#quinn talks about his love for against the kitchen floor way too much | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fruity-mega-coconut69 · 1 year

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The Quiet Kid

[pairings]: Tara Carpenter x Reed!Fem!Reader

[Summary]: Your love for Tara has to be put aside due to a certain black cloaked, masked killer returning into your life.

[warnings]: Swearing, mentions of murder, stabbing.

A/N: Idk if i should post a part 2 of this so , we'll see.

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You were in the kitchen talking to Mindy after they came home from the party. She was talking about how Tara almost hooked up with an asshole. You sighed in both relief and disappointment as she mentioned Chad saving Tara. After she finished, Anika walked inside the kitchen and wnt over to Mindy, kissing her. You smiled at the couple and decided to make your way over to Tara’s room to check on her. You were nearly there when you heard Quinn say, “Did i cock-block you? “

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“What did you just say? “ You heard Tara say. You stepped closer to the room, but Quinn still hasn’t noticed you. “ I cock-blocked you. “

Suddenly, you heard another voice, “No “Your heart dropped to the pit of your stomach as you recognized the voice to be Chad’s.

It seemed like Quinn would just not quit it. “ I cock-blocked you, didn't i?”

“Immediate no” Tara says with a little disgust in her voice.

“Please, stop saying the word ‘cock’ “ Chad whined and laughed as he looked at Quinn. “What did you need? “ Tara has had enough of her roommate.

“My phone “

“ Don’t ever enter the room like that again. “ Tara demanded of Quinn.

“I won’t “

“I’m gonna go. But get some rest, get sober and please don’t kill your sister, okay? She loves you very much.” There was a beat of silence when you saw the shadow of Chad heading out. “ Good night! “ Your eyes lowered to the floor in realization of the situation as Chad walked out of the room. As soon as he saw you, he averted his gaze and quickly walked past you.

Soon Quinn backed out of the room too. She looked at you when she realized you were standing just about outside of the room, leaning against the wall. She gave you a look of sympathy and walked past you. About everybody knew about your crush on the younger Carpenter. But you couldn’t really blame them for choosing Chad as the better partner for Tara. He was strong and fun, kind and charming. Also you just about moved in with them the same time as Quinn, it was no surprise that they didn’t really trust you.

You swallowed hard and finally pushed your body off of the wall and decided to walk past her room to get to your own. As you did so, you felt yourself stop in your tracks as you saw Tara smiling like an idiot while laying on her bed. For a moment a small smile appeared on your face too, but soon you remembered that the reason for that is probably Chad. Shaking your head, you walked over to your room and went inside., immediately feeling a wave of comfort wash over you as you sit down in the armchair in the corner of the room beside a little bookshelf. Picking out the book you are currently reading, you leaned back and pulled your headphones up to your ears from around your neck, relaxing.

After about 30 minutes or so, you hear shouting from the living room. You put your book down and walked out of the room. You glance at the Tv and gasp. That's When you notice Tara and Sam shouting at each other

“ It’s a big city! “ Tara exclaimed “ It’s halloween! Everybody is wearing masks! “

You see Sam shaking her head. “ Tara! Tara, this isn’t a coincidence! “ Tara huffs and looks at her sister with almost pleading eyes. “You knew him! “

“Barely “ She shook her head as she looked at you guys standing in the living room, watching them.

“ Chad, Mindy back me up. “ Chad is to speak first “well, it is a little bit.. “ He trails off. “ Close to home “Mindy finishes for him. “ See? “ Sam turns back to Tara, waiting for her response.

She scoffed and shook her head, looking behind her at Quinn. “ Quinn, your dad’s a cop, right? “ Quinn glances up at Tara from the ground “ Can you call him and find out what’s going on? “ Tara steps back and looks at Sam. “ Before you make the unilateral decision to abandon my college education and flee the fucking state!”

“ I’m calling him now, “ Says Quinn as she puts the phone up to her ear. You shut your eyes close in exhaustion, taking your hands and running them down your face while groaning into them. You all suddenly hear a phone ringing. You take your hands off your face immediately to look whose it is. Sam started walking towards her phone slowly, and your body tensed up-as did the others’ too- as you put your hands down at your sides, clenching them.

“Who is it? “ Sam didn’t answer her sister’s question, just declined the call and put her phone back down.

“Why did everyone just freak out when her phone rang? “ Ethan asked, completely clueless.

Anika looks at him and sighs “ You gotta keep up, my dude. “ She shakes her head.

Suddenly Quinn spoke up. “Sam “ She gets up and walks over to Sam. “ My dad wants to talk to you. “ Sam takes the phone and puts it up to her ear.

You shake your head and start heading towards the door, but Mindy speaks up. “ Hey, where are you going?” Almost everyone's attention is turned to you as you stand at the door, holding the handle.

“I-I was just…going for a walk. “ You curse at yourself for not having a better excuse.

“Oh hell nah, Y/N. You’ll either get attacked or….you are ghostface. “ You scoff at her and look at the floor. “ …..I’m one of the last people to be ghostface. I can assure you, Mindy. “ With that, you unlock the door and swing it open, walking out of the apartment.

You are walking aimlessly around the city with your headphones on, humming softly as the chilly october breeze. Suddenly, your music stops and you frown, taking out your phone. When you do, you see a caller ID that says, unknown. You swallow hard and clench your jaw, tapping on the accept call option as you put the phone up to your ear.

A raspy voice that you know all too well started laughing into your ear. You gritted your teeth . “ Well, well ,well. If it’s not Y/n, the big miracle. “

“ What do you want? “

“Oh, nothing, just y’know…….to, uh, “ He chuckles and takes a deep breath. And a shiver ran down your spine at the sound “ Gut you “

You stop walking, completely frozen. “ W-what? “ You look around in a hurry. “I mean, you could be the first legacy character that I killed. Why would you want to leave out on that? It is utterly unfair, that you’re alive and still noone gives a fuck, Y/n “

You had enough and hung up, starting to run. Suddenly strong arms grasp at your body. “ Oh, are you trying to get away from me? Sweet little thing, it’s over. “ He laughed and swung his knife back. Within seconds, the knife was plugged into your side as you let out a gut wrenching scream.

You are successful at prying his strong arms off from around your body, once again starting to run. You hear the sounds of the heavy pair of boots behind you, you ran for what felt like hours until you got somewhere more public where there were a lot of people. When you stop, you look behind you, your body relaxing when you can’t see him anymore. You put your hand on your wound and press on it, wincing in pain. Breathing heavily, you notice a bench and sit down on it.

A couple of hours later the sun has set when your phone rings. Your body tenses as your shaking, bloody hands pick up your phone. The bleeding stopped a few hours ago, as you decided not to go anywhere near a doctor. “ H-hello? “

“Y/n “ You gasp as you recognize the voice, sitting up. “ Oh my god, Kirby? “

She chuckles on the other end of the line, “ Yeah, it’s good to hear your voice, lil’ sis. “

You smile weakly. “ Yours too. So what’s up? “

“Uh, I'm at the police station with your friends. I would like you to come here. “ Your eyebrows furrow in both concern and confusion. “ O-Okay. Yeah, i’m like, 10 minutes away. “

“ wonderful. See you then “ With that, she hung up.

After about 10 minutes you arrived at the police station. You walked through the ocean of reporters and into the building. In the hallway, you saw Sam, Tara, Kirby and Detective Bailey. You walk up to them. “ Hey, what’s…..going on? “

Tara and Sam looked at you surprised. “ Y/n “ You nod in their direction then look at Kirby who smiles at you and goes to hug you, but immediately notices the dried blood on your shirt and hands. “OH my god, Y/N! What the fuck happened to you? “

Tara was quickly by your side to check your wound while you pursed your lips at Kirby. You let out a breath of air. “ I…was, uh, attacked. Last night. “ Tara looked into your eyes but was fast to look away to check for other wounds. “ A-and you didn’t go to the hospital? “ You shrug and turn back to Kirby.

“ What is it you want me here for? “

“ Well, first of all to say hi. And second of all, I thought i would inform you about some things. “ She looked down at the ghostface mask in her hands.

After you were done speaking to Kirby, you, Tara and Sam walked out of the building, being welcomed by a dozen reporters. Sam wraps an arm around Tara in order to keep her close. You reach your hand out for Tara to take. As soon as she does, you give it a slight squeeze. When you are out of the crowd, you suddenly hear and all too familiar voice behind you.

“ Gale Weathers, channel 4 “

You guys turned around and looked back at Gale. “ Do you girls think you are the reason the ghostface killer has come to the Big Apple? “ Sam scoffed at her and started shaking her head. You took a step back when she swung her arm back to throw a punch at Gale, Unsuccessfully.

Gale chuckles. “ Nice try, sweetie. But I've done this dance before- “ She was cut off by Tara, as she punched her in the face. Your eyes widened and you looked at Tara, smirking.

Hot

“ Stay away from us. “ Although you did enjoy seeing Tara punch someone, Gale was your friend. So you looked at her to see if she was okay, to which she gave you a nod. You went to catch up with Tara and Sam but Gale came after you guys and looked at the Carpenter sisters in disbelief.

“ Are you still mad at me? “ You raised your eyebrows in curiosity.

Sam turned back around, mad. “ You said you wouldn’t write a book about what happened ! “ She exclaimed. “ And then you wrote a book about what happened.

Gale rolled her eyes, scoffing .” Oh, come on. Somebody was gonna write about it! “ She pauses. “ It’s what I do! “

“ I heard you couldn’t sell the movie rights “ Tara raised her eyebrows at her. You looked at her, simply admiring.

Gale stumbled over her own words. “ I-It’s all about true-crime limited series these days. “

“ After everything we went through together “ Sam paused. “ What would Dewey think. “ Your jaw clenched at the mention of the man that you had adored dearly even when he wasn’t with you. You pushed Sam in the shoulder lightly and glared at her. She looked at you, confused but then glanced back at the woman in-front of her.

Gale looks at her and after a minute of silence, she speaks up. “ That’s a low blow “

“So was your book. “ Sam spat out bitterly. “ You called me unstable and a born killer ! “ Gale raised her shoulders. “ That’s..taken out of context. “

“That’s literally a quote. “

“ You don’t think what you wrote has something to do with what's happening to us.? “ Tara asked her angrily. Your eyes traveled back and forth between the three women, watching with curiosity as the fight elaborated. “ Come on “

You guys started walking towards the taxi. But Gale once again spoke up behind you. “ Hey, I talked to Sidney ! “You stopped in your tracks and turned around.

“She’s not coming here is she? “

Gale shakes her head. “ No …..She sends her love, but she’s taking Mark and the kids someplace safe. She deserves to have her happy ending.”

“On that much, we agree “ Sam says then opens the door to the taxi and gets in, you after her. “ Hey, i wanna catch this fucker as much as you do. “ You heard Gale say.

Tara stops and looks at her. “ Maybe. Or maybe you’re just afraid that without ghostface in your life, you’re gonna fade away. “ She gets in and the taxi drives away.

You look between them “ Soo uh, how are you all doing? “ They both glare at you and then both continue to stare out the window. Until Sam spoke up.

“ Wait, so how do you know Kirby and Gale? “

“Well, it’s a really funny story, uhm “ They both look at you as you swallow and look at the floor. “ So, Kirby’s actually my sister and Iknow Gale because I met her at woodsboro not long before I was in the 2011 woodsboro killings. I was 8 “

They both stare at you, speechless. And for the rest of the ride you sat in awkward silence.

Late on, you are all sitting on benches around campus as Mindy is again, explaining the rules. “ As terrifying as this all is, I'm actually glad I got a chance to redeem myself for not calling the killers last time. “ She adjusts her sweater.

You all look at her waiting for her to continue. “ It’s fine. Okay. “ She sighs. "The way I see it, someone is out to make a sequel to the requel. “

Anika puts her hand up “ Uh, what’s a requel? “

Mindy looks at her girlfriend” You’re beautiful sweetie. Let’s hold the questions for the ned” Anika smiles at her. Sam spoke up. “ Stab 1 took place in woodsboro. Stab 2 took place in college. “

Tara looks at her sister then at Mindy. “ So we think that the killer is trying to copy the movies? “ Mindy nods at her. “ That is one possibility. “ You nod along as you try to listen. “ Heroes now in college: check. Suspicious new characters brought in to round out the suspect list and/or body count: check, check and check. “

Ethan’s trembling voice spoke up. “ I don’t like this. “ He shakes his head. Mindy retreacts. “ But it can’t just be about Stab 2. “

Tar’s eyebrows furrow at her friend's statement. “ Why not? “

“It would make sense, if this were just a sequel. But we are not in a sequel, because nobody just makes sequels anymore” She throws her arms around. There is a short pause before she throws her arms up .” We are in a franchise !” “ She looked at each of your directions. “ And there are certain rules to a continuing franchise”

Everybody sighs as Sam says. “ I had a feeling “

“ Rule one: Everything is bigger than the last time “ She spreads her arms while looking at you guys. You put your clammy hands on your face in exhaustion, letting out a sigh into them. “ Bigger budget, bigger cast, bigger body count. Longer chases, shoot-outs, beheadings.You got to top what came before to keep people coming back. “

Chad looks up from his notebook. “ Beheadings? “ He points his pencil at Mindy, who nods at him. “ Beheadings. Rule two: whatever happened the last time, expect the opposite. Franchises only survive by subverting expectations. If the killers last time were whiny snowflake, film nerds with Letterboxd accounts instead of personalities, you can bet the opposite will be tre here. “ Sam sighs as she processes the information.

“ And rule three: No one is safe. Legacy characters? Cannon fodder at this point” Tara looks at you, fidgeting with your rings as you listen to Mindy. “ Usually brought back only to be killed off in some cheap bid for nostalgia “ You clenched your jaw. “ It’s not looking too good for Gale and Kirby. “ Her voice softens at the end of her sentence as she looks at Sam.

“ Oh, and that’s not even the worst part! “

“Ah, this is the part where she tells us the worst part “ Chad says, still looking at his notes.

“ The worst part is, franchises are just continuing episodic installments designed to boost an IP. Which means, main characters are completely expendable now, too.” You all looked at her, waiting for her to continue. “ Laurie Strode, Nancy Thompson, Ellen Ripely, SallyHardesty, Jigsaw, Tony Stark, James bond—I mean, even Luke Skywalker all died so their franchises could live on.That means it’s not just the friend group. Any of us could go at anytime, especially Sam and Tara” Mindy looks at you all sadly.

You sit up straighter and put your shaking hands on your knees. “ W-wait, any of us? “ Ethan asks. “ Yeah. “

“This- am i in the friend group? “

“yeah “

“ Am i like one of the targets? “

“Mm-hmm “

He looks at the ground then back up at Mindy in disbelief. “ Am i gonna die a virgin? “ You all looked at each other in confusion.

“ That was a weird overshare. But it brings us to our current suspects: Ethan “ Mindy steps closer to him, smiling. “ The shy dorky guy, who no on suspects because he’s so shy and dorky.”

“Okay. Wait, why am I on the suspect list? Because I'm randomly Chad’s roommate? “ He points at his roommate.

“ Roommate lotteries can be juked. You could have fixed it to get next to us. “ She leans closer to him, but quickly leans back. “ Quinn. The slutty roommate. A horror movie classic.”

Quinn looks at her. “ ‘sex positive’ but…thank you? “

“ Mm-hmm. Um, how did you come to live with Sam and Tara? “

“ I answered their ad online “ She looks at Sam who nods at her.

“ Okay, say no more. You’ve already implicated yourself enough.” Mindy exclaims.

“It was an anonymous ad, Mindy. And you know we vetted her. Plus you know her dad is a cop. “

“And that makes it more likely that she’s the killer, because having a cop dad is a great cover. Do you not remember how these movies work, Tara?! “

Quinn looks at Sam “ Is she always like this? “ Sam just tilts her head.

“ And, of course, the quiet, sweet random girl from god knows where. “ She looks at you and you feel small under her judging gaze. “ I am guessing you also just answer the ad online, hm? “

“ We-well- i- “

“ Right. Okay. You could be one of our prime suspects! “

“What, why? “ Tara asked Mindy, standing up. But you pulled her back down.

“ Because, Tara. No one knows anything about her really. She just popped up out of nowhere. “ You nod your head along, kind of agreeing. “ And finally….Anika “ She smiles at her.

Anika blows her a kiss that Mindy returns. But her smile quickly fades. “ Never trust the love interest. “

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A/N: i feel like there has been too much Tara content lately.

#jenna ortega x you #tara carpenter #tara carpenter x reader #jenna ortega x reader #tara carpenter x you #jenna ortega x fem!reader #scream vi #screamvi #scream #scream franchise #scream fanfic

900 notes · View notes

sweet-villain · 1 year

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UnPretty~ J.Q

Anonymous asked:

Can I request a Joesph Quinn story? Where he and the reader are together and have been for awhile. Then he meets Grace on set and she starts crossing some boundaries. (Fully fictional she seems lovely!) The reader is getting irritated but Joe just thinks Grace is being nice. The reader kinda distances themselves and Jamie notices and asks Joe what's up. Jamie tells Joe the reader is right but Joe's like "nah platonic friends, really really good buddies". (Jamie's over here rolling his eyes at this dumbass.) Until Grace sees the strain on his and the readers relationship and sees this as her opportunity and tries to kiss Joe and tell him her feelings. Joe feels like a royal ass because the reader was right and he's pissed at both himself and Grace. Him for not listening to his partners (vaild) concerns and Grace for her blatant disrespect towards his relationship. Then he has to go grovel to the reader, who forgives him but wants him to take their concerns and insecurities more seriously in the future.

@ceriseheaven

You rolled your eyes as Joe explains to you a joke that Grace had told him on set. It was annoying at this point. You hadn't put much thought into it as they simply were friends. But the way he talked about her as irked something inside of you.

" I couldn't stop laughing. My stomach started to hurt" he explains motion with his hands as he hasn't even looked at you yet. You were glaring at the cup in front of you as you waiting for the water to boil. Your hands gripped the counter hearing her name slip out of his mouth like it was nothing. Doesn't he see what's going on?

You had met Joe through a friend, at the bar one night. His brown chocolate eyes met across the room as you sat down at the table. Your friend was saying something about her day but you could of just focused on him. His lips turned into a shy boyish smile as he lifted up his martini. Wesley was by his side, talking his ear off but Joseph eyes and attention has been on you.

" He's quite cute" your friend says stopping her talking as she takes notices you haven't heard a word what she went on about. Her eyes looked to where you were looking. Her hand wraps around your wrist as she tugs you to his table. Your eyes widen as you tried to stop her but it was no use as you were already at the table.

" My friend here thinks your very hot" she says to him. Your cheeks go red as you look down at the table. You wished that the floor had swallowed you at that very moment. Joseph smirked as he eyed your blushing cheeks.

" I think your friend is very hot too" he says, making sure you heard him. Your eyes met his one more time and you melted right there. The rest of the night, Joe flirted with you after giving you his name, danced with you and talked with you for the rest of the night. Wesley was too busy with your friend to even notice you and Joe got your own table.

Your smile and giggle was the very first thing that made Joe's heart melt. He completely was smitten by you.

" I wish you could of been there with me love to hear it" Joe says as he wraps his arms around you and rest his head on your shoulder as he glances down. He kisses your clothed shoulder, " You would like her, she's very nice" he adds.

At first you thought Grace and Joe were good friends but it's getting to the point where she is all he talks about when he comes back from set.

" I think you two would make good friends, love" he says as he unwraps his arms around you and get his own cup from the cupboard. You had no more desire to make yourself a cup of tea leaving Joe in the kitchen to make his own. His eyebrow frowned in confusion but shrugged it off thinking you had one of those days.

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You hummed as you brushed your hair in the bathroom, looking at yourself in the mirror when Joe walks into the bathroom and leans against the wall.

" You're looking so pretty today, love" he says. His eyes are warm with love as he looks at you.

" Thanks" you mutter to him. He was taken back at your response. Usually it was " Thank you handsome" or " thank you baby." He gets off from leaning against the wall and comes up behind you and takes the brush from your hands.

" Is everything okay, love?" He questions. He knows he hasn't been spending time with you as much because he's busy with either going on sets or something else comes up. He loves that your understanding with what he does and that you are always there to welcome him home.

" Yes" you nod, lying through your teeth as you briefly glance at him in the mirror. His tongue peeks out from his lips as he's focusing on brushing your hair. He loves doing this like this to bring a smile to your face.

Joe looks at you in the mirror and when he's done, he sets the brush down on the sink. He doesn't get to say anything else to let alone gets to bring you in his arms as you make your way out of the bathroom. His eyebrows frown together as he follows you.

The closet door is opened and he peeks in seeing that you were choosing what to wear for the day.

" I love it when you wear the color brown and blue, it brings out your eyes" he says. You rose your head staring at the item in front of you as you hear him. Who asked his opinion anyways?

When you take out a different color of choice of what to wear, Joe pouts thinking you hadn't heard what he says as you slip past him into the room.

" Did I do something?" he asks.

" No" you simply said. You couldn't even look at him right now knowing he was going to set soon. Probably to see Grace like usual. What did she have that you didn't?

Joe sits on the bed with his legs legs sprawled on, one hand is on top of his thigh as he watches you change.

" You're so beautiful" he says. " Thanks" you mutter to him without turning around and grabbing your shoes as you exited out of the bedroom. Joe huffed thinking you'd turn around and plop on his lap and wrap your arms around his neck. You weren't giving him the attention he wanted and he didn't know what was wrong.

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Joe had brought you on set where you greet everyone but Grace with hugs and smiles. Everyone loved seeing you on set, especially Jamie who races towards you with his arms out.

" Hello, darling" he greets you as he hugs you into his chest. Your cheek is smushed against his chest. He rest his head on top of yours. Jamie was one of your closest friends, having a stronger bond with Joe.

" How you've been?" he says while Joe walks off. You sigh as you step back a little and wrapped your arms around yourself. Jamie takes notices of the way you looked distant.

" What's the matter?" he asks, titling his head as he tries to look you in the eye. Jamie kneels a little to look you in the eye and he sees your eyes glistering with tears. " Who hurt you? Did someone say something?"

You didn't need to say anything as your eyes looked behind him to see Grace happily hug Joe, you can tell from Joe's side profile that he is happy to see her. Jamie turns around and looks to where your looking to see Grace a little to close for his own liking.

He looks back at you and sees the hurt on your face. He wraps his arms around you and kisses the crown of your head.

" Don't worry darling, I'll get to the bottom line of this" you sniffed as you silently thanked him with a grateful look on your face.

" Jamie!" he hears he was being called.

" Gotta go, darling. We will catch up soon" he gives your arm a squeeze as he runs to set.

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After a long day of shooting, after Jamie gets his Vecna make up and costume off, he decides he's going to find Joe and talk some sense into him. He doesn't like seeing you upset. You were like a little sister to him.

He finds Joseph stepping out of the trailer. He must of just gotten his wig off as he searches on top of his head.

" Joe" he calls out to grab Joe's attention. Joe's face lights up as he spots Jamie.

" I need to talk to you about something " Jamie says. Joe frowns thinking he had done something wrong and they stand a bit away from the trailers.

" What's been going on with you and Grace?" this causes Joe to be more confused as he doesn't understand what Jamie is getting at.

" What do you mean?" Joe asks.

Jamie rolls his eyes at how obvious his friend is.

" I'm talking about Grace flirting with you. She touches you every chance she can take and stands too close to you. Have you not noticed?"

Joe chuckles, " No you're wrong. She doesn't flirt with me. We're really good friends. Nothing is going on there. You know I love Y/N."

Jamie hums but shakes his head.

" I'd be careful" Jamie adds as he walks off and leaving Joe more confused than he was at the start of the conversation. Joe shrugs as he walks around the set to find you.

He sees your back and talking to Maya and as he get closer he hears Maya talking about her music to you. His arm wraps around you and pulls you close to him. Your body stiffs at his touch causing him to frown.

" I'm all done, love" he says. You nod letting him know you hurt him but continue to talk to Maya. Joe huffs and pouts as he nuzzles his nose into your neck, placing a kiss there. You squirm in his grasp and pull away.

Joe glances at the ground, feeling hurt that you don't return the affection he is giving you. It's been like that for a couple of days. His hart sinks as he walks off with his head hanging.

Grace who is standing nearby had watched as you brushed Joe away and smirks to herself. Finally, she thinks. She can have Joe to herself seeing that you no longer wanted him. At least that's how it looks like to her.

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" You know she likes you, right?" you tell him flipping through the magazine as Joe returns to his trailer after needing to talk to Grace about something. He stops in his tracks as he hears you.

His eyebrows are frowned together as he turns his head.

" What? You mean as friends, right?" you set the magazine down on the table and shake your head. " How do you not see it? She has a high school crush on you. She is trying to get close to you, batting her eyelashes at you, touching you and every time you look at her, she is red and her eyes are shining like your offering her the whole world to her"

" You're making this up" He says as he crosses his arms over his chest. You stared at him in disbelief, " How am I making this up when I clearly see it with my own eyes?"

He sighs as he pinches the bridge of his nose.

" I don't have time to deal with this" he says as he brushes past you to the bathroom. Your heart sinks as he's not seeing the clearer picture. You shake your head as you exit out of the trailer, not wanting to be around him right now.

Later on set as Joe is standing as Eddie, Grace bounces to him dressed up as Chrissy as she beams at the sight of him.

" Hi Joe" she greets him. Joe gently smiles at her, " Hi Grace." She looks around, biting her bottom lip as a nervous glance over takes her. Joe's eyebrows knit together seeing the look on her face.

" Are you okay?"

She nods and steps closer to her. Joe thinks she wants to hug him but she leans up, tilts her head to the side as she presses her lips against his. It takes a second for Joe to realize what she's doing as he pulls away from her with anger in his eyes.

" Grace" he starts to say. She looks around in panic thinking someone saw them or her kissing Joe. " What the hell was that? You know I have a girlfriend?"

Grace tears up, " I thought you and her are fighting or something. I saw the way she was distancing herself from you."

Joe shakes his head, " We were friends Grace. I really don't think we should continue being friends. I love Y/N, she's my girlfriend and this" he motions between himself and Grace, " this isn't happening. I'm sorry if you thought there was something. But I've been such a fool to notice this. I need to find Y/N" he says realizing he should of listened to you.

He is angry at himself and at Grace.

" But Joe, I love you" she says. Joe looks at her with wide eyes, " Grace" he says through gritted teeth, " I'm in a relationship with Y/N. We have our bumps but she's the girl I'm in love with. I chose her, I will keep choosing her. She's my person. Not you."

Grace bottom lip quivers as she turns away and runs. Joe runs a hand down his face and runs to set. He was going to find you later.

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" I don't know, maybe he isn't to her too" you says as you sit next to Jamie on the steps of his trailer.

" I'm sure it's not like that darling, he would never do that to you" he says.

" Can I talk to my girlfriend, Jamie?" Joe says as he stops in front of you and Jamie. Jamie lays a hand on your shoulder as he leaves you with Joe. He gives one look at Joe letting him know he's watching him. Joe takes Jamie's spot next to you.

" You were right" you turn your head to meet his gaze. He is staring ahead before he looks down at his hands. " Grace told me she loved me" your body stiff as your nose scrunches up in anger. Joe takes notices of your body language and puts his hand on top of yours.

" She kissed me too" at those words, you shot up out from where you were sitting but a hand brings you back in front of him as he stands up and wraps his arms around your waist.

" But I'm sorry, I should of listened to you and how you felt about her.I didn't think about your feelings and how it would affect our relationship. I'm angry at myself for letting her think I lead her on and I'm sorry it caused our relationship another bump. I hate it." He presses his lips against your forehead.

" She disrespected our relationship. She doesn't mean anything to me, I've told her that I didn't want her to be part of my life anymore. She caused problems between us and I rather us be okay. I love you, Y/N. You're my person" he leans his forehead on yours.

Your hands play with the collar of his shirt, feeling the chains underneath there.

" You're lucky you're handsome and I forgive you, Joe. But we both need to work on our insecurities and concerns in the future. I love you too, so much. I don't want us to become distant and never talk about things. Relationships are based on communication and I rather us talk about it. Okay?"

He nods, " Okay, I'll do anything to keep you in my life. I want us, forever" he says as he brings one of your hands up to his lips and kisses on top of it.

#joseph quinn imagine #joseph quinn x you #joseph quinn x reader #imagine joseph quinn #joseph quinn #joseph quinn x y/n #joseph quinn x fem!reader #jewls writes

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quinncupine · 3 years

Text

Coffee Break

Word Count: 4, 617

Relationship: Izuku Midoriya X Reader

Summary: It was just a once-in-a-lifetime run-in with a hero so you never expected him to show up at your diner in the wee hours of the morning ever again. Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, but three times is a pattern.

Notes: Just a silly little fluff piece. Also no offense to coffee! Let me know what you think! Thanks Loves (I tried to make the reader gender neutral, but if you see a slip up, let me know :)

Quinns Masterlist!

...

The storm only seemed to grow worse as the night went on. Thunder rumbled the windows of the dingy little diner that Deku walked past; cold and miserable as he continued his patrol. Another bolt of lightning struck one of the skyscrapers lining downtown and a faint crash came from inside the diner just as the thunder rolled through his soaked form. He glanced through the watery windows to see you, busy cleaning a broken mug, carefully gathering the shattered pieces in a towel. His feet came to a halt. The rain dripped off the edges of his green locks that stuck to his forehead as he watched you head into the back.

It couldn't hurt to take a little break. Besides, it was two in the morning and the storm seemed to be persuading anyone up at this hour to stay inside. So, he wiped the wet hair out of his face and opened the door. The shrill tinkle of the chime alerted you to the newcomer who sat at the counter, dripping wet.

You stepped through the swinging doors of the kitchen and stopped dead in your tracks. This wasn't just any newcomer. No, this was one you knew, or rather, knew of. You'd seen him on television plenty of times. Deku, a young pro who was quickly climbing the ranks.

When you realized you were staring, you quickly wiped your hands off on your apron and grabbed a fresh dishtowel. "You, uh, you look like you could use some coffee," you said, handing him the towel, "and a mop."

He blinked and looked down at the trail of water he'd left in his wake. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" The hero stood up, but you waved him back down with a laugh.

"Relax, have some coffee. I'll take care of it," you pushed the towel he'd dropped on the counter closer and set a fresh cup of coffee in front of him. "What, they don't let you carry umbrellas?" Grabbing a mop, you wiped up the mini flood in no time.

Deku turned on the stool to watch you while he dried the mess that he called his hair. "I might have to talk to my support designer about it."

"Seems like they can design anything these days," you set the wet floor sign out, even though there was only one other customer in the corner, and went back behind the counter. "So, what else can I getcha?"

"Oh, nothing." His eyes darted up to yours before he looked down at his coffee. "I just wanted a break from the rain."

"Yeah, I didn't expect it to get this bad." The rain-soaked windows blurred the world outside and distant sounds of thunder would occasionally vibrate the panes. "Which begs the question; what brings Deku all the way out here in the wee hours of the morning?"

"You...know who I am?" He started, blinking at you owlishly.

"Well yeah," you smiled, then backtracked, waving your hands. "I mean, it's just that I know you're a hero and I've seen you on T.V. saving people and in interviews. Not that I've watched all your interviews and...uh...I'm sorry, I'm babbling. It's just, we uh, we don't get many heroes in here. We don't get many people in here actually." Stepping back, you bumped into the shelf behind you, "Um you probably just wanna relax. I'll let you do that now."

"No wait," he leaned forward to stop you, "some company would be nice."

Hesitating, you glanced around the near-empty diner before finally turning back to him, trying to cool your cheeks. "Okay then. So what are you doing walking around in the pouring rain at two in the morning?"

"Patrol," he shrugged. "I was put on the late shift this week. I don't mind...usually."

"Usually? You mean when it isn't raining cats and dogs outside?" When he chuckled at you, you leaned your elbow on the counter," I'm glad you stopped in. This place may not be the warmest, but it sure beats the rain."

"Feels plenty warm to me," he handed the towel over, avoiding your gaze. "Thanks."

"No problem," you slung the towel over your shoulder, ignoring the water soaking into your uniform, not quite ready to move yet. Unfortunately, the only other customer waved you down and you scrunched your eyes, "excuse me, duty calls." With a wink, you went over to the old man sitting in the corner booth. "What can I get ya, Mr. Yoshii."

While you were busy with the customer, Deku patted his cheeks with the back of his hand, trying to cool the embarrassing tint that splashed across his face. Then he looked down at the steaming cup of coffee and took an experimental sip. It was terrible, but it wasn't your fault. He couldn't stand the taste of coffee, which was ironic for someone who always worked strange hours and hardly slept anyway. He wasn't even sure why he agreed to a cup...wait, he didn't agree to a cup. You just set one in front of him and never one to be rude, just accepted it. Braving the taste, he swallowed the bitter liquid before you came back, forcing the cringe off his face as you stepped behind the counter.

"Guess late-night patrols are exhausting," you smirked, grabbing the coffee pot. "Need a refill?"

"No!" The word came out just a little too desperately." I mean, I actually need to get back." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the slightly soggy money and laid it on the counter. "Thanks for the coffee," he turned, but hesitated and glanced back at you with a shy smile, "and the conversation."

"Anytime hero," you saluted with a laugh, "see you around."

He turned away so you couldn't catch the rush of heat that spread across his freckled cheeks yet again and nodded. With a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped back into the downpour. The darkness almost completely engulfed him and with a final glance back into the soft glow of the diner, he vanished into the night.

When he was finally out of sight, your shoulders slumped and you dropped your head on the counter with a groan. "Anytime hero? You couldn't think of anything else to say?"

The one time a hero comes into your diner and you say that? Not just any hero either, the pro hero Deku. The same Deku whose figurine you'd bought almost as soon as it was released. Oh god, if he ever found out you had that, you might just die on the spot. But that was assuming you'd ever run into him again and that wasn't likely. It was just a once-in-a-lifetime run-in with a hero who didn't even seem all that interested in talking. Just as polite as he always appeared in interviews.

"Get it together," you whispered, lightly smacking your cheeks.

"You're not falling apart over some guy are you Y/N?" Mr. Yoshii yelled from his corner booth.

You whipped your head up to see the devilish grin on the man's face. "Mr. Yoshii!"

