#sometimes it’s funny but in this case it’s not
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In a lot of foreign countries, they have this neat amusement park ride. It's called "train," and it consists of a bunch of boxes you sit in and it takes you up and down a track. I could ride train all day long, through the incredible views of places that aren't the suburban-bordering-on-industrial wasteland that I live in.
Unfortunately for me, visiting train often requires me to get on an airplane, which is a big cylinder that flies through the sky. Despite being arguably similar to a train, it costs a whole lot more and smells kind of funny the whole time. Just not worth it, which is why I have attempted to get train at home.
Now, my local politicians dislike train. Perhaps you live in a country where your politicians are accountable to you, which is a terrifying prospect if you are a useless child of privilege who wants to spend a couple years of your life making friends with billionaires instead of being asked frightening questions about basic arithmetic. That is not the case here, where politicians are born in some sort of special vat, receive their law degrees, and come up with ideas like "what if school is actually hurting children?" We do not have many points of agreement, mostly because they drive new cars. Sometimes, they make someone else drive their car for them, which is a concept demonstrating just how sick things have become in their pointy little Hapsburg heads.
To them, there is no room for the laugh-a-minute thrill ride that is train. There is nothing amusing about the business of laying down roads that they then poorly maintain, a hyperfixation that occupies approximately ninety-six percent of their emailing-and-yelling time. Personally, I think if they really actually liked driving so much, they would put a couple hairpin turns or at least a nice high-speed chicane on my nineteen-minute drive to the grocery store, but that's a rant for another time. The government was not going to give me a train, so I had to do it for myself.
The best part of a train is that you can put a bunch of cars together, but not all of those cars have to have running and driving engines! With just a handful of purloined U-Haul® trailer hitches and a very heavy right foot, I was soon escorting seven-car public transit through the middle of downtown. Sure, if you look closely, you might argue that a bunch of welded-together Oldsmobile Aleros are not exactly up to the comfort of futuristic European rail, but we're hoping to be able to upgrade to some kind of haggard Japanese minivans in the next couple quarters, once fare revenue increases from the current value of "zero dollars." In my defence, it's not as much fun to play train-driver-guy if you're constantly asking people for money.
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NCT Dream behind closed doors.
Mark Lee
Mark behind closed doors is still the same. He's still that dude who's talkative, passionate, and hardworking even when he's around with you. You can still hear him talking about his career and music, but then came some things that he couldn't tell to his other members. Worries that he tend to keep for himself but now he can share it to you. He trusts you enough to listen to his worries so sometimes Mark can be vulnerable whenever it's just the two of you, and you're always there to save him.
Huang Renjun
When it's just the two of you, Renjun is much vulnerable. He lets out the emotions that he bottles up and he just becomes more clingier when it's just the two of you. He craves more of you and that's because he wanted to comfort. He doesn't need words of assurance, he probably preferred the silence. So you two would be there, laying in his bed while you wrap him around you. He can be either sleeping peacefully or just there, breathing slowly. Time is ticking and no one moves but there's no awkwardness, just pure tranquility.
Lee Jeno
Jeno is the total opposite to what he shows to others and to what he shows to you! He lets his guards down so when it's just the two of you, Jeno is much of a goofball. He's loud, funny, and just lets his intrusive thoughts win. At first you were a bit surprised but now, you're used to your boyfriend who's a very clumsy samoyed. He's very funny whenever it's just the two of you, and he often tell jokes where he'll be laughing before he can even tell it to you. It's a rare case to see this Jeno, so that's means he's comfortable around you!
Lee Donghyuck
Behind closed doors, Haechan's much more calmer than what he portrays on camera. You get that he's a very busy man that's why you understand that whenever it's just the two of you, his energy is very low. He tries his best to match your energy but you always tell him that it's okay if doesn't because you just want him to rest too. He's quiet but he also craves for you affection, so he tends to do it through physical touch, he has to make sure that you're near him or it can also be the small things like his thumb brushing your hands while you talk about your day.
Na Jaemin
Just like Haechan, Jaemin is also quiet behind closed doors. He's an introvert, so I feel like he wants to be in his own space and comfort whenever things can be very overwhelming with him. So when you came into his life, he slowly lets you in his safe space. You as an understanding girlfriend, is very much contended with the silence you and Jaemin have. Especially when things can be pretty frustrating to him, you sometimes let him have his own space and waits for him to just approach you. Definitely wouldn't let you go and pouts whenever you give him space.
Zhong Chenle
Chenle with or without camera is pretty much the same! He's talkative, loud, and is a huge ball of energy. Especially when you're around, his energy is just up to the roof! But behind close doors, he's much clingier and affectionate when it comes to you. Lots of lots of physical touch and words of affirmation that he can say without laughing or cringing internally. Perhaps because it's just the two of you that's why he thinks that the atmosphere is very serious and intimate that's why he can be more affectionate whenever you're beside him.
Park Jisung
Oh contrary to the Jisung we see on-cam, I feel like Jisung is much more hyper when it's just the two of you. :> He's like a puppy who's happy to see you so behind closed doors he's much talkative! He just yaps and yaps continuously, much talkative than his members combined. And you just listens to him because it's a rare case for Jisung to be this loud. :< He's also on the clingier side, would be more touchy to you because it's just the two of you so his co-members aren't going to tease him when they see him affectionate to his girlfriend.
#nct dream#nct imagines#nct dream fic#nct fic#nct x reader#nct#nct dream imagine#nct scenarios#nct fluff#nct dream reactions#nct dream imagines#nct drabbles#nct mark#nct jeno#nct renjun#nct haechan#nct jaemin#nct chenle#nct jisung
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California Dreaming
Summary: At sometime past 4am, the last thing you would have ever expected was to receive a call from Bradley Bradshaw. But time is a funny thing it feels like it might be running out.
Pairing: Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw x Female Reader
Length: 5.6K
Warnings: angst and a bit In-N-Out slander
(author's note: this fic is set in the 'Like I Can Universe', but can be read on its own!)
You’re pulled from the light sleep you’d just barely managed to slip into by the sound of your phone ringing.
Although you weren’t too sure if your mind was playing tricks on you again. And in that liminal space between awake and asleep, you didn’t trust yourself to know the different anymore. Sleep and you haven’t been on the best of terms over the couple of months, and you had the dark circles under your eyes to prove it.
Your boss had told you about the chatter he’d heard about a position opening up soon at the West Coast office. It was an opportunity that would be perfect for you, minus the fact it would involve uprooting your entire life and moving across the country. You still hadn’t given him an answer yet whether he should put you forward for it or not. But you’d taken to sleeping with your ringer on just in case you were needed for anything, not wanting to close the door completely. And you’d woken up in a panic more than once thinking you’d slept through an emergency call, only to see absolutely zero new notifications.
Just when think it might have been another stress induced fluke, it goes off again.
Bleary eyed, you scramble to reach it. Wanting to silence it to not wake up your boyfriend from his more-peaceful-than-yours slumber. Only half-consciously noting it’s sometime past 4 AM.
However, it’s the name splashed across the screen that makes your heart stop.
𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗪
You sit straight up, the crisp white sheets your boyfriend preferred pooling around your waist.
“Bradley?” You don’t even remember hitting the green button before the phone was up to your ear. “Bradley? Are you ok?” The words come out a sleepy slur all jumbled together by your sluggish tongue.
He’d texted you when he landed back on US soil; a silly selfie with crinkled bag of McDonalds in his hand and the American flag in the background. It had made you grin like an idiot when your phone had lit up with it.
You knew that he had been called back to Top Gun, but that was as much as he’d been able to tell you.
With the time difference, it makes it the hour too early for you, but also too late for him. He should be asleep right now. But you know Bradley, he wouldn’t be calling right now unless it was about something important.
“Hey, I’m sorry. I know it’s late there,” Bradley apologizes. “Or early, I guess.”
Tired. He sounds so tired.
You didn’t doubt he was still probably fighting the jetlag that came with being in San Diego after living in Japan for the last year and a half. But it was the weariness in his tone that had you concerned.
“But you’re ok?” you press. You needed to hear it.
“I…” he pauses, then sighs. “Yeah, kid. Everything’s fine.”
You blow out a relieved breath, rubbing at your heavy eyes.
“Good. That’s good,” you nod, reassuringly. Not that he can see you.
He is safe. He is ok. That’s all that matters to you.
Jack groans your name. “Seriously?” The word drips of exasperation and annoyance.
You wince. Less at its sharpness, but more at the feeling like you can’t seem do anything right lately.
You and your boyfriend have been together a little over two years now. You have a comfortable life together in Boston, nice even. But you shook the snowglobe of your relationship when you’d first mentioned the possibility of a promotion and moving, and it still felt like you were waiting for the remainders of all those stirred up flakes to settle back down.
“Give me a minute, Bradley,” you whisper into the phone, “Don’t hang up.” Your voice is so quiet you’re not even sure he heard you.
You turn towards your boyfriend, an apology on the tip of your tongue, but he’s already rolled over away from you.
A literal cold shoulder.
Your eyes trace over the exposed skin of his back. It’s dark, but you could point out where every freckle is on him with bullseye precision. Sometimes you weren’t sure if he knew you as well.
Like when he’d bring you red roses, a flower you’ve never felt one way or another about. You’d tell yourself it’s the thought that counts, that it’s the gesture that matters. But for as many times as you’ve bought your favorite flowers yourself and displayed them on the coffee table in your shared living room, Jack has never once brought them home for you.
It made you wonder sometimes if he even truly wanted you, if he cared enough to pay attention. Or if he was just content in the fact that you’d be there.
And then you’d feel guilty for even thinking that in the first place.
But you didn’t just break up with someone over flowers.
Or the way he always seemed to make plans for you with his friends without ever asking you first. Or the way he was never more attentive to you until the two of you were in front of a group.
There’s a sliver of moonlight peeking through the edges of the blinds of your bedroom. A set of curtains would have solved the issue, but you’d never been able to get Jack on board. It was something you there thankful for now as you tiptoed out of the room with just enough light to make sure you wouldn’t trip over anything.
You ease the door gently closed behind you, feeling some of the tension melt from your body.
“Ok, I’m back,” you tell your best friend.
“I take it we woke up Jack?”
“Yeah,” you sigh, padding towards the black leather couch in the living room. You fight back the hiss that wants to be released when your bare thighs touch the ice-cold material. The October chill had a way of sneaking in everywhere. “He’s got a big pitch presentation on Friday,” you say, feeling like you need to explain, “So he’s just a bit on edge right now.”
Bradley makes a noncommittal sound, something close but not quite like a disapproving rumble. You distract yourself from reading into it too much by turning on the lamp on the side table to its lowest setting. A dim glow illuminating the living room.
“Tell me, how’s California?” It’s a pivot. You know you’re trying to smooth things over; you’ve been doing a lot of that lately.
“Sunny.”
You snort and roll your eyes.
“It seems you left good jokes back in Japan,” you tease. You pull your knees up to your chest and reach for your favorite soft knit blanket, tucking it around you. “Be honest, how many things did you forget to pack this time?”
Bradley groans your name. This time you smile.
“I had to take scissors to my favorite pair of Levi’s, because I didn’t bring any shorts for the beach.”
Picturing the pained look on his face as he desecrated his favorite jeans nearly sends you into a fit a giggles. But out of respect for the fallen and your best friend’s feelings you press your lips together, the corners pulling up on their own.
You can’t resist lightly teasing him though, “Beach jeans? That sounds like a choice.”
“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Bradley says, solemnly. The drama queen.
“Is there someone who saw you in them that I could bribe for some new blackmail material?” you ask. “It’s been a while since I’ve gotten my hands on anything truly juicy.”
“Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, kid, but I looked damn good in them.”
This time you don’t hold back the laugh, only muffling it with a hand over your mouth when you realize that your boyfriend could probably hear you through the closed door.
“I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“Give me some time and I’ll see what I can do.”
“I’ll make some space in my Bradshaw Blackmail folder in the meantime.” Bradley’s warm chuckle in your ear makes the room feel less cold. “So what else have you been up to?”
“We haven’t had a ton of down time, but I did hit up an In-N-Out with Natasha the other night.” That was a name you were familiar with. You’ve never met Bradley’s fellow aviator and friend, but you were happy he had someone with him there that he was close to. “It was the same one I took you to when you came to visit after I finished Top Gun the first time.”
