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asumofwords · 9 months

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The Sublet - Roommate!AU

Warnings: She/her pronouns, slow burn, angst. Tags will be added as the fic goes along.

Pairings: Modern!Aemond x Reader

Summary: Living with Helaena Targaryen was one of the best decisions you had ever made. Meeting at university, the two of you became thick as thieves and quickly best friends, moving into a flat together. But what will happen when Helaena has to leave, and her quiet, brooding, brother moves in?

Notes: Hello angels! Sorry for the late update for this one, got lost in the sauce of writing the Til Death Do Us Part oneshot. Haha anyway, here is the new chapter, I hope you enjoy! <3

Chapter 7: Hard truths

It was the tension that was the most unbearable part of it all. The feeling of words that had been left unspoken, apologies not voiced aloud, grievances that were left to fester in the quiet of the apartment after that fateful night.

When you went to work the next day, your eyes had been puffy from crying, and Jasper had asked you on multiple occasions what was wrong. You had told him it was your allergies, dust in the office irritating your eyes, but you could tell by just the way he had looked at you that he didn’t believe you.

You felt entirely defeated by it all.

Exhausted by it.

Tiptoeing in your own home, walking on eggshells, hiding in your room, not making a peep to avoid the cold glares of Aemond. And he had done much the same, staying out late, or going straight to his room when he got home.

And by the time the time the weekend had rolled in, you had had enough of sulking and decided to reply to Cregan’s invitation with a very enthusiastic yes.

Cregan told you that the boys would all be there, even Jacaerys and Lucerys, who were yet to head to the Keep to be with their family, the weekend being a final hurrah before the storm that waited for them back in their old home.

When you woke that morning, excited that the weekend was finally here and that you had something to look forward to in the evening, you decided you were going to do a quick clean of the apartment, chucking on some noise cancelling headphones and making your way to the kitchen.

You made swift work of it, and before long, you were washing your hair and getting ready for the night. Cregan had texted you excitedly saying the boys were keen to see you, and had asked if you wanted to go to his first.

You threw on an outfit that was short and sleek, hugging your curves perfectly and revealing ample cleavage. Paired with a bit of a smokey eye and your hair in a style you favoured, you looked at yourself in the mirror and smirked.

You looked hot.

Really hot.

When you came out of your room, Aemond was on the couch, watching as you ordered your Uber to take you straight to Cregan’s. You didn’t spare him a single glance, but you knew he was looking at you. You could feel the heat of his gaze roaming over your body.

Leaving without a goodbye, you hopped straight into your Uber and headed to Cregan’s, greeted by the hulking figure at the door, with loud chattering behind him and music playing.

“Look at you.” Cregan smirked as you gave him a little spin.

“Look at me.” You winked, jumping into his arms for a massive hug, the large man picking you off the ground with a shift of his back as you squealed, before placing you back down.

“The boys are keen to see you.”

You smiled, following him down the hall to the lounge room where Cregan’s friends all sat on various couches and chairs.

Two familiar faces came into view, Jacaerys and Lucerys Velaryon.

Both brown haired boys gazes fell on you, wide smiles spreading on their cheeks. Jacaerys jumped up with a cry of your name before rushing towards you, pulling you into a soft hug, followed by his younger brother Lucerys, who had grown a foot since the last time you saw him. Lost were his cherubic cheeks, and in their place, cheekbones that sat high on his face like his mother.

“It's been so long!” You whined, looking at Luc who now stood taller than you, “Fuck you’ve grown. What are they feeding you on Dragonstone?”

Lucerys blushed, looking away before a smirk pulled at his lips, “Not enough. You haven’t grown a bit.”

“I stopped growing a long time ago, you ass.” You chuckled.

You didn’t get to see Jacaerys and Lucerys often, having met them a few times through Cregan, and the others through Helaena. At one point you had classes with the older brother, and he had always been nothing but kind and respectful towards you.

Despite not seeing them as often as you wished, you still considered them good friends.

Scanning the rest of the room, you spotted the one and only Kermit Tully, seated beside his brother Elmo Tully. After Daeron's confession to you on the phone the other day, you couldn’t even look at Kermit without having burning questions. You put them in the back of your mind to ask later.

Cerwyn, Cregan’s best friend who was as large and as broad as Stark was, stood by the window smoking a joint, giving you a small wave and a smile from across the room.

“Where are we going first?” You asked, being handed your favourite drink from Cregan as he wrapped an arm around your shoulders.

“We should go to the Red Kraken.” Jace suggested, sitting back down in his seat to sip on his beer.

Cerwyn chuckled, “You keen to see Dalton again?” He asked you, eyebrow raised.

Dalton Greyjoy, owner of the Red Kraken, was a man a few years older than Cregan. The last time you had went to his venue with the Stark, he had suggested the three of you go back to his when he clocked off. It was brazen and daring, but you couldn’t deny the man was attractive. He had dark hair and dark brown eyes that were almost black.

Dalton stood taller than Cregan, if you could believe it, and was often found at one of the local boxing rings for fun.

“I mean, I wouldn’t say I didn’t want to see him again.” You cheeked, Jacaerys chuckling on the couch as he explained the situation to a very confused Luc, the younger boys cheeks going a bright red.

“Hey!” Cregan chastised you, pinching your side.

“What? He’s handsome and ruggish. A bit more dark and mysterious than you are.”

“No mystery with that one.” Kermit piped up from his seat, taking a cheeky sip of his drink, eyes watching you over the rim of the can, “If you want to see his cock, just ask.”

“Kermy!”

“What?”

Cregan burst into laughter beside you and all followed.

You all finished your drinks and found your way into the city, heading straight for the Red Kraken.

It was a dingy bar, more male populated than not, but it had a fun feel to it.

Grungy and dirty, it had mismatching couches and tables, and a great smoking area out the back. On Fridays they had sport trivia nights which Cregan had once taken you to.

You lost.

You all sat down and drank and laughed, and you felt the tension from the week slough off your back like snow in spring.

It was good to be with friends like them, and you had only wished that the girls were there to join you all.

The night flew by, and your sides were in stitches from laughing so much. Dalton had come over to speak to you all at one point whilst the bar was slow, and you had felt his gaze lower to your breasts on more than one occasion. When he left, you had whispered into Cregan's ear about taking him up on his offer, which had earnt you a scandalised look.

It wasn't a no though.

“If you don’t want Dalton, I’d be happy to replace him.” Cerwyn smirked.

Cregan declared that he owed the entire table a round for that comment, and Cerwyn had done as ordered without apology or regret, a teasing 'anything for you, love' flowing from his lips.

As the night moved on, you all decided to move to the next venue, and it was your good idea to take them all to the bar that Sara had taken you to. All were in favour, and so you made your way down to the silk lanes, Lucerys’ bright brown eyes eyeing the doors of the strip clubs excitedly.

“Is that it?” Elmo sighed, looking at the busted wall and green door entrance.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

Jacaerys stepped into the venue immediately, security guard nodding at him as he entered, not bothering to check his ID. Your brows furrowed as you looked up at Cregan, who just shrugged down at you.

As you walked down the stairs to enter the bar you caught up to Jace, who looked like he was at home.

“Have you been here before?” You asked, walking inside, seeing the bar staff nod at him, big grins on their cheeks.

“Daemon owns the joint with my mum.” Jacaerys told you, and you stilled.

This was Daemon and Rhaenyra’s bar.

“What? I didn’t even know that.” You whispered in a hushed tone, still loud enough to be heard over the music.

“Pretty low key, just another investment. They said they’ll hand it over to me eventually.”

“What the fuck?! Jace, that’s amazing!” You grinned, hugging him aggressively around his neck as you stood at the bar, waiting to be served.

Cregan moved behind you, hand winding around your waist as he whispered into your ear.

“Don’t freak out.”

You let go of Jace and turned to look back at him, “What? Wh-“

There, at the end of the bar, sat a familiar head of silver hair.

And his eye was on you.

You snapped your head away, uttering a quick ‘fuck’ beneath your breath.

Lucerys, following your eye line shifted uncomfortably, “Jace, Aemond’s here.” He whispered to his older brother, who turned to face his uncle, giving him a curt smile and nod before looking back to staff in front of him.

“He’s fine. Leave him be.”

It was awkward.

This was supposed to be your new place to get away from him, and now Aemond was here? And what was worse, you were here with people you knew he didn’t get along with. And the glare he directed towards you was apparent.

Cregan led you to go sit down at a booth at the encouragement of Jace who said the drinks were on him for the rest for the night, though in reality you knew it was more like on his parents, but you didn’t argue. Free drinks are free drinks, and you needed one now more than ever.

“Are you okay?” Cregan spoke lowly, hand holding yours on the table.

You swallowed, “I’m okay. It's just awkward.”

“He still giving you shit?”

“It's a long story, and one I’ll tell you later.”

Cregan pressed a kiss to the side of your head, your eyes immediately lifting to see Aemond watching you. The other boys came to join you at the booth, Cerwyn sliding in next to you, with Luc and the Tully brothers opposite. Jacaerys made his way over to his uncle, polite smile on his lips.

You watched as Jace and Aemond shared what looked to be a somewhat tense and awkward conversation, though completely civil. Aemond seemed to tolerate his nephew barely just, and Jacaerys had slapped a friendly hand on his uncles shoulder as he made his way back to you, earning the brown haired man a frown from a head of silver.

“I think we should leave.” Luc whispered, shoulders hunched as he curled in on himself.

Jace slid in next to him, “Don’t let him intimidate you.” He put a gentle hand on Luc’s shoulder, similar to how he had with Aemond, and you got the impression that Jacaerys being the eldest, was used to being the mediator, “Let's have a drink, enjoy each others company and have a good night.”

The staff brought over your drinks, sitting them in front of you, and you clinked all your glasses together messily in a toast, feeling Cregan whisper into your ear as you took a sip.

“Relax your shoulders." You did as you were told, not having realised how tense you were, "Don’t let him ruin your night. I’m here, the boys are here, and if at any point you want to leave, we will leave. Okay?”

You nodded.

No way in Hell were you letting him sour your mood again.

You all stayed at the bar, round after round of drinks being dumped on your table without any of you having to get up or order. You were messy and loud, but above all, happy.

You felt Aemond’s gaze on you for almost the entirety of the night, and caught his eye on multiple occasions, tension crackling in the air between you. But after your third cocktail, the heat of the drinks overpowered the heat of his gaze.

Eventually, Aemond stood from where he sat at the bar, your eyes immediately finding him and watching as he left, walking past your booth as he let his eye stray on Cregan’s hand that was wrapped over your shoulder. He continued on his path, nose held high as he disappeared up the steps.

Lucerys sighed, obviously having felt some sort of tension the entire time, “What the fuck was that?”

You groaned, burying your face into your hands.

“Aren’t you living with him?” Kermit asked, and all eyes immediately landed on you.

“What?” Jacaerys’ eyes went wide, “Since when do you live with my uncle? What happened to Helaena?”

“Hel is at the Keep, and Aemond needed a place to stay, so he’s in her room.”

“Gods help you.” Elmo falsely prayed, lifting his drink up in a mock toast.

Cerwyn and Cregan shared a look over the top of your head, and then with Jacaerys, sharing some sort of unspoken conversation. The only people confused at the table, were you, Luc and the Tully brothers.

“What?”

Cregan shrugged.

You felt that there was something unsaid, but you opted to leave it, sparking up a conversation with Kermit, asking pointedly about his love life, but not mentioning Daeron. The red headed man narrowed his eyes at you, wide smile pulling on his lips, before he started to go into great detail about someone he had fucked recently, with a full and lengthy description of their cock.

The two of you the only people at the table knowing who it was.

The night continued for a while, but you couldn’t help but feel the lingering guilt and upset that Aemond had triggered inside of you. Cregan, sensing the shift in your mood, decided to call it a night, and offered to take you home.

You said farewell to all the boys, and made them swear to do this more often, giving Lucerys a particularly tight hug, feeling the tension in the youngest boys shoulders.

When you and Cregan got back to the apartment, the lights were off, and the flat was bathed in darkness. You stumbled into the apartment giggling, shushing the tall man behind you who clunked loudly on the floor with each step.

“Shhh!” You hushed him, laughter bubbling up your throat.

“Come on, bunny.” Cregan laughed quietly, steering you straight to the kitchen, filling up a glass of water for you to drink.

You scrunched your nose at him, knowing you were drunk, but not wanting to sober up yet.

“Drink it all, Y/n. You need to sober up.”

“You need t-to sober up.” You quipped back, jumping up on the cabinets, your shoes hitting the doors loudly by accident.

“Shhh!” You hushed your own feet, grabbing the water and drinking it slowly, keeping your eyes on Cregan the entire time, who watched you in entertained exacerbation.

You placed the empty glass of water beside you, which Cregan filled to the top again.

“Cregaaan.” You purred, the Northerner lifting a brow at you, “Can you roll me a cigarette, please.” You pouted at him, trying to give him your best doe eyes.

Cregan shook his head, grabbing your small handbag to pull out your cigarettes, rolling you one neatly as he moved to open the window. You shimmied closer to the ledge, putting the cigarette to your lips as you lit it.

Blowing a ring of smoke out the window, you offered Cregan a drag, who took the smoke from your hands delicately.

“I can't believe Cerwyn offered to join us.” You guffawed, cheeks heating in both embarrassment and excitement.

Cregan blew the smoke out the window, handing the cigarette back to you, “I can. Cerwyn thinks you’re cute. Plus he knows all about our little agreement.” You giggled loudly, inhaling the sharp smoke into your lungs, “Why? Are you thinking about saying yes?”

You blushed, crossing your legs tightly, heat settling in your core, “I dunno. Cerwyn is cute.”

“He is.”

Your mouth dropped open, “Cregan Stark. Tell me more right now.”

Cregan took the smoke from your fingers bringing it to his lips as he smirked down at you, “I mean, I haven’t not thought about it. He's my best mate and I live with him. I've heard what goes on behind his closed doors. Besides, you beneath both of us, begging, sq-“

“Can you two be fucking quiet?”

Both of your heads snapped to a disgruntled Aemond Targaryen, who stood in the lounge room, hands by his sides in fists. He was in those grey sweatpants again, hanging low on his hips with no shirt on, hair on his head tangled and messed.

“I’m s-“ You began.

“-It’s three in the fucking morning. Have some respect.”

You stiffened, feeling anger begin to bloom in your chest, you opened your mouth to argue, to snap back at him, but Cregan stepped in front of you, blocking you from the other mans view.

