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illiterateaffairs · 8 months

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behind the scenes chapter five | fifty fake dates

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pairing: jamie tartt x actress!reader (ted lasso)

rating: T

word count: 6,388

summary: you and jamie face the biggest test of your fake relationship so far; a double date with keeley and roy

a/n: this is once again a bit later than i had hoped to post, but this is my favorite chapter so far so i hope its worth the wait! i cannot wait to hear what you all think, especially in regards to the reader's scenes with roy and keeley :)

Jamie could be a very cocky person, but he could honestly say, in a completely unbiased way that you two were absolutely crushing this fake dating thing.

Not only had your movie premiere hard launch gone incredibly well the other week, you’d had many successful fake dates since. You’d been seen on various breakfast, lunch and dinner dates, as well as on walks together and even outside your flat again. You’d also posted a couple Instagram posts and stories here and there for good measure, slowly ramping up in a way that felt natural to a real relationship.

The public was eating it up. From fans to journalists, everyone thought you were adorable together. Jamie knew for a fact no one in the world suspected this was all for show.

Unfortunately, the pitfall of doing such a good job meant that not only had his coworkers bought the whole ordeal, but demanded to see it up close. And while fooling Roy and Keeley was a major cornerstone of the whole plot, he wasn’t exactly prepared for what Keeley had in store for them.

“A double date?” Jamie squints at her, after she’d cornered him in the locker room at the end of training one evening.

“Yeah, doesn’t that sound like fun!” Keeley nods, “It was actually Roy’s idea.”

“No!” Roy exclaims raspily from where he was sitting in the coaches office. The three of them were conveniently the last ones to leave for the night.

Keeley shakes her head, “You were the one who said you wanted to meet her.” She turns back to Jamie, “And I for one think a night out, just the four of us, would be a perfect way for all of us to get to know each other.”

Jamie hesitates. Again, he knows that’s the whole point of this charade. But he hadn’t been mentally prepared for when the opportunity to show you off actually came.

“I mean, I’m having dinner with her tonight,” he starts out slowly, “There’s no guarantee she’ll be available, you know, her being a hugely popular and successful actress and everything. But I’ll bring it up.”

Keeley smiles, “That’s all I ask!”

Jamie gives her a tight smile, before bidding her and Roy a good night.

Well, this should be fun.

“Hi, sorry I’m late. Filming ran long,” you say hurriedly as you breeze over to the table Jamie is sitting at. Despite there not being any photographers in this dimly lit restaurant, you feel the need to press a kiss onto his cheek, and he doesn’t seem to mind at all.

Jamie shrugs as you slide into the seat across from him, “No worries.”

You sigh, and mutter quietly, “Well, isn’t the point of this whole thing to be seen entering places together?”

“It's fine, really,” he insists. And then with a smirk, “We’ll be seen leaving together and I think that’s a little more important.”

You can’t help but chuckle as you finally catch your breath from rushing in. As you’re collecting yourself, you notice a glass of wine and an otherwise empty table in front of you.

“No menu?” you question.

Jamie shrugs again, this time a little awkwardly, “I went ahead and ordered for you. I figured you were filming late and thought you’d be eager to eat quickly. You like chicken parmesan, right?”

An impressed smile takes over your face, “Wow. As far as fake boyfriends go, you’re pretty good.”

A bashful smile takes over his own face. “I do my best.”

“And let me guess, you got the steak but you’re going to tell Roy you got a salad.”

Jamie quirks an amused eyebrow, “You’re not so bad yourself.”

You’re both equally proud and yet surprised at how quickly you’d become accustomed to each other’s lives and habits. And how natural it felt to fold one another into your own.

Jamie lets you take a healthy sip of wine before taking a deep breath, “Speaking of Roy.”

“Oh?” You raise an eyebrow this time in question.

“Yeah, uh, he and Keeley actually asked me something earlier. They - well, more Keeley - thought it would be fun for us to go on a sort-of double date? I told them I’d ask you, but I didn’t promise them anything. So, if it's not something you’re up for that's totally fine, I can blow them off.”

You bite back a laugh at how quickly and anxiously he’s speaking. You think it's best to cut him off before he passes out. “Jamie,” you reach across the table and take his hand, “I think that sounds fun.”

Jamie squints, “Really? Because we seriously don’t have to.”

“I’m serious! I think it would be fun to meet the people that sent you into a spiral and made you ask to fake date me,” Jamie scoffs but a smile starts breaking through again, “Besides, this deal is a two way street. You’ve done plenty to help boost my rep so far, it's time I return the favor.”

Now Jamie fully smiles, but still asks, “If you’re sure?”

“I’m positive!”

“Alright. Well, since you’re the one that has to pretend to be obsessed with me all night, I think it’s only fair that you get to pick the activity. What do you want to do?”

You mull it over in your end until the perfect idea strikes you.

“Can I tell you something?”

“Of course.”

“I am absolutely shit at bowling.”

From the passenger's seat of Jamie’s car, you let out a cackle. “There’s no way that’s true.”

“There absolutely is.” Jamie frowns beside you, completely unamused.

“Wow, finally something Jamie Tartt isn’t amazing at.”

“You know you haven’t seen me do that much,” he points out.

You hold your hand up and tick things off, “Amazing footballer, amazing fake-boyfriend. What else is there?”

This gets a laugh out of him.

The two of you are currently parked outside a bowling alley that is surprisingly empty for a Saturday evening. Jamie had received a text from Keeley saying she and Roy had arrived a few minutes prior, so now the two of your were mentally preparing for the night ahead.

“You know you could have told me this before and we could have done something else?” you asked after a few moments had passed.

Jamie lets out a deep breath, “But you were so excited about it when you brought it up.”

You chew the inside of your cheek to prevent yourself from smiling. “Well, I appreciate that. And I’m sure you’re not as bad as you think.”

“Let me know if you think that when you see me play.”

“Well, I can’t do that unless we actually go inside,” you whisper to him like it's a secret he hadn’t caught onto.

Jamie sighs deeply again.

“Hey,” you reach across the console and squeeze his hand briefly, “Tonight’s gonna be great. We’re gonna play a game, I’m gonna wow your friends, we’re gonna drink a shit ton of beers and have a shit ton of nachos, and have a good time.”

The side of Jamie’s mouth tilts up, “I think my vocabulary is rubbing off on you.”

You chuckle, shoving him lightly, “Come on, let’s get this show on the road already.”

“God, you’re impatient,” Jamie teases, but he’s finally pushing his car door open.

“Time is money, money is power, power is pizza, let's do this!”

If you were being honest, you had googled Roy Kent and Keeley Jones before. However, nothing could prepare you for how intimidating Roy was and how drop-dead gorgeous Keeley was in real life.

You and Jamie approached them hand-in-hand, and took little to no time for you to clock that you were the only people in the establishment. You’re confused about this, but you have to quickly bury any questions when Keeley pulls you into a tight hug.

“Hi, it’s so great to meet you, I’m Keeley!” she greets enthusiastically, before pulling away from you abruptly, “Holy shit, I’m sorry. The last thing you probably want is a random stranger hugging you out of nowhere. I’m sure you’re on edge all the time from the attention you get.”

You can’t help but flush when anyone makes a reference to your level of fame, not one to dwell on it yourself. However, Keeley’s energy is so bubbly and kind, you can’t help but feel comfortable as well as amused at how hard she’s trying.

“No, no, not at all. Hugging is great,” You give her a big smile as reassurance, “Besides, you’re not a random stranger, you’re one of Jamie’s best friends, so you’re automatically already a cool person in my book.”

Keeley matches your smile before turning to Jamie, “Oh, my God, you were right about how nice she is.”

You turn to Jamie as well with a curious look, and he can barely make eye contact with you. “So, now you know Keeley, and that scruffy old-man behind her is Roy.”

You turn to the man in question, and give him a kind smile and small wave, “Hey! I take it you’re probably not going to bear-hug me like your girlfriend, but it’d be funny if you did.”

To everyone’s surprise, Roy cracks a smile at your joke. It’s a small one but it's there. The bearded man gives you an approving nod before the four of you start making your way to your table. As you and Jamie trail behind the other couple, he gives you an impressed smile and you beam back at him.

Once you’re seated, you and Keeley send the boys off to grab bowling shoes and snacks for the group.

“So, am I crazy or is this place extremely vacant for a Saturday night?” you ask the blonde as you type your name into the scoreboard.

Keeley chuckles, “Oh yeah, we actually rented the place out for the next couple of hours.”

Your eyebrows shoot up, “Okay. Boujee.”

Keeley shrugs, “We don’t normally do things like that, but Jamie thought you’d prefer a night not being bothered by fans and such.”

Oh.

“While I normally don’t do things like this either, it does sound nice to have a normal night out.”

“It’ll be fun!” Keeley says cheerfully.

“Definitely,” you nod along, feeling warmed by her vibrant personality. “Even more so because apparently Jamie is really bad at bowling.”

Keeley snorts, “Oh, good. I mean, I’m not so great myself and Roy didn’t seem too enthused about this,” at your alarmed look, she quickly continues, “He’s never enthused about anything, don’t take it personally.”

You nod again, still a bit unsure. While you’d seemingly appeased Roy with your joke earlier, you were still anxious to get on his good side for some reason. You were a people pleaser through and through, but especially when the people in question were hard to crack.

You don’t have much time to dwell on your thoughts when Jamie and Roy reappear with beer, nachos, and bowling shoes.

Soon after the game begins. Between the consistent and easy flowing small talk, you bowl first with a respectable 8 pins down for your first go. You were just getting warmed up. Then Keeley takes a turn and manages 5 pins. You try to keep your laughter at bay when Jamie lands his first roll in the gutter, before just barely hitting 2 pins on his second attempt.

“I told you I was shit,” Jamie frowns, plopping down beside you after his turn.

You give him a playful pout, rubbing his arm. “Hey, the night is young, babe. You can still redeem yourself.”

You miss the flush on his cheeks from the pet name, as you and Keeley turn to Roy stepping up to the lane.

“You got this Roy-o!” Keeley claps.

Roy lets out a deep sigh before casually rolling the ball down the lane only to get a strike.

You and Jamie sit up straight in surprise, as Keeley’s eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets.

“I thought you hated bowling?” she exclaims, Roy sitting beside her and taking a gulp of his beer.

“I said I didn’t like it, never said I was bad at it,” he corrects, “Phoebe had like 3 birthdays here.”

“Phoebe’s Roy’s niece,” Keeley says, facing you before you could even ask, “You’d love her.”

You hum in response. You give Roy a friendly yet challenging grin, “Looks like I have stiffer competition than I expected.”

You catch a glimmer of competitiveness in Roy’s eye as you stand up to take your next turn. While you weren’t sure he’d be down for a little competition, he seems intrigued by your retort.

You’re pleased when you score a spare this round. Jamie and Keeley cheer for you, the former planting a celebratory kiss on your cheek when you return. Roy, for his part, looks impressed. It was on.

The game practically flies by after that. You and Roy are pretty evenly matched, taking turns between scoring strikes and fumbling a bit under the pressure. Keeley holds her own as well, but she’s mostly just happy to be there, cheering both you and Roy on. Jamie for his part manages to do better little by little, but he’s certainly no stranger to a gutter-bar or ill-fated split. And while he was resistant at first, he starts laughing along with your groups playful jabs at his expense.

Between rounds, you thoroughly enjoy getting to know Roy and Keeley. Keeley is a bit more forthcoming in conversations, but after a couple beers, Roy loosens up a bit himself and you’re pleased to learn he has a fun sense of humor.

By the end of the game, you manage to one-up Roy Kent by mere single digits. And while he’s graceful in the loss, he can’t help but point out he was a bit rusty.

“Okay, now that you’re warmed up, why don’t we make the next game a little more interesting,” you challenge.

Roy raises one of his thick eyebrows, “Go on.”

“Let’s say the next loser between us picks up the tab for the night?” you suggest.

Roy chuckles, “Big talk from someone with all that Hollywood money.”

“Oh, come on, I’m sure the highest paid coach in the premier league can handle it,” you throw back.

Keeley and Jamie amusedly watch you two like a tennis match.

A mischievous smile makes its way onto Roy’s face, before he extends his hand to you, “It’s a deal.”

You smirk, shaking his hand.

“Alright, if we’re doing this again, I need another beer,” Jamie announces, standing up from the booth.

“Ooh, I’ll come with,” Keeley says, jumping up as well.

“Wait, wait,” you call out, grabbing Jamie’s hand so he turns back around.

“Yeah, love?” Jamie asks, startled by the ease in which the pet name rolls off his own tongue.

“Can you get me some chicken wings, please?” you ask, with the sweetest smile you can muster.

Jamie chuckles, “Of course.”

“Thank you,” you sing-song. He watches your eyes glance over at Roy and Keeley quickly and discreetly, before looking back up at him. Then you blink twice.

Jamie doesn’t hold back the small smile that takes over his face as he leans down to press a chaste kiss on your lips. He forces himself not to linger, so he and Keeley can head to the snack bar.

This leaves you alone with Roy for the first time tonight. You have half a second to worry you’d be sitting in awkward silence before the man himself is speaking up.

“I like you,” he says suddenly.

You sit up in surprise for the second time tonight. Roy didn’t come across as the most transparent person when it came to feelings, and you’re once again sure the alcohol was helping, but it still took you aback.

“Oh?” is all you can manage to say in response.

He nods, sipping on his beverage. “You’re good for Jamie. You treat him well, but you don’t take his shit. He needs that.”

You give him a small smile, touched by his words. You were both relieved you were pulling off the girlfriend thing so well, and also happy that he thought you were making a positive impact on Jamie. Your situation may be temporary - and mostly fake - but it felt good that you were a decent influence in the time you have.

“Thanks, Roy.”

He tilts his beer bottle in your direction, and you raise yours as well.

“You’re also a hell of a bowler, but you are going down this next game.”

You scoff, “You wish, Kent.”

Meanwhile, Keeley is also singing your praises at the concessions stand with Jamie.

“Bravo, Jamie,” Keeley grins, shaking Jamie’s arm with an affectionate squeeze, “Not only is she fucking fit and talented - at acting and bowling nonetheless - she’s so fucking cool. She’s perfect for you.”

Jamie smiles bashfully, but accepts Keeley’s compliments of you. She was right. You were amazing.

“And, I’m so happy you’re happy,” she adds, even more sincerely, “It always seemed like you were going through the motions in your past relationships, before and after me. And during me, I guess.”

Jamie moves to apologize but she shakes her head.

“You don’t need to do that,” she states forcefully, “You’ve grown so much. You deserve all the good things happening in your life. And this,” she nods in the direction you and Roy were sitting, “Is such a good thing.”

Jamie’s smile wobbles a little, “You know I wasn’t just going through the motions with you, right? I really, really cared about you Keeley.”

Keeley instantly sobers as well, nodding aggressively, “I know that.”

“Good.”

“But I can tell this is different,” she insists. “You’re different. She’s different. And like I said, that’s a good thing.”

Jamie nods. Keeley’s words weigh heavily on him. Maybe that was the thing about him and her all along. You could care about a person, but that didn’t make you two the right fit. He considers this thought as he and Keeley carry their food back to the table. You and him were different. But not the different Keeley thought. You were just acting, and you were doing a hell of a good job of it. But that was the point, wasn’t it? Keeley and Roy were believing all of it, just like he wanted. So why doesn’t he feel as relieved as he should?

He buries those thoughts as you excitedly stand up to start the next game. That wasn’t before you happily thank him for the wings with yet another peck on the lips. And with that and more alcohol flowing through his veins, he can hardly remember any of his worries.

After you score another strike right off the bat, instead of returning to your seat you gesture for Jamie to join you in front of the lane.

“What are you gonna do?” he questions, “Wrap your arms around me to show me the right technique?”