It was a fluke of fate that you’d been sent to the West Coast office for some training around the time that Bradley was on leave before being sent back to his squadron. The overlap was only for a few days, but the two of you had made the most of it.
“Who knew you were such a sentimentalist?” You lean your head back against the couch.
“It’s the closest one to base,” he justifies, “Although, you’ll be happy to know their milkshakes are still trash.”
You grin. “Hey, I never said they were trash. That was all you, Bradshaw.”
You’ve only been there the once, but it had been fun getting to experience it with him for your first time. He’d ordered more than enough food for two people, making sure to get some of the more classic not-so-secret menu items for you to try. And the Neapolitan shake had been fine, but the ones from the ice cream shop in your hometown where Bradley had had his first job were much better.
“Your face said otherwise,” he bats back.
You hum noncommittally, not wanting to concede. It was more fun for you this way, even if he was right. Not to mention no one knows how to read your face better than Bradley does.
When you don’t argue, he continues, “There’s even a rumor going around that they might want to keep some of us around longer. Like they’d form a new squadron that would be stationed here.”
You perk up, “In San Diego? You could be there permanently?” Between his deployments and moving around from base to base, you don’t think he’s been in one place for more than two years since he went to UVA. “That would be amazing.”
“Yeah, it really would,” Bradley agrees, he sounds hopeful, “But I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”
‘Hope for the best, but expect the worst’ was the motto he seemed to live by. He’d had the rug pulled out from underneath him more times than anyone else you knew.
The two of you are quiet for a moment.
You don’t want to push him into talking about whatever the reason is that he’s called so early in the morning. But no matter how many jokes you trade with him, it’s still in the forefront of your mind. And try as you might, you can’t shake that feeling of unsettledness that was resting heavily on your chest.
Outside your living room window, the streetlights are bright against the dark sky.
You’ve told him more times than you could count that he could call you any time, but Bradley being Bradley has always made it a point to call during hours that were convenient for you, even if that meant he was still up at some ungodly hour.
But that was so him, always putting everyone else ahead of himself.
With the confidentiality that goes hand in hand with his job, you know he can’t talk about the specifics. It was something you were used to after nearly a decade of Naval service behind him.
You nibble on your lower lip, weighing your words.
“How’s it been with…” You trail off, but you know he knows who you’re referring to. You run a hand up and down your calf, trying to warm up quicker.
Mav? Pete? He’d been Captain Mitchell the last time you’d seen him back when you were in high school, you weren’t sure what his rank was now.
Mav has always been the number one topic on Bradley Bradshaw’s No Fly List. The few times you’ve dared to bring it up in the past had been shut down quicker than you think he could probably fly his jet.
Bradley told you last week in a text that had simply read He’s here. You didn’t even have to ask who he was. It had been just as much of a shock to you as you imagined it probably was for him seeing the man who had derailed his dreams when everything else in his world had already fallen apart.
It was a story you’d always thought there had been more to, but between the two of them you’d always be Team Bradley. That’s how it was supposed to be for best friends.
You can feel Bradley mulling over his answer. “It’s been… motivating.”
The way he says it you can’t tell if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. And maybe he doesn’t even know himself.
You sit up straighter on the couch. “Oh?” you say, casually. Neutrally. Not wanting to let your inflection to color Bradley’s response.
Their reunion has been a long time coming, you just wished you could be there for him with this the way he’s always been there for you. Not just on the phone, but there by his side.
Bradley sighs again, it’s heavier this time. Like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. He’s probably roughly running his hand down his face, the way he always does when he’s really, truly frustrated. Like he’s trying to free those too big feelings from trapped beneath his skin.
“I’m flying with him for the first time in my career. I want him to see why I’m here. I want to show him.” The anger, the hurt rings though loud and clear. But so does the determination. “These patches I’ve been called back are the best of the best that there is. And I’m one of them, kid. And I got here on my own, without him.”
You wait to see if he is going to continue or not, wanting to give him the space to talk through his feelings, but he’s gone quiet again.
“You’ve worked so hard for this, Bradley.”
“It was all I ever wanted,” he says, his voice rough, “To be like them.”
Like Mav. Like Ice. Like his dad.
You’d been there for the fallout. He’d been crushed when he didn’t get to go to the Academy, the self-destruction that followed had been hard to watch. You’d seen the way he had to pick up the pieces of his life. The way the boy had quickly had to become a man. Every choice Bradley has made since then has been with one purpose in mind.
He’d set out to be a Naval aviator and he’d achieved it.
“You should be so proud of yourself,” you say, softly. “I know I am.”
You imagine Mav is proud too, but you don’t say that part out loud.
After all, he practically helped raise Bradley- in his own way. Always calling whenever he could. Sending presents. Spending his leave time with the Bradshaws. They’d been a family.
“Sometimes-” Bradley cuts himself off, trying to collect his thoughts. You can almost feel the tormented whirlwind of them through the phone. “Sometimes,” he starts again, “There are moments, when I see him fly- it’s crazy shit that no one but him can do- and I forget. Just for a second. But then I remember and it’s like I’m eighteen and feeling like I’ve been punched in the gut all over again.”
Your stomach twists in the same way it always does when you’re reminded of that rough period in time when the two of you were just teens. And now that you’re older, your ache even more for the boy whose whole world was so turned upside down by the one person he thought would never let him down.
“When we’re flying together, I’m reminded how it could have been. How it should have been,” he corrects himself, roughly. “I thought I was fucking over it. It’s been fifteen years, kid. And I’m pissed at myself because he should be nothing to me, I shouldn’t care what he thinks.” His voice is a hoarse rasp. “Why can’t I get over it?”
It’s times like this where you can feel every mile between the two of you. Every inch of space in your long-distance friendship. And it chafes at you that all you can be is an ear for him to vent to rather than a shoulder for him to lean on.
“There’s no version of this where it wasn’t going to be tough. And I don’t think you trying to brush off who he was to you, like none of that mattered, is going to make this any easier for you,” you tell him. “Not with the history the two of you have. And you can’t punish yourself for having feelings about it.”
“I told him no one would mourn him if he burned in.” He all but blurts it out.
Your suck in sharp breath and you shake your head in disbelief, “Bradley, you didn’t.” There’s no hiding the shock in your voice.
You know there’s an unspoken code of conduct between aviators from the things you’ve picked up from the way he’s talked about his career and fellow Naval officers over the years. That when everyone’s lives are so dependent on each other to look out for one another, there were certain things you didn’t joke about. Things you didn’t throw around, not even in the heat of a moment.
“Shit, shit,” he mutters, more to himself than to you.
You don’t know what to say to him. It’s silent in your darkened living room. The only sound is of his affected breathing over the phone.
You can’t keep dancing around things with him anymore tonight. He cracked open the door, but now you’re the one pushing through it.
“Bradley, what happened?”
His voice is strained when he speaks again, “We had a couple accidents during training a few days ago- no one was hurt.” He is quick to clarify, and you know it’s for your benefit. “It was a bird strike and they had to eject, but they were cleared to fly the next morning.” It hits too close to home all the same. You don’t worry about anyone the way you worry about Bradley. “Mav found me in the Ready Room later that night, and it was just the two of us alone for the first time since everything happened. He was talking to me like I was the kid he’d helped raise, instead of the one he’d fucked over. And then all that anger came rushing back. So I did what I always seem to do, I went for all the things that I knew would hurt him the most.”
You squeeze your eyes tight in sympathy. You’ve been on the receiving end of Bradley’s sharp tongue before. You’ve never held it against him, but you’ve also never forgotten the way his words sliced straight through you.
“I knew it was fucked up as I said it, but in that moment it felt good to hurt him the way he hurt me,” Bradley says, quietly. Every word feels chewed on, like they’d be covered in indents of his teeth. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget the look in his eyes, kid. I really fucked up. It’s been eating at me ever since.” He pauses and clears his throat. “I hate that part of myself. I hate that I said that to him, regardless of the shit we’ve been through.” His voice is pinched, tight. “My mom would be so disappointed in me.”
The guilt in his voice is unmistakable and it's a confession you can tell that takes a lot out of him. No one holds on to regrets- or grudges- like he does. Even if the one he’s holding it against is himself. You know this is going to be something he’ll carry around with him for a long time to come.
But it is the way he stumbles over the mention of Carole that cracks your heart open.
You had grown up adoring her. She’d been lightning in a bottle. Her smile was always the brightest in the room, and her laughter always made people stop to look wanting to be in on the joke too. There was no one quite like her.
And after she died, you’d mourned that loss too. You still carried the evidence of that love with the scar issue on your heart. But for Bradley, that was a wound that no amount of time would ever fully heal for him. Forever a reminder of who wasn’t there.
He’d already lost so much. First, his dad. Then his mom. And now with his uncle.
Bradley had told you about Ice and his passing. You knew they had come to an understanding in the after of everything. It was a relationship held together by a monthly phone call or two, and a dinner invite whenever Bradley was in town. He’d called you during one of his breaks on the morning he found out, troubled because he didn’t know he’d even been sick.
Just more time missed with someone who had meant something to him.
You didn’t want him to regret saying those harsh words without the chance to make amends. You didn’t want him to miss out on any more time with people who wanted to be there for him. You didn’t want him to shoulder around that pain and resentment anymore. A decade and a half of it was more than enough to carry that around. You didn’t want him to forever push away the one person who probably cared for him just as much as you did.
“So apologize,” you gently urge him. “Talk to Mav and apologize. For him and for you.”
He sighs, heavily, “It’s not that simple.”
Gone is the quiet girl in her dark living room. You want him to hear you. “It really is though, Bradley. Tell him. Pull him aside after class or get there early. Or take him to that bar on the beach you told me about and buy him a beer. Don’t let this be a thing you can’t take back. You can still apologize.”
“I-I don’t think I can. There’s not enough time for that now.” His words are stilted.
You feel your eyebrows pinch in confusion, “Aren’t you guys there for a couple more weeks?” He doesn’t answer you right away and you feel a chill drift across you, even under your blanket. “Does that mean you’re shipping out soon?”
“It’s why I called.” There’s something more serious in his tone, you’re talking to the Naval officer now. “We got the orders, we ship out tomorrow. Or later today, technically.”
There’s a swooping sensation in your stomach and it feels like the floor has fallen out beneath your feet.
“Goddamn it, Bradshaw. Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Your voice wavers.
“I know, I probably should have.” At least he has the good sense to admit it. “I just wanted to talk to you, like normal. Although we didn’t get very far before I derailed the conversation,” he says, self-deprecatingly. “Do you think you can give me a few more minutes of normal, kid?”
You know there’s not much you can ask, and even less than he can tell you. You’re surprised you even allowed to know this much.
But you don’t need a dossier of confidential government information to tell you that whatever he’s being sent to do is dangerous, because you’d be able to read even the most redacted version of Bradley Bradshaw. You’d known something was off from the very moment you’d seen his name lighting up your phone.
You don’t want him to feel your anxiousness, you don’t want to add to whatever else he’s currently going through. Bradley called you because he wants to let his mind relax. So if he wants normal, you can give him normal. You can give him as much as he wants, as much as he needs.
“I’m sorry for making fun of your beach shorts.”
Bradley huffs a soft laugh, “No, you’re not.”
“You know,” you muse, fighting to keep your tone light and airy, “I haven't played hooky in a while and I have some miles to use before the end of the year.”
“You want to come out here?” The suggestion works just like you hoped it would, he sounds less troubled than before.
“I could use some Vitamin D and a milkshake. Do you know a good place to make it worth my while?”
“I might. It depends on your opinion is about Neapolitan shakes though.” Your nose scrunches up on its own. “Are you making that face, kid?”
“No,” you reply too quickly.
“Liar.”
You smile to yourself. “I’ll even let you pick me up from the airport and you can finally show me that Bronco of yours in person. It only seems fair that I get to see what all the hubbub is about after I’ve spent hours letting you talk my ear off about it: V8 engine this and four-speed manual transmission that.” You do your best Bradley impersonation and earn an amused scoff from him.
He’d bought it right before he’d been sent to Japan. Ice and his wife had been looking after it for him while he was away. Bradley had even documented his reunion with it after landing back on US soil by sending you a video of it with him humming the Peaches & Herb song in the background.
“You’ve got yourself a deal,” Bradley says. You think he might be smiling too.
