#//AND SHE DIDN'T TELL ME ABOUT THOMAS SO I WOULD HAVE A GENUINE REACTION

[troublcmakcrs]

//FRIENDSHIP ENDED WITH THOMAS TUCKER ACTUALLY

#misc :: ( ooc ) #//LAURA I'M SO SORRY AN UGLY-ASS BITCH WOULD EVEN DO THAT OH MY GOD #//MANS REALLY HAD GUCCI RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM AND WENT FOR THE CLEARANCE RACK AT K-MART #//TAKING A HACKSAW TO HIS DICK AS WE SPEAK #//I'M SO MAD #//kyle has been watching me stan thomas like... WAITING for it #//she has known the WHOLE TIME #//and she's like YES FINALLY I'M SO GLAD YOU GOT THERE #//me: thomas is the best most normal dad in south park :) #//kyle: :3c #//I'M SO MAD I'M SO MADDDD #//this happened with butters too #//she was pretending to hate butters so that i could have the authentic experience of coming around to liking him #//AND SHE DIDN'T TELL ME ABOUT THOMAS SO I WOULD HAVE A GENUINE REACTION #//I'M KILLING HIM I'M KILLING HIM #//when i was younger i went on a cruise and my aunt and i ordered a pumpkin chocolate pie #//and it was so terrible that we stuck every fork on our table in it and then borrowed forks from the neighboring table for the same purpos #//thomas' face is that pumpkin chocolate pie

[pathetichimbos]

Hey! How do you think Thomas would deal with a reader slowly becoming blind or deaf in their later years of being together or in old age?

I haven't really had the time or energy to go through my asks but this one hits close to home. f!reader

So, everyone knows that as one gets older, their hearing, sight, and pretty much everything naturally deteriorates as their body begins to decline.

But for some people, it gets worse. Blindness, Deafness, Amputation, Dementia, Parkinson's, the list is rather endless.

It's a daunting thought, knowing that it could happen to you. Sometimes there are warnings. A familial history, environmental factors, medical tests... There's time to prepare, come to terms with your fate, learn to live with it.

Other times there's nothing.

One day, you're a healthy adult, your aging body functioning to the best of it's abilities, working despite the slow tick of time that's flown by.

The next, you're gripping railing at the top of the stairs, shaking and afraid because you can't see the steps in front of you.

There's a couple of different reactions Thomas could have to this.

If there's a warning, a time to process and accept what's going to happen, a former knowledge of what's to come, he'll do his best to take care of you. He goes out of his way to learn about things he can do to accommodate you, to make your life easier when it begins. He's no carpenter, but he'll do his best to accommodate the house to the best of his abilities. It's your house as well, after all, and he wants you to be comfortable in it, at any age.

If there isn't, it's panic. He's confused, and he doesn't know how to help. Thomas is a man who thrives on being helpful, and suddenly he isn't. He's worried about you, and rather than having time to come to terms and accept this new world, you're both simply thrown into it, and it makes him spiral. It's a huge adjustment, but he does his best to take care of you and accommodate the house the best he can. In this situation, he's much more likely to accidentally baby you, not understanding how to handle your sudden disability, so it's important to teach him how he can best help without being overbearing.

...I know this ask was specified to blindness and deafness, but I'd also like to touch on the mental and personality aspects to this as well.

His reaction will tract close to the same for things like dementia and parkinson's, specifically if he has a warning, but if he doesn't, things are very different.

He notices the tremors first. The way your left hand seems to tremble, and the way you seem to stand just a bit differently.

Well, that's not entirely true, really, he noticed you becoming more forgetful ages ago, but who wasn't forgetful these days?

Neither of you really think much of it, after all the two of you are getting older, the grays in your hair as present as the ache in your back when you play with your grandchildren.

So, it's forgotten, the shakes and poor memory swept under the rug until it becomes a normality, the progression leaking in at such a steady pace neither of you really notice the way your right hand begins to tremble as well.

"...Is mom okay?" Your daughter finally asks on one of her frequent trips in from the city, "She seems... different."

Thomas gives her a look of confusion, Of course she is, why wouldn't she be?

"Dad... Look at her."

And for the first time in a long time, he really does.

He watches the way you sit, hunched in your favorite chair by the window, arms tucked closely to your chest as you stare out into the yard, a sort of distant, absent look in your eyes.

You're interrupted by the squeal of children running towards you, yelling 'grandma!' to the top of their lungs.

He watches your face light up with a genuine surprise and delight, struggling to lean down and greet them with a hug.

"Oh, how wonderful!" You tell the children with a great, big smile, "I didn't know y'all were coming to see me!"

But you did. He watched you talk to your daughter just a few hours ago on the telephone, telling you she'd be bringing the kids fown for the day.

His chest aches as for the first time, he sees how much you've really changed.

He's more attentive, finally noticing full extent of the tremors, how you can barely move your arms, how with everyday, more and more of you begins to fade from your eyes.

You start getting angrier, snapping easily over small things that would have never bothered you before. You can't stop shaking, constantly taking in your surroundings as if seeing everything for the first time.

You lose the ability to do certain things, your movement much to jagged to brush your own teeth, to comb your own hair. All of those responsibilities falling on Thomas' shoulders, as well as many others.

You spend most of your time in your favorite chair, watching the TV, or listening to the radio. You can barely stand on your own, your legs shuffling and unstable when you do manage to get up.

Thomas does his best to take care of you, to watch over you and make sure you want for nothing.

It's a taxing, and exhausting job, but he can't imagine not doing it.

He's tired, his own body aching and sore from his own old age. Your children begin to visit more often, just trying to help out as much as they can.

"Grandma!" Your grandson calls out for you as always, running up to your chair to greet you as soon as he comes in the door.

"Jacob!" Your son follows his child close behind, "What did we just talk about in the car?"

Your once excited and delighted expression at seeing your grandchild is gone, exchanged for one of confusion as you seemed almost frightened.

"Nicholas..." You ask, shaking as you hold your arms close to your chest, "...Who is this...?"

Thomas has to leave the room.

He's heartbroken, slowly watching the love of his life become a shell of herself, each day slowly becoming worse and worse.

"Thomas, honey, what's wrong?" Shaky hands cup his face when he finally comes back into the room, eyes red and swollen from crying.

He shakes his head, holding your frial wrists as he kisses your cheek.

Within that same week you lose the ability to climb the stairs, and Thomas begins carrying you.

It doesn't take long after for you to become completely bed ridden, unable to recognize either of your children who have practically moved in to help care for you.

Thomas is the only one you don't forget, even if you can't manage to remember the year, your wedding, or even the fact that you're married.

You never forget Thomas.

It's a warm, April Tuesday. Clouds dance across the blue sky, inviting the singing birds to swim in the cool breeze of a rain storm that'll come in the afternoon.

It's the first time you've been this coherent in months, managing to recognize both of your children and your eldest grandchildren.

It's a good day.

Thomas sits in a chair beside your bed, something he put there so the two of you could still sit together, like you used to, when you could walk to the porch and drink your coffee in the early mornings.

He holds your shaking hand, rough hands rubbing soft circles against your skin.

You've become weak with time, barely managing to give his hand a small squeeze to catch his attention.

There's a knowing look in your eyes, and he lets out a shaky sigh.

"...Will you forgive me...?" Your once lively and full voice is small, and broken, shaky and devoid of life.

He squeezes your hand, leans onto the bed and presses his forehead against yours. A silent answer, an understanding sense of relief that you can finally be at peace.

You let out your own sigh, leaning against his warmth for one last time.

It was a good day.

#thomas hewitt #slashers #slasher fandom #thomas hewitt x reader #thomas hewitt x s/o #thomas hewitt x y/n #slasher x reader #thomas hewitt x you #slasher x you

[duskyashe]

NaNoWriMo Day #8

[masterlist] [part two]

Prompt found here

=============‹«⟨←·•·→⟩»›=============

It was summer break, and Danny was lost in the Infinite Realms. He wasn't too worried, now that he'd officially been crowned the High King, his subjects had mostly stopped attacking Amity Park, and he was eager to finally get some exploring done now that he could take a break. Jazz, Sam, and Tucker knew Danny was, his parents thought he was spending the week at Tucker's, and he had Clockwork's promise that Danny would make it home by the end of the week no matter how long he was stuck in the Realms, so he was golden. The only thing he'd forgotten was the map of the Infinite Realms that would tell him where he was and how to get back home, but he'd been working with Wulf on making his own portals, so if he really needed to, he had a way out.

But that was just in case, for now, he was just having fun being lost. There were so many things to see and places to explore! Like where he was exploring currently, it was this old gothic theatre with surrounding alleys, there were hidey-holes and hidden storage rooms, and there was an old fashioned elevator floor, this place had everything!

"Martha, there seems to be someone here," a man's voice came from around the corner ahead of him. Danny froze, not sure what to do. W-was this someone's haunt?! It didn't look occupied when he first found it!

"Oh, the poor dear! I thought Bruce had put an end to theatre shootings, though?" A woman, likely Martha, responded. She sounded genuinely worried and confused as to why he was there, and that... That gave Danny pause. Because that wasn't the normal reaction of a ghost whose haunt had been intruded upon.

The man sighed. "Martha, dear, you know he prefers to go by Batman when wearing the cowl. I've told you before, we should respect our son's wishes."

Their son is Batman?! Does that mean Batman's a ghost?

"I know, I know, but Thomas, that's not the important part! There's someone in the theatre when there shouldn't be! What if they're hurt, or lost, or confused? We need to help them!" Martha exclaimed.

Danny took an unneeded breath and floated forward, a sheepish grin on his face. "Uh, hi there," he said, giving a small wave. In front of him were two gothically dressed ghosts, one male and the other female. The woman, Martha, was wearing a dark green and black striped ball gown, a line of golden buttons decorating the front of the bodice. Thomas, her partner, was wearing a matching green overcoat with black trim, and a matching pair of black dress pants and dress shirt, with a classy top hat, golden buttons, and cufflinks to finish the look. They both had black hair and glowing blue eyes, and both had a small golden bat pinned to their chest above their hearts. They both seemed surprised to see him, maybe they expected him to be hiding somewhere deeper in the theatre?