“While that would be adorable, no,” you retort with a laugh, “But I can give you some pointers.”

Jamie can barely focus on the tips you’re telling him, because even if you’re not physically showing him how to move, you’re still standing in such close proximity, and whispering to him nonetheless. How was he meant to pay attention? When you’re done with your explanation, you give him another quick kiss, wishing him good luck, before skipping back to the booth.

Whether it was the tutorial or the kiss, he’d never know, but he somehow managed 7 pins that first try, and knocked down 2 more his second go. That was almost a spare. He’d be proud either way, but was even more so when you excitedly cheered for him on his way back to the table.

The second game is just as much of a blur as the first, except this time as the competition and the alcohol levels grow, you and Jamie become much more affectionate. He knows you don’t love PDA, so you keep the kissing to a minimum around Roy and Keeley, but there’s no shortage of hugging and hand holding as you rack up points on the scoreboard. Towards the end of the game, you manage the first Turkey of the night, and Jamie picks you up and spins you around.

Before you know it, everyone’s down to their last shot. The score is so close, with you getting yet another strike at the last moment. Jamie and Keeley finish with respectable scores - Jamie having improved a lot this go - but they’re nowhere near you and Roy.

Roy’s final roll is what makes or breaks the game. If he scores a strike, he wins. But even a spare means you’d win. Everyone watches with baited breath as he steps up to the lane. Its as if the ball rolls in slow motion, but as it hits the pins and you all watch as each and every pin gets knocked down, various exclamations are shouted.

“He must’ve cheated!” is Jamie’s contribution to the yelling, but he and you are both half laughing at the same time.

You, for your part, can’t be too disappointed when you’ve had such a fun night with more than amazing company. You also watch as Keeley gives Roy a sweet, congratulatory kiss, which was the first time they’d done so all night. Your heart pangs in your chest a little, feeling envious for the first time for what another couple had. It’s not something you’ve felt often in your life, but seeing how well the pair complemented each other all night made you long for the same thing with someone one day.

“You put up a good fight,” Roy salutes you, settling back down next to his girlfriend.

You smile, “It was a close game, but I’ll hand it to you.”

You begin to take out your credit card, when Jamie pushes your hand away, already taking out his own wallet.

“I’ve got this,” he says.

You frown, “I don’t remember you being a part of the deal.”

Jamie shrugs, “A lady should never pay on a date, so your bill is now my bill.”

Normally, you’d argue on account of feminism, but you’re feeling a little loopy. Most likely from the beer and not at all from the boy in front of you with that lopsided grin.

After Jamie closes your group’s tab, the four of you change back into your regular shoes and start saying your goodbyes.

“This was so fun!” Keeley smiles, pulling you in for another hug, which you gladly reciprocate, “We should do it again soon.”

“For sure,” you agree, before pulling away and addressing Roy, “I would like a rematch.”

Roy chuckles, “You’re on.” And then he surprises you by giving you a quick hug himself.

With a final goodbye, Roy and Keeley start heading for the exit. Jamie gives you a sly grin once they’re far enough away.

“I’d say we did a good job tonight,” he says.

You nod, “We definitely did. You’re friends love me, and you know what? I love them, too.”

Jamie laughs, “Good.” He gestures his hand to the doors, “Shall we?”

You give Jamie your own secretive grin, “There’s one more thing I have to do before we leave.”

Jamie furrows his brows, “What’s that?”

Your grin only grows, before you grip his hand and pull him towards the far side of the bowling alley that housed a handful of arcade games.

Jamie cackles when you stop in front of one of them.

“The claw machine?”

You only nod, already shoving quarters into the machine, “I was hoping they’d have one of these.”

Jamie shakes his head, watching as you navigate the claw around the machine, “There’s no way you win this. You know these things are rigged, right?”

Before the words are fully out of his mouth, you’re already dropping a bright orange dragon in to the opening before pulling it out of the bottom.

Jamie stares at you with wide eyes, “How the fuck did you do that?”

You shrug, “I’m amazing at arcade games. And I needed a win.”

Jamie laughs again, “I’d say you’re far from a loser. Did you see whose name was at the bottom of the scoreboard?”

You giggle, and then hold out the dragon to him, “Well here. A consolation prize.”

Jamie takes the stuffed toy from your hands, “For me?”

“Of course. I mean, as long as you treat him right and give him a name.”

Jamie studies the dragon’s face for a moment. “Alfred.”

You snort, “Alfred?”

“Alfred the Dragon.” Jamie says, assuredly.

“Well, I love it.”

“Good,” Jamie laughs along with you. “Well, the reservation we had on this place is about to end. People are going to start showing up any second so we should probably go.”

“Wait,” you grab Jamie’s hands again, “It's only, what, 9PM? Let’s go out and do something else.”

“Really?” Jamie asks, both surprised and amused.

“Yeah, why not? I hardly ever get out like this, might as well make the most of it while I have the mental energy,” you say with a laugh. “Come on, you’re the guy who knows all the spots where we can enjoy a drink on the down low right? Any bars like that?”

A smile starts to grow on Jamie’s face again, “Well, there is one.”

“Did you bring me to a karaoke bar?” you question, but there’s an excited grin on your face.

Jamie shrugs from the driver’s seat of his car, relieved he’d stayed sober enough to keep the night going. He feared that wouldn’t last much longer, though.

“Everyone at this place is so pissed they’d never realize they were around a famous actress, even if you wore a shirt that said ‘I was in Study Break’.”

You laugh embarrassedly, rubbing your face. “Of course you’ve seen the sitcom I was in.”

Jamie smiles, “That and Parks and Rec are only two of the greatest comedies of all time.”

“That’s generous,” you say. “If we’re at a karaoke bar, does that mean you’re going to sing?”

Jamie huffs, “Hell no. I would need several drinks for that.”

“I think we can make that happen,” you smirk. “Do you think Alfred will be okay to wait in the car?”

You both turn back to where Jamie had buckled the plush dragon in behind the two of you.

“Does that make us neglectful parents to leave our kid in the car?” he asks.

“Eh, he’ll survive.” You shrug, before the two of you jump out of the car.

You and Jamie immediately camp out at open spots at the bar and order drinks. While much of the beer from earlier had worn off, Jamie could still tell you were feeling lighter, bopping along to the horrible singing from the karaoke performer on the stage in the front of the room. He’s adored getting to see such a playful side of you tonight. He hopes he can start to bring it out of you even when alcohol wasn’t involved.

“I just realized when we conducted our research on each other, I didn’t ask if you had a go to karaoke song,” you ask him after a few minutes of quiet between the two of you.

Jamie thinks for a beat. Not that he’d participated in the activity often, he did have a few go-to’s. “Probably something by The Beatles. Or Britney Spears.”

You cackle, “Those two couldn’t be more different options and yet they’re both so perfect for you.”

Jamie laughs along with you, “What about you?”

“Hmm, I like a good 80’s song. Some Madonna, or Pat Benetar.”

“Those are solid.”

“And this isn't the 80's, but if I can get someone to do a duet with me, The Chain by Fleetwood Mac.”

“That is a bold karaoke song.”

“Sure, but it's so powerful.”

You both sip on your drinks as you keep humming along to the next singer who's doing a rough version of Bennie and the Jets.

“I know another question I didn’t ask you that feels like an oversight,” Jamie says this time, “What is Miss Movie Star’s favorite movie?” Jamie’s immediately intrigued when you become embarrassed by the question. He pokes your stomach gently. “What? Now you’ve got to tell me.”

You answer so softly, he can barely hear you over the music. “When Harry Met Sally.”

Jamie’s mouth is agape, “Excuse me, When Harry Met Sally? The girl who hates romance’s favorite movie is a romantic comedy?”

You squeeze your eyes shut, “I never said I hated romance, I just said some movies set unrealistic expectations.”

“Still!” Jamie exclaims with wide eyes.

“I know, I know. But it’s just so comforting! And Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal are so good together.”

“I mean, yeah.” Jamie agrees, like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

“But I stand by the fact that most romcoms can be a bit far fetched.”

“Okay, that’s fair. What other movies are your favorites then?”

You once again look afraid to answer, but inevitably do. “13 Going on 30…Notting Hill…”

“Are you kidding me? 13 Going On 30 is the most unrealistic. It's about a girl who goes from a 13 year old to a full grown adult overnight!”

“Yes, but Mark Ruffalo!”

“And Notting Hill is about the biggest actress in the world moving across the world for a random bookstore owner, how is that realistic?”

“Well, I mean I’m pretending to date you!” you retort before thinking through what you’re saying.

Jamie doesn’t dwell on it, “Did you just compare yourself to Julia Roberts?”

You sputter, “Not fully, but that would make you Hugh Grant!”

Jamie gives you a look, “I’m of a little higher rank than a bookstore owner.”

You gesture between the two of you, “So you’re saying the two of us come across as realistic. That’s good, that's what we want.”

Jamie chuckles, as you ground your conversation back in reality. “That’s fair.”

You smile slightly, “And again; I never said I hated romance and stuff. I just wish it was easier to come by like it seems on screen.”

Jamie nods, speaking more softly, “Yeah, me too.”

Before you lose yourself in Jamie’s gaze, you turn the topic on him, “What’s your favorite movie, then? Bend It Like Beckham?”

Jamie snorts, “While that’s a great film, I wouldn’t say it's my favorite.”

“Fair. But if you say another one of my movies, I’ll punch you.”

Your conversation continues just as smoothly as your cocktails go down after that. You bounce between learning more about one another, to mindless conversations about seemingly nothing. You also take many breaks to belt the lyrics to songs you love as more and more drunk patrons lousily perform.

Before you know it, you’re both nearly as drunk as the karaoke singers. Jamie soon realizes though, you’re much more of a lightweight, constantly coming up with random topics.

“I like the way you say Keeley’s name,” you tell him at one point, completely unrelated to the conversation you were having.

Jamie furrows his eyebrows, “Keeley?”

You shove your index finger in his face, “See, like that! Keeley.”

He chuckles at your poor, yet adorable imitation of his accent.

“You’re from where again?” you ask.

“Manchester.”

“So, that’s what? A Manchester-an accent?”

Jamie laughs again, “Mancunian.”

“Mancunian,” you slur, making yourself laugh this time. “I like it.”

“Do you like the way I say your name?” Jamie asks teasingly.

You bob your head up and down, “I like the way you say everything.”

Jamie didn’t expect that answer. Even in his inebriated state, he feels his stomach flip.

It’s around midnight that Jamie realizes that even under the influence, you were still a sneaky one. You’re laughing through a story about you and your friend Katie, when the MC calls Jamie’s name out as the next singer. Jamie looks towards the stage in confusion, before it dawns on him. His suspicions are confirmed when he sees the cheeky grin plastered across your face.

“How did you- when did you??” he stutters.

“When I said I had to go to the bathroom like 20 minutes ago,” you hiccup.

Jamie shakes his head, “I can’t go up there.”

“Sure you can!” you exclaim, attempting to push him off the barstool, although you’re doing a pretty pathetic job of it.

As the MC repeats his name, some people around you clock that he’s The Jamie Tartt and start chanting for him.

He gives you a look, “So much for staying under the radar.”

In your state, you don’t even seem to care, instead joining the crowd, “Jamie. Jamie. Jamie.”

He truly believes if he were a little less drunk, he would have resisted harder. But what was Jamie Tartt if not a crowd pleaser?

He eventually makes his way to the stage, receiving a louder than normal applause from the bar crowd. He reminds himself that even if they’re aware of who he is now, they certainly won't remember this tomorrow. As he pulls the microphone off the stand, he realizes he doesn’t know what song he’s singing, until the unmistakable first beats of Toxic by Britney Spears play through the speakers. He locks eyes with you immediately back by the bar, and you have a shit eating grin still plastered on your face. He can’t help but smile back.

At this point Jamie’s inevitably given into the absurdity of the night, and unashamedly gives a full fledged performance. The bar goes wild, but he’s only really aware of you. He somehow hears your cheers above the roar of the crowd, and is egged on by your amusement. Under normal circumstances, he may be embarrassed by how seriously he was taking this, but he’s surrendered to the simple fact that if it made you happy, he didn’t care how ridiculous he looked.

By the time he’s reached the final chorus of the song, you were up from your seat and the whole bar was singing along. Everyone cheers even louder when he’s done, and he gives them an over dramatic bow. As he bounds back down the stage, the people he passes offer high fives and tell him they’re huge fans. He even hears a few people breakout into his football chant.

“Wow, you were so good!” you tell him genuinely, putting each one of your hands on his shoulders, “Football better watch out, cause you could have a real career as a singer.”

Jamie rolls his eyes with a laugh, “Sure I do.”

You laugh along with him, “Either way, now that I know you kill at karaoke, we definitely have to come back.”

“Alright, alright, but next time you’re singing with me.”

“As long as its Fleetwood Mac, I’m down.”

The two of you don’t last much longer after that. As soon as Jamie can tell you’re starting to grow tired, he announces you should call it a night. He calls a car this time though, planning to pick up his car the following day when he was much more sober. You beg him to take Alfred the Dragon, though, stating sincerely that you’d cry if he was left in the car alone all night long. He immediately hates the idea of you crying and hurriedly unlocked the car to retrieve the stuffed animal.

When the car pulls up to your flat, he tells the driver he’d be a few minutes while he walked you to the door.

Jamie amusedly watches you very carefully walk up the concrete stairs. Despite not feeling quite that steady himself, he still follows closely behind in case you trip.

You stumble a little when you reach the top and Jamie gently takes hold of your arms, the two of you unable to keep from giggling.

“Well, this is me!” you announce, standing up straight in his arms.

“You don’t say?” Jamie jokes.

“You can stay here, you know,” you say, “The couch is pretty comfortable. I fell right to sleep at the end of Ratatouille the other night.”

“You were watching Ratatouille?” he asks incredulously.

“Ratatouille,” you mimic his accent again, pinching one of his cheeks lightly, “I fucking love your accent.”

Jamie laughs, a little less amused this time with you in such close proximity, “Well, thank you.”

You nod to the door, “So, you wanna stay? I bet people would go crazy if they heard about you leaving my place tomorrow morning.”

Jamie huffs. He considers it. He does. He’s exhausted, and he’d also love more time with you. And you’re right, this would be good for the ruse. But even as the alcohol slowly wears off of both of you, he thinks maybe tonight isn’t the best time

“Maybe another night,” he eventually responds softly. He nods behind him, “I can’t keep the driver waiting much longer.”

You pout playfully but nod, “Okayyy. I’ll talk to you tomorrow though?”

He nods back, “Of course.” A beat passes, “Thank you again for coming out tonight. With Keeley and Roy. Meant a lot.”

You smile at him brightly, “Anytime. Like you said, we’re a team.” Then you slide out of his arms that he’s long forgotten were even wound around you. “Good night, boyfriend.” you say dramatically, before turning to the door.

He smiles wistfully at the back of your head, “Good night, girlfriend.”

Just as you manage to get your door unlocked, you abruptly turn back around to face him. Before he can question anything, you’re gripping his shoulders and pulling him in for a quick, albeit sloppy kiss - and not on the cheek, but the lips.

Jamie can hardly process what is happening before you pull away from him. He looks at you curiously as you give him a coy smile and whisper, “Google Earth.”

Jamie breathes out a surprised and shaky laugh, “Always taking pics.”

You giggle with him, before once again going back to your front door. You wish him another good night, before entering your flat and shutting the door.