“No problem, man. We'll be quieter.” Cregan’s voice was deep, stern, clipped, and left no room for argument. Though it was polite, it was rough, like the cold in the North, biting and sharp. A true Northerner through and through.

Cregan was silently hitting back without even doing it.

Aemond’s lips pursed into a hard line, turning on his heel to stomp back to his room, the door slamming shut behind him.

Cregan spun around to look at you, eyebrows lifted as he whistled lowly, pulling the smoke up to his lips to take a long drag.

“What the fuck?” You hissed quietly, “What is his problem?”

Cregan sighed, “It is 3am, bunny. I’m sure he just wants to sleep. It would have been a weird night for him.”

You frowned, annoyed that Cregan was acting so cool about Aemond’s outburst, “Why aren’t you angry?” You snatched the smoke from him, taking a final drag before you put it out on the brickwork outside.

"I'm not not angry."

You huffed in annoyance.

Cregan stepped forward, unhooking your legs to stand between them as his large hands skated up the outside of your thighs. He bent his head to look at you, your eyes refusing to meet his.

“Y/n." Cregan coaxed you softly.

You slowly turned your head to look at him, staring into his icy grey eyes.

“Do you like him?”

“What? No!” Immediately feeling defensive.

Cregan hushed you, shaking his head kindly, “It’s okay if you do. You’re not in trouble.”

You blanched, not sure of how to speak, words getting caught in the back of your throat.

Cregan stroked your cheek softly, soft smile on his lips, “Hey, this is casual, remember? Regardless of if we fuck or not, you’re still my friend, and I care about you and want you to be happy.”

Your heart pulled painfully, lips dropping down into a frown.

Cregan’s chest rumbled with a quiet laugh, “Don’t look at me like that.”

“You’re so sweet, Creg. What the fuck.”

Both hands rubbed warmly up and down your thighs in comfort, “You’re fluffing me up now.”

You shook your head, “I don’t understand. Why don’t I like you instead?”

Cregan gave you a sad smile and kissed the tip of your nose, “I used to ask myself the same question. But now I see it. We just don’t gel like that." He shrugged, and your chest pulled, "And honestly? I'm glad, because at the end of the day, no matter what happens between us, I know I'll still be able to call you mine in some way or another. Whether that be as my friend or my lover.”

You felt tears begin to build in your eyes, the betrayal of the prickling in the corners, causing your stomach turn, “I don’t get it. Why do I feel this way? He’s been nothing but horrible to me.”

“You’ve fucked him haven’t you?”

“No.” You said quietly.

His eyes roamed your face, knowing you far too well, “You've done something else.” Cregan guessed, watching the way your face fell further.

His back suddenly straightened, “Did he hurt you?”

“No! No, Gods no. Nothing like that.”

The Stark relaxed slightly, but you could still tell he was on guard.

“Does Helaena know?”

You looked away, fingers pulling at the threads of material on your thigh, “No. I’m scared. She’s my best friend, Cregan, and I feel like I’ve totally broken her trust and gone behind her back. She has so much going on right now, I just don’t know how I’m even supposed to broach that conversation. Like what do I do? ‘Hey Hel, your brother ate my pussy like a starved man and then immediately treated me like shit after.’”

“What did he do?”

You shook your head, “It doesn’t matter. He’s been nothing but a dick to me. It's not going to happen again.” You looked down into your lap, wringing your hands together as the feeling of being used washed over you again.

“If I know you, and I think I do, I can tell that it will happen again just by looking at you both.”

You scoffed, looking up at him in irritation.

“No, listen. There's clearly something going on between you two. Anyone with two eyes could see that. Maybe that's why he's not.”

“There's nothing-“

“-Cerwyn picked up on it immediately. Even Jace could see it.”

Oh.

Cregan's thumbs smoothed the skin of your thighs, the warmth of his body soaking into yours, “So what happened? Start from the beginning.”

And so you did, you started from the beginning, telling Cregan about the day he moved in, to your first kiss in the kitchen, all the way to the other night and how he had left you and was horrible right after a scene.

You watched as Cregan’s brows had become drawn at certain points in justifiable anger, the man always having been very protective over you, and at other times he gave you a scathing look, telling you that you had gone too far as well.

“So yeah, we haven’t spoken since, and I don’t think I want to. I just can’t see how he can be so cold to me when I've been nothing but kind to him.”

Cregan leant against the window, rolling the both of you another cigarette, trapping the smoke in his lips as he bent down to take off your shoes off as you began to swing your legs in agitation.

“He's a douchebag for sure," Cregan agreed, standing to his full height again, "And I really don’t see what you see in him.”

“See?? I think it's all hormonal or something. I don’t know. Ugh. But when he is nice, he is so lovely. And when he smiles it's this-”

You stopped yourself.

Oh gods.

You were deeper than you thought.

Why did you have a crush on this man???

Cregan smirked at you and you swatted him roughly, taking the smoke from between his lips to light it, taking a long and hard drag, feeling the smoke swirl down your throat thickly.

“I don’t know much about the man,” Cregan began, “But from what Jace and Luc have told me, I know he’s been through a lot. He didn’t get an easy run as a kid-“

“-It's not an excuse to be a dick.”

“-No its not an excuse, but it is an explanation. I know his dad wasn’t really there, and his mum was real tough on him. It didn’t help that everyone sided with Luc after the accident.“

“The accident? What do you mean?”

Cregan took a steady breath, taking the cigarette from you to take a sharp inhale, speaking as he exhaled, “Luc took his eye.”

“What?!” Your heart fell.

Cregan held up his hands, “No, not like that. It was an accident. Lucerys has never forgiven himself for it, hangs over the poor kids head like a storm. Aemond was ten, and Luc would have only been like five or six? They were both kids, and they were play fighting with wooden swords, some knights and dragon game they used to all play, but Lucerys had swung too high and too fast for Aemond to block it.”

Your stomach turned, and a chill ran through you, “Oh my gods.”

Cregan looked down sadly, shifting on his feet, “Yeah, its rough. Fucking horrible what happened, and then Alicent wanted to sue Lucerys for grievous bodily harm.”

“What the fuck? But he was just a kid? They were both kids! It was an accident!”

“I know right? Alicent started a fight right in front of Aemond at the hospital with Rhaenyra, got physical, everyone started screaming at each other when they all should have been comforting the poor kid who lost his damn eye. The family has been a mess ever since.”

It all made sense now.

The tension.

The disdain.

The law firm.

All of it.

Cregan handed you the smoke and also held the second glass of water to you, waiting for you to drink half of it, “I’m not telling you this to excuse his behaviour or make you pity him. I'm just trying to give you some perspective as to why he is the way he is. He’s had it rough, and from the sound of it, he doesn’t know how to open up or feel safe. The people that were supposed to protect him failed him, and I think that it really did change the way he is.”

You felt guilt.

Guilt for not knowing. Guilt for now knowing. Guilt for not being more understanding. But at the same time, you were not really at fault.

How were you to know?

“Fuck. I feel terrible.” You sighed.

“Don’t be. He was an ass to you. No excuses there.”

“I guess. I did rub his ex in his face.”

Cregan sucked in a hiss, “Poor form.”

You buried your face in your hands, “I know. But he just left me, straight after giving me one of the best orgasms of my life. It was horrible, Creg.”

“Best orgasm?” Cregan joked, and you sighed.

“Shut up. It was horrible. I've never felt so used before. It reminded me so much of Jason, I think it really triggered me. I cried myself to sleep after.”

Cregan stepped back between your legs, pulling you into a tight bear hug, in away that he always did, tucking your head beneath his chin and cradling you to his chest. You instantly felt safe, reassured, and loved.

And it was always how you felt around him.

“You’ll get through this, bunn.”

Thanks so much for reading along with me, if you wish to be added to the tag list please let me know :) Likes and reblogs are greatly appreciated ! Enjoy <3

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eyesthatroll · 7 months

Text

GIVE ME AN ANSWER!

pairing: jack hughes x fem!reader

warning(s): cursing, angst(??), not sure what else, not edited

word count: 2.5k

author’s note: not super happy with this, it feels a bit underdeveloped, but i can’t watch it sit in my drafts any longer. i didn’t write this with a part ll in mind, by the way. this was supposed to turn into something else, but that didn’t work out + i lost inspiration so it is what it is. sidenote, if you have any angsty/sad prompts/requests, pls send ‘em in, it’s my favourite thing to write! sending love, —mari

You couldn't help but feel like a creep, huddled in the corner of the dimly lit booth, your gaze fixated on them from across the bar. In front of you, a nearly forgotten gin and tonic sat, its ice cubes melting as you absentmindedly swirl them around with a small black straw. If anyone were to inquire, you'd insist that your attention was solely on the flat-screen TV mounted on the wall behind them, broadcasting a wrestling match you had zero interest in.

You wondered if He was somehow aware of your unwavering gaze fixed upon him from across the room. It crossed your mind that perhaps he was deliberately flirting with the stunning redhead as a sly ploy to put on a spectacle, fully cognizant of your watchful eyes. Did He hope to incite jealousy within you? You nearly chuckled at the absurdity of the idea. The notion of feeling envious over a girl with her hands lightly grazing his arm seemed laughable. After all, just a few days ago, he had been lying naked between the sheets in your bed. So, no, you weren't jealous, and you certainly weren't about to let jealousy rear its head.

Yet, there was a gnawing irritation within you. He had, after all, extended a personal invitation your way, urging you to join him and his teammates for what he touted as their "one last hurrah" before the start of the new season. It irked you that he was lavishing so much attention on someone else, given this context. The annoyance was unmistakably etched across your features. Your poker face had long deserted you, and you didn't care to conceal your disdain. Several drinks deep, with a pleasant buzz now enveloping you, you found yourself in a carefree state where your demeanor wasn't a primary concern.

You eventually shift your gaze from him, an uneasy feeling retreating in your stomach. You instead direct your attention to Baby Hughes, who is engrossed in a game of darts with John. A small smile graces your lips as the younger boy, with his earnest enthusiasm, throws a dart that sails far wide of the board, disappearing into some unseen corner. John throws his head back in laughter, and it's evident that he's playfully ribbing Luke, who responds with a melodramatic explanation for his errant throw, punctuating with wild hand gestures. You contemplate joining them, when a towering figure looms over you, casting a shadow that demands your immediate notice.

"Is this seat taken?" You find yourself under the scrutiny of a tall, attractive blonde who's looking down at you. A hopeful smile adorns his lips, revealing dimples that only add to his charm. His right hand holds a beer, while the other rests casually at the nape of his neck, lightly tugging the hair. Your eyes travel appreciatively from his warm gaze, down his well-dressed figure. Blondie sported black slacks that complement a maroon long-sleeve dress shirt neatly tucked in, with the top buttons lazily undone, revealing a small, glimmering gold cross. The choice of attire piqued your curiosity; he seemed a bit overdressed for a local, family owned bar.

Your minds flickers back to Him, and you contemplate stealing a quick glance in his direction to see if he's still in conversation that girl. However, you are somewhat physically trapped behind the man standing in front of you, preventing any discreet surveillance without making your intentions obvious. Opting for a polite smile instead, you gesture with a welcoming hand for the handsome stranger to take the seat in front of you.

You observe the visible sigh of relief escaping him, his eyes momentarily betraying his unease. With a sheepish smile, he gently places his drink on the table and eases himself into the booth.

His voice, raspy and honestly deeper than you expected, breaks the silence. "I'm Anthony, by the way." He extends his hand toward you, but halts for a moment, perhaps feeling slightly awkward at the formality.

You respond with a light chuckle, reaching out to meet his hand with yours for a firm handshake. "I'm Y/N, nice to meet you."

The conversation with Anthony flows effortlessly, each word weaving a tapestry of connection that unravels the initial awkwardness. You discover that he's in town for a friend's wedding, which explains the formal attire, and that he's a native Rhode Islander. He confesses his nervousness about approaching you, and when you jest about whether it's due to your so-called "resting bitch face," he denies it vehemently.

He smiles, his eyes sincere as he offers, "It's always a bit nerve-wracking to approach the most beautiful girl in the room."

You can't help but snort at his compliment, your hand quickly covering your mouth in embarrassment.

Unbeknownst to you, your surprised snort captures His attention, and his head snaps in your direction, drawn by the sound of your voice cutting through the bar's lively atmosphere. His gaze lowers at the sight of a guy in front of you, and the smile on your lips as you laugh again at something he's said. He watches, as the guy's hand moves to rest on yours, and his jaw tightens, his mind racing with questions about what could possibly be so amusing in your conversation.

"Jack, are you listening to me?" A manicured hand slides into his view, weaving through the air in a bid to recapture his attention. Clearing his throat, he absentmindedly runs a hand through his unruly brown locks before reluctantly refocusing his eyes on the redhead before him. She beams at him, her lips quickly resuming what she had been saying before his lost concentration. The truth was, he hadn't been listening to her at all.

He can't focus on her words, not with the image of you and that guy now engraved into his mind. The mere thought consumes his every breath, causing him to bite at his bottom lip out of agitation. He racks his brain for a way to gracefully escape the everlasting conversation with the redhead, and as if on cue, the universe seems to answer his silent plea, when the girl in front of him glances at the clock. Her eyes widen in alarm as she realizes the time.

"Shit, I didn't realize it was this late. I've got to get going," she apologized, her lips forming a slight pout. Jack sends her a reassuring smile, nodding his head in understanding.

"It's cool, it was fun while it lasted," He replies plainly, standing up from his barstool with a nod.

She frowns, mirroring his actions. "Did you want to maybe exchange numbers, or something?" Her voice holds a glimmer of hope.

He pauses, pretending to think for a moment, even though he doesn't really need to as the answer was always going to be the same. "No, sorry. Have a good night, Isla."

You don't even notice Him walking over to you, too consumed in the vibrant conversation that you shared with the man in front of you. It's only when Anthony's gaze travels past your head, his lips pausing mid sentence, that you finally catch sight of him. You follow Anthony's gaze, angling your body around in the small booth.

You open your mouth to speak, but His cold palms cup your cheeks, drawing you into a passionate, yet utterly unexpected and somewhat unwelcome kiss. Your eyes widen, caught off guard, and your lips don't have time to react before he gently pulls away. His fingers tenderly brush aside a stray strand of hair that had fallen across your face, and he looks down at you with an innocent smile. "Hi, my love. Is everything okay?"

You're too dumbfounded to formulate a response, still struggling to register what just transpired as Jack gently nudges you aside and smoothly settles into the booth next to you. As you lock eyes with Anthony, it's evident he feels extremely uncomfortable, his gaze darting uneasily between you and Jack.

