I Prefer to Live in My Head

MASTERLIST

[alexchild60]

Masterlist

Mortal Kombat

*Kung Lao*

Time-  This is a song imagine for Time by NF.

What A Man Gotta Do- This is a song imagine for What A Man Gotta Do by the Jonas Brothers.

Nothin’ On You- This is a song imagine for Nothin’ On You by B.o.B.

Lost It All- This is a song imagine for Lost It All by Black Veil Brides.

West Side Story

Leave It All Behind (Riff x Reader)

Ch. 1

Ch. 2

Ch. 3

Ch. 4

Ch. 5

Ch. 6

Ch. 7

Ch. 8

Ch. 9

King’s Choice

Ryan

The Most Stunning Rose

[alexchild60]

Leave It All Behind - Riff Love Story (West Side Story) *Ch. 9*

It had been a month since I decided Riff and I needed a break. It was hard to get used to falling asleep alone again. I did spend plenty of nights in tears over the whole situation, but I knew what I did was necessary. I went along like I had done before I met him. Jackie and Martin had become an item, so she wasn’t at our apartment as often. Because the Jets had destroyed Mr. Johnson’s shop, I went to Doc’s for things I would’ve gotten there. I spent a lot of time getting to know Valentina. Since Doc’s was the hangout spot for the Jets, Riff and I would run into each other. Neither of us would make eye contact with the other. When Riff wasn’t around, Tony would give me updates about how he was doing.

***

There was a time when I was at Doc’s talking to Valentina.

“If you’re looking for a new dress, I know a Puerto Rican girl who makes the most beautiful ones,” Valentina informed me. Ever since I popped into Doc’s after going dancing with Larry, she had been trying to convince me to buy a new dress.

I chuckled. “I’ll be sure to let you know when I need a new dress, Valentina.”

The bell chimed and a group of male voices interrupted the silence. The Jets. My curiosity overcame me causing me to glance at them. My eyes locked with Riff’s immediately. He held my gaze for a moment, but then turned away.

“I need some fresh air,” he mumbled as he walked out.

I sighed and looked down at the counter.

“Mija, you’re better off without him,” Valentina whispered to me. “He’s nothing but trouble.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I mumbled.

Valentina lightly sighed. “Hey, don’t mess with that!” She walked away to talk to one of the guys.

Tony slipped into the seat beside me.

“How are you holding up, Y/N?”

“I’ve had better days. How’s Riff?”

“Well, he’s Riff. I know he’s hurting, but he won’t let me in.”

“I imagine it’s been hard on him.”

“That’s an understatement. Riff is used to nobody caring about him, but you were different. After I saw you two that night, he always told me how much you meant to him. He still does.”

***

I lied in bed awake. This is how most of my nights would go, struggling to go to sleep, and some of my days when I didn’t go to work or Doc’s. Jackie was at Martin’s house and wouldn’t be back until tomorrow.

Suddenly, a bunch of rapid knocks came on my window. I quickly got out of bed to see Riff on the other side of the window. I took a second to look at him. He had a black eye, some bruises, and some scratches on his face. I unlocked the window to let him in.

“Riff, what are you doing here?” I asked once he shut the window behind him.

He was out of breath and had an anxious look. “I didn’t know where else to go.”

“Riff, what happened?”

“It’s Tony.” He started pacing. “There was a rumble tonight between us and the Kings. Tony and Ray were going back and forth, but then one of Ray’s guys snuck up on Tony. Tony turned on him and started punching him, but then he started taking it too far. He almost killed the guy. Now he’s in lockup.”

I placed my hand on his shoulder. “Riff, Tony is going to be okay. Let me take a look at you and we’ll figure it out. Just sit down and I’ll be right back.”

He sat on the bed while I went to retrieve a rag and my first aid kit. I came back into the room to see Riff still not completely at ease. I sat beside him and began placing the rag to a cut over his eyebrow.

We sat in silence as I cleaned his cuts. Riff looked into my eyes. “I missed you,” he whispered.

“I missed you, too, Riff.”

“It hasn’t seemed like it.”

I pulled the rag away and met his eyes. “Riff, you don’t know how I’ve been feeling.”

“Every time I saw you at Doc’s it seemed like you were fine. Just moving on with your life without me.”

“I tried to move on,” a tear slid down my cheek, “but it hurt so much knowing you weren’t here with me.”

Riff wiped my tears away with his thumb. His hand lingered on my face and his eyes searched mine as best as they could. He lightly grabbed my chin and leaned forward. In my head, I knew I should pull away, but I didn’t. Our lips met. The kiss was light at first, but then it turned more intense, more passionate. Before I realized, I was on my knees with each of my legs on each side of Riff’s. He placed each of his hands on my hips.

I pulled away. “I missed you so much, Riff.” I gave him a long, passionate kiss. “I love you.”

Riff flipped me onto my back. “I love you, too, Y/N.”He hovered over me and ran his hand up the side of my leg. My arms were wrapped around his neck with my fingers running through his hair. After a few minutes, we stopped and laid there in each other’s embrace.

“Have you gone to see Tony yet?” I asked as I wrapped my arms around Riff’s waist.

He shook his head. “They’re out looking for us.”

I placed a kiss on his lips. “You can stay here tonight, and we’ll figure out a way to see him tomorrow.”

[alexchild60]

Leave It All Behind - Riff Love Story (West Side Story) *Ch. 8*

My sleep was disrupted by aggressive knocking on my apartment door. I flicked on the lamp light.

Riff groaned beside me. “Who’s knocking?” He asked clenching his eyes tighter.

I pulled the covers and his arm off me. “Jackie probably forgot her key.”

I wrapped my robe around me as I went to answer the door. To my surprise, Larry was standing before me with a panicked look on his face.

“Larry? What’re you doing here this late?”

“Someone ransacked Mr. Johnson’s shop,” he explained quickly. “I wanted to make sure you were alright.”

My hand covered my mouth. “Who would do that to Mr. Johnson? He does so much for everyone around here.”

“Some of the Kings saw some white boys wandering through here earlier. They went looking for them as soon as they saw the shop.” I didn’t know what to say. “I’m going with them to look. I just thought I’d check on you before I left.”

I nodded. “Thank you so much, Larry. I really appreciate it.”

He turned to leave. “Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Goodnight,” I called after him.

I shut the door and stood with my back against it. A million thoughts were going through my head. It couldn’t have been the Jets, could it? It had to be them. But Riff wouldn’t do something like that, would he? I didn’t really know him as well as I thought.

I went back to my room. Riff was sitting up in bed.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he commented. I didn’t say anything and sat on the bed beside him. “What’s wrong, Y/N?”

“Where were you tonight?”

He had a confused look. “Just doing some stuff with the guys.”

“What kind of stuff?”

“What does it matter?”