Jamie shakes his head. You definitely wouldn’t remember much of the last couple hours of your night. Part of him wishes he could forget some of it, too. That would make things a lot simpler.

a/n: it's a race to the who falls first finish line! who do we think will admit to it first? also two notes- 1) criminal that jamie wasn't on the team when they went to karaoke in season 1, 2) idk enough about bowling scores to make this completely accurate, so work with me on this haha

taglist: @respondingtoshowerthoughts-blog @royalestrellas @torpedo--belly @skewedcherries @littlemisssunshine192 @hopefulromances @breakmyheartlater @ohpuckyeah @alipap3 @meg-ro @rexorangecouny @pythagothug @bonesbonesetc @xxenia14 @rockchickrebel @thatonedogwithablog @percysaidnever @msjb2002 @loveforaugust @dicgohargreeves @whimsical-roasting @tortilla-maria1 @rubyliquor @taytaylala12 @kno-way-home @gcidrvsh @lightninginab0ttle @beekprsdaughter it wouldn’t let me tag the last couple of you, but i will keep trying <3

#jamie tartt x reader #jamie tartt imagine #jamie tartt fanfiction #jamie tartt x female reader #jamie tartt fanfic #jamie tartt x f!reader #mine #ted lasso fanfiction #ted lasso fanfic #behind the scenes series

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elsweetheart · 1 year

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can u make a little drabble about fem reader x ellie in which the reader is inexperienced and they heavily make out for the first time i need this 😩

i can … i can do tht ….. this is a prequel to this fic i wrote :)

barnyard beauty — slow burn prequel

🎀 ellie + reader freshly in relationship together, a little smutty but not too much, ellie being cocky AGAIN

you were giggling so much it was starting to feel a little pathetic. ellie just drew that kind of reaction out of you every time, even though she was finally all yours you couldn’t help but feel like you were still harbouring a demure school girl crush on her. she was always flirty with you, but now even in a relationship she would still act like she was trying to win you over. she’d open doors for you, kiss your knuckles when she’d greet you, go out of her way to hunt for gifts you’d like. you were being totally wooed, and you didn’t feel like she was going to be stopping anytime soon.

“els stop you’re making my tummy hurt.” you laughed, clutching your side as the two of you sat on the floor of the barn. it was night time, and everyone was at movie night — so the two of you had snuck in to chill and hang out away from all the noise. the two of you had been in a relationship for three weeks now, so the pair of you were even more joint at the hip than usual.

“what? no, okay — it’s a serious question. say i turned into a horse right now. right this second— okay—” she cut her hypothetical question off by joining in with your laughter, hand grabbing yours when you thoughtlessly swatted at her. “what would you do? like i just become a horse. you blink and i’m just standing there as a horse. realistically what would you do?” she chuckles, urging you to answer through your breathless chortles.

“why would you ask that? in what world is that possible?” you clutch your stomach.

“just— fuckin’— hypothetically, okay?” ellie was always asking the silliest hypothetical questions, and you always put it down to her hilariously inquisitive personality. truthfully, she asked them because she knew it always made you laugh and god she loved your laugh — she also found that your answers were strangely insightful.

“i don’t know — i guess, i’d have to tell joel i mean — he’d be wondering where you went. and then i suppose i’d tell jesse and dina, ‘cos i think jesse especially would get a kick out of it.” you chuckled, staring off pensively across the barn at the other horses lined up minding their business. she stared at your side profile, her laugh dying down into a soft smile as she watched you contemplate. “aaand, yeah. i guess i’d just have to adapt. couldn’t date you anymore, cos that would be weird but… i’d take care of you… and ride you.” you shrugged innocently, breaking ellie out of her loving gaze to snicker at the last part.

you turn your head to look at her, her face closer than you remember it being. “what?” you smile in anticipation for whatever hilarious comment ellie was about to make. she was smirking, clearly proud of whatever it was about to come out her mouth.

“oh you’re gonna ride me?” she teased, poking your waist. you wasn’t quite sure what that would entail but you knew it was sexually charged, forgetting that sometimes words have a double entendre attached. you felt your face get hot, scrunching your nose.

“whats wrong with that?” you ask innocently, hoping she’d maybe explain what it meant. you didn’t quite know why you wanted to know so badly, a warm molten feeling dripping down into your stomach at the prospect of being sexual with ellie. she stretched her arm around you with a laugh, smoothing her hand over the back of your head kindly.

“nothing. you’re cute.” her eyes were on your lips now. you smiled, setting aside your curiosity as the thought of kissing her now clouded your brain. as if she could read your thoughts, ellie leant forward, pressing a kiss to your lips, hand sliding around to cup your jaw. it was a simple act, but it was the small acts of dominance that always got you. you allowed her to deepen the kiss, beginning to explore your mouth with her tongue as you shared breath. with your limited experience, something about it just felt so erotic and you sighed against her mouth — body alight with pleasure.

you couldn’t tell if it were you or her that quickened the pace, the kiss getting more and more desperate like you couldn’t get enough of eachother. she recalls that you were so sweet in the moment, kissing her just how she liked— having taught you how to kiss after all. one hand came down to stroke your hip with her thumb, the small act making you whimper ever so quietly into her mouth.

you didn’t quite know what you wanted, but you knew you wanted more. everything about you felt dialled up to ten suddenly. the air was too hot, your nipples beneath your shirt were too sensitive everytime her hand would ‘accidentally’ brush against them, your core felt tight and achey. you were sensitive to touch everywhere, and you became aware of how itchy and uncomfortable the hay you were sat on was against the backs of your thighs and ass. why had you decided to wear a skirt again?

ellie, who’s hand was now stroking the soft supple skin of your thigh, sensed your discomfort with the hay from your shuffling. the two of you were meant to be sat on her jacket that she’d laid down to share but with your fidgeting it must have been pulled slightly from beneath you. almost frantically, to fix the problem ellie pull you by your thigh trying to move you closer to sit on her jacket, all whilst shuffling backwards herself to make space for you. at the sudden movement, and ellie not quite realising her strength she tugged you and she toppled back onto a lower hay bale, you landing directly on top of her with an ‘oof!’

the two of you looked at eachother for a moment, ellie on her back with you laying directly on top of her— one leg cocked up, your skirt totally flipped up, exposing you from the back, before you burst into a fit of giggles.

“what just happened?” you clutched her gleefully.

“i don’t even know.” she chuckled, again the laughs dying out when she pulled you back in to kiss her again. her hands were on your waist now, not making any kind of move to push you off her body. you could barely ignore the feeling of her jean clad thigh pressed between your legs and you trembled against her, wonder how it would feel if she moved it. ellie’s hand slid up the back of your bare thigh towards your ass, just encouraging you to move your hips when—

“you girls in here or— oh.” maria’s voice sounded from the barn door, probably getting a view directly up your skirt as you laid on a handsy ellie. you fumbled, rolling off her clumsily with a gasp, face feeling so hot you could cook an egg on it. ellie sat up after you, unsurprisingly very little sign of embarrassment on her face, stifling a laugh at the awkward situation. the two of you looked disheveled, straws of hay sticking out your hair.

“uh—” maria coughed awkwardly, averting her eyes and she wiped her hands on her jeans. “ellie, joels looking for you. said’e wanted to go over something regarding the supply hunt. he’s round the corner.” she recited, sending you a polite nod before heading out the barn. ellie’s smirk revisit her face once more as she turned to look at you, your hands covering your hot face.

“m’gonna die. she totally just saw that. and my skirt was practically bunched up around my waist.” you whined, taking your hands off your face to stare up at ellie as she laughed, standing up and dusting herself down.

“can’t imagine anyone complaining about that view.” she teased, holding her hand out for you to grab. you took it and she pulled you up, stumbling into her slightly at her strength (and perhaps just your own weakness.) making her slightly raise an eyebrow. “are you… okay?” the smile was not only evident in her face but in her voice too, as if she was holding back a laugh.

“yeah! m’fine. just… a shame it got cut short.” you looked away from her. she eyed you, stepping closer to you when you stepped back to give her space. your wide eyes flickered up to hers, thinking she might kiss you again. instead, she reached up, pulling a straw of hay out of your hair, before reaching down without breaking eye contact and untucking your skirt that was tucked into your waistband, humiliatingly so without your knowledge. “there ya go. good as new.” she stepped back, holding out her hand for you to take. she knew what she was doing. “lets go.”

you took her hand dumbly, your body undergoing a million overwhelming emotions a second as you let her lead you out the barn.

#ellie williams x reader #ellie williams prompt #ellie williams drabble #ellie tlou2 smut #ellie williams blurb

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sellawrites · 5 months

Text

SWEET

word count: 1.5k

pairing: paige bueckers x azzi fudd

⚠️warnings⚠️

hurt/comfort, angst, swearing

prompts:

paige is upset at her team and misses azzi

pazzi are each other’s person but haven’t figured out exactly what that means

title from the cigarettes after sex song (somewhat inspired)

Paige breathed a sigh of relief when the final buzzer sounded. It should’ve been a relatively easy game, but this season had been anything but easy so far and she hadn’t been taking anything for granted, especially since Azzi got hurt again.

Azzi…. through the photos, autographs, and media, Paige couldn’t help her mind from drifting back to her. Azzi, her rock, her person, her best friend… maybe that last one wasn’t quite right anymore. They hadn’t put a label on anything yet, but she didn’t think that the parameters of “best friends” quite explained what they were to each other.

All she knew was that Azzi should’ve been a part of the win, not laying in a hospital bed. She knew sitting there watching must’ve been killing Azzi as much as it was killing Paige to not have her on the floor.

The team was already chattering excitedly when she stepped onto the bus.

“There she is! P-SKIII!” cheered KK, trying to get her to join in on whatever silly dance her and Aubrey were doing.

“Thanks KK, but I’m too tired for all this. I think I’m gonna go pass out in the back if anyone needs me.” She ignored the confused looks of most of her teammates.

Aaliyah must have seen the look in her eyes because she spoke up suddenly. “You guys heard her, her back hurts from carrying your sorry asses with her 34 and 12!”

As everyone laughed, Paige shot Aaliyah a grateful look and went to sit down. After making sure that no one was paying any attention to her, she pulled out her phone and called Azzi, who picked up almost immediately.

“Congratulations! I watched the whole thing and I’m so proud of you guys!” Azzi’s excitement was painfully fake, even over the phone.

“Thanks,” Paige mumbled hollowly. “You know you don’t have to pretend with me, right?”

“I know, it’s just that you finally got a win and we really need those right now and I… didn’t wanna take away from that, I guess,” Azzi sighed. Her voice had lost all its prior enthusiasm.

Paige wasn’t prepared for how broken Azzi sounded. Despite her best efforts to blink them back, her eyes began to fill with tears. “Don’t worry about anything like that. It wasn’t a good win and we both know it. I guess I played fine, but where is the rest of this fucking team?”

Paige knew it was unfair, but she couldn’t stop herself from saying it. “Where are you, Az? I need you.”

The call lapsed into silence, Paige trying to stop the tears from leaking out of her eyes while, alone in a hospital bed, Azzi’s cheeks were already wet.

“No, Azzi, stop it. You’re not allowed to be crying right now,” Paige leaned her head against the bus window.

“How did you kno- whatever, you’re literally crying too, baby,” Azzi was quick to reply when she heard the tremor in the other girl’s voice. “I should be there for you, I don’t know why shit like this keeps happening.”

Paige gave up on wiping the tears now freely flowing down her face.

“I can’t have you crying because of me, I can’t. It’s just a game- well it’s not just a game but it’s also not your life. You shouldn’t have this — shouldn’t have my problems — on your mind as well! It’s not fair to you, it just isn’t.” She went silent, realizing she’d let slip more than she’d intended to.

“How can you even say that when you’ve cried over me more times than I can remember?” Azzi asked incredulously. “You’re right, Paige, it’s not just a game, it’s your whole life, and mine! It’s the reason I’m here right now, still fighting for a chance at one of the most important things in the world to me, to both of us.”

So many miles away, Paige’s broken sigh was a shot straight through Azzi’s heart.

“I’m tired, Azzi. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be… I miss you.” The last part was whispered like a confession, Paige seemingly still not sure if it was something that she could just say.

“I know, P. None of this is fair. I miss you too.” It came out easier for Azzi. She’d always been better at stuff like that.

Neither girl knew what to say after that, the only sounds on the call being soft breathing and faint sounds of rain hitting the bus’s windows.

“It’s raining here, like a lot. It’s kinda soothing if you close your eyes,” Paige broke the silence, her voice a bit rough.

Azzi wiped her eyes, squinting at the curtains drawn over the window in her room. “I think it’s raining here too,” she finally said.

Paige sat in silence as she listened to Azzi call for a nurse to come open her window.

“It is kinda nice, you’re right.” Azzi took a deep breath as the soft pattering of raindrops filled her ears.

“Can I say that I miss you again?” Paige asked after another long silence.

“You can say anything to me.” Azzi’s voice was suddenly groggy.

“It’s late. I think you should go to sleep. I’ll see you when I get back.” Paige couldn’t hide the fondness in her voice.

“No, I’ll stay up with you. I’m not even tired, I promise.” Azzi tried to argue despite the heaviness of her voice.

Paige waited a while before answering. “You know it’s gonna be another couple of hours. I don’t mind, I promise.” She mirrored Azzi’s words.

There was nothing but silence on the line.

“Hey, Az?” Getting no response, Paige listened for a few minutes before she hung up, Azzi’s peaceful deep breathing eventually coming through.

She looked ahead at her teammates still celebrating and decided she’d just try to get some sleep herself.

•••••

The light knocking on Azzi’s door blended with the sounds of the rain, not waking her up. “I can come back tomorrow, she should probably sleep,” Paige sighed, trying to hide how close she was to breaking down again.

“Are you sure? I think she’d want to see you,” The nurse looked confused. “She seemed quite adamant when she told me to let you in any time, no matter what.”

Paige was speechless. It wasn’t even all that surprising as she knew that she’d do the same for Azzi, but the confirmation of those feelings being reciprocated meant a lot more to Paige than she thought it would.

Seeing Paige’s indecision, the nurse placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m just going to unlock the door for you, honey, and you can figure out what you want to do,” she said kindly. “You’re a great girlfriend, by the way,” she tossed over her shoulder as she walked away.

“We’re not-” Paige started to say automatically, trailing off when she realized that she liked other people thinking of her and Azzi that way.

After hesitating outside the door for another minute, Paige slowly turned the handle, trying to make as little noise as possible.

Azzi’s room was dark, the only light being the sliver coming in from the hallway. It illuminated her sleeping face, and she looked so peaceful that Paige almost left again, not wanting to disturb her at all.

Shutting the door, Paige was fumbling for the switch on a lamp in the corner of the room when she heard Azzi’s blankets rustle.

“…Paige?” She mumbled, rubbing her eyes as Paige located the switch and light flooded the room.

“Hey, I’m here,” Paige said softly.

Azzi opened her arms and Paige crawled into her bed, neither of them minding that the size of it forced their bodies to be pressed against each other.

“I’m sorry I fell asleep,” Azzi pressed her lips to the top of Paige’s head, her fingers combing through blonde hair.

Paige lifted her head to meet Azzi’s eyes. “Don’t be sorry. I’m glad you were actually resting like you were supposed to be,” she smirked, dodging the other girl’s attempt to flick her forehead.

Azzi’s retort was cut off by Paige’s lips pressing against hers, both girls smiling into the kiss. They pulled apart, foreheads pressed together.

In the intimacy of their little bubble, Azzi allowed a confession to slip out. “I’m glad you came. It means a lot.” The words may not have been anything novel, but she could tell that Paige understood why she said them so solemnly.

“Azzi, I…” Paige swallowed, embarrassed, and buried her face in Azzi’s neck.

“I know you do, P,” Azzi reassured her with a soft smile. “Me too. You don’t have to say it.” She knew that Paige wasn’t ready, and that was okay. She was here in Azzi’s arms, and for now, that was more than enough.

#pazzi my loves #sweet #paige my love #azzi my love #paige bueckers x azzi fudd

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polysyndetonaddictsupportgroup · 2 months

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oohhh i know you did an ask on who every teachers favourite child is but who are the kid’s favourite? out of the teen parenting trio, who were tsumiki and megumi’s favourites? or atleast the one they were individually closest to?

