fanfiction enthusiast. fangirl till i die

Benny Miller

Revenge, a dish best served cold (x fem!reader)

Pt. 2 Revenge, a dish best served cold (xfem!reader)

You again?! (x fem!reader)

It's You (x fem!reader)

Frankie Morales

Through the Grapevine , Part 2 (x fem!reader)

Be my baby (x fem!reader)

Starting the new year off right (x fem!reader)

First date (x fem!reader)

Peaches (xfem!reader)

William Miller

Best Friend's Brother , Part 2(x fem!reader)

Twilight

Charlie Swan

Angel , Part 2 , Part 3 (x fem!reader)

Harry Potter

Blaise Zabini

The Crush (x fem!reader)

Kinktober entry #1 (x fem!reader)

I Know What You Did Last Summer (x fem!reader)

Mother Knows Best (x fem!reader)

Preachers Daughter (x fem!reader)

Annoyed is too mild a descriptor to encapsulate the way Blaise felt. Thanks to Draco he’s stuck in a Jesus camp as a bloody camp counselor. Ever since Lucius so stupidly funneled the Malfoy fortune into off-shore accounts, the whole family was being investigated. 

Of course he would be released soon enough but the damage was done to the family name. So much so that Draco had to step up with community service. For weeks on end, Malfoy whined about being surrounded by Jesus freaks at an away camp he would be volunteering for. Eventually Blaise begrudgingly agreed he would come with him if he would shut up about it. 

Now that he’s here it’s so much worse, kids outnumber adults 5:1. His ears have gotten used to the ear-splitting screams and can functionally tune them out. Most of the time he’s with Draco but when he’s not the other counselors swarm him with conversation that causes him to envision his head repeatedly hitting a wall. 

There was one small bright spot though, you were the only counselor that would leave him the fuck alone. Funnily enough, the two of you did arts and crafts with the kids. As much as it pains him to admit he enjoys working with the kids, kinda. They get a little rowdy sometimes and Blaise is used to the quiet as an only child. 

Oddly enough most of the people he knows are only children as well. 

The activity planned out was for the kids to decorate wooden crosses that they ‘made’ in wood working. So far they were well-immersed in their tasks. Even Blaise decided to partake with the kids today, he sat at a table hand-painting his own. 

“Do you mind getting a bottle of paint from the top shelf for me?” You’ve leaned down to his ear so the kids aren’t disturbed. “I would do it but I can’t find the step stool.” 

That’s because he hid it to get you to talk to him. Mission accomplished.

“Yeah of course.” He stands up from the miniature chair with a smile and heads to the supply closet.

In the closet, you stand behind him so you can watch his stretched biceps unabashedly. Thank God you forgot where you put the stool. 

Something that drew Blaise in was how he couldn’t figure you out. He didn’t understand why the other counselors always sought you out despite you constantly brushing them off. You also didn’t seem like you were into the whole organized religion like the others here. The amount of times he’s thought about you should be alarming, maybe your sugary perfume is poisoning his brain. 

“What color did you need?” His voice is quiet but you never misunderstand him. 

“The forest green next to the yellow.” He nods his head before turning to search for it. “Apparently a lot of the kids are doing Christmas-themed ones.”

“It’s July.” The dryness of his voice communicates his disapproval.

“They insist it’s the best time of the year.” You shrug your shoulders.

“You don’t agree?” He reaches for the bottle and you take a moment to thank whoever decided to make polos the counselor uniform. 

“I hate cold weather, there’s nothing fun to do in the cold.” He finally turns around to hand you the bottle and you see his upturned lip.

“I think that’s subjective.” Blaise enjoyed cold climates, especially around the mountains. 

“Oh you’re a winter lover, I thought we could be friends.” You playfully pout at him. 

“I’m sure we could work something out.” He crosses his arm over his muscular chest with a smile at you. His brown eyes are warm and inviting, unlike his friend that he came with. 

You wish you could say you didn’t look down however that would be a lie. It doesn’t even matter that he caught you because it’s most definitely worth it. Right before he can call you out on it, you’re interrupted. 

“Mr. Zambini!” One of the kids calls out to Blaise not realizing they mispronounced his name.

Wordlessly you two exit the supply closet only to be met with giggles from the children. A smile breaks across your face at their implication. The two of you separate to handle your duties around the class.

“Is Mr. Zambini your boyfriend?” Sasha, one of the little girls you’ve been working closely with asks you.

“No, and his name is pronounced Zabini.” You hope that your quick answer is enough to deter 6 year old shit-stirers. 

“But you like him.” Daisy perks up at the opportunity to instigate. 

“And why would you think that?” Since you’re in a good mood you decide to entertain the girls. 

“Because I saw you pull down your shirt a little when you saw him come clo-” Never in your life have you moved so quickly to silence a child. Your body is stretched across the circle table with your hand gently sitting over her mouth.

“That wasn't-" You try not to become flustered at the fact that Daisy’s right. “It gets really muggy in here sometimes.” 

“I don’t think we’re allowed to enforce corporal punishment, that’s frowned upon nowadays.” Blaise’s voice sets you on edge and you wonder how long he’d been standing there. 

The girls at your table giggle, and it worries you what they find funny. You slowly sit back in your seat before sheepishly looking up at Blaise. Amusement shines in his eyes and it makes you relax. 

“You ready to wrap it up for the day?” You realize he’s giving you an out to sit in the back while he wrangles the kids.

You nod your head before hurrying to take all the materials back to storage. While you organize the back Blaise ushers the children to their next station. 

…………..

“So do you have a girlfriend?” Sasha is hot on Blaise’s heels with her freckled face turned up at him. 

“Who’s asking?” Blaise could’ve shot it down completely but he remembers being that age.

“I’ve got a friend, she’s older, don't worry.” A deep chuckle left Blaise’s mouth before he could stop himself. As annoying as they were, these kids are funny.

“Alright, I don’t have a girlfriend but I doubt your friend and I would work out.” Blaise does his best to deter the girl from any concrete answers. 

“What if I told you she works with you?” Sasha didn’t stay to see the fall out of her words, the swim instructor captured the rest of her attention. 

Blaise wanted to write it off as kid gossip but he didn’t really want it to be. To be honest the only thing keeping him from losing his mind was the time he spent with you. With his newly gained info he enlists the help of his friend. 

“So you wanna go on a date with one of the Jesus freaks?” Draco doesn’t hide the criticism in his voice. 

“Technically she’s the only one that’s not a Jesus freak.” Blaise smirks in his best friend’s direction. “Also need I remind you I’m only here because I’m helping you?”

With an eye roll Malfoy agrees to play matchmaker.

………………….

Away from the rest of the camp, you enjoy the silence. Or what you call forest silence, with the trees swaying and the wind whistling over the leaves. You place the lighter at the end of the joint before puffing, and an instant lull takes over your body forcing you to relax. 

You lay against the trunk of the tree and stare at the greenery blocking the sky. The only good thing about this camp is you can convene with nature, alone. 

“Mind if I join you?” Your head whips around as you make eye-contact with Draco Malfoy. Once you realize it’s not anyone who’d narc you pass the joint to him. 

“You scared the shit out of me, at least step on some leaves or branches.” You crane your neck to look up at the sky once more. 

“How’d you smuggle this in here?” Draco plops beside you on the trunk before passing it back to you. 

“They never suspect the preacher's daughter.” With that admission there’s a silent understanding between the two of you. 

He pauses slightly before you give him another puff. “Oh, you’re one of those.” He laughs out loud as he realizes Blaise is gonna have his hands full.

“What-” Before you could even be faintly offended he interrupted you.

“I wish I could say I was here on a social call but I’ve been ordered to bring you to the lake.” Your eyebrow raises in surprise at his admission. With the joint almost gone you get on your feet, prompting Draco to lead the way. 

“Should I bother asking you who? Or what?” You don’t know what exactly you’re walking into, especially since this is the second time you’ve talked to Malfoy. The first being a very short introduction of him grumbling his name.

“No,” His hands remain behind his back while he looks ahead. “You’ll like it though.” 

The barely there smile on his face freaks you out more than his scowl. Before you can question him more you see you’ve made it to the lake. Except on the shore Blaise is bent over a picnic blanket with sandwiches and fruits laid all over. He places his hands on his hips surveying the placement of the food before he glances up at you. 

A nervous smile breaks out on his face and you don’t know how to act human for a second. The joint you just smoked doesn’t help your racing thoughts. When Draco decided to take his leave you’re not sure, but now it’s just the two of you. He stretches his hand out to bring you to the blanket. 

“Is this a date?” You blurt it out before you can stop yourself. 

“Yes, I should've known that idiot wouldn’t make that clear.” You sit with your legs crossed under you.

“This is really nice,” You take in the effort he put in because you’re sure he snuck out to a store to get this stuff. “Was I that obvious?” 

“No, but the kids would disagree.” He laughs at your dropped jaw. “Sasha said she had a friend for me.”

Your beautiful laugh drifts to his ears and he can’t get enough. He urges you to eat whatever you want, and you oblige. Over the course of your lunch he asks you questions he hasn’t had time to ask you. You try to play cool but the heat on your cheeks must be producing steam at this point. 

“Alright alright you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t feel the same.” You playfully roll your eyes at him.

“You’re right, I wouldn’t be.” His eyes remind you of rich chocolate, like the deep brown you would see in a renaissance painting. 

Suddenly it’s like you’re in a trance because his smile makes your heart ache from how gorgeous it is. How gorgeous he is. Your breathing picks up and your heart isn’t too far behind. The space between you two is now barely existent, somehow your palms are on the blanket underneath you. 

When your lips touch you waste no time moulding yours against his, and you have no problem taking the lead. You lean into his personal space and let your knees plant themselves. His tongue licks your bottom lip and you waste no time granting his wish.

The way your tongues dance around each other causes heat to pool in your belly.

You feel his hands make their way up your thighs and around your waist. Blaise gently guides you to lay on top of him without breaking the kiss. Your hands creep their way under his T-shirt and you feel him groan. Unabashed, you continue your work since you were dreaming about this moment since you met. A whine leaves your mouth when he pulls back.

“I didn’t expect that from a church mouse.” He pokes fun at your eager attitude, not that he’s complaining. 

“Not bad for a preacher’s daughter huh?” You lay your head on his chest and stare.

Helen had become a little more than a coworker to you. She was one of the only people who kept her opinion of you and Charlie’s age gap to herself. If you had to guess you figured she didn’t really care, probably because she has a life. Either way, it was a nice change of pace from the judgemental stares you got around town. Though if you were with Charlie they somehow turned into smiles.

At first, you two tried your best to keep things between you two, and Helen. Date nights were usually in Port Angeles on weeknights to minimize run-ins. The only place in town you two would go to was the diner, and even the folks of Forks had deemed that to be insufficient evidence. All good things come to an end though, the pair of you were caught when Charlie got a little handsy while walking you to your door. 

For some reason, your nosey neighbor Miss Daphne had to choose that moment to go ‘check’ her mail. You had the sneaking suspicion she saw Charlie’s cruiser and decided to spy on you herself. After all, she was the same nosey bitch that ratted you out to your parents for sneaking out to go party on the rez. The scandalized gasp that left her mouth was exaggerated but it did do the job of separating you and Charlie. 

There was no denying what you two were when he had your red lipstick smeared all over his mouth. She spared no time spreading that gossip like wildfire. Your mother came to tell you the ridiculous rumor she heard and you had to tell her you were dating the Chief of Police. For 3 months. She very obviously didn’t approve however she never said that directly to you. 

Tension was thick in your house and Charlie wanted you to come over so he could cook you dinner. He said Bella was going out with Edward and his family. Of course it was steak, potatoes, and green beans but it really was good. After dinner you made Charlie sit down while you did the dishes. 

When you joined him on the couch his attention was no longer on the game. His hand inched its way up your thigh and brought his lips down to your neck. You called out his name like you were out of breath and he knew he had you wrapped around his finger. Turns out the Chief of Police was so grumpy because of pent-up energy. His mustache tickling your neck was the last straw before you turned your head to meet his lips. 

Charlie’s tongue parted your lips to explore your mouth. You tilted your head wanting to feel all of him. His body caged you and he used his weight to pin you down. It took no time for your legs to part and give him easy access, and he followed your lead and pressed his crotch into yours. Once he heard you making those pretty sounds he began to unbutton your shorts. 

Of all the times for Bella to get in a fight with Edward and come home early, now is the most inconvenient. When she burst through the door there was no time to cover up what you two were doing, but the 17-year-old already caught her dad dry-humping his girlfriend on the couch. The countless strings of “Oh my God” all the way to her bedroom followed by a slammed door told you everything. Needless to say, the mood was ruined but you stayed until the end of the game. 

On the way back to your house Charlie had told you he was stealing you away for a weekend of no interruptions. You appreciate the gesture and move your hand to rub the back of his neck as he drives. The heavy sigh that leaves his mouth at your petting lets you know it’s working.

You figured he was thinking of taking you up to a bed and breakfast in Port Angeles. 

“As long as I get to spend time with you.” Your offhand comment had his tummy fluttering like he was 16 again. He could feel the three words sitting in his throat. Not wanting to make the same mistakes twice, he decides to swallow them down in favor of taking things slow with you.

He never quite mastered how to be sentimental, Charlie dreaded having those kinds of conversations. 

“You know I care for you right?” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. “I know I can be a bit standoffish.” 

“I would much rather be with someone who says they love me through their actions. Too many people talk a big game.” You hate how much Charlie seemingly doubts himself in his relationships. No doubt it was because of Bella’s mother. 

Everyone heard about what happened, they married just as quickly as they divorced. The fact that she did it while his parents were ailing was just another nasty nail in the coffin. From the corner of your eye, you see Charlie turn his head your way, your words touch him. 

The familiar street lined with houses you’ve passed a million times comes quicker than you’d like. When Charlie puts the cruiser in park neither of you move to get out. You turn your body to look at him while still playing with the hair on the nape of his neck. 

“Do you think we scarred Bella for life?” You figured she knew about you two but to see it live was a different story.

“Oh please, I’m sure she and Edward,” Charlie drags his name with an eye roll before continuing, “have gotten up to much worse at his house.” 

His disdain for his daughter's first boyfriend is not only funny but somewhat ironic. Although it’s a little immature you understand why he’s so protective of his only daughter.

“What should I pack for this getaway?” Before he can give you a bullshit answer you raise your finger and emphasize, “Don’t tell me anything is fine because it’s not.”

Charlie folds his lips into his mouth to stop himself from smiling. To him, it doesn’t matter he wouldn’t complain about seeing you in anything. 

“Alright, one fancy outfit for dinner, a couple casual outfits, a swimsuit, and comfortable shoes. Everything else is up to your discretion.” His guide was simple enough but the swimsuit part caught you off guard. 

“See how easy that was?” You tease him.

“Mhm looks like it’s past your curfew.” Charlie’s line of vision leads to your lit porch. The window next to the front door has a visible split in the blinds, presumably by your mother. 

“Goodnight.” You turn to face Charlie.

“Night baby.” He gives you a quick peck on the lips before you head towards your house. 

The blinds quickly go back in place as you near the front door and your mother opens the door for you to come in. But not before she waves at Charlie. You step through the threshold and have no idea what to expect.

“Looks like you two are getting serious huh?” As well as you know your mother she doesn’t give anything away. 

“It’s getting there.” The two of you stand in front of each other in the low light of the foyer.

“Do you really see a future with him?” The air around you becomes thick at her apparent disapproval. “Honey, I just want what’s best for you and I don’t think it’s with a man almost as old as your father.”

“Thinking and worrying about my future is what got me here. Constantly trying to live up to everyone else’s expectations of me was suffocating.” Your voice becomes hostile in defense of Charlie.

“And you think running around town with Charlie Swan of all people is gonna help?” This conversation is slowly eviscerating any contentment you were feeling with Charlie. 

“I have no idea but he’s the only person that doesn’t make me feel like a disappointment.” Though your parents said they would always support you, you know they had higher aspirations for you. “I’m gonna head to bed.” Your teary eyes were aimed at the house slippers your mom had on. 

With no response, you turn to make your way to your room leaving her at the bottom of the steps. All the progress you thought you’d made these past months feels futile. Even worse, your mother is probably right, there isn’t a future between you and Charlie. Everyone else sees it but you two. 

Pulling your suitcase down you try to focus on the present and enjoy what you two have. Soon enough your mood picks up when you mentally go through the packing list Charlie gave you. The trip wasn’t for another couple days but excitement around a weekend getaway had your suitcase sitting in the corner with your travel outfit laid on top. 

………

There aren’t many times you’ve woken up happy, but the morning of your trip was the exception to that rule. You woke before your alarm was set to go off if only for five minutes. While checking your phone you see two messages from Charlie.

Remember we leave at 5:30 sharp! - 4:55 am

I mean it. - 5:00 am

Lucky for him your excitement is aiding in your punctuality. 