“Someone destroyed Mr. Johnson’s shop up the street. Said there were some white boys in the area. Is that where you were tonight?”

Riff let out a sigh. “It’s just business. The Kings think they run this city. The shop was to show them we do.”

He reached for my hand, but I jerked it away.

“So, Mr. Johnson’s shop is just collateral? That man has nothing else but that shop. He does so much for all of us here. He has nothing to do with the Kings.” I stood up. I started pacing and biting my nails. “They’re looking for all of you right now. I can’t imagine what they’ll try to do if they found you.” Riff stood up and tried to wrap his arms around me. I moved away from him.

“Y/N, calm down.”

“Calm down?! You destroyed Mr. Johnson’s shop and I’m protecting you.” I stopped pacing. Riff wrapped his arms around me.

“This is how it works. It’s nothing personal. It’s just what we do. The Jets do it. The Kings do it.”

We stood there in silence for a moment. “I don’t know if I can be apart of this,” I whispered. I sat back down on the bed. “Riff, I think I need some time away from you to think.”

I grabbed his hand as he sat down beside me. “Y/N – “

I cut him off. “I’m not saying I don’t care about you, Riff, because I do. Probably more than I should. But you’re going down a path, I’m not sure I can follow. My mom fought hard to make sure her daughters could make it in the world. She wanted better for me. I need to see if what’s best for me lines up with you.” I placed my hand on his cheek. “I want you to stay here with me tonight. They’re out there looking for you and I want to know you’re safe here with me.”

“What happens after tonight?”

“I don’t know.”

Riff nodded and lied down. “Then let’s just enjoy tonight.”

I curled up with him. His arms wrapped around me, and he placed a kiss on my forehead.

[alexchild60]

Leave It All Behind Update

Hey, guys! I just wanted to give y’all an update about the next chapter. I’m still writing it and figuring out what direction it needs to go. I can’t guarantee when it will be up, but it’s coming. I thank y’all for your patience and your kind comments regarding the story!

[amuseoffyre]

[caffiend-queen-deactivated20260]

I’d laugh harder but this is uncomfortably accurate.

[letswritestories101]

I’m in this photo and I don’t like it

[alexchild60]

The Most Stunning Rose - King’s Choice *Ryan Imagine*

A/N: I recently started playing King’s Choice and immediately got hooked, so naturally I came to Tumblr to find all the imagines; however, I noticed this is one fandom that is lacking in that category. Alas here I am making my dutiful contribution. I hope you enjoy!

I sat in the garden of the palace. The only light was that of the full moon. I stared at the stars and moon in admiration.

“The night sky is stunning,” I whispered to myself.

All the sudden a rose was placed in front of my face.

“The night sky is not as stunning as you, Your Highness,” a male voice whispered.

I directed my attention to the man standing in front of me. He was a brunette with the most beautiful features. He looked as if he was sculpted by the gods.

I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword. “Who are you?” I asked.

The man placed both of his hands up with the rose still in his right hand. “My name is Ryan.”

“Ryan?” I whispered as I tried to recall where I knew that name. The realization finally came to me. “I’ve heard about you.”

He smirked. “And what have you heard?”

I returned the smirk. “That you have the tendency to break the hearts of the women of the village,” I gestured to the rose in his hand, “right after winning them over with the most beautiful roses.”

The smile on Ryan’s face quickly dropped. “I do not intentionally break their hearts. I love the women I am with.”

I took my hand off my sword’s hilt. “Then why do you reject those who declare their love for you?”

He lowered his hands, but the smirk quickly returned. “If I were to accept the love of one, what would happen to the others who love me? It would most definitely break their hearts.”

I rolled my eyes. Ryan sat beside me on the bench. I continued to look up at the sky.

“Not many women can find beauty in the simple things,” he whispered.

“I imagine not many women can also say no to you,” I snarkily responded.

“That would be correct, Your Highness, but I’ve never been one to turn down a challenge.”

I stood up. “Goodnight, Ryan.”

Ryan lightly grabbed my hand before I could walk away. “I want to see you again, Your Highness.”

I pulled my hand away from his grip. “Goodnight, Ryan,” I repeated and walked away.

“Goodnight, Your Highness! I look forward to our next encounter!” He called after me.

***

A week had passed since I met Ryan in the garden. I was on patrol through the kingdom with Greg, my most trusted knight. We walked through the market keeping a watchful eye for anything out of the ordinary.

“Your Highness?” A small voice sought my attention.

I looked down to see a young girl with a rose in her hand. I glanced at Greg who had a confused look on his face. I knelt to eye level with the girl.

I gave a genuine smile. “Yes?”

She handed me the rose. “This is for you.” She also pulled a note from her dress. “And so is this.” Once she handed the note to me, she turned and skipped away.

I stood back up confused. “What does it say?” Greg asked.

I read the note to myself.

“Your Highness, I’ve been thinking about you since our last encounter. I want to see you again. Meet me in the garden tonight. – Ryan”

“He truly cannot take no for an answer,” I stated. Greg gave me a confused look. “Let’s keep patrolling.”

***

I entered the garden to see the shadow of a man sitting on a bench. I approached Ryan. He smiled once his eyes landed on me.

He lightly grabbed my hand and placed a kiss on my knuckles. “I knew you would come,” he whispered as he stood up. “Let’s go for a walk.”

Ryan kept his hold on my hand as he led me through the garden. Silence rang out between us. After a few minutes of walking, I decided to ask him what was plaguing my mind.

“What do you want, Ryan?”

He continued looking forward. “What do you mean?”

I pulled my hand out of his. “Since I’ve become lord of this kingdom, everybody around me wants something. So, what is it that you want? Land? Status?”

He gave a light smile. “I can assure you my intentions are pure.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

Ryan stopped walking and turned towards me. He grabbed both my hands in his and looked into my eyes. “All I want is to romance you, Your Highness.”

I raised my left eyebrow. “And how do you plan to do that?” I challenged.

“I will win you over with my charm.”

“What do you think my husband, Ian, would have to say about that?”

“It is not unusual for those in power to take lovers. I wish nothing more than to shower you with my love.”

“You really do not give up.”

He smiled. “Not until I get the woman I want.”

“Well, you’re going to need to do a lot more convincing.”

“How does another walk through the garden tomorrow night sound?”

“I think that can be arranged.”

[alexchild60]

I look forward to every chapter of Leave it All Behind, it's so perfect 🥰

Thank you so much! I appreciate your kind words!

[alexchild60]

Hello! I love your Riff series! It’s so sweet and I can’t wait for the next part :D

Thank you so much! I'm working on it slowly but surely. I always go back and forth between how I want the story to go. But thank you for your kind words!

[alexchild60]

Leave It All Behind - Riff Love Story (West Side Story) *Ch. 7*

A/N: Sorry it took a while for me to update, so this one is a bit long. I’d love to hear from y’all about your thoughts on the story. Hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

Tony looked back and forth between Riff and me.