It wasn't until four days later when a much lighter rainstorm rolled through the city. The skyscrapers huddled downtown in the cold, layered in a hazy fog that was barely visible in the darkness of the early morning. Soft rain dribbled down the windows, blurring the streetlamps lining the sidewalk. It was yet another slow, boring shift with only Mr. Yoshii to keep you company.

Bored out of your mind, you messed around with a paper straw, trying to make a game out of how far you could blow the wrapper down the counter. On your third attempt, the paper slid off and disappeared under one of the stools. Even the straw didn't want to stick around.

"Another refill please, Y/N," Mr. Yoshii waved.

"Coming up," you sighed and grabbed the coffee pot. "Finished your sudoku already?" You filled his cup, nodding to the newspaper.

"It was too easy today. They really need to step up their game," he tapped his head with his pen. "I need to stimulate the old noggin you know."

"Pretty sure you're the only one stimulating their noggin at this hour Mr. Yoshii."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," he grinned as the bell chimed behind you.

Turning around, you came face to face with curly wet locks and bright viridian eyes. "Deku!" You nearly dropped the pot before rushing back to the counter, trying to maintain your composure. "I didn't expect to see you again. Couldn't stay away from my coffee eh? I'll get ya a cup, just hang on!" Rushing your words, you scrambled around, momentarily forgetting where the mugs were. "Here!" you slammed the cup in front of him before he could even get a hello in.

"Um..." he took a seat and stared at the cup in front of him. "Thanks."

"So uh, what brings you back?" Blowing a loose strand of hair out of your face, you tried to lean casually against the counter, hoping it wasn't obvious how thrown off you were by his sudden and unexpected appearance. "Still on patrol duty?"

"Yeah," he said, gingerly grabbing the cup to take a small sip. "Figured this was a good a place as any to take a break from the rain again."

What he didn't tell you was that as soon as it started to rain, he took a few shortcuts just so he could get here quicker. He was too nervous to come back in without an excuse, praying for another rainy day to save him.

"Ah, the rain, right, yes..." nodding, you looked at the rain slowly tapping against the glass. "Still no umbrella I see."

"You know, I actually talked to my support designer about it. Hatsume is a genius when it comes to her babi- uh her inventions. She's going to make me an item to help with the rain." He seemed to relax a little as he described the plans she had drawn out for him.

"Oh, I see, so the wind pressure coming from the valves here-" you touched the little spot he'd pointed out on his uniform near his neck" -should push away any rain that comes near. Clever."

"Um, yeah." A nervous chuckle escaped his mouth as he glanced at your fingers still prodding the spot. He grabbed the cup to distract himself from your closeness. "I had no idea you were interested in this kind of stuff."

"Are you kidding, I love talking about hero-" with a cough, you took a step back, busying yourself with your apron. "I mean, yeah, it's interesting. You're lucky to have such a great designer. Of course, it's not just the gear that makes a hero." Adding just an ounce of courage, you poked his chest. "It's the heart too."

This time, you did catch the blush that bloomed across his cheeks and you frantically waved your hands. "Oh, wait, I'm sorry! I just meant that you've got the heart, uh, I mean the spirit of a hero! It's what makes you so amazing, er, incredible. I just, ugh, I just mean you're a great hero Deku!" With a huff, you snatched the towel off your shoulder and wiped an invisible stain on the counter, avoiding his wide eyes.

"Thank you," he whispered, trying to hide his smile behind his cup, and glanced at the clock on the wall. "Oh no, I really need to get going. Still need to finish my patrol." He set the money on the counter, taking his time before he finally stood up. "It's been really nice talking to you, uh, hmm you know my name but I don't know yours."

"Y/N." It was hard to get a word out as those giant green eyes seemed to envelop your whole being.

"Y/N," he tested the name with a smile. "Well it's been great Y/N and I'm sorry to rush out so suddenly. I didn't realize how long I'd been sitting here. Maybe next I see you, I'll have my umbrella." A quick wave and he dashed out into the rain.

When he was finally gone, you deflated, blowing out all the breath you'd been holding for what felt like the entire time. The cool surface felt nice on your burning skin. You were at least decently composed the first time, but this time, you were sure you looked like a total buffoon in front of him. What happened? How could he crumble your composure just by showing up?

"Cheer up Y/N," Mr. Yoshii came to the counter and set his newspaper down. "You still got this old man."

"Thanks, Mr. Yoshii," you mumbled into the counter.

You stewed in your embarrassment, listening to some story the old man had told you countless times before until you remembered what Deku had said: Next time.

Maybe he was only being polite when he said that because a week had gone by without a single strand of curly green hair bobbing past the large diner windows. But there was no way you'd admit to waiting for those freckled cheeks to walk through those doors because that would just be ridiculous...right? He was a pro hero and you were just...some server.

"Y/N," Mr. Yoshii had decided to switch from his usual spot in the corner to keeping you company at the counter this week. "Unless you have a quirk that teleports him here, I don't think staring at the door is gonna make him magically appear."

You blinked, taken aback by the bold comment, and turned to the man. "Wha- what are you on about Mr. Yoshii? I'm not trying to make anyone-"

The bell chimed and you both turned to see who it was. It couldn't be. It was way too much of a coincidence that he would walk in of all moments, but your breath still caught in your throat as you whipped your head up to- oh, it was just another customer who slunk into a stool at the end of the counter.

Picking up your pad, you shuffled over, ready to take their order when the bell chimed again. Your heart did a little flip when you looked up to see that green frizzy hair you'd been longing to see all week walk through the door.

"Deku!" A smile a mile wide had taken up residence on your face and refused to leave, so you turned away from him to grab a coffee mug, completely forgetting about the customer right in front of you.

"And I stand corrected," Mr. Yoshii chuckled, folding his newspaper.

The smile Deku returned was enough to cause the mug to slip out of your hands. The only thing that saved it from certain demise was the hero's fast reflexes. He leaned over the counter to catch it, ending up just inches from you. When he looked up, you could clearly make out the cute patch of freckles nestled across his face and then you both came back to your senses, scrambling away from each other.

Deku, mug in hand, sat in his usual place at the counter, clearing his throat. Before he had a chance to say anything, Mr. Yoshii, who was sitting next to him, gathered his things and stood up.

"Well, I should be off," he winked at you as he put his hat on. "Looks like things are...well in hand here." The old man seemed to get a chuckle from his joke and waved as he headed out the door.

"Fast reflexes," you muttered, pouring him a cup of coffee.

He rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, well, it comes with the territory, I guess."

"I suppose it does. You know how many mugs I could've saved if I had reflexes like that?" you said before remembering the other customer. "Oh, excuse me!" Turning to the man you had abandoned mid-order, you quickly rushed over and apologized. It didn't seem to matter much because he was staring at Deku in awe. Guess you weren't the only one to be dumbstruck by the hero before you.

Taking the other customer's order had given you a bit of a chance to calm down. A few deep breaths and you turned back to Deku, determined to keep your cool. "What, no coffee breaks for a week?" you said, giving the order to the kitchen.

"Has it been a week?" he murmured, wrapping his scarred hands around the hot mug. "Sorry."

That cute little pout tried its best to throw you off, but you crossed your arms, focusing on his hands instead. "What are you sorry for? You weren't getting your coffee fixin's somewhere else, were you?" Finally risking a glance up at his face, you gave him a mischievous smirk.

"Oh god no," he laughed, nearly choking on the drink. "I just mean, uh, I've been busy. Went on a mission, but now it's back to early morning patrol."

"Well, I'm glad you're back," you messed with a loose strand of hair by your face, "Uh from the mission. I'm glad you're back from the mission."

Deku stared into the cup with a small smile. There was some silence before the other customer called you back over. While you were busy, he drank as much of the bitter liquid as he could, trying not to gag on the taste. When you came back, he had a half-empty mug and a strained smile.

"You sure you don't want a fill-up? You only ever seem to drink one cup."

"Oh trust me, one is plenty."

With a shrug, you turned back to the kitchen to grab the food and serve it. Deku watched you work, eyes barely leaving you. Even in the bright fluorescent lights of the diner, he thought you looked amazing. He was suddenly very glad he convinced Todoroki to switch shifts with him this week so he could work the early morning patrols again. When you glanced back at him, he looked down at his mug, debating on whether or not he had to finish it.

"I see you got the new upgrades," your voice startled him and he nearly spilled the cup.

"What?" then he followed your gaze to his shoulder pads where Hatsume had installed the new gadget. "Oh yeah. Though it hasn't rained since I got them, but knowing Hatsume, they'll work like a charm...or blow up." You couldn't tell if he was joking or not with the thoughtful expression on his face.

"It's a lot more compact than I would've imagined," you said, touching the small little cylinders poking out from the pads. "This Hatsume must be a crazy good designer."

"Well, she is both of those things," he laughed, keenly aware of how close your hand was to his face.

When you looked up at him, your eyes met and you jerked your hand away. "Uh, so this mission of yours," you grabbed a dish towel to wring between your fingers, "can you tell me about it. Or is it like some confidential top-secret thing?"

"I didn't do anything important. We were just called in for some extra security for a visiting diplomat."

"Sounds important to me."

"It was pretty dull for the most part," he shrugged. "Although there was this one day when we thought the car had been sabotaged, but it turned out the battery just died."

"The exciting chronicles of a hero," you leaned forward. "What else happened?"

Time seemed to blur as the two of you talked about everything and anything under the sun. The few customers who had come in were all gone by the time Deku's cup was empty and he had sipped the last half of the cup very slowly.

"Wait," you straightened, glancing at the clock. "Aren't you still on patrol?"

Deku blinked and looked at the time. "Oh crap, I'm so late!" He knocked over the stool in his haste to stand. "I'm really sorry I have to keep running out on you like this," he said, picking up the metal seat, "but I really did enjoy it. See you later!"

You just stood behind the counter trying your hardest not to laugh at his clumsy display. For a pro hero, he could get so flustered so quickly. When the stool was back in place, he kept spewing out apologies, backing up until he hit the door and spilled outside.

A few seconds later, he stumbled back in and placed the money on the counter. "I almost forgot."

"That's okay, I know you're good for it."

Rubbing the back of his head, he backed out of the diner again. "Bye Y/N."

Hearing your name spill from his lips did something to your heart. Suddenly the world seemed to only focus on the door he disappeared through. You wanted to hear your name come from him and only him for the rest of your days.

Those little coffee breaks soon became a regular thing. He would come in almost every day. Always before the sun rose and could never stay very long, but the two of you would talk the entire time he was there. Mr. Yoshii would sometimes have to remind you that you did, in fact, have other customers that needed attention too. In those moments, you would slink away, embarrassed, and attend to the other patrons before coming right back to continue whatever conversation you were having.

Finally, the day came when another heavy thunderstorm rolled through the city, and lo and behold, Deku came in almost completely dry. You both geeked out on the mechanics of the new support item and just like every time you came close to him, he would stiffen eyes lingering on your hands as they fiddled with the little device embedded in his suit.

He sat at the counter where the coffee mug was placed in front of him. After so many times, he was finally getting used to the taste. Although he still thought it was awful, it was bearable because...well for reasons.

"You know, you're always working the early morning shifts, but I never see you drink anything." Deku mused, tapping his cup. "You brew so much coffee every day...you should have some...with me."

"Oh no way," you shook your head, organizing the condiments. "I don't drink coffee. I don't like it."

He was mid-sip when he nearly choked on the drink. "What?"

"Coffee. It's way too bitter for me."

He stared at you for a second before he burst out laughing, nearly dropping his cup. You cocked your head, abandoning the condiments to give him a curious smile as the laughs echoed around the empty diner.

"What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry," he tried to reign in his spluttering chuckles as he grabbed a napkin and dabbed the spots where he spilled the coffee. "It's just...I don't like it either."

"But that's the only thing you order when you come in here." You blinked. "What- why would you order something you don't even like!"

He focused on wiping up the now non-existent stain on the counter, hints of red blossoming up from under his collar, muttering something unintelligible.

"Deku?" you pushed the cup away and took the napkin from him.

"It's just, well, when I first came in you said I looked like I could use some coffee and when you put one in front of me, I just...well, um...I don't know." A scarred hand ran through his frizzy curls. "Technically I never ordered coffee, but it sorta became our...thing? So I never said anything."

It took a minute for the information to absorb. But after thinking it through, he was right. You'd always just given him a cup that he never even asked for. Even after all that, he still kept coming back. A giggle that quickly turned into a full-on cackle jumped from your mouth and you grabbed the counter to steady yourself. His face only grew more red as he nervously laughed along with you. Luckily, the diner was empty or you would've turned a few heads with that boisterous laughter.

When you finally caught your breath, you looked up at him. "So, you've been coming in here at like 2 in the morning to order something you don't even like? For weeks?" You swiped the cup from him. "Okay, so what do you like?"

Deku reached for the cup, his own hands wrapped over yours. "Wait, I do like it...well not the coffee, but-" he cut himself off and let go. "I mean...well I-" a small groan escaped his lips as he rubbed his face. "What I mean is-"

"Relax Deku," you said, dumping the coffee in the sink. "Let me get you something you actually like."

"But I like y-" he stopped yet again, the words sticking in his throat every time. "Um, well, look at the time, I've got to get back to patrols." In his haste, he nearly knocked the stool over, slapping the money on the counter and rushing for the door.

He'd fought villains that were easier than trying to finish this conversation. The embarrassment had firmly set in his stomach and he needed to get some fresh air and reassess the situation. There was no way he could face you when he was too flustered to even speak.

"Hey, I'm sorry," you scrambled around the counter, "I didn't mean to upset you. If you still want the coffee, I can make you another cup."

Deku paused, fingers on the handle, heart nearly beating out of his chest. It was now or never. "You could never upset me Y/N." Carefully avoiding your eyes, he turned to face you. "It's not the coffee I want." Finally, he glanced up, rubbing his neck. "I don't come in here for the coffee anyways."

"So what do you come-" the answer seemed to slap you in the face. Still feeling the hot sting of your own flustered self at the realization, you looked at your feet with the widest smile. "You're such a dork, you know that?" Before he could say anything else, you grabbed his arm and dragged him back to the stool. "I'm not letting you leave until you tell me what you want." You crossed your arms and stood between him and the door.

"So, this just turned into a hostage situation then?" He mirrored your actions. "I can handle those. Are those your only demands?"

"Oh, don't tempt me, hero," you pulled the dishtowel off your shoulders and waved it at him. "I'm armed and dangerous here. Tell me what I want to know and everyone goes free."

Deku glanced around the empty diner. "And if I don't want to go free?"

"Well then..." you spluttered. "Uh-"

"How about a negotiation?" Deku stole the towel hanging limply in your hands. "I'll tell you on Saturday."

"But I don't work on Saturday."

"I know."

Your stomach practically leaped into your throat. Was he trying to ask you on a date? Mind whirring, you just stared at him dumbstruck and that confidence he'd gained quickly drained.

"I mean, only if you wanted to. But you don't have to, uh,-" he handed you the towel back and stood up. "-here."

You took the towel but squeezed your hands over his before he could let go. "And suppose I agree to these conditions. Where would we go?"

He stared at your hands, a small smirk on his face before he looked up at you. "Anywhere but a coffee shop."

#izuku midoria x reader #pro hero deku #midoryia izuku #deku #reader insert #izuku x y/n #my hero academia #mha #bnha #boku no hero academia #i have nothing against coffee #except that i hate it #😌#pure fluff #and a whole lotta awkwardness

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irishseeeker · 3 years

Link

the story of us

summary: Five times Kate Sheffield and Anthony Bridgeton were just friends and one time they were more.

find chapter 1 here or here

find chapter 2 here or here

find chapter 3 here or here

find chapter 4 here or here

---

chapter 5: part 1-I think I’ve seen this film before, and I didn’t like the ending.

Kate was sitting on Anthony’s couch, wearing a dinosaur hat and drinking a glass of wine.

A very normal thing for a twenty five year old to do on a Thursday night.

She had managed to get out of the office at a reasonable seven o’clock tonight, as opposed to her usual nine. Agatha Danbury, her boss and career idol, had pushed her out of the office and told her to go out and have a drink.

She never specified with whom, so a glass of white wine with Newton seemed perfectly acceptable.

She had expected Anthony to be home but he had texted her earlier that he wouldn’t be home until late.

That had become a common occurrence lately. He was definitely avoiding her. He sometimes never came home at all.

The anxiety was clawing at her, she wanted to know where he was and what he was doing but he kept his explanations vague and usually to do with work. More specifically, who he was doing. They had never been too intimate on the details of their sex lives but Kate couldn’t stop herself from wondering. He hadn’t brought anyone home in the two months she had lived here.

Was she in his way? This was his flat, after all. She had long overstayed her welcome and his disappearing act had confirmed that. Anthony would never tell her that, he was too good of a person and he really didn’t understand boundaries. Kate had clearly overstepped his.

Her thoughts had been confirmed when she had found a hotel key on the floor of their bathroom. It was still in its slip, the date written on the paper was only last week. Why would he stay at a hotel fifteen minutes away from his flat?

Kate knew why.

It wasn’t her.

She poured herself another glass of wine.

She was going to miss the flat.

Kate had slowly woven herself into his flat over the past two months. She had her favourite spot on the couch, the corner of the couch with the perfect view of the television. She had her favourite stool at the kitchen counter, where she could watch Anthony cook and feed Newton bits off her place. She knew Anthony’s morning routine so well she knew exactly what time to jump out behind the bathroom door to scare him.

Newton even had a favourite spot, amusingly in Anthony’s favourite armchair. He had spent a few thousand pounds on a gorgeous grey, L shaped sofa that could fit his whole family yet he always sat on the old, brown cracked leather plush armchair. Kate had found out a while ago it had been his dad’s old armchair, Violet had had it refurbished slightly and had given it to Anthony for his birthday this year.

Her first mistake was becoming too comfortable.

It was dangerous. She had let herself fall too deep into her fantasy and the dread of reality was slowly creeping up on her. This wasn’t real life. She was a twenty five year old woman hopelessly in love with her best friend who didn’t feel the same about her. He was letting her stay while she figured it out.

What was wrong with her? Kate had told herself after her first week staying here she would find somewhere to live. She felt guilty, invading Anthony’s space but he really hadn’t seemed to mind. If anything, he was encouraging it. He found something wrong with every single flat Kate had visited until she finally found the perfect one within her budget.

She had always worried that Anthony was lonely here since Simon had left. She knew he had been, he had spent more time at her flat in the last few months than he had since the day she moved in. Anthony was not someone who was used to being alone.

He probably didn’t want her here, he just wanted someone here. She was in the way now and if she stayed here any longer, it was just going to get worse. It felt like Anthony was deliberately avoiding her, he had barely been around lately and when he was, it was like it wasn’t really here. They had their moments, they always would-but something was wrong.

Kate had found excuse after excuse to delay moving out until she had woven a perfect web of her own downfall.

Her second mistake? That was moving in with her best friend who she was desperately in love with.

Kate was still right where she was when she was eighteen years old.

Hopelessly in love with Anthony Bridgerton and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it.

It had consumed her. It had become a part of her. She loved him like she took her first breath every morning. She loved him like when she made her first coffee of the morning, with a splash of milk and a tiny bit of sugar. She loved how he texted like he was your grandad, with perfect grammar and punctuation. He still asked her what emojis meant. She loved every single thing about him, even the things that drove her up the wall like his non-existent patience and how he left his plates and mugs always in the sink instead of putting them into the dishwasher.

She just loved Anthony Bridgerton.

Kate had been doing it for eight years and she was so good at it.

It was almost sweet, if it wasn’t so tragic.

It wasn’t logical. It wasn’t practical. Despite him being her best friend, Anthony had always been clear about his stance on relationships. He didn’t do them. He hadn’t since his disastrous one with Siena. Whenever someone mentioned love or marriage, his face would turn into a stony expression and his upper lip would curl in slight disgust.

He didn’t want that.

Kate did, she desperately did-but she wanted it with him.

Her new flat would be ready in two weeks, the owner was still finishing renovations. In two weeks, she would move out of his flat and possibly tell Anthony she was in love with him.

Would the truth set her free? Or would it just cause her to lose Anthony forever?

Kate heard the front door close, snapping her out of her inner hell and it was followed by a few swear words and Anthony muttering under his breath as he walked into the living room.

“Those bloody deathtraps,” Anthony muttered, a scowl on his face as he appeared at the door of the living room. He was talking about her roller skates, she had gone to Hyde Park again with Edwina over the weekend. Kate was absolutely rubbish, but it was fun. “You’re going to break a bone in those things.”

“At least I’ll look cute while doing so.” Kate grinned at him, peeking her head over the top of the couch. She had bought a retro purple pair off Amazon, that reminded her of Grease and the 60s.

Anthony was staring at her with an amused expression, leaning against the wall. Kate knew Anthony’s strange behaviour wasn’t completely because of her. He had been acting strange since he made up with Daphne and Simon.

“Kate?”

“Mm?”

“Why are you wearing a dinosaur hat?”

She had forgotten about the hat two wine glasses ago.

Kate Sheffield, constantly oozing sex appeal.

There was really no explanation. “I have a better question. Why wouldn’t I be wearing a dinosaur hat?”

“Touche.” Anthony chuckled, opening up the fridge and pulling out a beer. He loosened the tie around his neck, unbuttoning the first few buttons of his shirt with one hand as he made his way towards his armchair. He picked up Newton under his arm, who had been happily snoozing on his armchair before Anthony interrupted him.

Anthony sat down, putting Newton back down on his lap. He had long given up fighting Newton for his armchair. It was their armchair now.

Well, it would be for another two weeks.

“I was packing and I found the party bag from Hyacinth’s party,” Kate explained, tipping the cowboy hat on her head that had a Tyrannosaurus Rex’s head coming out of the top of it. Kate didn’t miss the frown on his face when she mentioned packing up her stuff, but she dismissed it. It didn’t mean anything. She threw the spare hat over to him. “Did you really think I wouldn’t have one for you?”

Anthony stared at the hat that had landed on the couch beside him with vague disgust. “There’s not a chance in hell I’m wearing that.”

“Why? It looks like you,” Kate teased, reaching up to pinch the dinosaur’s spotty nose on the top of her head. “Go on. Aw, he’s got your nose.”

Anthony couldn’t help the smile that broke out on his face, as much as he was trying to fight it. It made Kate feel warm, she felt like she hadn’t seen it in a while. This felt good. It felt like them. “Is this how you treat people who give you a roof under your head out of the goodness of their heart? By insulting their good looks?”

“That doesn’t make any sense, though. You gave me a roof under my head.”

Anthony picked up the hat and slammed it onto his head. “I know you find me good looking, Kate. Just admit it.”

Kate chose to ignore the fluttery feeling inside of her stomach and the frustration building up inside of her. He was now flirting with her when he had been acting so off with her for the past two weeks? How was that fair? This wasn’t just them having a laugh. Kate may have feelings for Anthony, but she didn’t delude herself into thinking he was flirting with her when he wasn’t. He had always been a flirt. She was too, usually only with him. She would play it off, like she always did. “Hmm. Maybe to some people.”

Teasing was easier than telling the truth. Kate wasn’t confident he found her good looking, she wasn’t his usual type. In fact, she was the opposite to any girl she had ever seen him with. Kate was so forgettable he had forgotten their kiss.

Kate picked up her phone, taking a few quick pictures of Anthony and then flipping the camera to take a few pictures of her smiling with a disgruntled looking Anthony in the background.

She put the phone down, laughing her arse off and smiling at him very satisfied. “I’ll show them at your wedding.”

“I hope you do.”

There was a moment of silence where they both just stared at each other, his words lingering in the air. His tone wasn’t teasing or sarcastic, it was gritty and left a bitter taste in her mouth. It was also very confusing. Kate had no idea how to respond to him so she just...didn’t. Anthony quickly broke the silence, changing the topic completely.

“That reminds me. I just got back from having a drink with Simon.”

Kate wasn’t expecting that. Kate moved across the couch towards him, pushing herself up onto her knees once she reached him. She lifted her hand to inspect his neatly shaven jaw, she would really find any excuse to touch him. “I don’t see any bruises.”

“Funny.” Anthony said dryly, his eyes following her hand until they locked eyes with hers.

Kate laughed, choking on the intensity of the brief eye contact and fell back onto the couch, taking another sip of her wine. “I know, I’m considering pursuing stand-up comedy full time. What did Simon want?”

Things had improved between Anthony and Simon since they made up at Hyacinth’s birthday party three weeks ago. They were civil and spent time together when they all hung out together, but things weren’t the same and they still had a lot of rebuilding to do. They definitely weren’t back to hanging out together like they did before their fight.

“Simon just told me he’s going to ask Daphne to marry him.”

Kate spat out her wine.

Anthony’s jaw dropped before he quickly jumped out of his armchair, causing Newton to growl at him for waking him up. “Kate, that’s a leather couch!”

Kate spluttered, coughing as the wine she had just choked on continued to tickle her throat. “I’m sorry. Forget the couch. What did you just say?”

Anthony had run into the kitchen to grab paper towels, dabbing at the wet stains on the couch. It was only white wine, so it wouldn’t stain. He also handed her a glass of water, his expression strained as he roughly wiped at the couch. “He told me he was going to propose to Daphne this weekend.”

Kate stared at Anthony as if he had grown another head and an arm on his leg. “Did someone drop him on his head? Daph turned twenty two last week! He’s barely twenty six! I watched him laugh at a video of a dog swimming in a duck costume last week for twenty minutes. He can’t get married.”

Once again, Anthony shrugged. This was the man who had punched his best friend for going near his sister and refused to speak to both of them for two months. He simply shrugged. “Well, he plans to.”

“Why are you so calm?” Kate narrowed her eyes. Anthony was far calm about this. He had punched Simon and ignored him for two months when he had found out about Daphne and him. “Does anyone know Simon’s current whereabouts?”

Anthony’s deadpanned expression made a small smile creep onto Kate’s shocked face. “Seriously, it’s like a comedy night here.”

“Did you kill him?” When the opportunity presented itself, Kate would always wind up Anthony Bridgerton further. She also knew that he was probably feeling extremely frustrated and hurt and was showing a surprising level of self-control, so it wasn’t the worst idea to lighten the mood.

“No,” Anthony said, twisting his nose and mouth into a taunting smile. “But I might kill you.”

“Please, you couldn’t live without me.” Kate retorted with a teasing smile, but the eerie silence that followed quickly killed any amusement in her face. Anthony looked exhausted. Things had been strange between them but the dark bags under his eyes and the deflated look on his face showed Kate something more. She knew Anthony and she knew he was keeping something from her.

“He’s asking her in Paris this weekend,” Anthony explained, focusing on stroking Newton’s fur instead of looking at Kate. “That’s where he’s taking her for her surprise birthday trip. It’s perfect for her. Daph loves Paris.” “How do you feel about it?” Kate asked, caution filling her voice as she carefully observed Anthony. His body language was usually difficult to read and tonight was no exception. She knew he was upset but Anthony kept his walls high and guarded. She could never truly tell what he was feeling, whether it was that he wanted to scream or cry.

Anthony let out a deep sigh. “Would I rather set myself on fire than watch them get married? Yes. Do I think they’re rushing into it and incredibly young? Absolutely. Can I do anything about it? No. It’s their life. I can’t stop them. It doesn’t take a genius to know what I think about it but it’s not my decision to make. I’ll have to support them. I don’t want to fight anymore.”

Kate didn’t know what she would do if Edwina told her she was engaged.She’d probably have a heart attack. She was even younger than Daphne. She would probably drag Edwina back down the aisle, if she even let her get up it first.

“Mum is already planning their engagement party. She’s thrilled, of course. Simon spoke to her before me. Their party is going to be next weekend and then Ben’s gallery opening is the following Saturday.”

Kate nodded, biting her lip as she watched Anthony carefully. “What did he say to you?”

“Firstly, he asked me not to punch him. Then he said Daphne and him had already spoken about it. He wouldn’t propose if it wasn’t something Daphne wanted. He said he loved her so much and that he would always take care of her. He apologized for the timing considering things have only gotten civil again but he just couldn’t wait anymore,” Anthony said, sitting back down in his armchair and letting Newton settle back down in his lap. “He said he didn’t want to wait anymore when he knew Daph was the one. Why would he wait any longer when the love of his life was right in front of him?”

Simon did have a point. It was a difficult point for Kate to swallow but he had a point. Why was she waiting? Fear was becoming an exhausting reason.

In Kate’s opinion, they were far too young and they had only been together for nearly two years. This was Simon’s first serious relationship. It was ludicrous. Yet, it wasn’t her life. Her opinion didn’t matter here. They were taking control of their narrative and doing what was right for them. “Wow,” She murmured, not really knowing what else to say. It was a lot to take in. What happened to the teenager Kate had met eight years ago in Aubrey Hall? When had they all grown up so much? “I know this is probably a stupid question but are you okay?”

Newton stood up in Anthony’s lap, putting his two ginger paws on his chest and nuzzling his face against Anthony’s chest and face. He licked him a few times, which Anthony usually protested about but he was quiet tonight. Newton was trying to hug him. He always comforted Kate like that when she was upset. Newton just knew when something was wrong.

He was an angel, her Newton.

“I’m not really sure.” Anthony said honestly, smiling softly and rolling his eyes as Newton licked his cheek and chin, his paws pushing against Anthony’s chest as he tried to climb up further.

“That’s okay,” Kate gave Anthony a small smile, laughing softly as Anthony pushed Newton up by his bum until the corgi was half sitting on his shoulders and head. “I’ll be here if you need me.”

Anthony gave her a small grateful smile back, managing to get a scrambling Newton off his head and back onto his lap. When Anthony was around, Newton gave him his full attention. Kate didn’t blame the corgi at all. “You always are. Thanks, Kate.”

They exchanged a soft smile but no more words on the topic, despite the feeling that there was so much left unsaid between them.

“I can’t believe Daphne is getting married.”

Edwina zoomed in on the photo on Daphne’s instagram, the large diamond on her finger in front of her and Simon’s beaming faces with a glittering Eiffel Tower in the background. Kate had met up with Daphne for lunch yesterday and she had seen the ring in person, along with the detailed account of every minute of their trip and the proposal.

It was finally the weekend and Kate had spent Saturday morning roller skating-well, mostly falling with a side of skating-around Hyde Park with Edwina. They had gone back to her flat with takeaway kebabs and coffees, where she was staying with her boyfriend until her university term ended. Edwina was going to move back to their family home for the summer and stay with Kate in London when she wanted to, as Kate had decided to get her own flat for the first time.

Sophie was staying with Benedict for the summer, they seemed to be very happy and working through their problems. Since the Bridgertons owned Benedict’s flat, Sophie was insisting on paying for the utilities and groceries to pay her way. They were compromising and moving forward together. Edwina and Sophie were going to look for a flat at the end of the summer before university started, Sophie had finally saved up enough to enroll and start her course to become a teacher.

“Please don’t get any ideas.” Kate said, giving her a concerned look. Kate liked Edwina’s boyfriend Matthew a lot, he was a sweet guy and Edwina was head over heels for him, but they were not ready for marriage. Anthony had been uncharacteristically calm since he had found out about the engagement and it was very unnerving. It wasn’t like Kate could say much about Anthony these days, he was still avoiding her as much as possible. If they were together, it was rarely alone. Even at the flat, he had Hyacinth and Gregory over for a sleepover last night instead of their usual takeaway on Friday night.

Edwina snorted loudly. “As if. Mum only met Matthew last week. I don’t plan on getting married for a very long time.”

“I don’t know if I will ever get married.” It was true. Kate couldn’t see herself with anyone else. She had tried being with someone else and that had ended up in disaster. The cheating wasn’t her fault but her being in love with Anthony before and during her relationship meant it never stood a chance.

It was ridiculous to think about marriage at twenty-five years old when she had so much time and she was still so young. She just couldn’t imagine herself with anyone else.

“Please don’t say that,” Edwina’s voice softened as she spoke, so full of pity it made Kate feel ten times worse than she already did. She felt pathetic and she knew people found her pathetic. Her own sister pitied her. “Whether you want to get married is completely up to you. It’s not because there isn't someone out there for you. There is. You still have so much time, Kate.”

“I have time but I want him. He’s still avoiding me. I’ve barely seen him since Hyacinth’s birthday party. I found another hotel key this morning.” Kate wanted to scream at him, to hide his escapades better and not leave evidence of them out in plain sight where she could come across them. She had absolutely no right to be angry. But she was. She was incredibly hurt. She was doing this to herself. She couldn’t bring herself to say anything to him, as much as she wanted to scream it at him.

“Kate, you’re torturing yourself.”

Kate’s nails tapped against the edge of her mug, the light tapping nose soothing to her ears. The steam from the mug hit her face, but she wasn’t sure that was the reason why she was sweating. “I know, Ed.”

“You could tell him.”

Kate looked up at Edwina, her little sister who was so grown up in front of her. Kate felt like a child, coming to her sister when everything felt like it was falling apart. She felt so out of control, as if something was just on the brink of exploding and there was nothing she could do about it. “I can’t risk it.”

If she told him, she could risk losing him forever. It could break them in a way that could never be fixed. If he didn’t feel the same, her confession would be a shadow lingering over them that they couldn’t break free from.

Kate just dreaded the day he met the right girl that wasn’t her and she would have to stand there and watch.

How could she do that? Watch someone make him happy the way he made her happy? It was such a selfish thought but she couldn’t help it. Sometimes, Kate didn’t think she would be brave enough when the time would come.

Anthony was her best friend. He was her person. He didn’t owe her the love she felt for him. He already loved her in ways unimaginable, his friendship had been one of the best things that had ever happened to her. He had been her friend first and would always be her friend, but life without Anthony was unimaginable and she was doomed to watch him be happy with the perfect girl someday.

Their friendship had been something that Kate thought only existed in books and movies. She was so lucky to have him. She felt so guilty for how she felt, it wasn’t that she wasn’t grateful for what they had. She knew what they had was so special. Kate just wished it was more.

It would have to be enough.

Life with Anthony would always be better than life without him.

Edwina reached towards her with a comforting smile, her hand covering Kate’s hand and her thumb rubbing soothing circles on her wrist. “You can’t keep going on like this either.”

“I know.” Kate mumbled, exhaling loudly as her head fell back against the head of the couch.

