Since our first challenge last summer was a success, we are back with a new challenge for the month of June! You will have from June 1st to July 1st to get all of your submissions in.
This is our next writing challenge for the Ryan Gosling fandom! But, if you're not a writer, don't fret! We also accept other artistic submissions; such as artwork, playlists, mood boards, however you contribute to fandom! As long as it fits with the theme and/or prompt, we'll accept it!
The prompts are there as a guide - they do not need to be incorporated exactly as they are written. That means you can turn them on their heads and use them as you like! All prompts can be used as gender-neutral.
In addition to choosing prompts and tropes from the lists provided - there is an optional bingo!
Each bingo space (aside from the free space) has three prompts to choose from. If you want to somehow combine the prompts, feel free to do so! The card is at the bottom of this post.
⭐HOW TO WIN⭐
One Row
Two Rows
Four Corners
Full House
PARTICIPANTS MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER.
NO REAL PERSON FANFICTION ALLOWED. We only accept submissions regarding Ryan Gosling’s characters.
TAG YOUR WORKS ACCORDINGLY. This pertains not only to explicit works, but even your fluff! Make sure readers/viewers know what they’re going to find! If you want to leave something as a surprise, please ensure it’s nothing triggering.
NO USE OF EXPLICIT BANNERS/GRAPHICS. If your artwork includes something graphic or explicit, it must be tagged accordingly and posted under a read more.
USE A READ MORE FOR FICS WITH 500 OR MORE WORDS. You will also need to use a read more for any NSFW fics or art submissions.
SUBMISSIONS MUST INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE RYAN GOSLING CHARACTER. You may add in as many Goose characters in your entry as you like, or even combine fandoms!
SEQUELS & CONTINUATIONS OF PREVIOUS WORKS ARE ALLOWED. Please be sure to link to previous works in your submission!
IN ORDER FOR US TO FIND, READ & REBLOG YOUR POST, PLEASE USE THE TAG #GGFAIRYTALES2026 AND TAG US @goosegroupiechallenges!
And last, but not least…..
BE KIND TO EACH OTHER!
Princess and the Frog
Sleeping Beauty
Cinderella
Red Riding Hood
Rapunzel
The Little Mermaid
Beauty and the Beast
Shrek
Tarzan
Damsel in distress
Animorphism: Characters frequently turn into animals, whether due to a superpower, or as the result of a curse.
The Prince and the Pauper
Dragon guarding a hoard/kidnapped royal
Troll under the bridge
Three wishes
Masquerade ball
Rumpelstiltskin: Real name holds power
Enchanted forest
Fairy godmother: Bonus - Fairy Godgosling
Be careful what you wish for
Jack and The Beanstalk
Magic only exists in the dream world, until (character) accidentally performs a spell while wide awake.
Hidden Identity
Found Family through a quest
The Princess saves the Prince instead
Minotaur
Goblin
Unicorn
Dragon
Fairies/Fae
Phoenix
Griffin
Werewolf
Vampire
Faun
Centaur
Gorgon
Gnomes
Leprechaun
Ogre
Cyclops
Hydra
Siren
Selkie
Mermaid/merman
Harpies
Sphinx
Kraken
Medusa / Naga
Pegasus
“You seem familiar to me. Have we met before?” “You don’t remember?”
“That’s…an interesting way to break the spell.”
“You didn’t tell me about the dragon!!” “You didn’t ask!!”
“There’s absolutely no way you’re going into that forest alone.” “I’m not. You’re coming with me.” “Say what now?”
“Never thought I’d say this, but I’m actually thankful for this curse. It led me to you.”
“You’re supposed to read the whole book because the warnings come after the spells.”
“I’m no damsel, but I’m definitely in distress.”
[*earth shakes*] “Was that an earthquake?” “That, my dear, was a ________.”
“I didn’t ask to fall in love, but I have. And I can’t let you go. Not again.”
“I am Prince/Sir ______ of ______, and I come to fight for the honor of your hand.”
“Twins separated at birth?? What are the odds of that!”
“You’re my curse and my cure.”
“Legends say only one day a year they can be together, and for the sake of the realm, they are cursed to spend the rest of their time apart.” “Can such a curse be broken?” “Only by anyone who dares to put the realm at risk.”
“No! The legend was a lie! A kiss makes the curse worse!”
“You have until midday tomorrow, then everything reverts back to the way it was.”
“Marry me.” “I can’t.”
“Sorry, hero, but your prince/princess is in another castle. Oops.”
“I’m the worst dancer at this ball; I assure you.” “You clearly haven’t seen me dance.”
“How did you get that scar?”
“If you don’t shut up right now I will jam that poisoned apple in your pie hole.”
“Why is there a (creature) in my shed?”
“Why is the (magical object) always hidden in some dark, dank, scary place? Why can’t it be at a beach? I love the beach!”
“Do you want to see my golden sword?” “Is that a pick-up line?”
“I’m allergic to fairydust.”
“The key lies in your heart.” “You mean my anatomical heart or is that another riddle? Please tell me it’s a riddle.”
⋄ tags: Knight Colt & Princess!Reader, Forbidden Love, Runaway Love, Fluff, Romance, All that Jazz, Cliche Fairy Tale Romance, HEHEHE, Corny Fluff don't @ me
⋄ infos: oneshot, 3.1k
⋄ a/n: this is for @goosegroupiechallenges also thank you to the bestie @ken-dom for encouraging me with her kind words! & @littlerobinette for reading this over. now on to discussing our Stephen plans... <3
𐙚 summary: You’ve loved Colt all your life, but the royal blood in your veins forbids it. Can you change your fate?
A sigh leaves you as for the first time all day, you truly allow yourself to relax in the privacy of your bedchambers. The soft mattress and heavy quilt are a wonderful oasis from the daily stressors and pressure. And as the tedious day is over, you've traded your stiff corset and dress in favor of a white linen shift too.
You love the chance to just be yourself like this–no royal crown weighing heavy on your head.
Especially lately since the palace has been buzzing with preparations for your younger brother’s wedding. He is marrying a princess from another kingdom and everyone is absolutely overjoyed over the news.
There will be a lavish wedding and days long celebration in the royal city. There's high expectations as his sibling that you must perform alongside your family.
Not to mention, all the attention it has now put on you to finally consider the growing line of suitors eager for your hand. A subject that your father brings up frequently and vividly.
Preferably, you would avoid that subject forever or simply choose the man you want to be King alongside you, but such is not the proper tradition. The law says the princess does not get a say. And the law is bullshit. So, for now, you just let your mind quiet and not worry over what you cannot change.
Thank the gods you can finally get some shut eye at least. However, before you can begin to drift off… A sudden tap tap tap against the glass window causes you to freeze.
Your gaze snaps over to the wall at the rough, yet familiar knock. Normally, you would immediately go and grab a guard, but you’ve an inkling it's a certain someone.
A smile graces your lips at the thought of him and you pull yourself up from the bed. You walk over to the large oval window that gives you a view of the vast beautiful kingdom. From this view, you can see the verdant rolling hills to the numerous buildings and homes that signify the thriving area.
The land your father constantly reminds you will someday be yours to rule. Despite your own wishes being far from that.
Quiet as can be, you unlatch the rusted silver lock that keeps it closed and push it. You lean over and peek out into the night to see a most familiar sight. The handsome face of your personal knight, Colt or Sir Seavers as he is known to society, stares up at you.
Colt is hanging below the windowsill, having used the strong vines to scale the cobblestone palace wall. The knight is known for his impressive physical prowess and can pretty much climb anything.
Still, how he manages to get up to your fourth story room tucked away in the huge castle, you shall never know.
“Hello there, princess. Lovely night isn't it?" Colt asks, offering you a cheeky grin. The man appears light and carefree as if he has all the time in the world.
“Colt! Are you really doing this once again?” You hiss. "I thought we agreed you would stop sneaking in this way."
“Couldn't manage any other tonight and I wanted to see you. Besides, I love the challenge-though I must admit these vines are not the most stable." He lets out an uneasy laugh and shifts his weight. "...Might I have permission to come up?”
As if there is any world you would not allow him, but Colt's sensibilities require him to ask anyways. Giving a hurried nod, you back away from the window to give him space.
It is not proper at all for your knight to be in your private quarters like this, but it's hardly the first time Colt has secretly visited you. And if you have your way, it will be far from the last.
It is the only alone time the two of you get.
Nimble as ever, Colt manages to hoist himself up and get his wide frame through your window safely. His worn riding boots touch the stone flooring with a small thump as he lands before standing straight at his full towering height. Colt absentmindedly brushes off his beige tunic and adjusts the black leather belt that sits at his brown trousers.
He is the tallest and broader knight in the squad. Which has helped him reach the high status of captain of the guard. The only one who would even imagine climbing the castle.
A sigh of relief leaves you. You'll never get used to watching him do dangerous stunts like this. Even if it is his sworn duty to protect you and stop whatever harm comes your way.
Satisfied with himself now, Colt addresses you warmly with a bright smile.
“Sorry to intrude, my lady. I know you must be tired after all the chaos of the day. My men and I have been running practice drills in preparation for all the extra company soon to arrive and–”
Before Colt can get another word out, you are throwing yourself into his hearty embrace. He catches you immediately, his arms coming to wrap around your form naturally like as if he was expecting you. A chuckle leaves him as he holds you tight against his firm chest.
You nuzzle into him, feeling safe and loved as your fingers grip his shirt to pull him even closer.
“What a greeting, dare I say you missed me?”
“I did,” you admit without hesitation. "it's been much too frantic lately. I can barely remember the last time you came to see me. It's been far too long and I'm not pleased.”
“I've seen you multiple times today.” Colt murmurs, as he presses a gentle kiss to the top of your head and runs a hand down your back.