Martha seemed to come to her senses before Thomas, and was soon hovering right in front of him, pale fingers ghosting over his face and arms with a concerned look on her face. "Oh, you're just a child! You poor dear, you must be so confused! Where are you from, if you don't mind me asking? You certainly don't feel like one of ours, were you visiting Gotham when you died?"

Danny leaned back slightly, flustered and unsure what she was talking about. "I, uh, I've never been to Gotham? I was born and raised in Amity Park? I-I technically died there, too, but that's a bit of a story. Um, what exactly do you mean, I don't feel like one of yours?"

Turned out, if someone highly influential to a city or town died in either a highly traumatic or a sufficiently influential way, they became the spirit of that city or town. Thomas and Martha Wayne were highly respected and looked up to by all of Gotham before they were murdered, and while their deaths weren't exactly traumatic enough at the time for them to have become the spirits of Gotham, they did inspire their son, well known billionaire Bruce Wayne, to become the vigilante and Justice League founder Batman. Once Batman became well known across Gotham, the couple were elevated in status and the previous spirit of Gotham was relieved of their duties. A brief tangent revealed that the spirit of a city or a town had different duties depending on what their city or town needed. For Gotham, and more specifically Thomas and Martha, it was being a beacon of hope and change as well as helping their family's fight to better the city and minimize crime.

"So," Danny said slowly. "Because I'm the protector of Amity Park, does that make me Amity's spirit?"

Thomas shook his head. "It doesn't quite work like that, son. Not every town or every city has a spirit, and a city or town spirit can't be less than fully dead, unlike other powerful positions, such as the High King."

"Not to mention," Martha spoke up, "that as the High King, you can't hold any other ghostly position of power, or else the balance would destabilize, sending all of reality into chaos. As such, the oaths of the High King include the renouncing of any and all former ghostly appointments that might interfere with the balance. It's part of why the Observants never tried taking the throne from Pariah Dark, to be honest."

Danny sat there, thinking over everything he'd just learned. Honestly, he'd learned more about his kingdom, subjects, and the culture that goes with it in one conversation than he had in the entire time he'd been a halfa. "There's so much I don't know, isn't there?" Danny asked after a moment.

Thomas and Martha smiled comfortingly. "Don't worry," Thomas said as he put an arm around Danny's shoulder. "You have time to learn it all, though some of this you really should have learned before making your oaths. I'd like to have words with your guardian, they appear to have been slacking in their duties."

Danny's mind blanked. Guardian? Surely, not his parents. Though. This seemed to be another ghostly thing, so probably—"Clockwork? Or... Maybe Pandora, or Frostbite? I'm... Not actually sure who my guardian is, are they supposed to let me know they're my guardian? Also, how does that work, how does someone become the guardian of a younger ghost?"

"You don't know your own guardian?" Martha cried in disbelief.

"Danny, may I take a look at your core? I feel we'll get more answers that way, but I wouldn't want to impose," Thomas asked gently.

"Why would that be an imposition?" Danny asked.

Martha gently took his hand in hers. "A ghost's core makes up everything that is them, their likes, their dislikes, their personality, their obsession, even their bonds. To let someone look at your core is to trust them with your very soul. Never let someone look at your core unless you trust them with everything you hold dear, alright?"

Shocked, Danny nodded. There was a lot he didn't know. "O-okay, um, yeah, you can look at it, Thomas," he breathed shakily. "I trust you."

Danny did not have a guardian. He had fright-mates in the form of his liminal sister and friends, but he didn't have a guardian or really any other bonds. Thomas raged and Martha cried and the both of them begged him to choose someone to be his guardian. He was a baby ghost, halfa or not, and his core needed the support of a guardian in order to not overwork itself trying to protect him, and end up hurting him instead, potentially permanently. They cautioned him that, with how powerful he already was, his guardian would have to be quite powerful, themselves, like an ancient or a tribe leader. When Danny asked if a city spirit or two would work, they both hugged him so tightly and so warmly that he melted into the embrace, frozen tears falling from his eyes.

"So, does this make me Batman's little brother?" Danny asked with a sniffle sometime later, after the couple agreed to be Danny's guardians.

Martha gasped and put a hand to her mouth, looking to Thomas with mirth in her eyes. "Bruce always wanted a sibling, growing up," she agreed with a laugh.

Thomas smiled at both of them. "Danny even looks the part when he's human!"

=============‹«⟨←·•·→⟩»›=============

Two weeks after Danny's ghostly adoption saw Danny giggling to himself as he walked up the front steps of Wayne Manor with his backpack hanging from his shoulder. He knocked politely and waited for Alfred, the butler and his brother's father figure, to answer. When he did, he took one look at Danny and smirked. "They're in the family media room, master Danny. Would you like some tea?"

Danny grinned and nodded. "You're the man, Alfred. They suspect anything?"

"Not a thing, master Danny. I shall be recording everything via the security cameras, just as the master and madam requested. Nothing will be missed. I'll bring the tea in when things have calmed down," Alfred said as he started walking back to the kitchen.

He suppressed a maniacal laugh. This was going to be awesome.

=============‹«⟨←·•·→⟩»›=============

MWAHAHA!!! I SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED TO WORK IN A WAY OF ADDING ONTO THIS FICLET WITH AN ALREADY EXISTING PROMPT!ヽ⁠(⁠`⁠Д⁠´⁠)⁠ﾉ Now. If someone could find me the post about the spirits of cities, specifically Gotham, that'd be great. I know there IS one, cuz that's what spawned the fic "A Change in Management" over on AO3 (I'll provide a link and proper citing later), I just can't find it (⁠^⁠～⁠^⁠;⁠)⁠ゞ

I'm really happy I managed to finish this, because holy heck, my day was just... Really crazy (⁠；⁠^⁠ω⁠^⁠）but it was worth it for y'all (⁠◠⁠‿⁠・⁠)⁠—⁠☆

Have a good morning/day/night!

#danny phantom #batman #dc x dp #dp x dc #dp crossover #fanfic #dp au #fanfiction #nanowrimo 2022 #NaNoWriMo Day 8 #lol Danny got adopted by a Wayne #it's just not who you'd expect! #thomas wayne #martha wayne #they're the spirits of Gotham now. you can't tell me otherwise #if i find/track down/get tagged in the Tumblr post i mentioned #I'll write a sequel for this later this month #it will happen eventually #but it'll happen sooner if I'm not the one tracking the post down

[tihgnari]

ꕤ 31. forget the flowers

tw: none / wc: 1.1k

from: t(hoe)ma —hey yn! sorry i cant make it :( —thankfully ayato volunteered my ticket wont be wasted and u wont watch alone lol

you knew their plan. you were there, planning alongside them without their knowing. you don't know how ayato got thoma to join in on his supposed master plan willingly, but you knew from the moment thoma messaged you about watching that new horror movie that he was going to bail last minute and have ayato go in his stead.

funny, really, that both thoma and ayato genuinely thought you liked watching horror movies when in fact, you hated them and were only listening to thoma talk, trying to segue out of the conversation lest he unintentionally gives you nightmares. with how animated the vice president was talking, he never did manage to notice the forced smile on your face as you listen to him talk about ax killers in the backseat of a car or a haunted porcelain doll with pigtails.

"yn," ayato calls.

when you turn your head to greet him with a smile, he forgets how to breathe. suddenly he's reminded that everything he's doing, fighting the mold his family wants to shape him into, was every inch worth it. 

ayato brought you flowers, just as planned. a bouquet of white roses, and you pray to whoever is listening that he doesn't come any closer or your allergy will start acting up and what a could-be date to the cinema would end up becoming a date in the emergency room. yeah. totally not romantic. but you have to suck it up and pretend you like it because you yourself were the one who lied and said you loved white roses.

 "oh," you stutter, slightly sniffling as your eyes got teary just by being in the vicinity of the damn roses. "thats… that's a nice bouquet haha."

"i was just about to meet my mom, you see. she asked me to get her some white roses for her office but when i got there, she said her secretary had already got some for her. i can't let it go to waste so… i guess, i'll just give it to you then." alas, he extends his arms and gives it to you with a proud smile on his face.

if only you weren't tearing up so hard due to the roses, maybe you'd have noticed how impeccable his acting is. if you hadn't known the real story, you'd have thought his excuse was a hundred percent real, from his facial expression to his mannerisms.

with the roses now directly by your face, the sniffles got more severe and no amount of sniffling stopped you from letting out the biggest sneeze you've ever had, making you drop the bouquet. sadly, neither you nor ayato reacted quickly enough to pick it up as a couple of kids playing tag ran between you and accidentally stepped on the dainty roses. 

while you moved to pick it up, ayato couldn't care less about the flowers and had just noticed the paleness of your skin and teary eyes due to the allergic reaction. okay. maybe telling him the exact opposite of what you like was a bad idea.

"oh no, the flowers…"

"yn, forget the flowers. are you okay? you look…"

you cough, feeling your throat tighten as you fail to keep yourself upright, unable to breathe and getting lightheaded. ayato is quick to catch you in his arms, panic-stricken face inches from yours as a hand pushes your hair away from your face. "shit! are you–are you allergic to flowers? but… but that wasn't—"

you blacked out. the last thing you remember was your thoughts of damn it; he found out.

—

white fluorescent lights scorched your eyes when you opened them as the distinct smell of antiseptic flooded your nostrils. for once, you were breathing regularly again and didn't feel like your skin was itching. as you sit up and take in your surroundings, you realize you're in a hotel… or a hospital? wait a minute, are you…

"VIP room?" you mumble, looking at the mahogany furniture and the flat screen tv mounted just across the hospital bed you were lying on. and right next to you with the blinds drawn, you see the beautiful sea of lights making up the pretty cityscape.