“I don’t know how Anthony feels. You don’t know either. You’ll only know if you tell him how you feel. I know he’s your best friend, he’s like your other half. If you really want to know what I think,” Edwina paused before she continued speaking, as if she was debating what she was about to say. “I think he feels the same way about you. I really do. From what I’ve seen, I really do. Friends don’t look at friends the way he looks at you. I’ve never seen anything like it. I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks that either.”

Kate stared at Edwina, completely taken aback. It was the first time someone else, other than herself, had ever acknowledged the idea that Anthony might like her back. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. Anna had said it during their first year of university but Kate didn’t like to think about her. “I just don’t know, Ed. I don’t think he does. I only know how I feel and I just feel suffocated by it. I’m just so scared of the consequences of telling him.”

“Katie,” Edwina said softly, using the nickname for Kate she reserved for emotional moments between them. “I know you sometimes don’t think a lot of yourself, so I’m here to remind you of how wonderful you are. You’re an amazing person. He would be so lucky to be in love with you. I’m so lucky to love you. We’re all so lucky to be loved by you. Okay?”

Kate felt the sore lump forming in her throat, squeezing back the hand Edwina had wrapped around hers. She used her spare hand to brush the fresh tears out of her eyes. She hated crying, but she couldn’t help it. Edwina’s words meant more than Kate could ever express. It was hard to hear them sometimes, especially when Kate struggled to believe they were true. “Thanks, Ed. I love you too.”

“Good. I mean it. Would it really be so bad?” Edwina asked, tilting her head slightly as she nudged Kate’s foot with hers, forcing Kate to look at her. She knew Edwina was right. It had been too long. This had been going on for too long. If there was a chance they could be something, she should take it. “To tell him?”

It would. “I could lose him.”

Edwina didn’t respond for a few moments, the silent seconds suffocating Kate even further. “You already sound lost to me.”

“I know,” Kate said softly, the weight of the truth in her sister’s words making her chest feel tight. She felt lost and she felt stuck. She caught a glimpse of her watch and pushed herself up off the couch, sighing softly. “I better get going. I have to walk shower and get ready for later. We’re going to the Bridgertons later to have dinner to celebrate their engagement. We’re helping Daphne and Simon with their engagement party invitations as well.”

“Kate,” Edwina said, walking Kate to her door and wrapping her arms around her sister, pulling her into a deep hug. Kate didn’t know how much she needed one until it was happening, she pulled Edwina closer. “I only want what’s best for you. I’ll always have your back and support you. I just want you to be happy.”

“I know, Ed. I don’t know what I’d do without you. Oh! I nearly forgot. These are the tickets for Ben’s gallery he gave me for you two,” Kate said, pulling out the envelope and handing it to Edwina with a wink. She didn’t want to be sad anymore. She’d push it away for now. “It starts at seven, black tie. Free booze.”

“Thank you so much,” Edwina said, beaming at Kate as she squeezed the envelope. “Matt is such a fan of Benedict’s instagram, he stalks his instagram all the time. He’s going to be so excited.”

“It’s going to be a good night,” Kate said, pulling on her hoodie and raising her eyebrows at her sister. “Who knows what will happen?”

Later that evening, they were at the Bridgertons to celebrate Daphne and Simon’s engagement. It was the Bridgertons and Sophie, Kate and Simon. Kate felt so full after the feast Violet had prepared she could barely move.

Kate didn’t even protest as Anthony stole bits of her cake off her plate, if she ate anymore she felt like she would burst out of her red dress.

“I don’t understand why we’re posting these out. Haven’t you already emailed invitations?” Eloise asked, a permanent scowl had been glued to her face since Daphne had dragged her to the dining room table after dinner along with Kate, Anthony, Simon, Ben and Sophie to help seal their invitations.

“Yes, but they’ll need these to get into the party,” Daphne said, giving Eloise a look as she carefully tied the pink ribbon around the lace envelope in her hands. “Besides, it’s part of the process. We’ll have these forever. I already have a copy in my wedding book.” Kate had even spent a few moments admiring the large princess cut diamond on Daphne’s finger. It was massive and blinding in the bright lighting.

They had each been given a part of the alphabet from the guest list, which was in alphabetical order and consisted of at least two hundred people. If this was the engagement party list, the wedding was going to be massive.

“How do you know this many people?” Kate was only responsible for the A to Ds and she hadn’t even started the Cs and they had been at this for nearly two hours. The invitations were beautiful, they were on expensive hard paper that was a soft blue. The writing on the invitation was a beautiful cursive font that was sealed in a cream lace envelope, tied with a rose ribbon.

“Well, Daphne is a Bridgerton. Simon is technically a Hastings,” Anthony said, his nose scrunched up in concentration as he tried to loop the pink ribbon around the invitation. Simon had never gone by his father’s name Hastings, he had always gone with his mother’s maiden name. “We’re popular people.”

Anthony shot a glare at Eloise as she muttered wanker under her breath.

“This is only the engagement party. The wedding won’t be until next summer and there’s so much to plan and do in the meantime,” Daphne said, looking frazzled as she tucked her pile of envelopes neatly into the box on the table. “We’re not going to rush anything.”

Anthony and Benedict simultaneously snorted and Sophie and Kate kicked them under the table.

“Speaking of things to do,” Daphne said, standing up and putting her hands on her hip. “Kate.”

“Daphne,” Kate replied, eyeing her warily. Daphne was smiling so widely it almost looked painful, positively beaming at Kate. “Are you okay?”

“I’m perfect,” squealed Daphne, clapping her hands together. Kate shot a confused glance at Anthony, who shrugged back at her with an amused glint in his eyes. “I need you to close your eyes for a second.”

“Okay,” said Kate, closing her eyes hesitantly and lifting her hands up slightly in the air. “If anyone puts anything near my face, or on my face, I will hurt you.”

“Open! Read the envelope!”

There was a loud smack as something was put in front of her, Kate opened up her eyes to see a large hamper in front of her. It was a soft pink, a wooden hamper wrapped in film and topped with a large pink bow. It had an envelope with her name cursively written on the front. She could see an assortment of candles, hand cream, soaps, body lotion, chocolate, sweets, a silk dressing gown and slippers and other things in the hamper. There was also a beautiful bouquet of red tulips. Kate was so confused. “It’s not my birthday.” She said slowly, reaching and opening up the envelope.

>i>Kate,

Will you be my bridesmaid?

Lots of love,

Daphne

“Oh my gosh.” Kate managed to say, words completely failing her as she glanced up at Daphne’s beaming face and back down at the invitation. There was no stopping the wave of emotion that crept up her throat and flooded her eyes as she constantly re-read the words in front of her.

“Oh Kate,” Daphne said softly, one of her hand’s covering her heart as she rested her head on top of Kates, wrapping her arm around her. “Please don’t cry.”

“I’m not crying!” Kate said quickly, keeping her head down to avoid anyone seeing her red, watery eyes but it was definitely too late. She hugged Daphne back, practically clinging to her. This meant so much to her. “It’s hayfever.”

Kate didn’t have to look at Anthony’s smug face to know he was smirking as he spoke. “It’s January.”

Kate turned to Anthony to glare at him. “Eat glass.”

Anthony chuckled softly, nudging Daphne off of Kate and wrapping his arm around her shoulder as she furiously wiped at her eyes. She shoved him off but couldn’t stop the smile breaking out on her face as Anthony smiled down at her.

“Are you sure?” said Kate, looking up finally and meeting Daphne’s warm eyes and beaming face. “I would love to. Thank you so much. This is incredible. This is...so nice. I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”

Kate had never thought for a second she would be asked. She had struggled with making friends for most of her life, it wasn’t that she didn’t have them-she had quite a few. Anthony was the closest friend she had ever had and with him, she had become a part of something that had allowed her to form friendships and relationships with his family that were more than just her connection to Anthony.

It really meant everything.

“Oh, Kate.” Daphne said softly, squeezing her shoulders softly and wiping a tear trailing down her cheek that had escaped her eye. “Of course I want you to be my bridesmaid. It wouldn’t be the same without you.”

She didn’t really know what to say. Her entire life had just been her Dad, Mary and Edwina and friends who had come and gone, and suddenly there was the whole Bridgerton clan who sent her birthday presents and Christmas cards, who invited her over for dinner and texted to meet up or just to catch up.

It was really wonderful to be liked by people like the Bridgertons.

“I’m so happy. I’ve asked everyone now!” Daphne smiled in satisfaction, walking back over to her seat and shooting a smile at Simon, who was gazing at her adoringly. “I’ve asked Fran, you, El, Rebecca, Alana, Tara and Greta. You’re definitely the best reaction I’ve had so far. Some people were less than satisfactory.” Daphne shot a pointed look at Eloise.

“Oh, get over it Daphne,” Eloise grumbled, struggling to tie a ribbon around an envelope. “I said yes, didn’t I?”

“This is all incredible. Thank you so much. These are absolutely beautiful,” said Kate, looking through the hamper in wonder as she picked up everything and smelt it or ate it. “Tulips are my favourite flower.”

Daphne glanced at Anthony, who had been gazing at Kate as she looked through her hamper. He met his sister’s eyes questionably. “Just a lucky guess.” She exchanged a smirk with Simon, who looked down at his stack of envelopes in amusement.

“We’re expected to bring dates?” Eloise asked, looking around the table with an exasperated look as she waved an invitation in the air. It appeared that she only just read the invitations. “Everyone is in a relationship except me. How am I meant to find one of those?”

“By asking someone.” Benedict suggested, slightly mocking his sister who flipped him off.

Eloise scowled. “I don’t like people.”

“I’m sure you’ll find someone,” Anthony said, clearly unimpressed about the thought of his sister bringing someone to the wedding. “The wedding will be after your first year at university. You’ll find someone you can’t shake, as much as you try to.”

Anthony shot a grin at Kate, who stuck her tongue out at him.

“Why don’t you bring Penelope? She’s lovely.” Kate suggested, turning away from Anthony and tying another bow around an envelope. She was nearly on the C part of her list.

“That’s easy for you two to say,” Eloise grumbled, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. “You two don’t have to worry about a date. Oh! Pen is actually a good idea. She loves romance and all that rubbish.”

Anthony paused trying to tie his ribbon, where he using Kate’s finger to tie the bow. He frowned at Eloise. “Why wouldn’t we?”

“Why wouldn’t you what?”

“Why wouldn’t we have to worry about a date?”

Eloise shrugged, frowning slightly at her brother’s question. “Oh. I presumed you’d be going together.”

“Why would you presume that?” Anthony asked, his tone a little sharper than usual.

“Anthony, stop.” Kate murmured, frowning at his tone of his voice and just his overall demeanor. What the fuck was so offensive about that presumption? It was completely fair. They went to nearly everything together. Every gala, every work event, even two weddings last year.

“Well, you two do everything together, Anthony.” Eloise replied sharply back, a slightly challenging look on her face as a response to her brother’s blunt tone and slight attitude. Kate glanced at Sophie, who widened her eyes slightly before focusing on organizing her stack of envelopes. “What’s your problem?”

“I’ve no problem at all,” Anthony gave her a dry smile, a stone cold look on his face. His phone started to ring, vibrating against the table. “Excuse me. Anthony Bridgerton.” He stood up, walking out of the dining room to take his call.

“What is with him lately?” Eloise asked the table, a disgruntled look on her face as she organized her finished envelopes into Daphne’s box. “He’s been more moody and off than usual.”

It seems like Kate wasn’t the only one who had noticed something was wrong. She caught Benedict’s eye, who shrugged but he glanced at the door where Anthony had disappeared through.

Kate shook it off, but she was internally panicking. She had presumed they would be going to the wedding together. Her dating life had been dead for two months. She hardly bothered anymore, she just didn’t see the point.

They could be an amazing person, but they would never be Anthony.

It was rather pathetic. She knew it was. She needed to cut the final string and tell him how she felt. If he didn’t feel the same, at least she would be free. But how could she? How could she risk losing him forever? She would rather have the parts of him she could have than none of him at all.

Or did she?

Kate wasn’t so sure anymore.

Anthony was gone for longer than expected. Kate had gone to check on him once but he had disappeared into his father’s study, closing the door behind him. He walked back into the room twenty minutes later, clearing his throat to interrupt the small chatter around the table. He looked furious. “Colin has been arrested.”

“Oh my god.”

“What happened?”

“Is he okay?”

“He was arrested for public indecency and public intoxication. He’s fine. We’re going to bail him out now. He’s not going to be charged. It’s been sorted. I’ve told Mum, she’s on her way home.”

“Isn’t he out on a date with Marina?” Sophie asked, raising an eyebrow at Benedict and at the rest of the table. Kate had only met Marina once, who was Colin’s new girlfriend he had met skiing in France over Christmas. He was head over heels in love with her, the first girl according to Anthony he had ever brought home to meet his family.

Daphne shook her head, running a hand through her head and sighing loudly. “I knew there was something off about that Marina girl. Poor Colin.”

“Poor Colin? He’s the one who got himself arrested. I hardly think it’s Marina’s fault. This is Colin we’re talking about,” Eloise said, narrowing her eyes at Daphne. “I love him but he’s a fucking idiot.”

“Eloise!” Daphne exclaimed, gasping at her sister.

Benedict shrugged. “El has a point, Daph. Colin has broken about three bones from jumping off things drunk. Usually half-naked.”

There was a grimace around the table. That was a picture no one wanted to imagine.

Anthony was still standing there, unsettlingly calm and still. His phone was still in his hand, which was slightly shaking. He was staring into nothing as his siblings argued across the table.

“What can I do?” Kate asked in a lower voice, standing up to move beside him. She placed a comforting hand on his upper arm, but there wasn’t much she could do. Colin and Anthony’s relationship had always been complex. They were so close but very different people. This wasn’t a situation that Anthony

Anthony shook his head. “Nothing. It’s okay. Ben and Simon will come with me. We’ll be back soon.”

Kate couldn’t stop the hurt look that flashed across her face as she watched him gesture towards the boys and walk towards the door. Everyone else looked equally confused, mainly because he was asking Simon to come over Kate. Benedict shot Kate a small smile, offering a silent apology before following his brother. Simon quickly kissed Daphne before following them.

Kate sat there as Sophie and Daphne got updates from Ben and Simon. Her phone didn’t buzz once. Colin was okay and he would only have to pay a large fine. He had been with some of his friends who had also been arrested. Anthony had used one of his father’s connections to try to make sure the arrest wouldn’t be on his permanent record and one of Colin’s friends' dad was high in the police force and had made sure it wouldn’t be on any of their records.

It was two hours, at approximately 11pm, when the front door slammed followed by loud voices. They belonged to Anthony, Benedict and Colin.

“That’s not an excuse to throw your life away. You have one and a half years left.” Anthony was shouting at Colin, who stormed in before Anthony and let out an annoyed sigh as he noticed everyone was in the living room waiting for them. Daphne launched herself at Colin, wrapping him in a hug and flicking him in the head at the same time.

“You idiot! I thought you were out with Marina?” Daphne began her interrogation immediately after she had let go of Colin, her relief fading into a frown as she stared at Colin. “What happened? What were you thinking?

“Marina broke up with me,” Colin said, a hurt look splashing over his face and quickly disappearing, being replaced with a hard demeanor. “She was still in love with her ex-boyfriend and she had been seeing him. She dumped me and I met up with the boys afterwards. Things just got out of hand.”

“Oh Col,” Daphne murmured softly, shaking her head and giving him a reassuring smile. “I’m so sorry. It’ll be okay. Are you okay?”

“Colin,” Anthony announced loudly, ignoring the warning look from Violet who was glancing anxiously between Anthony and Colin. “Wants to drop out of university.”

“That’s the stupidest thing I have ever heard,” Eloise said quickly, staring at Colin with a mixture of shock and outrage. “You have one year left. Isn’t twenty-two sort of young to have a life crisis?”

“Stay out of it Eloise,” Colin barked, glaring at his sister before turning back around to Anthony. “It’s my life. I can do what I want with it.”

“Oh sure you can,” Anthony said, bitterly laughing as he poured himself a whiskey at the bar in the corner of the room. “You’re truly doing such a smashing job.”

“We all need to calm down.” Benedict said, intervening before this heated argument exploded. Anthony and Colin had always clashed heads when it came to Colin’s life decisions. He had been suspended twice during school and had been extremely difficult when it came to going to university. Kate had watched Anthony spend months trying to convince him to go and it had resulted in a lot of stress and arguments.

Sophie, Simon and Kate sort of sunk into the background. They were around the Bridgertons most of the time but this was a family situation they weren’t a part of. It was very uncomfortable to witness.

“We made a deal. You would get your gap year and I’d support you traveling after university, when you finished it. Your marks have been brilliant, Colin. It’s one bloody year. You have to get your degree.”

“Why? Because Dad did?”

“No,” Anthony said sharply, his jaw slightly shaking as he tried to remain calm. He looked like he was about to explode. “Because it’s a privilege. University degrees open up doors and give you opportunities. They give you protection and access to jobs. I have already paid for two years of your degree and now all your hard work is going to go down the drain because you’ve suddenly changed your mind? That’s not happening. You’re getting that degree.”

“I don’t need you to tell me what to do with my life, Anthony.”

“Why did you call me then?”

Colin paused. “What?”

“When you got arrested. Why did you call me?”

Colin stared at him. He didn’t have an answer to that.

“Why didn’t you call Mum? Or Ben? Or Daph? Or one of your friends.”

“Oh, now you’ve got nothing to say?” Anthony let out a high pitched laugh, shaking his head. “I’ll tell you why. You called me because I show up. I’ll sort it out for you. Like I always do. I’m beginning to think that was a big mistake. I honour my commitments. Why can’t you do the same?”

“We can discuss this in the morning when everyone is calmer and not so worked up,” Violet said, finally intervening and smiling calmly at Anthony and Colin. She wanted to stop this fight before it got too far, but it already had. Her tactic of pretending everything was fine was not going to work this time. “We need to all go home and go to bed. The little ones are sleeping and we’re not going to wake them.”

“Why aren’t you doing something?” Anthony asked, staring at his mother in bewilderment. He sounded so heartbroken and lost, almost desperate. “You’re the parent here. He’s about to throw his entire life away.”

“I’m not throwing my entire life away, I’m throwing away the life that you wanted for me. Not what I wanted.” “So what are you going to do then? Travel around for the rest of your life with no qualifications?” Anthony’s words were daggers, pushing Colin further and further over the edge. “With what money, Colin? I won’t give you a penny. You’ve never had a bloody job. You’ve never had any responsibilities. Wake the fuck up. You’re acting like a spoiled little brat.”

“Fuck you,” Colin snapped, Benedict’s hand moving towards his chest to push him away from Anthony. Benedict was in between them, Simon quickly joining him as well. “I’ll figure it out. I don’t need to try to be a carbon copy of Dad to figure out my life. I’m not you, Anthony. Desperately trying to be someone he’ll never be.”

“That’s bang out of order.” Simon snapped, standing up slightly and only stopping himself from moving forward when Daphne put a hand on his chest.

“Colin, that’s too far,” Benedict snapped, glaring at his younger brother with a look that made the hairs on Kate’s arms stand up. She stood up anyway, watching Anthony as his face completely fell. This was his achilles heel. He had been through a similar argument with . Colin knew exactly what he was doing. Bringing up their father was exactly how you hurt Anthony. “You’re not dropping out of university. It’s not an option. We all care about you. You’re hurt and probably still drunk. You’re not thinking rationally.”

“Stop it Colin, that’s not fair,” Daphne said, shaking her head. “I agree with Anthony. He wants what is best for you. We all do.”

“Anthony,” Kate said softly, grabbing her coat and his off the dining room chairs. “I think we should go home. Come on.”

Anthony completely ignored Kate. “What the fuck did you just say?”

Colin didn’t cower down. He stood his ground and stared blankly back at his brother. “I think you heard me.”

Kate couldn’t stop herself from glaring in disgust at Colin. This was too far. Anthony wasn’t being exactly fair, she knew university was something Colin had never been sure about. It wasn’t as if he was completely miserable. He was having the time of his life when he was there. He just was confused and heartbroken and he wanted to run away.

“Do you think I wanted this? Do you think I want to do this?”

It had gone too far and Anthony had finally reached his breaking point.

“I went to the parent teacher meetings. I made your lunches and dinners. I didn’t go on my gap year. You all got to go on your gap years. Do you know how I spent it? I was the one who sorted out Dad’s will. I took care of Mum when she couldn’t get out of bed. I took care of a newborn baby and a two year old. I took care of all of you. I did all that. Have I ever said anything about it? No. I did it because I had no choice. My dad died too.”

There was complete silence in the living room as everyone stared at Anthony’s outburst.

“Anthony.” Violet croaked, staring at her eldest son in disbelief. Violet hadn’t been well for the first few years after Edmund’s death. She had barely gotten out of bed , Anthony had said she was like a ghost. Anthony had really gotten involved in everything to do with his siblings from the moment his father died. He’d had no choice.

Kate knew the pain of losing someone you loved. She missed her father everyday. She couldn’t blame Violet for how she mourned the love of her life but she couldn’t help but resent her for what she forced her eldest son to do because she couldn’t. He had been a child too.

“Go ahead, Mum. Indulge him. It’s what you do best.” Anthony looked at his mother with a look of such disappointment, it was hard to watch. “It’s your life, Colin. Do whatever you want. I’m done.”

“Ant.” Ben pleaded, staring in disbelief at his brother’s outburst. Sophie had her arm around Eloise, who was crying into her shoulder. Anthony shook off Ben’s arm on his shoulder.

Anthony ignored him. “Kate, let’s go home.”

Kate couldn’t stop herself from throwing Colin a disappointed look as she followed Anthony out of the door, shooting the rest of the Bridgertons a sad smile before they walked out of the house. It was a promise to take care of him.

“Please, let me drive.” Kate said softly, slowly wrapping her arms around his hand to take the keys out of his hand. Thankfully, Anthony didn’t protest.

The drive home was completely silent. Kate tried to focus on the road but she couldn’t stop herself from glancing at Anthony in the passenger seat. He just stared straight ahead of him, not uttering a word to her the entire trip.

They entered the flat slowly, the only sound being the door closing and the rattle of the keys as Kate put them in the bowl beside the door. Anthony moved to sit on the couch as Kate made her way into the kitchen, making them both a cup of tea.

“I made you some tea,” She said, keeping voice low as she walked around the couch, anxiously staring at Anthony. She felt so helpless.

Anthony had his face in his hands, bent forward. He was shaking. Newton was pawing at his feet, whimpering slightly as nudged Anthony’s legs with his nose.

Kate blinked a few times before she realized what was happening.

Anthony was crying.

“I’m here.” She whispered, quickly putting the mugs down and sitting beside him, wrapping her arms around him. She pulled his head against her chest, holding him as tight as she could.

His sobs racked through his body, shaking and stuttering.

In the eight year she had known him, she had never seen Anthony cry. This wasn’t just crying. This was nine years of grief, hurt and emotion finally coming to the surface and breaking free.

She held him until he couldn’t cry anymore.

The following morning, Kate got up from the couch where Anthony, Newton and her were watching Ted Lasso when they heard a knock on the door. She had been texting the Bridgertons this morning, assuring them Anthony was doing okay. He was better than he was last night, he just seemed exhausted.

Kate was still reeling from the events of last night. When she opened the door, the last person she expected to see was Colin Bridgerton.

“Kate. Hi.”

Kate fixed him with a hard stare.

“I know what you’re thinking.”

“I’m actually debating whether I should punch you.”

“That’s fair.”

Kate shook her head. “Nothing about last night was fair, Colin. He didn’t deserve that.”

“I know,” He said, his voice wavering slightly as he looked down at the ground. He did look terrible. He hadn’t shaved this morning so there was a light shadow of stubble on his cheeks and dark bags under his eyes. He looked terrible and it made Kate feel slightly better. “I’m trying to fix it. Can I come in?”

“That’s not up to me.”

“It’s okay, Kate.” Her head flicked around to see Anthony standing behind her at the end of the hall. “He can come in.”

Kate stepped aside to let Colin in, closing the door behind him as she watched Colin cautiously walk towards his older brother. Anthony made his way towards the couch and Colin hoovered awkwardly before taking a seat on the opposite end of it.

Kate went to put on the kettle, leaning down to scratch behind Newton’s ears. He had his lead in his hand. It was about time for his walk.

“Can I’ve a cuppa?” Colin asked, glancing cautiously over at Kate and then back at Anthony.

Kate didn’t turn around. “I can’t promise I won’t spit in it.”

“Actually, I’m good.”

“Newton needs to go on his walk anyway,” Kate said, deciding that they probably needed time to talk alone. She was intruding and this wasn’t going to be an easy conversation for either of them. “I’ll leave you two to it. I’ll see you in a bit.”

Anthony turned around to look at her, smiling softly at her and nodding his head. He’d be okay. She grabbed her hoodie off the couch, quickly pulling it on. She smiled back at him before she headed for the door and left the two brothers to figure it out.

“Ready to go?”

“Here, let me help.” Kate said softly, reaching her hands up to fix Anthony’s blue tie. His white shirt was crisp and bright, complimenting the dark navy suit. Daphne’s dress code was anti-black tie, so Kate had gone with a lilac dress that reached her the middle of her knees.

Kate felt something crinkle under his shirt pocket and she raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“Oh,” Anthony said, his cheeks darkening slightly. “It’s for my speech.”

Kate felt herself fall even harder. This man. “You made flashcards.”

“I just want to say the right thing.” He murmured, very flustered. Bless him, Anthony was nervous.

“You will,” Kate said reassuringly, fixing his jacket one last time before she let go. “Just speak from the heart.”

“Let’s go,” He said, his cheeks still slightly pink as he grabbed his keys. “Our uber is downstairs.”

Daphne and Simon’s engagement party was taking place in the ballroom of the Ritz Hotel in London. Their engagement announcement had been posted in the London Times and it had been the topic of the week all over magazines and social media. The party was going to be extravagant. They had an open bar, a three course meal and a live band.

“Oh my god.”

The ballroom was beautiful. Each wooden chair had flowers tied to the back of it, surrounding tables set with golden cutlery with a large rose centerpiece. The tables surrounded the large dancefloor, which had a live band playing on the stage in front of it. Kate could see Benedict and Sophie dancing in the distance.

“Is that an ice sculpture of their initials?” A large ice sculpture of a D and S stood in the middle of the room on a large white table.

“Daph knows how to plan a party,” Anthony said, shrugging as he gazed around the ballroom with a small smile. “Let’s find that open bar.”

It had been a week since his argument with Colin and their conversation the next morning had sorted it out. Anthony didn’t go into too much detail but it had been a very freeing conversation for the both of them. Colin had apologized and he decided he was going to stick with university. Anthony had been good since then. He wasn’t acting distant at all. If anything, he had spent a lot more time with Kate than he needed to.

“A whiskey and a vodka cranberry please,” Anthony said to the bartender, leaning against the bar once they made their way through the crowd after stopping to say hello to various guests. “I still can’t believe this is actually happening.”

She nodded. “I still can’t believe she asked me to be her bridesmaid.”

“I can,” He said it so bluntly, as if it’s obvious. “You’re family, Kate.”

They shared a small smile, that warm feeling fluttering widely inside of her stomach. “You’re my family too.”

“Before you ask,” Kate said, swiftly moving on from their heartfelt moment as it was a little too much to handle at the moment. Emotions made her hot and she couldn’t afford to sweat in this dress. She didn’t want to have to try dry her sweat patches in the bathroom again. “I am not going suit shopping with you.”

“Oh, no problem there,” said Anthony, a devilish smirk on his face. “You’ll be too busy dress shopping with Daphne.”

The smile dropped right off Kate’s face.

They were all sitting at their respective tables later in the evening during dinner. Dessert had been served and it was time for Anthony’s speech. The Bridgertons were at one large table in the centre of the room, along with Kate and Sophie. Gregory was sitting on Kate’s lap, since he had kept flicking peas at Hyacinth during dinner.

Anthony clinked his champagne flute, standing up and clearing his throat. “Hello, everyone. If we haven’t met, I’m Anthony Bridgerton. Brother of the bride and best friend of the groom.” Kate’s eyes flicked towards Simon, whose face broke out into a small smile he tried to contain. “On behalf of my family and Simon and Daphne, I would like to thank you all for joining us to celebrate their engagement.”

There was a loud clatter of hands clapping throughout the room before they faded softly as Anthony continued to speak. “Normally, this would be when the father of the bride would speak. Our father couldn’t be here with us today, so I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”

There was a small ring of laughter around the room with a hint of sadness. Edmund Bridgerton’s absence

“I’ll make this quick as I know everyone is eager to dance and get back to the open bar. I’m incredibly proud to be Daphne’s brother. I’m also incredibly proud to be Simon’s best friend and best man. I’ve watched Daphne grow up and no one can take credit for the incredible woman she has become. I’m eternally grateful I have gotten to witness it.”

“I’ve known Simon since we were eleven years old. I’ve also witnessed Simon growing up, which really only started when he was twenty four years old.” There was another ring of laughter around the room, including Simons. Since Simon had stood up for Anthony during his argument with Colin, things had turned a new leaf with them. He had popped around the flat after Colin had gone to see Anthony. He had been over three times this week alone. It reminded Kate of how it was before.

He had even asked Anthony to be his best man yesterday during a round of golf.

“I’m very happy that you two have found each other. Finding the person you want to spend the rest of your life with and being brave enough to take that opportunity and hold onto it is a very admirable thing. It’s an incredible thing, to find someone who makes everything make sense.” Anthony cleared his throat, clearly a bit flustered. “I’d like to raise a glass to Daphne and Simon. I wish you both nothing but happiness and love for the rest of your lives. To Daphne and Simon.”

“To Daphne and Simon!” The crowd echoed as everyone raised their glass to the happy couple.

There was a loud round of applause, including Daphne and Simon standing up to hug Anthony after he finished his speech. Kate shot him a wide smile as Hyacinth dragged him onto the dancefloor as the band began to play. He had promised her to dance all evening and it was finally time.

Kate smiled as she watched Anthony dance with Hyacinth on the dancefloor. She was standing on his feet, giggling loudly as Anthony moved her around the dancefloor on his shoes. He also lifted her up, twirling her around.

“You look absolutely gorgeous tonight.”

Kate turned around, slightly startled and smiled as Violet Bridgerton sat down beside her. “Thank you. So do you. This is an incredible party.”

“I can’t believe my baby is getting married,” Violet said softly, smiling at Daphne and Simon dancing and laughing on the dance floor. “It seems like only yesterday she was asking me to tie her shoelaces. Now I’m helping her plan her wedding.”

Kate laughed softly, giving Violet a warm smile. “Please don’t let her put me in a poofy dress.”

Violet laughed loudly, shaking her head. “I promise. It’s the least I could do for you, Kate.”

Kate noticed how Violet’s tone dropped as she spoke and she turned to look at her in confusion.

“I owe you a great deal, Kate. After everything that happened last week,” Violet said, her voice trailing off slightly as she composed herself before continuing. “I truly realized that you have been the person who was there for Anthony like I should have been. I know I failed him. It’s something I will carry with me forever. I can only try to be better. I’m just incredibly grateful that you were there for him in ways I wasn’t.”

Kate opened her mouth to speak but she didn’t know how she could reply to that. She had to say something. “I always will be. You raised a very good person.”

“I’m glad you’re the longest relationship Anthony’s ever had.”

Kate turned to her, puzzled with slightly pink cheeks. “You mean friendship.“

Violet just smiled, a dangerous smile that made Kate anxious, and turned her head back to the dancefloor.

Kate downed her champagne glass in one gulp.

She made eye contact with Anthony across the room, who was now alone as Hyacinth ran off after Gregory outside towards the gardens. Anthony strode towards her, looking incredibly free and handsome in his suit. He extended his hand toward her. “Dance with me, Sheffield. Come on.”

Kate rolled her eyes, slipping her hand into his. “If I must.”

Anthony led her to the dancefloor, where they slowly swayed as the music turned to a slow song. Kate wrapped her arms around his neck, ignoring the intimacy of their current position. “That was quite a speech, Bridgerton.”

“Thank you,” Anthony said, smiling down at her as his hand moved to grip her waist. “I took someone’s advice and spoke from the heart.”

“She sounds really smart.”

“She’s a pain in the arse, actually.”

Kate stuck out her tongue, which only made Anthony laugh harder. “Thank you. It was good advice.”

“Your dad would have been proud. It truly was lovely.”

“Thanks, Kate.” He said softly, leaning his head forward until his chin rested lightly on the top of her head.

They swayed there until the music changed and Anthony begant to twirl her around. They were eventually joined by Edwina, Matthew and the rest of the Bridgertons. Everyone was laughing and dancing the night away.

It was one of the best nights of her life.

All the inner turmoil and anguish she had felt lately wasn’t at the surface for once. She still didn’t know whether she was going to tell Anthony how she felt. She didn’t want to think about it tonight. Anthony was smiling and he seemed to be himself again.

Kate had a feeling things were finally going to get better.

How wrong she was.

Henry Granville, a renowned English artist and owner of London’s famous galleries had contacted Benedict earlier in the year to set up a gallery of his photography in one of his galleries.

Benedict’s instagram fame had caught the attention of Henry, who asked Benedict to show him his portfolios and more of his photographs. They had set up the exhibit together. He had taken Benedict under his wing, he was helping Ben explore painting and improve his skills.

Tonight was the opening night of his photography exhibit in the gallery.

Kate had finally moved into her flat during the week, so scrambling through her boxes to try to find a suitable dress and heels was a challenge but she finally looked presentable by the time Anthony arrived in their Uber to pick her up.

She went with white heels and a long black bodycon dress she wore to meetings with their most expensive clients at work. Art was for posh people, so Kate presumed the dress code was extra-fancy tonight. She wasn’t taking any chances.

Kate was waiting on the path as Anthony and the uber pulled up. She opened up the door, grinning at him and twirling. “Do I look like someone who understands art?”

“Absolutely,” Anthony said, laughing at her as he scooted over to let her climb in. “All you need is an easel and a paintbrush and I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. You look great, by the way.”

Kate blushed slightly, biting her lip. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

“What do you know about art?”

Absolutely piss all. “I know that guy. Leonardo DiCaprio?”