It’s all to easy for you to slip into a normal conversation with him. He asks about your mom and stepdad. You don’t mention the possible promotion, but instead tell him about the passive aggressive microwave fish debacle that plagued the entire floor for days.
The two of you talk about nothing in a way that feels like everything. And every chuckle you pull out of him feels like a victory. Your tired eyes flutter shut on their own, with them closed you can almost pretend he’s sitting right next to you, until a yawn slips out of you without your permission.
“It’s getting late, I should let you go.”
You want to keep talking to him, but you can imagine the circles that have already formed under his eyes over the last few days. “You should get your sleep. Rest up, because we have big milkshake plans…and you’re not allowed to stand me up. Got it, Bradshaw?”
“I hear you,” he promises. “Try to stay out of trouble until I get back, kid.”
“No promises.” You feel your lower lip wobble.
“Atta girl.”
You laugh. It sounds a little watery to your own ears, but you hope he doesn’t hear it. You’re grateful he didn’t choose to FaceTime you. It’s probably for the best he can’t see your face, you’ve never been a very good poker player.
“Be safe, Bradley.”
You’ve already decided that you’ll let him be the one to hang up first. You didn’t have it in you to hit the red button before he did.
He blurts out your name. “Wait.”
“I’m still here,” you answer, quickly.
You hear him sigh in relief. “I-You know you’re my favorite, right?”
“I know.” Your throat gets thick and your eyes prickle. “And you’re mine.”
“Yeah?”
Your friendship with him as always mattered the most to you. It wasn’t even a question.
“Of course. I didn’t make very intricate embroidery floss friendship bracelets at summer camp when I was thirteen for just anyone, you know.” You’d spent hours making him one in his favorite colors. He’d worn it until it fell off and then asked for another. “You’re my favorite too,” you repeat, wanting him to hear it again.
“Ok. Ok, good,” Bradley says. He lets out a slow breath. “See you soon for milkshakes, kid.”
“See you soon.” It comes out a reedy whisper.
You stay on the line until he hangs up.
And only when the screen goes black do you allow yourself to give into the emotions that had been surging up inside of you.
With the corner of your blanket, you wipe at the tears that are making hot tracks down your cheeks. There’s a hollowness that has settled in your chest that you don’t think will go away until he tells you when to book your ticket to come and see him.
It doesn’t matter that you remind yourself that he is one of the best at he does. Or that you know he’ll be with other people who are just as good as he is. In all the years he’s been in the Navy, you’ve never once heard him sound that unsure before, and it’s rattled you.
It’s not that you didn’t know there was risk every time he sat in the cockpit of his fighter jet, even if it was just to train. But this was the first time it’s ever felt like he was preparing you for the possibility that you might never see or hear from him again.
You didn’t want to imagine a world with Bradley Bradshaw in it.
He’s never once broken a promise with you, and he wasn’t allowed to start now.
You don’t know how long you sit there in the dark with only your feelings and the sound of the clock on the wall for company.
Your eyes drift towards the closed bedroom door, where you’re sure Jack is sleeping unbothered on a soft mattress between stark white sheets.
It hits you then that he hadn’t come to check on you.
It’s still just as dark outside. Only the little lamp next to the couch offers any light, as you look around your living room.
You’d liked all the exposed brick when you’d first moved in, had imagined all the ways you could soften the apartment with things to make it more cozy for you and your boyfriend. More like the two of you.
But the books on the bookcase had been carefully chosen to fit a neutral color palette, while all your favorites had been moved to the smaller one in the office. Their colorful covers hidden away. The spot where you thought some kind of landscape painting could have gone, had a photograph of a sepia-toned city hanging there instead. It was still art, but it was the kind of thing that had been made to disappear into the background.
You keep waiting to see a piece of yourself reflected in the room, some mark of you that had been left behind in the home you live in, but other than the black and white striped rug that had been too good of a deal to pass up on at a store with a no return policy, none could be found. You didn’t see any of yourself there at all.
You thought that you’d been making compromises, but it’s dawning on you that all along really what you’ve been doing is making concessions. A one-sided partnership. When all you ever wanted was to share a life with someone.
Earlier you found yourself making excuses to Bradley, but now it felt like something you weren’t sure you wanted to look past.
You are tired.
And not because it’s sometime around 5 AM now. You’re already well past the start of a new day.
You’re tired of being the one to trying to make something work.
You’re tired of being the one who always makes a genuine effort.
You’re tired of red roses.
Maybe people did end relationships over flowers. Or the art on the walls.
Grabbing your phone, you open your email ignoring all the messages that are already waiting for you, and start typing out a message. When you’re done, you read it over a couple of time before sending it off to your boss. The whoosh that follows as it bounces off the exposed brick in the quiet living room feels like progress.
You didn’t want to miss out on any more time either.
Not with the people who mattered the most to you. The people you mattered the most to.
Leaning over the arm of the couch you turn off the lamp and stretch out to get comfortable on the cushions underneath you. You tuck a throw pillow under your head and drape the blanket over you.
From this angle, you can almost pretend the city lights look like stars.
Your alarm is already set, and if you’re lucky you can doze a bit longer before it will go off all too soon.
But it’ll ok if sleep doesn’t find you.
You’re already California dreaming.
Who gave me permission to do this to myself?! Oh my heart. Don't mind me, I'm just in my angsty era. Thank you for reading!
If you enjoyed these two, you can read their story from the start here!
You can read my other stories here!
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‘OURS’
Summary: You were his and he was yours but what would it be like adding one more? Thrust into a whirlwind romance you never could’ve imagined that became your forever love. You continue building a new life across the pond with a very beautiful Scouser. A sequel to the ‘You’re Mine’ fic.
INDEX
Warnings: This series will contain fluff, suggestion, smut (unprotected sex,) pregnancy, parenting, self doubt, body image, mention of the word ‘daddy,’ kind of angsty, alcohol consumption - not sure what else really… if i miss anything please lmk!
Note: Thank you for reading! Please be sure to like, comment, or message me what you think of the series! Try not to nitpick with any real pregnant/ baby logistics it’s better if you just read along happily :)
Chapter 12 - Mwah | ‘Ours’
You were thrilled when you found out Liverpool’s preseason was going to be in the US this summer. You practically screamed when Trent told you. You were so excited to have an excuse to go back to New York. You’d get to see your family, you’d get to tote Teddy around back where you grew up. It was just a perk this trip would happen to coincide with his work. It would be amazing to have your parents around Teddy for a bit as well.
Before preseason officially kicked off leaning into the end of July, early August, you spent the weekend out at your parents house out in Montauk, New York. You and Trent were really happy you’d get one last bit of time together before the season began. Being back at your parents place made you miss it a little. Home was England now. Home was wherever life took you with Trent and Teddy but a small piece of you still missed this place. The big open beach that had a different scent than the ones in the UK, the way the sun shone a little brighter, a little warmer on the horizon. Any case, you were glad you at least got this weekend to spend with your whole family and show Teddy the place you spent too many summers.
“Mmm C’mere baby.” Trent hummed pulling you into him in the bed you were sharing. It was funny staying in your childhood bedroom with him. Okay, it wasn’t really your actual bedroom it was your bedroom at your beach house but regardless he liked being able to get to know you a little more through it. Trent liked to explore what you had kept hidden in your desk drawers, finding little niche things that made you you, made this your space. It was nice but it was also practically being rubbed in your face you were at your parents home and not your own so you felt like you had to behave. Trent’s family was definitely more relaxed. Chill, if you will. They had rules of course, no messing about, but it was still a family of boys, whereas obviously you were a house of two girls growing up in Manhattan. Dianne sometimes would tease you saying she’s glad she got you as her daughter later in life. She wouldn’t have been able to handle it. Boys were easier. Her boy currently wanted to be easy for you.
“T” you sheepishly giggled. “We can’t. My parents are literally right downstairs.” You whispered as if you were 16 and you had snuck him in without them knowing.
“They’re watching a film. You’re in bed with me so why are you worried about them? Worry about me and taking these clothes off for me.” He cooed as he dragged the strap of your silk tank top off your shoulder. You felt a shiver run down your spine in the best way.
“T! Please.” You let out a harder laugh amused by his advances. You pressed your palm against his chest pushing him away from you slightly.
"Mmnnmm.” he hummed dismissing your rejection. He was obsessed with this moment. The dark room only lit by the moon out over the ocean seeping in through the window. Your soft skin against his, the feeling of drowning himself in your scent. You were going to have to really convince him this was a bad idea to get him to stop. “Don’t be so scared, baby. Give me one kiss and then decide.” He cooed, brushing some of your hair behind your ear. His eyes fell into the pleading puppy dog look you couldn’t say no to. He kissed you and you moaned into his mouth almost immediately loving the feeling of his lips on yours and the sensations running through you from the second they connected. You pushed your hips greedily into his.
“Okay, okay. You win.” You sighed into him. You dropped your hands over his shoulders and bent your elbows back to drape your hands to come grip his hair. You pulled him into you for a deeper kiss. You gasped a little as he pulled your top further down exposing more of you.
“You’re perfect, baby.” He flicked his eyes between yours, your lips, and your tits indecisively. He couldn’t decide where to fixate first. You let out a desperate moan when he finally landed on your tits brushing his thumbs over your nipples. “Shhhh. You need to be quiet. Yeah?” Trent hushed you when he heard the creek of someone walking up the stairs. You giggled, not interested in his request, too caught up in what he had started and proceeded to pull at the waistband of his boxers.
“Y/N… are you awake?” You heard a voice from behind your closed bedroom door. Trent pulled your top back over your chest to your displeasure. He got out of the bed abruptly and pried the door open. You were surprised he went so quickly but you watched as he leaned on to the door frame. His back muscles looked stupidly sexy. Winnie was behind the door. “Not Y/N” She laughed a little seeing Trent answer opposed to you and then a little more when she assessed both of your states. You were wide eyed and Trent was impatient with her wanting to get back to you.
“No, not Y/N.” Trent confirmed he was in fact not you. They conversed longer than you thought they would Trent, biting at Winnie’s proposal if you wanted to go to the beach tomorrow so they discussed plans at length before he returned.
“Let me take this beautiful baby girl. Should we make you a big breakfast?” Your mum was quick to pluck Teddy out of your arms. You had woken up early in the morning and carried her downstairs. You loved that she connected so well with her but it also confused you in a way. Watching her be so maternal, so nurturing and careful, none of the things she was with you. As your mum watched Teddy, you hopped upstairs and dragged Trent out of bed. It was obscenely early but you were running on borrowed time. His season began in a matter of days and you wanted to spend time with him. You put on a jumper of his and a tiny pair of shorts and insisted he went for a walk on the beach with you. Your house was on the coast next to a resort you remember not remembering so many nights spent there growing up, sneaking drinks with your friends. It was funny you and Trent had sort of the opposite trajectories. You were carefree and relaxed when you were young and now grew to be more rigid and organized. Trent was the reverse, now calm and easy going but grew up diligent and committed.
“I had my first kiss there.” You laughed strolling on the shoreline, recalling a boy you think was shorter than you force his tongue down your throat behind a cabana. You filled Trent in on that tidbit of your life pointing in the general direction of the scene of the crime.
“Don’t tell me that!” Trent scolded you looking at you like you were crazy. He could believe you just told him that. You’ve had this conversation once before and only once. He wanted to know everything but just once.
“Trust me I’ll remember what you tell me.” he confided in you that there wasn’t a shot in hell he’d forget the names of the people you were about to rattle off who had touched you, gotten to be with you.
“This is dumb! You have to tell me then as well.” You asked not wanting to expose only yourself. Telling a partner about previous relationships was always a tricky situation. You had to know. It wasn’t like you had met as virgins but you were adults. You had to be honest, you wanted to be honest with each other it just was scary.
“You really want to know?” He asked interested in your answer but slightly falling into a feeling of anxiety about having to tell you. Trent was… well he was a young footballer on a big stage to say women flocked to him was understatement. It was something you were definitely aware of and made you nervous but at the same time the thoughts of telling him about the unmentionables you’d done with stupid mistakes like Chase was not exciting.
“No, not at all. I guess I should though.” You looked him dead in the eyes and he regretted starting the conversation. He didn’t feel as strong as he usually did around you. He felt weak like you had the power all of a sudden.
