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#she wouldn't cost anything for them
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grrwrhadjfsa;
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Gideon at the end of Nona The Ninth strikes me as.. really odd. I know some people thought she's out of character because she's kinda mean - which I don't agree with - but honestly every time I get to that part I think: She's smarter than that.
I know fanon Gideon usually portrays her as a huge idiot and a goofball (fair enough for the most part) but she's also one hell of a skeptic and stubborn character that does NOT bend to authority easily. And let's remember The Unwanted Guest: We know that just by the nature of the Lyctor process Gideon must have picked up some stuff from Harrow as well, we even see it happen when she starts discussing basic necromancy at the end of Nona.
So, Gideon is now being sent to the ninth to kill Alecto, John's Cavalier, and take his place going forward, or at least this is what she says.
You see what I'm going at? She's smarter than that.
I am NOT saying she is acting out character by the way! But I think we don't give her motivations enough credit beyond being reckless because of grief. Gideon Nav who all her life has done nothing but hatch escape plans and NEARLY succeeded? Gideon Nav who is carrying part of Harrows soul? Gideon Nav WHO WATCHED THE EVENTS OF HARROW THE NINTH UNFOLD WITH HARROWS EYES?
I guess what I'm wondering is: What's her plan?
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monty-glasses-roxy · 4 months
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I just had the funny thought of Roxy lowkey 'abusing' her power as a security node to allow herself a little pettiness by eventually figuring out how to ban Gregory off EVERY attraction of the PizzaPlex, INCLUDING THE FREDDY-CENTERED ONES, since she is part of the security while Freddy isn't. Now they might figure out a way to undo this in some areas, but it would still be inconveniencing them for at least a couple hours which Roxy takes as a win. Or, when it happens they can tell who is responsible and have to figure out a way to make Roxy undo it, which I highly doubt she'd do without some demand or strings attached.
Oh she's absolutely abusing her security power for this and everything else ever lmao
It would be pretty funny if they can't override it at all and had no idea what the problem is. She doesn't even have to just ban him! There's normally at least two or three doors in halls and rooms on your way into the attractions, so she could fuck with him way more here. He can't get through one of the doors for ages and she randomly unlocks it when he's trying to fix it so he thinks he found the solution... only to get stuck by the next door. He goes back through the previous door a few times before that one stops working again too. And oh hey! This door is opening now, but it's only opening far enough to stick his hand under it at most! Sometimes the doors work, sometimes they don't, and neither Gregory nor Freddy know what the fuck is happening, cause Freddy has the same problem now lmao
Freddy asking Roxy is she knows what's going on cause she usually knows when something's wrong. She answers like "oh that's soooo weird... none of us are having that problem that's wiiilldd..." Doesn't even try to cover it up that she's messing with them cause what are they gonna do? Override her? Good luck with that!
Why just doors though? She could be a little shit in other ways too I bet. Interferes with Gregory's Fazwatch a little bit so when he calls Freddy from Mazercise or wherever, Freddy thinks he's in Gator Golf. She could randomly make it start blasting Never Gonna Give You Up, and if they don't know she can do that, they'd have no idea what's going on lmao
He tries to find anyone on the cameras and they just don't work all of a sudden. That's soooo weird! It's such a mystery that he hasn't seen Roxy on these things since that night!
That could be what gives her away, but they can't prove anything so they can accuse all they like lmao. They keep trying to catch her out but they don't know how she's doing it or where she's hiding out to do it. Can't track the signal cause they don't have that kind of clearance. They try to get her back too by banning her from various Plex areas but like... obviously the security animatronic can just... bypass that...
It's not like she's hurting them or anything! She's just waging psychological warfare on them for shits and giggles! She's inconveniencing them at best and it's driving them up the wall cause they can't figure out how to stop her lmao
What would she even demand from them to make it stop? Would she even want anything, or would this be entertainment enough for her to just keep playing the clueless innocent card in the most unconvincing way possible? They know it's her but they can't prove it and get her into trouble for it and she's living for their frustration over it.
Bonus: She doesn't even watch most of the time. She could potentially have randomised how the doors react to both of them so they can lose their marbles with minimal effort on her part. She's absolutely this petty lmao
Maybe she locked Freddy out of his own attraction and his room in Rockstar Row too. I bet she's done that a good few times. A bunch of kids staring at him as he struggles to open the door and he has to very awkwardly pretend he's lost his keys or something, only for it to open when he leans on it so he falls on the floor. What's the point in all this power if she can't be funny and abuse it, right?
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bionicboxes · 4 months
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art done for a sibling's soul-link.
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skinnedunicorn · 2 days
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wish i could sue her tbh
#need to avoid Internet until im completely better bc if i keeo coming online im only going to be able to spew complete nonsense over the#fucking liquid shit that is my trauma#like i wish i could explain im not hiding away bc im mad at anyone im truly not#but like. i literally havent been able to function ever since my seizures. shit just kept happening on top of it and like#real life shit like its all to do with my failing health and my shitty job and my shitty ex family#genuinely nearly killed me from yhr stress. lol#like i can walk without shaking or clinging to walls and can verbally talk and not sound genuinely incomprehensible again#but at what cost when now my store is struggling and getting worse management AND im dealing with my mom all ober again#id literally rather go homeless then move back in with her and she cant even admit what she did but claim shes sorry? ok#like damn i wish i just didnt get off the ground when this first happened bc at least now i wouldn't have to deal with my job or family#technically dont have to but if i dont im never getting any of my things back and idk if ill ever be able to afford replacing any of it so#am i willing to risk my health and sanity just to get meaningless objects back to me. yeah. unfortunately i have extremely deep attachments#that im still devastated that i left thwse certain objects behind#i literally couldn't afford to take them i couldnt have done anything differently but man#anyways i dont want to bother anyone when im like this im genuinely just. idk i havent felt like myself since march#i feel like a husk but oh well fuck it we ball
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end-fall · 1 year
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I'm so frustrated with my current dnd game because it's been so long since we last played and this session's runtime just got shortened again. Like we've been playing for months now and after a dozen or so sessions, only 4 days have passed in game! It's just our sessions are already so short and then all of that time gets taken up by one character starting fights with everyone! And she's going to do the same thing this session after she gets out of jail, so there's a good chance we won't even be able to get to the downtime/time skip this session. I just want to do things! I want to have fun in my friend's fantasy city, but it feels like we can't do that because we're always fighting with this one character for no good reason!
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a-hazbin-reader · 4 months
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Hiii! Your headcanons and memes are absolutely funny, I think this request fits you.
So instead of dog or cat (Husker) Wife reader saw her Husband walking around with the egg boys, and she pulls out the '🥺can we keep one?' and would like ABSOLUTELY not take no for an answer, she even pulls out a new dress for the egg boi to differentiate him from the other eggs.
I loved those goofy eggs so much 😭
Alastor X Reader Headcanons
✅️Romantic
❌️Platonic
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TW: Alastor being a jealous husband, Alastor being possessive of wife!reader's attention
Description: ☝️⬆️
Okay, so it's bad enough that Alastor is stuck dealing with the eggs and he's not even allowed to crack a few of them
And he's totally not annoyed with the way your eyes lit up, and you immediately started cooing over them the moment you saw them
Of course the clumsy little things just ate it up, flexing and showing off for you, even going so far as to climb into your outstretched arms
So now they're stealing his wife from him? Those eggs have crossed a line
He skipped breakfast for this?
Alastor knows he needs to keep them away from you to keep you from getting more attached than you already are
So at the sacrifice of his own needs for your attention, Alastor makes sure to keep the eggs far away from you by keeping them close to him
Even at the cost of his sanity
Alastor hadn't even realized he left one of them behind until he came back to the hotel to find you holding one like a baby
And the little imbecile is just soaking up the attention too, blissfully unaware of the error he just made
Not even Sir Pentious can get the egg to willingly leave your embrace, the little thing stubbornly clinging to you
"No! You can't sssstay with her! You're my little egg! My minion!"
It takes much coaxing from you to get the egg to leave your side but that's far from the end of it
Every morning afterwards the egg is bursting into the bedroom and crawling into bed with the two of you
Instead of waking up to your sleepy affection, Alastor is waking up to that stupid egg babbling off to you about everything and anything
Not him shoving the egg boy off the bed and tugging you against him
Alastor eats nothing but eggs for breakfasts for the next week, there's something therapeutic about cracking them that he just can't quite put his finger on
Oh wait-yes he can
He hopes that you'll get sick of the egg boy eventually, but then you start dressing the egg up, differentiating it from the others
"Alastor look! Doesn't he look darling? He's a mini you~!"
You don't notice your husband's eye twitching
You baby that egg more than you've ever babied him and he's definitely getting jealous
He just about snaps when he hears you and Sir Pentious talking about you keeping the little egg
"Aren't you a little old for those 'egg baby' projects, my dear? You're not in school anymore."
"Oh, please, Alastor! Can't we keep him? He's already so attached to me and I just adore him! I've already named him!"
"Um...Y/N...they already have namesssss..."
"I do?"
Somehow, he manages to convince you that you don't need to keep the egg but it's by the skin of his teeth
And it doesn't stop you from spending every waking moment spoiling the egg
That should be him being spoiled by you
He starts trying to intimidate the egg whenever you aren't around but the little thing is too dense to understand it
"I wouldn't follow Y/N so closely up those stairs, one wrong step and it would be quite the nasty fall for someone as fragile as you."
"Thanks Boss!"
Not Alastor trying to crack him whenever you look away
Purposefully opening doors a little too hard in hopes that your egg is on the other side
Using his staff to nudge him out an open window...
