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#why the mug tea tho..?
simphic · 8 months
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First day of NYFW for Yas... #freemthem 🤷🏾‍♀️
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sw1mmingfoolz · 2 years
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"baby?", felix asks, his concerned eyes taking in your distressed face, "what's going on? you okay?"
"yeah", you watch as he arches his brow in disbelief, "just one of those days, you know?"
"okay", he pulls you gently into his arms, pressing a soft kiss on your hair, "wanna get some soup and cuddle?"
"that sounds good", your voice is muffled against his chest, "can we watch that victorious videeo essay?"
"ofcourse”
- livvie (hope you feel better soon, cait)
livvie it concerns me sometimes that you know me so well 😭 and that maybe that goes both ways because i recognised this to be your writing immediately :') that was adorable, thank you, i actually do have a couple cartons of my favourite soup and my new bee teapot right here so maybe that is how I should spend my night! i appreciate you sm 😭💞💞 i'll be okay, as always going through the motions but it's definitely interesting how on bad days you lose sight of the good ones and convince yourself it's always bad ahahaha, felix soft hours can get me through anything I think 😌💞
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bukuoshin · 10 months
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I'm gonna be real: probably made too many food miniatures for my niece. But I'm not done yet either.
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It's a Match! || 141 x Reader
[ Chapter 10 ] || [ Chapter 12 ]
Pairing: 141 x gn!Reader Words: 1.1K~ Summary: While overcoming recent heartbreak, you decide to join Tinder in search of a rebound. Your friends advise to just Swipe Right indiscriminately... What happens when 4 soldiers from the same squad match with you? a/n: i'm in love with gaz
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Chapter 11: Excuse me?
A DM suddenly shoots up to the top of the pile in Kyle’s Tinder DM list and his eyebrows raise when he sees your name.
It’s been a month and a half, maybe longer, since you two last matched and after the brief rejection and you having gotten with Price, his life moved on and he kind of forgot you existed.
But your sudden message whose preview starts with “hey sorry to be botheri-” intrigues him so he presses it.
you: hey sorry to be bothering u but i figured it was safe to dm u about this because between u and johnny u seemed to be the most mature one! is simon okay? he stopped replying to me like a week ago and im concerned
Kyle’s eyebrows shot up on his forehead upon reading the question.
Kyle: he’s been texting u? 🤨 you: HI! yeah he has Kyle: excuse me? 🤨🤨 Kyle: like texting texting u.  Kyle: as in you text him and he answers and u 2 chat? 😐 you: yes? 🙃 Kyle: tf kind of witchcraft did u pull on him? 🤨 Kyle: he doesnt text.  Kyle: not one of us can get more than a thumbs up reaction to our texts in the groupchat. 😑 you: he texts me! Kyle: 😫?? Kyle: jesus christ.  you: you didnt answer is he okay?? 😭😭
Kyle thought back on a reason why Ghost would suddenly, well, ghost you. But he can’t think of any… Ghost is a notoriously bad texter, it doesn’t surprise him that he went MIA…
And then it hits him.
It’s 8 A.M. in the rec room of their floor and Ghost was making tea just as Johnny was taking a seat in the couch.
Kyle oofed as Johnny hit him, throwing his legs over Kyle’s lap. “Watch it mate, fuck you’re bloody heavy!” He complained.
“AH, FUCKIN’ HELL!” Ghost cursed as he threw his hands up in the air the sound of water dripping on the floor catching his attention.
Kyle looked over to see Ghost had spilled his boiling hot water everywhere on the counter.
“You alright L.T.?” Soap asked a she lifted his head over the back of the couch to peer at Simon just like Gaz was.
“Great.” Ghost grunted as he picked up his phone from the counter, which was also dripping in water, while his other hand threw a rag onto the mess of water dripping down from the counter.
“Oh fuck… ‘s your phone dead?” Soap asked and Ghost grumbled under his breath, not quite answering the question, as he busied himself soaking up the spilled water.
Just then, Price showed up at the rec room door. “Simon, gear up. Got a briefing for a solo mission in 10.”
“Fuckin’ hell, yeah, yeah, I got it.” Ghost grunted as he cleaned the mess and then rushed out the door, leaving his mug of tea in the counter and clutching his now broken phone in his hands.
Kyle: hes fine. Kyle: he spilled water on his phone and killed it I think.  Kyle: and he got sent out before he could get it fixed. 🙃 you: oh okay good! you: thanks! you: sorry to have bothered you! 🙏 Kyle: now wait just a minute. 😤 Kyle: u need to explain how in the hell u and ghost talk.👀 you: ghost? Kyle: that’s his work name. 🤷‍♂️ you: fitting seeing as i thought he ghosted me Kyle: THAT’S THE JOKE I MADE JUST NOW TO MYSELF! 😭 you: were in sync it seems 😭 Kyle: answer the question tho. you: idk what u want me to answer with Kyle: wdym u dont know??? explain yourself. Kyle: how do you get ghost to text u???? you: idk? im funny ig Kyle: 😑 you: im sorry if thats not what u want to hear Kyle: wait Kyle: a couple weeks ago he was out all night Kyle: during morning training soap was talking about how he had a date Kyle: was he with u? 👀👀 you: soap? Kyle: johnny. Kyle: keep up cmon now. you: jeez don’t patronize me you: yes simon was with me Kyle: 👀👀👀 Kyle: i see. Kyle: tell me more. you: theres nothing to tell Kyle: thats a lie and u know it.  you: its not!!! Kyle: cmon. Kyle: u cant just meet with a bloke with a skull mask on and then say u dont have anything to tell. 😑😑 you: a skull mask?? Kyle: did he not wear a mask when he was with u? 🤨🤨 you: yes? you: a black one Kyle: with a skull print on it yeah? you: no??? 🙃 you: just black! Kyle: jesus christ. Kyle: and what? what happened? you: nothing?! Kyle: walk me thru it. you: we went out for a drink then came back to mine and watched a movie! Kyle: 🤨🤨 Kyle: and had a shag? you: NO???? Kyle: wdym no? thats what would normally happen with a bloke. you: and???? you: this is simon were talking about kyle you: nothing about him screams normal exactly 🙃 you: hes joked about being able to kill me with his bar ehands you: bare hands* Kyle: fair. Kyle: this raises more questions for me. you: what Kyle: like u would meet with a masked bloke that can kill u with his bare hands alone without protection? 🤨 you: i had protection Kyle: not a condom. you: oh 😅 you: well we met at a pub soooo  Kyle: what did u 2 do then Kyle: other than watch a ‘movie’ 🙄 you: played mario kart you: slept Kyle: as in Kyle: you SLEPT? like honk shoo honk mimimimi? you: yes🙄🙄 Kyle: im confused. you: ur confused? im fucking confused bro Kyle: wdym u SLEPT TOGETHER? 🙃 Kyle: WHAT KIND OF WITCHCRAFT IS THIS?  Kyle: wtf have u done to him Kyle: like ghost doesnt text, he sure as shit doesnt visit people, and he doesnt go on dates, he doesnt sleep next to people, im almost sure the man doesnt have feelings or emotions and only speaks in sarcasm  Kyle: how can u get that out of him?? 🤨🤨 Kyle: no one else can! you: well with that mentality you cant you: idk what to tell u you: we hit it off 🙄 Kyle: explain yourself. you: ive been explaining it!!!!! Kyle: no explain it better. Kyle: I think Im having a stroke.  you: idk how to make it clearer??? Kyle: thats it. Kyle: are you free rn?? Kyle: I need u to explain urself. 😑 you: Im at work? Kyle: whens ur lunch break? 👀 you: in 35 minutes. Kyle: do u like ramen? you: yes? Kyle: whats the closest japanese to ur job? you: Akira Kyle: meet me at Akira for lunch. Kyle: I’m buying. you: who said i want to meet up with u?? 🤨🤨 Kyle: man just get down there. Kyle: im offering to pay. you: fineeeee 🙄
Kyle quickly hopped up from his seat at his desk with a start and rushed back to his room to change out of his fatigues.
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taglist (CLOSED! not adding anyone else, sorry!): @daisychainsinknots , @bunnysdaydreams , @iite-cool , @lahniu , @pagesfalling , @tapioca-milktea1978 , @live-love-be-unique , @thelaisydazy , @littleghosthunter , @bossva , @emotion-no-hot-yes-hotel-trivago , @chamomiletealeaf , @ghosts-hoe , @kariiiel , @ltbarnes , @irregulardongyoung , @spacelia , @hayleybarnesx , @infpt-zylith , @xxshadowbabexx , @frescoisnotinthemilitary , @leeeenistop , @lucienbarkbark , @zombie-freak , @wittleespur
@severenswife , @enarien, @agoodmoviekiss , @l0lziez , @whos-fran , @greatstormcat , @openup-yourmind , @neoarchipelago , @sodavrr , @cutiecusp , @lilliumrorum , @c-nstantine , @kneelforloki , @comeonatmebruh , @codsunshine , @waiting-so-long , @captainquake42 , @gazspookiebear , @mynameismisty , @reap3erslov3 , @reaper-chan666 , @poohkie90 , @kitwithnokat , @stick-the-dumbass , @mothsdrabbles , @justanerd1 , @thesinsoflust , @thriving-n-jiving , @blckbrrybasket
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Can you write hcs for Luke and a daughter of Hypnos (😴)
PLEASE
🥰
(If possible?)
⋆⭒˚.⋆ luke castellan x daughter of hypno! reader hcs
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content: luke castellan x daughter of hypno! reader hcs warning: so soft you'll puke tho tbh minor mentions of luke's angst author's note: why do i love this more than life itself???? i dunno, you tell me. i kinda wish it was longer but yo girl outta ideas. also, i think im so fucking funny for that last line like hello guys where is my oscar for funniest teen girl to exist????
lukey pookie and his sleepy girl frrrrr
you guys were, like, aware of each other but not like friends, ya know???
until his quest - well, failed quest
he kept having nightmares, horrors of the shame on his father's face, visions of his mother hearing the news had he actually died, terrible dreams of demented dragons and enough golden apples to drown in
chris noticed and suggest luke go see you, hypno's best daughter
chris knew you following a head injury that had him scared he was going to fall into a coma, but the apollo cabin had called you over to sooth his nerves.
you were also often called in when new, younger campers were struggling to sleep, which made the a common but distant face in the hermes cabin
and chris just knew you could do wonders for luke's recent sleep problems
after a little bit of resistance, luke finally went to you
he'd had the worst nightmare yet, leaving him with huge bags under his eyes and a tension in his shoulders that he couldn't seem to loose
he figured it quite literally couldn't get any worse, so he knocked on the door of cabin fifteen, already feeling slightly more at peace from just standing outside it
then a pretty girl opened the door, a cute yawn hidden behind her hand
"h-hey! luke, right? what can i do for ya?" you muttered, rubbing the sleep from your eyes before beaming a soft smile at the boy
luke choked on nothing, attempting to get words out but his tongue kept getting in the way and all that came out was chortled noises
you giggled softly, unable to keep them in despite the boys growing blush
"i-i- chris, he said- er, something about you being able to help me sleep with you- sorry! no, sleep, just, you know, in general," luke finally managed to spit out, his brain working overtime and the words coming out all wrong
you giggled at the boy once more before leaning forwards and grasping his wrist, tugging him into your cabin
you gestured towards one of the free, fluffy beds, disappearing off to somewhere, though you kept talking to the boy
"chris is really worried about you, ya know. i almost had to visit you, which we don't do very often. here, you want some tea?? lavender or chamomile? i prefer the chamomile but i think you'd like the lavender," you rambled, sitting beside him in the bed criss cross and presenting him with a mug and holding up two separate tea bags
"chamomile's fine," luke replied, taking the teabag from you, not wanting to mention that it reminded him of his mom but it reminded him of his mom
"chamomile's great!" you joked, bumping your shoulder with his
a few minutes passed of just luke drinking the tea and yawning before you mentioned that he should lie down, removing the mug from his hands
he was resistant, admittedly, not wanting to risk seeing more horrible things in his head
but you took his hand into yours, gently running your fingers along the veins and bones that you could just feel through his skin
"you think i'm just here for shits and giggles?? nah, i'm here to fistfight the boogie man. and lemme tell ya, these fists are lethal," you joke, winking at the boy, who laughed, settling into the soft pillows and blanket
but most importantly, he was settling into your presence, the hold you had on his hand, the soothing that your voice did to his brain and heart
and luke fell asleep, peacefully drifting off to the sounds of your hums and the feeling of your soft fingers ghosting over his skin
for the first time in a long while, luke castellan slept like a baby, warm and coddled and trusting that nothing bad could happen to him
not with the defender of REM cycle there
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g-xix · 8 months
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Pregnant | Harry Lewis
Hey girlies, here's a Harry oneshot for the W2S girls, requested by someone on Wattpad... Ik Whoetoshaw has alr done way longer + more in depth sort of oneshot for this so creds to her ofc. Here's a cute pic of Harry to prepare you tho:
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Very fitting!!! Anyways: Content: Pregnancy scare, female hormones, 2k wordcout CW's: Pregnancy scares + mentions of abortion
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The two bright red lines glared up at me angrily. 
I couldn't believe it.
Slapping a hand to my mouth, I felt as though the life around me were distorting, those bright two lines indicating the new life forming in my stomach.
"Y/n? You all alright in there?" Georgia's voice called from outside the bathroom. I felt my hands shaking, I couldn't comprehend it was really true. Tears began burning in the corners of my eyes, distorting the dizzying LED's around me. There was commotion around me- a door slammed open, a familiar face with a look of horror as they looked at me- lay across the bathroom floor- I couldn't tell you what happened in the space of ten minutes, but before I knew it I was sat opposite Georgia in the kitchen- steaming mug of tea in my hands.
She looked at me sombrely, a hot mug in her hands as well.
"So, when are you gonna tell him?" She questioned, raising her mug for a sip. 
"Who?"
"Harry."
Oh God. I had to tell Harry. Boyfriend of five years, best friend, considerable soulmate.
And somehow the thought of telling him still made me pale inside.
We'd never talked about babies before... Pregnancy or even babysat for a friend! And having a baby meant a lot of responsibility we hadn't considered. We both had far too much on our plates. I had a nine-to-five, he had all of his YouTube biz, and we barely even had time or thought for holidays together, anymore.
"Soon." I gulped, palely.
...