This is a legitimately hard one and there is no exact answer to it. Here’s the best approximation.

Tsumiki:

When she was little, it was Shoko. This was not for the best reasons.

I don’t want to delve too deep into this because we’re gonna find out a lot more about how Tsumiki felt about the teen parenting trio as a kid in the fic itself, so I’m leaving a lot of context out. But she liked Shoko as a kid because Shoko was a drug addict, and so was her mom.

It’s not that she liked that Shoko was addicted to drugs. I think Tsumiki violently hates drugs for what it did to her mom and, later, Shoko. But there was a safety in familiarity for Tsumiki. She liked Shoko because she knew how to deal with her and what her problem was. She’d take the monster she knew over the one she didn’t any day of the week, and she just could not understand why Gojo and Nanami were hanging around or why they pretended to care. She was too afraid of anything new to feel comfortable around Nanami or Gojo for a long time. She kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Shoko was good to her as a kid. Better than her own mom ever was. And Tsumiki really, truly liked her for that. But she also liked her because she thought that if things went sour with Shoko, she would know how it would and how to handle it. She felt most comfortable around Shoko as a result.

When Tsumiki grew up, I don’t think she had an exact favorite. She was comfortable with and trusted all of them equally, which shouldn’t be confused with her trusting all of them entirely.

She loves her family. And she trusted them enough to bring megumi to them at the start of the fic. But we also know that Nanami found something to make him think she thought they would cut her off from her brother. She’s got a bit of a distance from all of them.

I think she’s spent the most time with Gojo. He was around the most as a kid. I think she likes how he always pushes megumi to be out of his shell. I think she trusts him to take care of them. All of them were really a team in raising them, but Gojo was the closest they got to having a dad. She called him “Dad” once by accident and then immediately tried to drown herself. Megumi had to follow her into the ocean to get her to come up for air. Gojo was insufferable for a month trying to get her to do it again and moped for ages when she wouldn’t.

But I also think that she still has a soft spot for Shoko in the present. They have a little bit of a girl's club. And Tsumiki's unspeakably proud of Shoko for getting clean, and a little bit emotional about it. Shoko got clean for them. Her mom didn’t get clean for her.

It means a lot to her.

Megumi:

When Megumi was little, it was Gojo.

He would never, ever admit it, but it was. He was the one that Megumi trusted to save him from the Zenin, and it fucking broke him when he didn’t. He thought Gojo was a pain in the ass, don’t get me wrong. But Gojo appeared first. Gojo took care of them first. Gojo went to their stupid school recitals and walked him home from school and ruffled his hair and gave them a stupid house even when they said he didn’t have to.

Megumi thought Gojo was just some asshole with ulterior motives when he met him, and it took a long time, but Gojo was the first person he ever thought would take care of him unconditionally. He was a pain in the ass. But he never hurt him. And he always took care of him. It was like gravity, and Megumi trusted it would still be there when he asked for help.

And it fucking hurt when Gojo didn’t.

He took a huge amount of distance from everyone, after, but Gojo especially. He’s most comfortable with Nanami. Nanami has judgment he trusts and has a quieter energy that Megumi is most comfortable with.

He believes that Nanami means it when he says that he won’t let anyone hurt him again. He doesn’t believe Nanami can do it. It’s nothing against Nanami. He just knows how badly he can be hurt, and how hard it is to stop people from doing it. It took a Herculean amount of trust for megumi to trust that anyone even meant it when they said it, so Nanami does mean a huge deal to him.

He believes Gojo would protect him. He doesn’t necessarily believe he will.

It took a long, long time for him to trust Gojo again, but he does. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but he does. He believes Gojo would absolutely intervene on his behalf if he knew Megumi was being hurt. He just doesn’t have the same confidence of him finding out in time.

I can’t find the post again, but I touched on this a little in a different ask about Megumi’s delirium, when he kept insisting that he thought Gojo was busy—he wasn’t saying that because he thought Gojo wouldn’t come and save him, he was saying that because he was certain Gojo would save him if he found out in time. He just didn’t think Gojo would find out before the Zenin killed him.

If Gojo knew, then he’d come save Megumi. The Zenin could only get away with this because he was too busy to realize Megumi was missing.

Gojo was busy. Gojo was busy. It’s not that he didn’t care; it’s that he didn’t know. He’d save him if he just weren’t so busy.

I think Megumi would really struggle with this question if you asked him this in the present day. Not outwardly—he would say Nanami because that’s the safe, obvious answer, and he’d leave it at that.

But he’d struggle, because I think he knows that Gojo was actually his answer once. And I think he is afraid of looking too closely at whether that’s changed.

#sea glass gardens #in my head theres all these ridiculous family shenanigans we don’t have time for #Tsumiki had some guy flirting with her at the beach #she’s however hella gay and was trying to blow him off #and there comes Gojo. The Humiliation.#he simply writhes with a need to embarrass his children particularly when they’re getting hit on and Tsumiki snapped at him ‘dad you’re #embarrassing me’ before simply blue screening in unadulterated horror #then she just. walked into the ocean. ended it all then and there. she was not coming out again. she was returning to the sea because #evolution was wrong to leave it to begin with. Megumi had to go in after her to get her to not kill herself over this #then Gojo was Insufferable for Ages #he cried to Nanami about it for like a month and then wouldn’t stop trying to get Tsumiki to call him dad again #she was despondent

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atlabeth · 2 years

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hi, i hope i’m putting in this request correctly (sorry if i’m not). but could you do a benedict bridgerton one-shot/blurb with the prompt: “(She’s/he’s/they’re) just a friend.” “We used to be friends to be ‘just friends’ too.”

or really any friends to lovers kinda thing with him, i’m just a sucker for it. thank you!

not just - benedict bridgerton

summary: benedict realizes he does not just want to be friends with you. not anymore.

a/n: hi!! thank you so much for this request, im sorry it took approximately 100 years to come out but yeah. i tried to make this different from my other friends to lovers fic w him, and this is my first time writing daphne so hopefully she's accurate lol. i hope you enjoy, once again sorry for the wait!!! (also i changed the prompt a bit to fit more but it's still the same meaning)

wc: 2.3k

warning(s): an overuse of commas and em dashes, signature bridgerton boy obliviousness. also i wrote this in one go when the inspiration finally struck so i apologize if it's kinda messy

Benedict had let out, likely, his hundredth sigh of the night. It was certainly bothersome to those on the outskirts alongside him, but he could not have cared less.

Not when you were on the dance floor, dancing with a man that was not him.

Benedict did not quite know why the sight of you twirling with another annoyed him so. It must have been the man you were with. Lord Arthur Annesley was, frankly, a good match for any lady, especially as the well-regarded son of a viscount—just not you.

He knew that the two of you would not be a good match—he was certain of it. Not when he had overheard the man talking of how he viewed women as nothing more than accessories, to birth children and then be shown off on a man’s arm. Benedict still remembered that night, Colin having to stop him in the middle of Mondrich’s gentleman’s club from clobbering the brute.

The worst part was that, with the wealth he partook in due to his ancestry and the good breeding afforded to him by his family name, Benedict could do nothing about Annesley if he decided to court you. Yes, your family had money of its own, but not nearly enough to allow you refusal should he propose. If he made the choice, you would be forced to accept, no matter your feelings or thoughts of him. His bigger fear was that you actually felt affection for the man.

Well, he thought helpfully, he could always challenge him to a duel. And though it seemed like an excellent idea to him, Benedict doubted his siblings nor his mother would allow him to do anything of the sort.

And thus he was doomed to stand on the sidelines of the ballroom forever, watching you dance with another, eventually marry another, and leave him fully behind.

So his statement could not exactly be counted as true. He did know why the sight of it annoyed him.

It was because he was in love with you, and you were not in love with him. It was as simple as that, and yet it could not have been a more devastating truth.

Benedict supposed that was what he got for never being brave enough to tell you of his feelings. But that did not mean he had to like the outcome.

“What has got you in such a twist, dearest brother?”

Benedict glanced over as Daphne took the open spot next to him, a glass of champagne held tenderly between her gloved fingers. She was the image of perfection, as usual—ever since his sister had become a duchess, she seemed to always emanate light. He was proud of her, but he could not help but feel a bit inferior in comparison. His sister was years younger than him, and yet she was while she was the walking body of grace with a duke for a husband, he could not even tell the object of his affections how he felt of her.

Benedict supposed it was no surprise she had managed to seek him and his poor mood out. She’d always been good at knowing when he was upset, even when they were children.

“No reason,” he muttered, plucking a glass of his own from a passing servant and tossing it back in one motion. “I am simply not enjoying the party.”

“Ah,” she said, fully disbelieving, if simply by the fact that he could not possibly dislike a party organized by her, “is that why you are attempting to assassinate Lord Arthur with your gaze alone?”

“I—” Benedict huffed and looked elsewhere. “I am not.”

“You were,” she said. Daphne looked to where his attention was prior, and it only took a moment for her to realize.

“Ah.” Daphne pursed her lips as she turned back to her brother. “It is Miss Stanton.”

“It is not,” Benedict quickly covered up, realizing only a moment too late that he should not have been so hasty to reply if it was the truth.

“Do you have affection for her?” Daphne asked, and though coming from another it might have been mocking, his sister was anything but.

“No,” Benedict said, and he shook his head. “No—I do not. The only affection I have for her is of the friendship sort.”

He did not quite know why he was so adamant in denying his feelings for you. Perhaps because he thought it would make it easier—if he did not accept the truth, then he would not have to accept he was losing the woman of his dreams when you took the surname of another and left him behind. He would not have to accept that it was a very likely story that you would be out of his life far sooner than he would ever wish.

Yes, he thought, that was it. Though it brought an unexpected sadness alongside the revelation.

“That certainly is not the way that a man looks at a woman he feels nothing but friendship for,” Daphne murmured. “I recognize it very clearly.”

“Then maybe you have had a bit too much to drink,” Benedict said, “as you could not be more wrong.”

She did not take offense at his words, instead allowing the briefest glimpse of amusement to pass. “You are the one attempting to drown his sorrows in nothing but champagne. I regret to inform you, brother, that it will not likely work.”

He let out a long sigh as he crossed his arms across his midsection. “What is it that you recognize then, Daph?”

“I recognize,” Daphne said, “the very same way that I looked at Simon. When I was first beginning to realize my feelings, with no hope of them being reciprocated and yet all of the love in the world to give to him.”

Benedict shook his head with a huff. “That is nonsense. We are nothing more than friends.”

Daphne’s lips quirked up at the edges. “Simon used to be nothing but a friend as well. And now I have been madly in love with him for two years.”

Sometimes Benedict wished his sister was not as attentive and caring as she was. There were plenty of other sisters in the ton, sisters that would not think twice about the sour moods of their brothers. If that were the case, he would be able to revel in his misery for the rest of his life instead of being forced to confront it instead.

“...Fine,” he conceded. “I do have feelings for her. I… I love her. And I have for quite some time. I love that she is my friend, and I could not think of a life without her, though I cannot help but want so much more. But I fear if I speak up I could lose her.”

“Benedict,” Daphne said softly, “if you do not say anything, you will lose her anyway. You will never know what could have been, simply because of a fear that may not even be reality. Do you truly think you could take that chance?”

Benedict did not respond. It was a heavy question—one he did not quite know how to answer.

He did not want to lose you—of course not. It was unimaginable, his world without you in it. But just as well, by confessing his feelings, he could lose you all the same. He could push you farther into that lecherous man’s arms, and he would not be able to do a thing.

But deep down, Benedict knew the truth.

“No,” he said. “I could not take the chance.”

Daphne smiled, fully this time, and she patted her brother on the back. “Then I believe you know what you must do.”

As if by perfect timing, the orchestra ended their current piece, and your dance with Annesley was complete. You bowed to him and him to you, and he grimaced as he touched your shoulder and said a few words. You said a few back to him, then exited with a polite nod and a smile. Before Benedict could question his next actions, he had handed his empty glass to his sister and started towards you.

“Miss Stanton,” Benedict started, and then he shook his head, “Y/N. I wish to speak with you, if that is alright. It is… it is an urgent matter.”

Your eyes alit with concern as you took his offered hand. “Benedict, whatever is the problem?”

“There is no problem,” he said, and he did not think he could be stumbling through this harder if he tried. “I just wish to speak with you, if you have the time.”

You smiled, and Benedict thought it was the most stunning thing he’d ever seen. “Why, of course. I always have time for Benedict Bridgerton.”

He smiled back. “And I am eternally thankful for it.”

Benedict guided you out of the ballroom, checking behind him every so often to ensure they weren’t being followed—he could only imagine the sort of scandal this would cause, and he did not quite feel like giving his mother a heart attack tonight—and eventually, the two of you were in a quiet but well lit hallway of the Basset’s enormous summer home.

“Now I am truly worried something is the matter,” you said wryly. “What, with all this secrecy.”

Benedict chuckled, but he could not stop his hands from fidgeting. In another split second decision he took your hands in his own, the warmth a welcome comfort. You did not even flinch, instead looking at him with the softest expression imaginable.

Great God, how he loved you.

“Nothing is the matter,” Benedict said, his voice a bit shaky, and he gave himself approximately two seconds to prepare for what he was about to do. “I’d rather say things have the opportunity to go quite well.”

“And why is that?” you asked with a coy smile.

“Because I have a confession to make,” he said. “I… I could not stand watching you dance out there tonight, to tell you the truth. And— and it is not because of you—you were as perfect as you always were—but because of your partner. Arthur Annesley is nothing more than his title, and he is not worth any more of your time. And— and I tell you this, because—”

Benedict took a deep breath, and it was as if a dam had been broken, the way the words came tumbling out.

“I do not just want to be friends,” Benedict rushed out, “and I have wanted much more for so long. I love you, Y/N Stanton, and I have loved you since the moment you walked out the doors for your debut. I have loved you since you pushed me in the mud and ruined my clothing just to get me out of French lessons. I have loved you since you sat with me for hours in silence whenever I needed you after my father’s death. Y/N, I have loved you for as long as I have known what love is. To me, you are what love is. And I love you—foolishly, wholeheartedly, completely in love.”

“Truly?” you asked quietly, your eyes slightly wide from such a sudden confession. “That is… truly how you have felt about me, all this time?”

“For quite some time,” he admitted, and the light of concern in his eye was telling of his nerves. “You consume my every thought, Y/N, my every waking moment—you are all I dream of, day in and day out. And I cannot bear the thought of you being near that wretched Annesley any longer. I beg of you—please, do not marry him.”

“I was never going to marry him,” you said breathlessly, and you could not help but laugh, however inappropriate it might have been. “Benedict, every moment I spent with him was to humor my mother and his father over their own delusions of a courting. I harbor nothing but ambivalence towards that man. You,” you reached your hand up and cupped his cheek with it, and you could not help but smile as he unconsciously leaned into your touch, “are the one that I love. Foolishly, wholeheartedly, completely in love.”

It was Benedict’s turn for his eyes to widen, to repeat your own words. “Truly?”

“It is the most truth I have ever spoken,” you whispered.

Benedict immediately pulled you into a kiss, the feeling of his lips against yours like pure fire dancing through you. It was maddeningly addictive, passionate, the complete opposite of gentlemanly, but everything you had ever needed. Everything you had been longing for, for a longer time than you’d known.

“I love you,” he said, breathless as he pulled away for just a moment, just enough time to say the words before he was back on you with an unrivaled fierceness. “I love you so much.”

Your entire body was heated to the touch when you finally pulled away, your lips sore and swollen and Benedict’s hair a complete mess thanks to your combined efforts. You could not help but laugh at the sight—it was beautiful. He was beautiful, and he was the man you loved.