Sir yes, sir! 5:30 sharp. - 5:03

You laughed at your joke before pulling on leggings and a tank top. In your bathroom, you wash your face to get you alert. After you brush your teeth you pack the rest of your essentials into your suitcase and zip it up. With everything put up, you double-check you aren’t missing anything important. 

Your black zip-up hoodie lays on the edge of your bed before you put it on and take care of your hair. The familiar sound of your ringtone fills the silence in your bedroom and you flip it open to see Charlie’s name across the screen. 

“Hello Sergeant,” You greet him in a frigid voice and you can feel the eye-roll through the phone. 

“At ease soldier, I’m down the street and I’m praying you’re ready to go.” You can hear the desperation in his voice.

“You’ll be happy to know that I am ready.”  Although he can’t see, you smile from ear to ear. 

He tries to mumble but you hear the “Thank God” through the phone. With the roll of your eyes, you snap your phone shut and begin lugging your suitcase downstairs. At the bottom, you see a dim light from the kitchen and you have a feeling it's your mother. She pokes her head out to see you and surprises you by approaching. 

“Leaving already?” She takes a sip of coffee while keeping her eyes on you.

“Yeah, Charlie’s down the street.” Awkward isn’t a deep enough word to describe how this interaction feels. 

“Well have fun,” She wants to say something else so you pretend to be busy yourself to make it easier. “Maybe Charlie could come over for dinner sometime.” 

The subtle longing in her eyes tells you she doesn’t like the way last night's conversation went more than you do. This is her way of extending an olive branch and you eagerly take it. 

“That sounds nice-” A heavy knock sounds at the door and you quickly hug your mother before answering. 

Charlie smiles down at you before seeing your mother standing a few feet away. He clears his throat and steps inside your foyer. 

“Morning Stef,” Your mother nods with a small smile in return. “These your only bags?” He flicks his head at your suitcase and purse.

You tell him yes and watch as he slings your purse over his shoulder then grabs your suitcase to take to his car. You glance back one last time to smile at your mom before heading out the door. Charlie’s already at the passenger door waiting for you to climb in. As always you thank him with that pretty smile and he feels heat pool in his belly. You relax in your seat while he begins pulling back out onto the street. 

“If we were going to Port Angeles why’d we have to get up so early?” It was only about an hour away so you were confused about why leaving early is so important. 

“We’re not going to Port Angeles,” Charlie’s words confuse you more but he doesn’t elaborate.

No matter how much you glare at the side of his handsome face he doesn’t pay you any mind. All he does is place his right hand on the inside of your thigh. 

……….

At this point, you’ve been in the car for over two hours and you’re getting antsy. The radio’s boring, Charlie isn’t talking, and your book is in the trunk with your bags. Just as you’re about to bug him about how much longer you see the familiar port booths. He’s taking you to Seattle for the weekend. 

The gasp that leaves your lips gives you away and he finally looks over at you with a smile. He puts the car in park before getting out to get the bags, and you focus on stretching your legs. When he approaches with all the bags you wrap your arms around his neck to pepper kisses all over his face. As annoyed as he acts, Charlie finds your affection refreshing and he pats your butt. 

“Baby we gotta get on the boat.” His reminder warms your cheeks and you remember you’re in public. 

With one more kiss you take your purse since Charlie insists on rolling the suitcases. He makes sure to dig out the ticket from his jacket pocket while the two of you are in line. The moment you two are through boarding you grab onto his bicep like it’s a life-vest.

“You know I would’ve had fun in a bed & breakfast but this is so much better, Char.” The excitement rolls off of you in waves that reach Charlie.

A large smile and a kiss on the forehead is all he replies with. In his mind, he pats himself on the back for making you this happy. The place he booked with is one of the fancy five-star hotels that you barely want to leave. He couldn’t wait to see your face when you saw it. 

The whole ferry ride you stayed inside, unwilling to risk getting a cold from the whipping winds outside. Ultimately you end up reading the book in your purse when Charlie falls asleep ten minutes into the journey. It was only a thirty-minute ferry. 

…………..

The familiar sounds of horns and commotion floated to your ears the second you stepped off the boat. Refreshing as it is to hear you can’t say you miss it too much. Charlie guides you along with him when he picks up your bags, the smile on your face is unmatched. 

“The hotel is a few blocks from here if you don’t mind walking.” He pulls out a marked-up map and you can’t help the giggle that comes out. 

“Sounds good to me.” You quickly take the handle of your suitcase before Charlie tries to lug both. 

He fixes you with a look but tells you the direction you’re heading in. His red flannel suits him , especially today, and all you can do is visually follow his lead. The mumbles piling out of his mouth don’t register to you. After almost a full mile a fancy hotel pops up to your right and you’re in awe. The bottom level is decked out in glass and cars come up to a valet. 

“That’s us,” Your head swivels in his direction quickly at his omission. 

Warm air engulfs you when you walk in the revolving glass doors of the main lobby. The white marble tile reflecting the crystal chandeliers makes it brighter despite the time of year. Once you arrive at the desk Charlie handles logistics and your turn around to take in your surroundings. 

Velvet couches and flowers permeate the area, not that you mind. It somehow reminds you of your grandmother's living room. Suddenly a room key appears in your vision and you realize it’s yours. 

“I got us a suite.” The way you look at him makes his heart beat out of his chest. 

“Lead the way, Sergeant.” Your low voice excites him and he almost forgets you’re in the lobby. Instead, he nods his head in the direction of the special elevators before taking off. 

He places his keycard into the slot and he hears the elevator making its way down. As the door opened he let out a sigh of relief since you two would be the only ones in it. 

“How long have you had this planned?” You snuggle up next to him in the elevator after it takes off. 

“A few weeks, certain events sped up the process though.” He’s glad that you’re enjoying yourself so far, that’s all he wants.

The short walk from the elevator has your heart pounding, this is the first trip you two are taking as a couple. You were nervous. Charlie slid the key into the slot and opened the door to a mini apartment. The living room was in view from the door and you walked further into the room abandoning your suitcase. 

You noted the hotel art and standard desktop before making your way into the bedroom. A king bed awaited you with a breathtaking view of the city. The skyline would come to life in a few hours but it was still beautiful to see. Arms wrapped themselves around your waist while you were still looking out the window. 

“That’s not all you know.” His voice next to your ear sends a shiver down your spine but you follow him out onto a balcony. As if the suite couldn’t get better there’s a hot tub on the deck and you realize why he told you to pack a swimsuit. 

While you’re taking in the scenery Charlie sets up the hot tub for use. Since it’s still early morning wind is nipping at your skin but it could be worse. The moment you hear the thrum of the mechanics come to life, you give a sly smirk in his direction. 

You walk across the deck to get close to him before asking, “How long ‘til it’s ready?” 

“About twenty minutes.” He keeps his voice low while peering down at you with hunger. 

You waste no time before slanting your lips against his eagerly. His nose presses against yours before he tilts his head to deepen the kiss. Your tongue licks into his mouth and the groan that leaves his lips is sinful. Even though you don’t want to, you pull away. 

“I should change.” You rub your hands down his chest before hurrying inside with a massive smile. 

Your suitcase sits at the entrance and you quickly grab it and head into the bathroom to touch up. Quickly, you strip out of your road trip clothes and begin to raffle through your suitcase for your two-piece. A white, minuscule bikini finds its way into your eyesight and you waste no time putting it on. 

You place your hair up in a clip before walking back out with your suitcase beside you. Charlie is on the phone in the living room and you place one of the complementary robes on you. When you join him in the living room you realize he’s ordering food so you take a seat on the couch. 

Only now do you grasp that you haven’t eaten a proper meal yet. 

Charlie’s back faces you and all you can think about is the expanse of his shoulders stretching the material of his flannel.  You’re so distracted you don’t realize he’s hanging the phone on the hook before turning to you. He states that room service should be here soon and that he’s going to get changed. 

In the meantime, you retrieve your book from your purse and return to the couch with your legs tucked. The intricacies of your murder mystery keep you so occupied you lose track of time until a knock sounds at the door. When you look through the peephole a uniformed man is standing next to a cart. 

You let him in and he leaves a huge platter of breakfast stuff and a bottle of champagne in his wake. Fruits, omelets, and bacon fill your nose with their specific scent. The grumbling in your stomach starts and you see Charlie coming out of the bathroom. Suddenly your hunger is momentarily forgotten when you see his robe fully open with swim trunks as his only article of clothing. 

“That was quick,” He immediately transfers the food from the cart to the table in front of the couch for easier access. 

The food didn’t stand a chance and not even five minutes later the two of you ate everything edible. Charlie rocks forward to stand up and heads back over to the cart to gather the glasses and champagne. 

“You ready?” An uncharacteristic wide grin stretches his face and you mirror one back before getting up to follow him. 

“This view is amazing Charlie.” You wrap your arms around his waist and bury your face in the back of his fluffy robe. He moves to place the glasses and bottle on the table next to the hot tub before turning in your arms. 

“Anything for you Angel.” His lips are next to your ear and you playfully push him back. 

“Alright, I need to get in the water before my toes freeze.” You wiggle your toes for dramatic effect. 

He takes the cover off and steam rises through the air as the water bubbles furiously. He rolls up his sleeve to check the temperature of the water. The moment Charlie shrugs off his robe to go in you zero in on his form, for a man his age he’s in exceptional shape. He sits back carefully in front of the jets before letting out a groan of satisfaction. While he stretches his arms he raises an eyebrow at your clothed body. 

Wasting no time you untie your robe and leave it on the patio chair before tip-toeing your way to the steps. The heat of Charlie's gaze sears into you, his eyes lock onto the barely-there material clinging to your body.  He feels the blood rushing below his waist but he can’t stop looking at the small triangle top and your hard nipples. The thong bottoms aren’t much better either. 

“Jesus,” You smile in satisfaction at how he’s openly gaping at you. Mission accomplished. 

“So you like it?” You play coy while wading over to where he sits. 

“A little too much I think.” He places his hands on your hips, gently rubbing his thumb on the skinny string wrapping along your side. You lift your knee onto the bench lining the hot tub to straddle Charlie’s lap. Your nails find themselves running over the hair along his chest. 

“I hoped you would.” Your voice turns to a husky whisper as you look into his dark eyes. 

His blunt nails dig into your hips and revel in the effect you have on him. This time he brings his lips to yours, slowly savoring your lips on him. Usually, when the two of you are together you don’t have uninterrupted privacy, and damn if he doesn’t make the most of it. Nothing is on your mind besides the feel of his body against yours. 

Your hands find themselves running down his chest and past his happy trail to dip into his swim trunks. After feeling your hands grip him the languid kiss turns heavy fast. His mustache tickles  your upper lip while you stroke him underwater. You feel him take slight pauses in your kiss to take small but deep breaths.

His hands move up from your hips to untie the back of your bikini sending a flutter through you. The string tied around your neck barely stays together so he flings it to the side. Charlie’s hands squeeze your breasts before lightly pinching your nipples causing an involuntary buck of your hips. 

His swim trunks do very little to hide how much he’s working with. You take advantage of the thin material and slightly rock your hips over him. A hiss leaves your mouth at how good dragging yourself along his cock feels. You arch your back, pushing your breasts further into his golden touch. The kiss is sloppier than ever but your mind only focuses on maintaining your movements. 

“Sit on the edge.” Charlie’s lust-filled eyes stare back at you as he pulls away. He stands you up, a pronounced tent is now poking at your stomach. The cold air bites at your hips so he slides your bottoms down until you can safely step out of them. Wind combs over your body yet you don’t feel a chill.

Thankfully the two of you were high enough up that most people wouldn’t see anything. The balcony railing was a solid gray that stood over five feet so Charlie wasn’t worried about anyone witnessing. You lean against the railing as he spreads your knees apart. This time you at least trimmed the edges of your bush but mostly kept it intact.

Charlie immediately goes to kiss his way up your thighs, but you need more. You feel squeamish from the way he works himself up your body. Patience was never a virtue you possessed.

“Baby please,” The desperation in your voice is prevalent and Charlie understands. 

The backs of your knees are supported with his hands while he licks at your folds. The moment his lips circle your clit you waste no time arching your back to meet him for more. He looks up at you for his favorite sight, and he isn’t disappointed. Your head is thrown back, and your knuckles white from gripping the tub’s edge.  

Charlie’s dark eyes are fixated on you, there’s nothing decent about the way he’s mouthing your cunt. He sees the rapid rise and fall of your beautiful chest and he wishes he could suck on your pretty tits. Your jaw remains dropped at the way he skillfully pulls any noise out of you. Your hands find themselves tangled in his hair while your hips continuously buck into his mouth. 

Charlie takes it all in stride knowing that he’s the one making you lose control. His lower face is wet with your essence and he wouldn’t have it any other way. The railing behind you works to hold your body up while your spine turns to jelly. His tongue circles around your clit once and you know you’re done for. Heat spreads across your body through your core. 

There is no better feeling than your thighs clamping around his head. Sadly you loosen your hands from his hair so he eases himself off of you. Charlie begins to help you stand, the warm water only makes your pilant body want to rest. Suddenly you’re swept off your feet by Charlie and he takes you to the bathroom. He seats you on the toilet before running to go back out to the balcony, seemingly to turn off the hot tub and retrieve your bikini. 

When he steps back in the bathroom he has a glass of water for you and he goes to turn on the shower. You gulp down the water not realizing how much of your energy was depleted. 

“Thank you Char,” You huff out with drops of water falling from each side of your mouth. 

Charlie doesn’t say anything except rubbing his thumb along your cheek with a small smile. 

“Come on, let's get you in the shower.” You place your empty glass on the counter and make your way inside the steamy glass shower. You notice Charlie isn’t following you. 

“You’re not coming in with me?” Your question has him pausing at the doorway. “Please Charlie, what if I slip and fall?” 

With a roll of his eyes, he turns around and drops his trunks on the floor before joining you. “Better?” His lips nibble on the top of your ear as he drags his hands down your body. 

“Mhmm,” The hot water cascades down the front of you while Charlie stands behind you feeling you up. His hands squeeze and massage your tits while he kisses your neck. 

As much as you love the way he’s making you feel, you turn around and gently push him towards the back wall. Slowly you drop to your knees while gripping his thighs for stability. The moment you look up at him through your lashes you can see the way his chest heaves. His cock is hard and aching as evidenced by the pre-cum dripping from his red tip. 

You lick it away and see Charlie’s fisted knuckles turn white from anticipation. Deciding to take the high road, you suck his tip into your warm mouth and let your tongue flick around him. His sharp intake of breath assures you he wants more. You purposefully circle your tongue down his shaft, making sure to twist your head each time you go down further. 

His hips gently rock into your sinful mouth, loving the way you so eagerly take him. 

“Feel so good Angel,” His whiny voice only spur you on to take him deeper until your nose is nuzzled in his pubic hair. Immediately you feel his hands tangle in your hair while steadily pumping into your mouth.

You push against his thighs for a break and watch the string of spit coming from your mouth connect to his tip. After a deep breath you go back for more despite the tears in your eyes. His hands welcome you once again as you bob your head over his length. Your mouth is so full you feel him twitch. 

His low grunts turn into huffs of air. All you can see when you look up at him is his Adam’s apple bobbing. The state of him only spurs you on and you hollow out your cheeks. A surprised gasp is the only warning you get before his load shoots down your throat in spurts. You ease off of him and feel the last of his cum on your lips before licking it off. 

Once again Charlie stands you up and kisses you, the both of you can taste the remnants of each other on your lips. A quick clean-up is all either of you has energy for before drying off and taking a long-awaited nap on the bed. 

…………….

Upon waking up, you remember the bottle of champagne still hadn’t been used. You grab your robe and quickly bring it back in before fetching some ice from the vending machine. By the time you make it back to the room, you see Charlie half awake and sprawled all over your side of the bed. 

Instead of forcing him to move you discard your robe before laying over him. 

“So what’s next?” Your arms are crossed and you lay your head in the crook of your elbow. 

“Jesus woman,” A heavy sigh leaves Charlie’s lips while he pinches the bridge of his nose. “If I could get five more minutes of sleep, I thought we could do some exploring before dinner.” 

“And by five minutes you mean another hour?” You side-eye him knowing you’d be on your own for a while. 

“You know me so well baby.” With that, he shut his eyes and you get off of him to put on some lounge clothes. 

Since you were left to your own devices you don’t see a problem drinking the champagne by yourself. With your sweatsuit on you dig in your bag to find your iPod and headphones before heading out with the champagne. 

Stepping back out onto the balcony it wasn’t as chilly as before, probably because you have on actual clothes. The traffic noise from below was now drowned out by Britney Spears. You put your knowledge of opening champagne to use and it doesn’t turn out bad, since you weren’t injured. 

While sipping from the bottle you took in the way the slight sunlight hit the bay and illuminated the dark waters. At the same time when you turn your head to the right you have a solid view of the famous skyline. Charlie booked a place with the best of both worlds. But you found yourself drawn to the streets below, trying to see what places you’d end up dragging Charlie into. 

…………..