"We're going out for drinks tonight- Mia and Faith coming along as well, you wanna come?" Harry mentioned casually,
"Oh, yeah sure I-" I choked on my breath as I remembered, coughing and burning my lungs as I hacked up a bit of inhaled saliva. Harry's hand found my back, slapping it as though he were trying to hit the cough out of me. "O-on other notes, I think I'll pass."
"You're not one to pass on meeting up with the girls, you got a bit extra work?" Harry questioned, face showing concern as he tried to read my expression.
I turned my back to him, facing the fridge to avoid eye contact as I responded dejectly. 
"Yeah." I spoke shortly. I could feel the burning in my lungs slowly sinking in my stomach and sitting like a volcano getting ready to erupt. Every morning, throwing up had been getting worse and worse. It felt as though no matter what I ate (or didn't eat) for dinner, every morning the sickness hit with the same knee-weakening magnitude. I was sure Harry was asleep most mornings when I threw my body over the toilet bowl, given I woke at 3am with the sickening urges. 
And I didn't want him to see me throw up all over the kitchen after missing out on an opportunity to see Faith and Mia again.
"You want me to stay? I don't mind staying in tonight if you wanna spend some time-"
"God's sake, shut up Harry." I snapped "Just go without me- I've never stopped you before, have I." 
An uncomfortable silence settled between us, tension in the room thick enough to cut with a knife. 
I didn't mean to shout at him- I don't know why I snapped. 
"S-sorry." He softly spoke, voice filled with downcasted sadness. His voice only made my heart ache more, and I turned to try and meet his eyes- babble an apology- but as I turned to try and meet his soothing blue eyes, I was instead met with the door closing behind me.
The pull on my heartstrings making the tears well in my eyes was clearly too close to the stomach- as I felt my inside swirling, bile building in my oesophagus.
Before I knew it I was back at the toilet bowl, hands clasped around the lid with my knuckles going white as I had whole body shakes. My eyes squeezed shut, throat burning as I coughed up residual acid that lingered in my throat, spitting out all that amalgamated, nauseating fluid in my mouth.
And then after the coughs, it all began dawning on me again.
No more going out for drinks.
No more spontaneous planning.
No more irresponsibility.
Those coughs began developing into dry heaves, tears trickling down my cheeks as my breathing became erratic, broken cries and raw sounds coming from a throat I couldn't even believe was my own. 
My body shook with each cry- weak and unstable- and only trembling more as I realised I wasn't just shaking myself. That tiny life form- a consequence of my carelessness- shook with me with each choked sob.
A vibration from my pocket was pulled out with quivering fingers, spotting Georgia's name.
I swiped on on the accept button, lips sealing together as I tried to zone into Georgia's voice.
"Hey girl, you doing alright?"
"M-maybe... Why, has s-something happened?"
"Not really, just wanted to know- have you told Harry yet or are you still-"
I felt that anger building inside me again. It wasn't her fucking problem- easy for her to pressure me- try and advise me and tell me I ought to tell him despite having zero fucking knowledge on what it feels like-
"GEORGIA, FUCK OFF I DON'T NEED THIS SHIT-" I threw the phone out of the bathroom door, hearing it hit one of the bedroom walls. "FUCK. OfF..."
My voice breaking was the last straw before I began losing it hysterically once more. My throat burnt as more acid crept up my oesophagus and found its way into the toilet, tears streaming down my face like a river now- chest rapidly rising and falling as I clutched at my head- everything making me light hearted.
The lights went off after that.
Pulling the pulley down, the lights went off. I didn't want to be seen. I want to see the reflection of a broken woman who I knew was myself. I cried in the dark instead of facing myself and what had happened.
Until I lay back flat against the cool tiles. I had gone through the motions. Dramatic sobs until there was no more liquid and I could only dry heave- to now- simply staring up at the ceiling, eyes tired and breathing steady with the exception of an occasional erratic choke. 
It could have been just a few minutes, or a few hours that I just lay there.
Head empty, stomach empty, body feeling completely light. As though I weren't even alive.
I felt like shit.
I shouldn't have snapped at Harry.
I shouldn't have shouted at Georgia.
I shouldn't have thrown my phone.
I'll tell him when he comes back, Georgia, I spoke internally. Promise. For you.
My mind flicked through the variety of ways he could respond to hearing it. Eventually I filtered it down to a few.
Best case scenario: He's too drunk to understand it and just falls asleep, unable to comprehend what I'd said.
Worst case scenario: He completely sobers up and tells me to leave. Get out, blocks me on everything, does everything in his power to never see me again. 
Of course, there were also a few alternatives:
Maybe he would start packing and get ready to spend the night at a friend's to sober up- not believing what he'd heard.
It was a possibility he might pass out from the news.
Or he could agree to support me, but only if I agree to abort it- him- her- whatever it was.
That final thought was sickening. I couldn't abort it. Of course - I physically could have it aborted... But I couldn't do that to something living. A part of me. I didn't like the thought of something growing inside of me- but that didn't mean I was going to be cruel enough to kill it. No matter how poorly Harry reacted.
A jangle of keys outside the door was enough to get me onto my feet- rushing back into the bedroom as I heard the front door opening.
"Y/n?" His voice called from the front room.
I jumped onto the bed, finding my phone and running my finger over the dent it had left in the wall. That would need fixing as well.
"Y/n? You around?" Harry's voice peeked around the door, finding me sat on the bed. Hands held in lap, phone clasped between shaking fingers. I looked at Harry's head, hair scruffy, and the smile on his face sincere. And the lack of redness in his eyes and cheeks gave me the impression he hadn't drank - or at least he hadn't drank much.
"You don't look like you've gone out." I commented on Harry's appearance. He smiled as he entered the bedroom, shutting his door behind him.
"Decided to skip." He responded, leaning his back against the door, holding a plastic baggie in his hands. 
You should tell him. The voice spoke in my head. I knew I should. And there was not better time than now to tell him. 
"I have something to tell you." "I have something to tell you."
I lowered my head and chucked slightly as the two of us let out laughs, our synchronisation amusing despite the fact it felt as though my heart were going to explode in my chest. 
"I'll go first," Harry offered, though I shook my head.
"No, I want to-"
"I can- I don't mind, I mean-"
"No, seriously, Harry. I've got something more... uhm, important."
I could feel tears welling in my eyes as I went. The dip in the bed and the heavy arm that made its way around my shoulder indicated Harry at my side. I couldn't hold it in as again, I felt a choked sob make its way from my lips.
"I'm pregnant, Harry-"
I cut myself off with another pathetic sob, my head burying into Harry's shoulder as he wrapped his other arm around me, cradling and rocking us back and forth. My head ached as I let myself cry onto his hoodie shoulder, my hands weakly grasping onto the soft material as the second batch of tears for the day slipped down my cheeks.
I wiped my nose, pulling away to look at my boyfriend after the worst of the sobbing was over, my tired red eyes meeting his own pacifying blue ones. 
"I know." He softly spoke, his lips curling up slightly with a small smile as he watched my expression drop to blank slate instantly. 
"W-what?" I stuttered, the words not resonating as I suddenly felt so light it were as though I weren't even there. His eyes curved into little crescents as he giggled. 
"I know, Y/n, I know, I know, I know." I closed my eyes, breathing in and out deeply, wanting to pinch my arm. Was I even awake? 
"Please explain what the hell is happening," I asked with a short laugh, still not really processing what was happening. 
"I figured, Y/n. After all the morning sickness-"
"I thought you were asleep during that?"
"I heard the end of your throwing up and toilet flush in the morning... I feel worse I always woke up too late to help you through it. But I noticed your morning sickness, not coming out to drink, the unusual mood changes..."
"Yeah, sorry for snapping at you." I chuckled, and he just rubbed my back. "So... what now?"
"Well, I went out and I got some things for us- sorry, for you." He pulled the plastic Tesco's bag from the side of the bed, digging through it. "I got you some Häagen-Dazs- the praline flavour because I know it's your favourite- and these flowers because Faith advised to get those on the phone- oh, and also-"
He pulled a fluffy piece of clothing and gestured for me to take it. I couldn't tell what exactly the item was, but as I pulled it apart, I realised it was a tiny little baby one-piece, so small it was barely the side of my head. 
It was perfect. He was perfect. My boyfriend, my baby daddy, My Harold. I felt as though I could cry again, but refrained as I turned to face Harry.
"So you're... okay with having a baby?"
"...Yeah." He began nodding his head in self-support. "We can do this."
"You aren't mad or anything?"
"Mad?" He looked aghast at the thought. "Bloody hell, no! I'm actually kind of... excited."
I couldn't believe it. A laugh fell from my lips, realising there wasn't any problems. That Harry was fine with all of it. And he supported it. Me. We were going to be fine.
"Fuck, I love you Harry."
He connected his lips with mine and I couldn't have felt happier as the fireworks in my stomach exploded, lips curling into a smile as I realised:
Maybe it was all gonna be okay.
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Hope you enjoyed reading!! Feel free to interact- whether that be a comment, vote or follow! Requests open, feel free to submit what u wanna see... Much love!!
To see more, here's my MASTERLIST
And here's my WATTPAD, with 50+ more oneshots to read
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soulrph · 2 years
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𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐋/𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐂 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒.
as requested by a very wonderful, very dear, very lovely friend! i hope you all enjoy using these as much as i enjoyed writing them! i honestly found these so nice and therapeutic to write tho like oml i cannot get over it! DO NOT ADD TO THIS LIST PLEASE! 
“ oh, i knew you could do it! i’m so proud of you! “
“ i’m thinking of doing a movie/game night at my place, if you wanna join in? “
“ how many mugs of coffee have you had today?! that’s enough, now, you go take a nap before you buzz through the ceiling! “
“ i’ll send you the recipe, if you like! but, in the same breath, you should know that i really don’t mind continuing to cook this for you; it’s no trouble at all, really! “
“ are you sure there isn’t anything i can do to help you in the kitchen? “
“ come on in! take a seat! i’ll fix you up a plate, there’s more than enough to go around! “
“ why don’t you spend the night here? really, it’s no trouble to fix up the guest room, and we have plenty of spare pajamas and toiletries if that’s what’s bothering you! “
“ look, i get the whole lone wolf thing, trust me, i do. but... you do understand that there’ll always be a place here for you, don’t you? that door is always open to you, no matter what. that’s a promise. “
“ why don’t i make you a cup of tea, and you can tell me all about it? “
“ [NAME]? hey, hey, hey, what’s the matter? are you okay? what’s wrong? oh, come here... “
“ jeez, i don’t even wanna know how you got that battle wound there; sit down and let me fix it up, won’t you? “
“ hey, stranger! it’s been a minute, huh? what’ve you been up to? how have you been? hell, where have you been? “
“ now, now, don’t be silly; put that wallet away. i invited you out for dinner, so i’ll pay the bill, right? you can get the next one! “
“ hey, you didn’t order anything! don’t worry about it, huh? here, take half my sandwich; i can never finish the damn thing, anyway, you’re really doing me the favor! and there’s coffee in that flask, so help yourself to that, too! i’ve been trying to cut back, anyhow. “
“ hey, i know it’s really late, but... i didn’t know who else to call. “
“ everything’s gonna be okay, i promise. just tell me where you are, okay? and i’ll come and get you right this second. “
“ well, we have to celebrate your good news! what’s your favorite dinner? oh, and cake! we can’t have a decent celebration without cake, right? “
“ hey, hey, it’s okay, relax. i’m not about to nag you for skipping out on curfew, alright? have you eaten anything? because i saved you a plate, and it’s in the oven if you want it. “
“ now, now, none of that self-hate talk! we all have bad days, right? we all mess up sometimes and make silly mistakes. but it doesn’t matter at the end of the day; it just makes the good days all the better! “
“ guess who has an extra ticket for the concert this weekend! wanna come with me? they’re practically front row! “
“ you’re still coming over for dinner tonight, right? “
“ hey! what are your plans for the holidays? because, if you didn’t have any, i have an offer for you! or an open invitation! “
“ did you do something different with your hair? it looks amazing! “
“ oh my god, where have you been?! i was so worried about you! are you okay? did you get hurt?! “
“ we should go out tonight! come on, you can ransack my wardrobe if you like! i have a friend who’s the bouncer at that new night club, they can get us in for free! “
“ i made you some breakfast, if you’re hungry? it’s your favorite! unless you’ve got a new favorite, in which case... “
“ don’t forget to take an umbrella! “
“ let me know when you get there so i know you’re safe, okay? “
“ i watched that show you recommended last week! it was so good! can you believe that season finale, though? “
“ rough night, huh? i know that feeling. here, help yourself; the coffee is fresh, and the waffles are pretty damn good today, if i do say so myself! “
“ i knew you’d forget yours, so i brought extra. go ahead, help yourself! “
“ you’re welcome to stay for as long as you like. what’s mine is yours, okay? you don’t need to ask permission, just take whatever you want. “
“ you should get some sleep, okay? my room is just down the hall if you need anything. “
“ you don’t need to be so polite around here, you know! help yourself; i don’t bite! “
“ hey now, never apologize for feeling emotions, okay? humans are meant to feel all this stuff, no matter how good or bad the feelings are. besides; shoulders are built to be cried on! “
“ you should keep that sweater! it looks much better on you than it does on me; brings out your eyes! “
“ i never realized you could cook! the apron suits you very nicely! “
“ if you don’t have any plans this weekend, we should do something together! “
“ remember, if you want to leave early, just call me and i’ll come get you, okay? “
“ would you come on in inside out of that rain?! you’ll catch your death! “
“ don’t worry about it, okay? no apologies necessary; just breathe, everything’s good. “
“ it’s okay! no use crying over spilt milk, am i right? fetch me that mop and i’ll clean it up; you should find a clean shirt in the third drawer in my room, too! “
“ here, grab a plate; i made your favorite, and there’s more than enough for you to have seconds and take home a tonne of leftovers, too! “
“ would you mind setting the table for me while i finish up in the kitchen? “
“ you want some hot cocoa before you go to bed? i’m more than happy to have one with you; not to praise myself or anything, but my hot cocoa is the best in town! “
“ you did it! oh, congratulations! quick, i’m gonna fetch the sparkling cider, and then i’ll book a table somewhere fancy; we’re going to celebrate in style! “
“ oh god, you’re burning up a fever, you poor thing! here, lie down, let’s get you some water and a nice cool cloth, huh? “
“ how are you feeling? i thought you might be hungry, so i made some tea and toast. “
“ i thought i might find you out here... this must be your favorite spot, huh? it’s nice! “
“ how are you? and be real with me, now; i can tell when you’re not being honest with me. you’ve got a tell. “
“ figured you might be needing an extra blanket in this weather. you mind if i sit with you for a while? “
“ let’s go for a walk, huh? i know this place that does the best coffee you’ll ever have! “
“ i can’t believe you’ve never seen this movie before! we have to fix this immediately; you get the popcorn, i’ll order in the pizza and get the tv set up. “
“ wow... that pun was so awful, it actually became good again. nicely done! “
“ i know you have that meeting today, so i thought i’d come wish you luck. and give you my lucky socks! “
“ hey! i hope you’re hungry, i spared you some waffles and pancakes from breakfast this morning! “
“ maybe you’re not ready to talk just now. but i want you to know that, whenever you are, my door is always open to you. understand? “
“ i’m not here to say i told you so, don’t worry. i’m not that cruel. i’m just here to comfort my friend. “
“ you’re here so often, i figured it was about time you had your very own mug! “
“ do you mind if i put you down as my emergency contact? “
“ you should move in with me! i have a spare room, the rent is cheap, it’s closer to work... i mean, only if you want to, but i’m very much in favor of this! “
“ i know that things haven’t been easy for you lately, so... i was thinking, maybe we could plan a little vacation together? “
“ pull the car over, alright? you can get some sleep in the back seat, and i’ll take over the driving. “
“ woah, woah, woah... slow it down a few miles, huh? what’s going on? where’s the fire? “
“ do you want a hug? i give some really good hugs; i nearly got voted the best hug-giver in the continent, once! come on, you know you want to! “
“ hey! so i’m after having a really crappy day. you wanna get take-out and watch a movie at my place tonight? “
“ i remember you saying you didn’t like this ingredient last time, so i fixed you up something else. “
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koshkamartell · 1 month
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No One But Me
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You woke up sweating and tangled in your bed sheets after another fitful sleep full of bad dreams that seemed so realistic. You had always suffered from the occasional nightmare, as every survivor did, but lately you had been plagued by them more often.
