Hello!! I am no one at all! I write val fanfics and currently dipping my toes into other fandoms! I am afab and heterosexual but am open to writing any fan fic.
I am 18+ so don’t worry I am allowed to write smut, if you are a minor please don’t read any NSFW or smut that I have wrote. Thanks!
*My NSFW or smut tag is ‘🍋’*
Requests are open! Just message me or comment on a previous post or this post and I’ll try and get to everyone :)
We had finished the entire bottle of wine Tanner had brought. Thank God my weekend was finally here, otherwise I would've objected.
I was an absolute giggling mess curled up in Tanner's arms. He held me close, my stomach against his chest. His arms wrapped securely around me as if he had no intention of letting me go. His dark eyes never left mine, studying every smile and every laugh with an almost infatuated fascination.
The sparkle in his eyes was impossible to ignore.
"Alright," He chuckled, brushing a loose strand of hair away from my face. "What was your favorite game growing up?"
I laughed again, shaking my head.
"Jesus fuck, Tanner." I nudged his side with my elbow. "I would've thought after all those years of watching me, and everyone else, you'd already know."
His grin only widened as I continued to giggle.
"I always loved Capture the Flag." I smiled as old memories surfaced. "Hide-and-seek tag, too. Honestly, anything that meant running around outside."
I looked up at him, the warmth from the wine making everything feel lighter.
"I remember you playing sometimes." A laugh escaped me. "You were always impossible to find."
"I do remember your voice calling my name when it was time to go back inside for class." He smiled down at me. "You always remembered I was there."
His smile softened.
"Everyone else seemed to forget." Something in his voice tugged at my heart.
I lifted a hand to his cheek, gently brushing my thumb across his skin.
"I could never forget you." I smiled softly. "You always sat next to me."
Old memories drifted back to me. The countless pencils he'd handed me after I forgot mine. The loose-leaf paper he'd quietly slid onto my desk. He was always prepared, always watching.
His hand came up to cover mine. He gently lifted it from his cheek before pressing a slow kiss against my palm. His eyes closed for only a moment before opening again, settling back onto mine.
"Would you like to play a game with me, (Y/N)?" His voice had regained its usual warmth, and the corners of his eyes crinkled with genuine excitement.
My cheeks warmed as memories of recess flooded back. I let my hand drift from his face until it rested lightly against his chest.
"What did you have in mind, Tanner?" I asked, sitting up a little straighter.
His smile widened.
"Let's play hide-and-seek again." He sounded almost nostalgic.
"You hide first, and I'll come find you." His grin turned playful. "Then we'll switch."
He pushed himself up from the couch before extending a hand toward me. I looked up at him before slipping my hand into his. As he pulled me to my feet, I found myself already thinking about my house for somewhere he wouldn't think to look. I huffed, already knowing my turn hiding was going to be incredibly short-lived, while his would probably last the rest of the night.
"Sounds wonderful," I said with a smile, my words just a little slurred from the wine. "But on one condition."
Tanner looked at me with those warm chocolate brown eyes and gave a small nod, hanging onto every word I said.
"We need a time limit." I pointed an accusing finger at him. "Since you're obviously very good at this."
His smile only grew.
"10 minutes maximum for each person hiding," I continued. "The seeker sets a timer. Once it's up, they go back to the living room and face the wall so they don't accidentally reveal the hiding spot if the other person wants to use it later."
I smiled, satisfied with my own rule. At least this way, he couldn't disappear into my house forever without me finding him.
...Right?
Tanner's smirk deepened, and something flickered behind his eyes.
"Sounds like a perfect challenge." He nodded once. "And no going outside the house."
He gently guided me away from the couch until I was facing the hallway.
"I'll count to 20 before I start looking." His voice lowered as he leaned closer, his warm breath brushing against my ear. "Ready?"
Heat rushed into my cheeks, but I forced myself to look back at him with all the determination I could muster.
"Fucking bet."
His chuckle followed me as he slowly turned around, covering his eyes with one hand.
"1..."
I didn't wait to hear the rest. I padded as quietly as I could down the hallway toward the guest bedroom, carefully avoiding the floorboards that always creaked. Hopefully he'd check the obvious places first.
I slipped inside and quietly shut the door behind me. The room was almost empty. A wardrobe, a closet, the bed.
Jeez... I really need to decorate this room.
"15..."
My attention snapped back to the game. Without another thought, I dropped to the floor and shimmied beneath the bed. The clearance was barely enough for me to squeeze underneath, forcing me to flatten myself against the hardwood.
Dust tickled my nose, threatening me. Perfect. Just as I settled into place, I heard Tanner reach 20.
"Ready or not..." His voice drifted down the hallway, warm and almost playful. "...here I come."
I clamped both hands over my mouth to stop myself from laughing. It always gave me away. Instead, I held my breath and listened as his footsteps began moving through my house.
I heard him humming to himself as he searched the kitchen first. Cabinet doors opened one after another before clicking shut just as carefully. I couldn't help but smile to myself.
As if I'd fit in one of those.
His humming gradually grew louder as he wandered down the hallway. Past the guest bedroom. I bit the inside of my cheek, fighting back both a laugh and a sneeze. Dust danced in my nose, making my eyes water as I desperately tried to stay quiet.
I tracked him the best I could by the sound of his footsteps. They weren't particularly light, but they weren't heavy either.
That's odd. I could've sworn I hadn't heard him at all when he surprised me in the shower.
The thought had barely crossed my mind before I felt something shift beside me. I turned my head.
A scream ripped from my throat.
Tanner was lying on the floor beside the bed, his face level with mine beneath the frame.
"Peek-a-boo." A grin stretched across his face.
I smacked a hand over my racing heart.
"Oh my God! Tanner!" Before I could recover, his hand gently wrapped around my wrist.
"Come on," he laughed. "You've been found."
He gave my arm a gentle tug.
"Ow, Tanner!" I laughed between breaths. "I'll get myself out!"
Still chuckling, I shimmied out from beneath the bed. Tanner stepped back to give me room, patiently waiting until I had completely crawled free. The moment I stood, I sneezed.
I rubbed my nose before looking back up at him. He looked like a kid who'd just won the grand prize at a carnival.
"So..." I folded my arms dramatically. "Did I at least make it 2 minutes?"
Tanner pretended to think about it.
"Hmm..." A teasing smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he stepped closer. "About 1 minute and 43 seconds."
"Oh, come on!"
He laughed quietly before his hands settled comfortably at my waist. Almost instinctively, mine found their way around his neck.
"You picked a good spot," he admitted, his voice softer now. "You just forgot one thing."
"And what's that?"
"You laugh when you're excited." His eyes searched mine for a moment before he leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss just beneath my jaw. "I heard you before I ever saw you."
He continues to kiss his way down my neck, making my face flush as I lean into him slightly. The alcohol and the pleasure of the kisses haywire my brain as I softly whimper. Tanner stops at my noise, I feel him smirk against the skin of my neck.
He leaned back up before capturing my lips in another kiss. It was warm and lingering, but there was something beneath it. A quiet hunger that I still couldn't quite place. When he finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against mine for a brief moment before taking my hand and leading me back into the living room.
"Your turn to find me." His voice buzzed with excitement, almost boyish.
My brain was still catching up, hopelessly distracted by the feeling of his lips against my neck. A soft chuckle escaped him as he watched my flustered expression.
"I think I broke you."
Heat rushed back into my cheeks.
"I..." I started before giving up with an embarrassed laugh.
He smiled to himself, clearly pleased with the effect he had on me. Before I realized what he was doing, he gently positioned me in the middle of the living room and turned me toward the wall.
"You'll probably need your phone for the timer." His hand slipped into the back pocket of my pajama pants, retrieving my phone before placing it carefully into my hands. The casual gesture made my face burn all over again.
I looked back over my shoulder at him. He only offered me a small, satisfied smile before pressing a quick kiss to my cheek.
"No peeking." His hands lingering on my shoulders for just a second longer than necessary before finally letting go. I heard him take a few quiet steps away.
Then nothing. Not a floorboard creaked, not a breath. Only silence. I frowned.
"...Tanner?"
No answer. I glanced down at the timer on my phone. Just count to 20, then the game officially starts. I take a deep breath as I count out loud for Tanner.
"...20. Ready or not, here I come!" I called out loud enough for anyone hiding in my house to hear. I looked down at my phone and started the 10 minute timer.
I bit my lip as I started with the kitchen. Every cabinet, every drawer, every possible hiding spot. Nothing. Only pots, pans, and my own disappointment.
"Of course," I muttered to myself.
I made my way back into the living room and studied the space carefully. I opened the closet, quickly shutting it again when I found nothing but coats and shoes. I grumbled as I continued down the hallway, checking every room I passed.
Still nothing.
By the time I reached the guest bathroom, I was starting to question whether he had somehow left the house. There was only one obvious hiding place. The shower. A smirk spread across my face.
"Finally."
I ripped open the shower curtain.
"HAHA, I GOT—" I stopped. "...you."
My excitement disappeared as I stared down at the bottles of shampoo and conditioner sitting untouched. I rolled my eyes at myself. I walked back out, continuing my search.
The closer I got to my bedroom, the more that familiar feeling returned. A small shiver ran down my spine.
I opened my closet, nothing.
I checked under my bed, nothing.
I opened my second closet, still nothing. I stood there, hands on my hips, completely confused.
How was he doing this?
I looked down at my phone. 3 minutes remaining.
"Oh, you're kidding me." I hurried toward the last room. My bathroom.
I swallowed.
He had to be in here. There weren't many places left. I reached for the cabinet beneath the sink first, pausing for a moment before deciding against opening it. No, that was too obvious.
I turned toward the shower and dramatically pulled back the curtain. Empty. I stared for a second before letting out a small laugh.
"Okay..." I looked back toward the sink cabinet. There was only one place left. I lowered myself onto the floor, facing the cabinet doors. A smile tugged at my lips.
"I know you're in there, Tanner." I rested my hand on the handle. "I've looked everywhere."
I pulled the cabinet doors open. Expecting to see his face. Expecting that stupid grin. Expecting to finally win.
But instead, nothing.
I groaned as my back hit the floor of my bathroom in defeat, the timer chiming loudly to signal my loss. I let it continue playing as I pushed myself up, brushing off my clothes before making my way back toward the living room.
"Tanner, you won. Shocker." My sarcastic quip echoed through the house.
I turned to face the wall, waiting for him to reveal himself. A few seconds passed before I heard his footsteps approach. Then, suddenly, his hands covered my eyes.
"Guess who?" His tone was light, playful.
I turned around to face him, and his ecstatic expression immediately made me laugh. He looked like he had just accomplished something monumental, not won a simple game of hide-and-seek.
"Ugh, you make it impossible to find you." I crossed my arms, pretending to be annoyed.
Tanner only chuckled. His hand came up, resting gently beneath my chin and tilting my face toward his. His brown eyes searched mine, that familiar intensity appearing for just a moment before his playful expression returned.
"I'm very good at hiding." The words were teasing, but something about them made my stomach twist.
Maybe because I knew he was. Before I could think too deeply about it, he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against my lips. It was brief, almost like a reward for losing. Then he pulled away, his smirk returning.
"Tell you what," he said. "You hide this time. Find the best spot you can think of. I'll give you 1 minute."
I raised an eyebrow. My competitive side immediately kicked in.
"If I find you, I win." His smile deepened. "And I get to decide what happens next."
My face warmed instantly, my mind flashing back to what had happened in the guest bedroom. I looked away, trying to hide my reaction.
"And if I win?" I asked.
"Then you decide." His eyes brightened.
That was somehow both comforting and dangerous coming from him. I studied his expression for a moment before finally nodding. Challenge accepted. His smile widened as if he had been waiting for that exact answer.
"Perfect." He gently nudged me toward the hallway. "Go hide. And make it good."
I laughed softly as I walked away, hearing him turn toward the wall behind me.
The counting began.
I moved quickly, but carefully. The first thing I did was turn off the lights. If Tanner wanted a challenge, I was going to give him one. I moved through my house, switching off every lamp and every overhead light. My heart raced as I tried to keep my footsteps quiet.
It felt ridiculous.
I was playing hide-and-seek in my own home with my boyfriend. Yet somehow, my body reacted like this was the most important competition of my life. I slipped back toward my bedroom, remembering how close I had been to finding him earlier.
The bathroom. That was where he had fooled me. I smirked to myself as I stepped inside and looked around.
Then I saw it.
The small hidden closet behind the bathroom door. I carefully moved the towels aside, creating enough space for me to squeeze inside. It wasn't comfortable, but it was hidden. I adjusted the bathroom door back into its original position, making sure nothing looked out of place.
Then I settled in. Silence, complete silence. I pressed a small towel against my mouth to stop myself from laughing. I could hear my own heartbeat.
1 minute. That was all he had.
For once, Tanner wasn't going to find me. I was going to win.
I could hear him humming again through the walls. This time, he was thorough. The sound drifted through the house as I stayed perfectly still, listening to every movement. The humming would stop, followed by footsteps, then start again as he searched. I swallowed, suddenly aware of how loud my own heartbeat felt.
Slowly, the humming faded. Then the footsteps stopped.
Complete silence.
I felt the blood rush through my arteries as I strained to listen for anything. Any indication of where he was. Any clue that would give me the upper hand. I squeezed my eyes shut, focusing only on the sounds around me. My breathing slowed.
Then, a creak.
My lips curled into a small smile. The floorboard. I knew that one, but Tanner didn't.
I listened as he moved through my bedroom. The soft sounds of drawers opening and closing reached my ears as he searched through every possible hiding place. I held back a laugh.
He was thorough, but he wasn't perfect. Not in my house. Not when I knew every little detail. The room fell silent again.
I held my breath.
A few seconds passed before I heard his footsteps move away from my bedroom and back into the hallway. My shoulders relaxed. A breath I didn't realize I was holding escaped my lips.
I opened my eyes. Still dark and still hidden. I smiled to myself. I had done it. I had actually beaten Tanner. The victory was already starting to settle in when...
The closet door swung open. A dark figure appeared in front of me. I screamed into the towel covering my mouth, my entire body jolting as I stared up at him.
There he was, wearing that familiar smile. The one that always told me he knew something I didn't.
This is the second part to my Domestic series! From here things get better, trust :)
Warnings: Tanner being creepy, more swearing than usual, nudity
Words: 2.2k
Prev - Next
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The weeks keep rolling by, and Tanner keeps putting up with my bullshit. And by bullshit, I mean medical school. It happened to be Sunday, the last day of my week and the start of my weekend.
I drove home like I always did, sitting at the one obnoxious red light in town for what felt like an eternity before finally pulling into the driveway of my little blue house. With the car in park, I let my forehead fall against the steering wheel.
Silence, finally. I stayed there for a minute, letting myself decompress after another exhausting shift. A long groan escaped me as I thought about getting out of the car. After 48 combined hours on my feet over the last four days, even thinking about walking made my feet hurt.
The sooner I get it done, the sooner it's over.
With another dramatic sigh, I pushed my car door open, hauled myself to my feet, and complained through all 18 steps to my front door. My keys found the lock by muscle memory, the familiar click rang out. The old hinges creaked as I pushed the door open before quietly shutting it behind me.
My house was completely dark, shrouding me in peace.
I shrugged off my white coat, hung it on the hook by the door, kicked my shoes onto the ever-growing pile beside the entryway, and dropped my bag onto the floor.
Tomorrow's problem, not a now problem.
Dragging my feet, I started down the hallway toward the bathroom, already dreaming about the hottest shower my water heater could manage. I make it to my bedroom and flick on the light.
I started my usual routine, peeling off my scrubs and tossing them onto the neat little pile in the middle of my floor. Then something caught my eye.
My bedroom window. I frowned. The lock was turned the wrong way.
Huh. I'm almost positive I locked that last night.
I wandered over, still half-dressed, and rested my hand against the latch. Maybe I was imagining things. I checked it anyway. The lock clicked beneath my fingers.
"...That's weird." I stared out into the darkness beyond the glass.
The neighborhood was quiet. Not a single porch light. Not a single person. Just the wind rustling the trees.
Maybe I forgot. It wouldn't have been the first time I'd come home exhausted enough to skip part of my routine. I could've sworn I'd locked it.
Shaking the thought from my head, I slid the latch back into place with a satisfying click and pulled the curtains shut.
"There," I muttered to myself. "Stay locked this time."
I point to the lock as if it unlocked itself as my eyes carry from my window to the bathroom. I let out a sigh as I continue to undress myself and wander into my bathroom.
I turned the shower as hot as it would go before stepping beneath the stream. Instantly, the heat melted away the ache in my shoulders and the soreness in my legs. I let out a quiet sigh and tipped my head back, letting the water wash away another week at the hospital.
Then, I hear a little tap. I frowned. Another tap followed. I pulled my head out from beneath the spray, straining to listen over the sound of the water.
Silence.
"...Probably the pipes." I muttered it more for my own sanity than because I believed it. A shiver crept down my spine. The familiar crawl.