"Hey, man. How's it goin'?" Jack asks with a casual grin, his tone laid-back as he eases into the booth. His arm naturally drapes around your shoulders, as if it's a habitual gesture that's been repeated countless times. You go to shrug him off, but his grasp tightens, pulling you even closer against his side.

"Hey... hi," Anthony's gaze leaves Jack, focusing solely on you as he speaks again. "You didn't say you had a..."

Jack interjects, cutting off Anthony before he can finish his sentence. "Boyfriend? Yeah, she does."

Your elbow makes sharp contact with Jack's side, prompting a quick release of his arm from around your shoulder. He winces, but swiftly regains his composure, though not without a slight scoff escaping his lips. "He's not my boyfriend."

"You weren't saying that last night?" Jack didn't come to yours last night, and even if he had, he was the one requesting that whatever was happening between the two of you to remain casual.

I don't have time for a full blown relationship, he said.

All of my focus needs to be on hockey, he said.

Things are fine as they are, let's not ruin it, he said.

And what? He gets to flirt and fuck around with as many puck bunnies as he wants, but the minute you try and do the same, it's suddenly a problem? Not only was he not your boyfriend, but he didn't even want to be, he had no right to get jealous. And he especially had no right to rush over here and kiss you the way he did.

You pivot towards Jack, your fury emanating from every pore. His T-zone area has a faint reddish tint, and his breaths come fast and heavy. "Aren't you busy entertaining Jessica Rabbit?"

He tilts his head back in laughter at your nickname for the redhead he's been conversing with all night. Clearing his throat to regain composure, he gazes at you with a grin, teeth lightly grazing his lower lip as he tries to suppress a smirk that manages to break free regardless. "Jealous?"

You scoff, an incredulous look overtaking your face as you stumble over your words at his accusation. "Me? Jealous? Jealous of what? Listening to you talk about yourself for an hour? God, you're so full of it."

"Wouldn't you like to be?" He mumbles under his breath.

His perverted insinuation prompts a gasp to escape your lips, and your face ignites with embarrassment. Anthony's eyes are locked on the awkward exchange, his expression a mixture of horror and discomfort. You hurriedly bring your hands to your face, rubbing your eyes intensely, yearning for this nightmarish moment to come to an end.

"I don't... I don't know what's happening," he stammers, slipping out of the booth to rise to his feet. Anthony takes a final sip of his beer, his head shaking in disbelief. "But clearly, there's... something between the two of you."

You find yourself at a loss for words because, in a way, he isn't entirely wrong. You and Jack weren't in a defined relationship, but there was undoubtedly something brewing between the two of you, despite both of you attempting to ignore it. It wouldn't be right to involve Anthony in the midst of your complicated situation, no matter how appealing and genuine he seems.

"I'm sorry." You apologize.

He shakes his head. "It's alright. It was nice to meet you, Y/N. Maybe I'll see you around." With those words, he walks away from your table, heading toward the exit.

Jack shifts next to you, a content sigh escaping his lips. "He seemed nice."

"What's your problem?!" You hiss, jabbing your finger into his chest. "You invite me out with you and then completely ignore me the whole night? What the fuck, Jack!"

He meets your intensity head-on, responding in self-defense. "You started it!"

"How, Jack, how? How did I start it?"

"You were flirting with Dawson!"

A scoff escapes your lips, followed by an incredulous laugh. "I was not flirting with Dawson!"

You needed to escape the bar. The conversation had spiraled into a heated exchange, and the air in the crowded space felt increasingly suffocating. You were determined not to create a scene, but it was clear that staying any longer would only escalate tensions.

Without hesitation, you start pushing Jack, who reluctantly lets his body be forced out of the booth. He struggles to regain his footing as you forcefully move past him, heading straight for the exit.

As you pass through the door and step outside, the brisk New Jersey air envelopes you, offering a welcome contrast to the heated atmosphere inside. The chill grazes your exposed skin, providing a refreshing respite from the intense emotions swirling within. Jack hastily follows you, his fingers gripping your arm in an attempt to halt your departure, but you had no intention of walking away this time.

You pivot to confront him, your gaze unwavering and filled with a determination that mirrored the intensity in his own eyes, which held an enigmatic spark you couldn't quite decipher.

"It's not fair," you assert, your hands gently settling on his chest, seeking the warmth of his presence. He remains silent, leaving you to fill the void with your thoughts and emotions, or leave, and say nothing.

You stand there, torn between two choices. The option to say nothing and simply walk away, leaving behind all the headaches, the arguments, and the pettiness, but also bidding farewell to the good days, the shared laughs, and the nights spent wrapped up in each other. It's a choice to say goodbye to Jack Hughes, the one who has become the only constant in your life for the past three months.

Or the second choice, the most daunting path to take. It's the option where you stand in front of him, your heart pounding in your chest, and confess everything you've been holding in. To leave it all on the floor, a vulnerable offering for him to accept or decline. It's the scariest option of all, baring your heart to the boy on the hockey team, even after he's made it clear many times that he isn't looking for anything serious.

"We're not exclusive, Jack." You begin. "You can't keep swooping in and acting like you have some sort of ownership over me when you don't even want to be my boyfriend."

He waits, the stillness between you heavy with unspoken words, expectancy etched across his features. When your silence lingers, he takes the initiative. "Let me take you home," he offers.

"Either you want me, only me, or I'm done."

He pressures. "Let me take you home."

"Give me an answer!"

He sighs, a deep and exasperated sound, his fingers instinctively tangling in the roots of his hair as he grapples with the complexity of the situation. "I can't give you the answer you want."

#jack hughes #jack hughes imagine #jack hughes imagines #jack hughes x you #jack hughes x reader #jack hughes fluff #jack hughes fic #jack hughes blurb #jack hughes fanfiction

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heartsfromia · 1 year

Text

be my date — h. joshua

pairing: non-idol! joshua x f! reader

word count: 3,961

genre: fluff, minor angst

warnings: reader has social anxiety

author's note: reader is 18 ! dont call the cops on poor joshy, they have a two year difference too in this ;__; THANK YOU FOR 400 FOLLOWERS BTW 🤍🤍🤍

It was that wretched time of the year, the time where you dreaded throughout your entire high school journey. As the winter air clears, flowers begin to bloom and April showers pass by, finals were ending soon and in a month, you’ll be receiving your diploma as a mark to the end of one chapter in your life.

However, it meant one thing, and this thing you hoped would pass by without your attendance.

Yes, it is Prom season. Capitalized for emphasis.

Dress shopping, various incidents of “promposals” taking place within the two weeks between finals and the date of the dance, you dreaded this time of your high school journey because of one thing: the dance.

You understood the appeal of prom. It was the one time when a lot of peers felt was a special closing before they enter adulthood, and college. It was the perfect occasion for everyone to go all out without worrying of whether they’re overdressed for the party, it was an event where couples could take this time to take a further step into their relationship, using the slow dancing portion of the party as a commemorative dance to a hopefully long-term relationship. Everyone would be there as a last hurrah with their high school friends, the same people that watched you glow up through your teens, and eventually bloom and flower on that one single night. It was special.

Unfortunately, you didn’t care. You got the appeal of prom, doesn’t mean you had to like it.

To you, prom is a nightmare. Your school isn’t exactly small, so imagining your entire year being in one, closed off space (albeit, the gym is spacious) sounded like a disaster. A clump of sweaty bodies, dancing to the DJ’s mix of school-friendly songs with lackluster beats—overcrowded, smelly, and just completely unappealing. Don’t get started on the huge possibility that someone would spike the fruit punch when the teacher chaperones weren’t looking.

Sweaty, drunk, overcrowded, you shiver at the thought.

Alas, your distaste and overall reluctance to join prom would be futile because you’re an introvert that, unfortunately, was adopted by a renown extrovert and party-goer.

“Have you bought your ticket to prom?” Yunjin asked, moving to sit on the empty seat beside you. You both had just finished the last exam of the day, and while everyone were packing to leave, you were waiting for Yunjin who was in the class next to you.

“I’m not going,” you uttered, grabbing your bag. “I thought I told you I don’t plan on going, dude”

She looked at you bewildered, eyes wide and mouth agape. “You can’t not go, Y/N. It’s prom.”

You glanced to the side, raising a brow. “So?”

She gasped dramatically, and you rolled your eyes. You anticipated Yunjin pestering you about prom. Ever since your senior year started, prom was the only thing she ever talked about. She raved about the dress she had been eyeing at one the most popular dress boutiques in town, you’d spot her by her desk, scrolling through Pinterest photos for makeup looks to go with her dress, and she even ranted about how her boyfriend had asked her to prom before finals began, just so she’d be at a peace of mind to study.

“Why don’t you want to go, Y/N?”

“I just don’t… like them,” you answered a bit unconvincing and it was evident with the way she rose her eyebrow at you. “I’m not a party person, Yunjin.”

“You don’t have to party, you can sit by the table and people watch,” she offered, causing you to snort. “Hey, people watching at prom is fun, and when I’m tired of dancing, I can join you and we can predict who will end up as what in the future after leaving high school.”

“As tempting as that sounds,” you began, pressing your lips together and shrugging, “I seriously just want to stay home, dude.”

“But it’s our last night together,” she pouted, her big eyes pleading. “It’s our only prom, Y/N.”

“It’s just prom, and it’s not like it’ll be the last time we see each other,” you reminded, “we’re still going to the same campus.”

“Come on, Y/N,” she whined, following behind you as the two of you made your ways to your car, planning to head over to Yunjin’s for a girl’s night. “Be honest with me, because I just don’t believe that that’s your reason.”

Yeah, because the real reason is because I have terrible social anxiety and an overcrowded prom doesn’t seem the most ideal situation to be in.

You wanted to tell her, hell, she’s your best friend, but you knew deep inside that the reason wouldn’t be enough to keep Yunjin from dragging you to the prom. It’s not that she wouldn’t understand, it’s just that she’ll find a way to accommodate to you to ensure you won’t have a panic attack, and by doing so, she’ll be more focused on you, rather than having fun and you knew Yunjin only went to parties because she wants to have fun, not babysit her friend.

So, you uttered the first thing in your head. “I don’t have a date. It seems pathetic to go to prom without a date.”

“Seriously? No one has asked you out?” You only shrugged. Unbeknownst to her, there were a few, but none extravagant—mainly through letters or asking you casually, but you declined, you seriously did not consider going to the end-of-school-year event. Her brows furrowed, the conversation seeming to end there as she scrolled through her phone, replying to messages from her boyfriend as you drove to her house.

“Is someone else home?” you asked as you pulled into her driveway, a car you didn’t recognize it being either of her parents parked in front of the house. Yunjin looked just as confused, shaking her head as the two of you climbed out and headed in. A new pair of shoes were at the front of the door, and from the looks of it, you assumed it to be owned by a guy. “Visitors?”

“Maybe,” she responded, kicking off her shoes and you sighed, arranging your shoes neatly. “Eomma, I’m home!”

“Yunjin, how were your exams?” Mrs. Huh appeared by the doorway of the kitchen, wiping her hands dry. “Y/N, hello to you, too. Did you guys do well?”

“We’ll know when the grades come out,” you responded with a warm smile.

“We didn’t recognize the car in front, is someone here?” Yunjin asked, and her mother’s eyes widened, nodding.

“Ah yes, I almost forgot.” She smacked her forehead gently. “Your cousin is staying here for two weeks, your cousin Joshua.”

“Joshua’s here?” Yunjin exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement.

“Yes, he’s upstairs, but he’s tired from the flight here, so you can say hi when he comes down.” Yunjin nodded in understanding, turning to face you, a metaphoric light bulb brightly lit atop her head as she grins at you.

“You’re going to prom with my cousin.”

What?! “What?” It came out less shocked than you anticipated; your tone dead, but as you stare back at her with uncertainty, it was clear you were taken aback, as if you didn’t hear her correctly.

“You’re going to prom with Joshua.”

You glanced around the room, no one but the two of you present in her living room. “Is the Joshua in the room with us?”

“He will be,” she gleamed, sparing a glance at the stairway that led upstairs. “He’s awesome, Y/N, a true gentleman and he can be your date to prom.”

It was your turn to stare at her in bewilderment. “You are talking as if he’s already agreed, Yunjin.”

“He will, trust me,” she began, heading towards the stairs and you following. “He’s a part of the pandemic generation of students, so he never got a prom, and our school is his alma mater.”

“And how does that matter?”

“Because, I know a few other people asking our seniors to prom, some going with their older sibling because they want to have an experience they missed out during their time,” Yunjin explained, plopping down on her bed. “Joshua’s also told me how much he wished he went to his prom.”

“And how are you sure he’ll agree to this?” As if on cue, the sound of the door adjacent to Yunjin’s creaked open and she grinned mischievously at you.

“Joshua!”

“Yeah!” Your heart dropped at the deeper voice on the other side of the door, Yunjin is seriously not backing out this plan of hers.

“Can you come into my room for a sec?” A beat passed and the door to her room swung open, a head peeking through. Light brown, floppy hair was the first thing you noticed from Joshua. Your eyes moved down to his doe-like eyes to his uniquely pursed lips as he looks to his cousin before acknowledging your existence, his pouted lips stretched into a warm smile. “Come in, please.”

Waving a nonchalant hand to you as he entered, he turned to Yunjin, raising his brows. “What’s up?”

“This is my best friend, Y/N,” she began, putting an arm around you. “And she doesn’t have a date to prom.”

“Oh… that’s sucks,” he responded, sounding a bit unsure which caused you to chuckle lightly and Yunjin to smack her forehead.

“You never got to go to your prom, right?” Joshua nodded, Yunjin’s plan finally clicking. “And a bunch of your friends are going to mine, right?”

“Yeah, a couple of them—I think Jeonghan is going with his little sister, and Seungcheol also has a cousin that goes to your school,” he explained. “Don’t you have a date already?”

“Yes, but this is not about me, it’s about—“ she held onto both your shoulders from behind, leaning into you, “—her.”

“I don’t mind taking you to prom, Y/N.” You could only muster a smile. It’s not about taking me to prom, Joshua, it’s about me not wanting to go, with a date or not.

“We’ll be preparing for prom starting tomorrow, you’re free to be our chaffeur for the week,” Yunjin jokingly offered, to which Joshua threw his head back in laughter, his laugh echoing through your head. The way he smiled, his entire demeanor—admittedly, you didn’t mind having him as a date to prom, he’s attractive and the way he so easily clicks with your best friend, it’s clear his intentions are pure, nothing to fear. You wouldn’t have minded if you didn’t have a nagging feeling at the back of your head, a feeling that comes in a tightly packed gift bag with your social anxiety.