“I was 15, relax!” You laughed pinching at his side. He gripped your wrist fast. He was so agile it caught you off guard.
“Don’t tell me that either! You have never kissed anyone but me.” He teased and pulled your body into his. His eyes narrowed looking at you seriously. You ran your palms over his chest draping them behind his neck scratching his scalp gently. You could feel him relax under your touch yet simultaneously go stiff trying not to get too turned on in public.
“Whatever you say” you pressed your lips to his. He hummed at the taste of your kiss. Trent secretly, or not so secretly because he’d told you before but, really liked knowing you had some sort of wild side, maybe daring. You’d commit to things. Him being one of those things. You spent 5 days straight with him right after you met. It was all very instinctual. You just grew up completely differently and yet you fit perfectly together and he loved that about you. He remembered on your first date being slightly bothered that he couldn't open wikipedia and read more about you. He wanted to know you intimately. He wanted you to read him a biography about your life, the sound of your accent hitting against his ears all night.
“Ran from the police once here too.” You giggled and his face contorted, shocked at your admission. There were still bits and bobs of information you didn’t know about each other, of course. You could never truly know everything but you had gotten close to that. Trent definitely didn’t know this piece of information though. You broke out of his gentle hold. “Didn’t catch me though.” You yelled, beginning to run away from him down the empty beach. He chased after you as you ran
“Come back here. Think you were really gonna be faster than me?” He caught you quickly grabbing onto your arm. You stumbled a little not able to catch your balance on the shifting sand and his hold dragging you backwards.
“I am faster than you!” You giggled out of breath falling into the sand pulling him down with you.
“You’re not but I love you despite your flaws” he teased, pinning your arms down to your side. Your heart faltered a little at his aggression. There were moments with Trent when he was unintentionally very sexy. He’d forget how strong he was, how weak you were in comparison.
“My flaws! What happened to ‘you’re perfect baby?” You asked breathing heavily beneath him, widening your eyes mocking his accented words. He hovered over you. He looked perfect as the morning sun rose up over the horizon reflecting onto the water and splashing onto his golden skin.
“You are perfect.” He kissed you. “You’re beautiful.” He kissed you again “You’re not very fast” he kissed you with a slight laugh and your lips curled into a smile as you shook your head at him. “And you’re all mine.” You let him rest his body weight on you, pressing you into the sand. You squirmed a little beneath him as he persistently smothered you with kisses all over your face
“I love you so much, T.” You cooed sincerely. Meaning each word that fell out of your mouth.
“I love you. You've changed my whole life.” He whispered, moving his lips only millimeters away from yours.
“You are my whole life, baby.” You took a deep breath feeling his big hands on your hips push up the bottom of your his jumper. He dragged it up over you until he could see the bottom of your lacey bra peeking out. He kissed up your stomach, slow, dedicated, but also almost harsh. What he left behind were the signs of him, shiny spots caused by his warm spit. It was weird as you felt a memory of your first night together come rushing back. Like you were transported onto the hotel bed of the room you were in at The Plaza. You remember the feeling of his foreign lips on you, the ones you knew so well now like it was yesterday.
“God, please” he moaned. This wasn’t even directed at you, he just wanted some higher power to let him have you. You didn’t smile at him. Tears fell over your waterline. Your heart broke at the rant. He looked panicked. He looked distraught over how he felt. You wiped at your face before he took over slowly catching any tears.
“I didn’t really anticipate making you cry in bed. Not this way at least” you slapped at him gently, a smile starting to form. “Please” he softly begged you. You nodded wholeheartedly.
You should’ve known you’d fall for him then and there. You cried on your first date. Normally, you would’ve been mortified if that had happened and yet with a new stranger you felt completely safe. You wouldn't even call it a first date. It was like 7 in a row; dinner, the bar, the cab ride, the bedroom, the club, then the bedroom again. You laughed thinking how insane it was that he really did mean what he said, that he knew what he wanted, how certain he had been. You laughed recalling it all in grave detail.
“What are you giggling about, huh?" He interrupted your reverie. You looked up at the cheeky smirk appearing on his face as he watched you try to compose yourself under him. You pushed him away playfully trying to get out of the emotions that were crashing over you right now. It was too early to be that sentimental.
“I think we should get married here. What do you think?” He asked laying down next to you in the sand. He rested his head on your chest and slid his hand down to hold yours.
“Yeah… I think I’d fancy that. When?.” You asked him with a smile, liking the idea a lot. It hadn't really registered or settled in yet that you actually were going to get married, you’d have a wedding, so the exact location or date of it definitely hadn’t been thought about too much.
“Whenever you want. I’ll be there waiting.” You pouted at him. How did this stuff come out of his mouth? It was like he had it all rehearsed, like you were in a simulation being played and you loved every second of it. You laid there for a little longer before he pulled you up. “I am marrying a felon. Who knew?” he laughed.
“No. I told you, they didn’t catch me, remember?” You giggled in response but you fell into a comfortable silence after.
“What for…?” Trent asked and stopped walking, needing to know more. Needing to read the passage of your Wikipedia that broke down a run in with the law.
“It was stupid. Someone had thrown a party, there was underage drinking and a lady called the cops. I didn’t want my parents to know I was out so I took off.” you shrugged. His brow furrowed confused. “It’s really not a big deal here, honest. It's common, I think?” You tried to rationalize with him. He was quiet for way too long racking his brain. It’s not like he didn’t have fun growing up or have a drink before he was 18 but the police felt… intense. “You’re making me feel bad now!” you quipped.
“Well, you ran from the police!” he laughed, letting go of your hand and draping his arm around you.
“Oh well, not all of us are beloved local lads the police would let go are we?” You teased him. He knew what you were referring to. Trent would be lying if who he was hadn’t gotten him out of trouble. He told you about a few times where he had been pulled over driving by the police but they let him go after he simply took a selfie with them. His jaw slacked offended you’d bring that up. You nuzzled your face into his arm starting to feel almost dizzy by the whole conversation. “Do you still love me?” you sheepishly whimpered.
“What?” he shook his head at you confused laughing. “Obviously. What are you on about? I just asked a question. Of course, I love you.” he quipped before he abruptly grabbed your face with one hand. He pushed your cheeks together, pursing your lips for you. He smashed a wet kiss against them. You pulled away with a shy smile. His stare blank. “Got it?” he asked seriously.
“Got it. Jeez!” you laughed, wiping your mouth of some of the wetness that remained. He just rolled his eyes as you walked back inside the house.
You got ready to go to the beach later on in the early afternoon actually in bathing suits this time with Teddy and Winnie. Your sister sat on a towel and complained to you about how stupid some boy was dming her that Lauren was trying to set her up with. You lazily lounged on Trent while Teddy sat on his chest. He haphazardly held her. She occasionally would just topple over onto him still working on her balance but eventually she was definitely doing it on purpose, loving squishing her face against Trent’s warm skin, hearing his laugh, his chest vibrate and heart beat as his big hands kept her secure on top of him.
“You can never DM anyone, alright?” Trent cooed at Teddy, resituating her up right as she giggled, before falling again wanting to continue her game with him.
“DM all you want, Ted!” Winnie rebutted Trent’s rules. She gave him a smug smile he was annoyed at.
“Go on Ted!” You just spurred her on. Teddy squealed, hearing her name getting exciting. Her little hands grabbing eagerly at Trent’s face for a kiss. She had recently learned how to purse her lips, coming to understand that it would result in a kiss for her. She loved it. She loved the attention, she loved the sound, a giggle following every single one. Trent kissed her identical pout.
“Can mummy have one, please?” You asked her for a kiss, envious of the one she gave him. You squeezed her arm gently to grab her attention. You pushed your lips out towards her. “Mwah!” You made the sound she couldn’t get enough of. She laughed and wiggled trying to get to you. You dragged her off Trent’s chest into your own. She nuzzled her face into you comforted by every little thing. The way you smelt, the way your skin felt, your familiar heart beat. She calmed as you kissed her head. “My Teddy bear.” You squeezed her a little tighter to you. Trent pinched your arm to remind you of this moment that you definitely did know how to make her very happy.
“She’s happy right?” Speaking of a daughter's happiness, your mum asked your dad back at the house looking on, able to see your little family from afar as they sat by the pool.
“She’s never been better. He takes care of her.” Your dad reassured her watching you kiss Teddy laying on Trent.
“I’m surprised you took such a liking to him. If he wasn’t on the team you support would you’ve?” Your mum teasingly asked your dad. It was a joke but she was also a little curious as well for his answer.
“Don’t be silly, I genuinely think he’s a good kid. Good head on his shoulders, good family, good values.” You dad reaffirmed his stance that Trent was good for you. “Could be different though if he played in Manchester but...” Your mum ignored his dig at other teams, keeping her focus on you.
“They’re good with her.” Your mum admired you and Trent playing with Teddy. “I just want her to be happy. It felt like she never was when she was here.” She remembered life before you moved, before you met Trent.
“She was… she just needed to find her place. Her person. We all eventually find our way to them.” Your dad cooed, squeezing your mum’s hand from his lounge chair.
You came back to the house as the evening sun sank down. Winnie running with Teddy back to the house in a fit of giggles in her arms. You trailed slowly with Trent holding his hand inspecting his newly tanned golden skin. You shuffled up the steps and turned on a spout to wash the sand off your feet. Trent turned on the water inside of the outdoor shower next to it.
“C’mere” he dragged you in after him. “You look so good today.” He purred beneath your ear. His plump plush lips ghosting over the sensitive skin of your neck.
“Yeah? I thought I caught you staring” you turned away from him pushing your ass against him. His hands drifting around you slowly one gradually come to paw at your boobs. You shut your eyes in pleasure. You rolled your head back onto his shoulder.
"Nah, me staring at you. Never." His dark, brown eyes bore up into your closed ones and you breathed in heavily feeling his hands glide over your skin. His free hand ran down your side sliding under the tie of your bikini on your hip. It was subtle yet it had your heart racing. Watching his fingers run over your body as the water cascaded down with them felt pornographic. He moved his hand from your tits up to cupped your jaw. He tilted your head awkwardly and harshly to look at him. It made you gasp a little as he pushed his hips into you further. You could feel his hardening cock. You flashed your eyes at him and it only got harder. Your lust filled gaze sent sinful thoughts barrelling through his mind.
“Y/N L/N! That boy is not your husband yet. I better not be seeing two sets of feet in that shower.” Your mum yelled out clocking that you two had come back to the house, were nowhere to be seen, and the shower was on with two familiar pairs of feet in it. All thoughts were halted the moment you both heard her voice.
“Sorry” you sheepishly apologized strangely embarrassed by her call out. You kissed his lips, peeling your body off his. Your mum was ‘old school’ in an ironic way. Like she picked and chose when she wanted to implement those values.
“Nah, I have you for the rest of my life. Not worried.” He whispered before one final kiss.
“Mum, they have a baby…” Winnie laughed carrying a pitcher of margaritas out onto the deck with one hand, Teddy in the other before passing her off to your dad.
“They can have 10 babies, Win. We still don’t want to know it’s happening” your dad chimed in situating Teddy on his knee as she smiled oblivious to the nature of the conversation about her parents. You timidly got out of the shower pulling Trent behind you. He held your hands behind your back and rested his head in between your shoulder blades childishly hiding from your parents. “Trent, my boy, I love you but keep your hands to yourself.” Your dad quipped and you wanted to die. Trent held his hands up in innocence taking a step away from you. It wasn’t the first time Trent had encountered a protective dad but it was different with you. He had good banter with your dad but really respected him and listened to what he was asking because he respected you. “I want that signed license before I’m holding another one of these.” He voiced in a serious manner asking for the marriage certificate before you had a second baby. You couldn’t quite tell if it was laced with any humor as you watched him kiss Teddy referring to her as ‘one of these’ loving every second of her. You grabbed Trents lips and pulled him into a kiss. Your hands cupped his cheeks. His lips were warm and soft. A shock of electricity ran through you being so bold to kiss Trent in front of your family. Your parents groaned. Trent held his hands up again not touching you reinforcing this wasn’t his move.
“Oh Y/N, really?” your mum quipped. Winnie booed. You giggled and shrugged then went to pick up your baby girl.
“You introduced me to him. Your own fault. ‘Oh you’d like him.” You mocked the words your dad once told you whilst watching a Liverpool match pointing out Trent to you on the TV.