“I’m guessing this is the girl you’ve been talking about.” He looked me up and down. “She’s not what I was expecting.”

Riff stepped forward. “Look, Tony – “

Tony put his hand up. He made eye contact with me. “What’s your name?”

“Y/N,” I mumbled.

He stepped towards me. “I’m Tony,” he greeted as he put his hand out for me to shake. I lightly shook it. Tony turned towards Riff. “I’m going to go back inside. I’ll just tell the guys I sent you to do something for me.” He walked away. “See you tomorrow, Riff,” he called over his shoulder.

Riff reached out and grabbed my hand. “Let’s get you home.”

The two of us started walking down the street. Riff had gone from holding my hand to wrapping his arm around my shoulders. To be honest, it was nice to be so open about our relationship. Although it was dark, there was no hiding right now. There was no worry. I leaned more into Riff. He leaned down and pressed a light kiss to my forehead.

We arrived at my apartment building. I looked up to Riff. “Walk up with me?”

“You sure?”

I nodded. We made our way into the building and to my apartment.

***

Friday had finally come. I woke up with Riff’s arm around me. I took a minute and soaked in his appearance. I placed a light kiss on Riff’s lips before getting out of bed. I quickly showered and returned to my room to get ready for work. Riff was still asleep when I entered the room. I put on my uniform and stood in front of the mirror fixing my hair.

Riff rolled over in bed, so he was facing me. “Good morning,” he mumbled as he watched me get ready.

I walked towards the bed and gave him a quick peck. “Good morning. I have to go to work in a few minutes.”

He gave a light chuckle. “So, you’re kicking me out?”

I nodded. “But you can come back tonight if you want.”

Riff smiled. “Yeah, I’ll be back tonight. I have a thing with the guys, so I’ll be here later than normal.”

“That’s okay. I have a thing with Jackie tonight.”

“Oh yeah? What thing?”

“She wanted to go dancing and I said I’d go with her. We’re meeting a guy she likes and his friend.”

Riff sat up. “You’re meeting a guy there? Like a date?”

“It’s not a date, Riff. Martin wouldn’t go unless Larry goes, so I’m going to keep Larry company.”

“That sounds like a date to me, Y/N.” He started getting angry.

“I’m not going with the intention of it being a date, so it’s not a date, Riff,” I replied with a bit of testy tone.

“Does he know that?”

I sighed. “Riff, there’s nothing to worry about.” I placed another kiss on his lips. “I’m not interested in Larry. I want to be with you.” I looked at my watch. “I really need to go. I can meet you at Doc’s afterwards if you want.”

Riff nodded. “Fine. I’ll see you at Doc’s afterwards.” He wrapped his arms around my waist. “I want to see how beautiful you look in your dress.” He started leaving kisses along my neck.

“Riff, stop. I need to go.”

He looked into my eyes with a smile on his face. “I love you, Y/N.”

A smile grew on my face. “I love you, too, Riff.”

***

I stood in my slip looking between the two dresses laid out on my bed.

“The pink dress,” I said as I picked it up. I set it back down and picked up the other dress. “No, the yellow dress.” I put the yellow dress back down. “Ugh!” I groaned and fell on my bed.

A knock came on my door. “Everything okay in there?” Jackie asked on the other side.

I got up and opened the door. “I can’t pick a dress to wear.”

I moved out of the way to let her walk in. Jackie walked to my bed and looked at the dresses. She picked up the pink dress and held it up to me, then set it down and did the same with the yellow dress.

“The yellow one,” she said as she handed it to me. “Now hurry. Martin and Larry will be here in a few minutes.”

I quickly put the dress on and looked in the mirror. I ran to grab my purse from my bedside table. I pulled out a pink lipstick. I returned to the mirror and applied it. I ran my fingers through my hair one last time to make sure it was styled the way I wanted. Once I was satisfied with how I looked, I grabbed my purse and went to the kitchen. Jackie was already sitting at the table. She was in a light blue dress.

“I’m ready!” I cheered as I sat at the table.

“They should be here any minute now.” She had a nervous look on her face.

“Are you doing alright, Jack?”

“Yeah. I just want everything to go right tonight.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just enjoy tonight. Enjoy being with Martin.” I wiggled my eyebrows at her.

“Thanks again for going with Larry. I really can’t thank you enough.”

“I’d do anything for you, Jack.”

She smiled. “I know.” There was a knock on our door. “That must be them.”

“I’ll get it.” I stood and went to open the door. Martin and Larry were standing in the doorway with smiles on their faces. Martin was wearing a red suit jacket and a matching tie, while Larry was wearing a navy suit jacket with a black tie. “Looking sharp,” I commented with a smile. “Come in. Jackie is in the kitchen.”

Martin entered first and headed to the kitchen. Larry and I stood in the entrance awkwardly.

“You look beautiful, Y/N,” he complimented.

“Thank you, Larry. You look quite nice yourself.”

Larry let out a light chuckle.

“Alright, let’s get this show on the road,” Martin called as he led Jackie to the door.

The four of us walked to a club in the neighborhood. As soon as we were at the entrance, you could hear the lively music coming from inside. The four of us entered to see people dancing left and right.

“Come on, Larry, let’s go!” I shouted as I pulled him to the dance floor.

The two of us fell into step with the rest of the crowd. Larry spun me here and there as the band blasted music into the dance hall. I chuckled and smiled as the two of us danced. Jackie and Martin made their way beside us. The four of us danced alongside each other just having a grand time.

After a few hours, I sat in a chair while Larry went to get something to drink for the two of us. I removed my heels and began rubbing my feet. My feet might’ve been sore, but I was having a great time.

“Sure worked up a sweat,” Larry said as he handed me a cup of water.

“Thank you,” I replied as I grabbed the cup from him. “My feet are killing me, but I just want to get out there and dance some more.”

Larry chuckled. “I’m willing to continue dancing if you want.”

“I should probably get going. If I don’t leave now, I’ll have to be carried out of here.”

Larry stood up. “I’ll walk you back.”

I stood up as well. “That’s alright. I need some time alone.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind walking you back.”

“It’s okay, Larry. Stay here and dance with some girls. I’ll see you back at the apartment building.”

Larry hesitated. “If you’re sure, Y/N. I’ll see you later.”

I grabbed my shoes and went on my way to Doc’s. As much fun as dancing with Larry, Jackie, and Martin was, I wanted to be back with Riff. I walked down the dark street I was used to walking in my nurse’s uniform and hummed “Bo Diddley”.

The open sign still hung on Doc’s door. I glanced through the window to see the store mostly empty. I pushed open the door and was greeted by the bell.

“Hola, mija!” Valentina greeted. “What are you doing here so late?”

“I’m just meeting someone,” I explained as I sat at the counter.

“Meeting someone this late?” She leaned forward. “Who’s the boy you’re meeting here?”

