your teacher was talking about, but the words were going in one ear and out the other.
his warm lips began to shift down towards your collarbone and the place where your shirt interrupted the flow of bare, kissable flesh. 
eren’s large hand ran smoothly over the expanse of your right arm before coming up to cup your breast and giving it a generous squeeze. his nimble fingers pinched at your nipple through the fabric of your shirt, causing you to emit a low moan. your eyes snapped to his face in embarrassment over the noise.
eren had a smug look on his face, like he had just won some unspoken argument, the little shit. you glared up at him as he stood to his full height, teal eyes glancing to the computer screen as he momentarily considered something. 
“your camera is off, right?” he asked huskily. you swallowed before nodding. his question could only confirm what you already suspected he was going to do. 
placing either hand on the arm rests of the chair, eren leaned leaned over your body and glowered down at you. “good. can’t have anyone else seeing you the way i do, can we?” 
eren’s possessiveness sent a warm feeling down your spine. the thought of being his and his alone was enough to have you on your knees. you burned with anticipation as he feverishly brought his mouth down to meet yours. 
the kiss was heated and wet, his tongue lapping at your lips as it slipped into your mouth. you sighed contentedly at the sensation. acting on a sudden impulse, you wrapped your lips delicately around his tongue and began to suck gently on the exposed muscle, eliciting a loud groan from eren’s throat. as you pulled away, you saw his dilated pupils snap to the string of saliva connecting your lips. 
“take your shirt off,” you did as you were told, pulling the fabric from your body. eren’s eyes quickly scanned the expanse of your chest; his hungry stare causing the spot between your legs to throb. he dropped to his knees before you, making sure to maintain eye contact as he slowly brought his head to your chest, mouth desperately latching onto your breast. 
his tongue swirled around your hardened nipple, a small whimper clawing its way up your throat. you leaned your head back as you felt eren’s lips curl into a smirk at the sound. his teeth carefully grazed the nub before he pulled back; face slightly flushed and still so very smug.  
his large hands slowly lifted to the hemline of your sweatpants, cold fingertips grazing your hipbone. he looked up to you as he hooked his fingers under the waistline whilst jutting his chin upwards. “up, baby.” 
you lifted yourself briefly from the chair as he pulled your sweatpants down, allowing them to pool around your ankles. as you went to sit back down, you caught your reflection in the computer screen, wincing. it felt unbelievable that you were completely exposed while your zoom class continued in the background. you felt a wave of embarrassment wash over your body and had half a mind to tell eren to stop. 
the moment of doubt passed breathlessly as eren’s awfully cold and awfully long middle and ring fingers pushed past your underwear and teased at your entrance. your lack of attention must’ve been apparent; eren’s free hand coming up to roughly grip your chin, forcing you to look down at him. 
“pay attention, pretty girl,” he growled, teal eyes glinting seriously. his fingers teasingly swiped up to your clit, collecting your slick as they travelled upwards. you sucked in a breath as he brought the digits back down, circling around your cunt before slowly pumping inside. 
you meekly nodded your head, unable to form a coherent sentence as he curled his fingers upwards, hitting the warm spongey spot that made your toes curl. your body began to heat up, watching eren’s beautiful face as he fucked you with his fingers. his chin was turned slightly upward, lips parted. his digits slid in and out of you, picking up speed as a soft moan left your lips. 
“such a wet little bitch,” eren hissed as he shifted to gain more leverage. the pressure in your core began to build, only amplified by the addition of his thumb on your sensitive clit. “fuck, you’re so hot like this. should we show the class your pretty little cunt, hm?”
you closed your eyes as the warmth started to spread from between your legs into your stomach, release on its way. his fingers began to slow, a whine bubbling up from your throat.
“eren..” you whimpered, watching a scowl form on his face. his fingers pulled out completely from inside of you, the lack of contact making you ache in need. 
still gripping your jaw, he forced you to watch as he placed his long fingers between his lips, slowly sucking the remnants of you from himself. you bit your lip to repress a moan at the slight of his tongue gliding over his knuckles. he was hot and he knew it. 
he leaned forward, pulling your face down as he stood. his grip on your jaw tightened, forcing your mouth to pop open. he spat directly in your mouth, the warm liquid pooling on your tongue as he stared down at you.
“swallow,” he demanded, waiting as you let the bitter yet saccharine liquid slide down your throat. pleased, he released his grip on your jaw, a slight stinging where his fingers had rested. “good girl.”
his hands came up to the hemline of his sweatpants, gingerly yanking them down along with his boxers. you felt heat rush to your face as his cock came up to slap against his stomach. 
“can you stand up for me, pretty?” you nodded, eyes wide as his hand came down to lazily pump his dick. standing, you stepped out of your sweatpants and pulled your panties down, kicking them both to the side. 
eren’s eyes glanced to your laptop once more, pushing it as far back on the wooden desk as it would go. before you had the chance to question his motives, he roughly gripped your hips and spun you around, pressing you down onto the table. the cool surface made you shiver. 
his hand grabbed a fistful of your hair, forcing your neck to crane uncomfortably backwards. you could feel him positioning the tip of his cock at your entrance, the throbbing desire in you preparing itself to be stretched. he hesitated, staring at you darkly.
“beg for it,” eren’s voice was laced with a deep desire, eyes clouded with lust. you looked back at him through your lashes, lips slightly parted as his chest heaved. he could tell you were trying to rile him up. he yanked your hair slightly in retaliation. “beg for my cock to fuck you, baby.” 
“please,” you mewled, the aching in your cunt all to aware of him at your entrance, teasing you. eren raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. you swallowed deeply, the sound amplified by the strain of your craned neck. “please fuck me. fuck me so hard, eren.” 
a smirk danced across his features before he slowly stuffed himself inside of you, stretching and embedding within you. you hissed out in discomfort, never really getting accustomed to the sheer size of him. the slight pain started to dissipate as leaned forward while pulling your head back further by your hair. his hot breath fanned across the shell of your ear. 
“if you’re loud enough, i’ll let you cum,” with that, he dropped your hair and began to roughly buck his hips forward, the full feeling making your stomach burn. you moaned loudly as he slammed into you, picking up pace and stretching you nice and good.
his grunts were low and primal, melding with the sound of his hips smacking into your ass, hands burning prints into the skin on your waist. you felt yourself clench around his dick as he thrusted particularly deep, hitting that sweet spot that made tears prick your eyes. 
“you’re so pretty for me,” he grunted breathlessly. his pounding began to speed up, the sensation beginning to curdle in your cervix as you let out a string of curse words. eren fisted your hair again, the follicles stinging angrily as he brought his other hand forward to stuff his first two fingers in your mouth. 
the skin was warm and salty as you desperately sucked on his knuckles, frantic for the release you were craving as he abused your cunt. he pressed his fingers down on your tongue, allowing your mouth to fill with hot saliva. he groaned loudly at the sensation, his hips beginning to buck more senselessly. 
“pretty, pretty girl,” he moaned out, fingers pulling from your lips and bringing the saliva down your chin. you could feel your release fast approaching, aided by eren’s deep, purposeful thrusts that had you seeing stars. 
with one final plunge of his cock deep within your cunt, the release of dopamine crashed over your body, eren twitching as you unraveled around him. with a couple more sloppy thrusts, he was filling you up all nice with his cum, throaty groans ripping from his chest. 
the two of you sat in a breathy silence, cooling down from your highs together. eren pulled out, smiling lightly at the sight of his seed dripping from between your legs. he leaned forward, placing a kiss on your forehead. 
“better catch up on your notes, babe.” 
<3 <3 <3
657 notes · View notes
yoongiseesawmp3 · 3 years
Text
punch me - jungkook
back again with another self indulgent fic! enjoy
summary: daycare worker jungkook invites you, his favorite coworker, to the lake with his friends. why the lake? he wants you to see his new sleeve and whipping his shirt off in the classroom isn’t quite acceptable. plus he just wants to spend more time with you. there’s no harm in that.
warnings: none i think! 
word count: 3.5k
you work at a daycare, which isn’t a bad thing. it’s pretty chill, you like the kids and you can take off work pretty easy because there’s tons of subs. but also, not many people are bringing their kids in lately. so that means you and the other staff have been digging into the snack closet so “they won’t go to waste.”
jungkook was the one who suggested it. well, maybe suggest is the wrong word? he got caught up to his elbows in the bin of sweets, so when he turned to face your boss he immediately went into charming mode so he wouldn’t get in trouble. and once jungkook said it, everyone else thought it was a good idea too. hell, you’ve stopped buying snacks for yourself because you just sneak them from work now. wait. don’t tell anyone that. 
anyway, it was a great idea, but that was two weeks ago. now the snack closet is empty and you have a room full of toddlers on the verge of anarchy because of it. because of jungkook.
you just watched him pass by your room, arms laden with cheez-its and rice krispie treats, and you know for a fact he doesn’t have a class today. he’s only here to touch up the mural he’s been asked to paint near the front desk, so all of those snacks must be for him. 
you get the teacher from next door to keep an eye on your kiddos so you can sneak to the front and steal a couple bags of cheez-its (the kids don’t need their own bag, they’ll never know). but you get there and find yourself distracted from completing your mission.
jungkook is wearing old sweats, spattered with paint here and there, and he’s stooped over a bucket of water with a paintbrush between his teeth. it’s cute. 
“jungkook,” you semi-shout to get his attention. you get a sort of “hmgpfh?” in response, and that’s enough for you. “do you seriously need this many snacks? just for yourself?”
“i’m a growing boy, y/n,” he replies, taking the paintbrush out of his mouth so he can dip it into a paper plate covered in red shades. “you can have one.”
“i need three, actually,” you reply, picking them up as you speak. 
“are you a growing boy too?”
“no, i have six little kids with bad attitudes waiting for me in my room so i’ll be taking these off your hands,” you explain, finally turning to look at the work jungkook has put on the wall. “wow.”
“you like it?” jungkook asks, turning to look at you with a smile and a dancing light in his eyes. “is the tree too much?”
“no, oh my god, this is really good, jungkook,” you assure him, tracing your eyes over the wall full of characters and scenery from various children’s books.
“thank you,” he replies. “it’s better than wiping asses all day.”
“watch your mouth.”
“why don’t you watch it for me?” he quips back, peeking up at you with a smirk.
“what does that even mean, jungkook.”
“just thought i’d try to make you blush,” he says with a shrug. “didn’t work this time.”
“i don’t think it works anytime, actually,” you mumble, but he ignores it.
“hey, are you busy this weekend?” he questions, inspecting a bottle of green before squirting some directly on the wall. 
“are you sure you know what you’re doing?” you ask with a laugh. you watch him frantically spread the paint around to resemble a bush.
“shut up. are you busy this weekend?” he asks again. 
“i don’t think so, why?”
“come to the lake with me,” he says as he stands up to meet your eyes. “one of my friends convinced his uncle to let us borrow his boat. it’ll be fun.”
“do any of you know how to drive a boat?” you ask. “the safety of all this is what would keep me away.”
“i’m sure yoongi hyung will be able to do it,” jungkook says halfheartedly. “but still, the boat could just stay docked. it would be fun either way.”
“when are you going?” 
“saturday, so i could come by yours and get you on my way?” he asks with a lot of hope in his voice. you shrug before responding.
“why not? sure.”
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so, jungkook texts you late friday that he’ll pick you up at 7am saturday. what the fuck. you wouldn’t have said yes if you knew you had to leave that early, but jungkook explained that he’s the only one the uncle trusts to have the keys, so he has to get there before the world wakes up. but also, has this man met jungkook? jungkook, being trustworthy with small, easy to lose items? please.
nevertheless, you’re up bright and early on saturday with a very large thermos of coffee. jungkook texts you right at 7 that he’s outside, and when you walk out you see him at the back of his car trying to force something into the trunk.
“whatcha doin?” you ask as you approach, noticing his strong legs in his (surprisingly) short swim trunks. you’re now realizing you’ve never seen him in anything other than baggy pants, so his legs are a little...distracting. 
“trying to keep the beer bottles from rattling,” he says through clenched teeth.
“and you’re trying to fuse them together with sheer force?”
“no, i’m stuffing a towel in between them in the box but it’s really tight.”
“if hoseok were here he’d make a ‘that’s what she said’ joke,” you jest. 
“i thought about it,” jungkook replies. “so i guess that counts?”
as he talks, he rearranges the other things in the trunk so it can close easy, and as he lowers the door he turns to you.
“you look nice,” he says, eyes drifting over you quickly. he notices the coffee cup in your hand and smiles. “any chance that has the sickly sweet creamer in it that i like?”
“how would i know what coffee creamer you like?” you ask, slightly annoyed that he just assumes you pay that much attention to him but also annoyed that you got caught. 
“because you like me,” he replies, grabbing the thermos and taking a sip. “oh my god, i love you.”
“you better be talking to the coffee,” you warn him as you grab the coffee back from him. 
“i’ll say it to you someday,” he promises, walking around to the passenger side of the car before opening your door. “if you let me.”
“what’s gotten into you lately?” you ask with a smile. you’d be lying if you said you didn’t have a little crush on jungkook, and recently it’s gotten worse. after you started working together, you noticed how many shared friends you have, so you’ve been hanging out more and more the past few months. jungkook has always been more than nice to you, but these flirty little comments are a welcome change. you hope they keep coming.
“is it cool if we stop at the gas station real quick?” he asks as he gets into the driver’s seat. “it’s an hour drive and i need gas and snacks.”
“fine with me. how about cheez-its and rice krispies?” 
“i had my fill of those at work this week, thanks,” jungkook laughs. 
at the gas station, you offer to get the snacks while jungkook stays at the pump. you’re looking for your favorite gas station snack, a crappy fruit and cheese danish that you could eat every day. jungkook finds you bent over in the sweets aisle, ass poking out too much for him to pass by and not push your face right into the premade baked goods. he considers it, because funny, but mean. he also considers passing behind you and smacking your ass as he does so you’ll move. tempting, but maybe too far. he opts for just bending down next to you to see what’s so interesting.
“what are we looking for?” he asks, scanning the labels for something to try.
“cherry and cheese,” you tell him, moving a blueberry danish out of the way, hoping to find what you want, but no luck.
“what? that sounds gross,” jungkook replies as he stands. “you like that?”
“it’s one of my favorites,” you tell him as you move into a squat. jungkook slides behind you and looks for his favorite jelly candy as you keep searching. “what’s so gross about it? they go well together.”
“like us.”
“what?” 
“huh?” jungkook asks, staring down at you with a glint in his eyes. the glare you give him is definitely ignored as jungkook looks back up and spots something on the top shelf. he grabs it and hands it to you. “this what you want?”
“yeah, it is,” you reply. “thanks. get another one for yourself.”
“why?” he asks, screwing his face up in disgust.
“because i know you’ll want to try some even with the way you’re acting right now, and i don’t like sharing.” 
“whatever you say,” he grumbles with a roll of his eyes. “now help me find the sour worms.”
-
jungkook tried the danish, and he hated it. 
have you ever seen a baby eating a lemon? it was like that, except jungkook spat what was in his mouth into his hand and then tossed it out the window of his car as he drove. sure, that whole part was gross, but he looked cute when he didn’t like the danish. who doesn’t love babies making silly faces? 
“i can’t believe you like that, but i can’t believe you convinced me to try it,” jungkook complains.
“kook, i think if i told you electrocuting yourself was fun you would try it just because i said i liked it,” you reply. he thinks about it for a moment before nodding, a slight tint gracing his cheeks.
“you’re right, but that’s not gonna make me finish your gross choice of snack.”
“fine, more for me,” you say, grabbing the discarded treat in the cupholder. you take a bite, not really caring that jungkook’s mouth was on it before you.
“omg.”
“did you just say ‘omg’ out loud?”
“yes, why?”
“you’re a loser,” you laugh, taking another bite, causing jungkook to gasp again. “what?”
“it’s like we just kissed,” he replies, almost giggling through his toothy smile.
“what do you even mean by that.”
“we just swapped spit.”
“you’re disgusting. stop talking.”
“hey, you’re the one that wants to kiss me,” jungkook says with a shrug. you want to protest, but you don’t want to convince him that you’re totally against kissing him. you’d actually very much like to plant your lips on his and never let go, but life doesn’t always give you what you want. jungkook notices your silence and smiles. “you’re not denying it.”
“i’m being polite.”
“mmmhmm,” he replies, failing to hide how pleased he is as he pulls into a treacherously sloped driveway. “we’re here.”
-
it’s turning into a beautiful day. the morning chill is starting to slowly melt away, and you find yourself sweating slightly as you help jungkook move all of the junk from his car. he insisted on doing it himself, but you felt super weird just standing there while he huffed and puffed carrying things back and forth, so you finally jumped in. it’s still just the two of you here, the friend’s uncle had successfully given you both a crash course on how to handle the boat, and you’re confident the two of you can share that info with yoongi when he gets here and hopefully no one will get hurt. 
speaking of yoongi, he said he was a few minutes away, and that was more than a few minutes ago. maybe he and hoseok got lost. the final four (as they’ve been calling themselves all morning) will be here later because taehyung didn’t have a swimsuit and they had to make a pit stop at walmart to get him one. you’re familiar with jungkook’s friends, and comfortable with a couple of them, but you don’t know much about taehyung aside from his interest in art and now his view on the boxer vs briefs debate (he was apparently very picky when trying on said swimsuits). but whatever. they’ll get here eventually. 
before you know it, you and jungkook have unloaded all of the snacks, alcohol and water accessories from his car, so all that’s left to do is hang out until the boys get here. 
“you ready?” jungkook asks, offering you his hand. you give him a questioning look and he motions to the boat. “c’mon, we’re not gonna sit here in the sun while we wait for them. it’s hot as balls.”
“but it’s hot as balls on the boat too,” you counter as you take his outstretched hand and let him pull you behind him on the dock.
“yeah, but at least we’re on a boat.”
he leads you to the edge of the shaky dock and let’s go of your hand momentarily to steady himself as he steps over to the boat. he turns back and offers his hand again, giving yours a squeeze as he guides you over the gap of water. the boat is slippery, so you lose your footing slightly and jungkook reacts quickly by wrapping you in his arms. the boat is bobbing a little too much for your liking, but jungkook is giggling and that distracts you enough from the fact that you could’ve fallen just now. 
as you both stand there awkwardly staring at each other, you don’t notice yoongi’s car pulling up to the top of the hill and its two passengers walking out toward the water. 
“oooh, what do we have here?” hoseok asks as he sees you holding onto each other for dear life. you separate quickly, making the newcomers laugh.
“don’t stop because we’re here,” yoongi replies.
“yeah, i can hug yoongi if it makes things less awkward for you,” hoseok offers.
“please don’t do that,” yoongi quips back.
“i’ll get you when you least expect it, hyung.”
jungkook, still standing very close to you, clears his throat and waves yoongi over. you scoot around them to help hoseok with the bag of food in his hands.
“are you sure you know how to drive a boat, yoongi?” you ask. 
“i’m a fast learner,” he replies.
“that’s not very reassuring.”
“i’ve done it before, y/n,” he laughs. “just not with this kind of motor, but it won’t take long to figure out. everything will be nice and safe, i promise.”
“besides, we have jungkookie here to save you even if hyung throws us overboard,” hoseok jokes.
speaking of jungkook, he’s rustling around the boat, trying to figure out how to put the suncover up. his jacket from this morning has been tossed aside, and he’s in a baggy tank top. you allow yourself a moment to admire the way his muscles ripple as he works when you notice -
“you finished your sleeve?” you ask him. his head snaps up in your direction and he smiles.
“enjoying the show?” he teases.
“answer the question.”
“honestly, i wanted it to be a surprise,” he replies, stretching the arm out and turning it around as best he can.
“so what, you were gonna take your shirt off and punch me and that’s how i was supposed to find out?”
“are you offering?”