"For fuck's sake..." I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to ignore it.
Just relax, you're home, you're safe.
Tap. My eyes flew open.
I turned my head, and screamed.
"What the FUCK?!" I nearly slipped as I stumbled backward, yanking the shower curtain around myself with both hands.
"TANNER!" My heart slammed against my ribs. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN MY BATHROOM?! GET OUT!" My voice starting to get sore from the screaming.
I watched Tanner as he grinned. A smug, satisfied grin. Like he was genuinely entertained by the fact that he had successfully scared 10 years off my life. I could practically feel my face heat with anger as he stood there, completely unfazed.
"Aw, come on, (Y/N)," he teased. "Just having a little fun."
Before I could respond, he turned around and walked away. I stared after him.
Did he seriously just leave?
"Tanner Grayton, I swear to God..." I muttered every insult I could think of under my breath as I finished washing my hair and quickly got out of the shower. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around myself before stepping into my bedroom.
Only to find Tanner sitting on the floor outside my open bathroom door. Waiting. I stopped. I couldn't tell if my face was red from anger or embarrassment anymore.
"Tanner." His eyes immediately lifted to mine. "What the actual fuck is wrong with you?"
The words came out half serious and half teasing. His stupid grin only widened.
"I wanted to see you," he said simply. "And I wanted to surprise you."
"You're happy to see me too, aren't you?" He stood up slowly, brushing off his clothes and taking a few steps towards me. He stands right in front of me, his hands comfortably meeting on my hips. His brown eyes staring back at me.
I opened my mouth to argue. Then stopped.
Because unfortunately, he wasn't wrong. A small blush spread across his pale cheeks as he looked at me, almost like he was waiting for my reaction. I looked away, trying not to let him win. It didn't work. I sighed and stepped forward, wrapping my arms around him.
"I am happy to see you, Tanner."
His arms immediately settled around me, pulling me close like it was the easiest thing in the world. For a moment, the frustration disappeared. Then my brain caught up. I pulled back, confused.
"Wait. How did you get in?"
His eyebrows lifted. A quiet chuckle escaped him. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss against my forehead.
"Something I've learned to do over the years..." His smile turned mischievous. "...is unlock windows."
"Unlock windows." I repeated his words slowly, almost like saying them out loud would make them sound more ridiculous. Because they were, and he said it so casually.
Like breaking into someone's house was just another skill people picked up over the years. Like a party trick he developed. I fought the overwhelming urge to smack him as his grin only grew.
Instead, he leaned forward and pressed another soft kiss to my forehead, then my cheek, then the other, then my nose. Finally, my lips. Each one lasted barely a second. Almost like he was trying to distract me.
And unfortunately, it was working. He was defusing me expertly.
"Tanner," I sighed. "If you're going to break into my house, can you at least tell me first so I know what to expect when I get home?"
The teasing was there, but so was the frustration. His smile faded slightly. Not completely, just enough. His dark eyes studied mine, searching for something I couldn't identify.
A reaction? A boundary? Maybe both.
He hummed quietly before standing up straight again.
"Okay."
I blinked. That was easier than expected. Then his smile returned.
"But only if you can find me." He winked. Tanner then walked out of my bathroom, leaving me soaking wet and stunned.
"What the hell, Tanner..." I muttered as I followed him out toward my room, practically trailing behind him like a confused puppy.
Then something stopped me. My pajamas were laid out neatly on my bed. Placed perfectly where I could easily grab them. For a moment, my frustration disappeared. A small smile tugged at my lips.
Then my brain caught up.
My boyfriend just broke into my house. Scared the absolute hell out of me. Then proceeded to make fun of me for it.
The warm feeling vanished almost instantly. The dark cloud of irritation returned.
"Unbelievable." I grabbed my clothes and walked back into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. After finally drying off, getting dressed, and attempting to regain whatever dignity I had left, I stepped back into the hallway.
And stopped. The house was still completely dark. I stared into the shadows. Then groaned.
"Oh my God." I reached for the light switch. Every single light in the house turned on.
"Tanner," I called out. "If this is what you meant by 'find you,' this is twisted."
Silence. I sighed and started searching. Cabinets, closets, behind doors. Every tiny hiding spot I could think of.
"He isn't exactly a small guy," I muttered to myself. "How hard could this be?" Apparently, very hard.
I finally reached my bedroom. Nothing. No Tanner, just silence. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. The irritation from earlier was slowly being replaced by something else.
Fear. I didn't want to be scared again. Not in my own home.
"Tanner." My voice came out softer than I intended. "I understand you think this is a game."
I paused, looking around my room.
"But earlier scared the shit out of me." The words felt strange leaving my mouth. Because I think I know who Tanner is. The same person who made me laugh, the same person who brought me food after a long shift, the same person who somehow knew exactly when I needed comfort.
And yet, he was also the person hiding in my house without warning.
"So can you please just come out before I actually go into cardiac arrest?" I tried to keep my tone light. A small attempt at making sure he knew I wasn't angry. Just overwhelmed.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then a thump. My eyes immediately snapped downward. Under my bed, a hand appeared, then another. Then slowly, Tanner's head emerged.
Thankfully, his face was turned toward the floor. Because if I had seen that stupid, shit eating grin right then, I might've actually lost it. I watched as he carefully dragged himself out from underneath the bed before rolling onto his back.
For a moment, he just looked up at me. No teasing, no smugness. Just a warm smile. Then he stood, brushed off his clothes, and immediately began fixing himself. Like he hadn't just crawled out from under my bed like a horror movie character.
"Fine," he said. "You win this round."
"Round?" I stared at him.
His lips twitched. I ignored it. Tanner planted another kiss on my forehead before taking my hand in his and dragging me down the illuminated hallway.
He then sat down on the couch, patting the space next to him. I shrugged and took a seat next to him. Almost immediately, Tanner sprang back up. I puffed out my cheeks, getting annoyed again.
"Tanner, what are you doing?" I questioned.
He gave me a playful smile as he walked toward the kitchen. I started to sit up, ready to follow him, but his voice rang out before I could.
"No, no, don't get up. I'll come to you." Then he disappeared. I sighed and let the couch consume me, sinking into the cushions as I waited. A few moments later, Tanner returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses. My eyes widened like a dog seeing a bone.
"Tanner—" I started, but he only gave me that familiar smile before placing everything down onto the coffee table.
My eyes immediately landed on the bottle. I recognized it instantly. My favorite rosé. A smile tugged at my lips before slowly fading. I hadn't bought this bottle in months.
Actually, I hadn't bought it since I ran out two months ago. My stomach twisted slightly as I looked back at Tanner. The gesture was sweet. Thoughtful, even. But it was also strange.
How did he know?
Tanner seemed to catch the puzzled look on my face. He didn't look surprised. If anything, he looked like he had been waiting for me to realize.
"I know it's your favorite." His voice cut through the silence as he opened the bottle. I watched him pour us both a glass, still trying to process the fact that he knew something I couldn't remember telling him.
"I always saw how you'd stare longingly at it whenever we'd walk through the alcohol aisle at the store," he explained casually. "You'd stop for a second every time."
"So, I figured I'd buy one for us." He set the bottle down on the table before handing me my glass.
I stared down at the wine in my hand. A normal person might have thought it was romantic. And it was.
But Tanner wasn't normal. The strange thing wasn't that he remembered something I liked. It was that he remembered something I never told him. I wanted to ask him how he noticed something so small. I wanted to ask how long he had been paying attention.
But the way he looked at me made the questions die on my tongue. Instead, I lifted my glass and gave him a small smile.
"Thank you, Tanner." I say as I take a sip and let the wine coat my tongue.
His expression softened immediately, then doing the same.
Ever since that Tuesday at the coffee shop, my routines had shifted.
Mondays were for grocery shopping with Tanner. Where we expertly avoided Sally and her never-ending questions and attempts to set me up with one of her distant relatives, even though Tanner is right there beside me.
Tuesdays belonged to the coffee shop. I'd study while Tanner kept me company, quizzing me over medications or patiently letting me teach him whatever I happened to be learning that week. As it turned out, teaching someone else was one of the best ways to memorize information.
The rest of the week, as always a blur.
Wednesday through Sunday were residency clinicals. 12 hour shifts with no breaks. By Saturday, I was usually running on caffeine and sheer determination.
Those days had become the hardest.
By the time I pulled into my driveway, the sun had already disappeared below the horizon. I jabbed my key into the lock and stumbled inside. The familiar quiet of my little house welcomed me home. I kicked off my shoes and hung my white coat on the hook beside the front door.
There was no point putting it anywhere else. I'd only be wearing it again tomorrow.
A long sigh escaped me as the weight of the day seemed to melt off my shoulders. Or maybe it simply landed on the floor beside my shoes.
I dragged myself toward my bedroom, peeling off my scrubs as I went to my bathroom leaving them in an untidy pile. A shower was the only thing keeping me upright. I turned the water as hot as I could stand before stepping underneath it.
The warmth washed away the smells of antiseptic, hospital soap, and another long day of learning. It had been exhausting. But not for much longer.
I just have to get through another week.
When I finally stepped out, I wrapped myself in a towel and wandered back into my bedroom. I pulled a pair of pajama pants and an oversized sweater from my dresser before glancing toward my bed.
I stopped.
It looked, perfect. The blankets were smooth. The pillows sat neatly against the headboard. Not a wrinkle anywhere. I frowned. I couldn't remember making my bed this morning.
And even if I had, I definitely wasn't that neat.
I stared at it for another second before shaking my head. I was exhausted. Brain fog could make anyone forget little things. I finished getting dressed and wandered into the living room. Digging through my backpack, I pulled out my phone.
One unread message.
Tanner
Hey! I hope today wasn't too exhausting haha. How are you? :)
A smile spread across my face. The only light in the room came from my phone screen, reflecting softly against my still-damp hair.
Hi! Ugh, it always is exhausting. I just cleaned up, and I'm actually remembering to eat today :)
I hit send before finally flicking on the kitchen light and opening the fridge. My phone buzzed almost immediately, then another.
Aw, I'm sorry.
Tell you what, how about I come over with takeout? Maybe take some stress off you?
Takeout?
I smiled to myself. For some reason, I'd never pictured Tanner as a takeout kind of guy. I wasn't even sure why. It just surprised me. I closed the door to my fridge and replied.
Takeout sounds amazing right now. Hopefully I don't fall asleep before you get here haha :D
I tossed my phone onto the couch and let myself sink into the cushions. The television played quietly in the background while I watched without really paying attention.
Before long, a gentle knock echoed through the house.
I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. I hurried over and opened the door. Tanner stood on my porch carrying a plastic Chinese takeout bag. He'd traded his usual dress clothes for jeans, a dark sweater, and sneakers. Comfortable, simple. It suited him.
His smile widened as his eyes drifted over my outfit. Oversized sweater and pajama pants. Teamed with socks that definitely didn't match.
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"Got comfortable, huh?"
I stepped aside to let him in.
"I never sacrifice comfort for fashion." I paused. "Well, except for our date."
He smiled to himself as he stepped inside.
I pushed my embarrassment aside as I gave him a small tour of my house.
"So, this is the living room," I said, gesturing around dramatically. "And right next to it is the kitchen."
I cleared my throat, putting on my best real estate agent voice.
"Down the hallway is the guest bedroom, the bathroom is on the right, and my room is at the very end." I pointed down the dark hallway before looking back at Tanner.
He smiled and nodded.
"Your place is definitely cozier than mine." He glanced down the hallway again. "I have to admit, I like it."
I smiled before walking into the kitchen and pulling a couple of plates from the cabinet.
I might be exhausted, but I'm not too exhausted to be a decent host. I set one plate in front of him before grabbing one for myself.
Tanner opened the plastic takeout bag, revealing enough Chinese food to feed a small family. My eyes widened.
"Holy shit, Tanner." I stared at the containers. "This could feed me for days. You really didn't have to do all this."
Heat crept into my cheeks. His dark eyes met mine as his usual smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"It's no problem." He shrugged. "You do need to eat."
His playful tone made me smile despite myself. I handed him a fork before we filled our plates. Once everything was ready, I led him over to the couch.
I tucked my legs underneath me while balancing my plate on my lap. Tanner settled beside me, setting his own plate on the coffee table before glancing toward the television.
"Huh." A grin crossed his face. "Horror movie junkie?"
I paused halfway through a bite. Only then did I realize Saw was still playing. A laugh escaped me.
"I only really watch horror movies on my days off." I shrugged. "But, I kind of like quizzing myself."
He looked over curiously.
"I'll watch an injury and try to figure out if it's medically accurate. And if it isn't, I think about how I'd actually treat it."
The realization hit me the second the words left my mouth.
God. I'm such a nerd.
A nervous laugh slipped out as I stole a glance at Tanner, waiting for him to make fun of me.
Instead, his eyes were practically sparkling. A genuine smile spread across his face.
"I actually think that's really smart." He picked up his fork and took another bite. "Especially if you're planning on going into trauma medicine."
The knot in my stomach eased.
"I guess." I smiled, turning my attention back toward the television. Onscreen, the protagonist began sawing through his own leg.
I winced.
"Nope. I could never."
Fake blood sprayed across the screen. The sound effects were somehow even worse.
I glanced over at Tanner. He hadn't looked away once. His attention was completely fixed on the movie. Not with disgust, not even fascination.
Almost...
Excitement.
A quiet giggle escaped me. The sound finally pulled him from whatever thought he'd been lost in. He looked over at me, one eyebrow raised.
"What?"
I smiled around another bite of food.
"You seem to be enjoying the movie more than I am."
His expression softened. His gaze shifted back to the movie then back to me. I could see him slowly inching his way towards me.
"Well..." A small smirk tugged at the corner of Tanner's mouth. "I did major in forensic science."
He gestured lazily toward the television.
"And these days I'm basically the cleanup guy for my boss."
I nodded as I finished chewing. His words reminded me of something he'd said at the coffee shop.
"I'll have to tell you about my job sometime."
I set my fork down.
"So..." I tilted my head. "You finally gonna tell me about your job?"
The room fell silent. Tanner didn't answer. At first, I thought he hadn't heard me. Then I watched his expression change.
His easy smile slowly disappeared. The playful man sitting beside me seemed to vanish, replaced by someone, colder, quieter, calculated.
I stopped picking at my food and gave him my full attention. Something shifted behind his eyes. That same emotion I'd caught glimpses of before. The one I could never quite name. A familiar crawl spread across my skin.
I carefully set my plate beside his on the coffee table.
"Tanner?" My voice came out softer than I intended. "Are you okay?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he simply looked at me. Not just at me, through me. Like he was studying every twitch of my face. Every breath. Every thought.
The silence stretched. Long enough for my stomach to tighten. He was starting to creep me out.
Finally, his gaze broke away from mine. He rubbed both palms slowly against his jeans before letting out a long, controlled breath. His eyes settled on a single spot on the hardwood floor. As if he couldn't quite bring himself to look back at me.
"My job isn't something you want to know about, (Y/N)." His tone remained cold, his eyes still carrying that unreadable emotion I had seen before.
The playful Tanner who sat beside me, who brought me food after my long shift and listened to me ramble about medications, seemed to disappear. In his place was someone I didn't recognize.
I swallowed.
"Why?" The question came out quieter than I intended.
His jaw tightened slightly as his gaze dropped back to the floor.
"Because once you know something about someone..." He paused. "...you can't unknow it."
The words settled heavily between us. I watched his fingers flex against his jeans, like he was trying to control a thought before it escaped.
"This isn't about me not trusting you." His eyes finally met mine again. "It is just going to take some time."
The way he said it wasn't an excuse. It was a fact. Like trust was something foreign to him. Something he had to learn how to give rather than something that came naturally.
I studied his face, searching for the playful Tanner I had become familiar with over the last few weeks. But he wasn't there. Not completely.
"I don't expect you to understand," he continued quietly. "It's just... not something I've been good at."
I could see his fingers flex slightly on his jeans, then relax again. As if processing a thought.
"I've spent a long time making sure people don't get close." A small, humorless smile crossed his face. "And then you came along and somehow made that difficult."
My eyebrows pulled together.
"Tanner..."
He looked away again.
"You see the best in people." A humorless smile tugged at his lips. "It's one of the things I like about you."
My chest tightened.
"But my job." He exhaled slowly. "It isn't something good people usually want to hear about."
The familiar crawl returned to my skin. Not because I was afraid of him. But because, for the first time, I wondered what kind of life someone had to live to sound so certain that the truth would make someone leave.
I reached for his hand. He looked down as our fingers intertwined, almost surprised that I had touched him.
"I'm not asking you to tell me if you're not ready." I say as his eyes lifted back to mine. "But don't decide for me that I won't understand."
For a moment, he said nothing. Then, his thumb brushed against my hand. A small, careful movement.
"I don't want to ruin this." The honesty in his voice caught me off guard.
"This?" I asked softly.
His eyes flickered around my apartment. The takeout containers. The horror movie playing quietly in the background. The messy comfort of an ordinary night.
"You." He looked back at me. "You are the only normal thing I've had in a long time."