Charlie rouses from his nap and checks the room to find you. He gets up to put on his sweatpants so he can check outside. A smile cracks his face when he finds you sprawled out on the lawn chair, with an empty champagne bottle next to you. 

Although he had plans to go sightseeing with you before dinner, it looked like you two would lounge until then. He transfers you over to bed before getting in with you. The TV had a few movies for rent so Charlie picked action for him and a rom-com for you. 

“What time is it?” You don’t move from the comfortable position Charlie must’ve placed you in. 

“Almost time for me to call Bella.” He has his reading glasses on as he sits against the headboard.

“What are you watching?” You slide to his side and prop your leg over his.

“That Impossible movie I missed.” 

“You mean Mission Impossible?” You barely finish asking the question before you’re laughing.

You know what I mean, that’s what matters.” He grumbles at you and a smile tugs at the corner of your lips. 

He’s not wrong so you lay your head on his chest, rubbing on his belly. 

……………

The steakhouse Charlie made reservations for is dimmer than outside. Polished wood glistens off the lanterns scattered around the place. It had been so long since you saw this many tables in one restaurant. Even though there is an indiscernible amount of tables, the noise is subdued. And the cherry on top of the sundae is that you and Charlie don’t have to play coy tonight. 

“I didn’t think you owned a suit.” Your thumb rubbed up and down his jacket in amazement. 

“I own a tux too, I just haven’t had good enough reasons to wear 'em’.” Charlie winks at you.

Your hostess starts the path to your table which seems situated in the back. To your surprise she’s led you into a private room for two with sliding doors. “Enjoy your meal.” 

“If you keep this up you’ll never get rid of me.” He wasn’t getting rid of you either way. 

“Why would I want that Angel?” He heads to your chair pulling it out. 

“You do have it pretty good huh?” You narrow your eyes playfully at him as you sit down. 

“Better than pretty good.” At his words your thighs clench. It hadn’t been five minutes in and you were ready for him again.

Charlie rounds the table while you pluck through the menu but one question stays on your mind. “How’d you do all this?” 

“Talked with a travel agent and she helped me with all this.” He pauses before asking you, “Do you like everything so far?” 

“I love it, it’s almost too much. Almost.” A smile cracks Charlie’s face as he listens to you. 

He wanted the whole weekend to be special because you deserve it. He knows the gossip that circles Forks bothers you, hell it bothers him too. Some people believe the only reason he’s with you is for his mid-life crisis. 

“I uh,” He clears his throat and reaches over the table for your hand. “I want this to be special for you.”

It feels like he has more to say so you place your attention solely on him. 

“Angel, I love you and maybe I’m jumping the gun here-” Charlie’s would-be rant is interrupted by you leaning over the table to kiss him. His mustache tickles your top lip and you can’t help but giggle. 

“I love you, Sargent.” A breathless whisper leaves your lips. 

“Should I come back later?” Your waiter is parked in the entrance of your private room. 

“No, we’re ready.” You wipe some lipstick off your date’s mouth before sitting down.

Although you thought you were prepared to enjoy whatever time you could get with Charlie, you know better. The fact that he did all this almost made your eyes water. There’s no one you could see yourself happier with, and you don’t care how short-sided that sounds.

Dinner sails by and it feels like you two are in a different world. It feels like only a few minutes between each course. For the first time in what feels like forever, Charlie feels that familiar ball of warmth settling in his stomach. He could listen to you complain about The Notebook all night. 

…………..

The ladies at reception smile at your boyfriend carrying you through the lobby. Heat fills your face even though you begged him to do it. You thought it would be nice to walk back but he knew better. Of course you didn’t listen and Charlie has had you in his arms for over fifteen minutes. Not that he’s complaining, too much. 

In the room, you head straight to the shower and he moves over to the bed. Football highlights are heard over the water pouring down in your shower. You want to roll your eyes but the familiarity makes you giddy. Not only did he surprise you with the best romantic getaway, he told you he loves you. 

Charlie watches you exit the bathroom and head straight for your suitcase, picking through it. Once you find whatever you’re looking for you slip right back into the bathroom. 

The emerald green lingerie you packed for this trip is simple. All the extra snaps and zippers would only annoy Charlie, instead you chose a see-through lace panty and bra. In the mirror, you put Vaseline on your lips and finish up with mascara. The perfume you brought has been sprayed and is settling on your skin. You play with your hair before deciding to rejoin Charlie in the other room. 

He is perched on the ottoman in front of your bed, jacket off and his tie hanging loosely. Sports commentary once again playing on the TV while you approach him. You sit on his lap instantly garnering his attention. 

“What’s this?” He takes advantage of your current position to trail kisses along the nape of your neck. Your answer turns into a moan when you feel Charlie’s thumb circling your clit through your lace. “You make it so hard for me to keep my hands off you.”

While he continues his torturously slow pace over your clit, he dips in your bra to roll your nipple between his fingers. Saliva pools in your mouth as he works your body like a well-tuned instrument. Your nails dig into his dress pants while your hips slowly grind into his growing bulge. Nothing pleases him more than watching you writhe in pleasure.

Charlie slides his fingers into your panties to rub your wet folds. Once his fingers become wet enough, he rubs them against your entrance. Quick airy breaths leave your mouth in time with his pace. He brings his fingers back to your bundle of nerves, fastening his rhythm.  

“Such a good girl for me,” Furiously you nod your head at his statement, unable to form the words to reply. “My beautiful Angel.” A shiver runs down your spine from his words. 

Sinful doesn’t describe the sounds filling the bedroom. A coil of tension makes itself tighter and tighter in your belly. Your pussy clenches over nothing, trying to alleviate some of the pressure. White washes over your vision when the coil finally snaps. Your mouth is open but you know there’s no sound leaving it. 

You deflate against Charlie trying to catch your breath. His rough hands caress your shoulder, letting his thumbs knead into your shoulders. “C’mon,” His lips peck your cheek as he eases you up and toward the bed. 

The moment your back hits the mattress you feel your panties coming off. Cold air hits your wet core and you instinctively bring your knees together. Charlie is right there to spread them back apart, this time he replaces his finger with his mouth. He licks into you deliciously, the remnants of your orgasm making you more sensitive. 

Seconds, minutes, or hours have passed with his head buried between your legs before he surfaces. His mustache is covered in your arousal, and you taste yourself when he slants his wet lips over yours. Hastily, he undresses himself before sliding into your already-sopping cunt. Unlike other times, he’s in no rush. Deep, loving strokes have your eyes rolling to the back of your head. 

Your eyes lock on Charlie’s as he’s burying himself in you. Neither of you can look away from each other. A warm fuzziness rests in your lower stomach. Even your breathing matches his and the weight of his chest against yours brings comfort. When he comes in you, proclamations of love pour out of his mouth into yours. 

……………

The rest of your trip consists of sex, eating, and sightseeing. By the time you’re packing to leave Seattle the smile on your face gets brighter every time you look at Charlie. 

“We should go out more, Helen was telling me about a pastry shop opening up in Port Angeles.” Your bright mood easily transfers to Charlie when he looks at you.

“As long as they have blueberry pie.” He throws over his shoulder while inspecting the hotel room for missing items. 

“Alright,” A loud clap follows his declaration. “Time to hit the road.”

A frown covers your face even though you know you can’t stay forever. Hair prickles your forehead before you feel his lips kiss it. “We’ll be back and we have to be back in time to pick up Bella.”

“Doesn’t Bella catch a ride from her boyfriend?” You follow him out the door toward the elevators.

“As if she doesn’t spend enough time with him.” His grumpy old man voice is back and the elevator is filled with your laughter.

“She’s a teenage girl with her first boyfriend, I’m surprised she still sees you at all.” You bump into his side with your elbow.

“I just don’t wanna lose her again.” This kid of vulnerability was becoming normal with Charlie.

The sound of your creaky shower head turning on breaks you from your haze. After breakfast, Will bent you over the counter until you came for him twice and all the energy replenished during your sleep left your body again. Even thinking about it now made your heart race. He carried you back and cleaned you up before heading to the bathroom. 

A familiar vibration fills your bed and begin looking for your phone. You find it at the edge of your bed and waste no time answering the person you’ve been waiting to call. 

“Ben-” Your whisper is bulldozed by Benny’s voice on the other end. 

“Are you the reason the wedding is called off?” Before you can answer he continues. “Melody’s been spam-calling us since last night when Will didn’t come home. And you know what’s funny? Both of your locations seem to imply that you’re in the same place.” 

“Are you done?” Although Will probably couldn’t hear you you still kept your voice low. 

“The floor is yours, and apparently Will is too.” You decide not to comment on the last part of the sentence. 

“Give me thirty minutes and I’ll tell you at your place.” You figure this is a better conversation in person.

“But-” Benny tries to interject but you end the call and slide out of your bed.

The fog in the bathroom doesn’t cover Will’s naked back, making it easy for you to ogle. He lathers himself with your rose-shaped bar soap next to the showerhead. Your hands glide around his front to help him rub it in. 

He turns to face you with suds rolling down his body. “All the cancellations have to be done in person and I gotta grab some of my shit before she burns it. Otherwise, I'd stay with you all day.” 

“It’s not like you need clothes.” Your low voice stirs his cock and he’s smart enough to run right back around.

“If you keep that up we won’t be getting anything done today.” He needs to tie up all his loose ends before completely indulging in you. 

“You started it.” You tilt your head up towards his ear while your hands dip lower.

Will keeps himself in shape and you run your soapy hands appreciatively over his v-line. The feeling of your soft hands sent his dick straight up. 

“When you walk around like this what else am I supposed to do Will?” That whiney voice gives him flashbacks to the car and he’s a goner. 

“You do whatever you want Buttercup.” With his permission your hands clasp around his shaft. Your hands glide like butter as you stroke him. 

Nothing feels better than your pert nipples pressing into his back. Nothing feels better than being with you. The way your hand strokes his tip over and over effectively distracts him until he feels your other hand cup his balls. Will’s mouth opens and he braces his hands against the wall. Your poor rose soap is forgotten on the floor. 

You bite your bottom lip at the swift pace his chest moves. He’s close. His hips jerk in that familiar pattern and you keep your pace the same. When his balls clench in your hand a low groan fills the shower. You glance around to see his seed hitting your tile in spurts. 

While Will finds his way to a steady breathing pattern, you pick up your soap and begin lathering your body. Now you’re gonna be late to Benny’s. Carefully you wash the soap off your body and keep your hair dry. 

“Not so fast,” His hands trail down your body before pulling you flush against him. 

“Uh uh,” As much as it pains you, you slide his hands off and turn. “I have to get to your brother’s.”

“Am I seeing you later?” Will lets the water beat against his back as he peers down at you. 

“If you’re not drained by the end of the day.” You cast an excited smile at him.

“I think I’m drained right now.” His double meaning isn’t lost on you. 

“Perv,” You mumble on your way out. 

You hear the slap slightly before you feel the burn on your butt cheek. Will stands at the showerhead facing your dropped jaw. He smirks down at you and you’re reminded of the hungry look he was giving you in the car last night. Quickly you head out of the bathroom to avoid another detour. 

……..............

“So you’re saying Buttercup and Ironhead slept together and he canceled the wedding because of her?” Frankie seems to be the last one to fully grasp the situation. 

Santiago knew the moment they were all helping you move in. The man practically put the whole place together for you. 

“Are we really gonna act like it’s a shock though? You saw how he grew out his facial hair because she liked it.” Pope thinks for a second and continues on his rant. “And he’s never liked any of her boyfriends, especially Greg.”

“And Greg was basically perfect for her.” Benny chimes in.

“Now that you mention it last night he wouldn’t stop looking at her when they came back from the bar.” Frankie thinks back to how Will was eyeballing you. 

“You noticed that too?” Benjamin excitedly leans forward to pick up a chocolate sprinkle donut. 

“And then when he insisted he had to take her home.” Santiago laughs while thinking of Will trying to get you alone. 

“Nearly had his hand on her ass when they left too.” After Frankie’s remark a lull settles over the once rambunctious group. 

They had no idea what happened after that until Melody called them for Will’s location. Even then they figured he was taking a much-needed break. However, when they woke this morning to find the wedding canceled a group call was made. 

Frankly, everyone was shocked at how suddenly it happened, not that it did. At least until Ben pointed out Will being at your place. Then he dropped the call and left the group scrambling for answers. 

“How much longer until she gets here?” Santi gets anxious waiting for your arrival.

“I don’t know she said thirty minutes.” Despite the chocolate donut in his hand he’s frowning.

……………………

On the way to Benny’s, you see that you’re seventeen minutes off schedule but luckily he hasn’t blown up your phone. You barely have time to think about that as you reach his door. Your hand has barely formed a fist when the door is yanked open by the youngest Miller. A mischievous smile was permanently placed on his face.

“Took you long enough,” He chastises you but your gossip will more than make up for it. 

“Shut up, it’s not like I planned this.” Benny glances at you in suspicion as none of you walk to his living room. 

Only the living room wasn’t empty like you expected. Frankie and Santiago are perched on a two-seater picking through donuts on the coffee table. One look at Benny and you know he’s behind it since he simply shrugs his shoulders. 

“We may have had a conference call after Will hung up.” Your best friend has the nerve to look sheepish. 

“I mean we’re gonna find out anyway Hermosa.” Frankie folds his hands in his lap, patiently waiting for your storytime. 

“What happened at the bar?” Benny wastes no time digging for answers.

“He asked me what I thought about Melody since I didn’t say anything at the table.” You dive in because you’ve been dying to share anyway. 

“And?” Santi leans into his sofa waiting for your answer. 

“And I called her a bitch in the nicest way possible, then I came back to the table.” Your admission is met with different expressions of cheer. 

“Mhm so that’s why he was staring you down like that, go on.” Frankie nods his head and waits for you. 

“When we got back to the table I figured I overstepped so I tried to shut up. Then he insisted on taking me home so when we were outside he corners me to tell him more. I said it really shouldn’t matter because it’s not like I’m coming from an objective place.” You pause to pick up a blueberry donut. “So he asked me what place would it be coming from and after some prying, I told him I wanted him to dump her.” 

“No.” Benny almost can’t believe you’d say any of this but his brother could put you under his spell.

“Mhm,” You take the first bite of your donut, chewing quickly before turning to Frankie and Santiago. “So he started asking me if that’s ‘all I wanted him to do’ and I said no. Finally, he drops it and takes us to the truck. The silence made me paranoid so I started saying I was ‘sorry’ for saying anything. And he’s like I'm not mad at you, it’s one thing for the guys to say it but it’s different with me.” 

You forget you’re talking to the guys until they are shocked by what you said. 

“What’s the difference?” Francisco looks close to a kicked puppy but you steer him back to the topic. 

“But he said it’s different with me, that is what’s important.” You giggle remembering Will’s charming words from last night. “Anyways, I figured he already knew how I felt so I told him. Will almost crashed the truck, he had to pull over. Then he starts yelling at me for not telling him and the next thing I know we’re making out in his truck.” 

“I thought he had to change a tire when you were on that road.” Benny sounds scandalized when he places the final piece together. 

“They were there that long?” Frankie scrunches his face at what the two of you got up to. 

“Damn Buttercup I didn’t think you had it in ya.” Santiago is amused that all it took to end that engagement was you. 

You nod since your mouth is full of the blueberry donut you’ve been holding. 

“Where’s Will now?” Santi figures he must be out too.

“Doing all the wedding cancellations.” With the blueberry donut finished you look at what’s left in the box. 

“You know if you interacted with anybody here you wouldn’t have to read so many romance books.” Benny’s breath tickles your ear as your eyes are glued to the words on your phone screen. Your favorite author surprise dropped a new chapter and you retreated from conversation to read it.

“After I finish this chapter.” You barely pay any mind to your best friend. 

“You said that 10 minutes ago.” For such a large man Benny has a talent for sounding like a whiney child when he wants. 

You heave a deep sigh before placing your phone on the table. The moment your irritated eyes land on Benny he sheepishly slides two whiskey shots in front of you. Internally you’re already gagging but you shoot them back and grimace at the burning in your chest. The warm air of the bar did little to help the heat flourishing through your body. 

“You couldn’t have grabbed me a soda.” Temporarily a frown is etched on your face until the bitter taste goes away. 

“I drank it while you were reading.” His answer makes your head snap to him but before you could respond he abruptly stands. “Will!” His booming voice does little to disturb the patrons around you, but the name he calls makes the hair on your body stand up. 

The two golden boys meet in the middle to hug each other and you try to calm your overactive mind. You could say you’ve had a lingering attraction to the older Miller brother, though it would be downplaying the amount of times you’ve thought about him. 

When you first met Benny his brother was already away so you only knew him through the stories Benny would tell. From the way he described his brother, you thought he was too good to be true. But when you met him you were proven wrong, and soon you were under his spell. 

“Hey, Buttercup.” Your thoughts halt when you feel Will’s hands squeeze your shoulders before taking the seat to your left. His nickname for you never failed to warm your cheeks, even if technically he had a fiance.