“i’m just mad you didn’t take me with you! i was gonna get something this time,” you complain with a slight pout, which jungkook scrunches his nose at. you’re really cute, he thinks to himself.
“my artist called me last minute and said they had an opening, so i went in as soon as i could. i think you were still handling six hungry toddlers,” he explains.
“so is that why you invited me today?” you laugh. “you couldn’t think of a reasonable way to take your shirt off in front of me so i had to come with you to the lake for the big reveal?”
“jungkook, if you say yes, then jin and i are giving you the sex talk. you gotta up your game,” yoongi mumbles.
“no,” jungkook insists, ignoring yoongi. “i invited you today because i think it’ll be fun and i wanted you to be here.”
“and he wanted to see you in a swimsuit,” hoseok adds, pulling some cookies out of the bag of snacks. he offers them to you and you gladly accept. then he turns and pops one into yoongi’s mouth as he yawns, before he tosses one over to jungkook, happily shouting “a cookie for kookie!”
“that’s cute,” you smile, liking the way hoseok babies jungkook. it’s got him flustered, and it’s kind of adorable.
“kook, did you hear that? y/n thinks you’re cute,” hoseok sing-songs.
“i- that’s not...i didn’t say that,” you stumble. “the rhyming was cute. if anything, i called hoseok cute.”
“everyone thinks hobi is cute,” yoongi replies. “but jungkook? eh.”
“eh?!” jungkook shouts. “i’m just eh to you hyung?”
“now you hurt the boy’s feelings,” you tell yoongi, and he shrugs.
“you should’ve just called him cute.”
you look over and notice jungkook is staring at you, an eyebrow quirked in a challenge. hoseok is watching and munching like this is a movie, and yoongi looks between you and the so-called cutie and laughs to himself.
“well?” jungkook asks.
“i mean, yeah, you are cute, sometimes,” you begin. “not when you’re being annoying though.”
“i’m not annoying!”
“yes you are,” hoseok and yoongi agree in unison. jungkook huffs at that and looks back at you.
“now my feelings are hurt again. talk more about me being cute,” he pleads as he finally gives up on the suncover and joins you on the wraparound couch of the boat. he’s looking at you with the absolute worst puppy dog eyes, so you keep going.
“uh, you’re cute with the kids i guess? like when they use you as their personal playground and you’re all giggling. that’s cute,” you offer. “or when the little girls get hurt, they always run to you first and you cheer them up with sweet songs.”
“hmm, family planning perhaps?” you hear hoseok joke with yoongi. 
you would go on (or deny how often you’ve thought about jungkook being a dad) but the other car of boys has finally arrived, so the two instigators leave the boat to help them unload. that leaves you next to jungkook, who’s not done talking about the cute stuff.
“i didn’t know you noticed all of that,” jungkook whispers, suddenly sitting very close to you. you try to act like it’s nothing, but he stops you. “ah ah, now it’s my turn.”
“your turn? for what?”
“for talking about how cute you are,” he says like it’s the most obvious thing ever. if he had his way he would be pulling up a whole powerpoint presentation right now, but he has to rely on his words, which is fine. “first of all, you have great style. you’re maybe the only person who can make the daycare uniform look like a capital o outfit everyday you come in. and the way your eyes light up when a kid tells you a story, or shows you something they made? that’s my favorite. wish you would look at me like that someday.”
“you...what?” you almost can’t believe where this conversation has gone, but it’s making your heart beat faster and you’re not ready for it to stop.
“i wish i could make your eyes light up like i’m the only person you can see,” he clarifies, locking eyes with you. he holds your gaze for a moment before his eyes flick down to your lips. you wouldn’t have noticed if you weren’t so close, but the movement was obvious. jungkook wants to kiss you. 
“and what would you do if they did?” you challenge, repeating the same glance from his eyes down to his lips. your gaze lingers a little longer, and when you look back up at jungkook you know what’s coming next. that doesn’t mean it’s not shocking, though.
kissing jungkook is like pulling down a piece of the sun and slamming it into your chest. the warmth that he exudes, and the softness of his lips as they caress yours, it’s perfect. but - 
“wait,” jungkook mumbles against your lips. you pull back, worried.
“what?”
“i did that wrong.”
“wha..how? jungkook, i thought that was nice,” you assure him but he shakes his head.
“i did it wrong,” he insists, looking at you and noticing the shine in your eyes that he was hoping for. “can i kiss you again?”
you nod and let out a quiet “yes” before jungkook is cupping your face and connecting your lips again. this one is stronger, more intentional and you’re glad he wanted to try again. not that the first kiss was bad, your mind is still reeling from that first one. but this feels like a kiss full of love. it feels like a kiss from someone that’s been pining for you over bags of cheez-its and funny kid stories, but they didn’t know how to tell you how badly they wanted to do this. jungkook didn’t know how to tell you, but now he doesn’t have to because this kiss tells you everything you need to know.
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ncssian · 3 years
Text
A Favor: Part Twenty-One
Nessian Modern AU
Masterlist
a/n: as someone who is physically incapable of reading fics and other long tumblr posts line by line and word for word, i think it’s so fucking cool that a bunch of you regularly, excitedly read what i post. i would not blame you at all for skim reading. thank you.
***
The majority of Cassian’s life was spent battling with the fact of his own existence. First he was fatherless, then motherless, then homeless. Being taken in by Rhys’s parents, who bought him nice clothes and nicer gifts, was like putting a bandaid over a stab wound. It couldn’t change the questions that made up Cassian at his core: was he equal to everyone else in this world, or had he been born inherently inferior? Did he deserve the same happinesses that his friends so carelessly reaped, or should he step back and know his place?
The older he grew, the more he grappled with those questions—until the night he learned who his father was, and the truth behind his existence. That he was likely a product of rape. Nearly driving himself drunk off a mountainside in Monte Carlo was enough to make him realize with a startling clarity: he couldn’t keep asking himself the same questions for the rest of his life. At some point, he was going to have to buck the fuck up and make his peace with the world, whether he believed he deserved to be in it or not. And though it might have taken him a while to reach that conclusion, Cassian can proudly say he did it. Not long into his post-college years, Cassian finally grew up.
By twenty-seven, he was secure enough in himself and his place in the world to not have to deal with those doubtful voices every waking minute. His life was figured out, and his ego was unshakeable. Until Nesta Archeron entered the story.
Now at twenty-eight, Cassian is again unsecured—this time in a less tragic but more confusing way. Because everything he thinks he knows about himself, about life, she insists on proving wrong.
Including the issue of celebrating his birthday.
“I feel like I should have asked this earlier,” Cassian mutters to Nesta as they stand in the cozy resort lobby, “but why is Az here?”
Nesta looks both humiliated and resigned when she mutters back, “He wouldn’t pay for the resort unless I let him come with us.”
“At that point you should’ve just let me pay, babe.” He watches Azriel’s back as he chats up the lady at the front desk while getting their room keys.
“On your own birthday? It would have ruined the point,” Nesta says.
Cassian doesn’t retort that having his brother present at their couple’s retreat also ruins the point. He’s sure she already knows.
Nesta’s reaction when Cassian told her that he didn’t celebrate his birthday was unforgettable.
“No one in our inner circle really cares about birthdays,” he had shrugged. “Feyre’s birthday is the exception because she’s sort of the outsider, and Rhys will find any excuse to worship at her feet. But the rest of us? I don’t know, it was never a big deal.”
As someone who’s never skipped a birthday once in her life, even when she was isolated and ignoring her family’s phone calls, Nesta took this as a personal offense. “I need to get you out of this cabin,” she stated.
Which brings them here, to Colorado’s finest ski resort situated high in the Rocky Mountains. The lobby is littered with overstuffed armchairs and a crackling fireplace, and huge windows look out over the blinding white mountains.
Az starts heading their way, key cards in hand, when Cassian suddenly turns to Nesta. “We need to find him a woman,” he whispers.
“What?”
“We can’t let him third wheel with us for the whole weekend. We’ll never get time alone.” Cassian is set on this new plan, already scanning the lobby for women around Azriel’s age.
“I agree, but—”
Azriel reaches the two of them, tossing a room card to Nesta. “You can stop talking about me now. I’ll be spending most of my time hitting the slopes.”
Cassian and Nesta mumble a halfhearted, “We weren’t talking about you.”
He narrows his eyes at them. “Uh-huh. Just remember whose credit card this is going on.” Picking up his ski gear and duffel bag, he turns for the elevator.
Nesta frowns up at Cassian once Az is gone, more adorably than she probably intends. “Do you think he’s upset?”
He scoffs. “We should be upset at him.” He doesn’t want to have to worry about his brother while he’s on vacation, and Az definitely wouldn’t want him to worry either, but it isn’t something that can be helped.
Despite his irritation, he might go skiing with Az later this afternoon. Just to keep him company.
***
Nesta will give it to Azriel—he’s a man of fine taste, and also generous with his spending. She originally wanted a normal room for her and Cassian, preferably the cheapest one, but Az went behind her back and upgraded them to a fully decked out penthouse suite.
“This is too much for just a weekend,” she tells him over the phone while Cassian is in the bathroom. “How am I supposed to pay you back for this?”
“Why would you pay me back?” he says dismissively. “I’m rich.”
When Nesta tries arguing with him, he only replies, “I don’t take money from poor people,” and hangs up on her.
Which leaves Nesta to enjoy the four-spray shower and heated bathroom tiles free of charge. By the time she comes out of the shower, Cassian has already left with Azriel to hit some slopes before dinner, though not before leaving her a note promising to teach her how to ski tomorrow.
Nesta doesn’t even get to unwrap her towel from her body before realizing her phone is ringing incessantly, all the way from the other side of the suite. Jogging over to the living area, Nesta answers Emerie’s call. “What’s up?”
“Where are you?” Emerie greets without introduction.
“At the ski lodge?” Nesta answers, confused. “I already told you, for Cassian’s birthday.”
“I know that,” Emerie hisses. “I mean what room are you in? This place is huge.”
“Wait—you’re here?” Nesta looks quickly around herself, as if Emerie will pop up from behind the couch.
“Not just me. So is Gwyn.” Nesta hears rustling on the other side of the line, and then Emerie saying from a distance, “Answer for your crimes, Gwyneth. Say hi.”
A new, clearer voice comes over the phone. “Hiii, Nesta.” Gwyn sounds weak, like she is not having fun at all.
“What the hell do you two think you’re doing?” Nesta demands.
“Well, it’s a long story and I need to see you first. Also, I have to pee. Where is your room?”
Five minutes later, Gwyn and Emerie are sitting obediently before the roaring fireplace in Nesta and Cassian’s suite.
Now fully dressed, Nesta stabs a finger at Emerie. “Explain.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Emerie says indignantly. “Gwyn barged into my place at eight in the morning and dragged me all the way here—”
“It was an emergency!” Gwyn tosses her hands in the air. “It still is an emergency. That’s why we’re here.”
“I’m here because Gwyn is scared of traveling alone,” Emerie interjects. “And driving on highways.”
“Guys!” Nesta snaps.
Gwyn makes a whining sound of defeat and drops her head into her hands. After a long moment, she speaks. “He asked if we could go to dinner together. Like, right to my face. And I panicked and said yes, because I couldn’t think of a reason to say no, but obviously I can’t do that. So this morning I cashed in my sick days and told him I was going on vacation for a whole week.” Gwyn looks up at Nesta with pleading teal eyes. “Please can we stay here the whole week?”
Nesta stares at Gwyn, feeling like her brain was just sucked dry. “First of all, who’s ‘he’?”
“Max!” She stands in her outburst. “The love of my life. The man who works on the fourth floor of the library. Do you pay attention to the groupchat at all?”
Oh yeah, that guy. “You came all the way here,” Nesta drawls out slowly, “so you wouldn’t have to have dinner with your crush?”
“It wasn’t just any dinner.” Gwyn flops back onto the couch. “It was a date. I can’t go on a date with him. First dates lead to second dates, and second dates lead to—sex.” She whispers the last word.
“Really?” Emerie frowns, not missing a beat at the mention of Gwyn’s deepest fear. “What kind of dates have you been having?”
“I haven’t been having any dates,” Gwyn says. “Why, how long do you usually see someone before doing it?”
“First date, at most,” Emerie shrugs.
“No,” Nesta steps in, sending Emerie a bewildered look. “Gwyn, you’ve known this guy for a while now. If he’s half as decent as you think he is, he won’t expect sex by the second date. And even if he does—”
“What does it matter?” Gwyn wails. “It’ll come up eventually. And when it does, he’ll think I’m a freak.”
“He won’t get a chance to think anything before I kill him,” Emerie says, eyes darkening.
Nesta says nothing, knowing this is something she can’t advise Gwyn about. Whether or not Gwyn chooses to share her past and unresolved trauma with another man, and whether or not that man reacts in an unshitty way isn’t something Nesta can determine. So she just states for the record, “You’re not a freak.”
“But it’s what he’ll think.”
“Then you shouldn’t be with him in the first place,” Nesta says firmly. Even though she knows better than anyone that it isn’t always that simple.
Proving her point, Gwyn scoffs and looks away. “You don’t get it.”
“What I really don’t get,” Nesta says, “is why you took your lie so literally. Why did you come all the way out here instead of hiding out at home for the week?”
“Merrill sees and knows everything. I can’t lie to her.” Gwyn cringes. “If I stayed at home, she would sniff me out as soon as she got me on the phone, and then I’d really be screwed.”
Nesta cocks her head at Gwyn, squinting her eyes in something akin to fascination.
“I had the same reaction,” Emerie pipes up. She shakes her head at Gwyn. “I’ve never met a more melodramatic idiot, truly.”
Gwyn curls into herself on the couch, looking ashamed.
Nesta sighs sharply, then whips out a hand. “Give me your wallets. I’ll go downstairs right now and see if I can book a room last minute.”
Emerie sits up at that. “Uh… I’m not sure I can afford a place like this.”
“Neither can I,” Nesta says. “That’s why Azriel paid for all of us.”
Gwyn’s eyes go comically round. “Azriel’s here?”
“Unfortunately.” She snaps her fingers at both girls. “Credit or debit, now.”
“So… I’m assuming we can’t just share this huge suite with you guys, huh?” Gwyn says hesitantly.
There might be actual flames in Nesta’s eyes. This is Cassian’s birthday, goddammit. Cassian, who hasn’t celebrated a birthday since he was eleven. “Please don’t push me.”
Gwyn and Emerie, very reluctantly, hand their cards over to Nesta. Emerie hands over two, just in case.
In the end, Nesta doesn’t use any of their money, but charges the new room to her own account. She’ll work it off by putting extra hours into Night Court, she tells herself.
When she returns to the penthouse suite, she spies tracks outlined in melted snow at the doorway. Shit. She barges inside to find Cassian and Azriel standing in the middle of the living area, with Emerie looking awkward on the couch.
“Uh, we just got back—” Cassian starts.
“I can explain,” Nesta interrupts.
A faucet turns off in the distance, and Gwyn peeks her head out of the bathroom door.
“Oh, shit,” Azriel says in delight. “Freckles is here too?”
Gwyn looks like she’s about to turn right back around to the bathroom. Nesta and Cassian both throw Az a baffled look, but Nesta says, “I can fix this. I’ve already fixed it.” She goes over to Emerie and hands her a key card. “You and Gwyn are going to stay on the first floor, and you won’t bother me or Cassian for the duration of our stay. It’ll be like you’re not even here.” She whips toward Gwyn, who still hovers near the bathroom doorway. “And at the end of this weekend, you’re going back to work like the adult you are and taking care of your shit.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Gwyn says quietly, lowering her head.
Cassian comes over to Nesta, whispering, “So, you didn’t invite them to keep Az company or anything, right?”
“I can hear you,” Azriel says.
“Of course not,” Nesta whispers back. “That’s a terrible idea.”
“Really? Because I thought it was kind of convenient—”
“I can still hear you,” Az repeats.
“So can I,” Emerie nods.
“Shut up,” Nesta hisses at the both of them. Grabbing Cassian’s still-gloved hand, she drags him upstairs and away to their bedroom. When the door shuts behind them, she turns to him and blurts, “I’m so sorry.”
Cassian only laughs, taking his ski jacket off and brushing away the wet snow from the back. “I’m not.” He tosses his jacket and gloves over a chair and approaches Nesta, tugging her closer by her oversized turtleneck. “And what did I tell you about wasting your apologies?”
Nesta doesn’t care. “I ruined your birthday.”
“My birthday’s not until tomorrow,” he says with a straight face. “But honestly, I like this a lot more than just you, me, and Az. At least he can’t third wheel anymore, right?”
She shakes her head insistently, frustration boiling in her blood. “Everything’s going wrong.”
“But you solved our problems.” He finds Nesta’s clenched fists and unfurls them with gentle hands. “You got the girls their own room, and now Az can be distracted with those two. We can still be alone. We win.”
Nesta purses her lips, unconvinced, when Cassian adds, “But seriously, though—what the fuck are they doing here?”
She exhales deeply, letting her head drop forward onto Cassian’s chest. “I don’t know,” she mutters. “Gwyn panicked about some personal stuff and thought it was a good idea to come to me. I don’t want to make her leave, though.” Gwyn is being stupid right now, without a doubt, but Nesta won’t abandon her. Neither will Emerie.
God, having friends sucks.
Cassian threads a hand through her loose hair and hums. “Gwyn was smart for coming to you.”
***
Dinner is held outside in the snow and cold, but everyone bundles up and sits down at a table that surrounds one of the multiple fire pits in the courtyard. Cassian convinced Nesta to let Gwyn and Emerie hang out with them for the weekend, because what else are those poor girls supposed to do, and now the women babble over each other as they decide what to drink.
Cassian sits back and takes it in, the sight feeling heartwarmingly familiar and strangely brand new at the same time. Nesta ends up being the one to order everybody’s drinks, and once the waiter scampers back inside, Gwyn releases a terse breath. “Sometimes I still get scared of that tone.”
“I’m always scared of it,” Az mutters, eyeing Nesta from the corner of his eye.
“What tone?” Cassian laughs. He knows Nesta is still a little wound up from her plans going off the rails, but she hasn’t done anything scary.
“I’m used to it,” Emerie says through a mouthful of fries, “but I think that waiter almost cried.”
“That’s how I sound all the time.” Nesta shrugs, sitting back.
“What tone?” Cassian repeats.
Nesta clicks her tongue impatiently. “You know how I talk. I’m straightforward.”
“And harsh,” Azriel adds. “Even aggressive.”
“Watch it.” Gwyn turns stern eyes onto him over the fire pit.
“I have no idea what you all are talking about,” Cassian says. He turns to Nesta. “You sound perfectly normal to me.”
She narrows her perfect brows at him, and Emerie laughs, “I don’t know if that’s romantic or ignorant.”
But now that they’re discussing it, Cassian does distinctly remember Nesta having a sharp edge to her words while they were getting to know each other. Did it disappear over time, or has he really stopped noticing it?
He doesn’t get to think about it before their drinks arrive, followed soon by a dinner of fancy sandwiches.
Cassian cuts his beef sandwich in half and gives the other half to Nesta, and she does the same with her turkey sandwich. They eat and drink around the crackling fire, laughing and talking about tomorrow’s plans (“It’s not your birthday, Azriel,” Nesta says. “Stop asking about gifts.”). Cassian and Emerie talk idly about video games over wine, and even though it isn’t really his thing, he can see her excitement over it and gladly indulges it.
Once everyone is finished eating and is slightly drunk, Gwyn pulls a small sleeve of crackers out of her puffy jacket, followed by a fun-sized Hershey’s bar and a handful of mini marshmallows.
“What are you doing?” Nesta says.
“Making dessert.” Gwyn builds a mini s’more and places it carefully on her fork so she can toast it over the fire pit. When it’s done, she leans forward even more to try to put it on Nesta’s plate. “For you. Thank you for letting me and Emerie stay.”