Finding extremely dangerous tasks for the egg to do only to be disappointed when he comes back unharmed
Developing a sudden interest in baking extremely large cakes
Alastor, honey, come on...that last one wasn't even subtle
Bottom line, if you care about the egg boy then you better give him back to Sir Pentious because he won't be safe around your husband
It's an emotional goodbye but Alastor's happiness at having your attention again is worth it
It's not like you won't still see each other around the hotel, chill
He's a terribly needy man when it comes to your attention but it's just part of his charm
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I LOVE THESE LITTLE GUYS
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i-cant-sing · 8 months
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Okay okay, I have another idea-
Yandere dad Nanami x Nanami reader
I've made yall see the menace Fushiguro reader who we all love and adore, but let's talk about Nanami's daughter who is an absolute angel and polar opposite to Fushiguro reader.
Child reader is just the most well behaved kid, listens to her father always, and since Nanami is raising her, she's also going to be very good in her studies because papa Nanami is a very good teacher. I mean, reader is definitely on top of her class and has a whole wall dedicated to her awards and medals. She just has to show off her math skills when she plays cafe (because obv she's gonna be a baker who bakes fresh bread daily for Nanami to buy and make sandwiches) and uses Monopoly money.
And when I say reader is polite, that is the understatement of the history. She just cannot bear to offend anyone! She has to put "-san" with everyone's name and has to address them correctly. "Yuji-san! Megumi-San!" And "pervert-San!" Which is Gojo, because of course Nanami has told her to beware of him and only address him as "pervert-san".
"But my name's Gojo!" He tells you, but you're so distressed because dad told you to call the white haired man wearing a blindfold/glasses "pervert-san" and it'd be rude to address him as anything else!
And Nanami adores his kid so much. She's such a perfect child, never breaks rules (don't talk to strangers or Pervert san.) and is such a goody-goody. He is a present father, he makes time for you. The Jujutsu sorcerers can wait, the world can be saved by someone else, but he needs to attend your school play at all costs. And even when hes not around for the day, he has raised you to be a very responsible child- like you even go get the groceries on your own when dad is late! (Like that Japanese show in which they send kids to shop on their own)
But of course, there are times when he needs to be away for longer periods, so he needs to hire a babysitter. His top choices: Shoko(although hes a little hesitant since you have a morbid curiosity learning and Shoko would happily let you accompany her to the morgue), Yuta, Maki, Megumi + Yuji + Nobara.
Who is NEVER allowed to babysit you? Gojo.
Gojo babysits anyway. (He fr steals you from Megumi trio)
And Nanami just comes home to Gojo and reader eating takeout and he's just like "Y/n, how could you let Pervert san in your home and eat with him?" And reader's just on the brink of tears and is trying to defend herself "b-but you said to be polite to guests! And Pervert-san bought food for me. Wouldn't it be rude to not share it with him?" *reader's teary eyes* and then Gojo is like "you'd rather let your child starve? Can't you see how tiny she already is?!" *Gojo's teary eyes* and Nanami pops a vein "it's not cute when you do it!"And then kicks Gojo out of the house.
Even though reader can dress herself up appropriately, she still has to have her hair done by Nanami, no matter what age. At some point, reader probably realises that it's something Nanami needs more than she does. It's a tradition, you think, but it's actually a coping mechanism for Nanami to deal with the fact that you're "growing up" and don't ask him to watch cartoons with you or read you bedtime stories anymore🥺
And Sukuna??? He takes one look at you and he's already decided he's gonna be mean to you, but then the more time you spend with him and Yuji, the more he realises.... its just not worth being mean to the only person who is so sweet to him and actually greets and talks to him like he's an individual person and not just a parasite inside Yuji's skin. Like reader just goes "Sukuna-san! I'm painting Yuji-san's nails but he can't pick a color. Will you help?" And he's like "Alright, fuck it I'm taking this brat with me when I comit mass murder. She's safe."
I feel like Nanami will allow reader to have a fairly normal childhood, so he keeps his yandere tendencies at a bay. It's when you start growing up and as he says "the others try to taint you with momentary pleasures" that his yandereness begins to show. Honestly, it's just more of his protective tendencies coming to light than anything else. He thinks people don't have your best interests in and sometimes he's right, but how else will you learn if you don't experience it?
Also, if you do end up having cursed energy and the ability to see curses, I think that's when Nanami starts spiralling down. He does not want you to become a Jujutsu sorcerer, he wants you far far away from the Jujutsu world completely. He can't- he can't allow what happened to Haibrara happen to you. He can't allow your innocence and naivety to be tainted by the horrendous world of curses. He'd rather risk you hating him forever as he locks you away than allow you to put your life at risk for others.
You are his priority. Your safety is his priority. You'll understand in due time why he did what he did, so while his heart does break hearing you cry and beg to be let out of your room, he doesn't regret putting you in there one bit.
Nanami sighs as he continues prepping your dinner. Guess he'll have to add some crushed sleeping pills so that you don't get sick from crying your bodyweight out (or more like he can't bear to see you in such a pitiful state.)
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God save the poor souls who do end up kidnapping you.
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theghostofashton · 2 years
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#sometimes i wonder how things would've been different if mercedes had been the main character instead of rachel#and not even bc i'm not a fan of rachel i just feel like narratively considering both of their characters.....mercedes works much better#the concept they were going for w rachel fell apart after like s1 bc they started trying really hard to make the audience feel bad for her#she'd make a poor decision but it wasn't allowed to just exist as a poor decision the writers would do the most to make her seem justified#the narrative would always prioritize her and try to justify every single thing she did which created a lot of problems#and the concept of rachel's character as this driven and ambitious person with big dreams who will stop at nothing to make them happen#is such a compelling idea and would've worked so well if she wasn't the main character if she was doing things people were horrified by#but always in the name of self preservation and making her dreams come true she would do anything to make that happen#that's interesting and that has a lot of potential#mercedes was never like that mercedes at her core is someone who will be supportive and kind and warm to everyone#she's always believed success for her doesn't need to come at the cost of someone else#she's friends with most of the characters early on and she's very easy to root for#the writers honestly wouldn't have had to do much to convince people because her characterization supports being a main so well#the reason this gets me is bc w rachel it's like they wanted to have their cake and eat it too wanted her to be cutthroat and ambitious#but also humanize every single decision and lather on audience sympathy for everything#that....doesn't work w the concept of her character it's like they tried to have the best of both and they contradict each other#god just......this is one of those things that makes me so sad lol mercedes as a main character would've fixed so many problems#ik it was 2009 and the world would not have received it well but in a perfect world she would've been legendary#and i'm so sad it didn't happen
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yanderehsr · 8 months
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Yandere Lyney, Zhongli, Dottore ((why not)) Neuvillette and Tighnari bring up the idea one day that they want a baby but darling dislikes children so she keeps changing the subject or ignoring the idea all together completely shutting that thought down plus the very idea of it makes her stomach cringe having a baby with them
I have a good idea which 4 I'll pick here, Hope you'll enjoy😄
Trigger Warning: Yandere, Obsessive behaviour, Possessive behaviour, Kidnapping, Suggestive in all of them, proceed at your own risk
Zhongli: You can't tell me this guy doesn't want children with you at all costs, so when you change subject and reject the idea, it honestly hurts him a bit, did you not want to have children with him, isn't he good enough. He can't deal with that, he is going to have a child with you no matter what you say.
All Zhongli needs is to slip you some nice sleeping aids, and he'll whisk you away to somewhere so far removed from society that only he knows about it, you have only yourself to blame here, if you hadn't rejected him then this wouldn't be happening at all, you will wake up sore with Zhongli cuddling you, you have no idea where you are and you feel strange, weird huh.
"This wouldn't be happening if you just accepted it from the very beginning. I am sure you'll be a great mother"
Dottore: Let's be honest here, this freak doesn't do this because he has a kink or because he genuinely wants a family, these children serve two reasons. One, they will bind you to him, it's something of a possessive bond. Two, they are experiments plain and simple.
Dottore also finds a bonus in all of this, he can use children to threaten you to be compliant, he doesn't care about your refusals or your discomfort, he just wants to pump a baby into you so it's easier to get you to obey. He doesn't even hide it and that's what is scariest.
"Wake up, I have confirmed that it worked this time... why are you crying, aren't you happy to have a child? No matter, you are having it whether you want to or not"
Neuvillette: He has brought it up to you so many times and each time you either change subject or completely shut the idea down, it's honestly starting to get to him a little, shouldn't the ultimate goal of any female be to have a child, that is atleast what he understood from other humans.
Neuvillette isn't someone who would force you to have a child, that would go against his morals, or the little morals he has left after kidnapping you, you can at the very least be happy he isn't someone who would force this, he will continue asking tho, hoping that one day you will say yes.
"I just wanted to bring up the subject of potential future childre-... Oh, ok, I understand, could you tell me how your day has been at the very least"
Tighnari: Fennec foxes mates for life, meaning they only get together with one person ever, and that so happens with you, Tighnari does want children but wont force anything if you don't want it, that is until he enters his heat.
Tighnari before a heat will force you away from him, but this time he forgot, and you happened to walk in on him during the heat, he would catch you quickly to have his way with you, he can't really control what he's doing here, but when he goes back to normal he finds himself happy instead, he is sure you'll make a great mother.
"Well there's nothing we can do now about it... you don't need to be so sad about it, I'll be with you every step of the way, MY mate"
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blue-ephemeris · 4 months
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Yan!Parents Alicent and Viserys Headcannons (Platonic)
(Forgive me for any mistakes this is my first time)
Mention of death, suicide, obsessive, possessive behavior, manipulation, unhealthy father, force pregnancy, and not good writing.
Pairing: Platonic Alicent and Viserys × female reader
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To be honest Alicent was looking forward to the arrival of her first child well Viserys was excited. She was still young to have a child but hoped it was a boy for Viserys duty.
When she first gave birth to you and hold you...she felt like she was at the end of the world. Childbirth hurted is what she always said but when she get to see you put in her arms she couldn't help to smile in joy.
Viserys wasn't mad that she gave birth to a girl but he was happy to hold you in his arms. He looked up at your lilac eyes, a combination of his white hair and Alicent brown hair he just couldn't help to cry a bit.