A blush crept on my face. I was about to answer but was interrupted by the bell on the door. I turned to the door and saw Riff walking in.

“What are you doing here?” Valentina asked sounding annoyed.

Riff smirked. “I’m meeting my girl here.”

“Aye, mija,” Valentina whispered. “I’ll be downstairs if you need anything. Doc should be back in a few minutes to lock up.” She turned her attention back to Riff. “You better pay for whatever you get.”

He put both of his hands up. “I promise, Valentina.”

Valentina sighed before stepping out from behind the counter. Her footsteps faded out.

“You clean up really nice, Y/N,” Riff said as he sauntered towards me.

I grabbed the skirt of my dress. “Do I now?”

Riff nodded. “It’s a shame I wasn’t the one to take you dancing myself.”

“I think I’ve got one last dance in me, Jet Boy.” I wrapped my arms around his neck. “If you wanna dance that is.”

“I would be honored,” he whispered as he lifted me from the stool.

I let out a laugh as he carried me to the middle of the shop. “You got a quarter?” I asked.

Riff fished in his pocket and pulled out some change. He placed a quarter in my hand. “Don’t tell Valentina.”

I put the coin into the jukebox and flipped through songs. I settled on the song “Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)” by The Penguins. The piano and light singing began as I went back to meet Riff. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he wrapped his around my waist. The two of us began to lightly sway to the beat of the music.

“Who knew you had rhythm,” I teased.

“You have no idea,” Riff whispered in my ear.

The two of us danced with just the music playing in the background. The bell rang on the door and Doc entered the store. We both looked at him.

“Hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Doc said.

“No, sir. We were just trying to get a few minutes to ourselves,” Riff responded.

“Well, I’m closing up shop now, Riff. I hate to kick you two out.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I reassured. “We should get going anyways.”

I grabbed Riff’s hand and led him out of Doc’s shop. Doc smiled as we walked by and locked the door behind us.

“Ready to head back to my place?” I asked Riff.

He nodded. The two of us walked back to my apartment.

“How was dancing with Larry?” Riff asked me.

“It was fun, but I definitely missed you.”

“You did?”

I giggled. “Yes, Riff. I actually like spending time with you.” I squeezed his hand.

He smiled and squeezed my hand in return. “I like spending time with you, too.”

“I’m glad. Otherwise, I’m putting all my eggs in the wrong basket. What did you and the guys do tonight?”

Riff scratched the back of his neck. “Nothing important.”

I eyed him before deciding to let it go. The two of us walked into my apartment building and straight to my apartment. I opened the door to see all the lights off. I figured Jackie wasn’t home yet. I pulled Riff to my room and fell onto my bed. Riff lied beside me. I grabbed his hand as I continued to stare at the ceiling.

“What happens now?” I asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Where do we go from here? I meant what I said this morning. I do love you, Riff. I just know the world won’t see it that way.”

“I don’t care. You’re all I care about.” I smiled. “We’ll take it day by day. We’ll get through this together.”

[boldlyvoid]

me: i love this fic idea i cant wait to write it

me writing the actual fic:

[alexchild60]

Couldn’t agree more 

[alexchild60]

Leave It All Behind - Riff Love Story (West Side Story) *Ch. 6*

Sunlight lit up my room. I opened my eyes and became aware of the position I was in. I had my head on Riff’s bare chest, his arm was wrapped around my waist, and our legs were tangled together. I took a minute to soak in his appearance. His eyes slowly opened and a smile formed on his face.

“Good morning, Y/N.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead.

“Good morning, Riff.”

“I could get used to waking up like this.”

I chuckled. “If we make this a habit, Jackie and I might have to start charging you rent.”

Riff moved, so that he was towering over me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and looked into his blue eyes. “I think I could find a better way to pay,” he whispered as his lips found their way to my neck and his hand slowly slid up my thigh.

I lightly grabbed his wrist. “Sorry, Riff. It’s a bit too soon for me. Don’t get me wrong. I want to, but I want to wait.”

“It’s okay, Y/N.” He moved his hand so that it was on my hip instead. “We don’t have to if you’re not comfortable.”

I placed a soft kiss on his lips. “I hate to cut this short, but I need to get ready for work.”

“I should probably go anyways. I have some things I need to help Tony with.”

“I’ll leave my window unlocked for you.”

He gave me a peck on the lips. “Good.”

The two of us got out of bed and went our separate ways.

***

I walked home from work with my path lit by moon and the occasional streetlight. I kept looking up at the clouds.

“Ugh, it’s going to rain,” I whispered to myself. “Please don’t rain until I get home.”

I picked up my pace. As I walked faster, I felt a small drop hit my nose followed by another and another.

“Shit.” I looked around for some form of shelter from the rain. Most of the shops nearby were closed due to the time. The only store left open was Doc’s Drug Store. I rushed as quick as I could to the store.

A small bell rang as I entered. The only people in the store were an older couple, a white man and a Puerto Rican woman.

“Hello, there!” The man greeted.

I was thrown off a little by the genuine kindness he demonstrated. “Hi,” I replied. “I’m sorry I needed some shelter from the storm.”

“No hay problema, mija,” the woman responded. “Quédate todo el tiempo que necesites.”

I gave a light chuckle. “Sorry, I only understood part of that. I’m not very fluent in Spanish.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed.”

I smiled. “It’s okay. It happens more often than I’d like to admit.”

The man looked me up and down. “Were you coming from the hospital?” He asked.

I nodded. “Yeah. I was on my way home from work.”

“How long have you been a nurse?”

“A few months.”

“It’s a good job to have,” the woman commented.

I smiled again. “My mom used to say the same thing.”

“Well, go on and have a seat,” the man chirped. “It looks like the rain will be here for a while.”

I sat on one of the stools at the counter. “This is a nice little shop you have here,” I commented. “I don’t usually come to this part.”

“Thank you very much. It was my daddy’s shop and his daddy’s before him. Valentina and I have had this store for what seems like forever.”

“We don’t get many people outside of our regulars,” Valentina chimed in.

I nodded and stood to browse the candy section. The bell on the door rang. The quiet store immediately increased in volume as a group of guys entered.

“They didn’t even know what was coming to them tonight!” One of them yelled.

“That was some great thinking back there, Tony,” another cheered.

I avoided looking in their direction. Being in this part, it was best to keep my head down. I continued shifting through the candy minding my own business.

“What have we got here?” One questioned. He moved towards me and placed his hand on the shelf. “I haven’t seen you in here before.” I rolled my eyes and continued looking through the candy. I knew better than to acknowledge him. “I would remember a pretty face like yours if you had been. And heaven knows a body like yours stands out.” I didn’t respond. If I ignored him, he would just go away. “C’mon, doll. I know you hear me.”