Anthony snorted. “DaVinci.”

“That’s the one.”

They arrived at the gallery, which was already packed as the opening night was in full swing. They made their way through the gallery until they found Benedict, who had a beaming Sophie beside her.

Kate gave her a big hug, grinning at her. “Excuse me. We’re in a gallery and I’m looking at a masterpiece.”

“Oh stop it,” Sophie said, laughing at her as she wrapped her arms around Kate and kissed her cheek. Sophie’s long blonde hair lay in bouncy curls down her back and she was wearing a beautiful silk baby blue dress. “You look absolutely beautiful, Kate.”

“I’m proud of you.” Anthony said, ruffling Benedict’s hair and putting him in a headlock.

Kate reached up to hug him, “It’s amazing. Seriously Ben, well done.”

“Have you been around fully yet?”

Kate shook her head. “No, not yet. We just got here.”

Benedict gave Anthony and Kate a strange look. “I’ll catch up with you two before you get to the last piece. The exhibit starts over there.”

Kate shot Anthony a questioning look but he just shrugged, nodding as he clapped Benedict on the shoulder as they headed towards the

The exhibit was fantastic. The photographs were incredible. It was an exhibit of life. There was a lot from his travels in recent years, from Africa to the Alps. He had pictures of animals from his trip around Africa two years ago. There was a picture of Sophie laughing, with her head tilted back and her wavy hair floating in the air. There was a picture of Anthony, with Hyacinth on his shoulders and Gregory in his arms.

When Kate finally saw the last photo, Benedict’s strange behaviour earlier suddenly made a lot of sense.

It was a picture of them.

It was titled eight years.

It was a large canvas. Every part of the canvas was covered in pictures of them and some faded into the background. They were pictures taken throughout the years, taken by Benedict. They were laughing at each other in most of them, with faces looking at each other and not at the camera.

Kate felt so incredibly overwhelmed. From the look of shock on Anthony’s face that mirrored her own, he hadn’t known about this either. They didn’t say one word to each other. They just stared at the pictures in front of them.

Kate quickly noticed the pictures were in chronological order. The first picture in the top corner of the canvas was when Ben visited Anthony during the second month of university. The two of them were lying on the grass in one of the college’s gardens, a bottle of champagne between them.

It was almost like Ben was trying to tell a story.

Their story.

The story of us.

There were so many pictures. There was another picture of Kate posing with Anthony’s lucky black mallet, after the annual Bridgerton pall mall game, with a sulking Anthony beside her during her first trip to Aubrey Hall. There was another picture of them, with her on his back. It was when they had finished their final exams for the last time, covered in confetti and champagne that their friends had sprayed all over them.

There was a picture of them laughing at each other in their graduation robes. There was another one of them and Newton at a park. There was another of them swinging Hyacinth between them at her birthday party. There was another of them dancing at Simon and Daphne’s engagement party.

“If it isn’t the stars of the hour,” A man said loudly, appearing beside Kate and Anthony and extending his hand. “I would recognize you two anywhere. I’m Henry Granville. It’s a pleasure to meet you. You have a very talented brother, Mr. Bridgerton.”

Kate and Anthony shook his hand warily, both still staring at the picture as they introduced themselves. Benedict and Sophie appeared at his side and the anxious look on Benedict’s face told it all. He glanced warily at Anthony, who hadn’t taken his eyes off the canvas.

“It’s an excellent piece,” Henry said, cheerfully grinning at Kate, Anthony, Benedict and Sophie. “It’s the most popular piece so far. I had to insist Benedict include it in the exhibit.”

“What did you say again was your inspiration behind it?” Henry asked, completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere in their current conversation.

Benedict took a moment before he replied. “The truth.”

Kate didn’t know what was going on. She wasn’t sure what Benedict meant and she really didn’t want to let herself fall into a trap that would end with her feelings hurt. Dreams were dreams and they couldn’t always be indulged. What did he mean by the truth?

“Excuse me.” Anthony said sharply, turning around and practically running away from the conversation.

“It was so nice to meet you.” Kate said, smiling apologetically as she made her way through the crowd, following Anthony’s brown head out towards the emergency exit that led to an ally.

“What was that about?” Kate asked, catching her breath as the cool night air hit her. She wrapped her arms around herself, her coat was in the cloak room inside. “That was really rude, Anthony.”

Anthony stared at her in disbelief, the fine lines on his forehead showing how stressed and tense he was. He looked absolutely furious.

“Did I miss something? Why are you so angry?” Kate didn’t know why she was playing dumb. She knew what the canvas looked like. It didn’t look like they were just friends. It was incredibly intimate and she didn’t think it was okay for Benedict to display them like that. She didn’t care about that at that moment. She didn’t understand why the thought of people perceiving them to be together was so upsetting to Anthony and she wanted to know why. She had to know.

It was finally time to confess.

“He should have asked.”

“Ben?” Yeah, sure. It was an intimate photograph. Kate didn’t really warm to the idea of her pictures being up for so many people to see but she didn’t mind it if it was Benedict’s way of expressing his art. “It’s only a few photos. The one of you, Hyacinth and Gregory is lovely.”

“I’m not talking about the others,” He said harshly, leaning against the brick wall of the gallery building. “That’s the one I have the problem with.”

What was so offensive about it? Kate felt herself getting defensive, not of the bloody pictures but of herself. “It’s just a few pictures, Anthony.”

“Do you not see what was on that canvas?” Anthony asked her, waving his arms in the air. “He’s made it look like we’re together.”

“No he hasn’t,” Kate spluttered, starting to feel incredibly warm despite the freezing January air. “It’s just a canvas of...friendship.”

“Come off it,” Anthony said bitterly, shaking his head in disbelief. “He’s made it out to be one big fucking love story.”

There it was.

He sounded disgusted, as if the thought of them being together was so unfathomable it was sickening. Kate stared at him, feeling an overwhelming sinking feeling in her stomach.

Anthony was pacing back and forth in the ally, the horns and ruckus of London fading into the background. He had pulled his tie off, the blue satin material was hanging loosely around his neck.

“Why are you so upset?” Kate asked, not entirely sure if she was ready for his answer. She was confused and upset about his outburst inside and about how stressed he looked. She knew Anthony more than she knew herself and a pacing, disheveled Anthony meant something was very wrong.

It was the calm before the storm.

”Why aren’t you?” His head snapped to the side to look at her as he finally came to a stop.

“Are we finally doing this then?” Kate’s question hung in the air, the weight of its implications making Kate’s chest tighten painfully.

He let out a deep sigh, their eyes never breaking contact as the meaning of her words sunk into them. He knew what she was asking but he chose to pretend he didn’t. “Doing what, Kate?”

“Being honest.”

“I’m not getting into this with you.” He said, shaking his head as he started to walk away from her. Kate was not letting that happen. He didn’t get to run away. She grabbed his arm, not roughly but firmly enough so he would stop.

The confusion and emotions of the last few weeks was rising to the surface. She didn’t want to stop it. Anthony had been so distant for weeks and then he spent a week back to normal. Now he’s angry with her over a photo? It wasn’t fair.

“I want to know what the hell has been going on with you. I don’t deserve this. You’re meant to be my best friend and up until last week, you were barely speaking to me. We lived together and I never saw you. You were avoiding me. Why?”

Anthony gulped, breaking eye contact as he processed her words. “I wasn’t avoiding you.” That was a pathetic attempt at a lie, especially for Anthony.

“It’s been eight years, Anthony,” Kate said bluntly. “I know by now when you’re lying.”

“Maybe I’ve had things going on, Kate. Things that have nothing to do with you.”

“I’m meant to be your best friend. Why can’t you talk to me about what’s been going on with you? We’ve never done that before. We’ve always told each other everything-”

“That’s bullshit and you know it,” Anthony swiftly interrupted her, shaking his head in disbelief. “You want to be honest? Let’s be honest. There’s always been something I can’t talk to you about Kate!” He snapped, finally losing his composure. “There’s always been things we can’t talk to each other about.”

“Like what?”

“You know exactly what I mean. Don’t play dumb.”

“I’m smarter than you, Anthony.” They were glaring furiously at each other, this was an argument like no other they had ever had before. “I just didn’t think you were brave enough to say it. Clearly, I was right.”

It was a challenge and he took the bait.

“Fine then,” He said, his lips in a flat line. “Why didn’t you like Siena?”

Kate hadn’t expected that. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“Why didn’t you like David?” She retorted, raising an eyebrow.

“And I’m not the brave one? Well, let’s see. How long do we have?” Anthony waved his watch in the air. “Should I start with the cheating or him being a complete knob?”

Kate shook her head in disbelief. “I knew you would never take this conversation seriously. Go ahead. We both know you didn’t like him because he was with me. But go ahead. Just avoid talking about your feelings with excuses, sarcasm and insults. How’s that been working out for you?”

“Fine!” She shrieked, waving her hands in the air. “I didn’t like Siena because I liked you, Anthony. I didn’t just like you. I loved you. I was completely and utterly in love with you. No, actually, I am completely and utterly in love with you. I’ve tried everything. I can’t shake it. I can’t shake you. I just can’t do it anymore. I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep dancing around my feelings for you. I’ve doubted myself for so long, that it wasn’t possible for you to feel the same way. But you haven’t been fair. There’s been so many moments where it wasn’t just me. Friends don’t behave like we do.”

Her confession left them both stunned, the weight of its implications hanging in the air. Anthony stared at her in complete disbelief. He didn’t say anything. The silence turned into a minute as they stood there in that alley, neither of them saying a word.

He wasn’t saying anything. He wasn’t saying it back. He just stared at her with a blank expression.

Kate had to protect herself now.

“I’m sorry the thought of being with me is so hard to stomach, Anthony, but get the fuck over yourself. You’re being incredibly selfish, this is Benedict’s day. I know it’s difficult, but not everything is about you. It’s just a bloody picture.”

“That’s not what I meant,” He started, but scowled. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? That picture is going to make people think we’re together Kate.”

That was it. That was the reason he was so upset. He didn’t love her back. He barely acknowledged that she had just told him she had been in love with him for eight years. He didn’t want people to think they were together. That’s why he was so upset.

Her worst fear had been true all along.

He didn’t love her.

Kate would always hate herself for what she did next but in that moment, she wanted to hurt him as much as he had hurt her.

“Don’t worry Anthony,” She said dryly. “A few pictures with me hanging in a gallery won’t damage your chances of taking home some random girl so you can pretend for a while that you’re not completely fucking miserable.”

“Is that what you really think?” He asked, staring at her in disbelief. “I’m so sorry I’m not perfect, Kate. No one can ever live up to little Miss Perfect Kate Sheffield’s standards. Maybe if you got off your high and mighty pedestal and stopped judging me for a few seconds, you’d realize that at the end of the day, you’re just as fucking alone as I am. I just do something about it.”

“I would hardly call shagging random strangers doing something about it,” Kate snapped back, his words stinging her more than she would let him see. “At least my first instinct isn’t to sleep with anyone in sight because of how empty I am inside.”

“It’s better than staying with a prick for two years who made me fucking miserable. How did that work out for you?”

Kate gasped, as if he had knocked the wind out of her. “Fuck you.”

“I didn’t mean that, I’m sorry,” Anthony said, running his hands through his hair and pulling at it. “Kate. There’s a reason we have never happened. It wasn’t just you who flirted and felt..feel things. We wouldn’t work. We’re too good friends for something to ever happen. I’m not good at relationships. I’d find a way to fuck this up and lose you forever. Look at us now. We’d kill each other. It’s why it was best to forget what happened at my birthday-”

Kate completely froze. “What did you just say?”

Anthony's eyes widened as he stared at her, it dawned on him what he had just admitted.

“That morning,” Kate said slowly, shaking her head in disbelief. “You...you acted like you didn’t remember the kiss. You told me you didn’t remember anything that happened that night.”

Anthony actually looked ashamed. He looked down at the concrete and back up at her, biting his bottom lip. “I thought it was best to forget.”

“That’s so much worse. I...I’ve thought for the past year that you didn’t remember.” Kate looked up at him with horror. “Do I mean that little to you?”

Anthony rapidly shook his head. “Kate, I was protecting our friendship-”

She felt like she was going to get sick. “You’re a coward. How could you just-just pretend nothing happened? What is wrong with you?”

“I didn’t want to risk losing our friendship. What if we didn’t work out? How could we get past that? I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Please, just listen-”

“Fuck your friendship. Do you know how terrible I’ve felt? How stupid I felt? That night meant everything to me, Anthony. I woke up that morning thinking everything that I had wanted was finally going to happen. I...I.” She stopped speaking, the lump in her throat taking over her ability to speak. “I’ve been in love with you since I was eighteen years old.”

He reached his hand out towards her, which she slapped away. “Kate, please-”

“No, you know what,” She said, shaking her head erratically. “You were right the first time. Let’s forget. Actually, let’s just forget this. Let’s forget we were ever friends.”

For the second time in her life, she saw Anthony Bridgerton cry. “You don’t mean that,” He said with a shaky voice, quickly wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “Please, let me explain-”

“I can’t do this anymore. I don’t want to do this anymore.” Kate began to stumble back towards the door, wrenching it open. “Forget me. I don’t want to speak to you ever again.”

He didn’t call. Or text.

She nearly did a million times.

It had been exactly nine hours since the gallery and their argument, and it had been the longest nine hours of her life. Newton was with Mary for the week while Kate settled into her flat, so she was all alone. She didn’t want to think about him. She wouldn’t keep replaying their fight in her mind.

Kate had barely gone two days without speaking to Anthony since they’d become friends. Now, it would be forever.

She felt like she was dying, like she had lost this part of herself-and honestly, she had. She had never wanted that kind of love, that kind of need, where a person becomes a part of you. Losing her father had made her never want to feel that pain again.

Her father was gone. Now, so was Anthony.

She still got up and showered the next morning. On Saturdays, she always went roller skating with Edwina. Ed had been at the gallery last night and had tried to speak to Kate as she rushed through to grab her coat and go home. Kate told her she didn’t want to speak about it.

If she did, she would break.

Kate arrived half an hour early at Hyde Park. She had barely slept last night and she needed to get out of her flat before she screamed.

“You are fine. You’re going to skate in the park and forget about him. You’re fine.” She was now talking to herself. Her skating had improved over the past few months, she had even ditched the ugly knee pads Mary had bought her for Christmas. She pulled on her skates and began to skate through Hyde Park, music in her ears, and she only managed to think about Anthony only ever thirty seconds.

“Oh! I’m sorry buddy, I didn’t see you.” Kate said, quickly moving around a Labrador that had run in front of her in the pedestrian lane and stepping into the bike lane.

Kate didn’t see the bike that hit her a few seconds later either.

#the story of us #bridgerton #kate sheffield #anthony bridgerton #kate x anthony #ao3 #fanfiction #my fics #eeeek p2 coming on sunday!#simon basset #daphne bridgerton #benedict bridgerton #ff #edwina sheffield

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a-simple-imagine · 4 years

Text

Until Breakfast

Synopsis: Y/N meets Harley Quinn at a club and ends up looking after her for the night

Pairing: Harley Quinn x fem!reader

Words: 1.9k+

A/N - Based on the Canary/Quinn scene in BoP. I was supposed to have this up for valentine's day but it wasn’t finished so...

Warning - Swearing, alcohol and implied attempted assault

Personally, you don't visit nightclubs very often. There's always too much going on and frankly, you didn't exactly have a lot of friends to go with but today you were embracing your independence and going it alone. The music was so loud, you couldn't even think but that was exactly what you needed right now. Who doesn't love to be stuffed into a sweaty room with a bunch of strangers? At least everyone seemed to be having fun; if you could call it that, most of them just seemed wasted. You decide to head straight for the bar, a drink will help bring you out of your shell a little. With so many people in once place, accidents were going to happen so it was no surprise when a body basically slammed into you. Stumbling backward, you manage to recover quickly as well as catch the person before they collapse. She lingers in your arms before pushing you away.

"I- ‘m fine- don' worry." She practically shouts down your ear. You help her up right where she presents you with a lopsided smile. For a moment she seems to be inspecting you. "Harley Quinn, nice to meetcha," She grabs your hand, shaking it rapidly. You already knew who she was, everyone did; it wasn't like it was hard to figure out.

"I'm Y/N," you reply slowly.

"You're pretty, Y/N," Harley insisted, almost falling on top of you. "Like real pretty."

"Thanks," Hands held out to stop her from falling but she just stumbles and regains composure. "You're... very pretty too."

"Ya think so?" Harley's arm snakes around your shoulders, turning you both so you face the large crowd. "So, who are you 'ere wit, huh? You're much too cute to be all alone."

"Guess you're the only one who thinks that," You awkwardly chuckle, looking to her. "Who are you here with?"

"I'm all on my lonesome," she declares loudly, tapping you ever so playfully on the nose. "I'm a strong inde- indi, independence woman."

"I can change that," You're abruptly shoved away from Harley to make room for someone new. An older guy. Smelt overwhelmingly like aftershave. He put an arm around you while the other sat on Harley's shoulders. "No one should be on their own. How about I get you two ladies some drinks and you can come join me and my friends."

He could have been a nice guy but the fact he shoved his way into the conversation didn't sit right with you. Ducking out of his grip, you shake your head. "No thanks, I'm good." Harley, on the other hand, heard the word drinks and her eyes light up.

"Yes," she clapped. "Drinks."

He's already whisking her away before you have a chance to intervene; you had no right to anyway. You weren't Harley's keeper. She was a grown woman who is free to do whatever she likes. You do follow to the bar though, opting to stay as far away from them as you order yourself a drink.

Hours spent in a dark club quickly grows tiresome. Your head was beginning to throb along with the bass of yet another EDM track. And you were tired of everyone. If they weren't accidentally bumping into you, they were hitting on you. You did run into a very nice girl in the bathroom though, she really gave you a confidence boost; kinda like Harley did. Sliding off the bar stool, you decide to call it a night and head for the door but of course, that's when you notice her. She'd gotten considerably quieter but Harley was still here; not for long though because she was practically being dragged out towards the exit. Call it instinct but you decide it's a good idea to go check on her. Make sure she's okay before you head home too.

"Hey Harley- wait up" you call out, charging towards them. It was the same guy; maybe they were going home together? Harley though, seemed out of it which explained the dragging and that didn't sit well with you. "You doing okay?" She hardly knew you but she also hardly knew this guy so you weren't sure if you should trust him to take care of her or help out? In response to having watched too many crime shows, you decide it's best to intervene.

"She's fine," He answers for her. That definitely left a sour taste in your mouth. "Nothing to see here."

"I'll believe that when she tells me herself," You comment, eyeing the woman in question. "Do you want to go with him, Harley?"

"I don't wanna go 'ome," It was hard to make out slurred but that wasn't a yes. He sighed loudly.

"See? We're fine." He snaps back. Harley mumbles something you can't even comprehend among the music.

"I didn't hear a yes," you comment, "just let her go, man. I'm gonna take her home, she looks like she's gonna pass out."

You watch him debate it in his head. Should he give up a girl who would so willingly go home with him or keep fighting for her? Gently, you reach for Harley's wrist. "Y/N," she mumbles happily, you're surprised she even remembers your name at this point. Harley stumbles back into your arms, nearly pulling you to the floor in the process.

"Fuckin' bitches," was all he said thankfully as he disappeared back into the crowd. You didn't have a plan if he decided to keep fighting so you're glad he just didn't see her as worth the effort.

"Shall we go?" You ask her softly, it wasn't a question you needed an answer to but you got one anyway.

"Nooooooo," she whined. "Don't wanna."

You take a deep breath and lead her outside into the cool night air. You push her against the wall to look at her straight on. She wore a dopey smile. "Where do you live, Harley?" You tried to be as stern as possible in hopes she'd come out with something you'd understand. She did not. She just kept insisting she didn't want to go home; probably for the best considering the shape she was in. Now stuck with the clown queen herself, you couldn't leave her there because some idiot was bound to see an opportunity so you book an Uber back to your place.

"Let's get you to bed, yeah?" Harley giggles hauntingly as you lead her inside your apartment. For such a small girl she was heavy but that may be because you were supporting all her weight. It takes everything in you to actually get her into the bedroom where she collapses down onto your bed. You push her over, so she's lying on her front; watching as she nuzzles against the duvet. Tossing the blanket over her, you take your leave.

"Wait," You look back at her. "Stay... stay with me,"

"I'm gonna be just out here." You explain, pointing out the door. Sleeping on the couch seemed like the best option here.

No," she groans, waving her arm around against the bed. "here."

"I think it's best if I stay on the couch."

"No!" Her voice got louder but it was still a pathetic attempt at shouting. It was amusing. "I'll scream."

"Please don't,"

She takes a dramatic deep breath- "Fine," you give in quickly. It was just easier to appease her than have her scream the place down. "can I at least get ready first?"

"Mhmm," Her voice was muffled, you take a detour to the bathroom. When you are finally ready for bed, she's already passed out and drooling a little. It was... sweet. Switching off the light you creep out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind you. It was just your luck that you hear a muffled yell of your name. At least that's what you think it was, either way, it was definitely Harley's voice. With a heavy sigh, you head back into the bedroom. How was she not completely gone was beyond you.

"You... sta... me," You roll your eyes. Her ability to form sentences seemed to dwindle more and more as the night went on but you assume she's telling you to stay in the bed. "P...wease" eventually you just give in and crawl up beside her.

"Do not throw up on me-" You come to an abrupt stop when the woman latches on to you like a teddy bear, nuzzling against you. You'd shuffle out of her grip if you didn't think it would just set her off again; so instead you just lay there in her arms until you eventually drift off too.

You're awake before Harley- no surprise there. At some point, she had let go of you during the night so thankfully, you didn't have much trouble getting out of bed without disturbing her. Making some coffee while you wait for the stranger to wake up. The loud thump from the bedroom suggested that she was finally awake. You check on her only to find her face down on the floor. "You okay?"

One arm shoots into the air giving you a thumbs up so you just leave her be. She comes out a little while later. "Where... am I?" She asks, surveying the apartment. "What happened?"

Coffee between your palms, you turn around to her. Leaning back against the countertop. All things considered, the girl looks pretty good. "You're," she points at you and just stops talking for a second. "the girl from the club... shit- Y/N, right?"

You nod, impressed by the fact she remembered. "I am."

"And you... kidnapped me?"

"What? No- What?" You reply sharply, the panic evident in your shrill voice. She takes a seat at the kitchen table. "some guy at the club tried to take your drunk ass home with him and I didn't trust him so I brought you here-" you realise that doesn't sound better. "But nothing happened. I- I was just tryna help and you wouldn't tell me where you lived or I would have taken you there I swear-"

"Fuckin' men eh?" Harley interrupted with a little chuckle. "At least I got to go home with a pretty girl, right?" You couldn't tell if she was joking or not. You took a sip of coffee as you lingered in silence. "I want breakfast."

"Uh... I can make you something maybe? I don't know what I have though."

"No," Harley huffs, head falling to rest against the wooden table; you don't even try to question it. "We're gonna go out." She piped back up, jumping out of her seat.

"We?"

"Yes," she declares loudly. "I know this place that makes the best egg sandwich and we're going. Consider it a thank you."

"I don't know..." Harley was a stranger and also a criminal. She probably wasn't the best person to be hanging out with.

"I won't take no for an answer."

"Are you gonna scream again?" You tease. Her brows furrow and you watch as her expression changes trying to figure out what that meant.

"Yeah?" She shrugs, clearly still confused. "I'll scream."

"Fine. Breakfast." You agree, giving her a small unsure smile before placing your mug down.

"Let's go pretty girl" Harley marches for the exit. You linger for a moment before beginning to collect a few things.

"I have a name," you huff. "And you have no shoes on." but when you look up she's already walking out the door.

#Harley Quinn #harley quinn x reader #birds of prey #margot robbie #harley quinn imagine #harley quinn imagines

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ohallthecrushes · 4 years

Text

Drawing you in, part 3 // Arthur Fleck x Reader

A/N: smut is coming for ya. ;D This time no cliffhanger, just the tension being released. Arthur is still creepy and cunning even, though the reader doesn’t realize that.

I’m sorry for any mistakes, it’s 06:03 a.m. here and my mind is too sleepy and i’m still at work for another hour. :(

Comments and supports are appreciated. Enjoy! :)

@call-me-harley-quinn @darkshadow90 tagging you cause I thought you’d like to read it. :)

Summary: Arthur loves you. He’s obsessed with you. After stalking you for some time and making a few conversations, he kidnapped you to his apartment. Into his bed to be more precisely.

Contains: dirty talk, smut

Word count: 4931

I was dreaming about touching you.

Those words were flying inside your head like a little bird trying to break out from a cage, but all it could do was bouncing off of walls in uncontrolled excitement.

The message behind of what he’d said was simple and clear. And the smirk on his face only emphasized the meaning of his sentence. You were thrilled and embarrassed of your own reaction as well as of the situation you’d been put into. Your cheeks turned a rosy color and suddenly you didn’t know what to do with yourself. You just stood there, playing with the strings of your short, you gaped at him and he tilted his head watching you for a moment in curiosity. The smirk slowly disappeared from his face as he looked down, eyes on the floor, and he licked his lips. He focused on his thoughts as if he was reconsidered his last words but you could see that his sudden confidence was still present in him, though he was starting to doubt whether or not he should had said it to you.

- You... - your voice was quiet and shaky but you spoke anyway - you were dreaming about touching me... w-where?

His eyes quickly glanced at you, dark and mysterious, they met yours for a moment and you shivered at how lustful he was looking at you.

- You really wanna know?

You bit your lower lip and nodded.

- I was dreaming about touching your soft skin - he answered with a low voice - putting my hand underneath your shirt and starting with your ribs as I slid my fingers over your skin, slowly and delicately, feeling how warm and soft it is... before I moved up to your beautiful breast, finding one of your nipples and brushed against it with my thumb until it shrank and got hard...

He stopped for a moment, waiting for you to give him a sign that you wanted him to continue and you did, nodding again as you watched him, more and more aroused.

- Then I think I spread my fingers and grabbed your breast, weighing the fullness of it in my palm - he smirked - It felt very real... Your body was warm and comfortable and I just couldn’t resist to press against it, have you as close to me as I could - he paused before he confessed - I was hard for you.

As much as his new found confidence helped him with telling you about his dream, his last words were spoken very quiet and with hesitation. He felt like he was risking now of losing you or winning you over if you, in any chance, had the same feelings towards him. As he was watching you under his brows, he already knew you were curious and excited, but he wasn’t sure if that was enough for you to make love to him. Oh, how much he longed for you to say yes to him, so he could show you how much he loved you.

He chuckled at how much his desires were taking over him right now. He’d never felt like this before, he’d never had such strong feelings towards any other person before you. It frightened him, because no one had awoken so strong desires in him before and he didn’t know what would happen if he simply gave in to them, but on the other hand, he wanted to let go. At least once in his life he wanted to just let go and do what he pleased.

- I was so hard I rubbed against your butt and kept teasing your nipple... You moaned in my dream and it was the prettiest and the most melodic sound I’ve ever heard.

You blushed even more as you focused your eyes at your feet, trying to stay calm and keep your posture straight as you ordered your heart to stop beating so damn fast.

- Then I think I moved my hand lower to your belly and played with the waistband of your short for a moment before I untied the strings.

You smiled at this as you started imagining everything he was telling you, but then you furrowed your brows and glanced at the strings. They were indeed untied when you’d started playing with them but you’d been so preoccupied with Arthur that the thought of why they were untied, hadn’t even crossed your mind. You always tied them up, because they were long and you preferred them being strung up in a pretty bow. Yet, they were unknotted.

You thought that maybe they had untied by accident when you’d been struggling with Arthur in bed, but maybe... Maybe... Could he? No, he’d said he hadn’t done anything to you, only had dreamed about it.

- Darling?

- Emmm... - you glanced at him with confusion - It’s alright, just... My strings are indeed untied - you chuckled nervously.

- I noticed - he acknowledged it, just simply agreeing with you as he observed you for a moment, taking some time to consider something. He shook his head in disbelief to the conclusion that appeared in his head - No, Y/N, that was only a dream, you have nothing to worry about.

You nodded waiting for him to continue.

- I was putting kisses all over your neck when the song started playing. Cliff Richard’s song, Living doll. Have you heard it?

- No.

- I like this song, I think it suits you.

- Suits me? You think I’m a living doll?

- You look so pretty like a doll.

You blushed again and smiled.

- Thank you.

- You’re welcome - he smiled back and got back to his dream - And as I was kissing your neck... I think I nibbled a little at your skin... I put my hand on your butt and slid it lower to- - his confidence once again failed him a bit as he needed to cleared his throat before he finished his sentence - to touch the sweet spot between your tights.

You gasped at his words as you felt a familiar throbbing inside of you. It was like you were listening to a porn and watching it inside your head as your imagination had picked up Arthur’s words and was forming them into very vivid images. You were so wet, you were afraid that your arousal might soaked through your shorts and you didn’t want Arthur to see it. That would be so embarrassing if he did and you would feel ashamed about it. Standing in front of your crush, hearing about what he’d done to you in his dream, and then he realizing how much it was arousing you? Fuck. This was too crazy to think about it.

He opened his mouth to say more, but suddenly he closed them and sniffed the air. He turned his head to look at the pan and he realized that the pancakes was burning.

- Shit.

He rushed to the kitchen and took the pan off of the gas burner.

You slowly followed him and even felt sorry for the wasted pancakes, but really, you didn’t care about the breakfast that much. You only were thinking about the way he'd described his dream to you. It was the only thing that you were focused on now. There were so many details in it and it felt so realistic and stimulating. He had a really vivid and good working imagination. Too bad he was now preoccupied with trying to safe your breakfast, you wanted him to finish his story.

Him brushing your nipple, touching your pussy, kissing and nibbling at your neck... You definitely wanted to hear more.

You placed your hand on your neck and rubbed against the skin there, just trying to imitate his touch on you. He didn’t see what you were doing as you were slowly touching the side of your neck, sliding your fingers up and down, down and up.

You watched his silhouette, his worn out but gentle hands touching things, his fingers grabbing a panhandle, his eyebrows furrowed as he was hyperfocused on everything he was doing.

Your fingers drew a small circle on the crook of your neck and you felt a little sting in one place when you pressed there with more pressure. You slowly withdrew from the kitchen and looked around you. You found a small mirror hanging on the wall and you moved there to look.

There was a small redish spot on your neck. It wasn’t a bruise nor a hickey. But you hadn’t had it yesterday and it didn’t look like an insect sting. When you looked closer at the shape of it, it reminded you of a bite, but larger than any insect could had made. You weren’t sure, maybe your imagination was giving you a wrong impression, but it looked like a love bite to you.

You swallowed hard and started to think about the...worst? possibility. Could had Arthur made it? Could he left a love bite on your neck when you’d been sleeping? Just like in his dream?

But what if...

What if it hadn’t been a dream at all?!

- Doll?

You turned around and looked at Arthur. He was standing there, watching you attentively as he had been since you’d woken up. With the light coming behind him, his figure was swathed in shadows, increasing the dark and mysterious vibes that made him look so intimidating and compelling.

- What is it? You’re hurt? - he looked at your neck slightly furrowing his brows.

- There’s a... There’s a red mark on my neck and it looks like a bite - you explained - A-are you sure you were only dreaming, Arthur?

The crease between his brows deepened as he glanced at your face. His mind grasped your way of thinking and even though you’d put your thoughts into a question, it still felt like an accusation to him. Accusation that his ability to distinguish the reality from his imagination was defective again. He felt hurt by your words. There were too many people in his life questioning his sanity through over the years that he’d grown very insecure and sensitive to any signs or doubts that the reality might not be what he thought it was. Most of the time, he couldn’t find any evidence that what he thought was real, wasn’t in fact, or the other way around, and sometimes he was so sick and tired of doubting that he couldn’t stand when someone was telling him that he might be hallucinating again.

He’d been dreaming about touching you or he hadn’t? Was he dreaming now or was it real? How real could reality be if dreams felt as much damn real?

- It was only a dream - he said certainly, emphasizing the word only - I wouldn’t touch you without your permission. I wanted very much, but I was reminding myself to wait.

He closed his eyes, focusing on trying to block the doubts that was filling up his head now. If it had been only a dream, he could tell, couldn’t he? It felt very real, but... Also too good to happen. He wished it was all real, but could it be enough to actually make it real?

As he was focused on his own thoughts, you concentrated on your own doubts. He wouldn’t lie to you, but what if he was lying to himself? What if he confused dreams with reality? You noticed him being confused, even though he sounded very certain to you. He insisted you to believe him, but the red mark on your neck and the untied strings were telling you otherwise. And you still hadn’t figured out how had you lost your memory. You didn’t know what to think. You wouldn’t mind if he did touch you, but you want to be awoken and aware of it.

- Artie?

- Yes?

- Did I upset you with my question?

- No, no, Y/N, I just... - he glanced at you and smiled slightly, almost apologetically - I promised, I’ve waited.

- Waited for my permission?

He nodded.

- Till morning.

There was a long pause before you ask your next question.

- D-do you want to touch me now?

He nodded. His eyebrows raised slightly in hope.

The arousal you felt was pulsing inside your core way stronger now as you realized how close you were to make it happen. You swallowed and walked closer to him.

- You have my permission. You can touch me.

He glanced at you with mix of disbelief and gratefulness in his eyes. In that moment he stopped looking so intimidating. He was innocent again. His hands raised and hung in the air, unsure of what to do now. Where to touch you.

You slowly took his hands in yours and guided them underneath your shirt. His fingers gently brushed against your waist, making you laugh.

- It’s tickling.

- Sorry - he smiled apologetically and moved his hands to your belly.

He was touching you lightly but with more pressure, slowly sliding his fingers against your skin, moving them up and up your ribs until he stopped right under your boobs. He looked down at you with a silent request. You gathered your confidence even though you couldn’t help but blush and reassured him that you wanted this.

Your shirt was pulled up and your boobs were there for his eyes to see. He placed his hands flat on your breast and gently squeezed them before he used his thumbs to make your nipples hard. His every move was thought out and he admired every part of your body that he placed his hands and eyes on.

- You’re so beautiful, you know that? - he asked as he knelt before you.