They both swear to themselves to always protect you and your innocence. They turn extremely protective when you grown up close to your marriagable age. Alicent wouldn't let nobody have you. You are HER child and nobody is going to take you away from her even if she have to manipulate you in the process.
Viserys wouldn't let NOBODY Absolute NOBODY disrespect you not even Rhaenrya or any of his family. He feels like he own you, like he's entitle to you since of his inner dragon (per Viserys saying). He would get rid of anybody that do wrong to you, he would even have his guards kill someone if you demand it.
Alicent wants to do as she says. She wants to control you (kinda like how her father did) and not really follow in her footsteps but for you to have a better life then her. She would go a little mad if you get her depending on how mildly it is. If it's a paper cut you'll get caring Alicent if you are seriously injured then you get crazy mad Alicent.
If you want any suitors then they would go through serious questions about them and their house and many other things. If you really like your suitor then they let you marry them only on one rule and that's to kill him if he hurt you in any way.
They would go thick and thin to do anything for you and I mean EVERYTHING. You want this? You can have it! You would get spoiled anytime they can get stuff. Now your suitor on the other hand....
They are just like your mother and father. Another hand to deal with but maybe a less crazy one. Oop nevermind he tried to kill Aegon and Aemond because they was kinda plotting on stealing you away.
He did forcefully get you pregnant and when he heard he was SO happy about it....a little. His plan kinda backfire now you are just giving your baby more time then giving him time with you.
Jealous Boi until you actually give him time in which they just melt in your hand.
Your parents on the other way is happy to have a grandchild despite Alicent having Aegon marry our Helaena and having children. Alicent and Helaena like to make things for them and Viserys just loves playing toys with them. Your brothers are jealous that they don't have their sister love anymore.
When the war started Alicent hid you away and wanted to protect you even if it cost her life. She would do anything to make sure you're safe.
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anonymityisfunwriter · 3 months
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"Slut!"
Pairing - Steve Rogers x Stark!Reader Summary - It was perfect. Lovelorn and nobody knows. Love thorns all over this rose. You almost forgot just how hard the fall back to reality is. But if they call you a slut, it might be worth it for once.
Steve Rogers Masterlist | Inspired By Taylor Swift Masterlist
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"She goes through guys like a train-"
You immediately change the channel. The next one isn't better. You don't know why you thought it would be.
"The Stark last name and the long list of ex-lovers, that's her claim to fame. I mean, let's be honest here, she's a slu-" The tabloid reporter is abruptly cut off as the screen before you goes dark.
You look up to find Steve with the remote in his hand. He glares at the screen like the reporter was still talking, "You shouldn't be watching that."
"I'm used to it."
"You shouldn't be. It's despicable. They were - the things they're calling you-"
"A slut," you finish for him.
His eyes dart to you, that furrow between his eyebrows getting deeper and deeper with every word spoken, "It's not true. This isn't journalism, it's slander."
You weren't sure how this happened. Sure, it was only a matter of time before they found you out. This wasn't the first time. Not the second or the third either. If the press was to be believed, you were love sick. Love struck with a new man every week.
It wasn't the first time someone called you a slut. It certainly wouldn't be the last.
You stopped living your life in fear of what people would say a long time ago. Being this young was an art. And up until now, you thought you mastered it.
It was simple. You even had your rules. You followed them and no one got hurt - or at the very least, it minimized the damage.
They were going to stare at you. Strangers. Press. The flashing cameras. It came with being a Stark. If they're going to look, you gave them something to look at. You didn't so much as step out on the street with a single hair out of place. You were flawless. Always.
You were nineteen, and on the heels of a breakup with your second ever boyfriend, the first time someone spit that word at you - "slut!" It hurt, but it didn't hurt as much as you thought it would. It almost made you laugh. You realized that they didn't really care about your love life or about the trail of broken hearts you were supposedly leaving behind. They wanted a spectacle. They wanted a show. If you're going to be drunk, might as well be drunk in love.
It was easier after that. You knew the truth. The people around you knew the truth. You let everyone else believe what they wanted. You did what you wanted. You lived your life without worrying about being called a slut. They were going to call you one anyway. And if they call you a slut, you might as well make it worth it.
You gave just enough to keep them satisfied. Never anything too real. Never too much. Just enough that they wouldn't dare peak behind closed doors. Just enough to be able to live your life.
There were was a cost, of course. No one took you seriously. You dealt with the vague humiliation of the rumors constantly swirling about your hips and thighs and whispered sighs.
And though you inherited the Stark genius, no one cared about what you thought, what you had to say.
In that, the reporter was right, your love life was far more interesting than your thoughts on quantum mechanics or the military industrial complex. That was what you were known for.
For the most part, you were okay with it. You were willing to pay it all.
That was until you fell in love with Steve Rogers. Suddenly, you weren't willing to give them crumbs. You weren't willing to expose a love that felt this delicate.
You sit on the couch, huddled in your sweatpants, pensively staring at the blank screen.
This time, it was different. This wasn't a show, not a spectacle. It was real, an exposed nerve that the world decided was fair game. You were fair game and it was open season.
Steve settles beside you, draping an arm around your midsection. He kisses your temple, "Tony thinks it's probably best that you lay low for a while."
"Yes, well, my brother is the expert on PR damage control."
It wasn't the same though. You both knew it. Tony had done far worse with far more women. Yet, he would never pay the price you were paying in this very moment.
Steve's arms tighten around you like he's shielding you from the storm, "It's not right. It's not fair that you're being forced to sequester yourself. You're being punished but what exactly was your crime?"
"I fell in love with Steve Rogers, that was my crime." You fell for the man everyone wanted, the man who was in the wrong place at the right time.
"I'm sorry," he whispers against the crown of your head.
"For what?"
"You warned me this would happen."
It was true. You told him exactly what would happen, but even you didn't anticipate exactly how bad things would get.
You'd been with Steve for just under a year. And up until a week ago, only a select few knew. You both agreed to keep it a secret from the public. You felt protective over the love you shared, it was more real than anything else you'd ever had. You wanted to keep it to yourself, out of the hands of people that would tear you both to shreds without a second thought.
Steve felt the same. Though he was more worried about the enemies he made over the years.
It made sense to protect the relationship, to protect yourselves until you were both ready. You wanted to protect him from what you knew was lurking around the corner. Steve was still so new to the 21st century. Dating in the public eye wasn't easy. Dating a Stark wasn't easy. For almost an entire year, you used every publicity trick in the book - and it worked.
But then, you heard it, the whispers, rumors bubbled about your newest future ex-lover.
You only agreed to going public because everyone told you it was time, because they promised that the timing couldn't have worked out better than this. It was better to do this on your own terms than have it leaked.
No one knew how bad it would get.
"Are you sure? There's no going back after this," you whisper, standing in the hallway of your apartment. You could practically hear the cameras flashing outside your apartment. You'd never been this nervous to leave your apartment before. You'd been through the plan a million times. You'd be exposed to the cameras for a matter of seconds. Happy was already waiting with the door to your SUV open, ready for you to jump in. You'd walk outside holding Steve's hand - a sort of silent announcement to the world. "It won't be easy."
"I don't care," Steve promises, kissing the palm of your hand. "I'm tired of hiding. I'm proud to call you mine."
You tenderly stroke his cheek, "And if it blows up in your pretty face?"
He smiles down at you, "You're worth it."
"We'll pay the price, I guess." But deep down, you know. You'll pay the price, he won't.
The cameras had never been that loud before. Even though your announcement went off without a hitch, even though your publicist couldn't have been more pleased, not even they could have predicted how bad things would get.
It seemed like the whole world was calling you that four letter word.
At first, it was mostly online. People were mean, you knew that. You were prepared for nasty comments. Steve's most staunch supporters thought he could do better. People rejoiced in the spectacle your love life turned into. You were a laughing stock all over again. All that you were prepared for. Then some rabid fans leaked your phone number.
You decided that it would be a good time to disconnect anyway.
But it didn't end there. Not even close.
The day after you were expected to make an appearance for a charity you founded. It was just a quick 2 minute speech. And though the event had been throughly vetted, you'd never forget the way your blood ran cold when mid-sentence someone screamed that four letter word over and over again until security dragged them out. You continued until your speech was done, but there was no hiding the way your hands trembled.
From what you heard, the video was still making its rounds online.
You were expected to make an appearance two days after that. An event honoring your father. An event you poured your blood, sweat, and tears into to make sure it was impeccable, an event worthy of honoring your father. The same event you were practically uninvited from.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's just me. I come in peace," Tony jokes.
"I'm glad," you sigh. "I was worried I was going to have to get another number."
Tony sighs into the phone, "How are you holding up?"
"I've been better."
"I'm afraid I don't come bearing good news."
"What now, Tony?"
"That event you had Friday night, the one for dad?"
You pinch the bridge of your nose. You already knew were this was going. "What about it?"
"They want me to take over for you."
You bitterly scoff, "This week just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?"
"You say the word and I'll tell them to fuck off."
"No, don't do that. It's for dad."
"You planned this whole thing single-handedly. You deserve to be the one up there." You don't say a word. He's right, you both know it. It doesn't change the situation you've been put in. "You are still going, right? Come on, you have to go."
"They broke into my house, Tony."
"What? Are you okay?"
"Happy just told me," you explain, sparing Tony the most gory details. "The one in L.A. Apparently, it is now covered in spray paint. You wanna guess what they wrote?"
"Where was your security?" Tony demands.
"Here. Trying to keep people off my sidewalk."
"I'm so sorry."
"I just - I don't think it's a good idea. At least until I get more security."
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm glad you've got Steve there. At least I know he'll keep you safe."
You almost smile. Tony was never his biggest fan, but you mostly credit that to him being an overprotective big brother. And the situation you'd found yourself in did nothing to win Tony's over good graces, "It's not his fault, Tony."
"It kinda is, but I digress. Listen, we'll figure this out, alright? I'll go streak in front of the Tower if that'll take some heat off of you."