“Hey, Diesel. Lay off would ya?” I recognized that voice. I turned my head and saw Riff standing near the counter.

Our eyes locked until my attention was drawn back to the guy in front of me. Diesel had placed his hand on my cheek, the side where I had my black eye. “Doll, who did this to ya? I could take care of them.” I turned and faced the candy again. “I would never let a pretty girl like you look like this.”

Another set of footsteps walked toward us. “Diesel, leave her alone,” Riff said with a more annoyed tone.

Diesel raised his hands. “Alright, Riff. You want her all to yourself. I can take the hint.” He stepped back and went with the rest of the group.

“Sorry about him,” Riff whispered to me.

I grabbed a Milky Way off the shelf. “Don’t worry about it. I was just leaving.” I turned and walked to the counter. I handed the candy to Valentina and gave her the cash. “Thank you for letting me hide in here.”

She smiled. “Of course, mija. Feel free to come back.” She leaned forward and whispered, “I could use the company.” I returned the smile and walked to the exit.

Thankfully, the rain had slowed to a light sprinkle. I continued my walk home but heard splashing coming from behind me. Someone grabbed my wrist. I turned and came face to face with Riff. He led me to the side of the building.

With a look of concern and confusion, he asked, “What’d I do, Y/N?”

I let out a soft exhale. “You didn’t do anything, Riff. I just didn’t want to find myself in a situation like the other day.”

He grabbed both of my hands with his. “Diesel wouldn’t have hurt you.”

“I don’t know that.”

“I wouldn’t have let him.”

I looked down. “I don’t know that either.”

Riff grabbed my chin and forced me to meet his eyes.  “What do you mean?”

“Riff,” I sighed, “it’s different when you and I are just being ourselves in my room, but when we’re out here trying to be ourselves around other people it’s not the same.” A tear slid down my cheek. “The way people will look at us, like we’re doing something wrong.”

“Hey, Y/N. Hey.” He grabbed my face with both of his hands. He used his thumb to wipe away the tear that escaped. “It’s going to be okay.” He placed his forehead against mine. “I care about you. That’s not going to change because we’re around other people.”

In a rush of emotion, I forced my lips against his. Riff was taken aback for a second but began returning my kiss. He placed his hands on my hips and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

“Woah, what’s going on here?” A male voice asked.

Riff and I pulled away from each other and looked at whoever interrupted us. A guy who seemed to tower over Riff was standing there with a look of shock on his face.

“Tony,” he stated.

[alexchild60]

Leave It All Behind - Riff Love Story (West Side Story) *Ch. 5*

I woke up to the sun shining into my room. I immediately became aware of the arm wrapped around my waist and the body pressed against my back. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t comfortable. I rolled over so that I was facing Riff. He didn’t stir. I took a moment to take in the details of his face.

“I’ll let you take a picture if you want,” Riff mumbled with his eyes still closed.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to stare.”

I moved to get out of bed, but Riff grabbed my wrist. “I didn’t say it was a problem.” He pulled me closer and placed his face into the crook of my neck. “Let’s just stay here for a minute.”

The two of us just laid there in my bed just embracing the moment, until a knock came on my door.

“It’s Jackie,” I whispered.

“Y/N?” She called through the door.

“I’m coming!” I yelled back. I stood from my bed and wrapped a robe around my body. “I’ll be right back, Riff,” I whispered before opening my door.

Jackie was sitting at the kitchen table. “Good morning!” She set a cup of coffee down on the table for me. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling alright. I called Tina last night and she’s covering my shift today.”

“Good. I was hoping you wouldn’t go to work. You need to stay here and rest after what happened.”

“Yeah, that’s my plan for today.”

“Okay, well I’m going to be late for my shift if I don’t leave now.” She gave me a quick look over. “You seem happier this morning. Anyways, bye. I’ll see you when I come back.”

“Bye, Jack.”

I grabbed the cup of coffee from the table and headed back to my room. I heard the door shut before I shut mine. Riff had rolled over, so he was now facing the wall. I set the coffee on my bedside table and removed my robe before climbing back into bed with him. I wrapped my arm around him and pressed my body against his. I felt my eyes slowly close as I struggled to stay awake.

***

I was awoken by the sound of shuffling. I opened my eyes to see Riff putting on his shirt.

“Are you heading out?” I asked as I sat up.

“Tony called a meeting that’ll happen in about an hour.”

“Oh, alright then,” I replied quietly.

Riff climbed on the bed and lightly grabbed my chin, so I was looking into his eyes. “I’ll be back tonight, if you’ll have me.”

“Yeah, you can come back here tonight.”

A smile appeared on his face. “Good. I was hoping you’d say that.” His eyes glanced down towards my lips before moving back to my eyes.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and moved my face closer to his. “You can have a kiss from me when you come back tonight. I wanna make sure you come back.”

Riff smirked at my comment. “I like a woman that keeps me wanting more.” He placed a light kiss on my cheek. “I’ll be back in a few hours. Keep your window unlocked so I can come in.”

“Will do.”

We stayed in our current position for a couple minutes before Riff moved back. “I’ll see you tonight, Y/N.” He climbed out of my window. I got out of bed and closed the window behind him.

I showered and put on a pale, yellow dress. I figured I could clean up our apartment and make dinner by the time Jackie returned home.

***

I pulled the chicken I prepared out of the oven as the front door opened.

“Y/N, I’m home!” Jackie called from the living room.

“In the kitchen!” I called back.

Jackie appeared in the doorway. “Mmm. You made dinner?”

“Yeah. I figured you would appreciate coming home to a hot meal.”

“It’s like you read my mind.” She sat down at the table and watched me finish preparing dinner.

“How was work?”

“Good. Not much happened out of the ordinary. How was your day home?”

“It was fine. A bit lonesome, but I managed to survive by cleaning up a bit.”

“Lonesome? I heard someone in your room this morning.”

“You did?”

Jackie nodded. “You also seemed a bit different when I spoke with you this morning.” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back a little. “So don’t try to tell me nobody was here.”

“Fine. He stayed the night and left a few hours ago.”

“Was it that white boy?”

I nodded. “His name is Riff.”

“What kind of name is that?” I shrugged. “Y/N, I thought you were going to be careful.”

“I am being careful.”

“Messing with a white boy is not being careful. You’re asking for trouble.”

“It shouldn’t matter that he’s white.”

“It shouldn’t, but it does. There’s plenty of men here that would love to take you out on a date. Why don’t you just let them? Don’t let this white boy play with you. You’re just going to get hurt in the process.”

“He’s not playing with me, Jack. I’ve just been taking care of his wound from a couple of weeks ago.”

“And he needs to stay the night for that?”

“Jack, you wouldn’t understand.”

“You’re right, Y/N. I don’t understand.”

I sighed. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.” I handed her a plate.  “Let’s just enjoy dinner.”

We ate in silence.