“That hardly counts when we're forced to pretend we're not lovers. I must address you all stiff and proper.” You say with a pout.
“Yes, but regardless I treasure any minute I get to be in your presence.”
His sincere words cause butterflies to bloom in your stomach and your cheeks to warm. “You do?”
“Of course. You, my dear princess, are a singular beauty and hold my undying affection.”
“Oh Colt… You have mine as well, you are the only man who ever has and will forever.”
“I hope that will always be true.” He says softly, his blue eyes smoldering.
The two of you have confessed your feelings to each other many times over, but you never tire of hearing his heart.
With that, Colt slowly steps backward with you until the two of you are falling into your bed, laughing and smiling. He pulls you on top of him and you make yourself cozy lying across his strong body.
Colt settles in nicely, his dirty-blonde hair locks fall against your plush pillows. His arms stay firmly wrapped around you.
There is genuinely no other time you feel so at peace than when you are with the man you adore so much, and are able to be as affectionate as you like. No hiding your love due to society's rules.
You lazily draw circles on his chest and hum.
"Colt... will you stay the night?"
You know you shouldn't ask, but you've just missed him so lately.
He stiffens for a moment and sighs.
"I can't stay more than an hour or so to avoid any suspicions, my darling. You know that."
You nod once. Of course, you understand and just wish that wasn't so.
Gazing up at him, you allow yourself to bask in the beauty of his features for a moment.
Colt is as ruggedly handsome as ever with his strong jawline and dark brown beard. His dirty-blonde bangs fall across his forehead, stopping just above those cobalt eyes of his. He wears his hair a bit longer these days, but he'll probably cut it soon knowing him.
You once mentioned you like it short and he's never seemed to have forgotten that. Though honestly the man could wear his hair however and still take your breath away.
“I missed you.” You whisper simply, bringing a hand up to cup his cheek
“I missed you too, sweetheart.”
Lips brushing against his, the two of you share a chaste kiss. Colt always tastes of vanilla and sandalwood, so addicting and so utterly him. Your lips meet once more and then again until you're both breathless and smiling like two lovesick fools.
Just a few kisses and your cheeks are already warm. You can't help but remember the last time Colt was here. The two of you have never gone very far, but he did remove his tunic to reveal his toned chest. A sight that left you blushing for days.
Yet, before you can possibly suggest a repeat of that night, Colt averts his eyes from your briefly and his face falls.
“I heard through the castle grapevine that your father is having some of your suitors attend the wedding.”
Ah… Trust the castle gossipers to spread that bit of information like wildfire.
“Unfortunately, that is true. It is against my fervent wishes.” You try to assure him, guilt swirling in your stomach.
Colt appears grim. “I see. I foolishly hoped it was false.”
“If only, but we knew this would happen eventually.”
“We did. It doesn't make it any easier to know men are coming to vie for your hand.”
“I know. I apologize profusely, my love.”
There's a beat of silence as the situation hits you both. It hurts, but you don't regret one moment of your affair with Colt.
But then Colt cuts through the quiet with a question that strikes your heart like lightning.
“Princess, is our love doomed? Are we simply fools delaying fate’s hand?”
You let out a defeated sigh. “Perhaps. I suppose we've always known my royal blood would intervene eventually.”
It's a topic the two of you typically avoid because in your mind it's a dead end. Akin to attempting to stop the tide from coming into shore–inevitable. It pains you deeply, but your father has made it clear that you shall do his bidding and marry another royal.
“I'm a knight and you've the expectations of the land on your shoulders. We're from two different worlds and this kingdom will never allow us to cross that divide.” Colt says solemnly.
“I know.” You answer, heart breaking with every word. “Despite all of that, I've been in love with you since we were mere brats that played through the castle.”
“As have I. There you were, the future queen chasing after me and my twin brother like any other commoner."
You grinned at the childhood memories. You, Colt, and Ryland–who is now a wonderful mage in another kingdom-made quite the trio.
“We have a boundless love and I’ll never feel the way I do about you for some stranger. I don’t care what riches and status he may have.”
“Are you certain?” Colt asks, searching your expression for any doubt.
“Of course. I would marry you if only I could."
You’ve thought about this long and hard. You love Colt and while you do care about the kingdom, you aren’t like your younger siblings. The allure of the throne holds no merit for you in the face of your one true love.
Whatever Colt sees in your face must be enough because he nods and shifts to rise. Wordlessly, you move off him and watch as he stands from the bed. He begins to pace the room, one hand running through his dirty-blonde locks as he mumbles to himself.
It is unlike him as the knight is typically at ease and calm.
“Colt, what are you thinking?” You ask, eyebrows furrowing.
It takes a minute, but he finally stops pacing and turns to look at you resolutely. The expression he wears is deeply serious, the same as before going into battle.
“Princess, I have a proposal, but I warn you we would technically be breaking the law and severely hurting the kingdom.”
You blink in shock.
“What ever are you on about? You are no criminal, you are the shining example of our kingdom. The youngest to ever be promoted to knighthood by my father because of the devotion shown to our land.”
“Yes and all of that matters dearly to me, but it is also part of the reason we can never be together.”
“Well, yes.” You admit.
“So, my plan is… What if we run away?”
Your eyes widen and before you can respond, Colt hurries to continue.
“Please, let me finish just… Imagine it. You and I could leave in the dead of night and tell nobody in the castle of our plan. It's the perfect timing since the city will soon be overloaded with guests. We settle elsewhere and some place in the world where our titles hold no relevance."
You're so shocked all you can do is mumble out. “H-How in the heavens would we?”
Colt comes back to you now and slowly lowers himself to kneel in front of you. He takes both of your hands in his and looks up at you imploringly.
“I’ve been writing to my brother as I often do. I told him of our plight and he assured me that his Queen would welcome us with open arms. We would assume other names and be free to do as we like."
Colt's plan sounds simple and he seems to have thought it out. You're not surprised to hear he involved his brother and that does make you feel better. Yet doubts immediately flood your mind.
“But my father would be furious and my mother would worry so much. They're counting on me to rule over the kingdom one day and I would just abandon all of those expectations? I-I can't.”
Colt closes his eyes once and lets out a deep breath. When he opens his eyes again he wears the same polite smile he always does when he's on watch. It's polite, guarded, and respectful.
He would never push you, never ask you to do something once you've said no clearly.
“I see, I understand, your highness.” He says, his hands releasing yours as he stands back up.
You watch as he walks away from you, his shoulders low as if he's had the wind knocked out of him. It pains you terribly.
“I’m sorry, Colt. Truly I am.”
He doesn't turn back towards you.
“Do not apologize, it was irresponsible of me to even suggest it. I just want you to be happy after all and I needed to present this path as an option."
“You make me happy.” You insist.
“Yes, but I can never stand by your side properly the way a husband could. Our love can only thrive in the secrecy of the dark and soon not even that because of your father's plans."
You stand then, the weight of his words landing as you realize what he means.
“Are you saying we should stop seeing each other like this?”
The idea of ending this even despite knowing how true his words ring leave you cold.
Colt visibly tenses at your question, but answers honestly.
“Princess, I only mean that there are no other options and so perhaps… It is time we stop trying to fight against destiny. Yet, no matter what happens I always love you and devote myself to your cause."
He starts towards the window then and your heart stops at the sight. It's as if your entire romance is flashing through your mind.
Playing with Colt in your youth as best friends, noticing how handsome he was as teenagers, and finally confessing your feelings to him as a young adult. And every time since then that he's stood in your presence to protect you. Along with all the secret moments he's spent alone with you despite all the risk.
Could you really lose it all? What will you really do when it comes time to love another? You’ve already tried to talk to your father about your concerns and he stomped on your wishes.
“Colt, wait!” Your body is moving before you can think and you're rushing forward to him. He turns to face you at the last second and once again catches you in his arms.
“Princess, be careful or your night guard may come in–” Colt says worriedly, his gaze flashing to your bedroom door.
He moves his hands to your shoulders as you look up at him earnestly. All the words in your heart come out in a jumble and you simply can't stop them.
“I’m terrified because as much as I whine and complain about my life, it is all I have ever known. Royalty, being waited on hand and foot, having a protector at my side.” You pause to inhale, but keep going on quickly.
“If I strip myself of my titles then who am I? I do not know and the thought of that scares me but… The idea of never having the chance to love you the way we deserve scares me even more.”
Colt’s eyebrows furrow and he swallows thickly.
“Does that mean…? I-I don't want to make you feel forced. We don't have to do this, we could ponder it further."
You shake your head. “No, I want to go with you. It’s scary, but you will be there every step of the way, right?”
“That will never change. I will stay by your side the same way I have since we were children, since I became your knight. We'll figure it out together.”
“What if you don’t like who I am without a crown? What if you find me tedious and dislike me?" You ask with a serious pout.
He lets out a low laugh as if your words catch him by genuine surprise.
“My darling, I have loved you long before I even fully understood what royalty meant. And this will be a journey for both of us, figuring out who we are outside of princess and knight, but I could never dislike you."
“Well, I have always wanted to live freely–just as myself.” You admit shyly.
The thought of getting to walk around unencumbered, making friends, and being in charge of yourself makes you smile. Those are fantasies you've had forever.
“But we must plan this properly. My father will not rest until he finds me and I must write my mother a note explaining myself.”
“Of course, we won’t leave until you're satisfied every measure has been thought of.”
You feel reassured by his words, but the gravity of the situation is not lost on you.
“We’re really going to try to change fate?”
“Not try, princess. We will.” He promises, his blue eyes ablaze.
With that he captures your lips again in a passionate kiss and the two of you some time to let the world fade away. Soon, you will face difficulty choices and obstacles, but whatever happens will come as it may.
Tonight, you take comfort in knowing that you are wholly in love and determined to fight your knight no matter the cost.