“And I appreciate it.” Trent said, running a towel over his tanned skin. He dried himself off before he wrapped the semi damp towel around you and Teddy. Winnie took a photo of your bundled family engulfed in his arms and terry cloth on her film camera.
“Win, I want that one. Send me it when you develop them.” Trent asked after hearing the shutter go off. The sun went down, drinks were poured, and the fairy lights illuminated your dinner table. “They taste different here, swear.” Trent explained to Winnie that he genuinely believed burgers taste different in New York. She wasn’t sold on his rationale so they rambled on back and forth debating the unimportance. You caught Trent smiling at you though mid sentence as he watched you scarf down your food relieved you were eating. He winked at you and you had to put your head down you felt so flustered.
“Any plans about the wedding yet?” You mum asked eagerly. It was driving her nuts you hadn’t begun making any concrete plans.
“Think this morning we decided we should maybe do it here” you cooed to no one in particular at the table but then looked at Trent to confirm the decision. You mum sat up a bit straighter and began to rant to you about contacting all these events planners and contacts she had in the area.
You and Winnie exchanged your typical look, the one exchanged your whole life. The ‘mum is fucking nuts.’ one, you knew well. You wrapped up dinner and you put Teddy down for sleep. You were sitting on the couch watching a film with Winnie. You were cuddled up into Trent when you got distracted watching the veins of his hands move as he rubbed over your skin. Your heart started beating faster as you tried to reclaim your focus but you couldn't. He was the only thing on your mind now. He caught your quick side eyed glance towards him before you attempted to follow the movie again. With the hand he was stroking you with he squeezed you. It took you by surprise because he did nothing else, didn’t even acknowledge you or look but it set something off. You wanted him to pay attention to you. Sometimes with him you’d get a feeling like you were just meeting again. Like you wanted to impress him, get him to like you all over again, make him want you.
“Do you really have to leave tomorrow?”. You whispered in his ear before you dropped your head into the nape of his neck, your lips gliding down his neck.
“Mmmhmm” he hummed as he rolled his head to the side to give you more space to run your soft lips over. He closed his eyes, lost in the moment, losing all hope at following the plot of the movie anymore.
“Are you sure?” You gently pushed his t-shirt up with your palm and slid your hand across his abs. The feeling of your lips on his neck and your nails dragging across his skin dangerously close to the band of his shorts had his heart rate speeding up.
“I’m not so sure right now.” He quietly told you. He took control of the situation quickly just the way you wanted him to. He turned his whole body towards you completely ignoring the movie and the fact that your sister was about a yard away. “I’m not sure I can leave this mug of yours.” His eyes narrowed and scanned over your features. He flashed a devastating smile watching you trying to suppress the smirk blossoming on your face.
“Can you guys not… I get it, you're engaged. I am single.” Winnie stood up annoyed. You giggled hiding in Trent’s neck, embarrassed almost forgetting she was in the room.
“Oh, Win! I’m sorry! Finish the film with us” you called out to her as she stormed off in a huff before stopping in her tracks.
“No, no, I’ll leave you to it! Also,” she flashed her glare from you to Trent. His eyes widened, surprised she was mad at him and he was being included in the sisterly spat. “You give Lauren fucking Jude Bellingham… and me, nothing. Jude Bellingham.” she threw her hands at him.
“I don’t think I exactly gave Jude to her, did I?” he quipped back and she feigned a face as if she was less than impressed. She started to laugh though unable to hide a silly smile on her face trying to commit to her theatrics. This was quintessential Winnie. She thought this was very funny. Trent knew her well but not the way you did, of course. Not the years of her creating these situations out of thin air. For Winnie, taking a bit or a tease too far was a thrill. She loved to overreact just to grab people's attention only to drop it with a giggle. It was a bizarre yet endearing power trip.
“Winnie!” You yelped her name before falling into giggles yourself at how ridiculous her claim was, very aware this was one of her ‘performances.’
“There’s 26 players on a team and you’re on two! Club and Country” she gestured to two different spaces in front of her with her hands spelling it out for Trent. “I’m only asking for one man.” She rolled her eyes at the stunned look on his face. She walked out of the room.
“I can’t tell if she was serious or not… Am I meant to set her up?” He said to you louder than he thought he did. Winnie’s voice echoing a ‘yes’ that made its way back to the living room where you were as she made her way down the halls away from you.
“You asked if I had to leave…you gonna miss me, baby?” Trent asked, a few minutes later, gently grabbing your jaw. The way his eyes looked into yours made you feel special. Made you feel love and then lust.
“Yeah, T. WIll miss you and this cock” you boldly stated. Your words drenched in neediness as you leaned forward to slide your hand over the bulge that had been tenting in his shorts.
“Mmm yeah? Show me then” He instructed you and your eyes lit up with greed. This was a terrible idea. Your dad would murder both of you, your mum would have a heart attack, Winnie might vomit but he looked so good and you were going to miss him… and his cock… for the 5 days you were about to be apart.
“Can you be quiet for me, baby?” you asked with feigned innocence in your eyes as you lowered yourself toward his length.
“I’ll be good.” He stroked over your cheek as he watched you lick the tip of his cock. He let out a moan, feeling your tongue graze over the slit leaking pre cum. Your eyes widened looking up at him annoyed because he literally just said he’d be quiet.
“Sorry, sorry. Start again. I’ll be good. I promise.” He tried to convince you. You ran your hands up his strong thighs as you licked his length from base to tip, not totally convinced by his promise but you didn’t care now that you had a taste. Desperate for more of him. Desperate to make him feel good. “Such a pretty girl, yeah?" He praised you in a whisper as you flashed your glossy eyes up to him. All you wanted was for him to tell you how good you were for him. He breathed deeply watching you trying not to make a sound. He didn’t do a great job but at least his words of encouragement were whispered. “That’s so good, baby, fuck. Keep going.” he quietly groaned. He tucked wisps of your hair behind your ear stopping your constant need to move your hair away from your sticky lips. He threw his head back against the couch cushion in pleasure at your movements. He ran his hand over his hair. The air had gone thick in the room. It was hard to breathe all of a sudden for both of you for different reasons. “Baby” he grunted at a normal volume warning you he was going to cum. He unraveled quickly to your delight. You clasped your hands around the backs of his knees, slacking your jaw just that much more for him to take all of him sucking in your cheeks as he released.
“Good?” you giggled after you swallowed, pulling yourself up using his thighs. He nodded out of breath. Eyes closed and head resting back onto the couch coming back to reality slowly. You climbed up on him and straddled over him. You slid off your shorts and to Trent’s surprise you weren’t even in panties. He just blew air out of his mouth amazed by your figure over him. Your tiny white baby tee clearly worn without a bra, nipples very out, and your pussy on full display for him to admire.
"You wet for me?" He asked and you nodded. You got wet just sucking him off and he knew that. He ran his fingers through your slick folds.
“Tell me what you want me to do, T” you whined, getting desperate for more. He was teasing you, giving you enough to lose your composure but not getting close to your entrance or clit.
“You’re gonna take my cock.” He demanded and you smirked and he began peppering kisses over your jawline. “and you’re gonna take my cum.” You aligned yourself with his already rehardened length. You sank down slowly not having his usual help preparing you for his size. You let out a whimper feeling the leaking tip of his cock burying himself inside your pussy. He began languid but purposeful thrusts up into you. He immediately felt you clench tigh around him as your jaw slacked and your brows pinched adjusting to his length. “So good f’me always.” he stoked your cheek with his thumb while his other hand held your helping you move on top of him.
“Please, T, I want to make you feel good. I want to be good for you.” Your words went straight to his cock. He smiled. Even in bed you were always well mannered. He loved when you begged for what you wanted. You liked T being in charge in the bedroom. You were politely submissive. You both were mindful you had to be quiet though so your words were hushed but they were potent. You both wanted to be good for the other. It was apparent with every deep upwards thrust of his and every merciless roll of your hips. It was all so needy and desperate.
“Oh fuck, baby. You make me feel so good. I want you to cum on my cock. I need to feel you.” He tried to whisper but his pleads were hard to keep in check with his shuddering breath as you were working on top of him. You both were climbing to your highs. “No one else will ever be able to fuck you ever again. No one else could ever fuck you the way I do.” He muttered into your neck trying to muffle his voice as he huffed.
“Nuh uh.” You moaned. You placed you mouth against him to quiet the volume of the sounds you wanted to make “Oh god, only you T. You forever. Only want you always.” Despite your dickmatized haze you genuinely meant that. You only wanted him to fuck you forever. Your thighs began to quiver.
“That’s right. Good girl. My girl.” He bit onto the most sensitive part of your neck he knew drove you crazy. “Absolutely no one else.” You picked up your pace even though your legs were aching, you wanted more of him. His breaths were hot against your skin, audible. You rode him for ages on the couch in pure euphoria. It must have been almost over any hour. You were surprised no one had come down stairs but were more relieved than anything else.
“I love you” you let out the most sinfully innocent moan in his ear. A sound he wanted to keep forever. His soul was completely in your grasp. The way you sounded and felt right now was his heaven. You pulled away and looked at him with twinkling eyes and he pushed up into hitting a spot so deep you had no other option to then fall into an earth shattering orgasm. Your face fell onto his shoulder biting him to not make a noise. He kissed your cheek repeatedly as he continuously thrusted into you as you attempted to move. White hot pleasure spread rapidly through your core. Seeing you cum always tipped Trent over the edge.
“I love you, baby. Gonna fucking cum inside my pussy, yeah? This pussy’s just f’me.” He confirmed his possessiveness over you and you loved it nodding eagerly. His drew his face into your neck and let out a strained moan as he thrusted up a few more times before he filled you up. Your eyes rolled back and closed. His cum leaking out of you more as you bounced on him a few more times helping him ride out his high, fucking his cum deep inside of you untill he was empty. You fell onto his chest heavily breathing tucking into his neck hugging him desperately.
“Let’s go to bed, hmm?” He asked quietly after you both had begun to calm. You pulled your head off him and looked at him so exhausted but with a glow he loved. You were the pretty girl who took everything he gave her just now but also the pretty girl he was unequivocally in love with
“I can’t feel my legs” you whined with a pout. You felt like you’d be given a lethal dose of euphoric pleasure.
“Oh, my poor baby.” he teasingly cooed, pressing his lips to yours gently. He picked you up sweetly and he wrapped your legs around his waist for you carefully as he carried you back to your bedroom.
Trent had to be at Liverpool’s team hotel tomorrow so he was out the door early. They had a game at MetLife stadium which is in New Jersey but it's for New York sports for context. It was kind of cool. Weird to be in an NFL stadium for football. It just gave off a different vibe. It didn’t feel right but it was more like exhibition games, upcoming season preparation.
“For youuu.” You cooed handing your dad the new LFC kit for the season as you got into his car. You were going to the game with your dad and Teddy. You had driven to the stadium with him from your beach house. Lauren and Winnie were also coming but they weren’t as fussed about the actual match. A lot of people you knew in Manhattan or just in the general TriState area were going to this match because it was an opportunity to see Premier League teams play and party. What was a little funny about it being in America though was that there were tailgates for the game, like it was a US college football game. Lauren and Winnie were within that group. People from college and friends you had from growing up all going together to get drunk. The football match was a second priority.
“You’ve got to come to more matches with me, dad.” You told him as you got to your seats just as the warm-ups for the game were beginning. You watched intently and more closely than most people do enjoying the sleeveless warm up gear Liverpool had on due to the summer heat. Trent looked particularly good, freshly tanned and toned.
“Gotta invite me.” Your dad cooed. “Isn’t that right Teddy girl? Don’t you want mummy to invite Pop Pop over to come see you?” He picked her up. She looked adorable in your opinion. She had on this season’s newest jersey freshly pressed with ‘daddy’ on the back. Bittersweetly for you, you had to get a bigger size now that she was getting older and growing. She had on white ruffled shorts and white adidas samba trainers that had red stripes. You sat through the match constantly having to point daddy out to Teddy. She was way more in tune with what was going on now. She could stand on her own for a few seconds before you’d have to help her. She could point and clap a little bit so games were all that much cuter now. As the end of the 90 minutes approached you got a notification your flight had been moved and you began to panic. You hated when plans shifted. Minor inconveniences really rattled you. The final whistle blew you were able to meet Trent but you were stressed and worried about finding a fix to your flight dilemma.