"oh, you're awake. and yeah, you're in one of our hospital's VIP room."

ayato appears from around the corner where the living room was, pocketing his phone as he approaches the side of your bed with big strides, causing your heart rate to speed up, hands flying everywhere as you stutter with your words. "why… why a VIP room? i can barely afford emergency as it is! you could've… could've just sent me home or…"

your voice dies as he reaches forward to grab your outstretched hand, gently bringing it back down on your lap. flustered and utterly distracted by the softness of his hands, you try to pull it out of his grip until he—

"careful. don't move your hands so much, that's where they put the iv."

you blink in disbelief, head jerking to the side, and true to what he said there was an iv attached to the back of your hand. an iv drip? seriously? for a damned allergic reaction?! how much is this going to cost me?!

ayato must've seen your thoughts written clearly on your face as he quickly starts parroting what the doctor said to him. "that's what i thought, too, when dr. nomura said they'll attach an iv on you because you fainted. so they said it was a severe allergic reaction and the iv drip is the quickest way to flush out… allo-whatever-medical-term he said."

he laughs but you don't laugh with him, the heat in your face unable to make you stare straight at his eyes. ayato was still holding your hand.

"oh, sorry…"

he lets it go, and some part of you wish he didn't.

ayato clears his throat. "don't worry! dr. nomura said you'll be back to good condition after you empty the iv drip. and then we can go on our date—I MEAN, DAY! haha… i meant day…"

"right… yeah, i get it." you bite your lip hard and force your heart to calm down. abort mission! foul! FOUL! that was a direct attack! thank god there was no heart monitor attached to you or it would've all been for nothing.

"i heard there'll be a boat ride a little after sundown. they say there'll be fireworks, too. would you like to come with me? it's the least i can do, considering it's my fault for bringing the roses and we had to miss our movie."

you've never felt this guilty in your entire life. but because of that strong feeling of guilt, you suck it up, smile at ayato, and say yes despite having the worst case of motion sickness known to man.

LOWKEY » previous : masterlist : next

a kamisato ayato social media au

summary — it was only recently you found out kamisato ayaka was, in fact, not an only child after all! seeing ayato for the first time gave you the severest case of the butterflies but according to ayaka, he’s off limits, especially to you as her most treasured friend. well, what she doesn’t know won’t hurt, right?

notes — ayato paid for the hospital bills LMAO

🏷 i. @rinrinchin @nejibot @mich-cola @viiolettee @katsumikumo @kaz3yo @starryeyedkoko @xingqiusliegee @selenshinitai @boxdisappeared @lovelyycherries @ferumie @love6cks @kiyowoir @luvvmeilin @blackberri-jelli @moonlightbqe @kazooms @tricethecharm @lynnforever @kaedear @xiaoisahawtie @crowbird @apotatouwu @xinii @euryrue @aequha​@nuttytani @plinkuro @choco-rei @aixaingela @milesluvrrad @windasteriaa @cherrytomato2 @zannivrs @k4miyato @eishtar @wccycc @ceylestia @sweet-almonds @ayatobro @animewolflover278 @queenaveryrules @veyu002 @ittakestw0totango @ventis-dandelion @adeptusx @x-xxiaos @loveyoutothestars @ssalamanderr

#genshin imagines #ayato kamisato imagines #kamisato ayato smau #genshin smau #genshinimpact smau #genshin impact x you #genshin impact x y/n #genshin impact x reader #genshin x you #genshin x reader #genshin x y/n #ayato kamisato x reader #ayato kamisato x y/n #ayato kamisato x you

[nomoreusername]

Well Played

Pairing:Aris x female reader

Summary:After the betrayal you turn the tables around to show what that word really means.

This killed me to do. It hurts more than what I had been forced to do to Thomas. Thomas hadn't been in love with me. She was or is. Even worse, she seemed to genuinely understand why we did what we did. She didn't get angry or upset even when I told her about the kiss with Teresa, in hopes that she would break it off herself.

“Aris?”She asked, joining me away from the group. I didn't say anything as I avoided looking at her. I swear that I’m going to be sick. I never wanted to do anything like this, ever.

But I had to. It was part of the plan that I didn't have a choice in.

“I like you, Y/N,”I started, choking on the words.

“I would hope so,”She joked, making the guilt so much worse.

“Listen. You're really cool. You're really great to be around. You're nice and smart and funny, and I really like hanging out with you,”I got out.

“Look at me,”She suddenly demanded. I didn't have it in me to do that as I stared at the ground. “Aris, look at me. If you're going to break up with me look me in the eyes while you do it.

“I really like being around you. I honestly do, and I didn't want to from the start. I really, really didn't want to, but I didn't have a choice. I like you-”

“What I’m asking is simple. Look at me while you break my heart,”She repeated, sounding unusually calm. Taking a breath and blinking away tears, I finally did to see that she was completely stone faced.

“Say it,”She said, gesturing for me to continue.

“You’re great, but I don't like you that way. I never did. WICKED made me, because you had been close to Thomas so it would rub salt in the wound. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't. I had to kiss you, because that's normally what you do when you're with someone. I had to say that I love you, because you had to believe it,”I confessed. Closing my eyes, I waited for something. For any kind of reaction.

“Okay,”She replied in a dry voice.

“Okay?”I asked, looking at her. Her expression, or expressionless, face didn't change.

“Yeah. Okay,”She shrugged. I tried to wrap my head around her casual response to all of this. I don't know what I expected, but this was more confusing than upsetting.

“What? You want me to cry? Scream? Maybe start hitting you in rage?”

“I don't understand,”I admitted.

“You thought that I would try and hurt you, didn't you?”She asked. I didn't know how to answer that. I had imagined a thousand ways this went down, and none of them were this nonchalant.

“Do you think that I didn't know, Aris?”She asked. Thinking I was hearing wrong, I kept staring at her while trying to figure out what was happening. “It was pretty easy actually. The way you ‘coincidentally’ became more affectionate around him,”She explained, using air quotes.

“I don't understand. If you knew then why wouldn't you say anything?”I asked in disbelief.

“Because I knew it would make you feel worse when you did something to him. Knowing you had used someone else, I knew that would kill you on the inside. Think of it as a little bit of salt on the wound,”She mocked.

“I already feel bad,”I defended.

“And you felt even worse, right?”

“Of course I did."

“Exactly. You got what you wanted, and I got what I wanted.”

“What did you even want?”

“Just to screw with you a little bit. See how long until you told the truth. I didn't know the exact betrayal or even if there was one. The theories ranged from hurting him to being in love with him. I guess you did hurt him though."

“That's not fair. I didn't have a choice,”I argued. Except, she wasn't arguing. She was just cold.

“Aris, that’s not how this works. You try to cut me, I’ll leave you looking like an idiot.”

“This is insane,”I mumbled.

“So am I though. I’m gonna go talk to Minho. I hope that salt isn't burning you,”She smiled. It looked so sweet and innocent that it was terrifying. She's just, I don't even know. That interaction just chilled me to my core.

I mean it didn't hurt her, but damn, that was unexpected. She played me better than I ever could have.

I guess we're even now, but I’m probably going to think about that conversation a lot. She didn't just rub salt in the wound. She had me wrapped around her finger while she did it.

Well played, Y/N. Well played.

#aris jones #tmr aris #aris tmr #the maze runner #one shot #tmr #plot twist #aris x reader

[what-do-1000-swords-look-like]

Big Sky 2x18: Catch A Few Fish

Alright, I said I was going to post these notes, so here they are. I have to do the posts by episode (and only have up to 3x03 so far, sorry I haven't had time to do a deep dive into the others yet, I'll try to do that this weekend if I can) because apparently Tumblr hates ramblers like me lol.

Writers: Elwood Reid

Director: Jeff T. Thomas

Meeting Cassie: Beau meets Cassie, supposedly by accident, outside of the grief counseling meeting (portion of scene below)

Meeting Jenny: Beau meets Jenny, purposely, while he's addressing the troops (portion of scene below)

Interaction with Cassie: Beau mentions himself to Cassie; surface joking but we (and Cassie) see a vulnerable moment about himself; he asks for help with his car and she agrees, missing the meeting herself

Interaction with Jenny: Beau mentions himself and his brother to Jenny; surface joking (which Jenny rejects and gets annoyed by) while also clarifying the team on the job we're about to see; Jenny sort of asks for help with the Travis situation and he agrees (which surprises Jenny)

Impression (Cassie): Cassie tells Jenny that Beau is very "Texan", that he's one of those guys; when Jenny asks if Cassie thinks he's temporary, she says no

Impression (Jenny): before Cassie can finish, Jenny asks "Temporary?" about Cassie's impression of Beau (signifying this is her mindset already no matter who Tubb's replacement was going to be); when Cassie finishes, she then decides maybe Beau can help her with Travis

Prop (with Cassie): Pedro, his car, which sprung a leak on the power steering pump (to me this says so many things: there's no control, on what that is I'm not sure, but mostly that something is not working right and considering Beau mentions he can never go inside the weekly grief support meeting, I'm willing to bet it's him & what we'll find out about who he lost/why his marriage imploded this season)

Prop (with Jenny): A football which Beau uses to assure Jenny that he's got her back (and make some coach/team reference), Jenny grabs it and then acts as if she's walking away with it but stops at the door, tossing it back to him (signifying the authority struggle that would have been if he didn't back her)

In Depth Scene (what I'm calling the scenes where things about Beau, both ladies, or other characters are revealed): Beau tells Jenny why he came to Montana on the way

Coaching scenes (that's what I'm calling the scenes when I feel Beau is helping Jenny in her trajectory to become sheriff): Beau tells Jenny not to beat herself up about Travis & to focus on what they're walking into; Beau tells Jenny to take Travis for a beer and a cheeseburger before handing him over to the state, one last good thing

Parallels: "You're good." -> Beau tells Cassie "You're good" when she points out his steering pump & then he tells her "You are good" when she clocks who he is; Beau tells Jenny "You're good" when she clocks that Beau is still in love with his ex-wife

Things I took note of in this episode: Jenny does her whole squint thing when Beau says he'll back her on arresting Veer (this is the beginning of "the squint" when it comes to her reactions to him); when Beau approaches Jenny and Cassie in the Boot Heel Bar, he says he's crashing their little party, then looks at Cassie as he says "If you don't mind"; when Jenny tells Beau to back it up and approach them correctly in the bar, he looks to Cassie, unsure, and she agrees, telling him to come back correctly & he does; Cassie toast Beau's welcome to Montana (scene below)

Now in this episode, Cassie and Mark are a thing, and based on Beau's response to Jenny about his ex, he's still in love with the latter. Plus, it seems very obvious that they're testing the waters with Jenny and Beau, what with the whole ex convo, him helping her with Travis, Travis having a similar issue to Beau (still holding a torch for someone else & following after them), and the ending scene with Jenny genuinely thanking Beau (the closeups). But I do find it interesting that the show/editors use/air the takes of Beau looking to Cassie, almost as if he's unsure and needs to check with her. I also find it interesting that Cassie is the one to toast his welcome, considering Jenny initially thought (and was convinced Beau was temporary). Beau and Cassie don't have their friendship yet, but I do think he and Cassie got along well after the parking lot scene cuts for us.