Summary: Ryland's taken you out to one of your dream date locations, out in the country, away from the world. He worships you, and he wants you to know it. However, this time is different. He makes a promise to you that starts to heal a grief deep in your chest.
Word Count: 2.0K
Warnings: NSFW content (18+ ONLY PLEASE), p in v, unprotected sex, size kink, bulges, MAJOR angst, infertility, mentions of pregnancy/trying for a family, implied breeding kink
A/N: Hi friends... it's been a while since I wrote something. Life has been kicking my ass, but I bring you this... So. Uhm. Yeah. This is my submission for the @goosegroupiechallenges Fairytale Writing Challenge. This isn't what I had in mind when I created the challenge, but this is what the brain came up with. So... enjoy? Also I'd written this out with OCs and flipped it around so if it's a little wonky that would be why. And if you're wondering, this is one of those times art imitates life. If you can relate to this, I'm sorry, darling. But I get it. - Birch<3
Please proceed with caution!!! NSFW BELOW THE CUT!!!
You've got your face buried in the white and blue checkered picnic blanket. You're not sure how you ended up with your ass in the air and Ryland's cock sinking in and out of you, but you're not complaining. What started as a simple date out in the country has turned into one of your dirtiest daydreams come true.
Truthfully, a quick glance at the calendar would tell you that you're ovulating and that your body's desire to get pregnant is higher than ever.
Out here in the countryside, there's no one. Nothing. It's just the grasses swaying in the breeze, the rustling a simple white noise that fades to the back of your mind. The sun shines down upon you, peeking through the trees and casting everything in a warm, golden glow as it sinks towards the horizon. Birds sing their songs in the nearby trees, and the faint chirp of crickets can be heard in between the sounds of skin slapping skin and breathy, loud moans filling the air.
The scientist has got your mouth parted with moans of pleasure and drool spilling down the side of your face as he fucks you into the soft material of the picnic blanket. Your dress didn't even get taken the whole way off. One minute, you'd been softly kissing and giggling, and the next, your panties had been plucked from your hips and your ass shoved into the air with a firm arch in your back.
You're not complaining one bit.
Ryland's got one big hand in your [colored] tresses while the other is balled up in the soft white material of your sundress. The hand he's got on your dress is using it as a grip to hold you just where he wants; a handle so he can keep you from straying when he pulls out of your cunt just to ram himself back in with a hard thrust.
Ryland's drilling into you with firm, calculated snaps of his hips. The scientist is grunting praises into your ear about how beautiful and perfect you are, blue eyes fluttering as he watches you take everything he gives without complaint. He's even groaning about how good you feel wrapped around his cock. How he's never had such a pretty girl who's so good for him. How there will never be another like you.
You're moaning like a bitch in heat - you are - as he fucks into you. He hasn't even toyed with your clit and you can feel your first orgasm creeping up like a freight train. When it does start to wash over you, you can't even give him a warning. Your mouth just falls open with a dumb, fucked out expression covering your face as pleasure explodes throughout your body.
But Ryland's nowhere near done with you.
So, without slipping out of your leaking pussy, he guides your limp body the whole way out of your dress and sets it off to the side of the blanket. Gently and with ease, the scientist gets you flipped over underneath him so he can see his lover face to face.
And he's on you without hesitation.
How beautiful you look underneath him like this.
The sun's dying rays paint you golden. From your soft skin to the [colored] threads of your hair sprawled under your head like a halo. With pink lips parted with moans of content from your first climax, your beauty is punctuated by the fireflies starting to light up the grass around you in a slow flicker. The world is quiet and you're panting, trying to get your breathing under control from the pleasure Ryland's brought you.
It's as you're returning to him that Ryland takes one of his big hands and cups your face, leaning down to give you a long, slow kiss that's bruising and deep. He ensures his cock is buried the whole way inside your cunt with small, shallow thrusts until he can't reach any further.
He's desperate for his own release, but this is more important.
You are more important.
That hand on your face drifts when he pulls back from the kiss, slow to rest his forehead against your own. The air is thick and heavy, a silent intention known to Ryland but unknown to you. His deft digits trace over the smoothness of your skin - down the length of your jawline to the life blood in your neck.
Further those fingertips travel - across the lines of your collarbones before veering down to his favorite breast to play with. This one he squeezes softly, before the digits slip across the valley between your breasts to brush over the second one and he swirls his finger around the budded nipple.
You just watch him move, wondering what he's thinking.
All the while, your body is responding to his touch - revving up for another round and aching for him to take whatever he wants from you. You'll be good. You have to be.
Then, that pretty hand of his explores each rib before flattening over your lower stomach, warm and all encompassing. Ryland leans down to your ear, head tilted and voice thick and husky, "Let's make that family, baby."
Where the hand of the scientist rests, the outline of his cock can be seen in the form of a distinct bulge in your lower belly. Your hand is following his when his words click in your mind.
He's going to give you what you've always dreamed about.
A lump forms hard and fast in your throat, and your smaller hand settles next to his, trembling. Ryland makes room where his hand is laid so that you can feel where his cock is buried inside of you. And he waits, inquisitive eyes scanning your face as you start processing everything he's saying and what he's not.
That bulge of his cock can't replace that of a swollen womb, but this is the closest you'll ever get to experiencing that beauty of the human body.
Growing another life.
"Feel that, Y/n? That's where our family is going to grow. Right there, sweetheart. Right inside of your womb."
With your hands side by side over your abdomen, Ryland presses his forehead against yours, noses brushing and lips nearly colliding. The scientist starts rolling his hips, pumping his cock in and out of you an inch at a time. Slowly. Gently. Tenderly.
He lets you feel him. He lets you feel his cock. He lets you feel his heart. He lets you feel the loss. He lets you feel the pain. He lets you feel every emotion that you need and want to feel.
Because the emotions come and they come fast. He knew they would. That's why he waited for this moment.
Tears are welling up in your eyes, and you wrap an arm around Ryland's neck to hold him close to you. You can't bring yourself to speak on it. What you're sharing is raw and sensitive. A pain you hold close to your heart. An acceptance Ryland has that seems as vast as space. This pain you feel, he feels it too.
It's a grievance over the life you won't get to have.
But you know it's okay.
He knows it's okay.
You'll both be okay.
Each thrust of his has Ryland's lips brushing over yours, soft moans slipping out of his lips as he holds himself back. He has to serve you first. This is about you tonight. He uses that hand on your lower abdomen to press down on the bulge in your stomach as he completely engulfs you.
"I'll give you everything," he whispers against your mouth, stifling a moan so he can tell you this clearly. You deserves to hear this unmarred by his pleasure. "My darling, you can have whatever you want. Whenever you want, sweetheart. All you have to do is ask."
You can't fight the tears streaming down your cheeks, mouth brushing against his. A shaky breath is sucked in through your mouth before you whimper back, "I- I want a baby."
"I'll give you one." There's an urgency in his voice. His reply was near immediate. "You want a baby boy?"
You shake your head up and down. Yes. You work at staving off a sob as Ryland continues to pump his cock in and out of your cunt, each movement slow and deliberate. He's right there, never letting you go. He's giving you what you want. "You want a baby girl, too?" he asks, lips curling into a small smile that tugs at the corner of his mouth. "I can give you a baby girl, sweetheart."
You can only nod again, whispering, "I want them," another set of tears streaming down your cheeks. Those [colored] eyes flutter shut, willing the tears to stop.
"I'll give you however many you want, my love." Ryland gently leans down, kissing your tears away as he repeatedly drags his cock in and out of your walls. Each movement carries a promise. He'll give you a boy. He'll give you a girl. He'll give you the whole family. A litter of kids to keep track of. He'd do it.
If only he could.
Only when your tears have dried does Ryland pull back from where he's resting against you, hips still working to bring you closer and closer to the edge. He sits back from where he's draped over you so he's kneeling, dragging you with him so your ass is in the air and his hands can slip underneath you to support your back.
"You'll look so pretty full of my babies," he hums before panting once, watching the way your cunt greedily sucks his cock in and the way your belly swells each time he's completely buried inside of you. "So pretty with a belly growing our children. They'll look just like you."
His pace grows a little faster and his hands grow a little firmer as he plunges into your pussy, the tip of his cock kissing your cervix. "All of them will be just as- as gorgeous as you, my love." One of Ryland's hands finds your belly again, flattening over the appearing and disappearing bulge with a groan. "You'll be such- such a good mother-"
Your pleasure grows the more he talks you through it, and you're doing everything you can to fight off the sobs in your chest. It's nearly too much. Exploring a fantasy that will never be a reality. And Ryland knows it, so he lowers your hips back down until you're settled against the soft material of the picnic blanket. Just like that, he's covering you again, putting himself back into your focus as he brings you both closer and closer to climaxing.
"Let's make that family, baby," Ryland murmurs again, this time his own desperation creeping into his voice. "Let me knock you up tonight, Y/n/n, let me give you the family you want."
All you can do is nod eagerly, brokenly, as your cheeks are permanently stained with tears.
Ryland's hips roll and snap, and with a few pants from him and a long, needy moan from you, you both chase the release you've been looking for. You each moan the other's name as you cum, and Ryland gives you everything he can. Your cunt clamps around his cock, milking him of his seed and painting the walls of your pussy white. With one final groan and thrust, Ryland seats his cock as far inside of your cunt as he can to keep his seed from spilling out of you.
It doesn't matter it's all for not.
For tonight, he's getting you pregnant and giving you the family you want.
HOkay, first submission for @goosegroupiechallenges summer fairy tale challenge!