“My baby bear!!!! Did you have a fun time? Did you clap for dada with mama?” Trent asked, scooping Teddy out of your arms. You just smiled at them scrolling through your phone incessantly. “Hey… you alright, baby?” He looked at you and grabbed your chin with his free hand and lifted it up to make you look at him. He knew the face you gave him well. You were stressed. He knew your brain ran a million miles and hour. Very very different to his but he liked to help you, to help you settle it. “Baby.. take a deep breath for me. What’s going on?”
“Our flight got canceled or moved or I don't know and I have bad service and I need to make sure we get back because Teddy has her check up scheduled at the pediatrician and I already moved it once, and…” you babbled insistently.
“Baby….” Trent cut you off in a soothing voice. It felt like you were the only people in the room for a moment. His calming persona just wafted over you. You dropped your shoulders and took a deep breath in and exhaled it out your nose. Teddy tried to imitate the noises and breaths you took quite funnily. So both you and Trent laughed. “Good girl” Trent cooed to Teddy first. “Thank you.” He kissed your forehead and his hands that were resting on your hips crept up your torso raising the hem of your shirt slightly. “I will fix the flight for you. I’ll handle it, okay? You’ll make the appointment. It’s gonna be fine. Promise.” He kissed your lips this time. You you closed your eyes as your mind settled until you heard an ‘mawf” type noise from the cute little girl in Trent’s arm who was pursing her lips towards him waiting for her kiss from daddy.
You sat in a lounge type area after the game because Trent had a bit of free time and was allowed to come and hang out for a bit. So with him, your dad, Teddy, and a drunk Lauren and Winnie you all caught up.
“How’s Marce?” Lauren leaned forward inquiring about Trent’s brother. Winnie eyes widening with a smile knowing all the dirty details. You were close in age so you did a lot together but after you moved Winnie and Lauren met up more often just the two of them. You were happy they got closer but every Instagram story on a night out you couldn’t be at always made you a tinge jealous. If you and Lauren were trouble, her and Winnie were like hell on wheels. They were playing with fire anywhere they went.
“No, we’re not doing this again.” Trent responded, moving his gaze off of you and Teddy momentarily to look at her. Trent loved Lauren and just was joking but definitely didn’t want things to go any further than they had in the Marcel, Jude, Lauren triangle from Greece.
“Laurennnn” You palmed your forehead. “Laur is silly, huh?” you cooed in a baby voice to Teddy. It was a habit. It just happened, it was your life 24/7. You were a mum. Trent hummed concurring with you wiping his thumb over Teddy’s lips.
“No. Laur is not silly, Teddy girl.” She addressed Teddy but threw a glare at you then flicked her eyes back at Trent. “I asked how your brother is… is that suddenly a big deal?” She quipped back knowing very well her sentiment in asking was laced with a million different innuendos.
“It is when you kiss and tell, Lauren.” Your dad chimed in from his seat further down the table you were sitting at. You laughed hiding in Trent’s neck not knowing he had been listening to the whole conversation. Laurent rolled her eyes at your dad playfully.
“Lauren, you can’t just get with all of the men we have on deck.” Winnie looked at her with glossed eyes, still fairly drunk. “I mean, it’s not like T is helping me with who he has on any roster but…” she quipped with a laugh.
“Men on deck? Roster? Win… They are people and my friends. I'd like to keep my relationships with them and with you two if you don’t mind. Lauren already made her bed.” He rambled back at her with a smile teasing them both but also attempting to justify why he hadn’t set her up.
“They were good in bed though” Lauren chimed in. Trent made a face like he was gonna be sick.
“Ignoring that.” he looked at Lauren then back to Winnie. “Besides, I’m not just going to parade around every dressing room I’m in ‘Lads, anyone want my fiance's sister?’ Am I?”
“Well, you should. What picture do you show when people ask what I look like?” Winnie leaned forward asking both you and Trent.
“Teddy, please ignore everything that is coming out of the left side of the table’s mouth please.” Your dad piped up again. The chaotic conversation continued and definitely didn't get any better when Dom came over to grab Trent to leave. Winnie practically drooling. You said goodbye to Trent with a crying Teddy and it broke your heart. It was always the worst. She’d be okay but she also didn’t understand why daddy had to leave. Trent was knee deep in the few more days of preseason but did fix your flight issues the night after that match. You had to get back to your house, your dogs, your life, and your appointment for Teddy. You flew home with her and way too many bags you assured Trent you could handle but regretted it now. Thankfully you had some help from airport staff but it was still exhausting. You needed to sleep on the flight but had to wait till Teddy was out and even then you could only lightly sleep in case she needed something. You held her against your chest and she was good. You felt like she was getting alot more attached to you. Like something clicked, she felt like you were her home and being attached to you was the safest and comfiest place she could be. Even though she weighed a little more now and it was hard having someone glued to you all the time, it was a nice rewarding feeling.
You stood waiting for your Uber outside of arrivals at the Manchester airport with Teddy and the too many bags you promised you could carry. One of your suitcases tipped over as you attempted to wrangle them all.
“Uh Oh!” you cooed to Teddy making a surprised ‘o’ shape with your mouth and she lit up. She attempted to imitate you. It wasn’t great but it was cute nevertheless. “Yeah, Uh Oh! Teddy” You said once more but in your head you were actually saying ‘shit, shit, shit.’ You leaned over with teddy in your arms and saw a masculine hand grabbing the handle of the luggage before you could. He picked it up and you stood up straight again and looked at him.
“Oh wow… Thank you” You said inspecting a oddly familiar looking face. He was an older man but well kempt, dressed really nicely too.
“Not a problem. Visiting for long?” He asked politely clocking your American accent and what felt like 100 pieces of luggage around you.
“I guess you could say that, I visited a couple years ago… never left though” you candidly explained with a smile. You readjusted your hold of Teddy. You were focused on her but you could feel his eyes examining you.
“Have we met before?” He cooed, taking a closer look at Teddy and then you. Recognizing both faces in different ways almost perplexing him more.
“Hmmm” You thought for a moment. “You know what? Yeah, I think we have. I met you at the end of Liverpool’s last season a few months ago. My fiance introduced us. I believe you know him.” You responded recognizing that you had met this man at the party the club had thrown directly after the final match.
“I knew that face looked familiar. An Alexander-Arnold a mile away.” He cooed. He was talking about Teddy, of course. You hummed politely. “I’d love to talk to you sometime…” He continued talking. You paused a little confused what he was asking so you waited for him to say more. “ I am a lifelong fan of the club but I really work for Condé Nast and I’ve been wanting to do something to better understand the inside. What makes them tick?” He explained but it didn’t really give you any clearer idea of what he meant.
“Makes them tick?” you asked him, still trying to wrap your head around what was happening, while watching your baby, whilst looking for your Uber. You were slightly overstimulated but you were listening best you could.
“Your fiance. How do you make it work? It’s a weird dynamic I imagine. You make their world go round but you have your own life, your own interests. You're not out on pitch on match day. They come home to you, a valuable human, so who are you? I want to know about you." It was strange to hear someone speak about a relationship he didn't know anything about so honestly and almost insightfully like he already knew.
“You said Condé?” You asked just trying to organize this whole thing. You had worked with some of their publications before you moved and dabbled a little here and there after you did but not much anymore. You knew enough about the company though.
“Mostly GQ and Vanity Fair. In fact, that's where I met Trent first. I heard he was coming in for a shoot when a kind editor tipped me off that a footballer from my beloved club was coming in.” He spoke like such an old man, he had grandfather vibes in the best way. It felt like you were talking to stylish Santa in a hilariously endearing way.
“Oh, amazing. Well, I don’t know. I’ve never done any sort of official interview or thing in the public” you babbled starting to feel awkward. This was really uncharted territory. He gave you his card. You inspected it closely. God, this could all be some sort of ruse but it seemed legit as you read it time and time over again. ‘Bentley Brown’
“If you’d ever want to, I’d love to meet you again sometime for a tea or a pint and tell you more about what I think we could do.” You just nodded. “Lovely to meet you both. Best of luck with the season.” You stared at the business card for days after on your dresser in your bedroom. You’d never thought about people wanting to interview you. You’d had a career before and you had an instagram following now but that wasn’t anything official or noteworthy worth being published in print.
•
Thank you for reading! Please like, comment, or message what you think of the chapter … 🤍
Next part - Chapter 13 xx
#trent alexander arnold x reader#trent alexander arnold#trent alexander arnold imagines#taa x reader#taa66#footballer x reader#footballer x y/n
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fic recs
just some fics i've found myself returning to, or thinking about, recently (with my commentary attached). feel free to recommend me more! (or make your own posts because we should recommend fics more)
sidgeno
wait, is that...? by malk1ns g, 1748 words
cute, sweet, funny, and lighthearted. i love fics written from an outsider perspective looking in and i re-read this when i'm looking for something fluffy.
All is Fair by beggingwolf t, 3285 words
emotional post-retirement fic with established relationship that's on the rocks between sid and geno. sweet and romantic ending!
The Real Thing by sevenfists e, 34892 words
fics with time travel are always so interesting to me because it gives us a chance to contrast people in adulthood vs. adolescence. in the case of sid, not just as a player, but as a partner. it's lovely to see the way the author has characterized geno and how his affection for past vs. present sid and the differences between them.
anything that touches by saysthemagpie e, 48578 words
brutally (seriously, heed the warnings) angst-filled, but also incredibly... cathartic (?) read. depicts familial death, graphic violence, and non-consensual/dubiously consensual situations. tension is tightly written and maintained throughout the entire fic and that really elevates the tender moments that sid and geno share between all of the really bleak scenes. i have probably read this a dozen times or more.
Mating in Captivity by beggingwolf e, 25005 words
3.5 words: heartwrenching clownfish mpreg. it'll tug at your heartstrings and also teach you something about clownfish reproductive systems.
Uncontrollable by al-the-remix e, 15798 words
the image of sid cradling an octopus geno lovingly on ice to prevent him from becoming calamari is sweet enough to keep me coming back... amusing and funny, sweet, romantic, sometimes sad and emotional...
misc
All I Ever Wanted by WolfSpider e, 18927 (and its sequel, (was to make you mine)) (jonas brodin/brock faber)
i actually first read this from @simmyfrobby's rec list and it's really good! brods' contemplation of his dynamic, experience on ice, and past with dumba altogether compared to being scented by brock is really interesting and is conceptually blended altogether in a lovely way that doesn't feel "too busy" at all! i liked jeek's role as a side character as well. also i listened to the basshunter song this fic was named after a lot growing up so...
A tale of crushes and de ageing and a very blonde Jeff Carter by Belzebubcat e, 1964 words (tristan jarry/jeff carter)
the world (archive of our own) needs more tristan jarry being paired with overly sincere and eager people (and by people i mean jeff carter)
play pretend by daisysusan e, 6417 words (matthew tkachuk/quinn hughes)
sad, but also hot-sexy.
all dolled up by nationalhorribleleague e, 2109 words (matthew tkachuk/quinn hughes)
hot-sexy, but also funny. recruited me into the eldest daughter 4 eldest daughter ranks.
count me in by Anonymous e, 6888 words (matt boldy/kirill kaprizov)
funny! i love how flirty the dialogue is between boldy and kirill and the wink-wink nudge-nudge ending for the potential of something more between them...
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What if Kirby characters could drive cars?
Let's just assume gijinka versions of them because otherwise most don't even have the proper anatomy to drive, LOL.
Anyways, here are my thoughts on the matter:
-Kirby is a funny case because he's shown decent motoring skills such as piloting a Robobot Armor, but he's also a literal child. So therefore, no license for him.
-Susie would be the most skilled driver in the cast, I feel. But she'd also be unhinged in the way she drives. She'd make all sorts of crazy "advanced" maneuvers that would terrify someone in her passenger seat. Basically, she has such high confidence of her driving capabilities that she's arrogant on the road. You'd think that this would lead to her easily getting into accidents, but she does have good enough reflexes and reaction time to dodge a lot of potential accidents. Not at all to say she's untouchable... she'd absolutely get into accidents on occasion, but she often gets away with her overconfidence by reacting quick enough to escape many dangerous moments. Still would be nerve wracking to be in the passenger seat with her though.