“Hi Will,” The cheery tone of your voice causes Benny to roll his eyes at your abrupt change of mood. You never brought up how you felt about his brother but it wasn’t hard for him to put together the pieces. 

Benny checks his phone before telling the both of you he’s getting more drinks for when Santi and Frankie arrive. 

“How’s the book going?” You playfully roll your eyes at the mention of your pipe dream from when you were 19. 

“Still on page 3, inspiration has yet to strike.” His smile makes your heart beat so heavily in your chest you think he can see it. 

“Hard to believe that,”  His hands grab at the half-cold fries on your plate. “What genre are pushing for anyway?”

“Most likely historical romance,” The whiskey shots settle and you feel your body become lighter. “The old-timey English is hard to get into though.” 

“Coming from the walking encyclopedia.” His words are slightly muffled by the fries he’s shoveling into his mouth. 

“What’d we miss?” Santiago’s voice cuts through your conversation and you look up to find him and Frankie occupying the seats in front of you. 

“Not much Benny’s getting the drinks.” Will rubs his hands on his jeans to rid his hands of grease. 

As usual, the men around you dive into sports commentary as if they’re the analysts they watch on TV. In the meantime, you skim over the food menu trying to figure out what else you want. With two more people at the table, the heat from Will’s arm brushing against you makes you lean closer to him. If he felt the difference he didn’t let anything on. 

Two pitchers of beer slosh against the plastic as it's being set down before a flight of whiskey is placed directly in front of you. An eager smile graces Benny’s face and you know exactly how this night is gonna go. As the two of you go shot for shot the three veterans look at you both in amusement. 

“How’s the wedding planning going?” Santiago smiled as he nudged Will

“It’s going,” Despite his lack of answer the way he feels is written all over his face, and everyone at the table knows it. 

“It can’t be that bad man.” Frankie tries to give the benefit of the doubt but he unknowingly releases the floodgates.

“She told her family to send pictures of what they were gonna wear to the ceremony,” Will gulps the rest of his beer before continuing, “Then she proceeded to veto her grandmother’s peach pantsuit because it was too close to white.”

Everybody has variants of shock written on their face except you, though your reasons may have more to do with animosity. Melody, his fiance, had first been introduced two years ago. From the start, you could tell they weren’t right for each other, but your mouth remained shut until Benny brought it up. 

Leave it to your best friend to be the one feeding into your delusions. 

“And don’t get me started on the flower girl fight, she had both her sisters send test shots of their daughters.” You adamantly aim to keep your mouth shut, knowing the liquor has loosened your lips. The last thing you wanna do is rattle down the long list of reasons you don’t like his fiance, namely because she’s his fiance. 

“You sure know how to pick em’ Ironhead.” Santiago whistles while he thinks of all his previous relationships. 

“Maybe it’s just the wedding.” His tone was even but laced with something like doubt. 

“Maybe it’s a glimpse into your future.” Benny tries to bring the lighthearted energy back by wiggling his fingers and mimicking a ghost. 

A smile cracks Ironhead’s exterior at his little brother’s antics. 

“Drinks anyone?” You look around the table watching them nod in agreement before taking off to the bar. 

The counter is busy when you approach so you take the time to go over what you want. Two pitchers of beer and two Long Island iced teas. A hand connecting with your lower back causes you to swivel your head to accost the perpetrator, only to find Will. Relief floods through you but not for long.

“You’ve been quiet all night, it’s not like you.” Will leans his other arm over the bar, caging you in. 

“Your brother’s been force-feeding my shots all night what’d you expect.” You hope you can stir him away with humor but he knows better and so should you. 

“What do you think? Am I setting myself up for failure again?” The sincerity in his voice pulls at your heartstrings. You know how he feels about this being his second engagement and nobody could blame him for wanting to be sure. 

“Look if you’re happy what does it matter what those idiots are talking about?” Will’s eyes narrow and you give in to the voices in your head. “Honestly, she’s always lacked valuable character traits.” You avoid eye contact with the man next to you as you flag down a bartender to give the order. 

“Why didn’t you say anything before?” His blue eyes bore into yours and you find your eyes lowering to his lips. 

“And how exactly am I supposed to bring that up in conversation?” Your conversation ceases for now as the bartender places your drinks in front of you. 

A silence falls over the both of you even after you return to the table. Thankfully none of the other guys notice you averting your eyes from Will’s direction. 

……………

All Will could think about was what you said. 

Sure he noticed how self-centered Mel could be but it didn’t bother him because he had his fair share of baggage. Even when the guys were making their jokes about how she acted on a camping trip, he didn’t care. Yet the moment you opened your mouth he couldn’t shake the feeling that this engagement wasn’t right either. 

For the past hour, he’s been looking your way, hoping to catch your eye, but you purposefully avoid it. He watches you engage with everyone else until you feel his gaze burning and return to sipping on your drink. 

He checks his phone only to find a string of complaints from Mel. 

“I should get going.” Will reaches for his wallet and places enough bills down for the tab and tip. Much to the dismay of everyone else at the table. 

“We’re supposed to be treating you man.” Frankie scrambles to get his wallet but Will waves him off with a charming smile. 

“Next time.” He promises.

“We should probably head out too.” You peer over at Benny with pouty lips 

“I can take you.” William wastes no time volunteering to get you alone, he’s never been one to squander an opportunity. 

For the first time in an hour you look up at him and he can see the panic swimming in your eyes. You want to object but that would look suspicious so you nod your head and gather your things. Each of the guys hugs you goodbye before Will’s hand finds its way back to your lower back to guide you through the crowd. 

You know it’s a friendly touch still, excitement swirls within you.

Outside the bar is just as crowded so Will’s hands remain on you. In fact, he slides his right hand around your waist to bring you closer to him. People walking past would assume the two of you were together the way you were glued to each other. 

“When you said she lacked character traits, which specifically do you mean?” Will’s rough voice shocked you with how close it was to your ear. 

“This feels like a trap.” You look up at him with suspicion. 

“It’s not, I promise.” He laughs at your hesitance, “You’ve just never said anything and if you had…” He drops his sentence but you know what he’s implying. 

“You really care about what Benny’s best friend thinks?” You jab his stomach with your elbow.

“You know you mean more than that to me.” He leaves no room for argument and you’re left speechless at his side. 

You take a moment to digest his words because it isn’t the first time he’s said them, but it feels like it. 

“Sometimes it feels like you care more for her than she does you.” Your voice is quiet. “And it’s not like I would be telling you out of the purest intentions.” The words leave your lips before you think better of it. 

“What intention would you have?” You realize too late that he’s slowed the pace and now you’re standing face to face. 

“For you to break up with her.” You see no point in lying, and it’s not like you’re the only one who feels that way.

“And that’s it?” Will looks down at you like you're his prey. Clearly, he already knows the answer.

“Mhmm.” You lied. “How away far is your car?” 

“It’s right there.” He tips his head in the direction of his truck but his eyes and body don’t move from you. 

After a few seconds, you turn to make your way to the car but Will’s hand prevents you from leaving your spot. 

“Is that all you’d want me to do? Leave her?” That gruff voice is going straight is going straight down to your core. 

“No.” Your eyes are glued to the ground. 

For now, your answer seems good enough because he pulls you back into him for the remaining three feet to the car. He opens the passenger door for you and you take a short reprieve to gather yourself. 

Of course, Will could read how desperate you were for him. Dread settled in the bottom of your stomach when you think of how awkward this ride is gonna be.

“Look I’m sorry, here I am criticizing Melody for her character-” You spew out your thoughts hoping to do damage control. 

“I’m not upset Buttercup, when the guy's rib on Mel’s antics it’s one thing but when you say it…” He plays with the scruff on his chin before continuing, “Santiago has yet to be in a serious relationship, Frankie is working his way back from the doghouse, and Benny is Benny.” 

Your giggle rings through the truck's cabin despite the tense atmosphere and Will can’t help but join you. 

“Seriously, I’m no better especially since I want to be in her position.” Your eyes are focused on your lap but you almost feel the wind from Will’s head craning towards you. 

“You what?!” Based on his tone of voice he didn’t know that tidbit and you were the one to give yourself away. 

“Shit.” You clasp your hands over your face as you feel the car pull to a stop.

“What do you mean you want to be in her position?” The fact that he softened his voice made this the stuff of nightmares. 

“I think it’s pretty self-explanatory William.” You deadpan without bothering to look up.

“Indulge me.” You remove your hand from your face but keep your eyes locked in front of you. 

You make sure he can see your eyes roll before you continue, “She’s worried about how everything’ll look to other people but if I were the one marrying you the only thing I’d be worried about is how much lingerie I could reasonably pack for the honeymoon.” 

“How long?” The thought of your words causes pools of blood to gather below his waist. “How long have you felt this way?”

“Since I met you.” You say matter-of-factly. “I thought it was just a crush but it progressed over the years.” 

“Why didn’t you or Benny say anything?” Will’s upper body almost completely faces you. 

“Are you saying you would’ve been receptive?” You ask the question but you already have an inkling of what he’ll say.

“I don’t know-” Will feels like the rug was swept out from underneath him. He’d already had doubts but he was willing to settle, at least before you opened your mouth. 

“Exactly.” You don’t let him finish in the hopes that he’ll pull back onto the road. 

“To be fair I have a decade on you so legally speaking, it’s a little touchy.” Of all the times he graced you with his humor it was not appreciated right now. 

“More like a decade and a half but okay.” Despite yourself, you smile while his drops at your statement. 

“And yet that didn’t deter you.” Suddenly the cab feels small and you don’t know when but the two of you got closer. 

“That’s because I never said it was a bad thing.” Your voice is barely above a whisper.

Tonight you were full of surprises. Will thought he knew everything there was to know about you but he hadn’t seen this side of you. Your blown-out pupils and plump lips call out to him like a siren’s song. The faint scent of whiskey and strawberry chapstick wafts his way. Intoxicating is the only way to describe how you’re making him feel because the beers he had did nothing. 

He doesn’t register his hand reaching out to rub his thumb along your bottom lip. The moment you wrap your lips around his thumb and suck he loses every thought.

Will removes his thumb only to replace it with his lips. It doesn’t take long for you to kiss him back with even more vigor, this was your chance and it wouldn’t go to waste. You feel your bottom lip being sucked into his mouth but somehow he isn’t close enough. Your hands find their way to the back of his neck, bringing him closer while you tilt your head.

Your soft hands feel almost ticklish on the back of his neck and a deep groan passes his lips. 

Will reaches out to your waist, pulling you closer until he feels your tits pressed against his chest. You make the lust-filled decision to swing your knee onto his other side and sit on his lap. The denim skirt you’re wearing rides up, almost showing him your panties.

A gasp escapes your lips when you feel what you thought was Will’s zipper. One look at his smirking face tells you you’re mistaken.

“Is that-” Your eyes zero in on where the two of you meet. 

“Mhmm,” Will confirms your dream and arousal bubbles in your core. Before you can say anything he rolls his hips perfectly hitting your clit in just the right spot. 

The sound that leaves your body is a culmination of all the years you’ve spent yearning for him, for a moment like this. You’ve never felt more desperate in your life. Quickly you lay your head in the crook of his neck and rock your hips back and forth. Your hands find themselves squeezing his biceps for purchase. 

All of your breathless pants make him throb with need, as good as you feel like this he wants it all. Will inches his hand up your inner thigh, planting himself on your moving hips. 

“Buttercup?” Will talks to you like he’s rousing you from sleep.

“Hm?” He watches you focus with your eyebrows furrowed and your bottom lip jutted out, there’s no better view. 

“Want you to sit on it.” He can tell when you register his words because of the decline of your movement.

In all of five seconds, you’re clawing at his pants and all he can do is look at you. There’s no denying you’re gorgeous, sweet, funny. Now that he thinks about it he did care a little more for you than he should. Hell, sometimes you would go to him before Benny and he always felt great when he could problem-solve for you. 

While he had been staring at you and daydreaming you managed to pull him out of his pants. If he thought your hands felt good before they feel even better now that they were stroking him. 

“You’re so big Will.” Even your fantasies couldn’t live up to the real thing.

“Yeah?” Will rubs over your wet fold through your panties, “You’re gonna be a good girl and take it for me right?” He slides your panties to the side before teasing your entrance with his middle finger. 

“Whatever you want.” And you meant every word. 

He barely has his finger in and you’re already clenching around him. With your hands now on his shoulders, you impatiently rock your hips showing him you’re ready. Will groans when he feels your warm walls clenching on his finger. He takes his other hand to your chin to bring you closer before telling you, “You’re perfect.”

Before you fully realize what he said he adds another finger to your aching core. Your eyes meet his almost pitch-black ones, and again you feel like his prey the way they bore into his. When he curls his fingers inside you you involuntary buck your hips for more. 

You wonder if you’ll leave bruises the way your fingers dig into Will’s shoulders. Suddenly his lips are on yours in a bruising kiss, his teeth slightly rub against yours before he deepens it. Dizziness fills your head from the way his fingers pumped into you to his warm tongue licking into your mouth.

You were ruined for anyone else after him. 

The sounds in the truck consist of heavy breathing, moans, and squelching. A pit formed in your lower stomach and you felt like you were falling in it. You feel too much at once and you feel yourself pulling away from the kiss to calm down but Will moves to your neck. As he sucks and licks at your neck his fingers expertly pull you over the edge. 

You would’ve fallen against the wheel if he hadn’t held you in his arms. He rubs his hands over your back until you come to. Somehow your orgasm felt like a shot of espresso and you’re right back on Will. 

Without pause you sink down on his leaking tip and slowly inch him deeper. You watch his face while you do it and you almost miss his blue eyes, but he looks so much more hypnotizing. You couldn’t look away and neither could he. 

Will couldn’t imagine his night would end up like this, not that he was complaining. 

With you finally taking all of him you let out the airiest sigh before rocking your hips. Your knees were burning from the seats but you couldn’t bring yourself to stop. Will’s hands move down your back to grip your ass while you rock and bounce on him. 

“Fuck,” He is the first to break eye contact but only to look at where the two of you meet. Your juices leave a ring on his dick and he almost cums at the sight. “I can’t wait to taste you next time.”

“Next time?” You try slowing your hips to comprehend what he just said but he picks up your slack. With his hips rutting into yours from below the pleasure must be clouding your brain to imagine things. 

“You thought I was gonna let you go after this baby?” An unforgiving pace brings that familiar pit in your stomach that has you pawing at his covered chest. “You know me better than that Buttercup.”

Will’s hips sputter before you hear a guttural groan and warmth being shot into you. Even as he’s cumming he uses his hand to urge you to rock your hips against him. When everything slows to a halt all that’s left is heavy breathing from the both of you. 

“Did you mean it?” You bring yourself to ask as you fiddle with your fingers 

Will lifts his head from the headrest to look at you, “Of course I mean it.”

“You know you still have a fiance right?” 

“You didn’t seem put off by that a few minutes ago,” His playful grin lets you know he’s only messing with you. “Seriously though it wouldn’t have lasted, I just didn’t think anybody else would want me.” 

“I mean you make it easy.” You haven’t looked up at him yet.

“You’re one to talk.” Will tilts his head before giving you a kiss. “Let’s get you home.” Heat fills your face at his charm.

With a hiss, he slowly helps to lift you off his now softening dick. You’re quick to move your panties back in place before any of his cum drips out. He tucks himself into himself back into his pants.

Before he even turns on the car you’re lying across the the front seat and nodding off. He takes the jacket he always keeps in his car behind the seat and drapes it over you.

He takes a look at his phone and sees missed calls from everyone. It’s almost 3 in the morning and Will winces as he looks at the messages asking him where he is. Instead of staying here for another hour, he heads in the direction of your condo. 

Your porch light is on when he pulls into the driveway in front of your house. One look over at you and he can see that you’re dead to the world so he searches for your purse. When he finds your keys he runs to open the door before circling back to pick you up. 

Once in the house, he kicks the door closed then locks it. He already knows the way to your room since he basically set it up for you. In fact he moved most of your furniture for you, not wanting moving companies to take advantage of you. 

Your room has clothes strewn on the floor in what looks like failed outfits you tried on. A laugh escapes Will when he realizes you ended up wearing a short jean skirt with a v-neck. It’s only two steps to the bed and he lays you down gently not wanting to wake you. 

He tries replacing the jacket over you but your fingers have gripped it so he settles on laying the comforter over you. When he’s sure you’re settled he rounds your bed to sit on the other side, unlacing his boots. After that are his shoes socks, jeans, and shirt. 

A relaxed sigh is let out the moment his back hits your bed. Although it makes no sense to cuddle, he saddles his body close to yours. 

Bacon and potatoes infiltrate your nose the more awake you become. Last night quickly flashes through your mind as if your brain urged you to remember. Your room is exactly how you left it and the thought of Will seeing it sends shame through your body. Of the discarded clothes you pick up some lounge shorts to throw on. 

Your hunger overpowers your drowsiness so you make your way to the kitchen. Will’s naked back is a welcomed sight anytime. 