Fandom: Project Hail Mary
Characters: Grace & Rocky
Tropes: Animorphism (the catch here is that...it's mostly just the aftermath/being talked about. also talk-about-the-thing-but-never-name-it challenge!! so idk if y'all want to count this haha. but it's a universe where all of that happens. Maybe more science-fantasy than fairy tale? I'm bad at this.)
Bingo: Hidden identity, werewolf (except, werefox.)
Wordcount: 2050
Rating: T for implied nudity
Summary: Grace wakes up after something completely, definitely normal. Unfortunately, he forgot to tell Rocky it was happening.
Prequel to this post but both can be read as standalones.
My body stretches, shifts, contorts, and I know instinctively what is happening as my limbs rearrange themselves, my snout shortens and my hair thins. My awareness of my environment shrinks, sounds becoming muted, smells fading; in inverse proportion, my internal awareness grows; synapses begin to fire again as I slide from sentient to sapient. It’s all mildly inconvenient, but I’m used to it. Some of the giddiness stays with me, and I let out a trembling sigh that might be part laughter. I usually don’t remember anything, but a lot of the time a feeling follows me through the process, and I get the sense I had a generally good time.
I don’t open my eyes, letting my head back on the floor of the Hail Mary. It’s hard, but not uncomfortable yet; the air wafts pleasantly against my exposed skin. There’s a luxurious relaxation to my limbs and muscles, like all the built-up tension has been erased in the regrowth and renewal implicit to the change. My mind feels floaty, detached from anything immediate except how comfortable I am, and a general sense of happiness. I haven’t had to think about anything or solve any complex problems in several hours. It’s beautiful, really. I don’t have to Know.
I’d be content to lie like this for hours, riding the gentle come-down like a parachute or a hammock, dozing with a tiny smile until humanity claws at me enough to get up.
It’s just, there’s something — a noise. A banging nearby. A frantic voice saying something I can’t quite understand.
I hum and give a lazy swat in the direction of the noise. Later, do this later.
“Grace! Grace!!”
I crack my eyes open to the glaringly bright light of the ship — ugh — and close them again. I’d rather nap.
“Grace wake up, wake up, wake up!”
The combination of octave and repetition lend urgency to the voice. The sounds become words; the background noise irises into a sharp hammering. I squint my eyes open again, turning my head toward the source. A familiar shape on the other side of a window, frantically slamming two fists against it. I am immediately reminded of a field trip to the zoo and spending most of the day scolding students for banging on the glass.
“Grace okay, question? Grace need help?!”
“G’mornin.” It takes a stupid amount of concentration to make my lips shape the sounds, but I manage it with a groggy smile.
Uh oh. The good feelings swiftly dissipate as I start to put two and two together. First of all, I am lying on the floor with an alien, humanity’s only representative to other intelligent life, completely in the buff — and I don’t just mean my muscles. Second, I managed to forget to tell Rocky something extremely important about myself. My bad.
“Yeah,” I yawn. Maybe I can play it casual. If we treat this as normal from the start, there can’t be any of the weirdness there was on Earth. “This happens sometimes.”
“Why, why, why?! Rocky scare Grace dying. Not know how to fix.”
…Yeah, I missed any chance of doing this casually by a long shot. I sit up and look at him. Rocky is swaying on his feet in a worried way, antsy to help but powerless to do so. He must have felt like he was watching his crew succumb to a mystery killer all over again. “I’m sorry, Rocky. I meant to tell you beforehand, I just thought I had more time and then…kinda forgot.”
“Grace know this going to happen, question?”
I reach for a nearby sheet — there seems to be plenty of bedding scattered around on the floor from last night’s adventure — and tug it over myself. I’m sure Rocky’s sonar sees straight through it, but it makes me feel like I have some kind of shield. “Yes. I wasn’t sure when, though. It’s kind of hard to predict—”
“GRACE KNOW AND NOT TELL ROCKY?! GRACE LET ROCKY SPEND WHOLE TIME PANIC BECAUSE ALONE AGAIN AND SAY NOTHING, QUESTION?!?”
Yeah, a sheet is not a big enough shield against Rocky’s very reasonable upset.
“I should have!” I agree, all of my post-shift confusion gone. Good, I need my head on straight so I can make this right. “This shouldn’t have slipped past me. You’re right. I’m so sorry I scared you, bud.”
“Grace useless! Grace forget eat, forget sleep, forget deeply important biological information. Rocky can not trust.”
What? I reel back in shock. Is he right? Am I untrustworthy? That can’t be how this goes. We’re stuck in space together on the galaxy’s most important mission. We have to be able to trust each other. I crawl over to the barrier, huddled under my sheet. Emperor Comatose, humbled. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I promise I wasn’t trying to keep it from you.”
Rocky has shifted his stance slightly; a little more on his far legs than near. He hasn’t changed the direction he is facing, but this is very much him turning his back to me.
I rest a hand on the window. “But you have every right to be mad at me. That was an awful way for me to make you feel, and you didn’t deserve it. You’re my friend. I’d never want to hurt you, but I did it anyway. I’m sorry.”
Rocky continues to ignore me, but he stays where he is. Finally, after a few minutes of silence that have me reliving two or three childhood heartbreaks, he clicks the claws on two hands. “Could have been avoided.” His voice is low and flat. I am still being reprimanded, but at least he’s willing to talk about it.
“I know.”
“Grace tell Rocky about sleep. About eat. Bad memory. Grace Rocky discussed needs and set boundaries and expectations. Grace not forget to tell about this. Is lie.”
Ouch. I shift to lean my back against the barrier, letting my eyes roam the sterile whiteness of the ship. Well, mostly-sterile. There is bedding all over the floor, a row of upset lab equipment, the scattered remains of a shredded burrito wrapper, and a line of paw prints crossing the room. “I was going to tell you,” I repeat, but now I’m not even convincing myself, much less Rocky. “I just needed to know that it wouldn’t affect anything. There’s a lot at stake and our planets depend on us being able to trust each other.”
“Amaze. Grace inspire trust. Immense.”
“Sarcasm,” I say. “But I get your point.” I give it a minute. He has every right to his feelings, and maybe some space to feel them will get it out so we can talk better. That’s one of those things I learned about adults from working with kids. It’s all the same, really. Besides, I need the time too: I’m really not helping my case right now. I’ve made a mess of everything, like I usually do.
Eventually, I hear Rocky shift behind me. “Why would truth affect, question?”
I duck my head, tucking the sheet around me a little tighter. I’m not ready to face him yet. Benefit of having a face is that I don’t have to. “It’s not as accepted on Earth. Not that it was a secret or anything, but…people kind of look down on guys like me. They think we’re lesser. Closer to animals. Some people think we shouldn’t be able to participate in society, shouldn’t have the same rights, shouldn’t be allowed to marry. Some people think we shouldn’t be teaching their children.” I know it’s unfair to project all of that onto Rocky when he doesn’t know better. I guess French amnesia drugs and 11.9 lightyears can’t get rid of your baggage. “People have left my life over it. I keep remembering it for the first time. How my dad left. How my mom struggled. Friends, partners.” My flipout at UNESCO had been partially blamed on it, and it ended up having a ripple effect for people like me in the sciences. Too unstable, too wild. Until Stratt came along. She didn’t have time for petty idiocies like prejudice. She just needed someone who could do the job, and that someone was me.
“Humans stupid.”
“And that’s the thing,” I sigh with a bitterness that surprises me. “I’m not human.”
“Rocky would not know difference! Would not care! Human, not human — are still Earth thing. Are still friend.”
Okay. Still friends. I try not to let that hit me too hard. “I’m sorry I expected you to be the same. That wasn’t fair.” We’re not gonna talk about my cracking voice here, okay?
Rocky is quiet for a while. “Grace protect self,” he says eventually, his voice soft but less flat. Thoughtful. “Protect self to protect Earth. Even if Earth not protect Grace.”
“It’s bigger than me, that’s all. Once I realized you were the best person I’d ever meet, I kept forgetting that we didn’t already know everything about each other. And if I remembered, it usually wasn’t a good time — we do a lot of important stuff where we can’t have distractions, y’know? And then I thought I had time, and then…didn’t have time.”
“Cannot predict, question?”
I shrug. “I used to. Back on Earth, it was tied to the phases of the Moon.” I’d explained the phases to Rocky before, when I talked about the Earth. The concept of a “full moon” is purely visual, even if the cycle behind it physically affects things like the tides. Maybe at the time, I was trying to psych myself up to tell him everything. “I used to think the Moon caused the change, but maybe all it did was keep me regular. Cause it still happens now with no moon at all, and I never know when.” I used to be able to plan ahead for it — it was easy when it was on the calendar, same time every month. Now, I only know immediately beforehand because there’s a bit of vertigo leading up to the change. I get maybe ten minutes’ warning, tops. “I don’t know what I’ll do if it happens in the EVA suit.” That scares me more than I’m willing to put into words.
Rocky hums in thought. “Then Rocky fix.”
“It doesn’t work that way, pal.”
“Can’t stop Rocky from trying.”
“Nope. Sure can’t.” I let my head rest back against the barrier with a quiet, melodic clunk. There’s an answering clink from his side, and I try not to smile. “How can I make it up to you?”
“First Grace put on clothes. Then Grace clean up ship. Then Grace explain everything in detail. Even if think Rocky not need to know.”
“I’m gonna do all those things regardless.”
“Mm. Then Grace sleep when Rocky say so. And. Do puppet shows for next three days.”
Ugh, puppet shows. “Fair enough.” Oh well. It’s better than I deserve. “Hey, Rock? Could you tell me what happened? Up til now, I haven’t had someone around to watch me.”
“Grace no remember, question?”
“It’s kind of like losing consciousness. Turning human is like waking up after sleep.”
“Explains why Grace no recognize Rocky or tell Grace was okay.”
I shake my head helplessly. “I can’t talk when I’m like that. I don’t know who I am.”