And I do find that whole office convo between Beau and Jenny intriguing because while I didn't feel any romantic sparks flying or sexual tension, I felt tension of a whole other kind. That whole scene played out like this: Jenny walks in late to his "addressing the troops", they assume who the other is and state it which aka Beau assumes this smirking blonde is Jenny Hoyt since we already know Tubb filled him in on her and he heard Cassie's comment & she assumes him to be the new "temporary" sheriff (note here the difference to how he and Cassie let on that they know who the other is in their scene, no tension present there of any kind despite his assholish comment in the beginning), he tries making a joke/breaking the ice, Jenny is annoyed and shows that to Poppernak who backtracks quickly, Beau asks her if she wants him to begin again & instead Jenny tells him she would like a word -> big translation: lion vs lion, a power struggle that has nothing to do with romance or any kind of sexual/physical attraction (which is why they make sure to show the others behind Beau and their watching of the scene themselves, think guy by the water cooler shot; if this was just Beau/Jenny romance sparks, background characters wouldn't matter except Poppernak because they both included him in the scene). They're both sizing the other up and that continues in the office scene. Beau tries to be friendly, open, but Jenny shuts him down quickly, until he agrees to back her up on Travis. It throws her off and she hesitantly accepts his help (not reluctantly, she considers it for a moment before she makes her decision). As Beau said, he's trying to get to his new team, and like it or not, Jenny is part of that team, so the football prop, the nickname mention, the mention of his brother, the show choosing for Jensen to do that action during his dialogue (unpacking his things) with Jenny there, it was all very purposeful. Beau is coming into this new relationship dynamic with a professional and team-oriented mindset. I think he learns in this episode that Cassie is right, he can't handle Jenny, not the way he thought he could. And so he goes the distance to assure Jenny that they're definitely a team and he will back her play, that things won't be like the way they were before at the department.

Ultimately, there's a huge contrast in how Beau is received as the new sheriff (and this new character) and how he initially interacts with each lead.

And the title is interesting because in some ways Beau was fishing, trying to get an idea of who he'll be working with (or up against). I don't think the title refers to him alone based on the events of the episode, but as it relates to him, it is interesting.

#big sky #big sky 2x18 #anti beau x jenny #bigskyposts #big sky episode notes #big sky season 2

[oro-e-diamanti]

The one with the phone calls

Masterlist | Taglist | Ko-Fi

Description | You don't mean to overhear a conversation between the band when Damiano accidentally calls you one evening. But somehow, accidental phone calls suddenly seem to open up a new world of possibilities.

Content | Smut

Pairing | fem!Reader x Ethan

Word Count | 7130

A/N: As usual, thank you for the input and keeping me sane while writing @till-you-scream-and-cry ❤️

***

"Thomas! Move your ass... Thank you."

The voice belonged to Damiano, that much you knew immediately. It didn't come as much of a surprise considering he had been the one to call you. Pressing the phone closer to your ear, you listened more intently, but all that came through for a moment was the sound of a lighter clicking and a loud exhale, probably filled with smoke.

"Now, once again, Edgar, but less chaotic, please. Was that a dream or a fantasy you were talking about? Not that it matters much, sounds like you want to fuck her either way," he giggled.

It was the moment you realised he hadn't actually meant to call you. The confusing start hadn't thrown you off immediately, you knew how they could be, but it was becoming increasingly clear that this was a private conversation and none of them knew you were listening in. You were on the verge of ending the call, leaving them to whatever they were doing, when Ethan spoke up.

"Don't talk about Y/n like that, have some respect, Damiano."

The finger hovering over the red button stopped immediately, as your whole body seemed to freeze in place. Had- had Ethan just said your name? Had he basically just unknowingly admitted he'd had a dream about you? Or a fantasy, or whatever they were currently discussing? Your head felt like it was about to explode at the possibilities.

"Fine, fine," Damiano chuckled. "No disrespecting her. Unless she explicitly consents."

The giggles of Damiano and Thomas were easy to pick up on, you could only imagine the teasing looks they'd be throwing Ethan, who would shake his head in all seriousness and ignore them.

"And it was a dream, just to be clear. Not sure why I should share any of my fantasies with you when you're being like that."

You had to calm yourself not to giggle at the tone in Ethan's voice. Having been his friend for most of your life, you knew how annoyed he could get when they weren't taking him seriously, yet he never managed to stay mad at them, or even learn from it. He would share anything with those two boys, and Vic, now and in the future, and they all knew it.

"Okay, so what happened?" There was a brief pause. You imagined Damiano lazily taking a drag from his cigarette before continuing. "Did you go down on her but she smelled really bad in your dream? Or did she peg you and you suddenly started realising a new kink of yours?"

You had no way of telling what the immediate reaction of everyone was to Damiano's teasing, as you spluttered in shock, quickly moving the phone away to make sure they wouldn't hear and notice you eavesdropping on them. It wasn't any surprise to you how openly they talked, all of you did, but having you involved in this conversation while you were technically not supposed to know about it was a very different story.

"I'm not going to give you details and you know it," Ethan replied with a calm voice. "It's more about the... way I seemed to have stepped over a line by subconsciously imagining her in a certain way without her knowing. Almost like a betrayal of trust within our friendship."

"I can't decide what to focus on, the fact that you genuinely feel bad about that dream or that you've apparently never imagined having sex with her before," Damiano mumbled, awe in his voice.

"Definitely the fact that he never imagined it before," Thomas threw in. "I mean, even I have, she's hot. Don't think there's any harm in it, she doesn't have to know."

What?!

Your mind was spinning so much, trying to take in the information you were receiving, you weren't sure if Damiano made a noise of agreement or if it was all in your head.

They thought you were hot? Out of all people you knew, they were easily the most attractive, most open about sex, most aware of the effect they had on other people and how they could seduce them with nothing more but a wink. And they thought you were hot? Compliment of the fucking century.

"Of course she's hot," Ethan piped up, reminding you that you were, in fact, still listening in. "And I've definitely thought about it. But to imagine it, subconsciously, in that kind of detail? To the point where I was convinced I was feeling it? That still feels like a violation-"

You didn't notice you had hung up until the silence settled in, but a look at the screen of your phone confirmed it. Apparently, your brain had decided it was time to shut off, leaving you to ponder your thoughts and the number of revelations the accidental phone call had brought about. You'd definitely need some time to think things over.

***

You were quite content for Ethan to text you, letting you know he, unfortunately, wouldn't have time to call you for the next to days. As much as you missed hearing his voice, you still felt awkward about what you had heard on the phone before. Mainly because you had been crushing on your best friend for months, maybe years if you really thought about it, and you had no idea how to go on from this. There was no easy way to explain that you had accidentally gotten a butt dial from Damiano and instead of hanging up like a normal human being, you had decided to effectively spy on them.

So, when your phone rang three days later, prominently displaying Ethan's name and a picture of him with a ridiculous pair of heart-shaped sunglasses, your heart was beating out of your chest in a way it hadn't quite done before. Another deep breath was necessary before you picked up, trying your hardest to sound as normal as possible.

"Hey there," you sighed into the phone, immediately scolding yourself for sounding so breathless.

"Y/n! You will not believe the day I've just had."

You had never been happier about Ethan going onto one of his little rants. Where others perceived him as quiet, he let it all out with you, telling stories, explaining whatever he was doing, confiding in you, letting you be a part of everything he experienced, even if you couldn't physically be there. Listening to Ethan as he replayed the day for you, you walked over to the bedroom, the bed way too inviting after being on your feet for hours.

"...and then obviously Damiano had to bring up some weird stuff about me being into aliens again in the interview..."

"Want me to beat him up for you?" You sleepily mumbled into the phone as you sank further into the pillows, blanket pulled up to your neck. A chuckle came through the phone, and you didn't have any problems imagining the slight smile that would be playing on Ethan's face.

"I'll tell you if I require you to do so. You sound tired though, would you rather hang up?"

"No, no, please." You cringed at how desperate you sounded. "As long as you don't mind if I fall asleep, I'd love to listen to you some more."

"Of course, settle in, I'll talk until I don't hear you respond anymore."

Ethan's voice never failed to lull you to sleep. There was something ethereal about it, the carefulness which with he chose his words softening your heart and soothing your mind. It had often been like this, although you much preferred the times he was at home for it. Back when you were kids, he would talk you to sleep from his bed, as you were huddled under the covers on a blow-up mattress in front of it. It had slowly and surely evolved into him simply laying in your bed with you when he was staying over, close enough to get your nerves fired up, too far to dare to do anything about it. Ethan was a gentleman to a fault, something you had always treasured immensely, but it would be a lie to pretend you hadn't dreamed about him simply throwing caution into the wind, pulling you close, and kissing you senseless. It had never happened. Which is why it had, somehow, been even more surprising to overhear the things he had told the other guys.

However, none of that was on your mind at that moment, as all thoughts slowly began to vanish into thin air and your head was full with nothing but Ethan, Ethan, Ethan.

***

You weren't sure what exactly had woken you up when you felt yourself stir. The darkness behind the curtains told you it was still in the middle of the night, yet your body had decided to rouse you from your sleep all the same. You were in the middle of untangling yourself from your blankets when you heard it.

Breathing.