“Good morning.” He grins when you make an appearance next to him. 

“Morning Buttercup.” The spatula he’s using to stir potatoes is cast aside so he can run rub circles on your lower back. 

Now that the afterglow faded you wondered what direction this is heading in. 

“I ended things with Mel this morning, she’s pissed to say the least.”

“I didn’t plan for this to happen.” Guilt creeps into you now that your chickens have come home to roost

“I know, but I’m glad it happened.” Without waiting for your reply he's back to cooking like our conversation never happened. “You can sit down if you want it’ll only be five more minutes.”

Frankie knows what happened was more of a reflection of Maria but it still doesn’t stop the nagging in his head. His PTSD was part of why he started using but to say it was the only thing would be using it like a crutch. The truth is anyone could become an addict given the right circumstances.

When you mix an unstable man from Delta Force with unresolved trauma and throw him into civilian life, it was no surprise what happened. His co-workers used it to stay on top while in flight, a little bump here and there couldn’t hurt. At least that’s how they reeled him in. Everything was fine at first, he was even the favorite pilot among his tours. 

Every rose has its thorn, and Frankie’s appetite grew for the powdery substance. Soon enough any chance he got he would find himself inhaling it. In the bathroom at work, in his car, he’d even sneak off during family gatherings. Rock bottom hit was close when he woke up at his dealer's house and he didn’t know how long he’d been knocked out. 

It got worse though during a tour, he nearly overdosed and luckily his co-pilot was able to save face by pretending it was a seizure. That was as much luck as he would get because an investigation was launched after that incident. Frankie knew the moment he peed in that cup he was going to get his license revoked so he kept going since there was no point in stopping. For the first time since before the army, his mind was clear. 

Plus he had savings so Maria wouldn’t notice anything amiss. She could see for months something was different but it was like the old Frankie was back, so she let it slide. It wasn’t until she got a call from the licensing board about a hearing for her husband that she started doubting him. 

There was nothing more they valued than privacy but clearly, he had taken his too far. She opened his mail to find a drug test that was positive for cocaine with an attached termination letter. That night he came home to find his shit on the lawn he knew Maria found out. He banged on the door all night trying to plead with her but she, rightfully, told him to get help. Instead, he stumbled around the lawn for a few boxers and shirts before heading to his mother’s.

But the moment he found out Maria was pregnant he knew he had to work on getting better. Rosie was the bright spot in his suffering and she didn’t even know it. Maria let him have a picture of her sonogram and he made 3 copies. One for his wallet so he could take her everywhere, one for his room in rehab, and one for his car where he would use. Used to use. 

The first time he saw Rosie he was a year sober and she was four months. He had worked hard to be there and show up for both of his girls, starting with finding a stable job. Finally, he earned himself a good spot in his life and was working towards getting his license back. Then, a year later Santiago gave him a deal he thought he couldn’t refuse. So Frankie risked his standing for the greater good. 

However, nothing was good about how they left Colombia, missing their leader and the money. When Frankie came back empty-handed he’ll never forget the look on Maria's face, and even now he could understand. There were too many disappointments under his belt after promises of a follow-through. Truthfully deep down they knew the marriage was over when he returned to get the money. 

Maybe if he’d returned with the money the first time he and Maria wouldn’t have ended up here. Maybe if he wasn’t so flighty he could have been more stable. Maybe if he never joined the fucking army. All those what-ifs and yet if he changed any of those he wouldn’t have met you. 

His self-reflection was interrupted by Rosie asking him for an orange crayon. Santiago’s dining table is covered in crayons and colored pencils while the three of them color. Except Frankie’s is only half-finished. For the past week, Frankie’s been staying with Santi at his insistence and since he took Rosie with him he’s been fielding calls from Maria. 

He knew he should be more mature but the fact that she pawned their daughter off, knowing she was sick, so she could meet with Chris made his stomach turn. It’s one thing for her to brush him off but he had to draw the line at his baby, so he finally made an appointment with a divorce lawyer. 

The faraway look in Frankie’s eyes worried Santiago, this whole week Catfish avoided talking to him without Rosie present. 

“Fish?” Frankie flicked his eyes towards Santiago who nodded his head in the direction of the kitchen before getting up to walk there. Blindly, Frankie follows his friend knowing he’s about to get cornered. 

“How are you?” To anyone else, that question sounds loaded but Frankie knew it was an opening. As he thought of what to begin with he fiddled with his fingernails. 

“It’s one thing to blow me off, but I refuse to subject my daughter to that kind of environment.” His teeth grit in anger the more he thinks about the situation. “I made an appointment with a divorce attorney.”

“And you’re sure that’s something you want?” Although Santi wanted to jump for joy when he heard “divorce attorney”, at the end of the day it’s Frankie’s decision.

“Don’t act like you’re not planning a party in your head right now.” A small smile graces Frankie’s face for the first time since the incident. 

“Of course I am but the important part is that it’s what you want.” At the end of the day, the most important thing was Frankie’s happiness. 

“It’s a long time coming, the only person deluding themselves was me?”  Frankie scoffs at his naivety.

“Have you talked to your girl?” After the fiasco, Santi was so busy tending to Frankie that he didn’t realize that you had left. 

“No.” When Frankie turned away from you that day it was out of self-preservation. He couldn’t bring himself to look at you, fearing the expression on your face. 

Will told him what you said and he couldn’t understand what good he’d done to meet someone like you. Still, he wasn’t ready to face you since his darkest secret was told before he was ready to tell you. 

Although you said you didn’t think less of him, it was hard for him to believe it.

“Fish I don’t like telling you what to do,” The raised eyebrow Frankie sent him made him pause before continuing. “But that girl cares about you and I don’t think you should let that go because of Maria’s fucked up idea of revenge.”

Frankie angles his head to the ground in thought and Santi exits the kitchen to give him time to process. As much as he hates it his best friend is right. He just didn’t expect to have that conversation so early, but at the same time he misses you. Your smile, your laugh, and the way you say his name.

On his way to the bedroom, he presses a kiss on Rosie’s forehead only for her to swat him away. His phone sits on the dresser charging and he approaches carefully. First, he checks through Maria’s messages which range from begging for reconciliation to anger about Rosie being kept from her. He can admit he went overboard so he begins drafting a text to set up a pick-up time.

Despite saying you would let him come to you you still sent three messages and his heart pounds as he opens the thread. 

Whenever you’re ready to talk lmk. 

I miss you.

Ameilia asked about you today. 

Like always you manage to bring a smile to his face, but it’s wiped away when Maria replies she’s free today. Against his wants, he begins packing Rosie’s bag for the next few days. When he emerges from the back of the house to tell her she’s running to grab some of her loose toys. 

“I’ll be back,” Frankie turns to Santiago before fishing his keys off the hook and hauling Rosie out of the door. 

…………….

Despite her protests, Frankie insisted on a neutral pick-up place and the park down the road from Santi’s was perfect. He placed Rosie’s favorite song on and laid his head back on the headrest, willing himself to stay calm. The disappointment he felt with Maria was immeasurable, she didn’t even know if Rosie was awake. 

Three taps sounded themselves on the passenger window and the pit in Frankie’s stomach grew. He thought he was immune to some of Maria’s harsh words but it seems he still had his soft spots. 

“Mommy!” Rosie’s excitement jolts him back to reality and he unlocks the car for her. 

Thankfully Maria goes straight to collecting Rosie’s things before unbuckling her. After two more trips between cars, she realizes there’s nothing left for her to collect but she hesitates. Frankie keeps his eyes forward, hoping she’ll ignore him like she has the past few months.

“I fucked up,” She clears her throat before continuing. “And I took it out on you, I just wasn’t prepared to see you move on.” 

“But it was fine for you to?” Frankie glances back to find her head hung while she holds one of Rosie’s plushies. 

“I’m sorry, I wanted you to feel miserable and hurt like I was but you didn’t do that intentionally.” Frankie’s eyes sting at the revelation, they weren’t lying when they said the truth hurts.

“All that matters is that we’re cordial for Rosie’s sake.” With that, both knew the conversation was over. 

The sound of the door shutting felt more impactful than it should’ve been. Their relationship as they knew it had come to an end after a long, bitter stretch. Frankie rested his head against the steering wheel after watching them pull off. He finally took off Rosie’s song and switched back to radio, and your song was playing. 

He was going to drive off but stays parked and softly sings the song to himself as he thinks of you. Somehow he knows you wouldn’t hold it against him and you’d listen. Will ended up telling him what you said and that you didn’t want to leave, as if he deserved it. You should’ve never been put in that situation with Maria.

His phone sits in the cupholder beckoning him to contact you and he finally listens. The dial tone rings and it doesn’t take more than a few seconds before it stops. It seems neither of you was prepared because there is silence on both ends.

“Hello,” Luckily Frankie’s voice didn’t crack like he believed it would. 

“Hi,” You breathe into the phone thinking anything louder would scare him away. 

“I’m sorry for the radio silence I ju-” His explanation is cut short by your sweet voice.

“Don’t apologize, I understand,” You realize your mistake and immediately fumble over your words. “I mean I don’t understand but I’m sure you needed your space to process.” 

A laugh sounds from Frankie’s end and you pull your phone away to double-check it’s coming from him. 

“I know what you meant but thank you for the clarification.” He rubs at his beard before asking, “Are you free anytime today? To talk?” 

“I’m free all day today. Did you want to come over?” The hopeful tone of your voice has guilt flooding through him for putting this off. 

“How does in an hour sound?” He asks wanting to see you as soon as possible after hearing your voice. 

“Perfect.” After your confirmation, you bid each other goodbye.

With some weight off his shoulders, Frankie pulls out of the parking lot to head back to Santi’s. The second he came through the door he headed to his room to get in the shower. He takes extra time to tend to his hair which he’d neglected all week. In the mirror, he trims his beard slightly and puts mousse in his curls to keep the shape.

For his outfit, he sticks to his regular flannel and jeans. By the time he comes out to the living area again Pope is camped out in front of the TV. Despite hearing the shower and seeing the pep in his friend’s step he still asked, “You look nice, where you off to?”

The smirk playing on his face was annoying but Frankie begrudgingly answered he was going to your place.

……………

You were running around your house picking up stray messes that you promised you’d get to later. There were already a few candles lit to help with comfort as well as smell. You decide that your twilight t-shirt and sweatshorts would just have to do. Before you can think about if you should order food your doorbell sounds and for a couple of seconds you’re frozen in place. With a shake of your head, you smooth out your clothes and double-check that your braids aren’t too frizzy. 

A deep breath attempts to quell your racing heart. Even though it’s only been a week the situation makes it feel longer. Your hand pulls the door back to reveal Frankie with his hands in his pockets surveying the front porch. His eyes flick to yours and you feel the unease radiating off of him. 

“We aren’t gonna talk like this are we?” You chance a joke and it pays off when he smiles before stepping into your foyer. 

When you turn back around after closing the door Frankie envelopes you in a hug. Suddenly you smell the fresh soap and warmth wafting off of him. All you can do is close your eyes and hug his waist tighter. 

“M’sorry,” He cradles his face to your neck before breathing in. 

“I already told you there’s nothing for you to apologize for.” Your hands rub comforting circles on his lower back.

Without replying Frankie pulls back and searches your face for something you’re unsure of. You unwrap your arms from his waist and circle them to his chest. 

“You want me to put on some tea?” As much as you’d love to remain in his arms all day; there was a conversation to be had. 

“I think we should talk first.” You nod and take his hand to lead him to the living room. 

You wait until he sits down before joining him on your couch, the same one you two ate on not too long ago. His hand is scratching at the curls by his neck while you face your body toward him. There’s a hesitation that you pick up on so you make the first move.

“Before you start I never thought any less of you.” You reach out to touch the hand in his lap. “We all have our personal shit and I don’t think it was fair that you didn’t tell me yourself.” 

“Will told me what you said,” The hand behind his head now covers yours while he gazes in your eyes. “I was embarrassed and Rosie could’ve heard, she’s why I turned it all around anyway.”

You remain silent and nod your head so he can take over. He tells you how he enlisted straight out of high school thinking there was nothing better for him. Somehow he ended up meeting his best friends, and he talks about the mysterious remaining member of their photo. Tom was their leader and unofficial mentor. 

As much as he tried to help Frankie with his PTSD when he got out Tom had a family of his own. You notice the past-tense referral and your heart aches for him. He met Maria and he thought he finally had it under control, but then came the night terrors. When he would wake at night screaming like he was deployed, she would hold him. Their relationship was so gentle and caring.

He recalls when his co-worker gave him his first bump, promising him it would help keep you alert. Everything was fine until it wasn’t, he started fucking up at his job so they called for a test. He thought that he could keep it under wraps and live off their savings in the meantime. But his habit was expensive and Maria found his summons and kicked him out.

Frankie has tears rimming his eyes so you squeeze his hand urging him to continue at his pace. When he does he talks about how Rosie was his savior. From the moment he found out about her he pushed himself to do better so he could be in her life. And he did put himself in a rehab program and kept her sonogram as a reminder. 

The first time he got to hold Rosie was the best day of his life. Tears finally find their way down his face and you waste no time wiping them away. He leans into your touch and you feel tears pricking the back of your eyes.

He softly reminisces on how he slowly worked his way back to his family. But Satiago delivered an offer he couldn’t refuse, and he stupidly took it. They all did. On the mission, things went south and they lost Tom, Frankie leans in to hold you while crying. All you hear is the repeated words “We lost him.” Now you can’t hold back the stray tears falling from your face. 

Quickly you begin running your fingers through his hair and scratching at his scalp to soothe him. After a few moments, his chest slows its breathing but he doesn’t move from your shoulder. He tells you the nail in the coffin was when he returned with none of the money promised. Although they were together he could feel the distance between them.

He states that Santi came back and they knew what not to do this time, so it was a sure thing. Against his better judgment, Frankie believed the money would help in the long run so he left, again. However by the time he came back with the money Maria had mentally checked out and he didn’t blame her.

You take a deep breath and let the information he gave you marinate while you continue soothing him. 

“I know that was a lot,” He leans back enough to look at you but doesn’t fully leave your presence. The puffiness surrounding his red eyes tugs at your heart and you want to pull him back in your arms.

“I love that you trusted me enough to tell me.” A smile cracks your face at how much trust he’s putting into you. 

“I love you.” As soon as the words leave his mouth he regrets it, not because he didn't mean it but because he fears he might’ve scared you off. It just felt natural for those words to come out. 

Your heart begins racing once more and you wonder if he can hear the effect he has on you. He stiffens in your arms and you ask him, “Do you mean it?” 

He pulls back from you almost offended before declaring, “Of course I do.”

“I love you, Francisco.” The hazy look in his eyes, after you say those words back to him, makes your stomach flutter. He glances down at your lips while leaning in but you meet him halfway. The moment your lips touch it’s like you’re making up for lost time, you taste the saltiness from his tears. 

Very quickly you feel Frankie’s tongue sliding over your bottom lip and you tilt your head to deepen the kiss. Your hand slides up his chest to wrap around his neck to play with his curls. His tongue glides and licks all over yours and an involuntary moan leaves your mouth. That only spurs him on and he fixes his hands to slide under your shirt to cup your tits. Once you see the direction this is going in you reluctantly back away, only to have Frankie follow you. 

You place your hands on his pecs and tell him, “As much as I want to I don’t think we should right now.” He nods in understanding and sits back on the sofa. 

His hand goes to the back of his neck to fiddle with his curls as he addresses you, “I just missed you.”

“I missed you too.” You stand from the couch and head to your kitchen to ask him, “What kind of tea do you want?”

“Whatever you have on hand Bebita.” He rubs his fingers over his lips trying to engrain this moment in his mind forever. The rest of the day was spent on the sofa watching TV until both of you fell asleep. 

Word Count: 5.6k

The wizarding community was small which meant that Hogwarts was even smaller. Thankfully you had been able to slip under the radar, which in hindsight was easy since your classmate was Harry Potter. Either way, people wrote you off as timid and boring but the truth was far worse. 

Growing up everything seemed fine you came from a prestigious family that was more than respected. With that came expectations as you were told but understood, you made sure your magic was comparable to no one. You had practiced so much that there were cramps in your hand and wrist regularly. However, the expectations that your parents meant were far more nefarious than being a prefect. 

For your sorting ceremony, you had come from a family of Ravenclaw’s and Slytherin’s so when the hat called out Hufflepuff it seemed a slight pause was taken. There wasn’t explicit disappointment written on your father’s face but you knew what he would have preferred. But in his words at least you weren’t Gryffindor.

Motivation thrummed through your body to make up for less than adequate house. You’d managed to become quite knowledgeable on many subjects, even things as taboo as muggle studies. You’d never dared to take the class but had read a few books out of morbid curiosity. There was never anything explicitly anti-muggle spoken about in your household but deep down you knew better. The kind of family you were born into would never be outspoken about that sort of thing, it’s unbecoming in your mother’s words. 