“...Explains many thing actually.”
“I didn’t do anything embarrassing, did I?”
“Mm. Grace do toilet all over ship.” I cover my face with both hands and groan. “Grace do toilet directly at Rocky.” Yup, there it is. I can see the dried puddle, partially crystalized at the base of the barrier.
I can smell it, too. Fox pee is ripe. “Very stinky on this side, but I bet it would smell like fresh air to you,” I muse. All that ammonia? Then something occurs to me. I feel my face heat. “Hey, wait a minute — how d’you know what doing toilet looks like?!”
That dang scary space monster suddenly looks reeeeal squirrely. “Rocky have to go now! Forgot something need to fix!” The little rascal starts to skitter away down his tunnel.
“Come back here—” I chase after him, clutching the sheet to myself. Deal’s off, buddy!
“Very important! Talk to Grace later! Much much later!”
Since our first challenge over the Summer was a success, we are back with a new SFW challenge for the month of October! You will have from October 1st to November 1st to get all of your submissions in.
The Spooktober bingo card is a SFW alternative to our Kinktober bingo card, but that doesn't mean your Spooktober has to be SFW only. We specifically picked prompts that do not have to be NSFW if you don't want to. This is a pick your own adventure challenge!
Each bingo space (aside from the free space) has two prompts to choose from. If you want to somehow combine the prompts, feel free to do so!
⭐HOW TO WIN⭐
One Row
Two Rows
Four Corners
Full House
Also, you are only allowed to submit ONE work per bingo space on the Spooktober card. However, if you are also participating in the Kinktober card, you may combine one space per bingo card. This means you can cross one space off on each card with one submission by overlapping the themes.
📢 RULES 📢
PARTICIPANTS MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER.
NO REAL PERSON FANFICTION ALLOWED. We only accept submissions regarding Ryan Gosling’s characters.
TAG YOUR WORKS ACCORDINGLY. This pertains not only to explicit works, but even your fluff! Make sure readers/viewers know what they’re going to find! If you want to leave something as a surprise, please ensure it’s nothing triggering.
NO USE OF EXPLICIT BANNERS/GRAPHICS. If your artwork includes something graphic or explicit, it must be tagged accordingly and posted under a read more.
USE A READ MORE FOR FICS WITH 500 OR MORE WORDS. You will also need to use a read more for any nsfw fics.
SUBMISSIONS MUST INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE RYAN GOSLING CHARACTER. You may add in as many Goose characters in your entry as you like, or even combine fandoms!
SEQUELS & CONTINUATIONS OF PREVIOUS WORKS ARE ALLOWED. Please be sure to link to previous works in your submission!
IN ORDER FOR US TO FIND, READ & REBLOG YOUR POST, PLEASE USE THE TAG #GGSPOOKTOBER25 AND TAG US @goosegroupiechallenges!
Since our first challenge over the Summer was a success, we are back with a new NSFW challenge for the month of October! You will have from October 1st to November 1st to get all of your submissions in.
The Kinktober bingo card is a NSFW alternative to our Spooktober bingo card. Each bingo space (aside from the free space) has four prompts to choose from. If you want to somehow combine the prompts, feel free to do so! This is a pick your own adventure challenge!
⭐HOW TO WIN⭐
One Row
Two Rows
Four Corners
Full House
Also, you are only allowed to submit ONE work per bingo space on the Kinktober card. However, if you are also participating in the Spooktober card, you may combine one space per bingo card. This means you can cross one space off on each card with one submission by overlapping the themes.
📢 RULES 📢
PARTICIPANTS MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER.
NO REAL PERSON FANFICTION ALLOWED. We only accept submissions regarding Ryan Gosling’s characters.
TAG YOUR WORKS ACCORDINGLY. This pertains not only to explicit works, but even your fluff! Make sure readers/viewers know what they’re going to find! If you want to leave something as a surprise, please ensure it’s nothing triggering.
NO USE OF EXPLICIT BANNERS/GRAPHICS. If your artwork includes something graphic or explicit, it must be tagged accordingly and posted under a read more.
USE A READ MORE FOR FICS WITH 500 OR MORE WORDS. You will also need to use a read more for any nsfw fics.
SUBMISSIONS MUST INCLUDE AT LEAST ONE RYAN GOSLING CHARACTER. You may add in as many Goose characters in your entry as you like, or even combine fandoms!
SEQUELS & CONTINUATIONS OF PREVIOUS WORKS ARE ALLOWED. Please be sure to link to previous works in your submission!
IN ORDER FOR US TO FIND, READ & REBLOG YOUR POST, PLEASE USE THE TAG #GGKINKTOBER25 AND TAG US @goosegroupiechallenges!
I drew a quick sketch of Driver from Drive (2011) and Officer K from Blade Runner 2049 (2017) on the beach for Week 8: Summer Vacay of @goosegroupiechallenges . This was the last theme I had left to do and I got it done a few minutes before the deadline. That's when my laptop's internet died, so my official submission to make it count was a smartphone pic of my laptop screen posted on my sideblog in panicked all caps HERE, one minute before deadline. But this is the file itself, now that the internet works. It's probably the most unfinished thing I'll ever post, because I ran out of time.
Alright Goose Groupies, today is the final day to get in your submissions! You have until 11:59 PM on September 1st to post your fic, mood boards, artwork, etc.!
We will be working on reblogging everything as soon as we see them, but if by some chance we miss your post, please let us know!
I'd like to take the time to thank everyone who has participated in our first summer challenge. It has been amazing to see everything that you all have created for our favorite Goose characters. I don't care if you only completed one challenge or all nine of them, I want all of you to give yourselves a pat on the back!
p.s. keep an eye out for our next mini challenge 👀👀
Summary: You get an unwanted visitor and Colt faces his past while trying to mend the strained relationship between the two of you.
Warnings: Angst with happy ending.
Word Count: 3.8K
Author's Note: My second submission for the @goosegroupiechallenges' Supernatural theme. Gif by: @/fleursial
Part One: My Neighbor’s a Witch
Please comment and/or reblog if you enjoyed this and want to see more!
RG Masterlist
Over two weeks had passed since you walked out of movie night, and you’ve been doing everything with your power to avoid him at all costs.
It didn’t bother Colt for the first few days, he wanted to talk to you and clear the air, but after you used your magic to turn the lock the door and black out the windows to the bakery the following morning when he tried to come in, he understood that the hurt you felt wasn’t something that could be slept off and that you needed space.
He wasn’t sure if keeping his distance was the right call to make. Dan practically chewed him out for letting so much time pass without even attempting to speak to you again, but you very clearly did not want to talk to him, and he chose to respect that.
You had become a ghost.
He knew you were there; he could feel your presence, but he couldn't see or touch you. He’d hear your footsteps upstairs and again when you were heading down to the bakery in the morning. He could smell the pastries you were baking from his apartment, and he could smell your perfume lingering in the hallway after walking by. He thought he could approach you then, hoping that you had cooled down and any resentment you held for him had mellowed out, but he never got the chance. Not when his door always seemed to "jam" whenever you were passing by.
Coco was also giving him the cold shoulder. Normally, she’d creep down the fire escape and paw at the mesh to get his attention, but just like with you, all contact had ceased, and it was making him anxious.
Colt knew not much time had passed but the fear of you never speaking to him again was rapidly increasing with each passing day. He didn’t know how to fix things, nor did he know how to get you to talk to him, and if it weren’t for the fact that his calls and texts were still going through, he would have been convinced that he’d lost you for good.
—
“You should write a note or something,” Dan says over the phone. “You said you guys did that before.”
“She won’t even reply to my texts. Do you honestly think a sticky note in the hallway will do the trick?” Colt mumbles into the mic of his wired headphones.
“It’s better than nothing. You sound like a wounded animal talking about her.”
“Well, if you tell the person you’re in love with that you are in love with them and then follow it up by asking if they put a spell on you, insinuating that you loving them in a natural way wasn’t possible, so it had to be magic, won’t you?”
“I would. But she’s got to know you didn’t mean it like that, right?”
Colt lets out a huff, trying to focus on arranging the bouquet in front of him. “I tried to explain in one of my texts that I assumed it was magic because I’ve never felt so strongly towards someone before, but it just went unread and unanswered like every other message.”
“Maybe send another?”
“I already look like a desperate ex! I can’t risk her blocking me right now.”
Dan goes quiet. “Maybe I could talk to her? You’re kind of in this because of what I said, and production is about to start for Tom’s new movie in the area—“
“What are you talking about?” Colt cuts him off.
“I didn’t tell you? We’re filming in town. There’s this big jump that Ryder’s character is supposed to make off the dock and onto a boat while chasing the bad guy,” Dan explains, “I can have you do the job if you’re up for it?”
“I’m not sure I’m ready for that. When are you supposed to be here?”
“Thursday. Some of the cast and crew are already there, but we start filming the scene on Monday night.”
He hums and wraps the bouquet. “We can hang out over the weekend then.”
“We can…and I can talk to her for you.”
Dan’s confidence was admirable and in theory, it could work but after being iced out by you the way he had, Colt was far from hopeful. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. What if it just digs a deeper hole?”
“It won’t.”
The shop bell chimes. “I think the person who ordered the bouquet is here. I’ll call you later,” Colt tells him before hanging up and taking out his headphones.
“Hi! Welcome to Rooting for You—” His voice gets caught in his throat as his gaze lands on who entered the shop.
“Jody,” he whispered.
Her eyes widened, a small gasp escaping her mouth upon seeing him. “Oh my god.”
They both stood frozen in place, the shock of seeing each other again filling the room with tension. He’s pictured what it would be like to see her again, to reach out and bury the hatchet, after getting in contact with Dan again, but he never had the guts to call.