And though you effectively doubled your security in the last two days, nothing would change anyone's mind about you. You were the villain tainting their hero.
You broke down after that call, violently sobbing against Steve's shoulder. He just pulled you in even tighter.
It reminds you of why you're doing all this. So you can be together, out in the open. That in a world of boys, he's a gentleman.
You squeeze his hand, "You're worth it."
"I'm not worth having your reputation torn to shreds."
And maybe they're right about you. Maybe you do get love struck. Maybe his eyes are like the world's strongest liquor, and it went straight to your head. Maybe you do get love sick. Sure, your life has momentarily fallen apart. It's magic, madness, heaven, and sin, all rolled into one. But if they're going to call you a slut, it might be worth it for once. "But what if all I need is you?"
Steve Rogers Masterlist AnonymityIsFun Masterlist Inspired By Taylor Swift Masterlist
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muchosbesitos · 6 months
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still beating
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pairing: miguel o’hara x fem reader
contents: cheating, pregnancy, mention of abortion, brief mention of sex, asshole mig, and angst
author’s note: i had the urge to write some angst but i’ll be getting back to requests after this one. idk if i wanna make a second part yet 😭
word count: 4.1K
You felt your heart wrench in your chest, the pieces slowly starting to shatter when you opened the door to see Miguel with another woman in your bed. The container of cookies that you'd been planning on surprising him with fell to the floor, crumbs clattering all over the floor beneath your feet. All you could do was just stare in horror as the man who claimed he loved you thrusted into another woman with a newfound vigor that he never seemed to have with you.
You looked over at the woman bouncing on his cock like there's no tomorrow, your eyes widening at the realization of who she was. She was one of the recruits who'd been too flirty with your man, batting her lashes and trailing her hand up his arm every time he was in her vicinity. You'd expressed your concerns to him, getting pushed away with a laugh and a kiss on the cheek. "Come on, she's just an apprentice. Tu sabes que nomas tengo ojos para ti," he used to tell you and you willingly believed the words. (you know i only have eyes for you)
The first time that you noticed him acting weirdly was in a mission against one of the vulture variants, taking the extra time to make sure that she was doing okay. He'd helped her in a way that he'd never helped other recruits, not even you when you were starting out. He spoke to her in a reassuring manner, assuring her that the fate of the multiverse didn't lie solely on her mistakes. It was a clear contrast from the way that he used to teach you, telling you that your mistakes could cost the lives of thousands and even ruin the delicate equilibrium between the universes. You wanted to assure yourself that you were being jealous just because of the way that you acquired a relationship with him, but you couldn't help but notice the longing glances that she gave him.
"Miguel, I don't trust that recruit. She looks at you like a love sick puppy," you told him, hoping that he would take your feelings into consideration and create some distance between them. “You're overreacting, mi amor. You know that there's nobody that could make me feel the same way that you did. I even left my ex-girlfriend for you, so why do you think that I would give that up?" He responded, holding your chin in his grasp as he gave you a kiss on the cheek. "Are you even listening to me? I’m not saying that i'm worried about you, I'm just worried about the way that she keeps looking at you," you tried to elaborate but he simply ordered you to get back to work.
You could see the way that she dumbed herself down to receive more help from Miguel, shooting a wink in your direction every time that she managed to pry him away from you. You felt powerless, unable to prove the fact that the woman was obviously feeling an amount of attraction towards Miguel. Even if you could prove it, you weren't too sure that he would even care about how you felt towards the situation. So you simply pushed every red flag that came your way, silently hoping that she wouldn't be stupid to try anything with him. You could see the carefully crafted walls he'd built around himself crumbling with every giggle that came out of her mouth, your hopes only slowing down what seemed to be the inevitable.
The conversation of cheating had come up once between your friend group, and in between laughter, you stated that you would simply beat both his and her ass for even thinking about doing that. All you could do now though, was stare in horror as the woman's walls clenched around your boyfriend every time that she moved up and down his cock. "Are you gonna stare or are you gonna join us?" The high pitched moan of the girl and Miguel's words snapped you from your thoughts, your face void from any expression. While you were planning on taking your misery out on a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream later on, you refused to let them see how much it affected you.
"Why would you do this to me?" You asked him, completely dumbfounded at the events taking place. You hated the way that your voice sounded, so small and broken, expecting yourself to let your anger seep through with every word uttered. "You led me to this situation. Been denying me for so long that I had to take manners into my own hands," he responded, his thrusts halting to a stop once he took the chance to look at you. You let out a small scoff, surprised by the amount of audacity he held despite the fact he'd just been caught having an indiscretion. "I led you to this? You cannot be serious right now."
He tapped the woman's leg, getting her off him as she reached over to cover herself with no shame in her expression. "Look baby, I can forgive you denying me the opportunity to have sex with you if you're willing to forget about this little.. incident," he told you, standing up and taking your chin so you'd look up at him. You couldn't help it though, the moment that you looked into his eyes, you no longer saw the man that you'd once fallen in love with but instead the expression of pleasure that was contorted on his face when you stepped in. "Forgive me? Did you hit your head standing up? I don't want anything to do with you."
"I was the best thing that ever happened to you, don't delude yourself into thinking otherwise. Give it a second thought, nena. You know you can't find someone like me anymore," you heard behind you while your hand lingered on the doorknob, about to exit the scene. "Think about it clearly. Who do you think is going to love you the same way that I did?" He added salt to the injury, painting you as someone unlovable. "Now you're being the delusional one for thinking that I want to find someone like you ever again," you responded, shutting the door with more force than necessary on your way out. You heard a loud groan behind you, the scuffling sounds of clothes being tossed around.
A part of you selfishly longed that he would come chase after you, get on his knees and beg for your forgiveness so you waited outside to see if the door would open. You weren't sure if you were expecting an apology for being taken like a fool or for the act that had taken place, but that didn't stop you from wanting him to tell you that he was sorry. The door remained locked, the volume of the moans rising in intensity like they knew you were still out there. Rain started to pour but as much as you wanted to move, your feet remained stuck in the ground like cement. You just wanted him to say the words 'I'm sorry' but the only thing that you received standing there was hearing him say, "Ay Dios, such a good pussy. Unlike anything I've had before."
Only when you were across the street from his house is that you allowed yourself the opportunity to cry, for everything that you longed for and would never obtain again. You couldn't help but blame yourself the slightest bit, for wanting to trust the words of a renowned cheater so badly. Even though your relationship with him essentially started the same way, going from being a fresh recruit at the spider society to snaking your way under Miguel's bedsheets every time you got the chance. The excitement of getting caught by his girlfriend at the time was too much for you to want to stop the affair the two of you were in, and you couldn't help but fall in love with him with every caress and whisper he shared with you.
You wanted to believe so badly that he was right, that you weren't anything like any of his previous girlfriends and that you were something special to him. It was one of the reasons that you forced yourself to be that exciting new prospect for miguel, pushing yourself past your limits just for the sake of keeping him interested in you. And now you had nothing to prove for the fact that you'd been with him apart from the pregnancy test in the pocket of your hoodie. You'd gone over to his place to tell him that you were pregnant, the frosting on the cookies that you were wielding spelling out the words.
As you got back home, you couldn't help the thoughts that were tormenting your brain since you'd left. You started doing a re-run of the relationship that you had with Miguel, starting to wonder where it was that it all went wrong. What he said was true, you had been denying him sex for a while now but you'd been so tired coming back from missions lately. There'd been a surplus of anomalies to deal with, the numbers only starting to decrease today. You'd hoped that he would be understanding since he was the one who was assigning these missions, but the hope was short lived.
You tried to think about the events that led up to this, trying to look at things from a normal perspective rather than the rose-colored perspective you were happily living in. You noticed him acting a bit strangely, but you'd dismissed it due to him being stressed with the vast quantities of anomalies that he had to deal with. You remembered offering him a blowjob a week ago while on a phone call, wanting to spend some time with him at his office before the two of you got too busy. He'd rejected your offer, light giggles coming from the distance. You realized that they were having fun at your expense, having gone through with the affair at least for a week now.
Entering your apartment felt like a stab in your heart since you'd lit up a candle that he'd taken a liking to before you left, the lingering aroma only providing you with memories of the relationship. Your sheets still weirdly smelled like remnants of his cologne, the smell of his shampoo lingering onto the pillow next to yours. As much as you tried not to think about him too much, every single thing in your apartment only reminded you and the relationship. Even the clothes in your closet were mixed around with his, the scent of his body wash from when he'd stayed over sticking to your clothes.
Showing up to work the next day felt more of an obligation that something that you used to look forward to, stares from your fellow spiders following you throughout the building. You'd done your best to ignore them when you were starting out with Miguel, ignoring their glares and their whispered voices as they called you a 'homewrecker.' Now that you didn't have Miguel's reassuring presence, you were solely depending on your ability to be able to ignore them. They all stared at you the same way that you felt, like a toy that had just finished fulfilling its use and was now tossed off to the side.
You weren't sure if it was the morning sickness or the fact that the recruit had her hand wrapped around Miguel's arm as he started to give the report on what to do today but just the mere sight of it had you wanting to throw up. Your eyes locked with Miguel, a small flash of guilt appearing on his features before his face contorted back to its normal state. You almost wanted to roll your eyes as the recruit batted her lashes up at him, staring at him like he held all the answers but you were pretty certain that you used to look at him the same way. Some of the other spider recruits turned to look at you at the sight and you could only wish that the earth would swallow you alive.
Coming back from your mission didn't provide you with the comfort that you'd needed, your forehead bleeding from a small gash that you'd gotten fighting. You'd been so focused on other aspects of your life to notice the piece of rubble that was aimed straight for your head. Luckily enough, one of the many Peters was present to warn you about it and the piece only managed to scratch you up slightly. You sat down at the nurse's table, noticing her eyes widen slightly at the sight of you but she quickly suppressed the surprise on her face. She applied some alcohol on the wound and cleaned it up, trusting your healing to do the rest.