Nesta jumps, catching the s’more with her plate and batting Gwyn away from the fire pit at the same time. “You’ll set your hair on fire,” she hisses.
Gwyn’s hair remains safe, but now Cassian catches his brother watching Gwyn amusedly from the corner of his eye. “Can I have one?” Az says.
“I’m all out.” Gwyn says while building another s’more, refusing to meet his eyes.
Cassian and Nesta share a look, a hundred words thrown back and forth between them in that glance. She scoots her chair closer to him to slip her cold hands into his warm ones, but while the conversation carries on around the table, she leans in and whispers, “I’m not a busybody but…”
“I am,” he whispers back. “Az is being weird, weirder than usual.”
Nesta nods. “I’ve never seen him so—outgoing.”
Neither has Cassian, but before he can mention anything else, he looks up to find that Gwyn and Azriel’s seats at the table are empty. “How much did those two drink?” he breathes.
Nesta follows his gaze, seeing what he’s seeing: Azriel and Gwyn wandering clumsily around the snowy courtyard. Or rather, Az is trying to chase Gwyn down for a s’more, while she clutches her mini marshmallows to her chest and vehemently yells, “They’re mine!”
Meanwhile, Emerie is half asleep at the table.
Cassian watches as Gwyn nears the towering fir tree at the center of the courtyard and slips. Az shoots out a hand to catch her, but not before her ass hits the stone, hard. He pulls her back up, no longer fooling around, and Gwyn rubs her butt in pain.
Cassian suddenly feels Nesta squeezing the life out of his hands, and he looks over to find fury written across her face. For a heartbeat, he feels worried for Az.
“Go deal with him,” Nesta says lowly. “Before I do.”
Not needing any more words to understand, he stands out of his seat and heads out into the courtyard. He doesn’t know why Nesta thinks Gwyn needs protecting, but it makes him feel protective himself. Approaching the duo, he sees that Azriel finally acquired the leftover s’more ingredients from Gwyn.
“There’s only like half a cracker left,” Az mutters to himself, shaking the baggie.
“Is he bothering you?” Cassian asks Gwyn, who still looks grumpy over losing their skirmish.
Whipping her head to Cassian like he’s her savior, Gwyn nods furiously. “Please make him stop.”
Cassian turns to Azriel with rage in his eyes, a clear What the fuck do you think you’re doing?
But Az shakes his head in denial. “It’s not like that. Look, she’s smirking at me!” He points over Cassian’s shoulder.
When Cassian looks, Gwyn is already walking back to the fire pit, holding her bruised ass.
Az starts, “What a fake little—”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Cassian interrupts. “Yesterday you’re crying over Elain and today you’re flirting with Nesta’s friend?”
Azriel goes serious, his face turning colder than the night air. “How do you know about Elain?” he says gruffly.
“Everyone knows, Azriel.” Cassian stares down his brother, wondering if he’ll finally get him to get his head screwed on straight after these past weeks of secretive bullshit.
Azriel sets his jaw, but a muscle there ticks.
“Will you finally at least tell me what’s going on in your head?” Cassian pleads. “Because I can’t keep guessing.”
Azriel glances toward the dinner table, as if checking to see that no one is paying attention to them. Looking back, he inhales a breath. “You want to know why I left Velaris?”
Like Nesta, Azriel is not one to quickly make himself vulnerable. So there’s no blatant emotion in his voice when he says, “I started seeing her at the end of summer, not long after she broke up with her ex. And it was so…nice after every other relationship I’ve been in has gone wrong. We kept it quiet, and because of that, it was peaceful.” Azriel’s eyes meet Cassian’s twin ones, and he smirks without humor. “But you already know what that’s like, don’t you?”
He does. Cassian crosses his arms, waiting for Az to continue.
“Anyway, we had a good run. For a long time, it was mostly just sex, but I liked her. I liked her a lot.” Az kicks at the snow-dusted cobblestones. “Then Christmas came around, and Rhys found out.” His face darkens as he remembers, and Cassian stiffens, knowing what’s next isn’t good. Sometimes Rhys forgets the boundary between boss and brother.
“He didn’t say anything about it to Elain, of course,” Azriel says. “But he dragged my ass aside and gave me this huge lecture about us using each other as rebounds. Said ‘Feyre’s sister’ deserves better or some shit. I told him there was more to it than that, but he wouldn’t listen. Instead he brought Vanserra & Co. into it, like his business matters had anything to do with me and Elain.” Azriel’s eyes crinkle at the corners in a puzzled way. “So I got to thinking, ‘why would he bring the Vanserras up?’ He made it seem like such a big deal.” The toe of his boot digs a hole into the ground.
Sympathy churns alongside anger in Cassian’s chest for Azriel’s situation, anger at Rhysand for crossing that line between brothers. He’s only momentarily grateful that Rhys never tried doing something similar to him and Nesta.
“I thought she was over that other guy, Lucien,” Az continues. “But maybe she’s not, if Rhys is so concerned about what Lucien’s stepfather thinks. Anyway, that’s why I ran. Because I knew she liked me, but I also knew she didn’t love me. I didn’t want us to cause all that trouble with Rhys just to end up backed into a corner one day, having nowhere else to go because she loves someone else and I’m just a rebound. It would be awkward for everyone involved.” He scratches the back of his neck. “It’s mostly my fault, for always chasing after women I can’t have.” He finally looks up at Cassian. “When you talk to Elain, does it sound like she hates me?” The question is quiet, straightforward.
“No,” Cassian answers, voice rough. Even if Azriel wants to hide his feelings, Cassian won’t. “She doesn’t seem like she hates you. I don’t even think she’s mad at you.” Concerned, anxious, upset—that’s Elain as far as he knows.
“She should hate me,” Azriel says. “She should get pissed, burn my old clothes, and swear to never talk to me again. That’s the only way she can move on.” Maybe even move back to Lucien, is what goes unsaid.
Cassian isn’t so sure about that. Even as he feels for Az, he thinks both of his brothers should get slapped upside the head for how they’ve been acting lately. He won’t be the one to do it, but he might get Nesta to relay a message to Elain. It’ll be the same thing. “I’m sorry,” he tells Az instead. “I know I’ve been hard on you lately. When we get home, I’ll start doing better.” He claps Az on the shoulder and squeezes.
Azriel surprises him by scoffing, looking away in disbelief. “Wow, being compassionate is really a full time job for you, huh?” He claps Cassian’s shoulder back, pulling him into a sudden hug. “You’ve already done more than enough,” he says into Cassian’s ear. “Go to your girlfriend and take a rest.”
Taken aback, Cassian nods and pulls away. He’s about to turn around and leave when Az says, “By the way, I wasn’t flirting with Gwyn.”
Cassian raises a brow. “You were definitely doing something.”
Az rolls his eyes. “I’m not giving her anything she can’t handle. But in case you haven’t noticed, I have no interest in other women right now.” He makes a face. “Especially not her.”
Cassian chuckles. “I believe you. It’s Nesta you need to worry about.”
“Whatever. I’m not scared of her.”
That makes Cassian laugh even harder, but he turns around, ready to go back to said girlfriend. As he nears the fire pit, though, he finds that Gwyn is already there and cuddled up to Nesta. On Nesta’s other side, Emerie now sits in Cassian’s chair, asleep on her friend’s shoulder. He stops in his tracks.
Cassian wasn’t lying when he told Nesta that he was happy about their changed vacation plans—he believes the more the merrier, and he loves these people. Yet he can’t help but wish the two of them could be alone for just one day. Only one.
God, sometimes having friends sucks.
***
a/n: this is a two parter so next chapter we’ll finally be getting more nessian alone time
tagging: @hellasblessed @sjm-things @thewayshedreamed @drielecarla @valkyriewarriors @superspiritfestival @aliveahaahahafuck @cupcakey00 @sayosdreams @rainbowcheetah512 @claralady @thebluemartini @nessiantho @missing-merlin @duskandstarlight @lucy617 @sleeping-and-books @everything-that-i-love @cassianscool @swankii-art-teacher @wannawriteyouabook @awesomelena555 @julemmaes @wickedqueenoffantasy @poisonous-bloom @observationanxioustheorist @gisellefigue08 @courtofjurdan @theoverlyenthusiasticwriter @wolfiixxx @cass-nes @seashade @royaltykxx @illyrianundercover @queenestarcheron @monstrousloves-explodinggalaxies @humanexile @that-golden-lyre @agentsofsheilds @mercy-is-alive @cassiansbigwingspan @laylaameer01 @verypaleninja @maastrash @bow-dawn @perseusannabeth @dead-on-the-inside666 @jlinez @hungryreadingaddict @anidealiveson @planet-faerie @shallowhighwaters @ghostlyrose2 @chosenfamily-valkyriequeens @rarephloxes @readiajin @nessiantrashh @live-the-fangirl-life @ifinallygavein @xoblivisci @sjmships @jungtaekwoonie-is-life @lysandra-tiara @lanyjoy-13 @frosted-crackers @post-it-notes33 @loosingdreams @fromthelibraryofemilyj @18moneytoad @dontgetsalmonella @champanheandluxxury @togreblog @arinbelle @ladygabrielli1997 @meridainthedisneyland
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cleanlenins · 3 years
Text
He Drives Me Crazy
AO3 FFN
Written for the Minibang
Artwork done by @tumbling-darkling
Mother's Day is today and Danny forgot to buy a present! How did this become Jazz's problem? Danny convinces Jazz to help him pick out a last minute Mother's day gift. He also somehow convinced her to teach him how to drive. Sibling hijinks ensue and Jazz is going to need some advil to get through all of her brother's terrible jokes.
The bird had been singing just outside her window for ten minutes now, but Jazz was well practiced in ignoring Mama Bird's pre-dawn routine. She snuggled further under the blankets, not quite waking as dawn began to break. The soft fingers of early morning light began to brush against her eyelids. She had found that arranging her bed in a way that allowed for natural daylight to wake her was beneficial for her mental health and refreshed her enough to face a new day with an upbeat attitude. Danny said it was proof that she was, in fact, a robot running on solar power. Honestly, he could laugh, but he would benefit from taking a little time to plot out his sleep cycle.
Something suddenly blocked the dawn light, casting a faint shadow that covered her face. She frowned, not quite waking, but some part of her brain was aware of the change.
"Jazz," a cold whisper tickled her ear. She furrowed her brow further, hiding her face from the suddenly cold air. She mumbled incomprehensible nonsense.
"Jazz, I need your help," the voice whispered again, this time breaking from desperation. A finger prodded her shoulder. Poke. Poke. Poke. "Jazz, it's an emergency ."
Jazz bolted upright, startling her little brother enough for him to fall on his butt with an oof . Jazz frantically scanned her brother, her hair a halo of ginger tangles framing her face.
"What's wrong? Are you hurt? Is someone attacking? Did Mom or Dad make something new and horrifying? Are you okay?" She nearly shouted. Her words ran together as she raced to get them out as quickly as possible. Danny flinched from the sudden tirade of information. Jazz searched her brother’s body for any obvious wounds, her eyes as wide as dinner plates. But no, he looked perfectly whole. He was still wearing his pajamas.
“Not that kind of emergency,” Danny said with a pitiful pleading look. “I forgot to get Mom a present!”
It took Jazz a second before she could comprehend Danny’s words. She responded by mercilessly hitting him with her pillow.
“You wake me up for a supposed emergency , and that emergency is you didn’t buy Mom a Mother’s Day present? I don't think you know what emergency means,” She said, not letting up on her pillow assault. Danny tried to protect himself from the feathery flail.
“Jazz, please. This is an emergency! Mother’s Day is today!” Danny pleaded. But Jazz did not let up.
“I know that Mother’s Day is today, you dork. I know how to read a calendar,” She huffed. Jazz dropped the pillow back in place on her bed, slightly out of breath. Danny peeked through his fingers to see if it was truly over. Jazz glared down at her little brother before wrapping herself back in her blanket. “Just fly out and buy her something. Stores will be open in an hour or so.”
“I don’t know what to get her,” Danny pouted. He stood and flopped on top of Jazz, who objected to the movement. “I don’t know what she would like. Jazz, you’ve gotta help me.”
“Why didn’t you do this before now?”
“I meant to do it last weekend, but then there was that weird Simon-Says ghost that made it so you could only do something if you said his name. And the weekend before that I had to study for that big test, remember? And the project Lancer had assigned. And then there was that whole thing with Johnny 13 that ended up with the Mall closing early, so unless I broke in I couldn’t have bought a present anyways.. And then the weekend before that-”
“Okay, okay. I get it. You’ve had a lot on your plate,” Jazz said. She shoved her brother into the floor and unwound herself from the blankets. Danny didn’t bother to move from the contorted position he fell in, but just continued to look up at Jazz with his puppy dog eyes. She sighed. How could she not give in when he looked at her like that? “Did you have any ideas about what you wanted to get her?”
“Well, I had thought I could bake something for her? I also thought to go by that weird academic place and see if they had something she would like,” Danny mused.
“It's just a bookstore, Danny.”
“Weird Academic Place.”
“Whatever. Fine. Call it whatever you want. It sounds like you have it planned out. So what do you need me for?” Jazz rubbed her eyes. Ugh, couldn’t he have waited five more minutes?
“You know her better than I do. You’re actually here most of the time. Not, you know, avoiding...her.” Danny shifted guiltily. He murmured something unintelligible. Jazz ignored it. “I just want to make sure she likes it, you know?”
“I’m sure she will like whatever you pick out.”
“Yeah, but I want her to actually like it, not just ‘Mom-like’ it, you know? I want it to be something she will enjoy because she wants it, not because I gave it to her.”
Jazz sighed.
“Fine, just let me get dressed and then you can fly us over to the mall when it opens.”
Danny shifted on the floor, still looking up at Jazz with his puppy dog eyes. Honestly, those should be criminal.
“Do you think that, maybe, just this once, I can drive your car?” Danny said, increasing the puppy pressure.
“What? No! Why would you want to drive my car anyways? You can fly,” Jazz said. Was Danny’s lower lip trembling?
“I know. I just- I got my learner’s permit now! And I just really want to try. I promise I will be really careful. Just please please please PLEASE. Don’t make me learn using the GAV,” Danny begged. “Do you want Dad teaching me to drive?”
Jazz shuddered at the thought. Imagining a teenage Danny driving like Jack Fenton. Except with no fear of death.
“Well…”
~~~
Jazz was trying very hard to not laugh as Danny was practically bouncing in his seat. The driver’s seat. Of her car. That was a sobering thought. She couldn’t believe that she was actually going to do this. Danny grinned as he fiddled with the seat settings, the seat jittering back and forth with an electric hum.
“Will you quit that?” Jazz snapped.
“What, I need to make sure my toesies reach, don’t I?” Danny grinned, stretching his legs comically.
“So why the heck is the seat all the way back?”
“Well, maybe my toesies need some toe room,” Danny argued, adjusting the seat's backrest all the way forward so his face almost touched his own lap.
“I’m regretting this already,” Jazz muttered, still gripping the keys.
“What? No, wait! I can behave,” Danny said, rushing to return the seat settings back to a normal setup. Not that there was any way to rush the old mechanical chair. The seat slowly moved back, the squeaking of the leather seats the only sound as Danny stared at Jazz, who was really starting to regret this. Neither teen broke eye contact as the chair moved with agonizing slowness. When the seat was finally upright, he grinned at her. “See?”
“Congratulations, you're sitting in the car like a normal person,” Jazz deadpanned. She took a steadying breath. “Okay, so what is the first thing you do now that you’ve figured out how to get your butt in a chair?”
“Uh, plug in the key?”
“Plug in?”
“I don’t know the word! You stick the key in the hole and twist.”
“I thought you got your learner's permit?” Jazz said suspiciously.
“I did, but it's early and I don’t remember words this early. I stick the key in the hole- the ignition! And turn. Right?”
“Wrong,” Jazz said, looking pointedly at her little brother. “First thing: Put on your seatbelt.”
“Why? It’s not like I can die again,” Danny laughed.
“Do you want me to teach you to drive or not?” Jazz snapped.
“I do! I do. Fine, I’ll put on the seatbelt,” Danny pouted. He clicked it into place, then made grabby hands toward his sister. “Keys, please.”
“No, you still haven’t checked your mirrors,” Jazz said.
“They're still attached to the car, I would notice if they weren’t,” Danny furrowed his brow.
“Not if they are still attached, you dork. That you can see with them,” Jazz groaned. Danny blushed.
“Sorry, cars missing mirrors tends to be a more common problem for me,” He said. He sat up and looked at all the mirrors, not having to make very many adjustments. “I think that's good. Now can I please start the car.”
Jazz hesitated, before finally dropping the keys into Danny’s waiting hands. The raven-haired teen looked gleeful at the little clump of jangling metal. He instantly put the car key in the ignition, the engine humming to life.
“Okay, so now you are going to put your foot on the brake. That’s the one on your left. And then you are going to shift the gearshift-”
“PRNDL,” Danny said, already shifting into Reverse.
“You've never even watched that show, it's on the wrong network,” Jazz complained.
“Doesn’t matter. So, do I put on the gas-?”
“No,” Jazz tried not to shout. She took another deep breath. “No, just. Get a feel for how fast it goes before you hit the gas, okay? Cars will go a little bit even without having to press the gas.”
“Sounds like me in English class,” Danny smirked, easing off the brake. The car inched toward the road.
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” Jazz said. She turned backwards to double check that no one was coming down their street. It probably wasn’t necessary. Most people avoided the street that the crazy Fentons lived on. With her Dad's driving? That was probably a good idea. “You should be good. Just turn the wheel to straighten yourself into the lane.”
Danny nodded and did just that. He seemed relieved, as he switched the car into Drive.
“Okay, cool. So now I floor it, right?” Danny said.
“I can’t tell if you are serious or not, but if you want to continue driving my car you will do no such thing,” Jazz's voice wavered. She squeezed the door handle, starting to feel it slide with sweat. “Just gently tap it. Speed limit is 35, so don’t go over that.”
Danny did a...really good job. Jazz relaxed. His turns were a little hair-raising, but nowhere near Jack Fenton levels. And Jazz only had to ask him to slow down twice. He braked a little hard at the lights. It could be worse.
“You’re doing great, Danny,” Jazz said fondly. Danny’s face, which had slowly contorted into a stern look of concentration as he drove, brightened. He shot his sister a look before she gently slapped him on the shoulder. “Eyes on the road!”
“Am I wheely doing a good job?” Danny snickered, tapping his fingers against the wheel. They were approaching an intersection.
“No puns.”
“Even if I am being carful ?”
“Stop it.”
“But I have miles of them. Can’t stop me now that I am on a roll .”
“Stop.”
“You can’t be tired of them yet-”.
“No, STOP!” Jazz cried. Danny slammed on the brake just as the light turned red, sliding slightly further into the intersection. The squeal of the tires against the pavement attracted the attention of the few pedestrians. Luckily, there were no other cars at the traffic light. It was early Sunday morning. Jazz held her hand to her chest for a second before her head jerked to Danny.
“Danny, are you okay,” Jazz asked. Danny gave her a wry grin.
“Yeah, I’m fine. The seatbelt doesn’t hit near as hard as Skulker,” Danny massaged his collarbone. “Sorry.”
Jazz took a deep breath. Danny was avoiding her gaze, his cheeks flushed the same color as the traffic light. He gripped both hands on the steering wheel, elbows rigid.
“Danny, you're okay. It’s fine. Everyone makes mistakes while learning,” Jazz said softly. Danny shook his head, still keeping his eyes forward. “You’re doing a really good job, I promise. Just don’t let yourself get distracted, okay?”
Danny still didn’t look at Jazz, but Jazz didn’t need eye contact to see where his mind was going. He was fast getting over his embarrassment, but it was turning into something she saw far too often on her little brother’s face.
“Danny, you have nothing to feel guilty about. I promise you are doing a good job. This is your first time driving a car, right?”
“Legally, yeah.”