"Between my job and the projects I'm assigned..." His voice dropped lower. "...it strips me away."
I stayed quiet, watching him carefully.
"Away from my humanity." The words felt heavier than I expected. Tanner wasn't saying it dramatically. He wasn't looking for sympathy. He was stating a fact, like he had accepted it a long time ago.
"But you..." His eyes lifted back to mine. "You make me feel human again, domesticated."
A small pause.
"Normal. Like I can be someone other than what I do." His fingers brushed against mine absentmindedly, almost like he was grounding himself.
My chest tightened.
"Tanner..."
"I don't want to ruin that." His voice was softer now.
Not scared, not desperate, just honest.
For the first time since I had met him, he looked less like someone who always knew what to say. He looked uncertain.
"So please..." The word almost sounded foreign coming from him. "Drop it."
His eyes searched mine.
"I'll decide if it needs to be said." There was something unsettling about the statement.
Not because he was threatening me. Because he meant it.
Tanner Grayton was someone who carried every secret carefully. Someone who controlled every situation he entered. And yet somehow, he was asking me to trust that he knew what he was doing.
I didn't know if that was comforting, or terrifying.
I nodded as I gave his hand a gentle squeeze. The familiar crawl on my skin had not disappeared. If anything, it had changed.
Before, it felt like my body was warning me to run. Now, it felt like my instincts were trying to understand something my heart had already started accepting.
Tanner could be dangerous.
But sitting here, with his hand wrapped around mine and his expression softer than I had ever seen it, I also knew something else.
He was trying, or he seemed to be. His eyes continued to study mine, hanging onto every second of my reaction like he was waiting for me to pull away.
I didn't.
"Okay." My voice came out softer than I expected. "If it's something you don't want to talk about right now, then I respect that."
For a moment, Tanner didn't move. Then I saw it, relief. It flickered across his features before his familiar smile slowly returned.
Not the playful smirk he wore when he was teasing me. Something different, something genuine.
"Thank you." The words were quiet. Almost hesitant. Like he wasn't used to someone accepting a boundary without demanding an explanation. I squeezed his hand again.
"But Tanner..." His eyes lifted back to mine. "Eventually, I do want to know."
The smile faded slightly. Not completely. Just enough.
"Not because I need to judge you." I paused. "But because if I'm going to be in your life, I want to know the person I'm choosing."
For the first time that night, Tanner looked caught off guard. Not annoyed. Not guarded. Just surprised.
He nodded slowly, almost as if he was mentally preparing himself for the day when that conversation would finally come. The day when he would have to decide whether I was someone who deserved the truth.
I gave him a small smile before shifting closer. Carefully, I rested my head against his shoulder.
The reaction was immediate. Tanner stiffened. Not dramatically, just enough for me to notice. His entire body went still beneath me, like his instincts had taken over before his mind could catch up. I heard the quiet hitch of his breath.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then slowly, very slowly. I felt him relax. His shoulders lowered. The tension that had been holding him together began to fade. Almost like he was reminding himself that this was okay. That I was okay. That I wasn't leaving.
His arm shifted slightly, hovering near mine before finally resting against it.
A small movement, a careful one.
Like even now, he was learning how to accept something as simple as being close to someone. He let out a slow breath, not one of frustration. One of relief. As if, for the first time in a very long time, he had finally allowed himself to relax.
My fingers intertwined with his as we continued watching the horror movie together in comfortable silence. Neither of us paid much attention to the television anymore. The room itself felt quieter.
Before I knew it, I let out a long yawn.
I glanced at the clock, 8:56 p.m. Nearly 9.
Tanner chuckled softly beneath me.
"Long week?"
"The longest."
His arm slowly wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me just a little closer. I melted into him without thinking. For a few minutes, neither of us spoke. We simply sat there, tangled together beneath the glow of the television.
Eventually, I felt his eyes on me. I tilted my head just enough to look up at him. His expression had changed again. The guarded walls were still there, but there was something gentler behind them.
His hand slowly lifted to my cheek. His fingertips brushed against my skin so carefully that it almost tickled. Like he was afraid pressing any harder would somehow break the moment.
Or me.
His thumb traced lightly along my cheekbone before he paused. His eyes searched mine. Not for permission for reassurance.
I smiled.
Only then did he lean forward. His lips met mine with a hesitation that caught me off guard. It wasn't hungry or rushed.
It was careful. Tentative.
Like he wasn't entirely convinced he deserved to kiss me at all. For a heartbeat, surprise rooted me in place. Then the warmth of his lips settled in. I relaxed and kissed him back. His shoulders eased beneath my touch.
Tanner pulled away before I could.
His thumb lingered against my cheek for only a second before he slid back in his seat. His tongue swept across his lips absentmindedly, almost as if he were savoring the lingering taste of the kiss.
Something dark flickered behind his eyes. It disappeared as quickly as it came. His gaze dropped to our half-finished plates resting on the coffee table.
"Let me clean up for you." His voice returned to its usual calm warmth. "You should get some sleep."
I puffed out my cheeks, disappointed our moment had ended so soon. But he was right, I had one more 12 hour shift before I finally had two days off.
Two whole days.
The thought alone made me smile. I wandered toward my bedroom while Tanner stood up and gathered the dishes.
Halfway down the hall, I caught myself glancing back. He moved through my kitchen effortlessly. Opening cabinets, finding the trash, stacking dishes. Everything seemed natural. Almost like he'd done it before.
That's odd.
The thought lingered in the back of my mind as I disappeared into the bathroom.
I brushed my hair and my teeth. I worked lotion into my tired skin until I finally felt like I wasn't carrying the entire hospital on my shoulders anymore.
When I stepped back into my bedroom, Tanner was waiting quietly in the doorway. I couldn't help but laugh.
"There you are." His smile softened. He opened his arms without saying a word. I walked into them.
"Thank you for tonight, Tanner." My voice was muffled against his chest. "I really needed this."
A quiet chuckle vibrated beneath my cheek.
"I know." His hand drifted through my hair in slow, careful strokes.
"So whenever you need a break..." he murmured, "I'll be here."
He pressed another gentle kiss to the top of my head. I smiled against him before he reluctantly loosened his embrace.
Together, we walked back toward the front door. He slipped on his shoes while I leaned against the wall, another yawn escaping before I could stop it.
He noticed immediately. A tiny smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Text me tomorrow?"
"I will."
Satisfied, he opened the front door. Cool night air drifted inside. He paused on the porch, turning back one last time.
"Goodnight, (Y/N)." His voice was barely above a whisper.
"Goodnight, Tanner."
He gave me one last smile before disappearing into the darkness. The lock clicked into place after I closed the door behind him.
Out of habit, I checked every window, every lock, every room. Everything was exactly where I had left it.
Almost.
I stared at my neatly made bed for another moment. Maybe I had made it that morning after all. I was exhausted, that had to be it.
With another yawn, I crawled beneath the blankets and let sleep pull me under.
The rest of dinner passed easier than I expected. Tanner and I talked about everything. School, work, my residency, and the little inconveniences that somehow become the biggest challenges in everyday life.
It was, refreshing.
For once, someone wasn't talking to me like I was my parents' daughter or that kid who broke the hamster wheel in kindergarten.
I swear I'll never live that down.
Before I knew it, dinner was over. Tanner drove me home, and before long, we were pulling up in front of my little blue house. He climbed out of the car before I could even reach for the door handle.
Of course he did.
He walked me all the way to my porch, matching my pace without saying a word. When we reached the front door, I turned toward him.
"Thank you for tonight, Tanner." I smiled. "I had a really great time."
His own smile deepened.
"So did I." His hand found the small of my back again.
This time, I didn't jump.
Instead, he gently guided me a little closer. Close enough that I could catch the faint scent of cedar and clean laundry.
"Maybe," he said softly, "I'll see you for coffee after your week ends?"
My heart skipped. We'd only talked about my schedule once.
Once.
And somehow he'd already remembered exactly how my weeks worked. The realization made my cheeks warm all over again. I looked down at my shoes instead of answering right away.
Finally, I nodded.
"I'd like that."
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
When I looked back up—
His lips brushed gently against my forehead. It lasted less than a second. But it completely stole every coherent thought from my brain.
My eyes flew open in surprise. Tanner only smiled. Then he gave me a playful wink before nodding toward my front door.
"I want to make sure you get inside safely." His eyes drifted briefly toward the quiet street. "You never know around here."
Something about the way he said it made me glance over my shoulder, too. The neighborhood looked exactly as it always did.
Quiet, still, and peaceful.
"Thank you, Tanner." I smiled one last time. "I'll see you soon."
"I'll hold you to that."
He stepped away from the porch, giving me room to unlock my door. I slid my key into the lock, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.
Before closing it, I glanced back. Tanner was already walking toward his car. Hands tucked into his pockets. His tie loosened just enough to make him look less polished than he'd been earlier.
For a moment, I simply watched him. Then he looked back. Our eyes met one last time.
He smiled. I smiled back before quietly closing the door.
The familiar click of the lock echoed through the house. The sharp clack of my heels played against the hardwood floor and followed me as I wandered toward my bedroom.
My blouse landed on the floor first, then my skirt, then everything else.
I turned the shower on as hot as I could stand before stepping beneath the steady stream of water. The warmth washed over me, slowly carrying away the nerves and excitement from the evening.
At least, most of them. I rested my forehead against the cool tile wall and closed my eyes. Tonight replayed in my mind.
Tanner scanning the parking lot before we walked inside. His 'unofficial business' with Vinny. The way the two of them looked at each other across the table. The way Tanner seemed to change the moment Vinny walked away.
It was all...
Strange.
I frowned. Maybe I was just reading too much into it.
First dates were awkward enough without my imagination inventing problems that weren't there. Besides, Tanner had been nothing but kind to me all night. I let out a quiet sigh and pushed the thoughts away.
The familiar sensation crawled across my skin again. That strange awareness I'd felt ever since the grocery store. It prickled along the back of my neck just enough to make me uncomfortable. I didn't know what it meant, and I didn't want to think about it anymore.
I finished my shower a little quicker than I normally would before drying off and changing into an oversized T-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts.
Before bed, I made my usual rounds through the house. Making sure all of my doors are locked and the windows secure. It had become such a routine that I barely had to think about it anymore. After checking the final window in my bedroom, I slid it shut and drew the blinds closed.
Satisfied, I switched off the lights and climbed beneath my blankets. My mattress welcomed me immediately, the familiar comfort pulling the exhaustion from my muscles. I let out a long yawn as I settled deeper into the pillows. My thoughts drifted back to Tanner one last time.
His smile, the forehead kiss, the way he'd remembered my schedule after hearing it only once.
A smile tugged at my lips.
Then...
That strange crawling feeling returned. Just for a second. Enough to make me pull the blankets a little higher over my shoulders. Eventually, exhaustion won.
My eyes closed, and sleep finally claimed me.
~
The weeks in medical school are always busy. So why had I decided to muddy my routine with a guy?
I sighed to myself as I replayed the exhausting week in my head while driving toward my usual coffee shop, my backpack stuffed with textbooks and my laptop riding shotgun.
Just another week. I just have to get through another week.
I pulled into my usual parking spot, tucked away in the back of the lot. I'd be here all day, after all. Might as well leave the closer spots for people who were only grabbing coffee. Sometimes I felt like I practically lived here.
I grabbed my bag and headed inside. The little bell above the door chimed as I stepped into the warm café. 7 a.m. only an hour after opening. Just enough time for everyone to settle into their routines.
I lifted a sleepy hand toward the counter. Karly immediately smiled.
"Good morning, (Y/N)! The usual today?" Her cheerful voice somehow sounded energetic enough for both of us.
"That would be amazing, Karly. Thank you." My own voice still hadn't fully woken up.
I shuffled over to my usual corner table, dropped my bag beside my chair, and began unpacking the mountain of textbooks I'd somehow convinced myself I needed. Laptop, notebook, flashcards, coffee coaster. Everything had its place.
By the time I finished arranging my little study station, Karly was already walking over with my drink. She set the mug down in front of me. Perfect timing.
I smiled up at her.
"Thanks."
I handed her my card. Instead of taking it and heading back to the register...
She stayed. She pulled out the chair across from me and sat down.
"...Should I be worried?" I joked.
She laughed.
"No." Then her smile turned teasing. "I saw that guy sitting with you last week."
I blinked.
"Oh, Tanner?"
She nodded.
"Yeah."
I took a sip of my coffee before answering.
"He was an old classmate. We kind of... ran into each other again." I shrugged. "It was weird."
Karly raised an eyebrow.
"Weird good?"
I couldn't help smiling.
"I think so."
She caught it immediately.
"There it is."
"What?"
"That smile." She pointed at me like she'd solved some impossible mystery. "You like him."
My cheeks warmed.
"I do not."
"Oh, please." She leaned back in her chair. "You've spent years hiding behind those medical textbooks."
I opened my mouth to argue. She held up a finger.
"Nope. I've watched you come in here almost every Tuesday morning." She held up a finger.
"You study until your eyes are bloodshot." Another finger.
"You leave, and then you come back and do it all over again." She lifted a third finger before she softened.
"I've always felt bad that you worked so hard you never had time for yourself." Her smile turned gentler. "So, it was nice seeing you smile with someone."
The words settled over me. I hadn't thought about it like that. Somewhere between exams, clinicals, and trying to survive medical school, I'd forgotten what having a social life felt like.
Even during my busiest shifts this week, my mind kept wandering back to dinner. To Tanner, and that ridiculous forehead kiss.
I blinked. Maybe Karly had a point. She stood up and finally took my card from my hand.
"I'll be right back."
A minute later she returned. My card, my receipt, and a warm slice of coffee cake.
I looked up.
"Karly..."
"You looked like you needed breakfast." She winked. "This one's on me."
I smiled despite myself.
"Thank you."
She started to walk away before pausing.
"Oh." She turned back around. "One more thing."
I looked up from the coffee cake.
"He came in every day this week."
I frowned.
"...Really?"
"Every morning." She nodded. "And he sat right there."
She pointed toward my table. My eyes drifted to the empty chair across from me.
"He'd order a coffee, sit for a while, then leave." She smiled to herself. "I don't think he realized you only come in on Tuesdays."
But he did, he does. I looked back down at my coffee, looking at it puzzled hoping it would tell me why. Guess I'd have to ask him the next time I saw him.
A few hours slipped by before I realized how much time had passed. As usual, my nose was buried in a textbook.
Midazolam. A potent benzodiazepine commonly used for sedation, anxiety relief, and muscle relaxation. I nodded to myself as I highlighted another sentence.
The scrape of a chair pulled me from the page. I tried not to get my hopes up as I looked up.
Of course.
Tanner Grayton.
A smile found its way onto my face before I could stop it.
"Good morning, Tanner." I gently pushed my textbooks aside, giving him room as he set his coffee on the table.
Just like last time, he made sure not to touch a single one of my books or my laptop. Still meticulous.
"What a pleasant surprise."
He returned the smile, though it looked... tired.
Really tired. Dark circles rested beneath his eyes, and while he was still clean-shaven and neatly dressed, his hair looked slightly damp, as though he'd rushed out the door after showering.
"Oof." I took another sip of my coffee. "Too many night shifts?"
His smile widened just enough to acknowledge the joke.
"You could say that." He wrapped both hands around his mug and closed his eyes for a brief moment, letting the warmth soak into his fingers.
Poor guy. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.
"I thought you worked days," I said after a moment. "I thought the night shifts were a city thing."
"They usually are." His eyes opened again, settling comfortably on mine. "But my boss assigned me a new project."
He shrugged.
"It required me to work from 8 p.m. until 4 a.m."
I couldn't help wincing.
"That sounds miserable." A quiet laugh escaped me. "You look like you've been awake for 72 hours."
The irony of me saying that wasn't lost on either of us.
He chuckled.
"My project wrapped up last night." A hint of satisfaction crept into his smile. "So I celebrated."
His gaze drifted toward the window for a second.
"Then I went home and slept until now." Something about the way he said it made me pause.
His smile lingered. The familiar prickling sensation crawled across the back of my neck again. I shifted in my chair, trying to ignore it.
His eyes flickered over me for the briefest moment. Then they softened.
"I'll have to tell you more about my work sometime." He lifted his mug.
My eyes dropped back to the open pharmacology textbook in front of me. Midazolam.
I looked back up and smiled.
"I'd actually like that." I folded my hands together on the table.
"It feels like you know quite a bit about me..." I tilted my head. "...but you're still a mystery."
For just a second, his expression changed. His grin became smaller, softer almost fond.
"Mysteries are more fun." He held my gaze. "You'll know in time."
I hummed quietly to myself as Tanner and I settled into a comfortable silence. The coffee shop buzzed around us, conversations blending with the hiss of the espresso machine and the soft clink of mugs. Somehow, tucked away in our little corner, it all faded into the background.
My attention drifted back toward my textbook. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Tanner doing the same. His gaze landed on the single sentence I'd highlighted.
"Hm." He tilted his head. "Midazolam?"