After the death of Cedric Diggory, more talks of he who shall not be named permeated the community. Some believed it was an unexplainable tragedy while others were in complete denial. Not only were you disgusted by what they did to him you also felt sad for Harry, it was crystal clear what happened. Your parents on the other hand seemed unaffected, that should have been the first sign but you were too busy giving condolences to Harry. 

Next was the stream of people they contacted in the coming months. At first, none of them rang any alarm bells but more and more suspected Death Eaters would permeate your childhood home. A small riff formed between your parents and you, the seemingly loving people who raised you held such nasty views. Visits to your childhood home soon became limited to mandatory holidays under the guise of you studying for your O.W.L.s.

Soon enough you could see exactly where they stood and it terrified you. There wasn’t anyone you could turn to without fearing it would get back to your parents. 

……..

On your scheduled visit home you were indifferent to finding certain members of the Ministry leaving your parent's home. However, as your father stood before you in the foyer expectantly you couldn’t help but wonder why. Usually, it would just be your mother receiving you due to the constant stream of ‘meetings’ your father held. No words were exchanged between you two before he gestured for you to follow him to his office. 

The once warm memories that this house provided now gave way to shivers down your spine. It felt like the closer you were to approaching his office the harder your heart thundered in your chest. Uneasiness settles within you because of your father’s seemingly cold nature. 

Inside his office, he gestured to the seat across from his chair and your heart sank. Although you didn’t feel at home anymore, you didn’t have the heart to fully distance yourself. For so long all of your work was due to upholding the family name and reputation and if you let that go there was nothing else. Your mother gave nothing away while she stood off to the side. 

“As you know darling a war is brewing, and now is the time that our Dark Lord needs his loyal correspondents.” His hands on your shoulders send a cold shiver over you. “And it worries me that my daughter seems to sympathize with mudbloods.” Even though you couldn’t see his face you could only picture the defeat on his face.

“I-” Before you could attempt to defend yourself you were interrupted.

“I thought I had made my expectations for you obvious child.” Your father’s fingers dug into you causing a grimance across your face. “Only for you to embarrass me after I put all of my hopes and dreams into you.” Tears well in your eyes from the pain of both his words and his harsh grip. 

“Have I not given you everything?” In spite of how you’ve felt about his purist ways, his words cause you to scramble to reassure him. After all, you didn’t put in as much work as you had to disappoint him.

“You have and I-” The words become stuck in your throat because of how much you are trying to say at once. “I’m so sorry.” Shame has your head hanging low while your tears wet your pants. “I saw Cedric as a friend and I let my judgment get clouded.” Sobs wrack your body and your father lets his death grip go to comfort you. 

“It’s okay darling sometimes we become a little misguided. As long as we find our way back that’s all that matters.” The same hands that caused your breakdown are now nursing you back with slow circles. Your breathing begins to even out and your father takes that as his cue to continue with what this meeting is really about.

“Now that we’ve taken care of that, I wanted to talk about what we are gathered here for.” His hands clap together in what you assume is excitement, and a glance at your now-smiling mother confirms it. “Tonight we are celebrating your impending nuptials.” 

Never has your head swiveled so quickly, you weren't privy to any marriage conversations. As far as you knew you weren’t promised to anyone but you knew better than to question anything in this moment. From the corner of your eye, you see your mother leave the room and the thundering in your heart amps up once again.

“And what better family to be joined with than the Zabini’s?” Your mother is the one to drop the name of your future husband as she glides into the office again. Behind her, you see the infamous Zabini’s. Everyone is familiar with the Zabini’s, more specifically the rumored black widow Domenica Zabini. Her track record of 7 dead husbands speaks for itself. There was nothing short of perfection about their appearance, not that you expected less.

The joy on your mother’s face feels like you’re in an alternate universe, one that involves a happy family. Somehow you didn’t see the gilded cage that had slowly been closing until it was too late. If there was food in your stomach it would have been thrown up by now. 

“Don’t play coy darling, they’ve come all this way to meet you.” As if your breakdown didn’t just happen your mother ushers you out of the seat before urging you closer. “This will be good for you, for us.” The low tone of her voice leaves no room for opposition. 

Domencia’s keen eyes take you in and you almost can’t believe this woman killed her husbands. There’s nothing overtly cunning or evil-looking about her presence as one would think. Her son, on the other hand, had a menacing demeanor for someone who you’d never heard utter a word. Since Hogwarts was small his best friends Theo and Draco more than made up for his silence. 

His brown eyes are calculated while he takes you in and your heart betrays you by skipping a beat. 

“You’re even more breathtaking in person.” Were the first words you ever heard him speak and you hated to admit how your whole body fluttered. The low register of his voice made it feel like only the two of you were in the room despite your parents lurking off into the corner. 

“So the mythical Blaise does speak?” You keep your voice low like his.

“Considering you are my future wife I’d say it’s imperative.” And just like that the reality of your future comes crashing back to you. 

Blaise gently grabs your hand and brings it to his lips before running his thumb across your knuckles. His eyes never leave yours and you can’t help but wonder if he’s trying to disarm you. Either way, you remember to keep your guard up around him. 

“Is there anywhere for us to talk, privately?” Although you doubt your parents can hear you he still goes the extra mile to bring his lips to the shell of your ear.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Your eyes dart around the room in an attempt to get out of the situation you’ve landed in.

“Afraid you’ll actually come to like me, sweetheart?” Blaise, as observant of ever, notices your hesitation to him despite his very convincing charm.

“No.” Even you weren’t convinced by your answer however, you refused to give him the satisfaction. 

An amused smirk plays on his face and he finds himself more than pleased with this arrangement. The air between you was thick with undeniable tension. 

“You know,” Your mother places her hands on your shoulders gently but that doesn’t stop the small wince on your face, “You should show Blaise around the grounds since he’ll be around a lot.” 

“That would be lovely.” His award-winning smile splits his face in agreeance with your mother. 

Seeing no way out of this you tell him, “Stay close to me.” 

Many would say that your familial land is almost as grand as Hogwarts, but that only applies if you enjoy greenery. The house is incomparable to the vast amounts of land you can explore and observe. Your mother favored her garden and maze, so much so that the familial home was inconsequential to the lands she demanded. 

“I take it you weren’t as up-to-date as your parents led me to believe?” Now that you two were truly alone Blaise saw no need to hold back. 

“I wasn’t but I can’t say I’m completely upset with their choice.” The truth is they went far beyond your expectations.

“So I still have a chance?” He pulls back before the two of you are more than a couple feet from the house. “I must plead my case.” His general nature gives you pause, you’ve never met someone so magnetic.

“And what exactly is your case?” Your curiosity gets the better of you.

“We could make this a long engagement, I don’t mind a wait. Frankly, I enjoy your presence and I wouldn’t mind growing from that.” His hands reach for yours, and somehow it doesn’t seem desperate. 

“You’re making this feel so easy.” As much as you wanted to reject any man sent your way through your parents, Blaise was different. Not to mention you weren’t in a position to bargain.

“I don’t want to force you, but I will promise absolute devotion.” This time when he kisses your knuckles there’s no prying eyes, making the moment much more remarkable.

Truth be told above all else you wanted someone exactly like Blaise, but your parent's involvement sort of ruined the moment. Emotionally you were still reeling from your father’s outburst, and you know it won’t be the last. If you could keep him off your back with this there would be less pressure surrounding any future mistake. 

But that does peg the question of how you’ll fare should this relationship get serious. Would you be the first of many wives for Blaise? The thought sent a chill down your spine and there’s no way you could outright ask. For the time being you decide being a team player is most important and string Blaise along until he tires of you. 

“I would love nothing more.” Maybe you laid it on a little thick but Blaise doesn’t seem to notice or care. 

………….

With news of you and Blaise’s engagement spreading amongst the parents, you knew it wouldn’t take long for the gossip mill at Hogwarts to circulate. By the time you return from your visit whispers follow you through the corridor. 

“So you wanna tell me why everyone is talking about your engagement to Blaise?” Madeline, your closest friend, saddles up next to you as you barrel down the hall.

You slow down your fast pace to pull her into an empty classroom. “I knew my Father held some anti-muggle ideals but now he’s talking about doing the Dark Lord’s bidding. I went home this weekend to find out they had me betrothed to Blaise Zabini.” Your hands find their way to your face in an effort to rub the emotional distress out. “Not to mention he completely freaked out on me for expressing my sympathies for Harry. Mads I’ve never seen him like that, it scared me.” 

“Godric,” She made her way to stand beside you before rubbing your back in gentle circles. Madeline was first assigned as one of your dormmates, she took it upon herself to adopt you. She'd seen first-hand the immense pressure your parents put on you, and in turn the pressure you placed on yourself. “You know you’re always welcome around mine?” 

Although you did know that it would only prolong the inevitable with your parents. Nevertheless, you thank her and rest your head on her shoulder. 

“The worst part is the fact that I don't completely hate Blaise, I mean he would be perfect if my parents hadn’t been the ones to arrange it. Now it feels tainted you know?” Your eyes are glued to the floor while you pour out everything you’d had to hold in this past weekend. 

“Of course, not to mention his mother has an interesting romantic history.” You are glad that you’re not the only one who noticed. 

“But he’s so gorgeous.” You tilt your head away from your best friend with a whimsical sigh. 

“You’re preaching to the choir.” Her agreeance has you craning your neck to blink in surprise at her. 

“Not too much, he’s still my fiance.” Playfully you narrow your eyes at Mads before bursting into laughter with her joining you. 

With your spirits back up the both of you head back into the hall and make your way to the grand hall. Studying would help in taking your mind off of everything else, somehow it was relaxing. The table was decorated with textbooks as you and Madeline delved into your academics. 

“You look even more radiant when you’re focused.” That low drawl had your head quickly swiveling to meet Blaise’s eyes in surprise.

“There’s a lot I need to stay up to date on.” Your answer must have been enough for him to take a seat next to you. But you don’t let his presence deter you from your agenda. Madeline squirms in her seat across from you to get your attention only to give you a knowing look. 

“I’m sure there is,” He lets his eyes fall over your form, and warmth spreads throughout your body at his brazenness. He clears his throat before continuing, “ My mother’s hosting a party next weekend and I was wondering if you’d do me the honor of being my date?”

From the corner of your eye, you could feel Madeline’s widened eyes taking in this conversation. You’re not sure why you expected Blaise to ignore you once you returned to Hogwarts, but strangely you’re pleased he didn’t. Finally, you set your quill down to properly address him.

“I would love that,” You school your features to not look as giddy as you feel. “Any specific dress code requirements?” 

“If you don’t mind I got your measurements from your mother and had a dress commissioned.” He had the gall to look sheepish. 

“And what if I find the dress ugly? What if I had said no?” The questions fly out one after the other.

“Your mother promised me you had no shortage of beautiful gowns, and if you had said no I would have found another way to gift it to you.” His eyes peer down at you while you bashfully glance towards Madeline. Once he leaves you know you’ll never hear the end of this. 

“Well thank you,” For once you are truly rendered speechless and there is no other feeling more embarrassing. 

Blaise, as observant as ever, senses the end of the conversation and readies himself to leave. Before he completely takes off he places a folded piece of paper in your palm and closes it. When his back faces you you let your eyes wander after him with a stupid smile splitting your face. You realize too late that once he reaches his table his friends have already caught you grinning like an idiot. They proceed to clap him on the back and you quickly face Mads only to be met with a teasing grin. 

You resign yourself to laying your head on the table until the smile on your face calms down. When you unfold the piece of paper you find a rough draft of a fluffy green gown. His penmanship impressed you but his eye for detail on the various layers of dresses solidified your opinion.

…………

The box holding the dress Blaise commissioned is sitting on the ottoman by the foot of your bed. It was a deep emerald green with a light green bow wrapping around it. Your mother delivered it with a bright smile as soon as it arrived in the morning. She was adamant about opening it but you wanted to wait, even if the anticipation was killing you too.

Your parents were attending as well but they had been rather agreeable lately. Just as you assumed once you showed interest in being with Blaise they seemingly backed off. The last thing you want is a repeat of what happened.

With the sun setting you begin taking down your hair, and the curls bounce as you rub oil on them. You deliberately save the front braids for last while you finish individually placing each curl. The front of your hair is parted to the right side, and you begin gathering half into a small ponytail. You decide to leave a small piece of hair out from the right side that is curled away from your face. 

A smile graces your face at the finished product and you turn to the box that’s been calling to you all day. The note attached to the bow was the first thing you read. 

I hope the dress is up to your standards -B.Z.

You place the note on your bed and untie the bow before lifting the top. A lavish hunter-green bustier greets you, before fully pulling it out you take note of the silver and black jewels lining the entire top. You carefully grab the strapless top to pull it out of the box and a gasp involuntarily leaves your mouth at the mass of the dress. 

Flowers made of sheer fabric litter the waist and sage green fabric lines the sides of the dress. Layers of tulle overlap with leafy designs that feature silver accents. You had never seen a dress as beautiful as the one in front of you, Blaise clearly had an eye for fashion. The drawing he gave didn’t do the dress enough justice.

Progressively you place the dress on the floor and step into it. Perfect is the only word to describe it as you gaze at yourself in the mirror. Even in low light, the jewels sparkle enticingly and you note that he used his house color on you. You do a spin before heading to your jewelry box, only to find that you missed a matching necklace and earring set at the bottom. The dangly earrings remind you of snowflakes and the necklace matches the gems atop your dress.

“Please tell me you’re rea-” Your mother bustles into your room but pauses mid-sentence at you. “My, you look stunning.” She slowly circles you before noting the jewelry in your hand and she gestures for you to face the mirror. She delicately takes out your stud earrings and replaces them with the one Blaise gifted you. When she reaches into the box for the necklace a gasp, much like your earlier one, leaves her red-tinted lips.

“When he asked me about your measurements I never expected this.” She circles her arms over your head to gingerly lay the necklace over your sternum. Her polished nails circle your shoulders for a gentle squeeze, “Let's finish up before your father storms in here.” 

She sits you down on your vanity chair before pulling out a brown lipstick and gloss. You tilt your head back to allow her an easier time and her sweet perfume fills your nostrils. Once she finishes she steps back to admire her handiwork with a smile. She opens her mouth to say something but is interrupted by your father’s call.

“We are now thirty minutes late,” The both of you share a silent laugh before heading downstairs to put on shoes and meet your father. 

………..

Blaise is bored out of his mind waiting for you, he was surrounded by friends but it was clear he was anxiously awaiting your arrival. Although he thought you would like the dress he couldn’t be sure, maybe it was a bad idea to not consult you. 

“Oh cheer up Zabini your girlfriend’ll be here soon.” Theodore’s quip was met with laughter from Draco. 

“Not girlfriend, fiancee.” Malfoy corrects Theo before Blaise can open his mouth to say the same thing. While they laugh Blaise rolls his eyes before scanning the hall once more. Theodore could sense how his friend felt despite him trying to downplay it.

“Is there an actual ring or is this a vocal agreement?” Draco decided to push his limits 

“There’s plenty of rings but we aren’t there yet kind of like you and Astoria.” Draco rolls his eyes at the reminder of his love life. “And who knows when a woman will become agreeable to your presence Nott.”

Both boys exchanged looks of amusement at Blaise’s snappy tone.

Time seems to stand still when he spots you at the entrance of his mother’s grand hall. His heart thunders as he realizes you are wearing the dress he helped create. The low light of the room captures the shimmering jewels that line the dress and he can’t recall anyone as lovely as you. For once he is rooted in place unable to fulfill the greeting he had prepared.

“I think I understand now mate.” Theodore is stumped in place as well when he follows Blaise’s line of sight.

Everyone in the hall spares a glance at you, how could they not? The dress gives the illusion that you are gliding across the floor. His mother intercepts your family and focuses on you. It’s obvious she’s fawning over how alluring you are. Your eyes scan the crowd scantily and Blaise takes that as his cue.

“I’ll catch up with you two later.” He doesn’t spare his friends a glance as he makes his way through the crowd to you.

When your eyes lock with his he internally melts, the closer he gets the more you steal his breath away. A symphony with booming music plays in his head to match his beating heart. 

You straighten your posture when Blaise stands before you in a three-piece emerald green tailman suit. His hand collects yours before bowing to kiss your knuckles, and after he comes up you curtsey before him. Your dress pools around you in the most elegant way before you slowly come up again. It was nearly impossible to rip his eyes away from you but he had to greet your parents before whisking you off. 

“Would you mind excusing us?” Blaise’s polite manner brings joy to your mother’s face and approval to your father's. 

“Of course not,” Your mother and Domencia are quick to shoo you and him away. 

His hand glides around to the small of your back while he guides you to the refreshment table. The array of food makes it hard for you to pick anything and he senses your indecision. He hands you a plate to pick as much as you want.

“Thank you, for the dress it really is amazing. Your drawing was beautiful but I never expected anything like this.” The sparkle in your eyes is all he wanted to see. 

“Anything for you.” His declaration left you speechless once again so you focus on picking your food. 