The man who loved you.

“I love you too,” you murmured, and you suddenly could not believe you had managed to go so long without saying the words you now knew were etched into your soul.

Friends, you thought with an inward laugh. The notion seemed so silly now.

Benedict Bridgerton was your best friend, but he was also the man you loved the most. You could hardly believe you nearly passed it up from some half-hearted fear of rejection.

You had never been so glad to not be friends.

No—you weren’t not friends.

You simply were not just friends.

And that was not just good. It was perfect.

perm tags: @dv0412 @siriuslyslyslytherin @maruchan77 @simonsbluee @kwyloz @masteroperator

bridgerton tags: @theonewithallthemilkshakes @rach2602 @milkiane @korol-lantsov

#sadie’s 1k one shots #even though i’ve hit 1.5k now. oops #benedict bridgerton x reader #benedict bridgerton #benedict bridgerton x you #benedict x reader #bridgerton x reader #benedict bridgerton fic #benedict bridgerton fluff #bridgerton fic #bridgerton fluff #sadie writes

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thosehallowedhalls · 2 months

Text

Confrontation

Book: Crimes of Passion (pre-canon)

Characters: Emma Rose (F!MC), Michael Masako (M!OC)

Rating: Teen

Word count: ~1200

Summary: Emma is finally ready for therapy. But is she also ready for what it entails?

A/N: Submission for @choicesmonthlychallenge, prompt: I don't know who I am anymore. @choicesficwriterscreations

Dr. Michael J. Masako came highly recommended. He’s also more or less affordable, which a 20-year-old broke college student needs to take into consideration. Especially if she wants to attend that performance of A Doll's House next week.

Emma fidgets in her seat in the waiting room, drumming her fingers on her thighs. Immediately, she hates herself for it. If there’s one thing she doesn’t do, it’s show her nerves for all to see. Surreptitiously, she looks around. No one is paying her the least attention.

The receptionist looks up from the computer screen. “Emma Rose? Dr. Masako will see you now.”

She walks to his office on shaking legs, wishing she had stopped for coffee on the way, so she’d at least have something to occupy her hands. A good-looking man who appears to be in his fifties opens the door for her.

“Emma, come in.” He shakes her hand, then gestures to the chair on the other side of his desk. “Please, sit.”

She likes his smile. It’s professional but warm. She still doesn’t know if she can go through with this, but she’s put a little more at ease.

“What brings you here, Emma?”

“Er… that is…” She clears her throat. “I’m not sure.”

That’s a lie, of course. Emma wouldn’t even have considered therapy unless she was sure. But how do you tell a stranger I don’t think I know how to feel anymore?

“All right. Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself, then?”

“I’m a pre-law student at NYU.”

“That’s a very good school.”

“I guess.”

“Do you know what kind of law you want to practice?”

“Oh, I don’t want to go into law. I’m going to be a cop.”

If Dr. Masako is surprised, he doesn’t show it. He clicks his pen and taps it on his palm. “I see. What made you choose pre-law, then?”

“I figured it made sense. You know, can’t defend the law unless you know the law, that sort of thing.”

“Sound logic. Your parents must be very proud.”

“Oh. Um…”

He waits her out, and damn it, she needs to learn interrogation techniques from this guy. “My father is dead,” she says at last.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

She shrugs.

“And your mother?”

“I doubt she’d care. She walked out on us when I was six. I haven’t seen her since.”

“How old were you when your father died?”

“Thirteen.” She takes a deep breath and decides the hell with it. “He was murdered. Right in front of me. He died holding my hand.”

She didn’t mean to say this last part aloud. But every time she thinks about that day, it’s in snippets. The stale air in the tunnel. The stickiness of her thighs after sitting under the sweltering sun. The taste of a corn dog still coating her throat. The clammy feel of her dad’s hand in hers.

She lowers a mental shutter against the thought. Block it. Kill it.

Something she learned early on is to block out the images, to push them aside as soon as they begin to creep out. At the end of the day, if she wants to make it through the day with her sanity intact, it’s important. Necessary.

Impossible.

“That’s a lot for anyone to deal with, let alone a thirteen-year-old.”

“Yeah, well. I survived.” Unspoken is he didn’t.

“That doesn’t mean it hasn’t left a wound.”

She gives him an unimpressed look. “A wound? Slicing your finger when you’re chopping onions leaves a wound.”

“A wound can be deep and life-changing, Emma. I’m not diminishing the gravity of what you've experienced.” He clicks his pen again in what she’s coming to realize is a signature move. “What scars would you say your father’s murder has left in you?”

“Other than the obvious?” She probably should have held the sarcasm at bay, but what kind of question is that?

Dr. Masako isn’t the least bit ruffled. “What’s obvious to you may not be so to others, but yes. Other than the obvious.”

She takes a deep breath. This is why she’s here, isn’t it? To learn how to cope with the scars from her father’s death. She just didn’t expect to be thrown in at the deep end so fast, is all. “I…” Her throat closes up.

“We can talk about something else,” he says, matter-of-factly. “If you’re not ready to talk about this, we can shelve it for now.” He smiles. “Most people stand to benefit from therapy in more than one area of their lives. I’m sure you aren’t an exception.”

She smiles, grateful. “No, I can do it. It’s just…”

“Take your time.”

“My dad didn’t want to go, you know. To that baseball game. He’d had a tough week at work, and he just wanted to watch a football game at home and drink a beer. But I wanted to go.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“Perhaps not, but that doesn’t change the fact that he wouldn’t even have been there if it wasn’t for me. I… I haven’t been able to stomach watching a game since he died.”

“That’s understandable.”

“It feels wrong, though. Baseball was something my dad and I had in common. I don’t think he’d be happy with me that I just stopped watching it.”

“Do you think about that a lot? What would make your father happy?”

She fidgets. “Kind of. Sometimes. Yes.”

“You seem uncomfortable. Do you think you shouldn’t?”

“I think… I think I no longer know whether I do what I do because I want to or because of him. I don’t know who I am anymore.” She stops herself. “God, that’s such a cliché. What does that even mean? Of course I know who I am. A girl with one too many flower names who spends more of her paycheck than she should on theater tickets and shoes.”

“That’s a good start. But you still said that you don’t know who you are. Part of you means that.” He clicks his pen again, and God, she’s starting to hate the sound. “It seems to me, Emma, that you spend a lot of time on what you should be feeling and very little on what you actually feel.”

“What, you’re telling me to go around whining?”

“I’m telling you to let yourself feel what you feel. If you don’t give yourself the space to do so, all the emotions you’ve been burying are going to come up eventually. Most likely at an inconvenient time.”

She tastes the sticky aftertaste of fear on her tongue. “I can’t.”

“You survived a deeply traumatic event when you were just a child, but you’ve never really let yourself cope with it. In order to move on, you must do so.”

“I don’t know how to cope with it. That’s why I’m here.”

“Then you’ll learn.”

“How the hell do I do that?”

He clicks the pen. She’s tempted to snap it in half. “The first step, Emma? Stop running away.”

#emma rose #detective rose #oc: michael masako #crimes of passion

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liightsout · 2 months

Text

the blue - part nine

﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎

✯ summary: first race of the season is over, danny has some things to say, and mattie gets in her head about the haters ✯

✯ pairing: daniel ricciardo x fem!oc ✯

✯ content warnings: light swearing ✯

✯ now playing: forever - noah kahan ✯

✯ masterlist ✯

﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎

Mattie felt like she had been holding her breath for the entire race. Actually, she felt like she had been holding it since the beginning of qualifying. It was only now that the race was over she felt that she could exhale.

Danny had qualified in P6 above Lando, but had finished P7, with Lando making it up to P4. By no means had he done badly, in fact he’d had an amazing race, but she knew Danny would be quietly disappointed with his performance, especially when compared to his younger team mate.

Mattie had already sent a quick “well done” message to Adam and Lando, letting the younger Brit know she was proud of him for doing so well in the first race of the season. She was just about to start crafting a message to Danny when she felt her phone vibrate in her hands.

She certainly didn’t expect for Danny to message her first - she thought it would have been hours before she heard from him. She knew he had press duties to fulfil after the race, and then he surely would have other obligations. She didn’t think he’d have the time to message her for hours.

Danny: Hey pretty girl, just finishing up here, can I call you in a bit or you busy? 🤍

She still hadn’t gotten used to Danny complimenting her, she doubted that she ever would. Her face would burn every time he called her pretty, and goosebumps would appear down her arms when he called her sweetheart. It didn’t matter if it was over text, phone call, or in person.

Danny had the ability to turn her brain to mush and she knew that he loved doing it. The tell tale sign was the smug smile that would appear on his face as he watched her cheeks burn scarlett red and she lost the ability to speak without stuttering.

Mattie: I was just about to message you! I didn’t think you’d be free until later, but yeah call me whenever 🤍

Mattie had not anticipated for her phone to ring almost immediately after she replied. She also hadn’t anticipated for Danny to FaceTime her. She silently thanked herself for actually getting up and getting herself ready this morning as she hit the accept button on her phone.

She felt herself take a small intake of breath as she looked at the phone screen in her hands. Post race Danny might just be one of her favourite versions of him she thought. His brown curls were slightly damp with sweat and tousled to perfection. His skin looked as if it was glowing; his cheeks were a little flushed from the humid Bahrain air, and a thin layer of sweat made his skin shine as if it was made of diamonds. His race suit was hanging low down by his waist, his top half only covered by his fireproofs, she could just make out his abs peaking through. His smile was beaming and he looked the happiest she’d ever seen him.

“Hey you” the Aussie’s voice rang out around her flat as he smiled at her. “Did you watch?” he asked hopefully. Mattie choked out a laugh. He knew she’d watched the race, he just wanted to hear her say it. “Of course I did! You were amazing! I’m so proud of you!”

She watched as Daniel’s smile grew even bigger than it had been before. She swore she could see his chest puff out in pride at her words. “Ah thanks, I did alright, definitely could have been better… but it’s only up from here, I’m sure of it” he said to the girl, a bashful tone to his voice.

Mattie was in awe of Danny’s positivity. She had seen it over the years on social media during different interviews he’d done, but experiencing it first hand was infectious. She was jealous of his ability to always look on the bright side - to see light at the end of a tunnel. As someone who had grown up an anxious worrier and therefore a pessimist by nature, it truly was a trait she both admired and envied.

“Of course it is, you’ll be on the podium before you know it” she replied, a soft smile on her face. Danny was one of the best drivers on the grid. She had no doubt in her mind that it wouldn’t be long until he was back on the top end of scoring points, or even winning races.

“Do you wanna hang out when I’m back? A proper hang out, not me turning up at your house in the middle of the night and asking you to come for a walk with me-” Danny was cut off by an older Australian female, who judging from her outburst, was his mother. “Daniel Ricciardo I raised you better than that! You take a girl on a date before you hassle her in the middle of the night for god knows what!”

Danny’s face immediately turned red and an embarrassed smile crept onto his face as his eyes looked off into the distance. Mattie felt her face turn the mirror image of his. Had he called her while his mum was in the room? She never thought she’d get as far as meeting his mother, and she certainly didn’t think that if she did, it would be over FaceTime.

“Nah mum, it wasn’t like that, I promise. We just went for a walk because I wanted to see her before I left” the excuse poured from his mouth as he tried to explain himself to his mother.

Mattie found herself lost for words, not wanting to say anything to give Danny’s mum a bad impression of her. The last thing she wanted was his mother thinking she was using Danny for a quick hookup. She wasn’t oblivious to the fact he clearly got a lot of female attention, and it would be easy for him to find someone for when he did want to do “god knows what” in the middle of the night.

“As sweet as that is Daniel, you need to take this girl on a real date, she deserves better than that!” there was a pause of silence as his mothers words settled in. “Right I’ll leave you two to it, I’m going to find your father and get some dinner. Let me know if you’re planning on joining us.” Daniel’s mothers voice got louder “and I hope we’ll be meeting you sooner rather than later Mattie dear. I want to meet the girl that has my son blushing and giggling at his phone”. Mattie heard the door click shut, indicating she had left the room.

Danny’s laugh started in his stomach and rippled up, shaking the top half of his body. Mattie, despite her growing anxiety, found herself laughing almost in sync at Daniel getting cursed out by his mother. Their eyes locked through the phone as the laughs died down. Mattie was holding back from asking the question that was threatening to fall past her lips. It was only when the Aussie didn’t speak first that she couldn’t help herself.

“Did you tell your mum about me?” she asked. The words came out in a rushed and garbled anxious mess. As soon as she had said them she felt it impossible to look at Danny any longer. She decided that the loose string on the hem of her sweatshirt was far more interesting than the man on the phone in front of her.

Danny’s heart swelled as he looked at the girl. He wished that he was there with her now so that he could reach out and touch her hand. He hoped that he could one day reassure her that she didn’t have to hold back, not with him.

She was so nervous and so unsure of herself, and when she did find the confidence to say what was on her mind, she would instantly retreat into herself in regret. He knew it was a defence mechanism, but he prayed that soon enough she would see that she didn’t have to do that with him.

“I did yeah, she kept asking me who I was texting all the time. She said you’re definitely out of my league, unsurprising really, I’ve always been an overachiever” the Aussie spoke with a confident grin on his face.

Mattie’s eyes shot up, she’d now lost interest in the loose thread on her sweater. She couldn’t stop the words slipping out of her mouth. “Are you dehydrated?” she asked with a concerned look on her face.

Danny’s laugh came like a bark as he gave a confused look to the girl whose eyes were boring into his. “I mean I would have been a little earlier, but I’ve drank like 2 litres of water and a couple Red Bull’s since the race - don’t tell Zak about the last part” he answered the girl with a laugh “why do you care about how much water I’ve been drinking?”

“I just assumed there must be something medically wrong with you if you think that I, Mattie Ryan, am out of your league” she explained, her hands motioning towards herself as if it would give her point more validity.

Danny’s face grew serious - the first time she’d ever seen him look that way. His usual smile was gone, and his lips were set in a straight line. His eyes looked darker. He looked as if he was contemplating his response. It was funny, she thought, usually she was the one who was searching for the right words to say.

“Mattie, are you joking? Like, surely you’re not actually serious? You’re one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met” said Danny. Mattie choked out a small laugh, shrugging off his words as if they weren’t true.

“Don’t do that, I’m being serious here. First of all, you’re beautiful. Like annoyingly so. Sometimes you send me selfies and I actually have to stop what I’m doing and remind myself that it’s a bit creepy of me to just stare at your picture on my phone in public” Danny rambled.

“You’re also incredibly funny, but it’s so unintentional, which makes it even funnier. I spend my whole life trying to be funny and make people laugh, and you just do it so naturally. It’s probably cus you’re clever. One of the most clever people I know actually” he said.

Mattie stared at her phone. Surely Daniel wasn’t talking about her? She felt as if she’d entered into an alternate reality, one where a man like Daniel Ricciardo thought she was beautiful, funny, and clever. Maybe that she was dreaming - that would make more sense. She must be dreaming.

“You’re so kind! The night you met me, you could have thrown me out of your flat, but instead you apologised for shouting at me, which was totally valid and no apology was needed, and then you handed me your blankets and told me to make myself at home!” he continued. Almost as if now he had started listing the reasons he thought she was incredible, he found himself unable to stop.

Mattie decided she had heard too much, almost as if the thoughts Daniel was sharing with her were private, and not meant for her to hear. They belonged to him and she had no right to them, even if they were about her.

“Danny… I don’t know what to say. Thank you, I guess, honestly that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me” she said. She found it difficult to look at Danny now. Knowing he thought so highly of her terrified her. What would happen if she said or did the wrong thing? Would he change his mind, and this would all be over? No more late night talks, no more cute little messages asking her about her day. Now that she knew what it was like to be admired by Daniel Ricciardo, she didn’t want it to ever stop.