“Legally-?” Jazz cut that thought short. “Nevermind. This is your first real lesson. You’re doing a good job. I promise. When this light turns green, just continue on a little more cautiously. And maybe don’t make anymore driving puns until you get a bit more comfortable. Or ever. That would certainly make me feel more comfortable.”
Danny’s lip twitched, but Jazz wasn’t satisfied.
“I want you to repeat after me,” Jazz said. Danny groaned. “Just do it. Stop complaining. Now, say ‘I am doing my best.’”
“I am doing my best,” Danny recited. The light turned green and Danny slowly pulled through the intersection.
“And my best is enough,” Jazz continued.
“And my best is enough,” Danny said unenthusiastically.
“Good, now say it all together,” Jazz said.
“Good, now say it all together,” Danny repeated.
“Danny, I’m serious,” Jazz admonished.
“And here I thought you were Jazz,” Danny quipped, his tone light. Jazz didn’t believe it. She knew when Danny was trying to pretend he was okay. She knew when he was trying to deflect. Jazz said nothing and continued to look at her little brother. Minutes passed in silence until they stopped at another intersection. Danny sighed deeply, weary.
“I’m doing my best and my best is enough,” Danny mumbled.
“I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard you,” Jazz said.
“I’m doing my best and my best is enough,” Danny said in a normal tone of voice.
“Yes, and I am very proud of you, little brother,” Jazz said fondly. “Really, I am. You do so much. And you work so hard. And you do so much good. I don’t know how I could be any prouder.”
“I thought we were talking about my driving? Why are you getting all mushy?” Danny complained half-heartedly, finally smiling. Genuinely smiling.
“Because I love you. Turn left at this next intersection. It’s faster,” Jazz directed. Danny grumbled something about sisters, but Jazz didn’t let it bother her.
It hadn’t taken long after she found out about Phantom for her to realize her brother always seemed beaten down. And not just literally. But while the scars from the ghost fights healed ridiculously quickly, the mental and emotional scars Danny had been accumulating since The Accident were just getting worse. The constant detentions from teachers who could never understand what he was going through. The bullies that tore at her little brother’s self-esteem. And then their parents. Jazz knew they meant well. She knew they scolded Danny because they thought it would help. She knew they grounded him because they were worried. But the constant negativity was not good for him. When was the last time they had said something positive to him? Something that didn’t bring up their bigotry against ghosts? Something that made him feel safe? Something that made him feel truly loved? No wonder he was stressed about Mom’s gift.
It didn’t help that it seemed like they were always complimenting her. Yes, she did work hard on all her tests. She worked hard for her grades. She had worked hard for her CATs. She had worked hard on her college entrance essays. And she liked the praise. But couldn’t her parents see the damage they were doing by constantly praising one child but not giving the other child the attention they needed? If only they could see all the good Danny did. Because Danny was an amazingly good person who-
“Jazz, this is your short cut. I don’t know where I’m going. So could you stop spacing and tell me when to turn,” Danny cut in, breaking Jazz out of her thoughts.
“Whoops, sorry,” She apologized, taking stock of where they were driving. A store caught her eye. “Oh, they finally opened that new ice cream shop!”
“Really?” Danny said. He glanced around nervously, not wanting to let his eye leave the road.
“Yeah, it opened a few days ago,” Jazz squinted to read the sign, a bright fluorescent green. She groaned.
“What?” Danny asked nervously.
“They called it ‘Scream’. That’s awful . I hate that,” Jazz lamented. And sure enough, as they drove by, the little ice cream shop was taking full advantage of Amity Park’s ghostly reputation. Cute cartoonish green ghosts decorated the windows. A few were curled up on top of ice cream cones, smiling out at the potential customers. Danny snickered.
“Well, I love that. We have to go!” Danny said.
“It’s too early for ice cream.”
“So we get it on the way home.”
“I thought you were going to bake something for Mom?”
“I mean, yeah. But that takes time. And it’s ice cream,” Danny said with longing. “I’m a itty bitty cold core ghosty. I crave the sugary icy treat. It's in my DNA.”
“Danny, you don’t need ice cream.”
“But I do . Ask Frostbite. Complete medical necessity. Don’t be ghostphobic, Jazz,” Danny complained as they passed by the shop. “I need it so bad I could scream .”
“Ugh, turn left for the mall” Jazz groaned, causing Danny to cackle in delight.
“That didn’t sound like a no,” Danny nearly sang.
“You’re paying. If I have to go into a store decorated with ghosts, you’re paying,” Jazz demanded.
“Deal!” Danny crowed in victory. Jazz rolled her eyes. She continued to give directions as Danny drove, interspersed with compliments and tips. By the time they arrived at the mall, Danny was back in high spirits. Was that a pun? Ugh, Danny’s sense of humor better not be rubbing off on her.
Jazz took back the keys when they got out of the car. Danny had turned on the puppy look again to try and keep them, but Jazz put her foot down. Jazz was far less likely to lose the keys than he was. He finally agreed as they headed toward the mall.
The siblings walked through the parking lot, with Danny trailing slightly behind Jazz. It hadn’t been open long, but there were already more people than Jazz had anticipated. Probably other last minute Mother’s Day shoppers. She smiled, knowing the probability that at least one of them was delayed because of ghost reasons as well. Just not her brother’s specific issue. She reached the door and opened it for her brother, turning to comment on that thought, when she paused.
Danny walked past her, not noticing her stalled comment. His eyes scanned the inside of the mall as he took on a tense defensive posture. The baby blue of his eyes didn’t match the sky, as Mom had always said. Not right now. They were cold and hard like ice. The calculated stare of a predator. Walking with purpose, he continued inward, not letting his guard down until some unspoken criteria was met. Jazz wasn’t sure what he saw that made him relax. What did he see that let him know that there was no immediate threat? And wasn’t that just awful that walking into the mall would make her baby brother feel threatened? Jazz watched the tension melt from her little brother’s shoulders as he turned backwards to grin at her. Jazz did her best to grin back at him.
Her brother rushed forward and grabbed Jazz by her wrist. Danny dragged Jazz through the store quickly, not noticing his sister’s lapse in concentration. He weaved in between the shoppers, apologizing quickly when he accidentally bumped into one of them. Jazz worried that he might dislocate her arm. But the pain of that possibility didn’t compare to the emotional roller coaster in her head. It wasn’t the first time she had thought about this. It was wrong. He was just barely fifteen! It shouldn’t be his responsibility. They were just kids. They should just be able to go to the mall and just be kids. Instead, Danny was always on edge. Always ready to throw himself in danger. And Jazz understood because she recognized the Mall as being statistically a likely place for ghost attacks.
Jazz almost tripped over Danny when he suddenly stopped outside the bookstore. He spread his arms wide, gesturing to the facade.
“Here we are! The Weird Academic Place. The WAP,” Danny said, a huge grin across his face. Jazz punched him.
“You are not going to call it that in public. Not if you want my help,” Jazz admonished.
“What do you mean?” Danny asked in feigned innocence. “What is so wrong with WAP?”
“Danny, you know exactly what is wrong with that acronym?” Jazz said.
“No, honest big sister. I am just your tiny baby brother. I don’t know what any word means. Tell me. Does it have a dirty meaning? Why would my perfect sister know something that has a dirty meaning?” Danny tried very hard not to laugh. To keep up the charade. Jazz felt her lip twitch before she couldn’t hold back the giggles any longer. Okay, maybe they still were able to be children. They weren’t actually completely deprived of it.
“Danny, you're ridiculous. Now, did you want to get a present or not?” Jazz asked. Danny winked.
“Yes, a Wonderfully Awesome Present,” Danny said.
“No,” Jazz said, marching forward into the store without him. She smiled when she heard his chuckling get closer, her baby brother following her in.
Looking around, Jazz could see why her brother might label this bookstore Weirdly Academic. Even ignoring his stupid joke. The bookstore was geared toward academic and science books. It was, honestly, a little pretentious. What was wrong with a little light fantasy reading? Nothing. Though, she grudgingly admitted that it was the best store to get peer-reviewed science journals in print.
“Okay, so what kind of book were you thinking?” Jazz asked. Danny shrugged.
“I’m not sure. I don’t think she would want an ectobiology book. I mean, Mom and Dad wrote the most accurate ones. But she is super into science and I am not sure which sciences would be relevant?” Danny frowned in thought.
“Well, why don’t we go look at the ectobiology section and see if anything stands out. Who knows? Maybe we can find something they haven’t read yet. After that, I know Mom was talking about looking into different ways of measuring and predicting atmospheric changes so they can finally go into the Ghost Zone safely. Like a barometer, but for ectoplasm. We might find something about that in the meteorology section. Or the general earth science section. Or possibly even engineering?”
“Sounds like a plan. Let’s go!” Danny said, rushing down an aisle. Jazz waited a few moments before Danny’s head popped back around the shelf. “I’m going the wrong way, aren’t I?”
“Why don’t I lead the way this time?” She said, grinning. She grabbed his hand and steered him in the right direction. He moaned about holding his sister’s hand in public, but both of them could tell his heart wasn’t in it. Just a little brother reflex.
It didn’t take long for her to find the section on meteorology. Granted, she wasn’t super well versed in any of the Earth Sciences. But she had picked up a book here after the Vortex incident. The section wasn’t large. A big portion of it was taken up by a life-sized portrait of Lance Thunder, the local “weatherman” as he used to be known. Now he mostly just got called out to Ghost Fights. He didn’t seem very happy about it.
Danny looked over the books briefly, picking up a very fancy book that seemed promising. It’s title did seem to insinuate that at least one of the articles had something to do with atmospheric changes. But…
“What is it?” Danny said, looking up at Jazz.
“I didn’t say anything,” Jazz replied, a little too quickly.
“You didn’t have to. You don’t think this is a good choice,” Danny sighed, putting the book back into place.
“Well, no. I guess not. I think it might be a bit too broad for what they are looking for. But then again, what they are looking for is very specific. Maybe we should look at the engineering section first. Mom and Dad usually make their own stuff. But maybe there is something in there similar to what they want and they can base their designs on that?” Jazz said hopefully. Danny slumped.
“Fine, lead the way,” Danny said, slightly disappointed. Jazz squeezed his shoulder in sympathy, before they walked over to the engineering section. They passed by the small kids section on the way there.
As with everything else in the store, the kid’s section was education oriented, with science being the predominant field. There weren’t any kids here, probably because of the time. Jazz paused as something caught her eye. There on a display was the book version of Bearburt, Bearburt Knows It All. Jazz looked at the book wistfully.
Back when she was a kid, she was enamoured with that book. She had seen it at the old bookstore when she was five or six years old. She had skimmed it with her tiny fingers, seeing how the book encouraged her to be smart and to study. And to never stop questioning. She read it three times just while they stood in the store. Jazz had begged her Mom to buy it at the time, but she hadn’t gotten it. Mom had been distracted and instead of buying her the book, she had thought Jazz had wanted the stuffed animal that went with it. And Jazz didn’t correct her. Her teachers at school said she wasn’t supposed to correct adults, even when she was right. And so she had taken Bearburt home.
And she loved Bearburt. He had always been there for her. Through the kids that teased her in elementary school. To the crippling self-doubt she hid in middle school. She had thought she had grown out of him when she hit high school, when everything seemed to be working out according to plan. Even though Bearburt had helped her out through all of those hard times, it was the book that had given her the courage to be herself, even when others didn’t approve. To finally speak up for herself when she saw something wrong. And maybe she got a lot of grief over the years for being a know-it-all, but she was happy with who she was.
“Um, Jazz? You okay? I’m supposed to be the space case, not you. Remember?” Danny asked, shaking her gently. Jazz blinked rapidly. “That’s like twice. I didn’t think waking you up early would turn you into a Zombie.”
“I’m not a Zombie. I’m fine. I just remembered something.”
Danny hummed in response, a single eyebrow raised.
“So, the engineering section. This way,” Jazz directed. Danny watched her closely a moment longer, before shrugging off the distraction.
The engineering section was much larger than the section geared towards earth science. Jazz couldn’t be sure, but she imagined it was probably because of the constant destruction in Amity Park. Interest in engineering would likely soar when people wanted to find a way to create city infrastructure that could withstand the force of a giant glowing dragon being suplexed into the road. Or at least that seemed logical.
“That’s a lot of books,” Danny eyed the aisle warily.
“Yeah,” Jazz agreed, scanning the titles. She gestured to one section. “I think those are mostly geared towards Architectural Engineering, so we don’t need to look through those.”
“That still leaves a lot to look through,” Danny sighed. “Oh well, better start.”
The siblings began grabbing books and looking through them. Most of them were collections of articles instead of just being books on one subject, so they couldn’t just read the dust jacket to get a sense of what was inside. Many of the concepts were foreign to Jazz, but she was able to parse out the jargon well enough to get a sense of what was not what they were looking for. The problem was that they didn’t know enough to say if any of the few options they considered would actually be helpful.
“ Status and characteristics of diagnostics on Korea Superconducting Tokamak Research seems like a good option. It details what would work and what wouldn’t work with their design, so that might be a good place for Mom and Dad to start,” Jazz mused, looking at the journal entry.
“Yeah, but wasn’t it published in like 1996. Isn’t that kind of old?” Danny asked.
“Yeah, it’s not ideal . But they mostly just need a starting place. You know that they don’t stick to a blueprint from start to finish very well.”
“But what about this one? Pressure and interaction measure of the gluon plasma came out in 2010, wouldn’t that be better?” Dany said.
“Do you know what gluon plasma is?” Jazz asked.
“No,” Danny admitted.
“Me either,” Jazz sighed. “Who knows if it is similar to ectoplasm or not.”
“Maybe I should just get both?” Danny ventured, before wincing at the price. “Or not.”
“Yeah, academic titles are pricey.” Jazz said apologetically. Danny just hummed in agreement.
“I think I will go with the first one. The one about Korea Superconducting. If it’s the wrong thing, I think she would still enjoy that one more? She said something about superconducting at some point, ” Danny sounded unsure. Jazz hugged her little brother.
“Why touchy?” Danny complained. Jazz just squeezed him tighter.
“Big sister,” Jazz explained.
“Ngh,” Danny wriggled out of her hands. “I'm going to go buy this. You can go look up a book on personal space.”
“Rude,” Jazz called after her brother as he sprinted off towards the checkout. Or she thinks that’s where he was heading. He was going the completely wrong direction. Jazz chuckled. The red-head then put back the small pile of books she and Danny had pulled out, before heading over toward the psychology section. Maybe she could find a book on personal space just to irritate Danny. Actually, that was a good idea. Read a chapter of it here or there out loud until Danny stopped pestering her. Turn his own joke against him.
She noticed the ectobiology section as she made her way through the store. The section was probably bigger in Amity than it was in any other city. Most of the covers sported a massive orange ‘F’ on the front. There was probably twenty years worth of research, countless hours spent by her parents locked in the basement. Researching and inventing and writing papers, day after day. Even now, it wasn’t uncommon for Jazz and Danny to not even see their parents for a few days, their schedules causing the family to be like ships in the night. She wondered if they would ever get tired of that. Did they miss Jazz and Danny? Because Jazz found herself more and more missing them.
Maybe she should pick up a new book on childhood development instead. She passed the ectobiology section and found her way into the psychology section. They had actually restocked since she was last here! She soon found herself lost in a psychology journal article about sibling rivalry and didn’t notice the minutes ticking away from her.
“There you are! Dang it, why is this WAP so complicated to navigate?” Danny said, startling Jazz out of her focus.
“How long is it going to take you to get bored with that joke?” Jazz said, slamming the book closed and replacing it on the shelf.
“Depends. I still say the 'Road Work Ahead' line every time I see one of those signs,” Danny shrugged. He was grinning, and he swung the plastic shopping bag around lazily.
“I know. And there is one on every block,” Jazz bemoaned. She grabbed her brother by the shoulders and marched him toward the exit. “Why do you think I gave you directions the way I did this morning? So much construction.”
“You were trying to deprive me of Road Work signs?” Danny gasped, trying to turn around to stare at his sister. She kept pushing and ignored the false hurt in his voice.
“I was trying to keep you from having to maneuver through a construction zone your first time driving,” Jazz retorted. She was lying, so sue her. He literally said it every. Single. Sign. There are twelve on 4th street alone. “Sometimes I think you let yourself get thrown onto the road just so they put up more of those signs.”
Danny went strangely quiet but Jazz had grown adept at reading the silence.
“You don’t try to destroy the road so they put up more of those signs, right?” Jazz asked.
“I mean, I didn’t before. But you have such good ideas, Jazz.”
“No. Uh-uh. If I get any indication that you are letting yourself get curb stomped for a meme , I will lock you in the thermos for a week and just suck ectodogs in there for you to eat. That has to be the stupidest form of self-harm I have ever heard of,” Jazz chided as she pushed Danny out of the Weird Aca- dang it. Now she was doing it. They now stood in the mall proper. It had grown much busier in the time they had been inside the store.
“Was there anything else you needed here?” Jazz asked, Danny shook his head. “Then let's drive over to the grocery store and you can find something to bake for Mom.”
Danny lit up and held out his hand. Jazz fixed him with a stare.
“I will only let you have the keys if you promise me you will not intentionally get yourself thrown into a road,” Jazz said.
“Jazz,” Danny whined. “Sometimes I have to get thrown into the road. It’s better than getting thrown into the nursing home or doggy daycare or something. Sometimes the road is the best option.”
“Okay,” Jazz said, noting to process that later. “No intentionally getting thrown into the road for a dumb joke.”
A passing couple gave her an odd look, which she ignored. Danny put his hand over his heart, left hand in the air.
“I, Daniel James Fenton, swear not to let myself be thrown into the road for a dumb joke,” Danny said seriously. “Now gimme.”
Jazz sighed, and gave her brother the jangling mass of metal. He tossed it up in the air and caught it once more, a smirk at his sister.
“But you said nothing about a great joke!” Danny smirked, before sprinting through the mall. Jazz took a second to react before she chased down her brother.
“Danny Fenton, get back here with my keys!” She yelled.
~~~
Danny Fenton did not, in fact, get back there with her keys. When she made it to her car, her brother was already inside on the driver’s side. He was buckled with both hands on the wheel and beamed at her when she came into sight. Jazz glared at him and his smile dimmed. She marched over to the passenger side and slammed the door as she got in.
“...You know I am not really going to throw myself into the road for a joke, right?” Danny asked hesitantly, sinking down into the seat. Jazz sighed.
“I hope so. But sometimes you say something as a joke and then you actually mean it. I just want to make sure you’re taking care of yourself. The things you do...they are completely out of my depth, little brother. They don’t sell any books on how to handle this. I know what you do is important, but can you please try not to stress me out so much?” Jazz begged.
“Sorry. I guess I took the joke a little too far,” Danny said, rubbing the back of his neck. “But I promise, Jazz. I’m not going to let myself get hurt for some dumb reason. Jokes aside, I really don’t want to find out if I can die all the way.”
Jazz leaned over to give her little brother an awkward hug. He leaned into her. The moment passed and Danny grinned at her like the chaos gremlin he was.
“So, grocery store?” Danny asked. Jazz just smiled and turned around to make sure he didn’t back into anyone. Her brother eased out of the parking space, the mall in the rearview mirror.
The grocery store wasn’t all that far away from the mall, so it was a pretty short drive. Honestly, Jazz had been considering just walking from the mall to the supermarket. But Danny seemed to be having so much fun driving that she didn’t bring it up. The closer they got to the store, Danny’s smile grew and grew. Jazz thought it was bordering on maniacal.
“What’s with that face?” Jazz asked, suspicious.
“What face?” Danny tried to straighten his grin into one of innocent confusion.
“You know what face. Why are you making that face?”
“I don’t know what you mean. This is just my face. My normal human face. No need to attack me about it,” Danny cackled.
“Okay, you’re making a pun. I hear that in your voice. But I have no clue what joke you are making,” Jazz said as she stared at her giggling brother.