They were vivid dreams that always revolved around the deaths of your loved ones. Hordes of the infected, grostesque beings with faces mutilated by cordyceps, would chase you relentlessly through thick forests or abandoned towns. Sometimes Ellie was with you, sometimes your parents. The dreams always ended similarly, with one of you being caught and barbarically devoured.
Each dream was traumatic and so lifelike. But you found the worst ones to be the dreams involving Ellie. They seemed to be happening more and more lately. In the dreams you would both be running from the infected, your laboured breathing and the crunch of earth under your shoes loud in your ears. You were running so fast that it seemed like you were escaping from the mob after you and freedom was just on the horizon, so close and so tangible.
Then disaster would strike. Ellie would trip over and land heavily onto her chest, the fall knocking the wind out of her small body. You would scream at her to get up and try desperately to haul her back up on her feet. But she was so heavy, like a lead weight, and no matter how hard you tried you just couldn't lift her. She lay motionless with her big eyes staring up at you full of tears. You would be screaming and crying hysterically as the infected approached, their shrieks and screeches deafening in your ears.
You would look up to see the horrible creatures rushing toward you then you'd look back to Ellie. Except it wasn't Ellie staring back at you now. Her face had changed. Staring back at you now was you as a child, 12 years old and frightened out of your wits. Time stood still as you and your child self gazed at each other in anguished horror. You were paralysed. The screams would get louder as the horde closed in on you. You squeezed your eyes shut when they reached you and lunged at you. Then you were enveloped in black.
And that's when your conscience returns to the reality of living and you wake up in the safety of Joel's arms or alone in your bed, disorientated and close to hyperventilating. Having Joel's warm body enclosed around yours as he whispered soothingly during these moments of profound distress was a blessing. It was something that you missed on the nights he didn't stay with you and you startled awake. Truthfully, it was just about the only time you missed Joel these days.
It had been a week since you negotiated your return to your cottage. You reveled in the comfort of your home and the security of all its quirks and nooks; the squeak of the kitchen cupboard where the mugs were kept, the small watercolour painting that hung in your hallway, the missing tile in your shower alcove, the smell of your herbal teas on your kitchen windowsill.
Joel still visited most nights and slept in your bed, entangling you in his strong arms and long legs. He invaded all your senses at once; his sandalwood and pine scent filling your nostrils, his thick fingers sliding into your pussy, his plush lips pressing against your neck, his intense dark brown eyes gazing at your face full of desire. You still surrendered yourself to Joel but there was a niggling part deep inside your heart that wouldn't settle, that caused your body to instinctively flinch when he touched you or when he spoke.
Joel had been trying very hard to prove himself to you. He had been loving and gentle, affectionate and attentive. The sex was still amazing. He hadn't gotten angry or annoyed with you. Infact, Joel had changed so dramatically that you couldn't help a modicum of hateful resentment spiking deep inside you. Why had it taken him so long to change? After all the damage he had inflicted, why did he now try to be better? 
Joel had even uttered those three simple words that you had waited so long to hear. When you heard him say "I love you" for the first time you were left speechless. His voice echoed through your head for days to come. But that shock then morphed into indignation the longer you thought about what Joel had done. And then that softly spoken declaration of love dissipated completely, outweighed and replaced by the other things he had said.
Disrespectful little bitch.
Whore.
Slut.
The passion in his insults still stung. The phantom grip of his hands all over your body still haunted you. You were suffocated by his presence and had to retreat to your own safe space, not just physically but emotionally. And emotionally that safe space was Oscar.
Your weekly lunch date quickly became the highlight of your week. He never failed to show up, always with a meal and some fruit tucked in his satchel. That one hour of spent with Oscar was a blissful reprieve from the depressive spiral you had gradually been descending into. Just the sight of his smile was enough to pierce through the darkness smothering your existence, like a speck of guiding gold light offering hope.
Joel had snuffed the flame of your spirit, leaving you abandoned in darkness. But Oscar was the one whose hand had found yours, knitting his fingers through your own and offering you refuge in his light. It was he who gave you hope, a reason to strive against the oppression of Joel's dark side and the survivor's guilt and depression, a reason to want to be happy.
You still loved Joel. You are sure a part of you will always love him. But he cannot fix what he has broken inside you, no matter how dedicated he is in trying to repair the ruins between you. The more time passes, the clearer it becomes that you can no longer love him as you once did.
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Oscar stands infront of the small mirror in his bathroom and runs a comb through his thick black hair. He hasn't shaved for the last three days and the stubble growing on his face is already prickly. He wonders if he should let it grow, if he looks better with a beard. He recalls the way you looked at him at the Tipsy Bison that night, the first time seeing him without the extra hair. Your eyes were twinkling with a mixture of something like intrigue and surprise, and what he believes - hopes - was a spark of attraction.
No, he decides. He will shave tomorrow.
Oscar splashes cold water on his face and brushes the sleep from his eyes. He doesn't take long to get ready for work, preferring to instead save enough time to eat a plate of scrambled eggs and have a cup of tea at a leisurely pace. He had spent far too many years on the brink of starvation to neglect his body's need for regular meals, and therefore he treats food with reverence. Once he's finished his breakfast Oscar washes his dishes and leaves the house for the stables.
On the walk there Oscar absorbs the sights and sounds around him. The snow on the trees lining the street look like powdered sugar, reminding Oscar of the donuts displayed in the window of the Jackson bakery. The sweet melody of chirping birds carries along the chilly breeze sweeping through the town, and the sounds feel like a warm morning greeting to Oscar. He stuffs his hands into his coat pockets and continues on his way, mentally preparing himself for the day ahead of him.
Joel is already at the stables when Oscar arrives. They greet each other and saddle their horses together, then go to the patrol post at the community gates to sign the log book and collect their rifles. Joel mounts his usual steed, a brown stallion named Tex, while Oscar hoists himself up onto his favourite mare, Misty. They trot through the massive gates of Jackson and set off on the well established route they have been assigned to.
Joel knows this route like the back of his hand. He doesn't need a map to navigate where they are going; he already knows what directions to take, every landmark that acts as a measurement of distance and time. The men settle into a companionable silence while they ride, and it isn't until an hour has passed that one of them says more than a handful of words.
"Tommy said Troy needed a week off," Oscar speaks up. "Is it his knee again?"
"It plays up in the cold," Joel grunts. "Gives him hell."
Like Joel, Troy had survived through many battles and escapades with both men and mutants, and he had the scars to prove it. Troy was younger and stronger than Joel, his body solidly built with more muscle and fat, but he was often plagued with aches and arthritis from old injuries. Joel empathised with Troy; his own back gave him much grief, the pain stemming all the way back to his contracting days.
"Check point is just up ahead," Joel announces. "We'll stop and survey the area, but I gotta piss first."
"Alright."
Less than half a mile away was a clearing that served as the first stopping point in the route. Joel and Oscar steer the horses to the glade and dismount them.  Oscar stands and stretches his arms up over his head, sighing contentedly, then looks out over the small valley below them. The land is blanketed with snow and dotted with patches of green shrubs and trees. The vast Wyoming land is encompassed by the formidable grey mountains that sit in the distance. Oscar soaks up the sight before him, speechless by the panorama for a few moments.
"This view is surreal," Oscar remarks reverently. "Beautiful, like a dream."
Joel cracks his neck and pulls off the sling of his rifle from over his shoulder. "Speakin' of dreams, you been havin' any more bad ones lately?"
"Not many, actually. Work's been so busy that I just about pass out when I get home. And...well...I guess I've just been a bit happier lately," Oscar replies with a light-hearted smile.
Joel huffs a laugh and takes hold of his rifle. "Yeah? Finally got yourself a woman, huh?" He bends down to set the gun to stand against a large rock.
"I don't wanna say too much but...yeah, there's kinda someone," Oscar says, bashful as he rubs the back of his neck.
Joel tethers Tex's reins to a branch of one of the nearby trees before pacing a few feet away to urinate. When he finishes and ambles back to Oscar and the horses Joel resumes the conversation.
"What's she like?" Joel asks as he reaches down and picks his rifle up once again. Oscar strokes Misty's muzzle, his back facing Joel.
"Well, she's a real sweetheart. Smart, loves to read. Really cares about others, you know what I mean? Like kids and old people."
Joel's breath catches in his throat and his hand immediately tightens around the handguard of his rifle. Is Oscar talking about you?
Have you been cheating on him?
No, you can't be. You love him, not Oscar.
You'd never do that. Oscar must be talking about some other woman.
Joel knows he needs to appear indifferent if he wants to find out more information; getting angry when he doesn't have any details would do more damage than good. Joel slings his rifle over his shoulder, then reaches into his pocket and fishes out his flask. He carries out these actions slowly as he thinks of how to respond.
How the hell is he supposed to ask Estrada if he's fucking his woman? And goddamnit, it's not like he would have known you belong to Joel.
Unless you told him. Did you?
In this moment Joel wants nothing more than to show Estrada and every single person in Jackson that you are his - perhaps in some grand sweeping display of dominance. But for now he has to focus on what he can do, which is interrogating the younger man without scaring him.
Joel takes a deep breath to help compose himself enough to carry on the conversation.  "Yeah? How long has somethin' been goin' on between you two?"
Oscar flips open his satchel and rummages around inside it for some of the jerky he always has stashed in one of the pockets. "We have been friends for a while now, but it isn't been anything more than just hanging out, you know?"
Hanging out.
Have you been seeing him since he left working at the library?
Where? Why?
Joel watches Oscar's every movement, every expression, searching for the sincerity in his words, any telltale sign of dishonesty. But Joel already knows that Oscar isn't the kind of man who lies or showboats.
"You ain't told her you got feelings?" Joel asks impassively.
"Not outrightly so. Not yet." Oscar responds with a sigh that clearly conveys his chagrin. "Guess I've been too chicken shit to do it."
Joel pops open the lid of the flask and takes a swig of scotch. The burn of it helps calms his nerves. "She feels the same, you reckon?"
Oscar locates the small bundle of jerky and pulls it from the satchel. "Well, I think so. She said I'm the only guy she is comfortable with. And she gives me these looks, like she wants more."
Joel pictures you standing infront of Oscar and flirting with him, shyly batting the lashes of your pretty eyes.  Those same eyes that used to gaze at him with so much passion when he fucked you senseless. Joel's belly clenches with white hot envy at the thought of Oscar being the subject of your adoration instead of himself.
He shuts the flask and shoves it back into his jacket pocket.
"But she's not the kind to make the first move." Oscar explains earnestly. "She's quiet, shy. Would rather get lost in a book than be the life of the party."
It is you.
Estrada is talking about you. That he has feelings for you and you probably reciprocate them, and that he's the only man you feel comfortable with.
Joel whips around to avoid Oscar's gaze. Flames of jealous fury lick up the nape of his neck and burn into the back of his eyes. His nostrils flare as his breathing speeds up, his heart pounding in his ears.
Are you fucking Estrada?
Are you going to leave him and end up with this weak piece of shit and let him be the one to fuck you and own you?
Both of Joel's fists are balled so tightly into themselves that the skin of his knuckles have turned white. It takes all of Joel's might and willpower to suppress the poisonous wrath coursing through his body. The primal, more reactionary part of Joel's brain says to shoot Oscar in the face instantly, and if Joel were in his younger raider years he would have splattered the man's brains out onto the dazzling white snow without a second thought.
He could easily dispose of Oscar's body somewhere in the vast expanse of forest land surrounding them, no trace of him left behind to ever to be found. Joel imagines being surrounded by a large group of townsfolk on his return and delivering the tragic news that his patrol partner died while out on a routine patrol route. Maybe Joel would say Oscar was viciously mauled by a clicker out of no where, or maybe raiders ambushed them and fatally shot him. No one would question the validity of Joel's version of Oscar's demise; why would he lie? And after all, Joel was one of the very best patrolmen in Jackson and he surely would've done everything he could to save Oscar.
But by some miracle Joel is narrowly able to restrain the impulse to murder Oscar. He reminds himself over and over that he must control his fury. Control, control, control. He consciously regulates his breathing, inhaling through his nose and then exhaling through his mouth. The anger seems to slowly dissolve and leech into Joel's blood stream, icy and venomous as it flows through his veins, no longer imminent in its threat but nonetheless still alive.