Danny sighed, “don’t tell me that pretty girl” he said. She stared back at the Aussie, confused as to what he was talking about. She shook her head, a prompt for him to explain himself. “Don’t tell me that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to you, it’ll make me angry that no one’s ever bothered to tell you this before, like it isn’t exactly what everyone thinks of you”.

She really wished Danny would stop saying things that rendered her speechless. She wondered if she would ever get used to his ability to steal every thought from her brain and fill her stomach with butterflies. She really doubted it.

“Anyway, what I’m really trying to do here is ask, do you want to go on a date when I’m back?” She wasn’t sure why he looked nervous. There was no way Daniel Ricciardo was nervous about asking her on a date. He must still be dehydrated, she thought.

Regardless, it was the easiest yes she had ever said.

﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎

It was the next afternoon when Adam made it back to the flat. He had a night flight back to the UK from Bahrain with the team, followed by an intense debrief session at the MCT, and he was then finally allowed to head home.

Mattie had done her usual and hung the “welcome home” banner across the living room window and blown up some balloons. It’d become a tradition after the first year of Adam being away. She had spent hours hand crafting the banner with her best glitter gel pens and felt tips. She’d even attempted at drawing a terrible looking Formula 1 car and chequered flag at the bottom of it.

She knew he got homesick, almost as much as she missed him when he was gone. So she liked to make a bit of fuss when he did come back. Especially when the team had such a good result like they had done this weekend.

Neither had felt up to going out for dinner, so had opted to order in from their favourite Italian restaurant. They had stuffed their faces with pasta and garlic bread, as Adam told her all about Bahrain and the crazy race weekend.

Adam spoke about how amazing Lando’s performance was, and how everyone was also very happy with how Danny had been adjusting to the car. Adam thought the same as she did - it wouldn’t be long until both Danny and Lando were on the podium.

“Oh, I forgot to say, congratulations on becoming famous! Can I get an autograph?” Adam said with a laugh as he nudged his friend. The pair were sitting on the sofa in front of the TV, an episode of Adam’s latest favourite show was playing on the screen. Mattie’s attention drifted from the TV in front of her and turned to the male sitting beside her. “What on earth are you talking about?” she said, confusion etched onto her face.

Adam reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out his phone. His fingers tapped around the screen a couple times as pulled up Instagram and headed to the page he was looking for. He turned his phone and pushed it into Mattie’s hands.

She looked at the phone in front of her. Great. She knew it would happen eventually by being friends with Adam, and now due to how close she had gotten to Danny and Lando. But she didn’t think it would have happened this quickly.

Gossip pages were ruthless. She remembered when Adam first joined Mclaren and he had found himself the subject of a couple of posts. It had gotten worse when Lando had joined the team. She didn’t understand how people thought they had the right to know everything about not only the drivers, but also their friends and family. Adam had gone from having a couple hundred followers on Instagram to thousands over night. All because Lando had tagged him in an Insta story of them playing golf.

She had always heavily featured on Adam’s page and she knew that people assumed they were dating. She didn’t mind - she got a few follow requests here and there, but nothing too intrusive. For the most part people didn’t care about her, and she liked it that way. She had a feeling that was about to change.

She scrolled down the page, and stopped to look at a few of the comments. For the most part people were being nice. It was mostly speculation as to whether she was dating Danny or Lando. Her Instagram had been tagged a couple times in the comments. She expected that if she logged into her phone she would see that she had a few hundred follow requests. She was so glad she had privated her Instagram account all those years ago.

She wasn’t too far into the comments when she found herself frowning.

She was used to mean girls. She had encountered her fair share in high school and college. Girls who thought she was weird because her only friend was a boy and she spent her lunch breaks reading books in the library. Girls who laughed at her in the gym changing rooms because her thighs were a little bit bigger than everyone else's. Girls who called her a slut because Adam would rather hang out with her than go on dates with them.

What she wasn’t used to was people who thought that they could write whatever they want, shielded by the anonymity of the internet. The speculation that she was using her lifelong friend to date one of the drivers and take him for all his money. Some even questioned whether she was sleeping with both Danny and Lando, and that she would be the reason for a rift between the drivers. She saw the comments calling her a slut - saying that she wasn’t that pretty anyway, and there was no way either Danny or Lando would even bother going anywhere near her. If they did go near her, it would only be because she was an easy shag.

“Hey, no no no” Adam said as he grabbed his phone out of the girl's hands. “Here’s what we’re not going to do. We’re not going to read comments from stupid people on the internet, who don’t know anything about you, or anything about the lives of Danny and Lando, or even me!” Adam could see the hurtful comments seeping into Mattie’s brain. He cursed himself for not breaking this to her a little more graciously - he should have known this would send the girl in a spiral.

“It’s okay Adam, really, it’s fine” Mattie said, forcing a smile onto her face as she looked at her best friend. “It was bound to happen eventually, I’m honestly surprised it took this long. I thought it would have happened when Lando posted that photo of us all last year at his BBQ.”

Mattie spent the rest of the night trying to ignore the thoughts in her head. She had always been self conscious. She spent her teenage years comparing herself to the other girls in her year. She thought they were all so much prettier than her, so much cooler and more likeable. She compared herself to the celebrities she saw on TV and on the internet, how glamorous and beautiful they were.

It wasn’t until she had gotten much older she had realised that there was no point in doing so. She only had the body and mind that she had been gifted with, and she had to live with it for the rest of her life - there was no point in hating it.

Yet here she was, sitting on her sofa, her mind running a million miles a minute. She tried to remind herself of the words Danny had said to her the day before. All the lovely things he had told her he thought about her. These random people on the internet didn’t know him. They didn’t know what he thought or felt… but, what if they did? What if all those things he had told her weren’t true. What if he did think she was a slut - an easy shag. That the only reason he was speaking to her was because he thought it would be a convenient lay for him while he was living in the UK.

She hated herself for thinking that. Danny had been nothing but kind and honest with her. He had not once given her any reason to doubt that any of his kindness was false. There was nothing to make her think any of the things he had said to her were untrue, or that he didn’t feel that way about her.

A pinging noise was what pulled her from her thoughts. She looked away from the screen in front of her - she wasn’t even sure what they were watching anymore. She hadn’t been paying attention for at least an hour now, too consumed by the worries in her mind. Her eyes found her phone, lying face up on the coffee table in front of her.

As she reached for it, she could see Adam shifting beside her in the corner of her eye. She looked and saw that she had received a message from Danny.

Danny: Hey pretty girl, I know I said I was going to take you on a date, but I can’t wait until then to see you - can I come over now?

She was half way through reading the message when Adam yawned next to her, his arms raised in a dramatic fashion. “I’m fucking tired, I’m gonna head to bed” he said as he stood from the sofa and placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. Mattie mumbled a “goodnight” back to him as she watched him retreat into his bedroom down the hall.

She wasn’t an idiot - she knew that Adam knew that it was Danny messaging her. She suspected that he had probably messaged Danny and told him about what had happened earlier. She wasn’t mad at him for it, even if she did feel a little bit embarrassed about Danny knowing she was getting in her head about something so minor.

Mattie: I don’t think your mum would be too happy about that. I thought you had stuff to do at MCT?

Danny: What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her lol. I’m on my way back now, can be at yours in 10 mins?

Mattie: Surely you’re tired? We can hang out tomorrow Danny, I’m probably not going to be much fun tonight

Mattie: I know Adam messaged you - he’s not as discreet as he thinks he is

Danny: I’m not going to force it on you babe, if you want to be alone then I’ll head back to mine, but I would really like to see you and I don’t like knowing that you’re upset, especially if it’s because of something that’s my fault

Mattie: It’s not your fault Danny, don’t say that

Danny: Buzz me in, I’m outside

﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎﹎

✯ authors note:

me earlier: i have writers block :(

also me: writes 3.8k words

here's part nine babies!!! hope it's ok, i really struggled with this one but now it's done i have a bit more of an idea where i'm going with the next one.

tysm for all the likes/reblogs and support you've been giving me last couple weeks since i started this. it's honestly been such a therapeutic thing for me getting into writing again, and knowing you guys are enjoying it makes it even better for me <3 ✯

#daniel ricciardo #dr3 #danny ric #daniel ricciardo fanfic #daniel ricciardo fanfiction #f1 fanfic #formula 1 #dr3 imagine #daniel ricciardo fluff #f1 fic #formula 1 fanfic #daniel ricciardo imagine #f1 fiction #f1 imagine #f1 smau

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aquarii-if · 2 months

Note

What will the RO do with the MC who is too innocent and naive? They may not notice flirtation, confusing it with friendliness. This goes both ways, when communicating with strangers and when talking to RO.

Thank you for your ask.♥️

Liviana- She would be lost. She’d probably be thinking, "How much more obvious can I make it? Are they stupid?” But I doubt she would be willing to confess her feelings first, especially if MC hasn’t shown any sign of attraction to her. She’s too proud to face rejection, haha. It would probably get to a point where one of the other ROs asked MC how they felt about her so that they wouldn’t have to watch her ripping her hair out anymore.😅

Amare- You underestimate this man’s shamelessness. If he notices MC isn’t picking up on his flirtations, he will stop using innuendos or subtle winks, and he’ll just tell the MC what he means. Flat-out, no shame. He really doesn’t have a filter. And of course, this would be something he teases MC about once they get into a relationship with him.

Estelle- While she may not be as shameless as Amare, Estelle is already pretty direct as it is. So she’d honestly be a little shocked if MC couldn’t tell she liked them or if she was flirting with them. But I think she’d react similarly to Ellery, she’d just be a bit more vocal about it or flat-out tell them. Though, in a less flustered way.

Ellery- As someone who is also terrible at noticing when people are flirting with him, he stands in solidarity.🫡 That might not bode well if MC wants to romance him, though. But I’m sure he would try to be more upfront about his feelings if he notices MC isn’t catching onto his subtle gestures. He would probably be a blushing mess the entire time, but he’d try.

???- They’d love the MC’s obliviousness, they’d find it adorable. I think they would really test the boundaries of how far they could go before MC catches onto what they’re trying to say, growing more intrigued by the minute. They’d probably get a little touchy too, just to see how far they can take this. I think they’d also be curious about how MC is rationalizing this in their head, and what they must have experienced on Earth to confuse anything ??? does with friendliness.

??? would be entertained, to say the least. Of course, they’ll never confess that they’re actually flirting, but they’ll enjoy MC’s reaction when they realize.

#aquarii #asks #ro's #liviana #amare #estelle #ellery #mystery ro #i think all of them would find it cute though #at least in a deeper relationship

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erin-bo-berin · 2 years

Note

‘mistakes’ is absolutely stunning! i adore your writing! and i totally get what you mean about a part three- and steve being sad and angsty, because he’s obviously gonna pay a price for his behavior,, but maybe he’s super sad but doesn’t say anything? and he’s just like molding himself into being the perfect dad, because he resents himself for missing a lot about scarlett’s life and her birth especially! and then maybe one day reader shows him pictures? like if her pregnancy and of her waiting for the delivery and scar’s first birthday- and he’s just really upset and reader has to console him on that, but he’s begging her to fight or yell at him?

again i am so incredibly sorry if my thoughts are catching up,, i adore your fics and my mind legitimately jumps when i read one of your works <3 and thank you so so much for writing my request !! 🪐

No, I love this idea! I’m also combining it with this, I hope you don’t mind! I love both ideas so much.

Also since they reconnected, I’m gonna have him have been to her first birthday. This is probably gonna be set six months after part 2 ☺️

Growth

Steve Harrington x Reader

Part 3 to Sorry

Part 2: Mistakes

Part 4: Love

It had been a long, torturous six months for Steve.

A lot had changed in that time, but some things still stayed the same. One being the relationship between you and him.

You had shown no interest in rekindling your relationship and it killed him a little more every day. You’d kept your word and kept things civil for Scarlett. You two basically were nothing but co-parents.

That went to say, you hadn’t been cold to him. You’d been your warm, welcoming, sweet self he knew you’d always been. It just hurt knowing you were no longer his.

Scarlett was growing like a weed.

He was so happy to have this little girl in his life. One that made him smile, made him laugh, filled him with so much love he thought he’d burst. Scarlett made him want to become a better person.

Both you and Scarlett did. That’s why he was determined to right his wrongs and get you back.

Of course, if you didn’t want him back, he’d respect that, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try. He had to build your relationship from the group up at this point.

It’d been six months since you and Scarlett had walked into his life and while they may have been long and torturous, they’d been some of the happiest. His little girl was now 15 months—already over a year old and learning something new every day.

He got to see her first steps, miraculously, like she’d been saving the skill just to show off for her daddy. She’d toddled right into his arms and he had been so, so proud of her.

She’d turned one and you had invited him to her party. You’d been serious when you said you weren’t going to keep her from him and he was glad because nothing made his heart soar more than to see you and Scarlett together.

Her party had been a success and it had been hilarious to see Scarlett try to eat the piece of cake you’d cut for her and set on her high chair try. She’d dug in with both hands, getting more icing and cake on her than in her mouth, he was sure.

She’d gotten loads of presents, had lots of fun and crashed for a nap before the party had even finished. The day had ended when you and he went for a walk with her, Scarlett fast asleep in his arms. It had almost felt domestic.

Too bad it wasn’t, though.

While he desperately wanted to win you back, he was also trying to become the best dad he could. He’d missed so much in just the 16 months he’d been gone. He’d missed your pregnancy, her birth, her first words, the first time she rolled over and crawled. From now on, he refused to miss anything else.

That was why he was surprised when you showed up at his house with Scarlett one afternoon.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, “Not that I’m not glad to see you both.”

“You were supposed to meet us at the park a few hours ago. I just wanted to stop in and make sure everything was okay.”

He would be lying if he said it didn’t spark a tiny bit of happiness when he saw how worried you looked.

“Shit. I’m sorry. Come on in,” he said, opening the door wider.

“You sure? If you’re busy we don’t want to be a bother…”

“You’re never a bother,” he promised.

You nodded, walking in. Scarlett immediately had her arms out, babbling excitedly.

“Da da! Da da!”

He smiled, heart tugging at the fact that she was now calling him dada. Her first words, naturally, had been “ma ma”, but when she first called him dada, he thought his heart melted.

“Hi sweetheart,” he smiled, taking her from your arms, kissing her cheek, “Have you been a good girl for your mommy?”

“Always,” you chuckled, setting the diaper bag down, “If you were busy, it’s fine, we could just reschedule.”

“No, um, I was actually at therapy,” he said, sheepishly.

“Oh,” you said, brows raised to the ceiling, “I didn’t realize you were in therapy. That’s…That’s great Steve.”

The smile you gave him could have easily melted his heart as much as when Scarlett had first called him dada. He was still so incredibly in love with you, he wish you knew just how much.

“Yeah,” he said softly, pulling Scarlett’s shirt down where it had ridden up her tummy, “I needed to work through a lot of things. So I can be the best dad…and person I can be.”

You didn’t miss his hesitation. He really had done amazing with Scarlett. He was a natural with her and she absolutely adored her daddy.

“I’m glad,” you said.

You meant it, too.

“Come on in,” Steve said, “We can get her set up in the living room with some toys and a movie, if you’d like.”

You nodded, following him further into the house.

•

You’re not sure how the conversation got started, but then you were fishing through your diaper bag for a photo album.

It was one you’d made for him, in fact, to give to him.

“I hate that I wasn’t there for her birth or to see you pregnant,” he’d frowned.

“About that…” you began hesitantly, “Is it okay if I show you some pictures?”

“Of course, yeah,” he nodded, enthusiastically.

So now, you were situated on Steve’s couch, Scarlett on his lap, watching the movie on tv and the photo album in your lap, full of the polaroids you’d taken of Scarlett’s journey.