“I’m just getting in the zone ,” Danny snarked. Jazz was about to grill him about his behavior when she saw it.
“Oh no, they didn’t,” She said, horror struck. Danny expertly parked the car so he didn’t crash from laughing.
“They did,” Danny gasped, tears dripping down his cheeks. His face was as bright as a tomato as he continued to laugh. Jazz gaped, torn between being insulted by the misuse of government resources and amused by the absurdity.
On the side of the road was a very new sign. And as Jazz looked around, she could see that they were scattered everywhere. How had she missed them? The sign was a bright yellow equilateral triangle with the vague silhouette of a blob ghost, eyes glaring menacingly. Underneath it said-
“Ghost Attack Zone? What?” Jazz was flabbergasted. Danny clutched his stomach.
“I know!” He choked out between giggles.
“What does that even mean? Ghosts attack everywhere!” Jazz threw her hands in the air while Danny just continued to laugh. Jazz tried to stay strong and be the serious one, as usual. But she couldn’t do it. She caved, snorting and laughing with Danny. The siblings leaned into each other and guffawed until their sides hurt. Whenever they tried to get ahold of themselves, they would make eye contact and suddenly they were both back to clutching their sides and gasping for breath.
“Oh Ancients, do you think you can use this against Walker?” Jazz mused when she was finally able to control her laughter. Danny looked awestruck and grinned.
“Sorry, Walker, this is not a Ghost Attack Zone. Attacking me is against the rules,” Danny mocked the absent ghost. “Oh, I have no clue if it will work but I am absolutely doing that. I can’t wait to see the look on his face.”
“I think you can wait. We don’t need him showing up right now. It’s almost noon,” Jazz chided. Danny smiled.
“Would you say it’s High Noon?” Danny drawled.
“That meme is as dead as you,” Jazz rolled her eyes as Danny once more lost himself in a peel of laughter. “Can you please get a hold of yourself and drive to the store? The parking lot is right there!”
Danny held his breath, trying to contain the laughter as he drifted back onto the street. He pulled into the parking lot and began to look for a spot. Jazz pointed one out to him.
“There is one! It doesn’t have anyone next to it so it is a good place for you to practice.”
“I’m not parking there!”
“Why not?”
“The parking lot seagulls are there, minding their own birdy business. Are you trying to get me to commit birdy genocide?" Danny asked aghast.
“They will move when you get close to them.”
“But then they might not like me anymore and take their poop-fueled revenge. I don’t have the gull to make them my enemy. We’re birds of a feather !”
“How does that even remotely make sense?”
“I mean, they're white, they fly, and most of Amity Park thinks they’re a menace when they mostly just want to eat cheese fries,” Danny listed off, slowly passing the seagull mob. “Oh, and they are from the Ghost Zone.”
“What do you mean they’re from the Ghost Zone?” Jazz said, rubbing her temple.
“How do you think a bunch of seagulls end up in a city in the middle of Minnesota? Random transient portals,” Danny nodded sagely.
“Are you making that up?”
“You’ll never know.”
Jazz did not like not knowing things, but Danny was stubborn. Even though Jazz pestered Danny well after the car was parked, Danny refused to budge on elaborating. He just smiled mischievously. Jazz stewed, but it was fine. Danny may be afraid of bird-related vengeance, but she was an older sister. And she knew how to wait. And he should be more worried about Jazz related vengeance.
The siblings entered the store, Danny quickly grabbing a shopping cart. Jazz held onto his shoulder so he wouldn’t zoom off without her. Even so, she was having to speed walk to keep up with him.
“So, what are you planning to bake for Mom?” Jazz asked.
“Um, that’s a good question,” Danny slowed his pace. He looked at her with big pleading eyes. Jazz sighed.
“Well, I know she likes key lime pie but-”
“Great! Key lime pie, it is!” Danny said, successfully zooming away from his sister toward the produce aisle. Jazz wanted to scream, but she walked at a sensible speed after her little brother.
Jazz didn’t like key lime pie all that much. She had plenty of evidence as to why it was the inferior dessert in the Fenton Household. For one, it was green. Or, green-tinted at least. It made it very difficult to tell if it had been contaminated in the refrigerator by her parents' ectoplasm samples. It was made doubly hard by the citrus sour taste, something that limes and ectoplasm shared. Though limes didn’t usually have that battery-acid aftertaste as well. Not unless they had been left in the Fenton Fridge too long. On top of it, Jazz just didn’t like sour things. But if she were to honestly examine her distaste, she may dislike sour things because she had eaten so many ectoplasm contaminated meals.
Danny was still in the produce aisle. Jazz frowned as she watched him grab different fruits and stick them in the cart. He hadn’t even grabbed any of the limes yet. But he was going along, grabbing item after item at seemingly random.
“What are you doing?” She asked once she caught up to him. He looked at her seriously, before slowly reaching into the cart and solemnly handing her a bright red apple. Jazz just stared at it, before looking at her brother suspiciously. He was leaning over the cart.
“I just wanted to apple-ogize for driving you bananas today,” He pulled out the yellow fruit and put it on top of the apple in her hand. Jazz looked at the fruit expressionlessly. “ You kiwi-ckly agreed to go shopping with me, even though apricot to buy Mom’s gift. I cherry-sh our currant relationship, and think your grape for en-durian my jokes. And I will try to not take you for pomegranate again because we make a great pear. ”
As he spoke, he piled each named fruit into Jazz’s hands, who just stood there looking at the growing mass of food she held. When he had finished talking, she had a small fruity hill precariously balanced in her arms. She looked at her brother.
“Are you done?” She asked. He looked at her sheepishly, before sitting a single avocado on top of the pile.
“I couldn’t think of a pun for it in time,” Danny admitted. Jazz just stared at him. And took a deep, steadying breath.
“Why?” She asked. Danny shrugged.
“Fruit was there,” Danny said, as if it explained everything. Which it didn’t. But Jazz was going to at least pretend to be the bigger person.
“Please just put them back,” Jazz begged. Danny grinned as he pulled each fruit out of Jazz’s hand. “Where did you even find a durian?”
“Sam.”
“...were you just carrying that in your pocket?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Jazz,” Danny scoffed. “It was in my backpack.”
“Right. And you are carrying a durian around with you because-?” Jazz prompted, handing over the last of the fruit to Danny.
“They are smelly,” He said, brows furrowed.
“Danny. Please. Explain it to me. Use your words,” Jazz begged.
“It makes it easier for Cujo to find me. Strong smell. And also he really likes playing fetch with them,” Danny shrugged. “Hey, can you go grab the stuff for a pie crust while I put all of this fruit back? We are in a hurry, you know.”
Jazz really wanted to explore how he had found out that the Ghost Puppy enjoyed durian, especially since she wasn’t sure if living dogs could even eat the fruit safely. Was he just chucking random fruit for the dog to chase? There was a story here. Not to mention it wasn't something usually found in the local stores but-
“What kind of pie crust?”
“Um, I guess a graham cracker crust? I don’t know how to make other kinds,” Danny said, still holding his fruit pile. “I think the graham crackers are in aisle eight.”
Jazz turned to walk away, keeping one eye on her brother and making sure he put the assorted fruit back in their place. He seemed to be doing just that, after sliding the durian back into his backpack. She walked past the baked goods. Danny was getting good at baking, somehow, but she would still prefer any of these store bought goods to key lime pie. She tried not to eye the cute little tiramisu that was placed right at the front, wrapped in a hard plastic box. She really liked the little cake, but never found the time to make it. Wait, she was getting distracted. Jazz blinked away the thought and walked briskly to aisle eight. Danny was right. This did have the graham crackers.
It took some time for Jazz to find Danny again. She had taken a detour to make sure he had actually put all of the fruit back in their correct place before catching up with him by the eggs.
"Don't we have eggs at home?" Jazz asked. Danny shrugged.
"I think so. But they have probably been in the fridge for a week so-"
"Ah. Yeah, better not chance it," Jazz nodded.
"Yeah. I guess I could still take a crack at it, though," Danny snickered.
"Oh my god, Danny-"
"You gotta learn to take a yolk , Jazz," Danny drawled out her name. "Don't be so hard-boiled ."
"I'm getting rid of you. I am going to Vlad's house and giving him your birth certificate," Jazz deadpanned. Danny gasped dramatically. "Danielle can just come and live with us. Upgrade."
"You wound me! Also, Ellie's puns are worse than mine, so not much of an upgrade there," Danny shrugged, grabbing a dozen eggs and putting them in the cart. "All that's left is the sweetened condensed milk. What even is sweetened condensed milk?"
"It's just milk that has been heated to remove some of the water from it, with sugar added," Jazz grabbed the cart from her brother and started pushing it toward the baking aisle. It forced Danny to walk at a normal pace. "You know you could have asked me to grab it while I was getting the graham crackers, right? They are in the same aisle."
"Of course I knew that," Danny said, his tone saying he very much did not know that. Jazz chose to drop it. They grabbed the can of sweetened condensed milk, Jazz physically holding her hand over Danny's mouth to prevent another infernal pun. Danny licked her hand, so she did the mature thing and rubbed his spit on his face. When an adult turned down the aisle, Jazz straightened up. She angled the cart toward the registers, but Danny stopped her.
"Let's do the self checkout," he complained, tugging on her arm. She shook him off.
"Do you see how many items we have in this cart? That would be so annoying! The cashier-run register is better."
"Noooo,"Danny whined. He leaned all of his weight on Jazz, causing her to stumble. "Self checkout, Jazz!"
"Seriously? You're going to knock me over," Jazz complained, trying to push her brother off of her.
"Sounds like a personal problem," Danny said, continuing to hang off of Jazz. Jazz was severely tempted to just let him fall on the floor, but that was probably not the correct response to have.
"If you want to do the self-checkout so badly, I am not going to help you. You can do it yourself," Jazz huffed
"Okay," Danny chirped, standing upright immediately. "Why don't you wait in the car while I check out?”
Jazz was going to argue against it, when inspiration struck. A little bit of pay back for her baby brother. She smiled sweetly at him and gave him a kiss on the head. He sputtered and gagged at the show of affection as she turned on heel to head for the car.
It didn’t take her long to set up her revenge. She had kept it on the backburner for a while, a small plan to be enacted when the time was right. Preparation was key. So she waited primly in the passenger seat of her car, giving occasional glances to the storefront. She saw her brother heading toward the car, half a dozen bags hanging from his arms (with one tiny one clutched in between his teeth). She unlocked the trunk as soon as he got close, letting him put the groceries in before slamming it shut with a thud. Danny slid into the driver’s side, grinning from ear to ear. Jazz did her best to hide her excitement as he buckled his seat belt.
“Why are you making that face?” He asked, suspicious.
“Face? What face?” She asked, knowing she was failing to hide her excitement.
“You are worse at keeping secrets than I am,” Danny said, staring at her.
“If you say so. But we need to get going if you are going to get ice-cream,” Jazz said, deflecting.
“Uh-huh,” Danny said, still suspicious. He shifted the car into reverse, and both he and Jazz turned to make sure he didn’t hit someone as he pulled out. He drove through the parking lot, slowing to wave at the flock of seagulls that were currently tearing apart a deli sandwich. He pulled up to the road, about to turn when Jazz made her move.
“Why don’t we listen to some relaxing music on our way,” She said, all too innocently. She turned the volume up, the unmistakable sound of flute and harp warbled through the speakers.
“No,” Danny cried, horrified. His mouth fell open as he stared at the car’s radio, not moving even though he was clear to drive.
“ Oh Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling~ ” The car crooned. Danny groaned loudly, trying to drown out the lovely soprano voices of Celtic Women.
“Jazzy, please! Have mercy on your brother!” Danny begged.
“I have know idea what you mean, Baby Brother,” Jazz said, grinning. “You can turn, you know. There isn’t anyone coming.”
“Jazz!” He cried. “Please.”
“Come on, don’t get distracted. Just think of that frosty treat, cold core ghosty. Go on,” Jazz mocked. Danny fake sniffled as he pulled onto the road.
“Jazz, this is torture. I hate this song! You know I hate this song.”
“What? You hate this song? This is brand new information. I guess I was due to learn something new since you refused to tell me about the seagulls,” Jazz said. “Here, I’ll change it for you.”
Jazz pressed the button that would change the song. A soft organ played a delicate melody.
“ Oh Danny boy -” sang Johnny Cash.
“Jazz!” Danny yelled. “Jazz, why?”
“Oh dear, it seems like this entire CD is made of only covers of the world-renowned Irish hit Danny Boy . Who would make such a thing?” Jazz grinned as her brother expertly stopped at the redlight. “Great job, Danny. You’re doing great.”
“Please, just kill me Jazz. This is cruel and unusual punishment,” Danny said, reaching to turn the car radio off. Jazz slapped his hand out of the way.
“Both hands on the steering wheel, Mister,” She admonished.
“Jazz, I’m sorry! Yes, the seagulls came through a portal. But they are just birds. Please just stop this torment,” Danny yelled over Johnny Cash.
“So interesting, little brother. I am really glad you told me,” Jazz said. She clicked the radio. A fiddle introduced the Daniel O’Donnell version of the song. Danny made an inhuman noise of distress, causing goosebumps on Jazz’s arms.
Jazz directed him, sometimes yelling over the Irish tune to make herself heard. Danny moaned and groaned, throwing quite a tantrum over each iteration of the song as they faded into the next. His driving did not reflect his words, though. Jazz only had to correct him slightly, warning him that he was drifting into other lanes here and there. She considered asking him about the “not-legal driving” he had insinuated, as it really was impressive that this was his first time. Instead, Jazz sang along happily as her brother screeched his displeasure. Before they knew it, they were pulling into the ice cream shop. Danny was shrieking nonsense over the blaring music. A few people in the parking lot gave the car an odd look.
Jazz flicked the radio off, but Danny continued to scream until the car was completely parked. She scrunched her face as the blaring noise.
“You good?” She asked, as he stopped for breath. He gave one more inhuman shriek before ceasing. He intangibly reached into the cd player and pulled out the cd, cracking it in half.
“I am now,” He smiled. Jazz rolled her eyes, before opening the car door.
Scream had really pulled out all the stops for their ghostly ice cream theme. She had only caught a glimpse when they had driven by before. Little blob ghost silhouettes were pasted on all of the windows, statues of some of the more well known ghosts were positioned around the building. Fairy lights were strewn around the outside, each one fitted with a little green ghost bulb. The very front had an almost to scale statue of Phantom, though anyone who actually got close to Phantom could see little mistakes in the appearance. They couldn’t stand there examining every decoration, though. They had groceries in the car.
“They just can’t get my nose right,” Danny whispered, causing Jazz to giggle. Jazz opened the door for her brother and followed him in. The walls were papered with articles about the different ghost attacks as well as drawn art of the different ghosts. Streamers hung from the ceiling, wrapped around themselves in such extravagant swirls and twists that the ceiling was completely hidden in the green and purple paper.  The ice cream was set up behind a counter, as any other ice cream shop would have it. But there were also shelves filled with different merchandise. T-shirts, cups, and hats with little ghosts. The logo for Scream clearly in view.
There was not a very long line, only about four people in front of the siblings. This gave them plenty of time to peruse the different flavors and options. It wasn’t a franchise, so they didn’t have as many options as a corporation like Baskin Robbins. Apparently, they even changed their flavors weekly. Jazz thought that was smart for the small time company. But she had to wonder how much money they blew on decorating the place.
Danny was cackling at the flavor names. Jazz just ignored them. More puns. Of course more puns. Did Danny give input for this place or was he just corrupting the entirety of Amity Park? It wouldn’t surprise her if puns became more popular because of a certain Ghost Hero’s penchant for using them in his witty banter. Witty in quotation marks.
“That will be $20.22. Will that be cash or card,” Jazz turned to where a worker was passing a cone to an elderly gentleman and what she assumed was his grandson. The older man whistled.
“That sure is pricey,” He said as he reached for his wallet.
“You get what you pay for. We only use the best ingredients,” The worker said unenthusiastically. The cashier waited for the elderly man to pull out his money, but the grandfather seemed distracted. He started telling the young whippersnapper about how things used to be and how far he could make a dollar go back during the depression. Jazz tuned it out as she continued to look at the options.
“Actually, Jazz. Maybe we shouldn’t do this today,” Jazz turned to Danny. He was looking away from her so she couldn’t read his expression. “This is probably going to take a while, and we do have groceries in the car.”
“It’s fine, Danny. There aren’t that many people waiting. We have time,” Jazz assured him.
“I mean, it is already getting late. And I still have to make that pie without Mom noticing. So maybe we should just leave,” Danny rubbed the back of his neck.
“We’re already here. I thought it was a medical necessity that you get some ice cream?” Jazz was confused. He had been so insistent.
“Yeah, but I think we should just go. We don’t want to be late,” Danny said, turning toward the door.
“Wait, Danny,” Jazz grabbed her brother’s arm. “We came all the way here. And I know you still want some ice cream so why-?”
“It’s nothing, Jazz. I just changed my mind,” Danny refused to make eye contact with her, but glanced over at the man still regaling the tired employee with the value of a dollar. Jazz followed his gaze, before it clicked. Danny was flushed with embarrassment, hand hovering over the pocket that held his wallet. A wallet she would guess was quite a bit lighter after buying gifts. One that was often empty because of ghost related costs.
“You know, I’m feeling really bad about subjecting you to all of those covers of Danny Boy . How about I pay for the ice cream this time instead?” Jazz said.
“Wait, you don’t have to do that,” Danny said, finally meeting her eyes.
“I don’t have to, but I am going to. It wasn’t very ethical of a future psychologist to subject my younger brother to musical torment. Even if it was my right as an older sister. Just don’t get it in my car. Besides, that Coffee Carnage ice cream actually sounds really delicious,” Jazz pulled Danny back over next to the display. Danny made another half-hearted attempt to leave but Jazz ignored him. “What are you going to get?”
“...I guess the Harshmallow Chocolate Chunk,” Danny sighed.
“Even you know that that pun is bad, right?” Jazz asked. Danny snorted.
“No such thing,” He chuckled. The line finally moved.
The siblings got their ice cream and Jazz grabbed so many napkins that the employees had to step in to limit her. The Fenton's walked out of the shop, eating their ice cream and heading for the car. Jazz decided to drive the remainder of the way home, and Danny did not object. It was a little difficult to eat ice cream and drive. And neither Jazz nor Danny felt comfortable with Danny attempting that on his first day. Jazz stuffed the napkins all around Danny to make sure that he didn’t drop the sticky chocolate marshmallow creation on her interior.
“Jazz, I’m fifteen not five. I’m not going to drop it in your car,” He rolled his eyes before fumbling his cone. He had to catch the scoop in his fingers as it threatened to tip off into his lap.
“Right, that makes me feel so much better,” Jazz said as she watched her brother lick his fingers clean. “If my car is chocolate-covered after this, you are going to wish that I still had that CD.”
“Sir, yes, sir!” Danny saluted with his sticky hand. Jazz suppressed a groan and pulled out onto the road. She forgot to take an alternate route and soon Danny was pointing out every Road Work Ahead sign on the road. She felt the muscle in her eye twitching.
After threatening to shove her ice cream in Danny's face if he didn't stop, Danny focused on eating his treat. Jazz kept glancing at him from the corner of her eye. When Danny smirked like that, it usually didn't bode well. Even so, the younger sibling didn't pull anything even after Jazz parked in the Fenton driveway. Suspicious.
Unfortunately, Jazz didn't have time to grill her little brother on the mischief he was planning. As soon as the car was stopped, he shoved the final bit of his cone in his mouth (paper and all, ew Danny) had unbuckled and flung himself out of the car. Jazz watched as her brother scrambled to grab every bag at one time, nearly dropping most of them.
"You're going to drop the eggs," Jazz warned.
"No I'm not," Danny said.