When Joshua left the room, you turned to your best friend, staring deep into her eyes as you deadpanned, “I regret sitting beside you when we were freshmen.”

This ensued a fit of laughter from your friend as she pulls you into a hug.

The following week was busy, Joshua had obliged to Yunjin’s request of being your chaffeur for the week as he drove you all around town to clothing boutiques, makeup stores, and cafes as both Yunjin and you occupied yourselves with prom preparations.

You used the excessive time spent together to get to know Joshua a little bit more than just his name, the fact that he’s a sophomore in university, and that he was two years older than you.

Your conversations never lasted too long because of your duties as Yunjin’s prom advisor, and you had to focus on making sure you advise the best clothing to adorn your best friend on one of her most awaited nights—second to her wedding, of course.

There was an opening for a conversation to occur between you and Joshua when Yunjin and her boyfriend were busy getting their measurements in for a few altercations on their outfits, both Joshua and you seated in the front, watching as the seamstress wraps a measuring tape around your friends.

“You’re going to same campus as Yunjin, right?” Joshua strikes up conversation, expecting that the two of you will be for a while as your friends get their measurements in.

“Yeah, both of us are taking business administration,” you told him, and he nodded. “What are you taking?”

“Economics,” he answers, his lips pressed in a straight line—a habit you found that he does every so often when he’s unsure of how to continue the conversation.

“I’m really sorry, by the way, I don’t think I got the chance to apologize,” you began, your face contorted in guilt as you looked at him. “I didn’t plan on going to prom, but Yunjin’s very… convincing.”

His laughter shook his body slightly, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, she can be that way.” Both your eyes focused on the girl of the conversation, laughing as she jokingly smacks her boyfriend’s chest. “But I seriously don’t mind, since a couple of my other friends are going as well, I thought it would be fun to, you know, make up for lost times.”

“Yeah… it must’ve sucked to have a lot of traditions be taken away because of the pandemic,” you uttered absentmindedly, “but that means we were in school together around the same time, no?”

“Yeah, but because of the pandemic we never got to meet,” he explains, “but Yunjin has told me a lot about you.”

“That’s nice to hear, I’m sorry I can’t say the same for you.”

“She probably referred to me more often as her ‘cousin’ to you, since after high school I lived near college and rarely came here.” You nod in understanding.

“I just feel bad because you probably planned on spending your semester break doing something else, but you’re here… babysitting us,” you apologized once again, an endearing smile breaking out on Joshua’s face—a smile that caused heat to spread to your cheeks, and your stomach to turn.

“I really don’t mind, I’m enjoying myself here,” he answers honestly, the sincerity clear in his tone and you couldn’t help to mirror his smile, finally feeling at peace with this whole fiasco that Yunjin had brought onto you.

Maybe having Joshua as your date would make prom more enjoyable then.

Joshua did make your prom more enjoyable, that is, until you arrived at the venue.

Apparently word that a lot of former students were joining through their own insiders had spread throughout the school, the representative from each year reaching out to the school and eventually, a bigger venue was rented out for the prom.

If you heard correctly, there were at least three different batches, including yours, joining prom this year, and the venue would accomodate the estimated 350 students. The venue they had chosen was a hotel ballroom, that specified in big events like international conferences, and weddings, but either way to you, the place was big, meaning that there will be a lot more people than you had anticipated.

You thought that having yourself get ready with Yunjin, songs blasting from her bluetooth speaker as the two of you did each other’s hair and makeup would be enough time to calm yourself down. It did help ease the anxiety that was slowly crawling up your throat, but only temporarily.

At some point before arriving, the dress felt light and wavy as it encompassed your body, and the makeup felt almost nonexistent, bringing out your features in the most natural way, while emphasizing the depth of your beauty. But, as you arrived at the hotel venue, all of it changed immediately the second your heart dropped to the base of your stomach.

All of a sudden, the dress felt too tight, clinging to you in the most uncomfortable way possible, sweat began forming at the palm of your hands and the pits of your arm, and the makeup felt too much, overcrowding your face and accentuating the flaws beneath. All of a sudden the room felt too small, and the people too many.

“Hey, are you okay, Y/N?” You didn’t know who was talking to you, but you felt their hand clasp onto your elbow gently upon seeing your paling face.

“I… I can’t…” Breathe, I can’t breathe, you wanted to scream, but the air felt thin as your heart raced against your chest. It felt as if everyone’s eyes were on you at that very second, their stares filled with judgement, looking you up and down as if you were some clown for showing up to this event. You knew if you stayed there another second, you’d either faint, cry, throw up or all of the above.

“Bathroom,” you forced out as you turned on your heels and maneuvered your way through the crowd and towards the ladies’ rest room, where more girls were found, staring at you in shock before you disappeared into one of the stalls.

I can’t cry. I can’t cry. I’ll ruin Yunjin’s $40 mascara if I cry. But it was futile, and tears began streaming down your face as you tried your best to inhale and exhale at a normal rate.

“God, you’re so stupid,” you cursed yourself through gritted teeth. You were sure Yunjin would be too worried to have fun, but Joshua, who wanted to make up for lost times with his old friends, can’t have fun, too because you’re having a panic attack.

“Y/N?” You sit up straight at the familiar, deep voice. “Y/N, I saw you run in here. It’s Joshua.”

You wanted to call out for him, reassure you’re fine but the bile in your throat kept your words from leaving your lips.

“I’m coming in.” Your eyes practically bulged out of your head when hearing his statement before you quickly stepped out of your stall to make sure no other girl was in there, before Joshua entered. Luckily enough, it was completely empty and Joshua stood there, staring at you, worry written all over his face when he sees you.

“Y/N, oh my gosh,” he approached you, not thinking as he holds your face in his hand, his thumb swiping at the black-tinted tears staining your cheeks.

The weight of the night returned and your breath was caught in your throat. Joshua’s eyes widened, pulling you into his arms, pressing your face into his shoulder in hopes it’ll calm you down.

A gentle hand stroked your back, as he cooed, “It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay, Y/N. Just breathe.” Once you had calmed down enough, you pulled away and a tender smile adorning his lips as he wiped your cheeks. “Do you want to step out for some fresh air?” Wordlessly, you nodded and he clasped your hand, pulling you out the rest room, and out the hotel.

The hotel had a small convenient store near the lobby, and the two of you ventured in that direction, Joshua allowing you to sit on the available chairs as he bought you water and a snack, since you hadn’t had the chance to feast on the food provided inside.

“I’m sorry,” you immediately apologized when he sat beside you, placing a bottle of water and a melon bread in front of you. “You’re supposed to be in there having fun with your friends, but I’m ruining it.”

“It’s not your fault you had a panic attack, Y/N,” he reassured, placing his hand on top of your head in an endearing gesture.

Stunned, you stuttered, “H-how did you know?”

“I know a panic attack when I see one, and from how pale you were, it was clear you were going through it,” he explained, his eyes filled with concern. “Are you okay? What triggered it?”

“Prom,” you answered, scoffing slightly at how ridiculous you must’ve looked earlier.

“Is that why you didn’t plan on going?” You nodded. “Then why did you pushed yourself?” His tone wasn’t accusing, he sounded genuinely curious to why you would purposefully put yourself in a situation that you’re uncomfortable with.

“Like I said a few days ago, Yunjin can be very convincing,” you sighed, tearing open the bread’s casing.

“Still, though, you didn’t tell her?”

“I didn’t want to make her feel like she had to watch over me,” you answered truthfully, chewing on the insides of your cheek. “I thought—if I told her—then she’d go out of her way to make sure I was okay, and couldn’t focus on having fun, like…” You glanced up at him, “like you right now. I’m sorry… again.”

“I really don’t mind, Y/N, I feel a part of being your date is to make sure you’re okay,” he reassures, reaching over to open the bottle for you. You mutter a ‘thank you’ taking a big gulp, the cool water refreshing against the heat from your crying session in the bathroom.

“She was worried about you earlier, Y/N,” he informed, his brows pulled together slightly, “when you feel comfortable, it’s alright to tell her about your anxiety.”

“I don’t want her to feel terrible for putting me in that situation, though, at the end of the day, I still went along with it.”

“Knowing Yunjin, yes, I agree she might feel guilty,” he begins, nodding in agreement, “but we’re still not responsible over how people because, I mean, what they’re feeling is their thing to deal with. What we shouldn’t do is allow ourselves to be put in situations that make us uncomfortable just because you don’t want someone else to feel bad.”

“It feels like I’m listening to myself whenever Yunjin gets herself into trouble,” you muttered, hoping it would ease the tension you felt.

“I’m just saying, Y/N, it’s alright to tell Yunjin about this, I’m sure she’ll be understanding next time.”

You only smiled, nodding before taking another bite of the bread. A beat of silence, and you swallowed your bite to talk again. “If it means anything, I had fun despite what happened.”

He chuckled lightly. “I did, too, Y/N.” Another beat of silence. “Although I can’t say so for right now, I’m a bit… disappointed.”

“Disappointed how?”

“I had a lot of fun with you the past week with your prom preparations,” he began, followed with a sigh, “it just sucks that we never got to do one significant thing for prom.”

Your brows furrowed. “Which is?”

“The promposal.” Your lips formed an ‘o’ as you nodded. “We just suddenly became each other’s dates.”

“That is true.”

“What if I proposed something else to you, though?”

Your eyes widened with shock, leaning a bit back to create distance between the two of you. “No offence, but I just finished high school, Joshua. If this is marriage—”

“No, no, no, what?” He quickly denied, his cheeks reddening as a nervous laugh escaped his lips. “I’m barely through college, and I’m surviving off of ramen, I don’t think either of us are ready for that.”

The two of you laughed at that. You then asked, “Then what do you mean?”

“I was thinking of a less… life-time commitment requiring proposal, Y/N.”

“That is…?”

“I have tickets to the festival downtown,” he starts, eyes bright with anticipation, awaiting your answer. “Would you like to be my date again?”

Your cheeks flushed upon hearing his question, a smile adorning your features as you began to fee giddy. Joshua chuckled along with you, rubbing the side of his neck, “I’m sorry it’s nothing grand.”

“No, it’s not that, I… I’d love to be your date to the festival, Joshua,” you accepted, and his grin only widened. You then added, “But does that mean it’ll be our last date, though?”

His eyes gleamed beneath the fluorescent lights of the store, shaking his head, uttering, “Not unless you say otherwise, Y/N."

#seventeen #seventeen fluff #seventeen imagines #seventeen scenarios #seventeen x reader #seventeen x y/n #seventeen x you #joshua hong #hong joshua #joshua x you #joshua scenario #joshua fluff #joshua svt #joshua x reader #joshua imagines #heartsfromia writes

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snapscube · 8 months

Note

What are you most looking forward to about the Final Sonic tonight?

(Also, optional bonus question, I remember back in the day you would talk about your ideas for an open world sonic game. Would you say frontiers adequately scratched that itch? I haven't played it myself and I was shrimply curious)

(HI PEACH!!)

I HONESTLY THINK i’m mostly looking forward to the NEW CHARACTER WRITING and getting to PLAY AS AMY most of all!!!! plus i’m also just rlly excited about the prospect of getting to return to such a HIT STREAM PLAYTHROUGH for one last hurrah!!!

as for ur second question i can definitely say that while Frontiers does a lot to get CLOSE to that “dream open world sonic game” i always used to rattle on about, its not 100% of the way there. the design philosophy is very different, its more of an open-area collectathon whereas my dream game would be closer to like… platformer RPG? basically the primary changes they’d have to make would be:

- an open world environment that is more seamlessly integrated with platforming challenges, so not as many disparate floating rails and boxes just In The Sky Forever. make the same structures out of like… branches, caves, the sides of full buildings, phone lines, etc

- connect the zones together into a larger, singular map. add a lot more points of interest and FULL TOWNS. NPCs, shops, secrets, the whole nine yards

- a more expansive quest system with like, Yakuza-style substories where u learn about the world as well as Sonic’s relation to these communities through small vignettes and hijinks

- hide the chaos emeralds and put them behind like, Assassins’s Creed Catacomb style dungeons throughout the world that are not marked on the map and test ur platforming and combat abilities to earn all 7 emeralds.

I would just want a lot more story, a lot more character, and a bit more of a cohesive world design. BUT this would also result in a very different game overall! I can definitely see why they went in the direction they did, they very much want Sonic to be an ACTION GAME first and foremost, which is super fair.

221 notes · View notes

latenightsimping · 2 years

Text

Nothing Else Matters (Part 2)

Summary: After Jason’s plans to break you and Eddie up backfire, you go on your first date and go back to his trailer afterwards for yet another first. (You can read part 1 here and part 3 here!)

Pairing: Eddie Munson x fem reader

Word count: 7,548

Warnings: Porn with plot 18+ MINORS DNI I’LL CHASE YOU WITH A BROOM, you guys go on a date and it’s kinda cute, mentions of parental neglect, Jason Carver is an absolute shitheel but we get him back, reader is Jason Carver’s little sister, smut, oral (f receiving), fingering, protected sex (wrap it up kiddos), fluff in the first half pure hedonism on the second, not beta read

AN: Thank you so much for all the love you gave the first half!! I hope you like the second half; I worte this and thought ‘hm is this a bit flowery?’ but I decided to keep it as is because first times tend to be more about emotions and feelings, if you want one where I focus more on the act itself please lemme know!! Also I have read all your replies and reblogs, and thank you so much for all of them! Unfortunately this is a side blog so I can’t reply easily ;w; But I do read and cherish them all!! I really wanna write more of this ngl, so keep an eye out for that!!

taglist: @awkwardambition

Eddie had escorted you to your class, stealing as many kisses as he could until you playfully pushed him away with a grin on your face and telling him to get to his own lesson. He threw you a mock look of hurt as he clutched his chest, making you giggle as he walked backwards down the hall and towards where he should be. You slipped in quietly, trying to ignore the stares of curious students as you mumbled an excuse about not feeling well to the teacher as you made your way to your assigned seat. It was lucky that you had a ‘good girl’ reputation, Miss. Click seemingly buying it and letting you know that you could leave if you felt unwell again. Continuing her lesson on the Renaissance era as you found your notebook and pencil case.