You felt yourself freeze in place, unable to move, trying to regulate your heartbeat and the noises you were threatening to make. The panic was on the verge of taking over your body, but you wouldn't allow it, adrenaline high enough to keep you focused. You needed to find out where it was coming from. From behind? From under your bed? It sounded close.

Squeezing your eyes shut, you forced yourself to concentrate on your hearing to locate the sound. One more deep breath.

It seemed to come from... right next to you - but not from behind you, but in front of you. Confusion briefly muddled your mind, then you heard another, louder sigh, and suddenly you understood that what you had been hearing hadn't been a voice that was actually in the room with you - but one that came through the speaker of your phone.

Searching through the bedding, you quickly found the offending item, a smile spreading on your face as you realised that you had, in fact, managed to fall asleep while on the phone with Ethan. His name brightly shone back at you as you turned the screen towards your face. Apparently, it had worked similarly for him, considering he hadn't ended the call, even though he was clearly done talking.

For a moment you considered giving him a little scare, the same way he had scared you, even if unintentionally, but you knew he needed his sleep. Your thumb was hovering over the red button when you suddenly made out another noise.

Y/n.

Your name.

Was he asleep? Had you once again managed to infiltrate his dreams? But then a groan followed and all of a sudden you knew exactly what was happening. If the increasing moans coming from his mouth weren't always giving it away, the quiet noises in the background had now picked up just enough for you to notice. It sounded like movement. A wet kind of movement.

Ethan Torchio was, without a doubt, jacking off.

Your breath caught in your throat, fascinated by now knowing exactly what each and every one of those noises meant. It was impossible to stop the images from popping up in your mind. Ethan, lying on his bed in some hotel room, white sheets contrasting against the dark hair that was flowing freely onto the pillow. The blanket kicked aside, soft skin over hard muscles on display for no one to see. Laboured breathing, closed eyes, face slightly scrunched up in a mixture of concentration and pleasure. One hand behind his head. The other around his cock, hard and begging for release, moving just enough to make a sound, not enough to get there too quickly.

You only just caught yourself before letting out a moan at the idea of it all. You couldn't believe you found yourself in a situation like this again, first with Damiano's butt dial, now Ethan forgetting to end the call? Both times ending up with things you definitely shouldn't be hearing. Yet, once again, it felt impossible to do the right thing and hang up. To remove yourself from the situation. To stop crossing boundaries and potentially violating his trust and his privacy. And then he moaned your name again, in such a sinful way, that your hand was between your legs before you could stop yourself.

Your thighs were hot against your fingers, all of your nerves already firing up at the sounds reaching you through the phone. His breathing was starting to get uneven, there was a slight break in his movement and - oh god you were convinced you had just heard him spit into his hand before continuing.

Running your fingers along the fabric of your panties didn't last long, your desperate need to touch yourself over hearing him mutter your name yet again overwhelming enough to get rid of your underwear altogether.

"Fuck, Y/N..."

You contained the whimper you wanted to let out so badly with effort. Hearing Ethan getting off was hot enough in itself, but knowing that he was doing it to the idea of you, going so far as to mumble your name in between, left you aching and pulsating. All ideas of behaving in a more morally correct way were out of the window, repercussions be fucked, you'd deal with them later.

Moving your fingers back between your legs, you could feel yourself dripping. This wasn't the time for teasing, you realised as you slid through your folds, biting your lip heavily to keep in the moan when you moved past your clit. But you needed more. The other hand on your breasts, slowly massaging and pinching at the flesh and your nipples, wouldn't do. Pushing a single finger in was easy enough, and the way the movie that was now playing in your head relaxed you enough to let a second one join almost immediately.

You could hear that Ethan was speeding up now, both from his breathing and groaning coming through at a quicker succession, as well as the noise of his hand moving around his dick. You desperately tried to match his rhythm, your mind going into overdrive, imagining it was him slamming into you instead of just your fingers. He was making more and more noises, quite obviously getting lost in his pleasure as he chased his release. Your other hand came down from your tits, impatiently moving over the skin of your stomach and leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake until it reached your pussy. The first touch to your clit as your other hand kept moving had you gasping, then briefly freezing in fear of being heard. Luckily, Ethan seemed too lost in his own arousal to notice. Pushing the fabric of your shirt between your teeth, you tried your best to muffle your sounds as both hands started increasing in speed again.

Y/n, Y/n, please, come on, fuck...

He came unexpectedly - to you at least, having to rely only on what came through your phone - but he came so intensely and loudly that you were sure you were losing your mind. The groan, full of relief, was so clear that you could almost convince yourself he was in the room with you. Closing your eyes, you imagined his cum hitting his stomach, painting it in streaks of it, as he slowly rubbed it out, calming down, revelling in the afterglow.

It was all it took for you. Fingers deep inside you, stroking your favourite spots, your other hand rubbing more intensely on your clit, and you fell apart. A hot feeling travelled through your whole body, endorphins releasing as your legs shook, a loud moan-

A loud moan escaping you.

For the third time that night, you froze, fingers still buried in your pussy, holding your breath. The brief silence that had appeared was quickly disturbed by rustling and crackling coming from your phone, then a voice so close you knew it was because he had found and picked up the phone.

"Y/n? Is that-"

You had never ended a call so quickly.

***

5 missed calls.

Well, six, if you counted the one from Damiano on top of it.

But five from Ethan, in the span of twelve hours.

You needed more time to think before you answered any of them. To come to terms with what had happened, to go through possible scenarios, possible reactions that you would be faced with, and what you would say. All you knew was that you had to apologise. You had broken Ethan's trust, infiltrated a private moment, and he knew about it. You could only imagine what was going through his head now. All you were hoping for at this point was that he wouldn't hate you, or remove you from his life completely.

The phone rang again, this time showing Vic's name. While you weren't sure you trusted Damiano - visions of Ethan talking him into calling from his phone so you would pick up, thinking the singer wanted to have an innocent chat indeed - you didn't see that tactic working on Vic. This one was coming from her personally, you were sure of it.

"Hey."

"Y/n? Oh thank god," Victoria sighed, before apparently moving the phone away a little. "SHE'S ALIVE, NOW GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOTEL ROOM. Right, sorry about that, I'm alone now. Alright, now tell me what the fuck happened."

"What do you mean?" You knew it was a pointless endeavour, yet you couldn't help but try to buy yourself some time.

"Oh, I don't know, the fact that Ethan is freaking out because he can't reach you? After you had some sort of weird thing happening last night that he won't talk about? Listen, I don't know the details, and I won't try to get any out of you, that's between you too. But, for the love of god, talk to him because he's being unbearable and we can't play a show like this."

"Is... Is he mad?"

You weren't sure if Vic's sigh was resigned or annoyed.

"He's worried, from what I can tell, but no, he doesn't seem mad." Her voice was much softer now. "Stop being scared. You've been friends for as long as I can remember, whatever happened won't ruin that."

You weren't quite so sure of that yet.

"I'll make him call you tonight after the show, think things over or whatever you're currently doing, and then talk to him, okay?"

You didn't have it in you to refuse.

***

"I would like you to know that I just played the worst show of my life and it's all your fault."

You felt like crying when Ethan finally called. This wasn't the conversation opener you had hoped for. Not that you necessarily knew what exactly you had been hoping for at all, but it surely wasn't an accusation straight off the bat. You almost ended the call right then and there, not ready for what else could possibly follow this, but instead, you decided to try to be fair to him and at least hear what else he had to say - even if it meant fighting the tears threatening to spill.

"The whole time I couldn't stop thinking about you and what this meant for us. I missed my cue three times, Damiano made a joke about it to everyone, it was embarrassing. I kept having ... flashbacks to last night and I felt so ashamed. I feel like I violated you in a way and I ... well, I wasn't quite sure what exactly you had heard."

"I... what?"

"Did... did you hear your name? I wasn't sure if-"

"I did."

The line was silent for a moment before you realised he was sighing deeply. "Y/n, I'm so sorry, I crossed a line, and I don't know if you can forgive-"

"Did you not hear me?" You couldn't stop yourself from interrupting. "When you picked up the phone again?"

"I heard a noise, which made me realise I fell asleep without hanging up earlier, but then you'd hung up and I assumed... I assumed you were, well, disgusted with me."

You didn't mean to, you really didn't - but the absurdity of the whole situation and the partial relief of knowing that he was too panicked about your reaction to his actions to even think about what your noise had meant, ended up with you erupting in howling laughter.

"I'm sorry," you burst out in between gasps of breath fueling your giggling, "I'm sorry, Ethan. It's just... Listening to you, and then hearing my name last night... Well to be quite honest, you weren't the only one touching yourself."

"Wait-" The tone in his voice was equal parts shocked and surprised. "So you weren't offended? Fuck, I spent the whole day thinking you were disgusted, having caught me thinking about you like that, but..."

"I've known for a few days, actually," you confessed. This was already such a mess, you might as well get it all off your chest. "The other day, when you were talking to the guys... Damiano butt dialled me and I... well, I couldn't help but overhear some things. Like the fact that you had a dream about me."

"Oh, so you've been sitting there the whole time, well aware of my dilemma, and instead of talking to me about it, or easing my mind, like a good friend would, you decide to listen in and get off on it."

It wasn't a question. It wasn't an accusation either. But the way his voice suddenly lowered considerably, all signs of stress and nervousness completely gone, sent shivers down your spine.

"I mean, I-"

"You mean you what?" He didn't give you a chance to explain. "You mean to tell me that you touched yourself until you came, just to the sounds of me jacking off, like a little slut?"

It hit you like a ton of bricks. If you hadn't been sure where he was going when his voice changed, you surely did now. All of your nerves were on high alert at what he had just called you. With a shaking breath, you found yourself lowering your body onto the bed, sitting at the edge of it, trying to steady yourself, to cope with his sudden situation, this game he was obviously willing to play.

"I did," you whispered, voice failing you.

"I should have known. I should have known from the time you walked in on me showering last year, the way your eyes looked me up and down wasn't the same as they had been all those years before, was it? You didn't leave immediately as you should have. And when I confronted you, you got flustered, but in a different way than before. Even then you wouldn't have minded if I'd pulled you under the water with me, would you?"