Joel immediately realises he has to do something about this friendship between you and Oscar. There is no way in hell that he will allow this to go on, and behind his back, no less. Before all this bullshit happened on Jackson's birthday, Joel would've stalked straight into that library to teach you a lesson; he would have marked you all over with his mouth and teeth and then he would have fucked all your holes.
But things are different now, and Joel has to find other ways to deal with the situation that's been presented to him. He needs to come up with a plan that will tear you and Oscar apart without implicating himself in the destruction.
When Joel remains quiet and does not show any response, Oscar shakes his head and let's out a sheepish groan. "Shit, sorry for boring you with this stuff, man. I don't tend to talk about this kinda thing with anyone, I guess it's all come rushing out."
"Hope it all works out for ya, man," Joel says gruffly with his back still facing Oscar. "Now let's get back on route."
"Thanks, man." Oscar calls out.
Joel's jaw ticks. He has found benefit in Tommy's advice of controlling his temper; the discipline allows Joel the ability to strategically plan, to contemplate different courses of action in order to gain an advantage in a situation. And if executed effectively, Joel knows the repercussions of those plans could destroy you and Oscar.
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The next morning Joel arrived at the patrol post for his shift earlier than usual. He flipped through the pages of the large hardcover log book where each ranger recorded their name, the day, and the starting time and ending time of their shift.
The first lined column of the page detailed the week of the day and in the next was where the times were written. The following columns showed the rangers names and their signatures, as well as a space for comments and notes about that particular shift.
Joel scanned along the name column in search of Oscar's name. He discovered that on average Oscar was working patrol three days a week, always on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He also worked at the stables on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, sometimes on the Saturday as well. Joel's tongue licked along the inside of his cheek as he contemplated what this meant.
If you and Oscar were spending time together, it would have to be during the day - night time would be impossible for you because you were with Joel or Ellie so often. Oscar wouldn't be able to see you during the day when he was on patrol, so that cancelled out Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. And you wouldn't be able to meet Oscar on the days you were at school without children and teachers gossiping. No, you needed more privacy than what the school environment was able to offer.
That left your library shifts. It made sense. It was the perfect place for more clandestine meetings and it was where you two had met. Joel's jaw clenched at the thought of you and Oscar alone together.
Joel deduced that the only day you worked there in which Oscar could possibly visit you was Wednesdays. 
Wednesday. Five days time.
Just enough time for Joel to make sure you stayed his.
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That Saturday night Ellie came to Joel's for family dinner and movie night. Despite the limited range of movies available in Jackson, Ellie located a tape that neither of you had seen before. It was always exciting to watch a VHS movie on Joel's large analog television. It was an activity Joel and Ellie used to enjoy together, however it had become a rare occurrence in the last year or so that Ellie had become more independent and sociable. So although Joel grumbled about staying up late to watch a ridiculous movie, you knew he secretly loved the opportunity to spend time with Ellie in the comfort of the living room, snuggled by blankets and pillows and a big bowl of popcorn.
At dinner time the three of you sat at the dining table to eat the soup and freshly baked bread you had made that evening. As usual, Ellie was the centre of attention and was entertaining the two of you with stories of her work escapades and what her and her friends had gotten up to that week.
"Hey, you know that Oscar guy?" Ellie asks eagerly. "Works at the stables and does patrol?"
Your heart skips a beat to hear Oscar's name spoken and your head automatically turns to look at Ellie across the dining table. She grins and raises her eyebrows like she is dying to share some kind of secret with you both.
"Partnered on patrol with him this week," Joel replies casually before taking a fork full of potato into his mouth.
The throwaway comment surprises you and you momentarily freeze, your spoon stilling in the middle of scooping a spoonful of soup. The thought of Oscar and Joel working alongside one another makes you uneasy, like their proximity is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. You haven't cheated on Joel but he doesn't know how close you and Oscar are or how profound your friendship is, and if Oscar were to somehow mention you then you're sure Joel would not be pleased.
"Well, Uncle Tommy said he'd show me how to throw an axe, just like the competition we saw!" Ellie exlaims enthusiatically, looking from you to Joel. "So he took me today and Oscar and that Matt guy tagged along and we had our own competition to see who was the best."
You secretly glance at Joel to gauge his reaction but he appears apathetic as he eats, shoulders hulking as he leans over his bowl, eyes trained on the soup before him.
"Uncle Tommy was bragging that he would kick their asses but then Oscar beat him like, three times in a row!" Ellie snickered, shaking her head at the fond memory. "It was fucking hilarious."
You picture Oscar gripping the heavy wooden handle of an axe, its blade sharp and glinting dangerously in the sunlight. You imagine the determined expression on his face as he eyes the target ahead, how his stance shifts into the best position for him to pull back and launch the weapon. You imagine his shirt sleeves rolled up to his biceps, revealing the olive skin of his forearms.
Oh, how you wished you could have been there.
Joel remains quiet and does not acknowledge Ellie's anecdote, so you muster a little smile and nod at her to show you've been listening. "That sounds like fun," you supply.
"Yeah it was. You guys should come watch next time." Ellie slurps some soup before turning her attention to Joel. "So do you and Oscar like, chill when you're not on patrol?"
"Nah," Joel grunts, not meeting Ellie's eyes. "I'm too busy workin'." He pauses for a few beats before adding, "and he's busy with some mystery woman alotta the time, forgot what he said her name was."
Your spoon drops from your hand and clatters down into your bowl with a sudden clang. No one notices and Ellie continues talking, but Joel's words ring in your ears.
Oscar has a woman...and they spend alot of time together.
Why had he never told you? Is that why he was so busy for all those weeks, is that why he didn't visit you in the library when he stopped working with you?
Tears prick at your eyes and threaten to spill over your lash line. You hurriedly blink them away and discreetly wipe your eyes with your sleeve.
You stupid, stupid girl.
You have no right to feel like that, your mind hisses. How can you feel betrayed when you've done exactly the same thing, seeing Joel without telling Oscar anything? Oscar has every right to be happy with someone else and it's none of your business.
And you know this well. You want Oscar to be happy in any way he can be. He deserves it. And if that happiness is found with another woman, one you know nothing about, then so be it. You should wish him good luck and be glad that he's got someone to share his life with.
But why did it have to work out like this? Why hadn't I met Oscar before Joel?
You nibble on the inside of your lip and try to quell the deluge of emotions and thoughts flooding your mind. You raise your head to look at Joel and find he's already staring at you. He looks handsome in the soft light of the dining room with his fluffy greying curls and his rich chocolate brown eyes sparkling at you. You offer him a tiny smile, disguising the hurt swirling around your heart. Joel's lips curl into a little smirk in return and he winks at you, then turns his attention back to Ellie's rambling.
You glance over to Ellie and watch her speak animatedly to Joel, marvelling at how her eyes glint with mischievous charm, how the corners of her mouth curve into her endearing smile, similar to her adoptive father. Oh, how your heart aches for Ellie. You need to focus on the family you've created with Joel and Ellie, this precious piece of life that you have been given. It's what you've always wanted, after all. And now you have it, you cannot throw it away.
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The following Tuesday morning Joel paid a visit to Tommy at his home. Maria had already left the house for the day to get an early start on the tasks assigned to her by the committee, which suited Joel fine. He never felt completely comfortable being around Maria. He always felt like she was judging his every word and action. Joel sensed it in the way she watched him like a hawk whenever he played with her and Tommy's two children, or how she seemed to incessantly quiz he and Ellie during every family dinner they attended.
Nosey bitch, Joel thought.
But this morning Joel was thankful to be able to relax without Maria lurking by. The brothers chatted in the kitchen as Tommy stood at the stove frying a pan full of eggs and strips of bacon. Joel leaned against the kitchen counter next to him and sipped on the slightly bitter black coffee Tommy had made.
"I tell ya, won't be long til Ellie gets the hang of that axe," Tommy chuckled. "Better watch out, big brother."
"Anyone gets hurt and you're responsible," Joel grumbled good naturedly. He slurped a mouthful of coffee and scratched the scruff along the side of his jaw.
"Deal," Tommy smirked and poked the sizzling bacon with the spatula in his hand. "So, how's everythin' goin' with your lady? She forgiven you yet?"
Joel rolled his eyes and shifted his weight on his feet, obviously uncomfortable with Tommy's candour. "Better. But I gotta favour to ask you."
Tommy glanced at Joel and raised his eyebrows. "What can I do for ya?"
"Need to swap my Wednesday shift," Joel said before taking another sip, purposely avoiding Tommy's gaze.
Tommy sighed and flipped one of the eggs in the pan. "Already had Troy off last week. It's been hard gettin' shifts filled lately, you know how sickness goes around."
"Yeah I know, but Tommy, I need tomorrow free," Joel explained firmly. "I'll owe ya one."
Tommy hummed thoughtfully. "You gonna tell me what's goin' on?"
Joel placed his coffee mug down on the kitchen counter. "Just wanna spend some time with her, that's all. Tryin' to change for the better, like ya said."
Tommy smiled to himself, seemingly pleased that his brother had listened to his advice. "Joel Miller, a romantic," he mused teasingly.
"Shut up," Joel muttered. "Now will ya cover me or what?"
Tommy nodded. "Yeah, okay. But I can't do a double shift - Maria would kill me."
"So ask someone else," Joel shrugged. He tried to appear like he was sincerely thinking of different suggestions for who might be available. "Well, who ain't rostered on Wednesdays? What about...Harry? Or....or Estrada?"
Joel knew Harry was already working at the blacksmith sheds tomorrow and wouldn't be able to swap onto a patrol shift. Joel also knew full well that Oscar was at the stables and would easily be able to fill in.
Tommy smoothed his moustache with his thumb and forefinger and clicked his tongue. "I reckon Oscar might be able to."
And there we go, Joel thought smugly as a triumphant glow spread wide across his chest. So fuckin' easy.
He clapped his hand on Tommy's shoulder. "Look, leave it with me, I'll go arrange it with him. Save you the trouble."
"Good," Tommy laughed and nodded along. He turned off the burner on the stove and gave his brother a wry grin. "Cos I don't need anymore headaches, asshole. Now get the plates and let's eat."
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It was your day at the library and also the day of your weekly lunch date with Oscar. You were nervous to see him, having spent the last few days contemplating if you should bring up the question of whether or not he was now seeing someone.
It is not your business, you kept reminding yourself, you need to let it go.
Each week on Wednesday, like clockwork, Oscar arrived at the library at noon. But today he didn't come strolling through the door at the expected time. You watched the clock intently as the minutes progressed. When he still hadn't shown by 12.15pm you reasoned that there must be a mountain of work to do at the stables and he's just running a little late. You continued to wait patiently, still taring at the ticking hands of the clock on the wall opposite where you stood.
At 12.30pm you began to panic. Perhaps something had happened to Oscar. What if there had been an accident at the stables? Or maybe Oscar was sick? But then you remembered Joel's revelation at dinner last week and his words rang in your ears like a jeering jingle.
"He's busy with some mystery woman alotta the time."
You couldn't help the taunting feeling of rejection that came creeping into your mind. What if Oscar had stood you up to go see this woman instead? What if he had forgotten about you? You shook your head to rid yourself of the intrusive thoughts but as the minutes passed by excruciatingly slow, your spirit sunk lower and lower into the pit of your stomach.
When he hadn't shown up by 1.30pm all you wanted to do was go home and curl up in bed to wallow in your sorrow.
Then the door bell jingled. Your head quickly snapped toward the door.
But it wasn't Oscar who had finally arrived. Instead, you were met by the sight of Joel purposefully striding into the library with a satisfied grin on his face. His hair was slicked back, fresh from the shower, and he wore a black long sleeved shirt underneath his Carhartt jacket. You were even more unnerved by how gorgeous he looked.
"J-Joel?" You stuttered, completely dumbfounded. You couldn't even remember the last time Joel had been inside the library.
"Hey, baby," Joel drawled silkily as he approached you.
"H-hi," You mumbled dumbly, still awestruck by his presence.
Joel wrapped an arm around your waist and gathered you into his broad chest, his other hand coming up to cradle the side of your face tenderly in his palm. He tilted your face up at him while he stared down at you with a loving adoration in his gaze. Your tummy fluttered with nervous excitement, then Joel bent his head to kiss you softly on the mouth.
The smell of soap mixed with Joel's scent engulfed your nostrils as you surrendered to the kiss. His tongue slipped into your mouth and lapped at your own in slow rolling strokes, making you moan softly. Joel squeezed your waist and you reached up to run your fingers through his hair.
You forced Oscar from your mind. You had to, otherwise the pain of disappointment would be too much.
Joel continued to sensually kiss you and your whole body wilted into his strong chest. The familiarity of his warm body enveloping you somehow felt simultaneously comfortable and tantalising, so simple yet so arousing.
Maybe I do belong here, you randomly mused.
When you felt the thick press of Joel's hardened dick against you it caused an involuntary lustful stirring inside your belly. You soon forgot about Oscar and all you could focus on was Joel. The minty taste of his saliva with a hint of coffee. The light tickle of his moustache on your lips. The wide expanse of his palm cupping your face. How his aquiline nose fit so perfectly against your face.
Your clit throbbed with desire. You couldn't resist the way your body responded to him any longer. You were about to grind your pelvis against Joel's crotch when he gently pulled away from the kiss.
"Wait," you whined, confused and frustrated.
Joel stroked his thumb over your cheekbone as he looked down at you, smirking with cocky satisfaction. "Now babydoll, before we get carried away here, I got somethin' for you."
"Uhm, okay," you whispered, uncertain what to expect.
Joel released you from his grasp and took a step backward. You watched, intrigued, as he reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved a white handkerchief folded into a small square. It had a delicate lace trimming along its edges.
"Open your hand," Joel instructed you softly. You obediantly held out your hand with your palm facing up and Joel carefully placed the handkerchief onto it.
"What is it?" You asked, your eyes flickering up to look at Joel uncertainly.
"Open and see," he said with a nod to your hand.
You carefully unfurled the pretty white material in your hand and found a delicate gold chain curled in the middle. You gasped. It was the necklace from the shoebox you had found while snooping through Joel's possessions. You swallowed and reminded yourself to act surprised in order not to raise Joel's suspicions.
You held up the necklace to study it closer and noticed just how pretty the attached jewel pendant was. As you dangled it infront of you the light reflected off the jewel, causing it to twinkle mesmerically. You hadn't remembered it being so attractive when you briefly spied it in the shoebox. Now that you held it close, you could appreciate just how beautiful it was.