His voice pulled me back to reality. I blinked before looking down at the page.
"Oh." A laugh escaped me. "Yeah, this semester's pharmacology course has been brutal. I've been studying analgesics nonstop."
His eyes brightened with recognition.
"That's ironic." He leaned back in his chair. "Midazolam is actually one of my favorite medications."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"It's incredibly versatile." He absentmindedly traced a finger around the rim of his mug.
"Great for mild sedation," He counted on one finger.
"Muscle relaxation," Another.
"Anxiety," A third.
"And honestly, it keeps people calm." He smiled to himself. "The dosing is what always trips me up."
I looked back down at my notes.
"Well..." I ran my finger across the highlighted paragraph.
"It only comes in 5 milligram vials. But 5 milligrams can be a lot depending on the patient." I skimmed to the next sentence.
"For procedural sedation, 5 milligrams can be appropriate depending on the patient's size. But if you're aiming more for muscle relaxation or pain control..." I looked back up. "...smaller doses, around 2 milligrams, are usually recommended before redosing as needed."
I closed the textbook with a quiet thud.
"At least, that's what my notes say."
Tanner's smile widened.
"Noted." He nodded thoughtfully. "That actually makes a lot more sense."
His expression made me laugh.
"You really are paying attention."
"I usually do." The words came so naturally that neither of us acknowledged them.
Instead, a different question finally escaped me.
"So..." I folded my hands together. "How come you've been coming here every morning?"
For the briefest moment, Tanner froze. Not dramatically, but just enough for me to notice.
Then he smiled again.
"I like the coffee." He lifted his mug. "You introduced me to a good place."
I pouted.
He chuckled immediately. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize I wasn't allowed to come here without you."
"It's not that." I laughed. "That's not what I meant."
He waited.
I sighed dramatically.
"I don't know. I guess I'm jealous."
His eyebrows lifted.
"I'm stuck at clinicals all week..." My voice grew quieter. "...when I'd rather be here with you."
Silence.
My own words caught up with me.
Oh no, oh fuck.
Heat rushed into my cheeks.
Did I really just say that?
I buried my face in my hands.
"Oh my God. I didn't mean—"
A warm laugh escaped Tanner.
"Awe (Y/N), I didn't realize you missed me that much." His teasing voice only made the embarrassment worse.
"Stop..." I mumbled through my fingers. "I've known you for, like, two weeks."
I sigh.
"You're never letting me live this down, are you?"
"I don't know..." His chair scraped softly against the floor as he leaned a little closer. "It is pretty cute."
"This is a nightmare." I groaned into my hands.
Another laugh. Gentle this time.
I felt warm fingers wrap carefully around my wrist. Slowly, patiently, he lowered my hands from my face.
When I finally looked up, he wasn't teasing anymore, he was simply looking at me. Like I was the only person in the coffee shop.
"You know," His voice had softened. "I've missed you too."
My embarrassment slowly melted away as his words settled between us.
I've missed you too.
I swallowed.
"You know..." I hesitated. "This is probably a terrible idea."
His smile softened, but he didn't interrupt.
"I'm so busy with school." I looked down at our joined hands. "My residency is exhausting. My classes are exhausting. I barely have enough time to remember to eat some days."
A nervous laugh escaped me.
"I'm worried I won't have enough time for you..." I glanced back up. "...for us."
The thought alone filled me with guilt. Tanner's hand never left mine. He took a slow breath, almost as if he'd expected this conversation from the very beginning.
"I know." His thumb gently brushed across the back of my hand. "And honestly? I'd be worried if you weren't putting school first."
His smile reached his eyes.
"You've worked too hard to get where you are. I'm not asking you to change your priorities." His voice remained calm. "I just want to be part of your life. Even if that means I only get pieces of your time."
I felt my shoulders relax.
"We'll figure it out." The confidence in his voice was almost contagious.
"You don't have to be available every day." He gave my hand another gentle squeeze. "I can wait, I'm very patient."
The words were so simple. Yet somehow, they carried more weight than some grand romantic speech ever could.
I searched his face for a long moment. He wasn't asking me to choose between him and my future. He wasn't trying to compete with my career. He was simply asking for a chance. I let out the breath I'd been holding.
"Okay." A smile slowly spread across my face. "Let's try."
His entire expression brightened. Like I'd just told him the best news he'd heard all week.
"I'd like that." His tone laced with content.
Even after my conversation with Karly that morning, I decided maybe a little more of a social life would be good for me. Even if I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into.
My breath catches in my throat as headlights sweep across the front of my house. A car pulls up to the curb.
He's here.
I glance down at myself one last time. Too much? Not enough?
Ah, fuck it.
I take a steadying breath and step outside into the cool evening air. Immediately, the wind catches the hem of my skirt.
"Oh, come on." I press a hand against the fabric before it has a chance to betray me and turn back to lock my front door. The familiar click echoes through the quiet neighborhood. I hum to myself as I pocket my keys.
Then I feel it. Someone standing behind me.
Close.
Close enough that I can feel the warmth radiating from them despite the chilly evening. I turn around.
Tanner fucking Grayton.
He's standing only a few inches away, his lower chest nearly brushing mine. He's even taller than I remembered.
For a second, all I can do is look into those dark brown eyes. He's already looking at me. He smiles.
Not the small smirk I've gotten used to.
A real smile. One that reaches his eyes.
"I figured I'd stand behind you while you locked the door." He lets out a quiet chuckle. "The wind looked like it was about to give your neighbors a show."
I blink before glancing down at my skirt.
"...That would've been unfortunate."
His laugh is soft. Warm. With an edge.
"Thank you, Tanner."
"It was the gentlemanly thing to do."
Something about the way he says it makes my heart flutter. He steps back, finally giving me enough room to breathe, before offering me his arm. The gesture is so old-fashioned that it catches me completely off guard.
For half a second, I hesitate. Then I slide my hand around his forearm. His sleeve is crisp beneath my fingers, and I can feel the firmness of his arm underneath.
I finally take a proper look at him. Light gray slacks. A white button-down shirt. A deep red tie. Black dress shoes polished enough to catch the porch light.
I can't stop the smile spreading across my face.
"What?"
I shake my head, laughing quietly.
"We're matching." I gesture between us.
"I'm wearing black, white, and gray." I point toward his tie. "And then there's the red."
He glances down at himself before looking back at me.
"I guess we are." A smirk replaces his smile. "It looks good on us."
My face immediately warms. He definitely meant that on purpose.
Still smiling, he walks me to the passenger side of his car and opens the door before I can reach for the handle.
I mutter a quiet, thank you and climb inside, trying very hard not to make getting into a sedan in a skirt look as difficult as it actually is. When I finally settle into the seat, I hear the door close gently behind me. A moment later, Tanner walks around the front of the car and slides into the driver's seat.
The interior is quiet. Comfortably quiet.
I fidget with my fingers in my lap, suddenly aware of just how nervous I am.
That strange sensation returns. The same one I'd felt in the grocery store and the coffee shop. Like my skin can't decide whether to relax or run.
I try to ignore it.
Tanner turns the key in the ignition before glancing over at me. He's smiling again. Like he has been since the moment I opened my front door.
And somehow...
That only makes me more nervous. It's somehow unsettling.
He shifts the car into drive, and just like that, my evening is entirely in Tanner's hands. The radio hums softly in the background, some quiet song I can't quite place.
The silence isn't awkward. It's just, quiet. Still, I need something to distract myself.
"So..." I glance over at him. "Where are we going?"
As far as I knew, this town wasn't exactly known for fine dining. Or really... nice dining at all.
A quiet chuckle escapes him. He glances over at me for a moment. His eyes meet mine before drifting lower. Almost immediately, they snap back up.
"I have a friend who just opened a new place in town," he says. "I thought we'd give it a try."
I nod, turning my attention back toward the window. Streetlights blur past. Porch lights glow warmly against the dark. The familiar streets I'd driven a thousand times somehow feel different tonight.
Comfortable silence settles between us.
Then, I feel warmth against my knee. My head snaps toward him. His hand rests there gently. Not gripping.
Just. Resting.
I stare at it before looking back up at him. Who are you? And what did you do with Tanner Grayton?
Heat immediately rushes to my face.
He notices. Of course he notices. A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.
"Sorry," he says softly. "You looked nervous."
He gives my knee the lightest reassuring squeeze before adding with a grin, "If it makes it worse, let me know and I'll move it."
Despite myself, I laugh.
"No..." I shake my head, "It's not you."
I let out a slow breath, finally allowing myself to relax against the headrest.
"I just... haven't been on a date in a really long time." The words leave my mouth before I can stop them. I immediately wonder if that was too honest. Tanner's smile softens.
"If it helps..." His thumb brushes absentmindedly against the fabric of my nylons. "We're almost there."
Something about the way he says it eases the knot in my chest. I take a deep breath smile back at him.
"It helps a little bit, thank you Tanner."
His hand stays resting lightly on my knee as we continue driving through town. Eventually, he pulls into the parking lot of an old brick building I've driven past hundreds of times.
Only, it doesn't look like the same place anymore.
The brick façade is still there, but warm string lights now hang from the patio. Large planters overflowing with greenery frame the entrance, and soft light spills from every window. Someone clearly poured a lot of love into bringing this place back to life.
I don't realize I've been staring until Tanner turns off the car. He steps out first before making his way around to my side. A second later, my door swings open.
"Here we are." His voice is bright, almost proud.
I look up at him. The porch lights catch his eyes, making the dark brown look nearly black against the night sky. He's wearing that familiar smirk again.
He offers me his hand. It takes me a second to maneuver myself out of the seat without flashing the entire parking lot.
Stupid skirt.
The moment I place my hand in his, his grip closes gently around mine. Firm and steady. He helps me to my feet as though I weigh nothing. The evening breeze immediately sweeps across the parking lot.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me..."
I instinctively press a hand against my skirt before the wind has a chance to win.
Tanner laughs. Not loudly. Just enough that I know he's trying not to. He closes my car door behind me.
"I think we should get inside before the wind decides to bully you any more."
I can't help laughing.
"Yeah... I'd appreciate that."
Without another word, he offers me his arm again. This time, I don't hesitate. My hand slips comfortably around his forearm as we start toward the restaurant.
His smile softens. Then something changes. His eyes leave me.
Instead, they begin moving across the parking lot. The entrance, the windows, the people walking nearby.
Everything. It's subtle and almost impossible to notice.
But I notice. Tanner is looking everywhere except at me.
Then I feel it. That familiar feeling creeps back across my skin. It's almost like, he's making sure we're alone.
Or making sure no one is watching us.
The thought sends a chill down my spine. I quickly shake it away. Don't be ridiculous.
By the time we step inside, the warmth of the restaurant melts away the cool night air.
Without thinking, I let go of his arm. He finally looks back at me. The tension I'd imagined vanishes behind an easy smile.
"I'm going to find Vinny," he says. "He's the owner."
I nod.
"I'll be right back."
Before I can answer, he disappears toward the back of the restaurant, leaving me standing near the entrance.
A moment later, the hostess approaches. She looks exhausted. The kind of exhausted that only comes from dealing with a full dining room. The second she notices me, though, her expression brightens.
"Hi! I'm so sorry about the wait tonight. Table for 1?"
I smile politely.
"No worries at all. I'm actually waiting for someone. He just disappeared into the back somewhere." My eyes crinkling from a polite smile. "So... a table for 2, if you have one."
She nods before turning toward her computer. For just a split second, confusion crosses her face. Then it's gone.
"Perfect! Right this way."
She grabs two menus and leads me through the dining room.
The restaurant is packed. For a Tuesday night, it's almost unbelievable. Conversation hums from every table, silverware clinks against plates, and laughter bounces softly off the brick walls. She stops near the edge of the dining room and gestures toward a small table tucked just far enough away from the crowd to feel private.
Not hidden.
But comfortable.
I thank her before taking my seat. Only then do I let myself really look around. The place is beautiful.
The original brick walls give it character, while the dark hardwood floors make the whole room feel warm and inviting. Rich red accent walls tie everything together, and every table is polished to a shine with a single candle flickering at its center.
Plants seem to be everywhere. On shelves, hanging from the ceiling, tucked into every empty corner.
They're all impossibly green. For a moment, I find myself wondering if any of them are actually real.
Maybe just well fed.
I let the thought drift away as I pick up the menu in front of me. It's simple. Just a single sheet of paper with a handful of dishes neatly listed.
My eyes scan down the page.
Pastas.
Chicken parmesan.
Lasagna.
Ravioli.
It only takes me a few seconds to realize the obvious.
Italian...
I wore a white blouse. Fantastic.
There's absolutely no way I'm making it through dinner without staining it. I quietly debate whether I still have stain remover under the bathroom sink when movement catches the corner of my eye.
Tanner. But something's, different.
As he walks toward the table, he's adjusting every part of himself. He straightens one cuff, then the other. His fingers tighten the knot of his tie before smoothing the front of his shirt. Finally, his hand runs through his hair, trying to push it neatly back into place.
Like something, or someone, had disturbed it.
His usual smirk is nowhere to be found. His expression is carefully neutral. Almost, tense.
Then I see it. The one stubborn strand of dark hair refuses to stay in place.
I almost smile.
His gaze sweeps across the restaurant. Across every table, every guest, every exit. Only after surveying the room do his eyes finally land on me.
Instantly, the smirk returns. Like someone flipped a switch. He slides into the chair across from me.
"Sorry about that," he says. "Vinny and I had some unofficial business to take care of."
His voice is warm. But there's something beneath it. Something I can't quite name.
"No worries." I smile, lifting the menu slightly. "I was just trying to decide what to order."
"And?" He raises an eyebrow. "Have you narrowed it down yet?"
I sigh dramatically.
"I've narrowed it down to everything."
That earns a quiet laugh from him.
"I'll take that as a no."
He picks up his own menu, and just like that, whatever had been bothering him seems to disappear.
At least, he wants me to think it has.
It is only a few moments later when a petite woman approaches our table. A notepad is tucked into one hand, and she wears the determined expression of someone who has done this a thousand times.
She smiles as she stops between us. Her gaze lingers on Tanner for just a moment longer than mine.
"Hello, and welcome in! I'm Sadie, and I'll be taking care of you tonight."
Her dark brown hair is pulled into a neat ponytail, secured with a red ribbon that matches the warmth of the restaurant.
"The menu is carefully curated and changes every week. Can I get you two started with drinks?" Her cheerful voice cuts through the noise of the restaurant.
I glance toward Tanner. His eyes are already on mine. Of course they are.
"I think we'll take a bottle of red wine," he says. "Preferably a pinot noir."
His tone is light again. Playful. Like whatever had happened before dinner had never occurred.
Sadie writes down the request before heading toward the bar.
"I hope you like the wine selection I picked," Tanner says, his smile growing. "It's my boss's favorite."
I return his smile.
"Sounds wonderful. Thank you, Tanner."
A few moments later, Sadie returns with the bottle. She shows the label to Tanner first before turning it toward me. Then she begins her routine.
The glasses are placed carefully in front of us. The bottle is opened. The cork releases with the familiar pop.
She pours us each a small taste before waiting patiently for our approval.
I bring the glass to my lips. The flavor immediately hits me. It's refined, smooth. But there is a bitter edge beneath it. Almost like it doesn't want to be forgotten.
Still, it goes down wonderfully. I look back toward Sadie and nod.
"It's perfect. Thank you."
She smiles and pours me a larger portion. Tanner gives his approval as well, extending his glass toward her.
"I hope you both enjoy."
She leaves the bottle on the table before walking away.
My attention finally returns to my date. I rest my chin against my hands and lean forward slightly.
"So..." I glance down at the bottle. "Your boss is a pinot noir guy?"
Tanner's smile turns into a small smirk as he swirls his wine.
"Well, it's the only wine he keeps in his office. I think it's safe to assume it's his favorite."
I hum, taking another sip.
"Was that the same boss from the job you didn't enjoy in the city?" I ask carefully, not wanting to push too hard.
Tanner pauses. His eyes drop to his glass for a moment as he considers his answer.
"No." He takes another sip before continuing. "He is my current boss. The one who offered me this position."
I nod.
"He promised something more controlled?"
"Exactly." His fingers tap lightly against the stem of his glass. "A quieter environment. Something more manageable."
I study him for a moment.
"So what about the city wasn't your thing?"
His eyes lift back to mine.
"The pace." The answer comes quickly. Almost too quickly.
"It was uncontrollable." He lets out a quiet chuckle. "Everything happened at a hundred miles an hour. The crime scenes. The people. The expectations."
He shakes his head slightly.
"It was exhausting."
The restaurant noise fills the small pause between us.
"I prefer having time to think. To actually process what I'm seeing instead of constantly rushing to the next thing." He takes another drink.
"My previous boss wanted speed. My current boss values efficiency." His eyes shift slightly, almost like he's remembering something.
"When his company went under, I was offered this position." A small smile appears. "He told me I had potential. That I could be very efficient if I was given the right environment."
There is something different in his expression. Almost pride. Like those words meant more to him than he wants to admit.