-Magolor would be good at driving as well. Probably even the second most skilled driver in the cast, but he'd get into accidents a lot more often than Susie would. Him canonically crashing the Lor Starcutter more than once makes me believe this. He'd also speed in a lot of instances where he thinks he can get away with it. Heck, I wouldn't even be surprised if he'd be mischievous enough to sometimes honk his horn with the sole intent of pissing other drivers off because he thinks it's funny.
-Marx should not be allowed to have a license. The reasons are fairly self explanatory. He'd instigate chaos in traffic and cause accidents on purpose. He'd be an absolute menace on the road. Don't let this shitfaced lunatic drive a car. I love this jester but I would not under any circumstances trust him to drive. Well, maybe I wouldn't trust a lot of others in the cast to drive, but especially Marx.
-Daroach would probably be decent at driving, but you know damn well that if you see him driving then he 100% stole the car he's using. Although I think it'd be funny if car theft is something he did pretty often. Like every time he finds a new favorite car, he then just takes it and drives off with it.
-Taranza is a strange case. His six hands would make him seem like he'd be stellar at driving, but I also imagine he's someone that's just not great at using tech appliances. Give him enough training and I think he'd be good at driving, but overall he'd be the least skilled driver out of the Wave 3 triad because the other two are just much better with tech.
Funny scenario: Taranza is in the passenger seat with either Susie or Magolor driving, and he gets nervous of their arrogant driving mentalities, despite him being less skilled than them in driving.
-I'm not sure if King Dedede would stand out as a driver. I guess he'd be alright at it? Not great but not awful. Although I imagine he'd probably just let waddle dees drive for him.
-Reminder that Meta Knight himself does not pilot the Halberd, it's his crewmates. I think they'd be better drivers than him, LOL. I think he himself might be alright in terms of driving capability, but would also notably suffer from road rage because of how easily combative he is.
-Speaking of road rage, I actually see many in the cast suffering from it. Meta Knight, Dedede, Susie, Zan and maybe Magolor would all be road ragers sometimes. I think the biggest road ragers, however, would be Flamberge and Dark Meta Knight... those two would lowkey fall under the "get out and fight the other driver" levels of road rage. I guess Meta Knight might occasionally do that too, but not as vehemently as those two.
-Would the animal friends bother driving, even in gijinka forms? I imagine ChuChu and Pitch are kids so no for them. Not sure about Nago because he seems lazy. Rick... sure, probably, albeit not often. The idea of gijinka-ified Coo and Kine piloting aerial and aquatic vehicles respectively sounds cool, but I'm not sure how likely they'd actually do that lol. Kine seems pretty air headed for that.
-Gooey driving would be the funniest thing ever. It'd obviously go very poorly but I think it'd be entertaining to watch just to see what happens. LMAO.
-Depending on if you headcanon Bandana Waddle Dee as either a child or an adult, I think he'd be a serviceable driver if the latter. But in my case, he's a kid. So no license for him.
That's... practically all my notable thoughts for this matter. What do you think?
#kirby#susie haltmann#susie kirby#magolor#marx#marx kirby#daroach#taranza#king dedede#meta knight#dark meta knight#the mage sisters#rick kine and coo#gooey#gooey kirby#bandana waddle dee
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THE BEATLES - interesting photos and facts
In Paris
Jumping and boots
John and Yoko, 1968
The year is 1964. THE BEATLES in Scarborough (England, North Yorkshire)
Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and .....
John and Stu
Pauline Sutcliffe, brother of Stuart Sutcliffe:
"John wore a long black jacket to look like a musician from Mississippi. His jeans were the tightest, he would get out of Mimi's house wearing flannel trousers over them, and then take them off on the way to college and put them in a bag."
John, his aunt Mimi and their relative from New Zealand
"He wore it all with swagger and self-confidence. Stewart chose his own individual style and dressed for himself, but who, apart from a few people, saw his red underpants? Stewart was very impressed with John from the beginning, and became even more impressed when he heard about John's band, the QUARRYMEN, named after Quarry Bank High School, where John and the original band members attended.
John was frankly anarchic. Stewart's anarchy was expressed in the fact that he pushed artistic boundaries, painted large works when the task involved much smaller ones. Stuart's rebellion was mostly acceptable, whereas John's sometimes was not. We were all shocked and appalled by his wild behavior, but at the same time, excited and fascinated by him. John was also very, very funny. Stuart liked it, he could keep up with John here. There were always a lot of jokes in their company, each of them always tried to make the best remark. One day at our house, John said to me, "You know, your brother is a little genius." I quickly replied, "And he thinks you're a great genius." In response, he hugged me with his smile. But John could also be very dangerous, and that only added to the excitement. Unpredictability. John could be quite tough in his jokes. However, in these cases, Stuart took the position of a strong parent, holding the situation, which allowed John to feel safe."
Stu and John
A Hard Day's Night: Chase scene in Keystone
1962. John is at the Casbah Club. Photo by Pete Best
Bob Dylan's concert. Ringo, George and John with their wives in the hall.
#the beatles#john lennon#paul mccartney#ringo starr#george harrison#beat#music#my music#music love#musica#history music#rock music#rock#rock photography#psychedelia#pop#vintage photography#black and white photography#photooftheday#music story#beatlemania
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A smoldering cigarette, a red sunrise and a cramped bed.
N: AU!Sukuna, gn!reader, fluff. Bad eng language (use translator), silly jokes. It's just daydreaming. So simple. You and Sukuna are two lonely losers with shitty personalities who rule this world.
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What time is it now? 4? Sunrise is usually at 4.. Doesn't matter. Months of work for a long-awaited week's vacation. Although Sukuna said to leave your job, since he can easily provide for you, you are so attached to your business that quitting it would be a betrayal and devaluation of your own work. One way or another, what else should you do if not work? The only thing Sukuna complained about was being too workaholic. It’s funny, because throughout your entire learning you used all kinds of “simple” learning methods, sometimes not the most honest methods, but this is not so important anymore, is it? You get paid a lot and you like it - that's all that matters. But another factor has appeared in life, which, unfortunately, as you thought, also... began to matter.
Sukuna.
You had a difficult character. The features of a choleric person were intertwined with coldness and detachment, rejection of any attachment to anyone. You have never seen someone real next to you. And you quickly accepted it. Perhaps your love for yourself is not so strong, but value and respect have always lived in you and strengthened you. Some would call this unhealthy selfishness, but you don’t care. Many people have told you that you will rot from loneliness, you definitely need someone. You simply couldn't think about a boyfriend, or husband, or children... Although you have never been a nerd, a bookworm. You were a person who enjoyed your own superiority and freedom.
It's amazing how Sukuna was able to spot you. "Birds of a feather flock together". Perhaps this devil felt that you were too similar. Opposites attract, but you weren't. You...are both different and the same at the same time. Some qualities complemented others, and the same reactions to certain things or events helped you to be “on the same side.” You were comfortable. Sukuna had a convenient one for you. But something still made you stay one arm away from him. At first you didn't care. You thought that Sukuna himself would be happy to have an unobtrusive person, you have never demanded more from someone than you can do yourself. But Sukuna has become more irritable lately. He was never silent on purpose, his movements were never too abrupt, despite his character. You continued to live your life. It should be mentioned that you did not know the status of your position. After a bad experience, you stopped labeling people: friends, lovers, boyfriend, girlfriend... It didn't matter anymore. Just a colleague, buddy. And you were more than sure that Sukuna wouldn’t mind. Sukuna doesn't care.
○
Barely visible lilac smoke curled in the air in waves. You always liked the smell of tobacco, although people often complained about it. The red sun has not yet risen, but the watercolor sky has already acquired a crimson hue, mixed with scarlet and that nasty yellow. The cigarette burned slowly and there was a slight burning sensation in the throat. The cool wind pleasantly touched the skin. No noise from cars, no conversations of people, no screams of annoying children... It was as if there had been a nuclear explosion and the earth was swallowed up by dead silence. A wonderful blessing if that were the case. Just you...and one other person.
By the way.
There was a heavy bear stomp, followed by the creaking of the balcony door. A large man, dressed in a black T-shirt and boxers (he always wears pants to bed, but never wakes up with them on), wrapped in a thick blanket, plopped down on a plastic chair nearby. His eyes were sleepy and droopy, with a pink tint to the sclera due to sleep and spring allergies that, unfortunately, you both shared. Rubbing the dark circles under his eyes, the man spoke:
– Do you have a day off. Why the hell did you get up so early?
The man stretched and yawned. His voice was hoarse, but he always reminded you of a cat. Big cat, tiger. Arrogant and gluttonous.
– Give it to me.
The man extended his large hand towards the pack of cigarettes and grabbed the lighter from your hands. Transparent touch. So light, quick, barely perceptible contact with someone else's skin. The man lit a cigarette, as if he was deliberately blowing smoke in your direction so that you would at least answer something.
– You woke me up.
Tsk
– And how? We sleep in different beds, besides...I was quite quiet. You always sleep like the dead
– In vain. I'm always a light sleeper.
– Then why don’t you ever wake up when I throw half your wardrobe at you?
– Maybe I wanted a different greeting to the new day.
– When you have a woman, then there will be gentle awakenings.
– When did you become my mother?
You rolled your eyes and leaned back in your chair, taking a drag from your cigarette. A minute passed in silence, the burning sun had already appeared over the horizon, flooding you with scarlet light. Head was a little dizzy from the cigarettes, mind felt empty. You didn’t notice how the same playful hand reached out to you, grabbed you by the forearm and pulled you towards him. Before you had time to react, Sukuna pinned your head with his entire hand, and with the other one, with which he was holding a cigarette, he began to tug at your hair. The deep laughter contrasted with the silence of the morning.
– Fuck, let me go! All my hair will be covered in ash. Hey!
You let out a couple of chuckles, groaning pitifully as you grabbed the man's arm in an attempt to get out of his grip. The man released you, patting you on the top of your head once more, ruffling your hair.
– And what was that? – you asked laughing.
– Actually, it means a lot.
– Oh, well, of course. Great Sukuna shows positive emotions. The whole world shut up. – you said with feigned pride.
The man fell silent, putting the blanket on his knees and throwing one leg over the parapet.
– You know, I never thought that someone would last more than a month with me. We've known each other for 4 years...
– Believe me, I'm shocked myself. – There was sarcasm in your voice.
– No, seriously, people can’t stand my character and quickly leave, complaining about me. You have wonderful endurance. Besides, you know, people quickly...
– Get boring.
The man narrowed his eyes, glancing at you.
– Right. You know, I don't want anyone to walk next to us.
– Did you mean with you?
– I meant with us.
Silence hung in the air again. The sun appeared fully, the burning ring rose upward. You don’t even want to start the 3rd cigarette. Now the thought of Sukuna's words is spinning in your head. When did he become like this? He has changed? Has he changed at all? Maybe you just took a lighter and lit what was originally inside. Something that must burn in order for there to be at least some source of light and warm.
– I would wipe everyone off the face of the earth. I just want it this way, – Sukuna shrugged. – But I would leave you. To avoid boredom. – The man let out a hoarse laugh.
– Not a bad idea, – you grinned, – but leave that guy from the coffee shop on the next street. Someone has to make me a cappuccino..
Sukuna rolled his eyes and sighed irritably.
– I’ll learn how to make this damn cappuccino for you myself. We don't need anyone.
– What an honor. – you laughed. – Damn, these cigarettes give me a headache...
– You smoke a lot.
– Who would say, little locomotive.
– Watch your language, we’re on the balcony and it’s high up here.
You rubbed your eyes, sleep slowly began to creep up on you. You only slept for 2 hours...
– Ugh, when smoking you feel like your head is empty and cloudy. But after orgasm it’s still better. No headache.
The man groaned and laughed.
– Listen...
– Sukuna, no. I'm going to sleep.
– Hey, come back!
You stood up and walked out of the balcony, going into the bedroom.
– Wait, damn it...
You plopped down on your bed, wrapped in a blanket. The tall man trudged towards your bed, holding a lump of blanket in his hands.
– Move.
– What?
-Are you deaf?
...
– Fool, it's cramped in here. You'll crush me.
– Move, come on! If you really want, we will definitely fit in. All you need is desire.
You rolled your eyes, moving closer to the wall.
– My back will hurt again..
– Don’t whine.