“I actually documented all that I could in hopes you might want to see it one day,” you said softly, feeling a little embarrassed at the amount of pictures you’d taken.

You’d taken a picture of your growing bump, weekly. Not only was it for Steve, but it really helped you see how your belly was changing from month to month.

There were photos of you at you at your baby shower, your flowing dress not doing much to hide how big you’d grown while Scarlett was still in utero.

There were photos of her after she was born, a few of you holding her and gazing at her. The moment you laid eyes on her, you’d fallen in love, even if she did look like Steve. It was a painful reminder of your failed relationship with him, but she was also a celebration of that same bond. One that tied you to him forever. It had been overwhelming at first, but now you were so glad you had her. Seeing Steve with her just doubled your appreciation for her existence.

There were also a scattering of photos of baby Scarlett. You managed to get at least one a month, leading up until she was eight months. It was ironic because at the time when you’d snapped that picture of her at eight months, you’d had no idea that Steve would be meeting her just a month later.

He was enraptured, looking at the pictures of you. His fingers grazed over one of you at six months pregnant. You’d been in the middle of laughing when your mom had taken it. Steve just stared at it, as if trying to memorize it.

“You looked beautiful when you were pregnant,” he breathed, not realizing he’d voiced the thought out loud.

“As opposed to now?” you teased, brow raised.

His head snapped up, eyes meeting yours and you swore his face turned, well, scarlet.

“No definitely not! I mean I’m not saying you’re ugly—you’ve never been—you just looked really pretty in that picture and while pre-”

You burst out laughing then.

“Breathe, Steve, I was just kidding.”

He sighed in relief, a small smile twisting his lips.

“Your face was hilarious,” you giggled, “You we’re about ten seconds from panicking.”

“Ten seconds? I was panicking,” he laughed, “All because I was trying to say just how beautiful you are.”

The awkward silence fell over you at his words, your cheeks heating. It was hard to forget the shared past you two had, after all, you had a child together. But sometimes, like now, it felt like the two of you tiptoed around the fact.

The silence was broken by Scarlett’s fussing. She was squirming, trying to get out of Steve’s lap and on the floor.

“Sorry, sweetie,” he said, setting her on the floor where she immediately went toddling for her toys.

“So, anyways,” you said, turning back to the album, “This was when she was born. My mom took the picture the moment they set her in my arms.”

Steve studied the picture. You looked tired from the labor, hesitant, but you glowed with happiness all the same. The look in your eyes as you looked at yours and his daughter set his heart alight.

“She was so tiny,” he whispered.

“Tiny but mighty,” you smiled, “She came into the world with a powerful cry, that’s for sure. Guess she wasn’t too thrilled with the world at first glance.”

“Can’t blame her there,” he chuckled.

You turned the page, ready to show him some more pictures when he spoke your name.

“Y/N,” he said, lowly.

When had he gotten so close to you? You swore there was more space between you earlier.

“Yeah?”

His face was dangerously close to yours and alarm bells were going off in your head and heart. You couldn’t let yourself give in to him, even if you desperately wanted to.

“I can’t tell you how much it means that you did all of this for me,” he said, voice barely a whisper now.

Shit, his eyes kept dropping towards your lips. Yours kept doing the same to his.

You weren’t going to give in, you were not going to give in.

Your breathing hitched as his head lowered. You could stop this at any time.

But, you didn’t.

His lips came down on yours, softly, hesitantly. When you didn’t move away, he pressed them more firmly against yours, his hand coming up to cup your cheek.

It had been more than two years at this point since you’d last kissed him. You felt like a plant starved of water, drinking in all you can get to survive and thrive.

Kissing him felt like home. The way his soft lips moved gracefully against yours, his hand so soft on your cheek.

That is when reality hit you again.

You broke away from him, sitting back instantly.

“Y/N-” he started, just out of breath from the shared kiss as you were.

“I um, I better get going. It’s getting late and I’ve got to get Scarlett some dinner.”

You were already up and off the couch, picking up Scarlett’s belongings and throwing them in the diaper bag.

“You could stay and-”

You were shaking your head before he could finish his sentence.

“No, that’s okay. I really need to get going. Maybe we can meet up again this weekend if that’s okay with you?”

“Uh yeah, yeah. I’m free,” he said, mind still reeling from the kiss.

He desperately wanted you to stay, but he wasn’t going to force it. He had scared you off enough as it was already, he supposed.

You scooped up Scarlett in your arms.

“Tell daddy bye bye, we’ve got to go.”

He gave her a kiss on the cheek and watched, frozen, unable to do anything, as you headed to the door. The last thing he heard before the door shut behind you was Scarlett.

“Bye, dada.”

He sunk to the couch, hands raking through his hair.

What the hell had just happened?

#steve harrington #steve harrington angst #steve harrington fic #steve harrington blurb #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x fem!reader #steve harrington x reader #stranger things #stranger things blurb #stranger things fic

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alexiskk · 1 year

Note

Hiiii tlou anon here!! Your works are sooo good and since u asked for Tlou suggestions, I was wondering if you could do a fic where Tommy and Ellie are talking and Tommy reveals that Joel’s ticklish. Which leads to Ellie trying it out of course, and Joel getting revenge on the both of them for messing with him! I look forward to seeing what you’ll write and I’ll probably end up giving you more suggestions in the future. :) -tlou anon

hi anon! this is such a good suggestion, im so glad tlou has brought me back in the mood to write, definitely send more if you have em! Also I backed off on lee!tommy a bit but I hope u still enjoy🫶

word count: uhhh kinda long

❗️tw: shoot/killing a deer, slight mention of blood

also all Joel and Ellie pairings in any of my fics are in a parental/child relationship anything else is gross so pls don’t think I ever mean to cross that boundary. ok thx

Not so Funny Now

Thud

“Damnn El” Tommy blew out an impressed sigh as he looked over in proud amazement at the girl posted with her barrel rested on the tree trunk beside him.

“I guess my brother is good for something, he taught you howda’ shoot like a bat outta hell”

Ellie smirked as she stood up and rested the rifle on her shoulder, almost knocking herself over in the process, but she seemed to play it off successfully. They were both watching the deer Ellie had shot about 20 yards in front of them struggle to regain it’s footing, after all, she had shot it square in it’s neck, so it was only a matter of time before it was down for the count. Lucky for them, the deer only managed to make it a few more yards before not so gracefully plumping back into the snow.

Ellie had found some of her time in Jackson to be restless, as she hadn’t quite found anyone her age that she clicked with quite yet. Tommy especially picked up on this restless energy due to numerous nights of listening to Joel’s complaints about “Too many godamn questions”. So, Tommy thought inviting her on some of the hunting trips would help her blow off some steam, and more importantly, tire her out. Although, he was especially fond of days like today, where the rest of the crew was too busy off with the cattle and stable duties, so he and Ellie had the day left to themselves.

The pair had made their way over to the deer as Tommy began sizing up their catch.

“A buck Ellie not too shabby” He gestured to the pedicles on top of the deer’s head.

“Hey, what can I say, I’m a natural” Ellie had a sarcastic tone as she awkwardly threw up one of her hands while the other stayed securely on the rifle. It was only her 6th or 7th trip out here but she learned to pull her weight, although she couldn’t help but hide a smug smile as she realized this was the biggest deer she’d ever shot.

“No seriously, you gotta great shot kid”

“Awh quit fawnin’ over me Tommy” Ellie held her breath as Tommy paused and slowly looked up at her, to her surprise, he bursted out a chuckled laugh in response to her pun before even she could. He shook his head and looked back to the buck.

“You duhumass help me pull”

Ellie let some of her own laughter escape as she walked towards and placed her hand around an antler while Tommy grabbed the other. They both began dragging it through the snow, leaving a trail of dirt and blood behind them.

“Hey you know what a deers favorite bread is right?” Ellie had her eyes down at the snow in front of her, slightly out of breath from the trek they were making back to the horses.

Tommy smiled as he continued to entertain her gimmicks “Now what might that be?”

“Dude, it’s Sour doe, duh”

While less caught off guard, Tommy still found himself breathing out a few chuckles in response to the teenager’s terrible puns. Ellie of course had a huge grin plastered across her face, this wasn’t the audience she was typically used to.

“What, so you’ve got these memorized?”

“Nah these are my own, but I have plenty memorized from the book if that’s what your looking for.”

The pair dropped the buck as they had finally made it back to their horses. Tommy began preparing one of the horses to carry the load from the day.

“Ah is this that famous joke book i’ve heard so much about?”

“Whatt Joel mentioned the book to you?” Ellie still slightly out of breath looked up from the snow. She knew Joel cared about her, but there were very few days he actually enjoyed the joke book coming out of her pack.

“Just a few times” Tommy smiled with his back to Ellie. He was extremely caught off guard a few weeks ago when Joel had repeated one of the jokes Ellie had told him earlier in the day, he didn’t think he knew how to joke like that anymore.

“Did he also mention he fucking hates joy because I can barely get him to crack with it”

“What he wouldn’t laugh?”

“Barely”

“Yeahh that sounds like my brother”

Tommy gesture for Ellie to help him in loading the buck up onto the horse. They struggled getting it off the ground due to its size, but finally got it up and secured it before they both hopped on to the other horse they brought with them. Tommy gave Ellie the reins of the other horse to lead from the seat behind him and they began their trek back into town.

“ Was he always like that? ya know, all ‘ugh im joel, im tough and grumpy and i hate laughter’” Ellie had he arms flexed inward as she lowered her voice to imitate Joel.

“U-Uh he’s kinda been that way since i can remember kid, although Sarah was one to remind me of how ticklish the bastard is”

Tommy didn’t seem to bat an eye at the statement he just uttered, while Ellie sat in shock behind him.

“W-what did you say?” an astonished grin stayed on her face, this was the best yet most unexpected piece of news she could have asked for. If that asshole won’t laugh at her jokes, she’d just have to find other ways to make him laugh.

“Huh? Oh yeah Joel’s terrible, if he wasn’t so goddamn strong i’d torture em’ everyday just to see the old fucker squirm.” Tommy chuckled as memories of him and his older brother during childhood flooded in n out of his memory.

He then turned around to see a plotting expression on Ellie’s face.

“Hey if your thinkin what I think your thinkin, leave me out of it, heaven forbid he found out I told you”

“Hmm fair enough” Ellie replied and seemed to let it go as her and Tommy mostly sat in silence for the rest of the ride back, but despite his warnings, she couldn’t help but imagine his older brother in stitches, and strength be dammed she was eager to make the old man laugh, any way she could.

With a week an a half gone by, Ellie had practically forgotten her whole plans to make Joel laugh. Between hunting trips, chores around the stables, and helping out Maria, there was no real time for her to even think about it. But, it happen to be a rare lazy Sunday for both her and Joel, with neither of the having duties to attend to today. Although in the Miller house, there was no such thing as a “lazy day”, as Joel found himself up underneath the kitchen sink while Ellie, of course, found herself perpetually bothering him.

“So what is it your trying to do?”

Joel sighed, “ For the 4th time kid, the pipe is leakin’ and I can’t figure out why it ain’t workin’ when I fixed this shit 2 weeks ago.” Joel let out a frustrated grunt as he attempted to turn a wrench on the pipe letting out a perpetual drip every few seconds. Although the frustration in his voice was mostly from annoyance from Ellie’s constant pestering.

“I thought contractors were supposed to be good at this kinda stuff.” Ellie stood with her arms crossed, onlooking Joel as he had himself wedged up with most of his upper body underneath the sink and head lamp on to light his view of the pipe.

Joel sighed once again. “This is plumbing, not contractor stuff”

“Oh, so you just suck at plumbing?”

“Would you just—just go find something else to do” Joel didn’t even break eye contact with the pipe, he was just done with Ellie’s constant nagging, especially on what was supposed to be his day off.

Ellie rocked back and forth on her heels.

“Alright, but just remember you asked for this” she rushed over to her backpack that laid on the couch to pull out a beaten up copy of No Pun Intended: Volume Too. She then rapidly flipped the pages as she walked back into the kitchen to join Joel once again.

“Hey Joel, why shouldn’t you trust stairs?”

Joel muttered under his breath “Here we fucking go again”

Ellie didn’t dare wait for a proper response.

“Because their always, up to something!” Ellies over exaggerated response to the joke left her with a huge grin on her face, but she was getting nothing from Joel except grunts from his fight with the kitchen sink, so her attempts must continue.

“Ok ok, you’ll like this one. I used to hate facial hair. But thennnnnn it grew on me!” She once again ended in her iconic cheeky grin, but Joel was already exhausted of her none sense two jokes in.

“Ellie, this is actually worse than torture, just-please go make yourself busy elsewhere” His half joking half absolutely serious tone seemed to discourage Ellie’s spirit a bit, but something clicked in her as he spoke, and that devious plotting expression returned to her face.

Ellie, being the spitfire that she is, took no consideration into what the consequences of her actions would be, but as she inched closer and closer to Joel, the only thoughts in her head was how much fun she was about to have.

“Geez talk about torture Joel, i think you might onto something”

She had finally positioned her self right next to Joel’s body underneath the sink and that’s when she attacked.

“Ellie what the hell are yoUOHC-”

She dove her hands around the thighs of the man wedged up underneath the sink. She could barely get a good grip with his thick work jeans getting in the way, but she managed her best to squeeze right above both of his kneecaps as hard as she could. Joel caught his words and incoming laughter in his mouth and managed to swallow them all, leaving only awkward grunts to escape him. His legs began to twitch, trying to fight off the teen with her hands wrenched around his legs. He began to attempt to scoot out from underneath the sink to properly defend himself when Ellie decide to switch her tactics.

“You lihitle sHiHIHIT DOHONT-”

Panicking after seeing Joel’s initial response, Ellie dove her hands into his sides and she soon began to smile. With his head in close proximity to the pipe, Joel couldn’t risk any aggressive moves escaping from underneath the sink, but luckily for Ellie this also meant he could escape the onslaught of tickles she was dealing him at the moment. Ellie’s smile only grew as she now realized just how ticklish Joel was, watching as his stiffened grunted outbursts began to turn into actual resentful laughter under her touch. He even attempted to push Ellie away with what little strength he had at this point, but Ellie was quite quick, repositioning herself up and around the man to never get caught. From what Tommy had told her, she knew there was no one way she could give Joel a break without him retaliating, so she had her hands digging into the old man at super sonic speed, probably only worsening the experience for Joel himself.

“You motherfucker why don’t you laugh at my jokes like this?”

“Y-YoHoUH ASAHASS”

“That’s nhot an answer Joel!”

Joel could simply not handle the torment from Ellie. Being pinned as well as completely caught off guard caused the man to begin to succumb to the electrified touch of Ellie, each poke and kneed into the man’s sides causing a wheezing laugh that would occasionally break out into genuine giggles when he couldn’t tough it out any longer.

Ellie found herself giggling along side him, she had never seen Joel quiet this joyful, and there was no way in hell she’d ever let him forget this.

Joel in his fight against his sensitivity took a calculated swipe at Ellie, in a panicked response she threw her hands underneath the man’s arms to which his body responded with jerks and jolts as he-

Dung

“Oho shihitttt”

Ellie’s smile slowly faded as put an abrupt stop to her torture and scooted a few feet back on the floor as the man underneath the sink was now completely vertical and rubbing the side of his head with his hand after obliterating it into the pipe he was working on, which unfortunately, was still dripping in a rhythm. They both sat in a tense silence. Ellie unaware how badly she might have hurt Joel, didn’t know how to comfort or even help him at this point.

After what felt like years, Joel began to slowly pull himself up and out from underneath the sink, scoffing or grunting with pain with each heavy movement until finally slumping his upper body up against the lower cabinets. With his hand burying his face, even though Ellie was facing him their was no way to tell just how hurt, or more importantly for Ellie, just how angry he was. The pair sat facing each other on the kitchen floor, continuing their tense silence until Ellie just couldn’t take it any longer.