You walked down the halls of the society to go to the cafeteria, having a bit of a craving for a burger. Seeing Miguel walking on the other side of the hall made you hold a breath, your footsteps getting faster. You figured that you were getting these dirty looks because they wouldn't dare do to that their boss, but the admiration on the rest of the spiders' face was starting to get ridiculous. "Miguellll, hi baby!" The woman from earlier announced, slotting herself next to him. You felt tears starting to sting when you saw him wrap his arm around her shoulders, holding her close the same way that he used to do to you.
The thoughts of having an abortion circulated through your brain while you sat alone, angrily biting into the burger with Miguel's face on it. While you doubted the ability of actually being able to go through this pregnancy by yourself, the thought of getting rid of the fetus just seemed too drastic to actually go through. Or at least, that was what you established as the main reason behind continuing with the pregnancy. The truth was, that despite everything that Miguel had done to you, you couldn't help but want a small piece of him with you. The idea of even having the slightest bit of him reflected on the baby was just enough for you to push those thoughts away.
You felt dirty sitting down on the floors of the bathroom, your head buried into your hands as you stifled the sobs threatening to come out through your throat. You looked up when someone knocked on the door, wiping away the tears dripping down your cheeks as you stood up. “I didn't mean to disturb but I was just wondering if you were okay," Gwen told you, standing there awkwardly with her hands in her pocket. You'd never focused too much on trying to build a relationship with any of your co-workers, stuck in the belief that you didn't care what anyone thought about you as long as you had Miguel so you appreciated the bit of kindness that she had to share.
"Not really," you offered, wiping your face so as to not appear too disheveled in front of her. "Would you like to talk about it?" She then asked you, looking a bit uncomfortable to be stuck playing therapist. Lucky for her, you didn't feel like explaining that the reason that you felt so upset was that your boyfriend had cheated on you. "Not really," you repeated, rubbing the back of your head awkwardly as another Spider-Woman came into the bathroom. You'd expected Gwen to walk off after that but the girl simply looked at you with understanding, realizing that you couldn't put the way that you were feeling into words yet. "Me and Hobie were actually about to go practice guitar for a little while, but there's a drum kit if you want to try that out."
Hitting a drum until most of your frustrations faded away seemed like a healthier coping mechanism than your usual ones, so you agreed and went with Gwen into her dimension. Gwen and Hobie had left to a secluded area to practice their guitar in peace, leaving you alone with your thoughts and sticks in your hands. While the sounds that were being elicited by your fury weren't exactly melodic, the drum certainly provided you with a feeling of peace with every smack that you took. The sounds of the strings of the guitar melted in with the off pitch sound of the drums, the sound of chaos weirdly providing you with the relief that you needed.
You'd been hitting the drums for what seemed to be forever, losing yourself into the adrenaline that was coursing through your veins when Gwen stepped in through the door. "Sorry to disturb your sesh, it seemed like you were really getting it on in there but we have to head back. Something about a mission, you okay to get back on your own?" Gwen asked you, standing by the doorframe as she peeked her head into the room. "I think I'll stay for a little while, but thank you for offering. I appreciate you for letting me crash here," you responded, stopping so she could hear you properly. After a couple minutes that Gwen had left, you departed as well since you'd felt that you'd gotten the relief that you needed.
You tried your best to get yourself to hate him, burning his clothes and ripping every photograph of the two of you but no matter how much you tried, you couldn't get yourself to hate him. It'd be easier for yourself if you could, because hating him seemed like the better alternative than loving him to the point it was starting to hurt you. But the truth was, that even if you could've predicted what happened between the both of you, you're not too sure that you would do anything different regardless. While you despised feeling like a discarded piece of trash, the amount of happiness that he provided you for the time he did was too euphoric for you to give up.
You were planning on just to relax after finishing up with the task of getting rid of his stuff, a knock on your door putting all your plan to a halt. You opened the door to see Miguel standing there, his arms folded across his chest with an uncomfortable expression. "Come in," you mumbled, stepping back and opening the door wider so he could come in. You figured that you were at least due for an explanation so you were willing to open the door just to get the closure that your poor heart needed. He came into the house, maneuvering his way the same way he used to do. You stood at the door in a bit of shock, closing the door and standing at a distance from him.
"I wanted to come here and apologize to you. I shouldn't have cheated on you and i'm deeply sorry for any hurt that I might've caused you," he spoke up after a couple seconds, his apology sounding like something rehearsed. You stayed quiet, gesturing for him to continue as you let the words seep in. "And for the way that I talked to you, it wasn't right of me to disrespect you. I don't know what you want me to say though, you knew that I was a cheater when I first met you and even if I wanted to stop, I can't," he added, his figure looming over yours in the small apartment. You couldn't help the small scoff that escaped from your throat once he finished talking.
"You couldn't stop your cheating tendencies just because you're wired that way, are you serious?" You asked him, your voice slightly raising as you walked closer. "I should've known that chasing a relationship with you would've ended the same way as always and I'm sorry. You were always too good to me," he responded, looking everywhere in the room except for your face. "No, you don't get to do this. You don't get to come into my house and paint yourself as the victim. Take some accountability for once in your damn life!" You screamed at him, unable to keep the rage brewing inside of you at bay.
"Fine, you want me to take accountability? The truth is that I got bored. I got bored in the same monotony that we were living in and I sought out for that type of excitement that you'd given me when we started out. There was nothing wrong with you, nothing wrong with you denying me sex either. It was just me needing to do something stupid and reckless," he spoke up after a while, finally looking at you in the eye. You let out a small sigh of relief, finding some solace in the fact that he was finally being honest with you without using any manipulation tactics. "You could've communicated that with me, y'know? We could've worked something out."
Miguel took a deep breath, almost like he hadn't given any thought to the alternative solutions available. "I took the easy out and I'm sorry for that. I also wanted to detach myself from you, I didn't want any interference in what your canon event would be," he added, making you lose all hope for the progress that the two of you had made so far. You knew how much he prioritized the maintaining of the canon, but you weren't expecting for him to use it to justify his cheating. "You can't be serious right now. I don't want you to excuse your cheating. I just want you to give me an explanation," you told him, speaking much quieter than last time.
"There is no other explanation apart from the fact that I was just simply bored and she provided me with the relief that I was seeking. Truth is, I can't even stand her that much. If I could've guessed that it would hurt you this badly, I wouldn't have bothered to do it," he played with his hands as he spoke, seemingly nervous. "Guess it was my form of karma," you muttered, a dry chuckle eliciting from your throat as you looked away. "Mira, I know that nothing I do is going to remove the fact that I cheated on you. But I do want you to give me another chance, please. I promise that we could make this work this time, I promise that if I try hard enough I could fall in love with you again," he told you, the words making your eyes widen.
It felt futile trying to deny yourself that Miguel had given you a new experience to relationships, allowing you to lose yourself in him and the time that you spent together. But the more that you thought about it, the more that you realized that you couldn't go back to him no matter how much you wanted to. You craved the intimacy that he once had given you, but even as you looked at him now, you couldn't stop picturing the woman that'd been on top of him just a couple days prior. The decision wasn't made for your sake, more so for the sake of the way that this turbulent relationship would affect the unborn child.
"I never had to try to love you, Miguel," you simply told him, your heart shattering even more with every second that passed. "I'm sorry but I can't do that. I’ll always appreciate everything that you showed me and everything that you did for me, and I'll always love you at some degree even if I try not to. But I can't be in a relationship with you now," you added, seeing his expression darken a bit at being rejected. "I'm not asking for you to be in a relationship with you, but I am asking you to give you a chance. Please, te lo suplico," he told you, getting on his knees as he held your hands in between his. (i beg of you) He leaned in his head towards your stomach, looking at you with such a vulnerability in his eyes. It took you a lot of self-restraint to be able to deny him, especially when he put himself in this position. "Please just go."
After he left your apartment, you felt a sort of weight lift up from your shoulders at the relief that things had gone moderately well between the two of you given the circumstances. As much as you wanted to get back into the dating world to help you get over the love that remained for Miguel, you knew deep down that you would only be dating solely to replicate the feelings that you experienced with him. The fact that he told you that he could love you if he tried hard enough stuck with you, your hands gripping around the teddy bear you were holding with more force. But despite the short lived anger that you'd felt towards him, you felt some peace knowing his reasoning for the indiscretion wasn’t out of spite for you.
1K notes · View notes
roosterforme · 19 days
Text
Covering the Classics Part 11 | Bob Floyd x OC
Summary: When Anna hits rock bottom, she knows she needs to figure out how to put herself back together. But she also knows that leaving Kevin behind once and for all will require her to give up the only thing she wants from him. Maybe a shot at happiness with Bob would have been worth it.
Warnings: Fluff, angst, adult language, 18+
Length: 4400 words
Pairing: Robert "Bob" Floyd x Female OC (this story is part of the Beer Boy/Sugar and Jake/Jessica universe)
Covering the Classics masterlist. Check my masterlist for more!
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If this wasn't rock bottom, Anna didn't want to know what was. She spent Sunday night laying on the floor next to her bed alternating between crying and hyperventilating. Apparently she couldn't do both at the same time, because her body kept giving each activity its full attention before switching again. When she finally started to fall asleep around three o'clock, her ribs were aching so much, she didn't see how she would be able to teach in a few hours. But it didn't matter. She wouldn't be going to campus anyway.
When she woke up at six, she crawled to her computer and emailed everyone in her classes, informing them that she would not be in today and to work through the syllabus independently until their next class with her. All of the other professors pulled this kind of thing all the time, but she still felt guilty which triggered more tears. If Kevin somehow cost her a full time tenure position along with her happiness, she didn't know what else she had that he could possibly take from her.