"Wow," you breathed, eyes fixated on the piece of jewellery.  "Wow...this is amazing, Joel."
"Just for you, baby," Joel murmered. "You like it?"
You couldn't help giving him a shy little smile. "I do," you whispered truthfully. "Thank you."
Joel smiled back at you and leaned in to press a chaste kiss on your forehead. He watched the delight in your expression as you examined the necklace, pride bursting inside his heart at being the one to make you smile.
Joel ended up staying with you at the library for a while to keep you company and browse through some of the book titles. When a horde of noisy school children came barging in through the door, you looked at him and laughed, knowing that he would make a hasty escape.
As Joel was about to walk out the door he spied a folded piece of paper peeking out from under the welcome mat just inside the entrance. He discreetly bent down and picked it up before stalking away towards home.
Back at his house Joel made sure to tear up the paper into tiny irretrievable pieces. He needed to make sure that you could never read the apologetic note Oscar had written. He must have slipped under the library door before his patrol shift earlier that morning, Joel presumed.
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It is busy in the mess hall that night. It's close to 8pm, the latter part of the dinner shift, so the families and children have already eaten and are now home, tucked up safe and warm in their beds. Most of the residents occupying the mess hall now are workers who began later in the day, such as the afternoon labourers that took over from the morning crews.
You and Rhi sit at one of the smaller tables amongst the throng of diners and pick at the food on your plates. You listen to her impassioned report about why her supervisor is a control freak, how the sewing machines at the haberdashery need maintenance but no one listens to her, and that she is sick of being condescended to because of her age. You nod along sympathetically. Although Rhi can be obstinate at times, you know she's a dedicated seamstress who takes her craft seriously and you dislike seeing her be treated so unfairly.
Joel is already seated and eating dinner with Troy, Tommy, Harry and Oscar. His gaze fell upon you the moment you walked into the mess hall and he found himself furtively glancing your way every so often. He only half listens to the trivial conversation going on around him, not really interested in the bantering and amicable debates the other patrolmen liked to engage in.
Joel wasn't the only one to notice your presence, though. He clocked the way Oscar's head turned in your direction and the way his back straightened when he spied you. Oscar wasn't adept at disguising his feelings very well, Joel had come to learn. He could see the yearning on Oscar's face as clear as day.
Christ, the bastard had really fallen for you.
Sometime later, when the men had almost finished eating their meal, Tommy excuses himself and disappeares to the kitchen. Joel lazily picks at his teeth with a toothpick and observes you and Rhi.
Damn, you're so beautiful, especially when you're so unaware that you're being watched, he thinks.
Tommy returns a minute later and throws a conspiratorial wink at his older brother as he sits back down at the table. Joel leans back in his chair and folds his arms and patiently waits to see his plan unfold.
It's only another minute before a woman approaches their table and shyly clears her throat. The men look at her expectantly but she seems to zero in on Oscar.
"Excuse me," she speaks, voice silky and polite. "Oscar, I was wondering if I could have a word?"
Oscar raises an eyebrow at the woman. "Me?" He asks her, confounded.
She nods coyly and hitches a thumb over her shoulder. "Maybe over this way, for a bit of privacy?"
The patrolmen give each other teasing smirks while Oscar stands up and follows the woman. Their eyes watch Oscar and the woman as they walk to an unoccupied space a few tables away and stand to talk.
"Whose she? What's that all about?" Harry pipes up.
"Tryin' my hand at a bit of matchmakin'," Tommy answers with a cheeky grin. "Joel figures we should get him set up with someone."
"Why, Joel Miller," Troy laughs heartily. "Regular ol' cupid, huh?"
Joel rolls his eyes and mutters. "Shut the fuck up."
The men all laugh and glance back over at Oscar.
It is in the same moment that you catch sight of Oscar for the first time tonight. Seeing his face sends a shameful pang of dejection spearing into your heart. He stood you up and now here he is without a care in the world. He doesn't appear to be injured or unwell, either. Infact he looks really good.
And he's also with a woman.
You swallow thickly.
This must be the mystery woman.
You watch them intently and realise you recognise who she is. Her name is Gayle. You had known her from your time on cleaning and food prep duty. Gayle was a friendly woman and easy to talk to. She was also beautiful, with long blonde hair and light blue eyes and a wide smile. She was probably around Oscar's age, perhaps even a bit older.
You watch the interaction from where you sit, hating the wretched bubbles of envy simmering in your guts. Oscar is facing away from you but you have a clear view of Gayle and the bright smile plastered on her face, aswell as the enthusiasm in her body language. You wish you could hear their conversation and what he's saying to her.
It doesn't matter, though. The scene is too much for you to bear. It hurts to see him but it hurts your heart even more to see him with another woman.
You're such an idiot.
You quickly mumble to Rhi that you are done eating and want to go home. Rhi feels the same. When you both stand up to leave the table you are suddenly blockaded by three men. They stand tall infront of you with their arms crossed, exuding an intimidating air of arrogance. They leer at you and Rhi with taunting smirks carved on their faces.
"Hey babe, where'd you disappear to?" The blonde ranger chuckles to Rhi.
Oh, this must be that asshole who touched her.
"Anywhere you wouldn't be, apparently." Rhi spits back. "Get out of our way, Beau."
He shakes his head and grins down at her. "Nah, I want another chance. What do you say, baby? Ya didn't even let me get a proper turn."
Rhi growls and stabs her forefinger into his chest. "Listen here, dickface. I don't want anything to do with you, so fuck off."
The three of them snicker. The Beau tuts at Rhi leans closer to her face, now completely invading your space. "Maybe I'll just have to fuck your little friend here, then she can tell you what you're missing out on."
Suddenly you're aware of the loud thud of boots stomping against the floor, but before your mind can register what's happening, Joel's meaty hand grabs onto Beau's shoulder and wrenches him backwards. He stumbles.
"What the fuck?"
Joel shoulders himself past the men and stands himself past the men and stands beside you and Rhi.
"Think the ladies made themselves clear the first time, boys," Joel barks. "They ain't interested."
The young men seem to recognise Joel and the obnoxious smirks fall from their faces immediately. One of the dark haired men visibly loses all his confidence and shuffles back a few steps away from Joel and his friends. Beau is clearly the ring leader of the group as he remains standing where he is, chest puffed out and glowering petulantly between Joel and Rhi.
"She's being a tease," the blonde ranger argues back indignantly "Flirts with me from across the room and then acts like a bitch when I try talk to her!"
Rhi scoffs loudly and rolls her eyes. "Yeah right, Beau."
You glance up at Joel to see his steely gaze pinned to the young man, his furrowed brows and clenching jaw signalling his aggravation. Beau was almost as tall as Joel but no where near as imposing in strength and presence. He looked foolish standing infront of Joel trying to justify himself. The hall has fallen silent and everyone has turned to watch the confrontation unfold before them.
"That should tell ya she ain't interested." Joel said through gritted teeth.
"Well, her friend hasn't said anything," the other ranger quips, gesturing to you. "You don't speak for both of them."
A seething wrath blazes in Joel's eyes when the arrogant words fall from the young man's mouth. The air is uncomfortably thick with tension. You shuffle backwards a little and press against Rhi's side and, sensing your unease, she slips her arm around your side.
"Matter of fact, I do. And she ain't interested, either. Now get the fuck outta here before I break your jaw." Joel growls.
Joel steps closer to the younger men, challenging them to dare defy him. You swear you can feel the collective suspense of the townsfolk all around you. Your heart beat pounds in your ears as your eyes darting back and forth between Joel and the others.
All the self assured macho arrogance drains from the three men's faces at the threat of Joel Miller beating the shit out of them. Their shoulders slump in defeat and then they begin to walk away, scoffing and sneering as they leave, their anger at being rejected now exacerbated by their humiliation. One of them mutters "whatever, man" under his breath and Beau glares at Rhi. She sticks her middle finger up at him.
"You okay?" Joel asks.
He's addressing both you and Rhi but his soulful brown eyes are trained solely on you. His brows are furrowed with worry. You stare back up at him and nod, dumbstruck by such a public display of his concern.
"Yeah, thanks for that, Joel." Rhi answers with a smile. "I reckon they won't be a problem anymore."
Joel glances at her and nods curtly, then looks back to you. You feel captivated by the expressive beauty of his features, like how his mouth parts ever so slightly, as if he is breathless, and the almost sorrowful way his gaze roams all over your face. There is no trace of anger reflected in Joel now, only a gentle protectiveness that makes your tummy feel fluttery. The intimacy of the moment between you and Joel makes you forget about the rest of the townsfolk surrounding you. You feel the sudden urge to kiss him.
"Can I walk you home?" Joel asks you, his voice soft but gravelly.
"Yes, please," you whisper back.
"Strong and chivalrous. I guess you'll be safe without me," Rhi chuckles as she slips her arm from around your waist. "Go have fun."
You flash a shy smile at her and she gives you an enthusiastic nod of encouragement. Joel steps aside and holds his arm out, gesturing for you to stand and walk next to him. You sidle up beside Joel and feel his hand come to rest possessively on your lower back. The magnitude of this exhibition is profound - no one has ever witnessed Joel Miller actually touch a woman before, and doing so with such reverence and familiarity. It is a statement, a declaration. Joel has claimed you.
He escorts you through the mess hall to up to the door.
"Come on baby, let's go home," he murmers close to your ear.
He pushes open the door and pulls you close against him in order to squeeze through the threshold together, and you giggle.
You don't look behind you, not even to check if everyone is still watching you (which they are). You don't see Rhi proudly grinning after you, or Tommy smirking quietly to himself. You don't see Oscar or his crestfallen expression, or how his orbs swim with woeful disappointment to see you walk away with another man.
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taglist - @sofiparallel @harriedandharassed @kewwrites @romanarose @fan-fiction-floozy @anoverwhelmingdin @unknownsuser101 @shesarealcarpentersdream @sheeeeeppp @uncassettodiricordi @axshadows @puduvallee @gossipgirl-03 @mandoloriancookie @oldenoughtoknowbettersstuff
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igotbloodonmyhands · 2 months
Text
Nightmares / Part I
Note: I made this two parts since I really wanted to post this but couldn't find the energy to write for the others tonight. Tomorrow you'll get Price, Rudi and Soap tho (I used alphabetical order, that's why they're last). Trope: Fluff, angst, hurt comfort Word count: 1.303 Trigger warning: Mention of torture
Alejandro: Alejandro was no stranger to sleepless nights. It took an eternity for him to fall asleep, worries and sorrows keeping him awake. When he did finally fall asleep, the nightmares came. He'd stand in the town square of Las Almas, having to watch as his family, friends and comrades were put against a wall. He couldn't run or scream, just stand there. When he suddenly stared in the barrel of a gun he finally woke up, shirt wet with sweat, the rooms silence filled by his heavy breaths. "Joder (Fuck)", he mumbled, getting up and putting on a new shirt. It was 0200 (2 am). He decided to get a tea. As he stepped in the community room he was surprised to see the lights on, you standing in pyjamas in front of the boiling kettle, a mug in your hand. "(Name)? What are you doing in the kitchen an two in the morning, tesoro?" You turned around, grinning but tired. "I could ask you the same, Ale" He sighed and grabbed a mug and tea bag (Spanish orange) "Can't sleep. You?" "Same. Do you... Wanna talk about it?", he shook his head. "Not right now, I think.... Just need to think about something else" You shrugged. "Understandable" You two sat down on the couch, sitting in silence, drinking the tea, each lost in their own thoughts. "Would you rather fight one hundred duck sized horses or one horse sized duck?", you suddenly asked. He looked at you like you had grown two horns. "Ehhh, madre mia, the horses, I think?", he answered. "Me too. Even though it would depend on the horse" He chuckled. "Are you trying to distract me?" You grinned "Is it working?" He rolled his eyes "A bit". You leaned you head on his shoulder, and after a moment he put his head on yours. "Good" You continued to banter about random nonsense until, finally, fatigue overcame you and you finally fell asleep. It was the best sleep either of you had gotten in a while.
Gaz: Falling asleep wasn't the problem. But as soon as Gaz drifted off into dream land, he was haunted. Faces of fallen comrades screamed at him for not saving them, the screams of agony of their last moments, the pleas of enemies he tortured filled his mind. With a muffled yelp he shot up in his bed, chest heaving. "Fuck", he muttered, getting up and pacing up and down in his room. His heart was beating like a racehorse. He grabbed his gym bag and decided to head to the training rooms. He was surprised to see the lights on, the thudding of fists hitting the punching bag filling the room. "Not bad, (name)", he stepped closer, looking at you. You sighed. "Can't sleep either?", you asked. He nodded. "Yea. Damn nightmares", he punched the bag, making it swing violently. You stepped back, sitting down on the mat and leaning against the wall. "Wanna talk about it?". He thought for a moment before turning his attention back on the bag. You thought he'd just ignore you and stay quiet, but as he started punching the bag, he muttered under his breath. "I couldn't save them. I killed them" His punches got harder and more aggressive. "It's my fault. It's my fault". You weren't sure who he was talking about, but it didn't quite matter right now. "Hey, hey, Gaz", you tried to calm him down. "Cmere", you patted the mat next to you. He seemed to contemplate for a moment, but then finally sat down next to you. A shuddered breath escaped him as he slumped in on himself. You opened your mouth, but quite honestly you weren't sure what to say. So you just sat in silence, but it wasn't an awkward feeling. It felt... Safe. Suddenly, you felt his head on your shoulder, and smiled, leaning yours against his.
Ghost: For Ghost, a good nights sleep was as common as a unicorn. Everytime he closed his eyes, he was there again. Buried alive, in a coffin, squished next to a decaying body. But this time, he didn't get out. He thrashed and screamed, unbeknownst to him not only in his sleep, but it was no use. He was trapped, he was trapped, he was trapped. Panic flooded his every fiber, but he just wouldn't fucking wake up. His eyes widened when he finally woke up. His breath came in short, shuddering gasps, tears staining his cheeks. He wanted to run, he needed to run or else he'd suffocate. He almost fell over putting on his pants and running shoes before he ripped open his door and ran. He didn't know where, he just needed to run. The sky was still dark, with the faintest shimmer of violet light creeping up the horizon. He aimed for the woods behind the barracks, mindlessly running along the paths. "Fuck, Riley, watch your step, big boy", a sudden voice squeaked. He opened his eyes which he didn't remember closing. He looked down, seeing you knocked over on the ground. "Sorry", he mumbled, giving you a hand and pulling you up. "What are you doing here at this time of night?", you raised an eyebrow. He shifted his weight. "Can't sleep". "Me too...", you looked at him. His gaze was weird... Dead, somehow. "Do you... Want to talk about it?", you asked carefully. "No", he said, voice firm. "Come with me", you grabbed his arm, leading him to a bench nearby, guiding him down and plopping next to him. "I'm here for you, you know that, right?" He gulped. "Yea..." A deep sigh escaped him. "...Thank you". You smiled, leaning your head on his shoulder. "No problem", you mumbled, feeling him relaxing under you.