“Hey, Joel i-i’m real sorry I didn-”

“Could y-you j-just grab some ice” Joel cut her off more gruffly than usual, but he didn’t look up or move his hand.

“Y-yeah of course ” Ellie had a doe-like expression on her face as she scurried to her feet and grabbed a pack of ice from the freezer. She feared she may have pushed too far.

She knelt down next to him and he gestured for her to place it against the right side of his head and she obliged. Ellie watch as Joel went to take it from her hand when all of a sudden, he jerked to grab her wrist instead.

“hEYA-UH!”

Im what seemed like miliseconds, Joel whipped the teen by her wrist around him, grabbing her other arm and whipping himself around in order to place her firmly up against the cabinets where he once sat. He then grabbed her upper biceps as if he was to hold her in place there.

“ WHAt the fuck Joel I thought you were fucking hurt!” Ellie’s genuinely shocked and angry tone was followed by kicking and attempts at squirming away but Tommy was unfortunately right, that asshole is way too strong.

“What the hell do you think your doing-g-gettin’ on me like that?” Joels tone was stern but he seemed to stumble over his words a bit, almost as if he was a bit embarrassed over his vulnerability with Ellie just minutes prior.

Ellie still frustratedly trying to shake Joel’s hands off her to no avail replied.

“Well you’re such a grump how the hell else am I supposed to get you to- i dunno have fucking joy?” After she finished her sentence she slowly brought her struggles to a stop and look up with that memorable cheeky grin.

“You gotta admitttttt it was prehettty fuhunny Johoel ” She sillily shook her shoulders back and forth as she giggled at the recent memories of Joel in stitches underneath the sink.

For some reason, it never registered in Ellie’s silly little brain that Joel would try to get her back somehow. The pair didn’t have much of a history of physical touch in their relationship so Ellie was half expecting a lecture on how just how unsafe what she just did was. After all, other than that one incident in the bunks with Riley, she couldn’t even remember the last time she was tickled.

At this point in time however, Joel’s embarrassment was currently being used for fueling his rage towards the rascal he was holding up against the cabinets, and a disapproving frown began to slip at the edges as Joel developed his own plotting expression. Ellie watched him, still giggling but an inherent sense of panic began flooding her senses, for she knew nothing good could come of this look.

Joel sighed and shook his head.

“Yeahh kid maybe it was, but not nearly as funny as this is about to be.”

Joel let go of his grip on Ellie’s arms to dig his hands into her stomach, to which she responded with a flurry of giggles pouring out of her mouth.

“jOHOHEHEHEL”.

Ellie doubled over as Joel’s hands kneeded at her stomach and sides, there was little strength in her to push the oaf’s hands away and even if their was, Joel had no plans of stopping anytime soon.

“OkOKAHOKAAHAY NOHO ENOUGAHA YOUHU DIHIHICK”

There was constant routine of Sarah ending arguements or fights by leaping onto her father and tickling him until he gave in, it was one of the only things she could hold over his head. Joel obviously let her, he saw how happy it make her to see him loose his mind over her hands squeezing into his ribs. But in the Miller household, revenge is always in order, and just like Sarah giggling absurdly on the couch from Joel’s attacks, Ellie now found herself doing the same on the kitchen floor.

“ IHI CAHAHNAHT” She could barely get the words out in between the laughter as she was curling herself up into a ball on the floor. Joel’s hands were now squeezing at rapid speeds, all the way up to her armpits and all the way down to her hipbones. Ellie’s eyes where glued shut and snickers and snorts began escaping her as all her strength had run out.

“Nohot so funny now kid huh?” Joel’s grin was cheekier than ever, he loved to see Ellie this giggly, this was her childishness at 100%.

“IHIHI DIHE AHAHA JOEHEHAEL”

Ellie was almost wheezing at this point, Joel had began attacking her knees the same way she did him, where she felt each squeeze jolt throughout her-

Creakkkk-Slam

Tommy looked with wide eyes at the pair on the floor as shut the front door behind him. He had brought over beers for Boggle night at the Miller household when he saw the sight of a giggly Ellie still curled up in a ball as well as his brother, who had stopped his torture and was now giving his brother a stern look.

“You got somethin’ to say to me?” Joel asked his brother with a knowing look at Ellie and then back to him. He was also rubbing Ellies back at this point as she continued to sputter out a few stray giggles, but he had a slight inclination that Ellie didn’t just decide to attack him on her own terms.

Tommy gulped as he walked in slowly and placed the drinks on the table. He took a step back, never breaking eye contact with his brother.

“Uhh Nope”

In blur, Tommy bolted out of the kitchen and sprinted up the stairs. Joel red with anger immediately got to his feet and followed close after.

“GET BACK HERE ASSHOLE”

Ellie finally pulled herself up from the floor as she heard a thud, followed by muffled manly giggles from upstairs.

So much for a lazy Sunday.

#tickle #the last of us #tickle fic #tlou tickle #tlou #tlou tickling #lee!ellie #lee!joel #ler!joel #ler!ellie #hehe puns #father daughter bonding #tickling #tickle fluff #i hate grammar #some of this sucks sorry lol

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starlitangels · 1 year

Text

(Like The) Fairy Tale Movies

L i s t e n. Yesterday’s video got me soft and Davey had to tell his kids about how it happened in canon. 2.1k words

—

“Angel—no, Natalie, get down—angel can this please be the last time you leave me alone with the kids?” David asked over the phone. I laughed, watching my screen as he had to move and snatch our daughter.

“I’ll be home tomorrow. I thought you said you could handle them both for a four-day business trip.”

“I can. But Asher decided to bring Evelyn over for a playdate—and Asher decided to also bring a Halloween-sized bag of candy.” The video jerked. “Gabriel, stop pulling your sister’s hair.”

“Davey, you know sugar highs aren’t actually a thing, right? Like, placebo effect maybe but the kids don’t even know what the concept is.”

“I’m well aware. But that doesn’t mean the kids don’t get overexcited when we get unexpected friendly visitors bearing candy, and you’re not here to help me rein them in,” David grumbled.

“Uncle Aaaaash!” Natalie shouted somewhere in the background.

The video call lurched again—I was gonna have to look away soon or risk getting motion sick. “Natalie Jean Shaw. You do not try to jump off the counter!” David snapped. My daughter’s maniacal giggle was all that she gave him in response. I heard him sigh heavily.

“Whaaat?” Asher’s voice asked off-screen. “C’mon buddy. Sometimes, ya gotta let her learn the hard way! She jumps off and takes a tumble and she learns not to jump off the counter anymore! Problem solved!”

Natalie giggled again. I caught a glimpse of her pigtail braids on the screen.

“I do not need her breaking her arm and the three-hour lecture from Marie about being a more careful father when she has to come heal it.”

“Just call Sam, then,” Asher said with a laugh. “He’s got Micah. He knows how these girls are.”

David pinched the bridge of his nose on my screen. “We are not having this discussion, Asher.” He turned to look at me. “Can I call you back in an hour, angel?”

“Of course. I’m just at the hotel for the rest of the night.”

He gave me a soft look. The one he reserved for only me. “Thank you.”

“I love you, Davey.”

“I love you too. So much.”

I blew him a kiss. He smiled and pretended to catch it before disconnecting the video call.

—

David flopped down width-wise across the bed. After Asher and Evelyn left and David finally got his nightmares ready to go to bed, he’d called his angel, finished their conversation, chatted a little more, and then they had to get some sleep—being several timezones ahead.

He was tired in a way that he hadn’t been since Natalie was an infant. He loved his spouse and was proud of the work that they loved so much, but he missed them terribly when they weren’t home. He enjoyed having some one-on-two time with the kids—but it could get exhausting fast. Natalie was so curious and always had questions. Gabriel was easier but damn he could get rowdy when he wanted to. Especially when Evelyn was around. Those two were a Dynamic Duo if he ever saw one.

He knew he needed to get up and shower before getting in bed, but his muscles kept saying, “One more minute,” whenever he tried to get them to respond.

Finally, he grumbled and got to his feet. His shower was quick and thorough, as usual. He threw on his pajamas and plopped back onto the bed. Considering a short nap before going back downstairs to finish the paperwork he’d been falling behind on.

He felt his eyes fluttering closed.

“Daddy?” a small voice asked from the door.

David took a deep breath and sat up.

Natalie was standing there in her smiley-face-star-patterned purple pajamas. Her comfort blanket was in one hand, the small wolf plushie she’d dubbed “Sheldon” in the other. The hand with the blanket was up under her eyes.

“What is it, baby girl?” he asked gently, holding his arms out.

She toddled into the room, stumbling on the hem of her blanket every couple steps. When she got to the tall king-sized bed, David bent down and hoisted her up into his lap.

She sniffled. There were tears in her eyes. “I... I miss them,” she said quietly.

David sighed, a melancholy smile appearing on his face. “I know, Natty. I do too.” He wiped her eyes with the opposite corner of her blanket.

A floorboard creaked, muffled slightly by being under the upstairs carpet.

“I know you’re there, Gabriel. You can come in,” David said.

Gabriel ran in, jumping as high as he could to try and get up onto the bed. He was tall for his age but still too short to make it, and bounced off the corner like a rubber band. David put Natty on one leg so he could bend and scoop up his son, putting him on the mattress next to him. “You missing them too?”

Gabriel nodded, eyes wide and staring up at him. David never quite got over looking down into his own exact eye color at his son, or his mate’s when looking at his daughter. He wondered if he ever would. Probably not.

David pulled Gabriel in close to his side, keeping Natty secure with his other arm. “It’s okay, Gabriel. I miss them too.”

Both of his kids clung to him, small fists balling in his pajama shirt.

David scooped them both up, one in each arm, and scooted across the bed until he could get under the covers with both of them. They each rested their heads on his shoulders.

“Daddy?” Natalie asked.

“Yeah, baby girl?” He gave her damp braid a gentle tug, acknowledging he was listening.

“How did you know you wanted them as your mate?” Her voice was small.

David smiled, a soft chuckle rising, unbidden, from his throat at the memories. “Because they acted a lot like you do, and you know how much I love you.”

“But I wasn’t born yet,” she protested.

“Nope. Not by a long time. But they were bright and happy and sweet and playful—and they liked teasing me. No one had teased me in a long time because I was the alpha and my friends thought they couldn’t anymore. My mate didn’t know anything about magic or wolves when we met.”

Gabriel nodded. “Like how we can’t mention it to our cousins on their side of the family.”

“That’s right, buddy,” David agreed. “But when I met them, I knew I was going to like them. Then, the more time we spent together, the more we fell in love.”

Natty giggled. “‘Are you hungry’?” she asked, trying to drop her voice in a low imitation of his. But it sounded more like how his angel imitated his voice than his actual voice.

David heaved a heavy sigh. “Of course they told you about that,” he muttered under his breath. “Yes, that’s what I asked after I told them I loved them for the first time.” Gabriel giggled too. “I didn’t know what else to say. I’d never told anyone I was in love with them before.”

“Were you scared?”

“A little.”

“Awww! Daddy, why? Didn’t you know they loved you too?”

“I hoped so. But... sometimes it feels complicated when it comes to love.”

Natalie shook her head. “No it doesn’t. If you love somebody, you say it!”

You’ll understand what I’m talking about when you’re older, David thought, but didn’t say out loud.

Natalie squirmed out from under his arm and climbed up onto his torso. Even resting her head on his chest, she was so small that her toes didn’t even reach his knees yet. She put her chin on his sternum and looked up at him with wide eyes. “Did you ask them to marry you or did they ask you?”

David chuckled. “I asked them, sweet pea. We’d been together for... nearly four years.”

Natty wiggled on top of him. “How did you ask? Was it like the fairy tale movies?”

“It felt like it, but it wasn’t as... fancy,” David replied. “You remember the big party we have with the whole pack in December for the MoonBound solstice?”

Natty nodded fervently. “Uh-huh. I love the party!”

David reached up with his now-free arm and set a hand on her back to hold her in place before she slipped off his torso and landed on her brother. He nodded slower. “Well, it was after the party. The rest of the pack had gone home. It was just me and my mate in the house—the one we owned before this one. We were just having a quiet rest of the night before the strength of my magic started to fade again after the pack run. We were just... sitting on the couch... relaxing.”

Natty scrunched her whole face up, not having mastered just scrunching her eyebrows yet. “And you just... asked? You didn’t get down on one knee?”

David smiled and laughed softly. “Let me finish, baby girl,” he said. “I did get down on one knee. I said some mushy things about how much I loved them and wanted to spend the rest of our lives together, then I got down on one knee and asked if they’d marry me.”

Natalie gasped. “Did they say yes?!”

Gabriel scoffed. “Of course they did, stupid,” he snapped. “They wouldn’t be married now if they didn’t!”

“Gabriel, we don’t call people stupid,” David chided.

“But... Uncle Ash calls Uncle Milo stupid,” Gabriel pointed out.

“Uncle Asher needs to learn how to talk nicely to other people,” David said firmly.

“Are you going to wash his mouth out with soap?” Natalie asked.

David couldn’t stop the snort that made both his kids jump. “No, Natty. His mate might, but that’s their job, not mine.”

“Oh, okay.” She moved her head so her chin was no longer on his sternum but instead rested her ear to it.

The three Shaws were quiet for a few minutes. Gabriel seemed to have fallen asleep.

“Daddy?” Natty asked again, quietly.

“Yeah, baby girl?”

“I’m glad you got married.”

He smiled. “Me too.” He smoothed some of her messy flyaway hairs off of her face.

“You could have been more fancy when you asked though. Like the fairy tale movies.”

“I could have. But keeping it simple felt right for us.”

Natty yawned. “Okay,” she said.

David chuckled lightly. “Get some sleep, baby girl.”

She yawned wider. “Okay.”

Within seconds, she was breathing deep on his chest. Sound asleep.

David’s small smile grew. “I love you, baby girl.”

“Love you too, Daddy,” she whispered in her sleep.

—

I crept into the house at five in the morning, waving to Sam in thanks. He waved back and drove off. He’d volunteered to come pick me up since it would be before dawn and he hadn’t wanted David to have to pack up the kids that early.

Once the door was eased shut and locked behind me, I abandoned my suitcase next to it and snuck up the stairs.

Gabriel’s room was the closest to the stairs. I poked my head in to see if he was sleeping.

His bed was empty, the sheets rumpled. Wolfy McFloof—the larger wolf plushie Asher had given him when Natty was born—was jammed haphazardly between the bedside table and the bed itself.

My heart started pounding louder. I took a step and a half across and up the hall to Natalie’s room.

Her bed was the same. But her small comfort blanket and Sheldon were also missing.

A pit formed in my stomach and I ran to my and Davey’s room, ready to throw open the door and see it empty. To see my family snatched in the middle of the night while I was gone. By whom, I had no idea.

I grabbed the knob and shoved the door open.

A large, misshapen lump sat in the middle of the bed, covers draped over it.

On quiet feet, I slipped over.

The anxiety eased away when I saw David’s face. Gabriel tucked under one of his arms—and Natalie lying on his chest with a small smile on her face. Sheldon and her blanket in each hand. I sighed with relief and sagged down, kneeling beside the bed.

Davey heard me. One of his lush green eyes peeked open.

He gave me a soft, lovestruck smile. The same one he only ever gave me.

“Welcome home, angel.”

—

Tag list: @zozo-01 @arialikestea @mainhoesstuff @darlin-collins (I’m adding you tentatively because this is David even though you didn’t specifically request the Pups AU. If you don’t wanna be tagged in this kinda stuff, you can let me know if you’d like)

#Redacted ASMR #fic #Pups AU #Redacted David #Redacted Angel #Natalie Shaw #Gabriel D. Shaw #David Shaw #Angel #David #Starlit Fic

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