He then leads you to your table to eat but you hesitate before moving to sit. Blaise angles your body and dress to sit comfortably in his lap. Your stomach flutters for the umpteenth time and you try to look anywhere besides his face. 

“This was your plan all along huh? Create this elaborate dress so I’m woefully dependent on you.” You begin trying the various foods on your plate while Blaise watches you. 

“If I’m being honest I wish I had come up with that, but I did want to see you in a beautiful gown. Maybe steal a dance or two.” His complete focus was on you enjoying your treacle tart. 

“Nobody else is dancing though,” You spare a glance around to find everyone mingling while the live band plays quietly. 

“So?” His head was being cradled by his large hand as he searched your eyes. 

“You must be the fiancee, we’ve heard so much about you.” Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott step into view on the other side of the table.

“I kind of miss Zabini when he was quiet and mysterious.” Theodore jokingly pouts his lips at Blaise before taking his seat. 

“Fuck off,” Blaise tries to look annoyed but everyone catches the slight crack in his face. 

“The only Blaise I’ve encountered is the lovesick puppy variant.” The boys roar with laughter at your one-liner. 

“As much as I love this conversation, I should probably do a couple of laps around the room,” He places his hands on your hips before addressing you, “You think you’ll be okay with these vultures for a couple of minutes?” 

“I think I’ll be alright,” The mischievous grin on your face convinced him and you stood up so he could fulfill his hosting duties. 

“That's the spirit,” Malfoy clapped his hands at your willingness to entertain them. “Shall we get you a drink to catch up with us?” 

“As long as it’s fire whiskey.” Your agreeance has them flagging down the nearest server for a round of glasses. 

Surprisingly talking with Draco and Theo is easy, mostly because they’ve been shit-talking Blaise. You keep your intake of whiskey to two glasses to keep your wits about you. This wasn’t that kind of party. 

They tell the story of how Blaise was knocked off his broom by an ex-girlfriend's spell. A re-enactment of how he flailed for 30 feet ensued but luckily the table was toward the back. You’d been breathing in short bursts for the past few minutes and you hope for a reprieve.

“Alright if you all don’t mind I’ll be stealing her for a dance,” Blaise’s hand stretches out to you before he calls, “M’lady.” 

One last giggle escapes from your lips when you place your hand in his and slowly rise from your chair. On the way to the middle of the floor, you realize the band is playing a much louder tune than before. Blaise’s steps slow and his hand guides you around to the front of him while your dress flows flawlessly. 

Each of you repeats the bow and curtsey from earlier but this time you keep eye contact. Once both of you are upright you wait for the musical cue to begin your first step. When the violinist begins their solo you step forward attaching one hand to his right shoulder and the other in his left hand. His hand envelops yours before sliding down to the small of your back, just above the flowers.

Just like you thought you two were the only ones about to dance, and people were quickly realizing that. 

“Don’t look around, I want to see those beautiful eyes aimed at me.” With warm cheeks, you gaze up at Blaise who smiles back at you taking the first step in the dance. Completely confident in your steps, you follow his lead while he guides you in circles.

“This dress is the best gift anyone’s ever given me and don’t even get me started on the jewelery, thank you.” You step back as Blaise raises his arm to spin you, showcasing the multiple layers of tulle whirling around you. 

“Does this mean I need to begin drafting another?” The moment you step back into each other’s space it feels as if the whole room is empty save for you two.

“If I could make a request, would you mind yellow?” The slight grimace crossing his face makes you laugh.

“And your very first flaw rears its ugly head.” You swallow the chuckle that wants to escape so that you can back away from Blaise once more. This time you both take a step to your left before holding your palms close but not touching. With your left hand behind your back, you keep your eyes on the only person in the room as you walk in a circle. 

“Where would I even wear another dress like this?” Events like this don’t exactly happen every week.

“I’ll plan another party for you.” His words cause your heartbeat to thunder in your chest you almost thought he could hear it. 

All playful banter between you ceased and all that could be heard were the strings of violins increasing in tempo. At the same time, you turn so that your right hand can hold a sliver of space between them. Something within his eyes made a jolt run through your body as if you took Amortentia.

With the tempo slightly decreasing it was time for you to stand side by side, facing the fireplace and his hand guiding you backward. Now that the both of you are facing each other once again you circle the other in a figure-eight motion. If you were thinking about anything other than Blaise you would feel ridiculous but there was nothing else running through your mind. 

His mouth firmly remains in a smile and yours mirrors his if the strain in your cheeks had any say. Your dance comes to an end when you face each other before your last curtsey. Applause fills the room and you remember you’re not alone. 

“I think it’s time for a tour.” Blaise bends down to speak lowly into your ear and a shiver runs down your spine.

“I would love that.” You place your hand on his bicep and follow his lead out of the ballroom.  

The corridors are dim with only candles lighting your path. Your heels click rhythmically in time with Blaise’s steps, echoing off the walls. 

“You’re enjoying yourself I take it?” Even though he meant to sound sure you could hear the doubt in his voice.

“I love it, I love this dress, and spending time with you isn’t terrible.” Everything about tonight has been great and you were starting to come around to the idea of actually being with Blaise. Maybe the deal with his mother’s dead husband had a logical explanation. 

“That sparkle in your eye tells me it’s a little better than terrible.” He slows to a stop before sliding his arm around your waist. An alcove that has stained glass lets the moonlight shine through allowing the colors to reflect off your skin. 

“It would kill me to admit my parents are right.” Your whisper causes the biggest smirk to split his face and you almost retract your statement. 

“It would kill me if you were to let that stop you.” Both of his hands find themselves planted on your waist playing with the jewels.

After a moment of looking at you his thumb and forefinger lift your head so he can press his lips delicately to yours. You tilt your head to kiss him back while your hands find purchase on his biceps. The way his thumb caresses your cheek makes you lose all inhibitions. Suddenly your hand wraps around the back of his neck to bring his lips closer, your poor dress getting squished in the process. 

It felt like the two of you were molded together, if someone walked past they wouldn’t know where you end and Blaise begins. A groan sounds from him as he slides his hand from your face to the back of your neck, balling his fist full of your hair. When he pulls a gasp leaves your lips and allows him to slide his tongue in. 

“Godric, save that for the honeymoon.” Theodore’s voice and Draco’s laugh feel like cold water being poured over you. Blaise’s hand leaves your hair but stays around your waist while you keep both of your hands at your side. Lip gloss makes his lips irregularly shiny and you're tempted to wipe it but you're interrupted. 

“Your mother’s asking for the both of you, so we did you a favor and came ourselves.” Draco smiles before raising his glass of fire whiskey and tipping it back.

You and Blaise begin leading the long trek back to the ballroom. 

A few days after your beloved pizza party you finally met another member from the army photo. Santiago Garcia walked into the garage with an air about him that alerted you how well-acquainted he was with women. He was absolutely beautiful but he was the exact man you prided yourself on staying away from. Though being in a situationship with a married man wasn’t much better. 

“Hi, welcome to Miller’s Motors how may I help you?” Your customer service voice and smile instantly take over. 

“I mean I wouldn’t mind just hanging out here with you until one of those jackasses come out here.” His dazzling smile is working overtime while he leans on the counter and you can’t help the laugh that emitted from you. 

“Okay, Mr. Garcia suit yourself.” Back on your ‘work’ computer, you opened the Twitter tab again and continued scrolling. 

“Just how attached to Catfish are you or are you still looking at other options?” While Santi frames his question as flirty, he wants to see how you feel about Frankie. 

“Catfish?” Unsure of how you should answer you counter his question with one of your own.

“It’s his callsign from our army days. Mine is Pope, Will is Ironhead, and Frankie is Catfish.” All the tidbits you find out about Frankie make him so much more interesting.

“Okay but why is he Catfish? And what about Benny?” The other callsigns seem to align with personality, except for Frankie’s.

“Well he always had trouble growing his beard and he had a reputation with the ladies at training camp, thus the birth of Catfish.” You can’t say you’re surprised by Frankie’s past discretions, he had to learn that from somewhere. “As for Benny he came much later so we never really thought about it.” 

“Well, what about Goldilocks? I think that suits him, especially because he would go into someone's house and eat their food without a second thought.” Your analysis of Benny’s callsign has Santiago burst into laughter at how right you are. 

“And he definitely would talk about how bad the food is after scarfing it all down.” The both of you are now loudly laughing in the empty lobby like you’ve known each other for years.

“Pope step away from my receptionist.” William is the first through the door and he playfully narrows his eyes at Santi from behind you. 

“Benny we found a callsign for you, how does Goldilocks sound?” At the mention of the name, you and Santi laugh in remembrance of your jokes. Despite the inside joke, Benny looks pleased. 

“How is it that I’ve known you asshole’s years and she’s the one to come up with a callsign for me?” Benny’s large arms swarm around you to hug you in appreciation. 

“I mean we had some names but you wouldn’t like it.” William nudges Frankie in jest with a smirk plastered on his face.

“You know for such a quiet man you are so sassy.” Your words cause a roar of laughter from the group of men and you take that as your cue to take a nice long lunch break. 

……..

“Bitch,” Hearing the drawn-out exemplative from your best friend over the phone brought a smile to your face. Either you were going to hear the juiciest gossip or Dante just proposed, “If you could see this fucking ring I have on right now.” 

“Finally, I’ve been waiting 40 days and 40 nights for this.” There was no one rooting for Ronnie's happiness as much as you. 

“Before we even get into this wedding stuff you’re gonna be my Maid of Honor right?” The sentence tumbled out so quickly that if you listen so well you might’ve missed it. 

“Of course, what cake do you think you’re gonna get?” You take a bite of your caser salad while you listen to her rattle off her top 5 flavors. With a simple hum every couple of seconds while she gets all her excited rambles out.

“Shit, let me call my parents so they think they’re the first people I called.” A goofy smile graces your face at the fact that you were the first person she called. 

“Okay, text me when you’re gonna be free for a sleepover so we can go through the actual details. Love you.” You end your sentence with an exaggerated kiss that she would hear on the other end. 

“It’ll probably be Friday or Saturday but I’ll know for sure by tonight. Love you bye.” Her exaggerated kiss was the last thing you heard before the line cut out. 

It’s been about an hour and a half since you left for your lunch break and Ameilia has been keeping you company intermittently. A slightly disappointed sigh leaves your lips when you’ve taken the last bite of your salad realizing you’ll have to get back to work. When you leave your cash on the table you make sure you tip a little extra since Ameilia snuck you two pieces of berry pie. 

Upon re-entering the lobby you find Santiago behind the front, seemingly taking your place for the long break. He’s focused completely on the computer in front of him and by the time you round the corner, it’s too late for him to close the window. 

“Plenty of Fish? I took you as more of a Tinder kind of guy.” The side eye you receive from him makes it hard for you to cover your smile. 

Before he can say a smart comeback the phone blares and you set your pie on the counter to answer. 

“Miller’s Brother Automotive, how may I help you?” The cheeriness of your voice makes you grimace. 

“Hello, this is Nurse Lauren calling from Lake Montessori. I’ve been trying to get ahold of Rosie’s father Fransico Morales and he listed this number as his work contact.”

“Of course, he’s in the garage can you hold for a moment?” Without waiting for her answer you head to the garage to summon Frankie. 

“The nurse for your daughter’s school is on the phone asking for you.” As soon as he hears it’s about Rosie he’s walking faster than you to get back to the phone. 

“Hello, this is Fransico Morales.” You can see the tension in his shoulders trying to figure out why the school is calling him. Both you and Santi scroll through his dating profile while he talks on the phone. 

After presumably finding the reason for the call his shoulders deflate and he utters a faint “Jesus,”

“I see, I can be there in about 15 minutes.” There’s a slight pause before he says, “Take care.” 

When the phone hits the hook he heaves an irritated sigh before turning to you and Santi. “Apparently Rosie’s stomach was bugging her since she got to school and she ended up throwing up on the playground. Maria was the one to drop her off and they tried calling her but she wasn’t picking up.”

“So she knew she was sick when she dropped her off?” Irritation is written all over Santiago’s face and voice.

“Seems that way because there’s no way Rosie wouldn’t say anything. So fucking irresponsible.” Frankie grits the last sentence out before heading to the back to wash his hands properly. When he comes back out with clean hands and a more patient face he stops by you. 

“We should be back in like 15 minutes.” He slightly bends to kiss your forehead before heading out the front door. Santiago wolf-whistles when it’s just the two of you but you roll your eyes.

After 5 minutes Will and Benny come inside to ask what happened and there’s no time wasted by Santiago to fill them in. You head to the break room to see what would be helpful to a sick kid. Luckily Benny has a collection of tea and you take out peppermint and some sugar. 

You pop your head out only to see them huddled together and gossiping like school girls.

“Hey, are there any pillows or blankets in the back offices?” Each of them turns to you with wide eyes before Benny tells you he has some in his office. When you come back out you place the brown blanket on the sofa closet to the garage door and prop the pillow on the armrest. 

The guys can’t help but watch and exchange looks as you make the area cozy for Rosie. You beat them to it. Looking at the time you head back into the break room to heat water for the tea. By the time you come back out with the steaming tea, Frankie is laying Rosie down on the sofa and the guys are circling her. 

“I made some peppermint tea and I think I have some cough drops in my purse.” As you carefully place the cup down on the table in front of her Frankie watches you in awe. Rosie’s tired brown eyes steal a glance at you and you nearly melt. Even though her little face is sickly pale she’s the cutest kid you’ve ever seen. 

“Thank you,” after he shows his gratitude he turns back to his daughter and continues running his hands through her curls. 

“And if you feel up for it I have an extra piece of berry pie.” Her downcast eyes widen at the mention of pie and it almost livens her chubby face. 

“Really?” She perks up on the sofa and tries to remove the blanket before Frankie settles her. 

“After you drink some tea and lay down kay?” She pouts at his words but obliges and lays back down. 

With all the guys personally checking in on Rosie you head back to your desk and check your purse for those cough drops. There are about three but that should be good enough, plus they’re the ones that taste like candy. You lay them out on your desk before looking up to find Frankie in front of you. He leans across the table with that look in his eye, the one that makes your tummy flutter. 

“I meant it when I said thank you back there. I appreciate you so much, Hermosa.” He places his warm hand over yours. 

“Never a problem Catfish.” You let your eyes fall back on the desk and remember to ask him, “It’s fine that I give these to Rosie right?” 

He laughs at your genuine sweet nature before answering, “Yes, and if it’s not too much would you mind checking on her, I’m not sure how often I’ll be able to.”

“Like I said never a problem.” You give him your biggest smile, making it a point to scrunch your face. 

The two of you share a moment before he releases your hand to head back out to the garage. Coincidentally you find the guys staring at you with smirks plastered on their faces. They say their last comforting words to Rosie and trail after Frankie.

Since two of the three cars were going to be ready in an hour you called to let the customers know. You peer over to find Rosie drinking her tea and you grab the first cough drop before heading over. 

“How’s your tea?” You take a seat in the chair next to the sofa.

“It’s good but I like more sugar.” Her direct answer has you nodding your head in faux contemplation. 

“If you finish that cup I promise to make your next one extra sugary.” She smiles at your bargain and begins tipping the cup back to drink more. “You don’t have to get it all now sweetie but I love the enthusiasm.” 

“What’s your name?” You tell her your name and she says it a couple of times while nodding. You return the question to her as if you didn’t already know.

“I’m Rosie. So are you my Daddy’s friend?” The tilt of her voice makes you think she’s teasing you. 

“Yes, I am why?” You put a tilt in your voice similar to her.

“You’re really pretty to be his friend.” She tries to hide her smile behind the mug. 

“Thank you, Rosie, I think you’re really pretty too.” Her giggles warm your heart and you almost forget the reason you came over here. “I brought you a cough drop but I promise it tastes like candy.” 

“Thank you, I don’t think I feel as bad anymore so can I have that piece of pie now?” Her puppy dog eyes resemble her father’s so much that you don’t think you can deny her. 

“Alright finish that tea, but not too fast, and I’ll get it ready.” You make your way back to collect the pieces of pie from your desk and bring it to the break room. Each piece is placed on a paper plate and you grab two plastic forks from the box on the counter.

When you come out of the break room Rosie is criss-cross applesauce on the couch pleasantly waiting for the pie. A huge smile breaks out across her face when you place hers in front of her and she thanks you immediately. Neither of you wastes time digging into your respective slices. 

A few minutes pass before the tell-tale bell rings above the door and a customer walks in. You leave your half-eaten slice to go back to the desk and greet them. She gives you her last name and you bring up her paperwork in the system. 

“Okay let me check in and it shouldn’t be long. Please take a seat anywhere and I’ll get back to you.” On your way towards the garage, Rosie smiles big at you with purple smeared around her mouth. You wave back before going through the door. 

“Who’s working on Monroe’s Honda?” You call out to the four men in the area, and Benny’s head pops up from the hood. “She just arrived and I wanted to know how much longer.” 

“I was literally about to come inside I’m just running my third check to make sure.” He heads back to the car and you leave to head back but Frankie saddles up next to you. 