You couldn't seem to form any words. You were glad to be sitting already because if you weren't, you were sure to be losing the strength in your legs right about now. Somehow, out of the blue, Ethan seemed to have figured it all out. Figured you out. The past year of wondering and daydreaming and yearning, followed by the last few days of questioning and hoping and thinking - all of a sudden, he had cleared it all up. And while you knew that the healthy thing would be to discuss the matter at hand at this point, you were drawn in by the way he was speaking to you now. It was a side of him you hadn't gotten to see, only heard about in passing, but that was now directed solely at you, and you couldn't stop.

"Answer me."

"Yes, sir."

It simply slipped out. It wasn't even something you'd thought about before, but the tone in his voice, his simple command, easily pushed you into this position.

"Good girl," he said and you briefly wondered if he knew he was resetting your entire being with just a few words. Your sex life had been less than spectacular up to this point, and you had mostly spent your early twenties desperately trying to please men who wouldn't do the same for you. You had never even explored anything kinkier than doing it with the lights on, really, and you'd never fully allowed yourself to think about it. But here was Ethan, doing nothing more than aiming at you with just the right words, his voice on the perfect frequency, and you questioned everything you had ever known about your sexual preferences. Because right then and there, you wanted nothing more but to get on your knees for him and let him use you any way he wanted.

"Where are you now?"

"I'm... I'm just sitting on my bed."

"Good. Get comfortable, because this time when you come it will be on my terms."

You didn't even think about refusing. In a heartbeat, you had shuffled back until your back hit the headrest, almost eagerly awaiting further instructions.

"Tell me. Have you been thinking about me a lot lately? Ever since the shower incident? What you'd like to do to me? Or rather what you would like me to do to you?"

The hot flashes travelled over your body, leaving you to breathe heavily at his words and his implications. Everything you had previously tried to push away and ignore, for the sake of your lifelong friendship, was bubbling to the surface with an intensity you hadn't anticipated.

"I've... It's impossible not to think about you, Ethan. Have you seen yourself? Doesn't help when you're walking around topless all the time, and you're throwing me these looks, and I know it was just to tease me, but you wouldn't know the things that did to me, and then you've had girls round and god... I could hear what you were doing to them sometimes, when I was out in the garden with the rest of the guys and I kept wishing that was me. Fuck, how I wanted that to be me."

The words left your mouth in rapid succession, the insecurity and embarrassment of their meaning only catching up with you after they had been said. Suddenly, so many of the thoughts you had successfully kept in your head for so long were out in the open, and the moment it took Ethan to answer felt like a lifetime.

"I thought about you every single time I fucked them." Your legs closed on their own accord, thighs squeezing together desperately, as you gasped at his voice. "Every time I closed my eyes I imagined it was your mouth wrapped around my cock, your tits pressed against my chest, your cunt clenching around me. None of them even came close to you."

There was no hiding in how his words affected you, your heavy breathing easily giving you away. You could feel a pulsating sensation between your legs already, but the thought of touching yourself without him explicitly telling you to didn't even cross your mind.

"Ethan..."

"I used to feel bad about it, you know? Picturing you like that. While you were being my best friend, so sweet, so innocent. But now that I know how much of a slut you are..."

You were sure he could easily hear the gasp you let out, so obviously under his full control already, it would have embarrassed you if it had been anyone but Ethan. Even though this was the first time crossing the line like this, you trusted him explicitly to take care of you, just like he had always done.

"Why don't you tell me exactly what you're wearing right now?"

You briefly looked down at your body, clad in an oversized shirt and less than sexy underwear. For a moment, you considered lying, telling him about some gorgeous lingerie you didn't even own, but you quickly pushed that thought away. This was Ethan. Not only did he know you well enough to see right through you, but you were just starting to be honest with each other. It wasn't the right moment to go back to little white lies.

"That big grey shirt and black panties."

"Sounds like you're overdressed then, because I'm sitting in here in nothing but my boxers. Why don't you get rid of that shirt for me?"

You didn't hesitate. Throwing the phone onto the bed, you pulled the fabric off you, leaving it to drop somewhere next to the bed, before leaning back into the pillows. You could hear a low chuckle through your mobile as you picked it up.

"You're so easy. Put your phone on speaker, you're going to need two hands for this."

"Done," you almost whispered, voice breaking in anticipation as you dropped the phone on the bed next to you. Suddenly awkward, you felt like you had lost any sense of where to put your hands, unsure whether you were supposed to be touching yourself, or just resting, or obeying to some other unwritten rule you didn't know about. Yet, as so often in your life, Ethan knew exactly how to handle you, even without seeing you.

"I would love to be kissing you right now, your lips, down your face, along your neck..."

You barely noticed the way your eyes were closing, fingers trailing along the places he mentioned. Nothing could come close to Ethan actually finally kissing you - of this you were sure - but for now, you'd be happy to hear his low voice through the static, feeling your fingertips against your skin, imagining it was him even a little bit.

"Are you lying down? I bet your tits look fantastic. I remember last summer when Vic convinced you to sunbathe topless. Couldn't keep my eyes off you. Thank fuck for sunglasses."

His talk was disrupted by noises you couldn't immediately pinpoint. Fuck, you wished you weren't separated by miles and kilometres and endless stretches of roads and highways, you wished you could see him right now, touch him, let him make your fantasies come alive. But for now, you would have to do with what he was willing to give you.

"What are you doing?" You asked breathlessly, feeling disconnected at your lack of visual clues of what was happening on the other end.

"Just taking off my boxers to get more comfortable," he chuckled.

"Wait, am I-"

"Don't you dare remove your underwear," he warned, interrupting you before you had even finished your thought, but knowing all too well where you were heading. "You're going to stay exactly as you are until I tell you to do it. Otherwise, our first meeting when I'm back will entail a spanking that's not suited for our first time together."

You could only imagine how much your surprised gasp would please him. He had you in the palm of his hands with his words only, you were convinced you were actually going to perish when he got said hands on you.

"Now listen closely and don't do anything I don't tell you to. Yes?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good girl. Move your hands to your tits for me. Feel them, play with them a little. The nice, soft skin under your fingertips. Pinch your nipples for me. Are they hard yet?"

Your fingers brushed your nipples before pinching them, hard, letting out a pitiful moan at the sensation.

"They've been hard since you called me a slut."

"I should have known you'd get off on that," he growled. "So easy to please. Guess you don't need as much foreplay then, do you? Why don't you move your hands a little lower, over your stomach, to the waistband of your panties... don't you dare move under the fabric yet. I need you to tease yourself for me."

You hated the idea of going slow. Every inch of your body seemed to be on fire, all nerves on high alert. Every little movement of your hips reminded you of how wet you were getting. You didn't need to see or feel to know you were staining your underwear. If you'd been alone, your fingers would already be deep in your cunt, searching for relief, not wasting any time on teasing or foreplay, but Ethan had other plans for you. Who were you to deny him.

"You already got off like a whore the last time we were on the phone, don't think you're getting away with it that easily this time. You're going to go slow, and you're going to do it until you're a begging, sobbing mess for me, understood?"

"Yes, Ethan, please, anything."

With anyone else you would have been embarrassed at the state he had already reduced you to. But not with him, never with him.

"Trace along your pussy over your underwear, cucciola, have you soaked through already?"

The yes leaving your mouth was barely more than a whisper. You weren't lying. Through the fabric beneath your fingers, you could easily feel your wetness, saturating your panties enough to get the tips of your fingers sticky.

"Of course you have. Bet you wish I was there to take them off you. Keep moving your hand while I talk but don't touch yourself yet. I'd tie you to the bed just to make sure you would behave because so far I'm not sure of that yet. I'd go down your body, taking in every inch of you, leaving kisses and bites. I bet you'd love to be marked by me, wouldn't you, amore? Making your whole body mine. Because that's what you are. Mine. I'd be taking those panties off you, pulling them down your legs, slowly, slowly. Do it now. Don't hurry, keep teasing yourself."

You had never been so happy to get rid of your underwear before in your life. Trying to adhere to his rules, you slipped the item over your thighs, knees, calves, until it dropped to the floor at the end of the bed, before lying back down. He hadn't instructed you further, and you'd be damned to do anything without his permission. You knew he couldn't see, but the hold he had was strong enough that you wouldn't dare disobey.

"Fingers on your thighs now, softly enough that you can feel the goosebumps on your skin. Upwards, further, cucciola."

You gasped loudly as your hands found themselves between your legs, fingers softly touching your folds, already on fire, but Ethan was less than impressed.

"Stop."

You let go immediately, hands back to your thighs in unquestioned obedience.

"Did I tell you to touch your pussy, whore?"

"No, you didn't."

"No, I didn't, what?"

"No, you didn't, sir."

"Good girl. You might be a little slut, but you learn quickly. You can touch yourself now, but be aware that I'll have to punish you for real if you make another mistake like that."

You didn't answer him, instead taking his permission to finally let your fingers sink between your labia, feeling the warm wetness engulfing them immediately. You were severely lacking stimulation in the important spots, but the relief of getting your hands on your pussy at all was big enough to have you sighing and moaning.

"Tell me how wet you are."

"I'm so wet for you, sir. It's everywhere, I'm soaked, I can feel it dripping down my thigh and onto the bed."

The satisfied groan he let out, coupled with another noise that had grown a little familiar already, convinced you that you weren't the only one touching yourself at that moment. Images of him once again filled your brain, reminiscent of that last phone call, only this time both of you were well aware of what the other was doing and it had you even more breathless. Knowing that you were turning him on - not just the thought of you, but the way he was telling you what to do, probably imagining what you would look like right then and there, listening to your pitiful answers - had you squirming on the bed.

"Good, you're doing so well for me," he groaned, obviously affected. "Push a finger in, just one, and no touching your clit."

It wasn't nearly enough. Normally, you'd start easy, a single finger enough until you relaxed further, but tonight, with Ethan on the phone, you were so turned on that it barely provided you with any satisfaction.

"Please, sir, please, I need more."

You sounded pathetic, really, but while the idea of presenting like that in daily life made you shudder, you fully let yourself fall and enjoy this role in bed. It was igniting something in you that you'd never fully explored and you were oh so willing to learn.