“I ran into Martin and Larry in the hallway,” Jackie said.

I nearly spit my drink out. “Like Martin Martin?”

She smiled and nodded. “They want to take us out dancing Friday night.”

“Hmm. It has been a while since we’ve gone dancing.”

“Do you want to go? Larry was really hoping you would say ‘Yes,’ and Martin will only go if Larry goes.”

I thought about it for a second before nodding. “I’ve been wanting to go dancing for a while, so what’s the harm. Plus, I wouldn’t want to hurt your chances with Martin. We both know you’ve been head over heels for him since we moved into this apartment.”

“I don’t know how to thank you enough, Y/N. I’ve heard good things about Larry. We’ll have a great time!”

***

Jackie and I spent a few hours in the living room just chatting away. I looked at the clock.

“I should head to bed, Jack. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Goodnight.”

I went into my room and began changing my clothes. I felt a breeze and heard my window shut quietly.

“What a sight to come back to,” Riff said. I glanced in the mirror to see him smiling.

“You tend to come in at the right moment, Riff.”

He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. “There are other ways I’d like to see you instead.”

“Well, you’ll just have to keep dreaming, Jet Boy.” I turned around, wrapped my arms around him, and placed my chin on his chest so I was looking up at him. “But I think I promised you something when you came back.” I got on my tip toes and brought my lips to his. Riff’s lips were soft, but the way he kissed me back was a bit rough.

We broke away and Riff placed his forehead against mine. “Worth it.”

“How was your meeting?”

He placed a light kiss on my lips. “Let’s not talk about that. I’m here with you right now.”

I moved away from him and lied on my bed. “Fine come lie down with me.”

Riff unbuttoned his shirt and took off his shoes before climbing into my bed. I laid my head on his chest.

I touched his necklace. “Which Saint is this?”

“St. Peter. This belonged to my mom.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to – “

“It’s ok, Y/N. She gave it to me when I was young. She knew I was getting into trouble and figured this would protect me.”

I gave him a light kiss. “Well, I’m glad somebody’s looking after you.” I held my necklace. “I wear a cross for the same reason. It helps feeling like you have some protection being out here.”

Riff wrapped his arm around me. “As long as I’m around, Y/N, you’ll always have protection. After what happened to you last night, I’ll make sure nobody messes with you.”

“I believe you, Riff.” I yawned and closed my eyes.

[kater1naxoxo-deactivated2022070]

just wanted to say i love your writing so much and was wondering if you had any wss fic recommendations

Omg thank you so so much!! That’s so kind!

@inkandpen22 is a god with words, truly!!! She has two Riff ones: Only Love, Only Hate (which broke my heart!) and, Until This Night which is her ongoing one and it’s Amazing!!

And I’ve just read another Riff one by @alexchild60 called leave it all behind, which is also really good :)

I’ve also just been reading a Bernardo one by @promisingyoungwxman called HAPPY MELODIES AHEAD and it’s honestly so so great <3

[alexchild60]

Thanks! I appreciate your kind words 😊

[alexchild60]

Leave It All Behind - Riff Love Story (West Side Story) *Ch. 4*

I was awoken by a knocking on my window. I groaned as I glanced toward the window. I recognized Riff and immediately got out of bed to open the window. I turned on the light as he climbed in.

“It’s late, Riff. What are you doing here?” He looked down at his hands. I noticed how bloody his knuckles were. “What did you do?”

He glanced up at me. “I told you I would take care of it.” He placed his hand on my cheek which caused me to flinch because of the pain. “I found the guy who did this to you.”

I sighed. “Riff, sit down. I’ll be right back.”

I went to grab a rag and the extra ice pack Jackie brought from Martin. When I came back into my room, Riff was looking out the window. I walked up to him to see what he was looking at. I lightly grabbed his hand and led him to sit on my bed. I sat beside him and started cleaning his bloodied knuckles.

“I didn’t need you to do whatever you did,” I said as I glanced up at him.

“You’ve been helping me for the past few days. I owed you.”

“You don’t owe me anything.” Silence rang through my room. “What did you do anyways?”

“When I left here, I went and found my guys. I told them I was looking for a guy named Terry with a scar on his cheek and his friend Terry. We split up to find them and after some time we finally did. One of my guys found him and told me where he was at. When I finally came face to face with Terry, I lost it and punched him. We got into a fight on the ground until one of his buddies pulled me off him. I turned to his friend and started fighting with him. My friend, Tony, pulled me off him and some of their friends chased after us. I lost them near here.”

I finished cleaning his knuckles. “You can stay the night here then. It’s probably best for you to hide until the sun comes up.” Riff nodded.

I went to put the rag away and grabbed an extra pillow and blanket. I was about to put them on the floor, but Riff stopped me.

“You can sleep here.” He moved to the edge of the bed. “I’m not going to bite.”

I debated in my head for a split second before deciding. I lied down beside him. It was surprisingly comfortable to be close to him. I could feel the heat radiating off his body. I was on my back and just stared at the ceiling for a while. I glanced to the right of me and saw Riff doing the same thing.

“Did you grow up here?” I asked.

Riff rolled onto his side, so he was facing me. “Yeah. You?”

“I’ve lived here since I was seven.”

“Where did you live before here?”

“I was born in a small town in Texas. My mom moved us here because she was afraid for our safety there. She’s Mexican, but our dad is black. She figured it would be safer for us if we moved to the North, but it’s the same story just a different place. But I know it’s not easy living here for anyone.”

“My grandfather moved here from Ireland before my dad was born. He used to tell me stories about the struggles he had being an immigrant. He worked hard for what he had, and he taught my dad what it meant to stand up for what was yours and my dad taught me.” He paused and looked at me for a few seconds. “Why did you become a nurse?”

I sighed. “I wanted to help people and prove that I could do more than people expected.” I turned onto my side to face him. “Why are you with the Jets?”

“I needed a family. My dad was hardly home and when he was, he would just beat my mom. I spent a lot of time at Tony’s and I’m thankful for the family I found with him. We wanted to do that for the other guys who were going through what we were going through. Why do you live in this part?”

“It seemed like black people were more accepting of me being Hispanic than Hispanics were of me being black. Back where I’m from, it’s not an ideal mix. But I don’t feel like I fit in with either group.”

“I know all about that,” he whispered. “Where is your family?”

I chuckled. “I thought it was my turn to ask a question.”

He chuckled, too. “I didn’t know we were taking turns.”

“Well, we are but I’ll answer your question anyways. My sisters have families now and moved upstate. My mom passed away a couple years ago. What about your family?”

“Both my parents passed a few years back. I’ll let you ask another question.”

“What were you looking at through the window?”