A small stirring of pleasure rolled in your gut at the fact that you’d got away with a small act of rebellion, your mind wandering as you drew absent-minded doodles in the margins of your notebook. It was satisfying, being able to slip under the radar like this with the full knowledge that not so long ago, Eddie’s tongue was teasing your own as his ringed hands skated across your ass in such a delightful tease. Everyone around you thinking that you were paying attention to the lesson and being a studious nerd, when you were really thinking about what you were planning on doing when you finally got back to the trailer that felt more like home than anywhere else in the world. Eddie was forbidden fruit; delicious, tantalising, something that you craved desperately. Something that you were going to finally let yourself indulge in, and ruin that ‘girl next door image’ forever.

As much as you were excited, you were also nervous. This history lesson and the English class afterwards were going to be your last hurrah, and what would it mean to be forever changed in the societal structure that was high school? It was likely that your friends would want nothing more to do with you, and Jason would probably make it his mission to make your last year a living nightmare. But on the flip side of that, you would finally get your wish to sit at the Hellfire club, with Eddie’s arm around your waist as you sat in his lap or his hand in yours if you sat beside him. He’d told you all about his friends, and from what he said, they were pretty nice guys. Just misunderstood, and ostracized over a shameless enjoyment of their hobbies. You’d only had a very small conversation with Dustin and Jeff so far, but they didn’t seem judgemental. Protective of their friend, and guarded? Yes. But who could blame them? You would probably be the same, in their position. This change would be a lot, but it was also a chance to finally be able to breathe without the weight of your last name on your shoulders. The sword of Damocles finally falling between your feet, instead of splitting you in two.

You made your way to the last class in a daze, your mind working overtime as you took your seat and chewed on the end of your pen. Brave, Eddie had called you when he complimented you between kisses. And you’d kind of glossed it over, being too wrapped up in the feeling of being adored. But you really pondered it, as you tuned out the explanation of the themes of Dante’s Inferno. You’d never considered yourself to align with that adjective. What was brave about being under your family’s thumb for pretty much all your life, acting exactly how they wanted you to and always putting yourself second? But now, with Eddie’s words still ringing in your ears, you could finally see it. You were brave, going against the grain and choosing your own destiny by dating him. Even though it was unknown to anyone else, it was still you who snuck to the trailer park to see him. It was you who wore the bracelet he gave you every second of the day, wanting to be reminded of him every time you looked at it. It was you who was going to go to the diner with him, and take that step into the abyss, knowing he would be the one to catch you. You had been acting brave all this time, and he was the only one to see it so far. And you loved him all the more, for the fact that he believed in you.

He was waiting by his van by the time you made your way out to the parking lot. Leaning on the side panel, hands in his pockets and meeting your eyes with a lopsided grin when you spotted him. As you passed, you felt a hand grab your bicep none too gently, turning your head to be greeted with Jason’s face contorted in a scowl.

“Where do you think you’re going? Car’s this way,” he sneered, tilting his head to his side where his car sat idle. Chrissy was in the passenger seat, a small look of worry evident on her features as she watched the two of you have your slightly heated exchange. If the day was like any other, Jason would have booted you out of the back seats about five minutes away from your house, making you walk the rest of the way back so he could spend alone time with his girlfriend. It wasn’t that you didn’t like Chrissy, per se. She had never said anything mean to you, and she always looked at you with a sort of pity, whenever Jason was flexing his control over you with one of his stunts. She was under his spell, and you knew that. Perhaps she saw a side of him that nobody else saw; invisible to the naked eye. You hoped it was the case, for her behalf. Secretly hoped that one day, she would see sense and dump him.

It was knowing that Eddie had eyes on you, and would have your back without hesitation, that ignited the powder keg of anger and fuelled your next actions. Yanking your arm out of his grip, you squared your jaw towards your brother, willing yourself to not crack at his narrowed eyes as you shook your head. “I’m not coming home with you today,” you told him, voice even if not on the slightly quiet side.

“What? Just get in the fucking car,” he said through gritted teeth, eyes darting around to probably view the audience that this was no doubt attracting. “I’m not asking.”

“I know.” When he got angry like this in the past, it would have made you cower. Your will bending to him, scurrying behind and knowing full well that when he got home you’d be in for a good hour long lecture about how he expected you to listen. That was before he pulled the note stunt, though. Without meaning to, probably not even knowingly, he had officially broken the straw on the camel’s back. You couldn’t help but smirk as you adjusted the strap of your backpack on your shoulder. “I have other plans. I’m going on a date with my boyfriend. So, if you don’t mind…”

Turning on your heel, you didn’t give him an opportunity to get the last word in as you made confident steps towards Eddie’s van. He had a look of victory evident in his eyes as he pushed himself off the van with his foot, taking a few strides towards you to meet you. His arms coiled around your waist, picking you up and spinning you in a couple of circles that earned him a surprised squeal as his lips found yours. Your arms flew around his neck for purchase, holding on tight as he let you down, still kissing you as he did. You knew Eddie well enough that he would absolutely want to rub salt in Jason’s wounds, and by putting on the dramatics of kissing you with such grandeur, you also knew your brother well enough to know that it had worked without even having to look.

You pulled your lips away from his, though still held onto his neck as a grin spread across your face. “Happy to see me?” you teased, earning you a chuckle that reverberated through his chest.

“Happy? Sweetheart, I’m constantly overjoyed whenever I see that pretty face of yours,” he crooned, a hand coming up to tuck an errant strand of hair behind your ear. Not once did his gaze leave yours, seemingly not giving a fuck about anything else. It was nearly almost like this with him, though. Eddie gave you his full attention every chance he got, and you wondered if it was similar to how the sun felt when people were happy with it’s presence.

You hummed contently, only pulling away when he nodded his head towards the van in questioning. He followed you to the passenger side, a hand on the small of your back as he opened the door with the other. “My lady,” he said with a low bow as you got in, making you giggle as he closed the door and sprinted back toward’s the driver’s side. You took a moment to look towards the school entrance, noticing that Jason was already in his car a few rows away from it. His whole body animated as he talked with his hands, face as red as sapphire as he yelled. Your heart sunk for Chrissy, who admittedly looked a little frightened. But, she made her bed. One day, you would talk to her about the relationship, and hopefully make her see sense. Then again, that was unlikely. All you could do was try.

“Alright, what’s the vibe for today?” Eddie asked, snapping you out of your reverie as you looked back to find him trailing calloused fingers over the tapes practically overfilling the centre console where he kept them. “We goin’ for Metallica or Iron Maiden?”

You smiled, knowing full well that he chose those two options based on the fact that they were your favourite so far. “It’s gotta be Piece of Mind, right? As long as you crank it loud.”

“Ugh, it’s like I wished for you on a shooting fuckin’ star or something,” he groaned, plucking the cassette you requested out of the pile and wasting no time in feeding it into the slot after he turned the ignition. The van came to life, the sounds of the mechanical workings being drowned out by the first song as he twisted the volume dial up further. As he pulled away, you managed to catch Jason’s eye, his mouth still hanging open as he stared at you. Grinning as much as you could manage, a hand came up to flip him off, no doubt the Munson brand of mockery being rubbed off on you. Even over the song, you could hear Eddie laughing at your antics.

...

The diner wasn’t that busy, considering school hadn’t long let out and some clubs were still in session. Most of the patrons were the elderly of those on a late shift, barely any of them paying you any mind as you slipped into the booth. Eddie came to sit opposite you, a smile never leaving his face as he tapped his calloused fingers onto the tabletop. “Any idea what you’re craving, pretty girl?”

You hummed in thought as you pulled a menu from the holder beside the window, eyes scanning over the options as you gently bit the inside of your cheek. After a couple of seconds, you gave him a bashful smile as you placed the laminated booklet down. “What are you gonna order?”

Though you’d been to this diner before a couple of times, there was underlying nerves over the fact that this was the first date that you’d actually ever been on. And the fact that you were going in blind? What was even the etiquette for it? You’d read a handful of dating tips in magazines, but none seemed fitting right now. Your knee bounced as you tapped your heel on the linoleum as quietly as you could.

If Eddie could tell you were nervous, he wasn’t showing it. He looked down at the menu in front of you both, tapping on a picture with a skull and cross clad finger. “Well, I think their burgers are fantastic. Probably gonna go for a cheeseburger with extra pickles.”

You grinned as you leaned your cheek against your palm, elbow propping yourself up as you leaned on the table. “How much extra pickle we talking?”

“As much as I can get away with,” he nodded. “Love ‘em. Always have.”

You made a mental note of that little fact, already putting it in the ‘facts about Eddie’ box that was beginning to accumulate a lot of random information. “You can always have mine too, if you want them.”

His eyebrows raised as he tilted his head. “You don’t like ‘em?”

“You like them, so you can have them,” you countered, your words causing a small blush to dust his cheeks as he tucked his lower lips between his teeth. It was the adoration in his eyes that made you truly melt, and you decided that liking pickles or not, you’d spend the rest of your life picking them out and putting them on his plate, if only to see him look at you like he was.

The sounds of footsteps coming closer made both your heads turn, greeted with a small smile from the waitress as she brought her notepad out of her apron pocket. “Alright guys, what can I get you?” she asked as she clicked her pen, placing the end on the paper to await your order.

You both ordered; two cheeseburgers and fries, a chocolate milkshake for Eddie and a vanilla one for yourself. You thanked the waitress, looking back to Eddie who was giving you an unreadable expression. Happy, yes. But there was a small wrinkle to his brow that usually signalled he was thinking hard about something. “What?” you asked, your voice soft as you smiled.

“Just can’t believe I’m here with you,” he shrugged, arms folded on the table as he grinned. “Been dreaming about this for months.”

“Really?” you giggled, head tilted to the side as you regarded him. “You dreamed about being in a diner with me, eating cheeseburgers?”

“I’ve dreamed about us being like any other couple,” he clarified, a hand coming up to twirl a dark curl of his hair between his fingers. “Diner dates, maybe a trip to the movies… Just being together, out in public.”

You nodded in agreement, holding a hand out in offering. He took it, fingers laced between your own as he started to rub soothing motions on the back of your hand. “I’ve always had this like, dream date,” you started, eyes widening a little as you realised that you might have offended him. “N-not that this isn’t one of them! I love it here, and I love this-”

His earnest laugh cut you off, shaking his head as he grinned at you. “Tell me all about it.” His words held nothing but fondness, the words you perceived as something of an insult not bothering him in the slightest.

You relaxed a little as you let out a soft sigh of relief, your eyes lowering to the speckled tabletop as you shrugged. “I uh… I’ve always wanted to go to an aquarium. We were going to go once, me and my family, but Jason had a last minute basketball game that weekend. So my parents said we’d go another day, and we just… Never did.”

When you looked back up, his face was slightly scowled. “So your folks just drop everything when it comes to you and focus on him?”

“Yeah,” you sighed. “It sucks, but… That’s just how it’s always been, you know? I’m just used to it by now.”

He clicked his tongue against his teeth as he shook his head. “Well, that ain’t happening on my watch. My girl wants to go to an aquarium? We’re going.”

Your eyes widened as a smile spread over your face, blinking a few times as you gently squeezed his hands. “Really? You mean it?”

“’Course,” he said with a small wink. “Just lemme save up for a little bit and we’ll go, okay? Promise.”

You wholeheartedly believed him. One of Eddie’s many good qualities was that when he said something, he meant it. Not once had he ever let you down; if he said he’d be there to pick you up from your house a couple of blocks away to take you to his place when it was raining? Sure enough, his van was already there idling when you turned the corner. Not once had he ever lied to you, or went back on a promise. He was loyal to the bone, and you knew that he would make good on his word, and you’d be holding hands while pointing out sea life before you knew it.

“What about you?” you offered. “What’s your dream date?”

“Baby, I’m already on it,” he laughed, eyes crinkling with the intensity of his smile. “My dream date is being literally anywhere, as long as I’m with you.”

You rolled your eyes, though the look of annoyance you made was nothing but playful. “C’mon, you gotta have one. Anywhere in particular you wanna go?”

You gave him a couple of seconds to think, before he finally nodded as he chewed his lip. “I uh… I’d like you to come and see me play with my band. I guess it’s not technically a date, but…”

“It totally counts,” you nodded, heart racing at the thought of seeing him play, letting him see you in the crowd and know that you were the one cheering the loudest. “I’d really love to. Tuesdays, right? At the Hideout?”

There was a look of pure bliss that overtook him, most likely because you’d remembered what he told you. “Yeah. Maybe next week? I can pick you up at 6?”

“Deal,” you grinned, picking up your interlinked hand and shaking them in a mock handshake. He laughed at your action, still smirking as you both pulled away as the milkshakes appeared on your table.

The rest of the meal was spent in conversation between bites, about anything and everything you could think of. You’d taken the pickles out of your burger before you ate it, putting them on his plate and earning you a grateful smile of thanks from your boyfriend. It was so easy talking to Eddie. No matter what you said, even if he’d probably heard it all before, he nodded along and asked you questions and anecdotes relevant to the topic. Plus, he made you laugh. He could crack a joke, and your tummy would hurt with the amount of amusement. A couple of teenagers from your school had filtered in during your meal, but you barely paid them any mind. It felt as if nothing else existed outside your booth. Just you and Eddie, in this little bubble of bliss that you’d created together. An oasis in a desert, both truly comfortable with each other’s company.

When it finally came time to pay, you had a small back and forth about who was going to foot the bill. You had insisted paying for your food, but Eddie was having none of it. “Keep your money, pretty girl,” he said with a wave of his hand as he fished his wallet out of his back pocket. A cheeky grin on his face as he opened it to find a couple of notes. Another one of his qualities, that was both admirable and drew your ire depending on your situation. Eddie could be stubborn, especially when he put his mind to something. You knew that you wouldn’t win this argument, but you were already thinking about finding a way to sneak it to him without his knowledge. Most likely tucking it into his pocket when he wasn’t looking. You knew he didn’t have a lot of money; most of his income was selling pot, and the occasional shift at Thatcher’s Tires to help Wayne cover the bills. Part of you wondered if all those reasons were why he had difficulty graduating. Between two side hustles, his band, the DnD campaigns and needing a decent amount of sleep, was it any wonder that he had absolutely no time to study? As well as a scheme to pay him back, your mind was already filled with ways to help him academically by the time you were halfway across the parking lot to reach the van.

When you got to his place, you wondered if you should make a call to your house, just to let your parents know where you were. No doubt Jason had spun a yarn about the situation, making himself look like the victim. Honestly? You weren’t ready for the drama. You were having a good time, and nothing was going to ruin that. You had a curfew, and that was hours away. You could face the music when you got home, and could try and convince your parents about it all then. Besides, when Eddie kissed you as soon as the door to his trailer closed, all worries slipped away like sand between your fingers. When he made you feel this good, it was impossible to think of anything else.