I nod and take another sip of wine. The alcohol begins to soften the edges of my nerves.
"So..." I tilt my head. "What exactly does your current job involve?"
For the first time all night, Tanner hesitates.
Only for a second.
But I notice.
His fingers tighten slightly around his glass before relaxing again. His jaw ticks slightly, so small I could barely catch it in time.
"Mostly consulting, sometimes I go out into the field."
A simple answer, a safe answer.
I raise an eyebrow.
"Mostly?"
His smirk returns.
"You ask a lot of questions."
I laugh quietly.
"Is that a bad thing?"
"No."
His eyes stay on mine for another moment before shifting past me. His expression changes ever so slightly.
Someone's approaching. I glance over my shoulder.
A broad-shouldered man in a faded gray T-shirt and a well-worn apron makes his way toward our table. His black pants are dusted with flour, and the apron has seen better days. Definitely someone from the kitchen.
He stops beside us with a grin.
"Tanner! Is this where you disappeared to?" His voice is rough, the kind that sounds like years of cigarettes and shouting over busy kitchens.
I look back at Tanner.
His hand remains wrapped around his wine glass, but his smile shrinks into something smaller. More restrained.
"Hey, Vinny." He gestures toward me. "I had to get back to my date."
Vinny's eyes immediately settle on me. They're sharp. Evaluating. Like he's trying to solve a puzzle. Suddenly, I feel very aware of myself.
"Oh..."
I offer an awkward little wave.
"Hi. I'm (Y/N). It's really nice to meet you."
I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. Vinny's grin widens as he reaches out his hand.
"Likewise."
His handshake is firm. Years of cooking have left his hands rough and calloused. The moment he lets go, something changes.
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Tanner. His jaw tightens. His eyes sharpen ever so slightly.
Vinny notices too. A knowing smirk creeps across his face.
"What?" He chuckles.
"You don't want me introducing myself to your girl?" A raspy cough interrupts his laugh.
Tanner doesn't respond. He simply watches him. The silence between them feels, heavy.
I've never seen Tanner look like this before. His expression is calm. Almost bored. But underneath it, something is simmering. Something that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
Vinny folds his arms.
"You be careful with this one," he says, nodding toward Tanner. "He's like an iceberg."
He pauses.
"What you see on the surface is only a small piece of what's really there." His eyes never leave Tanner's. Neither of them smiles.
I laugh nervously, hoping to dissolve whatever strange tension has suddenly settled over the table.
Without really thinking, I place my hand over Tanner's. The same way he'd rested his hand on my knee in the car.
His attention snaps back to me. For just a second. He looks surprised. Then his features soften.
A genuine smile spreads across his face as his fingers lightly brush against mine. The tension disappears as quickly as it arrived.
"Thanks for stopping by, Vinny," Tanner says pleasantly.
"It's always good seeing you." His smile never leaves. "But I think (Y/N) and I would like to enjoy our dinner."
He tilts his head ever so slightly.
"If you have business, you can call me later." A brief pause. "Not tonight."
The words are polite. The look accompanying them is anything but.
Vinny stares at him for another second before rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, yeah."
He waves dismissively as he heads back toward the kitchen. The moment he's gone, Tanner lets out a quiet breath.
He shakes his head.
"He stepped out of line."
I study him.
"Does he always do that?"
"No." The answer comes a little too quickly.
He glances toward the kitchen before looking back at me. His fingers tighten around the stem of his wine glass before relaxing again. I decide not to press.
"Don't worry about it.” I smile warmly. "Thank you for inviting me."
Whatever had been bothering him eases almost instantly. His smile returns. Brighter this time.
After the incident at the grocery store last week, I've been seeing Tanner more and more.
It's strange.
For years, I never noticed him around town. I never saw him at the places I went, never ran into him, never even thought about whether he was still here.
Now?
He's everywhere.
The first time I saw him was at the coffee shop I go to every morning to study.
I walk in at my usual time wearing my usual outfit: a comfortable hoodie, sweatpants, and a bag so heavy with textbooks it feels like it might rip my shoulder off. I wave at the workers behind the counter, and they greet me with the same familiar smiles they've had for years.
"Welcome in, (Y/N)! Want anything different today?" Karly's voice comes from behind the counter as I set up my laptop and drop my bag onto my usual table.
"Just the usual, Karly. Thank you." My voice is still slightly groggy. I had only woken up about ten minutes ago before immediately driving to my favorite warm little corner of the world.
The coffee shop is the definition of comfort.
Green plants line the light gray walls, a bright yellow accent wall sits behind the counter, and the baristas move around it making drinks and chatting with regulars. The overhead lights cast a soft amber glow that mixes perfectly with the natural light coming through the windows.
The smell of coffee fills my lungs, and for a moment, I let myself relax.
Karly eventually walks over to my table, the corner I've unofficially claimed as my study spot, and sets my coffee down.
Her eyes crinkle when she smiles at me. I smile back, mumble a thank you, and take a long sip.
Warmth spreads through me, and slowly, my brain starts waking up.
Then I begin studying.
Normally, nothing interrupts me once I get started. Most people who come here know about my studies because Karly has told them. I gave her permission to explain what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, and that I don't like being interrupted.
For the most part, people respect that. Usually, I get left alone.
The occasional older man might sit nearby with a bagel and make small talk before leaving, but even that is rare.
Today is different.
I'm staring at my screen, trying to convince myself that pharmacology makes sense, when someone sits down directly across from me.
I immediately assume it's another person ignoring my invisible ‘do not disturb’ sign.
I roll my eyes and look up.
Then I freeze.
Of course.
Tanner fucking Grayton.
I quickly compose myself and force a smile, closing my laptop halfway.
"Tanner? What do I owe the pleasure?"
A smirk pulls at his lips as he sets his coffee down.
Carefully, almost too carefully.
He makes sure nothing touches my textbooks or my laptop before moving his cup closer to himself.
I immediately start moving my stack of books to give him more room.
He's very...
Meticulous.
"I was walking by," he says, his brown eyes meeting mine, "and I saw you sitting here alone studying. Figured I'd come in for a coffee."
He wraps his hand around his mug and takes a sip, watching me over the rim.
And for some reason, that makes me nervous.
His eyes stay fixed on mine. Like he's studying me. In all fairness, he has always done that.
Even in elementary school, Tanner was always watching. Always observing. Always quietly taking in everything happening around him.
But now...
Now it feels different. There's another emotion I can't place.
I fight back a small laugh and pull my sleeves farther over my hands, letting the fabric hide my fingers.
"Ah, I see. I've never seen you around until last week. Definitely never seen you in here before." I smile at him before taking a sip of my coffee.
The moment the warmth hits my tongue, I break eye contact and let myself appreciate the drink Karly somehow manages to make perfect every single time.
I hear Tanner chuckle. The sound makes me look up. He sets his cup down on the table, his eyes still on me.
I only meet his gaze again once I've finished my sip.
"Well, I just came back to the area," he explains. "I was gone for school for a while. Moved to the city, decided it wasn't for me, and eventually came back."
His voice is still playful, but quieter than it was in the grocery store. More like the Tanner I remember. I nod, letting my eyes wander around the coffee shop.
"What did you study?"
When I look back at him, I notice the smallest change. His jaw tightens. His smile remains, but something shifts.
He's clean-shaven, almost too perfectly groomed. His hair is still slicked back like it hasn't moved since he styled it that morning. He isn’t wearing his business casual attire like last time, he is wearing jeans and a sweater. Everything about him seems intentional.
Fascinating.
"I majored in forensic science," he says. "Minored in pharmaceuticals."
My eyes widen. A smile immediately spreads across my face.
"No way. I'm studying pharmacology right now." I pause. "But, you know... for living people."
A small laugh escapes me. His lips twitch as he nods.
"I could tell."
My eyebrows lift.
"Really?"
He seems caught off guard for a moment before gesturing toward the mountain of books sitting beside me.
"From the books, of course."
He catches himself quickly. The correction is so immediate that I almost miss it. His smile fades slightly. Not completely. Just enough that I notice.
Almost like guilt, or maybe shame.
I nod and pick up my coffee again, giving him a moment before asking the question that's been sitting in the back of my mind.
"So why did you leave the city?" I take another sip, watching him over the rim of my cup. This time, his reaction is different.
He lets out a long breath and leans back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes drift away from mine for a moment before snapping back.
"I was working a job I didn't like," he says. "They offered me a new position back here, and honestly? I enjoy it more."
He pauses.
"It's quieter. More controlled than the city ever was." His answer is careful. Calculated.
Tanner has always been like that. He knows exactly what to say and when to say it. He never rambles, never accidentally reveals too much.
I set my coffee down, unable to stop myself from continuing my unofficial interrogation.
"So wouldn't you have more opportunities in the city?" I pause, tilting my head, thinking it through. "More people means more cases. More cases means more work for you."
I realize how ridiculous that sounds and let out a small laugh. Tanner's smirk returns.
There it is. The version of him I saw at the grocery store.
"Well, yes," he says, picking up his mug again. "But you'd be surprised by what a small town can offer."
He takes a sip before placing the cup back down.
And something about the way he says it makes me wonder if he's talking about more than just his job.
"You're asking me a lot of questions, (Y/N)."
I blink.
"Am I?" I tilt my head slightly.
"Is it wrong to question an old classmate I haven't seen in years?" The question comes out more genuinely than defensively.
Then I think about it. He hasn't really asked me much about myself. Not that there's much to ask. Everything about my life is sitting right in front of him.
My laptop.
My textbooks.
My coffee.
The endless studying.
It's all laid out on the table.
Tanner lets out a quiet hum, his eyes dropping briefly before meeting mine again.
"No," he says. "I wasn't insinuating that."
The way he reads me is almost unnerving. The way he looks into my eyes like he's searching for something I haven't even realized I'm hiding.
That familiar crawl returns along my skin. Just like at the grocery store. I pull my arms away from the table and lean back in my chair, trying my best to appear composed.
It doesn't work.
If anything, his eyes brighten. He leans forward slightly, studying me again.
"How come you never left?"
The question catches me completely off guard. I blink a few times, searching for an answer that doesn't sound too pathetic.
"The college here is cheap," I say. "Rent isn't too high, and I'm comfortable for now."
Simple.
I try to ignore the way my skin prickles under his attention. Tanner lets out a quiet chuckle, looking down at his coffee.
For a moment, I think he's amused. Then he picks up the cup and finishes the rest in one drink. When he sets it back down, his eyes meet mine again.
"Fascinating." His is colder than I expect.
Before I can figure out what he means, his expression softens slightly.
"Well, since I'm back in town, give me a shout, yeah? Maybe I can help you with your studies." He reaches into his pocket and places a familiar piece of paper on the table. The same kind of note he left on my car.
I swallow and nod, staring down at it.
When I finally look back up, he's already halfway to the door. He is very quiet, then again, Tanner Grayton has always been quiet.
I looked around the coffee shop, searching for Karly's eyes, somehow hoping she'd confirm that what had just happened had actually happened.
Instead, she was chatting with another customer behind the counter, completely oblivious to the conversation that had just unfolded.
Or at least she acted like she was.
With a quiet sigh, I looked back down at the little note in my hand. I turn it over.
Blank.
Of course it was.
I wasn't even sure why I'd expected anything different. Shaking my head, I slid the note into my laptop case before opening my computer back up and forcing myself to return to pharmacology.
~
By the time I finally packed up my things, it was well past sunset.
I unlocked my front door, shrugged off my jacket, and kicked my shoes into their usual spot by the entrance. My backpack and textbooks landed beside the door with a dull thud.
There wasn't much point in putting them away. I'd only be grabbing them again tomorrow morning.
My little house wasn't anything extravagant, but it was mine. The short entryway opened into a combined living room and kitchen, cozy enough that I could cook dinner while still watching television from the couch.
Speaking of...
The couch practically swallowed me whole the moment I flopped onto it. I let myself sink into the cushions.
One minute passed.
Then another.
I should probably eat something. Or at least do something productive with the hour I had before bed.
As if the universe had been waiting for that exact thought, my phone buzzed from the coffee table. I squinted at the bright screen before unlocking it.
Unknown Number
Hey, it's Tanner. I was wondering if you'd want to go out to dinner with me sometime? ;)
I immediately sat upright.
There was absolutely no way Tanner Grayton was asking me on a date. Right?
Before I could overthink it, my fingers were already moving.
Hi, Tanner!! I'm down! What were you thinking? :)
The second I hit send, I tossed my phone onto the couch like it had burned me. Both hands immediately flew to my face.
I lived alone. No one could see me blushing. That didn't stop me from hiding anyway.
I feel a buzz a few heartbeats later.
I was thinking either coffee again tomorrow or dinner tonight? My treat, of course. :)
Dinner?
Tonight?
Well...
I hadn't eaten yet, and I was never one to turn down free food.
A rush of adrenaline shot through me. Suddenly I was 22 again, staying out too late with classmates after finishing prerequisite exams for medical school.
It was that same reckless excitement. I shouldn't, but why not?
The kind of feeling that whispered, 'You have an exam tomorrow, but what's one drink?' I'd buried that version of myself beneath anatomy lectures, endless flashcards, and impossible exams years ago.
I hadn't felt this alive in a long time. My fingers trembled as I typed.
I haven't eaten yet, so I'm down for tonight! Did you have somewhere in mind? :D
I watched as the message was marked Read.
Then...
The typing bubble. My stomach flipped.
I was thinking somewhere a little nicer, if that's okay? I do want to treat an old friend :)
Something nicer?
I looked down at my hoodie. That complicated things.
My mind immediately raced through every remotely nice outfit buried somewhere in my closet from dinner parties, graduations, or few questionable nights out that I preferred not to think about.
I laughed quietly to myself before jumping off the couch and hurrying toward my bedroom.
Halfway there, I froze. Right. I still had to answer him.
Sure! Give me 20 mins to get ready? :)
I set my phone down and immediately threw open my closet.
After a few minutes of digging through hangers, I found a white long-sleeved blouse I'd almost forgotten I owned. It had been nearly a year since I'd worn it.
A black-and-gray plaid skirt followed.
Then black stockings.
Medium-height black heels.
Apparently I still remembered how to dress myself.
I hurried into the bathroom and brushed out my hair as quickly as I could. Definitely no time for a shower.
After changing, I smoothed lotion over my skin before putting on deodorant and a light spritz of perfume.
Nothing too overwhelming, but just enough.
I kept my makeup simple. Mascara, a little blush, neutral eyeshadow. Then, after a moment's hesitation...
Dark red lipstick.
I rummaged through my jewelry box until I found a delicate gold chain necklace and a pair of matching gold stud earrings.
Perfect.
I looked up at myself in the mirror.
For a moment, I looked like I used to.
Back when I'd spend forty-five minutes picking out an outfit because there was always the possibility someone cute might be out that night.
Somewhere along the way, hoodies, leggings, and scrubs had quietly replaced that version of me.
I smiled. Maybe she wasn't completely gone after all.
Then it hit me.
Tanner.
My phone. I rushed back into the living room and picked it up. Sure enough, there was another message waiting for me.
Sounds great! Just send me your address when you're ready, and I'll come pick you up :)
My cheeks warmed all over again.
I'm all finished! My house is right next to the old elementary school. Blue house on the left, you can't miss it. :)
Barely three seconds passed before my phone buzzed again.
Hello! It has been some time and with time comes new obsessions and games!! I have been watching WTTG for a while and to celebrate the newest game I wanted to write some stuff from our favorite serial killer Tanner!! Now, I know Tanner is the fucking worst and I realize all the shit he did, so this is a warning. If you aren't cool with it you can always skip this fic, I have plenty others on my page.
If you do decide to stay and read awesome! If not no worries. Consider this the official warning for my upcoming Tanner fics. Thanks guys!! :)
Domestic (pt. 1)
Words: 2k
Warnings: none
Next
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Living in a small town sucks. Everyone knows everyone, and if they don't know me personally, they know my parents. Every dumb mistake I've ever made somehow becomes public knowledge, and no matter how old I get, people still remember me as the kid who did something embarrassing in school. There was only one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school, so we all grew up together.
When you live this close to everyone you've ever met, you're bound to run into people you'd rather avoid or people you never expected to see again. Personally, it's never been a pleasant surprise.
That brings me to today.
All I wanted was to leave my house without my neighbor asking about my parents' marriage, get in my car, sit through the one red light in town that seems to last an eternity, and make it through the grocery store without running into anyone from school.
Of course, the first thing I see when I pull into the parking lot is the unmistakable red minivan belonging to one of the girls I went to school with. Then again, everyone went to school together here.
Normally, that wouldn't be so bad.
Except every time she sees me, she traps me in a conversation about the miracle of motherhood and asks when I'm finally going to stop obsessing over my career. She'll go on and on about how a family would give my life structure before inevitably offering to set me up with one of her husband's cousins or some distant relative I've never met.
Just thinking about it sends a shiver down my spine.