“I was looking for the guys who were chasing me. Then I spotted a couple in the apartment across from here. They were sitting in the kitchen laughing and enjoying each other’s company. It made me wonder what they see when they look here.” He looked in my eyes and smiled. Riff placed his hand in my curly hair. “You should probably get some sleep. I would hate for you to be tired while you’re saving people’s lives.” He leaned in closer, so our faces were a few inches apart. I saw his eyes flicker down towards my lips and back to mine.

I put my hand right in front of his face. “Good night, Riff.” I rolled over to face away from him.

“Good night, Y/N.”

[alexchild60]

Leave It All Behind - Riff Love Story (West Side Story) *Ch. 3*

Jackie and I walked on the sidewalk with a bag of groceries each. We were just passing a construction site as she was telling me about her shift the night before. We both are nurses at the same hospital, but we work different shifts. “Yeah, and I told her she should worry about herself. If Dr. James thought I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to, then he would tell me not her. I saw three white guys staring at us from the other side of the street. I tried to ignore their stares and focus on Jackie. “You’re not wrong, Jack. What did she say after you told her that?” “She just rolled her eyes and went to bother Mary. I don’t understand why she thinks it’s her job to tell me how to do mine.” A whistle rang out in the air.

“What are you two doing around here?” A male voice hollered.

“Anyways, I’m pretty sure Irene is going to be fired within the month.” “Hey! I know you heard me.” “C’mon Jack, let’s just hurry home.” I could hear footsteps getting closer as if they were running right at us. A blond man stopped in front of us to prevent us from moving forward. “My friend asked you a question,” he said as he placed a hand against the building right beside us. “We’re not looking for trouble,” Jackie replied as she tried to walk past him. The guy roughly grabbed her arm, which caused her to let out a small yelp. Two brunettes stood beside him. I noticed one of them had a long scar on his cheek. “What are you doing here?” Scar asked. “We’re just passing through from the market,” I answered. The other brunette touched my curls. “Well, there’s a fee to pass through here for your kind,” he said. “Look, we’re not looking for trouble,” Jackie repeated. “And there won’t be any trouble if you just do what you’re told,” the blond answered as he looked at me. He glanced at Jackie. “You’re too dark for me anyways.” “Please just let us through and we won’t say anything,” I muttered. Scar stepped closer to me. “No one would believe you anyways. But I have a better idea.” He glared at me before raising his fist. My nose immediately started hurting and my glasses fell off my face. I stumbled back from the force, which resulted in me falling to the ground. He swung at me again. “Get off her!” Jackie yelled. I tried my best to cover my face. “Alright, Terry that’s enough,” the blond said. “Yeah, Michael’s right. We need to get out of here.” He stood up and looked at the other two. “You better not come around here again,” he warned. The three of them quickly took off. Jackie knelt beside me. “Y/N, are you okay?” I shook my head. “Let’s get home.” *** I sat in the kitchen holding an ice pack to my face. Jackie had helped clean me up as soon as we came home. “How are you feeling?” She asked as she lightly pulled the ice pack away from my face. “I think I just need to rest.” She nodded. “I’m going see if Martin has an extra ice pack. I’ll come check on you later.” I nodded and watched as she left the apartment. I sighed before getting up and walking to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror. A big purple bruise had formed around my eye in contrast to my light brown skin. “One day you’ll get out of here, Y/N,” I whispered to my reflection. I turned off the light and went straight to my room. Without turning on the light in my room, I changed out of my dress into a nightgown. A light knock came from my window. I turned and saw Riff smiling on the other side of the window. I opened the window. “I think it’s starting to get better,” he said as he entered. He paused. “Why is it so dark in here?” “I have a bit of a headache,” I replied. “Then I promise to be in and out of here.” He moved across my room and flipped the light switch. I grimaced at the sudden brightness. Once Riff looked at me, a concerned look appeared on his face. He lightly grabbed my chin and looked at me. “What happened to your face?” I turned my head away from him. “Don’t worry about it. Let me change out your bandage.” I moved to grab the bandages on my bedside table but was blocked by Riff. “Hold on. I want to know what happened to you. Who did this to you?” “Don’t worry about it, Riff.” “No. Tell me what happened.” I looked down at the ground. “Jackie and I got into an altercation with some guys on our way home from the market. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Let me change your bandage.” He turned and grabbed the bandages from the table. Riff sat on the edge of my bed and took off his shirt. I grabbed the bandages and knelt on the floor. “It is getting better,” I commented when I removed the bandage. There was silence while I cleaned his wound and changed out the bandage. A few minutes passed before I finished. “All done.” I rose from the floor, but Riff stayed sitting down. He stopped me from walking away. Riff grabbed my chin and made me look at him. “Were they white?” “Riff, I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” “Well, I want to know what happened. Tell me. Were they white?” I sighed and nodded. I knew he wasn’t going to let it go. “What did they look like?” I shrugged my shoulders. “You know. Tell me what they looked like.” I didn’t say anything and avoided looking him in the eyes. “Tell me, Y/N.” “It was a blond guy and two brunettes,” I whispered. “One was named Terry and had a scar on his left cheek. Another was named Michael.” Riff’s jaw tightened. He grabbed his shirt and put it back on. “I’m going to take care of it, Y/N. Okay?” “Just leave it alone, Riff.” “No, you’ve been helping me with this. Let me help you.” “Just leave it alone, Riff. Go home. I have a headache and want to go to bed.” “Alright, I’ll leave.” He went back to my window. “And I’m going to take care of it.”

[alexchild60]

Leave It All Behind - Riff Love Story (West Side Story) *Ch. 2*

I woke up to sunlight hitting my face. I lightly groaned as I opened my eyes and became aware of my surroundings. I sat up on the floor and looked towards my bed. Riff was still sleeping. I got up and quietly went to the kitchen.

My roommate, Jackie, was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee and a plate of food.

“Make any extra?” I asked as I sat across from her.

“Sure. There’re some eggs sitting over there ready to be cracked so you can make yourself some breakfast,” she replied with a smile.

I playfully groaned. “Nice roommates make food for each other.” I went to the stove and began making myself some breakfast.

“I heard you come in last night, Y/N. Did you bring somebody back with you?” She playfully wiggled her eyebrows as she put eggs into her mouth.

I chuckled. “I just helped someone out.”

“Oh, I bet you did. Is he still here?”

Jackie quickly got up from the table and rushed to my room.

“Jackie, get back over here,” I called after her.

I stopped what I was doing and hurried right behind her. I caught up to her with her hand on the doorknob. Before she could open the door, the door opened from the other side. Riff just stood in the doorway with his bloody shirt back on. Jackie took a step back shocked at what she was seeing. I sighed before stepping between the two of them.

“Let me check the bandage before you leave, Riff,” I said as I lightly pushed him back into my room.

I quickly shut the door behind me while Riff sat on the edge of my bed. I carefully lifted his shirt and looked at the bandage.

“I’m going to change it really quick.” He just nodded. I grabbed a new set of bandages and sat beside him. “You’ll want to keep an eye on the bandage. Make sure it stays dry and if you notice it getting wet from the wound get someone to change it out.”