Horangi: They were here, they'd kill him, fuck, he needed to hide, he needed to hide. Horangi panted, clenching his fist in the sheets. His eyes opened wide and he rubbed the scars on his face. He grabbed a pack of cigarettes and stepped outside, sliding down the wall. He lit it and took a deep breath, letting his head roll back and closing his eyes. "Whatcha doin there?", you voice suddenly sound beside him. "빌어먹을!" (Fucking hell, may be a bit wrong since I don't speak Korean) He had jumped up, sighing when he saw it was just you. "Stop sneaking up to me like that, (name)". You chuckled. "Heh, sorry". You sat down next to him. "Can't sleep?", you looked up at him. He nodded. "I don't wanna talk about it". "Then lets just... Sit" You leaned against him, feeling the tension melt slightly from his form.
König: As soon as he closed his eyes, the memories came. He was strapped to a chair, only dressed in boxer shorts, his hood gone. He felt exposed. They whipped, beat and cut him, the scars still evident on his skin. He stood up on shaky legs, the scars on his body aching. A small tin of ointment stood on the table, which he grabbed and carefully rubbed it in. He was not gonna fall asleep anytime soon again. With a heavy sigh he put on his clothes and shuffled towards the armoury. He plopped down on a bench and started cleaning his guns. "Hey there", he hadn't heard you, and immediately pointed the empty gun at you. "Scheiße! You scared me!", he mumbled. You giggled, sitting down next to him. "Sorry". He rolled his eyes and watched him clean his weapons for a minute. "Can't sleep?", you asked. "Nightmares", he answered shortly. You leaned your head on his shoulder, feeling his muscles move under it as he wiped down the barrel of his gun. "You can always talk to me, you know?", you mumbled. "Yea... Danke"
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bella-rose29 · 5 months
Text
Pretty
Anthony Lockwood x gn!reader
requested by anon: Saw your post about Lockwood ideas so here's one! Reader and Lockwood have an extremely close call on a case and in the heat of the moment, Lockwood ends up kissing the reader.
Made this one gn since no gender was specified! hopefully I haven't messed up anywhere with that (pls let me know tho)
I am also so so sorry about how long this took anon 😭 I have nobody to blame but myself for that I won't lie
lockwood has his tea like Cameron and I'm convinced it's a fact
Word count: 3.4k
Warnings: swearing, they fight some visitors
Tag list: @anathemaloren, @augustisintheair, @avdiobliss, @dangelnleif, @el-de-phi, @ell0ra-br3kk3r, @informedimagining, @karensirkobabes, @mischivana, @mitskiswift99, @mrsklockwood, @mrsyixingunicorn10, @ran23sblog, @superpositvecloudshipper, @t2sh0, @taygrls, @tournesol77, @wandamaximoffbae, @whenselenefallsinlove, @wordsarelife
As always, let me know here if you'd like to be added to/removed from my Lockwood and Co tag list, or send me a message! <3
(not my image, also I'm fully aware of how many times I use this one)
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"Hey, I've just put the kettle on, d'you want tea?" Lucy chirped as Y/n entered the kitchen, paperwork in hand. They nodded gratefully, shoving the papers onto the table and flopping in a chair. "What's all that for?" Lucy asked, gesturing to the multiple files now scattered in front of Y/n.
"The case tonight. Lockwood's refusing to help me with the research, the little shit. Says he's got 'important business' to go on, whatever that means." They frowned, remembering how he'd been essentially ignoring them all day. "Did I do something to upset him?" they asked Lucy, looking up at the girl.
"Don't think so. Why?"
"Don't know. Just, he hasn't talked to me all day, so I-" Y/n was cut off by Lucy's snort of laughter, and their frown deepened. "What?! Why are you laughing?!"
"He hasn't talked to you all day? God, just tell him you like him already!"
Y/n flushed at her words, and threw a scrunched up piece of paper at Lucy. "Shut up," they mumbled, crossing their arms and slouching in their chair. Lucy only laughed more, handing over a cup of tea and sitting down next to her friend as she started to rifle through the papers. "What are you doing?"
"Helping you out, silly. If Lockwood won't do it, I will. You'll be so unprepared otherwise, and I can't have my best friend dying yet."
"Thanks, Luce."
"Sure," she shrugged, studying a news article. "Dunno why you like him though. He can be a monumental tw-"
"Hi Lucy, Y/n," Lockwood said, stepping through the door with carrier bags in his hands. He looked at them, wondering why they were suddenly quiet when he'd heard the two of them talking before he walked in, but when he saw the kettle boiled on the side that was ready for him to make his tea to his liking he forgot all about it. Dumping the bags, he moved to the cupboards and reached for the honey, pouring the right amount into the mug. Lockwood heard the scrape of a chair and a whispered protest as he added the white sugar (one teaspoon), and turning around he found Lucy getting up to leave and Y/n tugging on her arm and begging her to stay. Lucy had a wicked grin, though, and in one swift movement she'd unhanded herself from Y/n and skipped out of the door, and a moment later her footsteps could be heard on the stairs.
Y/n was glaring at the door, as if it would bring Lucy back to the kitchen, but when Lockwood sat down next to them with his cup of tea in one hand and the deft fingers of his other picking up a pile of papers, their expression immediately softened.
"Glad you finally felt you could grace the plebs with your presence, my lord," they joked, hoping he would apologise for being absent all day. He cracked a smile, shaking his head as he chuckled.
"Can't be around all the time, can I? You'll boost my ego too much."
"I would argue we reign your ego in. Honestly, I'm suffocating on it right now." Their eyes were wide in mock frankness, making Lockwood laugh more. "Seriously though," Y/n said when he'd calmed down a little. "Where were you?" They tried to not sound too hurt, but Lockwood picked up on it like he always did.
"I told you, I had important business-"
"What 'important business', Lockwood? Because I've had to do this research on my own, and there's way too much of it!" He at least had the good grace to look sheepish, scratching the back of his neck and mumbling something into his tea. George entered the kitchen then, pausing whatever conversation Y/n and Lockwood had been having. He stood in the doorway, picking up on the strange atmosphere but not knowing what to do about it, and shook his head as he went to make a sandwich. None of them talked, and George kept casting the two of them weird looks as he moved around the kitchen, looking like he wanted to say something but never getting that far, until eventually he finished making his lunch and left, closing the door with a soft click (and a loud protest from the hinges) behind him. Y/n had turned back to their papers, attempting to read over the documents and figure out the history of the building before they headed out for the evening. "Are you at least gonna help me now?" they sighed, looking back up at him. He nodded, washing out the mug of tea that he'd downed in the last few minutes.
They sat in silence for a while after that, only talking when one of them found something interesting or worth making note of. Lockwood stopped rifling through papers at one point, file limp in his hand while he studied his coworker. "I'm sorry," he said, and although his voice was quiet it startled Y/n. "I just- I know I'm difficult sometimes- okay, fine, a lot of the time," he amended at Y/n's raised eyebrows. "But I really did have important business to attend to. I was stocking up on equipment for tonight. Not much, just a couple of flares."
"And that took you the whole day? George has only just come down for lunch and it's three in the afternoon."
"I was also..." he sighed through his nose, irritation flitting across his face. "I was also getting this," he said, rushing the words as he yanked something out of his jacket pocket. How he'd ever got the item in there in the first place Y/n had no clue, since they weren't aware of Lockwood having pockets that large.
"What is it?" they asked, skeptical of the rectangular object they now held. It had been expertly wrapped, with a nice little bow on the front, and when Lockwood simply gestured for them to open it they peeled the paper off, revealing the book inside. "Is this-"
"Took me ages to find a store that had it. I know how much you've been obsessing about getting it so I figured since I was out I might as well. I didn't realise how long it would take though, and I didn't exactly want to admit that to you either."
"Lockwood, you really didn't have to do-"
"Shush, or I'll return it." That shut them up, making them clutch the book close to their chest as if to prevent him from taking it away. "Come on. We've got work to do."
~~~
Half an hour later Lockwood was making another cup of tea for both of them, laughing as Y/n complained about some of the details (or lack thereof) in the building plans.
"I mean, there's an entire room that just... doesn't exist on the floor plans, even though we went to the house! How does that happen? It's not even an extension- oh, thank you," they were interrupted when Lockwood passed them their mug, hot tea warming Y/n's hands as they gripped the beverage. His hand lingered on the handle a moment longer than was necessary, his gaze catching on theirs, and Y/n held their breath when their fingers brushed. Lockwood seemed to snap out of whatever daze he was in, jerking his arm back, clearing his throat, and shuffling over to his own seat.
It was weird; they'd brushed past each other on the stairs and had curled up next to each other on sofas before, and held (very limited) eye contact every day (it was awkward holding it for more than a few seconds, even with Lockwood), so why was this time any different?
They spent the next few hours in more silence, the atmosphere mildly awkward as they worked, and by the time they pulled up to the house in the back of the taxi not long before sundown Y/n thought they might burst from the sheer amount of tension they could feel.
They had always been an overthinker, analysing minuscule details that, in reality, probably didn't matter, but for some reason stuck in Y/n's head for months after. It didn't help that they had feelings for Lockwood, since it made every touch or lingering glance have a stronger effect on their overthinking tendencies, and very often took them out of the real world and into their own head.
Which was unfortunate when they needed to be very much in the real world to fight Visitors.
In fairness, the man that owned the property had told them (with a shocking amount of certainty) that there were two Type Ones, one Shade and one Lurker, and while Y/n was inclined to disagree that he knew best, Lockwood was flashing a winning smile and grasping the keys, assuring the owner that Type Ones were nothing the pair of them couldn't handle.
They set up their chains and defences, did an initial reading of the whole house (the stairs came back as the coldest at nine degrees, with the upstairs family bathroom a close second at ten - worrying for the early hour), then returned to the kitchen and put the kettle on, cracking open a packet of biscuits.
"Are you sure about what he said? I mean he's what, late thirties to early forties? How reliable is he for identifying Type Ones if he won't be able to see them?"
"Look, we have no reason to distrust hi-"
"I literally just gave a reason."
"Okay, fine. No reason to distrust him yet. Everything we've seen so far from our initial readings is pointing to Type Ones, and we're Lockwood and Co. This isn't anything we can't handle." Y/n had been about to protest again, to say something about how the stairs and bathroom really shouldn't have been so cold this early on, but then he had smiled at them, one reserved purely for his friends, and they melted, all thoughts of danger gone out of their head.
Perhaps they should have fought harder against him, or perhaps they shouldn't have become too wrapped up in the moments from the kitchen earlier, but either way they didn't notice the Limbless until it had nearly pushed its misshapen body through their head.
~~~
Lockwood had shoved them out the way, their bodies rolling over each other as they tumbled down the hallway, the air shifting as the Limbless soared over them.
Lockwood ended up on top, his body shielding Y/n's, and he lifted his head up from where it had previously been in their neck, asking a desperate "Are you okay?" They nodded in response, too shaken to do much else, and then Lockwood was up, yanking their arm to pull them up beside him as he drew his rapier. Y/n did the same, hands trembling slightly as they finally registered the miasma that felt like it was suffocating them.
"Limbless, but we can handle that. You getting anything that can help?" He was referencing Y/n's Touch, but when they pressed their hand to the bannister experimentally the feeling of fear that washed over them was so strong they stumbled back, bumping into Lockwood.
"Shit, that was not fun," they said, grimacing at the headache they could already feel forming. "We can't use flares, Lockwood, it's too cramped in here. We're gonna have to draw it away if we can, then find the Source. It's got to be the stairs somehow, I just can't figure it out."
"Okay. Here's the plan," he started, but Y/n was unfocused, staring down the hallway over his shoulder.
"Lockwood?"
"You figure out where the Source is, I'll hold it off-"
"Lockwood?"
"-and then we'll be out of here and back home with a cup of tea within the hour."
"LOCKWOOD!"
"What? Why are you shou-"
Y/n grabbed his face in both of their hands, pushing him around to see what was behind him.
"Shit," he said, paling. Where there had only been a single Limbless to deal with before, the number of Visitors had gone up, with Shades and Lurkers that the owner had mentioned earlier joining the now two Limbless that were hovering at the end of the hallway. The feeling of miasma was washing over the two of them like a tidal wave, and Y/n pressed a hand to their mouth to try and stop throwing up. "We can still do this?" he said, although it sounded more like a question than an inspirational chat to his teammate.
"Lockwood, we need to just go. There's no way we can do this on our own, your pride be damned."
"Okay, okay. We'll collect as much of our kit as we can then, a lot of it is new and I don't want it being wasted. Do you think you're up for it? You look very ill," he frowned, concern for Y/n working its way into every movement of his body.
"Can't we just ditch the kit and get out?"
"As much as I'd love to, we are incredibly under equipped right now and have to pass through the kitchen anyway. We'd do well to have a few extra supplies on us, don't you think?" His voice was gentle, nothing condescending about his question, and Y/n found themselves nodding when he searched their eyes for an answer. His whole body relaxed, and then he was grabbing their hand and slowly retreating towards the kitchen, hoping not to alert the Visitors to their presence.
They were doing well, nearly past the kitchen threshold, up until Lockwood brushed his thumb over the back of Y/n's hand and they stumbled slightly, scuffing their foot on the floorboards and kicking a cabinet.
The Limbless (both of them) snapped their bloated heads to face the two agents, and Lockwood and Y/n only had a brief second to share a look when the ghosts came soaring towards them before he was tugging them into the kitchen, slamming the door behind them and rushing past the counter.
"Pick up what you can, anything to defend yourself with!" he shouted, wheeling around to grab a bag. They made a move towards the iron chains and added a ring to the circle that they'd already made, doubling up the strength of the invisible wall, then dragged in the kit they could reach and stood within the circle.