You mumbled something incoherent, lost of words were you as you watched him putting kisses on your lower abdominal as your nipples were twirling between his fingers. You wanted more, more of his kisses and touches, you wanted him to fuck you here and now. Against the wall, on a carpet, in the kitchen, just wherever, but now.

You took a deep breath, understanding now what it had taken from Arthur to withhold himself.

- I like the way you smell here - he said as he inhaled the scent of your arousal before he pressed his lips on your shorts. The pressure against your clit and the view before you were enough to make your knees bend slightly. You supported yourself by placing your hand on his shoulder, while the other hand tangled in his hair.

He slid his hands down and tucked his fingers in the waistband of your shorts before he pulled them down to your ankles. His eyes wandered to your pussy and he licked his lips to make them more wet. He knew... he saw on porn movies that women loved being licked down there and he thought that if you taste as good as you smell then he would loved to lick you all night long. And if he got it right then you would come for him as many times as it possible.

But to get it right, he also had to start properly.

He stood up and took your face between his hands. Looking you in the eye, he leaned down and join his lips with yours. It was a soft and innocent kiss that he gave you. The first kiss of lovers.

He closed his eyes and felt as you slightly parted your lips, so he did the same. You captured his lower lip between yours and with that you both started kissing each other with more passion and hunger, naturally following each other’s steps. His lips felt so kissable and even though he tasted like cigarettes, he also tasted like something you always wanted to find, but hadn’t till now: gentleness, comfort and overwhelming love.

You pressed your body to his and rested your hands on his bare chest, gasping at the feeling of his hardness against your lower belly. You felt the hair that covered some parts of his chest and you brushed your fingers over his nipples. Touching his body was something you’d dreamed of for some time and you could finally feel how your dream was coming true.

His mouth parted from your lips as he kissed his way from your chin to your neck, nibbling at the exact same spot where the red mark was.

He thought that this time that he was allowed to do it, he could make it more visible.

He could do much more to you in fact.

He leaned down and took one of your nipples into his mouth, sucking on it slightly as his fingers were pinching the other one.

You moaned loudly and covered your mouth. If you were going crazy by nipples stimulating, you couldn’t imagine what power he would have over you when he slipped inside you.

He switched between the nipples and started sucking on the other, making you moan once again. The wetness was dripping down your thighs, you could feel your neediness grew in and through your abdomen.

- P-please, your mouth o-on my... clit, p-please - you mumbled as you glanced down at him.

He glanced at you back and smirked, standing up and grabbing your waist. He turned you around and put your back against the wall, before he sat down on his feet. Grabbing your leg he threw it across his shoulder and pressed his mouth onto your throbbing pussy. You felt his lips wrapping around your clit as he sucked on it gently, licking it with the tip of his tongue. You leaned your head against the wall and closed your eyes. This felt fucking amazing.

He smirked as he flatted his tongue to press it against your petals. He wanted to taste you and he did, which was crazy to him. He’d never had woman’s pussy for his mouth to eat and had never known the taste. But now that he had you in front of him, pressed against the wall, with your sensitive parts wet and opened up, he could finally feel what it was like to pleasure a woman this way.

He used his fingers to spread your petals and he rubbed the spot between them, feeling the wetness as he was watching your face, analyzing your reaction. He liked that you couldn’t quite control yourself, your expression was so easy to read, he could learn from it.

He played with your clit, using his tongue and his mouth as he caressed one of your legs, the one that you were standing on, the one that was shaking slightly from excitement.

He thought about entering you with his index finger, wondering how did you feel inside. He slid it lower to your entry and made a small circles around it. You were so soft, so warm, so delicate. The member in his pants twitched impatiently, painfully hard and throbbing.

He wanted to touch himself, to release some tension, but he knew he had to focus on you first, make you cum and then take you to bedroom to make love to you.

His index finger slipped easily into you, slowly moving deeper and deeper until he decided to pull back. He repeat that a few times still pleasuring you with his tongue and mouth. It surprised him how wet you were, your liquids were basically dripping down his hand and he wondered if he was really the one that had caused it. The wetter the woman was, the more aroused she was - that was what dr Sally once had told. But how much wet a woman could get? Arthur wondered.

You moaned and grabbed his curls, your hips were rolling as you were very closed to finish. You looked down at him, watching his closed eyes, his nose bumping against your pussy, his brown curls into the grip of your hand...

You felt another wave of pleasure coming through your body and you opened your mouth letting out a loud moan.

Arthur added another finger as he thought it was a good time to do it and fastened fingering you, matching the way your hips were moving.

You were on the edge now, loosing control over your body, fucking on his fingers as you pressed his head onto you wanting more pressure to be applied to your nub. You were cumming now, shaking with pleasure, moaning his name. More liquids were going down his hand and your knee bent as you couldn’t stand straight anymore.

Fuck, you were coming hard.

He let you ride your orgasm on your own, not quite sure when to stop pleasuring you. He slowed down fingering you until he stopped completely, but stayed inside you, feeling your walls clenching around his fingers. His hand was all wet, and he liked it even, the evidence of your climax were all over his hand. That was a really nice view.

You opened your eyes as the last weaker wave of pleasure ran down your body and waited till you were able to control your body reactions again. You looked down at him and smiled shyly. You hadn’t expect yourself to cum this hard and you were almost sorry that your liquids were everywhere, down your legs, all over his hand and even on the floor underneath you.

- That was... wow! Arthur, you were amazing - you said as you saw his cheeks turning pink - But also I’m so sorry for the mess...

He didn’t replied, just looked at you with a small smile on his face as he slowly pulled out of you. He didn’t mind the mess, not at all. He’d made you felt so good you climaxed. He didn’t know why would you apologize for that.

You watched him as he observed his fingers for a moment before he put them into his mouth and sucked your arousal off of them. He didn’t do it to turn you on, he did it to show you that it was okey or even more than okey that you’d made a mess. It was also out of curiosity, he wanted to know the taste of you after you cum.

- Mmmm - he murmured - much sweeter.

He stood up and pulled you closer to him to kiss you. You tasted yourself on his wet lips and his tongue that was dancing with yours for a moment. After a while he pulled away to ask you a very important question.

- Do you want to - he started in a low voice as he looked you in the eye - to make love to me?

You nodded.

- Yes - you replied keep nodding as your lips curled up into a big smile - God, yes.

He chuckled relieved that he had you willing for him and he took your hand to lead you to the bedroom.

He wanted to lift you and carry you there, but that would he save for your wedding night.

As you laid down on a mattress with your legs spread, he removed his pants and freed your cock that was glossy with pre cum already. His shaft was thick and veiny, all hard and ready to enter you.

He crawled onto the bed and hovered above you with his hands placed on sides of your head.

He pressed a kiss onto your lips and lowered himself, rubbing against your clit a few times.

- It’s... - he closed his eyes, not sure how to say it - I’m afraid it’s... - he sighed - I’m not gonna last long it’s my f- I mean... If you’re okey with...

You kissed his cheek. You wanted him to know that you accepted him and wanted him to feel as good as he’d made you feel a moment ago.

- It’s alright, I understand.

You reached down with your hand and wrapped your fingers around his shaft, guiding it to your entrance.

You looked each other deep in the eyes, recognizing each other’s feelings and needs, and took the time to appreciate the moment you had, seeing yourselves in the eyes of another. You communicated with no words, because you both knew that no words could express of what you both felt at that moment.

He entered your warm and tight walls with a slow push. You bit your lower lip feeling him going deeper and stretching you the way that gave you an irresistible pleasure. He fit perfectly inside you as if his shape and length was made for you. He kissed you as he stayed still for a moment, remembering that women needed some time to adjust.

Little he knew that you were so ready for him that you adjusted to him almost immediately.

You wrapped your legs around his hips and made him push into you slightly. He understood and started to move, pulling out and pushing in, slowly but deep as he lowered down to rest his forehead against yours.

- Does it feel good? - he asked.

- It feels more than good.

- I’ve been dreaming of making love to you.

- I know... Me too.

He smiled as he still was looking into your eyes, cherishing this intimate moment that was between you two. The feeling of being inside you, of filling you and giving you pleasure was the best thing he’d ever felt in his entire life. He’d never experienced sex before even though it was one of his dreams to become intimate with someone. He knew he could go and pay a hooker, but that was too instrumental for him, too indifferent and deprived of any feelings or bond.

And sex was always more than sex to him. That was why he’d waited. He couldn’t just have sex with you. He was making love to you.

He closed his eyes and parted his lips. His pace fastened and his movements became more rigid as he was close to climax. He looked so attractive right now as you looked at him. With his curls bouncing, his eyes shut and his muscles tightened. He was even moaning quietly and you loved how he made you feel.

You held him closer to you, your hands wrapped around his body as he started move instinctively towards his own release.

- I... I’m gonna-

- Yes, Arthur, come inside me, I want you to.

He buried his face in the crook of your neck and growled, slowing his thrusting. He pumped his load inside of you with deep and erratic thrusts, sending shivers down your spine. You moaned as well, surprised by your second climax that was building inside of you. You were so close to it that you used your legs to guide Arthur to thrust into you a few times more, before you cum too, clenching your walls around his cock.

You both rode your orgasms right to the end and stood still for a longer moment, taking the time to come back to your senses. You rested your hands on Arthur’s back as he was breathing against your neck. You had his weight on your body and you could feel his heart beating as fast as yours and you could smell his sweat on his skin.

Everything about this was perfect.

- We really... - he breathed onto your skin - we really did this?

- Yeah... And it felt amazing.

- It was amazing - he agreed as he tilted his head to look at you - I’m so happy that I’ve waited for you.

You slightly squinted your eyes not sure of what he meant.

- That you waited till morning or...

- That I’ve waited all my life. I didn’t know who i was waiting for, but now I know it was you - he smiled before he kissed your forehead - And it was worth to wait, baby.

- I’m your first... - you couldn’t believe this.

- Mhm - he pressed another kiss onto the tip of your nose - And my last.

- Are you asking me to be your girlfriend? - you chuckled, not quite believing his words.

- Yes? - he asked with a hope in his voice.

You blinked in consternation. You thought if this was what you should agree to. You had crush on him, yes, you fell in love with him even, but you didn’t know him that well. And he didn’t know you. You were both admiring each other from a distance, but never dating. You felt like he had already planned his life with you, which was ridiculous and probably you got the wrong impression. He wouldn’t get so far with his imagination, would he?

He lifted off of you, but was still observing you, waiting for your response.

You opened your mouth and hesitated for a moment before you decided with a smile.

- Yes, I want to be your girlfriend.

He smiled and chuckled satisfied as his presumption was proven correct. You agreed to become his girlfriend, his one and only, just like he’d thought you would. He was sure you would also agree to live with him in his apartment and wake up every morning in his arms.

He smiled. This dream of his was going soo well for now.

#arthur fleck x reader #joker x reader #joker arthur fleck #arthur fleck imagine #joker imagine #arthur fleck imagines #joker imagines #joker #arthur fleck #arthur fleck reader

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chincilla-on-the-moon · 4 years

Text

“Nice To Meet You Too”-Connor Murphy X Reader (Soulmate AU)

Word Count: 4,164

A/N: Hey everyone! It’s been a hot minute but here’s my second fic, I made the reader gender neutral so more people could enjoy it! Thank you to everyone who reads this and everyone who read my last fic, it is very much appreciated! Hope you have an amazing day! :)

Everyone was born with a tattoo on their inner left wrist with the first words their soulmate would ever say to them. These tattoos would disappear after the words had been said. Some people just had a simple “Hello!”s or “Excuse me!”s and nothing else, others had things such as totals from various purchases and what not but you were lucky, yours included your soulmate’s name. It read, “Uh, I’m Connor, nice to meet you too.” Connor. It was a lovely name but there were also a lot of people named Connor which led to you constantly getting your hopes up. You always went out of your way to introduce yourself to people named Connor and probably looked a little insane while doing so. A few of your friends had met their soulmates in elementary school but as high school went on more and more people were meeting their partners for life while you were still alone. You became a little discouraged but knew that yours was out there and you were going to meet them eventually. Then came some of the best and worst news of your life. You were moving out of state at the end of junior year a couple of weeks after school got out. You were partially overjoyed because you had already interacted with every single Connor in your area but it also meant you were leaving your home of almost eighteen years. Your junior year went by faster than you would have liked and the time came to say goodbye to your childhood best friend Quinn. They came over to help your family pack as they were like the second child your parents never had and once the last box was put into the U-HAUL truck the two of you broke down crying and gave one another the biggest hug.

Once the breakdown was finished you gave each other one last tear-filled smile before you got into the front seat of your parents’ car and pulled out of the driveway of your childhood home. As you were sitting in the passenger seat with your earbuds in you though of Quinn and how you met. The two of you were in the same preschool, on the first day during playtime you were sitting alone and they came up and declared you two were going to be best friends for forever and the rest was history. You were indeed best friends and were almost never seen without the other. You soon became sad so decided to try and think of something else. You knew Quinn was going to be okay because they had recently met their soulmate so they weren’t going to be alone during this transition period for the two of you. You, on the other hand, were not so sure how you were going to cope. Sure facetime was a thing that existed but it definitely wasn’t the same as Quinn just busting into your house at random times and your parents just being okay with it. You slowly fell into a dreamless sleep for the majority of the rest of the trip.

When you woke up again your mom informed you that you were just about two hours from your new home. You got out at the gas station you were currently stopped at and went to the bathroom and got a few snacks for you and your mom to share. You started to stare out the window and soon your thoughts went to your soulmate, Connor. You hoped that you were going to get to meet him soon as this was currently the only thing keeping you going. You finally arrived at your new house about an hour before sunset. You and your parents began to unload everything from the U-HAUL truck. It took a lot longer without Quinn and you ended up having to finish in the dark. While your dad was returning the truck you and your mom decided to unpack the necessities then leave the rest for tomorrow. When your dad came back the three of you decided to get something to eat and just drive around the town.

You got food from Mcdonalds and took in the sights of your new home. It was a nice town, not too big or small, it looked like there were a lot of things to do and places to eat. The last stop on your sightseeing tour was the town’s high school. It looked a lot bigger than your previous school and you thought that building was hard to navigate so you could tell this was going to be a nightmare. On your way home you noticed a park right by your house. You could tell just by looking at it that it would be the perfect place to walk to at 3 AM when you couldn't fall asleep and just wanted to forget about all your troubles. Once you got home you found the box with your sleeping bag and pillow in it and found your new room. You set up your sleeping bag in your empty room, your furniture wasn’t supposed to arrive for a few days so you were stuck sleeping on the floor for the time being. You stared up at the textured ceiling and tried to fall asleep because you knew tomorrow was going to be filled with loads of unpacking but for some reason, you just couldn’t so you were going to call Quinn to just check in but decided against it since you remembered they were hanging out with their soulmate tonight. So you did what you always did when Quinn wasn’t available, imagine what your soulmate looked like. You really didn’t care what ‘Connor’ looked like it was just fun to try and put a face to a name. Slowly you fell into a dreamless sleep.

Your mother came into your room at about 8:30 so you could start unpacking. You finished the living room, kitchen, and bathroom before lunchtime. You finished doing the rest of your house just before dinner time. You stood in your room, it was painted a nice light grey and you had hung up some of your posters and pictures and strung up your lights which made you feel more at home. Your dad called upstairs to tell you that he had picked up dinner on his way home from work. While the three of you were eating he talked about his new job, he was a lawyer and had gotten an amazing opportunity at a pretty well-known law firm, which is why you guys moved. He told you about his new office and some dick named Larry he worked with. Once dinner was finished the three of you talked for a couple of hours about how everyone was feeling about the move, as the conversation was winding down you felt yourself growing tired, you bid your parents goodnight went upstairs to bed. Thoughts of how you were going to arrange your room filled your head, the furniture was supposed to arrive the next afternoon and you couldn’t wait to finally finish setting up your room. That night you had a weird beauty and the beast-esque dream filled with talking furniture.

The furniture truck arrived around 12:30 that afternoon and you finished setting up your room at about 3, you decided to facetime Quinn to show them your new room. They helped you decide where to put a couple small things then after that the two of you just caught up, they told you all about how amazing their soulmate was and you couldn’t help but feel a small pang of jealousy, they asked about ‘Connor’ and you told them you hadn’t found him yet. You lied and told them your mom was calling so you could stop talking about soulmates cause it was making you upset. After you got off the phone you and your mom decided to get lunch at a locally owned diner which made you feel a lot better about not finding Connor yet, before you went home you stopped at the grocery store and picked up somethings so you could begin making food in your own kitchen. Once you got home you decided to take a nap until dinner was ready. You woke up around 5:15 and saw that Quinn had sent you a message so you responded and told them about your lunch, just as you hit send on your message you heard your dad come in and your mom called up to you to tell you dinner was ready. Dinner was good and your dad said work was good which made you feel like maybe this move was a good thing.

The next morning your mom barged into your room and told you to get up and get ready to go tour your new school. You begrudgingly got up and dressed, you then went downstairs to meet your mom. The two of you headed out to her car and on the way put you grabbed some fruit so you wouldn’t be cranky during the tour. Once you arrived and found the main office you met your principal and she gave you your schedule and then introduced you to your tour guide, Alana Beck. She was very pretty and you could tell she was smart just by looking at her. Once your principal set you loose so the tour could actually begin Alana became much more talkative, not in a bad way, of course, it was nice to not have to worry about keeping the conversation going. As the tour progressed you felt your anxiety melting away, the building actually wasn’t that hard to navigate and your classes were easy enough to find. You and Alana found your way back to the principal’s office but before you went in Alana gave you her number that way if you had any questions about anything you could always text her. It was nice to know you already knew someone at school and wouldn’t be going in with a completely clean slate. You went into the office and said good-bye to Alana and your new principal. You walked out of that building feeling oddly calm. You and your mom went out to breakfast and you got one of your favorite diner foods. Your mom dropped you off at home after breakfast because she had to go to her first day at her new job.

You decided to walk down to that little park you saw on your drive around the town. You put in your earbuds and started walking. It took a little while for you to find it but you did eventually. When you arrived you saw that there was another person there. They were sitting on the swingset. You decided to walk around the block to try and avoid human contact at all costs. When you looped back around to the park you saw the tall figure still sitting on a swing. You were tempted to take another lap around the block but there was a feeling in your gut telling you not to. So you didn’t. You decided to just sit on the farthest swing from the person. You decided to sneak a peek. They had wavy brown hair that reached their shoulders and were wearing all black, just like you. You chuckled to yourself, maybe a little too loudly cause the person turned and looked at you. FUCK! FUCK, FUCK, FUCK! Why did I have to fucking do that! It wasn’t even that funny!” you thought to yourself. They continued to look at you. “Wow, they’re pretty. WAIT, not the time you idiot! Holy shit what do I do? Should I say something?! I should say something. Right?” before you could even contemplate what to do you felt yourself opening your mouth and saying “Sorry, I just noticed we’re both wearing black and thought it was kinda funny. Anyways, I’m Y/N. Nice to meet you.”, you awkwardly stuck your hand out for them to shake.

They hesitantly took it and said, “Uh, I’m Connor, nice to meet you too.” You swore you died right then and there, you could not believe your ears. The two of you just realized what happened and said “Holy shit” in perfect unison.

“HOLY SHIT!” you squealed. You ran over to Connor and gave him a gigantic hug, you could tell you scared him with this sudden physical contact but eventually hugged back just as tight as you. At some point, you had started crying out of pure happiness because OH MY GOSH you just met your soulmate! The two of you eventually pulled apart and you just looked at him and soaked in his beauty. You noticed that half of his left eye was a rich dark brown while the other half and eye were a light blue. You noticed how angular his face was and how nice his lips were.

“Soooooo,” he said in a very dragged out manner. “What do we do now?”

“I don’t know I’ve never met my soulmate before,” you say, hoping to lighten the tension. “I guess get to know each other if that’s cool with you.”

“Yeah sounds good. What do you want to know?”

“Why have I never seen you before?”

“I just moved here a couple of days ago with my parents. My dad got a good job opportunity at some law firm around here so we moved.”

“Wait is your last name L/N?”

“Yeah? How’d you know?” you asked, suddenly growing very aware of the fact you and Connor were alone in the park.

“Holy Shit, calm the fuck down. I’m not a creep I swear,” he said getting kind of angry with you, you guessed your internal freakout was showing on the outside. “My dad works at that law firm and mentioned something about a new hire.”

“Oh okay. Sorry for freaking out dude. It was just kinda weird that someone I just met knew my last name regardless if we were soulmates or not.” you said in a very sincere manner, you really didn’t want to mess up your relationship in the very beginning.

“It's all good, don't worry about it,” he says, tension leaving his body. “My last name is Murphy if you were wondering.”

“Well nice to finally meet you, Connor Murphy.”

“Nice to finally meet you too Y/N L/N.”

You and Connor sat in the park until dusk just talking about anything and everything. He told you about his family and how school was hell for him and you told him how anxious you felt moving here. Maybe it was because you were soulmates but the two of you just felt so comfortable around each other already. Before you left he gave you his phone number and you gave him a promise to text him. On the walk home, you felt as if you were walking on air. You quickly whipped out your phone and texted Quinn telling them all about Connor. They let you rant over text about him for most of your walk home, they were so happy for you. You decided to text Connor before you went into your house. As you were walking in the front door he texted you back and you had a gigantic dopey grin on your face. Your parents stopped talking as you walked into the living room, your mom asked, “What’s got you so happy?”

“Oh nothing,” you said over dramatically. “Just met my soulmate that’s all. No biggie,” you said shrugging your shoulders and biting your lip in an attempt to hold back your smile.

“Oh my gosh honey!” your mother said practically jumping over the couch to reach you. “When? How? Where? What does he look like?” she asked, barely breathing while doing so. You wanted to keep them in suspense for a little bit but decided against it as you didn’t want your mother bursting a blood vessel.

“Earlier today. After you dropped me off and went to work I decided to walk to that little park not that far from here and that's where I met him,” you said suddenly feeling shy about the whole thing, you weren't a fan of being bombarded with all these questions from your mother. Once you satisfied your mom with adequate answers you went up to your room and continued to text Connor. The two of you were planning your first date, well more like Connor was planning your first date because you didn’t know anything to do. Connor suggested getting dinner and seeing a movie in the town next to yours and you thought that was a lovely idea. The date was set for Saturday which was still a few days away from now lucky for you because it meant you had a couple of days to figure out your outfit and get advice from Quinn. You and Connor were texting for hours before you looked at the clock on your nightstand and realized that it was four in the morning, you bid Connor goodnight and went to bed with a stupid grin on your face.

When you woke up you immediately texted Quinn to tell them about your plans for this weekend. They were so happy for you and they agreed to help you pick out an outfit. You were on facetime for hours modeling different outfit choices before you picked one, it was casual but still looked like you were making an effort. Once the outfit situation was figured out you started talking about the actual date, you started freaking out a little bit because ‘oh my god’ what if he didn’t like you but Quinn was quick to reassure you that he was literally your soulmate and you two were meant to be together. You spent the next few days texting Connor and waiting for Saturday.

Finally, after much anticipation, Saturday arrived! You could barely sleep the previous night you were so excited. It was like the night before going on a big field trip in elementary school, you had your clothes laid out and made sure literally everything was perfect. You woke up early to get ready, you showered, did a face mask and painted your nails to kill time while waiting for Connor to pick you up. Once the time that was decided upon rolled around you saw a black truck pull up in front of your house. You didn’t even need the text saying he was here to know that it was Connor’s. You said goodbye to your parents and practically ran out to Connor’s truck. Once you reached it Connor told you to wait while he got out and opened the door for you with a blush on his face. He quickly went around to the driver's side and got in, he reached into the back seat and pulled out flowers which you found very sweet. “Ah so chivalry isn’t dead,” you said while laughing lightly.

“No it isn’t,” he said while smiling. The drive over was filled with the sound of a playlist Connor made, conversation was scarce as both of you were scared to mess this up. You pulled up to the restaurant and Connor quickly got out and opened the door for you again. You thanked him and fixed your disheveled outfit. The restaurant was a nice little diner with an ice cream place attached to it when you walked in Connor got the two of you a booth. The booth was in the back corner of the restaurant, the seats were a little worn down but still comfortable. Once the two of you got settled in, a nice middle-aged woman came over and got your drink orders, you guys looked over your menus and silently decided what you were going to get to eat. You decided you had enough of this awkward silence and started a conversation.

“Soooo, how was your day Connor?”

After that, the ice was broken and conversation between you two came naturally. You talked about things such as your favorite TV shows, movies, and books. The service was fast and soon after placing your order the food came and it was pretty good. Once your waitress dropped off the check at your booth Connor insisted on paying much to your dismay, after that two of you got some ice cream before heading to the movie theatre. This time Connor let you have the AUX Cord and you played some stuff from your favorite artist, he had only heard a couple of their songs so he asked you about them which resulted in you rambling about them for almost the entire 15-minute car ride to the movie theatre. Once you were done you had realized how long you’d been talking and started apologizing and blushing immensely. Connor only laughed and told you it was fine with a huge smile on his face, what he didn’t tell you is that he found it extremely cute. Once you arrived at the theatre you bought your tickets and headed in. Although you two just ate dinner you decide to get some stuff from the snack bar. After getting your snacks you found your theatre and settled into the somewhat uncomfy seats just in time for the previews to start. Neither of you were particularly interested in the movie but you still watched it nonetheless. About halfway through the movie Connor “smoothly” put his arm around your shoulders and you leaned your head into him. Now neither of you wanted the movie to end now but alas it had to, on your way out you grabbed Connor’s hand and didn’t let go until you had to to be able to get in the car but once you clicked your seat belts Connor reached across the center console and put his hand out for you to hold if you wanted to, and you wanted to. On the way home you talked about the movie then somehow you got on the topic of soulmate tattoos.

“Do you know how insane I went going out of my way to introduce myself to every single person named Connor?” you say while laughing. “I literally introduced myself to every single one of them in my old town and even the surrounding counties!”

“I’m sorry my parents named me something so basic I’ll be sure to scold them for it,” he says while pretending to be serious.

“I think I’ll have to fight them when I meet them!” you say still laughing. This is what cracks him and he begins to laugh with you.

“Oh my god please do!” he says with a gigantic smile on his face.

After that, the two of you calm down but still have dumb grins on your faces.

“How did you feel walking around with the stupid thing I said to you on your wrist for seventeen years?”

“It was comforting knowing my soulmate was an emo piece of shit like me,” he says with a grin.

“Hey! I’m not emo! I just happen to like the color black,” you say pouting.

“Okay whatever helps you sleep at night sunshine,” he says with an overdramatic eye roll. After that, the two of you fell into a comfortable silence which was nothing like the one on the ride over. Sooner than you would’ve liked Connor pulled up in front of your house.

“Here we are”

“Yup,” you say, not wanting to get out just yet. “Thank you for tonight I had a really amazing time.”

“Of course,” he says, turning to look at you. Once he does so a small smile appears on his pretty face. You decided this would be a good note to leave on, you reluctantly let go of his hand and began to collect your things. You look at Connor and don’t know what possesses you but you give him a kiss on the cheek.

“I’ll text you tomorrow, okay?” you ask, your cheeks on fire from what you had just done.

“Mhm, sounds good,” he says, barely above a whisper. Face beat red, he puts his hand up to the place you had just kissed. “Good night Y/N.”

“Good night Connor,” you say while opening the door of his truck. You shut the door and smile at him and walk up to your front door. You wave at him to let him know you got in okay and as a final goodbye for the night. Your parents were out for the night so you didn’t have to deal with your mom’s bombardment of questions about the date until breakfast the following morning. You went upstairs and changed into your pajamas, still smiling. You texted Quinn and let them know how perfect the date went, making sure to let them know every single detail. That night you dreamed of Connor, your future together and how happy you were to meet him.

#connor murphy #Connor Murphy x Reader #connor murphy fanfiction #connor murphy fanfic #dear evan hansen fanfic #dear evan hansen #dear evan hansen x reader #alana beck #broadway x reader #musical x reader #Broadway #musicals #broadway fanfic #musical fanfic #x reader #character x reader #character x you

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sambergscott · 4 years

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a valentine’s surprise

Summary: Cheddar had passed the gem stones, they had been sterilised (twice!) and everyone is usually too loved up, or sad, to be out committing crimes, making Valentine’s the perfect holiday for a heist. Except when you had plans that will have to be cancelled. At the end of the day, Jake makes it up to his wife.

(spoilers for season 7 episode 11)

Her Valentine’s starts pretty great, her husband treating her to coffee, heart-shaped pancakes and a card that reads I’m going to make you moan like Myrtle.

(Despite the message on the front, there is a very sweet paragraph inside about how much he loves her and how smart and pretty she is and about how she makes him feel good about the world and his place in it. When she gets to the sentence about how difficult the last few months have been, he thanks her, says that he couldn’t have gone through it with anyone else and reminds her that they are a family - no matter what).

He proudly displays his card from her (a drawing of Hans Gruber falling from Nakatomi Plaza with the words I’ve fallen for you) on his nightstand and lays out his elaborate plans for the rest of the day: quick stop at home after work to shower and change, dinner at a fancy Manhattan restaurant and then, when they’re a little wine drunk and their inhibitions are lowered, salsa dancing.

She pops a piece of pancake in her mouth, chewing slowly as she debates the pros and cons of telling him they can’t do any of that. He will be crushed. He made the reservations last year, added it to their joint calendar and sticks new post-its on the fridge daily counting down to the Valentine’s Day Of The Century. They clearly both need the distraction from eating healthily and monitoring temperature and overly scheduled sex and referring to said sex as uterine deposits and doctor’s appointments, fertility drugs, negative test after negative test and questions from everyone they know. But the heist is due to restart today - Cheddar had passed the gem stones, they had been sterilised (twice!) and everyone is usually too loved up, or sad, to be out committing crimes, making it the perfect holiday for a heist.

Except when you had plans that will have to be cancelled.

“I’m sorry, babe,” she apologises after revealing the news, kissing away his disappointed frown. “We can always reschedule. February 15th can be the most romantic day of the year if we want it to be.”

He doesn’t respond, but she recognises the look on his face from when he’s coming up with a backstory for one of his undercover characters or an explanation as to why the dishwasher is overflowing when there are still dirty dishes all over the kitchen. His expression changes, his lips twisting into a smile, his eyes sparkling - he has a solution.

“What is it, Jake?” She deadpans.

“Surprise,” is his only answer as he wolfs the rest of his pancakes and asks her to shower with him.

Thank God she washed her hair last night otherwise they would’ve most certainly been late to work.

“Morning lovebirds,” Charles says in a singsong voice as soon as the elevator doors open, firing a million questions at them about what they bought each other, how the pancakes tasted (he must’ve got lessons from Charles, which makes the gesture that much sweeter) and whether they’ve already conceived a Valentine’s baby from their love.

Rosa punches him in the arm for them as she walks past.

Of all days to be handcuffed to her husband’s best friend, it had to be Valentine’s Day.

She learns way too many disgusting details about his sex life; he lists the sexiest restaurants in New York from A-Z (his personal favourite is Dining in the Dark that just opened in Parkslope, the blindfolds enhancing all the senses, he explains with a smirk), recommends the best foods to eat off a lover’s body and reads all his texts to Genevieve OUT. LOUD.

Amy shudders at their increasingly gross pet names, trying to focus her attention on Jake from across the bullpen. He’s kept coy about what he has planned for her, her only clue that it will be “hella romantic.”

(She read his lips).

Charles puts his phone away (thank God, she was moments from pulling a Terry and crushing the thing with her bare hands) and they go over their plan once more. Jake and Holt will argue, thanks to her excellent idea to rig the teams, they will mess up and Charles will use his dainty fingers to steal the gems from Bill’s pocket.

Then there are flowers everywhere, the precinct filled with the sweet scent of a billion roses, and in the chaos Scully steals (and swallows) the damn gems.

They end up back at Cheddar’s vet because all the emergency rooms are filled with skeletons and clowns and Harley Quinns having their stomachs pumped and apparently Scully’s body resembles closer to that of a human-sized giraffe with his big ol’ heart and leathery skin than a human-human. The vet reveals the gems are indeed inside of him and the heist is postponed until Easter.

“Hey,” Jake says, grabbing her hand to hold her back as everyone else leaves the surgery. “We’re friends again, right?”

“Yes, babe,” she assures him. Kylie thinks it’s weird how they can go from trash talking back to “babe” and heart eyes with the flick of a switch, but that’s just the way they’ve always been. They’re competitive. They will do anything to win. And they love each other. “Best friends.”

“Awesome,” he grins.

“So, best friend, what do we do now?”

He feigns ignorance. “What do you mean?”

“What’s your big Valentine’s Day surprise? I know you have one.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Ames. We’ve missed our reservation. I just need to go back to work to pick up my bag.”

“Mm-hmm. Sure.” She eyes him suspiciously, following him to the parking lot and their car and laughing when he turns on a playlist of the Most Romantic Taylor Swift Songs for the drive back to the precinct.

She plays along, acts like nothing is happening, like she doesn’t see the nervous tapping of his hand against the steering wheel or the constant lighting up of his phone with new encrypted messages. He’s even changed his passcode from their wedding date so she can’t unlock it.

When they get to the Nine-Nine, all the Valentine’s decorations have gone, probably removed by the night shift detectives who cannot stand their day shift counterparts, and Jake leads her to the evidence lock-up.

Her thoughts inevitably drift to HalloVeen, to becoming a two time champ and Jake Peralta’s fiancée. To the way he told her to “read the inscription on that there belt”, the way he was already down on one knee when she realised what was happening, the way he smiled when he managed to surprise her. To his heart eyes as he listed the things he loves about her and slid on the ring and kissed her in a way he’d never kissed her before.

She doesn’t know how anyone can argue anything other than her winning that day.

He opens the door and there are hearts everywhere, all the flowers from the delivery guys, a table and two chairs constructed from evidence boxes, a bottle of pinot gris and a take-out bag from her favourite Polish place.

She’s speechless.

“I got Bill to set it up,” he explains, fiddling with his police badge. “I figured if we couldn’t make it to the fancy restaurant, I’d bring the fancy restaurant to you. Kind of. I mean, it’s still a police precinct and the floor is kind of sticky and we’re surrounded by evidence from murder cases, but-.”

She cuts him off with a kiss. “Babe, it’s perfect.”