I begrudgingly park as far away from her iconic red minivan as possible, the one somehow capable of holding what feels like an entire daycare's worth of children. With a sigh, I climb out of my car and begin my grocery store routine.
Open the trunk. Grab my reusable bags. Close the trunk. Walk inside. Find a cart. Keep my head down.
It works about 85% of the time. 20% if the red minivan is here.
The math doesn't make sense, but neither does this town.
I step into the store and immediately feel my skin crawl. I blame it on the colder weather and zip my jacket all the way up, hoping it'll chase away the chill crawling over my skin. It doesn't.
If anything, the feeling settles in even deeper, lingering just long enough to make me uncomfortable. I shake it off as best I can and head toward the produce section. Maybe picking out fruit will distract me.
My mind drifts between Honeycrisps and Granny Smiths when I hear my name screeched across the store.
I squeeze my eyes shut.
Please don't let it be...
Too late.
I look up to find Sally marching toward me with every single one of her children trailing behind her like ducklings. I silently say a prayer, despite not being religious, and force the brightest smile I can manage.
"Oh my goodness, as I live and breathe! (Y/N)! Fancy running into you here!" She smiles.
I smile back.
Maybe if I look busy enough, she'll leave.
"Oh, hey, Sally! It's so good to see you too!" I inspect the apple in my hand like it's the most fascinating thing I've ever seen, silently willing it to turn from green to red.
No such luck.
She parks her cart directly in front of mine, effectively trapping me.
"So! How are your studies? You always did have your nose buried in a book." Her laugh echoes through the tiny grocery store. I resist the overwhelming urge to clap my hands over my ears.
"They're going well," I answer, grabbing another apple. "I'm finally studying how medications affect the body. You know... doctor stuff."
I toss the apple into my bag and reach for another.
"I never understood why you'd want to be a doctor." Sally waves a hand dismissively. "Marriage and kids were all I ever needed. My husband makes a wonderful living, and I get to stay home with the little ones."
Here we go.
"I actually have a cousin, he's probably 6 times removed, but he'd make a wonderful husband! Great job, wants kids. What do you say, (Y/N)?"
I pretend to be deeply invested in comparing apples, hoping she'll eventually get bored.
Instead, something else catches my attention.
Or rather...
Someone.
For the first time all day, I'm genuinely surprised.
Tanner fucking Grayton.
I can't help staring. He's changed.
His dark brown hair is combed neatly back, his face more defined than I remember, and he'd apparently decided to grow another six inches since the last time I'd seen him, making him tower over me. His brown eyes catch the fluorescent lights overhead, flecks of an emotion I can't quite place, something I don't remember from school.
He's looking right at me.
A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth before his gaze shifts from me to Sally.
"Well, Sally, it's been lovely seeing you, but (Y/N) and I should probably get going."
Sally blinks.
So do I.
I stare at Tanner, then back at Sally, desperately trying to keep my jaw from hitting the floor.
Play along. I can do that.
"Oh! I was wondering where you wandered off to, Tanner." I force out a laugh. "I swear I lose you every time we go shopping."
To my surprise, his eyes stay fixed on mine. Almost like he is staring right through me. The moment stretches just enough before Sally's voice cuts through it.
"Oh my goodness gracious, Tanner? I didn't know you still prowled around these parts! So you two are a couple?"
Without taking his eyes off her, Tanner rests a hand against the small of my back.
Warm.
Steady.
Completely unexpected.
"Oh, yeah," he says with an easy smile that never reaches his eyes. "Have been for a while now. (Y/N) and I never really left. We're both still keeping our noses buried in books."
He sounds... lighter.
Playful.
Like the weight I'd always associated with him had somehow disappeared.
I rack my brain, trying to remember the Tanner I knew growing up.
He'd always been quiet.
The kind of kid who spent more time observing people than talking to them. We'd sat next to each other for years, him always on my left. He never interrupted anyone, never caused trouble. Most days he'd simply listen, watching the room with those same brown eyes.
His parents were wonderful too. I'd met them a handful of times during school functions. They were kind, patient, ridiculously smart, and somehow managed to give Tanner the most normal childhood anyone could hope for in this town.
Even in high school, he'd never gone through the rebellious phase the rest of us had. No partying. No drama. Just polite, quiet, and unbelievably composed.
Which made whatever this was...
Completely out of character.
Sally gasps dramatically.
I lift a hand in a quick goodbye before Tanner and I continue deeper into the produce section.
He doesn't leave my side. If anything, he mirrors me. When I grab tomatoes, he grabs tomatoes. When I stop to inspect peppers, he does the same. Every so often, he'll quietly swap one of my choices for a better-looking one without saying a word.
It's strangely...
Domestic.
We walk in comfortable silence until we turn into the next aisle, finally out of Sally's line of sight.
The second we're alone, I let out the breath I'd been holding.
"Tanner! What the hell?"
"What?" He tilts his head innocently. "You looked like you needed rescuing."
"I did not need rescuing!"
"No?"
He steps closer.
Way closer.
"I don't know..." His voice drops just enough to make my stomach drop. "It looked pretty dire from where I was standing."
Heat rushes into my face.
I immediately plant my palm against his cheek and shove him back.
"Don't be ridiculous! It was not a dire situation. She was just... talking."
He lets me push him away without resisting, a grin spreading across his face.
"Mm. Sure."
"She was."
"If you say so."
He crosses his arms, his grocery basket hooking casually over one forearm.
Wait.
How long has he been carrying that?
A laugh slips out before I can stop it.
His smile falters. Something in his eyes stir.
"...What's so funny?"
"I just realized you've been carrying that basket this whole time." I point at it, laughing harder now. "Holy shit, Sally is oblivious."
Understanding flashes across his face before he chuckles.
"She never was the most observant."
The laughter fades, and I finally look back at him.
Those brown eyes are still studying me, but there is something different about them. I just can't figure out what.
Without really thinking, I reach out and rest my hand on his arm.
Solid. Way more solid than I expected.
Holy shit.
Has he been working out? As if knowing what I'm thinking, a quiet laugh escapes him.
"You've definitely grown up, huh, Tanner?"
My eyes immediately dart anywhere but his face. He follows my line of slight, keeping his eyes on mine.
"I think we both have."
Before I can come up with a response, he turns and continues down the aisle, leaving me rooted to the spot in complete disbelief.
My face flushes again as I watch him walk away and finally examine him.
Khaki slacks and a blue button-down shirt.
It's oddly fitting.
Definitely not typical grocery store attire, but somehow it suits him perfectly.
I stand there for a moment, watching him disappear down the aisle before my brain finally catches up with what just happened.
I replay the entire interaction.
The fake relationship.
His hand on my back.
The way he looked at me.
The way he smiled.
I probably look insane standing in the middle of the canned goods aisle, staring at a can of black beans like it holds the secrets of the universe.
Eventually, I force myself to take a deep breath.
I'm still in the grocery store.
I am, in fact, still surrounded by strangers whom I've probably met before.
I compose myself as best I can and finish shopping.
After finding everything I need, I check out and make my way back to my car. The red minivan is gone, and I can't help but smile a little.
Finally, no more unwanted life advice. No more eyes on me.
I unlock my car and load my groceries into the trunk before closing it with a satisfying slam. I return my cart, then head back toward my driver's seat.
Almost on autopilot.
When I reach my door, something catches my attention. A small piece of paper stuck to my window. I peel it off, confused, then slide into my car and sit down before unfolding it.
The handwriting is neat yet familiar.
It was good to see you again. Maybe I'll see you around ;)
I stare at the note longer than I probably should.
Then, before I can stop myself, I feel my face heat up.
I quickly fold the paper, crumple it slightly, and shove it into my center console like hiding it will somehow make my reaction disappear.
It doesn't.
I let out a long groan and slam my head against my headrest. I attempt to think rationally.
He was just being kind, that's what old friends do. I don't want a relationship right now, I'm too busy.
I keep repeating those lines in my head like a mantra before I get a grip and shift my car and drive away.
Even after the fuzziness of what just happened, I still feel my skin crawling.
I don't know if anyone has noticed but I'm on that lover girl train rn. I gotta a whole crush on a REAL man and everything. So now I'm projecting it into my writing because deadass this is how I feel. Hopefully it produces something good :)
You wake up to your husband messing with the sheets and taking his arms off of you. You groan at the loss of warmth that he provides. Your ears pick up a small chuckle before you feel a peck of his lips on your head. You make an effort to pry your eyes open, only to see pitch black. Your eyes slowly adjust and you see him, the light of your life, getting changed in front of you. His chiseled body reminds you how much you love him, and how much you would fuck him right now if given the chance. You lazily latch onto his pillow and snuggle with it as if it were him as you silently watch the show in front of you.
You watch as he carefully takes off his boxers and replaces them with new ones. You bite your lip a small bit as he pulls his work pants on and places on a black compression shirt. You watch his routine with love in your eyes, the same way you did when you were dating. The thought makes your left thumb graze over your wedding ring. You sigh softly as he puts on his final pieces of clothing, knowing it was almost time for him to leave soon. You decide to break the silence.
“Amir my love. Why do you turn me on so much only to leave.” Your small voice breaks the quietness of the room. He turns around, looking almost shocked that you were awake all this time. The shock melts into a loving smile as he walks back over to the bed you were lying on and sits down next to you. He places his ungloved hand into your hair, stroking it lovingly. You close your eyes and purr at the contact, making him chuckle again.
“You know why my dear. I will be back before you even notice I’m gone.” He gives your head another kiss on the top. You scrunch your nose in disagreement.
“I always notice that you are gone. I always miss you more than you realize.” Your face turns into the pillow. His hands make their way to your back, rubbing it soothingly. He sighs as he realizes you are right. He always sees how lonely you look when you are in the apartment alone without him. He will always remember when you started crying almost daily because he was gone for almost 6 months with no contact.
“I know darling, I’m sorry. But you know I need to go.” The bed dips back up and his footsteps make their way to the bedroom door. He looks back at you once more, your face still in the pillow. He gives you one sadder smile before disappearing for an unknown amount of time. You feel your eyes burn and the pillowcase get wet with your tears. You turn to the side, your face now exposed, looking at the empty room. You bring your knees to your chest and let out a heavy sigh before falling back asleep.
‘
Whenever Amir leaves, it’s like a small part of you dies. You go through a small routine, get up and force yourself to do chores, try not to cry, cook food, try not to cry, and watch something to distract your mind. You’re on day 3 now without Amir. You sit on your couch, arms sprawled across the top and your head resting on the frame. You stare at the ceiling for an unknown amount of time. You hear some noises, like kids playing in the hallways or people driving their cars or walking on the sidewalk outside. But no noise can distract you from the swirling thoughts in your head. Except one.
You feel a small thing brush against your legs while letting out a small ‘meow?’ Almost questioning why you are so sad. You look down at your legs to find your cat, Cabbage, nuzzling into your legs and looking up at you with her big yellow eyes. You give her a small smile and pick her up and place her next to you on the couch. You let her decide where to sit as you stroke her smooth grey and white fur. She purrs loudly, drawing all of your attention to her. You relax your arms and head and let yourself focus on her smooth yet gravely purrs. You slightly giggle to yourself as you remember why you named her Cabbage.
~
“Remind me again (Y/N) why you want a cat? I can have a coworker build you one you know?” Amir jokes as you push his shoulder a bit with yours, making him lose a small amount of balance. You look at him with a gleam in your eyes.
“So I won’t be lonely on your big work trips. Being in the apartment alone really takes a toll on me. So, I think a little buddy will help me out.” You cheerfully say. He nods his head, basically saying ‘Ok that’s fair’ as the both of you walk into the shelter holding hands. The shelter staff takes you to a room full of cats, ranging from all different shapes and sizes. Your eyes light up as you crouch down and let them all come to you. Amir gives you an adoring smile as he sits down on one of the nearby chairs and observes his wife attempting to play with 15 cats.
He is so focused on you that he doesn’t realize that one small grey and white cat started to rub on his legs. He looks down and rubs the small cat’s head, making it immediately purr. You look back over to see him petting the only cat that would go near him. You set down a small kitten that attached to your legs and walked over to him, the flood of cats now receding. You crouch again and watch as Amir skillfully plays with the cat.
“I think we found our buddy.” You say with a smile. He looks at you with love in his eyes and nods his head. Amir picks the cat up off the floor and takes your hand, you both walk towards the door with your new companion in hand. You both make your way outside and back into the car, the cat meowing wondering where it was going. You try to console the cat but know it’s no use until you get home. Amir breaks the chain of meows.
“So, my love, what are we naming the little feline?” He looks at you with curiosity and smugness, a look you get a lot from him. You smile with a very smug smirk back.
“We gotta name her something extremely obscure. Something different. Cabbage.” You excitedly say as you look at your husband who is on the brink of laughter. You give him a large smile which breaks him. He erupts into laughter, almost crying. Your face also breaks the smile leading to laughter. Once you both settle down, he places his hand on your cheek and looks at you lovingly.
“That is an amazing name love.”
~
You giggle at the memory before Cabbage opens her eyes wide and sits up. You look at her with curiosity before she hops off the couch and starts meowing at the door. You roll your eyes a bit and try to relax some more. Her constant meows make you try to console her.
“Cabbage, baby, he’s not back yet. I know you miss him. I do too. We gotta be the strong women he loves.” You say sweetly. Cabbage continues to meow at the front door, now pacing it back and forth. You shake your head and remove yourself from the couch and walk towards her. She stops meowing when she sees you approach and starts to purr. Your give her a few head scratches before leaving again to go sit back down. You don’t even make it 2 feet away before she starts meowing again. You let out a huff and turn around and walk back the step you took away her. You look down at her and she looks up at you.
“I’ll open the door to prove he’s not there.” You say as you unlock your door and swing it open. You were expecting an empty hallway like all the other times but this time shocked you. You were met with a smiling face and your favorite flowers. You almost broke down in tears but decided to jump onto your man, your love, your husband. You hear him laugh as he picks you up with ease, he takes in every little detail about you before letting go. Your eyes are brimming with tears, he takes his gloved hand and wipes them away.
“I missed you too my dear.” His smooth voice releases you of all your worries. He pushes his way into your shared apartment and shuts the door behind him and locks it. His lips lock with yours as you bring your arms around his neck. His hands make their way to your waist, the small stems of the flowers poking your back. The kiss was passionate and everything you craved since he left a few days ago. You both release for air, you almost pant and have a hungry look in your eyes. He always loved that look on you. He swings the flowers forward between the two of you. You smile and smell them.
“Thank you so much Amir. Although, I would’ve been just fine with you.” You say jokingly as you walk over to the kitchen to find a vase. He hums in agreement.
“Well, I have some exciting news. The Protocol is letting me do most of my work from home from now on. Which means I’m staying home. Unless a mission pops up.” He explains. You freeze. You put the fragile vase down before jumping with joy. He watches you with love before enveloping you in another hug. You rest your chin on his chest and look into his chocolate brown eyes. You wiggle in the embrace out of excitement, he lets out another chuckle, then kisses you again on the lips. You both feel Cabbage purr and rub her body against both of your legs. You break the kiss and giggle a bit at Cabbage, now looking down at her with admiration and love. Amir does the same.
“You know Amir, we need to celebrate a different way, don’t you think?” Your face turns red and you give him a smirk. He smirks back and bites his lip as you hold tight to his hand and lead him to your shared bedroom.
Hey, how's it goin? I have a little bit of angst for you to enjoy!! This is heavily based on the song Happier by Olivia Rodrigo. If you haven't heard it, I highly recommend listening to it before you read. If not no worries :)
Gekko x Reader Angst
Trigger Warnings: Break ups, anxiety attack if you squint.
You closed your locker, looking at all the torn up paper scraps on the door with melancholy. You shut your eyes tight to try and prevent the tears from falling.
I can’t cry here, not again, you thought to yourself as you gather whatever binders and books you needed for your next class. You look down at the ground while trying to get to your class as soon as possible, avoiding all eye contact from your acquaintances, and especially him. Your thoughts are drowned out by the hundreds of voices booming loudly in your ears, its almost soothing. Almost.
You make it to your class with ease and take a seat in the back row, looking at your desk with sorrow. You already asked the teacher, janitor, and principle if you could replace your desk with a new one, but they all declined. They all said it was your fault for scribbling yours and Mateo’s name in it, making your love eternal. But it was the opposite. Your hand makes its way to the side of your head, forcing it to turn and to look out the nearby window. You watched as the students laughed in the quad without a care in the world. You silently ‘tch’ to yourself as you continue to watch your fellow high schoolers play around, talk, vape, and trade homework while frantically scribbling down answers. Then your eyes land on him. Your heart breaks as you watch him talk with such ease with another girl on his arm.
We broke up a month ago, you thought. You can feel your face flush and your nose tighten. You continue to watch, even though it is torture for you. You look at his new girlfriend. You knew her too well. She was on the cheer team, sweet, beautiful, smart, the complete package deal. Her brown hair fell to her shoulders like silk, her plump lips curving into a smile as she looks up at Mateo, your Mateo, with love in her eyes. Is that all the time it takes to fall in love? A month. You don’t even notice the tears spilling out of your eyes until the bell rings. Your heart quickens as you realize the mess your face must look like. You frantically shove your hands into your eyes, attempting to wipe away any redness or extra tears that may have strayed there. You take a deep breath and grab your history folder and take out your homework, hoping class will distract you from the pain you felt.