When she thought about Bob, it hurt so badly she had to run to the toilet. And when she thought about Advanced Calculus and Advanced Physics, it hurt almost just as much. She was in love with so many things in San Diego, but she'd dragged her past here along with her even if she didn't want to acknowledge that fact. She'd brought this dark shadow along that tainted everything and left her wondering if she could fix any of it at this point. If she could even figure out how to start.
As she hiccupped alone in her bathroom, she knew she needed to mentally backtrack to New Jersey for the first time in a long time before she could focus on San Diego. When she crawled back toward her bed, she located her phone and found the contact information for her lawyer's office. It was late enough on the east coast that someone answered after one ring, and soon Anna had to use her scratchy, raw voice to try to communicate.
"When will my divorce be final?" she managed to ask as she propped herself against the wall. She left herself hungry every day, and she was living in this tiny room simply so she could pay these people to help her sort out her life, but the response she got was not ideal.
"Ms. Webber... your husband still has three days left to comply, but he has not done so yet."
Anna wanted to scream, but her throat felt like it was constricting. Why wouldn't he just let her have the one thing she wanted? She wasn't asking for anything extra, just the thing she worked so hard to make her own. She didn't even care about all of the money. But he wouldn't let her have it. Even though she didn't want to fight for anything else in the house, he still wouldn't comply. He was making hundreds of thousands of dollars now, and she wanted none of it back, but he knew that her manuscript was the one thing meant something to her. He would happily drag this out until she had nothing left.
She knew she needed to wait it out. It was her fault she hadn't filed sooner. She let Kevin's words destroy her even when she knew he was sleeping with Alyssa. She let him convince her that she needed him for way too long. "What happens in three days?" she finally asked.
"If he doesn't comply, then you can restructure your end of the divorce agreement, and we can try again."
Anna knew what that meant for her, but she didn't know if she could pull the trigger. Restructure it? There was only one thing she could remove. Kevin would come out clean as a whistle, and she would lose everything she hadn't already.
-----------------------------
When Bob knocked on the door at seven in the morning after barely sleeping at all, Jessica looked concerned when she opened it, and Jake looked annoyed. "What's wrong?" she asked, reaching out and running her hand along his stubbled cheek. "Why haven't you shaved? Why do you look so upset?"
"Why are you even here?" Jake called from the kitchen where he was cooking breakfast in his uniform.
"I need to talk to you," Bob croaked, and Jessica pulled him inside and gently guided him toward the couch. She rubbed his back and didn't rush him as he sat there, and Jake even stopped turning to glare from in front of the waffle iron.
"Did you know Anna's married?"
Bob could tell by the sharp intake of breath and the way Jessica's hand came to a screeching halt on his back that she had no idea.
"She's what?"
"Married," he repeated without any feeling whatsoever. The handful of hours he'd spent around her were some of the best of his life, but he would have never let his friends try to push them together if he'd know. He should have let her keep him in the friend zone when she tried to let him know that's what she wanted. Mutual attraction be damned, she'd made marriage vows to someone else. He just wished he would have known.
"No," Jessica said adamantly. "How? She's got no rings, and she said she lives alone. She mentioned an ex before, but I'm virtually certain he's still in New Jersey. She... struggles with certain things, and if she was married, someone would be helping her make ends meet. I don't know where you came up with this, but no."
Bob took his glasses off and set them down on the arm of the couch while he ran his hands over his exhausted eyes. "Jessica. She told me she was."
"Well," his friend said as she wrapped her arm around his shoulders, "I'll ask her about it at lunchtime today. There must be some sort of miscommunication."
"I don't think so," he groaned softly. "We... slept together, and those were her parting words as she ran out of my house."
"You slept together?!" Jessica practically shrieked. 
"It's about damn time!" Jake called from the kitchen, clanging his spatulas together and whooping loudly.
But Bob was shaking his head and staring at the floor through his slightly fuzzy vision. He had his phone in his hand all night, trying to decide if he should call or text her, wondering if she went home to climb into bed with her husband. Scared that this was the reason why she squeezed herself into her apartment door before closing it abruptly when he drove her home.
"I should have backed off when she friend zoned me the first time. I should have never believed that I could be with a woman like her." A woman that inspired the best poetry he'd ever written in his life. A woman who made him want everything.
It finally dawned on Bob that there might be an irate husband in his future, and he would just have to take whatever came his way. Because there wasn't a chance that Anna didn't have her spouse wrapped around her fingers. Even if she had a lapse of judgement when it came to Bob, Anna's husband would know how good he had it and want to fight for her. Bob would just have to take it on the chin.
When Jessica kissed his cheek and whispered, "I'll try to sort this out," he just nodded with his shoulders slumped and his elbows digging into his thighs. But there was nothing to sort out. Anna would never be his, and now he would have to pay the price for the way she told him she was married about an hour too late to take it all back. Honestly, he never thought accidentally sleeping with a married woman was something he would ever have to deal with in his wildest dreams, and now that he was forced to do it, he was getting pretty mad.
-----------------------------
Anna managed to give her Classics lecture on Tuesday morning with a sore throat after screaming into her pillow off and on for most of Monday afternoon. She hadn't eaten in days, and if anyone noticed her puffy, red eyes, they didn't mention it to her. She had quizzes to grade and reports to read, but when she went back to her office, the overwhelming scent of bread from the cafeteria made her gag.
There was a pack of peanuts in her desk along with a room temperature can of ginger ale, but she had no appetite yet. She was just in survival mode until she decided what to do when Kevin's time was up. Until she worked up the courage to talk to Bob and apologize.
He was the sweetest man she had ever known, and her lapse of judgement was going to cost her any chance with him in the future as well as her friendships. In fact, none of them were ever going to want to speak to her again, and that's what she deserved. If she would have just been honest with Bob, she wouldn't be in this mess. But San Diego was like a balm for her senses, making her feel normal where she knew she wasn't. Maybe Bob would have been willing to wait a few more months until she figured out her next steps. Maybe he would have accepted that she was legally separated from Kevin if her husband would just sign the fucking paperwork.
Tears were burning her eyes again just as someone knocked on her office door. She sat perfectly still, silently begging them to go away, praying that everyone would leave her alone until she could sneak out and go home later.
"Anna?"
She knew that voice so well, and she was shocked to find that it sounded more concerned than angry.
"It's just us," came the second voice, and without another thought, Anna was on her feet, wrenching the door open as she started to sob. "Oh, Anna," whispered Jessica as she collected her into her arms.
Anna stood in the middle of her tiny office and cried and cried in Jessica's arms while her other friend studiously locked the door and dimmed the lights before reaching for the box of tissues on the shelf. "Here," she whispered, and Anna accepted a wad of tissues from her.
She tried to mop at her face, but it was a lost cause. Jessica pushed the loose strands of her red hair back from her eyes as she said, "Anna, we're here for you, but I think we need to talk. For real."
"We have some... concerns."
Anna tried to take huge gulps of air into her burning lungs as she gasped, "I'm really not okay. I hurt Bob."
Her friends looked at each other before Jessica said, "I think it's time you backtracked a little bit. Maybe all the way back to New Jersey."
"I hated it there," she told them immediately, wiping at her eyes as she sat on the edge of her desk, bracing herself for the interrogation to come. 
Advanced Calculus eyed her sympathetically before a look of steel locked in her gaze. "Are you married?"
Anna nodded slightly, cringing as she pictured Kevin's face. "Technically, yes."
"Anna!" Jessica exclaimed. "You slept with Bob!"
They knew. They knew everything. Bob told them, and they knew what she'd done. She cradled her forehead in her hands and said, "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I hate Kevin. I don't think we were even married two years before he started cheating on me. I'm trying my best to divorce him, but he just won't fucking let me."
"What do you mean he won't let you?" Advanced Calculus asked, cutting off Jessica before she could screech again.
"He is ruining my life," Anna whispered, finally starting to feel more anger than anything else. "Like an idiot, I've let him ruin my life. I put him through medical school. I dropped out of Princeton to work two jobs to put my husband through medical school." Her voice faded into a soft yet harsh whisper. "Kevin promised he'd take care of me after that so I could finish my Ivy League PhD. But then he started cheating on me because I was always tired and boring and no fun. Because all I was doing was working to pay his tuition for four years straight while he fucked another medical student between classes. I caught them having sex in my car."
"No," both women gasped at the same time. But she just nodded as the memories she had tried so hard to keep at bay since she moved to California came roaring back.
"That's not a marriage," Jessica practically growled, reaching out for Anna's hand that she hadn't even been aware was shaking. "Not really."
"You're right," Anna agreed. "I'm a joke." She honestly felt like one. Images of Bob's face and the memory of his kind voice flooded her system. The way he looked at her and touched her felt like love. The things he wrote about her had her almost convinced he could love her back.
"You're not a joke, Anna," her friend told her. "You're a smart, capable woman who should have come to her friends months ago with all of this information."
"I hate Kevin!" Jessica shrieked before biting down on her own fingertips, and it was so comical, Anna might have laughed if she was in a better frame of mind.
"Yes," Advanced Calculus agreed. "Kevin sounds like an asshole. But you know who isn't an asshole? Bob. But right now, he kind of feels like one."
Anna closed her eyes as the tears started welling up faster. "I tried so hard. You have to believe me. But Bob is perfect. And he didn't think I was boring. But I wasn't planning on falling in love ever again."
"You love him?" Jessica snapped loudly. "You love him? Because Bob thinks you are in a loving marriage with your spouse!"
"Jessica, go sit in the desk chair and calm down," the other woman commanded, and Anna watched the petite, bespectacled blonde stomp around her desk. "Now, Anna, why didn't you explain this all to Bob before you rocked the man's whole world and then ran off into the night like Cinderella?"
"I freaked out," Anna whispered, swallowing hard. "He's the perfect man. He did everything exactly right, and he was exquisite." She looked down at the floor as she said, "I haven't been touched like that in years. Like I was worth something. I'm not even thirty yet, and my husband ditched me for someone else while actively bankrupting me." She was mortified by what she was telling them, but she couldn't stop herself now. "Kevin always said I should dye my hair, and he loved it when I wore makeup. But Bob... he likes my hair and my freckles. He likes the books I read. He thinks I'm smart." She felt her face warm up as she thought about his poems. "We had sex, and then he was looking at me, and he started talking about us. I can't be an us with someone when I can't shake Kevin."