“Really?”

“Really. It’s so romantic. And this is kind of our place, right? Where we had our first for realz kiss, where we got engaged.” She pauses. “Also the flowers really mask the bad smell.”

He breaks into laughter, shaking his head. “I love you so much.”

“I love you so much, too,” she replies. “Now can we eat? I had to listen to Charles talk about food all day and I’m starving.”

“Of course, m’lady.” He pulls out a “chair”, ever the gentleman, and kisses the top of her head before sitting on his own stack of boxes. He pours the wine into their NYPD mugs and holds his up in the air. “To us, to Fake Charles, to pierogis.”

“To pierogis,” she cheers, clinking their mugs together.

(And, for the record, when they get home, he sticks to his card’s promise, a very happy ending to Valentine’s Day indeed).

#b99 fic #jake x amy #my writing #lemme know what you think!!

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ladyfiresfanfiction · 3 years

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Baby, Let’s Get Naked - Supernatural Fan Fic - Dean Winchester X OC

She paced around the living room, nearly burning a hole in the floor. Her usual calm, easy going manner had vanished and was replaced with anxiety and frantic obscene murmurings to herself. She was worried that she had gotten dressed up for nothing. But she also worried about other things; what if he had forgotten, what if he couldn't find the place, or worse, what if he was hurt? It didn't help that the smart ass never answered his phone when she called, either. But still, she waited, rather impatiently. If she knew him like she thought she did, he would waltz through the door, smirk at her, and say something stupid like "you're wearing that?" or "let's skip dinner and go straight to bed, sweetheart." Either one would have been comforting right now. What was it about him that drove her so mad? Was it those remarkable eyes? Golden hazel, like a wolf's? Or maybe those plump, warm lips that sent shivers up her spine anytime he leaned in and kissed her. It could have been that rough, gravelly voice as well. Or that body, it was so perfect. The strong, smooth chest, those perfect abs, or those arms that made her want to shove him on the ground and have her way with him. It wasn't just his physique that drove her so crazy. It was also how he could be so childish, but serious at the same time. He could make her laugh like no one she had never known. He was kind, and loving, and he was really protective. He was the guy you could always go to with your deepest secrets, your darkest fears, and he would never push you away. He would be there the second you called. They had met when she had turned eighteen, he saved her life. She was always a firm believer in things she could see and touch. Not what she could sense, or feel. But he proved to her that things are not always black and white, and she thanked him for that. It was the reason she was still breathing, and was able to blow out twenty one candles. When she saw the ghost of her ex boyfriend materialize in front of her, and slowly trudge toward her in a menacing fashion, her life was changed forever. But Dean came along, and he was able to keep her out of harms way. The way he completely took control over the situation, how he risked his own life to keep her alive, it was something she could never erase from her memory. And to this day, three years later, she still thought of him constantly. She wondered if things could ever be more than a quick hang out and hook up before he hit the road. In her heart of hearts, she knew he was the one for her. There had never been another guy since he entered her life. She couldn't find herself remotely attracted to anyone in her town, and she never one thought of going with another guy. Plus, he ruined sex for her. He was like a machine, he could go for hours and never get tired. And the way he held her afterwards, it made everything seem like a fairy tale. Last week he called and let her know that he was coming back to Omaha on business. He said as soon as it was over he would have an extra day or two to spend with her. He was tracking some kind of trickster that was killing the elderly and needed to put a stop to it. She worried about him, but, it was Dean, he would be okay. Dean Winchester could never die. Three hours after he was suppose to arrive, she decided to call his brother, Sam. Her mind had one too many bad scenarios running rampant right now, and it needed to be stopped. The phone seemed to ring continually, which only added to her annoyance. She twirled a lock of her raven black hair around her fingers and growled at the phone. Finally, he answered. "Quinn, hey! What's up?" Sam asked. "Where's Dean? Is he alive? Are you guys okay? Oh, God, please tell me y'all aren't in the hospital!" "Quinn, what are you talking about? Everything's fine. The job is done and Dean and I just had dinner." Sam said, sounding utterly confused. "Oh you did, did you? Ask him if he forgot something tonight." she hissed. Quinn's usual cheery voice has turned to stone. Her crystal blue eyes were probably a dark, scary blue. She was shaking and balled her fist, ready to slug him as soon as he walked through the door. He made her panic, think that something happened with his newest hunt. He knew how much she worried, he knew that she had an over active imagination. And that selfish, stupid, boyish asshole decided to grab a fucking bite before even calling her? Oh, it would not end well. "He's on his way, Quinn.." Sam said, sounding scared. She changed out of her body hugging black velvet mini dress and heels, into a pair of black paid pajama bottoms and an over sized Marilyn Manson shirt. Her hair was devoid of the curls she spent an hour doing, and placed in a half assed pony tail, and her face was now makeup free. She sat on the couch in complete darkness, seething with anger. The second he walked through that door he was going to get it. He walked in fifteen minutes later and tried to feel around for the light switch. When he couldn't find one, he called out to her. Quinn had the nastiest temper he had ever seen on a chick, and he had been with plenty of women to witness unspeakable tempers. He had completely forgotten and felt awful, especially since he remembered she was getting all dressed up. He finally found the switch and saw her in her PJ's, sitting on the couch, looking like she wanted to jump him and rip his eyes out. He nervously chuckled, and moved cautiously. Once he reached the side of the couch, she got up and stormed passed him, slamming the door shut. "You're lucky that car belonged to your dad, because if it didn't, Dean Winchester, it would be DESTROYED right about now!" she screeched. "Hey now, the Impala did nothing wrong so just relax, woman." he said, regretting those words nearly immediately. She punched him hard in his stomach and he groaned. She went into the kitchen and started chugging a wine cooler. He took in a few deep breaths before following close behind. He looked at her, so angry, but so sexy at the same time. Now was the worst time to start imagining the things he'd do her, against the back door, on the kitchen floor, having her bent over the kitchen counter while he pounded her from behind. It was all so tempting, and it would be so easy to get her to cave. He would let her get her rage out, and then at the first opportunity, he would make his move. She glared at him. Why was he still here? She wanted nothing to do with him, and her hand hurt from clocking him in his rock hard stomach. It was like punching a brick wall. She rolled her eyes at him. That smug bastard just stood there, smirking and looking at her from head to toe. He tried to move close to her, but she pushed him away and went to the living room. She plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV. If he wouldn't leave, she would pretend he wasn't there. But, he didn't seem to get the hint. "Come on, baby, how long are you gonna be mad at me? I mean, at least I'm okay, right?" he grinned while whispering in her ear. "Fuck off, Winchester." she snarled. He was growing irritated now. Usually after a few minutes of her incessant glares and obscenities she would break and do whatever he wanted. Then again, he had never forgotten to call her after a job before. It was like this unspoken rule between them. He sighed and went to put his arm around her shoulders, in which she flipped him over the couch. She was now lying down, smiling and proud of herself. But Dean wasn't having that. He was now pissed off, hungry, and horny. For Dean Winchester, that was a volital mix. He jumped up, snatched the remote and turned it off. The next thing Quinn knew was she was hoisted over his shoulder, kicking and screaming while he went upstairs. He went inside her room and slammed her down on the bed. He kicked the door shut and they glared at each other. His eyes took on this melted golden lava hue, and in that moment, Quinn realized how fucked she was. Or, actually, was about to be. He walked over and with one swift movement, yanked her up with her wrist enclosed in his hand. She looked up at him, trying hard not to give in. But the way he was biting his bottom lip, to the lustful look in his eyes, and how his body stood in front of her, unmoving and completely solid, she was melting and quick. He forced his lips hard on hers, and she moaned into the kiss. His hands moved down to her hips, and he squeezed them hard enough that she would have bruises the next day. She sucked on his bottom lip and let her hands wander through his hair, yanking on it every so often. He fell on top of her on the bed and their tongues became engaged in a win or die war. His tongue slid over every inch of hers, soaking up her saliva and texture, it was so far down her throat he was nearly gagging her. She pulled away and attacked his neck, kissing and biting like she was some blood hungry animal. He returned rough, dry kisses to her neck, down to her collarbone, where he proceeded to nibble on. His hand slid slowly down every curve, every crevice of her body. He began to grind against her, letting her feel his slowly forming boner. She began to whimper when he yanked her hair away from her neck and bit down, hard enough to leave black marks. She was sliding her hands down his perfect, chizzeled chest, down to those abs that she wanted to lick. He tore her shirt in half, promising to buy her a new one later. All she could do was pant, and mimic a laugh. He was too much for her to handle. She slowly inched his shirt up, and along the way kissed his body. With every sweet kiss came an animalistic grunt deep in his throat. She knew just the thing to do to get him so crazy, so sex driven, that she would not walk for a week. She finally got his shirt off and worked on his shoulders. She rubbed them while adding butterfly kisses, making him shake and pant profane words into her ear. His hands went up to her breasts, each one fitting perfectly in the palms of his hands. He would squeeze and smirk as she cried out in frustration. He then would proceed to wet his finger while twirling it around her nipple, making them a little wet before he bent down to suck on them. Then his tongue would slide around, and he would nibble, making her arch and scream. He wouldn't let her take control this easily. Her legs were wrapped around his waist and she grabbed his face with her hands, then pressed her lips to his, inhaling his warmth. Their hip bones were crushing up against each others, knocking back and forth, ensuring pain but pleasure all at once. He finally ripped her sweats off of her in one smooth motion, and then proceeded to kiss down her body. He got down on his knees, and forced her legs apart, far and wide, wide enough to make it hurt. She knew what was coming, and began to grip the sheets, feeling her knuckles hurt and turn white. He smirked and winked at her. He began to nibble on her inner thighs, the stubble on his chin was sending every feeling throughout her entire body. She could already feel herself getting wet and sticky. He made his way up to her opening, in which he stuck one solitary finger in. He curled that finger, and another and began to pump them inside of her, making sure she was good and lubed up before he began to taste her. She was already whining and begging him to fuck her, but all he could do was mutter the word "patience". Quinn was not a patient woman. After several minutes of his fingers hitting her g-spot, he released his fingers from inside her and let his large, skilled tongue enter her. He played with her clit while his tongue curled inside of her, making her arch and gasp. He had learned a few tricks since his last visit. The deeper his tongue entered her cunt, the more her body moved. She was nearly sliding off of the silk sheets when he hit her spot. Air was becoming hard to come by, and she was begging him to let her go now. He began to lap up her juices that flowed freely from her body. Her eyes were beginning to roll back in her head and her muscles were contracting. She was so close to losing complete control. And that's when he stopped. He stood above her, jeans still on and the biggest bulge she had ever seen on him exposed. He smirked and leaned down to kiss her lips. His tongue locked with hers, giving her a taste of herself. Her nails raked down his back, giving him some of the pain she was feeling. He pulled away, tugging on her bottom lip as he let go. "Are you sure you want me, Quinn? I could easily leave." he said in that deep, hungry voice. "Fuck me now, Dean. God, fuck me now." she begged. "As you wish, slut." he smirked. He unbuttoned his jeans and she watched as they fell to his ankles. What a perfect day to go commando, she thought. He hovered above her body, the tip of his cock pressed against her opening. Before she could try anything, he pinned her wrists down at her sides, and shook his head no. She was nearly in tears from the pressure and the pounding in her pussy. He could have fucked her sideways and upside down, she wouldn't have cared. This building up bullshit was killing her. And he finally entered her. Every single, solid inch all at once. She groaned as she felt his full girth inside of her, and she bucked her hips against his. He was sliding in furiously, hard enough to send her upward on to the bed, the sheets had become so slippery from a mix of her sweat and the fact that they were silk it was hard to keep her in one place. There were loud slapping noises from their skin being slicked with sweat, and everytime he entered her, he banged his hip bones against hers, causing a shock to go through every fiber of her being. She arched in to him, hungrily kissing him. His bottom lip was caught between her lips, enjoying every second of their kiss. He threw her against the headboard, and he gained momentum as he began to pound her aching cunt. It felt so good it hurt, and she was nearly screaming his name. He grunted in her ear, making her squirm under his delicious form. He finally looked down into her eyes, his lips inches from hers, and he smiled. "You always have been my number one girl, and my number one fuck." he said hoarsely. The more he went in, the wetter she got. Anytime he penetrated her now, it made a loud squelching noise from the huge amount of cum dripping from her. He was nearing the end of his rope as she sucked on his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist, giving him more of a chance to deeply pound her. It was all too much and she lost all control of her body. She screamed, louder and louder, with each thrust he sent her flying into the headboard, and he tightened up his muscles, and shut his eyes tight. He let out a massive load of white hot cum, shocking her body to bits. Her muscles contracted around his cock, and she screamed as she released. He kissed her lips to silence her, and she moaned uncontrollably into the kiss. Once they finished, he collapsed on top of her. He was shaking and panting, and all the while she slid her fingertips through his damp hair, and kissed the top of his head. This was the best sex of her life, and she knew no one could ever top it. He laid there, cradled in her arms, and they were both silent for the longest time. He always liked to go out with a bang, and he sure as hell did this time.

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sincerelyreidburke · 4 years

Note

Could you please tell me about the first time Nando gets fined (because of Quinn). What does Quinn think about the whole fining thing?

Yes, absolutely, anon— and thank you for asking!!

I’m going to cross-post this to ao3 along with a couple other drabbles that have come as results to asks, but I won’t do it yet because those other ones aren’t done. In the meantime: have this!!

Set about 24 hours after this most recent Quindo fic on ao3.

(Ask me anything about the crickets!)

Technically speaking, tonight is not Quinn’s first Samwell Hockey party.

Because after all, the whole reason he met Sebastián was his actual first party, the Halloween one, which was only a few weeks before now but feels like it was forever ago. He came here on his own accord, based on the invitation Denice extended, completely unknowing of what to expect. And he survived. A real frat party. In fact, he came out practically unscathed.

And even in the time since Halloween, he’s been in the Hockey Haus one other time, on the night of Winter Screw. That time, too, was doable; he emerged with a cute boy’s number, even. So tonight, two weeks to the date after Winter Screw, being in the Hockey Haus is not a new experience. Nor is the party atmosphere.

But it feels different. Tonight, it’s better, more comfortable, less of a social experiment and more just a social event. Because tonight, he’s here as a hockey boy’s boyfriend.

He’s a little giddy, maybe. It’s been about twenty-four hours since they made it official, after Quinn went to his game last night, and tonight he walks into the hockey party feeling like a new man. He’s wearing the freshly stolen Samwell Hockey hoodie of Sebastián’s that he managed to end last night by acquiring, with his one pair of jeans, if you can believe it.

He’s here on invitation, and although he was with Sebastián for several hours after the game last night, it feels like it’s been forever since he saw him. They had an away game today— or, as Sebastián calls it when they play off-campus, a roadie, not to be confused with Rhodey, the team’s nickname for Sebastián’s best friend, Ben (goodness, it must get confusing)— so, anyway, Quinn hasn’t actually seen his brand-new boyfriend all day. The game was only at Brown, so they didn’t have to stay in a hotel, and it landed them back on campus after a 3-0 win, according to Sebastián’s excited text to him earlier.

Sebastián♥️: we won!!!!! 3 to nothing. it was swawesome!!!!!!

Me: Congratulations!!🥰🥳

Sebastián♥️: thank you!! ❤️❤️ i miss you!

Sebastián♥️: come to the haus tonight? we’re throwing a kegster!

Quinn really has no idea why they’re called kegsters, but he shows up at the Haus after he eats dinner anyways.

It’s a hopping place, but maybe that’s just how the Haus always is after dark. Meeting up with Sebastián takes him all of two minutes, because he’s tall and loud and cute as can be, and when he sees him through the crowd, his face lights up, and he cries, “Quinn!” and then kisses him right in front of everybody and nothing in the world matters at all.

It’s been about an hour since he got here, or at least Quinn is pretty sure it’s only been an hour. Sebastián is drinking, but only a little, and the music is loud (Quinn has his volume turned way down), and the hockey guys are all being really nice to him, as he sticks to Sebastián’s side like glue. They dance a little, but Quinn is so awful at dancing when it isn’t choreographed that he laughs his way off the unofficial dance floor in the living room after half of a song.

Mostly, they just talk to other people. From a meeting over lunch at Commons last week, Quinn already knows Sebastián’s two freshman friends on the team, Ben and Remy, and of course he knows Tony, through Denice, as well. But tonight, he meets others— like the captain, the redhead, whose name is not actually Dex but Will, and his boyfriend, Derek; they remember him from the Halloween party. (“I found out they were dating in October,” Sebastián murmurs into his ear, one hand on his back, as they walk away after talking with them for awhile. “They’re really cute together. I basically want to be just like them when I grow up.”

Quinn laughs and goes to kiss his cheek as they walk through the ruckus. “When you grow up?”

Sebastián shrugs, and his smile in the party lights makes Quinn’s stomach turn inside out. “When I’m a senior.”)

Now, Quinn stands by a table, spectating over a rather intense game of cup pong. It’s Sebastián and Ben versus Remy and another player on the team, River, who has spectacular hair. He and Remy are a million times better at sinking their shots than Ben and Sebastián are, and the whole sight is mildly entertaining.

“Fuck!” Ben cries, when one of his attempts bounces off the rim of a cup and onto the floor. “I’m fucking cursed, I swear to God.”

“You have a serious problem,” Remy replies, retrieving the ball from the ground and dusting it off on his shirt. He passes it to River, because it’s his turn, and Quinn watches as his toss arcs perfectly over the table and lands with a plop in the closest cup on their side.

“Shit,” Sebastián laughs, because it’s his turn to drink, but the cup is only filled about a quarter of the way, so he downs it with minimal effort. Quinn laughs at the scene.

“You two are awful at this,” he remarks, looking up at him and Ben, and Ben feigns offense, putting a hand to his heart, while Sebastián laughs at the ceiling.

“You’ve only been dating him for a day and you’re already chirping his pong skills?” Ben shakes his head and lets off a low whistle. “Tough crowd, boys.”

“Here.” Sebastián presses the ball into his hand, and Quinn looks up at him to widen his eyes as he says, “You take a shot.”

“Yeah, show us what you got!” Ben is grinning from ear to ear. “Can’t chirp if you can’t back it up.”

Chirping, Quinn recalls, is hockey speak for teasing. He guesses he did ask for this. As he lifts the lightweight pong ball to the light and studies the cups across the table, he feels dozens of partygoing eyes all on him. The newcomer. The freshman. The boyfriend.

You know what? Screw it. He’s going to try.

“Okay,” he replies, stepping forward to get a better angle, and Ben hollers gleefully into the crowd. He looks over his shoulder to Sebastián for a second, who is smiling like crazy.

“Whenever you’re ready, baby,” he says.

The pure adrenaline of being called baby alone is enough. Quinn lines up his aim, squints, and sends the ball flying toward Remy and River’s triangle of cups.

It seems to move in slow-motion, but when it does land, with a plunk, it’s in their centermost cup.

The general vicinity around Quinn erupts. “OHHH!” Ben cries, jumping up and down, and Remy starts laughing hysterically at his friends. Quinn receives various high-fives and claps on the shoulder from people he doesn’t even know.

“Yo, he owned you,” River says, pointing to Sebastián and Ben, and then drinks the contents of the cup Quinn sunk it in. River nods to him, adding, “Good shot, frosh.”

Quinn falls backwards, into Sebastián’s waiting arms, and when he looks up at him again, Sebastián is grinning at him with something vaguely impressed in his eyes. He leans down to whisper, “That was kind of hot.”

There’s a flutter somewhere in Quinn’s stomach, and he grins back at him. “I’m afraid that might be the extent of my lucky frat party talents,” he replies. “Not to disappoint you or anything.”

“Oh, trust me, baby,” Sebastián mumbles. “There is nothing disappointing about you.”

The kiss they exchange after that doesn’t last quite as long as Quinn wants it to, but that’s only because they get a moment to themselves before Ben is shouting, “Hey, Nanny! Not to interrupt your gay hours, but it’s your turn.”

Sebastián pulls off of him and laughs, keeping him close to his chest. Quinn is dazed. He tastes like beer and sweat, and he wants… more of this, please.

He finishes the game of pong with Ben, and once it’s done, they make their way over to what could be considered the edge of the dance floor. There’s some random electronic song playing, and it’s musically atrocious but good for moving around to. Quinn hasn’t had a drop of alcohol tonight, nor does he plan on it, but parading around at Sebastián’s side like this is intoxicating all on its own. He’s here, with him, and it’s almost like Sebastián is showing him off, and it is beyond lovely.

“I’m an awful dancer,” Quinn confesses, as Sebastián is trying to get him to move with him to the music.

Inches away with his hands on his waist, Sebastián knits his brows like he doesn’t believe him. “You do theatre!”

“I’m awful at this kind of dancing,” he amends, hooking his hand around his hip. No one has ever touched him quite this much before. He doesn’t want it to stop.

“We don’t have to dance,” Sebastián replies. He looks past him, in the direction of the kitchen. “We could take a breather? Go find Ford and Tony?”

“Mmm…” So close to him in this crowd, Quinn isn’t so keen on the thought of leaving it. He steps a little closer to him and shrugs. “We could do that.” He pauses, tips his face up towards his, and meets his eyes in the low light. “Or we could stay here.”

He kisses him gently, at least at first, but Sebastián seems just as on board with the general idea as he is, because he pulls him very close all of a sudden, holds him tight with his big hands around his back. He still tastes like the party, and Quinn presses up against him, threading one hand through the slightly sweaty curls on his head. Sebastián’s lips are soft, but his kiss is anything but. It’s close, and warm, and so good, and Quinn has a feeling he’s about to leave the ground, but then—

“Nando.” The voice booms through the sound system over the music. Quinn jerks, and Sebastián pulls away to look up toward the noise— his teammate, the Swedish one who does the music, is holding his funny little DJ mic and looking right, directly at the two of them. “I’ve seen enough tonight,” the DJ continues. “Five dollars in the Sin Bin for that shit.”

Dispersed throughout the party, the hockey players heckle at this announcement. “Foooiiiiineeeee,” someone yells, and Quinn recognizes Ben’s cackle over the noise. The DJ gives them both a nod, waving his mic kind of menacingly, and Sebastián looks somewhere between amused and put on the spot.

“It’s a fucking kegster!” he calls, in the DJ’s direction, and puts Quinn down firmly on his feet.

Quinn has no idea what just happened. He winds his arms around his neck, watches the DJ laugh at Sebastián, and then cocks an eyebrow up at him. “Sin Bin?”

“God—” Sebastián shakes his head, squeezing him around the waist. “Okay, so there are fines on the hockey team? For PDA? I didn’t think I was going to get busted, but Louis just called me out.”

“Oh my goodness.” Quinn bites back a laugh. “So every time we kiss in public, you have to pay?”

“I mean.” Sebastián pauses. “I just got five dollars for the whole night, so, like. Not technically.” He looks around, then reaches for Quinn’s hand and pulls him a little ways out of the crowd. When they stop, they��re against the wall near the kitchen, close to the spot in the Haus where they met for the first time. Sebastián winds an arm around his waist, then adds, “But they’ll probably fine me again, given the opportunity.”

“So…” Quinn pauses, rests a hand on his chest. “Where does the money go?”

“Oh, anywhere,” he replies. “Dex mostly uses it to upgrade stuff around the Haus or buy things we need.”

“That’s…” He has never heard of a system like this in his life, but it sounds mildly entertaining. Except when it interferes with kissing his brand-new boyfriend at a party. “I don’t understand sports culture.”

“Sometimes, I don’t, either.” Sebastián kisses his forehead, in a manner that’s significantly softer than he was on the dance floor. “Are you doing okay?”

“Me?” Quinn raises his eyebrows. “Are you kidding? I’m great.”

“Oh.” Sebastián smiles. “Cool. Good. Okay. ‘Cause so am I.”

Tilting into his arm, Quinn looks around the room for a second. The DJ is still dancing around to his own beats, and Ben is nearby, talking to a girl Quinn recognizes vaguely as his Winter Screw date. They’re secluded, but the party is still hopping, and looks like it will be for the foreseeable future.

“Hey,” he says, lowering his voice a little, and rises on his tiptoes. “I have to tell you something.” Sebastián angles his ear towards him, and he cups his hand around it, all secretive, feeling silly and so, so head over heels all at the same time.

“There are no fines for kissing in my room,” he whispers, then pulls back to wink— and the knowing, flustered smile Sebastián returns is maybe the best sight he’s ever seen.

He’ll prove that. Later. But first, he’s going to enjoy the party.

#oc taddies #crickets #quindo #mini quinny #nandoooooooo #lukas landmann #is a savage #poindextears writes #ficlet #samwell men's hockey #omgcp #omgcp ocs #omgcp fic #omgcheckplease

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quinncupine · 3 years

Text

It’s Never Easy

Word Count: 2,272

Link: A03

Summary: "I lied to her." His voice was just a broken whisper. "She...she asked me if she was going to die, so I lied."

Young Pro Hero Deku deals with his first civilian death and a certain retired hero helps him cope.

Warnings: Mentions of death, blood.

Notes: I wanted to write some Dadmight because I love their dynamic and I wanted to explore that. I've never really written Dadmight before so let me know what you think. Anyways, thanks for reading and enjoy friends!

Quinn's Masterlist!

...

Izuku trudged into the empty apartment and sluggishly pulled off his boots, tossing them haphazardly on the floor then stumbled to the sofa where he plopped down. He hadn't bothered with the lights, preferring the darkness, it was easier to hide in it than face reality at the moment. The street lamp glaring through the window provided the sole source of light, though it was far from comforting.

In the darkness he finally sunk down into the sofa leaning his head back into the plushy cushions. A grimy hand ran through his messy green locks as he let out a shaky breath. All that raw emotion he'd somehow managed to suppress for the last few hours was dangerously close to crawling up his throat. It had taken everything in him to keep it together, but now that he was in his apartment- alone and in the dark- that wall he built was crashing down faster than he could say disaster.

The silence was quickly becoming overwhelming. Hands covered his eyes as a stifled choke slipped out. That scene just kept replaying over and over and over in his head and each time he kept going over all the things that went wrong, all the things that he did wrong. For each mistake, a thousand other possibilities of what he could of done differently, but as much as he wished, he couldn't change what happened. This train of thought was only driving him deeper and deeper and there wasn't a reverse gear to back him out of this miserable pit he'd driven himself into.

A buzz in his pocket startled him out of his morbid derailment and he reached for his phone, barely glancing at the name before turning it off and throwing it on the couch next to him. He knew people would call, he knew they would want to talk, but he didn't. All he wanted was to just sit in the dark, to suffer a little longer in his own guilt. It's what he deserved, at least that's what he kept telling himself.

Wait a minute...

He froze, eyes darting over to the phone. The name of the caller suddenly clicked in his mind. All Might. He'd just hung up on All Might, or as the older man kept telling him 'Toshinori.'

With a small groan, he brushed the hair out of his eyes and sat up, debating on whether or not to call the man back. All his emotions were so scattered at the moment. He wanted to talk and not talk at the same time. He wanted Toshinori to be here and yet he also wanted to just be left alone. He wanted the world to just stop closing in on him. He wanted everything to be okay, but that was never going to happen.

Leaning forward, he buried his face in his hands and took a deep breath, then another, then another. After a while, his breathing evened out and he closed his eyes, resting his head back on the couch and straining his ears to hear the distant echoes of the trains that ran near his apartment. Eventually, exhaustion overtook him and he fell asleep.

A loud knock on the door nearly sent him toppling off the couch. Fingers fumbled around for his phone, turning it back on, and flinching at the too bright light that glowed over his face. It was nearly two in the morning, he'd only been asleep for less than an hour. Once his phone had fully powered back on, the small device flooded his notifications with several missed calls and numerous text messages, most of them being Toshinori. Another pang of guilt dripped into his chest at the thought of ignoring his mentor. He didn't want to be rude, something he feared might happen if the retired hero found him in this sorry state.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he stood up and all his muscles immediately complained. They were overworked, not that it was really any surprise, the still rookie hero always went overboard on missions. This time, he welcomed the pain. It gave him a nice distraction as he stumbled to the door. On the other side was exactly who he was expecting, although the timing was a bit late, or, he supposed, rather early in the day.

"What are you doing here?" He didn't realize how rude that sounded until it actually came out. "I mean," he sighed. "It's two in the morning All- Toshinori."

"You weren't answering." The older man simply said. "I was getting worried."

Izuku finally took the time to look the man over. He was dressed in a plain pair of sweats and a heavy coat, holding some sort of small box. His hair was a mess and his face, although always sickly and pale, seemed even more so tonight.

"I wanted to check on you." He rubbed the back of his neck, glancing around the empty hallway. "Maybe...talk a little?"

Talking was the last thing on Izuku's mind, but he couldn't just shut out Toshinori, no matter how upset he was. The man even drove all the way here in the dead of night. It would be downright villainous to turn him away. With a sigh, he stepped aside and let the man in.

Toshinori knew the layout of the apartment well; he'd been here enough times by now to have it memorized, but the complete darkness was making it hard to navigate. His hand smoothed along the wall until he found the switch and suddenly the apartment bloomed to life. It was a basic place with just the necessities and of course all the All Might merch Izuku had acquired over the years. Once a fanboy, always a fanboy.

"Um, Izuku," He said quietly, slipping the coat from his lanky form. "Why don't you go change and I'll make us some tea." Toshinori hesitated before continuing. "Maybe take a shower, that might do you some good."

The young pro blinked and looked down at himself. His costume was filthy and littered with dirt smeared cuts. The most glaring issue was the giant blood stain that ran from his torso down to his right leg. Even more disturbing that the blood wasn't even his. He'd been too lost in his thoughts when he got home that it didn't even cross his mind what he looked like.

"Yeah, okay." He murmured, carding his hand through his tangled hair.

A shower actually did sound pretty good at the moment, so he trudged to his room and stripped the soiled garment off, well tried to. The blood had fused the fabric and his skin together so he slowly peeled it off, trying not to look at the mistakes that were literally written in blood and woven to his skin. When he finally did get it off, he stared at the fabric lying limply in his hands. It might've been beyond repair this time, or maybe it was that he just didn't want to see the tainted suit ever again.

The warm water felt nice on his sore muscles, but the moment he looked down and saw the water pooling around his feet turn red he had to steady himself against the wall and take a deep breath. Those haunting images popped back in his head again so he turned the shower on the coldest setting and stayed there until his skin felt raw.

It was about ten minutes before Izuku came back out, flat hair dripping down onto his hoodie, and hands shoved into the pocket of his sweats. He would've looked comfortable if not for the permanent grimace on his face.

Two cups of tea had been set out on the dining table with Toshinori behind one, gingerly sipping the dark liquid. Izuku slipped into the empty seat and stared at the steaming cup.

"Feel better?" Toshinori wrapped his hands around his own cup, savoring the warmth it brought.

"I guess."

A tight silence settled over the two. Usually Izuku was all smiles with Toshinori, the man was his idol, how could he not be, but tonight was different. Tonight held a heavy, more somber mood, one Toshinori was well acquainted with, just not on his protégé.

"What's that smell?" Izuku perked his head up, his curious nature taking over as the scent of cinnamon wafted through the room.

"Oh, right." Toshinori hurried into the kitchen and came back out with a plate full of sweet smelling desserts. "I picked these up when I was in Kyoto the other day. I thought you'd appreciate them."

He set the plate between them. "Yatsuhashi?" Izuku picked up one of the crisp sweets and examined it, glad to have something else to focus on. "Thanks."

"Izuku, my boy," Toshinori gingerly sat back down. "I saw what happened on the news, but I...I wanted to...are you alright?"

Alright wasn't even in the same universe as him. He squeezed the yatsuhashi between his fingers, the hard shell cracking under the pressure. A grim frown pulled at his lips. "How did you handle that...the first time it happened?"

Toshinori folded his hands on his lap and pursed his lips. "Not well, I can tell you that."

That surprised Izuku. To him, All Might could handle anything, no matter how big or small, and always with a smile. The man seemed invincible, even after his retirement, it still seemed like he could accomplish anything. That was probably all the biased sentiment he held in his heart for the man who had filled a role much bigger than 'mentor' could even encompass. Growing up without a father had left a blank spot, something he was able to ignore for a long time, but it was one that Toshinori seemed to fit into perfectly.

"Listen Izuku," he took a deep breath and forced the boy who wasn't so much a boy anymore as he was a young man, a prospering hero, to look him in the eyes. "There are inevitably going to be times where you can't save everyone. That doesn't mean you failed as a hero."

Giant green eyes searched Toshinori's bright blue ones. "Not to her. To her, I did fail." He dropped the crushed treat back onto the plate and sunk his head into his hands. "I lied to her." His voice was nothing more than a broken whisper.

"Lied?"

"She...she asked me if she was going to die. She was crying. She was bleeding out in my arms and crying. I've never seen someone so terrified, so I lied." All that emotion he'd somehow been suppressing came rushing to the surface and he choked back a sob. "I had her, I had her in my grasp and I still couldn't save her. What kind of hero can't even save one life?"

"Did you forget about all the other lives you saved today?" Toshinori set a bony hand on his shoulder and leaned in close. "If anyone gets to call themselves hero, it's you Izuku. Out of all the people I've ever met you are the most selfless and determined person to ever walk this earth. I know I made the right choice in you Izuku, you are the truest version of a hero."

When Izuku didn't respond, he knelt next to his chair, grabbed the boys shoulders and pulled them up gently so he was facing him. "I know exactly what you're going through my boy. I've been there more times than you can count, but carrying around that blame, that, that guilt will only weigh you down." Izuku could only stare at him through tear stained eyes. "I'm so proud of the hero you've become. I'm certain that one day you'll be the very best and all the world will know-" he tapped Izuku's chest- "that you are here."

There was a moment of silence before Izuku lunged forward and collapsed into Toshinori's chest with a crushing hug. They both nearly toppled to the ground before Toshinori managed to regain his footing. It didn't matter that it was an awkward position to kneel in there was no way he was letting his boy go. His gangly arms wrapped around his boy.

His boy.

His son.

The one person whom he considered family, someone to call son, although he couldn't recall a time he'd ever actually told Izuku that, or anyone for that matter. It was more of an unspoken understanding, at least, he hoped Izuku understood. Toshinori never had any family ties and before he met Izuku there was a void he'd buried in the recesses of his mind, but now he couldn't even think of a life without Izuku in it.