He dropped the egg carton and they would have splattered on the ground if he had reacted even a moment slower. However, precariously balanced on his knee wasn't a super stable place to be. Jazz grabbed it from him, raising an eyebrow. He chuckled nervously, attempting to rub the back of his neck. But the plastic bag on his wrist slapped him in the face. Jazz bent over with laughter, which Danny joined.
Danny and Jazz walked into the house and straight to the kitchen. She started to put the eggs in the refrigerator, but thought better of it. Danny was going to use them soon anyway. She sat them on the counter and turned to the rest of the supplies. She reached out to unpack the groceries, when suddenly Danny was there blocking her way.
"I got this. You don't need to do that," Danny said quickly.
"I know I don't need to, but I want to. It's just a few things," Jazz said.
"Yeah, but you've already done so much! And I've taken up almost all of your Sunday. Didn't you have to do something for-um. You have a penpal, right? Or, er- the kid you tutor in English online. Weren’t you supposed to message them today?" Danny fidgeted. Jazz's eyes widened before she glanced at her watch.
"Oh, Ancients, you're right! I was supposed to message him twenty minutes ago!" Jazz said, she ran out of the kitchen. She called back "Let me know if you need any help!"
It turns out, her tutee was running late as well. So, no harm done. Jazz spent the next hour helping him, keeping a constant ear out for her little brother. Afterwards, she decided to get a little bit of her homework for next week done. She hoped Danny would come ask for help if he needed it. She hoped that he had learned that she was there for him. When she finally shut off her computer and walked down to check on Danny, he was placing the pie cautiously on the table. The whipped cream was a bit lopsided, but it looked cute.
"That looks nice, Danny," Jazz said. Danny beamed.
"Thanks. I had to cull some of the ectodogs in the fridge. They really wanted to take a bite out of me instead of the pie."
"Why don't I run upstairs and get my present? Then we can get Mom out of the lab to wish her a Happy Mothers day."
"Sounds good to me," Danny nodded. Jazz took a quick trip up to her room. She grabbed her perfectly wrapped gift and brought it downstairs. Danny had found a gift bag for the book, and it was sitting next to the pie. Jazz sat her gift next to the pie, as well. Before she could turn to the Lab, the door burst open and the heavily armed Fenton parents rushed out.
"Sorry, kids. You are going to have to find something for dinner tonight. We just got a call about a potentially haunted house over on Northshore. Don't wait up, okay?" Maddie Fenton said, rushing through the kitchen. Jack hot on her heels.
"Wait, but-"Jazz called after.
"No can do, Jazzy! A Fenton waits for nothing! Especially red lights," Jack Fenton called back. The front door slammed shut, and their parents were gone. Jazz just stood there, mouth ajar. Oh, Danny had worked so hard. And they were just going to leave? She turned to her little brother.
He was eating a slice of the key lime pie (how did he already slice it?). He seemed bored.
"Danny, I am so sorry-"
"Jazz, don't worry about it. We can give her our gifts later. It's not a big deal," Danny shrugged and took another bite of pie. "You want a piece?"
"Um, actually Danny, I don't really-"
"-like key lime pie? I know. I may be clueless, but I'm not blind," Danny grinned and pulled something from under the table. Jazz leaned forward to get a better look.
The little tiramisu she had seen at the store was sitting on a colorful platter. Jazz didn't know what to say.
"I just wanted to say thanks. You know, for letting me drag you all over Amity today. And teaching me how to drive. And for just always having my back, you know, in general," Danny rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly as Jazz took the platter, still speechless. "You're a great big sister, and I love you. I guess. But if you tell anyone about this conversation, I will deny everything."
Jazz fingered the platter-no not a platter. The smooth surface was much too light. Gave too much under the weight of the tiny cake. She picked up the plastic box the cake was in and felt a wet prickle in her eye.
Bearburt Knows It All by C.L. Werk. Jazz gently sat the plastic box on the table and ran a finger over the shiny cover. She traced the letters slowly with her finger, just as she did the first time she read it. She looked up at Danny, who was fidgeting in his seat. He stuffed another bite of pie in his mouth. Jazz laughed wetly, and rushed around the table. She folded her brother into a tight hug, ignoring his protests.
“I love you too, Danny,” Jazz sobbed. Danny chuckled before hugging Jazz as well. Both relished the moment of peace their life so desperately needed.
Words are hard. It's hard to express only in words the love between two siblings. Because it wasn’t always tender. It wasn’t always kind. It was chaotic, and loud, and full of energy. Even with all the words Jazz knew, she knew that no word could ever explain the feeling in that moment. So she held her brother tight, and she would always hold him tight. Because he may drive her crazy, but she wouldn’t miss it for the world.
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honey-milk-depresso · 3 years
Text
Meanie (Azul Ashengrotto x Reader)
SORRY TWST COMMUNTITY TRYING TO GET AS MANY DRAFT ELIMINATED AS POSSIBLE SORRY FOR BLASTING SHIT IN YOUR FACE BUT LIKE HOPE YOU ENJOY PLEASE DON’T KILL ME-
Based on a manga I think you know when you read it-
I suck I know-
Warning: Slight under aged drinking but it’s purely fluff, nothing serious.
Part 1
part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8 (END)
“Sevens, y/n. What do you want?”
“A hang out! At the VIP room!”
“You know how much that’s going to cost you right? You don’t have much on you.”
“Yeah, yeah I know but, I spend it on my friend!”
“You’re paying me.”
“Exactly!”
Azul sighed in irritation. He can never get enough of you, can he?
“Fine.”
“YES!! I’ll bring some things along!”
=====================================================
“You got to be kidding me..”
Lying on the table, there were an assortment of chips, soft drinks, sweet snacks and to top it all off, a bottle of plum wine.
“Y/n, you shouldn’t be drinking. You’re under aged.”
You laughed heartily. “Don’t worry! It’s only once in a while! Besides, I really like plum wine! I’m not drinking it for the sake of looking cool! Ahehehe~!”
He sighed, putting his hat and jacket suit by the table and plopping himself on the couch, leaving him with his white collared shirt with his sleeves rolled up and pants.
He cringed slightly as all the snacks were unhealthy.
“Couldn’t you have bring snacks of healthier options?”
“Azul, you should treat yourself every once in a while. Being healthy is good, but you can eat junk just once! Besides, it’s a happy occasion!”
“You do this at least twice a week.”
“Not at night or with snacks.”
“True..”
He saw you stuff chips in your mouth in one goal, like a rapid animal.
“Geez, y/n eat slowly. You might choke.”
“Awww, does Azul care for me~?”
“I don’t want a dead body filled with chips in the VIP lounge.”
“So mean!!”
He smiled a little. Your outgoing and cheerful attitude annoyed him at times, but he still couldn’t help but smile at how endearing you could be.
“Geez, you eat like it’s the end of your world.”
Ah.
You took out a pack of poker cards and slam it on the table.
“LET’S PLAY!”
“SEVENS, Y/N! JUST PUT IT DOWN LIKE A NORMAL HUMAN AND NOT TREAT YOUR CARDS LIKE A HAMMER-”
“Well geez, sorry.”
You took the cards out and began shuffling them, clearing the snacks to one side and spreading the cards in a circle.
“Alright, the rules are simple: You can’t quit in the middle!”
“Well, obviously.”
You had always bring about weird games to play. Like the time you played with 2 chess boards for no reason. One to play chess and one to play checkers, then if you get to take one chess or checker piece away, you had to do math question on your assignment, both of which you lost, and had to do the homework yourself. So this isn’t new to him. Maybe you’ll pull out your magic history homework.
“Alright just pick a card!”
“I got the twelve of spades.”
“HAH! QUEEN OF HEARTS!!”
“You don’t have to yell.”
“Now, since I have the larger number, I’ll ask you truth or dare!”
“So, truth or dare??”
“Truth.”
“So~ Do you think Idia or Jade is more handsome to you?~”
He nearly spit out the canned grape juice he was drinking.
“W-what type of question is that?!”
“Those are the rules! If you don’t want to answer a question you pick “dare”! And with “dare”, I’ll make you do something and you can’t quit or complain!”
This is the game of the devil, he thought. What is worse? Answering your ridiculous question or doing you ridiculous “dare”?
Screw it. Better answer than do it, right?
“I’ll stick with truth...”
“Okay! So.. Idia or Jade is handsome to you??”
“......Idia..?”
“Oooh, really ? I thought Jade was pretty handsome himself though. Ah well!”
For some reason, he felt a little irritated when you said Jade was handsome.
“Moving along!”
You two pick your cards.
“Hmm~ five of diamonds? I got twelve of clovers!~~”
“Oh goodness..”
How is he having this much of bad luck today? He’s thinking you shuffled the cards in your favor.
A little flustered due to the plum wine, you slurred a little with the next question.
“Truth or dare??”
“Truth.”
“If Idia was a girl, and she’d be the prettiest girl in NRC, and everyone else are girls, where would I be ranked in looks?”
“What?”
“ANSWER MEEEE~”
“Second.”
“H-heh???” Now you were very flustered.
“So I am pretty to you??? Aww you’re so sweet, Azul!!”
“That’s because I can never imagine NRC being a girls’ school.”
“I-”
=====================================================
“Huh??? Aw man I got two of spades!”
“Twelve of hearts.”
“Oh no..”
Well looks like the tables have finally turned. 
After answering your many ridiculous dares, it’s finally his turn. By now he can tell you’re very drunk. You weren’t think straight and you were slurring and getting flustered a lot.
“Truth or dare.”
“TRUTH!”
He paused to think for a while on what he wanted to ask you.
“Have you ever had a first kiss?”
“HuH?? WHAT? ”
“Silence fool.”
“MEANIE!!”
“But... No I haven’t. Wonder who would wanna kiss me~~?”
“Your lips would reek plum wine, I don’t think anyone would.”
“HEY AZULLL I THOUGHT WE WERE FREINDSSS!!!”
He smiled.
“I’m just joking.”
=============================================================
“Hehehehe~ Truth or dare??~~”
“...dare.”
He said hesitantly. It’s been what? 9 to 11 rounds already and you only had truths, while you complained all his questions were like job interview questions.
“Ohohoho~ Well then,” you spread your arms open, “carry meee to beddd~~”
He blanked. His face was unreadable.
“Hey! Carry-”
Suddenly, you felt your entire body being lifted from the couch. Azul was carrying you bridal style close to his chest. You felt his steady heartbeat and you couldn’t help but blush at the sudden contact.
He went over to the secret guest bedroom and plopped you down on the bed.
“I’ll make sure you’ll go back to Ramshackle tomorrow. It’s a weekend anyways.”
You buried your face in your hands as you squirmed, giggling.
“Ehehehehe~~ That really surprised me! Thank you, Azul!~~”
“Okay, Azul! Pick a card for me.”
“It’s getting very late.”
“But like what you said tomorrow is the weekend!!!!”
“Still. You should be sleeping.”
“Okay! One last dare! I promise!”
He sighed. “Fine.”
He picked a card.
“What did I get??”
“King of Spades.”
“Oooh~ What did you get???”
He picked a card. “Three clovers.”
“Hmmm~ My turn then! This one would be truth only!”
You paused and he heard the blankets being ruffled as you shifted to a different position.
“If I said.. I was really scared of dying, what would you do?”
He swerved his head to look at you, his eyes scanning you.
You were completely calm that it scared him.
“Nonsense, you aren’t going to die.”
Right?
“Aheheheh~ Well I’m super tired! You should go to sleep too!”
He off the lights, the only light shining now was the lamp beside your bed on the night stand.
“Call me when you wake up. I’ll be in my room.”
“Got it~!”
And he closed the door.
To be continued..
=========================
HEYA FOLKS WANT ME TO DO PART 2??? Just reblog or request I don’t know I-
I died.
115 notes · View notes
spookysmujer · 4 years
Text
Peaches, O. Diaz
Summary: Oscar and Y/N spend a pleasurable night together.
warnings:  s m u t 🥵 18+. public s e x, unprotected s e x 
word count: 2.3k
A/N: Fina-fkn-ly I have written Oscar smut! You would think with this blog dedicated around him that I would have done so already. Who doesn’t like the Santos party + sex? I am not @youare-mysonshine​, who has the best damn Oscar smut on this site, I am but her apprentice, LOL. Enjoy! And please don’t forget to follow, heart, comment, reblog and turn on those notifs for when I post something new. Lots of love!! Thank you for +800 followers!
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(gif credit goes to @merakiaes 🦋)
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“So it took your brother being shot for you to come around?”
You hear from behind you, as you swivel in your spot there is the man of the hour. Spooky is celebrating his 25th birthday and a victory in showing Prophet$ what’s good with last nights showdown.
A small smile forms on your lips as you briefly look away from him to avoid the red hue on your cheeks worsening. Oscar definitely has a way with women, it doesn’t take much for him to have the ladies swooning, or on their knees. And it’s no secret he prefers the latter. 
“Yeah, it’s definitely not for the reason of you make it to half a century”. He now stands in front of you, one hand in his pocket as the other holds his beer close to him. It’s a moment of silence, him looking down at you and you up at him.
When your brother, known as Joker, begged you to come home for a weekend you were hesitant too. And with how things went down, you were right to be. Shit had gone down on Santos turf resulting in your brother getting hit but nothing compared to what the Prophet$ got handed back to them. And all in the weekend that Oscar’s birthday bash is happening too.
“Good, I was hoping that was the reason. ‘Ridge been boring without you around. How’s life been up in Bakersfield?” He asks you as you two begin a small walk around the house to a quieter setting.
You shrug as you kick gravel around, “As good as you can guess. But my business degree is being put to use. So not long til I can repay for you the loan you gave my brother for me. Promise.”
He shakes his head after taking a swig of beef, his mouth pressed together tightly, lips licking the remaining that lingered. Damn. “Nah, don’t worry ‘bout it. Whenever you can.”
A small laugh from you, “People are gonna think you got a soft spot for me doing that kind of shit.”
“Let um think that they want. They wouldn’t be wrong.” He keeps his line of sight  in front of him as you look to him. You both lean against his impala as the soft moonlight reflects of the shiny paint of the red car.
After staring at him for a moment, you look away as he takes his turn at looking at you, his eyes burn into you as you clear your throat, “Careful.”
“What?” He grins at you with his signature grin.
You can feel your cheeks burn hotter by the second. And you also know that Oscar knows what he is doing, you’ve seen him do it to other girls.That look that seals the deal and then he is leading them into house. Probably notable that most of those girls plan on getting in bed with him from the moment they arrive. 
“That. You know what you’re doing and I am not like all them girls that you’ve banged in there.” You point to the house as you take a swig of your half empty beer. Oscar audibly laughs as he pushes himself off car.
He downs the last of his beer and tosses it to the trashcan across the way. You watch it as he moves to stand in front of you. This makes you correct your posture as he moves in even closer, lessening the open space between the two of you.
Oscar licks his lips, ever so slowly. He wipes his mouth of any remaining alcohol and places his hands on the car, each on the side of you, “That’s what I like about you. That you aren’t like them. You don’t come around here in hopes of some action. And if I’m being honest? That shit is attractive to me, knowin’ I gotta get you.” 
“Get me? You’re real smooth, y’know?” You scan his face, eyes staring into his as he grins, leaning in til you feel his breath his your lips. 
But the truth is, he is smooth. “Mmm.” He hum as he closes that space and your lips are on his. The chaste kiss is held for a moment before you both start to kiss each other, open mouth and quickly are your tongues dancing.
“Yo, Spooky finally gon hit Joker’s fine ass sister!”
You hear loudly, pulling back and turning around to see one of the Santos standing near the house. You groan as you flip him off and cover your face with your hands, “So get the fuck away, foo.” Oscar says with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
The Santo laughs backing away with his hands up in defense. Though partially embarrassed, you can’t help but laugh. Oscar’s hands rest on your hips, rubbing gently and pulling you back to lean against his body. He doesn’t say anything else, placing a kiss on your bare shoulder. Trailing kisses til he reaches your neck where you know there will be markings the next day.
Oscar’s hands feel your body, rising up your torso to cup your breasts. All of it, leaning against him, his hands, the kisses... it’s all too much to not react so when you moan, he laughs and kisses your neck more. One of his hands leave your body and pulls your face to the left and his lips meet yours.
While you two kiss you grab his other hand, bravely pushing down towards your heat. He doesn’t waste anytime and slips his hand in your shorts feeling you over you underwear, your body feeling weak when he massages your sensitive bud.
“W-we gotta go inside.” You mumble against lips and you feel him smile, his hand in your pants dipping lower to spread your arousal, earning more moans. “Nah, mami. Just relax, those foos not gonna come out here again.”
That’s when he releases you and steps back, you pout at the absence of his touch. You turn around as he grabs the waistband of your jean shorts and swiftly pulls them down to your knees, you gasp loudly trying to reach down to pull them back up, “Are you crazy? I’m not gonna fuck you out here. I don’t care if your homies won’t come back here, you have neighbors and I’m woman enough for you to take me inside!” 
He only laughs, picking you up to sit on the car, the cool metal making you squirm, “No one can see us, just trust me. I ain’t tryna fuck you out here, just curious.” Oscar unbuttons his flannel and pulls it off, balling it up and putting it behind you, pushing you back to lay your head on it as a pillow. He swiftly pulls off your shorts and spreads your legs, his finger hooking your panties to the side, “Oh my god, I cannot believe you are gonn-”
His tongue against your clit shut you up quickly. It causes your breath to hitch and words lost as he licks more swipes against your heat. He tortures you with the way he does it slowly, but the sensation feels like bliss, “Sweet as peaches, mamas.”
You feel relaxed, letting your legs rest comfortably over his shoulders. His lips covering your entire cunt now, tongue swirling on your clit and then dipping down into your entrance. And when he pulls back then back down to suck on your swollen bud like sweet nectar, your back arches. And you’ve had guys go down on your before, but something about the way he does it. He doesn’t shove his fingers in like you are use to having and it makes the moment more enjoyable.
“What no extra pleasure with your fingers? Fuck.” You squeeze your breast together, eyes closed. Thanking sweet baby Jesus in heaven! “You gonna tell me how to pleasure you? I know what I’m doing. Shhh.” 
He bites the inside of your thigh, a moan let out a little too loud. You cover your mouth with your hand. You sit up on your elbows to watch him work his way to your release but the darkness makes it hard to see much, “Take me inside.”
Oscar licks your cunt once more before leaning up to kiss you, your arousal on his tongue and lips, “Ever taste yourself before, hm?” He kisses you more not letting you answer.
“Hm, yeah. I’ve tasted other girls too, but you’re right, mine is sweet like peaches.” You whisper as you peck his lips then looking into his eyes, his mouth slightly agape at your confession. You’re smirking as your hands move under his tank to feel his skin.
He doesn’t say anything as he collects your shorts and his flannel, picking you up and placing you on his shoulder, your ass cheeks bare in just your lace thong. “Oh my gosh, Oscar!”
Oscar smacks your ass he walks to the two of you into his house. You won’t lie to yourself that you’ve fantasized about getting into bed with him. The guy is not just beautiful being but sexy as fuck as well and he knows it too.
He drops you on his bed and rids himself of his tank, you doing the same. He climbs onto the bed and hovers over you, you wrapping your legs over his hips pulling his face down to kiss you. No more slow moving, no more games. It’s freaky business NOW.
You reach your hand between the two of you to feel him through his pants. And he does not disappoint in his size. You unbuckle his annoyingly long belt, finally getting it free for you to unbutton his jeans. You move your hand inside and wrap your hand on his semi-hardened member, stroking it entirely. He groans into your mouth as you do so. 
“I’m wet and you’re hard, com’n.”
 He stops kissing you and reaches between the two of you to take your hand out of his pants. He shimmies out of it and sits up to remove your panties. And with your demand to hurry, he spits on your mound and smears it around before guiding himself in.