“Are you–is this–is this your bouquet?” He sounded like an idiot stammering over his words, but it cut through the almost suffocating silence.
“It is,” she says, eyes scanning the shop, “So this is where you disappeared to.”
“Yeah.”
She approaches the counter, “It's a nice town. Cute shop too.”
“I’m sorry,” he blurts out. The apology was long overdue but it needed to be said. “I’m so sorry.”
She shakes her head, “I don’t know if I should be happy you’re alive or if I should slap the shit out of you for disappearing.”
“I deserve the second,” he whispers.
She taps her fingertips on the counter, a clear sign that this situation was making her feel as anxious as it was making him. “Maybe you do.”
“I do,” he huffs, letting his head hang in shame. “I know saying sorry isn’t enough and no explanation can undo all the hurt, but I am sorry, and if you’d let me, I can explain.”
Jody pauses, mentally weighing the options in her head, “Okay. When’s your break?”
“I can take it now and close the shop. My boss left for the afternoon.”
She nods, “Okay. Now works. I saw a smoothie shop up the street. We can go there.”
Colt untied his apron, walking into the backroom and hanging it up before walking back out and rounding the counter to where she was standing.
“I haven’t paid for these yet,” she points out.
“Right!” She could see the mental facepalm he was doing as he went back around and stood in front of the register. “It’s nice to see that you’re still you.”
—
Sitting across from Jody wasn’t as strange as he thought it would be. He expected her to be angry and snippy, but she was patient. “I’m sorry there’s a lot to say and I’m not sure where to start,” he mumbles.
“Take your time.”
He takes a deep breath and tries to gather his thoughts.“I thought I was doing the right thing by leaving.” It was far from the perfect way to word it, but nothing other than another ‘I’m sorry’ and he was almost certain she would hit him if he mumbled another apology without saying anything else.
“Why’d you disappear like that?” There was no malice in her voice as she spoke.
He couldn’t look her in the eyes, “It was hard and we were so new that I…I didn’t want to push everything I was going through onto you.” He pauses and takes a deep breath before starting again, “I felt like such a failure. I thought I was invincible, and then I almost died in front of you and the crew. I was afraid and ashamed of what happened and of who I was becoming. The thumbs down version of myself wasn’t someone I wanted you to see. I didn’t think I was worth picking back up.”
Tears started pricking at his eye as he spoke, “I know I went about it the wrong way and I should’ve been honest with you, but I was just too prideful. Leaving felt right for me, I wanted to get away from the Hollywood scene, I didn’t want to be reminded of being a stuntman or anything in the industry. You didn’t deserve what I did. It was wrong to ghost you and I’m so sorry. I can’t take it back, but I do want you to know that I am sorry.”
Jody puts her hand over his and softly says, “I would’ve been for you if you would have let me.”
“I know,” he whispers.
“Is it still the right choice?” He knew what she was really asking: did he regret it?
“It was.” He admits, “It was a necessary change, and I’ve started feeling more myself. I made a friend who has been my rock since I got here. She encouraged me to start reaching back out to people like Dan and possibly get back to work now that I’m in a better place. I don’t think she knows how much she’s helped me since I moved here, but she has.”
“Doesn’t sound like just a friend,” she teases.
He was relieved that she was poking fun at him instead of calling him every name under the sun, but his face also felt out at how quickly she was able to figure it out. “Is it that obvious?”
“Just a little bit. Is she your girlfriend or just someone that you’re seeing now?”
“Neither.” He answers, rubbing the back of her neck, “She’s actually a friend or at least I hope she still is.”
“What does that mean? Why wouldn’t she be your friend?”
“I was talking about her with Dan and he started teasing me about being in love with her because of how I was talking about her. He made a joke about her putting a spell on me, and it just made me spiral because she’s a witch who owns the bakery I live above, and a lot of her treats are magical. None of them are love spells, she’s really against them, but I just got in my head about it cause I didn’t realize how much I felt for her until Dan brought it up.”
“A ‘once you see it you can’t unsee it’ kind of situation,” she chimes in.
Colt nods, “Yeah. I kept replaying everything, trying to pinpoint when it was happening, so I asked if she thought maybe something went wrong with a spell or potion and if that could be the reason why I thought I was in love with her.”
“Oh god.”
“I regretted it the second I said. Seeing her face drop made me sick and I tried to backpedal, but she just wanted to leave. She told me would never do that and that she wasn’t wicked or as cruel as I thought she was, and we haven’t spoken since.”
“Did you really think it was magic?” She asks.
“For a second, yeah,” he admits. “I didn’t feel myself falling, y’know? This was so different and by the time I realized how I felt for her, it became overwhelming because I had to confront all my feelings at once, so I convinced myself it had to be anything other than authentic. And honestly? The more I think about it, the more I feel like I was also self sabotaging. She’s so good to me, and I guess I don’t think I’m worthy of her.”
Jody shakes her head and pinches the bridge of her nose. “You just told me that your inability to understand just how worth it you are was the reason our relationship ended the way that it did. You’re letting it happen again.”
He was letting it happen again. “I don’t know how to fix it. She doesn’t want to talk to me. I’ve tried talking to her, but she doesn’t want to see me.”
“She’s hurt,” she says. “Witches already have a bad reputation. It probably hurts hearing something like that from someone who’s supposed to be your friend. And it probably hurt extra because she’s also in love with you.”
“You don’t know that. I don’t know that,” he interjects.
“I don’t think she’d be acting like that if she didn’t also have feelings for you, too. If she didn’t also love you, then she could have just laughed it off and you’d be nursing a broken heart instead of trying to figure out how to get her to talk to you.”
She was right and the realization crushed him. You having feelings for him would have made the situation pack an even greater punch than he originally thought. “She’s never going to talk to me again.”
“Give her time.”
“I miss her. We live in the same building and she uses her magic so I never have to see her. I don’t want time. Time will only make it go on for longer.”
“Then what’s your plan? Continue talking to yourself in her messages?”
“I wanted to make her dinner and hopefully talk things through. I was going to text or maybe call the bakery and pray she doesn’t hang up the second she realizes it’s me and ask her to come upstairs. It’s not a solid plan, but I think she’d like it. I could make her pasta. I made it for her a few times, she really likes it.”
“Maybe you should cut your hair too,” she suggests.
He reaches up and smooths out his hair. “What’s wrong with my hair?”
“A man bun is not for everyone, Colt. Plus, hair holds trauma. You haven’t fully let go of the past.”
“So you’re not a fan of the hair,” he muses.
“I hope to never see it again.” Her response was immediate and made Colt laugh. “Enough about me. What about you? How have you been?”
—
Anxiety was running rampant through his veins as he drove home despite his conversation with Jody freeing him from the guilt he had been carrying around from leaving and ghosting her. He decided that he would go through with his plan of making dinner and then inviting you to join. It was a long shot but it was better than nothing.
You come into view when he turns onto the street, standing outside the bakery, talking to a man with Coco in your arms. At first glance, it looked like you were just chatting with the guy, but as his truck got closer and eventually stopped, it became clear that you were arguing with him.
“Is everything okay?” Colt asks, stepping out of his truck after double parking in front of the shop.
“We’re fine, man.” The guy grits, glancing over his shoulder at Colt.
“I’m not asking you,” he retorts. “Are you alright, Sunshine?”
Coco meows in your arms and you take a few steps towards him before the man grabs your bicep. “Don’t walk away, we’re not done talking,” he snips.
You pull your arm back, "I'm not interested in speaking with you. I thought I made that very clear when we broke up.”
He rolls his eyes and tries to get closer, retreating slightly when Colt approaches. “Don’t be like this. We’re made for each other, you know that. Your family loves me, my family loves you, we could be so powerful together.”
Your frustration bubbles to the surface and you snap at him. “I don’t care what our families think. I want nothing to do with you. You’re embarrassing yourself by showing up here and harassing me about getting back together.”
“C’mon, baby, stop being so difficult—“
“She doesn’t want to talk to you, dude.” Colt cuts him off, standing beside you and resting his hand on the small of your back. “Ready to go?” He adds, nodding towards his truck.
You recognize immediately that he was giving you an out, “I am.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are!?” Your ex shouts as Colt guides you to the passenger side of his truck and opens the door.
“Her boyfriend!” He calls out over his shoulder as he rounds the front of his truck, the lie rolling off his tongue with ease.
He slides into the driver’s side, adjusting the shopping bag wedged between the two of you on the bench seat before pressing down on the gas.
“Thank you,” you say softly, watching your ex shrink inside as he drives away.
“Don’t even mention it.”
“You cut your hair,” you whisper. Your hand reaches out to touch it, but you stop yourself before making contact.
“You can touch it,” he encourages with a smile.
On any other occasion, you would have jumped at the chance to run your hands through his hair, but tonight you decline. “No, no, it’s alright. I shouldn’t.”
“Okay.” He wanted to reiterate that it was perfectly fine for you to touch him but held his tongue given the delicate state of your relationship. This was the most contact he’s had with you since that night and he wanted to play his cards right.
“I talked to Jody,” he tells you at a red light.
You sit a little straighter upon hearing that. “That’s good. I’m glad you finally worked up the courage to call her.”
“She’s actually in town. She ordered a bouquet and we talked during my lunch break.”
“Is everyone’s ex in town?” Coco quips, making the corner of your mouth twitch up.
Colt watches you smile at the cat perched on your lap. “Does she talk? I’ve been reading up on witches online and at the library. Familiars popped up in a lot of the things that I read.”
“She communicates with me telepathically,” you answer truthfully. “How was talking to Jody?”
“Good. I feel a lot lighter after talking with her.”
“I’m happy for you.”
The light changes and the truck starts moving again. “We also talked about you.”
“Plotting to melt me with a bucket of water?” It was a bitter joke that you regretted making the second it fell from your lips.