"I'm sorry." Izuku sniffed into his chest and Toshinori ran a hand through his still wet curls. "Thank you Toshi...for being here."

To say that that simple nickname hadn't affected the old man would be an outright lie. Izuku had always tried so hard to be respectful, which was why he always had trouble calling Toshinori by his name instead of his title. This might've been the first time he's ever used that nickname and Toshinori, no, Toshi only squeezed tighter.

His heart couldn't help but swell and he smiled, but it wasn't his generic 'All Might' smile, no, this one was reserved for only one person. This was a smile that he could pour his entire being into. A smile that could say so much more than he ever could. This was a smile for his son.

"My boy, you don't have to thank me. It's what family does."

#midoriya izuku #pro hero midoriya #yagi toshinori #All Might #bnha #mha #slight angst #comfort #pro hero Deku #dadmight #izuku midoriya needs a hug #dadmight to the rescue #deku #crying #this boy just needs so much love #can we please get some love for poor Izuku?#he's the best

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athenaquinn · 4 years

Text

Finally Free || Orion, Nic, & Athena

TIMING: 12:30-1am ish, October 20th LOCATION: Quinn Household, Harris Island PARTIES: @3starsquinn, @athenaquinn, and @bountybossier SUMMARY: Nic is a Dad. CONTENT: Physical and emotional abuse mentions

“Athena? Athena. We have to do something.” Orion’s world had so drastically shifted that he had no idea how to feel. His brain was going haywire, feeling sick to his stomach and angry one moment before shifting to terrified and on the verge of tears. It had been over twenty minutes now. Orion only knew because he had been staring at the oven slowly counting the time for him. Twenty minutes of Orion silently kneeling in the puddle of blood collecting around his parent’s bodies. Twenty minutes of listening to Athena filter through her emotions in a rapid fashion rivaling his own. Twenty minutes of waiting for the world to stop spinning or asteroids to fall from the sky or for the bombs to go off. The world had to be ending, right? His parents were dead, one of them taken by Rio’s own hands. How did anything continue to go on after that? How was Rio ever supposed to walk again? Was he expected to go to school? To meet up with Blanche before work or hang out with Ariana and Layla? How could he kiss Winston ever again? Rio couldn’t picture anything besides kneeling on this floor, watching the oven remind him that it had been twenty-two minutes since his life had ended. Twenty-four. Twenty-six.

Thirty-seven minutes later, Rio remembered that moment of clarity when he had taken the knife from Athena. How everything had finally made sense. There were no other alternatives here. If Orion hadn’t done it, his parent’s would have killed them both and continued to take the lives of innocent people. This action had indirectly saved lives. There had been no choice. Only what had to be done. As far as morals had gone, it was the closest Rio had ever come to agreeing with his parents.

As far as he knew, Athena still hadn’t responded. “Athena?” Orion tried again, moving or the first time in thirty-seven minutes to look over at Athena. She was like an entirely different person. Not a single feature seemed recognizable even though nothing physically had changed. But the Athena he was staring at wasn’t the same as any image of his sister that he had seen before. “Athena. We can’t- I don’t know what to do. You’re the one that knows what to do. Please. Tell me what to do. Please.”

Her brother’s words were fuzzy. Just like when they’d gone swimming as children and he’d called out for her when she dove into the water and tried to hold her breath too much because there was a certain thrill that came coupled with being underwater for just too long. Athena sat, arms wrapped around her legs as she stared at the refrigerator. There was a Christmas card on it, one from last year. Their whole family was on it, and Athena could smell the pine needles, could smell the gingerbread that she never wanted too much of but found herself devouring anyway. She could taste it now - burning hot - and she felt the salt from her tears dried against her cheeks. She couldn’t focus. Her parents were dead. Her parents were dead by her own hand. Her parents had wanted to kill her brother for at least three years now and she hadn’t seen that. She kept staring at the photograph on the refrigerator, as if that would make everything better.

She didn’t want them to be alive again. The thought crossed her mind in passing first, before becoming more salient, more solid. Athena didn’t want her parents alive. She found that thought to be overwhelming. She’d never thought of a life without her parents. They were strong, they had made her strong. That was what they were supposed to do. Except they hadn’t. You broke us down and tried to mold us like we were clay or something. Her brother’s voice cut through her thoughts again and she dug her nails into her thighs. She had saved her brother. She was born to better the world, and her brother was the most important person to her. She couldn’t let him die.

She did what she had to do. Athena finally focused in on her brother’s words, unsure of how many times he’d called her so far. She glanced over to him, but she didn’t make eye contact. She wasn’t sure if she could. “I - I’m sorry.” She whispered, voice wavering. Turning away again, gaze intensely focused onto the refrigerator. “I - I can’t, Ri.” Lips barely moving, she couldn’t bring herself to look back at him.

Athena wasn’t fixing this. Why wasn’t she fixing this? That was what she did. What she had always done. Athena always took charge, always knew exactly what to do. When Orion wavered and began panicking, Athena always stood strong and knew exactly what to do. For better or for worse. Even when Rio hated the answers that Athena had to give, at least she gave them. So why was she silent now? He pushed himself up, his legs asleep and wobbling beneath him as he stumbled over to the counter, grabbing onto a towel and wetting them under the sink. He started with himself, scrubbing desperately at the blood that stained his hands. Of course it wouldn’t come off. Why would it? Even dead, he couldn’t escape his parents. After he had done the best he could he moved over towards Athena, crouching down to meet her and gently pressed the wash cloth against her arm in an attempt to begin wiping the blood away. “What do we do then? If you don’t- What am I supposed to do then?” Rio tried asking again, closer to her than he had been since they were children. Both literally and figuratively. And yet, Athena couldn’t make eye contact with him. And the words he spoke seemed to rebound off of her completely as if they had never even been said.

Nothing. If she couldn’t do this, then Orion didn’t stand a chance. Would anybody believe that this was justified? There was so much blood. So much violence. Self defense only took the two so far. People would realize that this went farther than that. If Athena didn’t do something then they had no chance, right? “I’m going to check your stomach, okay? I can smell the blood from when you were pushed down.” Without a reply, Orion took that as an okay and slowly pulled the side of Athena’s shirt up and pressed the soaked, bloody towel against it. As he wiped away the blood an image slowly started to become visible behind the wound. A tattoo? Since when did Athena have one of those? It took another minute before he realized what the tattoo was of. A series of dots symbolizing constellations. Orion. Rio’s arm fell down to his side as he stared at it. It was… simple. Not the usual grandeur that Athena loved so much. It was smaller and tucked away so it wasn’t on view for all to see. It was for herself more than anyone else. Rio had always known that Athena held a weird sense of dedication towards him, but never thought that she had actually cared enough to do something like this. “I uh- I didn’t know you had this.” Rio pushed away from Athena and slid back across the kitchen floor, not stopping until his back ran into the door handle of a kitchen cabinet. He was out of his depth, he knew that much. He had no experience with this and definitely didn’t have the stomach for it. How could he fix something like this? The logical steps flashed in his mind. Clean the mess. Get out of the house. Find an alibi. All of that was easy to say and impossible to accomplish by himself. But he had to try.

For a brief moment, Orion considered the possibility of leaving. Just standing up and walking out. Allowing his sister to handle the fallout by herself. But how long would she stay silent? She would talk eventually. She would feel betrayed. Rio couldn’t risk it coming back to him later. Leaving wasn’t an option, but staying wasn’t either. He had to do something. If he didn’t, both of them were screwed. But he knew he couldn’t do it alone. He needed someone. His body functioned without him, taking control and scrolling through his phone. Of course, he knew exactly who he needed to call. Someone that he could trust and that might understand. Before he had a chance to chicken out, he dialed. “Hello? I- I’m sorry to call so late. I need your help. Please. It’s really bad.”

The more Nicodemus worried, the less he seemed able to sleep. And fuck, was he worried. About everyone and nothing all at once. It was a wonder he hadn’t been paralyzed with it, the way it bunched his shoulders and tensed his jaw. It was worry that had him answering the phone after one ring and a quick glance at the caller ID. “Hey kid.” He had answered and then his voice petered off into silence as he listened. I need your help. He walked out of his room and went for his keys. Please. It’s really bad. Keys in hand, he ran to his truck. Ran towards something rather than away. The hunter cursed the machinery for not going fast enough as he tore over the bridge that connected East End to Harris Island. The smell of copper slammed against him as he stepped towards the darkened home. Manners went to the wayside as he strong-armed the front door open. The smell of blood was thicker in his nose. On his tongue. His brow furrowed as he shook his head.

“Rio?”

Nicodemus called out as he did what he had been raised to do: follow the blood. Right toward the kitchen as the flooring creaked under his weight. Fuck, there was a lot of it. His eyes didn’t linger on the dead. He knew lethality when he saw it and it didn’t take long to put two-and-two together. Those were his parents. His gaze, heavy yet quick with concern, went to the living. He breathed in and out slowly before he went to Rio. His sister was there and there was blood on her too. Wherever she was looking, wherever she stared off to, it didn’t seem to be anywhere in the four walls. “Kid,” he said as softly as his gravel-laden voice could manage. Tentatively, he reached a hand toward him but did not touch him. “I’m gonna help but...the hell happened?”

“I’m in here,” Orion echoed when he heard Nic calling out his name. The scene hadn’t changed since Rio had called him and begged him to come over as quickly as possible. Rio had moved from the puddle of blood that his father had left behind and was instead making new blotches of blood on the floor beneath his stained jeans. He had moved away from Athena who had barely moved from her near comatose state. The image left two dead bodies and then two kids in fetal positions on the kitchen floor trying to do anything but stare at their parents. There was so much blood everywhere. Rio did his best to clean it off of himself and Athena, but there was only so much he was able to accomplish on his own.

Orion’s heart sank at the concerned look on Nic’s face when he got into the kitchen. Getting a genuine look of care and concern was so foreign inside of this house that it was somehow more frightening than the sight of his dead parents just feet from him. “I-” How did he explain this? This was self defense, at least in a way it had been. Maybe it wasn’t completely necessary at the moment, but Rio knew what his parents would have done if given the chance. The only reason that they had even gotten as far as they had was because their parents had underestimated them. “They were going to kill us.” Rio settled on, “We had to stop them and then- and then it was too late to stop and we-” Rio stopped talking so that he could grab onto the counter top and use it to pull himself off the ground and onto his feet. Tears were beginning to stream down his cheeks but he couldn’t do anything to stop them. He just wanted Nic to make things better, maybe a hug or two. But he was covered in blood and didn’t want to get it on Nic too. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know who else to call. I didn’t want to drag anyone into this but I don’t know what to do.”

Blood tracked on the floor like something wounded had passed through. As Nicodemus looked at Orion, he supposed something had. Even surrounded by the smell of copper and death setting in, the stressed furrow between his brow eased as he looked at Rio. Waited for him to talk. It wasn’t something that could be rushed. As the younger hunter talked, the older one fought the urge to say that it was better that they’re dead. It wasn’t what either of the siblings needed to hear and even he knew that, as corrosive as he could be. He went to Rio, a steady hand held out as the young man hefted himself up. There was blood on Rio’s hands, his shirt, everywhere. Nicodemus didn’t pay attention to it as he tentatively rested a hand on his shoulder. He didn’t say that it would be okay or that it was going to be alright. In that bloodied house, it wasn’t right to say. “I gotcha, kid,” was what he said as he gently pulled Rio into a one armed hug. Not long ago, he had been there to assure another of White Crest’s youth that the world hadn’t ended. Nell. He didn’t have a blanket with him this time. When would this fucking town let them rest? “We’ll get this handled, alright? Not goin’ anywhere ‘til we do. Nothin’ to apologize for.”

He let go of Rio and crouched down by Athena. Nicodemus’s voice teetered toward soft as he spoke. “We gotta get rid of the blood. D’you…” His words trailed as he glanced back toward Rio. “Ain’t gonna rush but we gotta get started somewhere. Might as well start with you two. Sound good?”

She could hear voices. One of them was familiar - her brother. She knew that she would recognize his voice anywhere. Maybe it was a twin thing, or maybe it was just the general familiarity that came along with knowing someone for twenty-one years. Athena couldn’t place the other voice. Their parents were dead. She couldn’t breathe. She wasn’t sure if she could even talk, right now. She still had blood on her hands and on her shirt, despite the work that her brother had done. She could feel his steady hand against her ribcage, against her hip. She was supposed to help him. Why couldn’t she?

The back of her throat burned, and she wondered for a moment if she was going to be sick. She was so used to blood - used to anything others must consider macabre. Heck, she’d been perfectly fine in every single biology class she’d taken, and had been more than okay with watching her father perform countless surgeries. Athena couldn’t deal with the red on the floor now. Then the other voice was louder and right by her ear and she felt her hand fly up to her mouth, catching a would-be scream. “I - who - I…” she trailed off again. “Okay. I - it’s so red.” Goodness, what kind of first impression was she making? Could you consider it a necessity to make a good first impression when your parents were dead on the ground? “Yes. It’s important to take things one at a time.” Her voice sounded practically robotic even to her. “I’m - you know who I am, right?” She looked between the man and her brother, not quite making eye contact with either of them. “We have soap by the sink and more in a closet just down the hallway.” She went to go stand up but couldn’t, her legs far too heavy to move. She was supposed to be the one light on her feet, always. “I - can - Ri?” She looked over to her brother, making eye contact for the first time in she didn’t know how long. “You - can you?”

Without Nic here, Orion honestly wasn’t sure he would have been able to do anything. Dragging him into this was not what Rio had wanted at all, but it had felt like a necessary evil. Or maybe that was just selfishness. The part of him that knew what this could mean if the police had found out. The Quinns had been well respected around town. Rio had always been the weird, quiet one. Would it have been that much of a stretch to think that he had snapped one day? Rio had only just finally found a life worth living in. For once, when he was in danger he wasn’t ready to accept his death. He had too many people in his life that he lived for now. He had to try to protect that. Nic was one of those relationships that Rio found so precious. It was only strengthened further by the man’s quick arrival and agreeing to help just based on the small amount of information that Rio was able to relay. When Nic pulled Rio into a hug, Rio wanted to cry. It didn’t matter how the length or size of the hug. It meant everything to him. He couldn’t tell if he was repeating his thanks in his head or if he kept telling Nic thank you on instinct, but it was all that ran through his head.

Athena spoke, a complete sentence for the first time since their mom had died. She wasn’t herself, that much was painfully obvious. Who knew that when worst came to worst, Orion would be the functioning sibling? Of course, this situation was far different from any other that the twins had been through together. “Yeah- yeah of course I’ll grab it.” Rio grabbed for more rags and soap, turning the faucet on and leaving it on as he went back over towards Athena and Nic. “I- uh.. I’m sorry in advance, Nic. It’s not always a pretty sight.” Any hunter that had been working long enough would have their fair share of scars. But any hunter worth their salt would easily be able to tell the difference. Athena’s usual hunter wounds were different than they had been before. Rio could tell when he tried to tend to the hip wound she had. Without Rio there, they had taken out their frustrations elsewhere. Her wounds would be a mixture of battle scars from Fae and other creatures and their parents. Rio’s entire body was a mixture of scars and burns caused by the cruelty of two parents dissatisfied with a child’s behavior. His wrist still stung, but Rio gingerly worked his hoodie up and over his head. The long sleeve shirt beneath was wet from blood soaking through it. After a long moment of internal debate, Rio decided to discard that as well, crossing his arms together afterwards to try to cover as much of his torso as he could. He needed new clothes. Athena did too. But first he needed to keep wiping blood away.

Worry came in at the eyes as Nicodemus looked them over. Wounds and wounding. He knew the two well. And he liked to think he knew Rio well enough to know that he wasn’t big on the latter. As he took soap and rag in hand, the hunter looked at the bodies of their parents. His eyes narrowed and it wasn’t a Christian thought that passed through him. Then again, he hadn’t been much of one for a long time. It didn’t linger long. “Rio,” he said as he looked back. “Ain’t nothin’ to apologize for, kid. You or her.” There was no way to describe Athena other than shell shocked but she seemed to be making do. As much a child could after doing away with their parents. Hunter children had that way about them. Making do with the crosses they were born to bear. Older hunters hadn’t done shit all to fix that.

Cleaning blood wasn’t strange to him and he took to it easily enough, working through the spatters with what could have been a troubling efficiency if he wasn’t numbed to it. “You two weren’t here,” he said as he looked at Rio, then at Athena. He waved his hand and ignored the pink tinge his fingertips took on. “An alibi, alright? Gonna make y’all up one. You weren’t here. That sound okay?” It would have to be, he thought with a grimace.

She could hear their voices but they still barely registered to her. Everything was a haze and her head felt far too heavy for its own good. Her eyes flickered up at the sound of her brother’s name - though the voice was still unfamiliar. How did Ri know all these people she didn’t? Athena brushed her hands against her skin where her hip had hit the table, tracing the growing bruise. She could feel his gaze on her for a moment and she looked up, nodding. They couldn’t be here. She wasn’t involved in the law by any means but she knew enough about it. Knew how to skirt it to some degree, because some people found fondness in the creatures she killed, and if she wasn’t careful she could get into trouble that batting her eyelashes and pouting to the school principal or any number of her teachers wouldn’t get her out of.

“Okay. We were not here. We were - we - Ri doesn’t live here anymore.” She looked at Nic, right in the eyes, looked at her brother too, but she didn’t register the eye contact. “I have friends. I can -” she winced for a moment as her fingertips found a particularly tender spot of skin. Athena took in a shaky breath. “I’ve never had an alibi before.”

Orion wasn’t sure what he would have done with Nic’s help here. He didn’t know how to handle Athena like this. He was pretty sure that she was in a state of shock which was understandable. All things considered, Rio probably should be. Though as the initial shock had begun to wear off Rio had found himself feeling increasingly... normal. If anything, the overwhelming feeling that took hold inside of Rio’s mind was relief. But he wasn’t quite sure how concerned he should be about that yet.

“Right. Alibis are a good idea.” Orion nodded in agreement, already thinking who he could ask. It was crazy thinking about how many people came to mind, and how much had changed since he had lived in this house. He had Nic or Blanche or Winston to fall back to after this. He knew immediately that they would do anything for him, though he hardly wanted to put that stress on them. “It’s going to be okay,” Rio turned towards Athena in an attempt to comfort her, “We’ve had alibis our whole life. Covers for why we had to go home right after school and why we would disappear on weekends. Our twenty-first birthday just ended. It would make sense that you were out somewhere celebrating rather than at the house. Just find someone that you can trust, okay?” Tip swung back towards Nic, “I don’t know what the police are going to think of this. A home invasion, maybe?” Rio crossed his arms in thought as he pondered exactly what this scene looked like, because it looked personal. “In the basement. When police investigate they’re going to realize that my parents aren’t who they said they were. It’s... it’s pretty grim down there. Maybe they’ll think it was revenge?”

Nicodemus had barely ever needed to establish an alibi for himself, let alone for a pair of kids that had just murdered their abusive parents. Murdered. That was a word that had his heart thrumming wildly as he took in deep breaths to calm himself. It wasn’t murder. Self-defense. But he didn’t know how that would fly in White Crest. Rio didn’t deserve to have his life cut short because he protected himself. Neither did Athena. Not when they had severed the blood ties that tried to dictate how they were meant to live. What their lives meant. He met Athena’s eyes but could tell she wasn’t quite looking at him. That was fine. For now, distancing themselves from this however they could would work.

“Your birthdays?” The question came out slow. Uncertain. “Jesus fuckin’ Chri--Sorry, sorry.” Nicodemus didn’t swear in front of Rio. It had gotten easier over the months but with the smell of dead and blood in the air, it was hard. “Neither of you were here because you were out with friends doing birthday stuff like...like kids do. You weren’t here at all and hadn’t been most of the day.” They aren't kids anymore, he thought as he looked at them. They hadn’t been for a long time, he supposed. Childhood had a way of dying the moment your small hand curled around a knife hilt and you were told that death was the way of living. He knew he was a hypocrite to think it. “Can make it look like a home invasion, yeah. Kick the door in, break some stuff. Everyone has enemies. It looks enough like it’s personal.” Violent. Another word for it. A brow lifted as Rio mentioned the basement. “What’s down there?”

She wanted to back away from her brother’s touch, but she couldn’t. He was safe, and she had to believe that. He was all she had, in the end. Athena nodded again. “We’re twenty-one.” They were twenty-one, so why did Athena feel more like a vulnerable child than she’d felt in years? “We - Ri always - we always stay up in the last moments of our birthday together.” She shook her head, still not quite making eye contact. Athena wasn’t entirely sure if she could handle that. Someone she could trust. Her brother was the person she trusted most, but that wouldn’t work. The two of them would be too tied together, were that the case. Ariana. That was the only other option. She couldn’t come looking like this to her sorority house, and she and Ariana had a pact - to always be honest with one another. “I have someone.” She blinked, letting her breath slow down. Looked at her brother and mouthed - Ariana. Just so he would know. Just in case.

“Our parents…” wouldn’t have enemies, she wanted to say. Could Athena realistically say that right now? She wasn’t sure. She wanted to say that they were good, to say that they wanted to do good, and perhaps they had, in a certain way, but she also knew that they had just wanted to kill her and her brother, and had planned to try to kill her brother years before. That much she couldn’t forgive. “Down where?” She shook her head. “It’s - nothing. It's my dad’s - our dad’s workspace. He experimented. It’s - we watched, because it’s important to learn through practice.” She looked over to her brother, making a facsimile of eye-contact. It wasn’t quite there, not yet, but it was more there than it had been.

Athena seemed a million miles away. Orion didn’t know how to feel about that. The two of them were both victims, Rio knew that. But still he had always felt like the black sheep. Like his isolation was somehow worse or lonelier than hers was. But maybe that wasn’t completely the case. Rio didn’t have many friends growing up like Athena, but that meant that he didn’t have people in his life that he had to keep his entire life a secret from. That must have been just as lonely. Tonight, her ramblings seemed to speak to no one in particular. She spoke to Rio and Nic, but her voice drifted off as she said the words. By the end, when she talked about her parents it felt more like the same useless lines they had heard their entire lives rather than an actual explanation. Rio shifted eyes, meeting Nic’s before switching to give a concerned glance at Athena. Maybe Nic could help her get to wherever she was going after this. Rio was pretty confident that he could get back to his house safely and quietly.

Ignoring what she had said, Rio decided to explain himself. “My dad is- er well was a surgeon. He liked to… learn about Fae. Werewolves too, but mostly Fae. He would examine them. Try to find new weaknesses and ways to kill them. It wasn’t pretty. And there’s no way to clean it up. There’s a whole operating theater down there.” Rio didn’t want to clean up their mess. He wanted people to see them for who they actually were. Monsters. “Break some stuff…” Rio’s voice trailed off, imagining ways to sell the home invasion look. “Hold on.” He left the kitchen, sliding around the hall and into the garage, coming back with golf clubs that Athena and his dad would use when they went golfing together. Rio gripped one tightly in his hands, the only part of his body that seemed to feel much stress. Otherwise, he was eerily calm. “Where do we start?”

Athena seemed to be slowly coming back from wherever she had wandered to. Nicodemus thought it best to save any birthday wishes for a later time. Right then, with blood and scars out in the open, it didn’t feel right. None of it did but they were dealing with it as best they could. It is what it fuckin’ is, he thought. “Can get you to ‘em.” He nodded to her. They could figure it out later, when the scene was set and they were making their quick exits. As Rio explained what it was that was in their basement, his expression flattened. He had heard stories of hunters like that, the kind that liked to pick species apart in order to learn. He couldn’t say much. He picked them apart for a profit. So he didn’t say a thing. Not until Rio came back with a golf club in hand.

“Start from the outside in,” Nicodemus said. “I’ll go out, alright? You two can stay in here. Be back in a minute, alright? Ain’t leavin’ you.” The discomfort that filled him when he glanced at Rio and Athena, recalled what he had seen, was immeasurable. It wasn’t kind to wish ill upon the dead but he did and didn’t feel bad about it. Didn’t feel much at all as he wrapped a towel around his hand and opened the back door. The home looked like a home. The idealized kind. The kind that movies and television showed. The furrowed skin between his brows smoothed and he began to break. Quiet as he could but just as harsh.

“No - I can - I can drive.” If she was going to go to Ariana’s house, the very last thing she wanted was to bring another hunter there. As much as he was willing to help Athena and Orion, she didn’t know what kind of hunter he was nor anything else, and she didn’t wish to further compromise him by having him be seen with her outside of the home. “Thank you, though.” She added. It was critical to be polite to those in a position of authority. Her gaze found her parents’ bodies again and she seized up, coughing for a moment before she could refocus. That’s not respectful, a voice in the back of her head, one she didn’t recognize, told her. That’s a scandal. They only cared for you. “They wanted to murder my brother.” She spoke in response, her hand finding her mouth as she did so. That wasn’t supposed to have been spoken aloud.

“Okay.” She pressed her thighs together, the pressure reassuring in its own way. Watched the golf clubs come in, watched the other man pick one up, hand wrapped in a towel. No fingerprints, then. She felt herself jump as the sound of glass permeated the too-quiet air. Athena looked up at her brother, staring at him in much the similar way that she had when they’d been children. “He - how do you know him?”

Orion glanced at Athena when she spoke aloud, seemingly to herself. Everything about her demeanor was making him incredibly nervous. For anyone else, this was a totally normal reaction for someone whose parents had just died. This was the sort of shock and retreat that Rio expected himself to feel if he had ever been forced to take a life. It was how he felt when he had killed that troll. Was something wrong with him that a troll elicited a greater reaction from Rio than two human lives? But Rio knew what Athena was experiencing. That voice inside of her head feeding her self doubt. How did Rio try to fix that? He owed it to her after all, didn’t he? She was in this mess because of him. Or maybe it was the opposite. Maybe she owed him now. Not that it mattered.

Even though Rio knew it was coming, he still jumped when he heard glass breaking. He breathed a heavy sigh, gently placing his hand on Athena’s shoulder to offer the only amount of comfort he knew how to give. “He saved me once. From a vampire. Since then we stayed in contact.” Nic meant way more than Rio could ever find the words to explain, especially to Athena. How did he explain to her that he had filled the role of a parental figure Rio had so desperately needed to his sister, who had spent her entire life idolizing two people they had just killed? “He’s a really, really good guy. He’s always there for me if I need him. And he’s here to help us.” Rio removed his hand, opting instead to grip tightly onto the gold club with both hands. He moved slowly towards the living room area and shrugged towards Athena, “Here goes nothing I guess.” Then he swung at their television, shattering the screen. But he was far from finished.

He nodded in understanding at Athena. The older hunter didn’t know what reassurances he could offer. Through words, at least. Those troublesome things Nicodemus had always been shit at. So he stuck to what he knew. Silence and breaking. Shattering. The art of leaving nothing behind when the next step was taken. It was the most he could offer the twins, other than his presence. Between it all, he couldn’t help but hear Rio. A good man. He had heard that before. Recently, even. He supposed good men helped cover up murders from time to time. Maybe that was how it worked. The concept of right and wrong was skewed, easily swayed. He went on breaking out the windows that led to the backyard. Broke them inward so the glass spewed out onto the floor. He climbed in and stepped over the pieces carefully. Looked over his handiwork and frowned. With heavy steps, he came to stand by Rio. Glanced over toward Athena.

“You’re...good too,” he said slowly. He took in a heavy breath. He glanced at the bodies again. They were likely starting to go cold. “Even with…” Nicodemus trailed. Shook his head. “You just are. Nobody gets to tell you otherwise. No one can take it away from you.” Their parents had tried to, he reckoned. Wanted them to be something righteous in the way that blood was shed. He frowned. Righteousness didn’t have a place in what they did or what they were. They just were. The way others just were.

She couldn’t help herself - each time she could hear the golf clubs collide with the glass she felt like jumping. She did her very best to avoid that, but the sound reverberated in her ears. This will help, this will turn suspicion away from us - she reminded herself, the mantra hardly reassuring. The sooner Athena got out of all of this, the better. At least Rio had known someone to call. Her mind flashed briefly to Oscar and she felt like she was going to be sick all over again. “He’s here to help.” She repeated. She was going to have to lie to Oscar, because this would be all over the news in no time. She admired him, but what would he think if he knew what she’d just done? He doesn’t know what my parents did to me and my brother, Athena reassured herself. Everything will be okay.

She finally pushed herself up and off the ground, making her way over to the cabinets. Grabbed one of her favorite childhood mugs. Grabbed one of Orion’s, too - ones that they’d used for hot chocolate around holiday times. She threw each of them against the tiled floor, the shattering of china more satisfying that she would have readily liked to admit. Athena, for good measure, grabbed a few other plates and bowls, letting them fall over. “Collateral damage,” she murmured, “just for good measure.”

Breaking things came easily to Orion. Unsurprisingly, it turned out Rio had a lent of pent up anger to take out against the house that he had been raised in. Smashing things came way too easily to him, shattering the glass tv stand and the pictures and plants they had within the living room. It was completely destroyed within minutes, the shattering sounds from the kitchen proving that Athena had been able to help. They would have to do this to everything. They couldn’t leave their rooms untouched, or the basement. It would be a methodical process, but an important one.

When Nic came back in, trying to remind Orion that he was a good person, Rio could only nod. He didn’t feel like a good person, though he rarely did. “Thank you. Seriously, I don’t know how I could possibly repay you. Even if you won’t let me.” Rio smiled at him, a genuine one even if the mood didn’t exactly call for one. “I think we should move my dad’s body to the basement. If people think it’s a revenge plot then it may make sense for him to be down there. I don’t know this isn’t my forte, clearly.” Rio sighed. “Whatever we do. We need to get out of here sooner rather than later. Just to be safe.”

It was surreal watching Orion and Athena take to their childhood home like small storms. How often had Nicodemus thought of doing just the same damn thing? Of ripping through stone and crosses and molded wood like something unrestrained? Every day, he reckoned, if the wind went by just right and the sun was where it should be. One day. Maybe. His own storm might come calling home. The smile he returned to Rio was small. Tired. “Ain’t gotta worry about that right now. I’ll help you get ‘im down there,” he said quietly. “And then we better get. Ain’t tryin’ to rush but…” He glanced down at the bodies before he started to lift up the father. “Been here long enough and y’all ought to get somewhere safe.”

“You - I…” she felt her voice break as Athena heard them discuss moving the bodies. She really was going to be sick. She could count the tiles on the floor. She could feel her rings against her fingers. She avoided thinking about the smell. That wasn’t going to help anyone out. Her gaze found the Christmas photo on the fridge again and she felt a shudder crawl through her whole body. “We need to get somewhere soon. I need to - I have to pack a bag before I go. Not too much. We can’t - people are going to ask questions. We -” She bit her lip, pleading with herself to actually form coherent thoughts. God, what was she going to tell Ariana? She had to tell her the full truth, even though she wasn’t sure how she was supposed to explain any of this. “You - just don’t - be careful with the blood. If too much tracks people can tell that you moved a body.” She could hear her father repeating some of the same words, back when they’d trapped a fae together, the satisfaction and eagerness she had with the knife too much. Be careful, Athena, acting rashly may satisfy in the moment but will only serve those we seek to eradicate in the long run. “The police will search for that. So just - be careful, please?”

Orion nodded at Nic. He was right. The neighbors wouldn’t be awake for a few hours, but they were nosey. If they got up to get a glass of water or go to the bathroom they’d notice the lights on and remember it when the police started showing up. These people gossiped like crazy. Moving to help Nic, Rio heard Athena talk and paused. “Yeah- Good point. You’re right.” He moved towards her and lowered his voice. Not because he didn’t think Nic would be able to hear, clearly he could. But because Athena didn’t look like she could handle any higher volume, “Hey. You should go. Seriously. Nic and I just have a couple more things to do and then we are going to get out of here. Ariana lives farther away than I do. It’s going to take you some time to get there. Okay? We’ll talk later.” That wasn’t a promise so much as it was an unfortunate fact. The two would be called in and questioned by the police once the bodies were discovered. Rio and Athena would be seeing more of each other sooner rather than later. Giving a small wave and nod, Rio turned away from his sister and back to help grab onto his father’s body, already hoisted up by Nic. He avoided looking at his father’s body by studying Nic’s expression. Rio could never repay this man, but he hoped that Nic would still be able to see Rio the same. “Okay uh- let’s wrap up here so we can get out of here.”

#wickedswriting #c orion #c nic #chatzy #finally free #emotional abuse mention #physical abuse mention #// more soft!!!#lora and cody are delights #rio and nic are perfect

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stardancerluv · 4 years

Text

Just Desserts

Summary: You’re busy and Roman has time on his hands...not sure that is a good thing.

Warning: Fluff, Smut, Smacking, Fingering, a short Handjob, Sex & food flying (photos of young Ewan/Roman hehehe are from the film be stared in called Young Adam)

Side story to Creative Fervor

You blew your hair out of your eyes for what felt like the millionth time. Going to your bedroom, you snuck into the bathroom. You found a black hair tie beside your brush. You smiled putting your hair into a ponytail.

Leaving, the bathroom you stopped and looked over at Roman Sionis’s sleeping form, you heart skipped a beat. Not many saw him like this, quiet..peaceful. He looked so good, you mused. How had you gotten so lucky. He was your boyfriend, something you were still getting used to.

You had no real time to enjoy it, these last few weeks you have been passing each other. The briefest of talks. Last night, you both had to be satisfied with a quickie since you had come home so late. You hated that. Sighing you turned and headed back to your studio downstairs. Walking away, a hand grabbed your wrist silently and pulled you back. You easily fell into the blankets and his very welcome lap which you fell across.

“I thought you were sleeping.” You whispered.

He chuckled, “I was about get out of bed when I heard you coming down the hall.” He smiled down at you.

“You are so sneaky.”

He smiled broadly. “I have to be in order to catch you.”

“Well, you certainly caught me.”

He tilted his head from side to side. “I am glad that I did,” He leaned down and kissed you then. You made a soft sound and letting him deepen the kiss. Your wrapped your arms around him, letting your fingers entangle in his sleep rumbled hair.

Not wanting to break it. And it taking all of your will but you gently broke the kiss.