The slight burn passes quickly as the pleasurable sensation hits you soon after. You bite your lip as Oscar stands at the foot of the bed, moving your legs up to rest against him. He starts slowly for the two of you to get familiar with the feeling of each other.
You arch your back to reach under to unclasp your bra. He marvels at your tits as you kneed them, looking at him in the eyes with lust, “Show me how Spooky fucks, Papi.” The sultry way you say his street name makes him hold your legs against him tighter.
And he pushes himself into you as deep as he can possibly go and out just as fast, hitting your cervix and creating a pleasurable pain that you’ve not experienced before. His hips like a piston, drilling you into his bed so much so that you’re sure there’ll be a indentation when he is done with you.
“Oh. shiiii, mhm.” You moan out, gripping the sheet on the sides of you, biting down on your lip to suppress the moan that is threatening to escape. His low moans isn’t helping you either, you can’t hold it in.
This only makes Oscar grin when you moan out loud and he loves it. “Hm, louder, bebecita. Let them hear how good Spooky fucks you.”
His voice when pleasuring you is an entirely different thing, it added to the already overload of goodness you are receiving from him. Oscar, or Spooky you should say, pushes your legs apart so that he can climb on top of you, him still inside you as you scoot closer to the headboard. Once your head is on the pillows, you rest your legs wider to give him the adequate space he’ll need for a good pounding.
Once his hands grip the headboard, it is game over for you. He is angling his hips to hit spots you never knew you had, deep and slow for one moment and then at speed lighting the next. With the different speeds it leads you feeling the building sensation. It saddened you that you are reaching your peak so quick.
“I-I’m gonna cum.” You tell him and he releases the headboard, sliding his hands underneath you, gripping the flesh of your ass. It confuses you for moment, as he snuggles his face into your neck. But when he begins to drill you into oblivion, you gasp loudly. His low grunts into your ear, his hot breath harshly hitting the side of your neck.
Skin slapping and animalistic groans. Oscar can feel how close you are, your walls squeezing him like a vice, “Fuck, cum. I’m about to.” He mumbles.
As if his wish is your body’s command, the feeling hits you harshly. You clench onto him, your arms hooking under his and nails digging into his back, “Oh! oh! Yes, fuck yes!” The orgasm hits you harder than you expect.
Oscar groans once more before pushing himself up and grabbing himself, pumping his length only for a short moment when his seed spurts onto your slick with sweat torso. His eyes close and head tipped back, “Fuck.”
Still lost in a haze you release a deep breath, maneuvering yourself to get a taste of him. From the source. You take his entire length in his mouth, the after sex sensitivity hitting him, he flinches but watches you swallow him whole.
“Hm, I gotta get you to cum in my mouth next time, hm?” You sit up on your knees and he backs off the bed, handing you a towel to wipe yourself clean, he only laughs.
“Nena, who says we’re done here?”
1K notes · View notes
moonlightlullaby · 3 years
Text
just like magic
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summary: Reader has a card up their sleeve, leaving Spencer intrigued, flustered and impressed.
pairing: Spencer x gn! non-BAU! Rossi’s offspring!Reader
category: fluff 
A/N: this is one of the first gn!reader pieces that I’ve written, so please let me know if I’ve slipped up somewhere!
word count: 2.5k
No sooner had I opened the glass door leading to my dad’s “humble” backyard than Henry’s and Jack’s fresh and joyous laughter filled my ears and warmed my heart. The sight that accompanied it only adding to my gleeful state, making my heart soar and melt instantly.
Spencer Walter Reid, the bright young Doc who I’ve known - and had a patent crush on - for nearly six years now, is entertaining the kids with a magic trick. I can’t help the smile that splatters on my face as I watch the scene unfold.
“Here, angelo mio.” my dad caresses my back as his other hand offers me a glass of wine. I take it and we clink our glasses together before making our way to the cozy wooden picnic table where his other colleagues are chatting. On our way, I go off-track and get closer to the sweet magician and adorable kids. “Hello, boys!” I extend my free hand, high-fiving both of them as they harmonize a “Hi” back to me. At Spencer, I flash a smile and wink and, without waiting for his reaction, I turn around and soothe Jack’s hair as I begin distancing myself. 
“Oh what a sight for sore eyes! Y/N, you look fantastic! As always I mean…” in her very own manner that never gets old, Pen is the first to greet me, clapping in excitement and giving me a home-like hug. “Oh please! Have you looked at yourself in the mirror?” she waves her hand and rolls her eyes in a way that tells me both to stop tooting her horn and to keep the compliments going, making me giggle. “And I’ve said this before, but I’ll do it again. You need to show me where you’ve bought these rings, P.”
“Oh! I have an idea,” JJ chimes in. “we should go shopping tomorrow!” by the time she finishes her sentence, I - along with Penelope, Prentiss and Tara - am nodding my head fervorously. “I’ll take you up on that one.” Em voices what all of us are thinking.
“I mean, unless a case pops up…” JJ drags it out, contorting her lips. “We won’t,” Hotch reassures everyone. “these past two weeks have been hectic and we all have overworked ourselves. You deserve the weekend off.” to which Derek, Tara and my dad, in sync, raise their glasses.
“So, ladies,” Derek hugs me, grinning. “where are we going tomorrow?” 
“We? Oh my chocolate thunder! Much as this pains me,” Pen places a hand over her chest to fuel the scene with more drama. “you’re not invited.”, which earns gasps and scoffs from him.
I lean my head on his shoulder, giving his hand two taps. “Yeah, Derek. Sorry,” I turn my face to him. “but, how are we supposed to have boy talk with you there?” the girls nod along in agreement and he smirks. 
“Boy talk, hun?” 
The thing is, Derek - much like every other person in the team... well, almost everyone - is well aware of my not-so-subtle crush on his oblivious friend and he never spares me some teasing. Thankfully, before he can take his teasing any further, I’m saved by the bell - and by the bell, I mean Henry and Jack. 
“Y/N/N, Y/N/N!” knowing how much I love magic, Henry starts pulling me towards Spencer, giving me only a second to hand my glass to Derek. “Look at this! Spencer, do it again, do it again!” 
“Yes, show Y/N the cool trick!” Jack says energetically after waving me over.
Spencer smiles at me, giving us a small nod, and turns his back to us to prepare himself for the show. I sit crisscross next to the giddy boys, feeling thrilled myself. “Alright,” Spencer turns around, observing his audience and clasping his hands together. “are you ready?” 
“Yes!” we eagerly respond in unison. 
“Y/N, I know you’re very fond of magic yourself.” I hum in agreement. “So, are you familiar with th- oh! Wait,” he furrows his brows and narrows his eyes, scanning my face for a millisecond. “what is this?” he steps closer to me, kneeling slightly and reaching for my face. The boys get more agitated and giggle. “This what?” I look back and forth between the magician and them, who immediately cover their mouths trying to conceil their giggles and to keep any secrets from escaping. “Excuse me.” Spencer mumbles before placing his hand on the side of my neck. 
This simple gesture - a shy touch, a brief moment of intimacy - is enough to make my heart skip a bit, and I’m sure Spencer notices the sudden change in my pulse because his gaze momentarily leaves the side of my face to my eyes before travelling back to its original spot.
“This.” suddenly, I feel a ghost-like touch on the back and side of my neck, and, ahead of me, all I see is Spencer pulling an endless thin colorful - scarf-looking - cloth. I can’t contain the laugh and loud snort that escape my lips, inciting the boys, Spencer and even the grown-ups over there to burst into laughter as well. 
By the time the entire cloth is out, my belly and cheeks ache and a tear is found in the corner of my eye. “Impressive, Doc! Very impressive as always.” he grins in return.
“Your turn, Y/N! Do a trick too, please” Jack suggests - well, orders basically since he knows I wouldn’t ever turn it down - and is backed up by an eager “yes!” from Henry. 
“Oh you also do tricks?” Spencer sounds less surprised that I do than that this fact was unknown to him. 
During some of my nights as Henry and Michael’s and/or Jack’s last-minute babysitter, I had to, in spite of how sweet and obedient they are, resort to desperate measures, such as magic tricks - some of which I’ve learned with the sole purpose of entertaining them. To Spencer, however, I’ve never had such opportunity. Not until now.
“Well, not as entertaining as yours, I’m sure, but yes.” I stand up, wiping bits of grass from my bottom.
“Umm, ok, I have a new one to show you, guys. I just… You wouldn’t have a deck of cards and a pen to lend me for a minute, would you?” 
“The pen, I don’t. The deck of cards, though,” he searches his pockets, pulling a standard - and well cared for - deck. “here.” he hands it to me.
“Thank you very much.” I cursty theatrically.
Jack runs back from God-knows-where with a black pen in hands. “Here, the pen. My dad said you could borrow it.” 
“Oh great! Thank you, Jack, and thank you, Aaron!” I raise my voice slightly at the end, nodding my head at Aaron and giving him a tight-lipped smile, which he mirrors.
“Okie, okie! Let’s start, shall we?” the boys exchange expectant glances and Spencer tilts his head, studying me and probably trying to predict my next moves. Hopefully, this will work. It’d be a shame failing in front not only of the boys - who, I’m sure, would never let me hear the end of it -, but also of Pretty Boy himself.
I shuffle the cards a little bit and open it, making a sort of fan with it and letting the faces and numbers face the ground. “Alright, boys, pick one card but don’t show it to me.” they both put their index fingers on the same card. “You can take it and let Spencer see.” the man standing to my left follows along and takes a peep at it. “Now, I want both of to draw whatever you feel like on it, ok? On the front.” 
As they take turns putting their art on the card, I turn to Spencer, who’s already got his curious eyes on me. “Be patient” mine tell him and he takes a sip of his wine.
“Done!” Henry looks up at me.
“Great, you can put it back on the stack then,” he does so. “Ok, now, to prove you I’m not cheating, Spencer’s going to shuffle the cards.” I hand them to him. “However you want and as many times as you wish.”
Once he’s done, I take them back. “So, now, I guarantee you the first card I show you is the exact one you’ve picked. Ready?” They nod along and I double-tap on the top of the stack. “Alright. This,” I lift the first card. “is your card.”
They immediately shake their heads negatively and my eyes go wide. “Wait, really?” Feeling Spencer smirking behind me, I turn the card to take a look at it. It really isn’t the one. “Shoot!” I exclaim disappointedly, sighing.
“No, no, it’s ok... It’s ok.” I quickly recompose myself. “The next will definitely be the right one.” with my eyes closed and my nose scrunched, I circle my free hand above the deck as if drawing in energy and conjuring magic. Double-tapping once more, I pull the card up, still not looking. 
When I open my eyes, I’m met with the boys’ scrunched noses and mischievous eyes as they, yet again, shake their heads no. “Oh no…”
This time, Spencer doesn’t even try conceiling his chuckle and has the audacity to comment “Oh, Y/N, you were too harsh on yourself earlier. This is much more entertaining than that little trick of mine.”, eliciting giggles from the kids. 
“No…” I pout. “Guys, have a little faith in me, please.”
I close my eyes and bring the cards, sandwiched between my palms, closer to my ear in an attempt to hear the magic somehow. “Oh!” I open my eyes. “Guys, come check this out!” with that, I pike their curiosity and they scoot closer to me. I turn the deck over, so all fronts are facing upwards, and open it completely. “The card is not here!” Henry gasps, noticing that their five of diamonds is missing. The boys take the cards from my hands and I fumble my fingers in the air as if trying to sense where their card is, humming in the process. 
“Ummm Jack, is there anything behind Henry’s ear?” The boy looks at me inquisitively and reaches for said spot. 
“Oh here!” he nearly shouts, pulling the missing five of diamonds and showing everyone. However, before anyone has the chance to celebrate my small victory, the absence of drawings on the card is brought up, shocking our spectators. “Where are our dinosaurs?” 
“Hey, Y/N, I hate being the party pooper,” ‘party pooper’? Coming from Dr. Spencer Walter Reid? Oh, this is news! “but it seems like you’ve just mixed two tricks and neither of them has worked.” Again, both boys laugh at it - at me -, siding with him.
“No, no, no! See, the thing about magic,” I narrow my eyes and tilt my head, gesticulating like the good Italian descendant my dad’s brought me up to be. “is that it requires a lot of concentration to work, and when you don’t focus enough on it, like I might have, it gets lost… Not completely lost, though! Uh, if we put our hearts to it, we can still find your dinosaurs, ok?” I crouch. “Can you help me out on this one?” I plead and extend my hands to them. They nod their heads and take my hands, we form something close to a circle, closing our eyes and letting magic speak. 
“Uh-oh! Oh, guys, I feel something!” 
“What is it?” and “Where are the dinosaurs?” are immediate and simultaneous reactions.
“Ummm, Spencer.” I turn to the man trying to contain his laughter at the scene that unfolds before his eyes. “Hm?” he tilts his head and raises his brows slightly, still smirking.
“Is there anything in your pockets right now?” 
“Aside from the silks, no.”
“Are you sure?” I tilt my head, contorting my lips a bit and squinting my eyes with curiosity, which he mirrors. He’s intrigued. Mission accomplished - I mean, not completely accomplished yet, but a success nonetheless.
“Well, you can check for yourself.” he opens his arms a little so I can inspect the inner pockets of his blazer. The right one is empty as expected. In the left one, my fingertips meet the colorful cloth and nothing else. 
“You’re right, Spencer.” I sigh “Only,” I start pulling the cloth out “the,” it’s now in the kids’ view “silks.” gasps and wows come from our audience. I turn to the two wide-eyed boys who are now rushing over to grab it from my hands. 
“How did you-?”
“It worked, Y/N! It worked!”
“This is so cool!”
I giggle, feeling Spencer’s baffled gaze switch between me and the dinousaur-printed cloth. I also hear applause coming from the rest of the team and a “they’ve beat Spencie at his own game! You go, love!” from the one and only Penelope Garcia. Glacing at the man in question, I catch him mouth agape, dazed eyes, and a smile threatening to take over his lips.
“Y/N/N, Y/N/N, can I keep it? It looks so pretty.” at this, I smile softly, shrugging a bit as I respond. “Well, it’s Spencer’s…” the three of us turn to the Good Doctor, who, pulled from his trance, nods vigorously and wets his bottom lip in the typical Spencer Reid style. “Yes. Definitely, Henry.” 
As the boys cheer, my dad, from the doorstep, catches everyone’s attention. “Dinner is ready, family.”
Strolling back to the house and quickly side-hugging JJ on the way, I sense a quite desperate, puzzled tall individual hot on my trail. In a breath, he catches up and starts walking side by side with me, causing me to smirk.
“How did you-” 
I don’t let him finish the much predictable question. “Oh, you don’t actually want to know the answer, Spencer.” while we cross the doorstep, I look at him from the corner of my eye, catching - once again - him already eyeing me. He opens his mouth before closing it and raises his hand before dropping it. In sympathy, I continue. “But, in case you do find yourself desperate for it, there’s something in your right pocket that might be helpful.” I can’t help smiling as the last words come out. And, without giving him the chance to question or ramble like he always does, I walk over to the dinner table, settling myself between Hotch and Tara.
As I sit down, I catch Spencer on the same spot I’ve left him, blushing as his brain processes - or at least tries to - what’s written on the little note. He quickly - yet carefully - folds it, puts it back in its original place, licks his lips once more - I wonder if he’s aware of how often he does that - and walks to the table. Our eyes lock and he smiles, in a slightly nervous - or is it excited? - way, taking his seat right across from mine.
Truth be told, Spencer’s known my number by heart for years now for I am my dad’s emergency contact. However, I was never the one to give it to him, just like he’s never been the one to call me. Hopefully, now that I’ve changed the former, the latter will also change.
117 notes · View notes
iwavibes · 3 years
Note
first off i’d like to say i rlly love your writing🥺🥺 and i want to thank you for sharing your work with us!!! ive read ur whole masterlist and it’s all so so good! i’m obsessed w pretty setters 🥰 i was mayhaps .... wondering if you could write something maid cafe related w either suga, kageyama or kenma? 😳 u don’t have to obviously KDNDKNDKS anyways hope you have a good day today!!!
AAAAA IM SO GLAD YOU LIKE PRETTY SETTERS SO FAR!! you're so sweet omg lemme give u a kith this made my whole day 😩💞 it's 11PM rn so this might be a bit of a mess 😭 fingers crossed that my tired brain won't fuck this up 🤞 finished this at around 12AM NSKSJSKM i hope you like this anon 💕💗
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hq reacting to y/n working at a maid cafe
---sugawara, kageyama & kenma
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sugawara koushi
sugawara is very adventurous like he'd be all out on trying new stuff
may it be food, hobbies, anything.
man is a knitting legend and he only went to one (1) lesson 😩
king shit 👑✊
so when noya suddenly dragged him to a maid cafe, he didn't think much of it
he was already used to his friend's pervy tendencies
why he was hanging out with him on his own was a mystery
he would quickly scan the menu, eyeing the pictures of cute food along with whatever dish sounds appetizing enough
his concentration was cut off, however, when he heard a familiar voice
even tho you purposefully raise your voice up a notch this man would still know that it's you
he'd blush furiously as soon as his eyes meet yours and seeing you in a cute maid outfit really did not help his case
you'd freeze as soon as you processed the identities of the customers in front of you mostly at suga
noya would eye the two of you knowingly, a somewhat proud smirk on his face
"NOYA I TOLD YOU NOT TO TELL ANYBODY"
"really??? must have slipped my mind."
you wanted to kill him
you would try to get back into character very awkwardly if i might add and suga would just stare at you in disbelief
was this why you always rejected him whenever he asked you out?
my boy would be having a whole ass epiphany and now he's seeing you in a whole new light
"and you, senpai?"
still, even with all these new information, he can keep his cool and tell you what he wanted smoothly.
after that, everything would be going smoothly
but then, as time passes you notice that sugawara hasn't left yet and noya is nowhere to be seen.
by the time your shift ends, he'd stand up from his seat and jog towards you with a smile
"since your shift is over, is it okay for me to take you out? or atleast walk you home?"
and tbh how could you say no to that
"you know, you could've told me that you were working during the weekends. now i feel bad for trying to keep you away from your job." he said as he walked you home.
"well... working outside school campus is strictly prohibited and i didn't want to take any chances. only one of my friends know about it and noya only found out by accident." you explained. "i'm sorry if i made you feel like i didn't trust you."
"it's okay! i totally understand why you didn't tell me. at least now i know when you get off work, this way i can walk you home everyday." he beamed.
you feel your heart pound in your chest at his words, heat slowly spreading across your cheeks as you look at him in shock.
"that is, if it's okay with you?" he stopped walking before turning his body to you. politely awaiting your answer. you nodded your head slowly and sugawara can't help but smile wider.
"you're very admirable, y/n."
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kageyama tobio
unlike sugawara, kageyama is a very awkward dude
he lost a bet against hinata and now it was time for his punishment
kageyama may be the king of the court and he may look like the coolest man alive whenever he's on the court but thats about it
everything else, this poor boy is really clueless and awkward someone save him
so while they were walking around town, hinata trying to figure out what to make kageyama do, they passed by the maid cafe you work out
believe me when i tell you a light bulb suddenly sprouted from the tangerine's head
all he needed to do was go inside the cafe and buy some milk
simple stuff
but you should remember that this guy is so awkward and unaware that it can be painful just to look at him try to fit in
and soon kageyama finds himself walking to the cafe, money in hand, as he tried psyching himself out as he steps nearer to the entrance
'i can do this'
'i defeated oikawa so this will just be a piece of cake'
'boke hinata boke'
when he does enter the cafe, he opened the door too hard, making all the customers and employees turn to the sound
this boy would be glaring as he walked to the nearest empty seat
i kid you not everyone is terrified of this boy rn
and he's embarrassed enough as is because of how loud he opened the door and now everyone was looking at him 😭
baby just wants some milk 😩
it gets worse once he sees the person that will be serving him
bc wow have you seen yourself???? you're fucking hot bRO
stutters. A LOT.
and you can't help but to smirk at his flustered state.