Anna could practically feel Jessica freaking out in the chair behind her, but she kept her eyes on the floor. "If you need help with Kevin or money for a lawyer or something-" Jessica said, but Anna cut her off.
"No. I'm fine. But he's going to force me to decide if I'd rather have my freedom or my self worth. And right now, I can't decide what I want to let him get away with when he already took so much."
"Hey," her much calmer friend said softly, and Anna finally met her eyes. "We're here for you. Anything you need, okay? But I need you to promise you'll talk to Bob. The sooner the better." Then Anna watched her reach for her tie dye lunch box which she apparently brought in with her and pulled out one of her fancy containers. "Bradley made you some hummus, and I packed you crackers and veggies to go with it. Please make sure you're eating. And please talk to Bob. I need to go teach Differential Equations, but I'll text you later. Jess, you have Physics III in fifteen minutes."
Anna received two hugs that she barely returned, and when the two women were gone, she sank into her chair and managed to eat some of the hummus without gagging. Then she texted Bob, because if nothing else, she needed him to know how sorry she was for running out on him. How sorry she was for all of it.
---------------------------
Anna wanted to talk to him on Thursday evening. Bob had to fight the urge to offer to pick her up on campus and save her from having to take an Uber to his house, especially after the few details that Jessica told him about her finances. She confirmed that Anna was married. She also promised him that there was no angry spouse waiting to jump him in the In 'N Out parking lot. She also told him that he needed to give Anna a chance to clear the air. So he agreed. He was free on Thursday. It wasn't like he'd been doing anything except going to work and coming straight home all week, even avoiding Suzanne as much as he could. And he wasn't going to break his promise to Jessica, even though Nat told him to delete Anna's number.
Bob sat in his living room, staring at his new bookshelf in disgust. He'd let himself fall into a fantasy where he imagined someday Anna's books would get mixed up with his on the shelves. Where all of her dog eared novels would live alongside his pristine ones. He'd been subconsciously thinking about it since he met her.
His insides were churning with anxiety. Part of him wanted to scream at her that none of this was fair to him, but the other part knew that no matter what, he still didn't want to see tears in her brown eyes. He couldn't let her take all of the blame for this anyway. He'd even told Jessica that she pushed a little too hard and that she shouldn't do that again in the future.
When there was a knock on his door, it was hard for him to stand up. How was he supposed to do this? He dragged himself across his living room to his front door and carefully opened it to find Anna with the saddest expression imaginable on her face. She looked somehow smaller and paler than she should. She looked like she hadn't slept. And that's when Bob realized he must look the same way to her.
"Hi," she whispered, brown eyes darting around his face nervously. She held out a small bouquet of blue flowers and the books she had borrowed in his direction, and Bob noticed her hands were shaking. "Um, I got these for you. They look like the flowers on the cover of the Whitman poems, and I thought of you when I saw them at the store."
"Anna," Bob groaned as he took them from her along with the books. He moved out of the doorway so she could come inside, and somehow he still couldn't decide if he was angry at her or not.
"I'm sorry," she gasped, turning to look at him once she was halfway across the room. There were several feet of space between them, but he could smell her hair. She was wearing the jeans she wore last time she went to the Hard Deck. He knew what that shirt felt like between his fingers. He could tell she was trying not to cry as she said, "I'm just really sorry."
"Why didn't you tell me you're married?" he snapped, unable to hold back. He knew his tone was harsh as he added, "Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"Because I should have been divorced by now!" she practically shouted, and Bob was instantly more soothed by that sentence than he should have been. "You think I want to be married to the worst man I know?" He had so many questions already, but something told him to just let her keep going. "That's why I'm here. In San Diego. He was supposed to sign the papers so I could get on with my ridiculous life, but he won't!" She sucked in a deep breath before she said, "And it's eating me alive knowing what I kept settling for when you exist! Knowing that I could have been with a man like you."
Her lips were moving like she was shivering, and her eyes were wide and watery. Red blotches covered her freckled cheeks, and Bob just knew she was going to panic again. She made a helpless noise and rushed forward, ready to run, but this time he caught her in his arms, the books and flowers falling to the floor. He let her struggle for a few seconds as she cried, but he held on tight.
"Anna," he said softly. "You can't keep running."
Her body slumped against his. She looked up at him as he held her, and a few seconds later, she let her cheek come to rest against his chest. She nodded against him as she whispered, "I don't really have anywhere to go anyway."
-------------------------
Bob kept his distance while also somehow always being nearby. Anna knew he was probably expecting her to vanish again if he turned his back for too long, but she was too mentally and physically exhausted to move from his living room couch while he fixed some tea. It was getting dark outside, and it was nearly impossible to try to think about anything other than Sunday night when she felt truly free for the first time in years. 
Similar thoughts must have been on Bob's mind, because he was still occasionally looking at her like he used to. Then his cheeks would turn pink, and he'd duck his head before showing her a completely neutral expression. She took the mug of tea he handed her and whispered, "Thank you," as he sat down as far away from her as he could. She cleared her throat as she looked into her drink and said, "You're one of the kindest, most generous people I've ever met." She forced her gaze to his face. "I'm sorry I took that for granted. And I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you and the ladies."
Bob nodded but didn't speak for a minute. His voice was as gentle as always as he eventually said, "I'd like it if we could talk."
"Yeah," she agreed softly now that she felt like the fight inside her was gone and the tears had finally dried up.
"Where's your husband?"
She pictured Kevin standing in the perfect kitchen in the beautiful house on the cul-de-sac. "In New Jersey."
"Right," Bob replied in a reassuring tone. "You said you should have been divorced by now, so does that mean you don't want to be married to him?"
"I hate him," she whispered, back to staring into her mug. "And I'm sure he hates me, too. No, I don't want to be married to him any longer."
"You're separated?" he asked softly.
Anna shrugged, wishing more than anything that she could scoot a little closer to Bob and feel his hand on hers. "Not legally. He won't sign anything."
"Right," Bob repeated again. "Would it be too much for me to ask what happened? Because I really don't understand. I'm trying, but I'm still so confused, Anna."
Her brain was screaming at her to start crying again, begging her to fall apart or hyperventilate, but she didn't even have the energy for it. She took one long sip of her perfect cup of tea before setting it aside and turning to look at him. Even now, he had sympathy in his eyes. Whether that was because he now knew she and Kevin weren't really together or because he was always this sweet, she couldn't say. But he was everything she wanted and would never have again. 
"The short version is that I put him through medical school while he cheated on me. The long version is that he used up every bit of my money, let me work myself ragged, prevented me from finishing my PhD at Princeton, belittled me, and flaunted his extramarital relationship in my face. It was humiliating knowing he was cheating. It's humiliating eating sandwiches and peanuts for every meal now. But the worst thing is that he is holding my manuscript hostage, and no matter what I do, he won't let me have it back."
"Jesus, Anna," he gasped, making the slightest move like he wanted to reach for her before pulling back.
She slowly stood, and he looked up at her, trying to gauge what she was going to do, but she just looked down at him as she tucked her shaking hands behind her back. "You're perfect," she whispered. "You're Sky Writing. You're the handsome man from the bookstore who smells like tea and soap. You're Bob, the guy my friends knew I would fall in love with as soon as I met them." She took a step back, barely able to handle how he was looking at her like she still mattered. "But I don't know how to be an us with you. I know that's what you want, but I never wanted to fall like this again. I tried my best not to. I can't do this with Kevin's shadow behind me all the time. And I'm just really sorry I let it go as far as it did. Because now that I know so much about you...."
That's when the tears arrived, and that's also when Bob stood up. "Anna, I feel like-"
When he cut himself off, leaving the sentence hanging in the air for a few seconds, she took one long, last look at him and whispered, "I'm going to go." He didn't stop her from stepping over the flowers, walking out the door, and heading to the end of his street where she waited for a ride as the night air made her shiver, and her tear streaked cheeks finally started to dry again.
----------------------------------
Oh, they both fell for each other. I'm not sure if Bob feels better or worse now. Kevin is an absolute dick, and we will hear from him in the next chapter. Keep fighting, Anna. Thanks @beyondthesefourwalls
PART 12
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thef1diary · 4 months
Text
Comfort In You | D. Ricciardo
Summary: your apprehension towards physical touch dwindles down as you spend time around Daniel.
Tumblr media
Warnings: none just fluff
Pairing: daniel x fem!reader
wc: 2.3k
Note: after proofreading it I realized that there aren’t many dialogues, it’s more descriptive. I also didn’t include a reason why the reader doesn’t like physical touch so that can be up to you to interpret.
It started with fist bumps, that too after you had backed away from a hug when Daniel tried to pull you in. That was exactly why you had tried to avoid being around Daniel at all costs, to prevent any awkward encounters with him.
At least you were glad that he was drunk when it happened so there was a chance he wouldn't remember, perhaps that's why he tried to hug you when you were about to leave. He wouldn't have tried to do so if he was sober because he respected your personal space, however the same couldn't be said for drunk Daniel.
It was an unspoken agreement between you two, he knew from the first few days Max introduced you that you didn't like any sort of physical contact. Usually meeting a friend of a friend, he would shake their hand and then pull them in for a quick hug.
But when it came to being introduced to you, you had quickly shaken his hand and dropped it before he could even initiate a hug.
You baffled him, and while it wasn't a topic of concern for anyone else around you, it confused him a lot. Daniel thought that you didn't like being around him. However he was proven wrong when your eyes twinkled every time you spoke to him.
You always had a smile on your face whenever you were around him which should’ve made the subtle act of keeping to yourself go unnoticed. Daniel noticed everything.