‘
Your class ended too soon for your liking. You stayed until the last person left class so you could sneak away and be unseen. You and Mateo had the same friends, and now that you two were broken up, you didn’t hang out with them anymore. They all took his side and tossed you aside. You had nowhere to go, no one to talk to anymore. You continued through the long hallways of your high school; dodging students like it was a sport. You finally made it outside to the quad; you attempt to breathe in through your nose but it’s stuffed up from the crying.
You find a spot on the grass, finally alone with your terrible thoughts. You swing your backpack to the side of you and rummage through it. Might as well do work while I’m here, you thought as you pull out the previous history binder and look at the new work assigned to you. You looked up slightly from your work to see him and his new girlfriend sitting under a tree, right in front of you. You bite your tongue and decide to just focus on your work.
“Mateo stop. We are in public you know?” She giggles out as he peppers her face in small kisses. His dashing smile spreads across his face with ease as he holds her closer.
“Ah mí amor how can I help it? You are truly the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.” You overhear him say. You let out a small groan knowing the truth.
That’s some eternal love bullshit you know you’ll never mean Mateo. Your dark thoughts take up any vacant space in your head and swirl, making your heart beat faster with panic.
“Oh, stop it you! You’re such a catch.” She says, the love and admiration has never left her eyes. He lets out a small chuckle before kissing her on her lips again. Your shoulders drop as you finally pack away your things and leave the small grassy spot. You look back at the couple one more time, to bathe in the agony your heart felt.
“I hope you’re happy Mateo, but not like how you were with me.” Your selfish sentence somehow made its way to his ears, he looks away from his girlfriend and finds your broken eyes. How they gained grey bags and red circles. How your (E/C) changed and were duller, as if the light in your eyes turned off. His brow furrowed as you turned around and walked the other direction. You turned away, from what you thought at one time, your true love.
okok hear me out, or don't I don't care. Gekko is a soft boy, so I had to do what I had to do. Also, I do not speak Spanish, so all Spanish in this is from google translate (I'm sorry if it's wrong). Italics mean past events!!
You and Gekko have been life long friends, and by that I mean you've practically known each other since birth. You went to school together and always got into trouble together. You were there when he discovered his Radiant Animals.
~
"Teo come on!" Your squeaky voice pierced the still air. You were both on the out skirts of town when you saw a flash of light. Being curious, you grabbed your best friend and ran towards it.
"(Y/N)! Slow down! I'm not as fast as you!" Gekko whined behind you as you began to scale a boulder, climbing it easily. Once you were on top of the rock, you looked down at your best friend with a smirk gracing your features.
"Seems like I win again huh? When will you get faster Teo?" You mocked as he began to climb the same boulder you were proudly standing on. He let out a 'tch' sound as he huffed his way up, finally making it to your level.
He laid down on the rock or a second, catching his breath before you heard a sound. You squinted your eyes at the odd gurgling noise before slowly walking towards the source. Gekko quickly shot up from his spot and grabbed your wrist, stopping you. You look behind you to see Gekko looking more worried than usual.
"(Y/N)!" He whispered, "You don't know what that is or what made that sound! It could be a monster!" He warned. A concerned look made its way to your face as you look back to the noise, it seemed to get louder now.
"Teo, it sounds hurt. We have to help it." You tried to reason with him. He looked down in thought before slightly releasing your wrist from his hold. You didn't bolt off like usual, instead, you grabbed his hand and laced your fingers with his and led him to the noise. Gekko looked down at your hand connected with his, a bright red blush made its way to his cheeks. He attempted to cover his face with his small hands and soon just put his arm across his face.
You and Gekko slowly made your way to the noise, it kept getting louder and louder. Being the determined kid you were, you pushed forward with a very flustered Gekko following you. You then saw the light again, but this time, it was different colors. You looked back towards Gekko. Again, he looked extremely nervous. You released his hand as you walked towards the colored light. You slowly peer into the bushes where the light and noises are coming from, your small hands clearing away the brush to find 4 small animals. You look at them with curiosity and wonder. They were so vibrant and colorful. You smiled to yourself as you waved over Gekko.
"It's ok Mateo! Its those animals my mom was talking about! What were they again?" Your childish mind could never remember anything. Gekko walked over curiously and used his hands to clear some more bushes. His eyes lit up when seeing the small animals. He let out a small 'woah' as he picked a yellow one up. He cradled it in his arms before talking again.
"I think your mom said they are Radiant Animals. Something about Kingdom and their stupid stuff." He said as he hugged the small animal. You smiled to yourself as you grabbed a green one and a pinkish one. Gekko took the hint that you were taking them for your own and grabbed the last blue one. You both looked at the animals in awe then smiled to each other. You could already count so many ways to use these little guys for mischief.
~
You groaned as the sun shined on your eyes. You swiftly lift your blanket to your eyes to avoid the sun's harsh gaze. You yawn as you give up on going back to sleep and raise yourself up in your bed. You look around your room, so many pictures were littered on your walls. Ones of you and Mateo, others of your family. You slowly get out of bed and head towards the bathroom, passing a small calendar with a date circled on it. You double back and rub your eyes, looking at the date more clearly now. You let out a small gasp and rush to get ready.
"Fuck! How could I forget Teo is coming home today!" You yelled at yourself as you quickly hop in the shower and brush your teeth. You were soon a tornado, opening up every drawer and cabinet in your room to find the perfect outfit for today. You looked around, your anxiety peaking as you gather everything you need. You quickly get dressed and put on a necklace Mateo got for you before he left. You did your make up the best you could and ran down the stairs. As you grabbed the door handle in a rush, your mom peeked to look at you from the kitchen.
"(Y/N!) ¿Cuál es tu problema esta mañana?" She said as her thick accent ran circles in your brain.
"Mamá, Teo viene a casa. Me tengo que ir!" You say as you unlock the door and race to the mural you two would always hang out at. "See you later!" You yell back to your mom as you make your way through the city.
When you finally got to the mural, you leaned against the wall and slowly slid down it, catching your breath. It wasn't easy to run almost a mile in cute wedges that were not made for running. After you catch your breath you pull out your phone, there were a million reminders on your phone put by Mateo reminding you that he was coming home today. You giggle to yourself as you clear the reminders and scroll through your phone. You were so lost on instagram that you couldn't even hear Wingman running towards you. You yelped in surprise when you were tackled by Wingman, then Dizzy, followed by Mosh, then Thrash. You laughed as you wrapped your arms around all of them, expect Thrash.
"Ay! How are my favorite guys doing hm? Saving the world and junk." You say as they all start talking at once. You hear a playful scoff behind you as you cuddle your pets some more.
"Favorite guys? Does that include me too?" Gekko's voice rang out. A small smile graced your lips as you carefully put down the rowdy animals, then turning around to see the love of your life, Mateo. You tear up a bit as you run into his arms, holding each other.
"Te extrañé mucho Teo." You spoke in your native language. He chuckles and tightens his embrace around you.
"Yo también te extrañé mi amor." He replied back as he kissed the top of your head affectionately. Your embrace was broken up as Wingman climbed Mateo's shoulder, grabbing his attention. You both look at the yellow creature in question, until he begins making his small noises, or talking. Mateo smiles as he looks back at you.
"He was just saying how pretty you look." Teo narrates for Wingman. You let out a small scoff as you pick up Wingman from Mateo's shoulder and nuzzle into his small face.
"Teo, I know what he is saying. We raised them together." You smile as you put Wingman down. The animals go back into Gekko's pack as he clears his throat and looks at you sheepishly before grabbing your hand and lacing his fingers with yours.
"Right, sorry. I'm always translating at work. Habit I guess." An embarrassed blush made its way to his ears. You laugh as you kiss his cheeks, making them more red.
"Thank you Teo. Now, what do you want to do first?" You ask as you both start walking into town. Mateo thinks for a bit before smiling to himself.
"Wanna go get ice cream? No one makes as good of ice cream than Luca. It's the one thing I've been craving since I left a year ago." He smiles and looks down at you. You give him a playful glare.
"You weren't craving me for a year?" You ask playfully. His face goes red and he laughs, bringing you into another embrace.
"I've craved you since the day we met." He says as he kisses the top of your head. You give him a playful shove and giggle.
"Genius, the day we met? We were in diapers? I mean you still think like a baby." You mock Gekko. He gives you a look of fake hurt as he pinches your cheek.
"You get what I mean." He mocks back. You give him a smile and peck his lips as you walk towards the ice cream shop again, leaving him a bit in shock. He shook his head a bit, looking at you like a dazed puppy before following in your footsteps, the same way he did when you two were kids.
I think we all knew this was coming. I wrote the last part and couldn't get the dirty smut out of my head. Since this is smut MINORS DNI. Theres plenty of fluff on my page to look at. Thanks!
Cypher x Reader smut
Warnings: 18+, age gap, sexual content, p in v, fingering, consent, unprotected sex, overstimulation
STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU READ PART ONE HERE!!
Words: 2.1k
"Ah I see. Well then, let's cut to the chase then hm?" He pulled up his mask slightly just to his nose. His flirtatious smile graced his lips as he grabbed you and pulled you into him. He smashed his lips onto yours, his tongue finding its way around your mouth. He was hungry, craving more of you. He wanted to go farther, and fuck you harder. You break the kiss mostly for air, a string of saliva connected the two of you. He smiles again before picking you up. You instinctively wrap your legs around him, he chuckles a bit before setting you down on your bed, your head resting on a pillow. He climbed on the bed and placed himself at your feet.
He kneeled over you, taking you all in. Since, the last time you did anything together was in the dark, he wanted to know what you truly looked like. A gentle smile graced his lips as he took off his hat and placed it on your head. You sat there a bit confused, mostly hot and bothered. You knew you had a dark blush on your cheeks.
"Wha. Why the hat?" You have to ask. You feel it moving around a lot since it is way too big for you. He gives you a dry chuckle, making his devilish smile appear again. He lowers himself to your groin, now looking directly into your eyes from across your body.
"To cover your face, if you get embarrassed." He winks as his hands make their way to your thighs and pry them open. Your face gets hotter and your head drops as his hands wander around your legs, taking in every inch. He starts slowly massaging your thighs, you let out a small satisfied moan as he gradually makes his way up to your clothed pussy. An arm flys to your mouth to stop any loud moans. He laughs at this before grabbing the waistband of your pants and slowly pulling them down.
"The rooms are sound proof my dear. Lots of agents scream in frustration and no one wants to hear that." He says as he skillfully takes off your pants, leaving you in your underwear. He taps your thigh saying 'Look at me for a moment'. You lift your head from your rested position and look at his eyes. He has a small smile, but eyes that had some concern laced within them. You knew what he was asking and nodded your head rapidly to say 'Yes, go ahead'. You lay your head back down as you feel his fingers prod at your clothed pussy.
"My my. Already wet for me it seems. Were you thinking of me before I got here?" His gravely voice almost groans out. You nod your head, whimpering at his touches. He lifts himself up to meet your lips in another hungry kiss. His tongue meeting with yours as he invades your mouth. His hands go to work as they slip under your underwear and prod your entrance. You moan a little in his mouth, both of your arms make their way to his neck. One of his hands finds its way to one of yours and holds it. He disconnects from you, moving your hair out of the way to attack your neck. He smiles against it finding your sweet spot still bruised from last time.
His hands leave you for a moment to take his gloves off. Once off, they immediately go back to their previous positions. One hand holding yours while the other entering you. You let out a satisfied moan as he slowly pumps his fingers in and out of you. You bite your lip as you feel his kisses going all down your neck, slowly making their way down your body. When he hits your collar bone, his hand leaves yours again to take off your shirt. Once the garment is out of the way, his hand flys to your breasts. He stops kissing you for a moment and looks up at you with a cheeky smile.
"No bra huh little one? That's a bit dirty don't cha think?" He teases. His fingers increasing their pace in your cunt. You hold back a moan as his hand gropes your breast while his mouth connects to the other one.
"I-I-It was off because ah. B-Because I was g-going to sleep." You attempt to say. He detaches his lips off your sensitive bud and gives you another look, one you couldn't read. He gives a small chuckle with an even smaller 'Fair' coming out of his mouth.
He goes back to work pleasuring you in every way he can. His fingers increasing speed as he kisses down your body more until he is down where your cunt is. He smiles as he pulls off your panties, revealing your pretty pussy. He licks his lips in anticipation as he disconnects his fingers from you and replaces it with his mouth. He lets out a groan in satisfaction.
"You taste good my dear." He says before diving back in. You let out a pornigraphic moan. He smiles against your cunt as he laps up all of your juices. One arm rests against your hips, keeping them secure, while the other plays with your clit. He then switches positions, his fingers now deep inside you while his mouth sucks on your sensitive clit. Your moans get louder as you grope your breasts in pleasure, feeling the knot in your stomach almost coming undone.
"C-Cypher. Ahh~ fuck. I'm g-gonna!" You stop as you cum right onto his fingers. His tongue quickly replaces his fingers, drinking your cum as if it was the last drink he will ever have. You pant as his hands wander back up your body. His lips meeting yours again. You taste yourself on his tongue and kiss him eagerly. He pulls away letting his hands go to your stomach and resting there.
"You did so good little one." He smiles as you give him a small smile back. Your eyes wander down his body now, noticing the tent in his pants. You climb on top of him and let your hands wander until they reach the zipper of his pants. You looked up at him with patience. He gives you a caring smile and kisses your lips passionately as he unzips his fly and pushes his cock through the small opening. You break the kiss to look down at his length. Your eyes widen slightly, it was bigger than anything you've ever taken before. Cypher noticed your hesitation and cupped your cheek, making you look back at him.
"Don't worry, we will go slow." He affirms your worries and kisses your nose again. You give him a smile before moving your hips to his. You slightly grind on his cock, getting your juices on him as lube. He lets out a small groan, his hands meeting up with your hips to assist in rolling them against him. His hat on your head falls down your face slightly as you look down at him, your hands grab his cock and places it upright. You lift your hips and slowly sink onto him. He lets out a gravely moan as you take in all of him in one go. You bite your lip, the pain not yet subsided. You lay down on his chest as he takes off his hat from your head and begins stroking your hair. He then kisses the top of your head, your eyes now meeting his.
"Take your time my dear." He lets out a breathy groan. You lay there for a bit until the pain fully subsides. You test the waters by rolling your hips, which caught Cypher off guard. He groaned as his hands met with your hips keeping them steady.
"Fuckk (Y/N). Warn me next time." He hisses out. "You're too tight to do that to me unexpectedly." His eyes close as you lift yourself up from him. You nod as you plant both of your hands on either side of him. You smile sadistically before moving your hips up then slamming them back down. This causes Cypher to groan louder, he gives you a scowling look as you give him a satisfied one.
"What's wrong Cypher? I thought you were more experienced than this." You tease him as you roll your hips again. Feeling him inside you, you let out a breath. His eyes squint at you with a smirk. You knew you fucked up. Your teasing smile drops as his hands make their way to your ass and lift you up. He smiles as he thrusts into you at an unforgiving pace. You moan as he grunts in pleasure, feeling your tight walls milk him.
"So-so fucking good." You utter out as he chuckles and goes faster. The sounds coming from you two were absolutely filthy. The squelching of your pussy taking in all of his cock. Your moans filling up most of the room. Cypher's groans as he pounds into you. He sits up and hugs your torso, planting his mouth on your breast again as he continues to thrust into you.
"You like how this cock filling you up (Y/N)? Do you like how an older man fucks you better than anyone else could?" He asks sadistically knowing you won't be able to answer due to the pleasure you are receiving. He gives you a sly smile as he takes his rock hard length out of you, causing you to whine from loss of contact. He switches your position so your head is down on a pillow with your ass up while he is kneeling behind you. His hands spread your ass open as he takes in the beautiful view. He slots his cock into you again, going back to the quick pace he had before. You moan desperately as you feel the knot in your stomach becoming undone for the second time. Cypher could feel your walls clench around him making him groan and go deeper into your pussy.
"Cum for me little one. Cum all over my cock." His rough voice rang inside your head as you let yourself go on him. However, his thrusts did not let up until he was finished with you. The over stimulation caused tears to prick in your eyes as he continued to thrust into you.
"Good girl, I'm a-almost-" He didn't finish his sentence. He swiftly pulled out of you and came onto your back. He groans as he his high dissipates.
You let your body collapse as you feel the dip in the bed disappear and hear running water. The bed dips again, you look back to see Cypher with a warm towel in his hand. He gives you a genuine smile as he cleans up your back, getting rid of any evidence that he was here. He throws the cum soaked rag into the hamper and lays next to you. He grabs a bottle of water from beside your bed. You shakily lift yourself up, one of his arms immediately helping you sit up so you can drink water. The cold water felt like honey on your lips as you gulp it down. You place the water back onto the side of your bed as you curl up next to Cypher. One hand envelops both of your hands while the other plays with your hair.