"Are you that desperate? To already need more? I should have known you were a dirty slut. Come on then, prove me right, get another finger in."

You didn't hesitate in letting another finger join, welcoming the slight stretch, even though the only thing really on your mind was the idea of replacing your digits with his dick. You'd seen it once before, briefly, that time you caught him in the shower by accident, but the image had burned itself into your brain. Having him on the phone now, unquestionably touching himself, you wondered what he looked like now, hard with need and desire, twitching in his hand. The thought made your mouth water. Whatever this was, whatever you were currently doing, it better end up with him naked in your bed as soon as he returned from his band-related commitments. You had never craved anything more.

"How's that then, baby, still desperate for more?"

"Uh-huh," you whimpered, moving your fingers, wishing they were his at least, going faster than he would allow you if he could see, but you tried to keep your voice level. "Wish I could have you."

"Is that what you're doing? Fantasising about my dick? How I'd be pushing into you? You'd probably love to ride me, just bouncing on my cock. Well, it sounds like you need a little more than your fingers right now... Go get something from your nightstand. Don't think I don't know what you keep in there, you regularly forget to close the drawers when I'm over. One could think you were doing it on purpose."

"I- I wasn't, I..."

"You sure about that, you little slut? You were probably doing it subconsciously too, just desperate to let me know. I've seen that pink dildo. You know it won't quite compare to me, but it'll have to do for now."

You almost fell off the bed in your urgency to grab the toy as instructed. You didn't have the capacity to think about what he had seen in your room, what else had been unknowingly on display while he had been around. All you wanted was to follow his orders and be his good little slut. You'd be anything for him right now.

"Tell me what to do, sir," you breathed down the phone, holding the dildo and awaiting further instructions, not wanting to make a single move without his approval.

"Give it a lick, prepare it nicely like you would my cock," he groaned. "And make sure I can hear you when you start sucking on it like the slut you are."

You moved closer to the phone lying next to you in bed, not wanting Ethan to miss a single one of your moves. A lick, maybe two, then greediness took over and had you swallow the tip of what you wished was his dick instead. Noisily sucking it as you pushed more and more of it into your mouth, you freely let the saliva drop from your lips, hoping to make the experience as audible as possible. It didn't take long for you to start bobbing your head, almost choking around the dildo as it hit your throat, finding it harder and harder not to grind against the sheets to get some friction.

"You're loving this, aren't you? Making a mess out of yourself, gagging on a cock that isn't even real. Bet you look gorgeous with spit and tears running down your face." A low groan interrupted his speech briefly, shaky breathing letting you know he was trying hard to hold off. "Why don't you take that out of your mouth and start fucking yourself with it instead?"

"How do you want me?"

"On your back, legs spread, imagining it's me taking you hard."

With a loud and desperate moan at his words, you took the desired position, barely taking a moment to settle before letting the wettened dildo drag down your body and between your legs. You didn't wait for any further explicit instruction, slowly losing your mind with want and need, a fire burning deep inside you, the ultimate craving for relief overpowering you, as you slowly but steadily pushed it inside, moaning heavily at the welcome intrusion, stretching you so much better than your fingers ever could.

"How does it feel, is it everything you need?" His voice was becoming more strained by the minute, noises getting louder before stopping completely and then starting the same cycle again. You imagined him desperately holding onto his dick, tightly enough to avoid coming just yet, biting his lip to the point of blood, slow movements once he deemed them safe, gorgeous hands enveloping his large cock.

"Wish it was you," you sighed as you moved the toy carefully. "Wish it was your cock inside of me, would be so much better, would-" A heavy moan interrupted as you hit your g-spot. "Need your body on me, your hard thrusts, need to dig my nails into your back."

"Fuck yourself harder." He barely seemed to be holding it together now, so close to his own orgasm, arousal prominent in his voice. "Touch your clit, and don't you dare hold back when you come."

It didn't take much more. Roughly moving the dildo into you, you let your other hand travel down until you reached your clit. Where you normally prepared a harder touch, you only needed the slightest stroke across it, and suddenly it all came crashing down on you. Hot, white heat took over your body as you came, shouting his name, clenching your thighs, body stilling as the pleasure washed over you. You barely perceived anything outside of your physical sensations, but then, clear as day, you heard Ethan through the phone, coming with an unrestrained groan, so infatuating and gorgeous.

Neither of you spoke for a while as you slowly came down, breathing still wrecking your chest, a sheen of sweat covering your body. Pulling the dildo out, you winced ever so slightly, but it seemed to be enough to pull Ethan back to earth as well.

"Are you okay?"

His voice was so different now, removed from all dominance and orders, but soft and quiet - you barely recognised it all of a sudden.

"I'm very okay, Ethan."

"Are you sure? I didn't want to go too hard or use any words you weren't comfortable with but-"

"Ethan," you couldn't stop yourself from interrupting. "It was perfect. I didn't know how much I needed that but I haven't come that hard in a while, so apparently, I did."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," he chuckled, relief in his voice. "Hope I can live up to it in real life. If you want me to, that is."

"I'd love to. When are you back home? I might need to see you immediately."

"Three days, baby. Three days and I'm all yours. Then we can talk about everything. I'm not sure if there's a way back from this, but I also don't think any of us really want one, do we?"

"Definitely not," you giggled. "Only forward, please. Wherever that takes us."

***

Taglist | @mywritingonlyfans​ @damianodavide​ @lizstans​ @its-afucking-mess​ @ethaneskin​ @dont-let-me-drown-in-you​ @vampirtet​ @lividisuigomiti​ @juststalking​ @tabi-toast​ @cheese-toastie-11 @bethanysnow @finelinejpm @superchrystaldrug @ilwiwbysmv @damianodavidhands @teatrodellavita @coven-daddy @till-you-scream-and-cry @solasullabarca @slave4yourlove @geklutst-ei @marriedwithmarktuan @bookish0918 @ohtorchio @bidet-and-legolas @katyldamusic @fuckim-so-gay @buttercup-beeee @fenhakwe @solacestyles @navs-bhat @softforlukescurls @alina-exe @dannasixxworld @immrbrightside @wow-ihateithere @l0standn0tf0und @iosonoarina @idyllicbutterfly @fanfictionandfluff @blackberryblossom @immrbrightsideeee @odilevonbrekker @writingmaneskin @cc0le @katyasrussianaccent @ykaaarus @maneskinsimpie33 @little-moonbeam-666

#maneskin fiction #ethan torchio imagine #ethan torchio x you #ethan torchio x reader #ethan torchio fiction #ethan torchio smut #maneskin imagine #maneskin x you #maneskin x reader #mywriting

[damiano-mylove]

How the members of Måneskin would be while taking your virginity

Obvi NSFW, lil bit of swearing, but that's really it, I think *Masterlist*

Vic

Despite your potential nerves when telling Vic you were a virgin, Vic completely and totally accepted it

She wouldn't push sex stuff on you, but she would be beyond honoured that you wanted her to be your first time

That said, before the main course, Vic was asking if you were sure every 5 minutes, but you were sure, absolutely committed to her and you wanted to share with her, not only your heart, but your body too

Unless it happened in the heat of the moment, Vic would go out of her way to make it an event for you, because she never wanted you to regret it because she fumbled the bag

There would be scented candles all over, and she would wash her bedsheets during the day so that they were extra soft and clean for you - Vic would have bass heavy jazz in the background just to set the mood

It would be very slow, starting with kissing that was prompted by you, then a bit of over the clothes stuff that you'd done a couple times before

Things got naturally heavier until things reached their full potential

It was sweet, and gentle, and everything you'd expected (which you'd almost hadn't expected)

After the fact, your relationship stayed mostly in the same place, but you two entered the honeymoon stage where you'd be fucking every chance you got - Vic assured you that that was natural and you shouldn't feel embarrassed about it

You felt more accepted than ever before, just because Vic took you as you were and made you feel like perfection personified

Thomas

There was no big talk when you revealed to him that you a virgin, it sort of came out after both of you were already laying on the bed, slick with sweat and the smell of sex heavy in the room

It never came up in conversation, and you were just going with the flow of the night - and at risk of the revelation ruining the moment, you kept it to yourself

Sex with Thomas was sloppy, it was full of bitten back moans, full of praises, full of gripping at each other and scratching each other

It was genuine and worth the wait

When you told Thomas, his reaction was laughter, then he said, 'Could've fooled me, my love of loves.'

You both chuckled at the comment before Thomas asked if you were serious, to which he told you that he was happy that you let him be the one to take your card

The honeymoon period after that was an absolute exploration of each other; bodies, turn-ons, turn-offs. It was an experimentation period, that neither of you judged the other for - boundaries were set and things were found out

Thomas was a sweet lover, always allowing himself to be vulnerable with you and being more patient than you ever could've asked for

Ethan

Telling Ethan that you were a virgin was right before sex, which had him pause everything for just a second

'We don't have to do anything you don't want to.'

Those were the first words out of his mouth, to which you told him you wanted him to fuck you into next week - Ethan asked if you were sure, then all bets were off

The moment returned in the snap of your fingers, with Ethan pining you back against the bed, into feather filled pillows

Ethan held back a bit, sure. He didn't want to hurt you, to potentially ruin your first time

The scene was entirely in your hands, with a bit of guidance from Ethan, who was slightly more experienced than you - but Ethan had you in the driver's seat, ready to discern what you wanted to have happen

It was sweet, it was full of love and explosive passion, with acceptance, with just a slight amount of confusion and testing

Afterwards, Ethan asked for your full review, which you gladly gave him, and then you fell asleep, wrapped in his arms, with your legs tangled together

The honeymoon period was so extreme that the other band members actually started to wonder where and why the fuck Ethan was staying home so much - and you were the answer, because you were Ethan's favourite answer

Damiano

In lieu to Damiano asking you if you were sure you wanted him to be your first, he told you 'You don't want me, Y/n. You deserve to give that to someone way better than me.'