He still had a nagging thought that you hated him, so one day he asked Max about it when they were walking through the paddock and was met with a laugh in response. "I told her that you would notice it," he told Daniel.
Daniel stopped walking, "what does that mean?" Max didn't think it was a big deal so he shrugged, "she just doesn't like physical touch, and I told her that if I introduced you two, that you would notice it." 
"So what, you warned her that I'm a big hugger?" Daniel laughed in poor attempt to hide how he was invested in knowing more about you. "Well you are, so yes I told her about it." They began walking again, or rather Max did and Daniel helplessly followed behind but didn't say anything.
"Why? Does it bother you?" Max asked as he looked back at Daniel. He shook his head, "no, I just thought she hated me."
At that, Max laughed, "you have no idea just how wrong you are," he patted Daniel's shoulder and walked away, leaving him behind with more questions than he initially had.
Daniel would’ve happily forgotten the little almost-hug but Max didn’t let him. The morning after it happened, he woke up to a string of texts from Max reminding him of his actions.
Now see, you didn’t think of it as a big deal because you knew Daniel. You noticed how he held back from randomly placing an arm around you or any other sort of contact, and with that kind of effort—especially after Max told you he was a hugger—you thought of it as a simple mistake.
Daniel on the other hand, he was losing his mind. He did the complete opposite of what he was supposed to do. His uncontrollable reeling thoughts caused him to blurt out an apology as soon as he saw you.
You surprised him, by laughing it off and telling him exactly what you thought of it—a simple mistake. But you surprised him even further by briefly patting his arm. It was such a brief touch that if he blinked, he wouldn’t have seen it nor felt it.
Lately, he hasn’t been blinking often around you. His gaze focuses on you anytime you enter a room. Even if there were other people trying to gain his attention, his was all on you.
As you walked away after giving him a reassuring smile, he didn’t look away until you were out of his sight. But you never left his mind. His other hand brushed against his arm where you touched him.
If anyone was looking at him, he would’ve been caught stupidly smiling to himself.
Daniel kept that little moment shared between you two a secret, even when Max tried to pester him about his cheery mood. Sure, Daniel usually had a smile on his face, so it didn’t look much different to anyone who didn’t know him well. However, Max knew him very well, so he could see the difference clearly.
There weren’t any drastic differences from that day, in fact it was like nothing had changed because you didn’t initiate any touches again.
Daniel felt like a man dying from heat in the desert, and your touch was like a cool drop of water. That one drop made him realize he needed more to quench his heart's desire.
His actions didn’t change around you. His mind was screaming at him to do something, but he never became clingy.
A few of your friends decided to plan another outing, and although you forgot some of the details, you remembered that Daniel would be there too. For some reason, that made you smile as you dressed for the evening.
Max had the stupidest brilliant idea to park away from all the other cars, the reason being, “do you know how many drunks crash their cars in the parking lot? I do not want my car to become a victim to that.”
That decision led to a good ten minute walk to your destination. Unfortunately, you didn’t dress for a walk in the cool evening weather. You wrapped your hands around yourself, which had become a habit so no one pointed it out.
But once you started rubbing your hands up and down your arms in an attempt to stay warm, Daniel’s eyes caught your movement. He was walking right next to you, and also noticed how you very subtlety inched closer to him to stay warm.
Your mind was focused on putting one foot in front of the other, as walking in heels wasn’t your forte, and you were very tempted to walk barefoot but decided otherwise.
Daniel was able to take off his jacket without alerting you. He hesitated for a moment before shaking his head at his own thoughts and placed the jacket on your shoulders.
Startled by the sudden warmth, you looked at him. He smiled like he usually does, then looked ahead nonchalantly. If he looked at you any longer, his eyes would plead you to keep the jacket on.
He felt your gaze watching him carefully, as if to analyze him but it was dark outside other than a few streetlights briefly illuminating his face.
You turned to look ahead as well, but a smile grew on your face before you could hold it back. Daniel looked at you through his peripheral vision, watching you tug his jacket a little tighter around yourself, enveloping in the warmth it created.
Once you reached your destination, his jacket wasn’t returned to him and he didn’t dare ask for it back. Even if your other friends kept pulling him away from you throughout the night, his distinctive scent on his jacket made it feel like he was right next to you.
Daniel kept himself from drinking because he would rather dig a hole and live in it than recreate the moment he tried to hug you because of his drunken stupidity.
By the time the night ended, all of your other friends had drank significantly more than you and Daniel. They complained about Max’s decision about parking far away but you didn’t dare correct them that it was a collective decision.
This led to just you and Daniel walking to get the car, because no one else wanted to walk for another ten minutes after the night they had.
It was significantly quieter outside than inside the building. You and Daniel didn’t speak, basking in the silence of the night.
You were walking closely but not close enough to touch. Daniel’s hand was itching to move an inch towards you so he could hold your hand. You didn’t pay attention, so you didn’t see how his hand clenched into a fist then unclenched indecisively.
Then you felt it, Daniel’s pinky linking with yours. Your first instinct was to move away, but you fought it and decided to look at him first. He was already looking at you, with a hopeful smile on his face.
You weren’t sure what expression your face formed but it couldn’t have been good because you felt Daniel move to pull his hand away.
Instinctively, you tightened the grip your pinky had on his to prevent him from moving away. This time, Daniel couldn’t hide the shock on his face. You only smiled in return, nudging slightly closer to him and threading your fingers between his.
Neither of you let go until you reached the car.
That night, you basked in each other’s presence but it wasn’t spoken of again. Although it did make you more comfortable around Daniel. There were a few side hugs exchanged which he would say was the biggest difference.
But now, instead of looking for the next opportunity to brush across your skin, he simply enjoys the moments you do, wanting them to last just a little longer.
It was race weekend again, and this time Daniel was happy to travel because you were right there with him. Well, so was Max, but he always there.
Daniel’s mood shifted while he was completing some media duties. He didn’t think he could long for you even more than he already was but you were so close, yet so far away from him.
All he wanted to do was to check on you as it was the first race you attended, but Max reassured him that he would take good care of you. After all, you knew Max before you met Daniel.
Daniel couldn’t figure out the right words to explain that he wanted to be the one showing you around.
Fortunately he would be able to see you in a while considering his schedule wasn’t as busy as it would be on race day.
He was in his driver’s room once he finally got some time to himself, choosing to take a quick shower before immediately falling on the couch from exhaustion. He closed his eyes for a few moments before picking up his phone to call you.
Daniel could’ve sent you a text but he preferred hearing your voice. However, before he could even type out a word, the door to his driver’s room opened.
Usually, he was very annoyed whenever anyone entered without knocking, but when he looked up and saw you, he forgot all about his annoyance.
“Hey, I was just about to call you,” he spoke, showing you his phone held in his hand but you didn’t utter a word. You closed the door behind you and walked closer.
He shifted, sitting up straighter so there was space for you to sit. You didn’t move even when he patted the seat next to him.
A wrinkle showed up in between his eyebrows as his face contorted into worry. You clasped your hands together, beginning to fidget, unsure of how to tell him what you wanted.
Daniel noticed your fidgeting and even though you didn’t do it often, he knew that whenever you did, there was something bothering you.
Once again, his hands itched to hold yours to make you stop fidgeting but he decided to ask you first, “what’s wrong?”
You sighed, dropping your hands to your side before hesitantly holding them out towards him, “hold me?”
It took Daniel a little too long to understand the two words that came out of your mouth. Taking the pause as denial, you dropped your hands and were about to mutter an apology.
However, before you could, Daniel lurched forwards and pulled you closer. It was so unexpected that you literally fell into his arms. “I will never say no to holding you,” he muttered in your ear and that’s when a tear spilled out of your eye.
Clinging on to his shirt, you hugged him tightly. His hands wrapped around your body, running up and down your back in a soothing manner.
He didn’t utter a word, feeling your chest rise and fall with each breath you took against his chest. As time passed, you remained in his arms and it felt so natural to both of you that neither of you questioned it.
It was evident that you were drifting off to sleep, so he didn’t move an inch, letting you sleep in his arms. Already exhausted from before, and now with you in his arms, he was close to falling asleep as well.
That however, was not possible as Max walked into Daniel’s driver’s room like he owned the place. Daniel groaned out loud but stopped once you shifted around in his grasp.
Fortunately, Max didn’t utter a word as he entered and paused in his tracks once he saw you and Daniel. His jaw quite literally dropped open, pointing at you and then him.
“What’s going on?” Max whispered, looking at the dried tear marks on your cheeks but then spotted the small smile on your face as you slept.
“I wish I knew but whatever it is, I don’t mind at all, as long as I get to have her like this,” Daniel responded while looking at you, then he looked up at Max who was beaming at him.
“What?” Max shook his head, “nothing, I was here to ask if you want to join us for dinner but I think you are happy here.”
Daniel nodded, “I am,” he watched Max close the door after he left and rested his head in the crook of your neck, sighing deeply.
You didn’t hold back anymore, there was no reason to. You had found comfort in Daniel and he found comfort in you, that’s all that mattered.
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Can we please please please talk about how Percy was questioning if Sally did the right thing to try and keep Percy from knowing about the truth and ANNABETH BEING THE ONE TO SAY SHE WAS RIGHT TO DO SO??? Annabeth, the trained killer since she was a CHILD. The one who was unwaiveringly loyal to the gods, to her own mother, and believed in a heroes fate. But then she gets thrown out and treated badly, and the ONE person to say "no, you deserve to live. You don't have to die." Is Percy. How she sees that Percy is different in a good way, how important that is. Even though the reason Percy chose her was because she was willing to do anything for the quest and he thought she would stop him from saving his mom- she is the one saying she will do anything she can to save them. To save them both. At the cost of the quest, if necessary. She promised she wouldn't leave his mom, but he was worried beyond that. That she wouldn't even try to save him. But Annabeth, who is being shown true goodness, love, and compassion for the first time in her life with absolutely no need to earn is is on his side until the end no matter what, ALREADY.
I need to lie down
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