“I guess I deserve that one,” he mumbles. “I talked about messing up things with you and trying to figure out how to get you to talk to me again and how to tell you I was sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry, I’ve just been overreacting.”
He shakes, hating that you’re so quick to dismiss your own feelings and exempt him from any blame. “You weren’t overreacting at all. I offended you immediately after saying I was in love with you. I said what I said because I was oblivious to my own feelings and couldn’t process or articulate them properly.”
“It’s okay, Colt."
“It’s not okay!” His grip on the steering wheel tightens as he scans the street for a place to pull over. “It's far from okay! I hurt you. I don’t think you’re wicked or cruel or anything like that and I hate that I made you think I did.”
The truck stops and he turns off the engine and angles his body toward you. “I call you sunshine because that’s what you’ve been for me since I got here. I came here at the darkest point in my life and meeting you made everything better. You made me better because you pushed me to not give up on my dreams and settle for just being content. I’m not a shell of myself anymore, and that’s partly because of you. You mean the world to me and I hate that I made you think otherwise.”
Coco moves out of your lap, striding across the seat and over to Colt, and purred against his chest. His attention briefly shifts away from you to the cat to give her scratches under her chin.
"Please say something," he pleads. "Anything at all, yell, scream, cry, just no more silence. I can't handle any more silence."
A moment passes and you find yourself focusing on anything but him. You wanted to yell to show him just how much he hurt you, but the sadness you felt never simmered and solidified into anger. “Do you..." Your voice catches in your throat and you take a second to compose yourself, "Do you still think you’re in love with me?”
“I know I’m in love with you.” He spoke with conviction, a sharp contrast to his initial confession. “And if you let me, I’d love to show you." Tears begin to well in his eyes as he continues, his voice starting to lose its confidence and shake, "If that's something you want, I'm more than okay with us just being friends. I just want to be back in your orbit, in whatever way you'll have me."
You blink rapidly, trying to stop the tears that prick at your eyes from falling. “And what are you thinking?” You asked, hoping he'd ignore the way your voice quivered.
He sniffles and reaches into the shopping bag that sat between the two of you, pulling out a bouquet of your favorite flowers and handing them to you. “The game plan was to cut my hair, get home, shower, make pasta, and then shoot you a text inviting you to join me so we could talk and pray that you turned up.”
“These are beautiful, thank you,” you hum, taking a whiff of the flowers. “And pasta does sound nice.”
He perks up at the comment; this was his green light. “In that case…would you like to have dinner with me?”
A tear rolls down your face and you brush it away with a half-hearted smile, “I’d like that a lot.”
Colt shuffles closer, moving the bag to the footwell of the seat and reaches for your waist, “Is it okay if I hug you? I just want to hold you.”
You nod and wrap your arms around his neck, leaning forward in your seat to hug him. “You’re squishing me!” Coco complains when Colt pulls you closer and squeezes you. You pull away enough for her to slip out from between your body before allowing yourself to melt into Colt’s embrace. “I missed you,” he whispered.
“I missed you too."
“Do you think your ex is gone?” He questions while rubbing your back.
You nod your head, pulling away just enough to look at him. “Definitely. He’s not the kind of wizard that sticks around if no one’s there to watch him cause a scene.”
“He’s a wizard?”
“Yeah, they don’t all look like Gandalf,” you joke.
Colt raises his eyebrows, “Does that mean you know a wizard that does look like Gandalf?”
“How 'bout I tell you about it over dinner?" You suggest, attempting to pull away completely, only to be stopped by the tight hold he had on your waist. "Just a little longer, please?" He whispers, drawing you in until you were flush against his chest again.
"Okay," you sigh, burying your face in the crook of his neck and allowing your body to relax against his once more.
Summary: After his almost career-ending accident, Colt moves into the apartment above Spellbound Sweet, a bakery owned by a rather witchy woman.
Warnings: Fluff and angst! Depressed/Sad Colt. Magic. Reader is a witch and has a familiar in the form of a cat.
Word Count: 3.4K
Author's Note: My submission for the @goosegroupiechallenges' Supernatural theme. Gif by: @/fleursial
Please comment and/or reblog if you enjoyed this and want to see more!
RG Masterlist
Colt knew he was running when he packed up his apartment, changed his number, moved out of LA, and subsequently ghosted his loved ones in the process. He was running from his past, from the dealing aftermath of breaking his back and nearly dying, from the shame and guilt over the accident, and especially from all the people he pushed away while he recovered.
It was a cowardly move, and he knew that. Staying in Los Angeles was a painful reminder of who he used to be, all he could've been, and all that he had lost.
So, he left.
Leaving behind his dreams, his memories, and all the pain that came with them.
—
You saw him for the first time through the display window of your bakery when he stepped out of the gold and brown two-toned truck. His arrival piqued your interest immediately. The coastal town of Seymour’s Bay was no stranger to tourists, but judging by the slew of boxes in the bed of his truck, he was here to stay.
Coco, your familiar who had taken the form of a cat, jumped onto the stool you kept behind the register and followed your line of vision. “He’s cute.” Her voice echoes throughout your head.
“Do you think he’s our new neighbor? Mrs. Murphy didn’t say anything about a new renter when she dropped by the other day.” The apartment above your shop but below yours had been vacant for months after the couple that lived there previously moved out when the wife’s job moved them to the other side of the country.
The shop bell chimes and pulls you from your train of thought. “Welcome to Spellbound Sweets. What can I get for you?” The greeting had fallen from your lips hundreds of times, but this was the first time in recent memory that you felt nervous.
He stood tall, with a short beard and his blonde hair tied back in a small bun, a few strands falling across his face, and offered a small smile. “Hi, I’m Colt. Mrs. Murphy told me to wait here for her and meet the… witch?”
You took note of the way his smile never reached his eyes and how he spoke in such a neutral way before returning the polite smile and extending your hand across the counter for him to shake, “That’ll be me. I’m Y/n. It’s nice to meet you. I assume you’ll be moving in upstairs?”
Colt nods and shakes your hand, “I am.”
“I can give you a hand with the boxes once Mrs. Murphy gives you the keys,” you offer.
He shakes his head, “That’s alright, I didn’t bring much with me.”
“It’s no trouble, really. It’s been a slow day at the shop anyway. I don’t mind helping you out.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll manage.”
“Alright,” you say, sensing that he wanted to be left alone. “Can I at least give you a sweet? On the house, of course.”
Colt takes a step back and looks from the menu and then to the displays in search of a treat, “You really lean into the witch theme,” he mumbles after seeing that the drinks menu was titled ‘Witch’s Brew.’
“It’s not—” you were beginning to correct, but you were quickly cut off by the bell chiming again, and Mrs. Murphy’s honeyed voice boomed through the bakery, “Oh! You’ve met my darling girl!”
You and Colt exchange a quick glance before he addresses her and her larger than life personality, “I did. You must be Mrs. Murphy, it’s nice to meet you.”
She grins at him and motions for him to follow her outside. He looks back at you for a second, and you smile, “If you change your mind about needing a hand and you can’t find me down here, then I’m probably in my apartment on the top floor. Just knock.”
He nods and follows your landlady out the door.
“He’s sad.” Coco communicates, her voice ringing through your head.
“I picked up on that, too,” you tell her. “It was exuding from him.”
“Talk to him.”
“Coco, he wants to be left alone. I'm not going to disturb him and neither are you. Understood?” Your feline companion scoffs at your dismissal and curls into herself on the stool.
—
The day carried on, and aside from Colt’s arrival, was uneventful. You stood behind the counter for most of the day, watching him carry box after box up to his apartment until locking up the shop and heading upstairs. His door was cracked open and despite being tempted to poke your head in to see if he needed anything, you ultimately decided against it. He seemed like the hermit type and intruding on his space was far from neighborly.
He had been at the forefront of your mind throughout the entire day and remained there well into the evening as you made dinner. Your mind kept drifting back to the sadness that surrounded his spirit and how unnatural it felt. You didn’t know Colt, but it felt off.
You try to shake the thought of him and refocus on the chicken searing in the pan when you hear a knock at the door. You lower the heat on the stove and peer through the peephole before opening up to reveal Colt, who was sporting a red muscle tee and sweatpants, with Coco cradled in his arms like a baby. “Hi,” he greets, setting her down, “I found her on my fire escape.”
She brushes up against your leg and purrs, something she only did to soften you up when she knew she was in trouble. “Oh god, I’m sorry. I’ve been so focused on following this recipe, I didn’t even notice she slipped out the window.”
Colt waves off your apology, “No worries, and I’m sure whatever you’re making will turn out just as great as it smells.”
“Invite him to stay.”
Despite how irritated you were with her, you considered Coco’s words. “Thanks! It’s almost done. You’re more than welcome to join me if you’d like.”
“I shouldn’t,” he starts, “I still have so much unpacking to do.”
“My offer still stands. I really don't mind lending a helping hand. If you give me a few minutes to finish cooking, I can fix both of us a plate and bring it downstairs.” It was a last-ditch effort, but you still threw it out there; he didn’t know anyone here, and at no point did you see him leave to go grocery shopping either.
You could see him hesitate. “If you’d like, of course. You don’t just have to say yes.”
“I know, but I’d like to,” he says softly.
—
You and Colt sit crisscrossed on the floor of his apartment, leaning against his boxes while you both eat. “This is really good. Thank you for sharing with me,” Colt hums before taking another bite of the creamy chicken and mashed potatoes you made.
“I’m glad you like it. I’ve made it plenty of times, but found my grandmother’s recipe a few days ago and decided to try my hand at her version,” you explain.
“Well, your grandmother has a gift,” he says after swallowing his food.
A comfortable silence falls over the room and you find yourself just looking at him. Taking in his features, the slight bump on his nose, the mole just off the corner of his eye, and the faint lines across his forehead.