You rest your head on his shoulder, still catching your breath. He rests his head on top of yours. He kisses the top of your head tenderly as you slowly drift to sleep.
`
You wake up the next morning. You look around the room groggily trying to find the man who rearranged your guts last night. You sit up and notice a blanket slip down your naked body. You look around, but theres no sign of him. You let your head hit the pillow in frustration, this seems awfully similar to how guys would treat you back home. You turned your head to the side and see a note on the pillow. You wonder how you didn't see it before. You carefully pluck it from its position and read it.
Little one,
Thank you for last night. I have many meetings to attend to today so I had to leave before you woke up. I'll see you tonight ;).
-Cypher
Your heart soared at the note. You giggled to yourself as you lay your head back down onto your pillow, a smile gracing your lips.
"See you tonight." You whisper to yourself as you envelope yourself more into your warm sheets.
hi!! I’m so glad that you’re back and reviving the cypher love :’)) I have a cypher request!!
I was wondering if you could write a cypher x reader fic based on the song “older” by isabel larosa?? reader will be 18+ obvi but i always think abt cypher when listening to the song :p I’d prefer female reader but am ok with gn!! thank u again <3
You know I had to listen to the full song before answering this... AND I LOVE IT! I can definitely see why you think of Cypher when listening to it. Your wish is my command! Requests are open :)
Important note! There are some bits in here that go back to the past, those are in ~italics~. Present day will be normal.
Someone Older (Female Reader) (Implied NSFW)
Cypher x Reader implied smut
Warnings: Age gap, implied being used in past relationships, touching, slight sexual content
Being a 20 year old woman in the dating scene in this day in age absolutely sucked. You felt like you were being tossed around, never listened to, only being used for your good looks and sex appeal. You finally had enough, and decided to run away from your hometown and joined The Valorant Protocol because you'd rather be shot than ghosted for the 20th time.
Upon arrival, you could basically sniff out the fuck boys from the group. Phoenix would always call you sexy in the hallways. Chamber would invite you to his yacht so he could have a 'private chat' with you. Gekko would pester you about teaching you some new dance moves which may or may not involve limited clothing. You'd always turn everyone down, of course. No one, and I mean no one, could get you to date ever again.
You were sitting in your room relaxing and playing music on your phone when someone knocked at the door. You rolled your eyes assuming it was another boy asking you to teach him how to shoot a gun. You dragged your feet to the door and opened it with an unamused face that quickly dropped when you saw who was at the door. It was your senior, Cypher. You always felt a little intimidated by his masked appearance, always wondering why he hides his face. You've, of course, imagined what it looks like and secretly hoped he was as attractive as you imagined. But, you've never shown any interest in him, trying to keep a cold exterior to ward off fuck boys. You slightly lean on the doorframe in a relaxed appearance, a small smile gracing your lips.
"Well well well. What brings you to my room?" You ask while your eyebrow lifts in question. He clears his throat a bit before speaking.
"We have a mission soon (Y/N). I would like to plan with you on what we should do and how to execute it." His gravely voice sang a song in your ears. You quickly dispel any thoughts before speaking again. You cross your arms across your chest.
"I'm game. Where are we meeting and when?" You get straight to the point so he can go away as quick as possible so he doesn't see the small blush making its way to your cheeks.
"Just meet me in my lab in about an hour. We can go over lots of details in there." He leans on the same side of the doorframe as you and slightly leans in. You could feel his breath fanning over your nose as his bright blue eyes stare into your (E/C) eyes. You look down and stand straight up. You look back into his eyes with confidence.
"I'll be there old man." You say with a smile. He lets out a chuckle before grabbing your chin with his hand and squeezing it slightly. All of the impure thoughts came flooding back in. You knew the blush you were desperately trying to hide was back now. You feel his breath on your face again before he speaks.
"Old? I think you mean experienced little one. See you in an hour." He swiftly let go of your chin and shut the door. You stood there dumbfounded as to what just happened. You feel your face burn as you walk over to your bed and sit down. You couldn't stop one thought that took over your mind quickly.
I think I need someone older...
`
You look down at your feet as the boat gets closer and closer to its destination. A gun in your hands, ready to attack your doppelgänger. You let out a small breath as you feel the boat slow down and pull into a port. You raise your eyes up and look at your team. You were confident that you will win this fight. As soon as the boat stops, everyone files out and begins to go to their stations as planned. You followed Cypher as he guided you to an optimal sniper position where he would be watching. You were to protect him at all costs. Your eyes dart around making sure no one is near when his voice breaks the silence.
"Stop being so tense little one. I know it's stressful, but I know you can do it." His words sink into your ears. Your eyes focused on him as he leads the way to the sniper nest.
Once there, you set up a few traps just before the entrance so you are alerted if anyone is coming. When everything is set, you go up to the nest with Cypher and sit down, your back against the wall he is looking out of. Your eyes focus on the ground, then wander to him and his position. You watch as his hands skillfully build the sniper rifle he is using, almost mesmerized by his fingers. A chuckle breaks you out of your trance. You look up at his eyes with a questionable look.
"What? Why are you laughing?" You ask trying to sound serious. His chuckle dissipates and he sighs.
"I know how much you love my hands and what they do for you little one. It's cute." He teases. Your mind is replaying what happened that night when you and Cypher were talking about the mission.
~
You were both lounging around his lab talking strategies and plans for almost 5 hours now. Everyone else who was involved with the mission left to go to bed already or got bored and left. Currently, Cypher was telling you stories of his past missions, some of which made you laugh. After a laughing fit, his mask bore into your eyes.
"Why did someone like you join Valorant? I know it's not my place to ask but I'm genuinely curious." His voice was soft like silk and sweet as honey when he asked that. You gave a faint smile back.
"Well, I was tired of my old life. Same thing, different day, it got repetitive. I wanted to escape. Feel worthy of something again. Not just cast aside like I always was." You put your arms behind your head and stared at the ceiling, letting your answer sink into the air. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Cypher look down, in thought, then look back at you.
"When you escaped, you must've left someone behind, right? A pretty thing like you must've had someone." He quizzed as he lifted up his mask slightly to sip on tea he made. You look back at him and shrugged your shoulders.
"Nah, not really. One of the reasons I left actually. I was getting treated like shit and was tired of it." You sat up fully now, your shoulders slumped as you looked at your senior with doe eyes. He hummed in acceptance as he placed his mug to the side, but not putting down his mask like he usually would.
"I'm sorry (Y/N) that no one has treated you fairly in the past. If I'm honest, you're quite the catch." He said as he stood up and walked over to your seated position. "I think, you need someone who will see you for who you are. Intelligent, funny, cute, and inspiring." You could see his smile when he said this. It almost made you completely melt.
"That's what I've been looking for, but, it never came." You looked up at him, his hand connecting to the side of your face and cupping it.
"My dear." His sultry voice rang out. "I think you've been looking in the wrong places."
~
You feel your face burn up as you hear him laugh. You quickly hit his thigh with your hand in playful anger. He lets out a breathy 'ouch' before chuckling again.
"This isn't the time or place Cypher! We could get shot any minute!" Your worries pushed the unclean images out of your head. He hummed before looking down his sniper scope.
"In this line of work my dear, it's never the right time. That's why we take advantage of the opportunities we are given." He smiles and looks back at you, you give him a small smile back before you drift off into a day dream again.
~
His lips on yours felt heavenly. Something you've never felt before with guys your age, but he wasn't your age. He was something different entirely. He breaks off the kiss to check in on you. Your eyes open a bit and your face flushes. He lets out a small chuckle, a smile adorning his face as he leaves you in a chair to go close all the blinds.
"I must say, you have me excited. Who knew a girl like you could fall for an older man hmm?" His voiced laced with a teasing tone. The room progressively gets darker when the blinds are shut. Soon, it is almost pitch black in the room. The only exception being the blue lights coming from his equipment and computer. You internally panic before you feel his hands on you again, but this time, theres no gloves. You mumble out a confused sound before you feel lips on your neck kissing you trying to find your sweet spot.
"I apologize for the lighting. I'm not ready for you to see all of me yet. I hope you understand little one." He continues to kiss down your neck. You give out a small moan when he hits your spot. You can feel his lips curl into a smile before sucking and nipping on the spot. Your moans grow as he abuses it.
"W-What am I to you, a secret?" You ask in between moans. You feel his hands explore your body. You feel when they go under your shirt and grasp onto your breasts.
"For now, yes. I don't think people would like someone older like me with someone younger. Let this be our little secret, mkay?" His voice gets rougher the more he touches you, the more he feels you. You nod your head and let yourself enjoy the moment, alone with him. His lips catch you in another kiss when you feel his wandering hands snake their way into your pants.
~
You feel a slight nudge on your shoulder. You tumble back into reality, your face a burning red. You look up at your superior, he is gazing down at you.
"Replaying that night again my dear?" You could hear the smile on his face. You huff and place your forehead into your hands.
"I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be serious and all right now. But, I can't help but think back to that night you know? I've never been treated that way before." You answer honestly, still avoiding his gaze. You lift your head up out of your hands and stare at the floor for a moment to focus. You look back at Cypher expectantly, hoping for an answer from the older man.
"Well, I'm glad I can take the weight off of your shoulders my dear. I hope you know it wasn't a one time deal. I crave you too. I always think back to that night." His voice tapers off as he focuses. "We can talk about it later, for now, we have company." His voice turns cold, as if he was an entirely different man. You take a deep breath and focus, so you can go home with Cypher.
`
You suddenly wake up to someone jostling you. You slowly open your eyes to find that you were back. Your hands meet with your eyes, rubbing the sleep out of them, before looking at who shook you awake. You blink a few times before noticing a comrade, Neon, grabbing your shoulders and shaking you more.
"(Y/N)? (Y/N) you passed out on the ride home. (Y/N) come on wakey wakey!" Her energetic voice seemed to bounce off of your brain. You sat up and gave her a small scowl.
"Come on Neon! I was in the middle of a dream." You complained as you pouted your lips.
"I'll say, you were moving around a lot there (Y/N)." Your blood almost froze when you heard Cyphers voice. You turned to him with shy eyes, a small blush flooding your cheeks.
"I'm so sorry I fell asleep on you Cypher. It won't happen again." You profusely apologized to keep your secret. He got up and ruffled your hair, making it a mess.
"Don't worry about it little one. It's my pleasure to be your pillow." His cheerful voice dissipated as he left the boat. Neon stood there with her hands on her hips, looking at you like a Golden Retriever.
"Soooo now that that's over, wanna go get food?" She asks you, a smile gracing her lips. You smile back before standing up and stretching.
"Food sounds great right now. Let's go!" You say as you run off of the boat getting a head start. You can faintly hear a 'NO FAIR' from Neon as she quickly catches up with you.
`
After eating your way into a food coma, you lay face first down into your bed and let out a groan before flipping over. You stare at the ceiling, wondering if you should go to Cypher's lab or to just sleep. You opt for sleeping and sit up a bit before theres a knock at your door. You look at the door puzzled as if it just asked you a question. You get up from your soft mattress and drag your feet towards the door groaning as you open it keeping your eyes closed.
"Whoever you are go away, I need sleep more than anything." Your eyes remain closed not caring who it is.
"Aw, does that include me too my dear?" His gravely voice revives you as you open your eyes wide and stand up straight.
"C-Cypher! Hi. I didn't expect you here. Right now. In this moment." You say embarrassed as you look everywhere but his eyes. He chuckles then pushes you back into your room and closes the door behind him. A small click can be heard signifying the door is locked.
"Ah I see. Well then, let's cut to the chase then hm?"
Hi!! It’s been a while! It’s kinda sad to see the Cypher community die out so I’m back! I ran out of ideas and that’s why I don’t post. This one is a bit short but sweet. Requests are open and I will get to them as soon as I can :)
Words: 255 words
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Husband! Cypher always kisses you when he gets home. No matter what you are doing, he finds you like a heat seeking missile and attacks you with kisses.
Husband! Cypher hates going on long missions. He literally counts down the seconds til he can be home and have you in his arms.
Husband! Cypher always buys gifts for you from his trips. Most of the time it’s the regions snacks or food. Other times it’s a little trinket that reminded him of you. You will always treasure the fish keychain he got you from Breeze.
Husband! Cypher loves spending time with you and will drop everything to be by your side. You ask him to cuddle and read with you? He will call in from work sick and spend the whole day with you.
Husband! Cypher will tease you about the littlest things. Staring in his eyes for too long? He will ask “What’s your problem?” and squeeze your face.
Husband! Cypher won’t really show you off at work. He likes to keep his work life and home life separate. No one (besides Brimstone) knows that Cypher has a partner, let alone married. The only trace of you he has in his lab is a mug you got him for Christmas that says “Worlds Best Asshole ❤️”.
Husband! Cypher has always loved you, no doubt about it. From the moment he saw you he could tell you were his forever person. He cried like a baby when you walked down the aisle to him. His heart will always be full of love for you and whatever you do.
Hello, I was wondering if you could do a sfw fic with cypher and a fem wife reader where she very obviously has a thing for his hands and maybe him teasing her about it
Thank you for reading my request, have a nice day!
It’s so cute and wholesome I couldn’t wait to write it!! Of course I can do this for you anon, it would be my pleasure :)
Keep Your Hand in Mine (Female Reader)
Cypher x Reader fluff
Words: 894
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You were perfectly positioned. Your legs were curled up underneath you, a blanket sprawled on your lap and legs, and a good book in your hands. You read in the warm glow of your fairy lights that you begged your husband to put up for the, as he puts in air quotes, “aesthetic”. You let out a small sigh as you turn the page, your arm rising from its comfortable position against the side of the couch as you flip the fragile paper to uncover unread words. You lean your head on your hand as you continue to read. A sudden dip in the soft cushion makes you glance over to see a smiling face holding a steaming cup of your favorite tea. You give him a small smile and close your book, making sure the book mark is in its place. You carefully take the hot mug into your small hands and give an excited smile as you stare at the amber liquid. You can hear your husband chuckle at your antics as you take a small sip. The burn never felt so good and you let out a small mewl in delight. His chuckle deepens with your mewl.
“My love, the sounds you make are so cute.” He says as he nuzzles into your neck. The tickle of his stubble makes you scrunch your nose trying to hide your tickle spot. You pull away from him and look into his deep brown eyes. His head falls since you moved away from him making him fall into your lap. You giggle as you set the steaming cup on the small side table, being careful not to spill it. Amir readjusts and is facing upward, his head still in your lap. You look down at him softly, your hands making their way to his hair to play with his dark brown locks. He closes his eyes in delight and almost purrs.
“And you say my sounds are odd, you’re literally purring Amir.” You point out. His face quickly bunches together, his eyebrows knitting and his eyes opening. A playful smile adorns his face.
“None like you my love, my life.” He says as he gets up and makes himself comfortable next to you. He places an arm behind you pulling you into his chest. You lean in and take one of his hands into both of yours.
You then start your little routine. You measure your hand against his, noting how small yours is in comparison. He slightly curls the tops of his fingers to meet yours. You then take every single finger and rub them, giving each one a personal message. He leans his head back on the couch, fully sinking into the hand massage. You carefully put that hand down and pick up his other one and do the same routine.
“My love.” Amir groans out. His voice gravely due to him being so relaxed. You let out a small hum to let him know you are listening. “Why do you play with my hands so much?” He questions. You smile to yourself and play with his wedding ring, slowly turning it around his finger. The gold shining brightly even in the warm light.
“I play with your hands because I like them.” You answer innocently. He raises his head up and gives you a questioning look. You give him a soft, adoring look back. Looking at him like he is the best thing in the world. His eyes soften and he takes one of his hands from you and places it on the side of your face, cupping it slightly. You lean into his touch, your eyes still full of love for your husband. He then melts under your gaze.
“‘Because I like them’.” He says in a higher voice slightly mocking you. You giggle and look down, your hands finding the other one. He also chuckles and tries to find your eyes again.
“I do Amir. I love your hands. I don’t know why but…” your sentence drifts away as you carefully take his other hand into yours again. Your fingers gently circle the callouses he has gained from work. They work their way around to different scars we has adorned on his skin, your fingers rubbing them slightly almost trying to get them healed. You look back up at him and find his face giving you a look that you know very well. One that says ‘continue your sentence please’. You give him a small smile and continue while looking into his brown eyes.
“But I love them. And I love you.” You lean in and give him a peck on the lips. He smiles against your peck and leans in a bit more to try and get more of your kiss. You pull back and feel his other hand come up to your face to cup the other cheek. You then put one of your hands on his wrist, gently wrapping your small fingers around. He slightly squishes your face between his hands which makes you giggle and him chuckle at your now squeezed face.
“Ah my love.” He calls as he lets go of your face. Your face almost looks disappointed, missing his warmth. He then quickly gives you a peck on your lips making you smile. “What did I do to deserve a wife like you.”