You were disappointed to be shot down in a way that was so fueled by Damiano's own self-consciousness

It took a few days for both of you to bounce back to normal after that, but once you did, it was like nothing ever happened, which was really what you were hoping for

Gradually, you and Damiano began to work your way up to doing away with the stupid social construct of virginity - always just turning the dial up notch by notch, slowly but surely

On the night where the jackpot was hit, Damiano tried to make it as nice as he could

He'd take you out to a very nice date first, but by the time you returned back to his place, you two were all over each other, pushing each other against walls and walking with your hands all over each other

The anticipation of the main moment was what made it only that much more special, and it was exactly as you imagined it

Your honeymoon period was shorter than most, but only because Damiano loved to tease you, to make you wait, instead of sneaking off with you - that is, until you started to learn how to tease him back

Once that ground was established, you two had the best sex life int he entire world, without competition

tell me if it sucks

#måneskin #maneskin #vic de angelis #victoria de angelis x reader #victoria de angelis #victoria maneskin #thomas raggi #thomas raggi x reader #thomas maneskin #ethan torchio #ethan torchio x reader #ethan maneskin #damiano david #damiano #damiano david x reader #damiano x reader #damiano maneskin #x reader

[lovelahela]

❛ high road ❜ ─ mother of the year.

⇢ entry for choices march challenge ! @choicesmarchchallenge

⇢ pairing: hailey young + astra young, thomas mendez x mc (hailey young)

⇢ genre: fluff, humour

⇢ prompt: high road ++ kindness

⇢ description: in which astra is paired up with ajax for a school project and seeks life lessons from her mother on how to deal with it.

⇢ word count: 1597

⇢ notes: i’m going to try my best to participate at least every other day if not every day for the rest of the month in hope of spreading positivity during these difficult times. i really do hope i'll manage to put a smile on someone's face and these dark moments just a little bit easier.

if you want to be put on my moty tag list, tell me!

❛ it's my way or the high way! ❜

❛ that... is not what i meant when i told you to take the high road, sweetie. ❜

Soft laughter and the aromatic scent that insinuated the presence of baked goods in the outdated oven filled the quaint apartment on a sunny Sunday afternoon. A brunette with a petite frame struggled against the hold of a noticeably taller and broader man wearing the goofiest grin on his handsome face. Hailey shrieked in surprise when Thomas smeared the coccoa filled batter across her rosy cheeks.

"You've crossed a line! THIS MEANS WAR!" She emitted a surprisingly powerful battlecry for such a small woman, shocking her captor into released her from his arms. He stared at her for a few seconds, dumbfounded, before he burst into laughter so genuine that Hailey's feigned angry expression softened into one of admiration and awe.

Thomas braced himself against the counter and his shoulders and entire body shook as sounds of joy interrupted the short period of silence. A small smile stretched her small, plump lips and eyes the colour of rich soil sparkled with fondness. Once his laughter died down, he coughed awkwardly upon noticing her staring and their closeness, and he scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Uh — you have a pretty strong battlecry for someone so tiny." He grinned yet again, a playful glint in his steel blue-gray eyes.

Hailey whacked his shoulder jokingly. "Rude! I'm not that short, for a Korean woman."

"Emphasis on the for a Korean part." She poked his ribs, receiving a surprised yelp as a response. He raised his arms defensively. "Okay, okay, I'll stop teasing. Wouldn't wanna lose you — people of your stature are in short supply."

Hailey gasped, but couldn't fight the wide smile that practically stretched from ear to ear. "You did not!"

"You're right, I didn't." He looked at her with a wicked expression. "I wouldn't dare insult you — you're a little intimidating — and yet very good at small talk!"

She squealed in mocked offense and slapped his rather muscular arm multiple times, ignoring the fact that he showed little to no reaction to her attempted physical attacks. "You're just jealous you'd never be able to measure up to someone as amazing as me!"

Thomas cackled evilly at her choice of words. "You know what, Hailey Bear? You're right. I might need to knock myself down a few inches. Maybe lower my expectations a little bit."

At that point, she couldn't fight the giggles that bubbled out of her lips against her will. "I walked myself into that one!" Her laughter bounced off the words, chaotic and jovial, but like a melody to his ears. While he appeared distracted with her, she seized the opportunity to smear batter across his cheeks in retaliation. He gasped, pointing an accusatory finger at her.

"Traitor!" He lunged at her menacingly, and with a surprised squeal, Hailey attempted to flee from impending doom. However, he was too fast for her, and grabbed her arm with a satisfied "aha!"

Without realizing his own strength, he pulled her body up against his own, suddenly putting mere centimetres between their faces. Granted, she had to tilt her head upwards to fully look him in his widened eyes — which she realized were rather gorgeous up close. His lips were parted, shocked by the sudden turn of events, and his breathing was laboured as his heart hammered against his ribcage.

A fuzzy feeling that, as much as she hated to admit it, only ever showed up around the adorable yet dorky lawyer settled in Hailey's stomach. Blood rushed to her already reddened cheeks and ears as she tried to ignore the feeling of her chest pressed against hers. They were either too shocked to move, or they didn't want to — maybe a little bit of both.

The sound of a door being flung open snapped them back into reality, and they sprung apart from each other. The two dissolved into a fit of embarased coughs, each avoiding the other's gaze. Two small girls shuffled into the living room, oblivious to the tension between their parents. Luz, Thomas's fiesty daughter with lovely, curly hair had her arms crossed across her chest defiantly with a determined look on her adorably scrunched up face. However, Hailey's daughter Astraea, whose messy bangs shielded her eyes shamefully and gloomily, had her shoulders slumped in defeat. Hailey's motherly instincts kicked in almost immediately, completely forgetting her previous interactions with Thomas.

She rushed forward and kneeled down, gently placing her hands on her petite child's shoulders. A frown distorted her gentle features. "Hey, hey, what's wrong, sweetie?"

Though her voice was calm, it was laced with concern. Thomas furrowed his eyebrows worriedly and glanced at Luz for an explanation.

"Astra's still sad that she got partnered with that buttface August for our science project."

"Luz! Language!"

"Hey! You weren't supposed to tell!" Astraea pouted at her best friend's betrayal, bottom lip quivering inconspicuously. Hailey almost didn't notice it.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier, Rocket?" The corners of Astraea's lips quirked upwards at the use of the nickname her mother and her beloved neighbour Levi began calling her, but the smile faded as quickly as it came.

"I didn't want you to talk to the teachers, or anything. People will think I'm a snitch — and snitches get stitches," she whimpered, ashamed of keeping it a secret from her mother.

"That — that assbutt will get stitches if he doesn't watch out!" yelled Luz angrily.

Hailey bit down her laugh when Thomas choked on thin air behind her, imagining the horrified look on his face. "WHERE ARE YOU LEARNING THOSE WORDS?"

"Look, August may be a little mean — " she ignored the scoff from Luz, knowing she couldn't truly express what she thought about that little twerp " — but he wouldn't risk failing to bully you. If he tries to annoy or tease you, just take the high road. Do you know what that means?"

Astraea thought back to the time she heard her mother use a similar phrase when talking to someone on the phone, and scrunched up her face in determination with an exaggerated nod. "Yep! Thanks, mom!"

Hailey ruffled her daughter's shoulder-blade-length, jet black hair and fixed the bangs so she could see her beautiful irises, a warm brown with specks of a soft blue you could spot if you looked hard enough. After her messy divorce with her ex-husband Guy Ledford, those blue specks reminded her of his despicable eyes until Astraea made them her own.

Once the duo rushed back into Astra's bedroom, Hailey stood up and absentmindedly turned to face Thomas. Nervous butterflies ate at her insides as memories of their exchanged flooded her mind.

"I — Uh — We — "

" I mean — Um — We could — "

Upon accepting that neither of them could formulate a full, coherent sentence, they let out a single cough simultaneously and resumed their baking activities, subtly smiling to themselves despite their flaming cheeks.

The following day, Hailey drived to Bernhardt academy, anxious about seeing how Astraea handled her day with the pompous child that made her put up with incessant teasing and occasional bullying. Her blood boiled whenever she thought of him and his mother, Vanessa Blackwood, who had been throwing comments with underlying hints of racism and homophobia at her. Although his twin brother Ajax was more bearable, he was too meek.

The students began filing out of the school and ran into their parents' waiting arms. Hailey stood on her tiptoes, her eyes scanning the crowd of little ones to find her own. Finally, she spotted Astraea walking out in a fast pace, arguing with a familiar boy while clutching her books against her chest in a knuckle-whitening grip. Hailey frowned at the sight of the two bickering heatedly and waited for them to get closer to listen to their conversation. Luz and Thomas walked up beside her.

"Everything okay, Hails?" asked Thomas gently, his arm around his child's shoulder. Said child cracked her knuckles menacingly while glaring at the bully walking beside her approaching best friend. "Time to kick some butt!"

He sighed, but decided against scolding her for the time being.

"You're wrong! That would be totally uncool! We should build an airplane!" argued August relentlessly as his brother trailed behind him nervously.

Finally, Astraea whirled around and glared at him fiercly, very red-faced and teeth clenched.

"For the last time, the theme isn't aerodynamics!" The volume of her voice heightened with each uttered word, drawing the fleeting attention of near parents and children. Hailey gaped at the sight of her sweet little daughter snapping at someone, and despite the proud feeling that welled up inside of her, she warned her like any other responsible adult would do, in theory. "Astra! Inside voices!"

Even August appeared shocked at her outburst. "You can't talk to me like that!"

"Yes, I... I can!" Her voice and resolve wavered at his equally furious and intimidating gaze, worrying her mother. However, she squared her shoulders and retorted confidently. "It's... It's my way or the high way!"

No one spoke for the following seconds, unsure of what to say at her uncharacteristic choice of words. Upon processing the context behind them, Hailey snorted, earning a look of disapproval from Thomas while Luz whooped in approval at Astraea's decision to stand up for herself aggressively.

She cracked an involuntary smile, beaming proudly at her daughter. "That... is not what I meant when I told you to take the high road, sweetie."

#moty #playchoices #moty choices #choices fanfic #choicesmarchchallenge #thomas mendez #mother of the year #thomas x mc #thomas mendez x mc