He glances up at you and you look away, your cheeks warming up at being caught staring at him. “How long have you lived here? Mrs. Murphy said your bakery is a staple in the town and attracts a lot of tourists.”
“A few years. I took a trip here with some friends a while back and fell in love with the town,” you explain. “What about you? Why’d you decide to move here?”
“I needed a change,” he says after taking a deep breath.
You notice the way his body deflates and the distant look in his eyes. You were touching a sore subject. “If you want to share, I don't mean to pry.”
“You aren't,” he assures. “I was a stuntman up until about a year ago. I had an accident and decided to leave the entertainment industry afterwards.”
Your eyes darted towards the inversion table in the corner of the room. You saw him unload it from the back of his truck and turn down the help of Mr. Jackson from across the street when he walked over, ready to assist. “Your back?”
His shoulders sink further and he nods. “I broke it and basically almost killed myself in front of the cast and crew of the movie, including my girlfriend.”
Your eyes soften as he speaks. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, but at least you weren’t alone, right? You had your girlfriend and your family?”
Colt goes quiet and lets his head hang, “Jody…she tried to be there for me. She really did, but…but I just couldn’t do it. I was just so…”
“Ashamed,” you conclude. It was all making sense now, why his energy felt so bleak. Colt was a man ridden with guilt and shame. He was a shell of himself.
“Yeah,” he chokes out.
Coco pokes her head out of the empty box she was playing in, jumping out, and cuddling up to Colt to comfort him.
“Going through something like that, especially alone, couldn’t have been easy. You’re very strong.”
He huffs out a humorous laugh, “I feel far from strong.”
“You don’t have to feel strong to be strong. You said it yourself; you came here because you needed a change. It takes strength to keep going and you being here is all the proof I need to know you’re very strong.”
He absorbs your words, letting them sink in and erode the sharp pains in his chest. “Thank you…I think I needed to hear that.”
“Anytime.”
—
Months passed and Colt found himself around you more and more. It started off small, with you helping him unpack the day after you had dinner together on the floor of his apartment. It was the first time he saw you use your magic. You had gone upstairs during your lunch break to see just how much progress he had made after hearing all the shuffling from the bakery, and offered to use your magic to speed up the process.
“So is the witch shtick a lifestyle choice?” He asked you as he unpacked all his jigsaw puzzles.
“It’s not a shtick, I am a witch.”
“And I’m a werewolf.”
“I’m serious,” you insisted.
“Prove it.”
He was eating his words in seconds when the boxes he had stacked in the kitchen opened, and his utensils and appliances were floating through the air. “What the fuck!”
“Tell me where you want everything to go.”
“How are you doing that?”
“Magic. We’ve been over this. I’m a witch.”
“Okay, okay, okay. This is so cool and also a little terrifying. My neighbor's a witch!” He walked through the kitchen, weaving past the floating objects and opening the drawer by the stove. “Can you put the forks and stuff in here?”
He remembered the sound of your laugh at him jumping at the sound of all the silverware clacking against each other.
“Does that mean that the stuff down at the shop is magical too?”
“Some are, but not everything. Most of it is to just help people. I have muffins that help relieve pain, cookies that help heal fresh wounds—that one is a big hit with parents and their kids. There’s also coffee that makes you super energized, that’s a hit with college students during their midterms and finals," you explained.
“Is the Love Potion latte an actual love potion?”
“Well, you know what they say about love potions, shake well and never tell,” you joke, earning a soft smile from him. “I guess you aren’t wrong about me leaning into the witch stuff because I do have things on my menu like the latte that aren’t actually magical but sound like they are. But I don’t make love potions; love should be natural.”
—
You and your friendship were proving to be exactly what he needed. You helped him shop for furniture and decorate, you showed him around town once he settled in and started working at the flower shop in town, for him to see the beauty of his new home. You introduced him to the townsfolk and clued him in on town gossip. But most importantly, you encouraged him not to abandon his passion and reconnect with his past.
“I think you should call your friend, the stunt coordinator,” you tell him one afternoon when he comes into the shop on his lunch break.
“Why?” He asks while petting Coco.
“I know you said you were putting that life behind you, but the way you talked about stunts during movie night yesterday, it’s so obvious just how much you miss it. I know you’re scared that something could go wrong again, but you can’t let fear dictate your life. Stunts are your passion, yes, you have a green thumb, and you like being a florist, but I can tell it’s not fulfilling for you. And plus, you said you missed him because I don’t get your movie quotes.”
He didn’t listen right away. He was a little too stubborn for that, but he kept your words in the back of his mind for the weeks to come until he found himself dialing Dan’s number.
“Hello?”
“Hey man, it’s Colt.”
Dan lets out a laugh upon hearing his voice, “It’s about time! I’ve been waiting to hear from you.”
Reconnecting with Dan was a lot easier than Colt expected. He was ready for a tongue lashing about dropping off the face of the Earth, but Dan only welcomed him in with open arms and told him the door was always open for him after he expressed his interest in dipping his toe back into stunt work, even if he wasn’t entirely ready. It was relieving to know that not all his loved ones were mad at him like he originally thought.
They started speaking regularly after that, catching up on their lives after Colt pulled away. Dan spoke about what it was like making the change from stuntman to stunt coordinator, traveling, and his relationships. Colt talked about his recovery and the hobbies he picked up while in isolation. He talked about moving and putting his love for plants to use at the flower shop and all the people he’d befriend or become acquainted with. But above all else, he talked about you.
He talked about you and how you were melting away the icy fortress he had banished himself to. He talked about how much he enjoyed your company over anyone else’s. He talked about your movie nights, how you laughed at his terrible jokes, how you bullied him into doing face masks with you on the weekends, how good of a baker you were, and that you mixed potions into the batter of some of the baked goods you sold to help the townsfolk. He talked about having dinner and doing puzzles together, and he even talked about how much Coco liked him.
“Man, you are so far gone. Are you sure she didn’t cast a love spell on you?”
“What?” His voice coming out more high pitched than normal.
“The way you talk about her? You’re in love with her, Colt.”
“I’m not,” he insists, “Do you think I am?”
“Relax,” Dan says, sensing his panic, “I was just teasing you.”
“Right, right.”
—
Dan’s playful accusation lingered in Colt’s mind more than he’d care to admit. He had started not only replaying every moment shared with you but had also become hyperaware of every small action that was slowly setting his heart ablaze. He was in love with you, and now that he knew it, he couldn’t unsee it; unfeel it.
He had been trying to wrap his mind around the way he felt and how he’d fail to realize his feelings sooner. A part of him believed it was because of how gradually it happened; it didn’t happen all at once, but slowly enough for it to go unnoticed. But he’d be a liar if he said that he’d completely ruled out a spell or potion taking effect on him.
Tonight was movie night and the two of you were seated on his couch, you with a bowl of ice cream in your lap, Colt with Coco in his. He was acting strange all week and behaving even stranger now.
Colt was a talker. He talked through nearly every movie and show you had seen together, so to see him so quiet and spaced out tonight was concerning. You fish through your pocket, pull out a coin, and hold it out to him. “Penny for your thoughts?”
The sound of your voice pulls him back to reality. "What?"
“You’ve been acting weird all week. What’s wrong?”
He rubs the back of his neck, and you squint at him, trying to assess his behavior. “Is it your back? Maybe I can make you something to help relieve the pain.”
“No,” he starts, “I was talking to Dan a few nights ago and he said something that’s been eating away at me.”
You sit up and turn your body towards him, giving him your full attention. “Oh? What’d he say?”
His gaze drops and he focuses on petting Coco, “He said that I was in love with you and made a joke about you putting a spell on me because of the way I was talking about you. I know it was just him teasing me, but it really stuck with me, and I kept going over everything in my head, and I think he’s right…I think I am in love with you.”
“You think you’re in love with me?” You whisper the words back to yourself, your chest growing warm with his admission.
“I don’t mean to spring something like this on you, but do you think you might have accidentally cast a spell, or maybe something went wrong with one of your potions, and that’s why I feel like this?” The second the words leave his mouth, and he sees the way your face falls, he regrets it.
“Oh." You shake your head, "No, I would never do something like that. Do you really think I’d do something like that to you?”
He hesitates and your shoulders sink. You’ve dealt with your fair share of people accusing you of using your powers for awful things; it was easy to blame the witch and be freed from accountability or punishment. You were lucky enough to have never dealt with something like that since living in Seymour's Bay, at least not until now. Colt was the last person you expected it from, even if he thought it was an accident, it still stung. The change in your mood doesn’t go unnoticed by Coco, who was moving off Colt’s lap and hopping onto the floor. She could sense your hurt. “Let’s go.”
“I think I should go,” you say, setting the bowl in your lap down on the coffee table and standing.
Panic starts to set in, and Colt stands too, attempting to reach for your hand. “No, wait! I’m sorry, Sunshine, please stay. I didn’t mean to–”
“It’s alright,” you whisper, stepping back before he could make contact. “It’s getting late anyway.”
It was a poor excuse that neither of you believed, but you wanted to leave, and he knew he couldn’t force you to stay. “Can we talk about this tomorrow? I didn’t mean to upset you, I just never felt like this before, and I wanted to make sure it was real and not–”
He watches as you walk to his door, stopping just before you turn the knob and glance back at him. The somber look in your eye made his chest feel like it was caving in, but your words are what truly crushed him. “I would never do that, not on purpose or by accident either. I’m too careful for that. Love potions and spells are selfish and cruel. Maybe that’s what you think of me, but I can assure you I’m nowhere as wicked as you think I am. Have a good night, Colt.”
He moves to follow you out the door, but Coco stands in the door, and for the first time since moving in, the feline hisses at him.