"uhhh... m-milk please?" this was the guy everyone is scared of? you wanted to ask your co workers. it's just kageyama. the boy in your class who failed that one exam and practically begged you to tutor him. this?? this is who you're scared of?
you raised a brow teasingly at his state. "of course! would that be all, master?"
this guy literally chokes on his own spit while shaking his head frantically. you chuckled before walking away to get his drink.
"here you are, sir." you say as you settled the glass on his table. taking the money from his outstretched hand. no words. he just wants you to take the money and save him from further embarrassment.
"you know, you may be scary on the court but you're actually very adorable, tobio-chan."
ERROR kageyama.exe has stopped working
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kozume kenma
if you guys thought kageyama was bad then... you right kenma is just behind him by a scratch
unlike his fellow setter, kenma can still form words when he saw you
why was he in a maid cafe in the first place? simple;; kuroo
it was one of the rare instances where his best friend actually managed to get him out of the house
and now he's salty
has a permanent frown etched on his face the whole walk to the cafe >:(
and kuroo would be talking away, unbothered by his friend's attitude and now here they were
"you know i've always wanted to come here. i heard they serve really tasty milkshakes."
"kuroo."
"yeah?"
"shut up."
he'd start playing on his phone while kuroo scolds him about how unhealthy it was to play games this much
but kenma remains unbothered
however, the moment he sees you, boi is already lost
he'd stare at you for a long time until you hear the small sfx indicating that he died.
he couldn't care less tho as he pocketed his phone inside his hoodie
kuroo quirked a brow at his friend before turning to you
"y/n! i didn't know you worked here."
"im trying to buy the latest installment of [insert random game here] so i need the money."
wow,, can you be any more perfect?
rn kenma's brain is already whirring with thoughts as he pictured this as one of his roleplay games
y/n says: so what will you be having?
choices: [banana] [latte] [ps4]
he picks the latte
"coming right up!"
and for the first time that day, kenma smiles
"oya?" kuroo spoke up the moment he sees his friend's upturned lips. "what's this?"
his face turned into a scowl again as he glared at his friend. "none of your business."
kuroo smirked, already scheming before standing up. "i'm gonna go to the restroom. watch our food while i'm gone."
"it's not like it's going anywhere." kenma huffed but his raven haired friend was already walking away.
"here are your orders, kenma." you announce, setting the food down on the table. "let me know if you need anything else."
you were just about to walk back to the counter when you suddenly felt a hand stop you by your wrist. you turned around towards a sheepish looking kenma. his eyes landing on every where but you.
"i have that game you're saving up. if you want, we can play it together. it's a multiplayer game right? i haven't started on it because kuroo sucks at shooting games." kenma's voice has always been soft and very quiet. some would've found it hard to understand what he just said but to you, you could hear him as clear as day.
"sure, we can play it this friday if you want?"
kenma nodded, finally lifting his head up to look at you.
"see you on friday then."
318 notes · View notes
slashbitch2 · 3 years
Text
Wavelength
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slight nsfw warning ;)
Eve had always felt that she stood out from those around her. That in every situation, in every group and at every point in her life, she was walking round on an entirely different wavelength. Although, living this way wasn't as direly lonely as it sounded, rather she learnt to appreciate the few and far apart moments with company. When someone would, for just a split second, understand her.
The first person to ever make her feel this way, and regrettably the only for a very long time, was Ted. He'd swept her off her feet and into a less isolated world, a concept so unfamiliar at the time that she'd allowed herself be dragged out to sea. Then there was Brandon, who she was told would change her whole world. And he did, for a while.
Brandon was her life preserver until his priorities changed; until Mother's day cards became Valentines day cards, movie nights were exchanged for house parties and homework for alcohol. But Eve wasn't the kind of mom to act as though this behaviour was unwarranted and abhorrent, so she let him wedge the door shut and clear his search history. She could cope with a little more distance.
Then along came Ted's affair, their crumbling marriage and eventual divorce. Before she knew it, she was drowning.
The all too familiar feeling of solitude reappeared, completely devastating for her when Brandon left for college. However, this time she swore that she wouldn't let it overwhelm her, and did everything possible to prevent herself from sinking. Which initially started with a class at a community college, and ended with her lying in the arms of both her colleague Amanda, and classmate Julian. And yet, after they'd hurriedly packed up their things and left, she felt no better.
Brandon was sitting on the porch when she found him later. His back was turned to her, but the hunched up posture and awkward shuffling said more than enough. In that moment, Eve reverted back to her old way of thinking. She came to the conclusion that she'd failed as a mother, that her mistake was unforgivable despite the years of morose behaviour and selfish demeanour Brandon had subjected her to.
For retribution, she removed Julian's number from her contacts, predicting that he wouldn't be able cope with remaining friends. He too immature, still in that irrational sulky stage of adolescence. Next, she specified to Amanda that what happened was a one time thing, though she was already way ahead of Eve, chatting casually like nothing had taken place that weekend. Her easy-going reaction was a nice break from the prevailing tension with Brandon, which she then mentioned to her friend.
She tried to casually bring the subject up in the same manner that she imagined Amanda would if the roles were reversed, acting like the issue was nothing to do with her.
"As much as I hate to use such an outdated phrase," Her friend said. "boys will be boys. "
Eve chuckled, though the general concern weighing down on her shoulders meant it came out as more of a scoff. "You can say that again."
There's a brief lull in conversation as Eve disinterestedly taps away at her phone while Amanda sips thoughtfully at her coffee. The silence is only invoked by an awareness of social standards, since there's much Eve wants to talk to her friend about, but feels would be inappropriate in public.
Eventually, Amanda's the one to break the silence. "Are you still looking for someone to fill in for Sarah?"
Eve's attention flickered back to the woman sitting opposite. "I am." She replied hesitantly, knowing that she ought to have posted the job advertisement weeks ago, but had forgotten.
"I know someone who'd be good." Amanda was sliding her phone across the table before Eve got the chance to respond.
The screen displayed what she could only assume was a job application, though the font was too small to actually read. Squinting, she picked up the device to try and glean some information about the potential applicant.
Amanda continued as Eve scrolled. "She hasn't worked with seniors before, but has managerial experience."
"Are you sure she'd want this job?" Eve asked apprehensively as she set the phone down. "Seems a little over-qualified to me."
"Yeah, she's serious about it." Amanda's expression grew more determined. "Y/N just moved here. Mentioned she was looking for a more lowkey kind of job."
Eve remained doubtful.
"She's travelled a lot. Had a lot of different jobs." Amanda took another sip of her drink. "But she said she wants to settle down somewhere. Get a job that'll take her to retirement- which was an exaggeration, but you get the gist."
"Well." Eve sighed. "You can't get much closer to retirement than working at a nursing home."
"Exactly. So can I pass on her contact details then?"
"Sure." She shrugged. Assuming that her friend's recommendation was genuinely helpful, then she would be saved from suffering through the tedious interview process, which was worth taking a risk for.
---
As Eve sat at her desk, the world around her faded into obscurity. Without Sarah as the assistant manager, she'd been suffocating under piles of neglected paperwork, only now forcing her way through it. The main thought motivating her was that you were due to arrive any minute, for what she'd described as a first informal interview. The idea of conducting anything more formal this late into the evening was unappealing. So, based on the unusual circumstance by which you'd applied, and the strange time slot reserved, the interview would be more casual.
Finding that her eyes were starting to strain, she granted herself a quick break to look round the office. Eventually she settled on looking out the window, content watching the world pass by. The day had been unexpectedly hot, and some of that humidity still lingered, but judging by the gentle breeze filtering in through a crack in the window, the evening must've started to cool. A soft pink colour filled the sky, darkening to orange where the sun had just set over the horizon. From the other direction, a deep blue had begun to filter into view, the only indication that night was approaching.
When her gaze drifted back to the room, she realised that the pink light was cast around the room, bathing every surface in a delicate glow. How the simple beauty of the evening had previously escaped her attention was a mystery. One that prompted Eve to take a break to admire it.
The break was short-lived, however, as a sharp knock at the door quickly stole her attention away.
"Come in." She called out but found her voice hoarse from disuse. She frantically cleared her throat as the guest entered.
Eve looked up at you and smiled politely, then down at her desk, then did a double take. Although she hadn't given enough thought to form any preconceived image of what you might look like, she certainly hadn't expected someone quite so attractive.
As soon as the label crossed her mind, she was already berating herself for it. You'd barely entered the room and were here for business, she couldn't let herself think of you in that way. It was wrong. Both professionally and morally.
"Evening." Your voice was deep, smooth and with an accent she couldn't distinguish.
Eve tried her best to smile amiably, though she was sure the emotion wasn't reflected in her eyes. Instead she scanned your body from top to bottom, lingering on your neck, and then your hands. The action was automatic. An unintentional response to her attraction- and there it was again. She'd allowed herself to get distracted barely ten seconds later.
"Hi." Eve was too quiet, her tone lacking the necessary command. She swallowed. "Please, take a seat." And smiled, this time more genuinely.
"Thank you."
She watched you stiffly slide into the seat, effortlessly demanding the attention of the entire room. Although Eve had known you for less than a minute, she'd already decided that there was something hypnotic about the way you moved. From the slight twitch in the corner of your lips, to the gentle rise and fall of your chest. Every movement, regardless of it being barely perceptible, had her mesmerized, however she was mostly fixated on your hands. How they couldn't quite settle in your lap, rather were wrung about anxiously until abruptly stilling.
Your hands falling limp dragged Eve back into reality as it dawned on her that she'd been staring for a little longer than appropriate. She literally had to shake herself out of the senseless state and clear her throat once more before she was ready to continue.
"It's nice to meet you." Jolted into reality, she outstretched her hand, which you eagerly met. Your grip was firm, matched with a confident yet humble smile that looked well practiced.
"And you."
Eve already understood how you'd succeeded at accumulating such an impressive employment history, as every second of the interview so far, you'd acted perfectly. Like you'd written the book on 'How to Handle Job Interviews.'
"Just call me Eve." Separating from the handshake, she dismissively waved her hand, unable to hold the eye contact for any longer. There was an inquisitive manner to the way you were watching her, as though you were trying to ascertain the most information possible from appearance alone. Being exposed to your scrutinising glare caused Eve to shift in her seat, though not from discomfort or uneasiness, rather from inadmissible lust.
As the interview progressed, her eyes continued to occasionally stray toward your hands. Despite how hard she was trying to stay focused, she kept catching herself unintentionally imagining how they'd look gripping her waist, pushing apart her thighs. And if she blocked out this particular fantasy, then her attention would shift to your neck, and how she'd love to bite down on the supple skin presented to her.
She'd hoped that her fling with Amanda and Julian would've suppressed her incorrigible longing for pleasure, yet still found her thighs pressing together as her imagination overpowered reason. All the scandalous scenarios flashing through her mind only grew more vivid, more frequent. An incessant stream of borderline pornographic images, which worsened her guilt as she struggled to focus on what you were saying.
The cool breeze from earlier seemed to have vanished, replaced by unbearable humidity. She could feel herself sweating bucket loads, and only flushed more upon realising that she must've looked a mess; with stray hairs framing her face, an inability to sit still and a layer of perspiration covering her entire body. You'd probably noticed by now.
"God it's been hot recently." You commented, playing with the neckline of your shirt.
Had Eve not been observing you so closely, she would've guessed this was general small-talk. But judging on how you'd acted so far, this was a strategically placed act of mercy, a way of excusing her, no doubt, dishevelled appearance.
"Yeah." Eve chuckled, twirling a strand of hair round her finger. "We could move outside." She suggested, then quickly added. "If you wanted to, that is." Her desperation to please you came as a surprise. The roles should've been reversed. You should've been trying to impress her.
Eve had undeniably lost all authority in the situation, which simply excited her further.
---
When Eve laughed, she scrunched up her face and closed her eyes, which was inconvenient even at the best of times. Right now, however, she'd never despised the quirk quite so much.
As inconsequential as the current circumstances would look to any passer-by, she wanted to commit every detail to memory. From the lingering pink hue of dusk, to the way you threw your head back as you laughed. In fact, she wanted to memorise everything about you. Since leaving behind her stuffy office, conversation had flown easily between the two of you, the matter of employment seemingly dropped in place of getting to know one another. You'd indisputably gotten the job. Eve knew it. You knew it. So both were happy to indulge in a lighter tone of conversation.
The topic had turned to worst first date experiences, so she had very few to share with you, though that didn't stop her from enjoying listening to your little anecdotes.
"What about you?" Taking a calming breath after an outburst of laughter, you paused to ask her the dreaded question.
In comparison to your story, her worst date was relatively tame. "Well." She scratched at the corner of her eye, considering whether she could exaggerate in some way. "I went on a date recently that I had to walk out of."
"Really?" You folded your arms, leaning back against the brick wall. "What happened?"
"Nothing. I guess it just didn't feel right." She shook her head, hoping to deter any more questioning.
"Fair enough. Sometimes you just know- right?"
Eve drew her eyes away from being locked on the ground, finally summoning the resolve to look directly back at you. She bit her lip, compelling herself to nod.
There was something about you that was pure ecstasy to her. While looking at you, she could feel herself falling deeper into the hypnotic state she'd been in earlier, unable to tear her eyes away and unwilling to try. In spite of the normality of the situation, it felt meaningful. Eve didn't feel so alone, so out of place. Which made no sense to her as she'd known you for barely over an hour.
"What did you do after?" Your voice was somehow deeper, eyes lidded and posture relaxed. "After the date." You clarified.
The inquiry was personal, even without context that could be inferred. Eve hummed, delaying her response long enough to consider how much she was willing to divulge. "I-" She laughed nervously, suddenly embarrassed to confess. "I went swimming."
"Swimming?" Your eyebrows shot up, amused by the many connotations of her vagueness. "Where?"
Eve scuffed the heel of her shoe against the concrete ground, shamefully incapable of returning the eye contact. "Here." She admitted quietly, grinning as if in disbelief that she'd actually done it.
"Wow. I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting that." You took a deep breath, rendered speechless for a second. "So, you have access to the pool?"
Eve shifted restlessly, hesitant to pursue the topic any further. She knew where this was going, and that she shouldn't endorse this type of behaviour. But the heat wasn't helping, and neither was her overactive imagination. She was supposed to be responsible, but then again, so were you.
Inevitably the possibilities of what could be overpowered her better judgement. "Yes." She reached into her pocket, producing the coveted key ring and hanging it on her pointer finger.
Upon glancing up, she discovered you were watching her intently, indisputable lust reflected in your eyes. Eve found herself in one of those rare moments where she felt understood, on the same wavelength as someone else. The logical part of her brain argued that you were basically a stranger. That if she followed through on your shared idea, then your hiring and subsequent job experience would be forever tainted. But the possibilities were too tempting to ignore.
So when you asked. "Want to go swimming?"
She couldn't refuse.
---
You'd held her hand as she'd lead, the reasoning being that most the facility was shrouded in darkness. Though Eve liked the weight of your hand in hers, so she didn't bother to turn the lights on until reaching the pool. Only then did you separate, crouching down to check the temperature. You beamed with childlike joy as you waved your hand around in the water, skimming the surface then diving deeper down.
Eve grinned. Your pure happiness was infectious, the effect it had on her similar to being drunk. She was intoxicated from exhilaration. She would've been content watching you relish in the feeling of water running through your fingers for eternity, though to her dismay, you soon grew bored. And then to her surprise, you unabashedly began to strip. Her eyes were glued to the expanse of your back as you pulled your shirt over your head, and to the revealed skin as you tugged your trousers down.
She had to stop herself from stumbling back as the strange reality of the situation suddenly dawned on her. Instead, she reacted by comically clutching at her heart, clawing the fabric of her own shirt.
You turned to the side, looking at her out of the corner of your eye. "You coming?"
She chewed on her lip, pondering the two words in greater detail. This was you asking for consent, giving a final warning. You were both aware that this was an incredibly outlandish idea, an extremely irresponsible one that should've discouraged Eve. Yet it had the opposite effect.
Before she could overthink the consequences, her shaking hands were clumsily unbuttoning her blouse. At the unspoken confirmation, you smirked back at her, then without warning, threw yourself into the pool. The splash echoed round the room, proceeded by carefree laughter as you resurfaced and began leisurely swimming away from her. While you were busy, Eve took the chance to continue undressing without interference.
Her insecurities didn't emerge until it was too late, resolved moments later as she dove into the pool. The water was colder than she'd anticipated, but her burning desire dulled the intensity. Breaking through the water's surface, she inhaled deeply, grateful for the supply of oxygen. However, her breath was soon stolen from her as she noticed you were treading water directly in front.
Somehow, you looked even more beautiful now. With the wave's reflections dancing across your skin, your hair drenched and dripping. She wanted to chase after the droplets with her tongue, despite knowing she'd likely be met with the bitter taste of chlorine. But what really flustered Eve was the way you were staring at her; the hunger in your eyes that hinted at your intentions.
Your stillness was teasing her, the water practically stagnant around you both. Eve was becoming increasingly irritated, the heat between her legs only growing. So it didn't take long for her to snap. She lunged forward in an attempt to grab hold of you, though her hands couldn't quite clutch onto your slippery skin. She stumbled to the left, floundering around until you grabbed hold of her.
Upon securing her grip, she froze, due to both the sensation of your body pressed up against hers, and her embarrassment. She couldn't bare to look up, to face her awkward failure. After a beat of silence, she heard you laugh lightly. It wasn't necessarily unpleasant or mocking, but she insisted on keeping her eyes locked on the wall. That was, until your lips gently brushed against her ear.
"Were you trying to kiss me or drown me?"
She snorted, the tension leaving her body, then turned to rest her forehead on your shoulder. "The former. Definitely."
You laughed again. This time Eve joined in, happy to ignore what'd just occurred.
"Want to try that again, then?" You kissed just behind her ear, causing a shiver to suffuse across Eve's body. She waited a minute, expecting more before realising you intended for her to make the next move.
She glanced up at your face, fixating on your lips. You were so close. All she had to do was lean forward ever so slightly. One final glance to your lidded eyes confirmed you wanted the same- all she had to do was close the distance.
Taking a shaky breath, Eve shifted a hand up to cup your cheek, her thumb softly stroking your skin. There was no rush; you both wanted the same thing and were eager to revel in the experience. So, when her lips finally grazed against yours, there was no deep sigh or sudden change in pace, rather a blooming warmth in her chest. She was floating, both literally and metaphorically in a sea affection.
She kissed you again, this time with more conviction. Then fell backwards, her feet now comfortably resting on the bottom of the pool, her back hitting the wall as your grip on her waist tightened. You dragged a hand across her chest, causing her to gasp. Your touch was scolding compared to the cool water. A perfect balance between lustful heat and a mind-numbing, all-encompassing chill.
She raised her arms, flinging them around you and exhaling as her impatience reappeared. Though thankfully, you didn't make her wait long. Soon enough, your mouth had latched onto her neck, leaving messy kisses from behind her ear, to down by her shoulders. The feeling was pure bliss, encouraging her to lean into you and press your bodies closer together.
She didn't need to say anything. You seemed to know exactly what you were doing. Like you had her body memorised: every caress was perfectly placed, each touch just what she needed. It didn't take long for Eve to reach her pleasure, although she did spend a while in a dazed state of satisfaction, simply drifting in your arms. Eventually, she regained awareness to feel you tenderly nibbling on her lower lip, and eagerly reciprocated the kiss.
Motivated by the sudden fervour, she switched the positions, pushing you up to the wall.
"Get on the ledge." Eve murmured against your lips. She looped her arms under your thighs, ready to lift once you'd agreed.
Surprised by her abrupt confidence, you quirked an eyebrow, but obeyed nonetheless.
With you sat before her, she knew the evening was only just beginning, and judging by your breathless expression you felt exactly the same. This was one of those rare moments where Eve felt completely understood.
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