"Lockwood! Get in here!"
He made a mad dash for them, eyes wide and face flushed from the cold that was now creeping in to the kitchen. "Okay, what now? We'll be protected for a little while but we can't stay for-"
"Calm down, alright? We can sort out our kit in here, quickly, and then use the back door just there. We might have to leave some of these chains behind though, they're pretty heavy."
"Temperature's dropped significantly. That's not a good sign. Do you think there are more hauntings in here?"
"I wouldn't put it past this place. Besides, it's eleven. The others all came out quite early." They crouched down, starting to work methodically through the bags, but Lockwood stayed standing.
"What would I do without you, hey?"
Y/n tried not to flush at the compliment, remembering that the previous two times they'd been caught up in analysing everything that happened between the two of them they'd invoked danger, and continued going through the bags. "Can you help please? Instead of standing there like a lemon."
It took them five minutes to finish up, bags being zipped and thrown over shoulders, belts checked for stock and rapiers drawn. They would have to leave the chains behind, which was a shame, but necessary if they wanted to be able to move quickly. "On three?" Lockwood asked, glancing over his shoulder to check with Y/n. They nodded, bracing themselves for the run. Lockwood started counting down, and just as he said "Three" the kitchen door blew off its hinges.
~~~
"Shit! Go!" A Poltergeist, manifesting in the kitchen and manipulating the room if the many knives that were now floating in the air were anything to go by. The back door was only a couple of metres away, but the real question was whether they could outrun the blades.
They almost did, launching themselves out the exit and slamming the door shut behind them, and Lockwood breathed a sigh of relief until he saw the blood on Y/n's arm. "It's fine," they said when they caught him looking, moving away from the door. "We should get out of here."
He didn't say anything, instead sheathing his rapier and dropping the bag he was holding to grab Y/n's face and kiss them. Y/n almost dropped their own things, about to reach up and draw him in further, but he was pulling back before they could, picking up the kit and moving away from the house. "Come on! We need to find a taxi!" Y/n stood gaping at his retreating form before they heard the wailings of some of the Visitors inside and quickly followed after him.
~~~
The taxi ride home was awkward.
Lockwood wasn't looking at Y/n, and they were starting to feel increasingly uncomfortable with the amount of silence that enveloped the two of them.
"I'm sorry," Lockwood said, making Y/n jump slightly even though his voice was quiet.
"...What for?"
"For- I shouldn't have- I- For kissing you." He still wasn't looking at them, so he couldn't see the stifled smile on their face.
"It's okay, Lockwood."
"No, I should have just got us out of there instead of- I put us in danger and that was stupid of me," he turned to face them, expression earnest. "And I don't even know how you..." he trailed off, blushing.
"It wasn't... I wouldn't mind doing it again, if that's... where you're going?" Y/n was surprised at the confidence they had to admit that, given how bad they were normally at expressing their feelings for him. Lockwood blushed slightly, his cheeks tinted pink, and his eyes widened.
"Uh- okay," he said, hiding his smile behind his hand as he braced his elbow on the door. "Are you sure you're okay? You're bleeding a lot."
"I'm sure it's fine. I think it's only shallow, and most of the blood is dried now. If it'll make you feel better you can bandage me up when we get back."
"Okay. I'll put the kettle on, too. I really need a cup of tea right now."
~~~
True to his word, Lockwood put the kettle on the stove and grabbed two mugs out of the cupboard before heading to the bathroom for the medical kit. He then patched Y/n's arm up (who was right about it only being shallow, but that didn't stop Lockwood fussing over them), concentrating far more than he needed to but taking his time with the dressing in a way that made Y/n's heart flutter at his attentiveness.
Now they sat at the kitchen table with steaming mugs of tea, a plate of biscuits between them as they talked about both everything and nothing, the sun rising and casting the kitchen in a golden light. At some point Lucy appeared, making herself her own cup of tea and heading back upstairs to the attic afterwards, murmuring a sleepy 'morning' to her friends as she shut the door behind her.
Y/n shut their eyes, soaking in the freshly made cup of tea (Lucy had made a large pot for the three of them) and the small warmth that the sun pouring through the window provided. They could feel Lockwood watching them, and sure enough when Y/n cracked an eye open he was focused on them, a soft smile on his face while he sipped his tea. "What?" they asked, a smile of their own forming.
"Nothing. You just look really... really pretty."
"Pretty?" Y/n asked, and Lockwood blushed a little, spluttering as he tried to explain himself.
"I don't know how else to describe you! I can come up with something else if you'd prefer, I just thought it fit! You know, with the light on your face and you looked really peaceful and lovely and..." he trailed off into unintelligible mumbles, turning to stare at the thinking cloth instead of Y/n's face as his blush grew brighter. They laughed in response, leaning forward across the small space between them to grab Lockwood by the tie and pull him in for a kiss. It was short and sweet, but still left the two of them breathless and flushed, and the resultant smile on Lockwood's face was well worth the amount of nervous butterflies in Y/n's stomach.
"You're pretty too, Lockwood."
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simphic · 8 months
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Yassah soon
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luveline · 2 years
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Could I request reader convincing bodyguard!james to take a break with her like they just get tea and he’s able to relax around her
thank you for your request! i think this is like they both know they're basically dating but james doesn't wanna admit to it because he feels like it goes against his job? that's not the focus of this tho♡ fem!reader
James is rarely surprised by you. You suppose he must know every movement you might make, every cadence to your voice. He can probably tell what mood you're in from the slightest shift forward onto one foot.
Which is why he's so stoick when you stop in front of him in the foyer and take his face into both hands.
He nods at your current bodyguard as they 'pass the anchor', the anchor being you.
"Jamie," you greet softly, rubbing your thumb over one of his cheeks and waiting for a sign that he's happy to be touched before you continue. Sure enough, his eyelashes twitch just so, and you beam and stand on tiptoes to kiss the place where his ear and jaw connect.
"Come on, sweetheart. You know I'm working."
"You don't look very busy."
"Do I ever?"
What he means to say is, I don't really want the rest of your security detail to see you kissing me.
"My dad's not here," you say.
"I know."
"Of course you do. Wanna go eat biscuits in my room?"
He laughs in disbelief at your asking. "I'm- I'm really working right now."
"I know... thought maybe you could make somebody else do whatever it is you're doing, though. Please?" You haven't seen him in a day and a half. It feels like a really long time, and you'd missed him like crazy.
"You mean gaurding you?"
"Exactly!"
He stares at you. You stare right back, a leveling gaze.
James doesn't acknowledge you any further as he reaches for his radio. He clicks it on and says a bunch of nonsense words down the line, waiting with it near his mouth until somebody answers. Then he drops it back to where it's clipped against his shoulder and waits.
"Well?" he asks. "Are we going?"
You beam. "Yes!" you say excitedly, fingertips gracing the curve of a big, thick curl toward the nape of his neck as you pull back.
Even on his off times James still looks as though he's escorting you places. He walks a pace behind you, footsteps neat and sound to your clumsy mismatch. Though, quite unlike when he's on duty, his hand eventually catches at the back of your shirt, and slides up your spine as you approach your bedroom.
Bedroom is a silly word to describe it. It's more like you've your own apartment within your house. There's a cushy living room, a huge bedroom with soft pillows and silk sheets, and an ensuite that boasts a full body waterfall shower. James used to tease about it being a two body shower, but now that things are a little more serious between the two of you he holds his tongue.
"Think in here'll be just fine," James says, stopping near your sofa.
You pout because you'd really hoped to entice him into bed with you. Not for anything major, but sometimes if you're persuasive enough James will relax enough for some under the covers hugging.
"Fine fine fine," you say, spinning back toward him. Your tights are slippery over hardwood and you almost trip.
Once James is firmly situated between two huge cushions, you meander back to your door and ask your new bodyguard (who's frowning, likely annoyed to be put on duty when it's supposed to be James) stationed down the hall if he'll find your attendant, and when he appears a few seconds later you order some tea and biscuits.
Before long you've two mugs of tea and all the biscuits you could ask for on a tray in front of you, kneeling beside James where he's slouched expectantly.
He sips his tea. "Why are you looking at me?" he asks.
"Are you gonna make me beg?"
"I quite like when you beg," he says, taking another sip.
You pick a loose thread off of his short-sleeved polo. You don't want to say please. You don't want James to kiss you at all if it's not what he wants to do.
He sets down his mug and leans back in his seat. You wait. He opens his palms and flexes his fingers forward, the universal sign for 'come here'.
Despite all his reluctance in front of other people, his hands tell a very different story. He grabs your back, arms crossing over themselves as he pulls you right up against his chest and tips his head back. You're still laughing at his ever-surprising strength when he kisses you, giggles muffled by his lips.
You're so happy you squirm, hands coming up to hold his face as you had down in the foyer.
"I missed you," you say between kisses, and mean it.
"It was barely a whole day."
"It was more than a whole day," you say, though any further argument gets lost in kisses. He's warm, he's soft. He tastes like tea and he smells like almond oil, curls sleek and sweet between your fingers as you push your hands into his hair.
You don't kiss him for very long. You're too anxious to talk to him, and be close to him. You force your head over his shoulder and breathe, nose tickled by curls.
"I missed you," you say again, desperate for a return.
"I missed you too."
You shift in his lap. "Really?"
"Of course I did." His hands still at the small of your back. "You know how I feel about you."
You push your lips into his hair and sigh. "I know." That's kind of the problem. He likes you. Enough to kiss you and praise you and spend near every waking second of his trying to make you laugh so he can hear the sound.
For a while, it's just you and James. You toy with his hair, picking apart curls and scratching lightly at his scalp. His breath warms the slops of your shoulder, his hands stroke the length of your back. It doesn't take long before you've both turned to jelly.
"Wanna Lady and the Tramp a shortbread?" James asks eventually.
"No."
"You sure? I promise to keep my crumbs to myself."
You don't believe him. "Yeah, okay."
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froggibus · 9 months
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When You’re Feeling Sad - Cassidy, Genji, Lucio, Ramattra, Zenyatta
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Pairing: Cole Cassidy x gn! reader, Genji Shimada x gn! reader, Lucio Correia dos Santos x gn! reader, Ramattra x gn! reader, Zenyatta x gn! reader
Genre: fluffy headcanons
Summary: how they would treat you when you’re feeling sad
CW: feelings of sadness, hormones, feeling down, talking about feelings, emotional intimacy, the boys trying to cheer you up in their own ways
having a bit of a rough day and I needed some fluff with my favorite boys so here we are :) kinda similar to this, but oh well
————
Cassidy:
honestly isn’t great when it comes to feelings
but especially not great with his own
one of his biggest love languages is gift giving so whenever you’re sad he’ll just give you stuff 
a cupcake from that place you’ve been wanting to try, a limited edition of your favorite book 
he’s not against some quality time sitting down with you either 
if you want to talk about your feelings, he’ll listen, but he probably won’t say much in return 
not that he’s not listening, because trust me, he is
he just isn’t sure what to say and doesn’t want to risk upsetting you more
so instead he’ll respond with slight touches 
a squeeze to the hand for reassurance, a kiss on the forehead 
once you start to feel better, he’ll propose a pyjama party and movie marathon 
and he’ll watch whatever movie you choose with a smile on his face bcs he knows it’ll make you happy
Genji:
pretty well adjusted when it comes to emotions 
he learned from the best after all
insanely good listener 
like can sit there and listen to you talk for hours to try and understand what you’re feeling 
very good at empathising with you too
will hold your hand and rub his thumb against your palm 
makes sure to keep you well hydrated and well fed
he’s not the best cook given he spent most of his youth on more important things (like being a slut) 
so he’ll probably just order you your favorite takeout 
he’ll tell you stories of his youth just to make you laugh even if he’s embarrassed as hell about it
makes sure you feel loved and understood because he never wants you to feel alone
Lucio:
silly little music man 
he will do anything it takes to cheer you up
probably plays you a song on his guitar or something and changes lyrics to be silly/fit you 
his first instinct is to always make you laugh 
but he realizes that isn’t always what you need 
so he’ll put the guitar away and settle down with you
grabs your hands and says something like 
“let’s talk this out” 
let’s you vent whatever you’re feeling (or not feeling) 
and does his absolute best to listen even tho he isn’t always great at it 
your ability to express emotions has always been something he’s admired about you
and is one reason why you’ll forever be his muse 
and he makes sure you know it so you’ll never feel embarrassed to cry in front of him 
Ramattra:
he’s an absolute brick wall when it comes to human things
but especially feelings 
he can’t experience the full calibre of emotions that humans do so it’s hard for him to comprehend them 
still, he hates seeing you upset and in pain, so he’ll try almost anything to cheer you up 
he can’t exactly fight your feelings so he settles on a more…pacifist approach 
probably asks Zen what to do lol 
treads very lightly with you and is super careful not to invalidate whatever you’re feeling 
goes for physical comfort before anything 
wraps you up in a blanket and holds you in his lap
he’ll even put his work away and let you cuddle up to him for as long as you need
weird but I feel like he would rock you?? 
just something soothing he’s seen other humans do and figures it might help 
it does
once you feel better he is super flustered about being so vulnerable 
Zenyatta:
as soon as he notices you getting sad and mopey, he’s on it 
brews you a kickass cup of tea and probably makes you some comfort food 
even tho he’s an omnic he’s a surprisingly good cook 
brings you a mug of tea and a steaming plate of momos and settles in bed with you 
even if he can’t feel emotions to the calibre you do, he’s still an empath and hates seeing you like this 
let’s you lay on his lap and relax and talk it out 
probably reads one of your favourite books with you
or if you can’t focus you guys will watch something in bed 
strokes your hair and talks to you in his soothing voice 
will comfort you through whatever you are dealing with 
whether it’s something silly or something serious, your emotions are not something he takes lightly
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If You Can't Dance 3
Warnings: dubcon, noncon, other possible triggers. Proceed with caution.
Note: this is what you get when you encourage me. Please leave any and all feedback! 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
Part of The Club AU
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You login for the day with your usual set up. A mug of peppermint tea, your favourite sweater, and your gaming chair set to the most ergonomic setting. You connect to the company's shared server and go through the verification. It's tedious but necessary. You're certain there will be many tedious tasks to come as the merger looms heavy over the newly absorbed startup.
As your Teams pops up, you scroll through your tasks and prepare to start your usual squinting hunch at the screen. You grab your glasses and put them on. You really need to start wearing those.