He pulled away from your lips, his hands gently on your waist as he tilted his head. A gentle smile playing on his lips as he looked down at you. “What’s the plan, sweetheart?” he asked, a slightly raised eyebrow in questioning. “We could watch a movie, if you want. Or we could read, or-”

“I wanna do it,” you blurted out, interrupting him before you chickened out. You could feel your whole face growing hot, tips of your ears no doubt a deep shade of pink as you bit your lip. But you could also feel that stirring in your core, at the possibility of it all.

His eyebrows shot up as he blinked a couple of times, mouth opening and closing a few times as he let out a nervous laugh. “Define what ‘it’ is, baby. Need to hear it.”

Taking a shaky breath, your hands found his shoulders as you pressed your chest to his, eyes fluttering shut to try and focus on speaking. “I uhm… I wanna h-have sex,” you finally managed to stammer out, a soft gasp leaving you and eyes opening when you felt his knuckles tip your chin up gently.

“Are you sure?” he whispered, a small look of worry in his features. “I don’t want you to feel obligated. We can take it slow, if that’s what your comfortable with.”

You were starting to get a little frustrated. Eddie was a gentleman, and you knew that he’d never pressure you. You knew that he was only asking because he respected you. But right now? Right now, you needed him to quell that growing, aching need that coiled in your gut. You leaned up, capturing his lips in yours in a kiss that was filled with passion. Trying to non-verbally communicate to him just how badly you wanted this. When your tongue flicked against his lips, you felt him groan as his grip on your waist tightened, mouth parting to let you in.

You pulled away, though barely an inch, feeling his breath fan against your dampened lips. “Please,” you whispered, eyebrows knitted together. “Please Eddie, I need you.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed with a gulp as his eyes darkened in need, pupils blown out as he nodded. “Okay, sweetheart. But we can stop at any time, okay?”

You nodded, and his smile widened as he let go of his hold on you to place your hand in his. Leading you to the bedroom, he briefly stopped to turn on the stereo, Ride the Lightning playing at a low volume as he guided you to lay down on the bed. Your head rested against the pillows as he lowered himself on top of you, forearms bracing his weight on either side of your head as his legs slotted between your own. His head dipped down again to kiss you, and the intensity was something you’d never quite experienced. He’d kissed you breathless before, but this was different. It was passionate, intense, and full of yearning. It made you quietly mewl as you cupped his face with your hands, one threading through his curls as he swallowed back your small sounds of pleasure.

His lips travelled down to your jaw, peppering soft kisses to the warm skin as they continued down to the column of your neck. His teeth grazed a spot that made a gasp catch in your throat, causing you to arch your back in heady pleasure as he gently rolled it between his incisors and soothing it with a lave of his tongue afterwards. “Fuck, Eddie please,” you whimpered, your hands coming up to grip the back of his shirt as you rolled your hips. What you were asking for, you had no idea. All you knew was that nothing had ever made you feel so good; nothing could compare to his touches, his lips on your skin leaving gooseflesh in their wake. You could feel his hardness against you, pleasure skittering up your spine at the sensation of his cock against your core.

“Gonna make you feel good baby,” he murmured against your skin, head dipping down to kiss your collarbones. Pressing one final kiss to the top of your breast, he pushed back to rest on his haunches, his fingertips brushing against the bottom hem of your shirt as he raised an eyebrow in questioning.

You quickly nodded, worrying your bottom lip between your teeth as his large hands smoothed up your stomach, pulling the fabric with it. He was taking his time, causing your breath to hitch as he finally helped you remove the piece of clothing that acted as a barrier between you. As soon as it hit the bedroom floor, he reached back and pulled his own shirt off, leaving you practically panting as you took in his topless state. The inky black tattoos that littered his pale skin, slender framed yet with muscles that flexed when he moved, no doubt from years of hauling heavy music equipment around. You’re beautiful, you thought, though your eyes grew large when he chuckled, a slight blush tingeing his cheeks. You’d said it aloud, though barely above a whisper. Evidently, loud enough for him to hear.

“Taking the words right out of my mouth,” he drawled with a soft smile, capturing your lips again as a large ringed hand travelled the expanse of your stomach. It was as if he was mapping your skin; memorising every dip and curve, pausing when he found a spot that made you mewl underneath his lips.

His kisses descended again; skittering over your sternum, shifting his weight onto his knees so both hands could softly cup your breasts over your bra. You gasped as he softly bit the flesh, soothing over the pain with the flat of his tongue in a way that was such a heavenly combination that it made your back arch. “So fuckin’ pretty,” he murmured, voice slightly muffled as his lips continued to move against you. A hand came to reach under your back, deft fingers making quick work of unfastening the clasp. You took the initiative to slip the straps down your arms, pulling off the item to be thrown beside your shirt. You noticed how his eyes darkened in need, a soft growl catching in the back of his throat as he laved his tongue over your nipple, rolling the other between his fingertips.

You let out a soft curse at the sensation, your hands running through his long hair and grasping it to pull him closer. Your needy actions seemed to fuel him, sucking the sensitive bud into his mouth and swirling his tongue around it as you bucked against his hips. Every nerve ending seemed to be on fire; the coil in your core twisting in the most pleasant way. It was as if he engulfed you in ecstasy; he was pulling you under the surface, making you gasp and ache for more, and you found yourself needing more. He would alternate his attention on each breast, switching between his skilful tongue and fingers, pressing soft kisses in between sharp nips of his teeth.

“More, please,” you pleaded, needing to know what else he could do with his talented mouth. You felt him smile against your skin, dragging his tongue down your stomach as he shifted to lay on his stomach and crawl at an agonisingly slow pace down to where you truly needed him. You could feel your wetness soak your underwear, feeling as if you would truly go mad if he didn’t continue.

“What’dya need, pretty girl? Need to hear you say it.” The corners of his mouth upturned as he kissed your inner thighs through the thick denim of your jeans, palm soothing the other that his mouth wasn’t latched to. A part of you wondered if he enjoyed it when you practically begged him for more. And an even bigger part of you loved to indulge him.

“N-need you to use your mouth on me,” you whimpered, trying to ignore the flush of your cheeks as you focused on speaking, on keeping your breaths even. Your brows furrowed as you bucked your hips, a soft whine escaping you as you clutched the sheets underneath you with a fierce grip. “Need you to make me feel good.”

“I will baby,” he promised, the hand leaving your thigh to unbutton your jeans. “Just need you to do one thing for me, okay? Can you do that?”

You nodded frantically as he shed your lower half free of clothing. At this moment, you would do anything he asked. Fuck, if he asked you to commit a crime with him, you’d probably agree. You’d do anything to be bathed in the sheer rapture that this moment gave you. “Wh-what?”

“Need you to not hold back on those pretty noises for me,” he answered, punctuating his words with a kiss to your innermost thigh that had you reeling. You felt his hot breath fan your cunt, and heard an audible groan that you swore you could feel. “So fuckin’ wet for me, angel.”

You keened as he licked a flat stripe across your clit, hands flying to grip his hair as he drew languid circles over the bud. You could feel your muscles slightly tense as he covered your cunt with his mouth, the moan that he released causing vibrations to shoot right through your core and causing your thighs to clamp down, hindered by firm hands on your thighs. Eddie seemed to be taking his time; alternating between soft kitten licks and firm strokes, occasionally sucking the sensitive bundle of nerves into his mouth and flicking his tongue over it in quick succession. It was like he was experimenting with what would make you cry out harder, what would make your grip on his hair tighten and cause your legs to shake as your back flew off the mattress.

The growing tension in your gut was so close to snapping. And with the addition of a finger, then two, slipping deep inside with little resistance, all it took was a curl that massaged a spot inside you that you weren’t even aware of to finally tip you over the edge. You tried to warn him, but all that came out was a cry of pure pleasure as you finally unravelled. It was as if you were coming apart at the seams; bathed in an overwhelming warmth that was indescribable, your mind turning fuzzy as your eyes fell shut and mouth opened into a silent scream. You bucked into his mouth, uncaring in the moment that you were shamelessly riding his face, an act of pure hedonism that furthered the blissful, heady sensation of your first powerful orgasm. You’d tried to pleasure yourself before, but never quite got to the finish line. But if this was what was waiting for you when you finally managed it? You’d do near anything to feel like this.

You finally floated back down to Earth with hard pants, slowly opening your eyes as his fingers and mouth slowly came to a stop and moved away. Taking your hands out of his dark curls and bringing them up to rub at your face, you let out a small giggle as you felt his hips connect with yours.

“That feel good, sweetheart?” he whispered into the shell of your ear, his torso gently leaning against yours as he braced his weight with his forearms on either side of you. When your eyes finally adjusted, you could see his deep umber eyes flicker over your features, a small grin on his glistening and puffy lips. From so close, you could see every detail of his face. The small scar on his hairline, and the slight stubble just forming on his jawline. He looked at you like you were the most beautiful piece of artwork he’d ever seen. Looked at you with such fondness, such reverence, that you had meant what you had said in the woods, and had said in your heart all along. You loved him. Truly loved him.

You nodded as you looped your arms around his neck, pulling into a kiss that you hoped would translate how much you cared for him, how much you truly wanted him. The kiss was soft; tongues exploring mouths, wandering hands exploring each other’s bodies, and your hips rolling against his own. “Need more,” you mumbled through the kiss, eyes fluttering shut as his mouth descended to the column of your neck. “Please, Eddie. Please…”

He came back up to look at you, his nose pressed against your own as his eyes softened, yet a hint of a furrowed brow was still evident. “A-are you sure? We don’t have to, if you don’t want to. I don’t want you to feel like you’re being pressured. We can stop, and cuddle, and-”

There was the rambling again, that little habit that both endeared and slightly frustrated you at this moment when you needed him so badly. Interrupting him with an experimental roll of your hips, you watched as his breath caught in his throat, eyes fluttering shut as you pressed yourself against his hard cock underneath his jeans. “I want this,” you whispered, your voice steady and even as you nodded your head. Eddie was on top of you, but you felt like you had all the control. Knowing that you could say one word, and he’d drop his pleasure just to make sure you were okay. It gave you the power to make your final decision.

His features spread into a lopsided grin when he realised you were positive, shifting his weight over to the side of the bed to open the drawer in his bedside table and rummage through the contents. You watched with interest, biting your lip with a small smile when you saw a square foil packet appear between his fingertips.

Clutching the condom wrapper in his teeth as he undid his belt – no doubt an image that would be forever burned into your brain at the eroticism of the sight – watching with eagerness as he slid his jeans and boxers off. Your eyes widened at the sight of his cock; you’d not actually seen one in real life, but you knew he was big. Thick and slightly on the longer side, with a few prominent veins running up the shaft and the tip leaking precum. Your pussy clenched at the sight of it, and you swallowed back a small gulp as you watched him carefully tear open the wrapper with his teeth and begin to roll the condom over his cock.

“Is it… Going to hurt?” you asked softly, remembering how one or two of your friends had complained about how sore they were when they finally lost their virginity. Though you were excited beyond belief, there was a small pang of apprehension, a sense that you had bitten off more than you can chew.

“It might sting a little,” he answered honestly, making sure the condom was secure before leaning back over you. “But you’re really wet, and you’ve already come, so that’s going to help. And I’ll be really slow, okay? I won’t start moving until you tell me to. And if you need to stop-”

“I’ll tell you,” you finished for him, a small smile on your face as you watched him mirror your expression.

“That’s my girl,” he whispered, pecking a kiss to your temple as he lined himself up with your hole. “I’m going to start, okay? Just relax your body for me.”

You took a deep breath, holding onto his shoulders as you adjusted your hips a little. You felt him press against you, the tip of his cock gently stretching you open as he passionately kissed you. Your eyes fluttered shut as he pressed in further, a small whine leaving your lips as you felt a slight burning sensation. It was a little uncomfortable, but it didn’t hurt as bad as you thought it would. Not when he was being so slow; so attentive to your body, stopping when you let out a sharp gasp, and only sinking in further when he felt your hips slightly rock at the desperation for more.

You felt him shudder as his hips finally met yours, a low groan audible by your ear as you tried to get accustomed to the feeling of fullness that you’d never experienced before. It was overwhelming in the most incredible way; you could feel everything, could hear the soft groans that he let out as he kissed your temple, every slight shift of your body as you squirmed underneath him causing skitters of pleasure to shoot up your spine. “You okay?” he whispered, voice cracking slightly as his grip on the bedsheets beside your head turned knuckle white.

You frowned a little, wondering if he was uncomfortable at all. Though it was clear he was worried about your comfort levels, you couldn’t help but feel anxious as you lifted your hand to smooth your fingers through his hair. “It feels good, but… Are you?”

You saw the small grin spread across his face as he came into your view, dark eyes near black with his pupils blown out. “Sweetheart, ‘m trying not to come already.” Your heart warmed that even in the moment, when you could see him trying so hard to hold back his own needs just for you, that he was still trying to put you at ease with his usual brand of confidence. But you wanted him to come undone; to see him fall apart, just as he’d seen you. You wanted to see that side of him, wanted to feel that closeness that two people who had explored each other’s bodies felt.

You made an experimental roll of your hips, a soft gasp falling from your lips as you felt his length drag across your walls, that spot that he’d discovered with his fingers being massaged by the tip of his cock. “More, please,” you managed to whisper out, keening when you felt one of his hands grasp your hip as he made slow, languid thrusts that had your eyes rolling in the back of your head.

“Y’ feel so fuckin’ good,” he murmured, breath catching in his throat as he pressed his forehead against yours. “So tight, fuck.” Through your haze of ecstasy, you marvelled at how his face was screwed up, mouth parted that let out soft pants. It spurred you into meeting his thrusts with your own, the discomfort that had been there in the beginning now completely gone, replaced with a blissful, heady sensation that had you reeling.

The only sounds in the trailer were the sounds of your bodies meeting, soft mewls and moans disrupted by the kisses that he lovingly pressed to your lips, music that you could barely make out when your mind was so fuzzy and blissed out. You could feel that coil beginning to become tight again, more intense this time, causing you to cry out as he shifted his hips and quickened his pace. “Gonna- God, gonna come Eddie,” you whined, brain short-circuiting when you felt deft fingers make tight circles on your clit.