Riff nodded again. “Um, thanks for helping me out, uh… I never got your name.”

“It’s Y/N. And I was just doing my job.”

Riff smiled at my response. “Thanks, Y/N.”

“You should go. You can go through the window. It’s a bit harder for someone to see you going that way.” Riff nodded. I opened the window for him. “Be careful with your wound.”

“Thanks, again.”

I watched him until I couldn’t see him anymore. I shut my window and made my way back to the kitchen.

“You really messing with a white boy?” Jackie asked as soon as I shut my door.

I rolled my eyes. “I ain’t messing with no white boy. I found him hurt in the street.”

“Y/N, you know you need to be careful with white folks.”

“I know. I just couldn’t leave him out on the street.”

“Just be careful. I’d hate for anything to happen to you.”

“Thanks, Jackie. I’ll be more careful.”

***

I cautiously walked down the dark street from my shift at the hospital; praying there wasn’t a body lying on the ground waiting for me to foolishly help him. I safely made it inside my apartment and was welcomed by the darkness. Jackie should already be in bed, so I had some time to myself. I quietly entered my room and sighed with relief.

“Phew. It’s been a long day,” I whispered to myself as I sat on the edge of my bed and began removing my shoes. “I am ready to sleep.” I started removing my uniform as quickly as possible.

Once I got my uniform off, I heard a light knock on my window. Surprised, I quickly turned around to see a familiar face looking back at me. I sighed and rolled my eyes before walking towards my window.

“What are you doing here, Riff?” I whispered with my uniform covering me.

He lifted part of his shirt to show me his soiled bandage. I quietly opened my window slightly to allow him entrance. I grabbed my robe from my closet as he quietly climbed into my room.

“Why did you come back here?” I asked as I finished tying the robe.

Riff shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t know who else could help me out.”

I directed him towards my bed as I retrieved bandages. Riff removed his shirt without my prompting.

“How long has it been like this?” I asked as I removed the bandage.

“A few hours.”

I nodded and went to retrieve a wet rag like I used the night before. I carefully cleaned the wound.

“You should’ve had someone look at this sooner.” The room grew silent for a few minutes. “I’m surprised you were able to find your way back here.”

Riff smirked. “I try to remember women who help me out.”

I rolled my eyes in response. “I hope you don’t plan on making this a habit. How long have you been waiting here?”

“About an hour.”

“You could’ve been caught by someone.”

“I wouldn’t have been. Even if I was, I would’ve been fine. I can handle myself.”

“Right and that’s why you’re climbing through my window in the middle of the night,” I mumbled. I glanced up at him to see him looking around my room.

“So, how long have you been a nurse?”

“A few months.”

“Oh, I’ve got a newbie helping me out,” he replied. I could just tell he was smirking.

“You’re lucky to still be here. I could’ve left you lying on the sidewalk.” I glanced up at him again. His eyes were focused on my actions. I finished cleaning the wound. “All done,” I announced as I covered it with a new bandage.

“Thank you, Y/N.” He began putting his shirt back on.

“You’re welcome. Be careful going out the window.”

[alexchild60]

Leave It All Behind - Riff Love Story (West Side Story)

SUMMARY: Y/N is a 23-year-old, Afro-Latina living in 1950's NYC. She's just trying to survive in the world, but what happens when she has a run in with the leader of the Jets?

I cautiously walked home down the dark streets. I had just gotten off work from the nearby hospital and was just trying to get back home as quickly as possible.

“I just need to get home. I just need to get home,” I kept whispering to myself. I continued walking quickly.

“Unhh.”

I stopped in my tracks when I heard a deep groan. I looked around until my eyes landed on a figure lying on the sidewalk on the other side of the street.

“Just go home, Y/N,” I whispered to myself. “Just go home.”

“Unhh,” the body groaned again.

I tried to ignore the groaning and kept walking. My inner nurse stopped me in my tracks. “You’re supposed to help those in need.” I sighed and immediately turned around.

I walked towards the body quickly. As I approached, I realized the body was a white guy. “Oh, hell!” I whispered. I got on my knees beside him and looked him over. He was clutching his right side. I reached to move his hand, but he refused to let me move it. “Let me help you. I’m a nurse,” I told him as I reached again.

He looked at me and I looked right back into his blue eyes. He allowed me to move his hand this time. From the looks of it, he had been stabbed.

“What’s your name?” I asked as I replaced his hand with mine.

“Riff,” he groaned as I lightly touched around the area.

“It’s too dark here for me to be of much help. Do you think you can stand and walk, Riff? My place is not too far from here.”

He looked at me again and slowly nodded, more like he was trying to convince himself to let me help him. I helped him up from the ground as best as I could since he was about a foot taller than me.

We walked the few blocks to my apartment and managed to climb the stairs to the second floor. He leaned on me as I unlocked the door. I walked him to my room and helped him sit on my bed.

“I need you to remove your shirt so I can get a better look at the wound,” I said as I turned back to the door.

I went to the bathroom and washed my hands before grabbing a rag. I wet the rag and put some soap on it before heading back to my bedroom. I quietly shut the door behind me.

He had taken his shirt off and remained sitting on the side of my bed. “Go ahead and lie down so I can clean the wound.” He did as I said. I went to the side of the bed and got on my knees.

“Shit,” he groaned as I placed the rag against his wound.

“Shh. You’re going to wake my friend,” I scolded. He went silent but would quietly groan as I continued to clean the wound. “What happened to you anyways?” I halfway looked up at him before getting up to grab my first aid kit.

“I got stabbed by some,” he paused and looked at me, “guy.”

I rolled my eyes. “Close to the black neighborhood. I can only guess what you really wanted to say.” I saw a small tattoo on his arm that said “Jets”. “Part of a gang?” I asked as I placed a bandage on him.

“Yeah. I’m the leader of the Jets,” he replied proudly.

“I’ve heard a good amount about you guys. Especially about the things you’ve done to some of the other groups around here.”

“We protect our turf. We can’t just let the rest of you take that from us.”

“As if the rest of us aren’t just trying to get by,” I mumbled.

I finished applying the bandage over the wound and stood up. Riff went to sit up and grimaced as he attempted the movement. I placed my hand on his chest and pushed him back down.

“I think it would be best if you just rested here. You’re in pain and it’s too dark for you to be wondering the streets. I don’t need you passing out in the middle of the street somewhere. I can change your bandage in the morning, and you can leave.”

I grabbed an extra blanket and pillow then tossed them on the floor. I grabbed a nightgown and went to the bathroom to change. I looked in the mirror and just shook my head. I finished preparing for bed before returning to my bedroom. I quietly shut the door behind me and was greeted by soft snoring. I moved towards the bed to check on Riff before lying on the floor and going to sleep.