“How’s my baby? I have about 10 minutes left on this car before I’m done.” You are tempted to answer for yourself but you know what he means.

“Tearing down that berry pie like it’s going out of style.” His laugh sounds full and boisterous and you’re glad after how irate he was when he went to pick up Rosie. 

The waiting area is the same as you left it and you let Mrs. Monroe know her car is just about ready. As you turn around you almost bump into Rosie who’s holding her now empty plate in her small hands. 

“I finished and I couldn’t find the trash.” You shouldn’t be surprised at her manners since Frankie is her father but you tell her to follow you. She rounds the desk behind you and you point out the trash can under your desk. “If you want you can have the rest of my pie.” 

Rosie still places her plate in the trash but she thanks you before running back off to her corner. Benny slides through the door and checks out Mrs. Monroe so you head back over to Rosie. 

Before you can sit in your seat she tells you, “I have to tinkle.” And just as quickly as you sat down you’re right back up and guiding her to the bathroom in the back. You wait in the hallway while she finishes up her business. The moment she opens the door you double-check that she’s washed her hands. Thankfully Rosie provides her slightly damp hands for your approval.

“What’s your favorite color? Mine is all of them, I can’t pick one.” Her charming voice fills the empty hallway you two walk down. 

“I used to love all the colors too, but now I really love purple.” You look down at her to smile while giving your answer and she slips her slightly damp hand in yours. 

“Purple is really pretty but so is the rainbow and cheetah.” You didn’t have the heart to correct her on cheetah being a pattern. 

When you two re-enter the lobby the both of you are so engrossed in conversation that you miss the tension unfolding while you’ve been away. Frankie stands in front of a stunning woman with dark brown hair who’s seething in anger. But she’s not the only one, Frankie’s irritation is coming off his body in waves. 

Clarity alludes you the more you look between them, there’s a familiarity. It doesn’t take long for the pieces to fall into place when Rosie raises her other hand to wave at the woman before yelling out, “Hi Mommy.” Two sets of eyes land on you and you’ve never felt more out of place in your life. Suddenly being swallowed by the earth sounded delightful. 

“Who the hell is this?” Her sharp but alluring voice cuts through the air and you finally allow yourself to fully take her in. This is Frankie’s wife. You can’t help but notice her polished appearance, her hair looks freshly blown out and her French-tipped nails only add to the form-fitting dress she’s wearing. 

“I’m the receptionist, I just took Rosie to the bathroom.” You try and keep your voice level, not wanting to escalate the situation in front of Rosie. 

“I’m gone for a couple of hours and you pawn our daughter off to some receptionist?” Though she kept her voice down you end up hearing every word. 

As much as you’d heard about her you still weren’t prepared to see her, part of you was pretending as long as you couldn’t see her she didn’t exist. 

“A couple of hours?” Frankie pauses at that to give her the nastiest look you’ve ever seen cross his face. “You dropped our daughter off knowing she was sick so you could-” He stops himself to gesture at her clearly put-together outfit. 

“I didn’t know she was sick, how was I supposed to know she would throw up all over the place.” From Frankie’s face, it’s clear he wants to say something but with Rsoie here he holds himself back. 

“But I told you I didn’t feel good Mommy, you told me it would pass.” The silence that followed her innocent statement scared you, and you weren’t the one Frankie had his eyes set on. 

Shaking yourself out of your stunned stupor you gently coax Rosie to go see her Uncle’s in the garage. For the first time since you’ve worked here, you close the door behind you. The guys take notice and you simply tell them, “Frankie’s wife is here.” Confused faces instead turn into silent understanding and they pause their routine for closing.

…………

“Maria,” In all their years of marriage she’d never heard this tone of voice. “Are you fucking crazy?” The lack of yelling made it even worse, not that he ever really raised his voice. 

“Look Francisco, I had a meeting and it didn’t sound serious so I still dropped her off. Okay? I’m sorry.” Maria places her hands on her husband's biceps but he backs away from her touch. 

“You are unbelievable, they couldn’t get in contact with you for 5 hours. How long could this meeting have possibly been?” It was one thing for her to disregard him but for her to do it to their daughter was something unforgivable. But there was only one reason she would be so careless, and her outfit told him everything. 

“Tell me you weren’t meeting with Chris, tell me you didn’t drop our daughter off so you could run off with your boyfriend.” 

“I-,” A panicked expression crosses her face and Frankie doesn’t allow for any more of her excuses. 

“I’m done. Putting a man before our child is in-fucking-sane.” He can’t recognize the woman in front of him, and he understands how she felt during his addiction. The person he met at the altar is gone.

“I agree. The open marriage thing has gone too far and I’m ready to close it okay?” At this point even she can see her marriage crumbling before her and despite previous thoughts, she’s not ready to let go.

“I’m not talking about closing the marriage, I want a divorce.” The distinction in his voice before he turns and heads to the garage fills her with desperation. Maria follows closely behind him as he opens the door. She stays in the door way silently watching and waiting for another chance to talk.

You are gently rubbing Rosie’s head while she sleeps soundly in a makeshift bed of two chairs. The way Frankie’s face lights up when he looks at you makes her skin crawl. But it gets worse when your eyes meet his there’s no denying there is something between you. 

She thinks back to how Frankie told her Benny introduced him to the girl he was seeing. She supposes it makes sense you are beautiful and you seem caring. As much as she wanted to throw the rules in his face she knew she had no leg to stand on. At this point, she had nothing else to lose and Rosie was asleep so it would only be fair to warn you. 

From the doorway she makes herself known and Frankie rolls his eyes, hoping that ignoring her will make her go away. One look around the room and she can see how outnumbered she is. The men who once welcomed her with open arms now disdainfully glance at her. 

“I’m not sure how well he’s hidden it but he’s a drug addict and his PTSD will always send him right back down the cocaine rabbit hole. Save yourself from the endless baggage.” Maria threw her last card on the table and from the way Francisco froze, it had the desired impact.

No one could have predicted that would come out of her mouth. Your eyes widen at the sudden intake of information and you seek out Frankie’s eyes but he’s turned away from you. Seconds feel like minutes and no one else has said a word. What could be said to follow something so cruel? 

All you want to do is tell Frankie that you don’t think less of him, but that’s a private conversation. And unlike some people, you understand the need for privacy and tact. 

“It’s time for you to go.” William steps in to shield Frankie who keeps his eyes locked on the ground. 

While Maria struts away like she didn’t ruin what little comfort Frankie had, tears begin to rim his eyes. As if his shame wasn’t bad enough it had to happen in front of you. There was no telling how you would feel about him now and he wouldn’t blame you.

Benny and Santiago circle Frankie whispering about something you can’t hear. You stand to approach him but Will’s chest fills your vision. His eyes are cast down in a way that you can tell you’re being shut out of this private moment. 

“I don’t think now is a good time sweets,” His hand rests on your shoulder before squeezing in what you think is reassurance. 

“Could you tell him I don’t think any less of him? And to call me when he’s ready please?” Your voice cracks as you try to keep it together because you’re the last person who should be crying. 

Will feels terrible about making you go but it’s too late and you’re already out the door with your sniffles following. When the door closes again Frankie knows you’ve left and his shoulders begin shaking. The only reason he’s still standing is because of the three men holding him up. Thankfully Rosie’s cold keeps her knocked out so she misses her father’s breakdown. 

“We should talk.” You didn’t need to turn around to know who was behind your chair. His cologne was subtle but always lingering.

“About?” The last thing you wanted to do was converse with Blaise so you play dumb.

“Bab-” His sickeningly sweet words trigger the deep-seated anger in you.

“Don’t call me that.” After everything that happened you wanted nothing to do with him and you thought you made that clear. 

His hand ghosts over your shoulder and you almost find yourself leaning into him for comfort like you once did. Instead you remain still, the pen you were once using to write is hovering over the paper.

You slightly turn your head to look at him only to find the space behind you empty. Disappointment disappears just as quickly as it appeared.

After that slight hiccup, you continue with your studying ignoring the slight pain in your chest. As much as you try you can’t regain the focus you had before, his presence always seemed to do that to you. Soon enough you begin packing up your things to head to your dorm and attempt a good night’s rest. 

On your way past the kitchens, a strong arm clasps around you from behind, hauling you into their chest. Before you could scream for help their other hand closes over your mouth.

“It’s me,” The voice causes an instant roll in your eyes, “I’m sorry but we need to talk.” Theo releases his hand from your mouth once the tension leaves your body. 

“First Blaise and now you, what is it?” At this point, you can hardly keep your annoyance at bay because all you want to do is forget.

“You know it’s not his fault what happened. If you want to blame anyone blame me and Malfoy for doing nothing but please don’t ice Blaise out.” Theodore pleads with you for the sake of his best friend.

“We all played a part in what happened and none of us stopped it.” This was the first time that you’ve opened up since that night. Who would truly listen to the cries of a death eaters' child?

“We didn’t have a choice, we’ve never had a choice in all this.” When you look up at Theo’s eyes you see how heartbroken he is too. You know you aren't being fair and your eyes dart back to the ground.

“That doesn’t stop the nightmares or the guilt of being just like them.” Your eyes begin to sting and you wonder if one day you’ll be able to forgive yourself. 

Before your first tear can drop Theodore brings you into his embrace. For the first time, you allow yourself to break down and acknowledge the pain you’ve kept to yourself. All of the painful remnants of that night come flooding back and all you can do is cling to his now soaking wet shirt.

“I know.”

……..

July 26th, 1997

When you and your family first arrived at the Malfoy Manor all seemed to be business as usual. Theodore, Blaise, Draco, and you hung around the edges with an unspoken agreement that you each sought comfort in each other. None of you were completely indoctrinated like your parents but you would never voice that in fear that it would possibly lead back to them somehow. 

Over the years you had grown closer to Blaise, he was the first person to show you what unconditional love is. He never judged you even when he found your secret stash of muggle trinkets. In fact, he helped you grow it by gifting things he would find in the villages around his mother’s villa. Though there was never a formal conversation about it, the two of you became more than friends. 

Secret glances during group hangouts turned into stolen kisses in the astronomy tower. Not to mention your parents were more than thrilled at the possibility of a son-in-law as accomplished as Blaise. 

Today, tensions were high as Harry was slowly discovering just how powerful he could be. Though it would never be said out loud The Dark Lord found himself a worthy adversary. Low murmurs filled the dining area as more and more Death Eaters pooled in to speak about solutions. A silence permeated the room like a wave, and you tried to see what had everyone stunned. 

The Dark Lord himself walked in with Fenrir Greyback and Professor Burbage. Blaise put himself in front of you attempting to shield you from the sight but it was too late. One of her shoes was missing, due to Fenrir roughly dragging her by one of her arms and it was quite obvious from her face she didn’t go willingly. You never took outward interest in her class knowing it would get back to your parents but you were familiar with her. She told you all about the trinkets you would collect and how muggles used them. You were dumb enough to believe she resigned, you should’ve known better.

She was the one who helped shift your perspective of them. 

Her main philosophy was that muggles and wizards weren’t much different at all. You grip Blaise’s arm and peek your head out only to find them suspending her mid-air. Tears naturally fall from your eyes at the sight of one of the few people who brought light into your life being strung up for slaughter. Death Eaters swarm to the dining table to begin the meeting and you feel frozen in your spot.

“We can’t let them do this.” Even you know you’re speaking nonsense but you can’t bring yourself to accept what’s happening.

Blaise turns around and quickly wipes your tears, “Listen there’s nothing we can do without getting ourselves killed.” His words send a panic through your body. “Now isn’t the time to play hero.” Despite his biting words you shakily reach for your wand, but his hand is quick to stop you. 

“Blaise please,” You try and plead with him but he ignores your protests. 

His arm snakes its way around your waist before he begins forcefully guiding you to the table. You steal a glance at Draco and Theodore only to find their horrified eyes on the ground. As you each take your seat with The Dark Lord at the head, Professor Burbage twitches. You know deep down there’s nothing you can do to save her, no one can.

Last to arrive is Professor Snape and he is welcomed with open arms. When he sees his colleague hanging in the air he can’t even suppress his surprise. The armrests you were gripping would break if they were made from anything other than wood. Blaise slides his hand over yours and slowly rubs his thumb around your knuckles. 

Breathing was starting to hurt. Keeping your eyes down was a terrible plan, the shadow of her body is displayed on the table.

The meeting dragged on as Lord Voldemort took the time to show everyone why he was so feared. But the worst part was Mrs. Burbage’s begging for Snape to help her. The sheer desperation in her voice would haunt your dreams. Mrs. B saw you at that table but you kept your eyes downcast, and holding back the tears rimming your eyes was becoming harder.

"Severus please...we're friends," Her last plea was immediately silenced.

A wave of nausea spreads through your body at her dead body slapping against the table only for Nagini to swallow her whole. Never in your life had you been so disgusted by those around you and yourself. A bunch of cowards gathered around proclaiming their supremacy. Even if it meant your life you should’ve stepped in, at least you would have stood for something. At least she would have known you cared. 

They laughed as she begged for her life like it was the funniest joke in the world.

That night when it was time to leave you spared no glance at Blaise or the others as you hurried over to your parents. You ignored his attempts at communication even going as far as to send back the muggle trinkets destroyed. Theodore and Draco try their hand but they receive the same cold shoulder from you. Even your regular friend group hasn’t heard from you. 

At night you lost more and more sleep, unable to handle the face that would inevitably parade through your mind. With school coming up you had to remedy your sleeping habits, especially the nasty bags that have aged your face significantly. And though you’d been able to force yourself into a slumber with magic the real problem still lurked. Every time you close your eyes you see her dangling in front of you as she tries to reach out for help. You failed her. 

………..

After completely wetting the front of Theo’s shirt you pull back to calm your breathing. His watery eyes stared back at you, understanding your inner turmoil like always. 

“He did what he did to protect you.” His low voice lulls your uneven breathing.

“I just can’t stop seeing her in my head. The way they laughed.” Shaking your head you try and will the memory away.

Theodore says nothing but he reaches out to hug you this time using his hand to cradle the back of your head.

“He’s in the astronomy tower.” Were his last words before leaving you in the doorway to think. 

On the way back to your dorm you think of how unfairly you treated Blaise, intrinsically you know everything he does is for you. To protect you. Even on the odd occasion when you questioned where you stood with him, all it took was a look from him.

…….

His back is facing you while he stares off into the foggy forest. That talk, if you could really call it that, with Theodore was cathartic. You’d kept everything bottled up because of the guilt you felt and Blaise was at the receiving end of it. Clearly, he hadn’t heard you come up and you used the extra time to formulate how you could express you’re sorry. 

“Are you just gonna stare at my gorgeous figure all night?” He never misses a beat you should’ve known better. 

“How did you know?” Involuntarily your voice slightly cracked while addressing him. His head slightly turns but he doesn’t move from his spot.

“I can smell that muggle perfume you love to wear dar-” He cuts himself off by clearing his throat. Your words from earlier struck a chord and regret pools in your chest.

You've forgotten you have just as much of an effect on him.

“I’m sorry Z I didn’t mean what I said earlier I just,” The lump forming in your throat makes you stop to calm yourself down. “That night replays every time I close my eyes, I can still picture everything perfectly. She didn’t deserve that.” After your apology, your eyes are glued to the wooded floor unable to look Blaise in the eye.

The feeling of his arms encasing you almost fools you that everything will be alright. He rests his head above yours while he rubs circles on your back. The accelerated beat of his heart thumped against your ear while your head rested on his chest. 

“No matter what happens we’re trying to survive too.” His words allow you to relax in his arms once again. Your eyes close while you take in the way he smells and how it never changes. He preferred notes of cinnamon in all his body care and you never complained. 

“I’m not sure how many people would share that sentiment.” Besides the only person you ever felt you wanted in your corner was Blaise. 

“That’s because they’ll never understand what it’s like for us. I don’t see them opening their homes to us for safety, they just write us off like everyone else.” He wasn’t wrong, the self-proclaimed good guys often forget Hogwarts was the first exposure to culture outside of blood purism. 

Years of indoctrination don’t erase itself that quickly. There was plenty of trial and error throughout the years. But even if you didn’t agree none of the Order offered protection against the repercussions of your families. And there would be repercussions.

“I missed you.” After those words you pull back to look him in the eyes, your favorite feature of his. Maybe because he always had the ability to convey so much about how he feels without saying a word. You always did love the strong silent types. 

“I’ll always love you even when you hate me.” Blaise’s hands slide down from your back to rest on your hips. 

Your heart begins thundering at his devoted words and you find yourself reaching up to kiss him. He quickly meets you halfway, cherishing the closeness that’s been missing all these months. As his lips mold against yours you snake an arm to the back of his neck to bring him close. Neither of you thinking or particularly caring about being caught up here past curfew. 

When Blaise brings a hand to cradle your right cheek you pull back from the kiss, but he blindly follows after you. A smile forms for the first time in months when you gaze into his hazy eyes.