“Come f’ me, angel,” he groaned, thrusts becoming sloppy as his fingers on your hip tightened, an added sensation of slight pain that mixed with your pleasure. Your back arched, pressing your chest to his own as you felt yourself clamp down on his cock and letting out a near scream as your eyes screwed shut. You thought the last climax was intense, but this was the next level. Your thighs clamped around his hips and white dots filled your vision, your hands that were on his shoulders now scratching down his ribs as your nails dug into his flesh, trying to find some sort of tether to the waking world. You felt him bury himself impossibly deep into you, small whines and gasps audible with his lips by the shell of your ear as you felt him twitch inside of you. You both reached your peaks, a tangled mess of limbs and covered in a thin sheen of sweat as you felt his body collapse onto yours. You couldn’t help but let out a small giggle as he grunted with exertion and rolled off you, onto his back.

“Christ,” he muttered, rubbing his hands over his face and a grin being revealed to you when he took them away. He made quick work of pulling off the spent condom, tying a knot in the end and tossing it towards the trash bin on the other side of the room. Thankfully, it went in, and you laughed at his small fist bump at the good shot.

Finding your way into his arms, you relaxed against his chest as he held you tight, shifting your bodies so he could pull the sheets over your both. “Thank you,” you managed to say, drawing absent-minded patterns into his pectoral muscle with your fingertips.

“It should be me who’s thanking you,” he chuckled, kissing the crown of your head as his grip on you tightened, as if yearning for more contact, as if that was even possible. “You’re perfect, you know that? Fuckin’ perfect…”

You couldn’t help but preen under his compliments, as you always did. Though this time, it felt so much more intimate. Laying naked, so entangled you weren’t sure where you ended and Eddie started. Still glowing in the aftermath of your orgasms, feeling so loved and adored as he peppered your face and body with kisses. Worshipped, you think is the word. And you loved it.

Looking over to the small alarm clock on his bedside table, you made a noise of annoyance as you tried to sit yourself up. “Curfew’s in an hour,” you mumbled, not wanting to leave this solace that you’d both created.

His large had flattened onto your sternum, a playful grin overtaking his face as he propped himself up onto his side to look down on you. “And your place is fifteen minutes away,” he countered, raising an eyebrow. “So… We still got fourty-five minutes.”

You chuckled, pulling him down over you as you looped an arm around his neck, your other hand on his cheek as you kissed him. “What can we do in fourty-five minutes?” you wondered aloud, a sudden yelp of surprise leaving your lips as he manhandled you into his lap, your knees positioned on either side of his hips.

“Baby, I can do a lot in that time,” he purred, resting his forearms on the small of your back as he looked up at you, features morphing into a look of slight pleading as he tipped his head to the side. “But just… Stay with me for a little while? Please?”

And how could you say no to him, when he was looking at you with such adoration? “Okay,” you whispered, pecking a kiss on the tip of his nose as you got yourself settled. You coiled your arms around his neck, pressing the side of your face to his chest, hearing his heartbeat and soft hums as he sang along to the melody of the background music you’d long forgotten about. Enjoying the way he smoothed his hand up and down your spine, lulling you to close your eyes and take deep, even breaths as drowziness caught up with you.

Would falling asleep be wise, considering you had a time limit? Probably not. But the way you were so comfortable, so content in his arms, feeling so safe… Fuck curfew. You’d face the consequences later.

#eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson x you #eddie munson smut #stranger things imagine #stranger things x you

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my-castles-crumbling · 3 months

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New Fic Recs!

Hi guys! I wanna start posting fics recs every once in a while that are newer- that either were just posted or haven't gotten the love they deserve! I'll do my best to tag the authors if I know them/if they have a tumblr! Here are some for today! (Authors, if you want me to remove you/your work for any reason, please lmk!) NSFW fics below the cut!

Edit: I just focused on completed works here, but I'm more than willing to recommend incomplete works if you guys want!

If You Stayed - Jegulus - rated G - 5k by @t1oui

After leaving his family for good, Regulus Black moves in with James Potter, who agrees to give him a place to stay as long as he looks after James's six-year-old son, Harry. Even though they haven't talked about it, Regulus knows that he'll have to leave when Harry goes back to school, no matter how much he wishes this wasn't the case. Between spending time with Harry and Luna, the weird girl who lives up the street, and the more-than-friendly feelings he's starting to have for James, the summer can only end badly. Right?

Funnel Cakes and Peanut Butter Fudge - Wolfstar ft. Background Jegulus - Rated T - 5.5k by @onehundredflamingos

Sirius grinned at him. “I came for the Rocky road fudge,” he whispered back, and the man gasped in mock offense. “Good thing, because I think I bought the last of the peanut butter fudge.” Sirius let out a startled laugh, amused by the fact that he had suggested something to Sirius only to yank it right back from beneath him. “Oh, I would have been wildly disappointed if you had managed to sway my fudge preferences.” “I would’ve gladly shared, if I had managed to sway you,” he said with a smirk. “Alas, I’ll have to eat it all myself.” “A tragedy, I’m sure,” Sirius replied. The other man shrugged. “Suddenly feels a bit like one.” Or Sirius wins more than he bargains for when he meets Remus at a carnival fundraiser, ft a very much already-in-love Jegulus

So Kiss Me - Jegulus - Rated T - 3.7k by lairyfights

Regulus Black is in love with James Potter and he'd bet his entire inheritance, if he still had one, that James does not feel the same way. It's lucky that his parents suck and the inheritance is no longer something he can gamble

Let Me Put My Lips to Something - Wolfstar - Rated E - 2.3k by si11iestg00se

remus can't help it---the moon makes him possessive. he wants to mark his territory.

here's to my baby - Wolfstar - Rated E - 3.2k by @emlovessid

“It’s our last night at Hogwarts, our last hurrah, you don’t want to spend it down here with our friends?” Remus asks, a hand coming up to toy with Sirius’ hair. Stretching up on his toes, Sirius’ lips brush Remus’ ear as he whispers, “It’s our last night at Hogwarts, and I’d much rather spend it with you fucking me into your mattress.”

All amazing fics! Hope you guys enjoy!

#marauders #harry potter #marauders era #fanfic #marauders fandom #harry potter marauders #the marauders #marauders fanfiction #ao3fic #ao3 fanfic #ao3 link #ao3 #fic rec

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forevertrueblue · 5 days

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Been thinking a lot about what @curtmega recently said about people seeing StarKid as a thing from the past but how it very much has a bright future. It's a sentiment I've actually been pondering for awhile, especially with Cinderella's Castle and the fifteenth anniversary.

I've been a fan of StarKid for over 10 years. In that timespan, I don't think there's been a point where everyone involved with the group has been as gung-ho and on board for everything than right now. I assume 2009-2011 might have been somewhat like this as well, because everything was still new and exciting to them and they had a lot of "firsts" as a group in those years. (Also I think there might be a bit more assuredness mixed in nowadays because by this point they know what works and doesn't to an extent.)

This isn't to say there's ever been a time when the overall sentiment was that they didn't want to be there or anything, but from my experiences and what I've heard from other fans and some people involved with the group itself is that for awhile there was some questioning as to how much longer this whole thing would be going on for. There was kind of an assumption that AVPSY was the end from both team and fandom, and from that point on there was this underlying vibe of it sort of being a matter of time until things quietly petered out. The energy from a lot of the team was kind of lower, and there was a lot more uncertainty about the future. I remember a lot of us thought the five year anniversary stuff was gonna function as a sort of finale, then how A Very StarKid Reunion was their last hurrah, etc. (I was also going through a lot at that time, including what I have now had confirmed as depression, and this was when I clung to StarKid as a lifeline of sorts at a time when it wasn't really the best idea to do that. Not that it's ever a great plan to pin all your hopes on an online musical theatre troupe, but the fandom was kind of a ghost town and the future always seemed to be in flux so it wasn't even much of a fun distraction.)

I was thinking the enthusiasm from the team was mainly stemming from the newer members (anyone who joined since the Hatchetfield stuff began) but looking at all the 15 year posts and how all the longtime members get excited about VHS Christmas Carol every year it seems to be an overall rejuvenation. I have a feeling COVID also just made everyone really grateful for theatre because of the uncertainty surrounding that during lockdowns. Regardless, it's just so nice to see everyone so excited. Watching the latest stuff and just seeing the team go above and beyond, whether it be working hard to make the livestreams extra fun (and in some cases, even just actively participating in the livestreams is a major difference from the past), wearing friendship bracelets onstage at StarKid Innit, or just keeping the momentum going by bringing us content and making sure things are running smoothly has been great to see.

I no longer feel worried about StarKid's future, or everyone's passion for the work. Just excitement and anticipation. I get that some fans aren't gonna be into the new stuff for whatever reason, but I hate when they're rude about it or quick to brush it off just BECAUSE it's new; older always seems to = better in people's minds for some reason.

#starkid #curt mega #me #fandom #hatchetfield #vhs christmas carols #theatre #kickstarter #cinderella's castle #the lands that are #it's starkid innit?#positivity

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lululawrence · 1 year

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Gemma's Dad (Could Use A Guy Like Me)

written by lululawrence featuring art by @ialwaysknewyouwerepunk

Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson | 14 chapters | 83k

The summer before Louis and Gemma's senior year of college was supposed to be their last big hurrah before they graduate college and become Real Adults in the workforce. They had it all planned and it was going to be filled with mornings skateboarding, afternoons at the pool, and evenings hanging out with as many of the neighborhood kids they grew up with as they can.

Of course, Louis wasn't planning on getting home and learning that Gemma's dad had gotten the house in the divorce and was dealing with things by focusing on work, the house, and his newly planted garden. It becomes obvious early on that Harry is a bit lost and Gemma is worried about him. To help both of them, Louis is more than happy to help Harry find himself again.

As the summer goes on, the adventures and day to day happenings allow Harry and Louis to spend a lot more time together than either of them ever anticipated and Louis finds it more difficult to keep his growing feelings in check than he ever thought it would be. After all, there wasn't a chance that Harry would ever be interested in Louis... right?

Written as a part of @onedirectionbigbang Round 6!

Buy me a coffee?

#1dficvillage #tracksintheam #ficsfor4am #1dsource #hlcreators #hljournal #hlficlibrary #trackinghome #yourlarrysource #ao3 feed larry #hlsource #thelarriefics #hltracks #allwaswell16 #alwaysxlarrie #my fic post #fic rec #my fic

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hoedamn-eron · 4 months

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baby, please - part 18

It's time for your 'surprise' baby shower (that Santi did not give away at all).

Warnings: Mentions of unsupportive family members. Like two swear words. Mentions of Santi being absent. Reader calls her friends 'guys', as a collective. A bit emotional but all around good vibes. Absolutely not proofread (surprise), so there will probably be mistakes. Word count: 3,802 F!Reader, no use of Y/N.

It’s come to light recently that my partner has been reading this 😂 Hi Dom!

Part 17 ● Series Masterlist ● Part 19

“We’re going to be late!”

“I know, I know, I'm coming!” you call, fixing your make up in the mirror. You double – triple – check your appearance before you leave Courtney’s bathroom.

Your friends were still under the impression you knew nothing about the baby shower, since no-one (including yourself) had ever said anything about organising one. You would have been okay with or without – but you’re secretly happy that something was arranged. You’d been looking forward to the shower since Santi had accidentally given away on Christmas day.

You’re wearing a baby blue dress (you weren’t sure if it was hinting at the gender, but you highly doubted Santi told anyone – or maybe he did…you’re not going to get into it), with a low V-neck and ruffles along the edges. At 8 months pregnant, not many things made you feel ‘pretty’ anymore; you felt like you’d eaten a watermelon. But this dress was cute, and when Beth gave it to you to wear for your ‘last hurrah lunch’, you had burst into tears at how cutely pregnant you looked.

Your hormones were still all over the place.

Andy and Courtney were waiting by the front door as you meet them, smiling shyly at Courtney. “Sorry. I’m ready to go now.”

“You look lovely,” Andy said, smiling at your, spinning his car keys in his hand. Andy was such a good guy. He reminded you a little of Benny, in the way that he was like a golden retriever. He was so willing to drop you guys off at the restaurant.

“Thank you, Andy,” you say, smiling back.

“Come on, Beth and Gabs are already there waiting for us,” Courtney said, frowning at her phone.

You follow the two to Andy’s car, sitting in the back seat before Andy drives off towards the restaurant. You’re talking about what kind of food you’re going to get, what desserts you wanted, and how you’re going to eat all you like with no judgement. You didn’t miss the grins Courtney and Andy sent to each other.

After Andy parks the car outside the restaurant, Courtney helps you out, holding your hand for steadiness. You thanked her before you all make your way into the restaurant, where you were led by a hostess through towards the back. You grinned as Courtney and Andy talked quicker, more excited, the further you made your way in.

You were glad that you hadn’t said anything about knowing of the baby shower. They were obviously so excited they had managed to pull it off.

As you were lead through some double doors, before you freeze as a loud, “SURPRISE!” overtakes your senses. Although you were expecting something, it still caught you off guard.

You look around the room with wide eyes, almost laughing. You were expecting a baby shower, sure, but not with this many people. You spotted Beth and Georgia, with Gabrielle and Matthew, smiling widely by the front. Then you spotted Emily from work, with Harriet, who looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here. Then you spotted Santi with Frankie and Sarah, and Benny was with Will and Claire (Benny, in true Benny fashion, was the loudest and held his arms out wide, a big smile on his face).

There were typical baby decorations – balloons in the shape of pacifiers, pink and blue banners around the room, tables covered in matching pink and blue tablecloths – and the tables were filled with all sorts of food (you did not miss the large bowl of Sourpatch watermelon pieces). The central table was laden with tempting treats, and cupcakes with pastel-coloured frosting, and a tiered cake adorned with baby booties, and an assortment of finger foods invite everyone to indulge in the celebration. There was a pile of gifts towards the back of the room, and piles and piles of diapers. Everyone must have spent a fortune.

You look at everyone before laughing. “There’s so many people here.”

“Did we surprise you?” Courtney asked excitedly.

You give a quick glance to Santi before nodding. “Yes, you did. I had no idea!”

“Liar,” joked Beth, as she gave you a hug. “But thanks for letting us think that you didn’t know.”

“In my defence, I only found out two weeks ago, so you did fairly well until then.”

“Santiago can’t keep a secret for shit,” muttered Courtney, giving him a glare at said man, who was chatting away to Frankie and Benny, laughing at something Benny said.

“How did you even pull all of this off?” you ask, looking around at everything.

“Benny and I came up with it at the Halloween party!” said Gabrielle, smiling widely. “We exchanged numbers and we’ve all been in cahoots trying to get it organised.”

“I cannot believe you didn’t tell me it was Santiago who was your baby daddy!”