Bing! You have a message. Oh, jeez, it's Jensen. Your manager, at least for the time being. You don't know what his new job will be in the unified structure. So many questions but you're more concerned with the backend.
'Morning, how's it going?'
He's casual and approachable. At least, from what you can tell over virtual text and the occasional video call. He checks in now and then so you assume this is just the same.
'Alright. Getting started for the day.'
The three dots pop up then disappear, then a new message appears.
'Did you enjoy last night? Didn't get to say hi, you looked like you had fun tho.'
'Oh. I guess.'
'It was nice to see everyone. Anyway, business. Meeting at nine for coders. Invite coming.'
You stare at the screen. Great. You hate team meetings. You always have to give and update but you don't have much to say. You do your work and it's right there for them to see. Why do you need to explain it?
'Got it.'
You send your response and ignore his reaction; a thumbs up. You put a timer on, knowing better than to trust yourself. You go back to your usual, trying to settle in with your minty brew. Last night has put everything off-balance.
Slightly agitated by the spontaneity of the event, you join the Teams meeting and try not to look at yourself among the five rectangles on the screen. Jensen's glasses glare in the camera and you take your own off, hoping to escape behind the blur of your vision. G is there too, the only other coder you've worked with in the company. He's a strange guy, quiet, and no one knows his full name. The other two, Marc and Dharshi round out the group. All of you sit silent, waiting.
"Oh, uh," Jensen unmutes as he seems to remember he's on a call, "alright, guys, I'll try to keep this short. There's a lot to do but I really didn't think that this message should come through an email."
You check your mug, cold and empty. You have a bad feeling about whatever message he's referring to.
"So, I know we've been doing work from home for a while, but, uh, with the new company, we're being asked to consider a more hybrid model. No decision has been made yet but next week, you are all required to report to the new headquarters so that we can meet our new coworkers."
"What?" Dharshi exclaims as Marc scowls. G just stares blankly, you think, it's hard to make out clearly. You probably look just as dull.
"I know, I know, I'm trying to get us down to only a couple days a week in office," Jensen explains, "right now, there's no decision made but we do have to try. There's a different culture with Blue Forest but I think we'll be okay."
G hangs up and Jensen sputters. Dharshi and Marc let out odd noises and you just sit there.
"Oh, must be a bad connection," Jensen laughs nervously, "so... uh, I'll follow-up with G and see you all Monday."
No response. Jensen fills the void with his usual managerial spiel; let me know if you need anything, yada yada. The call ends and you're left deflating in fractured safehold of your home office. Maybe you will all be too awkward and they'll just decide to keep you hidden away. You can only hope.
Oh and don't forget, you still have to go get your car after work.
🐞
Monday comes too fast, your weekend fading into a marathon of Fortnight and nature documentaries. You pull out your most acceptable outfit. Another long skirt and a turtle neck with oxford boots. Hmm, it's more Anne Shirley than business casual.
You drive into the heart of the city, the GPS guiding you to the modern office building with its transparent walls and sleek black structure. You grab your laptop bag, a messenger with butterfly patches sewn onto it. At the door, you're stopped and let in after verifying your Employee ID. You're told to go to the front desk to get your new credentials.
After you get sorted, you're sent down the hall to a conference room. You pass several offices and people you don't know. Your new coworkers. You grip the strap of your bag as a woman pops out of Room 1161B, the very one you were told to go to. You stop short as she smiles at you, her frilly blouse tucked into a sleek white skirt.
"Oh, you must be a new one, I'm Catarina," she offers her hand and you just stare at it. "You'll be in here for the Tech Orientation. There's tea and coffee, some pastries, and full catering will be available at lunch."
"Thanks," you mutter and peek into the empty room.
"You're so early," she praises, "sorry, I didn't catch your name. I need to check you off the list."
You enunciate the syllables clearly so you won't have to repeat yourself then turn into the room. You look around at the tables. Not the traditional long intimidating tabletop but several throughout the space. You don't know where to sit, if you should choose a particular seat, so you go to the waiting urns by the far wall.
You peruse the collection of tea bags. Chamomile, green, Earl Gray...
"Ah, pardon, could I trouble you for English Breakfast if they have it?" A voice nears before the footsteps reach you. The shadow stops beside you, the voice frighteningly familiar. You grab a bag of the English Breakfast and hold it out without looking over. It can't be, what are the odds? "Oh..." he says your name. The accent, the recognition, he knows you and you vaguely know him. Jonathan.
"You work here?" You wonder as you continue to shuffle through the packets.
"Yes, and I assume... you do too. Now. You are among the newly acquired?"
You nod and put down the box of teas.
"Is there something wrong? You don't like the selection?"
"No peppermint," you shrug.
You sidle along and grab a paper cup, instead pressing the spout for the large jug of cold water. The man fills his cup with hot water before tugging on the string of the tea bag, steeping it as he nears you again.
"It's rather a coincidence," he preens, "are you excited to start?"
You know you shouldn't be honest so you do your best to lie, "yeah."
"You certainly sound it," he laughs, "well, please, have a dessert... and a seat. We'll be all out before you know it."
"Thanks," you surpass the plate of tarts and croissants. You sit at the table nearest the corner and stare at the cup of clear water. You should've known to bring your own tea.
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abigails-gf · 11 months
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hiiii! i hope you’re having an amazing day❤️i love your writings, especially abby fluffs:) i was wondering if you could write smth like reader being sick (maybe a cold) and Abby taking care of her and getting her checked out bc she’s so worried for her gf😭 then she maybe cuddles with her and lots of fluff✨
it’s exam week and i need abby’s comfort so bad😭❤️
(it’s okay if you don’t write tho no need to rush🫶🏻)
abby anderson x fem reader.
a/n: hii! hope you're doing okay! good luck for your exams <3 i'm not used to writing sick characters so this is not the best .. but i hope you like it !! :)) take care<33
“oh fuck, my head hurts.” you exclaimed sitting on the couch next to abby. she kissed your temple and put her computer aside. “i know. i heard you coughing all night.”
“why aren’t you at work?” you asked her. “took my day off. we’re going to the doctors later, you can’t stay like this.” you groaned, letting your head fall on her shoulder. “it’s just a cold, it’ll pass.” you sniffed. she chuckled. “baby, you’ve been sick for two days – we need to get you some meds.” you closed your eyes and nodded against her shoulder. “now, don’t fall asleep on me.” she got up, making you open your eyes. “c’mon. i’m gonna make you some tea and then we’ll get ready.”
you got up and followed her to the kitchen, sitting down at the table. “god, i’m miserable. i’m sorry you have to see me like this.” she picked up some honey and put it in your warm tea. “don’t apologize. i’m here to take care of you, sweet thing.” she said before putting the mug of tea in front of you. “be careful, it’s hot.” you nodded and put your hands around the mug.
“i’m cold.” she sat next to you and kissed your temple. “i know, baby. that’s why we’re going to see a doctor.” you took a sip of your tea and looked at her. “thank you, abs.” you said quietly.
abby was at the pharmacy while you waited in the car, wearing a big coat. she came back and handed you the medicine. “we’ll take that when we get home.” she started the car and drove you both back to your apartment.
once you were home, abby decided that you should have a warm bath to relax your muscles. she made sure you didn’t hurt yourself while going into the bath and left the door open. “call me if you need anything, i’ll be in the kitchen.”
you got out of the bathroom finding abby setting up the table for lunch. she had made your favorite meal. “abby... you shouldn’t have. you could’ve done something easier.” she turned to you, holding two forks. “my baby’s not feeling alright, so i’m making her feel better.” she kissed your forehead.
when you were almost done with your plate, abby took the bottle of syrup and a teaspoon. “open your mouth for me, babe.” you opened your mouth, swallowing the liquid – it tasted horrendous. “bleh.” abby giggled at the face you made. “you only have to take it one time a day – or two if you keep coughing.” she reassured you.
after lunch, you both went back to bed. “you probably didn’t get any sleep last night, i’m sorry about that. and i’m sorry you had to miss work.” she caressed your cheek, smiling softly. “sweet girl, i told you not to apologize. i get to spend the day with you. and you know i love taking care of you, don’t you?” you closed your eyes as she continued to rub your cheek. “thank you for taking care of me, abby.”
she kissed you on the forehead, her hand leaving your cheek to find its place on your back, pulling you closer to her. “it’s time to rest, now, my love. wake me up if you need anything, ok? i love you.” she whispered as you drifted off to sleep.
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bimsha · 1 year
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Series : 100 WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU
Inspired by: 100 ways to say I love you
Fandom: Tokyo Revengers
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It’s Okay.  I Couldn’t Sleep Anyway
Pairing: Mitsuya Takashi x Reader
Tags: lovers, phone calls, moving together, Hurt/comfort
Tw: paranoia, nightmares, pets dying?
Word count: 1.1k
Note: Hello! Hope you guys enjoy this <3 Wrote this while I was procrastinating. Worth it. sniff. No beta read tho >.>
The steady beep of the phone rang into the night. Mitsuya groaned, tossing to his side as he reached for the nightstand, the light flashing across his screen. He checked the name under his bleary eyelids and saw her name staring back at her. Without hesitation, he swiped the call button to hear her distant breathing through the receiver. 
“Y/n?” He asked, concerned. He sat up on the bed and leaned against his headboard, running a hand through his hair. The house was silent around him save for the occasional vehicle racing past the road. “Y/n?” He tried again. 
“Y-yeah, I’m here.” She answered. And that was all it took for him to recognize the pain laced in those words seeping into the cracks of her voice. It had been two weeks since you two last saw each other. He had been busy with coming up with a new design for his brand while Y/n was engulfed in her own work, making trips to clients and designing presentations and projects to impress the authority. 
“Did something happen?” He asked, softening his voice as his eyes roamed to the alarm clock on the nightstand. 3:45am, it read. 
“No, it’s just-” She sighed, Mitsuya could hear the rustle of the bedsheets as she swung her legs off the bed. He could manoeuvre his way around her house from his memory, he had lived there for most of his time the past couple of years before they had to move around for work. 
“Nightmare?”
He heard the crinkle of mugs, “Yes. I just couldn’t shake the feeling. It’s like…like someone’s watching me.” She gave him a dry chuckle, “I know it’s stupid-”
“No, it’s not.” His voice was firm and soothing. He still remembered the day two years ago when she called him, sobbing her heart out. She had walked home that day like any other day to find her apartment mangled, clothes thrown across the floor, her jewellery missing and her golden retriever lying on the ground, blood gushing from a crack on his head. And the nightmares had begun haunting her daily and Mitsuya moved in. He didn’t hesitate when the request came. It was a vow he had made for himself, to protect her. The nightmares receded, life continued. But the paranoia followed her around like a contagious disease waiting to pounce at any given opportunity. And she still didn’t replace her golden retriever, the feeling of loss and guilt embedded in her mind. “What was it this time?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” She whispered to her phone and Mitsuya could hear the whirring of her AC as she moved to her living room. 
Mitsuya didn’t push. With her, she opened up when she felt secured, and he always waited, never losing his temper for her to reach out. “Well,” Mitsuya started, swinging his legs off the bed and walking to the living room. Flipping on the light, he searched for a mug to make himself a warm cup of tea. “Something funny happened today,” He said, feeling her smile against the receiver as they fell into their old pattern. He narrated the story about the new trainee he had hired, exceptional talent but awkward social skills. She chuckled when he said how he thought he was another trainee. 
“I don’t blame him, your looks don't give away your age.”
“Why there, thank you,” He smiled, sinking back to his sofa. “What are you drinking?”
“My self esteem,” She answered.
“Chamomile Tea?”
“Chamomile tea,” She confirmed. “And you?”
“Just some random type of tea I grabbed from the grocery store yesterday. It tastes pretty good.”
“For a man who can work like a housewife, your grocery options appal me, Mitsu.”
“Oh shush,” He laughed, taking a sip from his drink. He still remembered them standing in the shopping aisles, she went through each brand, meticulous in her approach while he spotted the thing he needed and dropped it into the cart. Their behaviours varied in some ways, but they still loved the same ice cream, smiled at the kids in the playground, and were reminded of each other whenever they passed a set of swings. 
Reminded each other of the nights they used to sit when her nightmares refused her any sleep. How they ate ice cream in those summer nights sitting close to each other in the glow of their safety net. He loved her so much and he wanted to hold her hand each day and speak those words while they were still tangled on the bed. Maybe, it’s time to focus on their lives a little more. 
Mitsuya heard the sound of a lock bolted in, he placed the cup on the table. “Everything alright?”
“Yeah,” She answered. Mitsuya could imagine her walking back to the bedroom. The nightlight glowing on her worktable. “I miss you.” Her muffled voice said, speaking the words he had been thinking for the past hour. 
“I miss you too,” He answered, staring at his ceiling, reminiscing about all the things they did, all the things they were in her one bedroom apartment. “Do you think it's time? We should move in together, Y/n. We are both better off that way.”
“You don’t have to,” She answered, “The apartment you’re staying in is close to the office. Stay, it’s just a silly nightmare,” Mitusya winced when she forced cheer into her voice. “I can go two, three weeks without them now!”
“If your face is the first thing I’d be seeing in the morning, all that distance would be worth it.” He put the cup in the sink and walked back to his bed. 
“Cringing, give me a second,” She laughed, but there was that fondness he always adored. 
“Shut up,” Mitsuya grinned, falling back to his comfortable bed, but incredibly lonely without her. It was not only for her he thought of moving. A small part of himself yearned to walk back to the little home they’ve created for themselves since the moment he parted from it. He missed her shuffling through the room in the morning wearing his t-shirt. He missed her throwing clothes on the bed to find that one misplaced cardigan. He missed her tinkling laugh when she talked to her mother, her presence beside him on the sofa, watching a movie, eating TV dinners because they were too tired to make dinner. 
In every sense of the word, he missed her. 
“I’m sorry, though,” She yawned, Mitsuya heard the shuffle of her blanket as she pulled it over her head. A habit she’d picked up sleeping alone. “For messing up your sleep schedule like this.”
“It’s okay, I couldn’t sleep anyway.”
“Liar,” Her breathy voice whispered to the receiver, “I love you too.” He listened as her breathing slowed and fell into a familiar rhythm. Smiling, Mitsuya flipped off the light and listened to her breathing, the flutter of her breath. Realizing for the hundredth time, gods he was so in love with her. 
Thank you for reading!
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