“Y/N...” He breathed.

“I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

He put a finger to your lips, you kissed it. “I’m serious. Don’t promise too lightly.” He chuckled then, smiling. “But I will certainly look forward to it.”

“You better.” Sitting up, you leaned a little on his side as he laid back down.

“Since you have been working so hard, you deserve something.”

“I have you that’s more then enough.” It was true in your opinion.

“Stop, let me make you so something.”

You thought about it. “You can make me some pudding. I love...love custard.”

“Consider it done.”

“You are too good to me.”

He shrugged. “I have my moments.”

“Go and sleep a little longer. Maybe when you awake up again we can have some coffee together.”

“Tempting.” He put his hands behind his head.

The sight made you bite your bottom lip. He always caused knots of desire in you, ever since you woke up hand cuffed in his night club after Zsasz kidnapped you by accident.

“Do it. I know how much you love your sleep.”

If it was one thing you learned about Roman, was that he loved sleeping in, he’d probably be back to sleep in no time.

You on the other hand, couldn’t afford to have another wink of sleep. You were backed up with a slew of projects. You also had a gala that was going to showcase your work as well in the next few weeks. One, had been a another new piece for Penguin, one for Harley Quinn, one for Harvey Dent and lastly one was for Jim Gordon. You were up to your ears with no end in sight.

*****

You happily skipped back to your place. You had gone out to get some swatches approved when you spotted that your favorite bakery had a cake that you adored in the window.

You thought of how Roman had been so patient as of late and went in to grab it. You hoped he’d like it too. You also wanted to celebrate your good news. Harley Quinn doubled the fee she was paying and gave you more time. You could breathe a little. Maybe tonight, you’d a appear on his arm at the club. You could both use it. She had tried to give you advice on how to handle your Romy but you wouldn’t have it and politely left.

*****

Roman, stretched and let out a very fulfilling sigh. Despite being at your place he did sleep very well. He liked it better of course with you curled up to him but with you being so busy he understood. Going to your shower, he washed away the sleep that lingered.

Afterward he got dressed and made his way to your kitchen. He never was one to be hands on but for you, he’d try. He found something to nibble on while looking up what was needed to make the custard for you. It made him roll his eyes. How did people do this, he mused but he got to work. Occasionally, he’s taste it and was happy with how it was progressing. He swelled with pride, he was able to make custard when it was all finished.

After it was done being made he poured it into a bowl. He went and lounged on your sofa he’d wait and bring some down to you.

****

Happy to be back at the studio you stepped out of your heals. Then you shrugged out of your light cardigan, hanging it on the hook your purse followed it. Looking at the display tables, you chose the middle one to put the cake on. Smiling, you moved it till you thought it looked just right.

“Y/N, where the hell have you been?”

You jumped as you heard his voice, you had not seen him, you thought he’d still be upstairs.

“And...” He pointed to the cake. “What the fuck is that?”

Taking, a breath you finally took all of him in as he sat on what looked like your chair. He was delightfully sexy with a very masculine air. It made your heart skip a beat. He had the posture, he usually exuded at the club. It spoke of him owning it all. Though there was something under the surface, he was upset. “It’s a cake.”

“And why do you have a cake? He got up, he went into the place that is where you drew your designs. He came out carrying a bowl. Oh shit, you thought to yourself.

“I made you custard.” He paused. “Don’t you remember I said you deserved something?”

You nodded...”I do..I do now.” To be honest, you’d never tell him but you didn’t think he’d actually do it. Maybe order it but never make it.

“I put alot of time into this custard.”

His words broke her heart. “I...Roman, I am so sorry.”

“You are going to eat it.”

“I will, I can’t eat all of it.” He drew closer. “Roman, I am so sorry I bought the cake.”

“I know what I will do with it then.”

“What?” You put a hand on your hip.

Before you could move, he threw all the custard at you. You squealed loudly as you were covered with the chocolate.

“Come here.” He said, darkly. The tone of his voice instantly aroused you, despite having custard dripping and sliding down your body. “Get down on all fours.”

“What?” You brushed back some of your hair that had gotten the brunt of the custard out of your face.

“I’m not going to repeat myself.”

“Ok, ok.” Careful, not to slip in the you did as he wanted.

He knelt beside you, you felt as he lifted your skirt and tore down your panties.

“What are you doing?” You managed to ask as you looked back. Then you saw, quickly you looked straight ahead and braced yourself. You whimpered as he hand connected with your skin. He did it a few more times. As the pain ran through you, your desire heightened.

“Roman, please.” You begged, “I am so sorry.”

He didn’t seem to be listening. He got up and went over to where the cake sat. “You will not be having at of this either!” He grabbed pieces of the cake and started to throw them at you. You started laughing.

“Roman...” You turned to face him, wiggling you pushed and then kicked off your panties. He managed to hit with more pieces of the cake. lYou put a hand up. He grabbed a piece, then came and knelt beside you. “Eat it.” He commanded, holding a piece in front of you. He joined you in eating it. Your eyes met his as you both ate it.

Reaching out you moaned as you felt just how hard he was. Your hand move up and down his length. His head tilted back as he moaned. “Feel good?” You asked demurely. You rubbed more. “Fuck.” he managed to groan, you saw as he swallowed, you longed to lick his throat. He looked at you, his eyes were burning. You pulled off your blouse and bra together.

He threw the piece of cake on the floor beside you. He pulled off his shirt. Laying down next to him, you bent your knees and opened yourself to him. He reached under your skirt then, he smirked. You gasped loudly when with no warning two of his fingers slid right into you. Keeping your eyes locked with his, let your hand rub his hardness that was straining against his slacks. “Roman, please.” You begged.

A sharp sound escaped your lips as he pulled his fingers out. “Your hungry for me, aren’t you?” You nodded. He grabbed and moved you so your open legs were suddenly on either side of him. He unceremoniously, opened his pants and entered you. Both of you gasping. Then moving and remaining deep with in you , he was over you. Your legs were wrapped around his hips. He just slammed into you, then you began to move with him. Damn, you both needed this so much. You grasped onto him, hoping you didn’t scratch. Your moans mingled as you quickened your movements.

“I am close...so close.” You whimpered.

“Are ya?” He looked at you, determination making his features look as sharp as a razor’s edge.

“Yes, please.” You begged. “Please let me cum around your hard cock.

He smirked. “Go ahead baby, just remember it was me making you cum.

“Yes, yes.” you whimpered, you moaned. You pulled him in for a passion kiss. The hunger the two of you shared came through in the kiss. “Roman....” you finally screamed as you came arching and writhing under him.

His moans, became indistinct. He loved riding you so much. He called out your name as he came hard deep within you. Together you wilted under all of that passion, finally released.

*****

“I can’t believe you did that.” You said finally, as you nestled close to the crook of his throat. Enjoying his warmth and just how good he smelled just there. You kissed his shoulder. Your bed was much more comfortable their your studio floor.

“Something, about you bringing home the cale set me off.” He admitted, as he caressed your arm as he pulled it across him.

“I’m sorry about that, I’m sure it was a lovely pudding.

“It was.” He gave you a squeeze.

“Roman,” you let your hand drift to hi stomach, caressing it just a little. “Did I fulfill my promise?”

Turning to meet your eyes, he smirked. “Well...there is something...”

@darling-i-read-it @spn-obession @vintagemichelle91 @xxxeatyourh3artoutxxx @ewanfuckingmcgregor @zodiyack @angel98624 @starwarsprequelfangirl @nebulastarr @emyliabernstein @top-rumbelle-fan

@nomnomnomnamja

#creative fervor #roman sionis x you #roman sionis pov #roman sionis smut #roman sionis x reader #roman sionis #ewan mcgregor #bop #birds of prey #black mask smut #black mask x reader #just desserts #fanficton #young adam

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goalcaufield · 4 years

Text

i’ll be home for christmas - jack hughes

based on i’ll be home for christmas by bing cr*sby:) a little pre-christmas hype for everyone and our favorite little devil word count: 2414

“baby, i don’t know if i’m gonna be able to make it tonight,” jack says, followed by a sigh. he had gotten stuck at a meeting on the 23rd, was going to fly home on christmas eve, but unfortunately the east coast had gotten hit with a snow storm making it impossible for him to be able to fly home.

“it’s okay, j,” you mumble. “i was just looking forward to seeing you, that’s all love.”

you can feel the eyes of both of your families on you. you had answered jack’s phone call with a smile and in an up beat tone, but as soon as he said hello to you you knew something was wrong and you disappeared into the family room.

“we’re working something out. there’s a flight around six in the morning, it should be safe to fly then. i’ll be there before you wake up, sweetheart. promise.” you blink away your tears and clear your throat, trying to make it inconspicuous to jack that you were starting to cry. “sweetheart, it’ll be okay. please don’t cry.”

you shake your head, your lip tugged between your teeth, the tears streaming down your cheeks. “it’s alright, jack. i miss you. it’s been like, two weeks.” you let out a strangled laugh realizing how funny it sounded, you had gone much longer not seeing jack, and you knew other couples went much longer without seeing each other. “i was looking forward to seeing you tonight, giving each other our christmas eve presents like normal, you know?”

“love,” jack sighs, and then you can hear someone talking to him on the other side of the line. “i gotta go, my love. i’ll see you tomorrow morning, yeah? we can exchange our christmas eve presents before we go to see everyone. we can have our own little time for a bit.”

“yeah, yeah that works. i’ll see you tomorrow love. i love you, have a safe flight.”

“i love you, y/n. i’ll text you when i board and when i land tomorrow. i’ll see you soon.”

with a heavy sigh you hang up the phone, wiping away the few remaining tears before turning to walk back to your family. luke and quinn are frowning at you, probably already well aware of the situation, meanwhile your parents, jim and ellen included, are confused.

“what happened, sweetheart?” jim frowns and you shrug with a sad smile.

“the northeast got hit with a snow storm. jack got snowed in at the airport, he won’t be able to catch a flight until tomorrow morning.” you tug your cardigan around your body tighter, and everyone at the kitchen table can only stare at you sadly. they all know how much christmas eve means to the both of you -- ever since you were little you’d buy each other a few presents and make sure to exchange at least one to each other on christmas eve. you were always too impatient to wait until christmas day, and you always made sure that it was the most meaningful gift.

“oh honey,” your mom mumbles and you simply shrug it off, sitting back down at your seat, staring into the cup of hot chocolate ellen had made the three of you kids only a few minutes before jack called.

you knew when jack left for the nhl it would be hard. but not this hard. of course you and him had a shared apartment in newark, but jack was on a road trip when you left to visit your families in michigan, and then he had meetings and important things he had to get taken care of back in jersey, resulting in you being in michigan and him being stuck in jersey. these type of things never crossed your mind before and after he got drafted, but you had been together for so long, you knew you’d be able to get over it.

“you’ll see him before you know it, y/n/n. it’ll be okay,” quinn says across the table. you lift your gaze to meet his and he gives you a soft smile. “jack will find a way, i know he will.”

“can we just start watching movies? i wanna get my mind off this.”

everyone immediately agreed and was getting up from the table. you trudge your way over to the living room. you place your hot chocolate mug on the coffee table then collapse onto the couch, grabbing the blanket laid across the cushions and pulling it onto your body.

“your pick, y/n/n,” quinn says, sitting down next to you and you lay your legs across his lap. you’re curled up on the couch, head resting on the arm rest, and you shrug.

“you know what she’ll pick, q. put on the polar express.” your dad says and quinn is breezing through the amazon prime to find a childhood favorite of yours. it wasn’t christmas until you watched the polar express and everyone knew that.

after you finish the polar express, then it’s luke’s pick, as you had always gone oldest to youngest and you’d already watched quinn’s movie. luke ends up picking the most unchristmassy movie there could be in miracle, but no one complains.

you’re dozing off. you hate to admit it, but at nine o’clock after a long day of making cookies with ellen, your mom, luke and quinn - but minimal help from them - and then throwing the jack situation on top? you were beat. you were just about to fall asleep when you hear the front door open. everyone that could’ve been at the house was already there.

“you couldn’t have waited for me?” you can hear the smile in his voice, and at the sound of jack’s voice you’re awake in an instant.

“j!” you throw the blanket off your body and jack drops his hockey bag by the front door. before you know it you’re in front of him, and he wraps his arms around your waist while you’re up on your tippy toes, arms wrapped around his neck as he rocks the two of you back and forth. “how did you get here?” you breathe out, pulling your head away from jack’s chest to look up at him.

“there was a storm, but it wasn’t all that bad. i was always able to fly in tonight, i just had to take care of a few things first.” he smiles down at you, his hand coming up and his thumb brushing against your cheek.

“i’m just glad you’re here,” you breathe out leaning into his touch. now it felt like christmas could actually happen. “do you wanna go up to your room? do presents?”

jack looks behind your shoulder, his grin growing as he looks at his brothers. “yeah, let’s go love.”

you nod. “we’ll be right back,” you say to your parents, exchanging a look with quinn as he knew exactly what you got jack for christmas. he mouths ‘good luck’ before sending you a reassuring smile.

jack intertwines your fingers and you’re off upstairs. your heart is beating out of your chest, but in the best possible way. you’re sure there’s no way you’ll ever be able to top this gift in the next christmases to come.

when you get into jack’s childhood bedroom, the first thing he does is spin you around so you’re facing him and he kisses you. with two weeks away from him, you kiss him back quickly, your hands roaming up his back, to his neck, before tangling your fingers in his hair.

jack pulls away abruptly. “sweetheart if we don’t stop now, neither of us are going to get presents and our families won’t see us the rest of the night.”

“can we resume later?” you ask innocently, eyelashes fluttering at your boyfriend in front of you. jack’s cheeks flush a rosy pink before he nods.

“yeah love, we can,” he whispers and clears his throat. he pulls away from you. “okay. you go first, or me?”

you giggle, immediately turning around to grab your bag. “you know the deal. you went first last year, it’s my turn, hughesy.”

jack grins and sits down on the bed. you grab the small box from your bag that’s wrapped perfectly with a bow tied around the top and sit down next to j, crossing your legs in your lap. you hand jack the gift and he unwraps the bow, his eyes meeting yours making you giggle, before he starts to tear at the wrapping paper. you watch as he takes the top of the box off, revealing a few pieces of tissue paper that’s covering his actual present.

jack’s tongue darts out to wet his lips and he chuckles nervously. peeling away the layers of tissue paper his face laces with confusion, before his eyes widen. you know it took him a second, but the three pregnancy tests all with two lines are undeniable.

“wait,” he whispers, eyes scanning over the box multiple times. “you’re pregnant?” glossy eyes meeting yours, you nod not trusting your voice, and jack quickly wraps his arms around you and pulls you closer to him. “oh my god, y/n.”

“are you happy?” you pull back from him and cradle his face in your hands. jack nods eagerly.

“baby i don’t think you know how happy i am,” he laughs, hands trailing from your back to your stomach that has only barely started to push out, and you could only really tell if you knew what you were looking for. “we’ve been talking about starting a family for a while now -- we’ve been trying for a while. i don’t know how i can top this.”

you smile placing both of your hands on jack’s cheeks and pressing a quick kiss to his lips. “you can try, jacky.”

jack smiles shyly and digs into his coat pocket for your present. he gives you the small wrapped present and places it in your hand. you unwrap it, and it’s a small jewelry box, similar to the boxes that held earrings that jack had gotten you before. but when you open up the box, they’re not earrings.

“jack,” you whisper, eyes going from the ring in the box up to your boyfriend’s blushing and grinning face. jack simply takes the box from your hands and gets down onto the floor on one knee.

“y/n, will you marry me?” he can barely get his words out, but you hear him. after knowing him your entire life, after spending your entire childhood crushing on him, and after dating him since you were fourteen years old, here you were. he had finally popped the question after everyone had been pestering you two since you were sixteen.

“of course, jack. of course i’ll marry you.”

jack slips the ring onto your finger and in an instant his lips are on yours. he’s pulling you onto his lap, one hand pressed against your stomach and the other against your back to keep you in place.

“i love you, jack.”

“i love you more, y/n.”

you two finally end up gathering yourselves and going back downstairs where jim finally got around to lighting the fire and the movie is nearing an end. jack’s right hand is intertwined with your left, his thumb running over the engagement ring adorning your finger.

“there you two are,” your dad smiles. “congratulations, you two.”

“thank you, d/n. i know both of us are excited to meet the little one,” jack grins over at you, but what he says makes not only your eyes widen, but - almost - everyone around you to have wide eyes as well.

“y/n, what does he mean?” your mom asks, and you look over at quinn for some sort of support. he had been the only one you told, because there was no way you couldn’t not tell someone. if you tried to keep it a secret you would’ve blabbed to jack and ruined your whole surprise.

“they didn’t know?” jack asks and you shake your head. “oh god.”

you smile and chuckle nervously. “uh, we’re pregnant, guys.”

“congrats, j,” quinn smiles and he gets up to hug his brother. of course quinn knew - he was the first one that did. you told him and kennedy, and of course both were extremely supportive of the two of you. you and jack had been together since the seventh grade, defying all the odds against you, and now here you were. engaged and expecting.

“i always knew jack would have a kid before quinn,” your dad jokes, making quinn’s mouth drop open and jack’s cheeks to blush. his arm around your waist pulls you closer and you can’t help but look up and smile at him.

it went better than you could have imagined -- sure, your parents were a little wary at first but it wasn’t like they were upset in any way, shape or form.

“so, did you all know he was going to propose?” you ask later that night. your left hand was pressed against jack’s chest and your head resting on his shoulder. jack had his arm thrown around your shoulders, and all of you were winding down for the night.

“we did,” ellen smiled from the other couch. “quinn and luke went with him to pick out the ring with him. they were the wingmen of that, that’s for sure.”

“well,” you press your lips to the underside of jack’s jaw. “i think all three of you did a pretty amazing job.”

“i mean i did most of the work, so thanks, y/n!” luke smiles, but jack responds with throwing one of the couch pillows at him. “you’re just jealous i actually picked the ring out.”

“yeah well-”

you cut jack off, placing one hand on his cheek and turning his face to look at you. “j, i love it regardless. i’m marrying you. that’s the best thing i could ask for. i don’t care who picked the ring out, because it’s perfect nonetheless.”

jack’s hand falls to your stomach, and as soon as it makes contact with the small bump a smile forms on his face. “i know love, and i can’t wait.”

“now you see why i was so upset about thinking you wouldn’t be here tonight?” jack nods, and you press a quick kiss to his lips.

“i do. i love you, y/n.”

“i love you more, jacky.”

#jack hughes #new jersey devils #hockey #hockey imagine #jack hughes imagine #team usa #usntdp #nhl #nhl hockey #nhl imagine

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starrybethany · 4 years

Text

Elias Pettersson - Ed Sheeran & Pink Roses

Word count: 3603

A white gown covering every inch of my skin because he says we should show skin “after the wedding.” A veil, because “a lot of my friends find you attractive and I don’t want to deal with that on my wedding day.” And a rock that weighs my hand down because it shows his power.

The eyes staring back into mine aren’t my own. A year ago I was so happy, but then this relationship was so rushed- so passionate- so dominate.

It took over every part of my life.

He took over every part of my life.

And the worst part is, I let him.

Somehow no one notices me slip out of the dressing room. No one hears my heels click against the marble floor of the fancy ass hotel he demanded we have this wedding at, and no one watched as I slipped into the passenger’s seat of my sister’s car.

“You don’t need to tell me ‘I told you so’,” I state blankly, keeping my gaze forward and on a window of the hotel.

I’m waiting for his mother to stop out, full of rage like she always is, and demand me to get back in the hotel and marry her son so that they can both torture me for the rest of my life.

“I know.”

“I can’t be here, Y/S/N.” I slump down in the old seat, thinking back to the first date we had when she picked me up outside the restaurant. I giggled and gushed about him all the way home and she sat there, driving, and smiling quietly.

“I know.”

My gaze moves to her and, like she can feel it, she looks back over at me. I guess she can see the look in my eyes. She can see the broken, desperate, lost little girl who fell too quickly into love and just as quickly out of love.

“I can figure something out, Y/N. I’ll take you to the airport and we can go from there, okay?”

“Do you have any clothes I can change into?” I mumble, avoiding her eyes by searching her backseat.

I find some jeans and a baggy sweatshirt one of her ex-boyfriends left behind by the time we make it to the airport. I enter the bathroom without a word, wiping off the three layers of makeup I have on before exiting to her getting off the phone.

“I just emailed your ticket to you. Let me know when you land.” She pulls me into a tight hug and I cling onto her dress, crumpling the fabric in my fists and holding on for dear life.

“I don’t know what I would do without you,” I murmur, relaxing my eyelids which I absentmindedly clenched.

“I love you, Y/N. Be safe.”

“I love you too.”

I watch longingly as she walks out of the airport and back to her car. This is my last chance- I could hop back in her car, race back to the hotel and change hurriedly just in time to make it to marry the man who I’ve claimed to love for the last year.

I could commit to a marriage like I promised I would five months ago. I could go on our honeymoon to Greece and relax on a beach like he wanted, I could have two kids and stay at home with them like he wanted, I could spend the rest of my life in the suburbs of Toronto like he wanted.

But I find myself walking up to the check-in desk, numbly showing them the ticket on the email my sister sent me. And I find myself boarding the flight to God-knows-where. My eyes focus on the wing of the plane as they make their announcements and I catch the familiar word “Vancouver.”

So Vancouver’s my next destination. He will never suspect Vancouver, hell I would never have expected Vancouver. But maybe that’s the point. Maybe it’s a good thing, maybe it’s time for a fresh start in a new location all the way across the country.

Maybe it’s time to focus on myself.

I step off the plane, unsure of what I’m looking for, or more likely, who I’m looking for. What’s in Vancouver that my sister wanted to send me here? “Y/N!”

I turn in the direction of the voice, raising my eyebrows in surprise at the familiar face.

“Hi Holly,” I greet her quietly, pulling her into a hug. I haven’t seen Holly since high school ended and the curling team her and my sister came to a stop.

“You remember Bo, right?” She questions, motioning to the tall man beside her who I’ve met a couple of times at various parties and events.

I nod. “Hi, Bo.”

Holly sits in the backseat with me on the ride back to their house, holding my hand like I might fall apart at any moment. Which I just might. It hasn’t hit me just yet that I ditched my fiancé at the alter and I feel like it will at any moment- not to mention the fact that I don’t know what’s going to come next.

I’m a pull away from falling apart at the seams.

“Do you want to talk about it?” She asks after showing me the guest room I’ll be staying in. I shake my head and she leaves without another word.

Her and Bo appear at the doorway for the next couple of days, showering me with food and comments like “I’m here if you want to talk” but mostly leave me alone to lay in bed and think.

I’m grateful for it. I want to gather my thoughts before anything else. I approach things with a plan and logic, and not only leaving the person I’m supposed to spend the rest of my life with but also leaving behind my home has my mind in a craze.

The door opens softly and feet pad against the floor, along with the rolling of wheels. “Your sister was able to swing by your place and grab most of your things.”

My bones scream at me as I turn around slowly, sitting up straight in bed to see Holly setting two suitcases against the wall. She tries her best to mask her surprise at my movement, but I still see it.

“He ruined Ed Sheeran for me.” She sits on the edge of the bed, fearing that if she moves too close, I’ll clamp up like I’ve been doing since I got here. “He said that his songs raised expectations for women, and it wasn’t a good thing. Women should have low expectations for all men so then they would be happy with what they got.”

I wipe the snot from my nose.

“And he ruined pink roses for me. When he saw me admiring them, he said that roses were such an overrated flower. They symbolize romance and love and romance is dead and love isn’t real.”

I rest my head in my palms, sobbing softly. Holly rests a gentle hand on my forearm. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough to let me know that she’s there.

“And fuck, he did all of this, Holly, he put me down, he made fun of my interests, he told me that my job wasn’t important, but I still loved him!” I’m yelling by the end of it but I can’t stop. “I thought I loved him so much. I thought I loved him with my entire heart, my entire being, my whole soul, but I was just trying to do that. I was just trying to be good enough to be a part of his world.”

I allow her to pull me into her arms and I cry on her shoulder. She knows that I’ve already realized that I’m enough. She knows that I realized that I’m too good for him, that he’s the problem and I’m not. She knows that she doesn’t need to tell me that.

But she does anyway.

“Do I look too nerdy?” I question, nervously tugging at the sleeves on the dress.

“You never look nerdy,” Holly reassures me, looking up from the vegetables she’s cutting. Bo nods in agreement, sending me a kind smile.

“I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?” Bo questions as I step further in the kitchen.

“I don’t know,” I admit, making the couple laugh. “I’m just nervous to meet your teammates and their partners. I mean, they probably don’t think too highly of me considering I’ve been living in your place rent-free for two weeks. And I arrived with just a couple hours of notice.” I shake my head at my own actions. “Can I do something? I need to do something with my hands, do you want me to cut those vegetables?”

“Y/N, you are fine,” Holly giggles. “If it makes you feel better, there are some dishes in the sink that you can wash.”

“Oh, thank god,” I sigh in relief, rushing over to the sink like it’s my life source.

“And don’t feel bad about staying here. They understand, we’ve all been through rough times,” Bo emphasizes. I just smile at him.

His teammates arrive slowly, and I introduce myself kindly to everyone, wanting to present a good impression since I’m also representing Bo and Holly in a way. Then he walks in. Enchanting blue eyes that are pulling me closer, blond hair that begs to have my fingers run through it, plump lips that cheer for me to press my own against them.

It takes me aback. I haven’t felt this way since the first time I saw him.

And, if I look closely enough, he looks like him in a way.

I scurry away with one last look, taking a large sip of my water and ignoring the look that Bo gives me. He walked in on a late-night breakdown last week, so he knows the look I get before it happens.

“Excuse me,” I murmur, rushing down the hall to the bathroom. Everything is too loud, everything is too fast, everything is too overwhelming. I raise one hand to press against my racing heart, staring myself down in the mirror to bring myself back to Earth.

Ground yourself, Y/N, ground yourself.

There’s a knock on the door. “Y/N? Are you okay in there?”

“I’m fine,” I lie, biting my lip. My shaky hands open the door and I step out, Bo waiting politely outside the door. “I’m fine.”

He nods, obviously not buying my lie, but guiding me down the hall with a gentle hand on my back. “Oh, have you met Elias and Quinn yet? Guys, this is Y/N.”

And now I’m face-to-face with him. I try my best to just look at him quickly and give a small smile, barely noticing the one on his face.

“How are you?” Quinn asks.

How am I supposed to answer this when I have no air in my lungs? I’m taking too long, now all three of these guys are giving me an expectant look and I seem rude for taking so long to answer-“Fine,” I squeak out, “Um, you?”

“Good.” Quinn gives me an odd look. I don’t look at Elias.

“How are you, Petey?” Bo asks his younger teammate.

“Fine.” I see the shrug of his shoulders.

“I saw on your Instagram that you got up to some grilling last night,” Bo responds.

They all laugh and as Elias begins to answer, I excuse myself from the group and rush to grab another drink.

I hide in my room when Elias leaves so that I don’t have to say goodbye.

“Hi Elias, great game,” Holly compliments when she sees the young player leave the locker room.

He stops in front of us and my eyes stay glued to the picture on the wall next to me, heart thumping so loud that I’m positive they can hear it.

He mumbles something in response and Holly continues, “Y/N really liked your goal.”

She hits my arm and I make a noise, looking up at Elias with wide eyes. His eyes are much bluer than I remember them to be. They hide so many secrets and memories and stories that I could watch them for hours and not be bored.

The corners of his lips turn up in a smile and my gaze snaps back to the photo, biting my bottom lip hard and hoping the blush on my neck doesn’t travel to my cheeks.

I half-heartedly listen to the rest of their conversation, only turning to meet Holly’s eyes when Elias has turned the corner.

“Bo said you had a weird vibe with him,” she teases.

I roll my eyes, leaning back against the wall with a huff. “I don’t have a weird vibe with him.”

She laughs. “Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart.”

It’s later that night that she peaks her head into the guestroom I’m still staying in. “It’s okay to move on, you know that, right? It’s been a month. And it’s been even longer since you’ve loved him.”

“You realize that since Elias is helping you move into this apartment, you’re going to have to talk to him, right?” Holly teases as she pulls the plates out of the box.

“You can just put those in the dishwasher to be washed right away,” I inform her, ignoring her words.

“What? Why?”

“Do you really think I’m just going to eat off of plates without washing them first? I don’t know who’s touched them,” I scrunch my nose up in disgust at the thought.

“Hello, hello,” someone chants out as the front door to my new apartment is opened. My eyes catch blue eyes first and I quickly divert from them, smiling at the three boys who enter my new apartment. “Sorry Y/N, only Elias and Brock could make it.”

“That’s okay,” I say quietly, “Thank you for the help.”

I hear Elias’ Swedish accent over Brock’s response but pretend to ignore it, busying myself by pushing a picture of my sister and I into a picture frame.

“Are you excited to be moving into your own place after living with these two lovebirds for two months?” Brock jokes, nudging his captain.

I giggle but nod, not trusting my voice just yet in front of Elias.

“Where do you want us to start?” Bo inquires. I direct the boys to their various tasks, avoiding the Swede’s gaze as I tell him his.

I sigh in frustration, the Christmas lights I’m trying to hang on my bedroom wall getting tangled as I hang them up slowly.

“Do you want help with that?” The familiar accent questions from the doorway of the small bedroom.

“No, I’m good,” I respond, not even sending a quick smile over my shoulder. He doesn’t listen. Feet pad closer to my bed until he’s climbing on it beside me, tugging the wire apart from itself gently and stretching his arms to make sure it won’t tangle again.

I try my best to ignore his presence as I work slowly to put the cable against the plain wall but it’s hard to do when his eyes are glued to the side of my face. As we’re turning the corner to move onto the next wall, my gaze catches his.

His cheeks are rosy, probably from all of the work around my apartment that he’s been doing, and there’s a cut on his cheek that I didn’t notice earlier. It looks like it hurt and I feel my heart jump at the thought of him in pain.

“What happened to your face?” I murmur out, my volume barely loud enough to be heard.

“I cut it while shaving.”

I try to keep the soft smile to myself, but I think that he still saw it.

I couldn’t believe it then when he was sliding the engagement ring onto my finger. It not only covered my ring finger, but also overlapped onto part of my pinky and middle finger. I threw a hand over my mouth, gasping about how much I loved it.

But I didn’t love it then and I sure as hell don’t love it now.

A knock on my door has me shoving the ring back into my bedside table, opening the front door.

My heart drops at the sight of the young blond on the other side. I haven’t seen Elias since he helped me move into this apartment a week ago, and I honestly thought I would have a longer amount of time to avoid him and form a plan on how to stay away from him.

But I guess I don’t get that.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“Bo said you needed help with your Wi-Fi but he’s too busy with Gus to come over himself,” he explains. “So he sent me instead.”

I nod wordlessly, stepping inside to let him into my apartment. I watch as he takes off his sneakers, setting them side by side by my front door.

I lead him into the living room where the Wi-Fi box is, motioning towards the device.

“Have you tried unplugging it and plugging it back in?” He inquires, moving closer to it and hence, me.

My heart rate picks up at the feeling of Elias towering over me, and something I have enough knowledge to nod.

“We could just try that again?”

“Okay.”

I watch his calloused hand pull the wire out, eyes meeting my own as he explained, “We can wait for it to cool down and then plug it back in.”

I nod dumbly, stepping back like it’ll get me out of this unknown power that Elias has over me.

I feel his eyes studying me as I look around my apartment like it’s the first time I’ve been here. I feel him staring at my hair, my nose, my eyes, my lips.

“Do you not like me?”

His question has my eyes snapping back towards him.

“W-What?” I stutter.

“Do you not like me?” He repeats himself.

“Um, I, I-“”Or are you just scared of me?” He asks.

“Elias-“”Holly and Bo haven’t told us a lot about you, they said it’s your business and when you feel like telling us you will. They told us that you’ve been through a lot so if I make you uncomfortable, I’d just like to know,” he states.

God is he sweet. This shows me how much respect me has for me by not wanting to push information out of me and being aware of my boundaries. I judged him too fast, I know that. But he just made me so anxious and now, now he still makes me anxious but in a different way.

In a good way, if anxiety can be used in a good way.

“Elias I need to show you something.” He follows me as I head back to my bedroom, pulling the prize of a ring out of the drawer.

I set it in his hand and watch as his eyes widen, a “Wow” slipping out of his lips.

“I was engaged before I came to Vancouver,” I confess, nervously running a hand through my hair. “And I thought it was love but looking back on it- it wasn’t love. It was me being used as a trophy and him being used as a placeholder in my heart that’s never been completely filled. And, I’m really sorry for how I reacted, but you kind of looked like him in the right lighting but more than that- I felt for you what I felt for him in the beginning. I want to kiss you, and I want to hug you, and I want to go on cute dates to buy chocolate with you and- god- I wanted to do that with him in the beginning to but to be truthful, these feelings are lasting much longer with you than they did with him-“”So you felt that, too?”

I stop the pacing that I hadn’t even realized I’d begun to do, pausing to look at the slight smirk on his face.

“What?”

“The heart racing, the lasting glances, the desire to be near each other, you felt that too?” He inquires.

I nod slowly, watching as he sets the engagement ring back in the drawer and closes it. It’s like closing a chapter that’s been dragging on. I’m ready to move on.

And I get that chance to move on when Elias stands up to his full height, looking like his awkward self as he just stands there. But the lights from those Christmas lights he helped me hang up bounces across his face and hair and body in just the right places and I imagine him in the bed beside me as we wake up in the morning.

It’s something I want more than anything.

“Elias,” I speak softly, “Are you going to kiss me?”

He takes a small step forward but I’m too impatient to wait. My fingers grip his T-shirt as our lips connect. It feels like we’ve waited our whole lives to kiss yet we know we have the rest of our lives to continue kissing.

I totally forgot that I had music playing until “Thinking Out Loud” begins to play through my speaker. It makes me melt into the man holding me and we sway along to the song, enjoying each other’s company and the moment itself.

The next morning, I get a delivery at my front door.

Pink roses.

And a note.

Don’t forget to plug the Wi-Fi box back in. XO, Elias

#NHL imagines #Elias Pettersson imagine #Elias Pettersson preference #NHL one shots

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