You cringe as you turn to Emily, who was stood with a flute of champagne in her hand, Harriet at her side, texting on her phone, her own champagne flute in her hand. “Surprise?”

“Oh, oh! ‘Surprise’!” said Emily, scoffing and rolling her eyes. “I am shocked! Betrayed – “

“Did you not do the math to figure it out?” you ask, grinning.

Emily goes quiet and stares at you before she suddenly burst into tears. “I can’t believe that I’m the one who set you guys up!”

She pulls you into a hug, and you awkwardly pat her on the back at you give your friends a wide-eyed look. “There, there,” you say.

“Let her go, Emily, she needs to mingle,” muttered Harriet. She finally put her phone away and gives you a tight smile as Emily lets you go, wiping her eyes before Gabrielle tends to her. “Congratulations, again.”

“Thank you,” you say. “I know you’re busy, you don’t have to stay – “

“Yeah, I’m meeting with the big bosses, so I’ll have to dash, but thanks again for the invite,” Harriet said quickly, placing her glass on a table. “Just thought I’d show my face. I’ll see you on Monday.”

She was gone before you could blink.

“What a…fun person,” said Beth, raising her eyebrows at you.

You roll your eyes. “She’s always like that.” You say, before smiling. “So what’s first?”

“First,” Gabrielle says, shoving a glass of Diet Coke in your hands. “Is that you sit down and let all of us tell you how amazing you are.”

“Then,” said Beth, leading you over to a cutely decorated table, sitting you down. “We’ll play some games, the really cheesy stuff. Like guess the weight of the babies, guess the length of the bump, all that stuff. Including prizes, which you are exempt from since you have an advantage.”

“Being pregnant?”

“Being pregnant.”

“Then some lunch,” said Courtney, grinning. “Then presents.”

“Always the best part of any occasion,” you joke, sipping your drink.

You sat with your friends, Sarah and Claire soon joining you and introducing themselves to Beth, Georgia, Courtney, and Emily. They blend in with the group with ease, and soon you’re laughing and joking together like you’ve been friends for years. Sarah tells them all that she never thought Santiago would ever have kids or stick around for anyone.

“It’s nearly been a year since he’s come back,” said Sarah. “He usually bolts by month one or two. Santiago Garcia can’t stay in one place for too long.”

You ignore the way the panic blossoms in your chest and disappears just as quickly as it reared its ugly head. She was only joking; Santiago has made it abundantly clear that he wasn’t going anywhere. You were weeks away from giving birth and he was still here, still celebrating with you and your friends. You’d finally agreed on names, after spending months and months disagreeing with every name you threw at each other. However, you were not quite ready to share with the world just yet, wanting to keep them to yourself until your babies finally arrived.

You gave a soft smile as Sarah still talked. No, Santi wasn’t leaving. He was here for good.

“You bad mouthing me?” Santi suddenly asked, appearing at your side as he throws a teasing grin to Sarah.

“Oh please, your attack dog will have something to say about it if I dare say a bad thing about you,” Sarah says, rolling her eyes good naturedly as she nods at Frankie, who was still talking to Benny.

“You gotta talk me up, Morales, these guys are important,” Santi replied, laughing as he motioned to your friends.

You reach over to pat his arm and give him a mock sympathetic look as Sarah teased him, before you turn to your friends. “Shall we play some games then?”

Gabrielle grins widely as Courtney nods.

Courtney calls everyone over to the table, before producing a ball of yarn. “We’re going to guess how big your bump is by measuring a string.”

“Santiago, you’re immediately disqualified, you probably have the bump mapped out,” said Beth, causing everyone to laugh.

You laugh along with them, but you realise something. Santi has never actually…touched your bump. Or if he had, it’s been a while since. You frown a little at the thought. When was the last time? Didn’t dad’s usually want to feel their kids moving? You think back and the only time you can remember was when you called him frantically because you had felt their first kicks and he wasn’t there. He’d come rushing over and you were both say in silence for what felt like hours with his hands on your belly as you both waited for it to happen again. That was months ago. What did that mean? Did he feel awkward doing it again? You were good friends, and you were pregnant with his kids, you wouldn’t have a problem with him wanting to feel the bump whenever he wanted.

You were looking into this too hard. Maybe has was just respecting your boundaries, that you don’t want to always be touched. Maybe you should let him know that he’s okay to do it. Not now, but later.

Courtney went around the group, letting everyone estimate how your bump measured. When it was Matthew’s turn, he looked between you and Gabrielle before he asked his wife, “How big were you with Luna?”

You wince at the question, and you noticed a few other people pull a face. Gabrielle had some self-esteem issues when she was pregnant with Luna, which was a different pregnancy with Theodore.

Gabrielle just gives him a tight smile. “Not as big as someone with twins, thank you very much. No offence.”

You shake your head. “None taken.”

Matthew, shaking his head, measured out a piece of string, looking at you a few times before finally cutting it.

Courtney makes her way around the group, where everyone made their measurements. Benny got into a spat with Frankie about how big his string was, before making one much bigger than Frankie’s.

“Hey!” you cried at Benny. “That’s offensive!”

“There’s two in there!” he cried, pointing to your bump, and holding up his string. “And I know that Garcia’s make big babies! Pope was eleven pounds when he was born!”

Your eyes widened as you look back at Santi. “You never told me that.”

He merely smirked at you.

“Would have been nice to know before I got pregnant.”

“Wasn’t intending to get you pregnant, didn’t think it was worth mentioning.”

You pull a face before nodding. “Okay, fair. Anyway, twins are usually smaller than average, so you might be off, Benny.”

“Damn,” Benny muttered as he passed the string over to Will and Claire.

Benny, in fact, ends up winning the string game.

“Are you kidding!?” you cry, mouth hanging open as Emily measures your bump with Benny’s perfect string.

Benny, with his arms raised and hands curled into fists in celebration, parades around the room like a peacock. Frankie and Will throw over some friendly insults as he picks a prize (oddly, he chose a cute little succulent).

The games continue with baby shower bingo, adding an element of friendly competition to the atmosphere. A Gabrielle shouted the words on the bingo cards, you enjoy joining in, getting competitive with Courtney, trying to shove her card away whenever she was searching for a word, only for her to keep stamping the wrong words on your own card. You glance at Santi who wasn’t taking too much of a part of this game, choosing to talk intensely with Frankie and Will, Benny playing bingo with Claire and Sarah. You frown lightly at him with worry before turning back to the game before Claire lets out a cry of joy, and calls out, "Bingo!"

She won a Lush voucher, which she was very happy about.

Next, Claire arranged a table with an array of dolls laid out, and a row of diapers, baby wipes, and baby talc. Gabrielle took lead on this one also, explaining that the dolls needed changing, and you had to use all the tools on the table. The one with the quickest time won.

You didn’t take part, claiming you’d be changing diapers for what felt like the rest of time when the babies arrived, so you sat back and watched in amusement as the chaos began. You were crying laughing everyone frantically tried to change the doll’s diapers; there was a suspiciously odd number of resources available, which meant a few people were scrambling and shouting at each other for cheating and hogging the wipes, or the talc. You were sure Santi and Benny were about to wrestle on the floor.

In the end, Will won, but graciously gave his prize of the collection of Hershey’s chocolate to Emily, who’d had her eye on it the moment she walked into the venue.

After Beth announced a small break for some lunch, you mosey your way on over to Santi, who finally had a moment alone. “Hi,” you say as you take a seat next to him.

“Hi,” he said, grinning back at you.

“How you doing?”

He gives a short snort of laughter, taking a sip of his water. “I’m doing good.”

“Good,” you say, nodding. “Saw you and Frankie and Will talking earlier. You were a bit...off, is everything okay?”

Santi frowned at you for a small moment, so brief you almost miss it, before shaking his head. “Everything’s fine.”

You raise your eyebrows at him pointedly. “You sure?”

He nodded, placing his drink back on the table. “Yeah.”

“If you say so,” you say.

You drop it. You can tell something is bothering him, but you’re sure he’ll tell you when he’s ready. You look around the room, smiling at all your friends mingling, Benny talking to Matthew and Gabrielle (or at least listening to something Matthew was talking about), Frankie and Sarah were chatting with Beth and Georgia, and Courtney was talking with Claire and helping set up the next activity (from what you could see, it looked like onesie decorating), as Andy and Will were getting some more drinks.

“So how do you find my friends?” you ask him.

Santi gives a chuckle before looking at you, grinning. “Beth scares the shit out of me.”

You laugh. “She’s an angel, what do you mean?”

“She’s very protective over you,” he says.

“She’s protective of anyone she loves. You’re the same,” you say, waving over to his friends. “You’d take a bullet for any of them. You probably have taken a bullet for them.”

“One or two,” Santi quips, sipping again at his drink.

“Exactly,” you say, nudging his shoulder with yours.

He stays silent for a moment before he takes a breath and places his drink back on the table. “I know we’re doing gifts later, but I wanted to give you this now.”

He digs around in his pocket, pulling out a small, wrapped box. He hands it to you, and you take it after a moment before unwrapping it. You pause as you look at the small white box, before giving a wide smile at Santiago and opening it. You give a giggle at the new charm for your bracelet, a baby carriage.

“To commemorate your baby shower,” Santi says.

“Our baby shower,” you say, before lifting the charm gently. “Put it on, put it on!”

You hold it out to Santi before offering your wrist, where the bracelet he gave you for Christmas still lay. You hardly take it off. He smiles as he holds your arm gently, moving it so he could place the charm on. He makes sure it’s secure before giving your hand a small pat, and you bring your wrist to your eyes to get a good look at it.

“It’s beautiful,” you say. “Thank you, Santi. It’s an amazing addition.”

“I’m glad you like it.” He gives you another smile before glancing around the room. “Let’s get some food. I’m starving.”

After lunch, you sit with your friends and start decorating some onesies. You attempt to stick to a jungle theme, to match Santi’s nursery (from what you could tell). You laugh at your poor attempt of a tiger and panda that you tried to draw on the onesies, and you and Emily try to fix it with some patterns and some more colour, but you eventually decided it was a lost cause, that they were as good as they were going to get.

You decided you were going to pack them in your hospital bag.

Throughout the rest of the celebration, snippets of conversation, shared memories, and well-wishes fill the air. Gabrielle and Matthew swap parenting tips and recount their own experiences with you, Santi, and Frankie and Sarah, leaving you with some laughs and new worries, which you would be able to conquer with the love and support from everyone.

You open your presents with excitement, oohing and ahhing at the new clothes, the crib sheets, even down to teething toys and pacifiers. You thanked everyone profusely, sharing some smiles with Santi. You were already picturing the presents scattered around your new house, where you would store them away when they weren’t being used, where all the small, teeny-tiny clothes were going to go.

You might start crying.

More games are played, and more prizes are won between the group, and you pack away a stack of cards with baby predictions on them. You giggle to yourself as you read through some of them.

Soon after, you realise the day is ending and the venue had been subtly hinting for a while that they were ready to close. You start loading the car with the gifts and many, many packs of diapers, with the help of your friends, old and new. You hover outside the venue once everyone starts to disperse, sending goodbyes and sharing hugs.

“We’ll help you get settled into your new place over the next week, yeah?” Frankie asked you, placing his hands on his hips as you came out of a hug with Sarah.

You nod at him. “Yes, please, I would really appreciate it. The house could do with a fresh coat of paint, and I still need to build all of my furniture – “

“Don’t worry about all’a that, we’ve got it,” said Santi, looking at you with a slight frown.

Benny nodded, grinning. “Just let us know when.”

You smile widely before nodding. “Thanks again for today, really.”

“We’ll see you soon, okay?” said Sarah, giving you a pointed look. “Don’t be a stranger.”

“I won’t,” you say, before you watch them walk to their cars. You waved them off, watching them leave before sighing and turning to Santi. “So I’ll see you next week, yeah?”

He nods, arms folded over his chest. “Yup, I’ll take a few half days. You started maternity yet?”

You shake your head. “Nope, week after next. But I’m using some PTO so I don’t have to use all of my maternity leave.”

“Smart,” he says, grinning before turning to Emily, who just joined you after going to the bathroom. “Ready to go?”

“Sure,” Emily replied before giving you a hug, smiling widely. “Today was so much fun. I am still amazed that Santiago is the baby daddy we’ve been talking about.”

“Thanks for coming, Em,” you say, coming out of the hug. “Next time I see you, I’ll probably be a mom.”

“I know! It’s crazy!” she cried, before looking at Santi. “Let’s go.”

“I’ll see you later, cariño,” said Santi, bringing you into a hug before pecking you on the cheek.

You ignore the way your skin tingles afterward. “See you later.”

You both linger for a moment before coming out of the hug. You look at him and he’s already meeting your gaze, a soft smile on his face before he gives you a nod and turns to leave with Emily.

You wave as they hop in the truck and drive away before sighing, and once they were out of view, you turn back and walk into the venue, grabbing the last few gifts and thanking the staff again for being so accommodating, before you stop at Courtney’s car, where you friends are already gathered.

“Thanks for this guys, really,” you say, smiling at them as you load the last diaper pack into Courtney’s trunk. “I really enjoyed it today.”

“I’m glad you did,” said Gabrielle.

“I’m just sorry it was…” Beth says, before trailing off.

“What?” you ask after a moment.

Beth gives a sigh before looking at you. “I’m sorry that your family couldn’t celebrate this with you. I tried to contact them, but…”

You heart skips a beat at the mention of your family. Tears spring to your eyes as you try and wave it off nonchalantly. “Don’t feel bad.”

“No, Beth’s right, they should be here – “ said Courtney.

But you shake your head, cutting her off. “No, no, they’ve made their choice. Besides, I have all I need right here.”

There was a moment before your friends gather you in their arms, the tears finally falling from your eyes. You feel safe, warm, and valued. The baby shower showed that you were surrounded by love and laughter, despite the absence of your family. The memories created on this special day will forever be etched in your heart, a testament to the incredible support and love from your chosen family, and you couldn’t wait to share this journey with your children.

“We love you,” Gabrielle muttered into the group hug.

You give a small, watery laugh. “I love you guys too.”

You all came out of the hug, before subtly wiping at your eyes. Courtney sighed before closing her trunk. “We taking all of this to your new house?”

You nod. “Yup. My next adventure begins!”

Tagged - @khonsulockley, @superficialfeelings, @othersideoftheparadise, @beezusvreeland, @itsmytimetoodream

#triple frontier #santiago garcia x reader #santiago x reader #santiago garcia #oscar isaac #pregnant!reader #santiago garcia x f!reader #frankie morales #william miller #benny miller

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