The man pulled the blanket over himself, wrapped his arms around you and buried his head in the top of your head.
– Don't strangle me. I still have work ahead.
– No promises. Sleep.
There was still the smell of tobacco. Indeed, why do you need someone else if you have each other? Each other is enough for you.
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Ninjago Western - Lloyd
Lloyd
He is more qualified to live in the country than in the city.
Before meeting Kai, Lloyd never learned how to use a real weapon. Lloyd always wanted to learn how to use a weapon like his father Garmadon's, since Lloyd always wanted to accompany his father during his hunts in the forest, but he couldn't because he was just a child.
Lloyd may not know how to use a gun, but he is pretty good when he uses his slingshot. Lloyd is more dangerous with a sling than with a gun in his hand.
He likes animals, but he has always preferred horses. But he gets along very well with Kai's horse, Flame, and Vania's dog, Chompy. He didn't know how to ride a horse, but thanks to Kai, Lloyd learned to ride quite well.
Lloyd met Kai when he saved him from being attacked by bandits who were trying to steal his amulet.
Lloyd decides to go with Kai when he discovers that he is looking for the men who attacked his house and murdered his mother, in addition to insisting on hiring Kai as a bodyguard since Lloyd promised him a good reward. Lloyd promised Kai that Wu, his uncle, would give him a good reward in return.
Lloyd saw how Kai rejected him at first, because he was a boy, but when he mentioned his uncle Wu saw how Kai changed his mind and reluctantly decided to accompany him, Lloyd didn't know the reason but it felt good to have company.
Lloyd sometimes likes to annoy Kai, he finds it funny the way he gets irritated and angry. He sometimes even goes to the extent of embarrassing him in front of others.
He even embarrasses him in front of some women who want to flirt with Kai in various cantinas.
It bothers him sometimes to see how Kai treats him like a baby, he believes that he sees him as a defenseless and weak child. Even when Kai treats him coldly and brusquely.
Lloyd knows that Kai is a good person, despite seeing him with a cold and lonely attitude, he knows that deep down he is a good person, and that he cares about the good of his friends. Since on more than one occasion, Kai has saved him from various problems.
He never lets anyone touch his amulet, he almost keeps it hidden so that no other person sees it. He knows it's the only memory his family has of him, and that's why he keeps it close to him.
Lloyd likes Cole, Zane and Jay, unlike Kai, they are nicer to him, they were even nice to him the first time they saw him. Even when he is with them they make him feel like a normal child.
Lloyd also likes Nya, Skylor, Pixal and Vania. In them he can see four very good mother figures, even when being close to them he can feel again the love he felt for his mother.
He loves listening to Nya's adventures, he likes to see how Pixal is good with machines, he knows that she is good like Jay. When he is with Skylor he asks her many times how she came to fall in love with Kai, and Skylor will always answer that she won't know either. And when he is with Vania he loves receiving good snacks from her.
He Sometimes he has even gone so far as to save Kai a few times from some bad guys. Just to show him that he can be a strong and brave boy.
Kai may have been cold towards Lloyd at first, but over time Kai begins to love Lloyd in a brotherly as well as fatherly way. Because of this, Lloyd comes to see Kai as the older brother he never had and as a second father to him.
The first thing Lloyd learns from Kai is about not getting into trouble with other people, riding a horse was the second thing Kai taught him, and it wasn't difficult for him to handle Flame.
Then Lloyd learns to shoot thanks to Kai, at first he did not master the weapon well but thanks to Kai's advice he managed to master his weapon and improve his aim. But Kai only taught him to shoot only in case of emergencies or when Kai was not around him to protect him, Lloyd would have to use the gun only to defend himself, with the condition that he never kill anyone.
Lloyd was once curious to try alcoholic drinks, but when Ronin and Kai let him try their drinks he realized that alcohol was like poison. And he swore that he would never again drink a single drink made of alcohol.
There are times when others make Lloyd feel like a normal child. Cole sometimes teaches him how to play the piano in his bar, Jay teaches him how to be a good engineer, Zane lends him books and teaches him easy methods to treat an injury, and with Kai he learned to hunt and sometimes takes him fishing.
But when he is with the girls, Nya is the only one who sometimes does more activities with him, like when she takes him horseback riding or when she tells him stories of all his adventures throughout Ninjago as the best sheriff in town.
When Lloyd sees his uncle Wu again, he is relieved that he did not lose his entire family and that he was the last member of the Montgomery family. He is happy to see him again, but decides not to stay with him and continue accompanying Kai.
He likes to see the stars and the sunsets. Things that he did with his father, and now he does with Kai.
#au#lego ninjago#ninjago#ninjago au#lloyd garmadon#lloyd#ninjago fanart#ninjago lloyd#ninjago headcanon#ninjago headcanons#headcanons#headcanon#western ninjago#ninjago western#ninjago western au#western au#western#western ninjago au
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I think the arguement about kids know themselves to be the other gender is so funny because like my friend (who now identifies as some form of trans) fully believe she was a werewolf when we were kids. Like not even kidding, tried to convince us she was in fact a werewolf, like we played along but we all thought it was a little weird. So when I see the arguement about literal children knowing already they're "meant" to be the opposite sex I gotta laugh. Like sure, I wanted to be a mermaid and kept waiting for the day I would get my tail but I grew out of that make believe. And while not exactly the same as having dysphoria I also hated the changes I went through during puberty and wished I could stay a kid forever (i could never relate to anyone who were in a hurry to grow up) i had to accept that was just how things were. Tdlr I guess, but like...kids think they're everything else because they're kids and they have imaginations.(plus ofc noticing the pressure of gendered expectations even if they don't understand it so ofc they would come to the wrong conclusion)
When I was like 4-6, I really wanted to be an animal (preferably a fox). I insisted to not wear any clothes, wanted my mom to buy me a dog bowl and serve my food from it (she refused), call me by my made up name (she did sometimes) and let me sleep outside (she cleverly told me i could if i managed to stay awake past her bedtime, i never could). I even tried once to draw fur on my skin with markers.
I also went through a phase of wanting to be a boy from ages 9 to 15. I was a tomboy and frequently called ugly while growing up. I was very much brought up by tv and books written by men and always related exclusively to male characters thinking women were vain, weak and stupid (without realising it was the male writers who could not write women and girls as people). I learned very early that when you are a girl, it does not matter how smart, funny, or kind you are - if you are not pretty, you are either bad or worthless. This, combined with getting bullied and not relating to 'femininity', made me think I was different from other girls or even 'bad' at being a girl. I wished I was a boy because I did not want to be an ugly girl.
Now I realise I had really bad case of internalised misogyny.
I have also suffered from horribly painful periods since I was 11 (I was diagnosed with endometriosis in my adulthood), which made me hate my female body even more.
If back then I had been made to believe that I could have actually become a boy, I would now be in the same situation as many detransitioners.
The concept that children could know they are trans is not just against common sense but basically against everything we know about children's mental development. Even if you pretend children can consent to body modification and future infertility (obviously they can not), there is no way of knowing which child is still going to be trans when they grow up.
If my mom had responded with affirmation when I wanted to be a fox, would it have been any more ridiculous than what parents of the so-called trans children are doing?
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i hate when people get ridiculously overly attached to me meanwhile I don’t gaf about them it’s pathetic
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this week's batch of bugs
#hollow knight#hollow knight fanart#the hollow knight#hornet hk#the knight#ghost hk#saw anniversary fanart where they had cake all over their face and i had to draw that its so tempting#ghost CAN eat they just choose sometimes to destroy the food first because its funny#and many such cases#q#my art
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Most annoying NMJ or JC take is when someone that dislikes them is like "oh you're a fan of him? *scoff* Well obviously you've only seen cql, where he was super watered down. In the novel he's a dislikable asshole and that's the objectively superior canon I'm working from instead of your woobified fanfic." Meanwhile your main canon is novel canon and you genuinely find novel Jiang Cheng and Nie Mingjue complex sympathetic characters.
#complaining and whining about fandom#mdzs#cql#the untamed#nie mingjue#jiang cheng#WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO THEM#it's quite funny because in nmj's case i actually see shit from cql being carried over to novel canon to hate on him#for example my's treatment under the nie was explicitly much worse in cql because they transplanted the langya captain to qinghe#while the worst we see post-promotion in the novel is cultivators (WHO AREN'T EVEN NIE!) wiping ther teacups#(they're visiting from other clans like xichen. That's also why none of them had seen meng yao before.)#you can absolutely choose to interpret that worse things were happening to him at the hands of the nie off-page#it's definitely possible! but cql has people acting like it's objective canon#also the thing about empathy being inaccurate and biased in nmj's favor#that's another cql thing. in novel canon wwx can and does see things nmj does not notice (like the teacups!)#so even if he has some insight into nmj's thoughts and feelings it quite literally can't be showing things exclusively from his perspective#it was a pretty cool ceative decision from cql! gave us some very interesting character moments!#but sometimes i see people discuss the novel going 'and this was warped by nmj's bias i bet he was even worse in reality' girl wrong medium#in jiang cheng's case a lot of hate seems to be coming from the corner of cql!mains too#so clearly it can't be *that* big a difference in likability
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My betrotheds mom is big in the SCA and does tons of hand sewing and period accurate clothes, she’s got several custom made outfits and enters competitions with her special projects.
One of them she meticulously researched and created a custom glove. I have no idea how much work goes into such a thing other than A Lot but whenever she tells us stories about these competitions she’s always slighted in favor of flashier offerings.
Her most recent endeavor was some kind of stiff collar. I’m not going to embarrass myself pretending to know the specifics but the original ones back in the day used layers of fabric and whale baleen to get a nice strong silhouette. She researched the crap out of it and wrote up a report to go along with the item.
At the judging one of the judges commented, “Well, it’s alright, but it’s so disappointing that it’s not fully authentic, why didn’t you use whale baleen?”
She sputtered out, “Well, if you’d read my report you’d know it’s because it’s illegal!”
#ramblies#sca#like imagine someone being like ‘why didn’t you use ivory to construct this?’#it is a bit hard to tell with her sometimes cause she’s a very unreliable narrator and has a tendency to feel slighted#but in this case I’m 1000% sure the judge just cattily asked why she didn’t use illegally source whale parts for her crafting project#funny#story#ffs foibles
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wanna know the most fucked up fact about Corruption?
using it never actually killed the target.
Lovecraft was blasted to pieces but showed up fine a while later.
The Dead Apple dragon was disintegrated but Shibusawa got up a few minutes after to fight Atsushi and the gang.
In the DA prologue, despite using Corruption, Shibusawa was not really killed, since he shows up later, now was he?
Guivre in SB was also vanquished, and Verlaine should have died, but Rimbaud came in last second and saved him anyway.
Even when Rimbaud accidentally released Arahabaki in Fifteen, it wasn't enough to kill him or Verlaine, and it didn't even destroy the lab enough for it to never come up again. And when Verlaine forced its activation in SB, there simply was no enemy to defeat.
Sure it most definitely killed people (grunts, scientists and bystanders for example) and it does get the job done for defeating the enemy, but it never actually kills the threat it was primarily used for. And that's messed up in ways I can't quite put into words.
#both funny and thought-provoking.#free my boy.#bsd#bungo stray dogs#bungou stray dogs#bsd chuuya#bsd nakahara chuuya#bsd storm bringer#bsd stormbringer#stormbringer spoilers#sb spoilers#we need a standard tag for that i can't type all of these every time just in case#apparently i talk sometimes
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Me: "So I'm considering practicing deity identification readings with training wheels on, essentially, by telling my deities only ONE of them gets the cards and trying to figure out who has it."
My mom, laughing: "Like- Oh Loki's so excited- Like guess who? You're playing party games with your deities as practice, is what I'm hearing."
Me: "Oh, I was getting that vibe but wasn't sure that it wasn't just me. Of course Loki's excited. I literally got the image of them bouncing a little like they're gonna explode."
My mom, after a short pause: ".... Hades just raised his hand in my head like the most long-suffering dad ever and said 'count me in.'"
#in case anyone needed a reminder#sometimes deity work is funny#sometimes it's playing guess who with tarot cards#witch#witchcraft#paganism#witchblr#pagan#pagan witch#eclectic pagan#witch community#paganblr#deity work#witch blog#loki diety#loki devotee#hades deity#hades devotee
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